(BL) Mafia Love; He who falls the hardest loses-Chapter 143: Kneeling
Kiyoshi immediately bowed deeply before taking a step closer to Haruki. Haruki had thoughts on finding Hiroshi and his family members on his mind, he was already thinking of how to get the man to apologise to him for not picking up his calls and not being around but the foreigner was too obvious to ignore.
He gave Kiyoshi a questioning look after glancing at the man cleanly dressed in a black suit wearing an expensive wristwatch and well-polished shoes.
"Hello," the foreigner said bowing. He walked closer and stood beside Kiyoshi. "My name is Daniel Smith," the man said respectfully keeping a straightened posture as he spoke.
Kiyoshi glanced at the man and pressed his lips. He was trying hard to remain calm but the foreigner was showing he was tense with every action and word he spoke which was very different from his demeanour when they were talking inside.
Kiyoshi could easily understand why the man was that way after all, Haruki could easily order the death of his employer and no one would be able to stop him successfully. Kiyoshi’s fear came from something opposite, if Haruki knew they had hurt the doctor, it could lead to too many losses.
Haruki tilted his head his eyes darkened as he waited for the man with a hint of impatience in his black eyes now meeting the gaze of the man opposite him.
"I am Hiroshi Yamamoto’s lawyer," the man added after swallowing, his voice low as though he was not certain about how Haruki would react to it.
Haruki’s eyes softened and brightened at the man’s introduction but with each second that passed, his gaze got solemn and darkened, even darker than earlier.
"I manage his personal and business affairs and his assets," the foreigner added noting the coldness in Haruki’s eyes. He pulled out his business card and stretched it towards Haruki.
What would Hiroshi’s lawyer be doing in his house when Hiroshi himself was nowhere to be found? As Haruki questioned himself, he tried to remember any event Hiroshi told him he had planned that could have killed all him and all his family members.
Haruki hesitated but still pulled out his hand from his pocket and stretched it towards the business and took it. He looked at the name on the card and the other info. He had never discussed business or their personal assets with Hiroshi.
He could not even confirm if the card was legit or the man was not an imposter but seeing that Kiyoshi nodded when he glanced at him, he could guess that they had run all the necessary checks on the man or he would not even be allowed close to the gates of the main house.
"I heard you would return later," the foreigner said when he noticed Haruki had accepted his identity.
Hearing this, Haruki remembered why he had left his work with Satomi and returned earlier. His heart raced as he looked at the foreigner and asked, "Is Hiroshi dead?"
He took notice of the man’s eyes widening a bit before he turned to Kiyoshi exchanging a short glance before turning back to him and shaking his head.
"He is not dead but it might not be too long before he dies," the lawyer replied immediately.
That sounded like very unpleasant news to Haruki. Not again! First his parents, then Kataro’s brother, then Hiroshi. They had not even tainted their relationship with that forbidden word, love. How could Hiroshi die or get close to death’s door that easily?
He remained outwardly calm despite the tight grip the news had on his heart squeezing it tightly as though trying to empty it of every drop of blood. He hadn’t even reacted this way when his last lover died.
"I went to the hospital but he wasn’t there, where did you keep him?" Haruki asked considering where else they would keep a dying man but the hospital?
Kiyoshi stepped forward ahead of the lawyer and bowed deeply as he shouted an apology. Haruki wondered if Hiroshi had been kidnapped by one of his enemies, why else would Kiyoshi apologise?
"Hiroshi was locked up in this house because he was found guilty of sharing the audio by Ren," the lawyer immediately spoke up without bothering to step forward anymore.
He watched Haruki closely hoping not to miss even the slightest change in his expression. Haruki was very good at masking his emotions that which made it difficult for him to get any information but he took the bold step of blaming Ren for it.
That could give Hiroshi a chance to escape as that would give Haruki’s anger a place to focus on. "I, however, found evidence that someone had hacked and cloned his phone and I brought it over hoping Ren would release my client."
Kiyoshi standing him had to turn to face him his eyes narrowing dangerously. He could see what the foreign lawyer wanted to do but putting Haruki against Ren was not the right choice of action. He knew he might find himself between them.
"Hiroshi was framed and Ren tried to investigate by bringing Hiroshi in for questioning while trying to investigate who might have accessed his phone to hack it," Kiyoshi hoped his words would work the magic he wanted.
Ren might be at fault for not investigating well enough before bringing Haruki in but the person behind it, the person who had chosen to frame Hiroshi was the person at fault.
Haruki standing before two people who were trying to tell him who was at fault, could only understand at that moment that someone had hurt Hiroshi.
"Who gave you the right to harm what is mine?" he asked in a deep low voice the words getting forced out of his clenched teeth. Everyone involved would have to pay. Someone wanted to have their entire lives ruined.
Firstly, where was Hiroshi? Seeing the rage in Haruki’s eyes although barely hearing what Haruki had said, Kiyoshi led him back into the house.
He pressed the button of the elevator and didn’t forget to shoot a warning look at Hiroshi’s lawyer before stepping in after Haruki. The elevator closed and Haruki was not sure about how he felt at that moment as the elevator descended to the basement.
When he had thought of all the things Ren might have done to Hiroshi in the name of investigation felt enraged but thinking that Hiroshi was still alive in his house, made him relieved. At least he wasn’t dead.
All these feelings rushed deep within but Haruki could only hold them. He didn’t need a weakness and showing he cared for Hiroshi might put him in more harm’s way but that did not stop him from walking out of the elevator as he followed Kiyoshi down the corridor.
Kiyoshi rushed ahead and opened the door to face Ren who seemed about to make an exit. Their gaze met before he glanced back at his boss who stood behind him. Ren’s posture straightened immediately and he took a couple of steps backwards and bowed deeply.
He stood up straight when Haruki walked into the room. He wondered what had been discussed between Haruki and Hiroshi’s guard and he could not help but feel his heart race but knowing he had gotten Haruki’s verbal confirmation before he proceeded, he calmly stepped aside.
Haruki saw Dr. Yamamoto looking like he had aged a decade compared to the last time they met and he could not help but wonder how bad Hiroshi’s state was.
Dr. Yamamoto rose from the bed and bowed deeply to Haruki. Seeing that and knowing the only person who could receive such a deep bow from his father in Haruki’s house was Haruki himself, Hiroshi pushed his body off the bed.
He had felt so much discomfort in his abdomen that he had to lie down a bit to ease it but knowing Haruki had arrived, he felt his heart race pounding so hard in his chest that the discomfort faded away from his mind. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
He forced his body off the bed and looked up at Haruki. Haruki’s black eyes met him calmly. As someone who felt he understood Haruki very well, he felt confused knowing there was nothing in Haruki’s expression that gave away what he was thinking at that moment.
Hiroshi felt his hands tremble on his side he could not confirm if it was because he was hungry or scared of what might be going through Haruki’s mind. If Haruki believe he was behind it all, then he might have no escape from this basement.
Holding Haruki’s gaze, he went to his knees as soon as his feet touched the ground. Pushing his upper body down to the ground, he bowed until his head touched the ground.
Haruki stopped on his track when he noticed the doctor who once stood tall and fearlessly before him with so much vitality looked like a shadow of the man he had left less than two weeks ago. Hiroshi’s usually healthy skin looked pale and he looked like he had lost a few pounds too.
Those lips which always held a warm small smile now looked pale. He had taken a quick step forward when Hiroshi fell to his knees but he froze when he realised Hiroshi was kowtowing to him.
