Asmo's Love

Eloquence

Kenji Yanagi looks across the event hall to where the Oyabun is sitting with his exclusive family at a very huge table near the podium. He observes the scene before him with a straight face, his eyes looking blank while the wheels inside his head keep turning. He wants to keep his subtle attention low-key so he keeps roaming his eyes around for a few seconds before returning to the Oyabun again.

Is he really going to bite the trap? Is he really going to consider the "marriage" deal as an option?

It sounds funny now. Even when for some reason, the idea picks up a notch to his heartbeat. Marrying Aoi Chiba is not completely that bad. The only thing wrong here is the circumstances. It is not like he only wants to marry her for the easier pursuit of sealing his seat on the Oyabun's choice for his next successor. Other Yakuza bosses are even off of their feet to raise with him for that position. Who would never want the good graces?

He is only a boss who wants the very best for the whole clan. And even if he could assure himself of the other men in the executive to have the same vision as his, he still could not erase his doubts about the others who are only after the highest seat because it is the most powerful one among them. There will come a time that this clan might perish eventually but for as long as Kenji Yanagi is still alive, he would never let that happen.

He looks around and glances at the other Yakuza bosses inside the hall once again. He tries to read their faces. He might not really detect right away who among them is actually wearing the mask, but he can certainly pick out whom he could trust in this upcoming battle for superiority. He turns to give Jin Sasai a look from where the big man is sitting on a seat beside the vacated seat of Aoi Chiba.

Only then, Kenji does recall that Aoi has left and excused herself to take a break at the grooming room. Jin Sasai meets Kenji's eyes after a second of just blankly staring at him and raises a brow at the young Yakuza boss.

"Yes, boss?" the quick response of Jin as he waits for Kenji to speak up.

"Has Sakamoto updated anything?"

His question quickly summons a very serious and deep sullen expression on Jin's face as he pauses for a second before replying.

"He is waiting outside now," Jin utters back, "Do you want me to call him back here, Boss?"

"I trust him," is all that Kenji says as soon as he hears Jin's words. "Make sure you won't let yourselves be caught. Ito's men are also quick and very keen. I don't want another casualty."

Who would have thought that Kenji has been plotting something too?

Aoi Chiba seems to have no idea at all. Even Ito Yamazaki has been feeling quite composed despite his risky scheme. And now, hearing these vague conversations from these two men might have also just confirmed something much more interesting. Something is being cooked and no one can really tell what would happen next.

"Will do," Jin Sasai's very formal response implies his quick comprehension. If there is anything else that they needed to look out for, that is for letting their guard down. They must always be alarmed and aware of everything around them. And just as Jin looks away to watch the entryway of the event hall, the door opens from there and he sees Aoi Chiba with the young Kira Issei walking in.

He does not say anything. He does not really need to inform the Boss that Aoi Chiba has already returned. He can literally feel the shift of tension from where the young Yakuza boss is seating one seat away from him.

For a long moment, these two men just watch and observe Aoi Chiba from their seats until she reaches their table and gives an anxious smile at Kenji Yanagi's direction. Kenji practically returns the unsure expression with a bright smile as he quickly stands up to properly gesture her to sit beside him. Just like a gentleman that he is known of, he smoothly pulls Aoi's seat for her and gently pushes it back for her to settle comfortably.

Kira Issei also takes that as his cue to leave as he silently just bows his head towards the two men and without any other word, walks back to his post a few meters away.

Aoi Chiba is not really sure what to actually feel as soon as Kenji sits back beside her and gives her a soft smile with his eyes crinkling at her. She lets out a long exhale with the same smile, mirroring him, and deliberately tries to forget anything else for a while. She just wants to return to a peaceful night, without ever worrying about anything.

No plan.

No betraying.

No lies.

No thinking.

No remembering.

No worrying.

No hating.

Just peace.

She just wants to savor this very short night before she would eventually have to return to that ugly world of deception. This is ridiculous. Only then, she actually does realize as well the absurdity of all these plans she has been agreeing to up to this point. And even when it is all just a part of her tactical move to alienate Yamazaki and search for the real answers to her investigation about the real cause of death of her past lover, she still feels unsure.

Why does this feeling keep building up?

Why does Kenji's face make her so weak that even her huge walls are now slowly breaking down?

Can she really survive this all?

Kenji could not really tell what Aoi's unusual placid face is all about. He can only look at her and smile with fake nonchalance. He wants to trust her, even when there are so many reasons not to.

She is the only woman he would ever need to go on.

At this time, there is really no one else in this world... BUT HER.

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