The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 12

Grabbing her arm, Genzo forcefully pulled her out of her seat and marched her out of the outdoor seating area, heedless of the stares he was drawing. Pulling her into a bookstore, he scanned the street to see if the man had followed them. "Genzo, what's going on?" This was really starting to freak her out.

"We must get you back to your office without his knowing that you work there," he muttered, still canvassing the sidewalks with his eyes.

"Who is he and why is he so dangerous?" She tried to peek out the window to see if he was still there.

Genzo said nothing, but when he felt it was safe, he briskly walked her back to her building using a different entrance. As they rode the elevator to her office, he turned to her, his brows furrowed. "We had hoped that this would not happen."

"For the last time, who is he?"

"That," Genzo intoned, "was Noboru-sama's brother."

__________________________

daijobu: it's alright

masaka: it can't be

sashiburi-dana: been a long time

atchi ni itte: get lost

__________________________

When she returned home, it was obvious that Genzo had already apprised Noboru of the situation as he was pacing when they walked through the door. Before she could even take off her shoes, he grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "I am so relieved that you are alright."

"Noboru-donno, forgive me, I should have done a better job of keeping her out of his sight." Genzo bowed deeply, angry at himself for letting Noboru down.

"No, no. It was no fault of yours," he sighed. Cupping her chin in his hand, he looked at her sadly. "We must tread carefully from now on, my angel. Saburo is a twisted man, and he has only become worse with age." Turning to Genzo, his voice took on a harsher note as he said, "Call Daisuke and get him to send more people to surveille the city. I do not want Saburo to catch me off guard like that again."

"[Huh]!" Lowering his head, he left for Noboru's study.

Angela buried her face in Noboru's chest. "I remembered him. Not his face, just a feeling. He scared me, Nobu."

Noboru could feel her fear and tried to sooth her. "I would never let anything happen to you."

She felt calmer, wrapped in his arms. "Thank you." She smiled as he tightened his arms around her. Pulling away from her, he handed her a cellular phone. "What's this?"

"I arranged a new account for you, billed in my name. Use it when you need to call those close to you, to protect their identities. For all other calls you can use your own. I wish to take precautions to ensure that Saburo cannot hurt those close to you." He flashed her a faint smile. "I have already taken the liberty of putting my number in there."

"That's very sweet of you, Noboru." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"It is the least I can do," he said with regret. Putting his hands on her waist, he stroked her hair. "Can you arrange some time off in a month?"

"I suppose so, why?"

"I must go to Tokyo for a month in order to settle some business affairs. I do not feel comfortable leaving you here, even though I know that Genzo and my men are very capable." He took her hand and kissed her palm. "Will you do this for me?"

When he asked her like that, how could she refuse him? "Of course I will."

He hugged her with relief. "Thank you."

Feeling very tired and hungry, she kissed him again. "I'm going to take a shower before dinner."

After he heard the water running, Noboru joined Genzo in the study. "It's taken care of," Genzo informed him in Japanese.

"Good." Noboru leaned forward with one arm on the back of his chair and did a once over of the monitors. "When we leave for Tokyo, you are to come with us."

Genzo stared at the ground. "Noboru-donno, perhaps there is someone else who would be more adept at carrying out your orders. I have already failed you once-"

"[Kudaranei]," Noboru interjected. "You are my right hand and there is no one else I would trust more with my life. Or hers."

"I am honored by your request and I will gladly accompany you to Tokyo." Standing up, he bowed and bid Noboru goodnight.

As he left their building, he cursed himself for having let down his guard. What was worse, the fear that he felt upon seeing Saburo was not just for Angela and Noboru. Part of the fear was his own. He had been worried for Angela in a very personal way. "[Baga], you can't protect her by being this way," he chastised himself out loud. Somehow he needed to find a way to be more objective about her safety, but spending almost every day with her was not making that easy for him.

Perched on the roof of another high rise, Saburo watched Genzo leave his brother's building and smirked. Taking off his glasses, the light from the street below caused his retinas to glow eerily before he crept back into the darkness. "[Oni-san], I see history repeats itself," he said gleefully to himself. "[Moratta!]"

__________________________

kudaranei: ridiculous

baga: idiot

moratta: you're mine

__________________________