Chapter 15. The Weekend Getaway (Part 1)

Hello, how have you all been?

Thank you for finderlov and capricorn989 for leaving such a sweet comment for the last chapter. It encourages me to push for releasing chapter 15 this weekend.

It always take a while for me to complete a chapter, mainly because English is not my first language. But I have learnt a lot and I really enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy reading it too. Please let me know what you think! I'd love to hear that.

Oh, I have written the baseline for the next 3 chapters (which will include a lot of steamy scenes :D). It's not the end yet, but at least it will bring the story forward as I have always planned. I wanted to quickly bring the story to its conclusion, but at the same time, I don't want to rush it too much that it will become weird. Imagine just letting everyone be killed by Yakenonokarasu and end it. :D So, please bear with me.

Anyway, I will post more regularly, at least for those 3 chapters that are mostly done. I am planning one chapter every 2 weeks or so. #fingerscrossed

In the meantime, have a good reading and take care!

Disclaimer: VF belongs to YA. Grammatical errors.

Warning: This chapter includes a sign of domestic abuse.

The weekend getaway had been Asami's idea. He'd been planning to have Sion Group's annual gathering with his top men, as per tradition, and he thought that the children and I would love to tag along for a change of scenery. The 200 years old ryokan where the gathering would be held was a famous one. It was a few hours drive from Tokyo so it would be convenient for us to join Asami on Saturday morning and to come back to Tokyo on Sunday afternoon. The establishment had 36 Japanese-style suites, each with its own traditional outdoor veranda facing the manicured Japanese garden, a room for sleeping, and another one for relaxing and dinner. It has a spa, salon, library, recreation room, and of course, a hot spring. The price for one night alone would cost me my entire earning for the month. But lucky for me, Asami would be the one paying it. So, I had nothing to complain.

It was after dinner on Saturday. Asami had continued with another round of meeting with his men which most likely would go on until midnight. Haruka, my children and I were lounging in the recreational room. The children were playing a board game that Mizuki had brought for entertainment, "Who are the werewolves?". It was a simple game, where two person were secretly assigned as the werewolves and the other players were acting as the villagers who were trying to figure out who were the werewolves-pretending-to-be-humans before the beasts kill them all. Each round every player would take turn to ask questions or argue their case on who could be the possible werewolves. It was a fun game. But somehow, my kids managed to turn it into something violent, as if this was a matter of life and death. Nao threw his questions as if he was the Grand Inquisitor, Rikiya tried to manipulate Haruka to turn against Mizuki, and my 10-years old daughter lied without even blinking an eye. Sometimes, I wondered whether I needed to be bring my children to see a counsellor.

Too absorbed with that particular thought, I didn't think much when I noticed an elegant lady entered the public recreation room. Sion Group might have booked most of the suites in the inn, but I just thought that there might have been other guests. Then, I noticed that the lady was followed closely by Takamiya Suzu and a guy whom I recognised right away due to his notorious reputation in the underworld, Tanaka Haruo. I heard that he was the man Takamiya sent when the powerful man needed to make people disappear. None of his victims had ever been found. From such a close distance, I realised that he was actually a handsome man, with a lean masculine body that might have turned heads as he walked down the road. However, the way he looked at people with such dispassionate eyes made me feel like staring into the abyss. The blank orbs made it look like the man had no human feeling or emotions and the thought triggered that primal part in my brain that wanted me to protect my kids.

Haruka was the first to notice the drastic change in my expression. She turned to see the newcomers in more details and when she realised who they were, she quickly stood to put herself between my family and the Takamiya group. There was a subtle change in her stance, as if she was readying herself for a possible attack. It raised the hair at the back of my neck. The only thing I wanted was to keep my children behind me.

"Takamiya-san, we didn't expect to see you here," Haruka greeted the lady, giving me clue of who she actually was.

The lady actually gave a kind smile and I relaxed a bit. Observing her, she didn't seem like she would take out a knife and do a mass murder.

"My apologies for intruding, Ando-san," the lady said with a melodious voice that was very pleasant to hear. "My daughter heard that Rikiya-san is staying here for a weekend getaway with his family. We are around the area running errands and I think it's just polite for us to drop by to pay our respect. I hope you don't mind."

What a lie. There was practically nothing in the small village where the ryokan was located. The nearest town would be at least an hour of drive away. A tiny part of me wanted to ask mockingly about the kind of errands that they were doing in such a remote area.

Behind me, I could hear Nao muttering to his twin brother, so softly that the Takamiyas wouldn't hear it, "Seriously, can that chick be even more clingy than this, Riki-nii?"

I cleared my throat to warn him. No matter how annoying it was for Takamiya Suzu to just come unannounced, I understood that it would be best not to cause an incident between the two groups. Especially not with Tanaka Haruo around. Haruka might be a badass with knives hidden under her Yukata, but she still wouldn't be a match for the infamous killer.

The lady met my eyes and added, "I believe we haven't been introduced before."

Haruka quickly took the hint. "Takamiya-san, please allow me to introduce Asami-sama's husband, Asami Akihito. Asami-san, this is Takamiya Sakurako, Suzu-san's mother."

So, this was Takamiya Sakurako. She wasn't like what I had expected she would be. Knowing Suzu-chan, I had thought that the matriarch of the Takamiya's household would be as gaudy as her daughter. But Takamiya Sakurako was the opposite of how Suzu-chan looked like. While she might be a lot of older than me, her beauty still shined through. Her black hair, slightly peppered with grey ones, was styled in an elegant arrangement. She didn't wear much make up and her kimono was unadorned with complicated patterns, yet her simple appearance heightened her charisma and charms. She was around Asami's age and I could actually picture her standing by his side, looking like the perfect couple.

I bowed my head slightly, "It's nice to finally meet you, Takamiya-san. Don't worry, you are not intruding at all. Would you like to spend the night here instead? It's too late to drive back to Tokyo. I am sure we can help setting up a few rooms for your group."

She gave me a small bow as well. To me, it looked like she didn't want to lower her head even a millimetre more than mine. But perhaps, I was just being too sceptical.

"You are so generous, Takaba-san. I truly appreciate your understanding. If it's not too much of a trouble, we'd like to take your offer."

Takaba-san. Not Asami-san. Even after Haruka had introduced me as Asami Akihito.

Fascinating, I thought.

Haruka had noticed it too, because she opened her mouth, clearly wanting to correct it, but I cut her off, "Would you mind to settle the rooms for the Takamiyas, Haruka?"

Taking my hint to let it go, Haruka said instead, "Of course, Asami-san. Will you be fine if I leave you here with the young masters and miss? I will send someone else to assist you as soon as possible."

Asami-san. Not Akihito, like how Haruka usually called me. Blessed her heart. I knew I'd liked her from the first time I'd met her. I nodded with a smile. Haruka gave me a deep bow, which was another unusual behaviour coming from her, before taking her leave.

"Please," I waved towards our table. "Come join us, Takamiya-san, Suzu-chan."

Steeling myself, I turned towards Tanaka Haruo, knowing fully well who he was from my own network, but pretended not to. "And I believe I don't know your name yet, Sir?"

It was clear that the Takamiyas weren't used with someone talking directly with the people working for them. Even Tanaka Haruo's stoic face changed for a split second before it turned back to its default expressionless one. His blank gaze was really unsettling. Was this how a dead people look like if you didn't cover their eyes?

The man ignored me, not even uttering a single word. It was Takamiya Sakurako who answered, "Ah, Haruo is here as our bodyguard. You may call him Tanaka, Takaba-san. That's his family name."

I nodded, "Welcome, Tanaka-san."

Then, without turning towards my children, because I didn't want to give Tanaka Haruo my back, I said, "I think you have met Rikiya, Takamiya-san. The other one is my youngest son and Rikiya's twin, Naoyuki. But we all call him Nao. And the little princess is my daughter, Mizuki."

The three dutifully greeted Takamiya Sakurako. I was about to end the introduction stage and move on when, from behind me, Mizuki asked the lady innocently, "Why do you keep calling my dad Takaba-san? He is an Asami."

But before Takamiya Sakurako could answer, there was a slight commotion outside. I knew right away who was coming. Haruka must have reported the situation to Kirishima the moment she left the room. There was no way Kirishima wouldn't tell Asami. My husband had cut his meeting with his men short to save whom he thought to be the damsel in distress. Me.

He should know by now that I didn't need need any saving.

The sliding shoji screen opened and Asami entered, with Tao, Kirishima, and Suoh following closely behind him. The man was still in his kimono, looking like a ridiculously handsome Japanese lord from a TV drama. Used to seeing him in a three-pieces western suit, I still felt breathless every time I saw him in this traditional look. The expensive black fabrics made his golden eyes look sharper. The cutting of the clothes accentuated his muscular build, making him more intimidating than usual. Anyone would want to kneel and bow in front of this man, pledging their loyalty and life for him to use as he saw fit.

"Ryu," I greeted him, at exactly the same time Takamiya Sakurako called Asami demurely, "Ryuichi."

Well, that was super awkward.

But hearing her calling my husband with his given name confirmed my belief that they had known each other before. My suspicion was spot on. The 'Sakurako' that Asami had used as my fake-girlfriend's name was indeed Takamiya Sakurako. At least, I got one answer right.

Asami only gave Takamiya Sakurako a quick glance before walking towards me. He lifted my chin gently and gave me a light kiss on the lips, as he had always done whenever he came back from work, ignoring the complaints of his children.

Only then he turned toward the Takamiyas and said, "Takamiya-san, Suzu-chan, this is a surprise." He didn't even bother to mention Tanaka Haruo.

There was a subtle emphasise in the way he said 'Takamiya-san' that made it clear he didn't appreciate her calling him in such a familiar way. At least, not in front of his family, it seemed. Who knew how they called each other when they were in a more private setting?

But if the lady noticed the slight rebuke, she didn't seem to feel any remorse. Takamiya Sakurako simply smiled at my husband as if she had an secret understanding with Asami. She bowed deeply, way, way lower than she had been with me, until her back was perfectly aligned with the floor, then repeated her greeting in a more appropriate way, "Good evening, Asami-sama. It's always nice to meet you again. I'd like to thank you for your generosity since Takaba-san has been so kind to invite us to stay here tonight."

Again with Takaba-san.

It kinda comforted me that Asami was clearly not pleased with how she had called me as well. The changes might not be obvious to others but I had observed the bastard's body language over the decades. For a second, Asami stilled as if he stopped breathing, then his eyes grew colder. That had never been a good sign.

To her credit, Takamiya Sakurako didn't worry about keeping her attitude in check. I was a little impressed, I had to say; either Takamiya Sakurako actually had nine lives or she just liked the thrill that came with poking a savage beast.

Or perhaps, she is just confident that her apparent closeness with my husband will spare her from his wrath, a tiny voice in my brain mocked me. Maybe they were really, really close and Ryu is just worried she will spill the beans.

Before Asami could release his wrath, I commented casually, "You are done with work earlier than I expected, Ryu." I really didn't want drama during a weekend getaway. This was supposed to be a relaxing trip, not a bloodbath. Besides, being called Takaba-san was really not a big deal for me. I had always been called Takaba-san at work anyway.

My easygoing remark had snapped Asami back to his original intention and he started to relax again.

Ruffling the twins' hair, he said, "I thought I will finish early today and spend the night with you and the kids. This is supposed to be a family trip anyway."

"Yeaaayyy! Let's play 'Who're the Werewolves', father! Dad is no fun! He doesn't want to join us!" Mizuki literally jumped into his embrace and Asami smiled as he obediently carried his princess as if the little girl was a monkey clinging into a giant tree.

Asami raised an eyebrow at me. "Really? Why?"

I scowled, "Because you guys are all too competitive! It's just a game! You really need to chill."

My lecture was replied by protests from the kids and a laugh from Asami. "Fine," he teased. "As your champion, Akihito, I will join and win it on your behalf."

The twins grinned. "Let's see how long you can stay cocky, Father," Nao said, rubbing his hands together with an evil scientist smile on his face. I rolled my eyes. They really took every board game too seriously.

"I say dish-washing duty on the next family dinner for the losers!" Mizuki chimed in. "Come on, Uncle Kei, Uncle Suoh. You must join too!"

The kids dragged Asami, Kirishima, and Suoh into the table but Rikiya suddenly stopped, as if he just remembered something. He turned towards Suzu-chan and asked casually, "Suzu, do you want to join too?"

Suzu-chan looked down at the board game. Obviously, she was thinking that the game was too childish for her. But hoping to get back into Rikiya's good side, she nodded. I bet she would change her opinion once she started playing with Asami and my kids. The alliance and betrayal schemes that they plotted throughout the game always made me wonder whether they were actually betting house chores duty or an entire pot of golds.

"Tao-niisan, are you coming?" asked Mizuki.

Tao exchanged a look with Asami for a second, as if the two men were reading each other's mind with some sort of telepathic superpower, then my husband gave a small, almost invisible nod. And with that silent command, Tao moved to my side.

"I'm a little tired. I will just sit here with your dad, watching," Tao said easily. He led me where we would have a vantage view of the game.

I turned towards Takamiya Sakurako. "Takamiya-san, do you want to join us? Let those brutes play to their heart content. We can just enjoy the local tea while watching." I nodded towards the low table with some light snacks and tea. "I tried it if before you came. It's actually very fragrant and delicious."

With the way she was staring at Asami's back, I was expecting her to ignore me. So, I was a little surprise to see her joining me and taking the seat beside me. Tanaka Haruo sat behind her within a respectful distance.

For a while, we were just watching the others play in silence. I listened as they took turn arguing who were the werewolves and questioning each other. With how convincing they made their arguments, I couldn't even guess who were lying. After a while, Asami and the kids were literally at each others' throat, trying to intimidate their opponent to tell them truth like their very life depended on it. I shook my head silently. The Asamis were just too competitive. They were lucky that Asami had booked almost the entire ryokan for this trip, so there wasn't any other nearby guest that would complain about their noise level at this time at night.

I was pondering what I did wrong in raising them that all my children seemed to have Asami's obsessive personality, when suddenly Sakurako broke the silence, keeping her voice low so that the players in the middle of the room wouldn't hear us talking, "Ryuichi did change."

Again with Ryuichi. She was lucky that Asami was already so absorbed with the game that he didn't pay attention to us anymore. But I know Tao was listening very closely beside me and I was sure that Asami would hear a full report of our conversation right after this.

I considered all possible answers, then settled with, "Oh, do you think so?"

Rule number one when gathering information, make them talk more about themselves.

There was a hint of hurt in her voice when she said, "He seems to like them."

"By them, you mean his children?" I frowned.

She merely nodded.

"Well, they are his children. Won't it be so wrong if he doesn't like them?" I asked.

She turned towards me, then replied with genuine melancholy, "Why would he like someone else's child? I know it from experience, Takaba-sama. A man won't love another man's child as much as his own. He will only use them as his pawns."

Ummmm, I wasn't sure what triggered that statement. And even more unsure on what she had expected me to say. So I was half-grateful when she continued without waiting for my answer, "Not many knew this, but I will just tell you the truth, Takaba-san. Suzu isn't Takamiya-sama's real daughter. He asked me to sleep with his business partners for their favors and I did my duty as his wife. I don't know who her father is. But, if Ryuichi or your son thought that they can use Suzu to threaten Takamiya-sama, they will be greatly disappointed. Takamiya-sama didn't care whether she lives or not. So, there's no point for them to harm my daughter."

That confession, I totally didn't expect. And clearly so did Tao, because I could feel him stiffen by my side. For once, I was staring openly at her in horror.

"How could your husband do that to you?" I asked, my voice shook in anger.

She laughed softly, "Oh, don't act all high and mighty with me, Takaba-san. I am sure Asami also used you as his bargaining chip from time to time? We are both a partner to a very powerful man. It's part of our duty."

I was speechless because, honestly, no, Asami had never ever used me like that. In fact, I knew close to nothing about his business, moreover his business partners.

"If Ryu dared to do that to me, I will cut his cock in his sleep and force him to eat it. Then I will dump his sorry ass and put all of our sordid details in the first page of Mainichi Shimbun," I said through gritted teeth. "Let's see how long he can keep his business after that."

Beside me, Tao tried to suppress his laughter. Our reaction had caught her by surprise.

She was staring at me as if she really just saw me as a person for the first time and asked weakly, her voice trembling with hurt, "Has he never beaten you for this kind of insolence? How dare you threaten him like that? If that's his will, that's what you should do. It doesn't matter whether you like it or not."

Then she turned her attention towards Tao, "Won't you report this kind of behaviour to your boss?"

Tao answered her with a smirk but his eyes glazing with clear warning, "If I may offer my own personal observation, Takamiya-san, I think Asami-sama actually loves Akihito's insolence. To quote his own words, he found it…what're the words he used before," he paused as if he was really thinking, then continued, "…ah, yes, 'as cute as an angry little kitten'. I doubt he will ever beat Akihito for that."

That indeed sounded like the annoying things the bastard would say.

But Takamiya Sakurako flinched at that answer. Her left hand automatically moved to cover her right arms, like the testimony had physically wounded her. Out of curiosity, I paid a closer attention at this woman who had barged into my family trip without an invite, hoping that I could read what she was wanting to gain by doing that. That was when I noticed a bruise on her wrist, mostly covered by her beautiful kimono sleeve. It was very carefully concealed by make up, not even Tao could see it from where he sat beside me. Even I saw it only by coincidence, made possible because she was right next to me. And from the way she was trying to minimise her movement, I suspected there were more injuries hidden under her thick clothing.

She'd been abused.

Most likely by his own husband who had pimped her to his business associates.

And when she saw the understanding dawned in my eyes, she winced from humiliation.

For the first time since I saw her today, Takamiya Sakurako lost her composure. She looked ashamed but then her expression quickly turned to fury. No longer caring about maintaining her graceful and polite facade, she hissed angrily, barely keeping her voice low enough not to be heard by the others playing in the middle of the room, "You think you are so great, aren't you? You are just his whore! A commoner! You don't even have the right pedigree to stand by his side! He still enjoys to fuck you now, but sooner or later, he will feel bored, then what do you think will happen? Either he will sell you to the highest bidder or he will pump you so full of drugs that you are going to fuck anyone just to get a dose. Do you think he is any different from Takamiya Kichiro?! Do you think he only sleeps with you? What a joke! Surely he has business trip? What do you think he is doing?! I know how much he likes sex. Oh, he couldn't even go a day without it! Do you really believe a man with his sex drive will stay faithful without a backup to replace you?! If you really believe that, you are more stupid that you look!"

Honestly, despite everything, I actually felt sympathy for her. I knew she was hurt so she lashed out. She didn't want anyone else to know, so she covered her pain with anger. I didn't even mind if she wanted to insult me to make herself feel better. But the one thing I couldn't accept was when she started insulting Asami.

I could feel Tao moved, ready to defend me and Asami, even when he didn't fully understand why she had suddenly became nasty. He didn't know that she was hiding her injuries. Would he make her injuries worse? Would he even hurt a woman? I doubted it. But at the same time I knew he wouldn't let anyone insulting me or Asami, no matter the gender. Before he could take another step towards the furious woman in front of me, I raised my hand and glared at him, stopping him on his track and strictly telling him to back down without a single word. Never before I used my position as Asami's lover to give Tao a command, so he most probably was as surprised as I was. But I would think about that later.

For now, I turned towards Takamiya Sakurako. My polite smile didn't touch my eyes. My voice was smooth and even, but she knew that it was the calm before the storm. My lips barely parted as I said quietly so that we didn't attract the attention of Asami and the rest, "Yes, you are right, Takamiya-san. He does have many long business trips. Sometimes, it will even take weeks."

But before she could gave me a victorious sneer, I leaned forward and growled low next to her ear, "But right after that, when he comes back to me, he is always so horny, he'll fuck me until I can't even sit straight for days. As he reaches orgasms, his semen will keep filling me like it's a revenge from the days he abstained himself. It's so thick with his seeds that I'll know he didn't cheat on me. Oh, is that not what you want to hear, Takamiya-san? You know what, I will be the first person to admit that Ryu is a complete asshole most of the time. I often want to kick his ass myself. But that bastard is surprisingly a good husband and an amazing father. So, don't you dare putting him in the same category as a jerk like Takamiya Kichiro."

I took a deep breath to control my own anger, trying to be more understanding towards this woman who was obviously trapped in an unhappy marriage. Gentler, I said, "I am so sorry for your pain, Takamiya-san. Rest assured, I am not the type to gossip, not even to Ryu, if that's what you feel worried about. I wanted to say that I hoped you would find some help. But I know from my own experience that these men have way too much power in their hands, sometimes, it can be hard for those around them to see a way out. So, I won't stay here telling you to do this and that as if I knew better. You don't deserve that."

Without waiting for answer, I stood. "I am going for some fresh air."

Tao quickly said, "I will a-"

I cut him. "I want to be alone. The ground is full of Asami's men this weekend that this ryokan must be the safest place in Japan. I'll be fine."

I didn't give him a chance to response. My emotions were overflowing: sympathy, sadness, anger, frustration, helplessness, guilt; all were mixed together until I couldn't figure out when one ended and the other began. Before my tears fell, I left the room to find some quiet in the serene Japanese garden that surrounded the inn. Only when I was sure I was alone, I let myself cry.

The world was often unfair.

And when it involved men as powerful as Asami Ryuichi or Takamiya Kichiro, there was not much anyone could do about it.

—-

Tao still wasn't sure what all of that was about. Takamiya Sakurako's reaction didn't seem to fit with what he knew about the woman. Even when they were talking about how her husband had pimped her to his business associates, she had stayed calm and collected. So what had unravelled her untouchable composure? Was it simply jealousy? Did the woman come here hoping that she could worm her way back into Asami-sama's heart? If she did, she would be disappointed. After watching his boss and Akihito for so long, Tao doubted Asami-sama would ever let Akihito go willingly.

He didn't expect Akihito to give him an order to back down just now. Akihito had never been one who liked to boss people around. But, fuck. This new bossy-side of Akihito had actually turned him on. Who knew?

After Akihito left, Takamiya Sakurako had claimed that she had a headache and that she would rest in her room for the rest of the evening. Tao let her go without anymore probing. He could see Asami-sama's gaze on him as the lady left the room not long after Akihito, checking for a status, and he just gave his boss a subtle nod in return, silently indicating that all was fine.

Akihito had handled the woman's sudden aggressiveness beautifully, if Tao had to say so himself. The man had displayed kindness and grace, while not allowing himself to be bullied. Akihito had taken the role of Asami-sama's partner so perfectly, it was breathtaking to watch.

Sometimes, Tao wondered whether Asami-sama's extreme protectiveness of his husband was actually unwarranted. Akihito had grown a lot from the naive and clueless young man who had caught Asami-sama's heart many years ago. The warmth, kindness and optimism had never left Akihito, but every now and then, Tao would witness how Akihito could actually handle himself well as Asami-sama's lover. There was now an inner confidence within Akihito that had never been there a long time a go. It was as if the man was no longer a round peg in a square hole. Akihito had found his place and role in Asami-sama's life and had learnt how to navigate within its boundaries and rules. The man knew when to let Asami-sama take control and when to stand his ground. This change of dynamic had actually strengthened the bond between the two men.

For Tao, it was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to watch.

Tanaka Haruo's voice suddenly interrupted his train of thoughts, "So, I heard that Asami-sama has trained you since young?"

Tao turned towards the man. Tanaka Haruo was good looking, he had to admit, if only his eyes didn't look like he had seen the most horrible thing a human being could ever done. But, there was an unexpected deference when the Takamiya's righthand man mentioned Asami-sama's name. A sort of admiration, one might even say. It was unsettling to hear such tone from a man whose eyes were as dead as a ghost. What did the man even want?

"I am fortunate enough for him to take me under his wings," Tao replied politely, not wanting to prolong the conversation.

"How was he as a boss?" the man continued, ignoring his hints.

Tao sighed, not even trying to hide his displeasure for having to talk to this man. "He is a great mentor to learn from."

Tanaka Haruo scoffed. "Must you be so cryptic? Come on. Don't be stingy. Share with me. I can tell you a little about Takamiya as well if that helps. You said just now he didn't beat his lover, fair. The bitch must have wrapped him around his little finger. But did he beat you often?"

Tao wanted to tell the man to fuck off, but the idea of hearing a little about Takamiya was too tempting to miss. Besides, it wasn't like he would give anything substantial about Asami-sama. He said, "Asami-sama is a fair man. He can be cruel and harsh but he won't do so without reason. And if you please him, he can be very generous."

That was true. Tao had three luxury cars under his name. The BMW was the only one he had bought by himself. His Porsche and Maserati were both gifts from Asami-sama, each was given to him after Tao's good business decision that had brought millions of dollars of profit for Sion Group. A few apartments around the world, some of his past lovers - each more beautiful than the one before, bonuses in hard cash, a small yacht; over the last 15 years, the list of gifts he had received from Asami-sama had become quite long.

Listening to his answer, Tanaka Haruo seemed thoughtful. Tao pushed, "So, how does it feel to work for Takamiya?"

The man smirked, but it didn't reach his black eyes. The lips might have moved, yet the black eyes remained dead. If those eyes hadn't followed Tao's movement, he might even thought that the man was blind. "Well, Takamiya sucks. His wife and daughter avoid him like a plague. His son wants to kill him to take over his bloody throne. And his men hates him. But they all just don't have the guts to go against him. Those pussies are afraid to lose their fingers."

Without a hint of regret, Tanaka Haruo raised his left hand, waving his remaining three fingers with a mad man's smile. Something was wrong with this man.

"Really," Tao said conversationally, hoping to get more information. "So, do you hate him too, then?"

The grin that decorated Tanaka Haruo's face was unnerving. Tao felt like he was staring at Joker the villain, as the man answered, "Oh, I hate him the most. Don't worry, the fucker knows. He likes to torture me because of that."

"But he still make you his righthand man? He has balls."

The man shrugged, but he didn't say anything else. Tao had thought that was going to be the end of their conversation when the man suddenly said with an eerie cheerfulness, "Maybe Asami-sama would be pleased if I give him Takamiya's head."

And with that, Tanaka Haruo stood and left, leaving Tao with more questions than he had before.

—

Thankfully, it was quite warm for a mid-autumn night. When I finally went back to our quarter, it was already nearing midnight. Asami was leaning against the shoji door facing the garden as he watched me walking on the stone path towards our room. He already changed to a more casual yukata which was tied carelessly around his hips. His hair was still wet from taking a bath. He looked relax and sexy as fuck.

"Hey you," I greeted him with a light kiss on the lips.

He didn't ask me where I was. I was sure he had gotten live report about where I'd been from his men. They must have seen me hiding in the small gazebo at the far end of the garden. It was nearly impossible to get some privacy when your husband had a few dozens men patrolling the place you stayed in out of security concern.

"What were you doing out there, Akihito?" he asked instead.

I shrugged as I poured myself a glass of water. Crying always made me thirsty. "Just getting some fresh air."

He hugged me from behind, "Did Takamiya's wife rattle you that much? I should have chastised her the moment I noticed how she treated you."

"Takamiya's wife?" I repeated with a small smile. "That's cold. She even called you with your given name, I thought you will also call her 'Sakurako'. Or do you have a nickname for her?"

Asami turned me around, "Are you jealous, Akihito?" It sounded playful, but there was a careful note in his voice as well. As if he was determined to do anything to placate me should I start yelling at him. I guess none of us wanted to go into a fight because of this woman who just suddenly barged into our life.

I hugged him back and said lightly, "Nah! I know you are not cheating behind my back. If you dare to do that, the kids will be the first ones who get pissed at you. I might not even get the opportunity to kick your ass myself."

He laughed as he nuzzled his face against my neck. "Mizuki might not talk to me again for the rest of my life if I dare cheating." Then, as if he just realised how possible that to happen if he betrayed me, he added jokingly, "Luckily, I am not that brave."

I grinned, "Why have you never told me about her, then?"

My husband sighed, "Our relationship was over years before I even met you for the first time, Akihito. I haven't talked to her again until recently. I met her one time at my office. She had a few questions about Rikiya's relationship with her daughter. We just talked, nothing happened. You can ask Kirishima if you don't believe me."

"Do you really think I can trust Kirishima about this kind of stuffs?" I scoffed, but he knew I wasn't serious about it. "He will lie to the devil himself if it can protect you."

My husband chuckled, "Well, this time he will tell you the truth, I can promise you that. But fine, if you don't believe my men, what can I do to appease you then?"

It was a tempting offer, but there was something more important that I needed to talk to him first. I promised Takamiya Sakurako that I wouldn't tell anyone about her husband beating her as if she was a fucking punching bag, but I still had another angle to play. "Oh, she said Suzu isn't Takamiya's daughter, Ryu. That asshole pimped his own wife to his perverted associates!"

There was a dangerous glint in Asami's golden eyes as he turned serious. "Yes, Tao told me of your conversation. Well, she knows what kind of a person Takamiya is when she married him, Akihito. And sadly, this kind of things are not that unusual in the underworld. I guess, it's also thanks to her that the Takamiya Group can grow so fast."

"Rubbish!" I answered with passion. "You have never sold me to anyone for favor and your business has been growing like crazy! Why can't he?! He is just a shitty businessman so he can't get any profit without selling his lover's body!"

Asami grew quiet. The teasing look in his eyes turned inquisitive. "Interesting. You seem to be more upset about how her husband treated her than her nasty words to you or my past relationship with her," he said carefully.

I told him honestly, "I just don't like a bully like him. It has nothing to do with Takamiya Sakurako or anyone else. I'd feel the same for any other bully. And I hate it even more that people put you in the same category with an asshole like that. No wonder Suzu-chan thought that all powerful men are unfaithful and insecure without fucking around. What bullshit!"

Listening to my voracious speech, Asami gave me a proud grin. "I heard how you defended my honour." He kissed me passionately, making me breathless, before he claimed, "My own knight in a shining armour."

Well, that was a huge promotion from being the damsel in distress in his eyes.

I asked him lightly, "So, will you really do anything to make it up for not telling me earlier about your past relationship with Takamiya-san?"

He lips curled up into a playful grin, "Hmmm, now I am getting curious. What does my kitten possible want? Tell me. As long as you don't ask me to bring back someone from the death, I will make it happen."

Cupping his face in between my palms, I looked up at him straight in the eyes and said, "Destroy Takamiya Kichiro for me. Crush him into fucking pieces. That fucker is a waste of space on this earth and he doesn't deserve any of the power and wealth that he has now."

The laugh that answered my request was so full of excitement. It was so loud, it echoed through the quiet night. After a while, he finally calmed himself enough to stop chuckling. With an amused look in his face, Asami answered huskily, "Honestly, I didn't expect that at all. I have to say, this evil side of you really turns me on. Well, your wish is my command, Akihito."

And with that, he devoured my lips like there was no tomorrow.

—

Right after he heard about what had happened from Mizuki and Tao, Asami quickly stormed to Sakurako's room. When he arrived, she had been expecting him, kneeling with her forehead and palms touching the floor. It was a pose that he had taught her himself decades back, something she must do whenever she had displeased him and seek for his mercy.

"Asami-sama," she greeted him submissively.

"Raise," he said automatically. The old habit was hard to squash.

She raised her head slowly, sitting on her heels with her hands neatly tucked in her lap, like the proper lady she had been raised to be. Then, she noticed Haruka who stood quietly behind Asami. There was a second of confusion on her face. Then, she stilled as she started to understand why Asami had brought his female assistant instead. Tao, Kirishima and Suoh would lied for him without a question and Akihito knew that. But Akihito had trusted Haruka from the start. If anything happened here tonight —or to be precise, if nothing happened here tonight— Haruka would be a more reliable witness to prove Asami's faithfulness to Akihito than the other three men.

"Are you trying to piss me off, Takamiya-san?" he asked casually, but the warning was thick within that single question. After what she had done today, he would be damned before he called her with her given name again. With this kind of issues, Asami had found it best to create boundary as soon as possible and he cursed himself for not doing that the last time they had met.

"My apologies, Asami-sama. I lost my temper back then. I didn't mean that to happen."

She clearly had referred to the nasty words she had threw at Akihito. Tao had told him all about that and he actually felt proud with how Akihito had handled it. But that incident was only a part of what she had fucked up today.

He sneered, "Oh, really? So, all the attitude you gave me, how you called me by my given name in front of Akihito or how you refused to call him by his proper name, did you not mean all of them too?!"

She flinched at the raging fury in his voice. Out of habit, she called out, "Master, I-"

Her eyes' widened in surprise when she realised what she had called him. Asami was stunned too. There was only heavy silence as both of them were struggling to pull themselves back from the past.

Once upon a time, that title of endearment coming from her lips would have turned him on faster than anything else. But at that exact moment, Asami realised that the mantra didn't have any power over him anymore. There was no longing or yearning building within him just by hearing the single word. The only thing he wanted to do now was to get this over quick so he could go back to his room to wait for Akihito to cool down.

His voice was as icy as the coldest winter when he finally said, "I will pretend I didn't hear that, Takamiya-san. Whatever we had before was over a long time ago. And for your sake, I hope I would never have to remind you that again."

Sakurako looked down, her hands now trembling in her lap. After knowing her for so long, the last thing Asami had expected her to do was to cry. Unlike Akihito, Sakurako didn't show her emotions so openly. It was just not the way she had been raised. So, the fact that she was sobbing now was out of character for her.

"I know, Ryuichi," she said softly. Her fingers tightly clenched her clothes and her warm tears fell, drop by drop, wetting the back of her hands. "Believe me, I know. And if I have ever had any doubt about it, you have made it very clear tonight."

Despite everything, his heart softened at the sight. He had cared about her after all. So, his tone was relatively gentler when he continued, "Takamiya seems to not treating you well. If you want to run away from him, I might be able to help you, if that's what you want. But behaving like what you did tonight won't help your case with me. I won't let anyone disrespecting Akihito like that. And the next time my daughter needs to remind you on how to behave, I won't be this lenient."

There was a pause, then, as if she suddenly managed to fit all the puzzle pieces together, she looked up at him. There was still sadness in her eyes but her voice was growing steady as she connected the dots. "Aah, so my guess is correct. That young lady is also your secret spy. You know, Ryuichi, when I came with my daughter and Haruo, your lover was trying to hide his kids from us. He didn't even realise that behind him, his sons were already in a fighting stance, looking like they were ready to defend him to the death. And your little girl was on the phone within second, no doubt calling you. You had been training them to protect him. And even after all that, you still put your best men to tail him everywhere."

Sakurako had always been perceptive. That was why Asami had enjoyed her submission in the past; she had been quick to read his thoughts and anticipate his needs. But now, he hated how easy it was for her to read him like an open book. It was a stupid miscalculation on his part and he felt as if he just gave her a blue print to get to Akihito. A blue print to the defence wall that he had carefully built around his lover for years.

She chuckled then, but even that sound had a hint of regret and irony in it. "I honestly feel envy. How many layer of protections do you actually put around him? Do you really love him that much? Do you think those people can protect him when your enemies come to get him? Do you not see it yet? He has become your achilles heel, Ryuichi. And mark my word, one day, he will be the death of you."