The Light of my Life

Tamotsu had calmed down enough to go over Illyana's schedule. He was seated in the bench inside of his workshop, Illyana and Liu making an evening snack. He looked up, noticing his boss was calling him. He brushed his thumb along the edge of his phone in contemplation. The ring was silent since he was actively using the device. His mind wandered through his thoughts. He knew if he hung up Helel would just bitch him out. If he left it to ring, there'd would be no one that would ever believe he missed a call or wasn't near his phone. 

Cursing under his breath Tamotsu would reluctantly answer the call.  He put the phone to his ear, not bothering to mask his exhaustion.

"Helel, it's ten at night." He did wonder why the man was calling him so late. "I'm sure you know I had to take Illyana to my home because it seems people have forgotten the meaning of privacy." He didn't bother disguising his disgust. 

On the other end of the line, the man would cough into his hand. He knew there was no excusing it, but there was little he could do to prevent it.

"Yes, well I have something personal to discuss with you, so you have a moment?"

Tamotsu looked out of the room, noticing Illyana was around the corner, motioning her hand to check if he was alright. He smiled softly, pointing to the phone. He made sure to move his hand, to non-verbally communicate he would be a bit, his mouth mirroring words associated with his movements: 'It may be a while.'

Illyana apologetically frowned, 'Oh, sorry.'

Goodness knew what her father wanted to talk about. 

He raised his brows, moving his mouth: 'Your father.'

Illyana winced and pointed away, she would leave him to it.

In Helel's office he would look up across his desk where Chishi stood with a number of folders in her arms.  He held out his hand expectantly. Nodding, the woman handed over the required folder. It was inches thick. He took the offered material and set it on his desk, leafing through the papers. 

"Tamotsu, you used to work for Dynamis, correct?"

"Yes, I interned with them." He replied nearly instantly. 

"Well--" He had not expected the man to respond without hesitation.  "I was looking through everyone's background for inconsistencies due to our recent issues with leaks and you had some things I wanted to discuss with you, if you don't mind?"

Retrieving his pocket watch the strict manager checked the time. "I have ten minutes. I need to make Illyana's evening tea." 

"Alright." He tried not to become exasperated with Tamotsu's personality. "Tell me Tamotsu, it says you had suddenly been released from that internship when you turned twenty?"

The manager would occupy himself with the last project he worked on, which appeared to be a small wooden model of a magical girl in a full, extravagant costume. He had been wanting to paint it, but the unexpected visitation threw his bachelor plans off.

While Helel attempted to interrogate Tamotsu, Illyana and Liu sat in the sitting room playing the home game console. They would sit side by side, controllers at hand. 

"I still feel really bad for making that kind of assumption." Illyana wasted so much time. 

She could have been chasing him. But... no one else knew the truth yet! Could she go ahead and take advantage of this opportunity? 

"It isn't a problem, Lilytan!" Liu laughed. "As I said, an honest mistake! Besides, the misunderstanding has been cleared!" 

She was glad for that, but she wanted more. "Liu, you said Tamotsu had difficulty with women, so does that mean he's never had a girlfriend?"

Liu shook his head. "He never lets anyone get close to him. He often spends his free time in his hobby room and doesn't go out. Why do you ask?"

Silence followed the question. She shook her head. "I was interested in his hobby..." She lied. 

"Oh! I will talk to grandfather! He was the one who got Tamotan his starter kit!"

"That sounds great!" Maybe she could get closer to him. 

Back in Tamotsu's hobby room he was becoming distant, Helel's insistent prodding was getting on his nerves. 

Tamotsu sat back, slamming his paintbrush on the table. "Can you get to the point? I’d rather not waste time trying to guess what you're trying to get at."

Helel sighed, relaxing in his seat. "Very well. Tell me Tamotsu: you haven't done any illegal trading? We've noticed a link with the information leaks, as if they have a heads up on our activity, as if they had inside information."

Sighing Tamotsu leaned back, hooking his feet on the stool. 

"No." He answered flatly. "I don't have time for a rich man's hobby. Between Illyana and my home life, insider trading would take far too much attention. Was that all? I have a strict schedule to keep."

"Of course." After hearing Tamotsu's side hung up he would place his phone back on the receiver. 

The patriarch glanced over to Chishi. "Prepare the car, I will go meet with my wife now." Chishi bowed and would leave the room. 

Despite believing Tamotsu's words, something didn't sit right with the lord. He was hiding something. His wife had brought up a good point. 

What if Tamotsu was actually related to Hayashi?

He had done some investigating into the Dynamis portfolio and noticed the connections the Hayashi family had as a subcontractor for a number of their international investments. 

When his cell phone rang, he would retrieve it from his jacket's inner pocket. Flipping it open he'd place it over his ear in a smooth motion.  

"Yes?" He moved to stand, collecting his bag and moved to leave his office for the night.

He listened to the individual on the other end as he locked the door. 

"Oh?" His interest was piqued. "So in all technicality he doesn't exist? Good, get all of it. Deliver it to me by morning." 

On the other end of the phone was a frail looking man, who stood at about 170cm with thinning hair and a tanuki-like expression marring his otherwise unremarkable features. 

He was leaving an office building, making sure to follow small groups of workers on his way to the elevator. He would blend into the crowd relatively easily. As they got off at the lobby, their excitable chatter was more audible in the echoing lobby, plans to take the newbie out drinking. Once outside the plain looking business man turned left as the group turned right. Under his arm he seemed to be carrying a bag thick with paper reports. He made his way down the busy streets of Tokyo to a quiet parking lot where he had parked his car. It was late in the evening so many of the streetlights had been turned up, this particular lot a bit out of the main hustle of the busier streets. 

While rifling through his jacket for his keys a sudden chill ran down his spine. He felt as if he was being watched. His keys clicked into the door, the man hurrying into the confines of his vehicle. The feeling of relief washed over him when he was enclosed in the safety of his vehicle. Locking his doors he'd quickly toss the bag to the passenger side and start the car.

~vrooooonnn~

Adjusting his rear view mirror his eyes would fall upon the visage of an unknown individual in his backseat. His eyes widened. 

"What are you--!?"

~pop~

A silencer pressed to his forehead and the unknown assailant pulled the trigger, quickly becoming an assassin. When the office worker slumped to the side, the figure reached to the front of the stray and grabbed the bag. 

The car was left idling in the lot until morning. He wasn't found until midday when a concerned passerby had found him. 

Helel waited all morning for his contact. The morning soon became the afternoon. He tried sending messages and calls, but received no response. It wasn't until about one in the afternoon that a message was sent to him from an unknown number. It was a picture of his contact being extracted from his car by emergency services. 

"Lili, I need to go." Helel stood from a couch. 

A woman in red lounged on the comfortable seat sucked her teeth in annoyance. "Don't call me that." It was the same pet name that man used for her daughter. "Are you finally going to replace him? I want her to spend more time with the one I arranged for her. She needs to stop playing around and have a family already.

"... not yet dear, but--"

"You already have evidence he applied under false pretenses and his possible connection with the Yakuza."

"Nothing concrete." He pressed.

"She's my daughter. I want her to have a secure future. She's played dress up long enough. This is reality." It didn't seem the madam was going to change her mind, but little could deter Lilitu when she wanted something.