Hidden Secrets

Chapter 27

Seiya rang an Tellu and Makoto's apartment to pick up Usagi. Makoto opened the door and greeted him, saying, "She's almost ready. Taiki could have thought about the family dinner a bit earlier. Tellu was quite wound up again. Come in."

Seiya waited impatiently in the hallway, glancing at his watch. "I don't want to rush you, but if we want to be on time, we need to leave soon," he called into the hallway.

The door opened, and Tellu stepped out, followed by Usagi. Usagi entered the room in a stunning, short black dress. The dress accentuated her petite figure, perfectly hugging her curves and ending just above her knees, highlighting her slender legs. The neckline showed just the right amount of skin, appearing both elegant and seductive. Golden accessories, from earrings to chic high heels, added sparkling accents that harmonized perfectly with the dark dress. Her hair was styled in an elegant updo, with a few loose strands gently framing her shoulders. Black and gold – for the first time, Usagi presented herself in the Kou family colors.

This sight visibly left Seiya speechless.

Usagi beamed across her face and spun around once. "Do you take me like this?" she asked. Seiya shook himself out of his trance. "Yes, yes, of course. Shall we?" he said hastily, offering her his arm. Tellu brought her a long black coat, and then she hooked her arm with Seiya's and followed him out of the apartment. Seiya struggled with himself not to fall for her again and led her to his car.

During the drive, his hand rested on her thigh, and her hand held his tightly. However, neither of them spoke. What had happened in the past few hours must not be repeated. Both were aware of this, and the invisible wall they had felt at the wedding was starting to rebuild. Suddenly, Seiya steered the car into a small parking bay. Usagi looked at him, puzzled.

His hand brushed along her cheek, went to her neck, and pulled her close. His forehead rested briefly on hers; he inhaled her sweet scent with closed eyes, transporting himself back a few hours but refrained from bridging the few centimeters to her lips. Usagi couldn't bear this tense moment any longer. Tenderly, she placed her lips on his, and Seiya responded to the kiss, but much more hesitantly than before. Then he let his hand slide down. "We're almost there," he said with noticeable sadness in his voice and continued driving. This time, his hand was no longer with her but gripping the steering wheel firmly with both hands. Usagi had lowered her head and folded her hands in her lap. She knew exactly that it was as difficult for Seiya as it was for herself, but she knew they had to distance themselves from each other again. A melancholic silence filled the car as they approached their destination.

Just a few minutes later, he stopped the car again, in front of the Blackmoon. As expected, he opened the door for her, and they entered the brothel together. A scantily clad woman approached Seiya directly, with a wide grin on her face. "Mr. Kou, what a pleasure to see you again. It's been a while. Won't you come back with us later?" she asked, completely ignoring Usagi. Seiya clearly looked uncomfortable in this situation. He reached his arm out to Usagi and placed her skillfully at his side. "No, I'm sorry. Mrs. Kou and I just wanted to go to the conference room," Seiya explained. The woman's facial expression slightly changed. "Mrs. Kou, then... If that's the case... You know the way," she gritted her teeth and became noticeably more irritated.

Seiya put his arm around Usagi's waist and led her down the long corridor. However, Usagi suddenly felt a lump in her stomach. Even though no one had openly said it, she suspected that Seiya had frequented this lady more often, and she didn't like that at all. Of course, she knew she wasn't his first, but she didn't want to know who he had been with before, especially if it was a professional. Lost in thought, she let herself be led by Seiya to the conference room.

In the middle of the room stood a large conference table made of polished wood and shiny metal. On the table were state-of-the-art multimedia devices, including a large screen for presentations and video conferences. Someone was sitting in one of the chairs, and a woman with shoulder-length turquoise hair sat elegantly on their lap, so Usagi couldn't recognize who it was. She shyly looked up at Seiya, but he just grinned broadly before clearing his throat loudly.