Chapter 6

Seiya leaned against a window in his spacious office, staring out at the bustling harbor landscape. However, his gaze was far away, and his thoughts revolved around the girl with extraordinary blue eyes who had entered his life the day before.

She was different, unlike all the women he had met before. There was something about her, the way she spoke and carried herself. It had somehow touched him. Her laughter had a special sound that lingered in his memory.

As she crouched there, her fragile figure, yet remarkably upright posture, even in her seemingly miserable situation, she appeared graceful. Her gaze was so intense; she simply did not fit the image of a street girl.

He felt bad for leaving her yesterday just like that. She had just started to open up to him, and he abruptly left after his brother called him. Of course, he knew it was important—after all, he headed the department in the family business responsible for all of Tokyo's logistics. He controlled all the goods entering and leaving Tokyo, whether by air, land, or sea. However, unexpected problems had arisen yesterday when customs and the police suddenly seized and searched two container ships.

Luckily, an informant had learned about the impending searches in time, and Seiya had made all suspicious cargo disappear before serious trouble arose. Hence, he had been in a hurry and had left the girl in the café just like that. The job had top priority yesterday, as it often did.

Seiya's duties as an entrepreneur and the pressure in his job often took precedence, but at the moment, he couldn't focus. His thoughts kept drifting back to this girl, Usagi.

His office door suddenly swung open, and his younger brother, Yaten, sauntered in, casually dropping onto the gray couch. "It was damn close yesterday, huh?" he asked, grinning at his brother and clasping his hands behind his head.

"Yeah... Thanks again for your call," Seiya mumbled, continuing to stare out the window.

"How did you manage to make everything disappear so quickly? I mean, there was quite a load, just thinking about the new weapons for my guys and then all the stuff for the Chibas..." his brother probed.

Seiya ran his hand through his hair. He had no heightened interest in this conversation, as his thoughts were already drifting back to Usagi. He had to see her again. Today, he had made up his mind.

"Yaten, I have my means and ways. I'm good at my job, and you're good at yours. Just let it be; I don't question you about how you choose your men," Seiya grumbled annoyed.

Yaten immediately sensed that something was wrong with his brother and sat up. "So, since you successfully averted the disaster yesterday, only two things come to mind that could spoil your mood: either you clashed with Father or Taiki again." He paused and analyzed Seiya's body language. "Or a woman is involved." Seiya tensed almost imperceptibly, but Yaten didn't miss it. He was, after all, an expert at uncovering secrets and could read the body language of others like an open book. One could almost say he was a lie detector on two legs.

Mischievously, his lips curled upward as he noticed Seiya's reaction. "So, a woman. Do I know her?" he began to tease. Of course, he was curious about who had managed to capture his brother's interest. Such things didn't happen too often.

"No," Seiya replied curtly. "Don't you have people to interrogate or something important to do?"

Yaten grinned as he realized his brother wanted to get rid of him. "Understood. If you want me to check her out for you, let me know."

"Thanks, but that won't be necessary," Seiya replied, still absent-minded.

He was currently working on an idea to make Usagi happy and provide her with a life outside the streets. He would offer her a job. As far as he knew, one of the women responsible for cargo list control had quit in one of the offices downstairs. She should be able to handle it; it wasn't a difficult job. With the money, she could rent an apartment for herself and her siblings. Plus, he would have her close to him every day. He liked this plan.

"Yaten, sorry, but I have another important appointment. Was there anything else?" he asked, and after Yaten shook his head, Seiya made his way to the place where he had met Usagi both times. His pace quickened as he reached the corner where she usually sat. But she wasn't there; the spot was empty. Initially, he thought she would surely come later and sat in the corner café, but even after a few hours, her place remained untouched. There was no sign of Usagi.

He looked up and down the street, bewildered. Then he started asking some of the other street residents if they had seen the girl named Usagi. However, most shrugged, ignored him, or seemed not to know who he meant. It was as if she had suddenly vanished into thin air. Seiya couldn't believe she was gone.

Meanwhile, Usagi was filled with a mix of tension and sorrow as she had to say goodbye to her siblings. She could barely hold back the tears gathering in her eyes. Her heart was heavy with fear and worry, but she had to be strong, not only for her siblings but also for herself.

Usagi gently stroked Shingo's dark hair and whispered reassuring words in his ear. "You have to take care of your sister, Shingo. Watch over Chibiusa and be there for her." Shingo nodded, but his tears also dripped onto the floor; the thought of living without Usagi was heavy for him. "I'll take care of Chibiusa, Usagi, I promise. You don't have to worry. We'll manage."

Usagi closed her eyes and pressed Shingo even tighter. "I'm so proud of you, Shingo. You'll do well; I know it." The words were hard for her to say, but she wanted to encourage him.

Chibiusa approached slowly and pressed herself against her sister's leg. Usagi bent down to look her in the eyes. "Chibiusa, you have to be brave, okay? Shingo will take care of you, and soon, we'll see each other again." Chibiusa nodded, but her eyes were clouded with tears. "Do you promise you'll come to visit us soon, Usagi? I miss you already, I've never been without you." Usagi couldn't help but press a kiss to Chibiusa's forehead. "I promise, little sister. I'll come to you as soon as I can. You are my priority, and I won't abandon you. I would do anything for you." She adjusted Chibiusa's collar once more and handed her the small backpack. When the car drove away, it felt like someone was pulling the ground from under Usagi's feet.

The farewell was heartbreaking for her, and Usagi could only hope that she had made the right decision to provide a better future for her siblings.

Usagi sat in Mimete's small, modern office, eager to find out what awaited her. The room was decorated in pastel tones, creating a pleasant atmosphere. The walls were painted in a calming light green, and the light from the modern LED ceiling lights was warm and inviting.

Despite the limited size of the office, every inch was stuffed with paperwork. Folders and stacks of documents piled up on the desk, shelves, and in the corners of the room. There was a certain disorder, but it was organized chaos, seemingly allowing Mimete to keep track of everything.

"So, shall we begin?" Mimete asked, redirecting Usagi's attention to the conversation. Usagi lifted her head thoughtfully. "Yes, of course."

Mimete rummaged in one of the drawers and handed Usagi a sleek, modern phone. "So, just to start off, I will be your assistant from today. Please, this is for you. The important numbers are stored—your father's, mine, and Tellu's. Unfortunately, it's not yet clear which bodyguard will be responsible for you, but you can add them yourself. I'll make sure it gets sorted out in the next few hours. But since I assume you won't leave the estate in the next few days, there's still some time."

Then she handed Usagi a simple, silver bracelet with a delicate white pearl that had a faint blue shimmer. Usagi took the bracelet carefully in her hand and looked at it fascinated. "This bracelet has a GPS, in case something happens to you, we can automatically locate you. It's better not to take it off, or ask Tellu for an alternative. As the heir to the Tsukino family, you are now in the spotlight, and other families here in Tokyo with influence will now keep an eye on you."

"Other families?" Usagi repeated, realizing the magnitude of what awaited her. It was as if an entirely new world was unfolding before her, and she felt overwhelmed by the expectations and responsibilities weighing on her shoulders. Thoughts of her siblings, whom she had just left, came to the forefront, and she knew she had to assert herself in this new role.

Mimete chuckled lightly and nodded. "Good, let's start with the basics. In Tokyo, three major families dominate. First, we have the Chiba family. The succession is clear here; Mamoru, the son, has taken over the business completely for several years. The Chibas control most banks in Tokyo and have a significant influence on the stock markets. The colors of this family are black and red." As Mimete spoke, she showed Usagi pictures of the Chiba family. One of the photos featured Mamoru Chiba. He looked friendly, but there was something unapproachable in his gaze that Usagi found hard to interpret. Something that made her glad he wouldn't be her future husband. "Mamoru's sister, Rei, mostly stays out of business, but you'll encounter her occasionally. It's best to be a bit reserved with her; Rei is hard to read. Mamoru Chiba was also considered as a potential suitor. Why Kenji decided against him, I can't answer. Minako and he liked each other, and he seemed quite upset when Kenji declined his proposal," explained Mimete, watching as Usagi eagerly took notes.

Mimete pushed the pictures aside and continued. "Now, let's move on to the second major family, the Kous. The inheritance order is clear here too, but the situation is a bit more complicated. The colors of the Kous are black and yellow. Kakashi Kou, the patriarch of the family, has three sons, all born a year apart. The youngest is Yaten Kou." She revealed a picture showing a man with silver-blond, long hair, and piercing green eyes. "Yaten Kou is a master of gathering information and very dangerous. Be cautious around him; he is known to be ruthless and will use any means to obtain his information. I hope you understand what I mean."

Yaten... Usagi had heard that name before, but she couldn't remember exactly where. While she thought hard, Mimete continued undeterred.

"Son number two, Seiya Kou." As Mimete turned the picture around, Usagi suddenly felt sick. That was undoubtedly Seiya, the Seiya who had helped her so much. The one with the bright blue eyes and the cheeky grin who had promised her a date. Her heart skipped a beat, and deep inside, she hoped he would be the man she was promised to. "Seiya Kou is in charge of logistics in Tokyo, and I don't mean just within their family, but in all of Tokyo. There's hardly anything that enters or leaves the city without him knowing. He's a rather reserved man who rarely makes appearances."

Not a word about an engagement. Usagi started to get nervous.

"And the eldest, Taiki Kou." Mimete continued, revealing a third picture. The man had brown hair and amethyst-colored eyes. "He will be the heir to the Kou family and your future husband. Taiki is somewhat like the head of the three; all information flows to him, and he makes decisions, of course, after his father."

Usagi forced herself to breathe again. She felt like she was trapped in a bad movie. From the street to clan heiress, and now she was supposed to marry the brother of the man who had piqued her interest. This couldn't be true.

"Serena? Have you been listening to me?" Mimete asked, noticing that Usagi was still staring at Seiya's picture. Usagi shook her head slightly, as if awakening from a dream. "Yes, yes, I'm listening," she replied, even though her thoughts were still dominated by the image of Seiya. Her heartbeat quickened, and she couldn't believe that he was supposed to be the brother of her future husband.

Mimete continued, explaining the structures of her own family, mentioning all the names that played important roles in the organization to which she now belonged. The colors of the Tsukinos were blue and white, but that was all Usagi managed to put on her notes.

It was a world Usagi could never have imagined. As a street child, she had only heard about such power structures and family clans, but now she suddenly became a part of it. "Understood so far?" Mimete asked after presenting the information.

Usagi nodded, although she was still wrestling with her own thoughts.

"Good, then let's take a break. In an hour, the Kous' doctor will come for the paternity test, and afterward, you'll discuss your outfit for tomorrow with Tellu. It has to be perfect; Taiki will be impressed when he sees you," Mimete rattled off her schedule.

"Um... will the entire Kou family be present tomorrow?" Usagi asked hesitantly, fear gripping her at the thought of encountering Seiya. Mimete laughed reassuringly and stroked her arm. "Probably, but who exactly will be present is unpredictable. Business matters often come up, so it's hard to say. You'll manage. Looking nice and smiling isn't that difficult, and if anything happens, come to me or your father. You're not alone."

After leaving Mimete's office, Usagi headed to her own room. The day had turned into a surreal experience, and she found it challenging to process all the new information. Chibiusa and Shingo were gone, and the uncertainty of when she would hold her siblings in her arms again tormented her. But, above all, thoughts of Seiya troubled her. How would he react when they met at the reception tomorrow? Her feelings for him were still fresh and confusing, and the prospect of him being the brother of her future husband intensified the situation.