Dragon x Tiger

“Congratulations, you two.” Takeshi’s gravelly voice announced, his eyes narrowing on Hayami before shifting to Oto. “May you both find happiness until death do you part.”

Hayami reached down, beginning to squeeze Oto’s hand on her waist as panic set in. She knew that wherever Takeshi was, the Boss was sure to be close by.  

“Well, that won’t be for a long, long time—ah, Hayami, dear, too tight!”

Looking over at his companion, Oto could immediately tell something was wrong. She wore a combination of beautiful ferocity and terrible anxiety across her face. And, having spent as much time with her as he had over the last few months, he recognized that she needed something from him in that moment.

“Dear, are you alright?” He asked, glancing at Sasha and her husband before catching Hayami’s frantic gaze.

“Oto, my sweet, I must powder my nose.” She strained, using the codeword they had established for trouble.

“What? Already?” Oto replied, raising a wrist to glance at his watch. “But it’s still much too early in the evening to need a powder—”

“I need to powder my nose!” Hayami strained.

“Hey, champ,” Takeshi spoke up, placing a hand on Oto’s shoulder. “I think your lady wants to talk with you.”

“Oh? Ooooh! Of course, of course.” Oto suddenly realized what Hayami meant.

Quickly turning to Sasha, he smiled and nodded.

“Excuse us. I must accompany Hayami. Please enjoy yourselves.”

“Of course, dear!” Sasha replied with a wave of her hand. “You two have fuuun.”

“Yeah, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do…” Takeshi glanced at Oto before locking eyes with Hayami. “Tiger.”

Narrowing her gaze, Hayami stared daggers into Takeshi and Sasha before pulling Oto away with an aggressive tug. The boy yelped, finding himself dragged along as he was led up the stairs to the landing above, where the two marched their way towards an unpopulated side of the villa.

“Hayami, slow down,” Oto called after her, feeling her forceful tug straining his suit. “This is Mulberry Silk!”

“I told you not to wear the fancy silk tonight!” She quietly scolded.

“But you also said tonight would be fine and easy—”

“I was wrong, we have a problem.”

Stepping far enough away that the crowd had become a dull cacophony of voices and the cameras a distant memory, Hayami grabbed at Oto’s jacket and withdrew one of his cellphones. Dialling Giles, she placed the call on speaker.

“Master Oto?” Giles spoke up, quickly interrupted by Hayami.

“Giles, we’ve got a problem. The Kikus are here. Sasha has been feeding information to the rival gang.”

“Pardon?”

“What?” Oto replied with a gasp. “No, she wouldn’t do that! Managers of the rich and famous are historically trustworthy. That's a fact.”

“Shh—” Hayami hushed the boy, placing a hand over his jester mask. “Her husband is my father’s right-hand man. That’s how the goons knew when and where we were going to be. The train, Capitana, the islan—”

“But I just met the man this evening.” Oto insisted. “No way he could—“

“You don’t need to know both of them for information to be leaked—!”

“Son.” A stern voice suddenly cut through the distant murmur of conversation.

Hayami froze, her heart slowly coming to a halt as she watched the nervous look overtaking Oto’s face. Shifting, she took the phone and hid it behind her as she turned to face the oppressive presence that had appeared.

At the end of the hall, emerging from the concealed elevator, was a tall, slim man with slicked-back hair. The entirety of his wardrobe was an obsidian black aside from the single red rose adorning his lapel and deep red tie hanging from his neck. Covering the top of his face was an ornate dragon mask of porcelain, merlot, and gold.

“Pa-pa!” Oto exclaimed, moving between his father and Hayami. “You came! How wonderful! I wanted to introduce you to someone…”

The man held up his hand, stopping Oto from approaching closer. Hayami watched as the boy obeyed, halting like an obedient dog not wanting to upset its master.

“Oto, son, where is the yacht?”

“O-oh…that?” Oto stammered awkwardly as he rubbed at the back of his head. “Uh, well, you see. For my birthday this year, a few of my friends wished to borrow it—”

“What?!” The man bellowed, his voice carrying to them like booming thunder down the hall. “Imbecilic boy. You know well and good that I use it every year for my meeting.”

Oto quickly became quiet. Like a scolded puppy, he stepped back from the man before arriving at Hayami’s side.

“Hey, don’t talk to Oto like that—” Hayami growled, stepping forward to his defence.

“And you!” His gaze shifted, glaring at her with hate-filled eyes. “Who are you?”

“I’m—”

“My daughter.” Another voice carried from behind, drawing the group’s attention.

Standing at the opposite end of the hall was a man whose frame nearly filled the entirety of the space. His suit, black with grey pinstripes and a white chrysanthemum on his lapel, stood out against the full-faced porcelain and jade tiger mask beautifully accented with golden fangs.

“But you should know that, Gunther!” He continued, taking slow steps forward. “After all, you tried to kill her when you took Kira from me.”

“Kira was never yours, Tsukasa!” Oto’s father matched the man’s approach, his voice growing louder. “You stole her from me, like you stole my imports.”

“I didn’t steal shit, disgraceful drug smuggler!”

“Ha! Disgraceful? That’s rich from a gun runner.”

Their shouting continued to increase in volume as distant instruments slowly approached their crescendo. Meanwhile, trapped between the powerful patriarchs, Oto reached out and took Hayami’s hand, leaning over to whisper in her ear.

“Hayami, what’s happening?”

“Our dads are screaming at each other,” Hayami whispered back. "So just let them."

“Over harbourmaster things?”

“No, Oto, I told you, they’re mobsters, both of—”

“You!” Gunther suddenly yelled at Hayami. “Get away from my son, white-haired whore.”

“Pa-pa!” Oto cried out. “Don’t call Hayami—"

“Shut up, child!” The man bellowed, raising a hand to strike the boy.

As his hand swung, it was quickly stopped with a thunderous clap. Hayami grabbed at the man’s wrist, halting his attack short with all of her might. Her vision narrowed through the slits of her mask as she eyed him furiously.

“You do not get to hit him.” She ordered with a powerful conviction.

The man, meeting her intense gaze with his own, withdrew his hand. He stepped back, adjusting the ruby tie around his neck as he eyed Hayami with deep hatred.

“What are you? His bride-to-be? Or his mother?” The man's words stung, dripping with venom as he reached into his coat and withdrew a handkerchief which he used to wipe where Hayami had touched. “No matter. I will do away with you all the same.”

“Pa-pa?” Oto asked as he drew closer to Hayami’s side. “What do you mean, do away with all the same? I-I don't want Hayami to go away.”

The man glared between the two before sighing.

“He means,” Tsukasa spoke from behind, his hulking form now in their shadows. “That he was the one who killed your mother, boy, not me. I was merely a scapegoat so he could attempt to take the North Bay. But the gun trade is mine, Gunther. Always was and always will be.”

“No! Your family stole it from the Hildebrand branch! In the same way that you stole Kira from me. And just like Grace was trying to steal Oto!”

The scornful gaze locked on the boy as the eyes of the dragon mask flared with animosity.

“But now I wish I had let her abscond with you, you worthless waste of time and money. Or better yet, I should have killed both of you that day. Maybe I’d still have Corbin if you and your bitch mother hadn’t made him soft in the heart and mind. Maybe—”

“Okay,” Hayami spoke up, clearing her throat. “That was actually, sorry—”

Reaching into the side of her dress, she withdrew the cellphone from her hidden pocket and held it high.

“That was actually a lot easier than expected.” She continued, glancing at the confused Oto. “Hey, Giles, is that enough incriminating evidence for you?”

“Indeed, Miss Hayami.” The Butler's voice came through the phone. “All that I needed for both, actually. Master Hildebrand, I am officially tendering my resignation. And in the name of my sister, Grace Harding, damn you to prison.”

With that, the house began to vibrate as Oto’s huge pipe organ started to play. The sound overwhelmed the instruments below, muffling the sudden cries and screams of confused and panicked guests.

The second stage of the plan was complete.