(BL) Mafia Love; He who falls the hardest loses-Chapter 175: Don’t go . . .

When Kiyoshi remained unmoving, Haruki sighed and pushed his outspread arm down. "If you are so worried, call my lawyer. I will sign over all I have to you at the event of my death. Isn’t that okay?"

Kiyoshi’s eyes widened at that statement. He winced as the meaning of Haruki’s statement registered, pain evident in his eyes.

"I . . . I would never want that," Kiyoshi said firmly his voice thick with emotion, firmly. He looked into Haruki’s eyes as though searching for something to show that Haruki was joking with him. Haruki’s gaze remained cold firmly holding Kiyoshi’s gaze and the pain in his eyes only intensified.

"Then why are you so worried about me going to a party organised to celebrate my birthday. We did that last year, what is there to worry now?"

Haruki gave Kiyoshi an encouraging pat on his back before walking past him. A smile lifted the corners of Haruki’s lips as he went up the stairs.

If he truly died, he would have all he had left in Kiyoshi’s care. Kiyoshi was loyal to a fault. It made him sigh even as his smile broadened. It reminded him of Ren’s loyalty to his grandfather.

However, they were also different. Ren was brought into his grandfather’s home as a young child who ran away from his abusive parents later becoming an orphan.

He had lived most of his life in the previous main house. He was more of a child to his grandfather than to his mother.

Ren was trained closely by his grandfather, and many began believing he would be his grandfather’s heir but thanks to his birthright, Haruki without any training, a youth abused and battered was chosen instead.

Kiyoshi was a retired special agent who began working for the government as a juvenile. Haruki didn’t save his life or give him a home before he began working with him. He was young and Haruki who had just become the chairman received the best gift from the universe.

Kiyoshi was everything he needed from an assistant and a bodyguard. He never got into serious discussions about Kiyoshi’s history because Kiyoshi never spoke about and all he got was what was in his files as an employee.

He was certain there was no one else in the world who wouldn’t want Kiyoshi working for them. Kiyoshi prioritised him, he didn’t seem to care about the company, about the family.

All he had done in the past years was what Haruki wanted with or without a verbal request. As he stepped into his room and closed the door, he shook his head. This was a loyalty money couldn’t buy and he had trampled on it with his words.

He made a mental note to apologise to Kiyoshi the moment everything gets handled. The man deserved a decent apology for the way he spoke to him.

"Oh wow," he murmured when his gaze fell on a white floral cake box on the coffee table.

***

Hiroshi waited for Kiyoshi’s call but when the man didn’t call him after a few hours, he couldn’t hold back and called Kiyoshi instead. The call immediately connected.

"Hello, have you spoken to him?" Hiroshi in a hurry asked.

"I did," Kiyoshi replied with a heavy sigh.

Hiroshi could feel that Kiyoshi had more to say so he waited but when Kiyoshi didn’t speak, he asked, "What did he say?"

"He still intends to attend the party. I told him you didn’t fail. I tried my best but I don’t want to be seen as controlling."

Hiroshi could easily understand. Haruki had no intention of hiding under someone’s shadow but after that phone call, he had tried meeting and calling Haruki several times.

He wasn’t allowed close to the building and Haruki had blocked him on every channel of communication and the only person he could contact was Kiyoshi.

"If he would still attend the party, ensure he doesn’t get there early," Hiroshi said firmly. "Use every trick in the book to ensure he doesn’t arrive at the appointed time."

Kiyoshi on the other end remained silent.

"I know this puts you in a difficult situation," Hiroshi acknowledged with a tired sigh.

Kiyoshi had agreed without any hesitation when he told him to speak to Haruki but asking him to delay Haruki was something a bit extreme. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"I know it is difficult to ask for but . . ." Hiroshi began when Kiyoshi’s side remained silent. He sighed and remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "Don’t bother, I will handle it. That was very wrong for me to ask."

"That is okay," Kiyoshi replied calmly.

Both of them remained silent even with the call still connected. It was as though they were fighting hard. Hiroshi was fighting hard not try to persuade Kiyoshi into helping him and Kiyoshi was trying hard not to give in to Hiroshi’s words.

"The party is going to be bad for Haruki," Hiroshi finally gave in and said firmly.

"I think so too," Kiyoshi murmured helplessly. "I will be by his side. I will protect him."

"You won’t be able to do that in Aiichiro’s territory. It will be difficult . . . no, impossible."

Both of them sighed. "I will try my best."

"I will also try my best," Hiroshi replied and hung up. He looked down at the screen of his phone and feeling the urge to, he tried to call Haruki for the nth time.

The call didn’t go through forcing him to give up. They made a plan with an unpredictable timeline. The last thing he wanted was suspicion directed at Haruki due to the man’s death. He wouldn’t want Haruki’s name to be tainted.

Rumours could go a long way even without evidence. He didn’t want Haruki associating with the mess he was about to pull Aiichiro into. They might not be able to convict Haruki of the murder but associating with someone like Aiichiro was not good.

He sighed and massaged his brow. It will ruin their plan if Haruki gets involved because he would have to preserve the man’s reputation to keep Haruki safe.

Filled with so many dilemmas, and there was nothing he could do about it.

***

"Could you reconsider?" Kiyoshi asked.

Haruki had dressed in a black suit, his hair in a clean leaf cut, his shirt unbuttoned without a tie exposing his neck. It was mesmerising. The kind of sight that all genders would turn their heads to look at unable to look away.

Haruki’s eyes flashed coldly at that question. He adjusted his wrist watch calmly leaving Kiyoshi’s question unanswered.

"Could you be a bit late?" Kiyoshi asked cautiously. "Like half an hour late . . . or an hour late?"

"What are you playing at?" Haruki asked coldly. "Why will I be late for my birthday party?"

"Because I am begging you to be?" Kiyoshi asked cautiously as he took two steps back away from Haruki.

Haruki sighed and nodded. "I will leave in the next thirty minutes then," Haruki said.

"Oh really?" Kiyoshi asked in disbelief. He had expected Haruki refuse to give in and leave. It shocked him that Haruki considered listening to him.

Haruki didn’t respond verbally, instead, he went back into the house and went upstairs to his room. Haruki wondered what Kiyoshi was planning. He wanted to ask but he could guess that Kiyoshi either didn’t know what was happening or would keep it secret from Haruki.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and sent a message to Aiichiro.

-- Bring Kataro to the party. I want you to release him as soon as I arrive at your house.

It was silent for a while so Haruki sent another message.

-- If you don’t agree to release him, I won’t attend your party.

Finally, a response came from Aiichiro.

-- Fine. I will. I will make sure he looks good enough to attend the party.

Haruki had hoped Kataro wasn’t badly injured. Since he would be brought to the party, there was a chance that he was not badly injured. It would be impossible to bring an unconscious person to the party.

With that hope on his mind, he checked the time. The thirty minutes had been up while he texted Aiichiro and waited for his response. He could see that Kiyoshi wished he could ask for more time as he walked to the car but he ignored the man.

Kiyoshi kept checking his phone. He kept refreshing a webpage.

"What did Hiroshi tell you he is planning to do?" Haruki asked.

"He wants you to stay at home. I don’t know the other details."

"And you agreed with him?" Haruki commented. Kiyoshi’s trust in whatever Haruki was planning was surprising.

"I did my own research. I don’t intend to harm you."

"And you won’t tell me what you suspect he’s planning but you want me to stay at home? You want me to miss the chance to call a truce to what’s going on but you won’t tell me why?" Haruki shook his head.

Kiyoshi glanced at Haruki he knew Haruki had no intention of becoming friends with Aiichiro so his words had a hidden meaning.