new chapter guys! because...CHRISTMAS! Well this is late but you get what I mean
"Tsukushi…does he normally do this? He's an hour late." Her father whispered into her ear as she looked restlessly at the clock for the umpteenth time this hour. No, Tsukasa Domyouji was prompt to a fault unless he was trying on purpose to make some sort of statement.
A chilling realization ran through her bones as she thought of what possible statements he could be trying to make with his moves today. First she got a text early this morning from the Domyouji secretary Sakurako asking to move her meeting up at the last minute and then he didn't show?
Something was weird all right- but part of her felt like her vision was clouded because it felt like he was doing this because- well – he was saying he didn't have time for her.
That stung.
It wasn't the truth, well, she couldn't decisively say that was why he wasn't here – but based on his behaviour could she think anything else?
What was worse was now she didn't even care about what they'd done but now she cared more that she was appearing like a victim, like a person without a voice, like someone who just passively took his moves and made none of her own. Makino Tsukushi was not that type of girl.
Before she could strategize a move to combat his however, the door to this new meeting room opened. Even Tsukushi could hardly hold her jaw from falling to the floor as she saw who stepped through. Accompanied as expected by an entire entourage, four people to be exact. "Makino-san, I do apologize. I heard my son has been reckless and kept you waiting. I'm sure you can understand he's a very busy man." Kaede Domyouji herself had deemed her, Makino Tsukushi, utterly poor origined and petty common lawyer, worthy of her time?
It seemed almost too good to be true that she'd get to bite into the woman in physical form for all the shit she'd pulled behind her back. All the tricks with the investors, Makino's own boss, her own insecurity god- Makino felt whatever anger she'd had in her heart dissipate – if this was why Domyouji hadn't showed-
Hell she'd thank him and kiss his feet for the opportunity that had been handed to her.
For a moment, she let the silence after her words stall in the room and Kaede Domyouji looked at her expectantly. Makino almost buckled by standing and bowing that full 90 degrees, but this woman was not one she needed to impress. So she grabbed her father's arm to stop him from standing and bowing and maintained her seat as she flashed her a cool, collected smile. "Domyouji-san, thank you for your concern. My client, Makino Haruo, the lead of the Makino Group is here and I'm here as a representative lawyer for the group, its investors and their interests. If you'd like to take your seat we can finally get started."
Whatever the woman had been expecting, it hadn't been that because Kaede blinked dumbly like a fish out of water and then took her seat. It was only for a second though, as soon as she'd sat down her eyes narrowed and she smirked at Makino as if she'd been amused by her impertinence. "Very well then, do you have your seal prepared? I believe my son has done his due diligence in preparing the documentation and in all honesty, I've found the concessions less than desirable but we're willing to let it pass given the unique nature of your business model and your struggles as a financial entity."
Tsukushi could quietly take all the wonderful concessions Tsukasa had given her and walk out of here a happy woman. She knew that was what the purpose of today was and it was easy. The whole process, the time, everything had been planned around a quick legal procedure that would make sure everyone was out of each other's business in record time. "Actually…we came here to propose something else entirely." She kept her face firm as she heard her father start coughing on his water beside her. He was not expecting this…hell neither was she. "How opposed would you be to maintaining the model past the closing period?"
"The closing period is 6-7 months is it not? Is that not suitable for your team? I've heard you're already on the verge of closing sooner given the monetary pressure of the Kyoto opening." She grinned machiavellianly.
Tsukushi was almost stupid enough to call her out on her backhanded actions, but Tsukushi had not gone through years of law school and seen snakes worse than even Kaede Domyouji to falter at a bait like that. "You are correct, but we believe the model holds value to the Domyouji group overall in a way unmatched by the group's current hotel portfolio."
"Humor me…though let me be frank from the outset." At this Kaede Domyouji leaned forward, tapping her red fingernails on the glass table between them. "I do not see why my family would be interested in anything yours would have to offer."
At that, Tsukushi's confidence cracked just a bit. A tiny hairline crack, small enough even an eye with the most perfect of vision would have trouble seeing it. When Tsukushi felt her face fall, she wondered if the woman was speaking about the hotel or if the woman was speaking about her in the context of her idiotic son.
If she could have been angrier at Tsukasa Domyouji she would have managed it, but as it was the moment she saw him she was two insults short of grabbing his little octopus hairs and pulling them out one by one as painfully as she could muster.
A flash ran through her mind of the sound of his breath when she'd done something similar in a not so angry fashion and she flushed red. Okay, maybe that wouldn't be punishment enough – but she would make sure he felt as horrible as she did in this moment, defenseless against his viper of a mother. How could he have left her alone to face this woman?
Then again – she didn't need him!
Suddenly a bulb clicked in her head. He wouldn't leave her alone...hell he couldn't manage to make this woman before her do anything! "It's you, isn't it…?"
"Sorry…?" Kaede exclaimed, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I'm not sure what you're referring to."
"You're the one messing with me! Not him! God he's probably just rolling out of the bath right now isn't he? You moved the meeting up without telling him!" She laughed for a second, surprised at how relieved she felt. If his mother had done that – then – well – she could have done a lot more.
"Makino…" Her father started beside her trying to get her to stop laughing. "Kaede-san, if I may-"
"Please." Her words may have sounded nice but the Domyouji matriarch's tone of voice was anything but. She was obviously losing patience.
"We believe we've really struck a cord with the market with our business model and proposition – to leave it in limbo just when it's about to hit profitiability levels of unprecedented nature since the introduction of home-sharing- well I just need to say that don't I?" Whatever her father had said, he'd managed to play off her sell to Kaede Domyouji…and it seemed to be working.
"Home-sharing?"
"Well you have to know about the home-sharing alternatives that are giving people exactly what they want in a better way than hotels could. Total privacy, local guides that feel local rather than practiced, couches to palaces to dream like vacations your establishment and hell – my establishment would find very very hard to replicate on scale. So we have another proposition for you."
"Another proposition?"
"Yes – we want to continue operating Makino group. We aren't competing with the hotel industry – we're supporting it. We're trying to make it competitive against the pressures it's faced in the market by government entities and citizens like you and me." Tsukushi had to admit as she smiled brightly at her father. She had never heard him sound so brilliant and she knew he had to have practiced this at home. She knew he wasn't going to give up, and she was so proud of him in this moment to see how far he had been able to come. "Let's be honest- the person reserving at your hotel and the person reserving at my hotel they're not the same like you said. You can't imagine being interested in our offerings…well that's just it. There's many more of us than there are of people like you."
Tsukushi's jaw dropped just a little. She was now more than healthily impressed. "The group travel package is just the start, we have other plans – to compete with home-sharing we have investment plans using real-estate to leverage ourselves as a leading acquisition firm ourselves. Building a travel empire is no easy feat and if you're open to it...we'd like to work with you as partners by selling you 52% of our company."
"Controlling share?" Kaede raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Well…it's better than selling you all of our company." Makino Haruo forlorned. "We are now in a desperate position, you should know that better than anyone else." He left the remainder of his words unsaid as he leaned forward. "Do not be blinded by prejuidice and fear Kaede-san, embrace different – it'll take you places. I promise you. It's brought me, a humble accountant, here- in front of you on my own two feet as a man proud to showcase my work."
Tsukushi took a deep breath as she saw Kaede Domyouji's eyes flicker to her and she tutted softly and sucked in a breath as she looked backwards at her own personal lawyer. "Hiroshi…could you draft up some revised agreements?"
Tsukushi let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as Kaede leaned out a hand to her father. "One year…one year Haruo-san. Turn me a profit beyond your wildest dreams and we can talk about where your fantasies can go."
The smile on her father's face was so infectious Tsukushi found herself smiling brightly at Kaede as a loud bang echoed in the room and everyone collectively looked up to see a red-faced, sweaty Tsukasa Domyouji who had obviously appeared to run into the room.
Tsukushi could barely hold back the giggles in her chest. He looked like a tomato. It was hard not to laugh as he huffed and puffed like an over-sized gorilla.
"Tsukasa…can we help you with something?" His mother asked eloquently, obviously unfazed by his sudden appearance though Tsukushi was sure that she hadn't intended for him to join the meeting.
"Sure…what the fuck is going on here?"
"I wanted to meet the Makino family on my own – assess their worth beyond your legal measurements." Kaede's tone was chastising, the type a mother bites through to her son when she was a discussion to end quickly.
"Fat chance. You wanted to size something up alright but it wasn't the family." The surprising honesty from his mouth left everyone a little startled. "You wanted to see what a big hit your wallet was going to take." He took his seat across from Tsukushi gruffly pushing Hiroshi out of the way. "So where were we?"
"We were merging for 52%, extending closing cycle to 1 year with monetary support from the Domyouji group." Tsukushi interjected blinking quickly as a means of avoiding his gaze as it wandered onto her. She busied herself with the papers below her. "These papers are now invalid but-"
"Hiroshi-?" Kaede called out and magically a new set of papers appeared before her. "My one stipulation is we sign today. Is that favourable?"
Her father had the seal out before Makino could scream but thankfully Tsukasa grabbed the papers from Hiroshi's hands and passed them towards her. As it was, her father had behaved professionally enough for the day but she couldn't believe he would just blindly sign papers like that. Then again there was a reason she spent most of her teenage years working more than two part-time jobs. "Please review them to your satisfaction over the next few minutes." Tsukasa spoke up, hands folded in front of him.
"I'd need at least a day-" Makino was praying her wish would be granted but even she knew it was too good to be true.
"You get 30 minutes." He pulled out his cellphone pretending to look very busy and Makino couldn't help but feel annoyed as she grumbled looking at the papers as much as she could in the few minutes afforded to her.
About 10 minutes in however a distraction presented itself as she felt the skin on her legs tingle with a sensation that felt very recognizable. She felt her eyebrows jump up to her forehead as she gulped nervously. Was that-
Yes...that was Domyouji's leg grazing hers ever so slightly. She lifted her gaze to connect with his but he was looking at his phone. It was then she decided to passively glance at her phone and she realized he wasn't just looking at his phone. He'd been sending her messages.
Trust me. You don't want her to change her mind.
This is a really good deal.
I'm looking over Hiroshi's notes and I think we can add some clauses about what to do if this goes south?
By the way…aren't those the same shoes and stockings you were wearing last time?
Was that gulp for me? :P
And then there was one last message that came in as she finished reading the others. Look up.
When she did she found herself faltering as he smiled brightly at her, his face in one hand like a besotted boy and she found herself flushing red and immediately looking down to her papers which were far safer and brought out less of an easy-to-read emotional response from her.
When the time had passed and they signed the papers with both her father and his mother grinning widely at each other Tsukushi could only regret that she hadn't read the papers closer.
Tsukasa had played incessantly with her legs the entire time.
The rest of the lawyers, businessmen and women filed out of the room but they stayed within, alone. She put herself to work arranging her files into her briefcase as he walked over to her. "Hey."
How unclimactic. How sad. How depressing. 'Hey'. With the dramatic entrance he'd made before she had to say she was left feeling a bit lacklustre that this was the first thing he said to her now that they were alone and out of earshot of his mother and her team, not to mention her own father."That's your greeting?" She scoffed.
He was bashful, rubbing the back of his head in a manner that was uncannily teenager and she felt her heart soar in her chest in an unrecognizable fashion. She couldn't possibly find this attractive...could she? "What can I say? I didn't master in Introductions 101."
Get away quick Tsukushi! Quick! She yelled in her mind. "Might have been more useful." She started to walk out when he grabbed her wrist rather callously and pulled her back shutting the door before she could escape away. This afforded them the utmost privacy but at a very risky cost.
Upon seeing her expression on being manhandled he immediately raised his hands defensively. "Sorry, I just-" He wasn't quite sure what to say next and the silence stood for exactly three seconds before Tsukushi made her move to leave again just barely catching the soft words leaving his mouth. "Don't leave like that."
"Look- I'm very aware of the precarious position of this acquisition and I don't want to do anything to mess it up." It appeared her words had irritated him because he backed away from her leaning against the table.
"You mean- you don't want ME to do anything to mess it up." He gruffly remarked shrugging. "Fine. Go." Seeing him so distant from her broke the hairline fracture his mother had built up in the wall around her and she groaned.
"No Domyouji Tsukasa-san, I mean I don't want me to do anything to mess it up with you." She stressed pointing at herself and saw him blink, expressionless at first. Then, a smile broke out on his face. It was the largest, truest most genuine smile she'd ever seen from him. In fact, seeing him smile like that at her was making her immediately regret her decision to say anything at all. "Stop smiling."
"I think that's the closest you've come to saying it." He stood up from the table and came up to her with each step slowly but surely making sure she was backed up against the door.
This was a position she was becoming entirely too comfortable in. "Saying what?" She fumbled half hoping that they would make a mess of everything, her brain would shut off and she would act purely on impulse and make her fingers work to rip his expensive shirt.
He leaned forward, his breath landing on her cheek as he peered into her eyes. His hands pushed hair behind her ears and then he leaned down ever so carefully-
"Saying what makes you want to mess up. Saying that you want-" He whispered to her ear then paused to look between them, the rest of his words unsaid but not unheard.
He stepped back from her and pulled forward to open the door walking past her. Tsukushi could feel her heart hammer away in her chest.
Whatever she'd expected from today.
This whole ordeal had not been it.
Her family was now for all intents and purposes- married to his for the next year.
And his mother had made it very obvious what she thought of her.
And she was scared that she had made it very obvious just how vulnerable she really was.