Black Ice 2: Fatal Mobs (KBTBB) Completed

VI.

• chapter six •

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I look around Soryu's condo as we enter. The bit of sophistication the place offers gives it a cool vibe to it, matching the owner's personality. Not too much and not too less. I eye the bookshelf but act as if it didn't draw my attention. "This place is triggering," I say and turn to face him as he stands by the entrance, watching me. "But nothing comes to mind."

Soryu sighs a little and walks over to me then presses his lips to my forehead and mumbles that's he going to go shower. When I hear the water running once he's in, I look through his bookshelf. All these detective novels... I'm tempted. I take one off the shelf and flips through it. Just then I hear the door open and Soryu comes in and it's too late for me to pretend like I wasn't going through his bookshelf. "See anything you like?" He crouches down next to me as he towel dries his hair. "Anything familiar?"

"Am I supposed to recognize something?" I glance at him but get distracted by his new look, my eyes widening a little. His hair is down and it reminds me of all the times we've slept together. My breath hitches when he starts talking, letting me know I've stared too long, making my cheeks redden.

"What is it?"

I look away, back down to the book in my hands and place it back. "N-Nothing. Just... I don't usually read this genre in books or knew you were into them." It looks like he wants to say something but doesn't. Well I've been meaning to ask him something. "Can I ask you something?" Soryu looks at me. "Earlier at the bar, you asked Kyo about his parents... What about yours?"

"I don't want to talk about my family." He stands up and is about to leave when my next words stop him.

"At the penthouse, you promised you'll answer my questions." I remind. "Are these kind of questions not part of them?"

"I promised to answer your questions, right?" I nod as he looks at me over his shoulder. He hesitates. "To be honest, I don't really know." I frown a little. Is he lying? "I've been apart from my parents since I was little." He answers as he sits down on the sofa.

Oh, okay. I assumed wrong. "Really?" I sit down next to him as he looks ahead.

"My dad was in the Ice Dragons when my grandfather was the boss." Says Soryu. "He met my mother when he was in Japan on business. I've heard he practically had to force her to come back to Hong Kong with him."

Baffled, I say, "Your grandfather was once the boss of the Ice Dragons', your parents met in Japan and your mother is Japanese..."

"That's what I've heard from my relatives." He says. "When I was little, my dad broke off from the Ice Dragons and disappeared. After that, my mother left me and went back home to Japan. I have a hunch that she couldn't take the hate from my father's many mistresses." Soryu pauses, I tense up at his words. "I haven't seen her since." Frowning, he looks at me. "Didn't you know this already?"

"No... I didn't." Soryu searches my eyes as I speak, looking for something he probably won't find anymore. "I'm sorry." It comes out as a whisper and he looks down to his hands. I don't know if I'm apologizing about his parents or me not remembering or both.

"Don't apologize. It's... It's not your fault." I left wondering to which one he doesn't want me to apologize for. He then continues, "So basically my grandfather raised me. When he was the boss... he never prayed on ordinary people, but now..." He trails off and frowns slightly.

"You want to bring the gang back to what it used to be?" I unknowingly finish for him, the words flowing out naturally as if I knew this already. Soryu slow turns his head to look at me, understanding my words.