1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 9

Yazumi Kai had been announced as the Kei-Shiragata's representative, thus overstepping his own Uncle's authority, and stirring up the tangled allegiance within their New York faction.

Leon had listened to the news in his office as Mickey regaled to him how bands of Ichiro's own under-bosses had trooped to the Excelsior to pay respects to their new boss.

But Yazumi Ichiro still held too much power.

The Yazumi's had let this sore fester for too long, and some whispered about how Yazumi Kojuro was growing soft for allowing familial ties to affect his decision on his older brother's punishment. Sending Ichiro to do penance in New York had been a mere slap on the wrist.

Leon could only hope that with Kai in New York, things within the Kei-Shiragata would stabilise.

He drew a map of the vicinity over to himself. In one of the meeting rooms within the warehouse, a negotiation was taking place. For the past few days, he and the Kei-Shiragata had been redrawing boundaries as per the contract they had signed.

One of those present in Kai's party was the blue-haired boy. He wondered how the boy felt about his girlfriend being the wife of someone else. He must have hated him.

Leon was putting as much distance as he could between them. He didn't want to have any interactions with the boy, for try as he might, he couldn't forget the comfortable manner in which he and Hana had enjoyed each other's company. It discomfited him to know that she could be so carefree with someone else.

'You've got dinner with Hana at six,' Val murmured under his breath as he leant over to him.

His hand went still. He had almost forgotten.

Hana had suggested that they listen to an orchestra and he had went along with it for the sole purpose of getting close to her. It was a better idea than having Mickey tail her and update him every minute about her dates, her friends and her quirks.

Leon could only tolerate so much.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the blue-haired boy casting them a glance.

~

Hana waited anxiously at the foot of their apartment complex, watching out for his car. She had forgotten what it looked like after that one date they had at the beach and so she was counting on him to spot her.

Since they were attending a concert after dinner, she had put on her pearl necklace. It was a wedding gift from the Federov's, and as uncomfortable as she was about the whole deal they had signed, she had to admit that they were generous. Each luminescent pearl, eighteen of them in total, was strung on a black ribbon tied at the back of her neck. She fingered the pearls as she glanced about the street.

Her wedding ring glinted back at her. It still felt odd to see it on her finger. She spun it around distractedly, hoping that Leon hadn't forgotten about tonight.

She had been of two minds about asking him out. She would have invited Osuke, but she was married to Leon now, and she knew they had an appearance to maintain. Besides, Leon listened to classical music whenever he worked in his study, so she was sure he would enjoy himself.

Then a black car drove up to her and the passenger-side window slid down.

She stepped forward in her black heels and slipped into the car, carefully arranging the pleated-skirt of her maroon dress over her legs.

'Waited long?' he asked.

'Not long,' she said. She had actually waited for a while. Her toes were starting to ache but she didn't like to say it. 'Where are we going?'