(BL) Mafia Love; He who falls the hardest loses-Chapter 133: Pity?

Thanks to Hiroshi’s sleeplessness, Haruki slept in. When he woke up, Kiyoshi had called him several times and the doctor was gone leaving a note on the nightstand.

He cleaned up and was having breakfast when Kiyoshi rang the doorbell. He opened the door for him and went back to eating.

"We are late for this morning’s meeting," Kiyoshi said when he set aside what Haruki would wear that morning. It had been months since Haruki began staying over at Hiroshi’s place but Kiyoshi still always brought Haruki’s clothes every morning when he came to pick him up.

"We have more than thirty minutes more," Haruki said shaking his head as he continued eating. "You are simply worrying about nothing.

Knowing there was a chance that he might sleep in, Haruki had avoided setting anything important early in the morning. Haruki listened to Kiyoshi report some things about work to him while he ate.

When he was done eating, he went to get dressed. When he stepped towards the door of the living room, he noticed something strange about Kiyoshi’s expression. His head was bowed unusually like a kid caught doing something wrong.

Haruki could not see his facial expression with his head bowed that way but he wondered what was wrong when he noticed Kiyoshi was gripping the phone he held so tightly his knuckles seemed to turn white.

He could only confirm that whatever made Kiyoshi act that way was something serious. Most likely something related to him. He shook his head wondering what the bad news would be as he opened the door of the apartment.

Kiyoshi opened the door as soon as they got to the car. He stretched a tablet towards Haruki tapping for a few seconds on the screen. "It was released last night. They were spamming everyone with it on the internet. I got a whole report drafted on it."

Kiyoshi took the tablet from Kiyoshi wondering what news was so important. If it was released last night and Kiyoshi had woken up long enough to write a report on it, he knew it was serious.

He glanced at the face of assistant. Kiyoshi avoided his gaze and got into the driver’s seat of the car. Haruki looked down when the car began to leave the underground parking lot.

"My aunt’s husband once said I was selling my body because I was beautiful . . ." Haruki’s grip on the tablet tightened. Someone had taken their time to create an animated film using his voice while showing pictures illustrating all he had narrated.

The petty video title had him pausing. ’The cold-faced chairman of the Yugen Holdings was accused of prostitution.’ The next video had something a kind-hearted person would find pitiful. ’A villain is not born, they are created in toxic environments. Chairman Haruki was a victim of school bullying.’

Why were they trying to make him into a poor child whose life was so hard? The more he continued to scroll, the tighter the grip he had on the tablet got. He wanted to throw the tablet out of the window, to end the sound of his voice that suddenly felt very irritating to his ears.

Why was there so much emotion in his voice when he narrated it to Hiroshi? He had no idea that he could sound so disgusting. He felt a raw sharp pain in his abdomen before a strong urge to throw up.

How did his private conversation with his lover get exposed? He read the report Kiyoshi left along with the videos. So many videos were created using the record of the conversation he had that day.

He swallowed. It was certain that the person made sure there was no way he could keep it controlled. The audio had more than two dozen videos using it. All of them had different scenarios as though designed to provoke different emotions from different people.

The videos were used to spam social media platforms and other software had the links to those videos directing their users to those videos including those software under his company.

Stepping out of the elevator on the floor of his office, Haruki tried to remain calm. He could see some of his employees sending curious glances in his direction when he stepped into the building but they were professional enough not to whisper among themselves or keep their gaze on him.

It was only normal for such an unusual event to cause an uproar in the country and there was no way there wouldn’t be a report on it on the news. All the stations were a bit hesitant on how to react.

They could not remain silent and neither could they say anything wrong considering who Haruki was and this was his personal life. They had to tread carefully.

Haruki’s team of secretaries were answering the continuously ringing telephones. Haruki walking to his office could not remember when the floor was ever that chaotic.

Satomi knocked and was invited in while Haruki still read the report Kiyoshi gave him. Kiyoshi also showed in the report that they had intervened to take down all they could take down. Although there was a link circulating that he had not succeeded in taking down yet.

"I took down the videos on that link site," Satomi said. She was allowed in and overheard Kiyoshi. "I was doing that when you arrived."

Haruki glanced at her and nodded in recognition of her effort. "I want the source of the videos discovered as soon as possible. We still have a very busy day ahead of us. None of this should disrupt our schedule."

They agreed and went on with their work. Haruki took a deep breath to relax. He knew what had happened could not be taken back and the whole world both those who knew him and does who were victims of the spammed links, knew he was bullied for his appearance both in school and at home.

He scoffed. The one he hated the most was those videos trying to paint him to be a weak child who was not protected. Like a newborn fawn that couldn’t walk and fell prey to hungry wolves. That was not what he was.

How dare they pity him? He was not the same boy after all that happened to him. He had healed from it, to think they all feel he was broken, felt like a fresh wound to his ego so deep he was bleeding. There was a knock on the door when he rose to leave for the conference room.

They had a shareholders’ meeting soon and he had to think that the person chose such a time to make him into a weakling, he didn’t know who it was, but he made up his mind to find the person and ensure they became food for vultures.

He invited the person in. Ren walked in and bowed without breaking his gaze with Haruki.

"Did you find the wiretapping device?" Haruki knew he didn’t need to ask for a search to be done. If Ren knew the news circulating, then he would have searched the entire house to find the device behind it.

"Nothing was found," Ren replied bowing completely this time.

"Work with Kiyoshi to find the person behind it all."

"I will find the person and have them punished maximally."

Haruki’s hands slid into the pockets of his dress pants and nodded. "I expect you to do that. I will be very busy during the next couple of weeks. I want the person found and punished before I return from the trip."

Haruki knowing he had everything under control thanks to his subordinates, did not bother to think of what had happened. If the person’s plan was to distract him and shake him mentally, then the person was mistaken.

"Get them to search the office too." Haruki was beginning to question the privacy of his space for the first time in a long time.

"Okay, sir."

Haruki walked out of the door Ren had opened when he approached the door. He came face-to-face with the door that had his hand raised to knock.

"Are you okay?" Hiroshi asked his brow furrowed.

Haruki gestured to Ren to leave first while he stepped aside for Hiroshi to enter the office. He didn’t miss the cold gaze Ren directed at Hiroshi making him think of the incident.

If nothing was found in the study, then how did their private conversation get leaked? As soon as the thought flashed into his mind, Haruki shook it off just in time for Hiroshi to hug him.

With the door closed and the two of them alone, Hiroshi hugged Haruki and remained that way for almost a minute. When he pulled away, he scanned Haruki with his light brown eyes looking sad.

"Shouldn’t you be at work?" Haruki asked not giving the man the chance to begin fussing over him.

"I had to come over when I saw a video," Hiroshi said taking Haruki’s hand in his. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"There’s no need to worry, everything is under control."

"You know . . ." Hiroshi began hesitantly.