As You Say It Is

"Shin, let's go!" Yelling back, without a look.

There isn't time to turn around and check on him. Damn, look. He's already gone. At his age. Whatever, maybe it's easier to fill Shin in later but first thing's first what is... this room?

***

Rin Osaka

Age: 28

Astrological Sign/Birthdate: August 5th, Leo

Height: 177 cm

Description: Black hair, rather tall and slim build, very casual style and often opts for loose clothes, thin lips, green/hazel eyes, fair skin

Hobbies: Traveling, Hiking, Selling and discovering fruit, avid painter in her downtime

Interesting fact: Has painted over 2000 acrylic paintings, not counting her other mediums but has never shown them to anyone except her dad.

***

Three winding staircases with each about four hundred steps give or take that wind to connect at the very top. He could be in anyone of these rooms. Let's go left. He's quite a predictable guy, creatures of habit usually are. It makes sense he would go to the left. Each step squeaked like they just made it, what's this? If you took not even 15 steps up the staircase, you would see a door that is slightly cracked and...

"You didn't even try to run far. Although, if you were as clean as you perceived yourself to be, there'd be no need to have run like you did. What'd you do this time, don't tell me you had sex with the boss' wife again." He's in a front of a rectangular, glass desk, which looks like a personal office around the room. Photos of Ritsika, a large bookcase that stood behind him. Not much to say. 

"Have nothing to say? Fine, I'll talk." Seating myself in one of the empty chairs in front of the desk. One small glance to left out the window and it reminds you of the beauty of Japan. I'll never leave, unless I have to. "Osaka Industries has been doing well lately. I'm sure you're aware." His left hand fidgeted a little bit with that comment. "You know, a large part of their, or well, I should say our success, was due to your contributions."

"You came to gloat."

"I came to deliver facts. If you listen, you'll find out why I'm here. I don't care why you quit this new job-"

"Stepped down."

"Knowing you, it's probable that, what you just said, is the furthest from the truth." Left cheek twitch with that comment. He's improved a bit, albeit he's still open as a book. "The GDP of Japan went up about 15% within the last two years, which as you know is an insane amount of growth averaging almost 8% of development per year. Unreal, insane even. One has to wonder how this happens. Last year, the government introduced an initiative to front Osaka Industries as virtually their "state" vessel of produce, fish, clothing, and glass production. They'll never say this is what happened but with the port finally open in Nagoya, some things are left blank to me. I came to ask you about those blanks." It's about as straightforward as it could've been said. 

"Your father still leaves you in the dark. You're still a child, you have no right to address me with such a tone and the lack thereof an honorific. 20 years too young. I have nothing to say to you."

"My father? If you mean the CEO of Osaka Industries, then, yes, he does. I believe you have an obligation to answer me. How much does Ritsika know?"

"She knows enough."

"Okay, I guess this conversation is over. I'll speak to her myself. A useless man like yourself is lucky I gave you the time of day." Clockwork. Pushed the chair out, scraping the carpet in the process. Maybe a phone call to Rich would be more useful. 3....2....1....

"Wait."

Only looking over the shoulder, "Do you have something to say?" the question was obviously directed towards him. He knows what that meant. Which means he's yet to tell her a single thing. A pitiful father, indeed.

"Please, sit back down, Rin-Rin."

"Don't."

He throws his hands up, "Fine, fine. We all have a trigger. But certainly, you didn't follow me here, just to talk about how well your father's business is doing. What do you want?"

"The truth."

"I doubt that. What do you really want?"

"How much do you know about the yuzu tree?"

"Uh...well...I gu-what do you mean by that?" He genuinely seems surprised by that question.

"The yuzu tree. I was pretty clear, or at least I thought so. You were an executive until you know what on his board of trustees for ten years. What do you know about it?"

"Huhhhh," He turns around in his chair, reaches underneath the bookshelf into a drawer and grabs a glass. "How did you find out about that?" I might as well address her as such. It's better to be cautious. Where did I put that Scotch...

"Doesn't really matter, but if you want to know it was last year, when the Emperor came to visit. That's what made me start to think. So?"

Underneath his desk, he scrambled for a bottle that he brought on the table, broke the seal and of course poured half a glass with two cubes of ice. "When I worked with your father, even then he was very tight lipped, didn't like to say too much. It was hard to get through to him. I le-well you know what happened-"

"Mhm."

"-and it was five years ago when I was there but that's when it started. The project to build the port in Nagoya. Sponsored and funded in whole by the government."

"Oh?" News to me. "This is news to me. So, it wasn't a in house funded project."

"Of course not. Something that big has to go regulated to some degree, but to what degree..." He sipped his drink a little, probably Scotch.

"Ok, if that's the case, what do you mean 'this all started'? What does the port have to do with the tree?"

He grinned, "It doesn't, b-" Probably a lie, "-but when the project was funded, a deal was brokered to allow the extension of large-scale fish production to be offered to Osaka Industries. Before it was only produce, but now as you've noted, it's expanded beyond that and it's because now the port opens up and of course so does the business. This is all standard business practice."

"But what is strange as to why the government would be so involved? Especially knowing that they'd have to turn a blind eye to many drugs and imports that aren't scheduled which land on the island."

"Ok," he poured a bit more of his drink, "They turn a blind eye to the yakuza, it's no different. Maybe you're on a goose chase of fantasy. What you're thinking of as corrupt is no more than just modern-day venture capitalism. It's perfectly legal."

He shared information that wasn't known to me. Credit is due for that, and it was not a waste of time. Don't think there will be any more information about the yuzu tree and more of its legitimacy. Of course, it's real, only the proof is lacking. But it's real and somehow of interest to the government. This doesn't explain his running or sudden "step down". That could probably be chalked up to another one of his bad mishandlings as a man. Doesn't explain his running though. 

Pushed the chair back and stood up rather quickly; Rich might know something now. There's something here, it's just not being said. "All these photos of Ritsika, you must not know anyone else." Only a passing comment before leaving, turning the handle as it left my mouth. Why even dignify him with idle talk?

"Well, you know, she's the only daughter I have. It's important to cherish our true family."

The door slammed. It was unintentional, but everyone does really have a trigger and he knows mine, and all of his are known to me. 

I really want to talk to Shin. He always makes sense. 

Bzzt-bzzt!

Rich: Found something, talk to you later!

"Exclamation point. Hm."

This couldn't have come at a better time. It seems like for the better part of the last two years that this research or investigation of mine began against my "father". Maybe he was right in saying that this is a worthless pursuit.

Reached the bottom landing of where the stairs began. Maybe another day my curiosity will lead me back here to see what's at the top, although the two of them being here makes that less likely. When the door opens, back into the kitchen, the maid is gone now and so are Shin and Ritsika. Maybe she took him to the farm, or I don't know. She has her ways with guys, particularly the ones that interest me. No one was around. The couch remained empty, so did the pool that sat in front of it. The sun still gleamed from outside the large-scale panels of window, there were 5. Makes sense that they'd still be rich being that they never stopped owning the farm. Stepped down the two steps that separated the kitchen and the living room and right in front of the L shaped couch a hallway was to the left, maybe there's a bathroom down here. You could hear laughter in one of the rooms to my left, suddenly-

"The bathroom is to the left!" the voice called out from inside the room.

"Okay, haha. Uh, oh." He stopped, opening the door deadpan and without a shirt. 

"Shin, what are you doing?"

***