"The System was created since the dawn of the Togami family, and it's something that has ensured its prosperity since old. This group within the Group has a way of choosing the wives for the Heir. Yes – he added at Touko's dropped jaw. - Wives as in plural".
"What do you mean… Byakuya-sama…"
"He won't marry, not even once. He needs to pick wives, not only from Japan but all over the world, to have children with. Only the best of the best are allowed to – he coughed slightly – mate with him. The System has to make sure his pick is worthy of his status… "
"So they… are going to see… if I could be… if he and me… if we b-both…" Touko was unable to put the System's objective in words.
"I'm sorry for the indelicate words, but yes… if you would be a worthy mate. That's the only kind of relationship he will ever have with a member of the opposite sex. However, in the event you are picked, Touko-san, you will only be, at best, one of many"
Touko couldn't help but bite her thumb furiously. The comparison would be too much. She would never allow anyone to keep her apart from Byakuya, yet how was she supposed to survive being pitted against women much more… his style?
She wasn't hot stuff, she knew that much. He would tire of her being so nervous, of her not being pretty, of her not knowing the first thing about… that.
She couldn't even be his friend. No one would allow her near him, unless he wanted some… The terror of being used, this time by the boy she adored to heaven and back, crept like burning venom, and she could feel her squeezing her guts.
Grabbing her head with both hands, she uttered a painful moan.
Kobayama felt pity as he could work out her mental process. He decided to give her the ultimate trump card.
"You have an advantage, though."
Hope-filled eyes stared back at Kobayama, her pale face pending on the words he was about to say.
"Byakuya-sama has never allowed any girl to approach him. He can't get a hold of his tongue, and once that happens… He even badmouthed the young princess of Novoselic until she left the manor in tears. - His speech became pensive – Come to think of this… he hasn't shooed you away, has he?"
"All the time" the braided girl sulked "I'm not worthy of him"
"Excuse me, but which are the words the young master uses when he refers to you?"
Touko became edgy again.
"Do y-you want to have fun at me, lewd old man? D-does it make any difference if Byakuya-sama considers me an eyesore… a nuisance… a stinky filthy being who never knows when to shut up?"
Kobayama stared at her calmly. When he finally spoke, his voice was almost triumphant.
"It makes all the difference in the world. He usually calls people below him 'commoners', 'failures', 'peasants' or 'plankton'. What he's calling you… well… although unpleasant, that's very basic name-calling, back where he comes from – he signaled the manor with one hand – You are lucky, Touko-san. He seldom condescends to call me that… when he's in a really good mood…"
"W-what do you mean…?"
"As far as the young master is concerned, I have never met anyone to whom he spoke like that. It seems almost that – he chuckled softly – he's keeping the appearances by calling you… his equivalent of proxy nicknames…"
He smiled again, in his irritating Mona Lisa smile. Touko stood frozen, each hand pulling a braid. So he wasn't hating at her… he… didn't know what to say and he resorted to… love insults?!
"I'm prepared to think that you have a very good chance of earning a pass grade with the System. You have a talent the Group can use, and Byakuya-sama doesn't dislike you… Just go out there and convince them"
"But- I-I'm a writer… yet still… I'm no good with words…"
"Neither is the young master. And now he's the heir of an empire that knows no boundaries. He risked his life to get where he is now. If you care about him – and I'm sure you do – you should try your best, too"
Touko wanted to ask what made Byakuya risk his life, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.
"Sato, you can open the door. You better come with me, Touko-san…we took five minutes out of the System's time and they are going to be furious."
The bespectacled girl jumped out of the car, looking more confident than she was. On the back door, they were greeted by an old man, who looked sternly at them both.
"Five minutes" he snarled at Kobayama "Five… minutes… And you call yourself a Planner… I'll deal with you toe rag later. You, girl, come with me."
Touko Fukawa was already experimenting turmoil. Kobayama wasn't a pleasant person, but he seemed warmer than this stern, old man with blazing blue eyes, who snatched her by her sleeve.
Now, her mind swirling from the pressure, she was ushered into a conference room where several old geezers were staring at her.
"Greetings, Fukawa Touko. I think you already are aware of the reason why you are here"
They expected her not to know, to belittle her. It was like being observed by several older, meaner Togami. Only there wasn't that intuitive sparkle that kept her trying to talk and elicit a response from him. She composed herself enough to give an answer.
"So you c-can assess if I'm a w-worthy acquaintance for Byakuya-sama"
"Interesting" a handsome man said curtly "You have some brains, girl. Well then… I hence declare the System in motion. Whether you become a useful piece or are devoured by the mechanism, is up to you and you only"
Touko tried to force herself to look at the men sitting in front of her, to see if any looked remotely like her love. His father had to be there, somewhere... but she couldn't count much on him helping. Could it be that Togami senior was colder and meaner than his son?
A servant pulled back a chair for her and she sat down. As she did, her little heart started.
Above the meeting room, there was the Togami symbol in a drape. On the wall, in front of her, positioned so that it would be looking down at everyone, an oil painting of Togami was casting his piercing stare at her.
Her hopes grabbed onto his image, as a survivor from a shipwreck clings to a log.
"I have to be brave. He won't forgive me… if I don't..."
/
She bravely withstood the interrogation, looking at the painting if she ever felt like faltering. Her family, her ties, her income were examined in such detail, her already frail self-esteem was badly shaken. When it came to explain having two mothers, she was mentally praying her explanation to be satisfying.
It soon became evident that the Togami group had an indifference for privacy and individual rights that was borderline inhuman. Touko heard quotes of the short periods in which Togami and herself had spoken to each other, stressing the topics they usually debated and her lovesick comments behind his back. It became clear, also, that Togami was under a strict scrutiny and nothing around him came without critic.
Her admiration for Togami grew tenfold. She thought to herself that the bespectacled heir acted in consequence, not allowing himself to be caught off guard in whatever a Heir wasn't supposed to do or say. He was the Chosen, yet he wasn't free to choose most of the stuff in his life. But he acted so aloof, as if he was in control of everything…
I-I don't blame Byakuya-sama for being untrusting. If only I could convince him he can confide in me… That I would never betray him...
Then came a physical examination with a female doctor, which poor Touko, already terrified, went through trembling. She was deemed "too narrow down there" but "with some practice, she could widen enough". Her mind broke, got stuck, froze in the human equivalent of a Blue Screen of Death. How could she even bring herself to thing about Byakuya, after the cold, aseptic words the physician used to speak about her reproductive system…
Why did they refer to her as one would speak of an award-winning cow?
Next was a written exam, which, to her horror, contained several statements to ascertain her maternal tendencies. Another included a form, stating she would be giving up custody of any baby born to Togami from her, as well as ascertaining his paternity via DNA.
Just how messed up was Togami's family… it wasn't strange, then, that the blonde was so contemptuous and devoid of human warmth. She could've felt compassionate towards him, if she hadn't felt so self-conscious or miserable.
As she advanced to an interview, that seemed to be the last stage, she was giving in. She was scared, hungry, thirsty and unhappy. In a round of psychiatric questions, her nerves were beginning to crumble. She wanted to be left in peace. She felt she might swoon and unleash her bloody guardian, yet she could feel her guts quenching with the urgency of keeping her restrained.
Those horrible men and women in front of her kept asking questions so fast and constantly, she barely could answer one after the other. Fear spread in her chest. Tears trickled down her cheeks, as she fought hard to muster some serenity into herself.
Now of all times, now that she and Byakuya were in somewhat confidence – enough to exchange a couple of words – she was, once and again, going to ruin it all…
Nnngggghhhhh…
"So what makes you think you are able to cope with the pressure?"
"Byakuya-sama wouldn't gain much from associating to the likes of you…"
I'm going to break, if only you were here, I'm sorry I'm so weak, I'll give in…
That drew the final straw. Just as she felt the familiar darkness swirling in to claim her sanity, hurried steps on the corridor ended with an imperative push that opened the door wide.
No... way, no way, it can't be…
Touko, terrified out of her wits, turned to gawp at a tall figure, blond hair sweeping in two bangs at the sides, opening the door with a loud thud.
B-y-byakuya sama… c-ca-came for me?!
She blinked, wishing to wipe the tears and see him clearly.
But no… as relief cleared her mind, it became clear it wasn't her White Prince.
It was a middle-aged man, in a grey business suit, about as tall as Togami, with the same cold eyes. Though his were blue-green instead of blue, his bangs and hair were shorter, and had even whiter skin. His glasses were oblong instead of squared, gold rimmed instead of white, and his hair was icy blond instead of dirty blond. He sported a perfectly trimmed goatee and his suit had no wrinkles even at the seams.
For Touko, it was like seeing an older Togami with deliberate mistakes, a view of how he might look like thirty years from now.
The newcomer closed in, his chin raised, the nose slightly tilted to one side, arms folded. Just as the young heir, he emitted an air of well-offness and regality that contrasted with everyone around him. Only, instead of the cold anger in Togami's eyes, there was a flash of contained authority.
There was no doubt, not a shadow of a doubt.
She was now looking at Byakuya's father. The Head of the Togami Group.