Seated at his private restaurant table, Don Laoban smiled at the Japanese detective standing before him. "Ah, Daizo. It has been too long, old friend. Please, sit. What can I do for you?"
Kobayashi sat across from Sei's grandfather. "I'm afraid I'm here in my official capacity."
"Regarding?"
"A young man employed by your granddaughter, a Kyohei Tachibana."
Laoban's face brightened. "Ah, young Kyohei! Were you planning on hiring him for a police function? I should warn you, he gets skittish at the thought of cooking for large crowds. Although his cooking is excellent."
"You know him?"
"I have yet to meet him in person, but my grand daughter won't shut up about his cooking skills, and she is always bringing me-" He broke off and became alarmed. "Why - has something happened? Sei will be beside herself."
"No, sir, he is well, but there are concerns about the nature of his relationship with your granddaughter, about whether there has been any … inappropriate contact between them."
Laoban dropped his fork and rubbed his temple. "Your Detective Suzuki. Again."
"I'm not at liberty to discuss-" Kobayashi started.
"Oh, please. I checked out your Detective Suzuki. Something of a loose canon who has run afoul of the NPA's upper echelons, but otherwise an honest man and a skilled investigator with enviable success rate. And despite being divorced with a teenaged daughter, notably incorruptible. I can respect that. It saddens me that he squanders his talents on this useless feud with my granddaughter, and I am doubly saddened that you have to deal with it."
"Be that as it may, I am duty bound to investigate any concerns brought to me."
"Where did these concerns originate?"
Kobayashi had no choice but to be honest. "Mina Hogon. She is my detective's girlfriend as well as Kyohei's teacher. She met Sei a couple of days ago."
"Ah, I see, a simple misunderstanding your detective is hoping to exploit. Please reassure your detective and through him, his paramour, that her concerns are unfounded. Not only do I hold Sei to the highest ethical standards, but she thinks the world of Kyohei. I can't imagine she would harm him in any way at all."