Pretending with the Snob (Pyxis #1)

Chapter 37

Chapter 37 - Oyabun

Noong umalis si papa, inisip ko na sa China siya nagpunta. He told us na magpapalakas siya para matalo si lolo, so I thought he would search for someone like Jackie Chan to train and help him. Noong mapanood ko ang Marvel hero na si Doctor Strange, naisip ko na baka doon din sa Kamarataj, Nepal nagpunta si papa, at naging sorcerer na pala. As the years went on, I was sure he was in Europe, namamasyal, nagpapasarap at tinakasan na kami.

I stopped waiting. Still I wondered, where on earth was he? Ang daming lugar na pwede niyang puntahan, pero kahit kailan hindi sumagi sa isip ko na si lolo mismo ang pupuntahan niya. What was he thinking?

If you can't beat them, join them?

Agad akong pinapasok ng mga tauhan ni lolo nang makita nila akong naghihintay sa labas nang naglalakihang gates ng mansion. It's still as beautiful as ever. Lalo lang itong gumaganda tuwing bumabalik ako. The garden on both sides of the driveway is full of flowerings plants, roses in different colors, daffodils and lilacs. All are my grandparents' favorite. At first glance, no one would actually think this beautiful structure belongs to one of the most notorious clan in Japan, until you see the yakuza around.

The mansion, as it always has been, is still as guarded as ever. Bawat sulok ay may mga nakabantay na yakuza. The Kurumizawa clan is big, ilan lang ang kilala ko sa kanila. Most of them know and recognize me though, slightly bowing their heads in my direction as I walk past them.

From the long driveway all the way to the gates, there's probably around fifty of them. If something goes wrong, siguradong mahihirapan akong makalabas.

We reach the end of the driveway, stopping at the façade, where another dozens of yakuza are gathered and are all on guard. I take a deep breath as I take in the structure in front of me. It reminds me of the luxury houses in Galax Hills, the brick walls, huge long windows, and enormous double doors. The Kurumizawa mansion is almost a castle, malayong-malayo sa mga traditional houses and estates na makikita mo sa Japan.

The huge doors finally open and I shudder.

I used to imagine myself a princess every time I was here. I loved being here dahil napakaganda naman kasi talaga dito despite the yakuza around. But today, I feel like a prisoner... in a gigantic cage; my father's cage for years, at wala man lang kaming kaalam-alam ni mama. Even with the spacious corridors and high ceilings, it's suffocating now in here.

Three yakuza escort me inside, dinala nila ako sa dining hall kung saan daw kasalukuyang nag-a-almusal si lolo. It takes us a whole five minutes bago namin narating ang hall. Sa laki ng mansion, lolo didn't even have to send papa to Hokkaido. He could hide my father here and we wouldn't know.

The dining hall is even bigger than the Smith's in Galax Hills. At the center is a massive chandelier, and a very long table below it. Kahit dito, there's at least ten yakuza on guard, bukod pa ang tatlong kasama ko. Sa pinakadulo, sa harap ng chimney naka-upo si lolo. He's dining with two of my senseis, the wakagashira and some of his advisors.

He smiles and stands up at the sight of me. "Apo." Sinalubong niya ako, at niyakap. "I've missed you."

Lolo is only a few inches taller than me. His hair is in a tidy slick back, graying with only few black roots, like his thick eyebrows. His eyes are big, predatory and can hide a thousand emotions and secrets. You know the look of a cat when he plays with a mouse before eating it whole? A single glance from him will make you want to run for your life. His nose, straight and pointed, and his mouth, once pink, now pale and dark because of cigars. And for a sixty-one year old man, he's still strong and sturdy.