Chapter 5: Idea

"The party that took our father's life." Akiko muttered. 

"What do you mean?" Daiki asked.  He watched as her eyes focused on a spot in the distance while her mother wiped her tears away with a handkerchief. 

"A few years ago, my father was killed at a party that was hosted to celebrate his company's success." Her voice wavered slightly as she talked about their father. "We held an enormous party after my father found out our company was on the Fortune 50 list for the first time. My sister was eighteen and I was twelve; everything went smoothly, unfortunately..." She trailed off, and tears began to fall. Her mother pulled her into another hug and rubbed small circles on her back while she was sobbing softly. 

"He was poisoned." Her voice quivered even more. "We found the person who did it, but that incident traumatized my sister." The tears continued streaming down her face, and the sobs came much stronger now.

"I'm so sorry." The words slipped from Daiki's lips almost automatically. A part of him understood the pain of losing someone close. 

"My sister started having nightmares after that night, and after becoming the CEO, she never agreed to host any party to celebrate our family's successes ever again." Akiko sighed heavily and sniffled loudly.

"Well, it's a reaction to trauma." Daiki offered.  He wasn't sure what else he could say.

"I want to host a party to celebrate her recent success," Akiko suddenly blurted out and looked up. 

"What?"  Her mother looked at her daughter with wide eyes, as if expecting her to have lost her mind, but then her expression changed when she realized why her daughter would suggest something like this.

She put a comforting hand over Akiko's. "Let's not do that, sweetie. Narumi won't like that idea." 

"But mom," she said, shaking her head rapidly with pleading eyes. "I want to do this, and I need your help, Daiki."

"Wait what?!"  Daiki sputtered in surprise. What kind?"

Akiko turned around and nodded fervently. "Of course you! Aren't you her personal assistant?" 

"Yes, but...but..." he stammered.

"Why do you want to put the poor man in trouble, dear? He just started work today," her mother said.

"I know that, Mom, but he can help me convince her." Her voice lowered to almost a whisper. "This is important."

Her mother looked at the two of them and sighed deeply. She seemed to weigh the pros and cons in her mind before nodding. "Narumi won't agree to this but..." Her voice faded out, and she bit her lower lip uncertainly. 

Akiko looked up and smiled gently at her mother. She squeezed her hand tightly. "Well, we have to try harder in order to convince her!" She insisted, determination clear on her face.

Yuki smiled, but deep down she didn't really think Akiko had a chance to convince her elder sister.

"Akiko, you have said a lot, but I don't understand how I'm supposed to help you out." Daiki asked helplessly. The whole situation completely baffled him.

"Your job is to support my point when I bring it up at dinner tonight." Akiko stated plainly.

He gaped at her for a second before shaking his head vigorously. "No. No, no. Absolutely not!"

"Oh, come on. She won't fire you because of that," Akiko said in amusement.

"But..." Daiki struggled to find the right words. 

"It's decided." Akiko declared and grabbed both of his hands in hers.

"Ugh. Fine," he groaned in defeat. "But if this goes badly, I'm going to blame you."

"Daijōbu."  Akiko smirked widely and let go of him.

He groaned inwardly but smiled brightly at her in response. He knew that Akiko wouldn't let anything bad happen, and besides; she is Narumi's little sister, so she would listen to her.

"Dinner will be served in five minutes, so the two of you should get going." Yuki muttered.  "Especially you, Daiki, the ice queen CEO is my daughter, so she can't fire me, but in your case, she has plenty of other options."

Daiki felt a shiver run down his spine at the threat hanging in the air. 

"I know that, ma'am." He replied quietly.

"Good," Yuki said with one last smile before leaving the room.

"Come on." Akiko tugged on his arm and led him downstairs to the dining room. 

It was a spacious room. A long table made of wood stood in the center, with chairs around it. There were several different kinds of food laid out in the middle of it: - chicken cutlets, steak, salmon, pasta, and many side dishes. 

Daiki blinked twice. He had never seen such luxuriousness before in his life. 

"I'm glad you are keeping to the rules." Narumi said as soon as she appeared behind them.

"Yes, ma'am." Daiki swallowed hard and tried to ignore the way she kept looking at him. 

"Enough of this, sis." Akiko rolled her eyes fondly as she wrapped an arm around her elder sister's waist. "Let's eat."

Narumi glared at Akiko with narrowed eyes for a second and sighed deeply, relenting and allowing herself to lean against her sister's shoulder. "Very well."

She looked at Daiki and motioned towards the empty seats around the table. "Sit down and join us." 

"Yes, ma'am."  He muttered before sitting on a seat. Narumi sat down on the chair on his left while Akiko sat next to her.

"Where is mom?" Akiko asked.

"I'm here."  Yuki's voice called from the entryway, "I'm sorry for being a minute late." 

"That's alright, mom." Akiko responded. "Let's eat." 

They began eating the meal silently, and Daiki tried his best to avoid staring at Narumi.

He was very aware of how uncomfortable he was sitting next to his boss. Her sharp gaze was focused entirely on him, even though the meal was going perfectly.

Finally, Akiko cleared her throat, attracting everyone's attention.

"Sis, can I ask you something?" Her tone was polite but firm.

"Certainly dear."  Narumi answered easily.

"I want to host a.."

"No." Narumi stopped her immediately.

"Whaaat!?" Akiko's eyes widened in shock.

"I said no. Do you want to hear it in Japanese?" Narumi snorted.

"I'm trying to host something to celebrate your achievement." Akiko frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. 

"There's nothing to celebrate about this." Her older sister huffed. 

"Excuse me?" Akiko asked angrily. "You became a billionaire, and you are saying there's nothing to celebrate." 

"Yes," Narumi snapped, looking directly at her. 

"Daiki, please reason with your boss." Akiko pleaded weakly.

Daiki opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, so he closed his mouth quickly.

"Narumi, your younger sister has a point." Yuki spoke up.

"You can't keep on living in the past. Dad's death affected all of us, but why do you have to behave like a spoiled brat about it?" she scolded.

"Do not talk to me in that manner, woman." Narumi growled.  "Sit down and eat your food." 

"I'm not hungry." Akiko grumbled and got up abruptly, storming out of the room.

Once Akiko had left, Yuki sighed and rubbed her forehead. Another argument, and she was unable to say anything. 

'How pathetic,' she thought.