Chapter 11

Seiya sat at his table in his apartment, deeply engrossed in his documents, when the door burst open with a loud bang, and Yaten stormed in with a flushed face. Surprised, Seiya raised his eyebrows but didn't dare to address his clearly angry brother. Yaten threw himself onto the sofa and audibly huffed several times, while Seiya returned to his paperwork. He knew Yaten would start talking on his own eventually.

"You could have at least told me what Serena looks like!" Yaten exclaimed angrily.

"Firstly, you didn't ask, and secondly... she's entirely different from Mina," Seiya retorted dryly, without looking up. He was sure Yaten would immediately notice if he revealed he knew more than he let on. However, Yaten was still too agitated to focus on his brother.

"But you should have told me she strongly resembles her. I barged in there and stared at her like a maniac. The only thing missing was me addressing her as Mina," he continued to rant.

Finally, Seiya lifted his head. "Where did you barge in?"

"At Taiki's... I've lost another potential source. The guy from yesterday, and this time I was so close. I was a hundred percent sure that miserable bastard knew exactly what happened to Mina, but instead of opening his mouth, he chose suicide, the coward."

Seiya's attention, however, focused on another part of the information. Usagi was with Taiki, just a few floors above him, and for some reason, he didn't like it at all.

"What were they doing upstairs?" he asked, trying to sound disinterested and casual, although turmoil brewed within him.

"I don't know. He handed her some catalogs, probably for the 35th-floor apartment. But he honestly told me that I'm getting too obsessed and should let it go. Can you believe that? He knows exactly what we've been through; he knows exactly what Mina told me the night before the accident."

Seiya rose slowly and took a seat across from his brother.

"Yes, I know that, and Tai does too. But, Yaten, you've been searching for clues for weeks, and there's nothing. All we know is that she felt like she was being watched."

"I'm telling you, Chiba had a hand in this, and as soon as I have even the smallest proof, I'll show him what pain is. He'll beg me to end his useless life."

"But first, you need evidence. Once you have it, we'll all stand by you, Kenji included. But if it really was Chiba, he would have erased all traces, and his men would die before betraying him."

"Yeah, I've noticed. Although today's guy was close to spilling."

Seiya ran his hand through his hair and looked at his brother, who was slowly regaining control of his aggressions.

"A quick change of subject. Can you find out where Kenji has placed the siblings of... Taiki's fiancée? Chibiusa and Shingo, the girl is 5, and the boy is 14."

Yaten looked puzzled. "What do you want with Serena's siblings now?"

"I briefly talked to her at the party, and she told me that Kenji had them taken away. I thought it would be a nice gesture to at least tell her where they are and all... You know, my social conscience."

"Oh, yes, Seiya Kou, the humanitarian," Yaten countered with an ironic tone.

Seiya nodded determinedly. "Yes, exactly, Seiya Kou, the humanitarian. So, can you take care of that for me soon?"

Yaten theatrically sighed. "Fine, I'll handle it. But you owe me a favor, Seiya. By the way, what about the girl you met? Am I going to meet her? Ruka said you scared her off; is that true?"

Seiya managed to elegantly turn his back to Yaten, so he wouldn't have to face him directly, and tried to keep a calm tone. "Yeah, that... that's done... She wanted different things than I did," he tried to stay as close to the truth as possible. Mentally, he drifted back to their morning kiss, and he knew this whole situation could get even more complicated if he didn't get himself under control. His brain clearly malfunctioned around Usagi. How could he kiss her when he knew she was promised to Taiki?

"Well, I'll get to work then. At least that will distract me a bit. Expect the info in the next few hours. Oh, and keep an eye on Kenji's next delivery; I don't know what's going on right now, but there are rumors again about inspections."

Just as quickly as Yaten had appeared, he disappeared again. Seiya returned to his documents. He forced himself to work through as much as possible because when he worked, he at least didn't think about Usagi, who was once again within arm's reach. Only three floors separated them, and yet she felt so far away.

The hours flew by, and Seiya barely paid attention to the clock until his phone rang. "Yeah, Yaten?" His voice sounded tense. "I've tapped into some sources. Here in Japan, Kenji hasn't placed any children in a boarding school over the past few days, nor enrolled them in any other elite schools, nor dropped them off at an orphanage. He also hasn't hired a nanny. However, his jet took off two days ago with 5 people and returned today with only 3," Yaten informed his brother matter-of-factly. Seiya furrowed his brow, his thoughts racing. "Where did the jet go?" "Somewhere in China," Yaten replied succinctly.

Seiya crumpled the paper under his hand in frustration. His thoughts swirled in confusion.

"How sure are we that it was the siblings on board?" "Seiya, I'm working on it, but once it goes beyond Japanese borders, it takes time even for me to get information. If it's not fast enough for you, call information; maybe they can help you faster! By the way, why are you suddenly interested in these kids?" Seiya took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. "No need to get all diva again. I just want to know where they are. Just keep going, and as soon as you find something..." Yaten interrupted him: "I'll get back to you. By the way, since we're on the subject of Serena... I had her investigated again. Seiya, there's something off about her. The entire identity of Serena Tsukino was practically nonexistent until a few days ago. No records at any schools, no profiles on social media, nothing. No one has ever heard of her; it's as if she didn't exist, and I've queried more than just Japan for her. Why do you think Kenji is keeping it such a secret? I've exhausted all quick access points for her, and I couldn't even find out where she grew up or who her mother is. Not even my specialist has found anything so far."

Seiya ran his hand through his stressed hair and was relieved that Yaten couldn't see his face. He only hoped his voice wouldn't give him away. He knew he couldn't betray Usagi. "Yeah, that's strange. Have you talked to Tai? Maybe she told him something," Seiya asked, trying to sound casual. Yaten snorted. "No. I... Oh, wait, someone's knocking right now... Speak of the devil... Seiya, Taiki just arrived. We'll talk later." Yaten sounded distracted and ended the call.

Meanwhile, Usagi entered the splendid villa, tightly clutching the catalogs with furniture. Yaten's words echoed in her head as she headed towards the staircase leading to her room. A man approached her in the reception hall and stopped her just before she could set foot on the stairs. He towered over her by at least a head, had a penetrating gaze, and a slender stature. His short black hair, mottled with gray, and his vivid green eyes gave him a distinctive appearance.

After a brief moment of silence, he extended his hand to her. "And you must be Kenji's daughter, Serena. I apologize for not making it to the party yesterday, but I hope you enjoyed yourself. I'm Kakashi Kou, your future father-in-law."

Usagi took his hand and shook it politely, although the word "father-in-law" triggered a strange feeling within her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kou."

Kakashi still scrutinized Usagi attentively; his looks seemed to pierce right through her. "You're certainly beautiful, no doubt about that. You're no less than your sister. What interests me now, though, is why Kenji has hidden you your whole life... Tell me, Serena, who was your mother?"

Usagi was completely overwhelmed by the man's directness. When she noticed her hands beginning to tremble, she clenched them into light fists. Kakashi gently stroked her cheek and lifted her chin. "What was your mother's name?" he asked again, this time with emphasis in his voice.

She couldn't understand why this man was so interested in her origin. "Ikuko Sasaki," she whispered, automatically repeating her mother's name.

Her interlocutor froze and stared at her with wide eyes, his hand sinking down. "That's not possible," he muttered. Usagi took a quick step backward. "Yes, my mother was Ikuko Sasaki," she repeated now more composed. But she wondered why he reacted so strongly to this name.

"Kakashi, I thought you would have left us a long time ago," suddenly Kenji's voice echoed to them, and Usagi turned to him. "Serena, have you already met your father-in-law?" Kakashi had finally composed himself and responded professionally to Kenji. "I was just on my way to the door when your daughter ran into me; I thought I should introduce myself at least once."

Kenji directed his gaze first at Usagi and then back at Kakashi. He already suspected that something was not right here. "Wait in my office," he hissed at Usagi, pushing her aside a bit. She didn't need to be told twice and put some distance between herself and the men. She easily found her way to Kenji's office. Restlessly, she paced back and forth while waiting for her father to arrive.

Kenji didn't take long, and he closed the door behind him. "What did Kakashi want from you?" Usagi struggled against the lump in her throat. She still felt strange thinking about this encounter. "Nothing... Well, actually, the only thing he wanted to know was who my mother was." Kenji made every effort to remain calm, but the vein on his neck pulsed strongly. "What did you tell him?" he gritted. Uncertainly, Usagi replied, "The truth. My mother's name was Ikuko Sasaki, nothing more. But please tell me now what's going on. Mr. Kou seemed petrified when he heard the name."

Kenji opened his bar, poured a large gulp of whiskey, and downed it in one go. Then he took off his glasses and ran his hands through his hair in distress. "Well, I guess I have no other choice. Even if you gave him her wrong last name, Kakashi will probably know who it was."

Usagi was completely thrown off and couldn't follow her father anymore. What did he mean by the "wrong last name"? She sank into the chair in front of the desk and looked expectantly at him.

"Your mother's full name was Yumi Ikuko Chiba," he said, letting this information sink in for Usagi. In her mind, gears were turning. "Chiba, like the family that controls the banks?"

Kenji refilled his glass and sat down in his desk chair. "Exactly, your mother is a born Chiba, and she was supposed to marry Kakashi back then. I was already married, and Minako had just been born... but what Ikuko and I had was something special." Kenji took another pause, contemplating how to best explain everything to her. "When your mother told me she was pregnant, I panicked. That pregnancy would have destroyed everything... And I don't just mean my marriage... It would have disrupted a delicate balance in our world. I wanted to pressure her into an abortion, but overnight, she had suddenly disappeared. No one knew about the pregnancy, and everyone thought she got cold feet about the wedding or ran off with someone else. It was a long search operation, but it turned up empty. Ikuko knew how to cover her tracks well. That's why no one knew about your existence, Serena. However, shortly after your birth, I received a letter without a sender. In it was a photo of a baby in a pink blanket. I immediately knew it could only be from Ikuko, and that it was my child pictured there."

Usagi sat there as if turned to stone, absorbing Kenji's shocking revelations. Her thoughts were racing, and her father's words echoed in her mind. Her mother, a Chiba, and back then the future bride of Kakashi Kou, had an affair with Kenji Tsukino and became pregnant—with her. This was far more than she had ever expected.

She looked at the golden ring on her finger, and the question of whether her mother had worn the same ring crossed her mind. Suddenly, she could also understand Kakashi's reaction; he had surely put two and two together. The entanglements and secrets in this family were even more convoluted than Usagi could have imagined.

Then, in a moment of clarity, a thought occurred to Usagi. "But... If he was supposed to marry my mother... Who is the mother of his sons? Taiki and Seiya seem several years older than me..."

"Kakashi's sons are all from his mistress. He never married after Ikuko disappeared. After a few years, he presented us with his sons and appointed Taiki as his heir right away. Even if he had married again, any future children wouldn't have the same claim to power," he explained further.

The revelations about this unusual family just kept coming, and Usagi's thoughts raced once again.

Kenji sighed and took another sip of whiskey. "I'm sorry that I have to burden you with all of this at once. But it was time for you to know the truth before things get even more out of hand." Usagi struggled for words. "And what... What does this mean for my future?"

Kenji rested his chin on his knuckles and pondered. "Nothing. The wedding will proceed as planned. Taiki has an overview of all the business, and you will have a carefree life as promised. However, you should keep quiet about your mother being a Chiba because Ikuko was the eldest daughter and thus the rightful heir. If the wrong people find out about it, it could cause waves we'd rather avoid. I hope Kakashi sees it similarly, but I'll talk to him about that. But if anyone asks about your mother in the future, make up a name and steer clear of Ikuko and also Yumi. She was officially called Yumi; there were only a few who called her Ikuko, but unfortunately, Kakashi was one of them. Therefore, he's unlikely to believe it if I try to lead him on another trail. Let me handle that..."

Usagi began to understand gradually. "So, I'm also the rightful heir of the Chibas?" she asked in amazement, trying to process everything.

Kenji grunted. "Yes, but don't reach for it, and keep a low profile. Mamoru has been in the position of the head for years, and he wouldn't appreciate anyone challenging his power. Go now, I still have some things to take care of here."

With a sense of uncertainty, Usagi stood up and left her father's office. The world into which she had been born proved to be even more complex and confusing than she had ever thought possible.