Chapter 67
Taiki focused on Yaten again. "Well, since I'm meeting Chiba in three hours, we still have time to discuss everything else. You mentioned you have a lot of other useful information. What would that be?" he asked, patiently waiting for his brother's reaction.
This was the question Yaten had been waiting for the entire time. Originally, he expected it during the car ride, but to his surprise, Taiki remained silent, and upon their arrival, everyone was more interested in his visit to the Chibas. He had briefly outlined the essentials, but that was enough for the eldest to invite Mamoru for a conversation.
Yaten took another bite of his pizza and leaned back casually. "Well, quite a bit... or do you think I've been idle all this time? But honestly, I still haven't figured out everything. Mimete left me a huge stack of papers – invoices, name lists, property lists. Unfortunately, part of it is encrypted, and I haven't cracked Kenji's code yet. The conversations with her were quite enlightening. I found some of our employees on the name lists and had them checked. Unfortunately, I had to dismiss some of them. For example, we need a new manager for the cleaning company that oversees the external offices. The offices themselves were all clean, but she certainly passed information to Kenji. In the evenings, none of us were around, and she had free rein to access the documents or check the contents of the trash cans... Fortunately, the really important things are all stored in the Black Moon. This, in turn, leads me to suggest how foolish it is to grant the Chibas access to this place. It's the only retreat we have, unknown to both Father and Kenji or the Chibas."
"Yaten. Stop. We won't discuss that further. We need the Chibas on our side if we want to finally get rid of Kenji... And if the unlikely event that Mrs. Chiba is indeed Mina happens, hopefully, that will play in our favor. You know how she feels about her father," Taiki interrupted him. Sulking, Yaten made a face. "I'm just saying..." he grumbled. "Yes, and so am I. What else have you found out?" Taiki wanted to know, fixing Yaten with his gaze. It was as if he could sense that there was more to it.
"I'm on a hot trail to Serena's sister due to Mimete's hints. But the whole thing is much more complicated than expected. Originally, I wanted to have her here before you arrive, but there's currently no way to get to her..." Usagi tensed slightly as these words reached her. Chibiusa. Her hand tightly clasped Seiya's, and he reciprocated the pressure. "What does that exactly mean?" Seiya demanded answers now. Yaten shrugged and leaned back casually. "Just like I said. I know where she is, but we can't reach her at the moment," he repeated. Seiya jumped up, resting his hands on the table. "In more detail, Yaten! Where is she?" "Here in Tokyo. But I'm definitely not telling you where, or else you'll storm in there and ruin my days of planning... besides, with how often you've been injured lately, you need to get back in proper training before I even consider putting you on the team," Yaten said casually, causing Haruka to laugh briefly. "What does that mean?" the black-haired man exclaimed, giving his best friend an accusing look. "Come on, Seiya, somehow he's right. First your ribs, then the graze... you were really in much better shape before," Haruka replied, smiling.
Usagi stood up, reassuringly placing her hands on Seiya's shoulders and gently pressing, causing him to sit back in his chair. "I trust you, Yaten. After all, you've already brought Shingo back to me, and I'm sure you'll succeed with Chibiusa too."
"Good. Yaten, then please write down the most important points for me. I'll read it when we get back... and Yaten, no solo missions like with Shingo anymore. I want to be informed about everything," Taiki said with a sharp undertone. Then he turned to Usagi, "Serena, could you please get ready? We need to leave soon. Seiya will go ahead with Haruka to prepare the conference room. We'll join as soon as we're ready." A slight tension spread in the group, but no one dared to contradict Taiki. Usagi gave Seiya another kiss and then disappeared into the bedroom.
As Taiki turned onto the dark Black Moon parking lot, his eyes scanned the well-filled parking area. Mamoru Chiba's red car immediately caught his attention. So, he had already arrived. Taiki hoped that Seiya had intercepted him and taken him to the conference room. He didn't want him to meet Usagi directly. First, he had to find out some things, and then he would decide whether to involve his wife or not. However, his instincts already warned him that he would have to reveal more than he liked to win Chiba to his side. He turned off the engine and turned to Usagi.
"Serena, I want to be honest with you. I would prefer to have this initial conversation with Mamoru alone today. From family head to family head," he began, seeking her gaze. Initially, she just looked ahead, but he could see that she was contemplating, and he gave her the time she needed. "I suspected something like that," she finally said, turning her gaze towards him.
"There's something else I wanted to discuss with you alone... You know that we need the Chibas on our side. I'm asking for permission to tell him about your mother. It might influence his decision if he knows that he has nothing to fear from us, even though we could intervene. We don't need their money or influence; we have plenty of both. They won't lack anything, or do you plan on asserting your birthright?" Taiki asked her, hesitantly placing his hand on her barely noticeable bump.
Usagi looked down at his hand and shook her head slightly. "No, I don't. I feel comfortable with you both, and I know that both you and Seiya will always be there for us. Besides, I'm supposed to avoid stress, remember? I think if I were to try that, it would be anything but stress-free," she replied, placing her hand on his. "Go ahead and tell him if you think it will help us. You'll do the right thing. But... my intuition tells me that I should also talk to him."
Taiki got out of the car and opened her door. "If the opportunity arises, I will ask you to do that, but I won't promise it. You'll have a chance to meet him, I promise. But a lot depends on this meeting now," he said as they walked hand in hand towards the Black Moon.
Together, they entered the building, and the familiar scent of too much perfume greeted them. To Taiki's surprise, Michiru was personally at the reception desk, smiling at them. "Nice to see you both already. Haruka and Seiya have already taken your guest upstairs. And as I heard, you and I will make ourselves comfortable now, Serena." Usagi blinked in surprise a few times. "Um... what about Seiya? I thought we were waiting together in your apartment." "Seiya and Ruka have something else to take care of, but don't worry; they won't take long, maybe half an hour at most. We'll surely find something nice to do in the meantime."
Somewhat uncertain, the blonde tugged at Taiki's sleeve. He immediately saw the question in her eyes without her having to articulate it. "You're safe with Chiru. She can do more than meets the eye, and we're all in the building," he reassured her. Hesitantly, Usagi followed Michiru to the back rooms where her apartment was, and Taiki made his way to the conference room.
When he opened the door, Mamoru Chiba was already seated at the large table, a glass of whiskey in front of him. Seiya was at the head of the table to his left, and Haruka was beside him. However, the three seemed to have no conversation topics; there was absolute silence as Taiki entered. Seiya relievedly stood up. "Glad you finally arrived. Shall we get going and take care of the errands for Chiru? I hope you'll come to a useful result," he said to his brother, then signaled Haruka to follow him. She didn't rush; calmly, she finished her drink, patted Taiki on the shoulder as she passed by, and followed Seiya.
The atmosphere in the room was strange. The two men eyed each other silently. Taiki approached the table, also took a glass, poured himself a drink, and took a seat. "So, Kou. What do you want? Why do you summon me to a brothel late at night to talk?" Chiba opened the conversation. Throughout the entire time, Taiki had prepared words, considered how much he would tell him, but now he wasn't so sure anymore. However, he couldn't let his counterpart sense that. "I thought it was finally time to speak openly, about everything. This is one of our safe rooms, and there's no one here listening," he said calmly, taking a sip of his drink.
Mamoru raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Who assures me that no one is eavesdropping here? Your insolent brother was in my house for just a few minutes, and my men found a bug right after his visit." Taiki let out an annoyed snort. Yaten and his solo missions would eventually get him into trouble. The hand that lay under the table on his lap had formed into a tight fist. "A bad habit of his. Don't pay it any mind," he tried to excuse his brother, but Mamoru's expression still appeared icy.
"What are you planning, Kou? Stop wasting my time. I have a lot to do, and besides, my wife is expecting me," Mamoru scoffed arrogantly. Taiki swirled the liquid in his glass, examining it. This was the opening he had been waiting for. "Your wife, huh? How about you tell me a secret about your wife, and in return, I'll tell you one about mine. Somehow, we need to establish a basis of trust," he suggested.
A slight change in Mamoru's face became noticeable. "Why would I be interested in your wife? Kenji's illegitimate daughter who took Minako's place just to fulfill that ridiculous contract. Yes, admittedly, your wife is pretty, but I don't believe she has the faintest idea of what she's gotten herself into here. She should have stayed in her old world with her mother," he condescended, but Taiki glared back at him and was once again strengthened in his plan. "Oh, I believe there's a lot that might interest you about her," the brown-haired man said calmly, taking another sip of his drink. "Her mother's name was Yumi Ikuko Chiba. I think that name should be familiar to you, or?"
Shock registered in Mamoru's eyes as he looked across the table. He was speechless. This was something he hadn't expected. Mentally, he repeated the name, a name he hadn't heard in an eternity. The name of his aunt, the actual heir to the Chiba clan, who had suddenly disappeared. Only through her disappearance had his father been able to seize control. For years, he had searched for the whereabouts of his sister, but without success.
"Is this all just a bad joke, Kou?" Mamoru finally spoke after some time, scrutinizing Taiki. Taiki leaned back in his chair, anticipating Chiba wouldn't believe it immediately. "No. You can ask her yourself if you'd like. She's downstairs in a private apartment. Should I fetch her?" he inquired.
Mamoru studied Taiki closely. Seeing Taiki composed and calm, Mamoru started to consider the possibility that what he had just learned might be true, and the potential consequences dawned on him.
"So, you would be married to the rightful Chiba heiress. Are you trying to challenge my position now?" he hissed, feeling threatened in his position.
"No. That's not the point. Serena and I have no interest in the Chiba fortune. We have more than enough money, as you should know, considering we have our accounts at your bank. We just want peace finally; she will confirm it notarially if you want. An end to these constant feuds. We want you as allies, as friends, in the fight against this constant rivalry. That's why I told you about her mother, as a show of trust... If there's peace and unity between the Kous and Chibas..." "Then old Tsukino stands alone," Mamoru interrupted him. Taiki nodded in agreement before continuing. "Exactly. Since Serena is his heir, theoretically, we only need to get rid of him, and we could usher in a new era in Tokyo, offering our future children a peaceful future... But if my suspicion is correct, I didn't marry the true heir but you. Isn't that right?"
Mamoru was unsure how to proceed now. Minako still wanted to remain undiscovered; she couldn't and wouldn't confront Yaten, and he could understand her motives. "Give me your word that nothing we discuss here will leak outside, especially not to your younger brother," Mamoru demanded. Technically, after this demand, Taiki no longer needed an official confirmation from him. Yaten was right with his assumption. The brown-haired man nodded and was now eager to learn what he would find out.
"You're right. Minako is not dead. I brought her to America for her own protection and married her. She will appear here under the name Madison Chiba." "But why did you fake her death? She knows me; she knows I would never do anything she didn't want," Taiki inquired further. Now he wanted answers too. Mamoru already suspected that this conversation would last a while, but he didn't have the nerves for a long session right now. He had to verify if this woman was supposed to be his cousin, but Taiki wouldn't let him go until he had answers. Mamoru took a deep breath once again. "Her plan was already set for her, and nothing and no one could stop her from disappearing. I simply helped her with the adjustment of some details and stood by her side. Unfortunately, I can't comment on her exact motives; it's not my place, but it had nothing to do with you."
"And with whom, then? Everything was already settled back then. I just want to understand. We had agreed back then, and then she faked her death to go into hiding? Yaten almost lost it when he found out about it." Mamoru considered exactly how much he could reveal now without Minako making a scene later. He decided to stay as close to the truth as possible without giving away anything concrete. "It was because of her father and his plans. She stumbled upon a document where Kenji had noted down his plans, and what was written in there, she had to prevent. There was no other way for her but to disappear... You will surely understand soon why. Just have some patience; you will soon learn what it's about... But now I would like to take my leave. I need to think about your revelation about Serena's roots and verify it. Don't take it the wrong way, but it was genuinely surprising."
Mamoru stood up and suddenly seemed to be in a hurry. Taiki was more than happy about it. He had maneuvered himself into a favorable position here, and he also had some information that he needed to evaluate. So, he stood up and followed Mamoru. "I'll walk you to the door so that the ladies don't pounce on you." At the door, Mamoru extended his hand. "I think we should meet again in a few days. I'll be in touch." Taiki shook his hand and returned the determined gaze. "Yes, I see it similarly. This short conversation was very enlightening for both sides."
He was sure he had Mamoru on his side. Even though he didn't reveal everything, and there were still secrets on both sides, they were on a good path for cooperation. Mamoru hadn't disclosed everything, and there were still secrets, but they were heading towards an alliance. Mamoru had already opened the car door, turning around once more to Taiki. "Kou, just a well-meant piece of advice. Even if you love Serena. Avoid her bed or think about contraception; a child would play into the hands of your father-in-law," he called out before getting into the car. Taiki watched him silently.
"It's probably too late for that," he thought and went back inside to check on Usagi.