"Aoi?"
"Hm?"
"I will do it"
She blinked rapidly and turned to look at Kei who had a resolute look upon his face.
"Hey, are you sure about this?" Aoi asked.
"Yeah, let's take...this human trafficking...channel..down, once and...for all" Kei replied.
Aoi turned to look at sky "It's more complicated than you think" she sighed "It's not just Ian Strauss or Lian Strauss at stake...it's a system that has been there probably before even we both were born....it has wide roots, the Himari estate or Kirihara estate alone isn't going to be enough to take it down.."
Kei looked at her with a disheartened look "then what...do we do?"
"We can't take the whole system down but we can save a few, maybe enough to spark a revolution amongst others" She replied "What we need right now is public support and as many people willing to aid us as we can, or else we'll have the same ending as Raina Strauss and Clara Hughes"
Kei did understand the gravity of the situation but he hated feeling this helpless " Aoi...let's...not aim for...a few...let's aim for...whole.."
"Kei its-" She turned to look at his face and became quiet.
She realized she had no right to say this to a person who's finally picking up his pieces which seemed impossible at one point...
A smile appeared on her face.
"Let's aim for the whole huh" She reassured his resolution.
A tint of brightness appeared upon his face.
"Did you...find...what Clara Hughes...and Raina...Strauss...hid...?" Kei asked.
"About that-" She leaned closer and whispered something in Kei's ear.
"WHAT!" He almost said loudly.
"Yeah" She replied.
"So basically...we have nothing..?" Kei looked down.
"It's not nothing though" Aoi had a smirk on her face.
"What are...you ...upto" Kei could feel that she obviously had something.
"It's not as if things weren't there to begin with, whatever was hidden by Raina Strauss has been taken by someone" Aoi replied.
"Was...it Mr. Strauss..." Kei became nervous.
"No, he definitely has no idea something like that exists there, Mari confirmed, someone else took it, someone who was familiar about the whole thing" Aoi said.
Kei felt confused "Who do you....think it... is?"
"Not sure but we obviously need that person on our side, if they knew enough to take care of the evidence,they know more than we think" Aoi said.
"Why...do you...think..that?" Kei asked.
"Because Kei, this person has nothing to do with Mr. Strauss, so taking the evidence definitely has a reason,which means they know something about the evidence that we don't" She replied.
"I don't...understand...but what..makes you...so sure...there is...any" Kei asked.
"Ah, that's another something I haven't told you" She held upon the grill of the balcony and leaned backwards.
"Hmm..?" Kei tilted his head.
"See, recently I've been feeling as if I'm being watched constantly and then there's the fact that the caretaker of the grave told me that a person frequently visits the grave of Clara Hughes, not to mention, they stopped coming a few days before I went there" She told.
"That's...odd..." Kei mumbled "How..will you...find that..person.." He asked.
Aoi sighed and looked down with somewhat of a confused expression.
"I don't know, I believe they will only show up at their own will"
"Have you...tried...asking..Ian Strauss...?" Kei asked.
"Should I?" She asked back "I kind of have a feeling, he doesn't know a lot about his own self"
"Try..." Kei slowly placed a hand upon hers.
"Okay, if you say so" She smiled at him.
The two stood quietly,looking out of the balcony for a while before Aoi spoke up again.
"Kei, about Akio san.." She began.
"Hm?" Kei looked at her.
"Sorry about what Natsuro did, you know him, you didn't mind did you?" Aoi said.
Kei almost broke into a little laughter whilst covering his mouth "I'm..not..but..Akio san...is"
"Ah thought so, no matter how hard Akio san looks on the exterior,he's actually quite sensitive" She sighed.
"He'll...be fine..." Kei reassured
"I know but it's been forever now, he's not coming out of our room, Natsu's trying his best to apologize though, he's been sitting outside the door and talking for a while now, do something" Aoi said.
"What...can I do...?" Kei asked.
"I don't know, go help him take out his anger so he can calm down or something?" She shrugged.
"Aoi..?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you...throwing...me...in...as..a bait..?"
"Damn, you figured?"
"So...you'll sacrifice...me...for....Natsu?"
"Totally"
"..what..?"
"What?"
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Dad, please!"
Ah, damn come on forgive me already!
"At least say something, I've been talking for forever now and besides I already apologized!"
I shouldn't have messed this up, don't I already know dad? Once he gets sulking, nothing can sway it away.
"Dad, I didn't mean that you are specifically a pervert, I mean aren't we all?"
"Natsuro, shutup" He finally responded. He finally did! Damn I mean, it's not a good response exactly but let's stay positive on this one.
"Okay, you know what! I called you a pervert, you can call me that too, we'll be even!"
Fair deal ain't it?
"Pervert"
The voice made me turn back and almost squeeze my ear in, since she'd whispered it close to my ear.
"I did not ask you to say that, crazy woman!" I turned to her.
"Akio san....open the...door..please..." Kei san joined in
In a few minutes,the door knob turned and dad peaked through a little creak.
Huh?! I've been trying for almost 20 minutes now! And this guy said it only once and-
I'm pissed!!!!!!
"He...did..not..do it...on purpose...please...forgive him..." Kei san almost said it so shyly one would think he's asking someone out.
"If you say so" Dad replied with a gentle look on his face, as if he'd been melted by that innocence.
HUHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!
What is this behavior, dad!
And what's with Kei san acting like a newly wed bride on her first night!
Gosh he's making me embarrassed with all that cringy shyness, like dude, man up and grab dad by the jaws and tell him to forgive me whilst looking into his eyes and-
Damn wait, my imagination is going in the wrong direction.
"Natsu?"
A hand grabbing my face by the jaw distracted me and she stared right into my eyes.
Damn she's manly....
wait..WHAT?!
"You're creeping them out by staring at them with a weird face" She said and I realized I'd been staring at them whilst working all that imagination.
"Ah, sorry.." I spoke in realization.
"Akio san, congratulations for the addition to the family" She said to dad.
"Thanks, because that's how you properly congratulate someone"
Dad said sarcastically giving me a cold shoulder.
This is obviously pointed at me isn't it?
"DAAAAD" I went all clingy mode and stuck myself to his arm "Come on just, forgive me already! I was just surprised, I mean who would have thought one would do those things at this age, I mean I can't imagine doing anything after I cross 30s, after that I'll just spend my life being old and enjoying nature-"
Out of nowhere Aoi just put an arm lock around my neck and pulled me away.
"I'M SORRY, I'LL DISCIPLINE HIM PROPERLY!" She said doing a dramatical bow with her neck.
Huh? What's wrong with her?
What is this hostile aura that I feel? Damn these pheromones, I think I'm getting too sensitive to them-
I was only thinking that when I turned my head to look at dad, whose head was bent for some reason and his fists were clenched up.
"A..Akio...san...?" Kei san said in a more shivering tone than usual.
Dad's head was still bent when he whispered.
"Are you saying that I'm too old?"
Uh-Oh
-----------------------------------------------------------
"I'll be taking him"
A moment of silent challenging glares was exchanged between the two.
On one side was Mari and on the other was Mr. Strauss, both refusing to give in to one another.
Ian Strauss was to get discharged today.
"It doesn't make sense for Ms. Kirihara to keep a guy away from his home for no reason, besides he needs to come back, since you know, his younger brother is 'missing'"
Mr. Strauss spoke sarcastically.
From his tone it was evident that he knew Lian Strauss was hidden by Kirihara Mari but he didn't want to ruin his professionalism by directly calling her out on this.
Moreover, Aoi had almost involved the cops last time and no matter what,the Strauss family hated being engaged with cops, so he had been holding back a lot and now the anger was all over his face.
On the hand Mari knew well, if she'd hand over Ian right now, he'll be engaged into business deals right away and his body was still not capable of handling any of it.
Mr. Strauss was definitely trying to take Ian Strauss as a hostage to exchange with Lian.
"Mr. Strauss is forgetting our deal, besides it's been a while since I've had a taste of the merchandize, I don't know, I might lose interest if I'm unable to take him for a run after holding back this long for his recovery" Mari said.
"If that's all you want, then a day should be enough" Mr. Strauss spoke with a smirk.
"A day? I've been going back and forth for this damaged merchandize for weeks now, I think I deserve to have a go at him for a week at least" She folded her arms resolutely.
"A week huh.." Mr. Strauss reiterated
"A week it is then..in a week Ill come by to retrieve him"
He said after thinking up something.
"Well then, nice doing business with you Ms. Kirihara" he said pulling a fake smile which faded away into a frown once he turned his back towards her.
"He's gone" Mari mumbled and Ian who was pretending to be asleep the whole time opened his eyes, his fists were all curled up at his sides and he turned his head away.
It was probably because his eyes were closed tightly for a long time,that tears flowed out once he opened them..though there was also a visible frown upon his forehead.
Mari reached her hand to wipe them but Ian slapped it away instead.
"Sorry but the merchandize needs some time alone, I hope it doesn't make you lose interest in it" He said sarcastically.
"Ian Strauss, I already told you, I'm not kind, I will do what needs to be done" She said with a blank face.
He knew well that she did it because the situation demanded it but it still hurt a lot.
"Just leave me alone.." He whispered having a hard time controlling his cracking voice.
"I'll be outside, tell me when you're ready to leave" She said dryly and walked out closing the door whilst standing against it with her shoulder and ear pressed into to the door as the side of her head rested against it.
Ian Strauss had an emotional breakdown, it was even hard for him to muffle his voice properly, she stood by silently at the door hearing him.
For some reason in a long while, she had this weird congestion in her chest , she placed her hand upon her chest taking deep breaths, it was as if something had been stuck in her chest and even a mere breath felt like something within her would break.
What was this foreign feeling that she couldn't understand but yet it felt familiar ?
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Why am I like this?!"
Ah, this is really annoying! I managed to piss dad off two times in a row!
"You really need to start thinking before you speak" The annoying woman said whilst changing into her night suit.
"AHHHHH" I buried my face in a pillow before screaming.
"Careful, you might wake Lian up" She hushed me.
"Aoi?" I called her out, she was still applying her night cream so she barely looked back at me.
"Hm?" She hummed whilst massaging her forehead and cheeks.
"Punish me" I whispered jokingly to tease her since she wasn't paying attention to me and she almost dropped all the things before her on the dressing table and immediately started picking them up.
I mean is the night cream more important than me?
"Seriously, you-" She looked back at me and her expression changed, a while ago, she looked as if she'd panicked but now her brow twitched upon her poker face, she looked somewhat annoyed.
"What's with that face?" I asked her and she came towards me, sitting down next to me.
"You do know I'm holding myself back because of your situation right? You really need to learn what not to say at the wrong time" She mumbled.
Eh..did I just turn a weird switch on?
"Go and stand facing the corner" She said as her gaze turned into a bit of a glare.
"Huh, why?" I asked.
"Now!" She said so suddenly, that it almost scared me.
"Alright, jeez, why are you yelling!" I got up, damn what's up with her.
Stand in the corner huh..
What am I a kid, is this a timeout?
Why am I even complying? I thought while standing in the corner of the room, facing the wall.
While she was doing something in the closet.
"Perfect" She mumbled and I turned to look at her.
What the...
My face heated up and I felt myself remembering something quite familiar.
She had a flat rubber slipper in her hand.
"What are...you...going to do with that?" I asked clearing my throat twice.
"What do you think?" She asked
"Come to think of it, I did something like this before too, didn't I? But I wasn't really mad at you at that time though.."
"Are you mad at me right now?" I asked fiddling with my fingers.
"I am" She said with a straight voice whilst sliding the flat edge of the slipper against my butt.
She rubbed her hand all over my buttocks, which had grown a bit bigger recently.
Why am I not even struggling? This is super embarrassing!
She lifted the slipper in the air and I closed my eyes in anticipation but she kinda hit lighter than I thought she would.
Uh- got me excited for nothing, pathetic.
Wait exci- What?!
"You look disappointed" She said with a smirk and I looked away.
"Disappointed? What are you even imagining, this is just me going along with you, I'm not into this at all!" I said rolling my eyes.
"Ofcourse you aren't" She turned me back facing the wall and this time smacked the slipper harder against my buttock, almost making me press my arms into the wall.
She raised it up again but didn't strike it for some reason, I peaked back from the corner of my eyes.
"For someone who isn't into this thing, you sure are arching your back a lot" She smirked.
My face felt burning as I hid it into the wall, she hit the slipper once again, making chills run up my spine.
Another one almost made me moan but I kept my mouth shut tightly.
Though with the next one I couldn't help it and had to let my voice out.
She looked amused, but I couldn't dare look back at her for too long.
She lowered my shorts, I could already feel the heat seeping out of my skin as the wind hit against my bare skin.
"Aoi-" I whispered.
"You're so excited there all by yourself" She said licking up my ear from the back and kissing at my neck.
It was all bearable until I felt something slide in. It had been a while so even a single finger made me so sensitive that my knees almost buckled.
She showed no mercy and thrust it up making my buckled knees straighten up. I somewhat struggled to move away but there was nothing but the wall in front of me.
"You're making a wonderful face, let me show it to you" She whispered in my ear and pulled me by the arm to the dressing table.
"What are you-" Before I could struggle much ,she took off my shorts for me, helping me out of my lower clothing and unbuttoning a few upper buttons of my shirt. She slid the shirt off my left shoulder and started caressing it all over, I had to place my hands forward on the dresser to keep my balance. My face was pretty much in front of the mirror.
She kissed all over my back moving to the lower back.
"Wait! Don't you even think about-!"
It was too late, she'd already squatted down on her knees at my back and I felt something hot and slippery invade in whilst her face pressed into the soft flesh.
THIS IS SO DAMN-
I couldn't even dare look into the mirror while her tongue made my legs go weak.
"Stop- I can't....I'm...I'm...too close..."
Just when I was about to close in, she retrieved back, leaving me huffing and hanging.
"Why'd you..."
I couldn't say it, I'm just-
Ah it hurts, why'd she stop! I need to...
"This is because you didn't look into the mirror while I told you to" She said, though I could barely listen, I needed release, I was panting so much and my legs were giving in.
I reached my own hands to rub it out but the pressure didn't feel enough, I needed something in the back. Without thinking, I desperately reached both of my hands under the loosely hanging shirt trying to use my fingers when she grabbed my face by the jaw making my eyes widened and my face burn up so hard.
What am I doing...? I was finally made to look at my own face and body in the mirror.
Stop...this is...
I teared up...
"Ah..sorry, was that too mean" She asked letting me loose and for some reason I rushed into her arms sniffling.
"I'm sorry" I whispered, for some reason I couldn't stop crying "what have I become..even though you're mad at me...and I'm being really nasty here.."
"Eh...er, it's okay, I'm not mad actually, believe me" She said "I'm sorry for getting mean" She kissed at my forehead.
"Come here"
She took my arm taking me to the bed and seated me on her lap, parting my legs across her legs.
"You're really not mad?" I asked.
"Hmm, I'm not, so don't feel guilty for enjoying yourself" She said reassuringly and kissed at my shoulder, neck and cheek whilst softly nibbling at my earlobe.
She placed her arm under my chest to keep me in place and slid the fingers of her other hand in, that almost made me lean forward but she pulled me back and started moving them in and out, increasing her pace little by little whilst I held her hand with both my hands, somewhat trying to stop her from moving it too fast, but no use. I couldn't help but bounce in her lap with my toes curled up.
She had her way until I let it out almost twice and just gave in resting back against her chest with my head rested on her shoulder.
If that wasn't enough, she laid me back upon the bed and started it all over, though this time she muffled my voice by making out, invading my mouth with her tongue while her fingers invaded down there. She had me spasming in pleasure all by myself when she pulled them out at my third climax.
I felt weak and worn out, yet I couldn't stop having those random spasms of pleasure even though she had stopped already. She was also breathing hard upon my face, was it because of the making out?
Ah...I need to...damn, the sheets are messed up now...
"I..I'm sleepy.." I whispered to her, before she'd begin an another session. Though isn't this just rude, I've enjoyed myself without making her feel good at all.
"Hey..."
"Yeah?" She asked, still giving me random caresses.
"You can do it while I'm asleep, I don't mind" I told her since I felt guilty.
She almost laughed making me even more embarrassed
"Stop laughing!" I scolded her in embarrassment.
She shook her hand "No, no I'm not laughing at you" She said whilst continuing to give out random cackles
"Actually, I haven't done it in a while so I think I've gotten sensitive too"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
She leaned closer to my ear "I kinda got off just by watching your face" she said shamelessly.
I pushed her face away immediately, damn this woman, isn't she embarrassed to admit something like that! Ugh.
"Besides I'm not sure whether I can do it or not, especially when you are in this state, let's consult a doctor first" She said.
Oh yeah, almost forgot there's a baby.
"Aoi, can unborn babies like hear or see stuff?" I asked out of curiosity.
"You mean hear or see what we just did?" She asked.
Damn tell me they can't cause if they can, WHAT HAVE WE DONE!
"I don't know, can they?" She asked back "Let me try"
She slipped away from me and got off the bed to sit on the floor, I sat up while she sat down between my legs and rested her ear against my stomach.
"What are you doing?" I asked her, though instinctively ended up resting my hands upon her head, playing with her hair.
"Testing the baby" She said and out of nowhere caressed my naval area, somewhat tickling me with her lips.
"Aoi!" I hit her head, this crazy woman! She took me by surprise "This is not your playground!"
"Huh, what do you mean it isn't?" She said with such a straight face that I couldn't help but want to choke the life out of her.
Aaa-
There's something-
"What happened?" She asked looking concerned.
"I don't know, I just felt something..I can't really explain..."
"Felt what?"
"A movement.."
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Are you comfortable?"
"Oh no, you don't need to ask that to a merchandize"
She quietened up once again. There was nothing she could say in response to this.
Though at the same time she rested pillows all around him, so he'd be comfortable.
"I'll be on the couch, wake me up if you need something" Mari told him, holding a pillow up.
"Couch?" Ian asked "Why? There's enough space on the bed.."
"It's fine, sleep comfortably" She said.
"Or is it that you don't want to lay next to a merchandize like me" Ian said.
"Stop behaving like a child" Mari snapped a bit.
"Huh why? Isn't it true? I'm not even attractive to you am I? You don't actually even want to be with me, all this drama that you have to put up with, just for your brother's forgiveness must be tiring huh!" Ian went on.
Mari held her temples rubbing them "You're being unreasonable!"
"Unreasonable?! Oh alright, let's gaslight me on this one, I'm the unreasonable one when you are the one acting disgusted by me!" Ian went on full rambling.
"When did I act- Uh- What's the real thing that's bothering you here huh! Is it really the fact that I treated you like an object or the fact that I am not treating you like one!" She ended up raising her voice too and reached in closer to him since they were both having somewhat of a glaring competition too.
Ian's expression changed and he glared at her whilst whispering under his breath "What do you mean by that?"
She folded her arms and spoke mockingly
"Why do I have to satisfy your own insecurities?"
"Are you mocking me?!" Ian gritted his teeth.
"Why do I have to take responsibility just because you feel like you're dirty?!" She said.
"So you really do find me dirty huh?! You aren't clean yourself either! Don't forget what you did to your own brother!" Ian crossed a line, there was visible effect on Mari's face.
"Alright" Mari's expression changed.
"What alright?" Ian did somewhat regret what he said but he couldn't stand back now.
She grabbed Ian's wrist tightly and made him sit on the bed, being aggressive yet still being careful not to strain his left side too much.
"What are you doing?" He asked in confusion.
Though instead of replying Mari grabbed his face quite harshly and tried to force a kiss upon him to which he bit her lip.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" He yelled at her, whilst she touched her bleeding lip.
"You wanted a proof that I'm not disgusted by you, didn't you? I'm satisfying your insecurities just like you wanted" She asserted.
Though he initially did want to be physically comforted by her but this wasn't how he wanted it, for him, a good hug and an 'it's okay' would have been more than enough, he didn't like being like this at all, actually he hated being treated like this.
"Told you, I am a bad person" Mari said before she took her pillow from the bed with somewhat of a dejected look on her face.
"I'll take the couch"
She said and simply walked over to the couch and set her pillow before laying, whilst facing her back towards Ian.
Ian who was still sitting on the bed had his head bent.
"Sorry-" He whispered though she pretended to be asleep.
Ian became quiet for a while before he hugged his own legs, resting his chin upon his knees before whispering again with a shaky voice as if there was a huge lump in this throat, hindering his speech.
"I know that you did, what you did to save me from my dad and that I'm being ungrateful....I don't know why I'm being unreasonable, I don't understand myself at all...don't know why I felt really hurt, ...I don't know why I'm being miserable like this"
Ian broke down
"I don't know why I'm becoming more and more emotional lately...I don't even know if I can ever get out of this filthy hell hole, I don't want to feel like this but I keep feeling dirty and inferior and insecure, as if I'm some nasty doll you picked up from a gutter and no matter how many times I'm washed up, the stench won't go away-"
He held back from crying, yet his voice was all messed up.
Mari did have her back towards him but she was listening to every word quite attentively.
There it was again, an emotion she didn't understand, stirred up in her again.
"For you...I might even be a substitute for your brother..an atonement for your past...but for me, I really want just one person...only one person that genuinely cares for me without any motive..there was one person who gave me hope like that by caring for me but then I found out, they had someone too and that all they did feel for me was pity, I don't want to be pitied..I want to be the center of the world for someone too...I want someone to pay attention to me without expecting anything in return... I know I'm being ungrateful and a total piece of sh-t, I probably can't even repay you for all the things you have done for me lately but...why do I keep raising my hopes thinking that you actually do care for me and then watch them crumble when you make me realize, this is all an act, that all of this is for your brother and not me-why am I this desperate for attention and affection?! Why am I this low and-"
He wanted to complete it but paused as a hand covered his mouth.
Mari had climbed on the bed all the way towards Ian.
"Actually... it has nothing to do with him..." She spoke hesitantly and held both of his hands in hers.
"that damn Aoi meant exactly this.."
"What are you talking about?" Ian asked.
She cupped his cheeks, caressing his face with her thumbs "Figure it out yourself" she said.
"Huh" Ian was still confused.
"I'll sleep on the bed then" She laid down making herself comfortable.
Ian barely understood what was going on though he settled too.
"Hey...I'm sorry for hurting you.." He said relaxing back whilst hugging a pillow in his arms.
Mari turned to face his side, with her hands rested under her face.
"Next time,use direct words to convey what you want, my guessing game is as bad as yours" She told him.
"You say that, while you are also making me guess what's going on in your mind" Ian gave a little mocking chuckle.
"Lay down, you need rest" Mari said, avoiding what Ian had said.
He laid down as well, facing the ceiling.
"Say, You never finished university right?" Ian asked her out of nowhere.
Mari shook her head.
"I'm about to finish college soon, I want to apply for a good university" Ian told her.
Mari stared at him quite blankly, she didn't quite understand,why'd he tell her that.
Ian gave her a suggestive look, as if he wanted her to give a response to some sort of question.
She stared back at him, raising her brows as if questioning him instead.
The two tried communicating with eyes for a while before Ian just gave in with a huge sigh.
"Ugh, what I'm saying is, do you want to complete your studies? You're still in your twenties, actually you look younger for some reason but basically, it's not too late" Ian went ahead and said it.
Mari became quiet, her facial expression became dull again.
"There's no hurry, I mean take your time and think about it" Ian tried to settle her since she didn't look very pleased at the proposition.
"Oh by the way" He tried to move her attention away from the topic.
"Why'd you tell dad to wait for a week? Do you have a plan in mind?"
He asked and she nodded.
"I just need time to make some adjustments, everything will be in motion by the end of the week" She spoke with a reassuring tone.
"Why? What do you plan to do by the end of the week?"
"I plan to marry you"