Chapter Five: Issues

MEEP MEEP MEEP MEEP!
"Oh, damn...let me sleep..." a sleepy voice came under the covers.
MEEP MEEP MEEP MEEP!
"I said LET ME SLEEP!" Ren appeared from under the covers, his face scrunched up, obviously pissed, his kwan dao in hand. His lack of rest was showing, his eyes having dark areas on them. "BASON!"
MEEP MEEP MEE----BOOOOOM!
"That'll teach you to mess with me!" he shouted at the alarm clock as he dismissed his spirit.
"Y'know, you could've just pressed the snooze button." Said his sister, walking in his room with a tray full of breakfast stuff.
"I...I knew that..." said Ren in an embarrassed tone. Jun smiled and set down the tray.
"Good. Oh, my...Renny—"
"I'd be thankful if you didn't call me that.."
"Oh, Ren...You need a facial. You're starting to get blemishe—"
"Jun..I appreciate it but..."
"I almost forgot, you have a meeting this morning..."
"I just arrived! Ugh...wait...is it with that Representative Han?"
"Yes, why?"
"Wasn't Daisuke the one to represent the company?"
"Oh, that. Seems he had an unfortunate accident. Broke his leg in three places."
"So?"

"Father wants you to represent instead."
"How about Horohoro?"
"He's on leave."
"WHAT? But..."
"No buts." Jun said in a stern tone.
"Can't we just cancel it? Reschedule?"
Jun gave her brother a look that clearly said "no"
"Sadly, Miss Rika and the other representatives only have a month's stay here. She'd be back in Korea next month, and they'll have a meeting in Taiwan with the other representatives of the company the month after. The meeting can't wait two months, Ren."
"Fine, fine, I'll do it."

Rika strolled inside the building. She arrived early for a meeting with the manager for the Japanese branch of the international Tao Group of Companies. Hiro was walking behind her, talking with someone on his cellphone.
"Bad news."
Rika spun around, her long azure hair trailing elegantly behind her.
"How bad can it be?"
"Alexis is having those fits again...the doctor says he's come down with a fever."
"Think it'll be good if I give him a call?" Rika said worriedly, pulling out a cellphone from her handbag.
"Better make it quick...the meeting is in fifteen minutes."
Rika flipped her phone open and dialed a number.

Ren's felt a wave of relaxation as he turned on his shower. He felt his stress wash away as the cool water trickled on his bare skin.
"Mister Yu! He's a really nice person. And he can see ghosts, too!" he said delightedly. "He looks like you and daddy, but he was Taiwanese so I don't suppose so..."
A sudden thought suddenly struck him. Hana's words echoed in his ears.
"Could it have been possible? That...no...Anna says he's dead...but still..."
Ren turned the knob and the water rushed in faster.
"There's a low chance of someone looking exactly like Hao and Yoh without being related to them..." he shook his head.
"Stop thinking about these things for awhile... gotta think of the meeting...gotta focus on the figures..."he said to himself as he turned off the shower and dried himself.

Rika made a face. She's been calling Alexis for the past ten minutes, but all she got was the answering machine.
"Hey. It's Alexis. I'm not available at the moment. If you wish to leave a message, do so after the beep." Rika closed her phone.
"He's probably resting..."
"Rika, we have to go now, the meeting's about to start."

"Kanna..." the young woman, spun around...to see...
"M—master?"
"I have another job for you."
"Wha—what is it?"
"You see...a certain someone's memory needs to be locked up."
"You mean...?"
"Yes, my dear. Sadly, the lock seems to be unlocking itself slowly...I knew all along that bringing him back here was a bad idea. But then, miss know-it-all wouldn't listen.."
"Where do I fit in all of this?"
The dark figure smirked at her.
"You're to make sure the lock stays on...If not, then.."
"I am to terminate him?"
"Precisely. Stand guard and spy on him. He is unpredictable." He said in a 'matter-of-factly' tone. "After all, he is my brother."
"I...I understand.." Kanna lowered her head.
She can't fail this mission. She just can't.

"Promise mommy you'll behave in school." Anna smiled at her son.
"I promise! No trouble, mommy!"
"Good then."
"Mommy?"
"yes?"
"Why wasn't daddy Hao at breakfast?"
"I don't know...now, that was the school bell, better run off!"
Anna watched her son run inside the building. Where did Hao disappear to this morning, anyway? He wasn't in his room, nor did he appear at breakfast.