RIVALS INCARNATE

Chapter Eighteen: Keep Your Enemies Closer

PRESENT, 2020 (TOKYO)

Osamu Sato tried to swallow the soft flesh of the boneless fish down his throat, trying to taste its savor even when he can't even focus on it while waiting for something to finally come. It was no longer significant what sort of thing could come, he just needed some distraction. Or whatever. He could not stand this entire situation anymore.

Every time a course had ended, Osamu would just loudly sigh in relief, not even bothering to conceal his obvious discomfort towards the three other people with him. Yuko would give him a stink eye to which he would just ignore as he watched the waiters approach their table and remove the empty plates as they replaced them with another course. It was already at the fourth course of a seven-course meal when he started to feel even more restless and uncontrollable. He could no longer take the unbearable silence and awkwardness surrounding him, and it was completely making him insane. He needed some air, but he could not find another way to excuse himself as Yuko's presence still intimidated him.

Please help him, gods.

He mentally begged for help, enduring the lengthy stillness. He was not even a part of this meeting in the first place. He was just a last-minute addition brought by Yuko's indecisiveness. She should say something. Was not this supposed to be a meeting? Usually, the discussions would take place first before the meal, but they already began eating, even without any further talks... What the hell was this supposed to be?

Osamu could only sigh again.

"Is something bothering you, Sato-san?"

Finally, someone had decided to break the frozen ice, but unfortunately, it was not the person that Osamu would have preferred. It was Ami Komatsu, who was sitting across him, looking at him with doe eyes as she smiled. She looked innocent but she was still suspicious.

"None," Osamu briefly replied, brushing off her question as he smirked and shook his head. He could feel the heavy stare from Yuko's direction and quickly assumed that she was also quite annoyed by his frequent sighing. But he just could not help it... This entire scenario was testing out his patience.

"I'm just thinking about work," Osamu added after a second, slightly giving Kyouhei a quick glance as well, "And come to think of it, aren't we going to talk about something today? I'm curious, to be honest. Though I might be meddling too much in it, as I am just a third-party member here. Ain't I, Amazawa-san?"

"No, you're not, what are you talking about?" Yuko immediately rebutted as she chuckled nervously at Osamu's words. And as if to make him behave, she discreetly pinched him on the side of his leg under the table making Osamu slightly winced in pain. He bit his lip to stifle a groan. That was really painful.

"I guess, I'm not," Osamu shortly agreed, faking a laugh to which Yuko also joined in, making the tension ease out from their table. It was hard to tolerate and conceal the throbbing ache on his leg as he tried his best to keep a smile. Osamu could only softly whimper underneath his chuckle.

"He's a very important benefactor of Kurosaki, Komatsu-san," Yuko further explained, filling up the sudden pause as she gave Ami a stare. "I brought him here so he could hear what you have to say in regards to Kyouhei's campaign."

"Is he?" Ami raised a brow, giving Osamu a grin. "That's good to know. And that's very generous of you, Sato-san. I heard a lot of good things and commendable projects that your family has been funding and organizing for years now. I'm really glad that I am meeting people of the same outlook and ideals. It would be really nice to work together with you."

"Thank you," Osamu replied, mirroring the grin, "Same to you, Komatsu-san. I'm also glad to work with you on this..."

"Well, I'm definitely looking forward to it now," Ami added. And making a pause, Osamu took that short opportunity to send a knowing glance towards Kyouhei's way. But the latter, however, did not notice at all. Yet as if to make a point by raising his wine glass midair, Osamu added in vain, "All for Kurosaki-san."

That was unnecessary, and it almost looked like a joke. Yuko just raised a brow, Ami, on the other hand, smiled back some more, while Kyouhei simply nodded, saying an abrupt, "thanks" to Osamu.

Like some sort of his own show, Osamu smirked back and casually sipped on his drink. What kind of future would this country have if this damn bastard finally becomes the leader? Who knows? Osamu could only imagine what it would be like, but he already knew deep in his mind, that this was just all for an act of revenge... In the making.

It was still Prince Shin who would win in the end.

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"I want to make Kyouhei the next prime minister of Japan."

Ami Komatsu had initially planned out this entire meeting even days before she had called Kyouhei. She had purposely chosen a very exclusive five-star restaurant with a VIP room so she could make most of the complete privacy. And even when she did not directly invite Yuko Amazawa and Osamu Sato, she already expected Kyouhei Kurosaki to bring someone with him. She never really mind.

It was much better like this, that he had shown up with them. And this way, she can fully detail with them all of her plans for her sponsorship. Even before this meeting, Ami had also briefly oriented herself about who was Yuko Amazawa. In fact, she got so interested in her the moment she met her at the party last time. One reason was because of Yuko's adamant closeness towards Kyouhei. Ami had watched her glued herself beside Kyouhei for most of the hour during the event, and second, was because Kyouhei had seemed to be deeply attached to this woman... That had completely made Ami feel insecure.

Yes, she had taken a liking towards the young man. Since the first second, when she had laid eyes on him, she knew right then that he was her target. She can't really explain it at all, but Ami felt something so intense that had pierced through her heart, sweeping her off of her feet as she found herself watching him with keen eyes. He was too familiar for some reason, but she could not describe how and why. Yet it made her extremely interested.

Then she met Yuko Amazawa, this strong-minded woman who seemed to always dominate Kyouhei's actions. Ami Komatsu instantly concluded that their relationship was just as how a boss and an assistant would be, purely business. She immediately could even tell it from the first time Kyouhei had introduced Yuko to her that they did not have any sort of intimate connection to each other. With the way, they acted too formal and quite distant from each other, it was obvious. It was platonic and stiff, no matter how much close they had come into contact. It was just not there.

"You sound like you could make that certainly happen, Komatsu-san," Osamu, on the other hand, who was struck by the words that Ami just threw in the air, leaned a little forward over the table as he stared at her attentively, "Are you that confident about Kurosaki being the Prime Minister?"

One mention of his name and Ami instantly looked at Kyouhei who was sitting beside her as she just gave him a smirk. Then she answered back to Osamu.

"Given that, you're sponsoring him too, doesn't that make the two of us now, Sato-san? I'm sure you won't be just wasting money and time on something that you aren't confident about too... We're business people here, and we're not playing around."

"Point taken," Osamu clicked his tongue upon saying that, giving Yuko a glance as he went on, "So by making him Prime Minister, what makes you think you could make that come true, Komatsu-san?"

His question was completely vague and challenging, but Osamu knew right then what she had been trying to implicate with her own words when she said what she had wanted to do. The bad rumors about her were definitely not just a bluff. There won't be things like that if it weren't true in a way or another. She had been known around the business scene, but no one had yet to prove that the ugly gossips about her were all true. However, Osamu had already assumed that she was not just an average beauty with that wit and gracefulness that had made her insanely famous and sought-after... There were so many things hidden beneath that innocent face and lovely smile...

If there was one thing Osamu was so sure about the people in the business circle, it was the entire deceit and manipulative nature of everyone around him. He can quickly assert a person with just a short look into his or her eyes. And Ami Komatsu wore that same conceited aura... She was simply just no exception. And no matter how vivid Empress Aoi's image came into the picture while Osamu looked at her reincarnated body, he could still see that darkness surrounding her new identity.

It was utterly unbelievable yet so real.

"What else do you think it will be?" Ami, who took a moment first to carefully take a sip from her own drink, looked across the table with a knowing smile, "I have a lot of ways, Sato-san. And with my help, I assure both of you, Amazawa-san and Kurosaki-kun..."

Her voice suddenly went sultry and huskier as she went on.

"The seat will be all yours."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------next chapter: Chapter Nineteen