July 8. 364 days to deadline.
When Yamamoto Megumi defied Yahiro's father, she wasn't at all thinking straight about the consequences of her actions, or about the difficult situation she was placing Yahiro at. She only wanted to be useful for him, but in the end it all pointed toward a far different direction. One in which Yahiro was annoyed at her and could barely see her. But Yahiro couldn't be blamed at all for such kind of feelings. After all, he went through an embarrassment he never before though he would feel.
"...Yahiro-kun is mad at me... he may never want to speak to me again... and just when I thought everything was going to be fine..." The girl sat at the cold floor and placed her back against a wall. She then hugged her knees hard and close to her chest and tried to swallow the sadness surrounding her in order to prevent her tears from falling. But her effort wasn't enough, and she ended sobbing silently.
"Megumi... you are too noisy... I know you are there." The girl flinched in surprise. The sound of steps then stroked her ears until it stopped once reaching the hallway. Yahiro then looked out of the open door and found Megumi with teary eyes staring up toward him from the cold floor. That annoyed Yahiro. "Fool, you will catch a cold if you stay there all night. Come inside." Megumi did nothing. She just stayed there staring at Yahiro. "Hurry up already! Whit those clothes you can't walk around the place. Move and sit down by the chimney!" He said while blushing. After all, Megumi was using some pajamas that were way too big for her, and she could barely move around in them. "Let me fix that thing. All I need is some scissors and string."
"But!" She began. And Yahiro stared at her with annoyance. "Uh... well... these clothes are expensive... cutting them down would... cut their value..." Yahiro then rolled his eyes in annoyance and then rudely pulled one of Megumi's sleeves until it made the stretch breaking sound. "Ah! The expensive pajama!" She yelled hard. But despite the power of her voice, Yahiro endured the pain while Megumi stared at him with teary eyes.
"Stop worrying so much about the money before I'm angered for real." Yahiro then gave his back to Megumi and walked inside of the room. "I will search for string and scissors. You stay where it is warm by the chimney... if you catch a cold I will punish you." Megumi flinched at that last, but Yahiro ignored her and left the room, leaving a puzzled Megumi behind. She was still unable to figure Yahiro out.
"Yahiro-kun..." Megumi felt a tear rolling down her cheeks, a tear she cleaned away while she moved close to the fire in order to warm her body. She then looked all around the place, and admired the huge beach house they now lived at. "...Kei gave this house as a present for Yahiro... but in reality, this was once Ryuu's villa before he bought it from him. Which means Kei knew this was going to happen... he is scary... always knowing what will happen before anyone else." She told herself. "This villa helps me realize how different our worlds are... and now you are forced to share my world... I'm sorry... Yahiro-kun..."
One Despicable Guy
Chapter Seven: Yahiro's Troubled Mind.
Minutes after Yahiro had left the room, he was now fixing Megumi's huge pajama, or better said, one of Kei's pajamas that were still inside of the villa when he gave the house as a present for Yahiro. Megumi, who was wearing the pajama while Yahiro was fixing it, couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the situation.
"Hey, stop moving already, or I won't be able to fix this..." Megumi blushed and nodded silently, Yahiro just stared at her with annoyance once again. "Stupid... I'm not mad... but it annoys me the fact of you thinking I am..."
"Yahiro-kun... isn't mad...?" She wondered, and Yahiro moved his head in negation. "But I did something horrible to Yahiro-kun! Because of me... Yahiro is hated by his father and mother..." Yahiro ignored Megumi and then finished fixing the last sleeve, now all he needed to fix was the neck of the now modified pajama, something that involved Yahiro going closer to her and almost pulling her into a hug. "Yahiro-kun... please stop... it makes me feel uncomfortable... How can you act as if nothing had happened when in reality... you are suffering...?"
"...Please..." He mentioned in annoyance. Megumi then stared at Yahiro once again with her teary eyes. The arrogant teen just rubbed her head softly and gave the girl a smile, one that forced Megumi to blush. "Megumi-chan is worried about me? You should be more worried about yourself, Megumi-chan! After all we are alone at a villa far away from the civilization! And you are wearing such a perverted pajama! Megumi-chan you pervert girl." Megumi then flinched and hugged her own body while blushing madly. Such a big pajama almost left her body exposed. She was wearing a white T-shirt inside of her pajama, but that didn't help her feel any safer at all. "That's right, that's the kind of face I want to see in you. Embarrassment suits you way better than concern." He spoke out with a soft tone of voice, one that forced Megumi to shiver with embarrassment. "Are you cold?" Yahiro then pulled Megumi closer to him. The girl of course felt embarrassed by that move. But also, a warm feeling, one that she wanted to keep feeling endlessly, began surrounding her. "Perhaps leaving the neck as it is would be the best. It helps you look cuter." She gulped hard, Yahiro just smiled.
"...Yahiro-kun..." The teen faced the girl who just looked away ashamed. "Is your family... always this mean to you...? It is sad to think they can be this cruel... toward someone they should be holding dear to them. It is something that sadness me deeply..." Yahiro then began playing with Megumi's hair. The girl just remained in silence, waiting for Yahiro to answer her question.
"Pretty much." He spoke out with enthusiasm. Megumi couldn't believe it. After everything he had gone through, he could still smile, or at least try to. Still, Megumi knew Yahiro better than he thought, and she knew that while a smile was drawn on the outside, it was more certainly that he was crying at the inside. "Father and mother met at a wedding interview. They were forced into marriage by their parents, not that they had much to complain about. After all, both had fortunes that were desirable by many, and upon their marriage, the Saiga Group was born. It was the greatest empire ever heard of." He explained, and Megumi just faced him with concern. "There wasn't, and still there isn't, love between my parents. Everything they care about is money... or power in my mother's case."
"...But... there must be love somewhere." Megumi mentioned. "Otherwise... Yahiro-kun wouldn't have been born. The relationship between your parents... it can't be that it is only because of money..." For Megumi, it was something impossible. For there to be a marriage without love was unnatural. She was so pure and innocent, just thinking about it saddened her even more.
"Tsk! I hate that face of yours." Megumi lowered her face once hearing that last. But of course she got it all wrong. Yahiro was only trying to cheer her up. "Mother and Father, they only planned on having a son because of more money. They wanted to raise a son that would marry the daughter of another wealthy family, and create an even bigger empire. Ever since I was five years old, I was forced to study and train my body in order to follow my parent's steps. At such a young age, I even began taking corporative responsibilities... do you... really want to know about this...?"
"...What I want... is to know it all... about the one I love..." And Yahiro was surprised to hear that last. Megumi then gave Yahiro a determined look, the teen was amazed by the stare. Megumi of course was still crying, but her tears were full with anxiety. "I want to know everything about Yahiro-kun and those who Yahiro-kun calls mother and father..." Yahiro then nodded. He now had someone that wasn't interested in him because of power or money. But someone who wanted to know him. Even if now he was nothing but a commoner.
"Then, Megumi... you will hear it all... so please pay attention, since this is something that hurts me a lot to remember!" He said while faking his happiness. "I was only seven years old when it all began. And for my age, I was more mature than many business men... I was a prodigy... but different to Kei, I wasn't born a prodigy... but forced to be one. I was raised in order to always obey and in order to always take important decisions."
~Flashback~
Many years ago, Yahiro Saiga, a young seven years old child, was forced to study hard by his parents. He was always supervised by many of his parent's employers in order for him not to lack in studies, and he was always asked by his teachers to solve many difficult problems in the minimum established time possible.
"Wake up!" A ruler was slammed hard at Yahiro's desk, startling the young boy away from his sleep and forcing him to re-read the problem he was already solving. "You brat want to be a no one? Well, that won't happen as long as I, Sumire Karino, am here to teach you! You are the key I have always been looking for in order to earn a position as a principal! So that means I won't tolerate failure! So keep solving those problems!"
"I'm on it! Quit yelling and allow me to concentrate you big witch!" Sumire was annoyed by that last. Yahiro of course ignored her and continued solving the problem. "Curses! There! The problem was wrongly redacted. I of course made some corrections. You will even notice there are side notes pointing at your redaction mistakes and some recommendations in order for you to learn how to make up a proper test." Sumire then bit her lips in annoyance and felt a dark aura surrounding her. One that Yahiro of course ignored.
"You annoying little brat! Just because of your annoying behavior I will give you double homework! Solve all the problems from page 173 to page 186! And since I'm your personal tutor that means you must start right away! We are at your home already after all! And don't use your calculator anymore! I want you to do the calculation yourself... and also... you have an hour to finish or else there will be more homework!" And then, Sumire's evil laughter filled the room. But while the woman was complaining, Yahiro was already half the way through the woman's homework. "Don't solve them so quickly you moron!"
"Shut up, I need to concentrate!" The woman once again was annoyed. Yahiro just continued solving the problems. "Tsk! How am I supposed to learn from you when you can't even teach your own son properly?" Sumire then lowered her head in annoyance. She then turned around and stared at her son at a corner of the room. He was doing origami cranes. The boy was smart, but not when it was toward studies. "But then again, he can be an origami teacher some day!" Yahiro teased, Sumine just broke her ruler in annoyance.
"You stupid son! The test I gave to you wasn't for you to do origami! I want you to solve it! Do it quickly before I punish you!" Tadashi nodded in agreement and began solving the test, although the test that was designed for him wasn't as advanced as Yahiro's one. "And what the hell are you laughing at? Solve your damn exercises!"
"I already did. That's what makes them so funny!" Sumine felt her jaw dropping. She then took Yahiro's notebook and noticed he had just finished. "Those problems were too easy. You suck at being a teacher. If this keeps going you will never be a principal." The teacher still couldn't believe it. It made no sense at all, for a kid like him to solve every problem so fast was unbelievable. "I'm bored. I will just leave for now. Hey, monkey kid, you may not want to bother her right now. After all, she has to make sure I answered all her problems correctly." Tadashi never made a move. He was scared his mother would punish him if he did. And so, Yahiro left the room on his own. "Can't be helped then, that stupid kid will never be as smart as me. After all, that woman never noticed the problems she asked me to solve were the ones I solved as yesterday's homework. Once she notices however, she will release her anger on that stupid kid. Whatever, I will just leave for now."
"You do know your parents will be mad at you if you leave now, do you?" Yahiro then turned around just to find a kid around his same age standing there. The boy had an annoying look on his face, one Yahiro disliked a lot. "By the way, your mother told me to order you to play with me... I told her it was useless, that you and I would never become friends, but she said you couldn't deny her orders."
"That stupid witch... can't be helped then... I guess I will have to play again with stupid Kei..." Yahiro added. "Let's go to the green fields... playing inside is boring." Kei nodded and followed an annoyed Yahiro out of the mansion. It was something none of them liked but were forced to do, mostly because of Yahiro's mother. Her words were ones Yahiro couldn't ignore. After all, he was raised in order to be obedient. "We can't just pretend to be playing. My mother would find it out... so... wanna play the tea house?" He spoke out. Kei then slapped his own forehead in annoyance.
"Yahiro Saiga, as usual you always seek for an excuse to see that girl. But I guess it can't be helped. After all, we are forced to play together..." Yahiro nodded and walked all the way toward the green fields and toward a pink colored mansion at the other side. Many tables were there as if the place was always designed for tea parties. "Still... there is something that troubles me, Yahiro." Kei mentioned in the middle of their way to the mansions next to the Saigas. "You are supposed to care for your familiar business... ignoring your responsibilities like this is something you shouldn't do. Your parents are paying a tremendous amount of money for your education."
"Mother asked you to play with me. I'm just following her orders. Although I'm doing it my own way." Yahiro then looked all around the place, and there he found at a lonely table a girl with long and brown hair. The girl then smiled at both boys and stood up.
"Kei! Yahiro! The tea is now ready!" Both nodded and walked toward the small table Akira had prepared for them. "My tea that brings happiness, let's drink it together and enjoy the time." Yahiro of course was delighted with the idea. Kei, who also enjoyed Akira's tea, also nodded. But he couldn't help to be worried about the time. "Kei? Is there something you need to do?"
"Only familiar responsibilities." Kei stared at Yahiro. The pink haired boy just ignored him while drinking his tea. "My father wants me to go meet someone, the daughter of a carpenter. I have no idea of why he wants me to meet a commoner's child, but it is my responsibility, so I will do it once I finish this cup of tea." Yahiro of course was annoyed. Kei was, as usual, trying to bring some sense into Yahiro by showing him how responsible he was. "Yahiro also has some responsibilities. So I apologize in advantage for whatever may happen soon." Akira blinked twice not really understanding a word, Yahiro just ignored it all and asked Akira to fill his cup of tea once again.
"Yahiro is busy too? That's new since Yahiro always seems to be doing only what he always wants to do." Yahiro then glared at Akira, the girl flinched with fear at the situation and then remained in silence. That was something Kei disliked a lot about Yahiro. His ability to control others and force them to do whatever they wanted him to do was intimidating. And Akira was a girl who he controlled almost entirely. "Mo... more tea? Yahiro?"
"Don't mind if I do?" Asked Yahiro teasingly while allowing Akira to fill his cup of tea once again. But just before enjoying the reddish and delicious liquid, Yahiro stood up abruptly after noticing something from the bushes. "...It seems like I'm needed somewhere else..." Akira was puzzled. Kei in the other hand just finished his only cup of tea and also excused himself. Both Kei and Yahiro left Akira's mansion green fields and walked back to Yahiro's one. The pink haired teen was annoyed. Kei in the other hand was as calm as usual. "You knew my father's agents were watching me? Why didn't you say a thing?"
"Maybe it is because I dislike you." Yahiro bit his lips in annoyance. "But mostly it is because your father threatened my family. If I was to help you in any way possible, the Takishima Group would be losing a huge inversion. Yahiro, you should have noticed by now... that your father is a person that no one can defy... or else it could be dangerous." Such was the power that divided the Takishima Group and the Saiga Financial Group. Both parts were incredibly rich, but when it meant authority and power, the Saiga Financial Group always had the upper hand. "I must leave now. Pleasing a parent is a job a son must do. But of course you should always please them as long as it pleases you."
"Whenever I want your opinion I will ask it from you. I do only what I want." Or so he kept telling himself. The truth was that Yahiro was always controlled. His life was ruled by routine and hard work, things he disliked a lot. But he was raised to believe in those teachings and obey them. Yahiro envied everyone else. To be able to do whatever they wanted freely and to have a family who loved them and cared for them instead of just being bossed around and scolded whenever he was unable to grow to his parent's expectations were things he couldn't have. Yahiro couldn't help it but think about what he never would have while he reached his father's office. "Did you ask for my presence... father?"
It was rare when it happened. For Yahiro to be able to see his father who was always busy doing business. Even rarer was the fact of seeing both of his parents at the same place. Their relationship was never a close one after all. It was always immersed in business and nothing more. Yahiro had always suspected his own birth was also the result of a well-planned business between his parents. "What a horrible face you have. But I'm sure that was your father's fault." He ignored his mother's insult of course, and waited by the door not making a move. "We have something we wish you to know... it is something important."
"Whatever father says is always important. Different from you who do nothing but collect pretty women that will always follow your every command." Yahiro's mother, Akemi, bit her lips in annoyance but ignored her arrogant son. Yahiro disliked his mother a lot. Mostly because she was always messing with the girls he approached to, most notably Akira, who was already winning a similar love for collecting cute girls.
"...Silence..." Spoke Yahiro's father, and the boy nodded while feeling intimidated by him. "...Sit down..." He nodded and walked toward the lonely chair in the middle of the room. This was the way Yahiro's father liked it, to have full control of anyone entering the room. That chair was their only territory, while he controlled the rest. "...Sumire saw improvement in your studies... I'm proud... you may now be ready for the next step. However, if you fail, you should know your mother and I have a backup plan..."
"I will do whatever it takes to earn your favor, father." The proud but arrogant business man stared at his son directly, who could do nothing but face away with fear. This was the kind of relationship that existed in his family. "What do you wish me to do this time?"
"...Something simple... I want... one million dollars..." Yahiro's eyes widened, his father noticed the reaction and smiled evilly toward him. "I don't care about the means... you will get the money... and I will give you half a million to do it... but of course that means you will have to return to me 1.5 million dollars... you have until your birthday to do it..."
"1.5 million dollars? And I only have three months to get that money? But that's..." But Yahiro said no more once noticing the cold glare his father was giving to him. "Yes... I will do it... I will surely find a way... I will definitively find a way... I must in order to earn father's trust." The powerful man nodded in agreement. Yahiro's mother just rubbed her belly while smiling evilly.
"Honey... you forgot to tell our son what will happen if he fails." Yahiro then bit his lips in annoyance while glaring with hatred toward his mother. The woman then continued. "But I guess you did it on propose. After all, I'm the one always being hated by our son... Yahiro honey... if you fail we already have a backup plan..." The woman once again played with her belly. "I'm pregnant." And Yahiro's eyes widened. "Fail us, and your soon to be brother or sister, I particularly want her to be a girl by the way... will take your place. You will no longer be the candidate to your father's power and glory... isn't that great?"
"I see... all my hard work would have been for nothing... how annoying..." Yahiro laughed silently after understanding the situation he was now at. "Then all I need to do is get the money... simple task... I will get it... no matter what is takes."
"But of course... there is also a reward." Yahiro faced his father with new found hopes. The man stood up and walked toward his son. "If you manage to get the money... you will leave for London and study there... no more particular classes, no more intense hours of homework, and more importantly, you will earn the trust you need from me." And with those last words, the deal was made.
~End of Flashback~
"1.5 million...?" Megumi questioned Yahiro while the teen prepared some gourmet looking soup. Megumi began sneezing hard in the middle of the story telling, it was obvious she had caught a cold because of ignoring Yahiro's commands. Her face was now red with the flu, and she was shivering hard while covering her body with a warm looking blanked. "That's something hard... but Yahiro-kun. You managed to get that money...?"
"...Sort of..." Yahiro then placed a plate with hot soup in front of Megumi. The girl blushed. Yahiro didn't need to be a genius to know the red color now adorning her cheeks wasn't product of her illness. "I did many business, involving buying shares from many places. You can ask Ryuu-kun about it since I bought about 20% of his company with that money." Megumi nodded while tasting Yahiro's soup. But of course she burned her tongue as she did. "Stupid, wait until it cools down a little."
"...Sorry..." She said while sticking her tongue out because of the pain and allowing some weak tears to adorn her eyes. Which of course stole a blush from Yahiro, who then faced away. "...Was it enough...?" Yahiro moved his head in negation, and Megumi stared at him with concern. "...You did something... something you still regret..."
"Tsk! It isn't like I regret it. But yeah, I did something... different... something Kei hasn't forgiven me from doing... not matter how hard I tried. A few days before my birthday arrived I found out my effort was useless... somehow I managed to get more than the half of the money I needed... but it wasn't enough, and I only had three more days..." Megumi nodded while eating her soup. She was intrigued. She wanted to know what was that which Yahiro disliked doing. That which Kei was still unable to forgive.
~Flashback~
It was the day before Yahiro's birthday, but as usual, being a member of wealth also meant having more than one birthday party. This one was the third one, and this day marked the difference between finding his father's approval, and disappointing him.
"I don't see your parents anywhere, Yahiro, are you okay with it?" The young son of the CEO of the Takishima group mentioned while walking toward Yahiro, which left alone was something that Yahiro found odd.
"Kei?" The owner of the name then offered a cup of wine, although it was filled with orange juice because of their age. "Just what I needed, stupid Kei came to the party... how annoying..."
"You are just in a horrible mood because Akira hasn't arrived yet. But it isn't her fault. After all, your mother is spending some time with her." Yahiro closed his hand into a fist. His mother was once again messing with the girl, which annoyed Yahiro beyond comprehension. "She will arrive. You know Akira never misses your birthday." It wasn't like Kei to cheer Yahiro up. Actually, it was odd, which won Yahiro's attention.
"You are in an incredible good mood... that's something abnormal. You are always cold and reserved." And upon saying that last, Kei faced Yahiro with annoyance. "That look suits you way better, but since I'm bored I guess I should ask again... what happened?"
"Nothing really... 3 months ago I met someone... a girl... she was a pain at first, but now for some reason... I still don't know what it is... I think I want to see her again more and more... similar to what happens with you and Akira!" Kei spoke out while surrounded with a light aura. Yahiro just faced him with a dark one. "She challenges me often. It is something I have grown to enjoy a lot. She wants to best me at everything. Unfortunately, she is at a whole different and lower level."
"...Challenges...?" Kei nodded, and Yahiro analyzed the information that had entered his brain, and then the words of his father echoed at the corners of his mind. "He doesn't... care about the means... that gives me an idea... the only one who can help me right now is..."
"...You look troubled..." Yahiro's eyes widened, Kei was actually concerned about him, and it was an odd feeling. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it is something you have solved already... after all, you and I belong to the same world. A world only we can understand." Kei smiled, Yahiro was amazed, whatever happened to Kei involving that girl, was something that warmed his heart. "Is something the matter?"
"...Nothing much... I just felt like playing a game. Tell me Kei... are you interested in a challenge...?" Kei and Yahiro were always competitive toward each other's. Yahiro always lost at every challenge of course, but this time, he needed to win, a lot was in the line. "It is a simple game of tag, one in which everyone will be involved... if I win... you will have to do something for me, no matter how crazy... of course it also works the other way around."
"Are you sure of what you are doing, Yahiro-kun? Should I remind you that you have never beaten me in a challenge?" But Yahiro smiled, just as if there was no way he could lose. "I will of course accept your challenge, so, let's have fun together, Yahiro-kun!" Kei had no idea. Despite the horrible good mood he was at, despite the fact that for the first time he and Yahiro were almost in good terms, Yahiro was having no considerations. But this was something he needed to do, no matter what.
~End of Flashback~
"I cheated of course. And from that day and forward, Kei and I have barely been in good terms." Megumi nodded while still eating her now cold meal. She was so immersed in Yahiro's tale that she took longer than expected to finish. "Upon loosing, I asked Kei to keep his part of the deal... and that was paying the remaining money I needed to please my father. Do you want to know what happened next?" Megumi nodded, and Yahiro continued. "He smiled... and then said a defeat was a defeat..."
"...Sounds like something Kei would do..." Megumi lowered her face and stared at her now empty plate. Yahiro then faced her for a few seconds as the girl tried to look for words to continue with the conversation. But finding none, she remained in silence.
"It was something that needed to be done. And that happened many years ago. And as much as I hate to admit it, the relationship between me and Kei is much better now." Yahiro took Megumi's plate and washed it, Megumi noticed and couldn't help but wonder why Yahiro was being this serviceable. "My father of course was glad to know I got the money in time... and then told me, 1.5 million dollars was the amount of money needed to pay my studies at London... I was tricked... for someone as smart as me it was something really stupid to fall for something like that. But as long as I was in London, I was at peace. All I needed was to worry about myself... my parents wouldn't bother me..."
"...They were too busy training Chitose..." Megumi spoke out, but she then covered her mouth. Yahiro faced the girl with interest. "...I meant... well... you see... I better shut up..." Yahiro rolled his eyes and walked toward Megumi, then placed his right hand at her forehead, and his left one at his own. "...Eh...?"
"Your fever is lowering, but you still need to sleep. Cover yourself and go to bed." Megumi moved her head in negation. Yahiro was annoyed by that last. "...Idiot... your fever will become worse if you don't go to bed now..." Megumi nodded but still refused to leave her chair. "...Fine... what is bothering you now... weirdo..." Megumi gave Yahiro an annoyed stare, but then she began coughing hard. Yahiro of course pushed her face away so he wouldn't catch her virus.
"...It hurts..." Yahiro then let her go, and the girl took a deep breathe. "...Never mind... Yahiro-kun... you worked so hard at such a young age... I always got whatever I wanted... I don't know how to help you..."
"Idiot, there is nothing you have to worry about." Megumi blinked twice and directed her stare to Yahiro. His face was full with conflict, as if his brain was working all the time seeking for solutions to problems he couldn't solve. "There is no way I could ever get the money anyway. Worrying about it is worthless, go to bed already."
"...Are you giving up...?" Yahiro stood up and walked away, but Megumi pulled him by the corner of one of his sleeves and stopped his march. "...If you give up on this... if you don't try to face your father... if you try to escape from it all...you will be giving up in anything... your familiar fortune... your pride... your happiness... yourself... and... you would be giving your back to me... because I placed my trust and love in you..." Yahiro's eyes widened, Megumi just collapsed and fell from her chair.
"Megumi!" Yahiro took her up from the floor. She was unconscious because of the flu that had now intensified due to her worries about Yahiro. She was always fragile in body and spirit, but her heart was slowly becoming stronger just because of Yahiro's welfare. At least there she was stronger than Yahiro. "...idiot..." He took her up and walked her all the way to a beautiful room that once was hers since long time ago when the villa they were now at was Ryuu's. Yahiro then placed her at her comfortable bed and covered her with some warm blankets. He then took a sit at a chair next to the bed, thinking endlessly about Megumi's words. "It changes nothing... there is no way I can ever get that money... no matter how hard I try... why fighting for something that is fruitless?"
"...I never... gave up... on Yahiro-kun..." Yahiro's eyes widened when hearing that last. Megumi just moved weakly until finally being able to sit while still covering herself with her blankets trying to escape from the cold feeling. "Everyone always said... it was fruitless... but I'm still trying... for Yahiro-kun to like me back... to find that happiness I want... I'm still trying... so Yahiro-kun can... tell me what I want to hear..." Yahiro was unable to understand the last part, but he did find new hopes in Megumi's words moments before the girl collapsed once again and ended unconscious.
"...Stupid girl..." He said before standing up and leaving the room, also leaving the door half open so Megumi wouldn't be totally immersed in darkness. "Things should have been different... if only..." He then remained in silence and continued his way out. "Falling in love wasn't part of the plan..."
----------
Many hours later, the strong sunlight hitting Megumi's face forced her to look for the safety of her blankets, trying to escape the annoying light and win a few more minutes of sleep. Unfortunately, the strong light came inside of the white blankets, forcing her to kick them away in annoyance, and bury her face at her pillow.
"...Yahiro...?" She spoke out after remembering what happened before she collapsed. She then searched for Yahiro all around the room and found out she was all alone, which was kind of an annoying feeling. "...He really must hate me..." She spoke to herself while looking for her bunny slippers and then left the room, pulling her blanket with her. She was still the victim of a now minor flu, so her blankets were kind of needed. "...Yahiro...?" She spoke out weakly and between coughs, but she got no reply. She walked around the whole villa, endlessly pulling her blanket with her. She then heard the sound of the raging waves of the beach and noticed how late it was. She also noticed, the door toward the beach was wide open, and that voices came from the outside.
"Of course it is an almost impossible task. And I also must admit it is one I don't think not even I can achieve alone. But luckily for you it is a task you no longer have to go through alone. The probabilities are of course against us, but are more attractive now." Megumi knew that voice. It was Kei's teaching-like voice. She thought he had left for Japan with Hikari already. So it was a surprise for her to find out the whole contrary.
"How longer will this probability talk take, Kei? I already placed myself in an uncomfortable situation begging for your help. And now I have this feeling my time is being wasted. If I really want to stand a chance against my father, I need to give every single second a good use... so go to the damn point already!" Kei was smiling. He surely was enjoying the situation quiet a lot. "Damn you... I know you are enjoying my pain but stop it already... it is already more punishing than what I deserve."
"Perhaps, but I don't get a chance like this one often." Kei then cleared his throat and became more serious. "So, the amount of money you need is always in fluctuation. As we speak, your father becomes richer, so I suggest you invest the 50% Megumi is giving to you, in companies your father already owns, the richer your father is, the richer you will be."
"Sounds like a logic course of action... that way I will grow as my father does and have more money to invest... but... I can't use my name anymore. My father would control my investing if I did. And also, that will help me grow at the same rate my father does, I still need to find a way to make more money while the one Megumi is giving me grows with the help of my father." Kei nodded, and he then smiled once again. Something that troubled Yahiro quiet a lot. "What the hell is so funny? I'm trying to find solutions here..."
"I don't find the problem involving your name. It is something you already have solved." Yahiro raised an eyebrow at Kei's affirmations, Kei just pointed to the back of Yahiro. The pink haired boy turned around and found Megumi standing there by the door. "If you hadn't forgotten, you lost a game to Megumi."
"...We will talk about this later..." Yahiro stood up and left Kei at the table doing some more calculus about Yahiro's current situation, while the pink haired teen pulled Megumi by the hand and inside of the villa. "Fool! What are you doing? You have a cold and should stay at bed. Come, I will prepare something for you." Megumi nodded weakly while Yahiro pushed her back to a coach. "Seriously! You have some nerve having me worrying about you like this! When you are sick you must stay at bed all day you weirdo!"
"...Thanks for worrying about me..." Yahiro stared at Megumi, and his whole anger died down when noticing the girl was smiling happily toward him again with that heart melting smile of hers, a smile that he hated and liked so much at the same time. "...You won't give up...?"
"Tsk, you are a pain." Yahiro took a sit next to her and fixed her blanked so it would cover her body better. He then faced away avoiding eye contact with the girl. "...It is important for you... isn't it...?" The girl nodded, Yahiro then bit his lips in annoyance while trying to hide his blush. "Curses! Then I will do it. So stop bothering me already!" Megumi flinched and nodded in agreement. "And also... I have something to ask from you..." He added with embarrassment. "I need a new name... so I was thinking... since I lost that stupid game and all... that we should... we should... register at a civil court... and made it official in legal terms..." Megumi's face won a bright red color, and Yahiro was freaked out at her reaction. "Hey! Don't tell me your flu came back! Fool! You are burning with fever!"
"It's not a fever." Spoke the girl out while hiding inside of her blankets. "You are... so unromantic..." Yahiro then felt a vein popping at his forehead, but bit his lips in annoyance and remained in silence. After a couple of minutes of silence had passed, he felt the warm feeling of Megumi's hand looking for his own from outside of her blanked, and upon finding it, she curled her small hand around Yahiro's one. It was something that managed to steal a small blush from Yahiro. "...I still want... a formal wedding..."
"Eh?" Yelled Yahiro out loud. But Megumi ignored him and pressed his hand with care. "Tsk! And they said I was the evil one. Megumi you pervert, you want to do some nasty things to me don't you?" Megumi then blushed madly. Yahiro just gave her an evil grin. "You do know what I'm pulling you toward, don't you? Upon registering at a civil court, we will be married legally, which means I could do to you anything I want and it would be something legal. I could for example, make you mine as I have been planning to for quite a while."
"Ah!" Yelled Megumi softly, but strong enough for Yahiro to cover his ears in annoyance. "...But doing that is... even if it is with Yahiro-kun..." Tears formed at the corners of her eyes with the idea of Yahiro bullying her for the rest of her life. But then she saw the soft smile in Yahiro's lips and understood he once again was messing with her innocence. "...Yahiro-kun... wouldn't hurt me... would he...?"
"Let me think, I'm not so sure." Megumi flinched. "Marriage after all is something I don't want to do. Might as well get some benefits of it." Megumi took some distance. But Yahiro just pulled her closer to him. "And someone as delicate as you would surely be easy to control... I don't even believe I would hear complaints from your part..." She faced away hiding a blush. Yahiro just rubbed her head with care. "...You must get used to my teasing thought..."
"I already learned to enjoy it." Yahiro nodded, Megumi just played with her fingers nervously. "I will gladly... become your wife... just promise me you will give me a real wedding someday... a girl is always dreaming on her wedding day after all..." Yahiro nodded while being unable to hide a blush. He then leaned closer to her and stole a kiss from her lips, Megumi was so surprised that she never got the time to close her eyes and enjoy the kiss when it was over. "...Don't tease me please..." She said while covering her head with her covers. "You could try announcing it you know?"
"That would steal the fun, Megumi-chan! And embarrassing you is something I enjoy doing a lot! We will have much fun from now and on, Megumi-chan! Aren't you glad?" She moved her head in negation from inside of her blanket, which of course stole a laugh from the pink haired one. From the outside of the villa, Kei smiled at the situation. He then walked back to the small table near the beach and continued typing at his personal computer. He also took his phone up and dialed a number.
"Saku Saiga? Getting this number was hard so I believe you may be interested in hearing the voice of one of your biggest associates." Kei ended the typing and closed his computer, giving his full attention to the man at the other side of the phone. "You wanted a war and it just exploded. Negating the rights of the Saiga name to your own blood was probably a mistake you will wish you never made, since now you will have no power on your son anymore uncle Saku." A smile was drawn on Kei's lips when he heard the annoyed voice of the head of the Saiga Financial Group coming from out of the auricular. "Your son is marrying that girl you despise so much, and he is doing it today. And I'm sure this information will be of your wife's interest." The yelling intensified, and that only made Kei's work a lot more enjoyable. "You who like to control other's lives, will soon find out you aren't as powerful as you believe you are. That's why the Takishima Group is closing negotiations with the Saiga Financial Group, and investing in the Yamamoto Group. With that last being said, I wish you the best of lucks in defeating your son." And with that last said, Kei turned his phone off.
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"Takishima Kei! You will forever regret the day you took that decision!" Yelled Saku while throwing his phone toward the door and breaking it into pieces. Moments after doing it so, the door was opened widely and revealed Akemi, coming inside followed by many business men who were angrily demanding for some answers. "What are they doing here?"
"The same as I, honey. We demand answers. The investing percentage and actions of our group went down in more than 50% in less than an hour! What have you done for this to happen?" Saku slammed his fist at the desk, and everyone went into silence, Akemi included. "...You ravens better leave, I have to speak to my husband in private..." The many business men nodded and left the room. Akemi just sat down at her husband's desk as was usual of her and waited for an explanation.
"Takishima Kei! He decided to form an alliance with our son. But once he notices the amount of money he will lose for this treason, he will understand messing with the Saiga's is something no one should ever think about." Akemi nodded and began smoking a cigarette, now calmer after noticing how sure of himself her husband was. "This 'loss' Takishima Kei thinks will affect our financial power, means nothing to our group. We control Japan almost entirely. Even if the Takishima Group Joins forces with the Yamamoto, there is nothing my son can do to success. This supposed weakness Takishima Kei found on our financial group is nothing but a non-existent problem... he will son beg for our help."
"Unless our son successes. If that happens then our acquisitive power will die down." Saku laughed at the though, Akemi in the other hand was worried. "Never forget your son is a master in finances. His life is based in numbers and planning. Taking him lightly could be a mistake you would be rejecting for a long time."
"You are forgetting something important... and that is the little power the Yamamoto Group possesses... and even if he successes into rising that supposed empire, you can be sure it will never become as powerful as the one we have created. And even if it does... I have a backup plan... one that will make us richer beyond expectations." Akemi smiled at the though, Saku returned the smile.
"My love, you still make my body shiver with the idea of becoming even richer. You make me feel like a young and rich member of high society with expectations of marrying someone powerful and richer than me. Just like the day we signed the papers for our marriage. I though such happiness didn't exist anymore!" Saku smiled once again. "Your greed feeds mine. I can barely wait to see the results."
"And you will see results. Go back into training Chitose. He will be playing an important role in this war. And if you success, I promise a new maid serving you. A young one named Yamamoto Megumi." The smile in Akemi's face grew bigger as she happily left the room in search for the one of her son. "Yahiro, you will suffer beyond your expectations. Not only will you beg for my forgiveness, but you will witness how this girl will become your mother's puppet. Messing with me is something you should never do."
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"Why the hell are you dressed like that?" Yahiro sweat dropped when seeing his soon to be wife dressed all in white. She was wearing a long white dress, very different to a wedding one but giving it some kind of marital sensation. Like if a business woman dressed in white was attending her own wedding ceremony. "You surely are a weirdo. We are only going to sign some papers, not having a real wedding ceremony." Yahiro was wearing nothing all of the extraordinary, Megumi however though of this as an important day. "Never mind that, let's get this over with."
"...How unromantic..." Said Megumi while hitting the floor hard with her foot. "You could at least... pretend you care..." Yahiro rolled his eyes and pulled her inside of the building, Megumi just bit her lips in annoyance. "...You aren't paying me any attention..." Once again Yahiro ignored her. "...How cold..."
"Shut up already!" Megumi was hurt by that last but remained in silence. Obeying Yahiro was now something she was growing used to. "...I didn't mean that..." Yahiro interrupted his march, forcing Megumi to stop as well. "...Before my dad froze my credit cards... I took all the money I had out and placed it in a secret account my father doesn't know that exists..." Megumi found no point in what Yahiro was talking about, but the proud pink haired one just placed his hand inside of his pocket, and delivered a small box to her while blushing madly. "...Here... this is yours... I broke the first one anyway..."
"...Eh...?" Megumi took the white box in her hands and stared at it with curiosity. "...What is this...?" Yahiro then slapped his own forehead hard when hearing that last. Megumi then nervously opened the box she had on her hands. Her eyes then sparkled with the view of a beautiful white-gold made ring with a crystal looking diamond on top. "It looks... luxurious... but so pretty... I love it..." She said while cleaning the tears away from her face.
"Yeah... whatever... it's just a million dollar ring... nothing out of the extraordinary. Just put it on and let's go... I'm tired of wasting my time and seriously need to get back to work..." He blushed madly, Megumi giggled. "What? What's so freaking funny?"
"...Yahiro-kun is anxious..." She said while holding her laughter. "...Are you having fun...?" Yahiro bit his lips hard but nodded in agreement. "I'm also having fun... I'm having so much fun! Because I'm with you, Yahiro-kun!" She then hugged him hard while Yahiro complained about the pain in his ears, which forced him to lose equilibrium and ended turning Megumi's hug into a tackle that ended with both at the floor. "...Sorry..."
"You two leave that for when the real wedding takes place." Megumi quickly stood up and made an apology-like reverence toward Kei. "The papers are ready. All that is left is for you two to sign them." Yahiro stood up as well and cleaned his now dirty clothes. He then walked inside of the room, but not before Megumi, innocently, searched for his hand and made her way inside with him. "That is something fun to witness."
"Shut up already, this is way too embarrassing as it is." There was never a reason to make such a scandal out of a marriage singing contract. But for Megumi, this was as real as a real wedding ceremony, even if it was without her friends and with only Kei as the witness. Regardless all that, she signed the papers with Yahiro and made it all legal, the first step for a real marriage someday. "Tsk... Yamamoto... doesn't sound like a bad name at all." Megumi nodded and shivered with the idea while blushing madly. Yahiro then rolled his eyes and leaned down, pulling Megumi into another soft kiss she wasn't at all expecting. "Happy now?" She nodded in the middle of the shock, but the one more shocked than anyone was Kei who fainted when witnessing that last. "Why do I have this odd feeling my problems are about to get worse."
"But this time... you know you can share your problems with your wife... Yahiro Yamamoto..." Yahiro nodded while pressing Megumi's hand carefully and rubbing the white-gold colored ring. "I'm sure you must be thinking... this isn't half bad after all..." He knew it, he actually always did. But he was too much of a prideful individual as to admit it. At any rate, this was now Megumi's turn to have fun. And so far she was, more than ever.