3. Bridging the Gap
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One whole week passed and nothing so alarming happened in the company. There were problems, of course, but all seemed easy enough for Yukio to solve and also hard enough to mentally stimulate him. Aside from that, the man that he expected to show up had not showed his face to him yet.

At this moment, Mr. Yoshida was on the phone with an intelligence. He was in another country but he still had eyes anywhere he wanted to obtain information from.

"He's buying a big land?"

"It has already been bought, Sir, a 200-hectare land in Kyushu. It was put under the name of Mr. Eiji Kanno. All information about the land has been sent through your email including some photos. As of now, there isn't any trace of development yet since the deal has just been closed yesterday."

"Mm, seems like Eiji is getting faster and more efficient these days."

"Another thing, Sir."

"Continue."

"The Young Master is no longer seeing a Psychiatrist. He also stopped taking medications and his temperament has greatly changed. He had been directly handling all matters in the company and had cleared the long standing disputes between Director Arai and Director Iwamoto, but he had not lost his temper even once. It could be said that he was steadily high-spirited and positive the whole week."

"Hmm. Is he engaged in something new?"

"Aside from taking over the company and occasionally playing Go with Lady Nakamura in the evening, the Young Master has no other activity, Sir."

"He's playing Go with his mother?"        

"He's playing Go with his mother?"

"Yes, Sir. And the Lady seemed to be very delighted with it."

Before he falls in a deep thought, he diverted into another matter. "What news do you have about Rumi's son?"

"He is already in Tokyo and actively participating in their family's business, Sir.  He is also leading the construction of one nursing home for the elderly and one rehabilitation center for people with disabilities. Both projects are set to finish before the start of winter."

The Nakamura's business, RN Health Systems Co., has three big hospitals, one rehabilitation center (excluding that one that was being constructed now), two health and wellness centers and three five star restaurants that only serve organic and natural ingredients. These were separately situated in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. 

In terms of revenue, it was still smaller than Quantum Corp. which was engaged in the energy sector having renewable energy plants in five countries. It was also delving into the chemical industry producing organic fertilizers and targeted pesticides (only harm specific pests).

As you could see, both RN Health Systems Co. and Quantum Corp had something in common. Yes, it was the sensitivity to the environment. Needless to say, it was also due to their common human denominator, Rumi Nakamura. She was a very willful environmentalist and philanthropist. And although she wasn't the major shareholder of Quantum Corp, her voice was still immensely regarded. As of RN Health Systems Co., let's not talk about how henpecked Mr. Nakamura was. What his wife wanted, his wife conquered.

"Has he approached Yukio already?" Mr. Yoshida asked the intelligence again.

"Not yet, Sir. He arrived in Tokyo last Saturday night, left for Osaka on Tuesday morning and traveled to Kyoto on Thursday night. The two new structures that are being constructed are in Kyoto. He is yet to come back to Tokyo."

"I see." If he wanted to, he could arrange both young men to meet again already. But considering the fragility of Yukio's psyche, he couldn't afford to shake him up when the young man was on the process of adjusting in the business. He should be given some time and things could only be taken one step at a time. 

14 years had already passed since the two last got acquainted. He knew that Yukio had held Rumi's son in his heart since he was young but he wasn't sure of it now because their father and son relationship wasn't good enough to be able to personally and deeply know each other.

"Anything else?"

"Sir, this may or may not be useful... The young Nakamura showed displeasure and refusal towards the engagement. He apparently had a big argument with his parents when he was informed about the betrothal. He left their house and drank all the way from the afternoon 'til the evening. Sir, he had not approached the Young Master but the young Master approached him. He was mistaken by the Young Master as a drunkard slumped on the street on that night."

"Elaborate."

"The Young Master had not seen his face, Sir. There was also no indication that the Young Master had recognized him. He only approached the young Nakamura to give him some drinks and food then left immediately."

The cold expression on the old man's face melted and was replaced with a repressed smile. "Goodwill, huh... That kid?"

"Continue gathering information about both of them and call me when necessary."

The call was already cut but he remained standing in the corner of his big office, hands in both pockets and thinking deeply. 

It was already 7AM and Yukio knew that his mom would be in her greenhouse at this time again, tending to her plants. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he went down to see her.

"Mom, let's have breakfast already."

Ayako had somehow gotten used to this already. Last Tuesday morning, his son started to coax her to have breakfast with him. It was awkward at first but it felt so natural for Yukio like he had been doing it since time immemorial so she also relaxed and just ate. Besides, not eating alone brought a refreshing feeling. 

She grew up without parents and already fought a hard in life in order to survive even before she reached puberty, being alone was already as normal as breathing for her. Her husband was also consistently busy and she never tried to bother him lest the action would anger him. She wasn't the sweet nor clingy type anyway.

"Okay." She took off her gloves and walked towards the smiling young man on the doorway. "What do we have for breakfast?"

"I asked them to bake your favorite pie but don't expect too much, mom. I saw our chef frowning so early in the morning. The food is always a disaster when she's not int he mood." Yukio was already chuckling even before he finished his news. His arms were hugging his mother's arm while heading towards the mansion.

"Why was she not in good mood so early in the morning?" Her brows furrowed but without annoyance. Her son's good mood was somehow infectious.

"Mom! How could you ask? It's menopausal!" He immediately broke into laughter. 

Ayako hit his stomach with her elbow and feigned an irritated face. "Crazy! I'm soon to reach that stage, too."

Yukio rolled his eyes in an exaggeration and complained. "Oh no, I think I need to buy my own house soon!"

Looking at his son's dramatic response made Ayako laugh. Ah, these days, she seemed to laugh more often. The feeling was strange but it was good.

It should be known, Ayako knew from the beginning that their marriage wasn't for love. She knew everything. Even before she came, Nobu and Genzo were already very much in love with Rumi. You might have guessed that already but actually, it wasn't hard to guess it. A woman like Rumi was so hard to dislike and so easy to love. Even during the depressed moments and the failures of these two men, she stayed with them, encouraged them and supported them with everything she got. What was more, she was an Omega who didn't lack charm and a strong but appealing personality.

Between the two though, Genzo was more aggressive in claiming Rumi. The latter was his first love after all. Nobu, on the other hand, satisfied himself with focusing in the business and accepted the fact that he wouldn't have any chance with the apple of their eyes. She only saw him as her brother and nothing else. This fact was the same with Genzo but remained unaccepted by the man.

When Rumi fell in love with Ichirou Nakamura and was marked by the Alpha, both Genzo and Nobu fell into despair. Nobu was just quick in getting over it and finally congratulated the two. Genzo, however, stayed more and more depressed as the wedding of the two was getting closer. 

Three years had passed and Genzo was certain that he would never love anybody else aside from Rumi. At that time, Ayako became his secretary. She was handling a report to him when she suddenly went into estrus. Currently in a deep financial crisis, she wasn't able to afford an inhibitor. Who could escape an Omega's estrus then? No, not even the mighty CEO. 

So, the marking was done and Ayako even got pregnant. Only realizing that having an heir was also important, he decided to marry Ayako. The latter was so clear with these facts because all these years, she never felt any warmth from the man who seemed to still be living in the past and still chasing the shadow of his first love.

So who had it worse? Genzo who was still in love with someone who was loyal to another Alpha? Ayako who was in love and loyal to her Alpha but was also resigned to the fact that he was really never hers? Or, Yukio, the fruit who bore all the consequences of the two?

Yukio's acquired memories and knowledge made him understand everything, no wonder he couldn't feel any hatred towards his current parents. In fact, he pitied them, aside from the fact that he loved them so much. The body's owner tried to bridge the gap in his family but unfortunately, he was too desperate to do it the right way. Who can blame him? Nobody showed him the whats, the whens, the hows and the wheres of love.

"You're going to the company today? It's Saturday."

"I want to go shopping, mom. Let's buy you some new dresses. I've read that lighter colors could make one look younger."

"Hmpt. Do I look old already?" Ayako didn't particularly fancy going out and socializing so she wasn't so adept with fashion as well. Her style was so basic and simple, and almost all the time, only with dark colors.

"No. But mom, I don't have a sister. Please be considerate and let people think I have a sister when we go out?" His expression was at the middle of complaining and coaxing.

Ayako lightly chuckled. "Just when did you learn to sweet talk?"

"Uh? I was being a brat just then, mom. Tsk, you really misunderstand things so easily." He shook his head showing a bit of a playful and fake frustration.

Ayako was heard laughing again and with misty eyes, she peered at her son. "Okay, okay."

After a couple of hours, they already went out. Only one bodyguard went with them and also served as their driver. 

The whole day was spent not just for shopping but the two also watched a movie, ate lunch in a Chinese restaurant, walked around a huge garden and finally had coffee in a coffee shop that faced a park.

"Mom, let's go to the hospital tomorrow."

"Why? Are you sick?"

"No, mom. It's just that I couldn't remember you ever going to the hospital to have your body checked. Even healthy and strong people need to be sure, mom."

Ayako's eyes widened. Her brain couldn't handle the mental and emotional attack that hit her with those words. Nobody in her whole life, not even one, ever thought of her this way. Nobody even asked if she was okay when she was sick. 

She looked away to avoid his son's eyes. She knew he'd be able to read her emotions if he saw her eyes. "I don't need to. It will be just a waste of time."

"If that's the case, I have so much time to waste, mom. Don't worry." He was smiling so generously that his eyes looked like crescent moons.

Ayako looked at his son and for the first time, she felt like her heart was enveloped with warm hands. "I... Really, we don't have to. We can just stay at home and rest."

"Hmn... But I need to go to the hospital tomorrow, mom. Can you please accompany me then? The smell in the hospital really makes me feel nervous."

With such request, how can she say no? Besides, Yukio rarely had requests. "Okay, we'll go."

"And you can also have your check up while waiting for me. I'm afraid you'll just get bored if you don't do anything."

The sky today had no chance of being clearer than his son's intention, she would even bet on it. "Right, I don't want to be bored."

For the first time, Yukio saw his mom smiled her sweetest smile. Her eyes looked like glowing crescent moons. This made Yukio's heart constrict with so much joy. "You should always smile like this, mom. You have already suffered enough."

The next day, they really went to the hospital. Her mom underwent a thorough check-up and also took some tests including various kinds of ultrasound and blood tests. It turned out that Yukio was the one who waited for her and it consumed their whole day. Before going home, Yukio bought a box of inhibitors and several new syringes.

"Mom, I found a good restaurant last Monday and they served really good dishes. Should we have dinner there? Are you tired?"

"No, I'm not tired. But I'm really hungry. The food we ate in the hospital's restaurant wasn't so good. Our menopausal chef could even do better." Both of them laughed out loudly and Yukio was so glad his mom can crack a joke now.

Monday came and Yukio had breakfast with his mother first before going to the company. On his way to the office, his phone rang.

"Eiji."

"You're on your way to the office now?"

"Yes."

"Breakfast?"

"Done. And you?"

"I just grabbed a sandwich. Hey, about the property in Kyushu, what do you want to do next? I already have the title and everything's settled."

"Please employ a landscape artist. I want the whole area to be a self-sustaining place. I want more trees, mostly fruit trees and botanical trees. I want berries, too. Strong and sturdy trees must be planted on both sides of the river, just leave narrow trails enough for a couple of people to walk through. As all of these are being done, please put a high and thick wall all around the whole property and an animal treatment facility must be constructed inside, near the gate. The facility must have spacious and well-ventilated confinement rooms for sick animals and soundproof rooms for pregnant and delivering ones. I'll leave all the hiring and the designs to you, I trust your judgment on things."

After being silent and listening to the rush of words from the other side, Eiji spoke up. "Okay, but I will send you all the details in each stage and update you with every progress."

"Thank you, Eiji."

"Will this project make you happy?"

"Yes, beyond happy."

"Then there's no need to thank me."

Yukio felt really warm again. This kind of feeling was so familiar to him. "Don't overwork yourself. Rest when you have time to rest."

"Says the man who has just given me a huge task." He chuckled while arranging some documents in front of him. "I need to go now. Take it easy at work today."

"Mm."

Yukio had just arrived in his office when the secretary immediately followed him. "Good morning, Sir." He placed the cup of green tea on the table. "All the contracts due for your signature are already here, Sir, including an invitation letter for dinner this Friday from Mr. Ryuichi Nakamura."

He looked down to see a simple but classy letter that was placed beside the contracts. "Thank you, you may leave now."

"Thank you, Sir."

Since a formal invitation letter was sent, the dinner must not be casual nor plain as well. Yukio sighed. He knew what this was for.

Friday afternoon. He finished his work early to get some rest before going to dinner. He might need a lot of energy to handle whatever emotion that would arise this evening. When he woke up with this body, countless of memories streamed into his brain and a lot of those were about this man. It was when they were kids. 

Ryuichi was the first and the last playmate that he had. Back at that time, Ryuichi would try different tricks and play different games with him just to cheer him up. He wouldn't even eat if Yukio didn't eat first. He wouldn't take a nap if Yukio didn't sleep first. Every day, he would ask to be driven to the Yoshida's mansion after his classes and tell Yukio everything that transpired during his day. He would also teach the younger one the new arts he learned.

Every moment spent with Ryuichi was bliss for Yukio although he was just usually quiet and not expressive. Ryuichi was the sun in his cold world. But no matter how beautiful things are, they were not permanent. That was just until the day that Ryuichi told him he would be transferring to the US. For the first time, Yukio cried his heart out and desperately grasped on Ryuichi's hands.

"When will you come back?"

"I don't know."

"But... but you said we'll be together forever. You said you'll play with me forever." The thin and pale kid looked even paler as he kept on choking on with his tears.

"You need to look for another playmate. I might not come back anymore."

"No! I will wait!" He was violently shaking his head, so desperate for someone he wanted to stay with him, or even just to come back for him.

Ryuichi really didn't know if he would still be coming back and if yes, when. Because of such uncertainty, he didn't want Yukio to live his life every day waiting for him. "Forget me when I leave. Don't wait because I will not come back. I will also forget you. I will have many playmates there."

The hands that held him dropped and the head of the weak little Omega in front of him drooped. No more words were spoken. The tears stopped falling. Ryuichi left the house not looking back because he could feel it, a small heart was shattered in the cold and the intensity of it caged all emotions inside and none was shown.

Five minutes before the set time, Yukio had just entered the door of an elite restaurant overlooking the city below. He no longer bothered to change into another set of suit and he calmly walked towards the VIP room that the waiter was leading him to.

When he opened the door, he saw a very tall man in a black suit standing beside the glass wall that had the view of the city lights at night. Somehow, his 177cm height seemed so childlike for this man's imposing 190cm height. No expression can be seen on his face but Yukio's heart skipped a beat. 

This man exceeded his highest meter for the handsomeness level. Jet black hair, thick and straight eyebrows, dark eyes with violet hues, elegantly prominent nose and thin lips that looked so reserved but dignified. It didn't stop there. The inverted triangle figure of his upper torso was even perfectly matched with very long and straight legs.

"Stared enough?" Damn, even his deep voice could make women pregnant!

Yukio felt his face burnt and his blood rushed to his head. He lowered his eyes and walked towards the table. Even after sitting down, the man remained standing and was just watching him. The former got embarrassed and didn't know if he should stand up again or just stay seated. His face still showed no expression though.

After a while, the man moved closer and sat in front of him. "Yukio."

"Mr. Nakamura." Yukio's voice was low but it was steady.

"The wedding date was already set, the 30th day of next month."

"I see..." He looked down and as his previous mannerism went when he was anxious, his hand under the table reached out to each other, his right thumb and right index finger was scraping the nail of his left index finger. "I have to do this. It will be good for everyone."

"I didn't want this." Ryuichi stared at him trying to read into his thoughts.

"I am in no position to change the situation." He gently answered but his eyes were still fixed on the meat he was cutting.

A sigh was heard. "I know. Or else, you wouldn't be here."

Yukio didn't know what he meant by that but he chose not to answer. 

More food came and they finished eating in silence. Ryuichi was the first to break the ice.

"I'll drive you home."

"No need. My car's-"

"It's my responsibility." He already stood up and looked at him seemingly urging him to stand up as well so they can already leave.

Yukio stood up and silently went out of the room followed by the Alpha that was not a stranger to him but could alienate him in the coldest way.

On their way to his home, Yukio secretly stole a couple of glances. "This man. Why did he have to be so handsome?" He sighed. "And this heart. Why do you have to beat so wildly and make it so hard for me to breathe?"

He stole another glance and sure enough, the other party had no plan of breaking the ice this time.

He stole another glance and sure enough, the other party had no plan of breaking the ice this time        

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Author's Notes:

All photos being used in the story are not owned by the author. Credits to the photo owners.

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