Sensual Phrase Fan Fiction ❯ Tears of Separation ❯ Youkai Determination ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: As always, Mayu Shinjo. Watashi wa Mayu Shinjo desu ka? Iie! Watashi wa Twiknham desu. And I earn nothing except the joy of finding out that people are reading my story.

 

Chapter 6: Youkai Determination

 

A week after he'd shown up in Rupert's office, Sakuya had worked his way up through seven levels. At the end of each day, he'd request an audience with Mr. Grazer. In that meeting, he would explain exactly what the tasks were of that layer of personnel, and the strengths and weaknesses that were present. Rupert learned a great deal about the efficiency of his employees and rewarded his son by putting him on a new task. Every day was a new task, every evening a new report.

 

The people Sakuya worked with were impressed with his skill and drive. They knew that he reported to the top, but he approached his tasks in such a manner that they didn't feel defensive. By the end of the week, half the people at Grazer had personally talked to him and the other half knew his name.

 

On Wednesday night, a week after Sakuya had first approached his father, Rupert called his limo service and reassigned a young driver from one of his executives to Sakuya. The next morning, Sakuya walked out of his hotel to find a limo with a young blonde man leaning against the hood. Not thinking twice, he started walking.

 

“Excuse me sir!” The limo driver stood up and started running after him. “Sumimasen Ookochi-san!”

 

Sakuya stopped and turned to look at the man running to catch up. “Hai? Hanasu Nihon desu ka?

 

Toby nodded. “A little. That's why I was assigned to you.” He chuckled and pointed at the limo. “I'm to drive you to work.” As he opened the door to let Sakuya in, he smiled. “I bet you don't even know that today I'm supposed to take you apartment shopping!”

 

The next three months changed the entire company. Everyone around Sakuya thought he was possessed by demons, and in part that was true. He had a standing order to be picked up at 2:30am. He would look through the previous day's markets in Asia on the drive in. Then he would go to his designated job. He'd work there for nine or ten hours, then he'd go up to the top floor to return the previous reading material and collect his next set of reports. After he left the top office, he'd go back out to the limo for the ride back to the apartment, where he would sit and read reports until 10pm or 11pm.

 

About a month after he'd started working, Toby came to pick him up as he normally did. However, he didn't stop at the office. A few minutes later, Sakuya looked up from his reports and realized they'd been driving too long. “Toby, where are we going?” He wasn't unduly concerned. Toby was a very loyal employee.

 

Toby grinned in the mirror. “To see a friend of mine.”

 

Sakuya closed his eyes and laid his head back against the headrest. Figures, he has a friend who wants to meet the lead singer of Lucifer. All I want is to get back to Aine, I don't care about anything except her.

 

Seeing Sakuya's dejected look, Toby turned down the news long enough to gain his attention. “It's not what you're thinking man. I've been talking with a friend of mine, we both agreed that you needed this, so I'm bringing you to him.”

 

“Him?” Sakuya put his hand over his mouth and looked out the window. What kind of people am I working with? As Toby pulled up in front of a hair studio, Sakuya's eyes widened. I do not want to know. I can handle anything as long as it ultimately leads to Aine.

 

Toby opened the door to the limo and ushered a very somber Sakuya out. As they walked into the salon, they were met by a friendly man with blonde hair and tattoos running up both arms to stop half-way up his neck. The shirt covered most of them, but Sakuya could only imagine how much time that man had sat under a needle. He turned to Toby. “I am NOT getting a tattoo.” In Japan, tattoos are a sign of being a gang member; and he knew that would ruin his clean dirty-boy image.

 

Sam laughed, a deep gravely voice that betrayed his love for two packs of unfiltered a day. He used to smoke the lights; but when he'd been diagnosed with cancer, he decided to go ahead and live it up. It had already been two years and he hadn't gotten any worse, so he wondered if unfiltered didn't help. “Pretty boy, you're not here for a tattoo.” He walked over to a chair and picked up an apron. “It's time to do something with your mop.”

 

Sakuya froze until Toby poked him in the back. “He's not joking, and neither am I. Your hair screams, and its voice doesn't have executive material. Sam knows what he's doing.” Sakuya looked at his hair and Toby laughed. “He doesn't do my hair, my sister does.”

 

Sam snorted. “Yeah, and his sister's a hack. I offered, but he said I'd make him too manly.” He looked at Sakuya. “All I'm going to do is tame that wildness a little and give you some highlights. Given your history, I think you can handle the change.” He nodded at a picture on his wall of Lucifer.

 

Sakuya sat down. “What, does everyone in the US speak Japanese?”

 

Sam leaned over very close. “Nah, but the chick that does the tattoos here does, and she's one fine piece of…anyways, she's obsessed with the lead singer.” He snapped the apron closed and picked up the scissors.

 

Two hours later, Sakuya was pleased with his new hair. The silver highlights made him look twenty years older, something that was hard to believe since he already looked older than his age. As Sam whipped off the apron, Sakuya stood and shook his hand. “Good eye for style. How much do I owe you?”

 

Sam laughed. “Just come back later and meet Lillian. If you do, I might actually get laid.”

 

Sakuya nodded his head. “I'll do what I can for you.” Turning, he walked back to the car, feeling like he really did own the world. The new style did wonders for him at work too. People started treating him more as an adult, the wild haired persona completely gone. A side trip to a tailor yielded a closet of power suits and several pairs of wingtips to go with them. By the end of that second month, he'd completely transformed into a corporate magnate.

 

Everyone thought his lack of sleep was an indication of his drive, but that was only partially true. The real problem was that every time he closed his eyes, he saw Ralph touching his woman. During the first few weeks in America, it was only a never-ending playback of when Ralph had assaulted her during his performance of `Cruel Jones.' His sane side knew Ralph had done it only in order to see how he would react. On those nights, he managed 5 hours, just shy of his normal requirement.

 

However, lately he'd been finding himself waking up drenched in sweat. The dream was so real he didn't' need to sleep to see it. Every episode was the same. He'd arrive with the bargaining chip he needed and walk in to the boardroom to see Ralph having sex with someone on the table. Walking around him, he'd see Aine arch her back and hear her moan Ralph's name in time with his thrusts. Tonight, she'd opened her eyes and looked at him, a satisfied smirk on her face. Running a shaking hand over his face, he stood up and walked into the bathroom to get a drink of water.

 

“I told her to wait.” Yeah, but I had to leave before I heard her agree. Is it possible… “NO! If I'm going to get through this, I have to believe that she loves me as much as I love her.” Looking at his watch, he realized it was only 2am. Deciding to start his day early, he stepped into the shower and five minutes later was calling for the limo.

 

Just shy of three months, he was boarding a private jet back to Japan. He had secured the deeds to everything Ralph held sacred, as well as the respect of everyone in the company. Just last night, his father held a party to honor his son's accomplishments. Amongst flowery praises to himself for having created such a talented son, he gave Sakuya the rights to everything Ralph had controlled.

 

Sakuya wasted no time in flowery words. He bowed in respect, thanked Rupert for his training, and said he was immediately going back to Japan to take over. Leaving the party before the bubbles had left the champagne, he hailed the Limo and called to book a ticket for the next morning. Listening in, Toby said he wanted to come along, so Sakuya booked two.

 

He wondered what Rupert's face would look like when he learned that his son had only jumped through all of his hoops in order to get a woman back from Ralph. It wasn't concern that fueled his curiosity, it was malice. If he played his cards right, his plan would crush something in his father when it was unveiled. As the plane took off, Sakuya drifted off to sleep, imagining Aine's face when he arrived and rescued her from Ralph.

 

A/N: Blame school or work. But I'm late with my update. (egads, it rhymes!) Hope everyone has a great week!