"Interesting" Kojiro walked towards the pair, earning a scowl from Byakuya. "Willing to throw away the education you were given, just because of a girl like this. Truly interesting. I don't give this over a ten percent chance of success, though"

"You and your percentage talk make me sick" snarled the Heir. "Quit trying to dissuade me. If I could cope with the exam and the pressure, I can cope with this as well"

"Of course" replied the Head, sarcastically "You can. What about her, though… I bet she will play well the role of your First Wife in front of others. Over all, because she's so strong inside. Won't be broken by people commenting on her…"

Still holding Syo's ears, Togami grit his teeth. The First Wife, a mockery on the part of the Togami Group. In public attendances, the Head of the Group had to choose one of his mates to play that role. The outside world was unaware of the harem behind his back and the method of selecting heirs, so officially that wife would act as if she was the only one. She would have to cope with all the strain and stress of being the hostess in each and every Togami Group ceremony.

"If that was to happen, she will have my support" he musted himself to say. "Obviously, you broke her confidence to pieces, so all you can see is what you wanted to see. Do it again, I'll shield her. From you, from the System… from the world"

Kojiro merely shrugged. With an ease difficult to accept for a middle-aged man in a suit, without taking his eyes off his son's, he moved another step forward. This time, although deafened forcefully by the blond heir, the killer saw him coming and tried to fight back. Not knowing what had happened before between them, and mistaking her struggle for a desire to attack, Byakuya held her still, his eyes warning his father to stay away.

Unhinged, the older Togami stamped a dry palm push on her forehead. Her head limped to a side and Togami's eyes flashed red.

"What are you…?"

"You didn't want her to hear, right? I just did you a service. You already know it's shomen'uchi … Don't worry, I didn't kill her – merely sent her to sleep. Nice shielding on your part, though…" he added scornfully.

Right, he had forgotten about the Randori no Ou's Aikido katas. Grasping Freedom's Ruler – Kojiro hadn't earned that nickname for nothing. Grasping Freedom style allowed an aikido practitioner to use free-flow movements to defend from an attacker without knowing how they will attack. The Heir, also superbly trained in randori, was aware of the Head's superior proficiency. Even if they never sparred, one thing was certain: if push came to shove, he would be fighting uphill.

"You… shomen'uchi is a dangerous blow – if you did her any harm…"

Kojiro stared at his son coldly. "I haven't practiced this hard for all these years for mere praise of my skills. She will wake up with a headache and little more. If I wanted to kill her… you know well I could've done it easy and much before you raised your guard. Leave her over there, let's reach a deal here."

Byakuya, his frown creased, realized he was at a disadvantage. Reluctantly, he left Fukawa's limp body over the bed, pulling the blankets over her and standing right in front of her unconscious form. Kojiro coughed slightly to regain his attention.

"I can't understand why you get flustered over this girl. Seriously… what do you find in her that you couldn't find in the others? She's terribly plain, haven't you noticed? What if she loses consciousness in public, do you realize you're putting a lot in stake for her?"

The blond stared back at his father with haughty contempt.

"I found a lot of things that is within my privilege not to share with the likes of you"

"Tell that to the System and let's see what they tell you… I can offer you to let her leave without a single charge or stain in her police record. But for that, I need to know whatever I cannot figure by myself. Remember I'm not the System. I didn't bring her here… but I can hand her back to them, and then it will be your business if they let her go, not mine."

Byakuya knew fully well that the matter would go awry if he allowed the System to take over. He wasn't used to spill his heart open, less than anyone to a father who was as every bit as competitive as he was.

"Fine. If answers is what you want, then answers you will get. I won the headship knowing I was capable of doing things the precedent Heads weren't able to. I'm absolutely sure I can keep her under check, if that's what you're insinuating. Once she is by my side, she becomes far more confident than you give her credit for, I can assure you that much"

He moved in front of the bed, staring at his father with a distrust and anger he couldn't erase from his face. He wouldn't blame Fukawa from leaving her place behind his back after all the System – and his father – had gotten her through…

"Fukawa isn't plain… she's far more educated than your average plain girl, Head. She knows how to move in public… a world-class novelist, remember? If she lacks something, I'll make sure she'll learn it in due time. Technically we're only proxies who… share common interests… she's the first one who has taken to walking behind me… without me having to pay… and that's the reason… you all think I have it going with her… – he added awkwardly, trying to put his musings in words.

"One thing I have learned in that commoners' academy, is that I have to build my… humans relationships… from scratch, one thing at a time, before I can even be sure…" -He looked for a more familiar way, and to his relief, he found it- "It's like day trading. It doesn't show gains on the first two days, or weeks. It's the same with Fukawa, I can't even call her a mate... as you all want me to. A mate means… speeding up things… when I'm only starting to make sure I can even trust her…"

The Heir grit his teeth as his anger started to seep through his belly.

"And it's a process for her, as well, to know where she's getting her nose into, and if she really wants to – stay a proxy. You – for one - aren't making his process easy. That's why I don't want the System, and, especially you, breaking her up or mistreating her… just because I allow her to be around me. They have rights acquired on my life, but none over Fukawa's rights – or choices. So mind your distance from her"

He stepped closer to his father, contempt in his face and attitude, folding his arms in his regal, usual, attitude.

"So you know. I have no choice but to put my – thoughts in your hands, now don't you dare to double-cross me – and her. My katas aren't as deadly as yours, but I can react in more ways than one, mark my words. So if you're trying to embarrass me through her, take me off the headship or play with my pride, just quit the game. I chose her to be my – proxy, and my choice is final. Tell that to your System friends as well"

Kojiro stared back at Byakuya with his mask of disinterest etched in his haughty face. So these were the contents of his son's chest, where usually one would find a human heart. Even his choice of words was awkward and erratic, as expected of a teen isolated from most types of human interactions. But his eyes' fierce conviction hadn't wavered, not even for an instant.

"So you want me to go and clean your mess with the System, as when I did with the Neverminds…"

"Come off it, do you think Fukawa's remotely like her?" A wolf's growl was way more friendly than Byakuya's snarl "That silly-brained pampered princess, who never ever earned a single cent by herself… She couldn't keep a conversation that didn't send me into slumber right away. Her Japanese also was something awful, it was a pain to decipher what she was trying to say… And I'm asking nothing from you, you chose to go and try to patch things up, in your better business interest…"

"In the Group's best interest, you should say. Once you get to manage it, you'll do things you maybe dislike because you have to, and you'll see that a lot of your freedom will be severely coerced."

"I never had much of it, to begin with – he mused, almost to himself – only now I'm starting to notice it." He straightened, cutting his inner monologue with a cough. "Not a problem. Just don't make me any more blind dates, don't mess with the people I choose to allow around me, and you can coerce my freedom as much as you want."

Kojiro nodded slowly in his own, composed manner. That was all he needed to know for the time being. "You've got yourself a deal" he replied. Once again, his expression softened for a second. "Go wake her up. I think she would prefer to get a nap somewhere - friendlier"

"I agree with that" Byakuya reluctantly conceded. "But before I wake her up – Fukawa was summoned by the System. Why did I find her with you instead? What was your aim? Anger me? Destroy her? She's not a toy or a plaything you can just use to… make me lose my temper!"

"You don't trust me anyway,so I suggest you ask that to her yourself. If she's not too messed up with this experience, she might remember everything"

Kojiro Togami resetted his glasses against his nose from the bridge with his index, in a majestic way both threatening and reassuring.

"I can sense your distrust. You may think you came – out of yourself with me for nothing. That you spilled your thoughts for my amusement, without any guarantee for her safety. We're not the Kuzuryuu, nor the Neverminds" -his contempt was clearly visible - We are the Togami, so let me remind you that a Togami's word is the word of a ruler, as solid and trusted as gold. What I swore, I will deliver for sure. I won't go back on my promise, even if it's the System we're talking about here"

Byakuya just stared at his father seriously, with the same distrust he would display during business negotiations. He knew that was one of the golden rules of his family group. They weren't the ruthless Yakuza bosses or the fickle princes of Novoselic. Their word was, in itself, a iron-clad certainty.

"Then why do you want to wake her up? To keep on probing –" The Head raised a hand to stop his rant- "Whatever. Isn't it better if you just let me pick her and take her back to Kibougamine like this?"

Kojiro didn't say a word, but he pressed a small button on the side of the wheeled tea tray. A panel in the wall slid away, revealing a camera, pointing its snot forward like a curious prying eye.

"There are certain things we have to do to appease the System" - Under the Heir's doubtful stare, he added hastily- "It's not on yet, when she's up and ready I will set it recording, so mind yourselves. Not for my use at all. Trust me for once and wake her up. On my word as Head, this is the last I will ask you of her in a long time, and of you in –let's say, a fortnight."

Frowning slightly, Togami turned to sit at the edge of the bed, uncertain on how to wake her up. She had surely had it rough, and he felt bad about waking her up. Moreover, he wasn't comfortable with rousing her in a way that could be misinterpreted by Kojiro. He inbreathed profoundly, pondering the best way for waking her up, while preparing silently for the return of his noisy, drooly, obsessed little shadow.