"Naora's total is one point two billion."

 

The panel started to murmur. The shadowy man stood up revealing the top of his balding head, "This is outrageous!" Gen staggered for a second and spoke with a hollow voice, "what?" She shook her head and gathered her senses, "IMPOSSIBLE!" Shizuya simply lifted her hand. When everyone was silent, she gracefully gestured for the lawyer to speak.

 

He popped open his case to reach in and pull out a sheet of paper. He adjusted his glasses, cleared his throat, then spoke rather matter of fact, "I have all the documentation here. Naora, herself was a net loss of..." He checked his notes, "Approximately one hundred and six thousand yen." He looked at Naora, "You are in quite the hole." He then turned back to the panel, "But Kimoto Toshi had established three shell companies and managed to, through investments, buying, selling, and trading various goods on the international market, especially a recent uptick in the value of Bitcoins-" Gen interrupted, "What the hell is a bitcoin?"

 

The lawyer ignored the question as he continued.

 

"In the space of the past four months, Toshi took his initial investment of approximately thirty million yen and snowballed it into over a billion. One point two is an estimate, since as the markets shift over time, so to will his dollars and rupees change in value as well. He has diversified into several different currencies so an exact number is hard to pin down." Gen sputtered, "I wasn't given thirty million yen!" The lawyer pushed his glasses up on his nose, "And neither was Naora." He looked to the panel, "Not a single yen was transferred to or from Naora beyond her initial bankroll at the start of the contest."

 

Shizuya nodded and spoke softly, "If Naora could figure out how to seduce a rich man and make him her subordinate, there isn't anything in the rules about HOW you get a subordinate." She turned her hands over and spread them wide as if to indicate she was powerless to change the facts coming from her mouth, "Now, we cannot count any of the money he started with, but any money he made while he was in her service is Naora's money." She glanced at the shadowy man standing next to her, "Wouldn't you agree?" The balding man slowly sank back down into his seat, "I... would." Gen went pale. The man continued slowly, "However... do we have any proof... that Toshi would... freely hand over the money to her?" He began to talk faster as he continued, as if he was formulating an argument on the fly, "After all..." He steepled his fingers and leaned back into the shadows, "Naora didn't officially acknowledge that this Toshi character was her subordinate."

 

The women at the far end of the panel spoke up, "You know..." She spoke in a bemused tone, "I was present when Toshi took off his belt, make it into a loop, put it around his neck, and handed the other end to Naora like a leash." Everyone's head swiveled to look at her. She leaned far enough forward that just her smirk was visible in the half-light, "I think begging Naora to fuck him on his sister's bed qualifies in my eyes that he is her... ahem... subordinate." Gen looked at the woman with one eye wide open and the other squinting HARD, "Wh-Wh-WHAT?" The witness continued to give her testimony, "Annnnnnd... I told Shizuya about it, sooooo... I would say that counts as official acknowledgement." The other women on the panel glanced at each other as they murmured and nodded to one another.

 

Only the bald headed man's fist was visible in the faint light that fell on the bench before him. He clenched and unclenched it over and over in an obvious sign of frustration. The lawyer bowed to the panel, "I believe at this point, the discussion is turning to things I should not hear. Contact me if you need any further details or clarifications." He straightened up, turned, and walked out. The conversation did not resume until the door closed behind him with a loud, audible *click*.

 

Naora was in shock this whole time. She knew Toshi was working on some way to make money, but she had no idea it was THAT MUCH. She would need to have a long talk with him, but right now, this was her only life line. With that much money, she could claim to have won the contest. There was only one itty-bitty, teeny-weeny, but ever-so-crucial detail...

 

The money wasn't hers.

 

She smiled as confidently as should could fake it and spoke with far more conviction than she possessed, "Toshi is mine, body and soul." She tapped her chest over her heart, "His money, is my money." Her heart sank even as she spoke, ~Toshi, please forgive me. I will confess everything as soon as I can.~ The rest of the women on the panel debated among themselves. Shizuya waited until the muttering died down, then deftly presented a cell phone.

 

Naora's cell phone.

 

"This should be easy to clear up." She spoke with a smile that was far more sinister than any smile had the right to be, "We just need call him." She glanced at her granddaughter and gestured lightly with her empty hand, "Naora will say nothing so she doesn't have a chance to give him any signal, and we ask him if he would give up his money to Naora." The balding man interjected, "Without reservation." Shizuya glanced at him and paused for several seconds before acquiescing to his demand, "Very well." Shizuya delicately swiped her finger along the phone in the pattern that unlocked the phone, disturbing Naora in the process, ~Of COURSE she knows my password. Fuck me. JUST... fuck me.~ Shizuya dialed Toshi, put it on speaker, then waited.

 

"Hey Snuggle-Lump! What's up?"

 

Naora knew that this was part of the code they worked out. Snuggle meant he was alone and lump meant he was free to talk. Asking What's up was the third part of the code.

Are You Safe?

She clenched her fists and pressed her lips together tightly. The sweat already on her brow intensified and was dripping down her cheek and pooling at her neck. It was difficult to resist shouting out a reply code, to give him some sort of warning, but she knew if she said anything then Gen's supporters would twist that against her. She had no choice but to hope and pray that Toshi was smart enough to figure out the right thing to say.

 

Shizuya spoke clearly, her voice echoing slightly in the large, dark room, "Naora is currently unavailable. This is Terauchi Shizuya. I have questions that need answering." Toshi was silent for several seconds, "Speak." His tone had an unmistakable hint of anger attached to it. He wasn't asking for information. He was ORDERING Shizuya to talk.

 

Surprisingly, the shadowy man spoke before Shizuya had a chance to reply, "Kimoto Toshi." His voice dripped with derision, "Your family and ours have had many problems over the years." He folded his hands in front of him as he leaned towards the phone, "I'm told you are taking orders from Naora." He spoke in a voice that was as provoking as possible without blatantly insulting Toshi, "Frankly, I find it hard to believe that you have any sort of partnership with Naora." Toshi replied immediately, "I don't." Gen grinned in triumph. Naora's world started to spin. The balding man's tone turned triumphant, "I see! Well-" Just as he started looking around and was about to crow his victory, Toshi made a statement that changed everything.

 

"I'm am but her humble sex slave."

 

The room was dead silent.

 

Toshi continued, "She is my mistress and has graciously granted me the privilege of being her personal fuck toy." The balding man's jaw hit the table. "Not that I am her exclusive fuck toy, mind you. I have no right to demand exclusivity, but I have done such a good job satisfying her voracious appetite that she has recently granted me the title of bedwarmer." He sighed and sounded a tab bit defeated, "But I must admit, she is an absolute BEAST in bed and it is very difficult to keep up with her." He spoke wistfully, "As much as I want to keep her all to myself, there are times I wouldn't mind some one I could tag in so I could catch a twenty minute breather now and then."

 

The silence continued as most of those present tried to comprehend what they just heard. Shizuya cleared her throat, "Toshi? You... are on speaker." There was an implication that Toshi might want to watch what he says. Toshi smirked to himself, ~Ooo! Am I embarrassing you? Serves you right.~ Shizuya scratched her eyebrow as she tried to regain control of the conversation. None of it was going according to how she planned this, "Now-"

 

Toshi had waited until she started speaking again just so he could cut her off for maximum offense, "Put Naora on the line." He ordered. Shizuya's annoyance started to show, "She is not available. Now we need to discuss those three companies that you-" Toshi interrupted again in a much louder voice, "MAY-BE... I'm not making myself... clear. " His speech was clipped, slow, and deliberate as he enunciated every syllable with great care.

 

"If you know about the companies, then you know how much money I have. If you know that, then understand I will spend every last rupee, dollar and yen on making the life of anyone who harms Naora a living HELL. So if you put her on the phone, and she assures me all is well, then you can ask me anything you want. On the other hand, if I don't hear from her in the next ten seconds, then I will assume she is in danger. If that is the case, then right after I hang up..." You could hear a slightly disgusting distortion from Toshi bringing the receiver in direct contact with his mouth.

 

"I will rain an absolutely biblical level of FUCK down on anyone who gets in between where I stand now and wherever Naora is."

 

Shizuya just stared at the phone the whole time that Toshi had his little rant. Naora swallowed nervously. In her head, she was screaming for him to shut the hell up. Several seconds passed before Shizuya looked up at Naora and slowly closed her eyes while flipping over her hand in Naora's direction as if to say, 'Go ahead.'

 

Naora took a step closer and spoke clearly, "Toshi?" Toshi replied in a cheerful tone, "Hi, Pookie Bear! What's up?" Naora voice was flat, serious and slightly pissed, "Don't call me pookie bear." Toshi replied meekly, "Yes, dear." Naora looked at Shizuya who said nothing, but rolled her hand in the air and looked at Naora expectantly. Naora swallowed and cleared her throat.

 

"Toshi, you have three companies that the lawyer set up for you."

"Yes, dear."

"Are you worth over a billion yen?"

"The companies are. Some of that money belongs to a few investors. I have closer to 900 million available to myself. Give or take."

"I see. Would you give that money to me?"

 

There was a long pause. It was only a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever.

 

Finally Toshi spoke, "I don't think I could legally remove most of the money, since the nature of some of the investments I made are already getting investigated... BUT... you could use the companies as collateral and I am certain you could borrow a billion from somewhere else. If you didn't pay it back, the companies would be seized and then the money in the companies would be allocated according to the bankruptcy court." He clicked his tongue a few times, "In fact, if you give me a bit of time to set it up, I might be able to make the loan double or triple the amount the companies are worth. Depending on-"

 

Naora cut him off, "I don't need the details on HOW, Bedwarmer. Will you give me everything you are WORTH?"

 

Toshi sounded quite chastised, "My apologies. The simple answer is, Yes. Shall I contact the lawyer and begin proceedings?" Naora looked up at Shizuya. She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. Naora continued, "No. I just wanted to know if you would, that's all." She glanced at Gen who was looking very, VERY nervous at this point. Naora realized her reputation with the family was just as important as to how much money she could generate. She mentally prayed that somehow Toshi would understand and play along.

 

Naora cleared her throat again, "Now Bedwarmer, you were very rude to my grandmother." Toshi spoke softly, "I clearly was in the wrong. Please inform her that I am sorry for any offense that I may have caused and hope that she will accept my apology." Naora looked up at her grandmother who gave Naora a slight smile in return. Shizuya closed her eyes and slowly nodded once. Naora continued, "She accepts your apology, Bedwarmer."

 

Toshi spoke in a breathy voice, "I'm sowwy. I was very... very BAD." He drew in a shuddering breath, "I clearly need to be... punished." Naora's eyes went wide as she started to blush, "Uh-mmm, Err... We'll talk about that later." Toshi spoke in a sexy manner, "But I've been sooo BAD." He let out a soft, yet cute little squeak, "It's been too long since I got to hear the sound of tightening-." Naora spoke quickly to cut off Toshi, "I think we're done with this call!"

 

With the exception of the balding man, everyone else sitting behind the bench was a woman, and each and every one of them was trying hard not to burst out laughing. Even Shizuya was having a difficult time staying serious. She spoke up, "Naora is right. Toshi, she will contact you later." Toshi let out a pitiful whimper, "Understood. I'll just sit here by the phone. Watching it. Counting every second until she calls."

"One... two... three... four..."

 

Shizuya pressed the button to hang up.