Alinea

Suzuki Aki sat behind his huge oak desk, his hands and eyes worked nonstop from studying the revised version of the proposal that Kazehaya Gin asked him to change.

Before continuing to drink with Koutaishidenka and Kazehaya last night, he had the insight to excuse himself for a bit to give Asou a call, and she immediately came back to work with the selected team to do the revision.

It was a great call.

As soon as he arrived from work, the haggard looking Asou and his team handed him the finished product, and so he was now checking everything before giving Kazehaya a call.

Asou and the rest stood in front of him, waiting with breaths held as he scanned page by page. As soon as he finished, his secretary bit her lower lip in nervousness.

"How is it boss?"

Aki was silent for a while, as he scanned the pages one last time, and finally closed the doc.u.ments and nodded. "This is good," he said, and everyone finally sighed in relief.

Picking up his phone, he did a funny face as he searched for Kazehaya's number that made his subordinates smile. It was always like this. Even if Suzuki Aki was strict, he had moments when he made everyone feel at ease by doing something funny.

"Boss, are you sure Kazehaya Shacho will accept this without setting an appointment for a presentation?"Asou asked worriedly. It was never heard of in business to skip the formalities and just submit it.

"I'm sure. Your boss went through some hardsh.i.p.s for this you know?"Aki countered lightheartedly. He wouldn't tell them he chugged down around thirty to forty flasks of high grade sake with Homura's CEO last night though.

At last, the phone rang, and almost immediately Kazehaya Gin picked up, and he explained the situation.

"Really? Then have one of your people come to Homura and send me the files. I will tell my secretary to expect someone from your side,"Kazehaya said over the phone. He thanked him and waited for the other to end the call as was polite.

Right after the call, Aki tasked one of his other trusted men to bring the proposal to Homura International.

"Okay, you guys, go and have lunch – my treat. Asou take charge,"Aki told his secretary, and there were cheers among his team. "Also, you may all take the rest of the day off as you pulled an all-nighter working on the project."

Another round of cheers filled his room as he signaled for his people to get out.

As soon as they did however, Asou popped back in his room. "Shacho?" she called, and when Aki lifted his head, he was surprised to see his sister by the doorway.

"Ara-chan's here,"Asou said and Aki nodded.

"Okay,"Aki answered with a smile. "Asou go get lunch with the others," he ordered his secretary out as he signaled for Ara to come in.

"Ara-chan I thought you have classes in the afternoon. Why are you here?" Aki asked, and then frowned upon noticing her serious expression.

"Did something happen? Were you bullied again?"

"Of course not,"Ara shook her head. Her silver-grey eyes intensely zeroed on her brother. "Apparently I'm the one who's bullying someone again."

Hearing this, the frown on Aki's face turned into an ugly scowl. "What nonsense. Who came up with that rumor?"

Ara shrugged as she crossed the room and plopped on the chair opposite her brother. "I don't know oniichan. Something happened to Koharu and they're all saying I did it because it was exposed that she's the one who caused the misunderstanding about me. They said I was teaching her a lesson."

"Well, if that's the case then just ignore it." Aki turned his attention back on his laptop as if there was something important there.

He didn't want to discuss the girl with Ara because his sister treated that bitch as a friend.

"Are you telling me to ignore my friend?"Ara asked, her tone of voice low, and Aki impatiently looked at her again.

"Yes," Aki answered plainly. "Let her get her just desserts. After she painted you as a promiscuous, ill-mannered wench in all of your school for years, she deserved whatever's happening to her and her family."

"Oh? Tell me oniichan, what's happening to her and her family. I didn't mention anything about her family but you seem to know a lot,"Ara prompted, and Aki finally realized he messed up.

Damn it!

Suzuki Aki was quiet for a while, his eyes focused on his sister who boldly returned his gaze with fire in them. He knew that look. If he didn't clear this thing up, she would never let him off – not to mention her wild temper would flare up again. The doctor specifically told him not to stress her.

Technically, he was not the one who ordered to oppress Okada's entire family. But it didn't mean that Aki disapproved. The anger he felt wouldn't just be abated unless he saw all those who harmed his sister suffering in the pits of hell.

"Ara, it's best if you stop asking me things about this issue," he told her softly. He was obviously upset because he didn't use the suffix "chan" with her name.

"Why not?"

Aki sighed heavily. He didn't want Ara to know that the best friend she had been taking care of was the one who caused her to nearly die.

Ara however was like a dog with a bone. "You destroyed her family because she bullied your sister. Great," she nodded in mock understanding.

"Maybe you should destroy all my classmates' families too? Weren't they guilty as well?"

"Ara stop."

"Ah and the girl in my class yesterday even sent a message to her friends to drag me to the toilet to teach me a lesson. The teacher caught her so she got scolded but hey, she would've done it if she hadn't right? Destroy her too."

"Ara stop. It's not the same thing," Aki growled, his patience getting thin.

"Why not? Bullying is bullying regardless of form isn't it?" Ara scoffed again, and this time, the brother couldn't take it anymore.

"BECAUSE THAT GIRL NEARLY KILLED YOU!" Aki yelled. "That bitch ruined you and nearly got you killed. She's already lucky I'm not the one who's handling her matter personally so she's still alive!"

Silence hung between them after that outburst. Ara was mystified.

"Oniichan…You knew…"

Aki felt a stab in his heart. He was not planning to let her know so she wouldn't get hurt again but –

He stared at her with wild eyes, alarmed at her choice of words. "Ara what do you mean I knew?"

If she's saying that then it could only mean one thing. "Oh God…."

He couldn't believe it. But with Ara's reaction or lack thereof told him one thing. "You knew Okada messed with your car and had the attempt covered up?"

Ara neither acknowledged in words nor in action. She just sat there staring at him with bleak eyes.

She knew.

"Oniichan stop it. Leave her family alone."

Aki was aghast. "What are you saying? You already know she tried to kill you – KILL YOU. Why are you still saying things like that?"

He couldn't understand why his sister was being so unreasonable.

"Forget about that bitch. She deserved all that she's suffering now. You got your revenge."

With his words, Ara's pupils seemed to constrict, and icy aura enveloped her that even Aki felt a bit suppressed.

"I got my revenge?" she scoffed. "Tell me oniichan, was it really for my sake or yours?"

"What are you talking about?" Aki was seriously confused why Ara was not angry with that girl after what she did. Shouldn't she be happy that they're suffering now?

"Because oniichan, you're angrier than I am,"Ara told him matter-of-factly. "Isn't that weird?"

"OF COURSE IT IS WEIRD BUT NOT BECAUSE I'M ANGRY BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT!"

Aki huffed. His face was flushed with total anger and bewilderment.

"Sit down,"Ara ordered suddenly, and Aki didn't know why he followed. He's the older sibling right? Why was she giving the orders?

"Oniichan…"Ara called after a while. "Did you know? It's not the first time I nearly died," she confessed, and Aki felt ice in his c.h.e.s.t.

"W-what?" Aki was shocked. "Did that girl do it too?"

"No." Ara shook her head. "It was me. I nearly killed myself…"