Chapter 13
The door opened with a click and Kagami Taiga walked confidently into the office. He was helping Kiyoshi Tepppei with the organisation of the next Council gathering when a nervous guard had hesitantly delivered the message that his presence was required by Seto Kentaro.
The oddity of the request itself put Kagami off from being more disgruntled and loud about voicing his displeasure. Instead he donned a professional mask and punctually arrived at Seto's office.
He entered the room and saw Seto standing behind his desk looking out of the window deep in thought. There was a movement to his left and Haizaki Shogo entered the room and took his place next to Kagami.
Seto turned his attention back to them at their arrival, and leaned languidly against the window sill.
"I have called both of you here today for an assignment. Your skills are required."
Kagami barely managed to hide his shock because it was rare for him or any of the other Council members to receive an assignment. Assignments are usually left to be completed by the Inferiors in the Supreme Council's service, leaving more important duties of running the economy and society to the Council heads. To be called here for an assignment was unprecedented for Kagami so it must be something that concerns the stability of the Supreme Council and its laws. Next to him, he could feel Haizaki Shogo listening in curiosity and eagerness.
"A group have recently started stirring up trouble and have made...unfavorable stances."
There was a small pause and Seto Kentaro's voice filled with dark flitting authority. "I want you to temporarily enroll into Teikou, and keep an eye on the group. They're called the 'Generation of Miracles'," At this he drew their attention to two thick files on his desk and gestured to it.
"These files are for you to familiarize yourself with your assignments. All the information you need to know about the five members Generation of Miracles are in here."
Seto waited for their confirmations before he continued, "I want both of you to report to me everything you find out about them. Constantly keep me up to date."
Seto Kentaro glanced at them briefly before the edges of his lips curled up minisculely in dark excitement, "I also authorize the need for any violence to accomplish this."
To say Kagami was surprised would be an understatement. The Generation of Miracles were notoriously famous in both class systems and their domination of international industries have become a serious critical threat to the Supreme Council's control. There wasn't a single person you could cross who did not know their names. They were so powerful that there has been nervous titterings among members of the Supreme Council about their ability to influence the laws put down by the Supreme Council. Kagami looked down at the file in his hands and he knew that he had to talk to his friends about their thoughts on this. He could feel that something major was happening in the Supreme Council, so he efficiently gave a respectful reply. "I understand, Seto-san."
Seto Kentaro gave him a short inscrutable stare before he waved his hand in dismissal. Kagami turned around to leave but Haizaki Shogo's unwillingness to leave brought an uncomfortable foreboding feeling in his guts. He knew that there was going to be trouble soon.
Kagami strode powerfully across the lawn of the Headquarters. His looming size and a skulking thoughtful expression painted him in a scary formidable light and people hurriedly scrambled out of his path. He did not seem to notice the effect his scowling face and looming size had on bystanders until a voice exuberantly called out,
"Oi, Kagami! Why're are you scaring off people like flies?" The speed in which he was pulled out of his thoughts left him even more disgruntled and he turned and grumpily retorted, "I ain't scaring them off! They're just strange!"
Kiyoshi Tippei headed towards him in a comfortable running jog and a deeply amused smile on his face. He reached Kagami, quirked his eyebrow in dubiousness and drawled, "Of course it's not your fault..." At this he teasingly pressed a finger to the dark furrow on Kagami's forehead. When his eyebrows stopped furrowing in angry tense lines he realized that Kiyoshi was right, and sheepishly rubbed his nape. Kiyoshi laughed at him good-naturedly and slung an arm around his shoulders in camaraderie.
"So...what are you doing out here Kagami?" He knew as soon as Kiyoshi asked him, he would not be able to resist telling him. Kiyoshi was like his mentor. There wasn't much Kagami could keep from his sharp, knowing eyes.
Kagami lowered his usually booming voice to a careful, cautious whisper. "I have been ordered to complete an assignment in Teikou. To keep an eye on the Generation of Miracles..." Kagami's words trailed off when he noticed that his friend and mentor had a startled look of surprise.
Kagami nodded his head in understanding and said, "I know...I was just as surprised. It was strange enough that a Council member like me is sent out on an assignment...but damn...to be sent to keep an eye on the freaking Generation of Miracles...that's weird!" By the end his voice had risen to quite a loud volume. His rant was cut off abruptly by Kiyoshi's hands on his shoulder.
Kagami turned around and saw a hard dangerous glint in his mentor's usually very optimistic, kind and cheerful face.
"Kagami, keep your voice down!" But Kiyoshi gentled his harsh reprimand with his next words. "We need to talk somewhere private." Kagami could feel the hand on his shoulder slowly steer him away and he asked in gruff, wary confusion.
"Kiyoshi-senpai...what?!" Kagami could barely voice his question before Kiyoshi shushed him again, so he quietened when he saw Kiyoshi's serious look.
Kagami was led to Kiyoshi's car and he hastily climbed inside. Kiyoshi silently got in and he drove Kagami to his villa in tense silence. After thirty minutes of driving they reached the lush, sparse driveway of Kiyoshi's villa and climbed out. The servants waiting in front of his mentor's entrance took their military coats and without another glance they both headed towards the room Kagami regularly uses when he stays over.
After settling comfortably in the room, Kagami impatiently rounded on Kiyoshi to demand an answer when Kiyoshi suddenly said, "I have recently heard from Riko that the Generation of Miracles have cut off their support and cooperation with the Supreme Council."
The statement left him speechless and he could only utter a "...w-what?!"
Kiyoshi gave him a sympathetic look and continued. "I think that they are making a public statement about the Supreme Council and its laws."
Kagami sighed and mumbled in disgruntled irritation . "And now I have ta go and keep an eye on those arrogant rich bastards..."
Kiyoshi hummed in thoughtfulness but his mentor's reply echoed the lingering foreboding thoughts in his mind. "Maybe, but they might not be doing this out of arrogance or to show their power. There might be a deeper reason behind this."
Kiyoshi's eyes turned to stare at him earnestly. "Be careful at Teikou, Kagami. Riko and I only have a limited amount of influence. We aren't as influential as Seto Kentaro. He is the High Lord's right hand man so be very wary around him."
Kagami heeded his mentor's words with deep care and he knew that he had been pulled into an inevitable power struggle between two powerful groups of people. And somehow he innately knew that this is only the start to a monumentous change.
Kiyoshi was staring out of the large window in his room at the early afternoon sun when the click of the door drew him from his tumultuous thoughts. Without turning he knew exactly who had entered.
"Teppei, Kagami has just settled into his room."
Hyuga Junpei was a serious looking man with rectangular rimmed glasses perched precariously on his sharp nose. Kiyoshi felt his lips lift in amusement when he looked at the short spiky hair and remembered how it used to be dyed a glaring slick blond colour in a fit of rebelliousness a few years ago.
"Hey Jun, you just got back?" Kiyoshi received a tired glare when he cheerfully and quite loudly asked the question, however he still received an exasperated fond reply.
"Yes, obviously."
The sound of a flomp on the seat next to him alerted him to his spaced out thoughts again. Kiyoshi returned his attention to Junpei when he noticed that he was being intensely studied by a calm, collected gaze.
"Are you alright, Teppei? You...seem a bit distracted today."
"Sorry Jun. Recently, there have been some things that have come up in the Supreme Council and it was distracting me a bit."
Kiyoshi apologetically held out his palm and Junpei slipped his hand into the warm hold. He pulled Junpei to his side and wrapped an arm around his waist. Kiyoshi ran his fingers in comfortable circles under Junpei's silver wrist cover and Kiyoshi felt an indulgent grin pull at his lips when he felt the soothing edges of his name under Junpei's wrist. The familiarity and the solid proof of their bond made the tension from his work at the Supreme Council slowly dissipate from his body.
A whisper brought him from his pliant state. "The Supreme Council huh?..." The undisguised hint of hatred in his mate's voice made his heart pang in guilt and sadness.
He softly sighed into Junpei's hair and in a similar soft whisper said, "I'm sorry, Jun...I had no choice. I had to protect you."
It was an argument they had hashed out so many times already, it became their regular routine of apologies and self-blame.
Kiyoshi felt his mate immediately reply with apologetic exhaustion, "No. I never blamed you..."
Junpei's coal black orbs met his light brown eyes, and a gentle hand was laid on his cheek. "I blame them."
There was aching sadness in his mate's coal black eyes. "You should have just left me there with them. It was my fate! Part of my life. But then you appeared and...you took me from under their thumb."
Kiyoshi rested his forehead gently against Junpei's and said in the softest tone, "Of course, I did. When I finally found you- my mate- you were suffering under their thumb for so long." Turning his head slightly he lightly kissed the palm resting against his cheek.
A hand fisted Kiyoshi's shirt and a brittle voice spoke up, "But...but you traded your service for mine. Now..you have to work for them in return for my freedom! They will always be able to threaten you with my existence!" Self-loathing welled up in Junpei's voice and Kiyoshi tightened his hold on Junpei.
Kiyoshi felt his golden wrist cover clink softly against his mate's silver one and Kiyoshi intertwined their hands together. "I would do anything for you...even sell my soul to that despicable Council."
Kiyoshi lifted Junpei's chin and sincerely said, "So don't blame yourself. There was nothing you could have done." Then he smiled and his tone held a optimistic teasing undertone, "Don't worry, I can take care of myself. They wouldn't dare hurt me as much because of my status."
The optimism fled and a slightly desperate tone prevailed, "But they wouldn't have hesitated to hurt you. I couldn't leave you there like that. How could I do that?!-"
Junpei wanted to erase that ache in Kiyoshi's voice, to erase the abject horror and misery in the normally gentle voice so reluctantly he nodded his head to appease his mate, and he gave Kiyoshi an apologetic kiss.
They stood there against each other without any word needed to be said for a long time, just comfortably watching the bright sky outside.
Kiyoshi's rumbling statement pushed him into alertness. "Jun, everything might change soon though."
Junpei gave his mate a curious look and a serious question tumbled out, "Why's that?"
Kiyoshi looked at him seriously and with a hint of excitement. "I have a feeling that the Generations of Miracles will bring a tidal wave of change. They might be able to free this world from the Council's oppression."
Junpei felt a small well of hope blossom at Kiyoshi's words and the knowledge of the Generation of Miracles' vast influence only boosted his hope. Junpei knew implicitly that his mate was hinting that the Generation of Miracles had taken a stand against the Supreme Council.
One consuming thought echoed through their shared bond.
They might be like us. They might be bond mates who have been forced into separation by the merciless labels of Inferiors...and Superiors...
Hey everyone, the next chapter will focus on the Generation of Miracles but there's a reason why you guys needed to see some of Kiyoshi' s background and history. Kiyoshi and Hyuuga will be invaluable to the Generation of Miracles later on.
I'll come back armed with another chapter! :-3
