ごくどう: The Masaki and the Blossom [nsfw] (tantric poetry x astral rayne)

[Tantric Poetry]

The grandiose funeral was a mere formality – a show of face by the boss of the Nabeshima clan. Moreover, it was a diplomatic gesture by the Yakuza head toward Aoki's family and men, and a first step toward soothing the internal tensions that ensued after the abrupt termination of the captain's life. Aoki's lieutenants and men lined the driveway in front of the temple to receive guests and visitors while the subtle ringing of bells resonated deep from within the temple halls. The private event and affair drew a rather large showing. Naturally, the Nabeshima family showed in numbers, but there were also quite a few outsiders present. The clan was careful and meticulous with their arrangements to provide discreetness for these individuals as their attendance to a Yakuza-hosted affair would be considered unsavory. Approximately two dozen associates served as gatekeepers to the venue, verifying attendees and dealing with the media and paparazzi, as appropriate.

Alongside Aoki's men, rectangular formations of Nabeshima associates were established outside, providing a passing review for the Yakuza heads as they arrived to the temple. Upon entering the temple, a sea of black suits lined either side of the halls leading up to the viewing room. The uniformly dressed men guarded the inner sanctum while waiting patiently for the orders from their respective captains, who sat amongst the select few that were allowed in the viewing room itself. At the forward area of the enclosed viewing room, a neatly dressed table centered itself against the backdrop of the wall; upon it, was a cubed container containing Aoki's remains. The box was wrapped in a white silken cloth which was secured with a simple ribbon tied into a bow at the top of the cube. It was a minimalistic presentation that continued to propagate the mysteries and speculations on Yakuza traditions and rituals for those that are unfamiliar.

The guests in the room arranged themselves in order of hierarchy and relationship as they sat on the straw-matted floor with legs crossed beneath them. There was almost a dead silence in the room; not a word was spoken as individuals simply sat in conscious reflection evenly spaced apart from one another. At some point, a temple monk entered the room, positioned himself beside the table with the remains, and began to recite hymns and chants in an incomprehensible tongue. Upon finishing, the monk scooted on his knees and legs over to the Nabeshima head, addressing the boss through faint whispers. The two men exchanged quick formal bows before the monk got back onto his feet and backed his way out through the door at the forward area of the room. Almost on cue, the Yakuza boss rose to his feet, prompting the rest of the room to rise onto theirs. The Nabeshima head was then escorted out of the room, as the others followed behind.

The formal funeral concluded without further fanfare as the Yakuza boss exchanged formalities and pleasantries with the departing guests at the entrance of the temple. As Aoki's funeral came to an end, the future of the Nabeshima clan returned to focus as potential turmoil threatened the cohesion of the organization. On the table was the fate of Aoki's group, after the late captain dishonored the clan with a botched deal involving drug trafficking through the clan's territories which resulted in the removal of the Nabeshima clan's appointment from the overruling Yakuza Council. Consequently, Aoki was directed to commit seppuku to satisfy as acceptable punishment from the Council. Without the captain, Aoki's lieutenants could potentially create new and develop existing rifts amongst the subordinate Nabeshima entities. These men had to be reigned in, whether that be the formal appointment and promotion of one of Aoki's lieutenants or placing Aoki's group under the stewardship one of Nabeshima's existing captains.

---

The conference room was stoic and simple. A long rectangular glass-paned table extended along the length of the room with armrest office chairs flanking either side. A singular chair sat at the head of the table; behind it, a massive black picture frame hugged against the wall containing the Japanese kanji characters, 鍋島 (Nabeshima), which was expertly scripted with ink brush on high-grade wood pulped paper. The meeting room was at the Nabeshima clan headquarters, which happened to be on the eighth floor of the corporate building owned by the Yakuza organization. Already sitting at the table were the three remaining Nabeshima captains. The second-in-command lieutenants sat faithfully beside each of the captains. Each of the captains held their own respect and regard, however, there was really one that stood above the rest - Isamu "Masaki" Nakamura.

Isamu Nakamura was one of the Nabeshima clan's high-level captains. Designated as 将毅 (Masaki [General]), Isamu was a faithful servant to the Nabeshima family, and have always brought honor to the Yakuza. Inducted and indoctrinated at a very young age, Isa quickly proved his worth and established himself within the fabled syndicate community. A fearless warrior carrying the lineage of samurai and the traditions of Bushido code, Isamu started as an ordinary soldier that fought under the Nabeshima banner. Isa would stake his name through fighting, whether that be in the underground Yakuza boxing matches or in the early turf war days between the Yakuza families. Known for this ability amongst others, Isamu ascended the ranks within the Nabeshima clan. As a captain, Isamu was given a particular fief, or Yakuza territory, to be responsible for. The responsibilities to this fief are demanding and usually comes at a high price; if mismanaged, Isamu's fate could result in the likes of Aoki. Over time, Isamu developed a close bond with Mr. Nabeshima, the head of the family. This eventually placed Isa next-in-line for succession, serving as the regent for Mr. Nabeshima's son who is being groomed to take over after the clan head tenders their resignation.

The captains were summoned to the headquarters this following day after Aoki's funeral; all three could only speculate that the meeting was to discuss the fate of Aoki's men. Ideally, one of Aoki's lieutenants would be promoted to captain. This made sense in many regards; it would ensure continuity within the group with one of their own being selected, but it would also strengthen the solidarity of the family with this appropriate selection. Selecting within the Aoki group would arguably prevent internal bloodshed, due to existing conflicts between the Nabeshima groups. Placing Aoki's men under one of the three existing captains would potentially create power struggles within the organization. However, one would never really know what a Yakuza head ultimately decides.

The door to the conference room opened, prompting the captains and their lieutenants to rise onto their feet. As Mr. Nabeshima walked in, the men canted their upper torsos forward in a slight bow. It was not until the clan boss assumed his position at the head of the table that the men relaxed their stance and began to take their seats. However, their actions were interrupted by the arrival of the outsider. Trailing behind Mr. Nabeshima's arrival, the woman was easily identified as she walked through the door - the way she looked and held herself naturally drew the attention toward her, as the men immediately recognized who this lady was. Their jaws dropped in surprise and a bit of confusion as to why she was here. Isamu, himself, wondered as to why she was present at such a high-leveled meeting between the boss and his captains. This woman, was none other than Aoki's now widowed spouse.

 

[.Crimson.]

The sounds of the rain pattering away outside of the window only added to the somber feeling that encompassed the room, the lone figure of a female seated on her knees in the middle of the room. She had been prostrated through most of the funeral, painting the image of a grieving wife that had lost the sun to her moon and stars. She had not been present for the act but heard from others within her late husband's group that Aoki had acted with conviction up until the very last breath. A hand reached up to wipe away the few tears that threatened to trail down her cheek, in the process it removed what little makeup still remained on tanned features along with it. Many of the subordinates attempted to comfort her in their own right, even though such shows of tenderness would be considered out of place or outright wrong in front of the other Captains or the Clan head. Now with Aoki gone, it was anyone's guess what would become of her. Sure, they had use of her negotiation tactics and translations when abroad on multiple occasions. Ema was not the only American that could accomplish this task, though; and the blond knew that without a doubt.

Being the outsider within a Yakuza clan had its own list of problems to deal with, Aoki had not heard the end of it for picking her out of all the possible candidates to marry and bring in as a result. Many of the other choices were flawless beauties, pale as the snow in wintertime and delicate all the same. Perhaps that could attribute the hostility that she received on a daily basis for about three years now, whispering among themselves and Ema received pointed glares if she so much as tried to interject herself into the conversation. It was hard to be surrounded by people on all sides and yet feel so alone all the same. Today a meeting would take place to decide her fate. The clan boss had informed her of this during the funeral earlier that day amidst a hushed whisper once the event had concluded. Ema would become the property of one of the other Captains if she had to fathom a guess out of the blue.

She held too much valuable insight and trade secrets to be let go, the only option barring her being placed under another's supervision was execution and the clan wished to avoid two deaths from the same group in only a weeks' time. As for who would take over Aoki's place, the blond did not have a clue. Likely it would fall to Arata since he had been Aoki's right hand through the years. Her posture held a demure air about it as she heard a distinct knock coming from the door, likely one of the clan bosses' attendants to collect her personally. Soft jade eyes flitted back and forth quickly, only to open the door and be greeted by the clan boss himself.

"It is time, Chisaka Ema."

His tone brokered no argument, instead Ema made sure that her hair was fixed into a proper bun and that the outfit on her body was still presentable before walking outside and following at least a few feet behind him. One or two of the attendants were sure to mention if she got too close for their liking, one going so far as to grab onto her arm and forcibly hold her back a second until the distance was deemed proper. Her posture was straight and head high, refusing to look down as she found herself being led into the meeting room and greeted by no doubt plenty of confused captains that questioned her presence.

"What is the meaning of this?!" One captain chose to voice his objection audibly, it made Ema flinch at the anger barely being held at bay. Her gaze now firmly fixed on the mat below, not daring to meet any of their gazes for fear of retribution for an act of blatant defiance. Before with Aoki, it would be different and not seen as much of a slight but now? No, the blond outsider was comparable to dirt in terms of worth to them.

"Enough, I have brought her here for a reason. Since Aoki is no more, and her intel on our clan is extensive - is has been decided that one of you will house her." The clan boss looked around the table at his Captains, and not long after his finger pointed toward Isamu's direction. "You are the one that was chosen, Isamu."

Ema fought back a gasp at the notion of being put into forced servitude; the only difference being a fancier title for it in civilized conversation. Instead of saying anything she meagerly went over and gave a bow to Isamu, but instead of the shorter ones they used out of courtesy hers was a full one that brought her upper body to her knees. For the first time since Ema entered the room, her eyes met that of her new handler and the lack of emotion she presented was a safety measure. She made sure to place herself behind Isamu after, the final signal that she would not dispute this claim and accepted that her independence was a thing of the past and Isamu held all of the cards to her fate.

 

[Tantric Poetry]

Isamu's eyes fixed on the blond as she was led into the conference room, escorted closely by Mr. Nabeshima's personal attendants. Although Chisaka Ema looked the part of the gaijin through and through, her gait, posture, and mannerisms assimilated to their culture which was respectable in its own terms. Isa could only imagine what was going through her mind as she walked into the belly of the beast. Attending a Yakuza meeting was not a first for her, however, it would be different this time around without Aoki. Despite the backlash received and constant challenges, Aoki was always a champion for Chisaka. What did Aoki find so special about this woman?

While Isamu reserved these thoughts for himself, others who were not so tactful spoke up against her presence now that she was without a proper handler. Hanzō, being less tempered than the other two Nabeshima captains, was clearly infuriated by this trespassing, and became the first to vocalize his objection. The lieutenants in the room remained silent as it would be out of turn for them to voice their opinion, but their facial appearances reflected the disgust of their respective captains. Isamu's own lieutenant, Kenji, was surprised and offended by Chisaka's presence. Having a seat at the Yakuza-family meeting was typically earned – whether good or bad. Many felt that outsiders did not deserve this privilege, and rightfully so. However, Mr. Nabeshima quickly silenced the dissent in the room.

As Isamu listened to the boss' declarations, it was clear that Mr. Nabeshima understood the value of Chisaka Ema to the clan. Serving as Aoki's spouse, Isamu can only imagine the insights on the Nabeshima family gained by Chisaka. Contrary to the misguided belief on the subservient role of women married into the Yakuza, the wives played a very important role in the gokudo, the ultimate path. Sure, the wives accompanied their partners to all public functions and family-friendly events, presenting an image of upstanding citizenry. This of course was part of the ever-evolving dance that the criminal syndicate must play with the state in order to upkeep their ambitions and goals.

Stepping out from this limelight, the Yakuza women were revered and respected. In many instances, the wives served as regents, given limited authority to act on behalf of their husbands while this leadership was gone. Most of the time, these women served the clan in some way, fashion, or form, whether that be running the business fronts of the Yakuza enterprise, supporting night and underground operations, and even conducting assassinations. With that being said, the wives followed the paths of their husbands to the very end. Widowed wives of Yakuza men that have served their family remain generally protected and receive a stipend from the clan to subsidize some immediate expenses, as well as seeing them through for a bit of time as the beneficiaries. On the other hand, wives of disgraced Yakuza found themselves alongside their husbands in seppuku or clan execution. As one might imagine, these rules bent for Chisaka Ema as Mr. Nabeshima ruled on her fate.

Therefore, it was quite a reasonable surprise to Isamu when he was selected by the clan boss to house and become Chisaka's steward. The young captain wanted to protest at what appeared to be a slight and chagrin of the other captains and lesser lieutenants. However, Isamu knew that this would fall on deaf ears; Mr. Nabeshima always remained steadfast and unmoving with his decisions. Isa bit his tongue, as the decision sealed both Chisaka and his fates together. The Nabeshima leader was always intuitive with his decisions, and Isamu could now only hope that this intuition played out in his favor. Isamu bowed forward at the waist toward Mr. Nabeshima as he accepted the boss' ruling. Subsequently, Isa's dark irises followed the blond, critiquing her every move, as she walked neatly over to him in traditional form before extending a deep bow. Isamu's lack of response would be a test of her will and resiliency; his eyes darted her a quick glance as Chisaka took position behind him in the meeting room.

Good. Let the others watch. Let them mire in your defiance against the odds… but what am I supposed to do with you now, Chisaka-San?

It would appear that Isamu had free reign to do as he pleased with Chisaka Ema, but the captain very well knew that his actions with her would be scrutinized by the rest of the association. It would be a test of his leadership and management, while success would mean solidifying Isamu's position for succession within the family. Just then, Isamu came to the realization that Mr. Nabeshima - ever so wise - knew this exactly, strategically moving his pieces in the bigger game. Yet, Isa knew that he could always confide in the clan leader if he needed further guidance. Thus, these questions for what Chisaka Ema would become will have to be saved for later as Isamu returned his focus to the meeting at hand.

Without skipping a beat, Mr. Nabeshima moved to the next item on the agenda. As if on cue, Arata, Aoki's second-in-command entered through the same door in which Mr. Nabeshima and Chisaka came through – another surprise for the Yakuza captains. Arata rendered his bow to the clan leader before taking a position while standing at the boss' side. The three other Yakuza captains knew exactly what was happening, as all the individuals in the room now rose to their feet to include Mr. Nabeshima.

"All those present bearing witness, Arata-San is hereby promoted to the rank of captain," declared the clan leader, before continuing. "Arata-San will assume the fief of the late captain Aoki, to be responsible in nature of all association business occurring within the fief. Uragirareru no mo taero. hito wo uragicha ikenai. hito wo uragichattara dare mo shinyo dekinaku nari, yakuza to shite tsutomaran. ("If you're betrayed, endure. Never betray others. If you do, you won't be able to trust anyone and you can't live as a yakuza")"

In unison, the boss and family members bowed their heads in recognition of this ceremonial honor. Kenji looked back at Chisaka to ensure that she partook in this traditional ritual by conforming to their actions. Mr. Nabeshima's personal assistants returned to the conference room; one bearing a tanto blade upon a white cloth as the light of the room gleamed off the polished steel, while another carried a tray upon which a decanter of Japanese whiskey situated. The ceremony continued with Mr. Nabeshima initiating the sequence of events. The boss took the blade in hand, before drawing it across his palm, producing blood in the wake of the fresh cut; he handed it to Arata who performed the same, before the two shook hands. Placing the blade back onto the cloth carried by the attendant, Mr. Nabeshima and Arata then secured the neatly served whiskey in the sake glasses, toasted, and drank to each other's honor. Every member in the room followed suit, with the captains first, followed by the lieutenants, as all the members took part in this ritual.

Their meeting concluded soon after - the captains were quick to depart from the headquarters building to tend to their businesses. A formation of now Arata's men greeted him, bowing as the newly promoted captain appeared at the front entrance. The men cheered and celebrated Arata's ascension, sharing hugs as the captain embraced his men. Isamu, Kenji, and Chisaka were not too far behind, witnessing this ad hoc celebration from a distance as they left the front doors. However, Arata took note of Isamu's presence and decided to flex his newly obtained authority with the veteran Yakuza captain.

"Isamu," Arata slyly grinned, bowing toward his peer as he was still getting used to his new rank. "Why don't you let Chisaka come with me? She really belongs to our group."

This affront offended Kenji, causing him to step up to the new captain, to which Isamu quickly placed his arm in front of to prevent any escalation. Arata's men noticed Kenji's offense and surrounded their new leader, coming to his defense.

"Kenji," Isamu said calmly in a scolding manner, as he turned to his lieutenant. "Don't you know anything about respect?"

"Just because you are now a captain, doesn't put us on the same level or make us friends," Isamu now responding to Kenji. "If you want Chisaka, take her from me. I dare you."

With that, Isamu turned his back and walked away from Arata and his men who were left speechless. Kenji chaperoned Chisaka away from the scene, as they followed Isamu around the block to where Isamu's chauffeur was waiting. Fuck. Isamu scratched the back of his head. What is that hardheaded Arata thinking, challenging me? This Chisaka ordeal is already starting to become a handful.

"Kenji," Isamu turned to his lieutenant as the chauffeur opened the door to the black Mercedes that had been waiting for them. "Please take Chisaka-San and help her gather her affects. Take her to the Skyline penthouse."

Turning to the blond, Isamu finally spoke his first words to her, "Chisaka Ema, please allow Kenji to escort you and take care of you. You will stay temporarily at our group's penthouse located at the Skyline hotel until we figure out more stable arrangements."

Kenji bowed as he accepted his new task, while Isamu turned to walk away into the city. Isamu had to clear his mind, and thoroughly think through this novel situation.

 

[.Crimson.]

Chisaka merely listened as the meeting continued onwards, the uproar that came from her arrival becoming old news as the agenda continued onwards. Not once did her eyes attempt to move from their place on the floor in front of her, knowing that her response and actions would be held to a scrutinizing standard for some time to come. Hands folded in a delicate manner on her lap, a submissive gesture that was practiced and perfected early on in her tenure to the Yakuza clan as a whole. Aoki instilled many values and mannerisms into her during the first year of their marriage, he wanted the blond to have every chance to succeed and flourish alongside him. While the blood flowing inside of her veins was that of a foreigner and outsider, demeanor and values were undoubtedly on par with one of their traditional women. Her gaze inadvertently lifted at the sound of someone else entering the room, only to notice that it happened to be none other than Arata and that caused her to falter even if just for a split second in time.

'Why should I be surprised to see him here? We had both discussed the likelihood of this becoming an actuality.'

Her gaze was forcibly moved to avoid the two of them making any sort of eye contact, knowing that now he was a captain and due to the disgrace taken by Aoki it was by no means proper for her to even look at him. Arata would never be one to judge or belittle her, but Ema now had to act as if he did not exist since it was likely Isamu expected absolute obedience when it came to his subordinates and that was the role she possessed now. It took a modest amount of time for the leaders to come to terms with the agenda concerning the business, and meanwhile all she could do was sit in a silence that went against just about anything Aoki had ever expected from her. Ema shook her head softly, trying to rid her mind of the idea of her deceased husband because nothing good would ever come from dwelling on the past now.

Ema ensured that her posture was graceful and elegant upon being informed of their departure, still able to carry herself with a kind of dignity despite the eyes that surrounded the room looking at her with nothing short of scathing contempt. Her body turned away from the rest of the room as she followed behind Kenji and by extension Isamu, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge when her ears caught the sound of Arata, and it appeared his presence wasn't the only one to appear. Lips set into a thin line as she noted the cockiness that oozed out of each word that came from the new captain's mouth, an arrogance that was likely to end up with him being severely beaten or worse unless he could learn to temper it.

'No, do not adopt this fight, Arata!'

Ema found herself turning to gaze at him even if the action was a split second and nothing more, barely able to mouth out the word 'no' before she was expected to follow along behind Kenji and the risk of being seen conversing with him would only provide problems for both in kind. He had to drop it and accept that this was the way things were, he would not be able to change that and taking on Isamu in a battle would only end in two people precious to her losing their lives. Instead, she followed after Kenji and bowed in response to Isamu who mentioned the new arrangements for the time being until something more permanent could be fleshed out. The process of making it to the penthouse was not long or arduous, thought the silent treatment from Kenji showed the blond exactly where his feelings on the matter at hand stood.

"I apologize that you are tasked with having to take care of me."

Her words were soft and succinct in nature, knowing it was not likely for her to receive any kind of acknowledgement or response from Kenji in kind, but the sentiment would have to be enough. The pair made it through the lobby of the hotel and up to the penthouse suite with no incident, but it left Ema to wander around the vast space and feel like she was being smothered at the same time. This would be her confinement for the near future, knowing that it was unlikely that Kenji or Isamu would not allow her to leave the penthouse and instead have anything brought to her in kind. It gave a new meaning to the phrase of a beautiful bird being locked away in a gilded cage. Fingers were deft at reaching up to undo the bun on top of her head, since there was no one else present and they were out of the scrutiny of the public eye at least some luxuries could be afforded to her unless instructed by Isamu otherwise at a later date.

"Would it be possible to get something to eat? I have not had much of anything since the funeral, and I do now know where anything is here otherwise, I would prepare something myself."

Ema noted the almost stoic look from Kenji at this, but instead of faulting her for it he simply left the room and for her to guess if he was going to provide it or simply ignore her presence for a little while. Not like it would shock her, personally. This day had started off terrible and catastrophic, and the evening into the night did not appear to hold even a scant hint of a silver lining.

 

[Tantric Poetry]

With the events that transpired earlier that day fresh on his mind, Isamu returned to headquarters alone that evening at the behest of the Yakuza boss. The boss' calling had only requested Isamu's individual audience, as the Yakuza captain was summoned into the private office where Mr. Nabeshima was already waiting; Isamu took a seat only after being gestured to do so. The format of this private encounter really meant only one of few things; a special mission would be handed down directly from the boss that required the utmost attention and peculiar discretion. For this reason, this communique could not simply be delivered via phone as this medium was susceptible to tapping and interception. And as the Yakuza captain suspected, Mr. Nabeshima had a plan for Chisaka Ema, and had no shame in utilizing her competencies shortly after her husband's death.

The mission - attend a series of business negotiations on behalf of the association and strike a favorable contract with the prospective partner that would help establish a foothold in the still rather niche Japanese-American filming industry and market. If successful, the Nabeshima family would be able to further develop their portfolio as a legitimate corporation. The Asian market was rather saturated, and it seemed that everyone had their hands in the proverbial pot, namely the Chinese Triads who predominantly oversaw this arena. Therefore, the association had to look eastward for expansion, which naturally set their sights in none other than Los Angeles, California in the United States of America – the proving grounds for the film industries.

The relationship with the American partners was very much in its infancy with the preliminary dialogue occurring through e-mail traffic between Mr. Nabeshima and Tivoli Brother's Film Group. Sure, modern technology enabled face-to-face digital meetings, however Mr. Nabeshima remained rooted in traditional courtesies and respects; he felt it was only appropriate to have an in-person meeting to further discuss the details and propositions from both sides. Being much older and little-versed in the English language prevented Mr. Nabeshima from going, but Isamu was still young, charismatic, and knew the foreign tongue rather well. Now with Chisaka Ema under the Yakuza captain's command, Isamu was the ideal candidate to represent the association.

---

The managers, clerks, and bell hops bowed respectfully as Isamu entered through the revolving glass doors of the hotel the following morning; they all greeted the Yakuza captain while quickly signaling the rest of the staff to be prepared for inspections and reports. However, Isamu had more pressing matters to tend to, quickly moving past the reception with a black-leathered business portfolio in hand. A smaller office which was proximate to the elevators provided refuge for Isamu's men. With the door opened to the room, Kenji had spent the entire night at the hotel here at the office, monitoring the floor to make sure that Ema-San did not leave without permission while ensuring that there was no rescue attempt from Arata's men after learning of the new captain's sentiment toward Chisaka. Seeing Kenji stationed at his post, Isamu paused briefly to converse with his lieutenant.

"How did the night go, Kenji?" Isamu asked empathetically. "Did Chisaka Ema give you any trouble at all?"

"The only person that gave me trouble was you. Couldn't you have given this task to someone else?" Kenji joked. "The night was rather quiet – not a peep from her room. I dropped off some food and toiletries this morning at her door. I knocked and rang but she didn't open the door to receive me. Maybe she committed seppuku?"

Isamu chuckled, "You're a savage, you know that? You know as well as I do that I have full trust in you. That is why I 'troubled' you with watching over Ema. But somehow, luck tends to favor you as usual. You won't have to worry about watching her for the next few weeks. I'll fill you in on the details later - it's from the top. Now, go get yourself some rest."

Isamu pulled Kenji in, rubbing the back of the tired lieutenants' head. Meanwhile, the gold-plated elevator doors opened as hotel guests spilled into the first-floor lounge, all the less-wiser of the Yakuza affiliates nearby. Seizing the opportunity, Isamu bid farewell to Kenji, stepping into the elevator carriage with the doors closing behind him. It was a fast and brief ascent up to the penthouse floor. There were only two units occupying this uppermost deck of the hotel. Stepping out into the hall, the doors to the units were on either end of the short pathway. The unit to the right generally remained available to hotel guests, while the one on the left was reserved for the Yakuza family. Stepping up to the door, Isamu noticed that the care package Kenji mentioned was no longer there. His finger met with the doorbell before rapping his knuckles on the door panel to the audible chimes heard within.

When the door finally opened, Isamu couldn't help but take brief notice of Chisaka Ema's form and appearance, being caught by the shock of the surprise. It was really the first time that Isamu truly looked at Chisaka Ema. Averting his gaze, Isamu brushed past the blond at the door and strode into the penthouse suite. Finding the dining table, the Yakuza captain gently set the leather-bound folder by the edge as he looked back toward the woman where he was able to get another good look at Ema, suddenly panicked by the sight of her. Isamu cleared his throat as if to speak to her.

"You and I are leaving for Los Angeles," Isamu spoke, finally finding the words. "We have been called on by the boss. We are to take care of some business. In this folder, you will find the profile for the Tivoli Brother Film Group, Incorporated. You will also see the profiles of the two brothers that operate the firm. I need you to study it well. The Tivoli brothers are the prospective partners to the Nabeshima clan. With that being said, I am relying on your experience and knowledge. Please set up our arrangements – flights, hotels, transportation, visits, meeting venues, and restaurants. We are to wine-and-dine the Tivolis at no expense spared. I trust that you can get this done?"

Before turning to leave, Isamu took out a wad of cash and a corporate credit card, setting it on the dining table as well.

"The corporate credit card is for the arrangements, as the expenses will be on the association's dime and the expenses need to be documented as such. The cash is for you. Buy whatever you need for yourself and the trip. We leave no later than tomorrow. Be prepared to stay in the states for a while… I am sure you will be happy about that," Isamu addressed as he parted from the suite, with the image of Chisaka Ema at the forefront of his thoughts.

 

[.Crimson.]

Her eyes were apt to take in the vast skyline from the penthouse view, very much different from the past couple of days which dictated for her to spend time alone and actively mourn. She had spoken a meager sentence to Kenji and otherwise her time there had been spent in sort of self-isolation, an attempt to come to terms with the newfound reality she now found herself thrust into. Before, none of this seemed real at all and like a vivid dreamscape that Ema might awaken from and there it would prove to have been an elaborate ruse to the tired mind. Sleep was a fickle mistress, only able to obtain about four hours of it while tossing and turning in fitful manners. Ema sighed as she slid over to the edge of her bed, allowing both legs to drape over the side and not make any further efforts to move. Her attentions brought to a modest wrap on her door, making sure that the robe she wore was properly closed before opening it and coming face to face with Isamu who appeared flustered somehow.

'Los Angeles?' Ema questioned what the need for going there was but knew exactly why her personal presence was required since she was easily the most fluent of the clan and being beautiful eye candy did not hurt. It was evident the confusion showed on her face because he proceeded to explain the reason in extreme detail, a business venture that required wining and dining the prospective business partners and it would be her job to personally see that it all went smoothly. It helped that this was the Blond's expertise indeed, always able to take on a brunt of this went it came to Aoki since the man honestly had little to no tact in fine dining or places with actual prestige to their name. Ema knew that Isamu expected her to excel otherwise there would be hell to pay.

"Of course, I am quite familiar with things in that particular part of the country. I will have all of the requirements booked and waiting no later than tomorrow morning."

That did leave very little time for her to go shopping for herself personally given that the flight and restaurant arrangements would take precedence. Most of the finer dining in Los Angeles had months in terms of reservations for a table for the evening, no doubt the clan's name would pull enough strings to make something happen on such short notice. She went about flipping through the files he had brought, taking note of each brother's interests and likes so that it would allow her to plan accordingly and ensure they enjoyed the outing to the fullest. The eldest tended to like clubbing, while the younger was more of a fan of things like wine tasting. Ema thought it a little odd thinking that the two would be reversed and usually the older would be settled down by now, these two seemed to be out of the norm in that regard.

"Yes, I am calling on behalf of the Nabeshima Clan. I need a reservation for tomorrow evening at the latest. Can you make it happen?" Ema inquired while holding the phone up with her shoulder while closing the documents in kind. The first two were quick to dismiss, stating that there was no possible way due to the high-end clientele that rivaled even their influence. The third proved fruitful, able to pencil them in as a VIP party and guaranteed a large table with a view that would be set for 6 p.m. Ema took a pen and started to write all of the details down for Isamu, able to gather all of the flight information, tickets to see a Broadway play, and even unrestricted access to the largest club in downtown Los Angeles. As for meeting venues, that was simple enough and required renting out a business room that allowed them to pay by the hour it was actually in use.

---

Ema took a seat inside of the private jet the next morning, having informed Isamu of the designated take off and he had in turn instructed that she get there and see that things were in order. Compared to her usual attire while in the clan grounds, now the outfit adorning her was much less modest and actively showed off quite a bit more skin. It was a point of contention that might come to a head when Isamu arrived, but the fact remained that he had requested the proper hostess and, in the States, they were a lot less reserved about how a woman dressed and even acted. If the blond wanted a chance to appeal to the brothers on a personal level, it would require some slack in terms of her clothing and even some mannerisms becoming less stiff to make them feel at ease in her presence.

"Ah, you have arrived. Right on schedule too." She remarked upon hearing the door to the jet open and in stepped Isamu, dressed to the nines in a suit as per usual but this one obviously held a fancier price tag and designer behind it than the usual attire he sported. "I made sure to call ahead and ensure that the hotel I booked has our reservations on file, and even double checked the restaurant for the evening." Ema continued to peruse the notes that were housed in her lap, not even truly bothering to look up at him just yet as it required her full attention to make sure that a step was not glanced over.

"I believe the pilot mentioned it will take about eight hours to arrive. So, we will make it there with plenty of time to settle in before we even have to worry about meeting with the Tivoli Film Group and give you a chance to have a bit of time to decompress." The blond bit her lower lip in silent thought, once again feeling useful and that added quite the boost to her confidence. "Was there anything else you needed before we take off?"

 

[Tantric Poetry]

It would not be the first time that Isamu transferred his control to Kenji to serve as regent due to his required departure. Kenji, who was very well on par regarding the group's current operations, was a seasoned leader that garnered the respect of the other lieutenants in Isamu's crew. Selected as the second-in-command for his impeccable mediation skills, Kenji was personally groomed and mentored by Isamu for eventual succession. Hence, Kenji's temporary assumption of command was rather effortless and seamless – a message sent through the group's channels ensured that the associates were aware of the delegation of Isamu's authority to Kenji. Isamu shared a few careful details on the mission with the second-in-command without disclosing critical bits of information. Understanding the nature of his captain's task, Kenji appreciated Isamu's intentional ambiguity. After reviewing the books and sorting out the outstanding tasks at hand, Kenji was ready to take the reins.

On the other hand, Isamu was not incredibly fond of depending on acquaintances - in this case, Chisaka Ema. It goes without saying that there was a lot about Ema that Isa has yet to learn; she was arguably a foreigner and outsider that was placed under his command out of necessity, rather than that of loyalty. Yet, it was likely the best solution as Isamu had no other choice but to rely on her. This was especially concerning for Isamu, as the two were about to embark upon this mission, lending itself to the fast-encroaching timeline which presented less than ideal conditions. Not being able to develop a shared understanding and trust with Ema beforehand further contributed to Isamu's mounting anxiety. But Isamu knew as little about the United States as he did with Ema; his lack of expertise in this area of operations reflected in his diminished level of comfort in handling the arrangements himself. While he was versed in the English language, his accent and dialect may be perceived as weakness and potentially exploited. With the success or failure of the mission falling solely on the Yakuza captain's responsibility, Isamu hedged his bets on Chisaka's abilities and knowledge.

---

The black Mercedes pulled up alongside the Dassault Falcon 8X that was stationed outside of a private hangar tucked away at the far end of Tokyo "Haneda" International Airport. The private jet was a modern marvel. With 3 engines, a range of 11,945 kilometers, maximum speed of nearly Mach 1, 16 passenger capacity, and a state-of-the art avionics system, the aircraft would surely turn the heads of those with indulgent tastes. The cabin was furnished with a full range of amenities - tandem seats for in-flight business meetings, full bathroom with shower, kitchenette, and plentiful lounge space - all catered to the passenger's comfort. Complimented with private pilots, the Nabeshima family took travelling to the next level; it was an impressive presentation to the scrutinizing eye.

As the chauffeur opened the door, Isamu stepped out onto the tarmac sporting a sapphire Brioni; the blue-hued suit offered a delightful change of pace from the usual black attire worn by the affiliates of the family. The co-pilot greeted him with a respectful bow at the bottom steps of the plane before opening the door of the jet with the exterior latch at the top of the short ascent. Stepping into the cabin, he was immediately greeted by the young blond who was postured on one of the forward-facing chairs. Isamu grimaced slightly at the sight of Ema's outfit but could not resist the betrayal by his own eyes as they contemplated the revealing nature of her dress. This was ultimately his own doing by allowing Ema to serve as a hostess, but Isamu recognized that there was probably a method to this madness. Yet, her attire appeared liberating and honestly, quite appealing. Swallowing against the odd welling elation in his own chest, Isamu sat himself opposite Ema.

The pilots assumed their seats in the cockpit after the cabin was entirely secured. As the engines churned on, Isamu did his best to avert his gaze away from the blond while listening to Ema's review of their plans against the mechanical whirring and pressurization of the inner cabin. She appeared thorough with the coordination efforts, at least enough to satisfy the initial logistical requirements. However, Isamu would not be fully appeased until he became familiar with the details of the plans himself. His eyes followed Chisaka's attention toward the notes and itineraries resting on her bare lap, being quite distracted by the exposed bareness. To endure eight hours of this would be quite torturous.

"I would like to review the plans and itineraries that you developed," Isamu responded and exclaimed, as he reached for the notes on her lap.

His hand extended toward the set of documents when the taxiing jet suddenly lurched forward, causing Isamu to fall forward from his seat. His hands grabbed and braced upon Ema's bare legs as Isa found himself hovering up over the blond. Subconsciously, his hands groped against the flesh of her thighs feeling her warmth within his grasp. Isa's dark eyes briefly gazed into hers in shock before he promptly removed himself from Ema. Oh shit!

"Sorry," Isa quickly stumbling to apologize, taking the sheets in his hand as embarrassment quickly settled in. "And. Uhm. Thank you."

Isamu separated himself for the rest of the flight, sitting in the lounge aft of the jet cabin. Shifting his focus from the awkwardness, the Yakuza captain familiarized himself with the details laid out on the notes. Ema did not disappoint; the itineraries laid out the details almost by the minute as he hoped for, while securing reservations across a multitude of venues. Isamu let out a sigh of relief as he noted Ema's proficiency. Not before long, Isamu gazed through the adjacent port reflecting at the clouds below as the aircraft reached a cruising altitude. A glimpse of Chisaka Ema flashed across his thoughts before he dozed off.

---

The plane arrived as scheduled to LAX at 10 a.m. in the morning as Ema indicated, allowing them plenty of time to settle in and decompress from the flight. The aircraft deplaned at a smaller private terminal where a limousine was waiting for their arrival. Their first stop would be to check into their hotel. The hotel chosen was the Beverly Wilshire. There was nothing ordinary about this hotel as every detail beamed and dazzled with glorious appeal. Located west of Los Angeles proper, the hotel sat in the ritzy neighborhood of Beverly Hills. The location was ideal as it set them away from the hecticness of downtown, but still in the vicinity of various local venues perfect for their task at hand. Their reservation was for the Wilshire Presidential Suite which was more than what they needed for the extended stay; the suite had two separate bedrooms which was appropriate for Isamu and Ema's arrangement, while providing various common areas for mutual company. Just walking through the entrance of the suite would shed light on their comfort and relaxation for the duration of the stay.

"Let's get something to eat. I am famished," the Yakuza captain remarked from the other room. "While we are at it, let's get you some more outfits that maybe a bit more fashionable?" A playful quip at the close encounter they both experienced earlier on the plane.

 

[.Crimson.]

A majority of the flight was spent with Ema looking out the window and taking in the clouds in the skyline, it made a part of her soul feel free and allowed the blond to contemplate in solitude. Her cheeks were still flush after the manner in which Isamu had all but groped both of her thighs, even if the reasoning behind it was entirely accidental it did not mean that her poor heart rate would be keen on listening to that cold rationalization. It appeared to be in favor of the heated variant, one that involved tantric things that Ema could all but say were likely to be in her past and not anywhere in her near future. After Aoki, any sort of appeal in men was lingering at best. He had been the rock that kept her from floating off in a daze, and now that centering presence was gone, and she would be forced to stand on her own two feet again. Her eyes wandered to the hangar as the plane made it into the terminal with no issues, able to stand up and stretch both her arms and legs due to the cramping that might have developed during the flight. Shifting back and forth would only alleviate so much, and since Isamu appeared distant throughout the flight it left Ema to amuse herself and that had just made the flight stretch on and on.

Green eyes lit up at the sights and sounds that came from the city and its people, definitely a vast difference to what had been her every day for the past couple of years but still nostalgic of her teenage and young adult years. Her lips lifted into a beaming smile as they walked into the Wilshire, able to easily captivate the staff inside and had one or two of the bellhops tripping over their feet in an attempt to keep eye contact and instead running into a wall of potted plant put on display in the lobby. Ema merely shook blond locks that were allowed to fall down to around her waist in smooth waves, giving off the aura of a local despite the stiffer Japanese man on her attendance.

"We have a reservation; I believe it was the Presidential Suite." Ema tried not to gloat at the way the staff behind the counter had stuttered out a response, whether it was out of fear due to Isamu or a fluster of a different kind because of her. She simply gave a polite wave before following after Isamu, taking the private elevator that would lead them to the suite and allow the pair to drop pretenses for at least a little while and decompress. Her body language spoke volumes at the quiet little jab at her personal choice of outfit, but rather than back down as she had done before it caused Ema to actively balk. Eyes that before were trained onto the floor actively dared to glance back into the dark ones that belonged to Isamu, a kind of defiance that back home would have been seen as active disrespect and corrected in kind.

"I fail to see how it is my fault that a little bit of skin showing is enough to make your brain stop working properly, Isamu-san." Ema still addressed him properly, knowing that to push too much would just result in a backlash that went from playful taunting to a serious offense. After all, she would end up returning with him once this trip was done and would need to deal with the consequences if her actions were too disrespectful. "As you can see from everyone that we saw on the drive here, this kind of attire is actually quite common among women. In fact, if I had arrived here in my kimono, it would have created a stiff atmosphere both with the staff and our clients in kind." She attempted to reason with him and provide some much-needed education on the severe difference in perceived etiquette and proper dress code. "But, since it seems to bother you, I am willing to change for the sake of being cordial."

Ema excused herself just long enough to retire to the bedroom assigned to her, scouring through the outfits that had been brought along for her to use and settling on a navy-blue chiffon dress that would at least cover her bustline and the back half of her legs in kind. She chose to even go the extra mile and put on a pair of powder black tights, that way even if the wind happened to pick up nothing could be flashed to innocent bystanders. Ema came back out shortly after, doing a kind of spin in Isamu's presence to demonstrate the difference in styles with a radiant grin. "Is this more acceptable to you? As for something to eat, there is room service that we could take advantage of. Unless you wished to go outside and explore the city for a little bit, if that is the case I know of a fine restaurant that serves cuisine similar to what we eat at home."

Her arms were gently crossed over her chest as if waiting for Isamu to decide on the next move, despite her newfound sense of confidence it still was set in stone that Isamu was the superior and should have final say. "Downtown is all but littered with places to eat, maybe if we wander around a bit something might end up catching your eye." Again, merely a suggestion and the blond was left to wait until she got a modest acceptance to the idea, and it allowed her to lead Isamu down toward the streets and the pair actively walked up and down like a regular couple might be seen doing while sightseeing in a different country. It was sweet in a way, it reminded her of the time Aoki and herself had taken a week off and come to the states to get a more private vacation.

'I am unlikely to ever find someone who will look at me in the manner he did.'

 

[Tantric Poetry]

The shuffling of luggage and belongings can be heard from the other room while Isamu neatly set his carry-on upon the bench at the end of the bedframe. As Isamu inspected and reviewed the functionality of his bedroom area, the Yakuza captain reflected upon the boldness in the manner which Ema spoke to him. Although there were challenging tones in her remarks, the blond was careful to cite the facts of the situation while still maintaining respect for his authority. More fascinating was the fact that she was able to see right through him for how she made him falter with her looks and appearance. Isamu never really involved himself in serious relationships with women; he was a bachelor by choice, understanding that the gokudo lifestyle he led was not conducive to maintaining a worthwhile partner. No doubt, Isa has had his fair share of gorgeous Japanese women, all coming from well-bred stock, with unblemished porcelain skin, jet black hair, and petite body frames. However, none were able to command his attention as Chisaka Ema did.

But Isamu was not the only one. The Yakuza delegate noticed how quickly and easily Ema attracted and dazed those around her. Naturally, the blond stood out back home in Nippon; her tan complexion, golden locks, and towering height immediately distinguished her from the Asiatic people of the island. Isamu assumed that Chisaka would blend right in with the population in America, but he could not have been more wrong. Walking next to Ema, Isa could feel the weight of all the eyes gravitating upon the blond the very moment they stepped out into the valet area of the Wilshire hotel. Even the apparent valley girls and local socialites were captivated by her stunning form and posture as she walked through the lobby; whispers and mumbling escaped from the loose lips of those intrigued and challenged by her. Coupled with her impeccable tact and politeness acquired from her Japanese grooming, Chisaka Ema raised quite the commotion as she staked her presence at the reception desk. It was remarkable. It was dangerous.

Returning to the inner foyer of their suite, Isamu met with Ema in this middle ground as she exhibited her changed outfit. The dress that she was wearing left the Yakuza captain in awe; Isamu struggled to keep his jaw from dropping causing a gentle smile to peer from the corner of his lips. His eyes followed Ema as she twirled in the display of her navy-blue attire. It was a perfect compromise which enabled Ema to show her skin with the sleeveless upper portion and the high cut frills of the dress hanging well above her knees, while being conservative in other appropriate areas. Noticing his own evident reaction, Isa quickly dispersed the involuntary yet genuine response on his face with his usual stoic expression. Offering a nod of approval, Isamu was now convinced that the blond was enjoying the reactions she was able to get from him. Isamu had to be more careful with the way he interacted with Ema.

"Room service doesn't sound appealing," Isamu stated as-a-matter-of-fact, while readjusting his suit in front of the tall mirror against the wall of the foyer. "I like your suggestion. Let us see what American cuisine is all about."

After allowing Ema to lead them back down to the hotel lobby and into the streets, Isamu kept shoulder to shoulder with the blond as they followed the pedestrian sidewalks. It was a bit unnatural for the Yakuza captain as he typically walked ahead, whether that was leading the procession of his men or in the company of escorts and assistants. In doing this, the courtesy conveyed the presence of his authority which warranted respect and fear at the same time. However, Isamu correctly recognized and acknowledged that those customs and rules need not apply here in this foreign country that they were in. Additionally, the Yakuza captain had to reacquaint himself with the civilian lifestyle if he wanted to fit in. Walking ahead of a woman would be a sign of disrespect, so Isamu kept his position at Chisaka's side as if they had been a couple, just short of holding hands.

It was a clear, sunny day, so Isamu did not mind the walk; he enjoyed the sun, as the heat of the rays basked with a brilliant glow over his face. Albeit a short walk, Isamu and Ema would clear past a flurry of retail businesses and boutiques that he took note of before something finally caught his eye. Still wanting to enjoy the ambiance of being outside, the outdoor seating of The Terrace restaurant offered this opportunity to experience the amazing weather. And the smell! The sight of the plated food upon the white table clothes were all too enticing. Ironically, the restaurant was part of another hotel which circled back to the original idea of having room service, but it was nice to stretch out the legs a bit and start to familiarize themselves with the surrounding area. Isamu took the opportunity to showcase his competencies with the English language as he interacted with the hostess, which served to reinforce his confidence. Finding their seats, Isamu reminded himself of the chivalrous etiquette, pulling out the chair to the right of the table to assist Chisaka. Isamu unbuttoned his blazer as he sat down, and took in the sight of the magnificent, lush garden that they were seated in front of.

The meal at the restaurant satiated Isamu's hunger; being the adventurous eater that he was, Isamu aptly selected an egg's benedict varietal whilst pairing it with a glass of white wine. He observed the dish and drinks that Ema chose, taking mental note of those selections as they were being served - appearing to be fine choices. Moreover, Isamu found Chisaka's company enjoyable even though they did not really have any meaningful conversation during the meal. Isamu began to realize how quickly it was for him to play into the perception that they were a couple; they were unintentionally matching, after all. Seeing this as a flaw, Isamu decided to take a different and risky approach.

"Let's meet back in the room at 4 p.m. - it will give us enough time to get ready for the dinner affair with the Tivolis tonight by then," suggested Isa. "In the meantime, I'm going to go run some errands. Why don't you go and shop around? Ok?"

Isamu paused briefly, locked in an awkward stare with Chisaka. Normally, this is when the man leans in to give the woman a kiss or hug before their departure, but the two were no where close to that stage where this would be considered appropriate. The Yakuza captain's face flushed with red as he quickly turned to leave. Fuck, again?

---

Isamu returned to their suite well earlier than his own time hack. A part of that was due to his own infatuation with punctuality, but really it was for the fact that his anxiety had begun to kick in. The mission needs to succeed. Failure was unacceptable. Was letting Ema go the right choice? What if she did not come back?

Within the privacy of his room, the Yakuza captain continued to undress from the outfit he had been in for most of the day as he reflected on his choices. He longed for a nice shower after the brisk venture through town. Isamu collected several items during his errands run and outing. The Yakuza captain picked up two burner iPhones without much hassle and required contract - one for Ema and the other for himself. This would be particularly necessary for their communication and safety. Next, Isamu did some light shopping for himself, and found some time to enjoy an afternoon coffee. Finally, Isamu braved into a high-end, luxury boutique for women where he decided to buy a gift for Ema – settling on a gorgeous red evening dress. With packages and bags in hand, Isamu returned to their stay where he set the gift-wrapped box containing the dress, with the phone package neatly on top, upon Ema's bed. As Isamu hopped into the shower, he heard the entrance of their suite open to someone walking in. She did not run.

 

[.Crimson.]

It became readily apparent that Ema knew of his personal struggle due to the mannerisms that were usually clean cut being stuttered in a sense. Not that she would say it aloud, of course, but the knowledge that he viewed her in such a way was a kind of boost to her drowning confidence. Despite having the men at the hotel all but wrapped around her pinky finger, it only did so much since that kind of ruse was common in the Blond's line of work. Plaster a smile on her face and feign it, even if on the inside the poor things heart was dying in the process. She chose a modest salad that contained some kind of chicken, not really too hung up on the name of the dish instead the flavor that burst through each bite and caused her to hum in appreciation. Ema knew that the restaurant being rented out for the meeting was an extremely high-class venue, and instead of gorging herself now the female chose to value restraint especially with Isamu watching. A glass of rose wine to accompany it, her palate preferring the sweeter taste to the brisk of most whites.

Ema nodded at the expectation of venturing out into the city by herself, not the least bit concerned about it since she kept herself quite up to date on the city of Los Angeles and its culture simply because it was close to where she had personally been born and raised up. Few if any knew of her true lineage, outside of the possibility of Aoki and by extension Arata. It was not something that she gave out willingly, knowing that the term outsider was broad enough and the need to pinpoint an actual place was meaningless if the other party held no interest. Maybe this was the reason that the Clan Boss had sent her along with Isamu? Her glance was gentle as she simply accepted Isamu's departure, wiping her mouth off with a nearby napkin to ensure that nothing was left behind before standing up and taking care of the check. This was her job, after all.

She knew of a couple high fashion boutiques that resided on the infamous Rodeo Drive, perhaps a trip to those was in order since she could actively shop and not feel like there was a pair of eyes surveying her the entire time. Bright and bubbly person in check as Ema garnered proper transportation to get there, even holding a mild conversation with the driver and it felt nice to speak in her native tongue again. However, as she visited across three separate boutiques in search of new attire it was a good thing she had went alone after all. Each piece or garb showing off quite a bit of skin, but a part of her mused that it was merely for the duration of their visit to Los Angeles, and she could adopt the modest claims back as soon as they touched down in Nippon. Ema checked on her new watch to garner the time, which was around quarter till 4 p.m. and would give her ample time to make it up to the penthouse suite and change before they were slotted to go to the reservation.

Imagine her surprise to coming back to a gift-wrapped box on the foot of her bed, cautiously toying with the ribbon on top of it and noting the new iPhone as well. What shocked her even more was the style of the dress in question, had Isamu truly been the one behind picking this out? Ema began to undress out of the blue chiffon number, noting the running water that was coming from Isamu's suite so undoubtedly it meant the man was in the shower currently and should not be disturbed. Instead of trying to thank him directly at the moment, the blond took to the task of adorning her figure on the red dress he had picked out. Sure, it was a bit shorter on her than he likely anticipated or perhaps the boutique knew about that and had taken advantage of him as a means of getting a quick sales figure quota. Her focus being drawn to scrolling through the phone after getting ready, by now blond locks fixed into soft waves and allowed to fall free while her take on makeup was tasteful but held a certain aspect of drama that no doubt their clients would appreciate.

---

Two hours later found Ema escorting Isamu toward the restaurant, noting that in her attire and his combined once again the two appeared to be an actual couple. She smiled in a warm manner upon walking through the front door to Providence, able to vividly recall being here on at least one occasion in the past and practically ecstatic at the idea of dining there again. Of course, her first line of business was to go up and flag down the chef's attention, having rented out a portion of the location to make sure that they would not be disturbed by tourists or locals alike.

"Come along with me, Isamu-San. The chef has informed me that our clients are already here and waiting on us to arrive." Ema informed him upon walking back over, careful to avoid walking in front of him this time since this was perceived as business, and Isamu outranked the blond severely now. Her features held a quizzical appearance to them as she noted the two men sitting at the table discussing something amongst themselves, only when they realized that they were being watched did they turn and actively extend a formal welcome.

"Ah, I see you finally were able to join us!" The older of the two exclaimed with a brilliant smile on his features, looking to Isamu but as predicted the bulk of his attention now rested on Ema. "And with such a lovely companion, as well. I trust your day was spent sightseeing, but now the time has finally come for business."

Ema actively attempted to balk quietly as she found a chair being outstretched for her to take a seat, but it would mean her sitting on the side with the Tivolis instead of with Isamu. Instead, she merely shook her head and declined it with a soft smile, taking her proper place beside Isamu and even placing both hands in her lap as was a proper custom back home. "I do appreciate the gesture, but I am here for Isamu-san and must insist on remaining at his side during the evening."

 

[Tantric Poetry]

The refreshing shower was exactly what he needed to rejuvenate his senses and energy; hot steam trailed behind his naked figure to clash with the cooler air that circulated the air-conditioned room as he stepped out from the opened glass shower pane. Dressing down a bit for the evening affair, Isamu decided to go with the more athletic black Hugo Boss within his repertoire of suits. Who knew what that night would host - a suit needed to be versatile in this regard. Paired with a white collared shirt and a bright red necktie, Isamu looked sharp and refined; the red cloth around his neck fashioned into an Eldredge knot would certainly make a statement. It most certainly pleased Isa to see that Ema was donning the gift that he purchased for her; the Yakuza captain complimented her unspoken tribute with a faint smile. She looked stunning.

A white Rolls Royce skillfully shuttled them across town toward the Hollywood district to where the restaurant was located. Isamu looked over the establishment with astonishment as he stepped out from the vehicle; he noted the subtle hints of Japanese-inspired architecture with the modern facility incorporating elements of the native fauna shaped along its design attuned to the principles of Bon-sai art. As a two-star Michelin restaurant, the Providence was sure to impress their partners while serving as the perfect informal social prior to the series of business discussions that would ensue. Of course, all of this was accredited to and accomplished by Ema. For the most part, the blond acted and performed with little guidance or direction, which demonstrated her proclaimed abilities and the value that Mr. Nabeshima found in her.

The private dining area arranged by Ema was ideal for their type of interaction. Located on the upper terrace, the room was part of an exclusive section of the restaurant that was only made available to VIPs and distinguished guests. Columns of carefully curated wines lined the wall that separated their area from the more general space of the second floor, offering a sense of discretion and privacy. A massive window faced south, away from the hills, to give a view down toward the Central LA area with a glimpse of Koreatown and downtown Los Angeles to the east. At the other end of the room, the open kitchen was on full display, providing insights into the preparation and service of their meal. Finally, a rather large family-oriented dining table marked the center of the room which was more than ample to accommodate the number of individuals in their party. This is where Isamu and Ema found the Tivolis waiting.

"It's finally nice to meet in person. I am Isamu Nakamura, Mr. Nabeshima's appointed delegate as I am sure you have heard," Isamu responded to the greeting with a feigned smile of sorts, while extending his arm for a handshake with the identified older brother as opposed to the traditional bow. "Lars, is it?"

"Nice to meet you, Erik," Isa turned to exchange handshakes with the younger of the Tivolis.

Unsurprising to Isa, the Tivolis appeared to be more interested in the blond at his side. By now, the Yakuza captain had accepted that it was common stance for Ema to attract both desired and undesired attention. Although this was in part of the plan, Isa could not help by notice the unabashed and distasteful way these men gazed upon Chisaka. The pair of brothers were blatantly ogling at the revealing nature of Ema's dress, particularly upon the exposition of her bust which would only draw some of the wilder imaginations. The younger brother, Erik, would even retrieve a seat for Ema as if he was somehow entitled to her company. Perhaps Isamu interpreted the entire situation incorrectly, and there was innocence in their behavior. And yet when Ema declined their offering to take his side, Isamu felt a slight sense of atonement. What is this feeling? Why did he even care? Was he becoming jealous?

"Yes, we are looking forward to talking business," Isamu smiled before delivering a joke to break the ice and gesturing for their party to be seated. "And by talking business, I hope that you mean the delicious gastronomic journey we are about to enter. Please, please, have a seat."

Ema's detailed reservation was carefully planned with a personal sommelier and an eight-course pre-fixe meal from the Chef's reserved tasting menu. Waiting patiently and politely as the party assumed their seats, the sommelier appropriately approached the table with a bottle of sake presented upon a cloth resting over her arm.

"Ms. Ema. Mr. Nakumura," the young sommelier acknowledged, before turning to the Tivoli brothers and neatly serving the chilled beverage. "Gentlemen, I have here a bottle of Kubota Tsugu Junmai Daiginjo by Asahi Shuzo. It is a great starter to the menu that Chef Cimarusti has planned for you today. You will discover that the pure notes of apple, pineapple, and vanilla really jumpstarts the palate, and arguably a great drink that compliments every one of our dishes."

"In line with our traditions and extending this respect to our prospective partners, the Tivolis…," Isamu spoke, pausing as he secured the cup in his hand raising it to eye-level, awaiting Ema and the Tivolis to do the same. "We would like to initiate the start of our business relationship with this toast. May our relationship prosper and bear fruit!"

The toast would set the tone for the rest of the night - it was a strong, confident declaration that garnered cooperation from both sides. Shortly after, the plated food began to arrive on their table. The group engaged in this small talk while enjoying the company and the gastronomic performance of the chef and his team. Isamu would only tell of the professional nature of his role and position to Mr. Nabeshima, to serve as both a project manager and security advisor; he was careful to keep the nefarious Yakuza parts in check. The Tivolis would explain the grass-roots upbringing of their business upon which their principles are rooted in, which aligned with Mr. Nabeshima's vision. Each side used this opportunity to gauge each other, learning bits of information that may be advantageous to their benefit.

However, the colorful dishes raised the stakes, hindering their seemingly innocent playful game with the masterminded brilliance of the flavors imagined by the chef. Each bite burst with exuberance upon its consumption, while being paired with a form of adult libation. From the creative caviar-uni ensemble to the marbled A5 wagyu steak, the delivery of each plate was magnificent while showcasing the originality of the chef and his team. By the last plate, their bellies were full while the number of drinks consumed began to take into effect. Isamu was feeling rather good, although he was nowhere near drunk. Meanwhile, the Tivolis were becoming quite a rambunctious bunch the more and more they drank. This may exacerbate and become an issue if they continued to stay at the restaurant.

"So, tell us, what exactly is the nature of Ema's relationship to you, Isamu?" Erik asked inquisitively, but rather bluntly. The question completely caught Isamu off guard.

"Ms. Ema," Isamu responded while taking pause in his response. The Masaki discreetly slid his hand underneath the table, wrapping it just ever so gently around her waist and bringing his palm to the small of her back to signal that he has a handle on the questioning. "Ms. Ema is a business affiliate of Mr. Nabeshima's organization. She is also our legal advisor, so I probably wouldn't try her if I were you."

Of course, that last part was a bit of a bluff as Isamu chuckled half-heartedly, looking toward Ema for an out.

 

[.Crimson.]

Ema tried to reign in her emotions at the rambunctious nature that took over the Tivoli brothers, apparently all it took was a bit of libation to bring out the darker notes of their personalities that the rest of the world did not get to see. Lips wrapped around the glass that held her own drink, nursing it slowly due to the low tolerance she knew that she personally possessed especially when it came to sake in general. Her lungs almost becoming burned as a question from Erik had caused her to end up inhaling a small amount of the liquid trailing down her throat without being swallowed first. Of course, that subject would be broached, and it almost caused the woman to want to faint outright on the spot. That accompanied by the reassuring hand on the small of her back only made the blond all too aware of the fact she was effectively pinned between three rather virile men. Her eyes widened at the notion of Isamu being the one to get quite so hands on, earlier he had not even been able to look her in the face and now here he was making quite lewd gestures.

"Yes, I am not exactly interested in the concept of a relationship, much less with a potential business partner of my employer. " Her tone brokered no room for debate on the subject, trusting that they would be able to accept her polite refusal of their advances and leave it at that. She took a couple last bites of the main course that were left, relishing in the way it easily slid down her throat and afterward the Blond's stomach revolted at even a single morsel more. Both hands reaching forward in a modest clap, looking between the three men and coming to a conclusion that the atmosphere was much too stiff, and a change of venue was desperately required. "I seem to recall there being a club about five minutes from here, how about we pay a visit?" Ema propositioned, knowing that the only one who might be displeased by it would be Isamu. She motioned for him not to say anything until they got back to the penthouse suite, desperate to salvage even a hint of the good vibes from earlier in the meal and not leaving the night to stagnate as a result of male posturing gone awry.

Erik appeared to be saddened at the prospect of leaving Ema so soon, but apparently the eldest brother was thrilled at the concept of a club that he tended to frequent in his spare time. Meanwhile, Ema managed to lead Isamu away from the venue with a rasped sigh in turn. Of course, she could understand that he felt the need to control the situation and as a consequence defend her from their scrutiny and distasteful gestures, but not at the expense of the deal falling through due to her sake. "Listen, I get that this kind of thing is unheard of back in Nippon. But here, it is entirely normal for a man to come onto a woman that he finds attractive. Isamu-san, you cannot allow someone treating me that way to dictate how the conversation goes. Trust me, I have heard much worse than that and it by no means phases me." She refused to elaborate on that but trusted that the man could put two and two together in the end without her input.

---

"Now, give me about ten minutes and I can change into proper club attire. I will warn you, there is not much to this outfit so try to prepare yourself." Ema said this as she went about the process of undoing the back of the red dress, able to get the zipper down and the top half of the gown hanging loosely at her side as the blond noted the fact that for some reason Isamu had followed her inside of the room. "Ā, naze watashi o forō suru nodesu ka" (Oh why would you follow me) She felt beyond flustered at the prospect of him being able to see the entire length of her naked back, but due to her quick thinking she was able to lift her foot and close the door quite abruptly and it ended up with Isamu standing and facing the now closed object. It left her little time to change into the matching pair of hot pink pants and top that left very little to the imagination, but once the outfit was secured, she opened the door and noted that at least he had been sober enough to walk away and go about getting ready himself. Her hands crossed over both sides of her chest as she allowed herself to recline on the sofa and wait for Isamu, only to note that even five minutes later he had not reappeared.

"Isamu-san, whatever is taking you so long?" Ema allowed one hand to wrap against the door to his suite, actively concerned since it was unlike him to be anything short of prompt. She had been just shy of knocking again when the door opened and he finally stepped out, a nervous swallowing motion coming out at the way he was actively eyeing her now. "Come, we will be late if we stay here much longer." She attempted to move things along, blissfully unaware of the target she had placed on her back even as the pair arrived at the club and stepped into the flashing lights.

 

[Tantric Poetry]

While going to a club after a rather lengthy dinner was not something that Isamu considered of doing, it was the most logical way to break contact and regroup; abruptly ending that night with such tension would have bled over into the follow-on meeting to potentially threaten their fledgling relationship. However, Lars appeared to be ecstatic toward Ema's idea, quickly boarding the train in agreeance. Again, Ema was proving to be quite adept at reading situations, using this ability now to help defuse the male egos at play.

"Thanks again for the dinner. It was a magnificent choice," Lars motioned, while collecting Erik who appeared to be sulking in a drunken stupor. "It was great getting to know the both of you, and a great first meet. It was… enlightening. I believe that our ventures will work out. See you all at the club!"

Sitting back into their private limousine, he could not help but sense the disappointment from Ema as it seemed that she was now lecturing him. Isamu rested his head back against the seat, looking away through the tinted glass passenger window in a bit of shame as he quietly acknowledged his handling of the situation with Erik. The Yakuza captain kept to himself, not saying one word during the entire ride. There was not much he could say - Ema had been right. There was still a lot about American culture that Isamu had to learn and understand. The social acceptance toward the behavior and dress of both men and women appeared a lot more liberal and forgiving than their culture. It was perplexing in the least and almost hypocritical in a way. She was also correct in noting that Isamu allowed his emotions to get the best of him - something that always got Isamu into trouble.

Why would you allow anyone to treat you any less than you deserve? What were those worse things that you have heard, Chisaka Ema? Isamu turned slowly to look at the blond as she concluded with what was on her mind, only to find that she had looked away herself.

Before they knew it, the limo pulled into the valet of the Wilshire; the warm incandescent lights of the building's exterior welcomed their return while beckoning them to stay in for the evening. It was not until Isamu went to step out of the vehicle that he realized his actual level of intoxication; the rush of impairment and stagger caused his head to throb lightly and his body to wobble forth before being stabilized with his hand on the rim of the door. His energy started to wane with the onset of the inebriation. Regaining his equilibrium, Isamu saw that the slight gaffe has gone unnoticed. Somehow managing to keep his physical appearance and form together, Isamu made their way back to the room.

There was a false sense of relief upon returning to the suite knowing that the Tivolis would be expecting them back at the club. However, the trivialness of that minor detail was quickly being overshadowed by another distraction at that present moment. Gazing over at Ema, Isamu realized why Aoki had been so obsessed over her. Ema's words became incoherent; a few words stuck out here and there, but nothing that would concern Isamu as much it would have before. Isamu's hardened icebox melted with each second that his eyes were set upon her; invisible heat radiated from her body with the waves of this enticing energy emanating from her glowing skin. Isamu became mesmerized. His eyes followed along the soft waves of her hair as the descending blonde locks bounced subtly with her every movement. His lips parted slightly, subtly drawing in cool oxygen to compensate for the loss of breath upon seeing the full length of her bare back. The dark irises scanned the soft valley between her shoulders while continuing along the curvature down to the small of her back right above her hips. His heart started in to race as his eyes continued to undress her at the discretion of his own imagination. The sudden, yet gentle slam of the door in front of his face woke Isamu from the trance. Staring at the beveled panel, Isamu leaned his forehead briefly against the door, swallowing a bit of his pride in reflection of his distasteful behavior. That was needed.

Isamu's alertness and energy appeared to rebound from the temporary slump after the abrupt infatuation. Returning to his room, Isamu walked into the bathroom where the ensconced lighting around the mirror of the vanity illuminated his face. Isamu turned on the faucet, cupping the water in his palm before splashing the cool refreshing liquid over his face. Staring back at himself, Isa curiously watched as the moisture beaded over his mild cheek bones and mustache before dripping off the fullness of his bottom lip and chin, and back into the sink below. After pat-drying his face with a towel, Isamu neatly folded the textile and returned it to the adjacent hanging rod. Isa returned to sit upon the ottoman at the foot of his bed. Shutting his eyelids, Isamu used the momentary solitude to fully regain his composure; the effects of the inebriation would dissipate with each of his controlled breaths. Scenes of the past circled through his mind, soon to be engrossed with his own thoughts. Don't fret, I'll be back home later tonight. Her dead, lifeless body laid motionless upon the floor. I'll be back… later… tonight...

Whatever is taking you so long? Ema's words woke him yet a second time. Isamu sprung to his feet as he looked to the analog table clock beside the bed. Readjusting his outfit, Isa slipped off the necktie, casting it to the bed. Unbuttoning his collar, Isa allowed his shirt to part slightly, giving a glimpse of the tattooed ink that covered most of his body. Stepping out from his room, Isamu saw that the blond had changed, astounded with how the hot pink outfit tightly conformed to her curves. As if they needed to be accentuated even more, her bust appeared to pour out from the top while her visible navel perfected itself upon her trimmed waist. This is what she warned him about. Isamu took in the view with a bit of reprieve, finally accepting that he would have no control over this.

---

Avalon Hollywood was arguably one of the most popular live-music night club venues in all of Los Angeles. The three-story building held an impressive open-floor hall space for music events while providing an exclusive and intimate VIP lounge upstairs. Ema's expert coordination gave them unrestricted nightly access to the club which meant exclusive, front-of-the-line entry and reserved prime seating at the Bardot that included bottle service and a personal hostess. The red-carpet treatment was fully unfurled as Isa and Ema arrived at the club; the private security was keen on escorting the pair directly to the front, ahead of the extensive line of waiting patrons, and bringing them to their reserved area inside. Once again, Lars and Erik were already waiting for them at their table.

"Looks like somebody did their homework," Lars initiated with a smile, as he went for a familiar embrace instead of a handshake with both Isamu and Ema. "I come here from time to time, but even I find it difficult to secure such a reservation as this. I only assume that this was due to the genius of Ema."

"I must apologize for my actions and behavior earlier. It was quite unbecoming of a gentleman," Erik remarked, appearing to be more sober and of solid mind as he found the opportunity to interject. The younger Tivoli then turned to Ema with a smile. "I humble myself in the plea for your forgiveness and mercy."

"I hope you don't mind. I ran into a couple of my friends that I haven't seen in a while, and invited them to join us at your table," Lars advised, as he walked Isamu over for an introduction. "This is Vanessa, Brie, and Olivia. This is Mr. Nakamura and his affiliate, Ms. Ema. They are our gracious hosts that provided our blessings this evening."

Unbeknownst to Isamu and Chisaka, the girls were all part of Erik's ruse that he somehow convinced Lars to unwillingly play into. The girls were hired escorts designed to target and attract Isamu, an offering from the Tivolis based on their perception of what their Japanese partner may like or be into. Meanwhile, Erik saw the escorts as the distraction to Isamu as he set his eyes upon Ema. Erik had been thoroughly infatuated the moment he set his eyes on Chisaka Ema at the restaurant. Erik needed to have Ema - he had never laid eyes on a woman so beautiful and refined as Ema-san. This would mean that Erik was willing to risk routing the relationship with their foreign prospects for the sake of bedding Ema. Meanwhile, these women sitting at the booth were quite attractive in their own rights and worth noting. Isamu leaned in with a smile to shake hands with the trio.

The bottle service was nothing more than a display of indulgence and opulent flair initiated by their private hostess when accounting for the arrival of their entire party. Bucket stands and glass coolers were delivered to their table offering a wide selection of liquors and champagne. Isamu found himself toasting again with the Tivolis, but he had been less interested in drinking and more so in Ema, who sat by his side which alone beckoned for his attention and focus. However, Isa knew he had to be a good host from his end, entertaining the swath of questions from Lars and the trio as he reluctantly parted his attention from Ema. As the night went on and the drinking continued, Lars and the girls successfully drew in Isamu to their company while Erik slowly worked on Ema. The girls were good at their craft; being the experts at providing "girlfriend-experiences" to travelling businessmen, they descended upon Isamu, pressing their bodies closer to his as time went by and keeping Isa at bay. When the opportunity presented itself, Erik isolated Ema by the bar on the lower-level dance floor while Lars and the girls continued their conversations with Isamu in their lounge.

"Hey! Come dance with me!" Erik shouted over the loud music, pulling Ema onto the dance floor with drinks in hand. At first, the chauvinistic man swayed back and forth innocently to the mild EDM beats in front of Ema. As the music progressed and the pair were beginning to lighten up to the rhythm, Erik slyly positioned himself behind Ema, bearing his body close against hers as he tried to submit their dance to his will and accord.

 

[.Crimson.]

Ema found it quite difficult to just forgive and forget, but the business deal at hand would rest on her being able to at the very least be in the same vicinity as Erik without feeling the need to be hostile. It was for this reason and that alone that she chose to ultimately forgive. The time spent in Isamu's presence was enchanting, it felt quite similar to when Aoki would spare no expense and the two would go out on the town and act on impulse instead of due diligence called for by rank. She was remiss to even leave his side, but with Erik all but begging for even just a smidge of her attention it left the blond to wander off to the bar and leave Isamu in the care of Lars to babysit the younger sibling in kind. In time with the music that boomed with a swaying bass, she allowed her hips to move in a rhythmic motion that showed off a natural grace and innate talent. She refused to really acknowledge anyone else that happened to be at the side of the bar, instead she found her eyes constantly straying to the top of Isamu's head even though the trio of 'friends' were all but holding onto both arms in a futile attempt to win his affections. Ema knew better though, never having seen the captain with a woman in the five years of her tenure in the business. 'Something tells me that a couple of modest escorts will not be enough to change that going record.' Oh, she knew what kind of cloth they were cut from the moment they had been formally introduced.

Her attention was brought back to the present by Erik, who looked to be just shy of visually pouting since the succinct blond was keener to sip at her cocktail and merely feigned interest in his presence and by extension small talk. She relented to the offer to dance allowing the younger male to lead her onto the dance floor even though the EDM coming out of the speakers did not suit her personal taste in music. Classical and ballads tended to be a preference for her, along with more traditional music that was played quite often back in Nippon. This all just sounded the same and held no real defined taste to the refined musical palette.

Fingers delicately held onto the glass in her grasp, able to keep it held high above the crowds to avoid a mess and simply allowing her mind to delve into the blaring beat. Her facial features held an obvious distaste for the way Erik took that as some kind of come on, able to feel the way his hips insistently took to grind across her backside and even using both hands to try and keep her in place. Ema felt a mixture of shame and outright rage at the disrespect being shown to her for a second time in the very same evening. 'However do I intend to grab my savior's attention.'

Ema managed to grab onto the back of her hips and actively grind to the music, but while Erik assumed that the motion was for him the blond locked eyes with familiar dark optics and never left them even for a second to blink. As if a mere boy would be enough to handle such a refined and intelligent woman, not a chance he would be clueless as to how to deal with her outside of the bedroom. She held no interest in a meager beta male that feigned the attitude of a true apex predator and Isamu was the only one that she saw as being even remotely worthy of such affections and doting.

She could feel the way sweat was dotting across dark tanned skin, allowing the hot pink fabric to all but stick to her massive bustline akin to a second skin. Ema even took to toying with her plump lower lip between pearly white teeth, as if eyeing him was enough to make the woman feral in a sense. Not since Aoki had she ever felt a heat that pooled inside of her lower stomach and refused to leave, back when the two were dating it felt just as heady as the current scene set in motion.

Fingertips took to dancing along glistening skin, sure that her captive audience was watching before they were allowed to dip into the valley between robust breasts. Even with Erik desperately trying to vie for her attentions, only one male in the entire club held them and from the looks of it would not be losing it anytime soon. Ema tried to beckon for Isamu in a silent cry, not wishing to be the one to jeopardize the deal at hand and possibly be the reason that he ended up with a failed attempt at success and revenue to the clan. No, the blond wished for him to succeed and flourish. It was the same wished she had designed for her late husband, to be but a useful pawn that could be put onto the board and used to further his own career path.

---

Her body stopped in mid motion once the current song ended, smiling at the disgruntled noise that came from Erik in turn. She finally managed to turn to face him, the previous seduction and heat gone and instead replaced by a cold glint that left blue eyes stark in contrast. "I believe that this signals the end of the dance you requested, perhaps now it would be proper for us to go back to our table." Ema would make one sincere attempt at shifting the direction of their interactions back onto business, a second strike of sorts before the third and final descended on him with swift fury. Her hand being grasped rather forcefully when the blond attempted to walk away, hissing at the sting that the action produced.

"I would advise that you think about your current circumstances, Erik. I am in no way interested in the affections you are keen to thrust on me. My interest in being here and even talking to you is because of business venture, no amount of money in this world would be able to make my panties become wet at the sight of you." Her words were sharp and made to sting, and aside from Erik no one else would ever be able to decipher what was being said so in the terms of him ratting her out, Isamu was not likely to believe his word when it came to her own. Some forced crying, maybe even a torn bit of fabric would soften the man into believing her variation of what took place and Erik would never stand a chance. "I require a true man, not a boy that is pretending to be one while sitting on a fake throne."

 

[Tantric Poetry]

At some point during the conversations at the table, Isamu noticed that Chisaka had been gone for a while, and Erik along with her. With the latter at the forefront of his mind, the company around the Yakuza captain suddenly seemed inconsequential. Isa managed to tune out the chatter occurring around him; his lips glued softly to the rim of the crystalline glass, sipping on the smooth whiskey as he pretended to be vested in what was being said in efforts to not be rude. No matter how hard those girls tried, Isamu did not fold to their resolve and persistence, much to the disappointment of Lars. The girls would only become more playful and impatient as the drinks continued to pour. Isamu was not sure how much longer he would be able to stall. Where did Ema run off to?

Determined to address Ema's absence, Isa wanted to go look for her, but did not want to raise any alarm with his departure at the same time. The Yakuza stood up, which drew the upward gazes of all three women who pondered at his next move. Isamu extended his hand out to the closest of the three girls, requesting their company with a soft smile. Brie gleefully jumped to accept Isa's calling, while Vanessa and Olivia were left playfully pouting in their seats. On the other hand, Lars was able to find some absolution in Isa's perceived favor with Brie; the money they spent on these girls would not be entirely in vain. Isamu gently guided the brunette towards him, assisting her as she navigated around the drinks, table, and seats. Her hands immediately fell around Isamu's waist to her own delight while Isamu backed them towards the terrace railing overlooking the dance floor below. The pair grooved a bit to the music; Isamu even went as far as to position behind Brie as she held onto the railing, grinding and shaking her ass back onto the man behind her. This was all part of the ploy that enabled Isamu to scan and search the dance floor for Ema.

It would not take long for Isamu to seek out the blond; her hot pink outfit stood out amongst the clubbers in the crowded dancehall. And as expected, Erik was also spotted right alongside her. This of course raised a red flag, but Ema's eyes immediately told of a different story as Isamu found her staring back up at him. It was as if she was waiting for him to find and notice her. Her blue orbs pierced through the rhythmic lightshow like blades of ice, breaking through the windows of his soul. Isamu was held captive by the deliberate show she put on for him. The way her outfit clung tightly to her body and the playful teasing of her lips would wake the dormant beast and nurse his curious and developing desire. His eyes followed her fingers as they moved over her chest and eventually down between her impressive assets. Isamu swallowed lightly in contempt of his lustful thoughts as his eyes returned to hers.

Isamu continued watching as the musical transition prompted Ema to shift her attention back to the younger Tivoli in her company. The Yakuza captain could only imagine the conversation being had. However, it was easily noticeable that the situation had gone awry when Erik decided to forcefully grab Ema around her wrist and hand when she turned away from him, causing her to jerk back. This was more than enough to set Isamu off, and he would not allow this behavior to continue under his watch. Instinctively, Isamu wanted to find Erik on the dance floor and beat the living brakes off the man; Isa was more than eager to make an example of Erik. Yet, the Yakuza captain was reminded of Ema's consultation and words earlier that evening. Isamu was also reminded that he would be held responsible regarding the business deal. Therefore, Isamu had to think quickly so that the situation wouldn't spiral out of control.

---

The delivery of the last statement by the blond cemented the nail in the coffin for Erik. He was left in shock as her words made quick work of his ego, dissecting and cutting Erik down to the point of almost nothing. Erik's machismo would just not let him stop here, however.

"Wow," Erik chuckled as he retorted in salvage mode. "Who do you think you are? Are you really that full of yourself? There are a thousand others like you in L.A. Do you really think my attention towards you makes you special? I am not the one that should be thinking about their circumstances, Ema. Perhaps you need to take a good at yourself and stop being a cun-"

"Erik!" Lars interrupted as the older Tivoli made his approach, grabbing Erik around his shoulders while Isamu escorted Chisaka away, bidding their farewell. "Come here. I need to have a word with you… what is going on? What are you doing? You've been all over that girl the moment you laid eyes on her. Are you really going to let a piece of ass ruin our company? Think about it. We literally built the company up with our bare hands, and you're willing to jeopardize it for a one-night stand? The Nabeshima corporation is our gateway to an untapped market. There is so much potential here. Isamu just told me that they're willing to invest a lot of capital upfront, but they need us to be transparent and legit. You know how the Japanese are - they care about image and perception. We need this. With the money we make from this partnership, you could have as many women as you like..."

---

"Yamero! (Stop!)" Isamu commanded Ema in an assertive tone as the door of their suite closed behind them. The pair occupied the foyer, standing over the exquisite marble flooring that graced the entrance. Isa was embattled between the actions of Chisaka Ema, his stature as a Nabeshima captain, and his dawning fancy for her. Isamu reflected on the events that transpired at the club during the ride back to the Wilshire, and ultimately decided that he will not let Ema continue like this unpunished. She needed to understand who is in control. She needed… to be shown.

"Strip…" Isamu ordered in a somber voice. "…you can stay in your undergarments."

Meanwhile, Isamu walked toward the potted décor containing an arrangement of rustic faux branches, remaining out of Ema's view. His dexterous fingers sifted through the bundled thatch, before finding an agreeable bough and drawing it out from the vase. The Yakuza captain inspected the slim stick; his hand guided along the pole between the index finger and thumb, as Isamu felt for any major imperfections or weak points that may cause the branch to snap. Fashioning it as an ad hoc whip, Isamu rolled it around in his palm as he familiarized with the handling of the object. Stepping quietly behind Ema, Isamu positioned himself advantageously to carry out the punishment.

The quick flick of his wrist caused the device to flex back before springing forward like that of a striking scorpion. The motion was so fast that it managed snap behind both her legs right above where her knee would bend. "Kneel," Isamu barked as he re-holstered the branch in his hand coming around to face Ema, staring into her eyes as the Yakuza captain stood in front of her.

Isamu would hush any words that might have escaped Ema's lips in a non-negotiating manner, silencing them with the precise placement of the whips. They were not extremely hard by any means, but enough to leave a mark. Of course, her face was off-limits while everywhere else was fair game. Isamu was not supposed to enjoy this, but the Yakuza found it hard to resist watching her wince and squirm, and her body… that body almost signaling for more punishment. The Yakuza trailed the tip of the branch across the top of her breasts, as the pole mapped along her body.

 

[.Crimson.]

The tension in the air felt quite palpable as Ema was all but dragged back to the penthouse suite by her arm, very aware that from the way Isamu acted he was beyond furious and there was likely to be a punishment in her near future. Thinking back on the confrontation that landed the blond in this predicament, she still found it difficult to say that the outcome would be different if she had a chance to do it all over. Erik was in need of correction, and if she had to be the one to bring him down a peg or two it could be considered an act of public service. Her back stiffening almost immediately when the door to the suite closed behind them and shortly followed with an order for her to stop. Hairs on the back of the female's neck stood on end able to only recall a handful of times that Aoki had needed to actively discipline her in the past and she had no clue what method was favored by Isamu.

Ema tried to control her method of breathing even though it became harder as she was forced to strip down into nothing but the bra and underwear that were beneath her club outfit. Her breath hitching as a swat was given due to his obvious impatience with the situation causing her to apologize in a succinct manner before falling silent. Each place that the branch managed to make contact ended up in a modest welt ensuring that the mark would remain for at least a couple of days and allow the blond ample time to reflect on the transgressions. Teeth gritted together in effort to silence any sort of sounds that might come through and failing miserably each time Isamu managed to find a sensitive spot and torture the newfound knowledge relentlessly. Both knees felt a bit raw due to the position, having to keep her upper body taut to receive each blow in proper form. Tanned skin by now littered with numerous red marks that were threatening to raise up even now, the burn left behind caused eyes to outwardly water.

One such swat of the makeshift whip had been enough to catch her off guard, though her body was what was sent tumbling face first onto the floor below and a split second the only thing that managed to put her arm on front and avoid nose meeting the marble below. Each wince caused her body to shake uncontrollably, it looked as if her body had been overcome with an invisible chill and could find no reprieve. Breasts threatened to come out of the skimpy material of her bra, barely able to situate herself in a kneeling position once more before that very same whip had been brought across ample bosom and caused her to cry out. That one lash was enough to bring a soft line of crimson to spring out, apparently the force used and the slimmer skin that resided there had caused the lash to actively bleed. Ema licked across a dry lower lip, trying to regain even a modicum of moisture there to avoid chapping tomorrow.

---

Ears held an obvious tinge of blush pink and that same color dotted along both cheeks and even ran down the length of her neck. Nipples were able to be seen through the hot pink lace, even if the act was meant to put her back into line it had obviously produced another result in kind. Rough gasps coming out in a kind of audible staccato, fingers desperately trying to dig into the marbling below but unable to find any sort of purchase to keep her body upright without the maximum effort on Ema's part. It took almost ten minutes until mascara began to run down the length of both her lashes and made a smoky trail across defined cheeks and ended at the bottom of her chin. It made the blond look like a hot mess, plush lips force to open and emit pitiful whimpers that were a mixture of anguish and somehow a demented type of arousal.

"Isamu-san, onegaishimasu. Watashi no tsumi o yurushitekudasai. (I beg of you Isamu-san. Please forgive my transgressions.)" Ema found herself only being kept up now by arms that were sure to give out entirely in a few minutes under the constant strain. Each second that passed in silence made her eager to be allowed to stand and retire for the evening, almost sure that her teasing's were a part of the cause for Isamu's punishment. Though even as the punishment was dealt, the blond did nothing to actively resist each strike and on one occasion or another had even thanked him for it as was custom. Ema sobbed quietly, not able to tell where the dull and throbbing ache of her wounds began and the turmoil of lust building inside of her loins ended. It felt akin to a form of personal sin, to actively lust after someone else or even the act itself when her husband had not even been in the ground for a weeks' time.

Somehow, she found the courage to look up after almost ten whole minutes of silence barring the sound of the whip as it smacked against pliant flesh. In the pit of her stomach the idea of looking at him now sounded like a bad one, that meeting his gaze could only serve to infuriate him more. But imagine the surprise that came over her when the emotions playing inside of dark depths were just as tormented as her own. Ema could not produce a proper sound now, actively shocked into silence and for the first time that entire trip he was able to witness the absolute obedience that had been instilled in her despite the difference in heritage.

 

[Tantric Poetry]

The silence in between each deliberate strike of the whip was so deafening that Isamu could hear the heartbeat through his own skin; the trebled pace and intensity of the rhythmic thumping reflected Isamu's conflicted emotions. The fleeting innocence in her voice as she requested forgiveness would have been enough for the cessation of the punishment, yet it seemed to drive Isamu into prolonging the session some more. There was an allure and beauty in the dichotomy that hinted toward Isamu's darker tastes, awakening the primal urge that was confined by societal perceptions and acceptance thereof. Ema's resilient form and body language depicted almost a completely different woman - a woman that Isamu felt he needed and desired to tame and submit.

"Yoi (Good)…" Isamu noted forebodingly toward Ema's obedience, now standing back in front of her as she knelt upon those raw knees. The branch, whittled by the usage and tenure, was discarded indifferently to the side as Isamu stepped closer to Ema, with the fly-seam of his black pants presenting itself dauntingly at her eye-level. With his other arm against his side and hand sheathed in pocket, Isamu effortlessly reached down with his free hand, gently cupping Ema's chin along his fingers and palm before guiding it so that she would look up toward him. Isamu's opaque orbs glinted briefly, revealing the dark brown hue surrounding the mysterious core as it followed the smoky trail of mascara along her face back up to her eyes. His set of lips pursed slightly apart in approval.

"Ī musume (Good girl)."

---

Chapter 2: 復讐 Vengeance

Isamu reluctantly woke the following morning to the dull blueish light that crept from the edges of the curtains. The black-out shades struggled to contain the ambient sunlight that cascaded over the hills and slowly blanketed over the urban landscape at its feet. Isamu rose out of bed wearily as he was barely able to get an ounce of sleep. Thoughts of Ema reeled with endless preoccupation as Isamu weathered through the remainder of the night in that bit of mire. The images of Ema's nipples restrained by the laced fabric of her bra and the blistering marks he created upon her flesh lingered fresh in his mind, while the desire to break her continuously provoked his conscious. In fact, the only thing that was able to break through Isamu's persistent dwelling was a text message from one of the Tivolis. The business distraction was just enough for Isamu to find some reprieve from his intrusive thoughts. There were still plenty of goals to be achieved with the Tivolis, and Isamu needed the rest to remain rational and objective if he were to successfully close on the deal.

However, now that Isamu was awake, the thought of Ema quickly resurfaced to the forefront of his mind as the Yakuza briefly returned to the scene in the foyer; the branch that now tucked along the crevice of where the floor met the wall served as a reminder of the punishment carried out in that very space. Walking over to the kitchenette, Isamu shifted a quick glance toward Ema's room to find that the door was closed. As he started the Nespresso machine, Isamu's gaze returned to the closed door of Ema's room. So much transpired in the short time that he and Ema had been put together. He wanted to walk over and open that door. However, the only person stopping him from doing so was himself. Alas, Isa would be unable to summon himself up to do so as he finished making the latte. Serving a cup for himself, Isamu made another one for Ema, leaving it by the machine with a note before returning to the sanctuary of his room.

"絵馬、(Ema,)
今日は会議に出席します。(I will be in a meeting today.)
あなたの存在は必要ありません。(Your presence is not required.)
お会いできることを楽しみにしています (I look forward to seeing you)
正午頃、会議スペースに最も近いウェスタン ユニオンまでお越しください。(Find me at the Western Union nearest to the meeting space around noon.)
中村勇" (Isamu Nakamura)​

---

Isamu departed the Wilshire quietly in the private chauffeur service, leaving Ema to discover his absence on her own. The black Cadillac quickly shuttled Isa to an old filming warehouse that was furnished into a corporate-like space for the purpose of hosting the meetings with the Tivolis. Ema's critical thought placed into the planning showcased itself again with the selection of the meeting venue. Having the meeting in a high-profile location like Beverly Hills and Hollywood would attract much unwanted attention, especially considering their close-hold lucrative deal. Word tends to escape and travel through the streets like wildfire, and Isamu was not in the business of spillage cleanup. The warehouse off South Western Avenue provided a more discreet meet-up, while the symbolic gesture of the filming location underscored the nature of their business.

Located strategically along the edge of the Koreatown district, the venue was considered neutral grounds when it came to Japanese Yakuza and Chinese Triad affiliations. The Korean Kkangpaes, with ties to the Jopoks in the motherland, controlled this area so if push came to shove, the Korean gangs would ultimately have to answer for any transgressions made against Isamu and Ema on their territory. Despite the unlikeliness of this sort of issue arising, Ema's plan still accounted for this factor, nonetheless.

The meeting today was light in attendance. Lars and Isamu would be the only participants as it was probably in the best interest of both parties that Erik and Ema remain sidelined until the tensions from the previous evening settled down a bit. Of course, there was also the fact of Ema's punishment which raised a whole new set of implications of her and Isamu's increasingly blurred relationship. The men quickly exchanged formalities before getting right down to business. The accounts and portfolio of assets were meticulously detailed and reviewed by both sides; Isamu would showcase the line-up of actors and actresses under the Nabeshima clan's payroll along with the existing films that require the sponsorship of an American production unit, while Lars elaborated on the production capabilities, technologies, and talent management under the Tivoli trademark.

The Nabeshima plan was to import Japanese films to the American market under the Tivoli name and be involved in American productions using Japanese talent. Isamu and Lars got along quite well, despite the initial hiccups. Discussing business came naturally for the two gentlemen, which was only complemented with the gratuitous partaking of whiskey. Both men appeared impressed by the end of this meeting which concluded promptly around noon. The next step would be to talk shares and draft the contract, however this next meeting would have to wait for further coordination.

After stepping out from the warehouse and bidding farewell, Isamu waited for Lars to drive away before he set off on foot down the block to the Western Union located adjacent to the 439 Plaza. It was not too far of a walk; Isamu was yearning to see Ema as the Yakuza arrived on site. Almost within seconds of Isamu's arrival, a black SUV pulled up along the curb. To Isa's dismay, it wasn't Chisaka Ema that stepped out; rather, several goons emerged from the vehicle armed with various tools. Hmmm. This would be my luck. Looks like things are about to get frisky.

 

[.Crimson.]

Ema knew that to deny the newfound sensations running rampant through her very veins would be a disservice. Last night there had been a definite spark even if the ember remained for but a split second before being snuffed out. Though nothing had happened in the end and both adults retired to their own rooms for the evening it still left a viable tingle that ran across the length of her spine at mere remembrance. Her eyes scanned over the expanse of the living area after gathering a proper set of attire to put on knowing that business casual would be called for today and the sleek yet classy black dress that she wore covered all of the bases. Even going a bit extra and pairing it with opaque black stockings to ensure maximum coverage. She felt the way her features almost immediately set into a frown at the note that was left on the counter along with a lukewarm cup of coffee at this point. 'So, he has seen fit to go without me this time.' Not like it surprised the woman if she were honest since the night prior had been just shy of closing such an important deal because of her meager temper.

The spare time gave Ema proper time to continue making an itinerary for their stay even going so far as to plan out dining for the two of them at modest scale restaurants and leaving the truly lavish for the client's experience. Ema had made up one for the business side of things but did not have quite enough time to prepare one that involved personal time. Her nerves were a little bit on edge due to the fact that Isamu had left on his own and that left the blond to only speculate what was going on. She was prone to worrying and the knowledge that he was pretty much by himself and going to potentially meet both brothers it left her feeling quite distraught. Wait, since when had Ema actively began to care about Isamu or his wellbeing? Ema sipped on the coffee in front of her and tried not to think about it but as the hours ticked by it became harder not to give into the intrusive thoughts.

Her eyes were fighting to adjust to the oncoming sunlight as she finally stepped out of the Wilshire and proceeded to the designated meeting spot and became quite effective at ignoring anyone else around her and only having a one-track mind. Isamu mentioned the meeting to be around noon, but the blond ended up making it there at around eleven merely because she had been unable to dull her nerves any longer. Soft waves of hair fell over one shoulder as it had been parted in that direction even though the light oncoming breeze tried to ruin it. Roughly a half an hour passed before Ema spotted a black SUV going by on the street and heading of in the same direction as the meetup spot that was enough to make her actively stand back up from her seat and take off at a brisk pace to catch up. Ema felt the way her lungs struggled to take in a proper breath and even resulted in a burning sensation, but the woman pushed her body through it and did not give it the option to stop.

---

She only slowed down once she was within a modest distance and caught a brief glimpse of Isamu, but that very same black SUV had parked and let out at least several thugs each ranging from tall to bulky in stature and overall size. It appeared to be a setup to catch him off-guard and likely to be alone. Her fingers were able to feel out the knife vest that she had equipped under the top of her dress the material stretched enough to give ample space for both accessibility and convenience. A newfound glint caught in both optics as if anything else around them disappeared and the only thing that existed was her target and the man she was tasked to save. It took only a split second for the fight down below to reach a boiling point, and when one of them made a move to take a pipe across the back of Isamu's head the motion was halted mid swing as a knife could be seen sticking out of the center of his back. The amount of blood produced from between his lips and the audible gurgling sound before he collapsed onto the ground proving that the strike had likely managed to pierce his liver and he bled out as a result.

Ema prided herself in being able to throw out three knives and two managed to hit their designated target and drop them unceremoniously shortly after. Meanwhile the third was still struggling to stand up right as the knife was currently sticking out of his side and managed to miss a majority of vital organs. Her face detailed an almost sadistic smile on it as she was able to close the distance between herself and the struggling prey in a matter of a minute flat. In the palm of her right hand rested a karambit that tended to be her personal choice for bringing down stragglers with minimal risk to her own person since her combat style tended to be suited for distance rather than up close and personal. Her hand being brought up and over the expanse of his right shoulder and aiming for his jugular made a swift slice going from left to right and in mere seconds the thug bled out. Now that she managed to get rid of at least half of the pawns on the board it went back in their own favor. Or at least that would have been the case if not for the soft clapping noise that rang out from nearby.

"Haha of course the persistent bitch would manage to show up at the last possible second and save him. Here I thought it could have been quick and painless to yank the thorns out of my side." Erik mused as he stepped out of the shadow and was accompanied by a woman with blond hair similar to Ema though from features and appearance she held a proper Asian heritage. Ema was able to understand the situation almost immediately, that the Tivoli brothers had contacted another syndicate and were in the works of making a deal with them instead. 'All of this over a temper tantrum the male mind will never fail to amuse me...'

 

[Tantric Poetry]

Isamu tried to remember the last time that he was in a physical fight as the men quickly descended upon him. As a Nabeshima captain, Isamu was barely involved with these hand-to-hand activities to much of his own disappointment; his own lieutenants made it a point to remove this necessity for Isamu. The anticipation, the calm before the storm, and the knowledge of the unavoidable pain of being struck, but being able to fight through all of it, were feelings that Isamu longed for and embraced when he was just a simple Nabeshima soldier. But all of that seemed like eons ago. When his fighting days seemed all but a distant past, his prowess would be tested here today. But the moniker, Masaki, wasn't given to him lightly. What a shame.

Despite being outnumbered, Isamu decidedly held his ground. Never once has the Yakuza captain ever fled from a battle. However, this doesn't change the fact that getting jumped still sucked. Compared to the "fair" fight, the latter is anything but fun. It really, really sucked. The attack sprung onto Isa in a flash. The first fighter was basically on top of Isamu before the Yakuza was able to react accordingly. With machete in hand, the attacker lunged at Isa, bringing the dullish blade downward from the overhead swing. Isa quickly stepped forward to close the distance, slightly throwing off the aggressor's aim and raising both his forearms above him to block the swing.

The fighter quickly countered the successful block with a forceful kick to the abdomen that sent Isamu tripping back against the wall, almost knocking the wind out of him. Simultaneously, a second fighter came at him, swinging a metal bat from the side at waist level. Seeing the immediate threat, Isamu quickly tucked down, rolling away as the metal collided with the concrete wall producing a violent clang. However, in the midst of his roll, the first fighter caught Isamu with another kick that sprawled Isa upon his back. The machete came down again with fury, this time narrowly missing Isamu's face as it cracked against the concrete pavement to the side of Isa's head. The Yakuza managed to kick the fighter back while attempting to scoot back up into a more favorable fighting stance.

The sudden gurgling behind Isamu startled him. Quickly turning toward the sound, Isa stared into what would have been the eyes of death holding the Yakuza's calling card. Instead, it would appear that death turned on itself, gripping at the attacker that was going to deliver a fatal blow to Isamu and pulling him towards the ground like a netted prey. The lack of follow through with the lead-forged weapon was interesting as Isamu noted the expert placement of the blade that stuck at the center of the fallen's lower back. A strike to the liver would cause instantaneous and extremely painful paralysis, which is why boxers favored liver shots. This was literally what saved Isa from meeting his end. As Isamu looked back up in slight amusement of his luck, his dark brown optics met with the silhouette of his savior – Chisaka Ema. So... she could fight as well. She was one of them. She was Yakuza.

The other two that brought on the initial attack would not find the same luck, meeting the similar fate of their peer that was struck down by Ema. Isamu was able to regain a more dominant position, dusting himself off as he watched his Chisaka brutally finish off the injured attacker. Blood spilled unrelentingly from the neck; the spurting of plasma was consistent with the dying pumps of the man's heart as Isamu watched callously. Ema's knife work wasn't perfect by any means, but it was still better than most and not sloppy. However, the thought boiled down to her gear and how well-prepared Ema was for this type of situation by acquiring the equipment shortly after touching down in Los Angeles; she must have taken the initiative early on when Isamu allowed her to roam around town. However, Isamu's fleeting thought was interrupted by the surprise appearance of Erik and a female companion.

Erik. It seemed that the Tivoli had other plans. Was Lars in on this? No. He couldn't be… Erik needed to be kept alive for questioning - at least until he spilled the beans. On the other hand, who was this woman?

Although of Asian descent, her face and features were not Japanese; it held similar characteristics to those that laid slain on the ground. Surely, no other Yakuza family would attempt to make such a brazen attack on Isamu; if they did, it would have been a direct order from the top at the risk of war. Secondly, no other Yakuza knew of this meeting except Ema; even the powerful Mr. Nabeshima was in the dark with the play-by-play in the Tivoli Brother's Film Group negotiations. The accents and Cantonese dialect became more apparent as a dozen more men flooded in behind Erik and the lady, while Isamu attempted to pieced together the situation. No. These were the Triads.

"Sha! (Kill!)" shouted the woman who seemed to be in command. So much for an introduction.

Isamu corralled Ema protectively behind him, looking back at her trustingly to have his back before the aggressors went on the offensive. Having faith that Ema would be able to hold her own, Isamu picked up the lead pipe dropped by the dead man and pushed ahead as the Triad men rushed in wielding an assortment of weapons. With the quick strike of the metal rod, Isamu immediately leveled the goon leading the charge with a direct hit to the head. Immediately parrying the onslaught of swings, Isamu luckily dodged the more perilous strikes as Isamu fought his way through the group. Isa did his best not to be surrounded and to have the attackers to his front, even if that meant taking a few hits.

Keeping all the opponents in his view enabled Isamu to methodically take them out one by one. Another one braved an assault toward Isa only to be hooked behind the leg, forced into losing his footing before falling hard on his back, hitting his head, and becoming knocked unconscious. Isamu was struck by the partner with a glancing blow along his back causing Isamu to grunt in pain. Unfortunately for this individual, the edge of Isamu's free hand struck the exposed area of the neck above the larynx as Isa spun around causing the man to drop his weapon, reaching for their own neck as they backed away in defeat. Leveraging the nearby trash bin, Isa launched the container at the men's faces causing them to flinch and back away while the myriad of refuse scattered everywhere around them. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Isamu secured a discarded machete and managed to cut down three more men before the others started backing off.

Now wary of Isamu's superior skills, the remaining three individuals attempted to corner Isamu while exercising caution. The Yakuza captain saw this opportunity to exploit the hesitation that came across the goons, slashing forward at the trio. Isamu missed with the slash, but it served the purpose of eliciting a counter-slash from one of the attackers. Catching the attacker's arm with his own, Isa locked the man in an arm bar of sorts causing him to discard the weapon. The ability to manipulate the man, essentially turning him into a rag doll, was short lived, as the other attacker saw fit to tackle Isamu who had still been locked arm-in-arm with the man. The tackle sent the three crashing into the ground which disarmed Isamu but immediately disabled the man in the arm bar. Letting go of the unconscious man, Isamu rapidly assumed the guard upon the immediate assaulter, wrapping his legs around the tackler. A succession of punches delivered without opposition before Isamu finished the job with a hard landing punch that turned the lights out for the tackler.

Rolling over back onto his feet, Isamu caught his breath as he picked up the blade in his hand. The last man standing now faced Isa one-on-one. The last Triad was a larger and huskier man, but it would work against his opponent when it came to speed. Isamu capitalized on the slow movement, plunging the full length of the machete through the abdomen of the big man as he brought the bat languidly over his head for his attack. The man squealed in pain while a muffled gasp of air escaped his body. Isamu wrapped his other arm around the man's back before pulling the man further onto the blade. The Yakuza yanked the blade upward with a firm grip on the tang, creating irreparable damage to the organs before allowing the bulk of the man to drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Isamu looked over to see that Ema had made light work of the Triad soldiers, with her focus now on the woman. Without a single ounce of doubt on Ema's ability to handle herself, the Yakuza captain turned to Erik who started to flee from the scene. The overconfident twerp was no longer laughing or smiling, but rather, panic stricken as Isamu gave chase on foot after him. Before Erik was able to reach the getaway car, he managed to trip over himself causing him to land on his face. Catching up to the younger Tivoli, Isamu relished the moment that he dug the heel of his shoe into Erik's spine, pinning him to the ground.

"Arghhh. I am so sorry," Erik screamed in pain. "I'm sorry. Don't kill me!"

"You think you can just do whatever you want? You think you can pull off something like this without there being consequences?" Isamu questioned as he stepped all his weight onto Erik's head and face with his foot. "Why are the Triads involved?!?"

"They offered me a better deal!" Erik shouted, breaking instantly under the pressure. "It's the truth!"

"I wish I could believe you, but your actions have proved otherwise," Isamu regarded as he applied more pressure onto Erik's face.

"It's the truth, I swear! I've always been overshadowed by Lars… it feels like whatever I do, it will never be enough. I figured that I would be able to get a better deal than Lars and finally show him that this company is mine as much as it is his. I put out a feeler and the Hung Hing Triad reached out to me. This is my company, too!" Erik insisted as he was being snuffed into the ground.

"Unfortunately, it would appear that your overzealousness overreached your own ambitions this time around," Isamu remarked, releasing his foot from Erik as the Yakuza noticed Ema's approach. Isa nodded at Ema. She knew what to do.

 

[.Crimson.]

Ema was relatively shocked to see the dozen or so extra goons that flooded in upon command but adjusted her stature to account for it properly. While a majority of them were being dealt with by Isamu and the blond was hard pressed to not actively stare and get a proper eyeful of him in action. There would be other chances and it was not like she could lose focus on the female now barreling towards her while the others were engaged in group combat and still somehow overwhelmed. Naturally her reflexes were fast enough to catch at least two men on either side with the same knife in less than three full swings and only receive the slightest of scratches in return. Ema's strength did not lie in actual power but the agile prowess behind it and ability to exploit a stronger opponent who was obviously slower to act. Her hip actively pivoting to allow for fuller range when the blond female engaged afterwards and due to the preparation, all that happened was a slight slide on the ground below because she centered her body weight.

To say that her opponent was not formidable would be a gross understatement, if anything her agility was quite on par with her own and made each move that either made a matter of milliseconds as to who was the victor and managed to make proper contact. While she noticed that Isamu was no longer behind her it allowed a bit more to give on her actions without having to worry about him being a casualty of a wider swing of her knife. Ema allowed her body to drop toward the ground and used an outstretched leg to catch the other off guard effectively sending her tumbling to the pavement below with an audible grunt and wheeze after. Heels made clacking sounds on the street below as the blonde Yakuza was able to walk over and take a proper position above the Triad, using a hand to grip onto her shirt and tug her upward in a violent manner designed to choke. She smiled in delight as the Triad desperately attempted to claw at her grip knowing it was a last-ditch attempt at freedom that would ultimately be denied.

"Kelian de changshi" (pitiful attempt) Ema took a great amount of joy in the shock that registered on her opponents face at the familiar dialect being used apparently not expecting the last thing she would hear might be her original tongue. It took a single strike for the karambit to once again slice through delicate tissue and issue forth a spray of blood that even caught her in the face despite an effort to step to the side. Eyes widened at the notion of just how deep that the knife had managed to get as the Triad's head was hanging on by meager scraps of flesh at best. She could not recall the last time that her skillset was used since Aoki tended to be the one to dole out punishments as if Ema were too delicate to handle the grittier aspects of the life. Her lips parted in a sigh as her hand finally released the freshly made corpse and allowed it to fall to the ground with a thump.

---

Ema fought back an actual laugh at the way Erik had tried to effectively scurry away much akin to the rat he was only to have Isamu catch up and pin him to the ground. Legs stopping just shy of the scene taking place as if waiting for a particular kind of signal from her boss to step in fingers deftly twirling the karambit around in some fancy maneuvers out of boredom. Facial features took on a surprised hint at the inclined nod made in her direction apparently Isamu actually wanted the blond to make an example of him after all. She used one of her heels to actively shoot out and pin down one of Erik's hands as no doubt he would attempt to struggle during this part and the threat of a stiletto through his hand might be enough to still his attempt. Ema quietly took to humming a soft tune under her breath as she left the blade to graze over each and every one of the fingers on his right hand before settling on one that she deemed proper.

"Yes, this one will do nicely in terms of a payment for your transgression." She spoke in a quiet tone before allowing the blade to sink down and effectively sever his pointer finger just above the base and all that was left was a bloody stump. Ema allowed her heel to come back up afterwards and take two steps back to give Erik a proper chance to get up and run this was meant to be an insult and a warning after all not an actual aim to kill. "Do tell Lars we said hello, won't you?" Ema turned and took a bit of the fabric from her sleeve and used it to try and wipe the blood spatter that had managed to mar some of her makeup still not used to going from pristine in terms of visual and one fight later looking like she had been through a blood bath. Her hand had managed to dig through her purse and retrieve a tube of red lipstick and took great care in reapplying a fresh layer even though from the appearance of the rest of her face that was the least of her problems.

"What? I know I will end up needing a shower when we make it back but until then I can at least try to look presentable." Ema visibly pouted at the look of question she had received from Isamu and did not even try to mention the fact that there was a chance Isamu would be the one dead if not for her timely intervention. Now that she got a proper chance to look him over it caused her heart rate to spike in turn but for a very different reason than just the adrenaline spike. Breasts were all but visible due to the way her shirt now conformed to the skin from the carnage and even though she was all but covered from head to toe in blood somehow the ambiance in the air spoke of a very different primal urge.

"Kimasu ka bosu" (Are you coming boss) It was more of a tease as she away from him and toward the hotel well aware of the fact that even as she made the choice to leave Isamu was not far behind if not directly on her heels.

 

[Tantric Poetry]

Erik cried out in anguish while offering a few choice words to express his pain as Ema was severing his finger, effectively detaching most of the digit. Erik immediately withdrew his hand after it had been released, pulling it into his chest to tend to the clean amputation. Taking Isamu and Ema's merciful punishment as a warning and saving his graces, Erik would not stay any longer to find out what more the couple had been capable of doing. Retreating to himself, the Tivoli managed to stand upon his two feet before quickly making his getaway, jumping into the car alone and driving away beaten at his own game.

How was Lars going to react to this? He surely would not be happy to find out about what Erik did. On the other hand, Erik seemed to have taken to his lesson based on his quick exit and is no longer a concern for Isa and Ema. With Erik out of the picture, Lars would be the shot caller, and therefore requiring a slightly adjusted approach from Isamu and Ema. However, they have much bigger problems to worry about if the Hung Hing Triad is really involved. After all, the practically decapitated body of one of their ranked members along with almost a dozen of their soldiers laid dead in Koreatown of one of the biggest metropolises in the nation. This required at least a call made back to the Nabeshima headquarters and a separate call to Kenji. So much for operating in darkness.

Distant sirens can be heard as Isamu looked quietly over to Ema. She had been essentially drenched from head to toe in blood if not for the black dress that soaked most of it in. The Yakuza captain found it hard not to stare at Ema, watching the rise and fall of her breasts with the shirt and black fabric of the dress that now clung tightly over her chest. With only a brief quizzical look, Isamu admired the beauty despite half her face and body being stained in oxygenated-red sangre. Isamu felt the brewing sensation that sparked between the blond and himself; the heat of the physical exchange seemed to have stoked the fire underneath a cauldron of sexual tension between the pair. The steam of this brew created a thick enticing air that tugged and pulled at Isamu, carrying him along with Ema as she stepped teasingly away from him. Ima ikimasu (I am coming).

"Wait," Isamu lightly grabbed Ema by her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "We can't be walking around like this."

In unexpected fashion, Isamu's hand and fingers collapsed neatly around Ema's own. Leading the way forward, Isa quickly guided them to a discount store in the nearby plaza. The bell jangled as the entrance door opened. Isamu paused awkwardly after walking into the store, locking eyes with the clerk at the front counter. The expressionless ajumma behind the counter briefly gave the blood-covered couple a once over as they stood at the entrance, barely batting an eye at their grisly appearance before returning to her K-drama playing on the stand-alone television next to her. Shuffling between the aisles, Isa was able to locate the clothing section which held the distinct faint smell of mothballs.

Isamu began picking through the various cellophane wrapped articles, trying to find the least tacky of the selections that would draw the least attention to them. Isamu quickly realized the irony of this musing as anything else would have been exponentially better than the blood-soaked clothing they currently wore. He was able to eventually find a pair of black joggers with vertical white stripes running down the length of the side, pairing it with a simple white tee and slip-on sneakers. Coming across a novelty shirt with the words 'Crazy Bitch' written in red across the white fabric, Isamu threw the package at Ema, rudely interrupting her browsing. Isamu grinned slyly as he walked away before she was able to properly respond. On his way back up to the cashier, Isa picked up a small box of trash bags and a nondescript black baseball cap. Placing the items onto the counter, Isamu slid two one-hundred-dollar bills across the counter to the ajumma. Hush money was always relevant, especially in situations like these.

"Annyeonghaseyo. Igeos-eun uliga gumaehagi wihan geos-ibnida. Byeongyeong sahang-eul yujihal su issseubnida (Hello. This is for our purchase. You can keep the change.)" Isamu stated, recalling his Korean tongue as he dipped in a slight bow. "Hwajangsil jom sseodo doelkkayo? (Can we bother to use your restroom?)"

"Gamsahabnida (Thank you)," Isamu responded as the lady pointed in a matter-of-fact way toward the back of the store. Walking back past Ema, Isamu found the hidden hall to the bathroom behind a stack of cardboard boxes. Closing the door to the restroom behind him, Isamu quickly slipped out of his garments, discarding them into the waste bags that he purchased. After changing into the ad hoc getup, Isamu left the bags in the restroom for Ema while he waited in the hall for her. Once she had finished, Isamu collected the bags from her as they exited from the rear and deposited them randomly across several large commercial waste containers in the alleyway. With sirens blazing, several police cars and unmarked SUVs raced past them while Isa and Ema walked nonchalantly a few blocks over before hailing a taxi back to the Wilshire.

---

The growing carnal anticipation, exhilaration, and eagerness held patiently for the two as they returned to their suite. It was going to happen. They knew it. The idea of abstinence was forgone the moment Isamu walked through that door. Yet, Isamu continued to dance around this fact, denying his own desires to take Ema right then and there in that foyer. The look in his eyes betrayed any sort of modesty he had toward hiding his desire for Ema; Isamu interpreted the same reciprocity in her eyes before he turned in the direction of his room. The question was not if it was going to happen, but rather when. Who was going to make the first move? Perhaps a shower would ease the tension felt through his body.

Turning the chrome-polished handle of the shower trim, Isamu initiated the shower head that instantaneously jetted cool water from the faucet above. Meanwhile, Isamu fully stripped out of the toss-away clothes, allowing the water to achieve a desirable temperature in the meantime. The Yakuza stepped into the cleansing path of the shower which enveloped his heavily tattooed body as he closed the glass screen behind him. Lowering his head into the water, Isa would wet his hair, running his hand through the thick black blades to get a good soak as the water trickled down his face and off his bearded chin. Isamu watched the bloody runoff pool briefly at his feet before washing into the drain. Dispensing the hair-body wash from the amber-colored bottle, Isamu quickly lathered and rinsed himself, breathing in the notes of sandalwood, rosemary, and rum spice that reinvigorated him from the relaxing rinse. Fuck it.

Isamu quickly shut off his shower as his heart set in to race. Isa stepped out and began his haphazard trek across the suite. Without regard for decency and the need to dry himself, Isamu walked fully naked across the foyer; his bare feet pattered upon the marbled flooring leaving a wet trail in his wake. Residual water continued to drip from all over his entire body to include the soft organ that glistened with the moisture as it held a delightful curve from his neatly groomed crotch. Walking through the door of Ema's room, Isamu could hear the shower running. The room smelled of her; the distinct perfumes and scents absorbed into the fabrics and furniture which held her claim. Pressing forward, Isamu permitted himself through the door to Ema's bathroom that had been left ajar. His eyes met with her sultry silhouette behind the steamy glass pane, apparently unnoticed of his presence.

The glass door to Ema's shower opened as Isamu stepped in, quickly bearing his physical presence upon her. His right hand forced itself around the nape of her neck, pushing Ema's body and face effectively against the acrylic tiled wall with some surprise. His fingers squeezed slightly at her neck, pressing the side of her face further upon the cool tiling only to be offset by the hot warmth of his body pressed up close behind her. Leaning his head in with his hand still secured at the nape, Isamu pressed his nose into the back of Ema's neck while his lips glanced over the moisture of her shoulders. She smelled delightful. Isamu tested Ema, placing a series of small nips across her shoulders and neck as he enjoyed the firmness of her soft flesh between his teeth, while paying peculiar attention to her reactions toward his play.

Releasing his hold of her neck, Isamu offered his hands to Ema with her still faced against the wall. Coming in from the sides and under her armpits, he cupped both her breasts in each hand. The sensation of her breasts between his fingers and palms was titillating. Massaging and kneading the large globes between his fingers, Isamu would place a playful bite upon the back of Ema's neck, holding it gently between his teeth. His fingers explored her spheres until they located her nipples that once taunted him ever teasingly, rolling them between his thumbs and index fingers with satisfaction. Giving her teats a playful tug with his digits, Isamu's hands ran along Ema's sides as he kissed gently down her back, alternating the placement of his lips to either side of her spine.

His kisses continued over her tush as Isamu lowered himself behind her, enjoying the supple softness of her buttocks while following the crevice between her cheeks until he found what he was looking for. His hands parted the cheeks to further expose the view of her sex from behind. It was quite gorgeous; Isamu took pleasure in enjoying the beauty of her labial composition. His lips collapse over her perineum with his bottom lip catching onto and cupping up against the cusp of her fourchette. Isa's tongue extended eagerly to taste Ema, exploring this neat region at the entrance of her vagina. As the shower continued to splash over them, Isamu repositioned himself more advantageously beneath Ema as he continued to eat away at her mound. His hands squeezed her ass, keeping them apart as he suckled and tugged at Ema's labia from behind. Simultaneously, Isa slowly drilled his tongue, penetrating and entering Ema, switching intermittently to licking his firm tongue over her clitoris. He wanted to make her cum.

 

[.Crimson.]

Emma tried to keep up with him properly but was able to fall behind as they were currently darting in and out of various streets before settling on one that housed a quaint little thrift story. She had noticed the way his composure appeared to crumble at both her insistent nature and way with words but chose to ignore it for the time being and allow Isamu a chance to come to terms with it on his own. The blond took to perusing the numerous lines of clothing in the store even though a majority of it was vintage and not exactly in the charming sort of way. Some of these articles of clothing were dead and buried in the eyes of the public for a very viable reason and Emma agreed they should remain shelved. She barely had a chance to respond to the package being thrown at her head before Isamu had walked away soon after and from the wording printed on the shirt it was obvious that the man had done it on purpose to make a preemptive exit to avoid swift retribution.

The act of changing had been quick as the shirt did not exactly come with a bra attached to it and hers had needed to be promptly thrown into the dumpster along with a rather expensive little black dress. Emma might have to mention that expense a bit later but as the pair hailed a taxi and climbed inside all that the pair were met with was silence since neither made a conscious effort to break it. She took to running hands through a spot of blond locks that were effectively tatted now due to the dried sanguine that was littered in it and frowned. 'This will take at least two shampoos to get rid of properly.'

---

The tension in the air upon entering the suite was palpable and Emma had indeed felt it too but chose to play it off for the time being in favor of rinsing off the mess that had been made knowing that there would be plenty of time later to indulge in the carnal aspect of things. Fingers were deft in depositing the clothing they procured at the thrift shop and stepping out of the jean shorts in kind casually kicking it all to the side to avoid stepping on it once she was done with the shower. Hot bursts of steam permeated the room once the door was closed behind her though Emma saw no real need to shut it completely as the steam was rather useful in heating up the room long after the water was gone. Instead, she focused on soaping up the expanse of her neck and chest making sure to encompass both breasts in kind and left behind a trail of suds that dripped sensually down her toned stomach as the spray from the shower head came into play. She had managed to get her hair lathered up as well before her ears were alerted to the sound of the bathroom door opening in kind though instead of acknowledging it Emma took to rinsing off the jasmine scented suds to avoid them running into her eyes.

A gasp sounded out in kind when she felt the glass pane being opened and not given a second to react before her body was all but pressed into the tiling and the sensation was nothing but carnal in nature. Goosebumps littered along soft tanned skin as her lungs struggled to regain precious oxygen but each kiss or nip from Isamu caused the female to release it almost instantly in a panted haze. Thick thighs that led into slender legs struggled not to sway and falter at the first touch of calloused hands to her nipples and cried out when they were squeezed since the sensation made a direct connection from the swollen nubs to her loins in kind. Ema was hard pressed to not label Isamu as a horrid tease with the way his hands appeared to be practiced in their movements but at the same time held a hesitation in them that lacked conviction. Any doubts in her mind were silenced promptly at the way his lips trailed down the length of her back and left no expanse of skin lacking from his intimate caress.

Ema found herself with cheeks and neck all but blazing in a dark pink flush as he saw fit to position himself behind her and even used both hands to spread her apart and be granted a proper visual of what she had hidden between those thighs. It honestly made the blond that much hotter to know that Isamu was getting to see the more vulnerable side of her personality that very few could count themselves to seeing and living to tell the tale of it. Plush lips parting to emit a cry at the first touch of his tongue to the entrance of her pussy since it had been enough to startle her, but the sound drawled into a hungry mewl as those same actions led to her folds being gently tugged and lashed at with a tongue that was able to maneuver much like a snake and lips that were persistent in kind. Her hands struggling to find any purchase on the tiling as the euphoric sensations washing over her only grew into an intensity that left her feebly wondering if this might be enough to make her lose all sanity. "Onegai, gamandekinai Isamu" (please I can't take it Isamu)

She still fought it off as if the culmination of all of this pent-up frustration might end up being the very thing to end her life with how intense it felt building up. Toes instinctively curling up as the apex came and forced the blond to clench the muscles in both legs to avoid crumpling onto the floor as the pleasure washed over her body in multiple waves akin to a violent tsunami. Internal muscles clamping down on the tongue that was still insistently drilling away even as Ema was actively releasing, and it only made the mess of fluids that dripped down from swollen folds that much more plentiful. Eyes were half lidded as she finally managed to look over her shoulder and meet ones that were dark and close to actively smoldering. Her body finally given a bit of freedom as he released the shy of violent grip he held on to her hips and it left her the opportunity to turn her body around in order to face Isamu for the first time.

Ema instinctively saw fit to beckon Isamu closer to her and to stand up so the pair could actively see the emotions boiling to the surface and not take further shame in how it all played out. The grip her hands had as she instinctively reached down to slowly pump along his twitching girth was just shy of agonizing with how it was by no means tight enough for him to gain much pleasure from it but still enough to hold his attention. "Anata ga watashi no naka ni hairi, watashi no hitsuyō o mitashite kureru no o mimamora sete kudasai." (Allow me to watch as you enter me and fulfill my need.) It was her active way of asking for Isamu to penetrate her and allow the pair to finally become one but reserved the right to do it herself since it was unclear just how far Isamu would allow her to go without possible retribution. Vibrant eyes were pleading as she glanced up at him even though usually the pair had no need for it since she was only two or three inches shy in terms of height the position he had her in allowed him to actively look down on her instead.

 

[Tantric Poetry]

He had sensed it. With his face fully pressed into her ass, Isamu repositioned his hands to her hips as her muscles clamped over and around his tongue. Her meaty cheeks hugged his face, riding along his brow and cheek bones while the tip of his nose teased gently over her anus. Isamu would only drill in deeper with his prehensile tongue as Ema tried to find a grip upon the wet and slippery tiling to no avail. He would deny her any sort of momentary relief from the imminent climax; his fingers would dig into her hips, permitting the full range of the gyration to be experienced inside of her tight walls. Finally, as the tipping point was reached, Isamu initiated a curling action with the tip of his tongue, hooking upward against Ema's tight oval muscle that controlled the opening of her pussy and pulling in towards his mouth. Isamu savored Ema's sweet juices with satisfaction as they were released while his nose buried briefly into the pink star. It was quivering hot.

Responding to Ema's beckoning, Isamu rose to face the woman that he wanted ever so badly. Although the adrenaline rush from the earlier events was no longer present, the residual effects had opened the flood gates to Isamu's testosterone levels. The surge and buildup of the sex hormone would boil over as Isamu now looked down into Ema's eyes. His lips parted, quickly inhaling in the warm mist with a hiss as he felt Ema's hand wrap loosely around his shaft. The organ hardened almost instantly to her touch with the fiery desire to fill her grip as it twitched within her palm. Her manipulating pumps were enough to drive Isamu into a wild obsession; Isamu kissed and sucked at her shoulders and neck in a frenzy as he pressed her back against the shower wall with hands cupping up and playing delightfully with her breasts.

"Anata ga nozomu yō ni. (As you wish.)" Isamu decreed.

With Ema being married to Aoki, the simple thought of the blond, let alone bedding her, never even dared cross Isamu's mind. Even after Aoki's death, Isamu would have never imagined seeing and being with Ema in any sort of way. But now, the Yakuza captain could not stop thinking about her. Ema was not only gorgeous, but she had the mind to pair. She was intelligent, fearless, and loyal; Ema had one thing that others usually lacked - honor. Isamu wanted her but was unable to have her. Regardless of the punishments or if Isamu wanted to have his way with her, Ema would never truly be his to claim. Even after being widowed, Yakuza women were indiscriminately protected in the aspects of courtship and remarriage to maintain their dignity. With Ema's formal notion, his desire for her would be granted clemency. Once more, Ema displayed her unconditional dedication to their lifestyle and traditions by declaring her availability to Isamu and symbolically divorcing herself from Aoki. Now she would be his.

Turning off the shower, Isamu hoisted Ema gently up into his arms, carefully cradling her by the waist while having her legs lifted to straddle and hug around his toned obliques. The moisture from the water collectively ran off their bodies, quickly drying against the cool air of the ventilated room as Isamu moved them in the direction of Ema's king-sized bed. Carefully selecting an appropriate spot on the spacious platform, Isamu laid Ema upon her back while simultaneously propping himself over her. Isamu took a moment to visually glam over Ema as she laid exposed entirely for his taking; she looked vulnerable yet formidable against the plush down comforter that threatened to swallow her in its fluffiness. This is how Isamu would take her.

The Yakuza leaned in for a kiss. Finding its target, Isamu's lips passionately planted over hers in a slow tantalizing encounter of the flesh, producing a soft click from the release of the pressure exchange. Isamu suckled delightfully on the fullness of her bottom lip, working his way slowly toward the corner of her mouth. Sliding a hand behind Ema's neck and head, Isamu ran his fingers in between the blond locks, holding her head up while he maneuvered his lips upon the soft flesh of her neck. Partaking in the unchallenged invitation to her skin, Isa nursed pleasurably at her exposed length ensuring that not an inch was missed. His journey continued along her collar bone and eventually over the spheres of her chest. His lips teased around her areola before planting firmly over the nipple to give it a hard suck to stimulate the extremity.

Isamu looked down between his legs to find his erect cock at the ready; the rod throbbed eagerly from the neatly groomed bush that curled around the organ. Reaching down with his hand, Isamu encircled the base of his penis with his index finger and thumb whilst holding up his sack with the rest of his fingers to establish control. His heart raced excitedly as Isamu positioned his cock for penetration, causing his muscles to tense up and his vision to become hyper-focused while his body tried to regulate the blood flow amidst the excitement. Isamu first felt the heat from Ema's pussy as the head of his cock pressed onto and over her intricate folds. Pre-cum emerged from the tip, lightly lubricating her entrance as Isamu guided the hard organ between Ema's labia sliding the head effortlessly between the folds to become embroiled in the pleasurable friction felt against the sensitive frenulum of the crown.

Isamu moaned pleasurably as he eased his penis into Ema's entrance; the head of his cock initially met some resistance before deploying and parting her moist labia with the crown of his tip to continue his penetration. Isamu's cock popped between the tight circular muscle that controlled entry to Ema's pussy and into her tight vagina. He inhaled deeply at the profound sensation of entering Ema, as even more blood rushed toward his cock to prioritize the efforts thereof. Without further delay, Isa penetrated Ema with the rest of his shaft. His reproductive organ entered deep into her channel as his breath strained against her increasing tightness. Settling inside of Ema, Isamu adjusted himself slightly in the missionary position.

Finding that her pussy agreed with his cock, Isamu would go on to make sweet passionate love to Ema. Leaning his head back down to hers, Isa would alternate between kissing Ema's lips with enjoying her neck as he pumped slowly and hard into the blond. Isamu would go deeper with each pump before eventually Ema's pussy took him down to the base of his cock while his head stamped against her cervix. The meat of his girth scrunched together inside her tight pussy as Isamu delivered deeply into her, pulling her hips onto his thrusts. They were united.

Isa picked up his pace, finding a good rhythmic motion to his fucking. Briefly spreading apart her legs and lifting them up over head, Isamu would set Ema's calves upon his shoulders while he shifted on top of her, altering the missionary stance into a full throttle sex position. This essentially had Isamu drilling his cock top-down into Ema's elevated pussy, while providing maximum clitoral stimulation. The leverage also enabled Isamu to pound the blond harder and faster now that his legs were being used to drive himself into her. Firmly holding Ema's face by her chin, Isamu positioned her such that Ema was able to watch him penetrate her fully from the large mirror that sat on the vanity adjacent to the bed. The clear mirrored image of the dark underside of Isamu's thick girth driving between her wet folds was on full display. The expanse of the shaft would emerge before disappearing through the entrance of her pussy while her anus puckered and contracted with each thrust.

Isamu grunted as he neared his own climax.

 

[.Crimson.]

It felt akin to kismet when the pair were finally given the chance to be properly joined and it was almost enough to let Ema shed a tear or two in absolute bliss. The blond could easily recall the various nights spent in Aoki's bed and the practices varied drastically to accommodate the mood fluctuations of the day and additional stressors that were usually included from her husband. The union might have looked picture perfect and pristine on the surface, but a picture was only worth a meager thousand words and a lot could easily fall through the cracks in the meantime. Instead of force or coercion Isamu seemed intent on making it so that Ema wanted it just as much and was an active participant in the soul bearing act. Lips parted to allow a shaky breath to exhale out as the first thrust inside almost had her actively trying to pull away due to the shock of it alone. Nerve endings flaring back to life after almost a month of no prior use and the intensity was just shy of pleasurable pain.

Now that her hands had a place to find purchase the blond found it extremely difficult to allow the slender digits to leave the plush comforter. Each thrust inside was causing her body to shake and shiver in a manner that was uncontrollable and overwhelming all at once. Each minor shift was enough to make it so that his cock would brush against the sensitive bundle of nerves that was usually in a spot that Aoki either could not reach or chose to avoid due to selfishness and only aiming for his own absolute pleasure. Tears by now clung to both sets of lashes as the sharp waves of euphoria became constant enough that the sensation made her body feel akin to that of a newfound virgin. She could not remember the last time such an act had felt so tangible and honestly it made her question a lot about her previous life and duties as a wife. Goosebumps continued to break out intermittently throughout the fucking and by the time at least fifteen minutes had passed the woman could vaguely feel the river of fluids that were actively being produced from between her inner thighs. Ema had lost count of how many times he had managed to bring her to the brink of that abyss only to forcibly push her over each time without fail.

She faltered momentarily at the grasp to her chin until she caught onto the reason behind it and Isamu's intention. From the angle he had her hourglass figure prostrated in it was not hard at all to look into the depths of the full-length mirror and find herself staring back at a woman who by all intents and purposes looked debauched and mentally out of it. Ema tried to figure out how to deal with the newfound sensation and the only way for her to attempt to cope it required the hands previously tangled in the bedsheets to spread across Isamu's upper back and leave quiet little red welts behind due to the insistent pressure of nails to pliable skin. Heartbeat all but racing inside of the confines of her ribcage and the thunderous cadence at times made the blond wonder if the organ might actively be forced to stop due to the overstimulation.

"Amarini mo yoi. Anata ga kōshite watashi no naka ni iru to, marude yama kaji no yō ni kanjimasu." (Too good. You being inside of me like this feels like a wildfire.) Ema somehow found the energy to voice the words even though a couple of times his thrusts into her body caused the tone to become higher pitched in retaliation. Her mind was once again given permission to wander even as the pleasurable shivers continued to wrack her frame and it landed on a white picket fence and a child running around in the yard and the laughter that pierced the silence was a balm to the weary soul. The one true wish that Chisaka Ema had that would likely never come to pass at this point was to be allowed to become pregnant and give birth to her own little baby to love and dote on in kind. Aoki had always claimed the timing to be off and would often prioritize his own accolades and leave Ema to deal with the suffering of having a want that would go unfulfilled.

Even so as Ema found herself ripped back to the present the feeling of warmth and love that exuded off Isamu was enough to satisfy her. He wanted the blond and all of the complications and stigma that was likely to come along with forming a newfound bond with a Yakuza widow. She chose to cling to him in a manner that spoke of how much this physical contact was just as much needed by her as it obviously was for him. The future and it's complications could wait for another day to be dealt with properly. Lips parted to allow a melancholic line to be spoken as she made sure to keep eye contact with Isamu throughout the verbal delivery as if to solidify the impact that it would cause. "Anata ga watashi no mono ni naretara īnoni." (I wish that you could be mine.) Her fingertips now gently running across his cheek and basking in the feel of the warm flesh underneath with a soft smile visibly imparting onto delicate features. Ema would allow Isamu to do whatever he wished with her and did not find it of importance to have him actively pull out before finding release. If all that could culminate of this forbidden relationship was a onetime deal of being filled to the brim with his seed inside of her womb it could at least leave Ema with a fond memory.

"Demo, watashi wa kono shunkan anata no monodesukara, anata ga watashi ni nozomu yō ni shite kudasai." (But I am yours in this very moment so do what you wish to me.) The statement left much to be interpretated, but Ema simply ended her words with a wordless cry as once again she found her internal muscles clamping down the point of actively forcing Isamu to stop because they refused to allow any give. At that moment in time the blond had given herself completely to him and the world outside of the suite had ceased to exist for now. No consequences or formality to be dealt with, just two people who acted on primal impulse.

 

[Tantric Poetry]

Surely, their bonding would be met with resistance. Isamu cannot imagine the family taking too kind to their impromptu union. The captains of the Nabeshima clan would have their arms up in revolt, and likely attempt to disgrace Isamu for pairing with Aoki's widow. They would be quick to point out the dishonor that would be brought onto the family through Isamu's action of bedding a late Yakuza's wife; it was akin to the crime of sleeping with a brother's spouse regardless of the former's status. Arata would most certainly challenge Isamu's leadership and honor, knowing his close ties and feelings for Chisaka. The novice captain would use Ema as an excuse to possibly wage an internal war with Isamu's group, threatening the unity of the family with unnecessary strife. Similarly, other families could possibly use this unsanctioned affair as leverage against the Yakuza captain, essentially weakening Isamu's stance when it came to negotiations between the clans. Even Kenji's backing and support was uncertain in this situation, although Isa would not blame the lieutenant for his dilemma. If declared guilty in the court of Yakuza law, the sentencing could range in possibilities with the most severe being the execution and death for both Isamu and Ema.

Despite envisioning the fallout that would ensue the discovery of the Yakuza captain's relationship with the blond, Isamu would welcome all the challenges against his name and authority. Not the one to retreat at the first sight of conflict, Isa would accept full responsibility for his actions. No one else would take the fall or be punished on behalf of the Yakuza captain – that was a personal code that Isamu followed and held himself accountable to, during all these years in the gokudo. These critical matters were seemingly less and less important to Isamu as he found himself enraptured and entangled within Ema's clawing embrace. The passion and emotion of their union was profoundly raw, unfiltered, and most of all, pure. Isamu hastened his pace as he neared the ecstatic peak. His heart raced with burning desire, only to be halted by her tensing tightness that denied him any further entry causing Isa to be subsumed in a momentary panic as the throbbing mechanism planted inside of her was on the verge of blissful eruption.

"Kitsu sugiru yo Ema! Mōsugu itchau yo, (You are too tight Ema! I'm going to cum soon)" Isa emphasized with passionate vigor.

Refusing to be denied, Isamu hastily flipped Ema over, pulling her hips upward while she remained faced down for the most part and angling the blond into position for penetration from the back. His fingers found purchase on the soft flesh just below her waistline, securing a firm grip on Ema as he scheduled her accordingly to the rhythm of the deliberate and powerful thrusts. Isamu pounded methodically into Ema from the back, stamping firmly into her tightness each time with the bulbous tip of his organ, beckoning her tight canal to permit further entry. Meanwhile, the discernable sound of the contact between her meaty buttocks and his groin echoed and resounded in the bed chamber. Unable to deny his own climax any further, Isamu's eyes widened with wonder and awe as he felt Ema's tightness give, allowing his girth to be further enveloped by her gripping muscles just as he found release inside of her. Isamu issued a rough grunt as ropes of his thick seed expelled into the blonde's womb. The girthy shaft pulsed with each spurt as Isamu held Ema in place while leaning over her and gasping in delightful exhaustion. Finishing inside of her, Isamu carefully pulled out before collapsing to Ema's side. Throwing the comforter over them, Isamu would pull Ema in close, wrapping his arm over her and spooning the blonde within the heavenly down.

"Anata ga watashi no monodearu yō ni, watashi mo anata no monodesu, (I am yours, as you are mine)" Isamu declared softly before he fell asleep beside her.

For her, he would take on the world. All of it. All for her… Chisaka Ema.

---

A faint chiming bell sounded from the distant room, interrupting the calming quiet of their luxurious abode. The measured crescendo of the ringing sound drew awoke Isamu's consciousness. The Yakuza's eyes slowly opened, finding that Ema was still lying next to him within his arms just as he had her before falling asleep. The midday sun that earlier threatened to burst through the laced silk of the curtains had since retreated beneath the wavetops of the hills. With Ema still in her peaceful slumber, Isa carefully removed himself off the bed but not before enjoying the view of her exposed backside once more as he departed from the comfort of the sheets. Walking back across the foyer in naked fashion, Isamu secured the vibrating phone, quickly noting the number displayed on the phone's caller ID.

"Isamu… it's Lars."

There was a slight noticeable hesitation and delay in the Tivoli's voice.

"Erik… he uh… whatever happened to him… I just don't know what sort of mess he got himself into with the Triads. It… really is unfortunate what happened to Erik. Thank you for going easy on him. He can be a knuckle head, but at the end of the day… he is my brother. I can assure you that my brother will not be an issue anymore. Can we move forward, and let bygone be bygones?" spoke Lars' quivering voice over the phone.

"Yes," Isamu responded with short deliberateness.

"…good. I am glad we can overcome this… event. I am already having my lawyers draft the contract. I don't want anything else to come in the way of our mutual and beneficial arrangements and partnership. They should have the contract to Mr. Nabeshima's inbox in the next couple of days to look over. In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy your stay in Los Angeles. Hopefully, Mr. Nabeshima will be satisfied with the terms, and we can seal the deal here before you leave. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need anything, have any questions, or would like to meet up. I'll talk to you soon."

Hanging up the phone, Isa reflected on the conversation. There was genuineness in his voice – Isamu had respect for Lars and his ability to hold down their side of the bargain despite all the trouble he's had to deal with in this short amount of time. There was no reason for Isa to believe that Lars was involved in the shady dealings with the Triads. Speaking of the Triads, Isamu knew they had to lay low for a little bit to wait the passing of this storm. So much has happened already, and it was a lot to process. Isamu threw on a soft robe over his nude form before stepping out onto a small balcony and looking outward to a night sky. Everything aside, Isamu felt a sense of satisfaction and was able to find a rare piece of happiness. Who would have known that this woman would be the bringer of his peace.

---

Over the next couple of days, Isamu would confine both he and Ema to their suite. Most of the transactions and business did not require to be in-person which suited their current situation. Isamu finally reached back to the clan's headquarters for the first time since their arrival to the States, informing Mr. Nabeshima of the progress and receiving further guidance on the partnership. Similarly, Isamu made sure he reached back to Kenji, conversing briefly on the situation both home and abroad. For food, Isa relied on Ema's experience and knowledge on good take-out spots that were eventually delivered right to the door of their suite. During this down time, Isamu would get to know Ema a bit more as the couple had no where else to go and no one else to talk to. For entertainment, Isa would enjoy contemporary films with Ema, using this opportunity to better understand the culture and context of societal norms in the States. And of course, there would be more lovemaking and sex amid their refuge.

As the proverbial storm seemed to have passed, Isamu and Ema were quite relieved and quickly jumped at the opportunity to celebrate. Ema would expertly pick out a Japanese sushi restaurant for their celebratory meal and first outing since their run in with the Triads. The restaurant, Sushi Kaneyoshi, was a unique high-end, omakase-style eatery located naturally in the Little Tokyo district right next to downtown LA. The cozy restaurant offered an intimate and personal experience mostly through one-on-one interactions with the chef. It was the ideal choice and suited the newfound lovebirds perfectly. Ema was able to secure a coveted reservation despite the three-month long waitlist. As the couple arrived for their reservation, the chef and staff personally greeted them at the door for their private experience. Isamu and Ema would be the only diners treated to the exclusive experience as they were promptly seated for the culinary journey. For the first time in a while, Isamu found himself laughing out loud along with Ema as they enjoyed the small but flavorful bites of sashimi and other creations while having the most pleasant of conversations.

(Daijoubu)

However, in Isamu's line of work, most good things must come to an abrupt and quick end. The ringing of the fortune bell at the front door brought anything but – instead, a group of Triad members looking for blood began filing slowly into the small room to the surprise of everyone inside. Putting down his chopsticks, Isamu turned to face the goons who were now surrounding the seated couple. Isamu began to chuckle to himself considering the circumstances they were presented with. Chinatown was literally right next door; Isamu would only imagine that the Triads had lookouts positioned all over, especially in these parts considering the Yakuza culprits the Triads had been looking for. The chef and staff were perplexed by the situation, but more so in catatonic shock at what was happening in their establishment.

"You must be either really stupid… or don't care for your life thinking you can just walk into here without us knowing," scoffed the leading Triad captain as he stepped up to Isamu. "Let's go for a walk, you're done here."

Without rebellion, Isamu politely turned to the chef and bowed before taking a stack of cash and delivering it to the hands of one of the staffers for their troubles. Deliberately taking Ema's hand in his, Isa led Ema carefully out the door, ensuring that he was in the position to protect her if there was any assault on the pair. As Isa and Ema walked through the crowding goons inside the restaurant, they stepped out into the street where at least twenty-five more Triad members had been waiting for them. Yet, despite being surrounded in the street, Isamu maintained his cool and continued to shield Ema as they stood right in the middle of the lion's jaws.

"Well well," Isamu began to address the Triad members. "This seems like an awfully lot of people to send for just two Yakuza. Don't get me wrong, I feel honored by this company. For that, I submit my respect to you."

"However," Isamu clicked with his tongue. "I would also like to ask you to reconsider your position…"

Almost on cue, a group of Yakuza associates in suits began to file in a deliberate manner toward their position. It seemed as if it was an endless column of Yakuza soldiers, as the number of Yakuza members now surrounding the Triads totaled to fifty individuals. Isamu smirked as he sensed the unease and anxiousness now growing amongst the Triad members. A couple of days ago when Isa had called out to Kenji, the lieutenant put out a call to their Yakuza allies and families in the Los Angeles area. Isamu had this ace up his sleeve as he foresaw this situation going down. The Los Angeles-based Yakuza back up were simply on standby, ready to scrap at moment's notice at the behest of the Yakuza captain.
"Now now," Isamu issued. "There's no need for any of this to go down here. Let us all go back home tonight, enjoy our time with our families, have a few drinks, maybe do some fucking. You have my word that I will personally meet with your boss to talk and politic… or, you can choose violence. It's up to you."

The Triad captain conversed quietly and briefly with his lieutenants and soldiers, before eventually dispersing peacefully at the relief of Isamu.

"So… do you have any family here that you would like to see, Ema?" Isamu asked as he turned to smile at the blond.