Dangerous Liaison 🔞 (Femme Fatale#1)

52

"So, how's your cunning and excellent plan going, Joichiro?"

The two old men were sitting on the serene sand garden at the back of Nobuhiro Kudou's house, playing shogi and drinking sake. They were doing that a lot lately and wondered when they would see their great-grandchildren running around and playing with them.

They knew if they didn't do something, their grandchildren would not want to get married. Ever. They were obsessed with their jobs and honor and stuff like that.

"Don't you worry about a thing, Nobuhiro, I got all under control, in fact, I could literally hear the wedding bell very soon if everything is according to plan." Joichiro only cackled and he moved his piece. "Check."

"What?? Are you cheating? How could you win when you're on the verge of losing, you old bastard?" Nobuhiro frowned as he observed the shogi board, but before Joichiro could retort, they heard the commotion outside and not long after, Gabriel entered the room.

"Ojisan. Joichiro-san." Gabriel sat in front of them and bowed respectfully. "I have something to talk about with you, Ojisan. In private, preferably. No offense, Joichiro-san."

"None taken, kid." Joichiro smiled when he saw how polite Gabriel was. He liked this man so much that he concocted that elaborate plan to marry him to his stubborn-as-a-mule granddaughter.

"You can talk in front of us, Kazuhiro, Joichiro is not going to talk to anyone else. Right, Joichiro?" He slapped the thigh of the man who sat in front of him.

"Yeah, yeah, no worries, Kazuhiro, my lips are sealed." He made a gesture of zipping his lips and threw the key away.

Gabriel couldn't help but almost roll his eyes. He liked Joichiro Abe a lot, and the man seemed to have the same feeling about him. Anyway, he was an odd one, Joichiro Abe. He was the head of the oldest and most powerful Abe clan in Japan, the direct descendant of Seimei no Abe, who was even more powerful than the five families. And yet he loved to play around and fishing with his grandfather, leaving the clan business to his only daughter–which was also being protested by other elders, because a woman as the head of the clan? Such a preposterous thing. But Joichiro Abe didn't give a shit about them and his daughter silenced everyone by making their clan on top of everyone and everything, even the Emperor was wary of them.

And that Joichiro and Gabriel's grandfather had been best friends ever since they were kids. It was their long time wish to marry their kids together, but when Gabriel's father ran away with the gaijin who got pregnant with Gabriel, Joichiro's daughter didn't seem to be fazed as she got married too. To another gaijin if he didn't hear wrong.

But it was not his problem. Right now he had a more pressing matter that he had to tell his grandfather. About what he's going to do to Kyosuke.

He didn't exactly ask for permission, just a courtesy call to let his grandfather know that there would be internal war soon.

"Fine. I'm here to tell you that I'm going to banish Kyosuke and his father from the family. And I'm going to take the position of the clan's leader with or without the other elders' approval." Gabriel looked so determined with the fire in his eyes that caused both Nobuhiro and Joichiro to look at each other.

"Finally." Nobuhiro took the sake on the table and made a toast to Joichiro before they drank it together.

The statement caused him to get confused. Did he hear wrong?

"Finally?" Gabriel quirked his brow in question. His grandfather didn't seem to be fazed by his controversial statement.

"Yes, finally you grow some backbone, Kazuhiro. I've been waiting for you to take what's yours forcefully, instead of being calm and collected all the time like a robot." Nobuhiro laughed as he shoved a cup full of sake to Gabriel. "Drink this, and of course I will stand behind you and give you my full support."

"I will too, with one condition." Joichiro smiled so widely, Gabriel had a feeling that he's going to propose something that he didn't like.

"I will try to fulfill your wish, Joichiro-san, as long as I am able to." Gabriel didn't want to be pushed into another omiai again because he had finally found the woman that he was going to marry, and the cause for him to finally take what's rightfully his. It only took a kidnapping for him to realize everything.

"I will not force you to do anything you like, but I want you to meet my granddaughter. Just once. I will not say anything ever again if you don't like her, but I want you to meet her. One time. Not omiai, just a friendly meeting between two families. And with my grandson too."

Gabriel looked at both of the old men–the most powerful clan rulers–and he saw that they were getting old. His heart clenched, knowing that they would probably not get their wish come true and he was about to be an unfilial grandson. But he had to let them know that he already had someone that he loved.

"Actually, that's the second thing I would like to talk to you about, Ojisan, Joichiro-san." He cleared his throat. "I have to refuse any offer of omiai starting from now. Not to disrespect you guys or anything, but I already have someone that I love and plan to marry within this year. As soon as possible if she agrees to it."

"Oh? Do we know her?" Nobuhiro didn't look too surprised, as he drank his sake, while Joichiro looked at Gabriel with an interest. In this last minute he saw a lot of expression in Gabriel's face–more than those years he knew him. And he was glad. The boy repressed his emotions too deeply and it was not healthy for him.

"I planned to introduce her to you as soon as possible, and perhaps, give us your blessings."

"Well, if she dares to refuse your marriage offer, I like her already." Joichiro guffawed as he patted Gabriel's back. "It shows that the girl got some spunk."

"Oh, you have no idea, Joichiro-san." Gabriel couldn't help but smile. Not just his usual smile which didn't reach his eyes, but a genuine smile that lit up his whole face and made him look younger and happier than his usual ice prince persona.

"Okay then, why don't you bring her to meet us all, say, this Sunday? I'll book a place and let you know ASAP." Joichiro smiled at Gabriel and Gabriel nodded.

This should be better. He could bring Jade with him when Joichiro-san introduced them to his grandchildren. It also to let them all know that he was happily taken and would not consent to any omiai offer anymore. Let the whole world know that he's in love.

"I will let my partner know about this… situation and let her decide for herself if she wants to join us or not." Gabriel answered them, and both of the old men were very surprised to hear his words.

They never knew that Gabriel was this considerate toward any woman. So… this must be love after all?