April 1, 99 days to deadline.
"I don't want you to push yourself too hard, understood?" Yahiro added while he and Megumi shared a table at the hospital both he and Kei were currently staying at. He was even in a wheel chair, which was a view that wounded Megumi a lot, almost as much as it wounded her to see him blind. "Sleep as much as you need to sleep. I spoke to Akira earlier today, I asked her not to arrange your schedules so abruptly." But there was something that wounded her more than seeing him blind, or in a wheel chair.
"Please don't worry about me." She would say, and Yahiro would immediately cover his ears in pain. "Sorry!" She would continue after noticing she had hurt him, and Yahiro would once again cover his ears. Megumi's voice was destructive no more, but her voice was still a danger whenever she was nervous. That plus the fact of Yahiro's ears working much better to cover for his lost eyesight, earned Yahiro severe ear pains whenever Megumi spoke out.
"It's fine... don't speak for the time being..." Her voice was her treasure. Since she was a little girl, she had been acting as a mute girl in favor of protecting her voice, unwillingly turning it into a deadly weapon. "It will take me some time to get used, but it's not your fault." But Megumi couldn't help it but sob. She knew Yahiro loved her voice, she was even sure her voice was what helped him to fall in love with her. But now, her voice was a pain to him, since his ears worked now better than ever. "Just promise me that you won't push yourself too hard."
"I... can't promise that..." She added in a whisper, so she wouldn't hurt Yahiro's ears. "I'm sorry... but... this is my turn to try my best... so please... don't ask me to take it easy..." And Yahiro was about to speak, but decided to stay in silence. "I want to do my best... don't stop me..."
"...I understand..." And Megumi smiled, but upon noticing Yahiro couldn't see her smile, she took both of his hands. "What is it?" He wondered, and Megumi just giggled a little, and placed both of his hands at her cheeks, forcing a warm feeling to run through his hands. "Megumi?"
"I... want you to feel... that I'm smiling..." And Megumi moved his hands to the corner of her mouth, and allowed his fingers to run through her lips, drawing the line of her smile so Yahiro could see her with his hands. That feeling, forced Yahiro to blush hard.
At the distance, both Hikari and Kei also shared a table. Just as Yahiro had been doing, Kei had been explaining to Hikari about what she needed to do in favor of her replacing him. Yet, Hikari had been spacing out from time to time, not because of her tiredness, but because she felt sort of envious of the relationship both Yahiro and Megumi had.
"Seriously... thanks to Yahiro I let out a very important detail... serves me well for not thinking about it carefully..." And Hikari faced her groom with curiosity. "Hikari... I'm afraid I will have to change my mind. There is no way you can replace me in my functions. I'm sorry to have asked." And Hikari felt a vein popping at her forehead.
"How come I can't?" She added out of annoyance, and Kei moved his head in negation. "You are underestimating me, Kei!" She added and then blushed at the mention of his name. "Never mind that. I know the situation, and I know you two are doing your best. But I am capable of doing this! I'm your rival!" And Kei breathed out in defeat.
"Hikari... you don't understand... I was tired..." And Hikari bit her lips out of annoyance. "I wasn't thinking straight. Different than you, there is something Megumi can do that you can't. My investments are made under the Takishima name, and afterwards, Yahiro and I arrange an equal benefit by sealing profitable deals between our companies. But I can't seal a deal under Yahiro's name." And Hikari didn't seem to understand it. "Hikari... you are a Hanazono." And Hikari gave it some thoughts.
"Oh... I get it now... since I'm a Hanazono I can't seal a deal under a Takishima name since they need my signature." And Kei nodded in agreement. "If I wanted to do business under the Takishima name... I would have to..." And Hikari then flinched and blushed madly. "Eeeeeh! I can't possibly do that!" She yelled, and Kei showed himself a little wounded.
"That's the reason of why I can't allow you to do business under my name... Hikari... we aren't husband and wife..." And Hikari blushed madly. "I couldn't possibly... ask you for that under a business strategy." And Hikari then grabbed Kei's hand, and Kei was surprised by that last. "Hikari... whatever you may be thinking... I'm sure you shouldn't..."
"I will... get married to Kei in a civilian court..." Hikari added, and Kei felt his heart freezing. "So I can walk the same path that Kei is always walking by... I want... to find the same happiness Megumi had been enjoying for almost a year..." And Kei gulped hard. "I still... want to defeat you..." And both faced one another while their faces flushed. "But I'm not waiting until that day... to be happy..." And Kei smiled softly for her. "Let's get married... Kei..." And both he and Hikari hit their lips together softly, sealing their promise, before sealing it in contract that same day.
One Despicable Guy.
Chapter Eighteen: Walking Side by Side.
April 25, 75 days to deadline.
"I'm late! I'm late! I can't believe I'm late! Mo!" Megumi complained while making her way outside of the limousine. She didn't even wait for Aoi to open the door for her. She was that much in a rush. "Yahiro-kun trusts me... I need to show him I can do this..." And Megumi ran all around the street in a rush, and winning a lot of attention.
"Lady Yamamoto! Your clothes!" And Megumi stopped her running, and noticed the way she was dressed. "It's a business meeting. You need to change into your suit." Aoi mentioned while showing a soft grey colored business suit to her. "You surely aren't expecting to do business with high heels and dressing all the colors of the rainbow." And Megumi flinched, returned to the limousine, took her clothes, and locked herself inside. Aoi and his agents just surrounded the limousine making sure no bystander tried to peek, not that it was needed since the limousine had black windows. Once the struggling around the limousine was over, Aoi finally opened the door and revealed a hyperventilating Megumi, who had changed into a formal business suit in just a couple of minutes. "The lipstick." Aoi mentioned, and Megumi nodded and took a handkerchief out and cleaned her pink lipstick away. "You have a concert in a couple of hours, and after, you got dinner with Mr. Saiga according to Akira's schedule." And Megumi nodded. "You got 40 minutes to seal the deal."
"40 minutes?" Megumi complained. "Who in the world can seal a 70 million dollars deal in just 40 minutes?" She complained at Aoi and at his scheduling tablet, as if Megumi knew Akira could hear her too. Aoi just kept an emotionless stare at her.
"Your husband." He confessed, and Megumi remained in silence. "Don't you remember your own words? You are a financial genius too." And Megumi bit her lips in annoyance when hearing that last. "Maybe you weren't after all... and Saku Saiga had won."
"I will seal the deal in 30 minutes!" Megumi added, and Aoi faced her in disbelief. "Yahiro... always worked too hard until his health caught up to his hard work... this is... my effort..." And Megumi turned around and began running her way toward a tall building. No one actually believed her a business woman, and in reality, she wasn't. But for Yahiro, she had to do it.
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"She managed to seal the deal in only 30 minutes?" Yahiro added with surprise while talking by phone with Aoi, who currently served as his eyes to watch over Megumi's activities. His eyes were mended, the teen was blind after all, and would remain so for at least another month. Yet, Yahiro was having a hard time waiting for his eyes to heal. He desperately wanted to take care of Megumi. "No... let her do as she wants... I don't want her to think I'm messing with her efforts, she is free to do her best." Yahiro mentioned and then turned the phone off, and then rested himself by the bed. "I'm so bored." He admitted.
"We are recovering." Kei added weakly. "Both of our bodies need to recover from the loss of blood. There is nothing we can do about it." And Yahiro nodded at Kei's words. "I am impressed... finally believing in Megumi-chan, are you not?"
"Yeah..." Yahiro admitted in annoyance. "Maybe I was having troubles adjusting my eyesight thanks to the Glaucoma, but when I saw her that day... it wounded me..." And Kei just allowed a soft smile to illuminate his face. "She mentioned: 'this is the second time you distrust me', when she broke that day I spied on her when wanting to know her schedule..." Yahiro continued. "I'm truly... despicable... am I not...?"
"You are." Kei admitted. "But that's also part of your personality. You can't help it but do your best to keep that which you wish to keep." And Yahiro remained motionless. Even facing Kei's direction was useless since he was in no conditions to face him. "Men primal instincts establish that we are always in need of protecting those we care for dearly." And Yahiro couldn't follow the conversation properly since he couldn't understand it. "We want to take care of them... so we don't allow them to do their best... so what if we are better? We shouldn't have had distrusted them. Megumi right now... sealed a 70 million dollars deal in only 30 minutes and is currently getting ready for a concert."
"I fear perhaps she is pushing herself too hard." Yahiro added. "I hate the feeling of being useless. But... I need to trust her." And Kei nodded, although he knew Yahiro couldn't see him. "I don't dare betraying her again... that face of hers... those tears... her harsh words... I can't erase them from my mind. She said..." And then Kei noticed the wounded tone of voice of Yahiro. "That the ring... felt heavier again..." And Kei gave that comment some thoughts. "She also asked me about what I was pursuing... her... or beating my father..." And then there was a pause, while Yahiro traveled through his memories. "She does know how to hurt someone with her words... even when she didn't mention them openly with her sketchbook... she was always using words as strong weapons."
"You are truly something... Yahiro..." And Kei fixed himself at his bed. "I just need to know one last thing... what will you truly do... when you lose...?" And Yahiro remained in silence. "We are... not going to make it... that's why I at least allowed the girls to try."
"I sort of knew it already... that we weren't going to make it..." And Yahiro curled in order to try to sleep. "I'm despicable anyway... I don't deserve to have a family... or friends... or someone who loves me like her..." And Kei never reacted to that last. "But I'm selfish... and even if everything seems lost... I need to keep on trying."
"How far would you truly go to achieve your goals?" Kei wondered, and Yahiro thought about it for a second. "More importantly... what is your goal...?" And Kei then heard Yahiro standing up, and he did the same upon noticing it. "Apparently... you thought about something."
"My goal?" Yahiro wondered, while he searched around the room a little clumsily for his clothes. "It's very simple actually. To follow the route that will always lead me to Megumi!" He confessed, and then began placing his pants on. "Are you coming or not? There is work to do. And with Megumi, Akira and Hikari helping us... there may be a chance... only... not the chance Megumi or my father are thinking about."
"Stubborn, are you not?" And Kei began standing up as well. "This is... how to say it...? Medically forbidden..." And Yahiro cared little. "My legs and arms are sore. So we are returning to the hospital before anyone finds out. What are we doing?" He wondered.
"Oh, we are going to the library... to prepare our new strategy." Yahiro added with a smile on his face, and he didn't need to have eye-sight to know that Kei was facing him oddly. "I feel like learning braille today! And you are learning it too so you can give me the financial reports and I can prepare a business strategy for Megumi to follow it."
"Seriously?" Kei wondered, and Yahiro moved his head while nodding in agreement. "Just try not to worry Megumi more than needed. She is doing her best after all." Kei mentioned and followed Yahiro out of the hospital room after getting dressed, and the nurses were surprised to see that last, especially when noticing how easily Yahiro moved despite being blind.
"I'm not distrusting her." He added, and Kei waited for the rest of his explanation. "We are walking this path together. And sometimes I will just have to pull her a little, toward the right direction."
Finn's Country's Airport.
"Express coffee! 30 spoons of sugar!" Hikari yelled while slamming her hand hard at the desk of an airport's coffee shop. The girl at the other side of the desk just sweat dropped hard when noticing that last, as if wondering if she was being serious or not. "I'm serious." She added while rubbing her raccoon-like eyes. And the girl at the other side of the counter nodded in agreement and went to prepare Hikari's coffee.
Hikari had been replacing Kei in his usual duties. Although she hadn't understood her fiancé's hard work until she was doing it herself. It was impressive how Kei could do business worldwide and return to their apartment every night and still defeat her in her challenges, which fired her determination and urge to beat him.
"Hikari... aren't you... pushing yourself too hard?" Finn added. The former prince of her country had been helping Hikari with her business, although she rested more than Hikari did. "Oh... and... is there a reason of why you always consume from these coffee shops?"
"She bought the franchise." Ryuu added and delivered some papers to Hikari, and the girl took them, took her cup of coffee, and paid the girl. "You don't have to pay... this business is yours and Kei's... Miss Takishima." Ryuu added, and Hikari blushed madly and spit her coffee on Finn's face.
"I feel diabetic now." Finn added after being bathed by the hot liquid with 30 spoons of sugar. Ryuu just delivered a towel for her to clean herself. "I can't believe you and Kei got married without telling us! Yahiro did mostly the same as well! Maybe we should just follow your example." And Ryuu flinched. "What was that?" Finn wondered, and Ryuu just sweat dropped and faced away out of embarrassment. "Ryuu?"
"No... it's just... perhaps we should take it more slowly..." Ryuu tried to explain, and then Finn just faced him in concern. "Seriously... Finn... we should really..." But then both heard a soft snoring. Hikari had fallen asleep and missed everything that had just happened. "Saved by the tired wife of one of my best friends." Ryuu added and pulled Hikari's body toward one of the chairs of the coffee stand at the airport.
"Hikari's sleeping won't save you! Why can't we just have the kind of relationship both Yahiro and Megumi and Kei and Hikari have?" She complained, and Ryuu just sweat dropped. "We are going to get married too someday... are we not... Ryuu...?" And Ryuu nodded in agreement. "Then why is it simpler for them and not for us?"
"Because both, Yahiro and Kei, only got married to their girls as part of a business strategy." Ryuu admitted, and Finn found it hard to believe. "They may love Megumi and Hikari. But the concept is mostly the same. Getting married for winning acquisitive power."
"Wrong!" Hikari added while waking up and placing her arms in an 'x' manner, which meant 'batsu', the Japanese word for wrong. "We didn't get married only because of an acquisitive value." Hikari confessed, and then took her laptop out and asked for another cup of coffee in favor of returning to work while she waited for her plane to arrive. "I want to defeat Kei... but that doesn't mean I don't love him... and Kei didn't just get married to me so I could do business in his name... he loves me... that's why... regardless of me not beating him... I accepted to get married with him in a civil court so I could get his name..."
"That's exactly what I meant." Ryuu added. "You married Kei because it was needed, not because you wanted." And Hikari rubbed her eyes a little and began typing on her computer. "Finn... I don't want our relationship to go that far because of a business movement. We don't have to rush anything. When I'm ready, I will ask it from you."
"Take your time if you want. Kei could have asked whenever he wanted." And Hikari continued working. "I am certain... that we will marry for real in the future... have a real wedding ceremony and all that... since I'm certain... that I will beat him one day." And Hikari smiled, and then drank from her coffee a little. "Yeaaaaah! It's hot!" She complained, and both Ryuu and Finn made fun of her. "Never mind that! I need to get the presentation ready! I have to travel to the United States to seal a deal and then I go to Brazil and lastly to Belarus! All before a meeting tonight with Megumi for sealing deals between Kei's and Yahiro's companies... I need something stronger than coffee." She admitted, and the furious typing continued.
Japan.
"Megumi-chan! You are late!" Akira added while seeing Megumi coming out from her limousine in a rush. "Your fans are awfully mad! The opening group is even being booed since your fans keep asking for you!" And Megumi felt sorry for the opening group, but she had had a very difficult business day, so she couldn't help it. "I will ask them to sing one last song so you can get dressed."
"There is no time for that! I got dinner with father after the concert." And Megumi took her business coat off and unstuck her shirt. She then fixed her tie and pulled her socks up until they reached her knees. "I will have to be creative!" She admitted, and then jumped to the stage looking like a school girl and began dancing and singing for the group of fans.
The crowd suddenly reacted, and chanted Megumi's name as the girl began dancing and singing around the place happily. She was exhausted, and Akira was aware of her tiredness. But Megumi was trying her best for the person she loved the most. She didn't need money, she didn't need to win a meaningless competition. But winning the contest meant unifying Yahiro's family.
Akira was pleased for Megumi's effort, in reality, everyone was. She had grown so strong in such a short time. Becoming an idol, becoming a business woman, becoming a wife. It was then when Akira reacted, and began doing phone calls and taking some pictures.
"Yo! Hikari-chan!" Akira added while speaking to the phone and taking more and more pictures. "I will need you to stop at New York's Future Women Suit's Corporation! I got this feeling that Megumi, unwillingly, started our next investment movement." And while Megumi danced and sang, Akira approached to the cameraman. "Hey, take a close up of Megumi's clothes! See the F.W. logo? It's the Future Woman logo. I want every girl all around the world to know Megumi-chan wears Future Woman." And then Akira returned to her phone call.
United States, New York's Airport. April 24.
"Future Woman?" Hikari asked. "Akira... I have a very busy flight itinerary... I don't think I have the time to seal a deal with Future Woman." She tried to explain, but then Hikari noticed that Akira had turned her phone off. "Akira!" Hikari complained. "How can she try a marketing strategy without me sealing the deal?" And then she received a message from Akira. "Eh? She is already charging the fans for a shipment? That's fast!" She complained.
"Just the class of woman Akira is!" Someone mentioned, and Hikari smiled softly at Tadashi, who came to the airport to get her. "Hurray! Hikari-chan! Long time no see!" Tadashi yelled and hugged Hikari hard and began spinning her around happily. "Tell me you brought something to eat!" Tadashi suddenly added with hunger.
"I got some brownies actually!" Hikari mentioned and took some burned looking chocolates from her purse, which Tadashi snatched and began eating as fast as he could. "I made them myself! I hope you like them!" She informed, and Tadashi froze, and his stomach began hurting him badly to the point in which he fell to his knees, curled by the floor, and began rolling all around the airport. "Is it bad?" She wondered.
"It's horrible!" Tadashi complained with hatred. "I want real food! I can't live without Akira to take care of me! I want sweets! Sandwiches! A really delicious cup of tea! I miss Akira so much!" And Tadashi hugged Hikari hard and cried on her shoulder.
"There, there." Hikari mentioned. "I promise next time I visit I will bring some of Akira's cakes... but you really shouldn't be thinking about Akira only because of her sweets... it annoys even me..." And Tadashi continued sobbing. "At any rate! There are two business projects I need to seal here! One is with Future Woman! The other one with a very important clothing firm for women. I think the name was Prada... I still haven't got the time to investigate what they sell... but it's probably nothing important." And Tadashi sweat dropped.
"Hikari... even I know what Prada sells." And Hikari sweat dropped. "Poor Kei... he doesn't know who he married with." And Hikari felt a vein popping on her forehead. "Your next flight for Brazil is in two hours! How are you going to seal two deals! In only two hours?"
"You know what Prada is?" Hikari wondered, and Tadashi nodded in agreement. "Then you are going to Prada to seal the deal while I go speak with Future Woman! They only need Hikari Takishima's signature! Just call me when you are ready to sign the papers!"
"Eeeeeh?" Tadashi complained. "How come I am the one working right now? I got a very busy student life! Mom told the principal to call her whenever I skipped classes! And whenever I skip classes there is bungee for me!" He added with teary eyes.
"Akira! This is Hikari speaking!" Hikari began, and Tadashi faced Hikari with curiosity. "Tadashi told me he was going to take care of the deal with Prada! He promised a very juicy deal! So I think Tadashi will deserve some delicious cakes! You can send them to him, right?" And Tadashi drooled. "Agreed! He will get his cakes if he seals his deal!"
"I will do it!" Tadashi added happily. "Yosh! Tadashi-kamisama is here to seal a deal! Prada beware! Here comes Tadashi!" And Tadashi began running toward the New York factory for Prada clothing.
"He really worries me some times." Hikari added. "All right... I have two hours to seal two deals... Kei... just... how hard have you and Yahiro being working?" Hikari added, and walked toward the taxis outside of the airport.
Japan.
"Sorry I'm late!" Megumi suddenly yelled upon her arrival to the Italian restaurant both her and Yahiro's father usually ate at. The waiter immediately led her toward the table of Saku Saiga, who had been waiting impatiently for Megumi to arrive. "Sorry for being late once again." She excused herself and sat in front of him.
"I expected you half an hour ago!" Saku Saiga suddenly yelled, and Megumi flinched at that last and nodded several times in agreement. "If this is a strategy to distract me so my stupid son can win some momentum and try to defeat me, I swear that I will..." Saku began.
"Father... your son is blind..." Megumi explained, and Saku Saiga seemed to react with annoyance when hearing that last, and instead of continuing with the discussion, he found it best to place his attention back to his menu. Megumi noticed the hurt stare from Saku, and so she decided to drop the subject and instead return to their usual activities when they reached the eating interaction between in-law father and daughter, weather that relationship was or not accepted. "Last time I enjoyed the Agnolotti a lot! Maybe I will order it again. Although that depends on father's selection. It's father's turn to select the main dish."
"Uh? Is it?" He wondered and began running his eyes though the menu. "I wanted to have some Farfalle paste with mushroom and spices... Agnolotti goes better with meat and tomato sauce." And Megumi nodded, and a soft smile appeared on her lips as she managed to drive Saku away from his son's blindness. "Have we tried Cacciucco yet?"
"Not at all." She mentioned, and Saku faced her in disbelief. Megumi of course flinched immediately. "Eto... what I meant was... we... never try dishes from the sea since fish goes with white wine... and father likes Red Rogue wine..." She informed, and Saku rubbed his chin with interest. "How about trying the lasagna? We can mix it with Farfalle and mushroom. I'm sure it will be a very fascinating taste."
"I want Cacciucco!" Saku suddenly added in annoyance, and Megumi sweat dropped when hearing that last. "I never try Cacciucco... waiter!" He yelled, and the usual waiter approached, and Megumi waved her hand to him. "Pink wine! Sakura leaves wine to be more precise!" And both the waiter and Megumi exchanged looks. "We are eating fish today! And I'm not going to drink white wine, so I'm trying something between the two. A combination if you may." And the waiter faced Megumi, as if looking for her authorization. "Do you think I need this damn girl to give me permission to drink?" Saku suddenly yelled, and the waiter freaked out. "Now get my drink! And if you spit on my drink I..."
"Father! Don't be rude!" Megumi scolded, and Saku bit his lips in annoyance. "Please... just serve our drinks as the gentleman you are. Thanks for your understanding!" Megumi added cheerfully, and the teen-waiter serving them just blushed a little and nodded in agreement while leaving in favor of searching for the solicited wine. "Father... if I may ask... why the sudden change of wine predilections?" And Saku Saiga faced Megumi with annoyance, and the girl flinched at that last. "A simple not telling you was enough."
"I don't need Red Rouge anymore." And Megumi grew worried when hearing that last. She was actually worried about Akemi. "I already have my Red Rouge back... so I don't need to drown my pain in alcohol." And Megumi understood what Saku had been talking about. "What pasta goes well with Cacciuccio?" Saku wondered and continued reading the menu.
"That would be Tortelloni ricotta and spinaci!" Megumi replied cheerfully, and Saku rubbed his chin, and the girl noticed a shine of interest in the combination. "Will that be good?" And Saku nodded. "Marcusius!" Megumi called the waiter, while the teen approached with the pink wine. "We are ready to order." And the teen filled their cups and afterwards he took the order. "Cacciucco and Tortelloni ricotta and spinaci! As usual just mix them together in our plates." And Saku was about to say something, but Megumi interrupted him. "And don't spit on our food... or we won't pay you the usual tip!" And the waiter nodded in agreement. "Father... has someone really spit on your food?" Megumi wondered.
"No... but I want them to know I will hurt them if they do..." And Megumi sweat dropped. "You need to control others with fear! Otherwise they will disobey you! That's the way of the Saiga! We get what we want by threatening others!" He explained.
"You just give people more reasons to spit in your food... father..." Megumi explained, and Saku moved his head in negation while crossing his arms. "There are gentler ways... for having others following you... father..." Megumi tried to explain, but then her phone rang, and the girl quickly took it out. "Why now?" She wondered, and then faced Saku Saiga, then at her phone, and then she lowered her head ashamed.
"Ha! Answer the call! I don't believe in your way of doing business anyway!" Saku made fun of her, and Megumi lowered her head ashamed, but still took her phone out and answered the call. "See if I care about the Yamamoto way of doing business." Saku continued, and Megumi delivered a determined stare to him, and then answered the call.
"Good evening Mr. Sagita..." Megumi began, and Saku faced her with interest. "No... it isn't a bother, you are not interrupting anything." And Saku grew a vein at his forehead, which Megumi noticed and she flinched. "Whatever I can be of service with, Mr. Sagita." She continued. "Yes... I sent the numbers... and I made the calculations myself..." And suddenly, Megumi was the one growing a vein at her forehead. "But of course... Mr. Sagita... not all Idols are complete idiots..." And Saku analyzed her annoyance, as well as her tone of voice, being surprised to notice Megumi was barely truly annoyed. "Yes... we on the Yamamoto Entertainment Corporation, always look for the welfare of our clients. Family and fun is our main goal. We are interested in your company, because we believe the Yamamoto Entertainment Corporation, and the Sagita Resorts can coexist together as a company where families would trust their benefactors." And then Megumi waited at the other side of the line, and then she sweat dropped. "No Mr. Sagita... I didn't get my husband to calculate the earning rate... I made it myself..." And then she nodded several times. "Ah... I'm 18 years old..." And then she smiled oddly. "Yes... I'm a prodigy Mr. Sagita... and I know I only invested enough capital to buy 49% of the actions... we just want to be the majoritarian actionists..." And then she smiled from ear to ear. "Excellent, Mr. Sagita! I will be there in an hour to seal the deal!" And Saku was surprised. "Yes... I will sing at your daughter's birthday party tomorrow..." She finished. "See you later, Mr. Sagita." And she finally turned her phone off and breathed out in defeat. "So tiring!" She complained.
"That way of doing business... I have seen it before..." Saku mentioned, and Megumi didn't know how to react to that last. She seriously wasn't expecting such an open statement from his part. "Yahiro's way of doing business... he is not aggressive... he is more like a passive business dealer... always searching for the equal benefit, never taking full control. I never... understood such way of doing business." He admitted, and Megumi then smiled.
"That's Yahiro's style!" She admitted carefully. "Yahiro is lazy... he isn't like Kei... Yahiro claims to be a better financial genius than Kei, and that's probably true... but Yahiro's laziness and carefreeness, make him especial." And Saku gave those words some thoughts. "Yahiro... hates rich people... and all he wants is to be able to do whatever he feels like doing at every given moment... what he hates the most... is being the slave of money."
"Slave of money?" Saku wondered. "I don't understand... money is everything. It buys happiness with jewels, cars, clothes, drinks..." And then the waiter placed their plates in front of them. "Food." Saku Saiga added while pointing at the plates, which as usual were the first ones to arrive since Saku Saiga was a scary person, and everyone wanted him out of their restaurant.
"Money is very powerful... but... Yahiro believes... that working for money is meaningless... you can have the same happiness... with or without money..." And Saku couldn't understand it. "Yahiro wants... that which can't be bought by money..." Saku was intrigued, Megumi was now stronger than ever, and somehow he knew, that any word that escaped her lips at that very moment, would be nothing but the truth. "Love... money will never... buy love..." And Saku lowered his head, realizing how lonely he was thanks to his greedy self.
"How is..." Saku began, and Megumi faced him with interest. "My son... is he... in pain...?" He wondered, and Megumi felt tears drawing themselves at her eyes, which surprised Saku Saiga a lot. "What are you crying for, Yamamoto-brat?" He yelled out of annoyance and while noticing he had grown weak.
"It's nothing... really..." Megumi added and cleaned her tears away with a handkerchief offered to her by Marcusious. "Yahiro... is happy..." And Saku faced Megumi. "He is blind thought!" She added cutely. "But knowing him... I'm sure he will find a way to do something about it."
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"Fine... I'm going to try again..." Yahiro added while inside of a library, with Kei as was now usual by his side. "Braille is not that hard... it can't be that hard! What should I type?" Yahiro asked, He was in front of a computer with a braille keyboard, and many around him where watching him carefully not believing what they were witnessing.
"Don't be impatient, I'm on it." Kei replied, and began typing at his own computer. "Here it is. Chitose invested under your father's name in a corporation known as Outlet Stores. The market value is 500 billion dollars. He bought the whole company as is usual."
"That's exactly the reason of why my little pest brother is earning so much money per business." Yahiro began. "Investing millions in business chains not worth enough investment. And then bankrupting the competition by selling lower prices. And once the other franchises are defeated, he restores the sale values, but the damage is done. Many lose their jobs because of Chitose's, rash ways of doing business."
"And perhaps we are concentrating more in giving jobs to the unfairly fired ones, than in trying a similar strategy." Kei admitted, and Yahiro moved his head in negation. "There is a chain of stores we can buy. The name is Gemini Deal."
"Sounds like a name an idiot would use." Yahiro admitted. "Fine... before sending the mail I want you to check it." And Kei nodded in agreement and then sat next to Yahiro. "To whom it may concern. The Yamamoto Entertainment Corporation, in close collaboration with the Takishima Group, is proud to present to you... Gemini Deal... a genuine and profitable working experience." Yahiro began, and typed using only his fingers as tools since his eyes weren't working. He read the keys with each brush of his tips, and typed as if it was nothing to him.
"You are doing it... you learned braille in just a couple of hours... Yahiro... you can still do business..." And Yahiro smiled and continued typing. "There are minor mistakes... but it is nothing a man with no eyesight problems wouldn't understand... even I don't think I could learn braille in just a couple of hours."
"It's for Megumi." He added, and continued writing his mail. "Even if I learned braille thought... I'm not going to get in her way... I'm going to keep on doing my best... but I will trust her." And Yahiro typed Megumi's name as the owner of the mail, and Kei was surprised. "Send!" He finished, and at his keyboard he pressed a send tap. "How did it look?" Yahiro asked while thinking about his blind way of writing messing with what he wrote or not.
"They will understand it, that's for sure." Kei admitted. And Yahiro was glad. "Now... if I know Megumi as I think I know I do... she will be very surprised for getting your mail like that and freak out. We better... go back to the hospital right now..." And Yahiro nodded and stood up proudly, stating that even his blindness wouldn't force him to forget the path he was following.
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"It was an enjoyable dinner... father..." Megumi added while walking out of the restaurant. And the first thing she did when stepping outside was checking her mail. "Ah! Hikari-chan arrived to Brazil with no complications after sealing two deals at New York!" And Saku raised an eyebrow toward her, and Megumi flinched. "Eh... It's just... Hikari is helping us a little... but she barely sleeps... so I was surprised..." Megumi admitted, and Saku rolled his eyes and made his way toward his corporation by foot, since he was so greedy he wouldn't waste money in gasoline to drive him a few blocks toward the restaurant. "From Yahiro?" Megumi suddenly wondered. "Ya-Ya-Yahiro wrote me a mail..." And Saku then faced Megumi out of annoyance. "He... the doctors said he shouldn't take the bandages of his eyes before two months had passed! If Yahiro took them off to do business then it means..."
"Taxi!" Saku suddenly yelled, and a scared taxi driver stopped his taxi in the middle of the streets abruptly, since Saku had placed himself in front of a taxi with passengers already inside. "This is an emergency! My son is at risk of ending blind and I'm not accepting a no as an answer! Take this money and leave the taxi! I will be using it!" And Saku gave some money to the couple inside of the taxi, and then he climbed the taxi. "Yamamoto-brat! Aren't you coming?" Saku yelled, surprising Megumi a lot. "We may be at war... but he is still my son! And I'm going to punch some sense into that stubborn brain of his if I have to!" And Megumi nodded in agreement and climbed the taxi as well. "To Kyoto's Hospital! Now! If you have to pass through any unfortunate bystander then do so!"
"Please don't hurt anyone, taxi-driver-san!" Megumi added, and the taxi driver was confused. "Just try to get there as fast as possible." And Megumi then began making phone calls. "Akira! It's Megumi! Please cancel my dates for now! I can't explain it, but Yahiro..." And then Megumi widened her eyes. "Akira... says she received a mail from Yahiro in which he told her not to cancel my schedule." And Saku was more than impressed. "Yahiro said in his mail... that a meeting with the Yunagami family couldn't be cancelled... he... he read my schedule..."
"That fool!" Saku suddenly yelled. "How far is he planning on going in favor of beating me? Is his pride that strong? How dare him? Even I got my limits!" And Megumi nodded in agreement and began dialing Hikari's number.
"Hikari, please don't talk in Portuguese to me right now." Megumi added once noticing that Hikari didn't switch idioms in time. "About to leave for Belarus airport? What about the deal with the Brazilian Sports Entertainment Corporation of Football?" And Megumi began crying. "Yahiro... mailed you and told you to cancel it? But Hikari... Yahiro is blind!" And Megumi began sobbing. "How could he... this is... the third time he... distrusts me..." And Hikari continued speaking. "I don't care if the CEO of the sport's firm is going to a football game and forgot the meeting! He should attempt to that meeting, but that's not important, why is Yahiro risking his health to do this?" And then Megumi received another mail, it was from Yahiro. "Hikari, I will call you later!" Megumi mentioned, and then read Yahiro's mail. "This is not... the third time I distrust you." Megumi added while reading Yahiro's mail, and then they made it to the hospital.
"We will see about that!" Saku complained, and then ran out of the taxi as fast as he could and launched the money to the taxi driver's face. "Let's go already!" Saku yelled, and both rushed inside of the hospital.
Once inside, the nurses tried to stop them, but Saku faced them fiercely and freaked them all out, allowing them both to continue their way. They quickly made it to Yahiro's room, and once they did, they found a Kei working at his laptop, and Yahiro's bed empty.
"Saku Saiga... here...?" Kei wondered, and the giant between men ignored Kei and searched all around the room for Yahiro. Suddenly, the door leading to the bathroom was opened, and Yahiro walked outside followed by a thin veil of vapor. "Good to know you walked out with your pants on this time."
"Make fun of me all you want... I was in a hurry cancelling the Brazilian meeting." And both Saku and Megumi faced Kei, who then placed his finger in front of his lips. Megumi then noticed that Yahiro was still wearing his bandages. "I sent a mail to Megumi... I told her not to worry... but I'm sure she will worry..." And Yahiro began walking around the hospital room slowly. But then, he felt something strange, or rather smelt. "Are you... drinking wine...?" He wondered.
"And if I am?" Kei replied. "You are the one who escaped the hospital for the library to learn braille in a couple of hours and began doing business once again." And Kei moved his head in negation indicating they shouldn't speak.
"I'm not getting in her way I told you. But I will do my best to help her in whatever I can." And Yahiro walked freely around the room, but then stopped abruptly. "You are not drinking wine... are you...?" He wondered, and then faced the direction he noticed something was out of place. "I can explain." He began.
"I don't... I don't understand..." Megumi began, and Yahiro just smiled for her. "How?" She wondered, and Yahiro showed her his new computer, and a Keyboard with small spheres. It was a braille computer. "You are... working again...?"
"Not at all." He admitted. "I am giving you my support... walking your same path. Only this time you are leading." He explained, and Megumi nodded. "I will also... do my best..." And Megumi noticed his words, and understood what was going on. The papers had switched. Megumi was now the hard worker, while Yahiro was her support. "I want to help you... fulfill our dream." And Megumi nodded in agreement. "So work hard while I stay at bed all day."
"You didn't need to say it like that!" Megumi added in annoyance, and Yahiro just smiled for her, but his smile only lasted until he noticed the heavy steps walking closer to him. Megumi suddenly got nervous. She didn't intent to have Yahiro and his father meeting in such situation.
Both faced one another, even though Yahiro couldn't see him. It was evident in Yahiro that his posture reflected defiance. He wanted to make sure his father knew that he wouldn't give up, despite all odds, despite being blind, he would always defy him. It was a mixture of respect, defiance, and a deep feeling of wanting acceptance.
"So... you learned braille in only a couple of hours?" Saku wondered, and Yahiro delivered a cocky smile to him. "That's impressive... son..." Saku mentioned.
"A couple of hours is saying too much." Yahiro mentioned, and Saku felt annoyed at that last. "One hour, 45 minutes." And then Yahiro placed his t-shirt on. "And I will prove it to you by arranging meetings for Megumi to seal deals. Of course I can't work at the same intensity... but I don't need to... Megumi, is her own woman. Not my mother's slave... or your source of easy money... and together, we will defeat you."
"You really think so, eh?" Saku added with arrogance. "You know better than that, Yahiro. As the financial genius you are, you know it is impossible to reach my level. You will never defeat me." And Yahiro began laughing. "Laugh all that you want. You know it's true."
"I already beat you." Yahiro added, and Saku faced him fiercely. "I'm only competing against you, to create a bigger empire than that of a Saiga, for you to accept a reality you aren't seeing already." And Saku crossed his arms in annoyance. "I'm better than you... I am happy while you are not..." And Saku was impressed. "I am blind right now... and I still stand proudly against you... because I have something to fight for... someone who believed in me when no one else did... and I'm not going to break her trust in me..." And Megumi was glad for such words. "I already beat you... father... but, beating you in your own game is far more important than you believe. When this race ends, I swear it to you... I will have my final victory... I will have the family I have always wanted. And you will have the son you deserve." And no one actually understood that part but Kei, who just nodded in agreement. "Think about it, father... I have enough money as to care about pursuing a pointless race... I could just disappear, and have my life with Megumi by my side, and care little about the witch, the baka-chibi... and about you... but I'm still fighting..." And Yahiro walked toward his father, and faced him directly, even though he couldn't see him. But he wanted his father to know he didn't fear him. "Ask yourself this question. If I hate money... and if I have Megumi... then why am I fighting for?" And Saku couldn't understand the reason. "Now, if you excuse me, I still have to beat you." And Yahiro sat at his bed and continued working. "Megumi... aren't you late for a meeting at the other end of the street with Mr. Sagita?"
"Ah? Yes!" She added and prepared to leave. "Yahiro-kun." She added before leaving. "Don't work too hard... please..." And then Megumi left. And Yahiro nodded in agreement and continued typing at his computer.
"Yahiro... that which you are looking for... is it...?" And Yahiro interrupted his typing for a second. "I see... then, my son... try your best... because my pride would never allow it until proven different." And Yahiro nodded in agreement. "Beat me... and you will find that which you are looking for..." And Yahiro lowered his head ashamed for a moment, while he heard Saku leaving the room.
"Are you alright?" Kei wondered, and Yahiro nodded in agreement. "I'm just going to say it once... Yahiro... regardless of how much you hate yourself right now... it is the only way..." And Yahiro accepted that reply, and decided to do his best. "Only 3 more months... let's do our best... friend..."
"Yeah... let's do our best..." And Yahiro continued typing. "Sometimes... achieving true happiness comes after a great effort... what will happen though... Kei..." And Kei faced Yahiro with interest. "What will happen... when Megumi understands that I'm no longer playing this game to win... but that I am playing to lose... and that losing... will bring me true victory."