Hoshimi-san arrives in my office one day after lunch.
It was still downtime so Wolf was benched in HQ, and it has been five days with no operation or mission. We were all bored out of our minds and attempting to fill our days with training – picking up new skills or sharpening our current skills.
We were out training in the fields when an officer from the training office approached me. I was by the sniper hut with a spotter next to me. I was lying on the dirt with my sniper rifle and testing out the new scope function, playing around with the incendiary rounds so I could get used to the tough recoil.
I was jotting down the notes – remembering the wind kph, distance and scores I got.
"Lieutenant, you have a guest waiting for you," the officer spoke gingerly.
"Who is it, Michael?" I asked, adjusting the scope function and wrote down the details on my notebook. I doubt it was my younger sister.
"A woman by the name of Sumiyoshi Hoshimi."
My fingers stopped moving as annoyance set into my chest. "Tell her I'm not in," I stated flatly.
"Apparently, we can't do that, Lieutenant," he answered as he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Her father is one of the many partners that the military have. Chasing her away will be fatal to us all."
"Thanks, Michael," I said. "I'll be right over."
"Please don't make her wait, Lieutenant."
I tried my hardest not to roll my eyes. "I hear ya, kid," I mumbled as I got up from the ground and handed the rifle over to the spotter. "Do you mind if you could give it to Markus? He's down by the armoury."
He took the rifle without complaint. "What do I tell him if he asks?"
I handed him my notebook without another word and left the sniper's hut – heading down towards the training office building so I could get back to the HQ. While I walked, I pulled out my mobile phone from my pants' pocket to contact the yakuza in question.
He picked up on the second dial tone.
Even before he could say hello, I interrupted without a greeting. "Your ex-fiancé has found out where I work," I said flatly. "I thought you said that you had settled it."
"She's not my ex!" he exclaimed in annoyance. "Don't you go to her!"
"I can't do that, genius. Apparently her father is one of the biggest partners here," I pointed out. "If I fuck this up, I'm screwed."
He made an annoyed sound at the back of his throat. "Thread carefully with her," he advised. "I'll come there as fast as I can!"
I sighed and hung up the call, pocketing the phone again. I had a bad feeling about her arrival. I don't understand her decision in visiting me at work. How did she know who I am? I detest rich people and their ability to get top secret information. By the time he reaches here, I'd be dead then.
Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I entered via the side door and walked down the hallway to the front desk where the woman in question was seen seated on the visitor's sofa looking like a celebrity.
Her hair has been swept over one shoulder, a pair of expensive-looking shades were on her eyes and her lips though pursed in annoyance was covered with bright red lipstick. Her make-up was flawless as ever, it looked like she didn't wear any.
Sumiyoshi Hoshimi was wearing a nude faux coat with a tight-skin black dress and a pair of heeled boots that matched her dress. My eyebrows went up in surprise at her choice in clothes – wasn't she cold in this frigid weather?
Thanks to her presence, the other boys were ogling at her. Annoyed, I gave them an order which snapped them out of their lustful cloud nine – before they heeded my order grumpily which was to turn around to face the walls and count till one thousand.
I hovered in front. "Hoshimi-san, I hear you're looking for me."
She looked up from her internal musing – probably debating about something serious and she pulled down her shades to give me a critical once-over, her mouth dropping open in shock.
"What have you been doing?" she asked in surprise. "Rolling around in the mud?"
I tried my hardest to stifle my groan at her statement. "Do you need anything from me, Hoshimi-san?" I asked instead, attempting to look innocent in front of the younger, powerful woman. "Why don't we go to the break room?"
I hoped she's not going to get me killed.
Together, we entered the break room next to the entrance. Nobody uses it because we were all busy people and it was empty at this time of the day. I got us two cans of coffee and I set one in front of her before I sat down.
I took a gulp of coffee when she started to speak. "I need your advice on men," she spoke with such seriousness that I almost choked on the liquid going down my throat.
"W-what are you... implying?" I asked. I was glad she didn't want my head.
"Ever since the Ishikawa-san episode, I had begun to think about what my actions had caused to others and I didn't want history to repeat," she explained. "However, I don't have an older sister, so I thought I could get some advice from you."
I was incredulous. "You came all the way here just to get advice about boys?"
She inched closer, her fingers linking together as she brought her full attention to me. "Yes," she said with all the seriousness that she could muster in her young voice. "I was home-schooled and I attend an all-girls school so I need to learn about this."
I could feel a headache coming. I don't understand rich people at all. "Okay, what do you want to know?" I asked, clearing my throat as I downed more coffee. I needed the caffeine to function.
"My father wishes me to marry a man who is affiliated with our company. You know, to expand the business," she said. "But I want to know more about him first before I agree to marry."
I leaned back against the chair as I finally understood what she wanted. "So you ask him out on a date," I pointed out. "Go out on a few dates, each date to know more about your future partner."
She brightened immediately. "That's a good idea, Amelia," she said excitedly as she held my hands. "Why don't we go out on a double date? Isn't that what you commoners called it?"
I turned pale. Where did she get that idea from? Has she been watching too much Korean dramas?
"I'll set the date, and I will ask Ishikawa-san along," she said as she took out her phone and then, she eyed my clothes critically. "I think we need to go shopping together."
"Wait –"
She got up even before she heard my reply and she began tapping away on her smart phone, ignoring what I was saying to her. We left the break room and headed down the corridor, passing the glass double doors out to the cold weather.
"Listen to me, I don't have the free time to go – "
"Oh don't worry, I'll ensure you're free on that day," she interrupted as she signalled to her driver who was parked a few lots away. "I know your schedule after all."
"What! Wait for a moment, Hoshimi-san – "
"I'll contact you in a few days' time, ta ta!"
"Wait!"
I watched helplessly as she bundled away happily – her faux coat swaying in the cold air and felt a sense of defeat spreading in my abdomen. I couldn't even believe what has happened. This is insane! Why do the rich work like this?
I don't understand at all!
My phone rang. "Amelia!"
"Where are you?"
I met up with Kirishima outside, alongside the alleyway a click away from the stone mason walls – away from prying eyes as it was definitely odd to have a soldier and a yakuza standing together.
"Your ex-fiancé has roped us in for a double date," I said angrily. "I didn't even have the time to reject her preposterous idea! She didn't even let me –"
"Wait, what do you mean a double date?" he interrupted quizzically.
"Her father wants her to marry another man so she came here to ask for advice," I answered. "I told her that she could go out for a few dates to know more about the guy and she somehow roped us in her crazy scheme!"
Kirishima just stared at me wordlessly. "Well at least she's not out to get you killed," he said eventually.
"I don't want to go out on a double date, Kirishima," I exclaimed. "Can't you do something about it?"
He sighed. "It's already awkward for me, Amelia," he murmured. "But we cannot reject her. We cannot afford to do that. I'd be screwed too."
"She is literally holding us by the neck," I growled. "And she knows it!"
"It's just one date," he said.
"Who knows!" I cried as I threw my arms up in the air. "She probably have many things planned out by now. Including my demise. She even want to bring me out to shop for a dress. What kind of high end place do you people go to anyway?"
"Her father owns a few clubs – she tends to go there and mingle around with the business associates," he explained. "It's for business purposes, love."
"Is that what you do?" I asked.
"Yes."
I could feel myself withering slightly at the thought of going to a high end club just for a date with someone I barely know. Kirishima could sense my unease so he closed the distance between us to grasp my hands in his.
"I'm sorry but you have to bear with it," he said gently and kissed my fingers. "I'm sorry I landed you in more trouble."
"You know I've been holding my sniper rifle and my hands are covered in dirt and grease," I pointed out.
"It doesn't bother me," he said as he looked up, catching my curious gaze.
"I'm still unsure if that's your kink, Kirishima," I pointed out.
He pouted. "You look beautiful no matter what," he said firmly. "Even if you're covered in dirt, grease or blood. I'd still think you're pretty."
"That's steep coming from a yakuza," I stated.
He laughed. "Alright, I'd better head back," he said as he stepped back, looking at his Rolex. "I rushed out from an important meeting. I need to secure a project or my grandfather will have my head."
I nodded. "I'll see you soon."
We separated ways from there and I headed back to the armoury with a heavy heart.
A double date, hah!
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