my savior, your protector

There was an eerie full moon that night, illuminating the bayside with more gleam than usual. The sea breeze was strong too, carrying gusts of wind across the otherwise barren shipyard, safe for the stacks of metal containers. Two men huddled in a small alley formed by these tall metal containers trying to keep their cigarettes lit on a smoke break. They had been sent by their boss to stake out at the location ahead of time. But they knew the location was secure. The big man paid to make sure it was, and since these two knew they decided to slack off.

“Did you hear?” The skinnier one of the two asked, “The top boss is overseeing this personally tonight.”

The other one let out a puff of smoke before half-heartedly replying, “What’s so special? Why would his lazy ass come? He never comes.” 

“Oh.” The other smirks as though about to spill the world’s juiciest gossip, “You haven’t heard.”

“What?” 

There was usually little question when it came to who the most influential families were in Tokyo. Most people assumed it was either the Kyomotos’ old money or the Matsumuras’ shady businesses, but then they would be wrong. Underneath the guise of their daytime business, the Sato Corp was the true rising empire–and everything on the surface was merely the tip of the iceberg. People in the business knew. They would have heard that there was a new man in charge at the Satos’.

“There’s a new man at the top. A new face. I forgot his name.” 

The other man looked genuinely surprised. In a world where everyone works from bottom up, new faces seizing power was rare. He was a low level employee, so it really didn’t concern him but safe to say he was impressed, “What’s the guy’s deal?” 

“Dunno. Dunno where he’s from. Dunno what his background is. Heard he’s young. Blonde…I think he’s white. He took out the youngest Sato son.” 

“He killed him?”

“No, he demoted him from chairman to director, idiot.” 

“Shut up.”

Before they could continue to shoot shit on the job, a loud honk interrupted them. The two men crushed their cigarettes in a hurry and hustled over to check out the disturbance. 

The deal was set to go down at midnight sharp. 

*

*

*

Jesse Lewis still trusted very few. 

When it was time for the trade to happen, he had only a select crew of handpicked people accompany him to the site. He checked his watch and the time was getting close, but Jesse decided to wait it out. He didn’t want to appear overzealous because he knew they wouldn’t take well to a new face, and a young foreigner at that. 

When they finally left at precisely quarter till, Jesse stood up, straightened his jacket and the entourage  followed suit, not one word being said. The air was thick, there was a strange tension and every one of his men felt chilled by how cold their new boss was. He never flashed his power, it wasn’t arrogance; it was pure confidence. 

They were all used to the ways of the former man in charge who flexed his authority at every opportunity, always making sure he had the biggest cock in the room. 

Jesse was quiet. He hardly said anything at all, yet they all knew to obey him. His very presence was authoritative enough, his gaze underneath the dirty blonde locks both willful and determined to conquer by all means necessary. It was laced with a bone-chilling ruthlessness that was hard to forget. 

His body language seemed to emit a dangerous aura like it was in everyone’s best interest to stay on his good side. Like he would burn you to pieces otherwise and that Jesse would see to it himself. Not a threat, but a promise. 

His right-hand man opened the car door for his boss and Jesse got in. Then the same man closed the door and headed to the second vehicle with the remainder of the people following him.

Jesse briefly closed his eyes expecting their departure, but opened them again when his driver didn’t budge.

“Kageyama, do we have a problem?” Jesse finally uttered, without so much as a glance at the driver.

“S-sir, will it be just you?” Kageyama stuttered.

Jesse briefly felt puzzled by the out-of-character question, but ultimately patiently nodded. His assistant didn’t dare say another word and began driving. From time to time he’d look into the rear mirror to steal glances at his boss, and all he’d see was Jesse resting his head against the seatback, eyes shut. Kageyama learned this was Jesse’s habit before these events, during the short period he served as his executive assistant. 

Kageyama hoped that this was just another ordinary night for Jesse, to calm his own nerves yet little did he know Jesse has had a relentless pulsing in his right eyelid for hours. Jesse hated that he believed in superstition, given that he was only here because of his unpredictable behavior. 

But he had a bad feeling, deep down in his guts. 

He was well-aware that he walked into power with a blind confidence, but frankly Jesse didn’t care. He toyed with the gold ring on his index finger and despite his poker face, he tried to calm the weird sinking feeling he felt. 

Jesse knew maybe he could have spent the last decade preparing for an elaborate revenge and he could take down the people he despised in the worst misery. But he didn’t. Some nights he’d stay up wondering why he didn’t plan it, but then he would realize that defeated the whole point. Jesse didn’t want to play by rules; afterall  he lived full-heartedly believing death was always looming around the corner. If he didn’t die, he would win. 

When he opened his eyes, Jesse caught Kageyama looking at him in the rear mirror, before quickly darting his eyes away. Jesse was alert, but he didn’t think much of it. Before he could say anything, they had arrived at the location. The driver lowered the car window and exchanged a passage code before the security lifted the gate and they drove in. 

Not to their surprise, the other party had already been waiting there. As he got out of the car, his own people arrived in a separate van. 

“So you’re the new man in charge?” A voice appeared from the other side, his silhouette becoming more clear as he walked out from behind the blinding headlights of their vehicles. 

“Kai.” He tried to hide the surprise in his voice. Jesse was taken off guard as it was not who he expected to see, “What do you want?” 

“To form an alliance with you, of course.” The tone of the other man was sarcastic, almost mocking Jesse for even asking the question, “Aren’t you here to sell me that last shipment?” That last shipment was precious cargo. And insinuating Jesse would sell it to their competitor finally tipped him off on what was happening. 

Jesse tilted his head slightly, and in his peripheral vision he saw all the people behind him were unfamiliar faces. They weren’t his people at all, and it was starting to add up. The corner of his mouth curved upwards. 

“Not a good look on you, I have to say.” Jesse smirked, knowing exactly what was happening now. 

He’d been made.

It was like Jesse predicted the way things were going to unfold and as though on cue his youngest uncle, his newest enemy, enters and suddenly all weapons are drawn on Jesse. 

“You look desperate.” Jesse doesn’t seem fazed at this turn of events. 

“And you look like a dead man.” 

The youngest Sato son had always had a reputation for being short-tempered, so it made sense why he was the first to be pushed to this point but truth be told Jesse was not expecting a set-up this quickly after he rose to power. 

“It looks bad for you.” Sato Kazuma couldn’t resist an evil smile as he held up what was supposed to be evidence that Jesse was crossing the family. 

Jesse had been a pain in his side since the day he showed up and aggressively ripped the power out of his hands. Sato Kazuma thought it was finally his day to shine when his old man passed. When he was focusing all his energy on taking down his older brother, Jesse Lewis appeared out of nowhere and seized power in the chaos.

The bastard son of his useless older sister. 

Needless to say, he was eager to make his nephew disappear. 

“You’ve always been the dumb one. Living up your name.” Jesse chuckled, seemingly amused by what should have been a perilous situation. He should’ve known his hot-tempered uncle who only knows violence in his pea-sized brain would try to eliminate him by literally killing him. 

“You should go back to being a bastard child.” Kazuma snickered. 

Jesse admits he slipped up. But he was never one to cry over spilled milk. Rather his mind was on finding the mole in his inner circle that crossed him. 

Kageyama. Jesse Lewis needed to see to his death. 

“Boys. House rules.” Kazuma exclaimed, filled with a passion and excitement as he fixed his cuff sleeve and retired into his car, “Traitors are executed. Take out the trash.”

Kai followed, and the real traitor left with the enemy. God knows what they were up to next. Jesse scoffed at the pair; it truly takes a snake to know a snake. 

Dozens of low level henchmen began to swarm Jesse who fended himself with a broken fragment of plywood until that gave out. He then tried to flee by running towards the metal containers. Jesse was thankful that at the least the standard issue weapon was just a knife or a bat, alas he was very outnumbered, so he took a brutal beating before he could clear himself of the people who were after him. 

Jesse immediately looked for the car he came in, ready to go after the son of bitch who sold him. The salt filled wind blowing against his newly torn open flesh stung, but after circling the pier a few times he finally found the vehicle. Jesse knew luck would be on his side after all because the man he was looking for was still in the car. 

Jesse pushed his bloody blonde locks back and approached the driver side of the car. Before Kageyama could react and flee the vehicle, Jesse threw the car door open and dragged the man out by the collar. He tossed him onto the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood before brutally kicking his former employee in the guts numerous times. 

Kageyama didn’t fight back; deep down his loyalty was still with Jesse. Such was life on the dark side. He had been threatened by Kazuma to sell out his boss, but Jesse wasn’t having any of it. 

“I-I can expla..in.” The man on the ground gasped for air, “I can explain.” 

“No need.” At first it was half a hunch, but now Jesse was certain. 

His former boss pushed the bottom of his shoe against Kageyama’s cheek, literally stepping down on his face until he ran out of energy to fight back. This beating wasn’t for show and it certainly wasn’t simply to teach him a lesson then let him go. Jesse’s eyes grew cold; the anger had entirely subsided and he bent over, studying Kageyama’s now swollen yet terrified face for a split second before he lifted the pant leg of the foot resting on the man’s face. He drew a gun on him point blank and ended his misery. 

He tucked away his firearm, his neat dress shirt now stained with patches of crimson and his chiseled face now frayed with bruises. Jesse planned to escape on water, hijacking one of the yachts parked in the shallow parts of the bay. He dashed towards the main road but before he could react, a blinding headlight came towards him, slowing down before it hit him. 

“Oh precious nephew. You should’ve chosen sides better.” Kazuma sadistically remarked from behind the wheel before he called in a few people to drag Jesse into custody. He should’ve killed Jesse, but he decided to have fun. It was family bonding time. He laughed maniacally.

*

*

*

When Jesse came to, he felt like his head would split open and his ears rang endlessly, adding to the headache. He shook his head in an attempt to focus his vision, and when it finally came into focus, he realized he was tied onto a chair in an abandoned factory. His best guess was he was still near the shipyard. When he heard his uncle’s voice, Jesse confirmed that hypothesis as his uncle lacked brain cells for anything spectacular. 

“You just couldn’t let me die, huh” Jesse had the first words, despite the pain that throbbed against every inch of his body.

“Of course not.” Kazuma slowly walked into the building, like he was some kind of super villain and that was the part that made Jesse want to hurl the most. 

“You’ll regret it.” 

“I wish you would stop acting so tough! You’re cornered! ” He continued to raise his voice, “Can’t you see you have no way out?!” He was filled to the brim with a manic laugh. Once he was within Jesse’s proximity, he kicked the chair and it toppled over, with Jesse still tied to it. 

Jesse hacked up a bloody cough before laughing.

This triggered Kazuma, who behaved like an elementary bully who hadn’t gotten his way. He harshly kicked his nephew, sending him abruptly sliding a few feet away. 

Jesse laid on the floor limply, but then he looked up at his captor and revealed a smile, blood between his teeth, “Kill me, will you?” He taunted. 

This infuriated him more and took the fun out of the beating, so Kazuma turned and punched the subordinate who had been standing beside him out of frustration that his new toy was misbehaving. 

“Kill him. I’m done.” 

He left in a hurry after those words, “So boring.” He muttered as he pulled out his phone to dial up the brothel he frequented asking them to send over girls to his place. 

Once their boss left, the subordinates got to work. The same pair who had been sent to stake out at the site were left to kill the man who was supposedly the new top boss. Jesse truly was ready to pass out from the damage he sustained, but he still was only pretending to lay limply while the two men came over to fetch him. One untied him and they began to drag him outside, planning to execute him then toss into the Tokyo bay. 

But they didn’t unarm him thoroughly after hitting him with a car. Jesse “woke up” and took the two by surprise. He pulled an army swiss knife on them, stabbing one in the eye and while he shrieked, the other tried to run and Jesse planted the knife in his thigh, causing him to topple over clutching his leg. He quickly searched the man for car keys before stumbling outside, everything still spinning from the collision. 

Jesse found the car and sped away as soon as he could muster the energy to do so. He simply drove until he found familiar roads and then he pulled over at an inning to clear his head. 

He groaned as he pulled his tie off, wincing at the fresh wounds and the blood that had now dried on his face and hands. By now word must have spread and the whole organization must have labeled him as a traitor. Jesse was certain, however, that his pea-brained uncle didn’t have much on him. But Kazuma was like a child, too easy to anger, so Jesse needed somewhere safe to lay low until he could go back to fix the problem. 

Jesse had allies, but they were also people he needed to protect from Kazuma. He didn’t know why, but deep down there was one place that came to mind and he was drawn there like a magnet. A place he should least trust yet Jesse had been there more times than he cared to admit in the last few weeks.

He knew the way by heart. 

He had no time to spare. 

*

*

*

After driving through several small roads leading up to the mansion, Jesse parked his car by a roadside ditch and limped his way to the house. The car would be tracked at some point, so he best dump it anyway. Once he got close enough, he stopped to look at the mansion. It was 3am but the lights were still on. Jesse would know, he watched the house one too many nights. 

Jesse even knew that the housekeeper slept in a separate house with the rest of the family that took care of the house. He knew there could only be one person who came to the door. 

When the security headed towards the south side of the mansion, Jesse climbed the shorter walls on the north end and walked right up the marble doorsteps. He didn’t think this was how they’d meet again, but there was a part of him that wanted to trust so badly. 

Jesse firmly knocked a few times, before collapsing onto the steps. Fatigue was beginning to get the best of him, and he only regained consciousness from a haze when he heard the door open after an hour. 

In the dead of the night, Matsumura Hokumi stood barefoot in her nightgown, her dark brown curls blowing in the night breeze, and a bloody man collapsed at her doorsteps. 

Jesse Lewis. 

Before he could open his mouth, Hokumi beat him to it, “Please go die on a different set of doorsteps.” Hokumi coldly said, gathering her thin robe closer against her body and tried to close the door, but Jesse shot up and stopped her. 

“Aren’t you the least bit curious–” 

Hokumi hesitated. She didn’t know why. She barely knew this man. 

“I didn’t know where else to go.” And for someone who always had his guard up, those were honest words from Jesse. And Hokumi knew. 

“You’re a wanted man. I could kill you right now.” Turns out the word had long spread that there was a huge bounty out on Jesse right now. Hokumi may not be the most powerful of the Matsumuras, but she still heard things. 

“I would collect a hefty bounty and then I’d get on good terms with your uncle.” She proposed, seeming absolute, that she would do just that despite being a petite woman standing in her nightgown in front of a man who towered over her. Somehow it was absolutely convincing, but Jesse didn’t believe it for a second. 

She looked up at him, right in the eyes,  “What makes you think I won’t do just that?”

“You won’t.” 

“Why?”

“Because you and I aren’t much different.” 

Jesse could feel her grip on the door loosen and without another word, she turned around and walked away, leaving the door wide open. 

Matsumura Hokumi was not one to perform acts of kindness out of the tenderness of her heart, yet something about Jesse haunted her. The way wisps of his presence seemed to weave its way into her guarded heart. She wanted to submit. 

“Sir, what will you be doing in Japan?” 

The customs officer asked, it was routine as he got ready to stamp Jesse’s blue passport, indicating his American citizenship. 

“Business.” Jesse replied, “Long overdue business.”

Then Jesse added, “Visiting family, too. I’m sure they missed me.” 

The officer looked up from the other side of the glass divider and paused. Jesse’s response felt weird, but he didn’t press onward.

“Welcome to Japan.” 

Jesse Lewis landed in Japan on a rainy morning, walked out of the airport empty-handed and hailed a cab. The cab driver looked at him from the rear mirror and realized his passenger had no luggage, yet clad from head to toe in pitch black–a three-piece suit, tie, dress shoes–which only made his blonde hair stand out. Everything about Jesse struck him as odd, but he didn’t want to mess with the wrong person. He had no way of knowing who Jesse was, but his years of driving told him Jesse was someone dangerous. 

With deliberately slowed Japanese, the driver simply asked Jesse where he was headed. 

Jesse looked at the man through the mirror and replied fluently, then simply looked out the window for the remainder of the trip. He had very little to reminisce about Tokyo, but this country will always remind him of his late mother.

Jesse thanked the driver when he arrived. After leaving a few notes of ten thousand yen he promptly exited the car. Before the driver could give change, he noticed all the men in black suits stationed at this temple and quickly pulled away. 

Jesse straightened his suit and made his way onto the funeral grounds. He looked out of place because of his foreign appearance and while everyone gave side glances, he walked with full authority. He paid no attention to the pouring rain, walking up the stairs that led into the main hall. Rain had soaked his entire person, but Jesse simply pushed his drenched hair back and proceeded directly to the front of the room at the ceremony. The aroma of burning incense filled the room and a row of priests lined the walls chanting a low sutra. It was the funeral for the late CEO and Chairman of the Sato Corporation and anyone who saw Jesse’s expression would say he was meant to be there. He had a firm look, strangely no signs of condolence, like he was simply there to fact check. 

The Sato siblings were in front row attendance at their father’s funeral. Kaito, the eldest son, was the first to notice Jesse. But Jesse didn’t look at anyone, walking right up to the large black and white portrait that hung in the center, his hands now in his pocket to display an intentional lack of respect. 

Kazuma, the youngest of the Sato siblings, broke the strange silence, “Who are you? Who let you in?” 

Jesse paid no attention to him. 

Kazuma got agitated by Jesse’s disregard, but this time Kaito steps in, “Excuse me, this is a private ceremony.” 

A businessman in his late forties stood up, buttoned his suit jacket as though second nature for a gentleman. He walked up to Jesse and was obviously a whole head shorter than Jesse. 

Jesse finally looked over and silently studied him, albeit for a few brief moments it made Kaito rather uncomfortable. It was like this man knew him, yet he didn’t know who this man was. His jarring attitude 

and tall stature only made it even more intimidating. 

“Don’t worry, I have every right to be here.” Jesse finally replied while looking back at the portrait.

“Right, Grandpa?” The man’s tone was mocking, with obvious lack of care for his late grandfather. 

“You’re…” Kaito’s eyes widen, immediately piecing things together. 

“Surprised?” Jesse snickered, “Uncle Kaito.” He said loud enough for the entire room to hear. 

At this point, a woman in her early fifties stood up. The last of the Sato siblings was the eldest daughter, Kazumi. Perhaps it was the way she looked more polished and refined than most women her age, her partially gray hair neatly combed into a low-do, but she approached Jesse’s appearance rather calmly. 

“Enough.” Kazumi sternly said, “Are you going to pay your respects to your grandfather?” 

She hoped Jesse would not cause a ruckus in the funeral hall. But Jesse didn’t care. He came to make a scene. 

“Aunt Kazumi.” Jesse studied her as well, looking her in the eye, “Never thought you’d see me right?” 

She said nothing. 

“It’s time you all remember what you did.” 

Before Jesse could say anything else, this time Kazumi interrupted, “Masaya.” 

She called Jesse by his childhood name, and Jesse wasn’t sure if it was a way to pretend to be intimate with him or she simply did not know he was no longer Masaya. 

“Your grandfather would be happy to see you.” Kazumi said, but it boiled his blood at how good she was at being fake. 

“No.” Jesse shook his head, denying how hard Kazumi tried to make the old man seem like a good person now that he was six feet under, “He’s lucky he’s dead.” 

And then in a quieter voice, Jesse spoke directly to his aunt, “I’m free now.” His smile was chilling. 

Free from his imprisonment, Jesse looked straight at the people who killed his parents. Even without a single word from him, he told them that he was waging war. 

With that, Jesse walked out, before his aunt stopped him. 

“Aren’t you going to pay your respects?” The entire room was frozen silent, waiting for his response.

“I don’t think so.” Jesse coldly said without even turning around for one moment. 

He arrived at the door, but stopped again. 

“And it’s Jesse now.” 

Everyone looked at him, puzzled. 

“Masaya is dead. I’m Jesse Lewis. Remember that name.” 

*

*

*

After leaving the funeral hall, Jesse found a nondescript tinted dark SUV parked outside waiting for him. The car took him to the other side of town, weaving past the city and he tried to clear his mind as the thrill of looking his enemies in the eye wore off. 

Jesse had been zoning out, standing by in the empty lobby of the mansion alone when a warm voice entered the room.

“My goodness, you are so much taller than I remember, sweetheart.” 

A woman slowly arrived at Jesse’s heel, wheeled over by a servant. Her smile was bright and contagious, and she gingerly held Jesse’s hand with her own hands creased with wrinkles. 

Jesse smiled back at his grandaunt, his first genuine smile since his return. He knelt down to the woman’s level, his voice naturally growing gentle, “Is this how you remember me?” 

Once he lowered himself, she softly patted his head, with a look that seemed to say so much even though no words came out. 

“Welcome home.” She finally said after a long pause. Jesse got up and gestured at the servant to dismiss him as Jesse pushed her wheelchair into the dining room. He parked his grandaunt at one end of the table and before he could go anywhere, she insisted he sit beside her. He was happy to accompany her, and she went on about how Jesse used to look just like his mother, but seeing him today he was now a splitting image of his father–the same blonde hair, the same tall nose. 

Her voice then softened, when he told him that he had his mother’s gentle eyes. She always told Jesse that his mother didn’t have a single bad bone in her body and Jesse felt his heart ache, knowing he couldn’t remember how warm her touch was.

When Jesse wanted to ask her how she had been, his grandaunt, Youko had gotten down to business. 

“You went to see Sousuke’s kids already?” Youko was referring to her niece and nephews. 

“I did.” 

“They must have been thrilled to see you.” Youko chuckled, the way old people do when told a particularly interesting anecdote. 

“They won’t know what hit them.” Jesse reassured Youko he was ready. 

“You have my full support.” Her tone was firm and goes on to gesture to her assistant to bring over a briefcase that had everything Jesse needed to settle in: car keys, house keys, legal documents, and the likes. 

“Thank you.” 

“Of course, sweetheart.” Youko may have retired years ago, but her influence was still as powerful as ever. 

Having long severed ties with her brother, Youko made it a point to skip the funeral. She couldn’t see how a man who drove his own child to death then tormented his grandson was worth her time. She was resentful as well; because she knew exactly how brother’s behavior had been learned from their father. 

Youko would always remember the day she gave her own son up for adoption to save him from her father. So she looked at Jesse to fulfill her selfish desire to repent. She knew his mother would’ve wanted her to watch over her only son. 

“Kana was the only kind one.” Youko would always say, “But she was also stubborn. So headstrong and so unyielding.” 

During Jesse’s time abroad, secret letters from Youko were the only way Jesse maintained connection. It was his lifeline, hearing about the wonderful person his mother was and it fueled his desire to avenge her. Youko knew that perhaps this was a burden Jesse would have to carry, but nonetheless she knew if Jesse was Kana’s son he would be strong just like her. 

Youko knew Jesse would come to seek revenge, so one day she simply offered her full support, that she would help him in the shadows. 

Jesse agreed. 

*

*

*

The funeral lasted all of seven whole days. While all the stakeholders were still in town, Sato Corp held a board meeting. Everyone knew that this was a volatile time, power was up for grabs, and they all wanted a bigger slice of the pie. 

This board meeting was scheduled to be a daylong affair. Normally they met at headquarters, but with this session being different, the corporate team found a neutral but secluded location. Everyone was allowed a handful of escorts, and naturally they all hand picked their best and brightest. 

At the meeting, Kaito gave opening remarks as the acting chairman and requested the meeting to begin. To his surprise, the head legal counsel maintained that all parties had not been seated yet. Legal had been invited as a neutral party to facilitate the meeting, so no parties could object to this delay.

There was a tension in the room, everyone murmuring amongst themselves, speculating who the mysterious missing parties were. Finally, Kaito got up again and tried to begin the meeting. He was once again blocked by the legal team, who were the executors of the late chairman and CEO’s will. 

But this time Kaito didn’t plan to adhere to the objection. 

“Respectfully, which parties are we missing?” Kaito asked, careful to be politically correct. His siblings were already in attendance and appeared equally discontent at the delay. 

“Just one member.” The counsel replied. 

“Can’t we proceed without them?”

“Sir.” He tried to keep his voice down, “Sir, he is your biggest shareholder.” 

Before Kaito could take in the full weight of that statement, a man pushed through the heavy dark oak double doors. They recognized him immediately. He was the young blonde haired man from the funeral who said his name was Jesse Lewis. 

Surely people expected shifts in the power dynamic, players coming and going, but they hadn’t anticipated the absolute shuffle Jesse had planned. 

People did not expect an illegitimate forgotten family member to find a seat at the board meeting. 

At first they had no idea who he was, until they remembered that he was Kana’s son. He was the child the old man tucked away abroad and forbade from returning to Japan. Till his death no one knew what his plan with Jesse was. Likewise, no one knew much about Jesse. His motive, his vulnerabilities, nothing. 

“Sorry I’m late.” Jesse’s entrance drew everyone’s attention. But Jesse wasn’t the least bit sorry; he liked seeing the dumbstruck expression on everyone’s face. 

“It’s you again.” Kazuma, his youngest uncle piped up this time, “Stupid bastard brat.” He muttered under his breath, visibly annoyed at Jesse’s presence. 

Without missing a beat, Jesse usurped the seat at the head of the table, “Now shall we begin?” 

Still struck by the statement earlier, his uncle took a seat. It was beginning to sink in with the remaining of the shareholders that Jesse Lewis, a nobody before today, had manifested from thin air and became the single most influential power in this colossal empire. Jesse Lewis could rewrite the fate of this family singlehandedly. 

It was safe to say everyone was taken off-guard. All the alliances had been formed for naught and Jesse thrived. He most certainly was not modest about the ordeal. They needed to feel every ounce of humiliation he had planned for them.

“So.” Jesse cleared his throat, leaning on the large conference room table, “Which ones of you were involved in…” He flipped through the file that had been set in front of his seat prior to his arrival.

“The Shanghai Deal.” Jesse finished, taking a cursory glance around the room before continuing.

No one responded and Jesse threw the folder at the table, slapping onto the table.

“Well, it was a fucking embarrassment. I expect better.” 

One of the stakeholders retorted, “What do you expect we do with the team we sent?” 

Jesse looked at him like he had two heads, “They’re your fucking men. Discipline them.” 

And it was at this moment the acting chairman of Sato Corp had realized Jesse hijacked his meeting and attempted to resume control. 

“Masaya–”

“It’s Jesse. I’m not correcting you again.” Jesse’s gaze shot daggers through his uncle, not an ounce of sympathy.

“Jesse…” Kaito cowered, before weakly asking, “Can we please stick to the agenda?” 

Somewhere in the back, Kazuma rolled his eyes. He never understood how his spineless older brother came into power. 

Jesse only looked at Kaito as though he heard a funny joke, “Uncle Kaito, let me make one thing clear.” 

This time he spoke to the entire room, “I don’t know nor care how things were before, but this is not a democracy. We don’t vote here.”

His words sounded arrogant, but his tone was harsh as though he meant every last syllable.

“I run this place now. What I say goes.” Jesse’s words were simple, but it had a threatening undertone that was difficult to ignore. Jesse hadn’t intended to sound threatening, but he was not about to tolerate any non-sense. Not when he waited decades for this. 

“Any question?” He asked the silent room out of courtesy.

Out of character, Kaito took a last stand, “You can’t do this!” 

The statement was comical, and Jesse ridiculed it as such, “You’re right. Let’s vote.”

“All in favor of expelling Sato Kaito as the chairman.” 

The room fell into a thick silence, and when voting was finished, the votes were nearly tied until Jesse suddenly voted in favor, toppling the votes to one side. 

“Looks like we have an opening for a new chairman.” Jesse looked over at Kaito, who had just been demoted. His face had gone pale, nearly collapsing into his seat. 

Attempting to assume order back into this meeting, this time his Aunt Kazumi stood up. She seemed less antagonistic than Kaito had appeared and Jesse pretended to be fooled by this false kindness. She urged everyone to think for the better of this company they all swore to protect. Jesse clapped, and the room followed. Everyone feared him, both because he held so much power but also because he wasn’t afraid to abuse it. 

All except Kazuma who walked out of the meeting, but not without kicking his seat and throwing a fit. He was not one to stand up for his brother, but he knew his lunatic nephew would be looking to stir things up. He knew he was in line to be on the receiving end anyways. There was no need to stick around for the rest of this clown show. Kazuma knew he had to think of a way to rid of Jesse. 

By the end of the meeting, Jesse had done nothing but ruffle feathers and shatter any status quo that existed prior to the day. 

“That will be all for today.” The facilitator announced, but before anyone could retire from attendance, Jesse interrupted.

“Actually there’s one more thing.” Jesse stood up.

“Sato Corporation will be renamed Lewis Corporation, effective immediately.” Jesse announced and without another word, he walked out of the room. No escorts, no entourage, and he effectively made every single person in that room look like a fool.

This was the biggest “fuck you” to his dead grandfather, but also his official declaration of war. 

In the parking garage, a black sedan pulls up to Jesse. He stops when the window lowers and it was his aunt, Kazumi. 

“Jesse, let’s talk.” She simply said. He didn’t know if this was some kind of scare tactic, but for her amicable behavior, Jesse was challenged. He always knew she was the smartest of the trio, but she hadn’t shown a shred of vulnerability in the face of everything he has done so far.

“Okay.” Jesse got into the back seat with his aunt. The driver put the car into park, before promptly leaving the car to give them privacy.

“First of all, I’m sorry you feel how you do. It’s obvious you feel a lot of resentment.” Kazumi was not a vulgar person; on the contrary she always spoke like an adult scolding a child and Jesse wasn’t sure if that was more infuriating. 

“Don’t be sorry. Your sorry is worth about as much as the dirt on the bottom of my shoe.” Jesse knew she hadn’t stopped him to apologize.

She lightly chuckled, “I’ll get to the point.” 

Jesse listened.

“I know Kaito. Today’s decision will paralyze him, sending him scurrying into the shadows with his tail between his legs.” Kazumi analyzed, but Jesse didn’t get it. Why was she stating the obvious?

“But Kazuma? He's a useless overgrown child, but he’s impulsive, violent, and easy to anger.” 

Then she looked over to Jesse, “Right now the thing you ripped from his brother. He’d been oppressed by Kaito his whole life. He will go after your shining new toy.” Kazumi stated with certainty. 

“He’s welcome to.” Jesse planned on it.

“Good to know.” 

Then it clicked with Jesse, “What about you?” 

“What would you like me to do?”

“Stay out of it.” 

Kazumi was sly, subtly taking control of the situation, “And what do I have to benefit?” 

Jesse couldn’t afford any sort of unity amongst the siblings, so he offered up the biggest prize to ensure he could savor every one of his prey. 

“Now you’re just taking me for an idiot.” Jesse sneered, “If you wanted to be the chairwoman, you should just fucking say so.” 

Jesse shot a glare in Kazumi’s direction before he got out of the car, having come to a verbal agreement with her. An enemy’s enemy was his friend. He watched as her car slowly drove away and he spat on the ground, as though disgusted by this temporary alliance. 

She would get her turn eventually. 

*

*

*

Word of Jesse Lewis traveled fast. Rumors of a new power player always alarmed people, and naturally they wanted to feel out any weaknesses they could exploit. Not to mention, the overall sentiment had been unsettling with the civil disruptions in power in a family as large as the Satos. 

Jesse Lewis had been so brazen to rename the company entirely after himself after all. 

Jesse received an invitation to make an appearance as the new face of the Lewis Corp the following week. In the meantime, Jesse had handpicked a team from the recommendations his grand aunt sent over. His assistant, Kageyama’s first task had been to pick out a suit for Jesse’s attendance at the gala. 

After his morning shower, the suit had been pressed and laid on his bed. It was a three piece in a silky black luxury vicuna and Jesse was pleased with the choice. With a towel wrapped around his waist, he picked out a cool burgundy dress shirt to go with the suit. Frankly, he’d never been fond of neckties and he didn’t give two fucks about a dress code, so Jesse opted for gold necklaces instead. 

He left his house early that morning, having affairs to personally attend to prior to the gala. While everyone assumed his priority was networking, Jesse Lewis only had one particular goal in mind. He had a lady he fancied to impress, so he needed to handpick out a gift and send flowers. After all, he wanted to appear sincere, no matter how adulterated his motives truly were. 

As expected, Jesse was the main spectacle at the event. People simply didn’t know what to make of him. To their surprise, he wasn’t the ruthless man rumors made him out to be. Rather, Jesse played nice; after all he had no qualms with these people. They were inconsequential. His attention was focused on sifting the crowd for one person.

Matsumura Hokumi. The sole daughter of the powerful Matsumura family. 

Jesse had read the file on her years ago, when he was studying every power in play in Tokyo. It was absurd then, and it was still absurd now but he could feel a connection to her. And Jesse needed to verify this himself. Until then, he hadn’t been able to forget her. 

Matsumura Hokumi could be the perfect ally for him. If he could marry her, she could be that weak link in a powerful family he sought to manipulate. 

When he finally made it to the other end of the hall, Jesse found her. Hokumi stood in the back, quiet and unnoticed, with her long brown locks tossed in a loose updo. She donned a minimalistic white one-piece with strappy heels that made her figure appear even more elegant. 

Jesse slowly approached her, hoping that she was everything he imagined. 

Hokumi had picked up a flute of champagne on her way in and hoped to nurse the drink until auctions began. She found herself on the quieter side of the room, patiently waiting until the main event. Hokumi set down her clutch along with her drink on the cocktail table, with no intentions to socialize. After all, she rarely found herself alone at these events. Women in the Matsumura family were only ever paraded around like accessories to the important men they came with. Hokumi was used to it and gave up resisting this twisted definition of being a “proper lady”. She simply planned to go through the motions of the event. 

“Matsumura-san?” An unfamiliar voice broke Hokumi out of her zone. She looked towards the voice and it belonged to an equally unfamiliar face. It was surprising because she should know everyone in attendance. It was part of her upbringing. 

Hokumi studied the man, but her response was silent. He was tall, his dark blonde hair neatly combed back revealing a perfectly structured face, one that she knows she would not forget, even if she’d seen it once. His suit was of the highest class; she had been trained to recognize these kinds of things.

The man smiled, “I take it the earrings were not to your likings?” 

His eyes diverted to her ears sporting a different pair of earrings than the diamond ones he had picked out earlier that day as a gift to her. How could Hokumi forget such bold gesture? 

“Mr. Lewis.” Hokumi promptly apologized for not recognizing him. Of course it was the infamous Jesse Lewis.

“Nice to meet you.” Jesse was proud at his cheeky line working on her 

“Cheers?” He raised his glass and she returned the gesture to be courteous. 

“Of course.”

“To what pleasure do I owe your wonderful gift?” Hokumi asked. She had cut straight to the chase, but it wasn’t offensive. 

Jesse only half-expected this type of response. But he was prepared nonetheless.

“I wanted to get on your good side. Your family.” 

Jesse stressed, “ You are a worthy opponent in this business. I would hate to be opposite you.” 

Honestly, Hokumi didn’t expect this answer to her question. She had always gotten suitors who would send gifts, then praise her along the lines of her beauty, her grace. 

Jesse Lewis was the first one to ever see past that. And she knew she would remember that forever. 

But she deflected in her response, “I would never. ” 

Jesse knew it was professionalism, but before he could respond, she added, “And if you were, you wouldn’t know.” 

Hokumi had one toxic trait. When her walls were torn down, she always needed to do anything to regain control of the situation. And this was her sorry attempt at that. 

Jesse gazed into her eyes without another word. She didn’t know what revealed itself in her own eyes, but if this were a competition, she would’ve lost. 

Matsumura Hokumi felt exposed, by merely one look Jesse Lewis gave her. 

“Would you accompany me to the auction?” Jesse was never one to back down. 

“I have to decline.” Her refusal was simple and to the point. She wasted no extra breath to sugarcoat, which Jesse respected, given the way women are treated in her family. She was the unfavored child by far, yet she did not bend to the will of men in her life. 

Maybe that was why he felt a shadow of him in her. 

After taking another sip of her champagne, Hokumi immediately tries to excuse herself, not because she didn’t want to talk to him, but because she couldn’t reciprocate whatever Jesse was intending. This was just another event she had been forced to show her face at when it wasn’t good enough for her brother. When he insisted on keeping her company, Jesse watched as Hokumi’s demeanor changed from the courteous upper class socialite to one that was much colder. Hokumi left him only yearning for more. 

After excusing herself, she had been shown to her seat in the auction hall. Hokumi thought back to earlier that day. She thought about how the diamond earrings that had been delivered to her residence were actually perfectly to her liking, but she had been wary to wear them because they came with nothing but the sender’s name: Jesse Lewis. Then she remembered the bouquet the earrings came with. Amongst the baby breath and lavender were brilliant white daisies, and Hokumi remembered thinking it was unlike any other bouquet she had ever received. She had an urge to ask why. 

Why did he send daisies? 

As thoughts of Jesse’s mysterious actions haunted Hokumi, the room had begun to slowly fill with people and a pair sat in the seats beside Hokumi. It came to her attention that Jesse had been the star of the night. Everyone simply wanted to see the man who overran the Sato siblings. Hokumi had to admit she was impressed. And inadvertently, she began to eavesdrop, learning more than she bargained for. It wasn’t surprising for her to learn that Jesse took his father’s last name or that Jesse had just returned from abroad, and that it appeared he was on some kind of revenge manifesto. But Hokumi remembered her heart sinking a teeny bit, learning that Jesse was the son of the late Sato Kana, who mysteriously died twenty years ago. They were only children then. Even she remembered the impact of that news. She would always remember the day she lost her mother vividly like yesterday and she knew how hard that must have been for him. 

Hokumi stopped eavesdropping, but her mind continued to wonder what it was Jesse wanted from her. She admitted, his ridiculous good looks helped. But it was the way he looked at her. He saw her. 

She felt a wild attraction, like a moth to a flame. Like his one look pierced through her flesh, her bones, right into her soul. 

Jesse proceeded to the other room as the event began. His mind had not left Hokumi. In a crowded room, he immediately found her on the other side of the room. He hadn’t expected her to fall in line perfectly with his plans, but frankly Jesse had expected to make more headway. Her walls were high, and Jesse could only think about what it must be like to be let inside. 

He felt an absurd attraction, drawn like magnets. 

Jesse couldn’t rest until he could figure out what it was about Hokumi that drew him in. He could remember almost physically feeling her slip from his grasp in the short exchange they had. He felt as though in the final moment she had shown her claws and threatened him to not come closer. And Jesse did exactly that. 

Between the time he spent laying down traps to pitch his uncles against each other and ruthlessly coming into more power, Jesse fought an urge to learn more about Hokumi. Jesse found the easiest way to learn more; he found himself stalking her every move. He found himself driving to her house, watching her day and night when he could and truly it was unlike anything he’d felt. 

Before meeting Matsumura Hokumi, Jesse truly believed she was someone he’d use and dispose. 

Jesse didn’t realize Hokumi would become the reason, the beginning of him spiraling off course.

Jesse Lewis stood at her doorsteps, bloody, bruised and with nowhere to go. She tried to shut him down, she tried to tell him what she would do as any logical person would. 

Hokumi looked up at Jesse, right in the eyes,  “What makes you think I won’t do just that?” 

It was a dare, but also she wondered how Jesse had gotten this tight hold on her without her knowing. 

“You won’t.” 

“Why?”

“Because you and I aren’t much different.” 

Jesse could feel her grip on the door loosen and without another word, she turned around and walked away, leaving the door wide open. Hokumi had every reason to kill Jesse, but the moment she decided to let him in, she already decided she wanted to save him. 

Matsumura Hokumi was not one to perform acts of kindness out of the tenderness of her heart, yet something about Jesse haunted her. The way wisps of his presence seemed to weave its way into her guarded heart. 

Her footsteps reverberated in the empty halls of the mansion and a second set limped behind her. It was obvious Hokumi was its only resident and it was a reflection of her life. She never had many people by her side: friends, family or otherwise. Jesse studied her body language, the way she clung to herself, not because she was scared of him; it was habitual, like she had always been a deeply insecure person. 

Jesse stopped in his tracks as he followed her down the long hallway, breaking the silence between them.

“How can I convince you to trust me?” 

For a man who had been so confident they were not much different, Hokumi could only assume that Jesse was asking a different question. 

Hokumi turned around, Jesse slowly approached her in the long narrow hallway. He was closing the distance and even until the moment he pressed right up against her, Hokumi did not budge an inch. Jesse towered over her, smelling like a faint cologne mixed with blood. He looked down and a lock of golden hair landed between his eyes. Hokumi felt him locked eyes with her, and then his hand gently touched her thigh and slid briefly up her soft nightgown. 

“I know you were not kidding.” Jesse pulled a gun from her thigh holster beneath her silk nightgown

“But I prefer you don’t kill me.” His breath was warm on her skin, his eyes both gentle and firm. This Jesse was difficult to resist. 

Hokumi didn’t want to tell Jesse she had already decided to save him. Instead, she makes him work for it. 

“What can you offer me?” Hokumi glances down before looking up at him. This time Jesse takes a step back. 

“What is it that you want in life?” Jesse asks a grand question with the most serious tone. 

Hokumi knew the answer to this question. She wants to be seen, the way Jesse always manages to see her. She wants to feel important. But for now, Hokumi deflects, not ready to open up to the man she let into her house in the middle of the night. 

“Peace.” 

“Peace?” 

“World peace.” Hokumi replied, while continuing into the guest room. 

Jesse laughed, knowing that Hokumi was fucking with him. She hadn’t planned to answer his overly philosophical question. It was a long shot anyways. He followed her steps into the guest room and she subtly gestured him over to the bed. 

“Answer my question.” Hokumi checked the perimeters and drew the curtains closed.

Jesse couldn’t believe he didn’t have a good answer to her question, except the one that instinctively came to him. 

“If you will be on my side.” Instantly he lost the edge in his voice. It was raw and it drew Hokumi in at once. 

“Then I vow to protect you with my life.” 

“I promise I won’t ever let anyone hurt you.” His voice softens up. 

The air froze between the two, and Hokumi had never imagined the impact his promise would have on her. She felt her heart clutch at her soul, even her deepest vulnerabilities felt shielded despite this vow coming from a literal broken man, busted at the seams with blood and bruises. Jesse vowed with so much conviction, and Hokumi knew it could absolutely only come from someone who had risen from the deepest pain. 

Hokumi didn’t know why his words meant so much to her, moving her to the core despite her knowing that he may never even get to act on it. Maybe she lacked self-awareness, she never knew her innate desire to be protected. She thought she wanted to be his savior. 

Hokumi discovered a feeling she never knew she had; she wondered if this was how it felt to be treasured. 

Seeing Hokumi gone silent, Jesse held out his hand. She sat on the bedside next to Jesse and in the palm of his hand held a large gold ring. She studied it, the intricate art woven, etched into its surface and Jesse put it into her hand. 

“This was my coming of age and it’s easily worth my life.” He said, “It’s now in your hands.” 

It was an old tradition and it wasn’t uncommon for these organizations to have rigorous deathly coming-of-age for their men, to prove their worth. In Jesse’s case, his trial left him within inches of his life before it ended. This ring showed for it.  

Hokumi toyed with the large ring in her hand and she couldn’t tell him that she had long decided she would join his side even without this collateral. But she pretended to consider before holding out her free hand. 

“You’re safe with me.” 

The two shook hands on their newly found alliance while sitting on the edge of the bed, side by side as they found themselves. Then Hokumi smiled for the first time since their meeting. Jesse couldn’t believe his eyes; her smile was so beautiful and unforgettable. It was a brief, yet beautiful moment. 

Hokumi was a woman of action. While drawing the curtains, she noticed suspicious activity that she chalked up as the people who had followed Jesse to her house. She hid away the ring in a safe place and got to work.

“Make yourself at home.” Hokumi muttered while fetching a gun and a magazine from the nightstand. 

“I have to take care of some rats.” She said under her breath while loading the gun and then slid it in the holster that Jesse had disarmed earlier. 

She had quietly closed the door behind her, leaving him alone in the room while she went to meet those who dared break into her house. Hokumi turned the corner, entering her main living room and she was immediately shot at. Seeing as the man had been in a hurry to get rid of her, she concluded he desperately needed to get to Jesse before the others did. They were all after those three million yens hovering over his head individually. She ducked behind the couch and then intentionally let out a scared scream. When the man heard her, he had taken down his guard and brazenly walked to the other end of the room. He did not realize Hokumi had snuck up behind him and given him two in the stomach, then smothered him with a pillow before giving him one in the head. She frowned as her pillow stuffing flew about. It was ruined but at least she saved her walls from blood splatter. 

She left the body on the ground and encountered another one descending her staircase. Hokumi was not above playing the same trick twice as she feigned to be terrified and threw up her hands. Even in the dark of the night, the other hitman could tell she was a beautiful young woman so he didn't shoot. He carefully approached her and once he got close enough, he tried to disarm her, but Hokumi had grabbed a vase from her console table and smashed it over his head. He stumbled backwards and once again, she gave him a few to the body before a headshot to be safe. This time he bled out on her marble floor, but it couldn’t be helped. 

She didn’t mind getting her hands dirty, but she knew the active bounty on Jesse needed to be taken care of or else Hokumi knew eventually she’d come across an actual professional that she couldn’t so easily kill. In the meantime,  she gave what these low level hitmen deserved for belittling her. 

Hokumi retired to her room to change into a clean set of clothes and dialed a clean up crew while she was there. Then she decided she would call in the ultimate favor to a long-time acquaintance of hers. She didn’t care how, but she knew he could take care of the situation. Hokumi knew Tanaka Juri felt that he owed her that much anyways. Afterall he always felt responsible for the death of Hokumi’s only friend. 

After she took care of business, Hokumi returned to her guest. She didn’t know what she expected he would do in her absence, but it turned out he had truly entrusted his life to her and went on to take a shower. He didn’t have clean clothes to change into so Jesse could only change back into his stained suit. Jesse truly couldn’t muster the energy to get fully dressed so his shirt was only minimally clad to his body as he lay sprawled on the bed, legs hanging over the side and fully exhausted. 

Hokumi coughed to announce her presence even though she had knocked prior to entering. 

“Don’t sleep, you probably have a concussion.” She set down a medical kit onto the night stand.

Jesse let out a low grunt, a gold chain fell onto his bare chest as he sat up, the bruising even more apparent now that the grime had been cleaned off. 

“You know, you’re different from the night we met.” Jesse admits that he didn’t predict this twist of events. But he took a gamble on Hokumi. And he hoped he was right. 

“Well these are not exactly normal circumstances, are they?” 

“That’s fair.” 

And for a moment, their eyes meet. For a few seconds, they realize how dangerously close they’ve gotten in the span of the night. Hokumi had killed people for Jesse before calling in a favor to someone who was famous to be a neutral party. Frankly, it was terrifying but neither couldn’t stop now.

Hokumi offers to stitch some of his deeper cuts until he can get medical attention in the morning. Jesse asks off-handedly if she’s any good and Hokumi slides her sweater off one shoulder exposing a long scar that ran across her shoulder blade. She remarks that she had only worked on herself before but it turned out okay without raising so much as an eyebrow. 

Jesse doesn’t know why he experienced heart pain. Maybe it was the accumulation of every injury on his body, but he swore felt a dull wincing on his heart. While she looked for the right tool, he caught himself staring at her wondering what her story was. 

She tied her hair back with a rubber band she found in the kit and told Jesse she was going to stitch up the gash underneath the large bloodstain on his shirt. Hokumi intended to reach out to undo the few buttons but found herself hesitating. Jesse catches her reluctance to undress him, so he takes his own shirt off. His entire upper body looked like abstract art, splatters of colors everywhere on an otherwise chiseled canvas. 

“It’s going to hurt.” She sterilized the area and worked the needle into his flesh. 

He clenched the bedsheets at the first jab, but the pain only got numb as she went on. Jesse watched Hokumi work. It was ironic, but Jesse felt comforted for the first time in years. He forgot the last time someone stuck by his side and took care of him. In this moment, there wasn’t anyone more precious to him.

“Thank you.” 

Hokumi stopped working for a split second, but continued. 

“I’ll never let anything happen to you.” 

Hokumi couldn’t comprehend how she had only now fully realized that she yearned for this kind of devotion her entire life.

“I’ll protect you.”  

Hokumi was beginning to fall in love. 

It wasn’t long before his uncle’s false accusations on Jesse were disproven and he made sure to return immediately once he was cleared. Jesse had expected this much, but he didn’t expect a surprise gift from Hokumi. 

Matsumura Hokumi proved to be a stronger ally than Jesse had initially given her credit for. 

As it turned out, she made a declaration that Jesse Lewis belonged to Matsumura Hokumi. Hokumi made it sufficiently clear that so long as the Matsumuras did not give the nod of approval, no hit was to be taken on Jesse Lewis again.

The market does not take such statements lightly. Nobody messed with the words of a Matsumura, whether she was an unfavored heiress or not. 

Needless to say, Jesse Lewis had a hard time hiding his admiration. He was all but equally infatuated with her capabilities and her as a person. He was able to quickly see past the beauty on the surface that she also had both the wits and guts that were beyond what anyone gave her credit for. Jesse called Hokumi as soon as he found out about the gift and unbeknownst to him, she had already become fixated with pleasing Jesse and his pleasantly surprised voice overjoyed her. Naturally Hokumi plays it off that she was simply repaying him for those diamond earrings he had sent her before they met. He chuckles. He had forgotten about those. 

For the first time ever–for Hokumi–Jesse Lewis didn’t mind being claimed as her property. 

On the other hand, Jesse made it a point to return to his position at Lewis Corp. quietly. It wasn’t because he wanted to forget this incident and he certainly had no intentions of letting Sato Kazuma get away with it. But Jesse wanted to control the flow of information, and he needed to make sure word got to Kazuma exactly as he prescribed. 

When the bounty went off market, Kazuma was infuriated, screaming a slew of profanities while breaking everything in sight. Like a child who hadn’t gotten his way, he demanded for his assistant to put out a new hit on Jesse, with an even higher reward this time. His assistant could only stutter that the Matsumura's had put a block on such a thing. 

Kazuma couldn’t stay put, so without even investigating, he gathered all his men and led the charge in his own personal manhunt. He would make it as far as his doorstep before he saw the dead man he had been out to get.

Jesse had predicted Kazuma couldn’t be bothered to figure out the second half of what the bounty’s disappearance meant. 

“You are one ballsy motherfucker for walking in here right now.” Kazuma couldn’t hide an evil smirk at the sight of just the one he had been looking for. 

“Why not? I own this place.” Jesse shrugged, and for someone who’d been freshly beaten days ago, he was looking rather unaffected, like rising from the dead was simply something he did.

Kazuma snorted, “You’ve gone mad too.” 

He looked around to seek validation from his men to laugh along with him. Being his henchmen, they followed Kazuma's lead in fear of his temperament. 

“Have I?” Jesse asked rhetorically. 

It was a simple question that had left Kazuma rather stumped on what Jesse was doing. Surely he always behaved like a maniac, but what was he suggesting? 

Before his uncle could figure out the puzzle, Jesse had walked right up to him. His presence is so intimidating that not even the people charged with protecting Kazuma dare stop him. 

Jesse looked down at Kazuma, the room hauntingly silent as Jesse talked.

“You messed with the wrong. motherfucker. ” 

Jesse’s words were calm, still, and while his words normally constituted a threat, when Jesse said it, it came out as though he had been telling Kazuma that the sky was blue. 

Before the rest of the room finally recalled their original mission, Jesse slapped a thick packet of paper onto Kazuma’s desk. It takes everyone by surprise and they simply let him walk out of the office. 

Kazuma was pressed, infuriated that he immediately shredded the document upon sight.

“MEMO: Official Reinstatement of Jesse Lewis, Principal Shareholder of Lewis Corp.”

Karma would be a bitch. 

Jesse Lewis allowed this impending doom to loom over Kazuma, letting time brew the possibilities.

And it worked. 

When anger subsided, fear grew in its place like vines snaking out and slowly taking over. Kazuma knew Jesse would see to payback for what he did; that was his whole modus operandi. If he wasn’t at the front of the line before, he certainly was now. 

A nervous puff of smoke emerged from the cigar in his hand before he took a swig of the whiskey that shook in his other hand. No amount of intoxication helped calm his nerves. He thought about it hard, more than anything he’d done in his life. 

Kazuma couldn’t trust his siblings; he knew that much. But he wasn’t against making the same alliance twice if it meant finding more solid ground to stand on. Otherwise when Jesse came for him he might as well be fighting with sticks and rocks in a gunfight. Kazuma needed ammo. He needed a gun. He needed the biggest gun he could find. 

He put out his cigar and let the rest of the whiskey burn down his throat while he rushed out to meet someone. 

Kazuma struck a deal with Kai. 

*

*

*

The following day Jesse was on his way to visit a project site when he had finally gotten a call from Hokumi. Naturally, he doesn’t even let the call hit the second ring.

“Hello.” 

He thought of all the ways he could’ve picked up, but he decided he was more interested in why she was calling. Jesse had been constantly searching for a reason to see Hokumi again.

But Hokumi cut to the chase, “I want to see you.” 

This time, Hokumi didn’t even try to play it off; she had been looking for a reason to see him too. 

“Where are you?” Jesse asked.

“I’ll send you my location.” 

“Hang tight, I’m coming to pick you up.” He made an urgent U-turn and raced down the road at full speed.

Hokumi was surprised to be personally driven by the famous Jesse Lewis when he pulled up in a red Ferrari, but eventually he explained to her that he murdered his chauffeur in the previous scuffle and maybe it was better it remained that way. She couldn’t say she disagreed and being one of the few people he trusted made her feel special in a way that was maybe impure, but she didn’t care. 

“So to what do I owe this pleasure?.” Jesse said to Hokumi after pulling over on a scenic overlook off the highway. 

“I can’t simply want to see you?” Hokumi asked point blank and Jesse was amused by her angle. Of course she could. Because he had been dying to see her too. He always gave into Hokumi, and it was rather sweet. 

But of course, Hokumi had serious business to meet Jesse for. She asked if he had heard anything from Kazuma as of late. 

Jesse shook his head, “He’s been scumming around as usual, but he's definitely up to no good.”

“And you would be right.” Hokumi reaffirmed Jesse’s suspicions by handing over a stack of photos from her bag, “He’s getting in bed with an old friend.” 

“Kai.” Jesse scoffed, “He needs to stop being so predictable. It’s getting boring.” 

“What would Kai want?” 

Jesse immediately realized the obvious, “There’s a ton of product coming in two days from Russia. It’s a mixed batch. All top quality stuff. ” 

Of course. Kazuma wouldn’t be able to offer Kai anything else more enticing. 

“He’s trying to win the bid on the proposal on the new construction project. Guess who is our only competitor?” 

“Kai.”  It was a rhetorical question, but Hokumi answered anyway.

She had merely fed Jesse one piece of intel and he had pieced it all together in a matter of minutes. She even thought about it in the bigger picture. In the matter of weeks, he had a firm grasp on the lay of the land and had a finger on every pulse, every deal that was supposed to go down. Regardless of how she personally felt about him, she was glad she was on his side. Jesse Lewis was a force to be reckoned with.

Hokumi looked over at him and he hadn’t even realized she was staring. Somehow while Hokumi quietly observed Jesse, she had gotten the idea that he was going to intercept the deal. She knew Jesse would choose the most dangerous approach and Hokumi knew because she felt like she was looking at a reflection of herself. 

“Are you going to intercept?” Hokumi asked, interrupting Jesse’s train of thoughts.

“Yes.” Jesse replied without a second thought, but Hokumi’s expression was curious. 

She wasn’t opposed to the idea, but she looked like she was hesitant. Was his plan not good enough? Jesse began to wonder.

Then Hokumi finally uttered, “Your stitches are going to break open.” 

She looked down at the one she sewed, like it was a mark of her territory and then looked him in the eye. She could have sworn she saw something flutter in his eyes, like for a brief moment she saw his bare vulnerability.  

He knew what he was doing was dangerous, because everything he did was dangerous. But he never gave it a second thought. But Hokumi did, and it took Jesse by surprise. It was both refreshing yet utterly terrifying for Jesse.

He cleared his throat, deflecting her concerns, because he didn’t know what to say to that. 

“But once he gets his hands on it, Kai will try to flip the load to foreign buyers.” Jesse said, “Once it leaves Japan, I can’t track it.” 

“Foreign buyers?” Hokumi had a thought in mind. 

“Yeah. Too risky to keep something like that domestic.” 

“I might know someone.” 

“You really don’t have to.” Jesse knew he was the one who offered up the alliance, but he couldn’t help but wonder how much of it was for him, and how much of it was her simply finding ways to put herself in danger’s way. Why were they so similar? 

Jesse continued, “Listen, I know I asked you to be on my side but you’re doing more than enough already–” 

“I want to.” Hokumi cut him off, hoping to make her feelings clear.  

She had been following a gut feeling and she had no intentions of stopping, “I want to be by your side.”

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes.” 

“Okay.” 

In this moment Jesse had truly entrusted everything to Hokumi. She had become a light in his life, a fire he hopelessly threw himself into and hoped she didn’t burn.  Most of all, she was a light that understood darkness, like a full moon on his dark night. 

Throughout the drive back he would sneak glances at her, in-between conversations and laughs. Perhaps deep down he was still trying to fathom the length at which Hokumi committed to and the length at which he never felt a need to question it. He was sure he’d never experienced anything like this in his life. 

When they arrived, she thanked him for driving her home and on her way out, Hokumi lingered back for one moment. 

“Hey...” 

“Hm?”

Hokumi hesitated and Jesse looked on curiously.

Then she finally asked, “Can I call you Jesse?” 

She was so fascinating. Jesse couldn’t believe despite everything she said to him without hesitation, this was the kind of thing she could only ask with reservation.

“Of course.” 

Then Hokumi smiled again, “Bye, Jesse.” 

It was the second time Jesse saw her smile, and he wished he could’ve savored the moment for much, much longer. 

Jesse was beginning to fall in love. 

*

*

*

Two days later, Kazuma and Kai formed their alliance, successfully handing over the load without interception at a Lewis Corp. project site that was still under construction. In the meantime, Hokumi had secured an alliance with Chinese buyers who bought the load off of Kai at a good price.  He was eager to flip the cargo as quickly as possible, so he didn’t even think twice about taking the first good offer.

Hokumi promptly gathered all the evidence tracing the cargo back to Kazuma, and she happily gave Jesse everything he could possibly need to indict Kazuma of the serious crime of family treason. 

The following week, Jesse watched as everything quietly unfolded the way he predicted. Kai formally pulled out of the construction bid without rhyme or reason, and Kazuma closed that deal, which meant a plethora of new business. Even his siblings were surprised at Kazuma’s sudden competency and while it didn’t make him an immediate threat, they were beginning to feel uneasy at his rush of ambition. They looked to Jesse for his reaction and he knew they were watching, so he had to put on a good show for them. 

But most of all, Jesse wanted Kazuma to reveal his own hand. It didn’t matter that he had an abundance of evidence, he sadistically wanted Kazuma to rise to his peak and fall from that apex. 

So Jesse let Kazuma go on a power trip. In a classic arrogant fashion, Kazuma abused his newfound power to seize many of the establishments under Jesse’s name: hotels, restaurants, bars. And he never failed to cause a scene. Jesse found it distasteful; they were legitimate businesses, but Kazuma wanted to run everything like they were thugs. 

None of that mattered. Jesse was preparing for the end game.

Jesse’s favorite restaurant in Tokyo was the American steakhouse in his hotel in Minato City. He frequented it whenever he was craving a good steak and sometimes for the sake of some peace and quiet, Jesse would even clear the dining room while he dined alone. It was a typical Wednesday night, and that was exactly what Jesse did, except tonight he had been expecting company. 

He had cut into a piece of perfectly seared rare steak when the commotion ensued. A dozen men stormed into the dining room, looking jarringly out of place against the refined decor and posh ambience. 

“Well if it isn’t my bastard nephew.” Kazuma emerged from the back as his men made way for his entrance, like it was supposed to intimidate Jesse. 

“Well if it isn’t my favorite uncle.” Jesse replied dryly, without even looking up from his dinner. 

Kazuma stopped in front of Jesse, who had not a single intent to move.

“Get up, motherfucker.” Kazuma was immediately confrontational.

Then Jesse finally looked up and set his utensils down, “What for?” He simply asked, but his nonchalant attitude was infuriating to the man standing in front of him. 

“You’re in my way.” 

By now Kazuma’s men had begun to swarm around. Jesse appeared to have been caught alone once again and Kazuma was not modest about the way things were seeming, always making the mistake of gloating the second he had the upper hand. 

“You best get the fuck out of here” Kazuma pushed, “Take you and your sorry little agenda back to where you came from.”

Kazuma was prone to violence, so he put a gun to Jesse straight away, across from him and his dinner. 

But Jesse laughed, in the same way that creeped Kazuma out the very first time. Then Jesse grabbed the barrel of the gun and pressed it against his own forehead.

“You couldn’t kill me last time.” Jesse calmly said, “And you won’t be able to kill me this time.” 

He wasn’t sure where Jesse had gained this confidence from seeing as he was surrounded again. Jesse had to be bluffing. 

“You psychopath…” Kazuma had the intent of seizing power right under his nose to agitate him, but Jesse was acting so unaffected. It was infuriating him instead because he had no real cause to actually touch the man. 

Instead he shoots a blank into the air and is forced to hold back. Kazuma takes his anger out by shoving everything onto the floor then flipping the table entirely. The china lands on the floor with a crisp smash and the silverware’s clang reverberated throughout the entire dining room. 

“This place is mine now.” Kazuma pressed, “Get. Out.” He tried again to seem as intimidating as possible.

When Jesse finally got up from his seat, Kazuma thought maybe he had finally understood the weight of the situation, but he watched as Jesse only calmly walked over to the broken china on the ground and picked up a steak knife.  Before anyone could react, Jesse took the knife, still fresh with blood from his rare steak and pressed it against Kazuma’s neck, his eyes had gone steely cold.

“I wasn’t finished.” 

“What’s wrong with you?! You’re fucking insane!” The metal was cold against his neck and he was forced to stay incredibly still.

“Then you should know better to mess with an insane person.” 

Whether Jesse had been stalling or it was perfectly on cue, Kazuma’s men had been swiftly taken down. He was left stranded with Jesse, blade pressed against his neck. 

“Sato Kazuma. You fucking idiot.” Jesse said, his voice icy cold.

Kazuma thought Jesse was acting out, but when he saw he was abandoned, he realized something had gone terribly wrong. 

“W-what? What have you done?!” 

Finally Jesse got bored and dropped the knife. It had already fallen to the ground, yet Kazuma was still frozen in place. 

“You conspired with Kai. The Russian load. Kai flipped it to China thinking I couldn’t find it.” Jesse stated one fact at a time, “I traced it back to you.” 

One of Jesse’s henchmen promptly dragged a bloodied man and dropped him at Kazuma’s feet. He immediately recognized the man as the one Kai brought to the trade that day and Kazuma then noticed the man was missing a finger. Kazuma felt cold sweat form on the back of his neck. He knew Jesse couldn’t touch Kai, but a high ranking member could just as easily give damning evidence if tortured.

Every word began to hit Kazuma, who had been one-upped by Jesse a second time.

“Evidence is with Internal Affairs..” Jesse had taken a seat again and straightened out his suit, “Family treason.”

Kazuma was too shocked to speak. Internal Affairs was merely a politically correct term. The Sato's were still a family that operated on old traditions and family rules that were the constitution to them on the side of the business that weren't on the books. 

In that moment, Jesse Lewis had become the judge, the jury, and the executioner. 

“House Rules. You have one hour to get your affairs in order.” 

Normally, Sato Kazuma would’ve fought tooth and nail, throwing a fit nonetheless, but even he understood the gravity of the situation and in a dire attempt to survive, Kazuma bit his tongue and ran. It was ironic that Kazuma had attempted to execute Jesse in the past, yet the tables had been drastically turned. 

Or maybe Jesse had planned it this way. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. 

On his way out, Kazuma realized he had walked right into Jesse’s trap. If Jesse had already been granted power by Internal Affairs, there was very little he could refute. He knew how these affairs went down and right now he was a juicy piece of meat everyone had their eyes on. 

Without a second thought, he rushed to his car and sped away. Kazuma was not the brightest, but he was born into this family after all and it was natural that he had a getaway plan. But before that he needed to retrieve a few things.  The pressure continued to build; the one hour mark was skirting closer. 

The rules were fair, but Jesse hated that he even gave his uncle a fighting chance. He quietly sat waiting for the time to tick by, and with every growing second, he was eager to begin the manhunt. By the end of the night, a chapter in his revenge plan would be finished. And he was excited for the sense of closure he would feel when this chapter was over.

Jesse reminded himself the reason why Sato Kazuma must die at his hands tonight. 

*

*

*

The night went on to become rainy, the clouds obscuring the moon and Kazuma took it as a sign that heavens had intended to cover for his escape. As he pulled past the gates to a construction site, he watched as his timer ran out. He felt his legs grow weak for a moment, a fear unknown to him grew in his heart. He rushed into the building, and as rain water leaked through the tarp onto the cement ground he found the stash he needed to recover. 

But whether it was by a wicked hunch or a fateful haunting, Sato Kazuma heard footsteps of a man who he least wished to see in this moment. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” He slowly turned around to face the wrath of Jesse Lewis.

“I said you would regret not killing me that night.” 

“How did you find me?”

Jesse chuckled coldly, “A hunch?” 

He was only half joking. He knew the deal went down here and had a feeling Kazuma skimped off a few firearms to stash here. Kazuma looked around, noticed Jesse came alone and he had a moment of bravado, believing he could make it past the man who regularly escapes the hands of death. 

In the rush, Kazuma had only managed to grab one loaded gun. He shot several times in Jesse’s general direction before scurrying away. It caused enough of a diversion that he made off with a lead over Jesse But that was the extent of his luck. The accumulation of rain water caused his gun to continuously misfire when he shot back to lose his tail. When Jesse finally caught up, he tackled Kazuma from above, sending both of them tumbling down the staircase, barely missing the railless platform. Kazuma didn’t waste any time and scrambled back up, abandoning everything, simply trying to book it to his car. 

Jesse manages to catch up again and knocks him over. While he had the advantage, Jesse tries to incapacitate him with several brutal punches. With every punch, Jesse reminds himself of his purpose. He recalls the story of his mother’s death and Kazuma’s role in it. 

Kazuma doesn’t understand why Jesse came to hunt him down alone, but because of this he continues to feel as though he has a fighting chance at escaping. In a desperate attempt, he pulls a knife and slashes profusely as Jesse. The cuts caused him to flinch and in that brief moment, Kazuma tries to escape again.

Yet because he doesn’t get up fast enough and Jesse makes quick work of him, using his own knife against him. Jesse stabs it deep into his upper abdomen and then pulls it out. Kazuma stumbles backwards, clutching onto his bleeding wound as blood gushed out.

Jesse catches his breath, his heart violently pounding against his chest trying to fight back the anger he felt, as he constantly beats his own purpose into his own mind. He staggers over to his uncle, who was crawling on the ground mere inches at a time to run away from Jesse who was now bloodshot for violence and hellbent on ending him. 

Once he reaches Kazuma, he kicks him across the face and then once again in the guts. With the bottom of his patent leather shoes, Jesse steps on the same wound he inflicted earlier, and Kazuma’s cries of bloody murder echoed in the empty construction building, 

“I told you you would regret not killing me.” Jesse repeated himself, and Kazuma began to beg for forgiveness. He had been beaten within inches of his life, yet he still didn’t know what it was that made Jesse so relentless. 

“P-Pl-lease.” His swollen bloodied face made it hard for him to speak, alas he begged. 

“Let me live. I’ll do anything.” His fear of death was finally beginning to settle in.

“Pl…Ple…” He continued to stutter incoherently. 

Jesse got down to his level and finally spoke to him about his crimes. 

“Why didn’t Sato Kana deserve to live then?” Jesse nearly growled, his words forced between his teeth that he gritted in anger as he continued to throw punches, enough to break his jaw. 

“Why did my mother have to die?!” Jesse finally exploded to the manifestation of years of pent up anger he felt. He needed Kazuma to know exactly what he did before he died.

“K-Kana…I didn’t kill Kana…” 

Kazuma had no reason to lie, and then he realized. Jesse felt his stomach clench at the disgusting fact that Kazuma hadn’t even realized what he had done. Jesse took a jagged deep breath and got back up, dragging the bloodied man by the hair to the edge of the floor. He tore the orange plastic caution tape off and hung Kazuma over the side of the building.

He had screamed and kicked to be spared before, but now he had begun to accept his end.

“If that night.” His voice cracking at the vivid memory.

“If that night you hadn’t gotten into that stupid fight, Grandpa wouldn’t have had to go bail you out.” 

Kazuma laid limp on the cold cement ground, finally realizing what Jesse deemed his heinous crime.

“If he stayed with mother, he would’ve at least stopped her from dying at the hands of her own siblings.” Jesse’s words fell hard onto his heart, because no matter how many times he recounted the story in his head–he never reconciled why she had to die that night. 

The night Jesse became an orphan, he decided he would never forgive anyone who had a hand in it. 

Suddenly Kazuma began to cry. And it was obvious it was not out of remorse, but until the end he felt wrong for being sentenced to death over his inconvenient timing. But it didn’t matter to Jesse that he was less evil than his siblings. Kazuma would get in the way of his revenge eventually and for that, he will die. 

He continued to cry until he choked on his own blood in his windpipe. When he finally fell silent, Jesse tossed him over the edge of the building. Then he stared over the edge, his eyes glazed at seeing the rain relentlessly beat against Kazuma’s lifeless body on the ground. The sight of victory hadn’t given Jesse the peace he had hoped for. 

Jesse collapsed onto the ground himself, before he gathered himself again and staggered out of the construction site in the rain leaving the body of his first enemy lifeless in the gravel. 

He felt an intense confusion and the emptiness he felt persisted. It was all pounding against his head, unable to reconcile why he felt as though he lost something the moment he murdered his uncle with his two hands. Jesse started the car and drove. 

When Jesse came to, he was on a familiar set of marble steps. He rang the doorbell. Somehow he made a habit out of showing up at her doorsteps unannounced. When Hokumi came to the door, Jesse immediately poured into her arms. She stayed still in his embrace, even though he was freezing cold from the rain. Jesse hadn’t said a word, but Hokumi knew. The way he hunched over to hug her tightly was nothing but a desperate grasp for comfort. And even though his arms were strong, gripping onto her, he was trembling and when she looked down at her hand that brushed against his body, it was bloody. Jesse was covered in stains and blood–and Hokumi had no idea what was his and what wasn’t. His wet locks dripped rain water onto her shoulders and by holding her, he had effectively gotten whatever was on him onto her. 

But Hokumi didn’t mind. Jesse knew too, that she was never scared by him. After what felt like forever, Jesse finally let go and took a step back.

“Can I come in?” 

Just like last time, Hokumi doesn’t reply except to leave the open door for him to come in. He closes the door behind himself and trails behind her, just like last time. Once they are in her living room, under better lighting, Hokumi finally pieced together Jesse’s endeavors before ending up here. 

One very obvious stain looked like fresh blood and she looked at it before looking back up at Jesse. 

“You went ahead and broke the stitches anyways.” Her stitches. They belonged to her. 

As she tried to leave the room, Jesse took two large steps forward and grabbed her arm. 

“Can you stay?” 

Hokumi had merely intended to find her medical kit, but at his insistence, she stayed put. She walks him to the couch and they have a seat side by side. Jesse didn’t seem to be in a talking mood, so Hokumi didn't ask. Instead, he rested his head on her lap without uttering a single word, curling up next to Hokumi. 

“You’re not going to ask?” Jesse quietly said after another long pause of silence, knowing any other normal person would’ve asked the man who made a habit of showing up bloodied at her doorsteps. 

“I don't really want to.” Hokumi replied as she stroked his hair, running her fingers between each lock of his hair as it dried. 

She isn’t sure what state of a mind a person has to be in for an opened wound to not hurt. She isn’t sure the extent of suffering Jesse was constantly experiencing, but she knew it wasn’t ordinary. 

During the serenity between the two, Hokumi found the time to study his face. She never realized his moles were so uniquely situated. She never noticed the exact shade of his hair, the way it was naturally a dark dirty blonde color that gave a golden hue when it was freshly dried as it was now. 

Hokumi studied his expression, but became distracted by his long lashes that were more apparent with his eyes shut. Then when Jesse opened his eyes again, without looking at Hokumi, he broke his silence. 

“I killed Kazuma with my two hands today.” He stated with a strange calmness and Hokumi listened. 

“And…” The inflection in his voice was new. 

“And I wished I felt something afterwards.” 

Jesse finally confessed, “I feel nothing.” And that was the emptiness that had been tormenting him from the inside.

She thought about his words. Naturally, Hokumi couldn’t possibly know what it felt like to finally attain victory in a two-decade long revenge dream, but somehow the feeling Jesse described felt familiar. Like a peculiar feeling of dejavu, she began to remember that feeling. A post-traumatic nothing. Hokumi abruptly gets up from the couch, leaving his head to fall against the cushion and she instead climbs on top of Jesse who is now laying flat on the couch. 

Jesse looks up to find Hokumi saddled across his lap, careful to not press on his wound. Then she bent over and whispered, “Do you want to feel something?” 

Her actions were strange, but with Jesse temporarily losing his capacity to feel, his reaction was blank. Hokumi looks Jesse in the eye but he doesn’t respond, so she leans down to kiss him first. And as though this triggered a switch inside of him, Jesse finally responds to Hokumi’s kiss. He deepens the initial kiss, taking in all of her sweet lips. In between kissing and catching their breaths, Jesse finally decides he needs a better grip so he topples her over. He rolls her over so he is on top. They make eye contact for a split second before their lips tangle in a fiery passion again. Hokumi’s hand wanders up his shirt and she runs her fingers over his skin, coming across his many scars before he stops her by pinning both her wrists above her head with one of his hands.

Jesse bites her bottom lip before moving onto her neck, leaving a small bloody mark. His kisses become gentle after and then he stops altogether by the time he reaches her ear. His throaty warm breaths are intimate against her ear. He gently nibbles it and returns to face Hokumi. She looks at him with flushed cheeks, his face inches from hers. Hokumi sees Jesse’s eyes soften, as though regaining his original warmth and Jesse strokes a wisp of hair away from her face before kissing Hokumi on the forehead.

He lets out a low grunt as he stands up, staggering for one moment, his eyebrow twitching in pain for a second. Hokumi follows suit, sitting up and watches as Jesse leaves her house without a word. He was visibly wounded but perhaps now he was finally feeling the pain. 

She found herself staring in the direction which Jesse left without saying a single word. Hokumi touches her bottom lip with her finger, remembering the spot which Jesse bit. She was so fascinated by him and every time she thinks she was starting to understand him, he shows her something new. When Hokumi agreed to their alliance, she thought he had an elaborate revenge plan two decades in the making. 

But now she was beginning to see through the fact that all Jesse had were semblances of a plan. All he had were years and years of pent up resentment and a deep, deep loneliness. 

It pained her heart to think about it. All the unresolved pain he harbored. Jesse was deeply flawed, and there was a suicidal rage about him that she recognized, and all of this to say–none of this changed how Hokumi felt about Jesse. 

Hokumi was damned, the way she loved him. 

From Hokumi’s house, Jesse went straight to the Sato Mansion, fully aware that by this hour, the news of Sato Kazuma’s death would have spread throughout the circle. He left his phone in the car while he was at Hokumi’s house with dozens of missed calls.

As Jesse expected, the Sato Mansion was abnormally lively at the crack of dawn. Every shareholder was here to figure out what was to be done about Kazuma’s remaining shares. He was unmarried, had no kins, so some form of redistribution was in order. 

Unlike the first board meeting, this one commenced without their principal shareholder. The Sato siblings were now down one and the remaining two were both eager to fight for the shares, but on edge to lose of their own. Before Jesse showed up, no one knew exactly how Kazuma ended up the way he did. Surely everyone had their eyes on him, but if someone’s hitman had successfully taken the hit, they would’ve claimed credit by now. There was an immense debate unfolding in the center of the grand meeting room, until the final missing piece made his way into the room. Jesse pushed through the doors and all eyes landed on him, the way he looked said everything that needed to be said. 

Jesse Lewis took matters upon himself, in the most literal sense of the word. Everyone was stunned, seeing the disheveled man walk into the room with full authority and a dangerous aura, evidenced by his bruised face and blood-stained dress shirt and an absolute lack of regard for any of it.

“I see we’ve begun already.” Jesse broke the silence as he walked to the front of the room and took a seat at the table. He hadn’t even planned to address the obvious that he had partaken in the manhunt and was the one who took Kazuma’s life.

Kaito, scared witless by Jesse showing up the way he did after murdering his brother, sunk into his chair and remained silent. Any will to fight for even one extra share of the pie had evaporated. He knew he had to figure out a way to take Jesse down a notch, but tonight was not the night. It was evident that Jesse was not afraid to kill. He’d seen Kazuma’s corpse and it was brutal to say the least. 

After Jesse sat down, Internal Affairs prepared and distributed a document citing the entire incident, the PR for it, and then it was up to the shareholders to decide how to handle his shares. 

Kazumi was the first to talk, as the current acting chairwoman, “Historically, a deceased shareholder with no next of kin meant the shares would get auctioned off.” 

She was one to withhold traditions, but even she has been shaken by how bloodthirsty Jesse was. 

“Given the high profile nature of this situation and interest of our time, I propose we endeavor in a different route.” Kazumi was wary of Jesse’s ways and until she could get an accurate read on him, she had no interest in fighting for her dead brother’s shares. 

Before she could suggest anything, Kaito uncharacteristically chimed in, “If I may…” 

He cleared his throat, “I’d like to address the elephant in the room” 

Kaito looked over at Jesse, his eyes filled with an eager subordination that Jesse could only tag as cowardly. 

“Historically, the one who completes the missions gets to say what happens to the spoils, no?” He gestures, suggesting that it was clear as day that Jesse was the victor. 

It was obvious Kaito was trying to stay on his good side. Jesse could see through it, so could Kazumi and the rest of the group. 

Jesse hadn’t even said a word up until this point, but he was tired of the politics. 

“80/20. 80 me, 20 you. End of discussion.” 

He knew they wouldn’t be appeased by him taking it all, but frankly he was exhausted. 80-20 was his bottom line, so he dropped his final negotiation and simply left the room. Seeing as the major stakeholder left, the meeting adjourned with all administrative and legal parties noting this as the final decision. 

Many left shaking their heads in disbelief at the family being overrun by a tyrant, but the remaining two siblings had more to worry about than that. As chairwoman, Kazumi had the position she sought for since the beginning. From her vantage, as long as she laid low, she’d figure him out eventually. 

Sato Kaito was getting jittery. He walked out alive by the skin of his teeth time after time, and he knew he couldn’t repeat Kazuma’s mistakes. Jesse needed to be dissected, because as a whole he was too damn strong. 

Kaito began by hiring private investigators. He made sure they knew if they were caught by his nephew that he would vehemently deny association. He needed to know what Jesse did everyday, where he went, where he ate, and Kaito knew he would find something. Everyone has weaknesses.

Week over week, the reports were the same. Growing up he was never the smartest or strongest, but he was a persistent bastard. Kaito realized it had been right under his nose this entire time. Jesse would visit the daughter of the Matsumura family several times every week and everyone knew they formed some kind of alliance. It was no surprise, but Kaito had an idea. Maybe his strongest ally was also his biggest weakness.

He knew he wouldn’t be able to take down Matsumura Hokumi by his own hands, unwilling to incur the wrath of the Matsumuras. Kaito was much slipperier than that. He set up a meeting to talk to someone who might want her out of the picture more than he does.

Matsumura Hiroto was an impulsive teenager who had no reason to believe Sato Kaito, but once he got into the kid’s head, there was no way he was going to win against the sly old fox. Hiroto had been convinced that Hokumi was tarnishing the Matsumura name, or as Kaito had colorfully described as being a whore to Jesse Lewis. 

Hiroto began to investigate his half-sister, unknowingly getting his own hands dirty for Kaito. It wasn’t long before he found out the part of Hokumi’s past that the family had obviously tried to bury. Hiroto had been too young to remember any of this, but by tracking down their former housekeeper, then through threats and other persuasive methods Kaito felt as though he scored the jackpot. Now he just needed the opportunity to strike, but first he needed to test the waters.

His wicked smile spread across his greasy face as he became excited to drag Jesse Lewis down from his newly acquired throne through uncovering Matsumura Hokumi’s past. Kaito was no good at confrontation, but when it came to pulling dirty moves to stay in the game, he was quite the expert. 

Sato Kaito quietly laid down the first trap. 

*

*

*

As the daughter of a big family like the Matsumuras, everyone imagined Hokumi had her life carved out for her. While it was true, it was far less glamorous than anyone could imagine. Anytime she was asked to make an appearance, it was as nothing but an accessory to the men in attendance. Luckily, she was scarcely sought out for. Unluckily for her, she did have a standing dinner with her family, when they were in the mood to pretend to be one. 

Hokumi hated everything about it, but it was finally over and she excused herself from the dining room. It was always the same restaurant, the same stale talk, and the same course which everyone had long grown tired of. Sometimes she wondered when her father would stop pretending like he ever cared for her. She ran her hand through her hair, letting out a tired sigh as she was ready to head home. The VIP rooms all had a special corridor for entering and exiting away from the general public and Hokumi turned into the hallway as usual. Her driver left to pull up the car and her only two security details trailed closely behind her. 

Hokumi hadn’t expected to see anyone, but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a man come down the same long carpeted corridor. She recognized him even from the entire length of the corridor away. His footsteps were silent, but each step closer weighed heavy on her heart. 

“Wow.” The man exclaimed, as though he had run into a longtime friend, “If it isn’t Hokumi.” 

But it was clear she didn’t feel the same in this twisted coincidence. He walked up to her, and she staggered a step backwards at his advance. The man was probably in his fifties, his streaks of gray proving him at least old enough to be her father and his broad figure easily filling out the expensive silky suit he wore. 

“Kitamura…san.” Hokumi tried her best to keep her composure despite her face flushing pale upon the sight of him.

Kitamura inched uncomfortably close to her, his sleazy true colors beginning to show and she could only clench her fist tightly by her sides to hold back a repulsion. He was close enough to her that she could smell his scent and it gave her flashbacks to memories she long buried. Hokumi never thought she would have to face him again, after avoiding him all these years. 

“You look just as beautiful as you did ten years ago.” He whispered, his warm breath disgustingly tingling onto her skin. Hokumi wanted out badly, but she couldn’t budge an inch. 

Kitamura seemed to smell fear and she hated how much power that gave him, so she tried to take that back by looking him right in the eye. 

“Tell your daddy I said hi.” He said. 

Just when she didn’t think it could get worse, his hand grazed her waist and she flinched at his touch. 

“I will.” Hokumi kept her poise until she could escape the situation. With a slight nod, she walked off briskly, tightly gripping her arms in front of herself until she got to the car. Momentarily after the car left the premises, her driver pulled over and she dismissed her guards. Finally Hokumi deemed it safe, and at last she let herself feel her fears alone in her car. She promised herself that she would never show weakness in front of Kitamura, or else it might never end. Involuntary tears streamed down her face, her whole body shaken by the sudden appearance of Kitamura. 

Matsumura Hokumi remembered every last detail like it was yesterday. Every time the man named Kitamura was welcomed into their house even though he left scars on her that would never heal. She spent the last decade avoiding him, the man who walked free, her attacker. 

But today her past came back to haunt her. 

(Flashback)

Naomi-san first noticed something was wrong when she found Hokumi’s school uniform in the trash, missing half of its buttons. She had been the Matsumura family housekeeper for years and knew Hokumi wasn’t the kind of child who’d leave her uniform in such a condition. It was concerning enough that she kept it on her mind. Then something peculiar happened. Over the next few months, Naomi picked up things she never noticed before, namely from a family guest that frequented the mansion. It seemed so obvious now, and she made a bold revelation. 

“Miss Hokumi?” 

“Hm?” 

Hokumi looked up from her studies. It was a quiet evening, her parents had gone out, and Naomi finally found the perfect timing and the courage to approach Hokumi. She knew it wasn’t her place, but deep down she only wished Hokumi did not have to go through this alone. 

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” It pained her imagining if her revelations were verified, how horrified she must have felt.

Hokumi had a sinking feeling, and she instantly knew Naomi found out about the thing. Naomi showed Hokumi the scuffed school uniform that she put in a bag. 

“...I fell.” 

“And the buttons on your blouse fell off?” 

“I…” 

She wanted to deny it, because maybe if she denied its existence she could pretend like it never happened. And she so badly wanted to feel relieved that an adult finally believed her, but she was scared. 

Judging by Hokumi’s reaction, Naomi knew she was right and her heart sank. How isolated and powerless Hokumi must have felt. And although she was only their housekeeper, she always saw Hokumi as though she was her own. 

How could someone do this to her? 

Once Hokumi stopped denying, the floodgates opened. She confided everything to her housekeeper, pouring her story to Naomi. She told her about how at first it had been just a touch here and there, a grazing over her waist, her thigh. When she didn’t fight back, it became bolder, grabbing her in different places when no one was watching. One day she told her parents and was met with silence and inaction, and it only got worse. 

“We all make sacrifices.” She remembered overhearing her father say to her stepmom. As it turned out, they knew it was happening, but chose the silence that escalated her attacker’s ego. 

Hokumi only remembered wondering why Kitamura was more important than her to her father.

She recalled so much pain, especially the day that he decided the touching wasn’t enough to satisfy him anymore. He locked the doors. She was only 16. 

At the end of her story, Hokumi was all cried out and fell asleep on Naomi’s lap. She stroked the poor child’s hair and realized there was nothing in her power that she could do for Hokumi. 

But the following week, Hokumi told Naomi she wanted to run away from home. While it sounded like the most childish idea, there was nothing childish about the length she was willing to go. She knew she couldn’t simply vanish from the face of Earth, so instead she planned to fabricate an accident and needed Naomi to corroborate in an alibi. Naturally, she was willing to do anything to help out the child. 

Hokumi was only 17, but she was willing to fake her own death to escape the hands of an abuser. Naomi always knew she was brave, but she couldn’t imagine taking matters into her own hands like that, even at her age. 

Once her family stopped searching for her and she was thoroughly pronounced dead, Hokumi deflected to the one place she knew was known for taking in strays. She faked her age and wandered into one of the shady massage parlors in the lesser parts of the city, operated by the well-known Tanaka Family.

“How old are you?”

“20.”

“What’s your name?” 

“Asuka.” Hokumi picked an alias, because she always wanted to be free like a flying bird. 

“Asuka…” The woman asking her questions was not much older than she was, but there was a sharpness to her that only came with years of experience.

“This place is a one-way street. I hope you know that.” She was matter-of-fact, and Hokumi appreciated that. 

“I plan to stay.” Hokumi replied, “But not here. I don’t want to service men in rooms with their pants off. Let me do the other jobs.”

The woman appeared surprised at Hokumi’s bold request. She wrote it off as naivety, that it was something only someone so new and young would say. 

“Sweetie, we don’t get to choose around here.” The woman lit up a cigarette and leaned back in her chair, sitting opposite from Hokumi, “We are assigned roles. And we play our roles. We stay in our lanes. We get paid.” 

But Hokumi wasn’t having any of it, “Let me do the other jobs.” She repeated, hoping to get through. 

The woman was beginning to get irritated. If not for the fact that Hokumi had a pretty face, she would not be wasting an extra breath on her. But this was good. She knew men liked the fiery type that they could tame into submission sexually. 

“This is the job. The only job you will get.” She leaned over the table, puffing out smoke onto her face before grabbing her hair, “Now do not make me hit that pretty face. You’ll be worthless to me.”

Yet even pushed into a corner, Hokumi was not willing to submit for less than what she came for. She was as determined as ever, looking the woman straight in the eye. She was already a dead woman, what more could she have to lose? Hokumi knew what she wanted. 

“Let me do the other jobs.” 

The woman finally let go of Hokumi’s hair and she knew a beating was in order. None of her girls defy her like that, but before she could act upon that thought, the commotion caught the attention of a man who appeared in the lobby. 

“What’s going on here?” The man walked in with both hands in his pocket, sporting a dark button-up and dress pants. He couldn’t have been much older than the woman, but he was definitely higher up the chain of command.

“Kochi-san, I’m sorry. It’s just one of my new girls.” The woman immediately apologized.

“What's your name?” Kochi took interest in Hokumi. But Hokumi scoffed at him, when she thought he was simply one of the sleazy men who employed this service. 

Seeing Hokumi’s lack of response, the woman chimed in, “Asuka. Her name is Asuka. She’s new here, blabbering on about wanting to do the other jobs…” 

“The other jobs?” 

“Right?” The woman genuinely thought she was doing the new girl a favor. The other jobs would get her hands dirty and waste her cute face.  

“Why do you want to…” Kochi turned to Hokumi, intrigued by her resistance, “...do the other jobs?” He wanted to see if she knew what these other jobs even meant. 

“I’d be better at it.” Hokumi replied.

“Isn’t this easier though?”

“No. I’d rather die than do this.” 

Kochi Yugo was second in command to the Tanaka brothers, and in his district, he had seen lots of people come through. Women, men, and most of them were broken people seeking refuge. Most of them have no will to live, simply wanting to get by, so they comply with whatever station they are posted to. 

But this girl named Asuka was different. She was both. A will to thrive but an insanity to die. 

Before Kochi could make a call on it, another man walked into the lobby and seeing the level of respect he commanded, Hokumi could assume he was a decision-maker.

“Why don’t we give her a shot? Worse case we could always just drag her back here.” Having overheard most of the commotion, Tanaka Juri suggested.

“Juri. What are you doing here?” Kochi sounded surprised, suggesting his appearance was rare. 

“Looking for you. We’re gonna be late.” Juri tried to hurry Kochi along, but he seemed to have an idea.

“Wait.” Kochi turned to Hokumi, “Asuka, right?”

She nodded. 

“There’s a team downstairs right now. One of them is a mole.” Kochi tossed her the packet of papers he had been given earlier in the day, “You have until I get back to figure out which one it is.” 

Juri smiled, not because he found it funny that Kochi set her up to fail, but because he knew Kochi was at it again, seeing potential in people that most people didn’t. That was the nice way to say it. Juri knew he had a soft spot for girls like Hokumi, which was too ironic given the kind of business he ran. 

The two left for their appointment and once they were outside, Juri couldn’t help asking.

“So you think she’s smart enough to figure out something you couldn’t figure out all morning?” 

“Nah. Not really.” 

“Then what?”

“We’ll see.” 

When the pair returned from their appointment, Hokumi had not betrayed their expectations. They both knew she would not be able to figure it out in such a short time, yet she delivered a satisfactory answer. When she couldn’t find the mole, she made one, turning all the others against this singular person. It was his unlucky day. Her willingness to do the job and effective persuasion had “Asuka” hired on the spot. Juri had seen Kochi take such a liking to her that he posted her right under him. 

Asuka operated for two years under Kochi, learning on the job and developing a close friendship with him. Up until the day he died, he never found out that Asuka was an alias. 

Everything quickly unraveled following Kochi’s death. The Matsumura family found their daughter who was supposedly dead for years and demanded she return home. Juri had to let Hokumi return to her family, no matter what she wanted. He had only briefly heard about Hokumi’s past, but she must have been desperate to fake her own death and run jobs for the Tanaka Family. Juri believed she was at least better equipped to protect herself now. 

He remembered the day he sent her off. 

“Asuka.”

“I’m…Hokumi now.” She smiled bitterly, realizing this life was behind her now. Buried with her best friend. 

“I’m sorry, Hokumi.” Juri apologized. He knew he couldn’t apologize enough, both because he could no longer protect her, but also because he failed to protect their dear friend. 

“Thank you for rolling the dice on me back then.” 

“That was Kochi.” Juri chuckled to mask how painful it felt losing his right-hand man and now Hokumi.

“I’ll see you around, if they ever let me out of the house ever again.” She joked, hoping to make the farewell easier. 

“Come on. They can’t stop you.” Juri trained her better than that. She was one of his strongest assets,   “You’re always welcomed back.” 

“I know.” 

“You always have a friend in me.” 

“You too.” 

Following Hokumi’s return home, she relieved everyone of their duties early. The sun had barely begun to set, but she said she wanted to be alone. While her employees found the behavior strange, they knew best to not question her. Once she was alone, she tried to pour herself a glass of wine to calm down. She tried to keep her hand steady, but it wouldn’t stop trembling. She remembered it all. Everything she gave up to run away, the people she lost in the process, and how she was forced to grow up overnight. Hokumi never allowed herself to be weak, but in the face of the man who took so much away from her, she reverted back to that teenage girl who held everything in until it bursted at the seams. 

She didn’t even know how she had taken her guard down. Her worst nightmare returned to haunt her.  He barely touched her skin, yet she felt the need to scrub every inch of her body with bleach. She flinched, knocking over the wine glass thinking about the sound of his voice. The loud shattering startled her, but helped her snap out of the episode. Hokumi composed herself back together so she could clean up the shards, before she is startled again by a commotion. A familiar silhouette at her doorway, pausing only momentarily to catch his breath before rushing over to hold her. 

Hokumi froze amongst the broken glass and puddle of wine and let herself be swallowed by Jesse’s embrace. He was so warm. It was so foreign. 

“Are you okay?” His voice was low beside her ear, as though if he raised it any higher he would break her. Jesse’s large hand caressed the back of her head. She could hear the racing of his heartbeat and she knew he came as fast as he could, filled with both a gentle concern and a raging murderous intent for the person who hurt her.

“How did you…” She had no idea how Jesse knew or who let him in, but she never needed someone more. At that moment, she wanted to cry the same way she cried in Naomi’s lap that night. 

Jesse gave her a safety that she didn’t know was possible. She knew what he was capable of, but Hokumi never needed a big strong man to do her bidding. Yet she thoroughly fell in love with the idea that he would. 

“What? You think you’re the only one who can put a security detail on me?” Jesse sounded both proud and worried. He was glad he sent someone to keep an eye on her. But blamed himself that he couldn’t get there fast enough. 

“I’m fine.” Hokumi finally responded, but it wasn’t convincing in the least, between her tear streaked face and the broken glass on the floor, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care if she told him the name of the son of bitch he needed to kill or if she simply wanted to do nothing, so long as she would let him stay by her side. 

“Your finger is bleeding.” She only noticed the scratch from the broken glass when Jesse pointed it out. 

“Come on. I’ll find a bandaid.” He sat her down before wandering off to find a bandaid. Her mind was still shaken from everything that she doesn’t even notice Jesse until he’s finished applying the bandaid to her finger. 

Somehow they were always tending each other’s wounds, but there was an unspoken understanding. 

Admittedly she hadn’t known him for long. But she’s witnessed his charming side and heard many stories of his violent tendencies. Then she looked at the man beside her, doing nothing but stroking her hair and letting her curl up in his arms. This was neither. Hokumi had no idea Jesse could be this gentle, his tenderness was a terrifying juxtaposition to his vengeful insanity. She wondered if this was his true nature, that he was actually a warm person by nature, someone who lived his life rained upon by fate. 

Jesse spends the evening consoling Hokumi, despite her lack of indication that she wanted this. The tables were turned and this time he knew something was wrong, no matter her silence on it.

“Are you going to ask?” Hokumi hoped he wouldn’t. But she cared about whether he wanted to know. 

“No.” Jesse replied, while playing with a lock of her hair as she laid beside him. He knew this was a ghost of her past and frankly, that’s all he needed to know. 

“Okay.” 

“You can sleep if you want.” 

Jesse wanted to say that he will watch over her and protect her, but Hokumi was the strongest person he knew. In fact, that was the reason he wanted her on his side to begin with. Yet between every interaction, whether it was fulfilling his vows to protect her or simply because he found her wildly beautiful, Jesse wanted so much more than for her to be on his side. If he could, he wanted Hokumi all to himself, even though he knew it was selfish and wrong. 

The night grew late and Jesse tried to send her off to bed. He promised to stick around for the night and turned to leave her bedroom. 

“Wait.” Hokumi grabbed his arm, “Can you stay?” 

He was surprised at her request, but seeing her begin to show her vulnerabilities, Jesse’s heart softened. He couldn’t bear seeing her hurt and would do anything that helped. 

“Can you stay…the night?” She bit her bottom lip, her voice fading into a soft whisper with each word. 

“Yeah.” 

She doesn’t have spare clothes for him to change into, so he climbed into bed with her in a tank top and boxers. Jesse pulls her close, so she can snuggle against his chest, which she now knew was the safest place on Earth. The sky could fall, and Jesse would hold it up. 

He was a scarce sleeper, so eventually she fell asleep on him, her breathing steady at first until later in the night when he woke to her whimpering cries. He wakes in an instant and tries to coax her nightmares. When she finally fell back asleep, he couldn’t sleep anymore. It pained him seeing her only allowing herself to break apart in her sleep, but what Hokumi never even told Jesse was that he was the first man that she didn’t feel scared to be intimate with. This was their first night together, and Hokumi never knew why, but she trusted him to be her safe haven. No matter what. 

*

*

*

Weeks following the incident, Hokumi had come to question whether it was a coincidence that she saw Kitamura that day. More than her, Jesse was thoroughly ticked by the situation and it caused him to realize he needed more people in his inner circle. 

Over lunch one day, Jesse articulated his concern to Hokumi. He doesn’t need them to be friends; he just needed them to pick his side if they were put into the situation to pick sides. 

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but because of the run-in with Kitamura, Hokumi had been thinking about her old friend a lot. And it just happened that the old friend was the candidate Jesse had in mind to approach. 

“I’ll see what I can do.” 

Jesse never had a reason to doubt Hokumi’s abilities. 

Tanaka Juri had been elated to get an invitation from Hokumi to meet up, but he was quite bitter about it. After leaving her past life behind, she only ever called him when she needed someone to mop something up. 

She had asked him to meet her the following day “at the place where she got hired”. 

“Look who it is, in the flesh.” Juri tried to sound sarcastic, but he couldn’t hide his genuine joy in seeing his old friend, “Interesting choice of location.” 

She got up from her seat to greet her old friend, giving him a hug after parting for many years. 

“I figured this was the safest place for us to meet.” Hokumi smiled and she looked even prettier than Juri remembered. 

“That’s fair.” He nods and gestures to her to meet inside his office. After closing the door behind them, he goes to pour a drink, but remembers that she prefers tea so he orders one of his minions to run to buy them something to drink. 

“I suppose you’re not here to catch up with me.” Juri got straight to the point.

“I’m here to pitch an alliance.” Normally she would be less straightforward, but after years of working alongside Juri, she knew better than to play games with him. 

“Okay, but why me?” Juri was acting receptive to the idea, but underneath he was curious how Hokumi, the girl who would rather die than bend her will, came to work for Jesse Lewis. He didn’t know Jesse personally, but he was about to find out.

“You’re one out of five sons, yet all five of you are tight. And you are the most influential of your brothers.” Hokumi was on point about her observations. 

“Thank you?” Juri was still perplexed by the invitation.

She never felt the need to pretend around Juri because the people she could trust were few and he was one of them. 

“For what it’s worth, Jesse seems to think you have the potential to split the difference should the power grab ever come down to that.” 

“So it’s Jesse now?” Finally Juri got what he came for, “You just assume I know about your thing with Mr. Lewis.” 

“Let’s be real, there is very little you don’t know.” She was right. 

But Juri was more interested in Hokumi’s changes. Her alliance with Jesse was an open secret, and while being his ally had diminished her ability none, it gave her a purpose that Juri hadn’t seen in her. Like she seeked his validation. If it were any other woman, Juri would call that a weakness, but because it was Hokumi he was strangely glad. He doesn’t know how to explain it, but she needed this attachment. He was afraid she’d never find something to care about ever again. 

Juri knew Hokumi loved him. And he doesn’t say that lightly about her. 

“I hope Jesse is good to you.” Hokumi knows Juri is talking to her not as a business associate, but as her friend. 

“Thanks.” She softens at his genuine concern for her and reciprocates the appreciation, “I hope you find someone soon too.” 

“Noooo.” Juri scoffed, “Do not wish that on me. That is not how I operate.” 

Hokumi laughed, knowing Tanaka Juri was still the same person she knew all those years ago. 

Juri looked down, thinking about the years that had gone by. When he looked back up at Hokumi, she could tell he was about to decline her offer. 

“Sorry, but I can’t align with Jesse Lewis. You have to understand that he is still too much of a wild card.” 

Getting the Tanaka family on board was a long-shot anyways. If anyone could persuade Juri to sign on, it would have been Hokumi, but she respected the wishes of her friend. She owed him that much, no matter if he still felt guilty for Kochi’s death after all these years. 

“You know, you’re always welcomed back.” Juri always told her the same thing, “I can’t be on his side, but I’m always on your side.”

“I know.” 

“You always have a friend in me.” 

“You too.” 

It was just like the day he sent his flying bird off to become Hokumi again. 

It had been eerily quiet, both the power players and the small shareholders alike, and Jesse could tell that much. Since Sato Kazuma’s execution, he knew everyone must be racking their brains to come up with ways to take him down. Frankly, it didn’t bother Jesse. In fact, this was exactly what he wanted and needed. 

Jesse Lewis intended to demonstrate that he had no problems with getting his own hands dirty. 

Now that he was even larger of an eyesore for the remaining Sato siblings, he made sure to continue business as usual. For now at least everything was going in his favor and he intended it to continue that way. 

Jesse knew his every move was being surveilled; that much he had prepared for. So he padded into his schedule some private time as soon as he came back. It wasn’t uncommon amongst the business elites to call high end escorts to entertain, and Jesse played into that stereotype. Every Thursday he’d visit the S Hotel in Roppongi where the executive suite was his second home. A tinted van would pull around back and a man in a suit would escort these women in. 

But Jesse had no such interest. 

The women were always escorted into a separate room in the suite, where it was made sufficiently clear that they would be compensated for sitting there and keeping this secret. High end call girls had seen it all. Short of nuclear secrets, there wasn’t much that these girls hadn’t seen before. Between the politicians and dirty businessmen they served, what’s one more secret to them?

Before Jesse’s arrival, his actual meeting partner would discreetly arrive first. 

“Kato-san.” 

The man stood up to greet Jesse, “Mr. Lewis.” 

He was only slightly older than Jesse, but between his wire framed glasses and the academic air about him, he appeared older, and much wiser. A trustworthy man. A man who absolutely knew what he was doing. 

Jesse offered a seat to Kato-san and then sat across from him, leading into the conversation immediately. 

“Have you got the documents I asked for?” 

Jesse gestured for his assistant to bring over the package. 

Since the last incident with Kageyama, Jesse found it difficult to trust many. He stuck to having only one man, someone who could do it all and could never betray him. Nakajima was the only man for that job. 

Kato immediately opened the package and began to examine the paperwork. Once he verified both the authenticity and the completeness, he gave very specific instructions to Jesse on what he needed to prepare next. Jesse listened intently, making sure to make no notes or anything that left a paper trail that could damn him later. Once business was concluded, their meeting promptly ended. The nature of their relationship was efficient and they believed it was the only way they could pull this off. Kato had legally advised many, and while Jesse’s project was simple enough, he had never gotten a real glance at the underbelly of the Sato Empire and just how horribly corrupt it might be. He never knew when one day his client may simply stop showing up, having been brutally murdered somewhere.  

The two men shook hands and as Jesse turned to leave, Kato uncharacteristically stopped Jesse. 

“Mr. Lewis?” 

Jesse turned around, hands removed from his pants pocket out of respect. 

“I know it’s not my place to say this, but I do wish the best of luck to you.” 

“Thank you.” Jesse nodded a small smile and continued out, Nakajima following suit. 

Kato Shigeaki lived in the gray; he thrived in advising people who wanted to manipulate the law to their advantage. It was strange to him. This wasn’t a particularly special case. Hell, Jesse Lewis’ case didn’t even make his top ten most challenging, yet somehow he had a gut feeling that this may be the hill he died on. 

The days following Hokumi’s meeting with Juri, she had gotten her hands full chasing a lead down for Jesse. When the Tanaka alliance didn’t pan out, Hokumi decided she’d pursue a different strategy. In her time working for the Tanakas she learned a lot watching the way business was dealt. When she returned as the Matsumura heiress, they all assumed she was nothing but a pretty face, when in fact she had secretly built a network of allies abroad. Her Chinese connections were especially strong and she made sure they had business interest in Japan, but no political interest here in Tokyo. 

A war was coming. A revolution, she assured them. If they chose the right side, she could only imagine the volume of business they could do. 

Naturally, Jesse’s side could be the only victorious one. 

On her flight back from Shanghai, Hokumi finally could get some shuteye after her meeting with her newest ally, Mr. Wang. Meeting with Wang was no walk in the park. To her knowledge, he alongside his brother, single-handedly put their small city’s economy on the map of Mainland China. 

It was only their third time meeting, the last time being the time she asked if they were interested in the product Kai needed to offload. That had gone over well for both parties, giving Hokumi some leverage for calling an alliance. An official stance. 

Wang Yuexin wasn’t one to turn down a peculiar and interesting deal. Naturally he never came to the table without knowing his own hand, his enemy’s hand, and his ally’s hand, all backwards forward and inside out. He could tell Matsumura Hokumi’s offer was genuine. Her relationship was authentic, and more importantly Wang could tell Jesse Lewis was a character he wanted on his side. Granted, Tokyo could never be far reaching enough to devastate his domestic business, but it was a wealth of an untapped market for him and that may be what would cement their already immovable empire further. 

In fact, Hokumi was rather shocked at how well negotiations went over. She remembered asking Mr. Wang why it seemed he trusted her. 

“Your intentions are crystal clear.” 

“Oh?” 

“Love. You love him.” 

“What gives?”

“It takes one to know one.”

She thought about it between naps on the plane. Hokumi hadn’t even realized until then, that it was the first time she’d admit to herself, to loving Jesse Lewis. Bizarre as their alliance was formed, they shared a connection she never felt before. She didn’t even care to confirm if he felt the same because so long as she felt this way, she was going to stick around. 

After landing, Hokumi headed home to freshen up and then immediately went to meet Jesse. The intel she received was time sensitive, so she wanted to deliver it as soon as possible. 

She wanted to keep their late meeting on the down low, so she even dismissed her security details and drove herself.

Hokumi called Jesse from the car as she pulled onto the highway.

“Hello?” He hadn’t heard from her in days, and he couldn’t hide the happiness in his voice.

“Where are you?” Jesse followed up, before Hokumi could say anything.

“I just got back from Shanghai.” 

“How did it go?” Jesse asked, knowing that Hokumi had most definitely gone abroad for business rather than leisure. 

“I’ll come tell you.” She replied, and before she could ask where he was, Jesse sent her his location. 

“Come to my place.” He invited her over, not only because they had business to discuss, but he missed her. 

*

*

*

When Hokumi arrived at Jesse’s location, she was rather surprised. Naturally the Satos had a family mansion, and she hadn’t expected Jesse to reside there, but she was also expecting a mansion of his own. Instead, she found herself at a condo in Minami Azabu, where Jesse would call home after his return to Japan. Unbeknownst to her that Jesse never called anywhere home. He didn’t believe in a home. A place to live–was a means to an end. 

When she handed her car over to the valet, she found Jesse waiting for her by the front, clad in nothing but a hoodie over a tank top and shorts. It was strange looking at him from her vantage, like from a distance no one would be able to tell this was the Jesse Lewis, who took Tokyo by a storm and showed zero mercy on his opponents. She wasn’t sure why she felt like maybe in another life he could’ve lived a happier life. Who was she to feel pity towards him?

She walked over to Jesse, who gestured her into the marble-paved lobby leading to his private elevator. 

Jesse had been waiting for her at the door since the moment she got off the phone with him like a love struck puppy.

Once they got to the elevator, Jesse confessed that he hadn’t prepared much for her first visit to his place. 

“I have nothing good to offer, but I did get a nice wine out of the cellar.” 

“Do I have the pleasure of dinner to go with the wine?” Hokumi asked, only half-joking as she realized she hadn’t eaten all day, “I’m starving.” 

Jesse smiled, “I can’t promise what I make will taste good, but I can definitely whip something up.” 

Hokumi nodded, smiling back at him. Jesse’s heart always felt a flutter every time he saw her smile, and he realized they really ought to meet on happier occasions. Her smile was too beautiful to miss. 

The elevator door opened directly into Jesse’s place. He handed her a pair of slippers to change into before unlocking the glass front door, leading her down the hallway into his living room. She couldn’t help but notice how bare the entire place was. There were no signs that anyone lived there, from the naked walls to the spotless furniture. He situated her with a glass of water and the wine he promised and headed into the kitchen. 

Jesse opened the fridge to search for his ingredients. Despite rarely eating at home, his house was regularly serviced by people his grandaunt sent. Cleaning, inspecting and food delivery were the standard. 

Hokumi should feel more tired after a long day of business and traveling, but she stalked Jesse from the other side of the kitchen, watching him peel garlic and mincing it into a fine grain. And something about it was so mesmerizing. She could get used to this feeling of comfort. It was dangerous. 

Jesse noticed her idling by and knew she wouldn’t have a seat even if he asked, so he asked her to come in to help if she wanted. Hokumi rolled up her sleeve and got a pot of water started, salting the water to his instructions. 

“So what was in Shanghai?” Jesse asked, habitually using every spare moment to do business. 

“Chasing down some intel.” Hokumi leaned against the countertop, glancing at the water intermittently to check if it was boiling. 

“Your aunt’s dirty laundry.” Hokumi added, and Jesse perked up. He hasn’t asked her to help with that, but he was intrigued. None of his informants found the information he was seeking.

At this point, he wouldn’t even bother asking her how she even found out about what he was digging into. Frankly, it was dangerous—she was dangerous, and for a moment, he thought about what would happen if she ever betrayed him. Jesse would lose everything, including her, and most importantly he didn’t want to lose someone like her. 

“Want to share with the class what you found out?” Jesse continued to cut up the vegetables, gently nudging Hokumi to stand on the other side as he chopped up half an onion. 

Before taking a few steps back, she lingered beside him asking what she would get in return for the intel. Jesse wasn’t sure what it was worth to her, but surely it wasn’t about money. 

“A home cooked dinner?” He asked, hoping to gauge where she was at with this. 

Hokumi hesitated, he watched until she broke into a soft smile. 

“I’ll let you get away with it this time.” 

Jesse felt like he unlocked yet another side of her, a cute almost child-like personality. He wondered if this had been the original her, the one he would have met had they met much earlier in life.

“Starting from the top, we know that proceeds from the charity auction last month bounced between a few places domestically.” She said, “Trail goes cold there. You know that.”

Jesse began to sautéed the ingredients over a low heat, but listening intently to Hokumi explain the information she discovered.

“From the last known location, funds were both wired and physically transported abroad. An off-shore account woke up, then distributed it amongst dozens of local businesses in a small city in China.” 

Jesse connected the dots, but he knew this wasn’t the end of it. 

She continued, “Everything should then magically funnel its way back to Japan, into your aunt’s pockets.” 

Hokumi paused for dramatic effect, and Jesse turned around to hear the rest as the pasta sauce simmered. 

“Luckily I know someone.” 

He had an inkling that Hokumi had a hand in foiling the whole deal, but he was still amazed at the speed and precision at which she worked.

“How much did she lose?” Jesse questioned. 

“Just shy of three million.” 

“Where did it go?” 

Hokumi shrugged, “Charity, as it was intended.” 

Jesse tried to hide a smug smile, clearly satisfied with her work as he walked towards the fridge. He stops midway at her heel and leaned down, leaving a small peck on her forehead. 

“Tell me, what other rewards do you want?” His voice was gentle, curious. She looked up into his eyes. When they first met all she could see in his eyes was an insatiable determination, yet now she saw wisps of softness, threatening to swallow her. 

“I want you, all of you, all in one piece.” Hokumi said, hoping to conceal any uncertainty that she knew, that maybe he couldn’t promise that. 

“Dinner’s ready.” 

She was right. 

Jesse couldn’t promise he wouldn’t die in his quest for revenge. Because that was a weakness in his eyes. Because only that level of insanity would guarantee a certain victory over his enemies. 

Even Hokumi couldn’t stop that. 

*

*

* 

Once he washed up, Jesse walked over to his dining room to join Hokumi. 

She picked up the fork and glanced at Jesse, “You’re not eating?” 

He took a sip of the wine and smiled, “I’m not hungry.” 

Jesse watched her take the first bite with anticipation, hoping his culinary skills hadn’t deteriorated too much. 

Hokumi held her hair back with one hand and took a full bite, her eyes gleaming with joy and Jesse was relieved. He watched as she took more bites while holding her hair from falling into the plate. 

Frankly, Hokumi hadn’t expected dinner to taste this good. It wasn’t anything fancy, but there was a comfort to the taste that she had long forgotten. She had least expected to remember this taste from Jesse, and it was the best reward she could have asked for. 

“This is so good.” Hokumi couldn’t hide her childlike excitement, and Jesse wanted to laugh seeing her gleeful expressions from eating the most ordinary food. 

“I’m glad you like it.” 

He watched her for a few more moments before quietly shuffling behind her, tapping her lightly on the shoulder. From her peripheral, she saw him point to the hair tie on her wrist and she reached her hand back to him. 

He removed the hair tie from her wrist, and slowly helped her pull her hair back into a ponytail hanging low on her back. He was careful to not pull it too tight, and Hokumi could tell his movements were awkward, nonetheless the more gentle he was with her the more she affirmed her thoughts on the plane earlier that day. 

It wasn’t a meal, or a hair tie that won her over, but the way Jesse Lewis seemed to be able to do anything from tying her hair back so she could eat dinner to murdering the last of her enemies in cold blood. 

When he sat back down, she could see his expression clearly satisfied with his own work. He pulled the chair closer to her, practically staring at her dining. 

“It’s not polite to stare you know.” Hokumi quipped when she noticed him staring.

But Jesse seemed to have let loose a bit more than usual. 

“I don’t really care.” He replied. 

She smiled, “Where did you learn to cook like this anyways?” 

Hokumi never pegged him for someone who knew his way around a kitchen, let alone a good cook. Somehow it seemed impossible to imagine him with rolled up sleeves quietly preparing a meal, yet here she was enjoying the fruits of that labor. 

“Being stuck abroad alone with no one does things to you.” Jesse explained, recounting his days as if it wasn’t a personal matter. 

“Cooking for people gave me a reason to invite them over, and that’s how I made friends.” Jesse seemed to speak warmly of his days in America. Even though they were some of his harshest memories, the cold upbringing that fostered him into the person he is today — they were all he had and all he knew. 

Hokumi saw right through Jesse, that beyond the nostalgia was a sharp and cold past like an eternal sting that never goes away, permanently seared into his bones. 

She didn’t know how someone like that, knew how to make something taste like home. 

Hokumi wiped the corner of her mouth and remembered the home she once had. 

“My housekeeper, Naomi-san used to make the best pasta.” 

Jesse noticed a sadness wash over Hokumi’s eyes. Subtle, but heartbreaking. 

“Haven’t had it in ten years.” Her voice grew soft, and she looked up at Jesse when he held her hand, cupping over it with his own. 

He seemed to want to say something, but the words never quite escaped his lips. Hokumi understood it, Jesse didn’t know how to grasp her whenever she seemed to fade into a whisper of wind. He didn’t know under what authority and confidence he had to promise her eternal sunshine. He was merely the shadow the sun casted, maybe he could provide her shade, yet he wished holding her hand would give her warmth. And whether that was a wishful fantasy was to be determined. 

After dinner, Hokumi insisted she would take care of dishes and he should take a break, but instead Jesse stood besides her drying each plate and pan as it got washed. They worked in a comforting silence, and afterwards Jesse asked if she wanted to stay a while since she had some wine over dinner. 

She agreed and found herself laying in his arms on his couch together. He twiddled with her hair and updated her on some of what he had been up to. Between threats and people volunteering their services to Jesse, he appeared to gain a handful of allies, but Hokumi accurately pointed out that it didn’t seem Jesse trusted any of them. They were all just as likely to sell him out as soon as the tides turned. 

Hokumi felt regretful that she couldn’t get the Tanaka’s onboard, but instead shared that she gained an unlikely ally in a faraway place. When Jesse asked why it seemed that she trusted Mr.Wang, she only replied that he has the same air about him.

Yet upon uttering those words, Jesse felt an unprecedented urge. He loved hearing Hokumi talk but at that moment he wanted her to stop, he didn’t want to hear about this seemingly amazing man she connected with. 

The lock of hair dropped from between his fingers and Hokumi noticed right away. She looked up at him, finding his face had darkened at her mention of their newest ally. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Seems like you quite fancy this Mr.Wang.” His tone was extra flat, failing to conceal himself. 

Hokumi paused, in the slightest disbelief, “…You’re jealous?”

“You asked for all of me.” Jesse leaned down and kissed her lips, “So why can’t I ask for all of you?”

 His lips had barely parted from hers when he said those words, and before she had another second to breathe, he gently held her face taking in all of her, out of both an aggressive jealousy and purest form of desire. Jesse desperately wanted to hold back, but he also realized she had no intentions to slow down, so he fed into his own impulse. 

Hokumi realized there was a slowly burning feeling inside her heart, an emotion by the name of passion — it would swallow her some day, she thought. The way it redefined love as she knew. 

She learned intimacy from Jesse, that sharing hot kisses and burning touches not only felt liberating, it only brought their souls even closer together. 

Jesse guided her with both a strong hand and a gentle touch, knowing she wouldn’t break easily yet feeling like she was a glass flower. Maybe if he didn’t take her home, she would be revered in a museum forever. Nonetheless, his rage and gentleness always ran in parallel, at tug of war with each other and that was what was so wildly attractive to Hokumi. 

If Jesse was the one who broke her, somehow she would be content with that ending. 

*

*

*

Sato Kaito was thrilled to know how his set-up for Kitamura and Hokumi to coincidentally see each other went down. He was practically popping champagne to celebrate her pain as his win like a storybook villain, yet he saw himself as the hero removing the cancer in this family. Jesse was a cancer to what he saw as rightfully his: the eldest son of the Sato family. 

Kaito knew he had to be patient, but he also had to be quick with his plan. Jesse had been quietly seizing more and more power by the day since his brother’s death. It was only a matter of time until the misfortune befalls his own head. 

In fact it was intel that Kazumi lost everything from the last charity auction that stiffened his resolution to follow through with all this immediately. Losing 3 million yen was a drop in the bucket compared to losing his life. To him, Jesse was a cruel son of a bitch. Kaito knew, even if he played nice he wasn’t getting off the hook. 

Kaito had been so overwhelmingly concerned with his own scheme and wellbeing that he completely overlooked a new company silently cropping up in the background.

JL Company was how Jesse would ultimately rewrite everyone’s fate. Renaming Sato Corp was a red herring. He had no interest in the company. No, Jesse wanted to burn down the old empire — everything the old man left — and raise his own empire in its wake after the ashes settled. 

So even though Kaito thought Kitamura was a sleazy motherfucker with a revolting taste for teenage girls, he knew the man had advantages Kaito wanted to work with. He met with Kitamura on several occasions, buttering him up like a fat slice of toast. 

Kitamura had been skeptical at first, but his ego ultimately got the best of him. Kaito promised a lump sum of campaign money, amongst other perks in exchange for one small favor that only he could carry out. 

They had a deal. 

*

*

*

Hokumi felt her eyelids heavy and her mind foggy as though she was in a dream. Slowly, her vision came into focus, and her eyes darted around the room. A hotel room? She tried to sit up but her wrists were bound together with heavy duty zip ties. The room was dark and empty, the curtains drawn shut tightly. 

Her shoes were missing, and her bare ankles were bound together. She struggled to push herself against the silky bed sheets until she could prop herself up. Her movements activated the lights, a warm but sharp light stung in her eyes. 

Hokumi looked at her surroundings, trying to reconcile the gap in her memory knowing the last thing she remembered was the fire alarm going off in the building she was in. Her security personnel stepped away for a second to check and it came back to her that she lost consciousness right after that. 

It wasn’t hard to realize she had been abducted somewhere, and before she even had a moment to figure anything out, the motion in the room alerted the people outside the room. The door knob turned and a few standard guards filed in against the wall, followed by her living and walking nightmare. 

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the last time we bumped into each other, Hokumi.” 

She instinctively shuddered, nearly digging herself into the headboard as he walked closer. 

The mattress sunk as he sat on the edge of the bed, his foul scent invading her pores and the hair on her skin stood as the palm of his hand glided over her thigh. 

“It’s been a long time since we played together.” His voice was low, demanding, and she hated the way it made her freeze in place, clutching her fist to stop it from trembling. 

“What do you want?” The words barely made it through her clenched jaw. 

Kitamura stood up, removed his jacket and began to remove his tie, “I want to reminisce, the way you used to feel when I touched you.” 

Those words gave her visceral flashbacks, and she felt the room shift in and out of focus before her eyes. She tried to remind herself she was no longer the same child she was ten years ago. She tried so hard to remind herself of every pain she forced herself through to outgrow the fear that controlled her life all those years ago. Maybe trauma is to be healed and not defeated, but she controlled it the only way she knew how. 

Fighting back was a taxing task, but she managed to look the filth straight in the eye, showing him more strength than she ever did. Teenaged her would have been proud of herself. 

“Go die, you fucking scumbag.” She managed to get those words out before a slap quickly landed on her face, burning her cheek and sending her nearly tumbling off the bed. He dragged her back by the hair and threw her in the center. She put up a fight but at partial strength as the drug wore off, she couldn’t keep up for more than a few minutes. 

“You bitch, the more you struggle the more excited I am getting.” He flashed a nasty smile, as he pinned her down. 

Hokumi tasted iron in her mouth, and she spat at him, anything to get him to stop. But resistance proved to be futile. She felt an overwhelming defeat paralyze her from the tips of her finger to every muscle. Because Hokumi thought she was different, she thought she had controlled and overcome her trauma. That the manifestation of her every fear could no longer hurt her, yet here she was – living her worst nightmare in broad daylight. All ten years of anguish and growth evaporated the moment she was mentally torn to shreds, and flashbacks of every last thing he did to her behind closed doors came to her, tormenting her like a vengeful spirit from a past life. She thought she kicked and kicked, screaming at the top of her lungs yet nothing came out. His face buried closer to her neck, and she wanted to throw up. Her eyes screamed for help, filled with nothing but fear and she felt herself freezing, drenched in sweat. Tears rolled down her face involuntarily, even though rationally she knew everything he had done – closing in on her, smelling her, gliding his hand over her bare skin – it was all to break her.

She felt drained. Sickened, knowing he was taunting her, and this wasn’t even the worst of it yet. 

“You can beg me.” The words rang in her ears, “But nobody is coming for you.” 

She almost let out a laugh. If one thing remained true, Hokumi never expected anyone to come for her. She felt hopeless, not because she knew no one would come for her. No, she felt hopeless the moment she felt her own will wither and die altogether. If she couldn’t save herself, no one could. 

All the differences she thought ten years made were nothing but her own illusion. She wanted to fight back so badly, but her body had given up the fight. She felt like a zombie, a set of meat waiting to be devoured on, preyed on, like the meaningless life she had been born into.  

Hokumi heard as buttons popped off one by one, and she couldn’t stop crying. But there was no fear or fight left. 

Then he stopped. 

As soon as the attack stopped, Hokumi curled herself into a ball on the bed. Maybe it was finally over, and she both hoped to protect what was left of herself and that maybe in death she could feel peace. Her face was buried in her hands, afraid to look up until a voice called out to her. 

“Hokumi!” 

A commotion closed in from beyond the doors and before Kitamura had a second to brace himself, a fist came swinging at him, throwing him off balance and the same hand dragged him onto the floor. 

Before the intruder could land more punches, guards charged in and restrained the violent man. 

She hesitantly removed her hands from her face when she heard her name. She wasn’t dead, and there was only one person who could have come for her. 

Jesse. 

He had been pressed down, forced to kneel down by the guards. Jesse looked up begrudgingly at the man he just punched upon arrival with his usual look of disgust and rebellion, but with an additional rage like he would bite the man’s face off if they let him off the restraints. A hand on the back of his neck pushed his face down. 

“Well if it isn’t Mr. Lewis,” Kitamura sat on the edge of the bed directly facing Jesse whom his subordinates forced to kneel at his feet, “You are quite the talk of the town right now, you know that?” 

But Jesse wasn’t in any mood for small talk. His blood boiled, and he wasn’t normally a calm man by any means.

“Let her go. Right now.” He gritted through his teeth, “And I can at least make sure your family recognizes you enough to collect your corpse.” 

Kitamura scoffed, “You?” 

He laughed, “You?!” He repeated, “You are nothing but an ant.”

He hunched over and grabbed Jesse’s face by the chin, “We play in very different arenas. You.” He mockingly slapped Jesse’s face a few times, “...could never dream of touching someone like me.” 

Jesse smiled unnaturally, clearing his throat then spat in Kitamura’s face, which thoroughly ticked him off. Kitamura couldn’t understand how someone with the likes of a bastard child could have the audacity to mock him. He had his guards pin Jesse to a wall as he took his anger out on him, until he realized what Jesse was doing and he pulled back. Jesse tried to divert attention onto himself, away from Hokumi. 

Kitamura scoffed, “You’re smarter than you look.” 

At his command, the guards pressed Jesse back on his knees, angling his face upwards so he could watch clearly. Kitamura turned his attention back to Hokumi, running his hand down her jawline and she flinched, cowering at his touch, and the sight shattered Jesse’s heart. He resisted against the restraints, but another guard came over and all three men easily held Jesse down. 

“Don’t you fucking touch her!” He growled, but Kitamura only continued. He stroked her hair, ran his hand up her shirt, and Jesse’s heart felt like it was going to jump out of his chest, his heavy breathing knowing if he said anything more the man was only going to make it worse for her. And as angry as Jesse was, his priority had to be to protect Hokumi against further harm. 

Jesse watched, his eyes burning through Kitamura. 

He touched her skin on the back of her neck, pushing her long locks behind her. 

One. Jesse counted. 

His hand traced down her jawline, down her neck and the rest of her body.

Two.

He pressed his lips against Hokumi. She trembled, sniffling, trying to stifle a cry as hot tears involuntarily rolled down her face. Jesse watched, clenching his fist until his knuckles flushed white. 

Three.

Kitamura smirked, “You fucking slut.” He lightly slapped her face, seeing as she stopped resisting altogether, “You want this don’t you? Fucking whore.” 

Four. 

The longest minutes of Jesse’s life passed seeing the woman he loved hurt before his eyes and unable to do anything about it. He could never forgive himself, and he vowed he never wanted to see the strongest woman in his life this vulnerable ever again. He couldn’t allow it. 

Jesse tallied; he needed to etch into his bones how much this monster owed and pay back everything ten folds. 

He hadn’t gotten much further than four when back-up arrived. He instructed Nakajima to break in with every man he could gather if Jesse didn’t return within ten minutes, and he did exactly as instructed. As soon as the fight bled into the room, Jesse fought back against the men restraining him and Kitamura on the other hand immediately scooped up Hokumi and ran into the adjacent room. This time Jesse was right on his tail following him before he could lock Jesse out of the room. Until the end the monster wanted to finish his deed, and that made Jesse sick to the stomach. But this room was just them. 

Kitamura was cornered on one end and Jesse was on the opposite end. While Kitamura expected him to fight for the hostage, Jesse only calmly walked over to the door and locked it before pushing a heavy dresser in front of the door. 

No one was getting in. No one was getting out. 

Kitamura saw the rage in Jesse’s eyes, still in denial that he would dare hurt someone like him with a powerful political background. He figured Jesse was motivated by his personal vendetta; why would he risk it all for a woman? But even as those thoughts raced through his head, Jesse only closed in. He stopped right at the man’s heel and without so much as an extra word, he demanded Hokumi back. 

No one could look Jesse Lewis square in the eye and deny whatever he demanded when he was bloodthirsty as he was now, and Kitamura Joichiro was no exception. He shakily handed over the only hostage he had – the only thing separating him and Jesse’s bloodshot demeanor. 

Kitamura watched as the man turned his back on him. His entire attention was keeping the woman in his arms as comfortable as possible and that included turning his back so she wouldn’t have to face the man who hurt her. Jesse barely made it halfway across the room before Kitamura tried to sneak up on him, swinging over his head with a vase he picked up from the display. With his arms full, Jesse quickly tucked Hokumi into his blazer jacket and braced himself for the impact. Luckily, the thin vase couldn’t do much harm. Bleeding from his forehead aside, Jesse was getting irritated. He turned around and kicked the man in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. 

Once Hokumi was situated as far away as possible, Jesse draped his jacket over her head, trying to touch her as minimally as possible, knowing that she was in a sensitive state.

She was not new to violence, and Jesse knew that, but he couldn’t help project his immense guilt onto her between everything he witnessed today and his deep-rooted guilt of not being able to save his own mother. 

“Listen, cover your ears, okay?” His voice was soothing, like he was coaxing a lost child, “I’ll be right back.” 

Kitamura was still on the ground groaning from the kick, but the footsteps crunching through the remains of the vase instantly caused a new fear to intensify inside of him. He crawled away as quickly he could on all fours, but Jesse swiftly caught up, another kick sending him tumbling over. 

“Y-you can’t touch me!” Kitamura demanded, but it came out like a plea. 

“People will come after you. The Matsumura's don’t even dare touch me! You won’t last a day in the business if you kill me!” He continued on.

Jesse smirked for a split moment before his face went ice cold again, “Good. I don’t plan on it.” 

If Kitamura had done his research, he would know that Kaito only offered for him to do his bidding because Jesse was a sick son of bitch who had a death wish. 

Now Kitamura finally understood he was screwed. Very. Royally. Screwed. 

Jesse picked up the largest fragment of glass and precisely pressed it against his carotid artery, breaking the skin with sheer force.

“Bleeding you out like this would be too easy.” Jesse whispered, while gripping onto the piece of glass so hard his own blood drips onto his enemy. 

“You will suffer.” Jesse dropped the words coldly, the edge of his mouth twitched. Kitamura’s arm gave out and he fell into the ground entirely, just short of begging Jesse for life, yet he didn’t know how. He had never had to do that his entire cushy life. 

Not that it made a difference to Jesse. His focus was solely on how he promised himself he’d avenge everything ten folds and more. He dragged the man by the hair until he was as far away from his victim as possible and then Jesse knelt over the man’s chest, clenching his fist for the first punch, quickly followed by a second one. Kitamura recoiled from the first few, crying in agony, but Jesse’s rage was not so quickly tranquilized. His punches were relentless, until his thick gold rings turned crimson, until leaving dents the shape of the rings onto his enemy’s skull. He could not stop. Somewhere between punches, Kitamura’s chest exhaled one last time and Jesse could no longer feel his knuckles, but he would only stop when Nakajima called him to inform him that everything outside had been taken care of. He fell back panting heavy breaths, gasping for air, his hand falling limp on his side as he unbolted the door then walked over to Hokumi. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” He crouched down beside her, trying his best to comfort her while not triggering her with any more touches, hiding his bloody hand from her line of sight. 

“It’s over, it’s all over. He can’t hurt you anymore.” 

He feels her weakly inching towards him, and he sweeps her into his embrace with his cleaner arm and hand. Even though Jesse was drenched in sweat and blood, she feels herself falling into a comfort in his embrace. It was nothing like anyone else, anywhere else. She was never one to rely on anyone, but she wasn’t sure what she would do in this moment if not for him. Perhaps she would kill the man with her own hands. She certainly was capable, but more likely he would break her before she could try. 

Jesse could not stop apologizing. He couldn’t protect her, and he couldn’t punish himself enough for that. Seeing her like this ate him up from the inside, he almost wished the monster would come back to life again, only for him to be able to beat the life out of him again.  

Hokumi whispered his name, her throat dry from all the screaming and crying. 

“Jesse…” She whispered again, weakly smiling, trying her best to be the strong woman he knew her as. She felt insanely vulnerable, and in that moment she had even considered that only if she stayed strong she would be useful to Jesse. 

But the harder she tried the more stress she exerted on her body, until it finally gave in. He gently scooped her off the floor, his jacket draped over her. Jesse knew the hell she must have gone through, and he couldn’t help but worry about her well-being as he rushed out of the hotel room. He entrusted the scene to Nakajima to clean up with a passing glance as he left. There is a part of Jesse that knew everything Kitamura said was true. He was indeed too powerful for Jesse to touch, but Jesse didn’t care. Whether his death was imminent never quite mattered to him. Right now, Jesse only cared that even in the event of his untimely death that Hokumi no longer had anything to worry about, that he made sure he choked the life out of the monster she feared by his own two hands. 

*

*

*

(To be continued...)

Thirty minutes after Jesse left the scene, a man showed up to the hotel room. Nakajima and crew had been scrambling to clean up, and the man walked in unannounced. But Jesse’s right hand man wasn’t any ordinary henchman. He recognized the man who walked in. 

“Tanaka-san, what brings you here?” 

The former politely greeted the man walking in, “I’m afraid this isn’t somewhere you should be.” Nakajima politely refused Tanaka Juri from entrance, mostly for his own good. This was a crime scene anyone should stay away from, for their own sakes. 

Juri smiled, “No need to worry about me. I brought help.” He gestured for his men to walk in, led by his own right hand man Kikuchi.

Juri’s crew was fully dressed for the job and got to work right away. It was a bizarre reputation to have, but the Tanakas always cleaned up. So much that their clean up crew was the best in the business. Not one stray DNA left, not one corpse unattended for. Appropriate funds were given to shut people up, and no loose ends were left hanging. 

Juri saw the man trying to figure out his motive, so he kindly prescribed it for him.

“Feel free to stay and lend a hand, but please don’t feel obligated to stay.” Juri said to Nakajima, who wasn’t sure what to make of all of this. 

“Hokumi is my friend.” Juri said, “I will alway be on her side. I hope your boss doesn’t get the wrong idea.” 

Nakajima nodded. He could understand and respect that, and he gestured for his people to leave the scene to Tanaka Juri. And maybe anyone else would have been fearful of Jesse’s wrath in case the job was screwed up, but Nakajima knew well of Juri’s relationship with Hokumi. 

Nakajima was familiar with Kikuchi, and Kochi too. Maybe he didn’t know Juri personally, but the man his friend worked for seemed trustworthy. 

*

*

* 

As Juri personally supervised the cleanup, he couldn’t help but feel an immense guilt weighing down on his shoulders. He was Tanaka Juri. Intel comes to him at the drop of a dime, and even though he tried to leverage any and every connection to rescue Hokumi from the hands of the very monster she ran away from ten years ago, Juri ultimately failed. 

He felt ashamed to call himself her friend, unable to save her from the only thing that scared her. Juri was shocked when he found out that Jesse Lewis dropped everything to come save her. He should have known that the man Hokumi picked would be of that caliber, yet he couldn’t help but feel immense respect for the man. Juri knew he should be scared of Jesse Lewis for this very reason, but he also had a feeling he would never get on his bad side. A gut feeling, maybe - Juri felt like they could be friends. 

Juri thought about the incident for the rest of that day, and the very next morning he knew he had to go see Hokumi immediately. He needed to see with his own eyes that she was okay. After turning up empty at her mansion, he realized she must be at Mr. Lewis’ place. Even though it was rude to show up without invitation and empty-handed, Juri wasn’t too concerned about that at this point. 

When Juri arrived, he was surprised to find Hokumi home alone without Jesse. She sent for the elevator herself, then waited by the front door for Juri. Seeing as she was out of bed, Juri was both relieved that she was alright, but also worried that she wasn’t getting more rest. 

“How are you feeling?” Juri asked, for the third time upon arriving as they sat in Jesse’s living room together. 

“I’m fine.” Hokumi smiled, reassuring her friend, “Jesse left me with a doctor and three nurses, but I sent them home.” She couldn’t stand being coddled and having four medical professionals breathing down her neck at every move was simply too excessive. 

“Thanks for coming to check on me.” She was genuinely grateful. Hokumi had plenty of business associates, but she didn’t have many friends. In fact, she only had Juri. She loved him in a way that was entirely different from Jesse, but she also treasured him dearly. 

Juri looked down, ashamed that he couldn’t do more. He wanted to admit that he found out about her abduction nearly right away, but he didn’t find it in himself to charge there like Jesse did. 

Hokumi saw through Juri’s guilt after being friends with him for many years, “It’s okay.” she said 

Juri looked at her. Was it though? 

After everything he thought he equipped her with, it still wasn’t enough to keep her safe. And ultimately Juri could only come to one conclusion: he should fully support that one person who could keep her safe at all costs. 

Tanaka Juri came with only one idea in mind. 

“Hokumi, I…” Juri knew saying sorry couldn’t help matters, and he was more practical than that, “If the offer is still on the table, I’d like the Tanakas to formally align with Mr. Lewis.” 

Even if Hokumi wouldn’t agree Juri already decided he’d at the very least help Jesse through this sticky situation on hand. He owed Hokumi that much. 

Hokumi was surprised at Juri’s sudden decision. Since that day, she hadn’t pushed this proposal anymore. She couldn’t help but wonder what changed. And Juri knew. 

He explained, “As your friend I should have done a lot more to come save you, but I couldn’t. What I can do is support the one person who can guarantee your safety at all costs.” 

She smiled. Back then, everyone always knew Kochi as the soft one — the one with too much heart for the business he was in. But that was exactly why he worked for the Tanakas. The Tanakas had always taken in strays, helped the poor, helped the ones with nothing — and Juri was the epitome of being a Tanaka. And that was the true reason he had the most influence out of all of his brothers.

“But the Tanakas are a family.” Juri continued, “I cannot make this kind of decision on behalf of my whole family, so the Tanakas must also benefit from this collaboration.” 

Hokumi nodded, “What do you have in mind?”

“If you trust me, I can run a second plan in parallel to Mr. Lewis’ plan.” 

“What kind of plan?”

“The kind that will allow the Tanaka family to swallow the Matsumura family business.” He looked toward Hokumi for her reaction, and as he expected, she had no more lingering attachment for this family. 

“How would we do that?” She asked, her tone cold as if she had already detached her last name from herself. 

“You have to push your brother to inherit the business sooner. Force your parents into an early retirement. And I will topple the empire myself.” Juri sounded confident because he was determined. He saw this as his way of getting revenge for his friend. 

Hokumi agreed, she had every intention to follow through with Juri’s plan as well. What good is a family who has done nothing but hurt her? 

“Do you want spoils?” He wanted to make sure the alliance was fair, even though they were friends. Surely the last thing he wanted was an angry Jesse Lewis on his ass. 

Hokumi smiled bitterly, shaking her head. She was thoroughly done with the Matsumuras; any affiliation would be a branding on her. She doesn’t care if she burns every bridge, if starting today she was her own little island. 

“When everything’s in place, The Matsumuras will fall off the map of Tokyo. And we will take over everything they owned.”

“In exchange you will pick Jesse’s side should the difference split down to that?” 

Juri and Hokumi had a deal. It was the best either could offer. 

That next day, Hokumi moved out of her mansion, making sure to settle the family who took care of her. She didn’t tell anyone in the family that she left, not anyone ever paid any attention to what she did. 

Hokumi laid low, spending all of her day at Jesse’s place after moving in. He insists that she stays home to recover, and while she feels fine, she knew it was all for the better until she yanked out the culprit behind her attack. 

In the meantime, Jesse realized coming home to someone he loved gave a whole new meaning to a place of residence. He couldn’t describe the feeling he had, until he realized perhaps this was happiness. It was scary, touching happiness so closely for the first time in his life. When it was just them, Jesse almost felt like he could forget the rest of the world and his life hadn’t solely been to avenge the family that stole his life from him. 

When Jesse opened the front door, he noticed from down the hallway that the lights had been out already. His days were long and irregular and he never expected her to wait up for him. 

Seeing as the lights were turned out, Jesse could only assume she was in bed. But when he shuffled into the living room, he noticed her sleeping on the couch just before he turned the lights on. With quiet footsteps, he went over to her to try to bring her to bed. Gently closing the book strewn on her lap, he pulled up the blanket on her and slipped his arms under before she stirred awake. 

“You’re home.” She smiled, eyes half open.  

“Sorry, I woke you up didn’t I?” He smiled back, and she snuggled closer to his chest. 

“I can pretend to sleep.” And Jesse chuckled, proceeding to carry her to her room as he intended. If anyone asked her years ago if she believed in love, she would’ve likely said no — at least not for her, but here she was — acting like the child she never got to be because finally she found a person she could trust. 

A different kind of trust. She trusted Kochi, she trusted Juri — but Jesse was beyond trust. The connection was beyond her words. He knew it too, that from everything that has happened, Hokumi was both the best ally he could have on his side, and the biggest weakness he could have. He cared way too much about her, much to both of their detriment. 

Once they reached her room, Hokumi asked Jesse to stay with her. He takes his jacket off and sets it on the foot of the bed before going to pull up a chair. She lightly grabs his hand and with her eyes, she tells him that she’d rather lay on the bed together with him. Jesse doesn’t think much of it as he propped up the pillows and leaned against the headboard while Hokumi laid in his arms, resting against his chest feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat. 

She wanted to ask him about his day, but truthfully she had something she needed to talk to him about, so Hokumi cut to the chase. 

“I met with Tanaka Juri yesterday.”

Jesse wished he could say he was surprised, but Juri already gave him a heads up. 

“How did it go?” Jesse asked, knowing full well that Hokumi understood he kept a close eye on Juri. 

She still wanted to be the one to tell him, “Juri is a close friend of mine. We go further back than I ever told you about.” 

“I know.” Jesse replied, “Tanaka Juri was the one to put a lid on the Kitamura incident.” 

She isn’t surprised. Juri had always been a reliable ally and friend, “Then you should know that he’s the only other person I trust besides you.” 

Jesse listened intently. 

“He proposed a partnership. Juri said he would take the original deal in exchange for the Matsumura family business.” 

Jesse looked at her, realizing that would put her in a tough position, but Hokumi goes to say that she took the deal. She wanted to be part of taking down her own family empire. She blamed them for their indifference in her sufferings. Somehow the two realized they were even more similar than they thought. 

But Hokumi worried, “After that, I am no longer a Matsumura. I will no longer have the same power and influence without my last name.” 

Jesse smiled, stroking her hair gently, “You were never powerful because of your last name. You are powerful because you are you.”

She felt silly asking, yet she still wondered, “Will you love me when I no longer have anything?” 

“I will love you so long as you are you.” Jesse leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, noting that it was the first time in his life he’d ever told anyone he loved them. She felt it too, the rapid beating of his heart – proof that Jesse was alive. He was confident in everything he ever did because he always felt like he had nothing to lose. But loving someone, loving Hokumi was an unprecedented challenge for Jesse. He held her tightly without a single word; he knew he would fetch the star from the sky so long as she asked. And that was his idea of loving Hokumi, and he didn’t care whether it was toxic or not. 

“Jesse?” She was the one to break the silence, uttering his name softly. 

“Hm?” 

“I have a theory.” 

“Oh?” 

Hokumi climbed up from Jesse’s arms and sat on the bed, across from Jesse. He sat up to listen to her, his eyes trained on her. 

“Your uncle. He set up Kitamura.” 

Jesse was taken by surprise, yet expected no less from Hokumi at the same time. He had the same theory she did, and over the last 48 hours he had proven it true but never expected her to arrive at the same conclusion so quickly. 

“That bastard left me alone for ten years, then suddenly he appears out of thin air to haunt me? I remember his words. His actions. They were all deliberate and intent to break me rather than to fulfill his own sick desire.” She hypothesized that hurting her was his uncle’s way of getting to Jesse. 

“I don’t have proof, but I’m willing to bet he’s the person behind all of this.” She looked at Jesse, and for some reason it looked like he was holding back something. 

Jesse only confirmed, “I know. Don’t worry about any of it, I’ll take care of it.”

Then he leaned over and pulled Hokumi into his embrace again. He held her tightly, hand caressing the back of her head. His embrace was filled with apologetic feelings, that he was the one who got her into that mess. 

“Jesse?” Taken aback by his sudden gesture, she hugged him back wondering what was wrong. 

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault you got caught up in that attack.” He confessed, “It’s my fault I asked for your alliance yet didn’t protect you carefully.” 

She rested her chin on his shoulder, rubbing the back of his head with her hand.

“Don’t be silly. You came for me, didn’t you?” Somehow she turned to comfort him instead. Jesse always knew her strength was incredible, but she surprised him once again. 

Hokumi continued, “You know, there is something you can do for me.” 

Jesse listened. 

Hokumi decided that leaving her family alive yet tearing away from them everything they had would be the ultimate punishment. Likewise, she wants revenge – she wanted the culprit of the attacks to suffer. Her bloodlust matched Jesse’s.

“I hope Sato Kaito suffers.” 

“I will make sure Sato Kaito wishes to never see the sun rise again.” Jesse vowed. He wasn’t planning on letting him off easy before all of this, but Jesse had ideas to make sure his life became a living hell. 

That night, Hokumi asked Jesse to sleep over in her room. She couldn’t explain it, but while facing her deepest traumas had alleviated her fears, she slept better with Jesse around. Sometimes she’d still hear the scratching against the sheets that day echo in her ears and even a certain tint of light in the room made her shudder. Her paranoia grew in the evenings and she couldn’t explain it. Hokumi always hated relying on anyone, but not with Jesse. She craved him – his attention, his voice, his presence. 

That night, Jesse climbs into bed with Hokumi.When she playfully asked for a bedtime story, he wasn’t sure what possessed him to tell her, but Jesse finally divulged the details of the Sato family. He explained how they ripped his parents away from him, slowly then all at once. 

He admitted that Kazuma was the least of the evils, but he had to die because he got in the way. Kaito, on the other hand, was threatened by any and every male heir. He was an incompetent coward, but he was greedy. Jesse knew that Kaito was the one who orchestrated his imprisonment abroad while the old man was alive. 

Then Jesse’s demeanor changed, his body locked up for a second talking about his aunt. Kazumi hated his mother; it was a stupid love rivalry. Her first husband loved Jesse’s mother, so naturally she always resented her own sister. When his mother had Jesse out of wedlock in America, Kazumi personally dragged the entire family back to Japan. Getting rid of his father was easy. He was a simple man with no power. But then she bullied his mother, stole everything from her, tortured her, until the night she drove her to the edge pushing her to her death. That was the night Jesse became an orphan. He was eight. 

Getting Jesse to show his vulnerable side was rare, and even in his own house, Jesse constantly had his walls up, ready to defend himself against anything whether he knew it or not. But while Jesse fell asleep that night, Hokumi laid there awake, watching over him. The tips of her finger grazed the outline of his face. 

She had trouble sleeping at night, yet she felt like watching Jesse calmed her, and she wanted to be his protector as much as he was hers. 

*

*

*

That night following the incident, as much as Jesse wanted to stay and guard Hokumi, he knew he had work to do. Jesse knew well that if he didn’t move fast, he would quickly lose the upper hand. He stationed every last one of his security details where Hokumi was before leaving. Even Nakajima, who followed Jesse no matter where he went, was posted to guard Hokumi. 

On the surface, it seemed simple and the culprit was dead by Jesse’s hands. But it was peculiar to him how all of this happened so quickly and abruptly. Something smelled foul and after doing some digging, Jesse found that his uncle Kaito had been behind all of this. 

Once confirmed, Jesse personally went to retrieve any surveillance footage he could recover: evidence that Kaito and Kitamura were in cahoots, evidence of the assault, transaction records and the likes but despite working through the night, Jesse only turned up empty. As much as he wanted to ignore Kitamura’s words, he knew the dead man was right in saying that killing him would land Jesse in a tight situation. It proved to be challenging for Jesse to maneuver his way out this time.

By the time he returned back home, the sun had just peeked from the horizon, morning rays pouring into his living room and he relieved Nakajima of his duties until the next shift. 

Jesse quietly shuffled to Hokumi’s room where he left her, silently greeting the nurse on duty but then gesturing for her to stay put. He peeked in for only a few brief moments before leaving her alone to rest. Jesse wished he could stay next to her, but in his state he knew it was best for him to take a cold shower and think through everything alone. Cold water drizzled down his face and back. A sharp pain shot up his spine. He had almost forgotten about his fractured knuckles from denting Kitamura’s face in. After the shower, he sat at his desk with a cold compress on his hand sorting out his thoughts, trying to work through a rare fog that clouded his judgment, before catching barely two hours of sleep when his buzzing phone woke him up.  

It was Nakajima, much to his surprise. 

“Nakajima? I thought I told you to go home.” Jesse said groggily, recalling relieving the man to get some sleep. 

“Sir, forgive me for overstepping but I ran into Tanaka-san’s assistant, Kikuchi on the way out. He had me deliver a gift and a message to you, but…”

Jesse understood his subordinate’s concern, “But you wanted to deliver it after I’d gotten some rest?” 

“Forgive me, sir.” 

Jesse had no intention of blaming Nakajima for his judgment. He was an understanding boss, especially towards the only person besides Hokumi he entrusted with important jobs. Jesse had black mail on Nakajima, but he also truly believed in Nakajima’s loyalty, being single-handedly raised by his grandaunt. 

“I’ll meet you downstairs in 5 minutes.” 

Once he cleaned up, he headed downstairs and found Nakajima had pulled the car to the front. Jesse climbed into the tinted sedan and they drove to a more secluded lot before his subordinate handed over a packet. 

“Tanaka-san also requested I relay that this is a token of good faith from him.” He repeated verbatim, “He also said ‘thank you for saving Hokumi.’” 

With that Nakajima nodded his head, signaling the end of his report. 

“Thanks.” Jesse took one look at the content of the packet and realized what it was. This alliance was shaping up to be a good one. 

“Nakajima?” 

He turned around from the driver’s seat. 

“Did you get any rest?” Jesse asked, and the man replied in the affirmative. 

“Good, we have work to do.” Jesse stated and Nakajima could tell Jesse had gotten a boost of confidence from whatever Tanaka delivered. 

“To the office.” 

“Yes, sir.”

*

*

*

When Kaito found out about the death of his new ally, Kitamura Joichiro, he nearly fell out of his seat. It wasn’t any lingering attachment to his ally that caused such reaction, but rather it was his underestimation at just how psychotic Jesse Lewis was. Kaito never thought in his wildest imagination that Jesse would murder the son of a powerful (albeit retired) politician in plain sight. He was shaken until he realized he could use this as an opportunity. Afterall, he had meticulously planned all of this to break his nephew’s strongest ally. If he could also use this as an opportunity to take down Jesse too, wouldn’t it simply be killing two birds with one stone? 

Kaito had all the evidence on hand, and all of it had long been swiftly destroyed. He didn’t even need to fabricate evidence to pin Kitamura’s murder onto Jesse – he was the true culprit of the crime after all. It wasn’t a lawless world, he thought, and he would be the one to teach his nephew that. That for some crimes – it would be better to be arrested and tried in a court of law rather than end up in the hands of a power player. 

Kaito simply had to give everything a nudge, pour some gasoline, and the fire would roar on its own. 

Even his father stayed away from the likes of the elder Kitamura-san; Kaito couldn’t imagine Jesse escaping his wrath this time. 

He straightened out his suit, sinking comfortably into his seat, and fantasized about everything returning to the way it should have been. As all things should have been. 

Sato Kaito felt good. He felt proud that he was the expert in killing others without dirtying his own hands. He mocked his dead brother. If Kazuma had been half as adept as he was, he wouldn’t have died a bloody death. 

*

*

*

Jesse knew he had to be on the offensive for this play. 

With his newly acquired gift, Jesse found himself at the mercy of a man he never intended on crossing paths with. Frankly, he was both irrelevant and mysterious. Jesse never studied this man, but if the rumors were true – he would not be an easy opponent. He felt nervous, even a bit anxious. To pull off the kind of bluff he was intending, he knew walking straight into the lion’s den was absolutely necessary. 

The Kitamura estate was far away from the hustle of Tokyo, away from the heavily traveled freeways, and tucked away in the mountains by Lake Kawaguchiko. It had a dazzling view of Mt. Fuji, and the elderly Kitamura Masaru picked this property for retirement for that very reason. Jesse found himself standing on the lavish marble floors of the powerful man’s reception hall at knife point by the head guard. 

A well-groomed man in a crisp suit walked out, his hair gray as his suit was. The other guards bowed to him, and it was apparent he was in charge. 

“Mr. Lewis, you will have to forgive us. This isn’t the way we normally treat guests, but you sir, have some crimes to answer for…crimes that are rather close to some of us here at the estate I’m afraid.” He was polite and graceful despite the words he spoke. 

Jesse grinned back politely even with the tip of the knife threatening to break the skin on his neck, “Of course. It is understandable.”

“I don’t suppose you have any last words?” The man replied, blatantly exposing his every intention to cross off Jesse right at this moment but tried to hide his surprise at how composed the defendant was in that moment. 

“I do, actually.” Jesse replied, trying his best to stay still in the uncomfortable position, “You don’t suppose I can see the old Kitamura-san?” He chuckled very lightly, “I couldn’t possibly be a threat like this, can I?” 

For how nonchalant the young blonde was, the older man – Kitamura’s second in command – was quite intrigued. He had seen many in his time, and while Jesse certainly was not unique, he recognized only a man with a strong bargaining chip could elude such confidence on the verge of his death. 

He agreed. 

Jesse waited in the same position for what felt like hours. Handcuffs would have been more comfortable, but alas he needed to remain more composed than usual. Dealing with dumb business people of his world was easy, but exchanging with old sly politicians of the last era was something he was unfamiliar with. 

The staccato of a cane echoed in the reception hall as the man appeared, his silver hair combed back neatly and while Jesse should have expected a crisp suit as the last man wore, the man he could only assume was Kitamura Masaru was clad in a dark golf polo tucked into dress pants. He stood tall for his age and despite the cane he walked with. 

“Hiroshi here tells me you’re the one who killed my son.” The elderly Kitamura-san skipped the pleasantries and got straight to business. Unexpected from a politician, Jesse thought – but he kept an open mind. Everything came in different shapes and sizes. 

Jesse’s eyes moved in the direction of the man speaking, but didn’t dare to budge even if to bow in respect. Truth be told, most of his body had grown numb at this point, sore in ways that he couldn’t even think about. 

“Kitamura-san, I’m sure by now your intel has me deadbolted on this crime harder than Jesus on his cross.” His light sense of humor in this situation piqued Kitamura Masaru’s interest. 

The older gentleman took a seat directly across from Jesse, who could no longer meet his eye level.

“If I may…” Jesse said, “Perhaps your man could point his gun at me instead? Actually, for good measure have all of them draw their guns at me.” 

Jesse gestured to the men lined on the perimeter then his eyes landed on the knife at his throat, “This is quite uncomfortable I have to say.” 

Masaru glanced over at Hiroshi, who immediately signaled for all the men to stand down instead. What the young man before him had to say better be good. 

Kitamura watched as the young man stretched his neck from side to side, trying to alleviate the stiff feeling before he finally cut to the chase. He did business differently from people in his line of work. Perhaps it’s the military background, but he preferred those he worked with to be straight with him. 

“What is it?” 

Jesse looked at the father of the man he killed and replied, “I’m not the one you should be looking for.” 

“You’re not the one who killed Joichiro?” 

“I am, in fact, the one who killed your son,” Jesse affirmed, “but we do not have to be enemies.” Laughable, but Jesse was nothing short of serious. 

“Cut the bullshit.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it commanded an immense presence. 

Jesse stood his ground firmly, “You know very well what your son did. His history of infatuation with teenage girls. His assault on innocent women.” 

Jesse continued, “Now the Matsumuras may not care, but even if today it was an average woman…this kind of scandal would do no good to your reputation.” 

Masaru was drawn by Jesse’s response. He hadn’t expected him to come in with this angle.

“With all due respect sir, you don’t seem like someone to cry over spilled milk. And I believe your current endeavor would be devastated without public support.” 

It was true, Kitamura Masaru’s most recent entrance into the clean energy space was a whale of a project that was funded largely on public support. A sizable scandal of this nature would devastate all his efforts. 

“I reckon you have damning evidence to support your rather large accusations.” 

“Now that’s up to you, sir.” Luckily, thanks to Tanaka Juri and his impossible network of eyes and ears, Jesse had all the evidence he could possibly need. 

Masaru looked at Jesse. He had heard about this young man, but never realized they would cross paths like this. He’d seen all kinds of people in his fifty year long career, and Jesse was nothing special. He could smell the blood on Jesse, and he knew the type. Frankly, Kitamura Masaru knew he wasn’t nearly as sharp as he used to be and tangling up with this type meant expending more energy than it was worth to him. 

But he still couldn’t give in this easily. He made Jesse work for it. 

“You expect me to believe that you would expose the woman you risked everything to save? The Matsumura girl? She would be ruined if any of this gets to the press.” His body language was dominant, but Jesse was no herbivore. 

“My reputation should precede my character. Frankly, I have one personal vendetta to fulfill and saving my strongest ally was crucial to my success.” 

Jesse bluffed, and Kitamura tried his best to sniff that out.

“Your son was collateral damage. I’m sorry but you should know he was truly scum of the earth.” Jesse’s blatant statements attempted to mask any emotions he had regarding the outcome of the incident. 

Masaru sat up, his hands cupped over the crown of his walking cane, “Son, pretending this was all a calculated act only makes you look like a fool. You’d do well to remember my advice.” 

He wasn’t certain of Jesse's agenda, but he knew Jesse was bluffing about something. 

Kitamura also recalled that Jesse walked in here empty handed and if it was all for a fat bluff, it seemed too moronic for the young man before his eyes. 

“Why should I believe you’d expose any of this?” Kitamura leaned in, fully intending to intimidate an answer out of Jesse.

“Try me.” 

The air remained still, dangerously silent for a long stalemate and neither of the two players were willing to give up an inch of their positions. 

The elderly man watched Jesse closely, and Jesse did not falter the slightest. His gaze was razor sharp, not cunning but rather it was sincere. He had a strange air about him, and he could tell Jesse was not a businessman nor a politician. But he was a natural at both games with a sense that one could not teach. The young man was smarter beyond his looks and with that ruggedly handsome face Kitamura knew that often helped Jesse’s cause whether he knew it or not. A charismatic fellow with ambitions that were insatiable. 

It was bizarre, but he broke the stalemate by letting out a booming laugh. Not one where he found something funny, but one that signaled to Jesse that he was moving forward. 

“You know, at my age, you see everything clearly for what it is.” Masaru had softened his demeanor ever so slightly, “And that son of mine who caused me nothing but trouble for the last 50 years, I say it’s good riddance.” He sighed, “Spoiled him rotten after his mother died when he was young.” 

Jesse was taken aback by the sudden shift, and he tried to not let it show on his face. Politicians were all cold-blooded, he saw that for himself today. He doesn’t know why, but it also felt that despite the trash Kitamura Joichiro was, his dad was not of the same breed. 

“I like you.” Masaru said, “If your grandfather or uncles were more like you, I’d have considered working with them.” 

But Jesse was not here to listen to flattery. He reminded himself that the man before him was no cleaner than any other players in this game. Jesse included. 

“Well, in light of that would you consider my deal?” 

“One stipulation.” 

Jesse listened. 

“You, Jesse Lewis, would owe me a favor.” Kitamura knew the difference between taking a liking to someone and snagging a good deal for himself. He needed Jesse to know that he would walk out of here today only because of his mercy. 

Jesse smiled, “You have my word.”

They verbally agreed to a compromise, and the old man offered his end, “What can I do for you?” 

“You need a scapegoat. I have one.”

“Who?” 

“Sato Kaito.” 

That day Jesse would walk out of the Kitamura Estate unscathed all things considered and having closed an impossible deal with the man who wanted to kill him. Until he reached Nakajima who had been waiting with his vehicle at the foot of the property Jesse hadn’t let any of his fears seep through. As soon as he closed the door, Jesse felt his knees buckle, he gasped as he tugged his tie loose so that he could breathe. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his brows knit tightly to try to appease the migraine that grew while he was standing there negotiating the deal. 

Escaping the hands of Death was in fact Jesse Lewis’ talent.

*

*

*

Two weeks go by with Sato Kaito on the edge of his seat. He had been going around slandering, pinning murder onto Jesse’s name yet nothing was catching on. Nothing made sense. 

Fires were put down nearly as soon as they began yet he still naively believed that Jesse could not run from these allegations forever, and his patience was his strongest trait. 

Sato Kaito was still confident in his plan. Matsumura Hokumi had fallen off the radar and no one knew her whereabouts. Although Jesse remains unpunished, Kaito thought it was coming. He strongly believed that Jesse had met an inescapable opponent, not realizing in a million years that Jesse made a deal with the man who should most-want to kill him.

Everything fell apart when Jesse Lewis showed up at his doorsteps. Ominous, foreboding, and never a good sign. 

Kaito wasn’t sure who let him in, but Jesse made no efforts to conceal his entrance. 

“W-what are you doing here?” Kaito tried to remain composed, but frankly Jesse scared him and it was the first time seeing him since everything he’d done. No matter how righteous he felt of his actions, he was afraid of his nephew’s unpredictability. Jesse was as wild as a wild card got. 

But Jesse stood at the entrance lobby, calmly dusting off his jacket from the light rain before entering, bumping past his uncle as he entered as though it was his own home. Kaito was baffled nonetheless, trailing behind Jesse in awe. What was he planning to do? 

He could only imagine Jesse was here to beg him to spare him after the initial shock passed. 

Kaito composed himself again and found Jesse had taken a seat in his living room, an unsettling yet confident smile on his face. 

“Sit.” Jesse said, while his uncle stood trying to read him. 

“If you’re here to put on a show, bluff your way out of the mess you got yourself in…” Kaito stood as tall as he could, “Then you’re doing this wrong.”

“Oh?” Jesse leaned forward, his elbows propped against his knees, his eyes narrowing for a split second, “Tell me, what do you think I should do?” 

He played dumb and his uncle fed right into Jesse’s hand, “Drop to your knees and beg.” 

“Who? Beg you?” The younger chuckled, “For what?” 

“Perhaps I can get you out of the mess. We all know the blood you have on your hands is not easy to scrub off. Surely, you know who has a target marked on the back of your thick skull.” 

Jesse could see Kaito was over-compensating, and the irony was that he was the one who was bluffing in this room. He pulled up his sleeve to check the time. Grinning, Jesse got up to help himself to a glass of scotch from Kaito’s shelf. He popped the cap to the top shelf whiskey and before Kaito could protest, he handed the glass to his uncle. 

Kaito hesitated, greatly disturbed by Jesse’s strange demeanor.

“You know something that I don’t know.” And for how cowardly he was, he was not as dumb as he looked. He started to piece together Jesse’s sudden appearance.

“I do.” Jesse insisted, pushing the glass to his uncle before pouring himself a hit of the same scotch. 

The golden liquid tingled with a light burn, but the smooth aftertaste was incredibly satisfying. 

“Your last night as a free man. Surely, now would be the time to drink your best scotch.” Jesse chuckled mockingly, “Hell, bring out the cigars too. No better time to party it up.” The liquid swirled as he waved his arm.

The older man couldn’t believe what Jesse was throwing at him. Has he lost it?

“You’re mad. You’ve lost your grasp on reality.” Kaito laughed along, downing the entire glass of liquid while denying whatever Jesse was saying. 

Jesse leaned against the armrest, looking so casual and comfortable it made Kaito sick. 

“Have I?” He questioned, “Why don’t you check your bank account? Your assets? And see for yourself.” 

Although Kaito didn’t want to scurry to Jesse’s commands, he was nervous beyond belief. He ran over to his phone and logged onto his bank account. No. Must be a mistake. Then he tried to check on his other company accounts. Error. Then he tried several other things. No. That can’t be right. 

“What have you done?” Kaito mumbled in a low whisper at first, before he rushed over and grabbed Jesse by the collar, “What have you done?!” 

Jesse shook him off like swatting away a bug. 

“Tomorrow morning – when the sun rises – all of Japan will know the former Sato Corp. chairman as the murderer of the famous Kitamura Joichiro.”

His eyes were trained on Sato Kaito. He wanted to see him suffer, break down into little pieces. He wanted him to know that there was a cost to hurting the people he, Jesse Lewis, loved. 

“...How?” Kaito racked his brain trying to comprehend what he failed to account for in his plan. Why hadn’t the Kitamura family gone after Jesse? Why was he the scapegoat for this? 

“I’m here to formally inform you that you’ve been fired from Lewis Corp. effective today.” Jesse threw an envelope at him, “All of your assets have been seized for investigation. Tomorrow morning a statement will go out to indicate that your actions do not reflect the company’s views and interest.” 

Jesse crouched down besides his uncle whose knees buckled at the last sentence. 

“Oh, and the Sato family. They’ve disowned you too.” Jesse made sure to emphasize that he was not a part of said family. 

Kaito weakly crawled over to the cabinet, using the tabletop to pull himself up. Stock prices were bound to tank after this, half of the company would undergo investigation but Jesse didn’t give a flying fuck. 

He crumpled the notice letter, turning to Jesse finally able to stand up to his nephew now that he knew he had nothing to lose anymore.

“What’s it mean to you to tell me this?” 

“I came to see you suffer.” His face twinged ever so slightly. It was what his entire life had been about. Making his enemies suffer and personally seeing to that. 

“How did you do it?” The older man took a deep breath, trying to come to terms with what he needed to do next. 

Jesse shrugged, “Worry about saving your own skin.” 

But Sato Kaito had nothing left to lose. 

He drew the firearm he pulled from the cabinet while Jesse wasn’t looking and discharged at him madly, hoping something – anything would happen. The bullet grazes his arm while he ducked and with a few strides, Jesse makes it across the room to disarm the middle aged man who thought he could pull one last sad attempt. The bullets strike the glass chandelier above their heads, swaying violently while fragments sprayed the floor.

“Please.” Jesse said as he gripped his uncle’s wrist tighter and tighter until he loosened the gun, “Looks desperate.” 

He knelt over to pick up the gun and with the butt of the firearm, Jesse slammed it directly into Kaito’s face. He falls to the ground and Jesse dissembles the gun before tossing it at his feet. 

Jesse Lewis turned to leave, but turned around to leave one last thing with Kaito. He tossed an envelope onto the ground, like sparing some change to a street beggar. Not disgust, but pity. 

Kaito didn't even bat an eye at the envelope that fell onto the granite floor. 

“Don’t say I never got you anything nice.” 

He picked up the singular sheet inside the envelope after Jesse left. 

A plane ticket. 

*

*

*

The sun would be up in the next three hours. 

Sato Kaito had a bag ready to go in the next hour, filled with whatever cash he had on hand and any blackmail he kept over the years of every powerful person he knew. He was that kind of scummy dirtbag who kept tabs on everyone, in case things went south one day. He hated that he was right, but being born a Sato meant he prepared for such a thing. 

Kaito would barely make it down his driveway to his car before another car’s bright headlights would blind him. He tried to shield the light, but it blinked at him and he cautiously walked closer. He knew the driver. 

The passenger door opened and Kaito climbed in, a runaway bag on his lap like the last prized possession he owned. 

“Running away with your tail between your legs.” The scornful voice belonged to none other than his older sister, Kazumi, “Disgraceful.”

“Did you come here just to laugh at me?” Kaito scoffed, “Don’t waste my time.” 

Sato Kazumi always acted higher and mightier than everyone else, as if her every action were to tell the world that she only acts in the greater good of everyone. 

“Don’t flatter yourself. If you don’t make it out of the country, I’d be the one cleaning up your mess. Do you know what this will do to the company?” She scolded Kaito while her driver had pulled out of the driveway and was traveling towards Haneda Airport. 

“Even until now, you still only care about the damn company…” Kaito didn’t even want to look at his sister. He wasn’t surprised; she had always been this way.

“What else am I supposed to care about?” She doesn’t raise her voice, but it was clear in her tone that she had zero regard for her brother, “You should’ve learned. You should have known better.” 

Sato Kaito has half a mind to tell his sister that she could never hold down a husband because she always acted like this, but he decided it's best to stay quiet and not waste his precious energy on someone he’s never even cared about. 

But his silence does not stop Kazumi from reprimanding him. She lets him know that he shouldn’t have tried to leverage powerful people if he can’t handle them, “And you know, even the worst scumbags don’t leave a defenseless woman to get assaulted.”

“Don’t act like you’re not going to rot in hell with me.” Kaito finally said, having had enough of Kazumi’s incessant and hypocritical preaching. She would have done the same damn thing in his shoes, he thought. 

The tinted sedan pulled into the airport dropoff as Kaito requested, hoping to blend in with the civilians. He wasn’t going to believe Jesse’s plane ticket in a million years, so he arranged his own with a fresh fake identity. But once he was past security, a few men in suits approached him, quietly ushering him into a back hallway. As soon as the doors closed, a bag was thrown over his head and he was escorted to a small dim room in an unknown portion of Haneda. 

The bag was ripped off his head after being thrown into the room. He looked up to find an elderly man sitting in a chair in front of him, gray hair neatly combed back holding a cane with an emerald crown. 

“Ki…tamura…san” He scrambled to his knees and bowed his head low, fingers digging into his thighs out of fear. 

“You’re Sato Kaito, I presume?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Did you think you could run?”

“N-no, sir.” 

“Good.”

Once that was settled Kitamura was straight with him, telling him that from this moment on Sato Kaito was dead as a person. Not that it made a difference seeing as he had nothing left. 

“Why didn’t you take the other flight?” Kitamura asked curiously right before he left the room. He knew the details of Jesse’s plan, and he had an inkling of what the young man’s plan was. 

But the question left Kaito at a loss. Was he supposed to trust the person who sabotaged his life? 

“Guess we will never know if it was an olive branch or a death trap.” 

Kitamura Masaru left the room without another word and his men proceeded to burn off every last one of Sato Kaito’s fingerprints before they could ship him off with all new paperwork. 

In his last moments before he was shipped off, Sato Kaito could have sworn he saw a glimpse of Jesse Lewis watching from afar in the hangar. 

He couldn’t tell if Jesse had gotten into his head. 

Or that plane ticket could have saved him. It was a russian roulette Jesse Lewis signed him up to play, and all part of a psychological torment that would slowly eat away at his mind, rotting him from inside out. 

*

*

*

Two weeks later.

“Former Sato Corp. Chairman, Sato Kaito (46): Body discovered abroad, apparent suicide after being unable to face his crimes nor life in hiding.”