Partners

Daija walked along the spacious corridor of Shinde Inc.'s executive office. The other yōkai were at their desks, either typing or filing away documents. Some were answering the phones. It almost looked like a normal day in a human office. 

Kyoko, Kuro's secretary, was squinting at the computer screen as they dropped more files in her inbox tray. He could make out the lines on their rostering data entry sheet on her monitor. 

A few meters ahead behind Kyoko is Kuro's private office, tucked away in the corner. Daija could normally port into the office. However, there was a teleportation block earlier when he tried. The large, opaque screen of her office greeted him.

He almost reached the door. Then two moving shadows on the screen drew his attention. The situation did not look right. He hesitated to go forth. 

"Ahhhh," the sound wafted out. "Uuuhhhh....hooooooo."

That sounded like the noise of Kuro panting.

Maybe it is the wrong time for him to turn up.

Daija never cared to interfere in her personal life. Somehow, curiosity got the better of him and drew him nearer to the door.

The noise greatly tempted him to eavesdrop. Screw it. He increased his hearing senses and stood still. 

Kuro would be aware of the sudden movement outside her office, yet she did not seem to bother. 

"Another round?" Arahabaki's husky voice asked. 

Kuro and Arahabaki are inside. Hadn't he already left? Daija had a bad feeling about that god. 

"Oh puhleease, you can't satisfy me like that...," Kuro purred. "Has to be harder and faster."

Daija covered his mouth at the tone she used. Her arousal sounded almost fake. Like how she would always tease him.

"Bitch, you can't take me harder. It will tear you up."

Okay. That was a bit much. The heat was rising to Daija's head. 

A few slaps followed a loud crash. Daija glanced at the screen. Two of the shadows seemed to grab each other. It was not usual for gods to take on human brides to serve them in the past. But yōkai? 

A loud spank. Daija regretted coming by. 

"Try..., that wasn't enough to satisfy me..." he could hear Kuro's challenge loud and clear. 

"I will SATISFY YOUR REQUEST ALRIGHT..."

Another crash. Two of the shadows merged. A hundred and one Shunga illustrations ran through his head. In the Edo period, the male haori, a traditional kimono jacket, used to house those explicit pictures of Shunga, the detailed sexual positions, on the inside. 

"Owww stop. Owwww... You are going too fast," Kuro's groans echoed out. 

A large plop on something cushioned. Daija turned around, slapping his cheek in disbelief. The others did not seem to notice the ruckus. 

"Not so flexible on the sofa ... are you now?" came Kuro's reply. 

He really didn't need to hear about their positions as he moved away. He shook away those images in his head. Powerless against Arahabaki, he can only hope that Kuro knew better.

Arahabaki has shown open hostility towards him by restraining him with his godly powers. For whatever reason, Daija could only guess that it has something to do with his origins.

Yamata-no-Orochi once raised an issue about that. He could not remember what it was except it influenced him to turn away from godhood. 

A thud on her office floor diverted his mind away to the present. 

"OWWWW..." Kuro shouted. "GET OFF ME...YOU BIG..."

"BIG? I SHOW YOU BIG ...YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT!"

Preoccupied by the suggestive exchange going on in her private office, Daija walked straight into a smiling Kyoko, toppling over a few of the folders. Both of them bent down to pick the scattered paper and their folders up.

"Uh... sorry about that. How long, um... have they been at it?" He asked as his hands quickly tidied a wad of document.

"For an hour," she said. 

How could she not notice something unusual? 

Kyoko arranged the paperwork in the folders and straightened them out on the floor before getting up and heading for the dreaded door.

"Hey wait..."

Daija grabbed her wrist before she could walk further down. She looked at his hand, puzzled, and tilted her head.

"What?"

Daija said, "They are busy ... just give them privacy."

Kyoko's eyes widened and her mouth opened to say something. 

Before she could speak, the door opened. A disheveled Kuro greeted them. Her T-shirt and pants were crumpled. Arahabaki was behind, sliding the chains through the belt loops of his jeans on the leather armchair.

"LATE!" she snapped at Kyoko as Arahabaki got up.

Walking towards Daija, he patted him on the shoulder and whispered, "that's a nice fighting partner."

Daija noticed the scratches healing on his arms as Arahabaki swept through his ruffled hair. 

"Daija kinda said..." Kyoko pointed at Daija and continued, "you were busy, umm... he said to give you privacy."

Kuro glared at Daija, who shrunk back.

"The noises...," he blurted out in his defence.

"So you were listening in?" Arahabaki coughed.

Walking towards Daija, he patted him on the shoulder and winked at Kuro who crossed her arms.

"We were only sparring, nothing more." Arahabaki said. "Didn't realise that you are becoming more human than yōkai with that dirty mind of yours."

***

"Are you sure he is not interested in you?" Arahabaki fiddled with the chain belt as he laid back on the sofa, looking at Daija, who shifted intermittently in his seat.

"Daija has been a business partner. Nothing more," I said. "What's your history with him?"

"Oh nothing... I guess that makes us three business partners then," said Arahabaki gave Daija a slap on the back. 

Lies. Both of them are unwilling to tell me anything, but Daija being so skittish also bothered me. 

"Now satisfy my curiosity, this is a front for assassinations using the supernatural. Why are you keen on getting the assignments instead of the high-level jobs which pay out more?" I eyed him with suspicion. 

"My momonofu needs to be fed," he answered. "I don't need the money. My shrines earn enough for me to do whatever I want. And even if I don't, I am sure a few gods will appreciate paying protection money to me..."

This is my only chance to ask him about those momonofu without bringing it in out of the blue. Then again, I felt like offering him money to leave us. Arahabaki stank of trouble. 

"So… what are those momonofu for?" I asked.

"My loyal spirit troops," Arahabaki's lips curved upwards. "The reason why the gods can't get rid of me."

That malevolent smile on his face meant business. He has a strong bloodlust radiating out like the bloody sun. A deliberate action to intimidate. 

How many momonofu does he have at command? Now, that is a very big question.

"They can overrun the heavens on my command," he smirked. "They still need to be fed with human souls or ghosts. Either works." 

Too many of those momonofu. That's why no god wants to provoke Arahabaki.

"You know that Death has a schedule each time an assassination takes place," I pointed out. 

I crossed my fingers. This may make him change his mind.

Arahabaki revealed the white pearly teeth with his biggest smile. "Some gods can add and remove names from his schedule. I am one of those."

Damn. No way of getting rid of him. 

A snap of his finger and a figurine appeared in front of us. It resembled one of the museums' exhibits on Jomon artefacts with closed huge oval eyes, tiny waist and the round armour like torso. 

"The humans equate my momonofu to me, but they don't know those are my servants," he said as he tossed the momonofu figurine at Daija, who promptly caught it.

Lucky them. If only the humans knew how troublesome Arahabaki is, they would bury those figurines and forget about them.

Then its eyes opened, revealing a yellow glow. Daija held it away and grimaced at the grinning Arahabaki.

"Master, your command?" It squeaked.

"Disappear." 

It vanished. 

"They obey anything. If I say kill, it will kill you. If it can't, it will call the rest. Gods, yōkai, ghosts or humans won't hinder my kill order. They will keep trying until they succeed or when I rescind the order." he explained. 

"So…partners?" He nudged Daija, who nodded in obedience. 

"Fine. Partners, and I suppose you want to select?" I laid out the folders, which Kyoko had brought earlier, on the coffee table. 

"Let me have a look..." he grabbed one to look at. "Scumbag... as usual. Okay. Wife wants his lover and him out of the picture."

Arahabaki whistled, "I will take these two."

His hand reached for the next.