The awakening was... amazing. Lifting the blanket and looking at the reason for such an awakening, I thought that owning your own house away from all sorts of clan quarters has undoubted advantages. Akemi crawling out from under the blanket onto my chest is a clear confirmation of this.
"Well, is my lord satisfied with last night?" she purred.
— Mm...
- Ah, how insulting — the gentleman is thinking.
— Uh... and in the morning, too, beauty. And in the morning, too.
— Oh-oh-oh! This cannot but please.
I wonder if after tonight she's going to try to twist the ropes out of me or not?
I helped her get dressed. Well, what did you think? Yukata is only in appearance just a robe, but in fact one obi is worth something. While Akemi was helping, he almost raped her, the woman did not fail to demonstrate her virtues once again. When the dressing was done, I sent her to the kitchen out of harm's way, let her control the preparation of breakfast. Leaving, this devil also laughed.
Before going to the kitchen, I decided to visit Taro, but it just didn't work out. I didn't know my way around the house and didn't know which room he was sleeping in, so after wandering around the mansion for ten minutes, I decided to go to the kitchen anyway, I couldn't forget the location of such a strategic point.
The kitchen itself was a seven-by-fifteen room. Meters by itself. Like the rest of the house, it was decorated in the old Japanese style, where even quite modern kitchen cabinets, tables combined with two sinks, a large electric stove and two refrigerators did not cause rejection. And in the middle of the room there were small Japanese tables for two people.
In the "kitchen" corner, two women, old and not so old, were cooking, and Akemi was standing next to her with an offended face. Actually, everyone else was sitting at the tables right now, including Taro and Rymov. Seeing me, Akemi headed in my direction, and her expression at the same time seemed to become even more offended.
— I was not allowed to the stove. Can you imagine? — she said, almost crying. If I didn't know her, I might have believed her. — "Gentlemen are not allowed," so these evil women told me. And if I want to?!
Well, damn… There's not even anything to say.
— And you ask them to be more compassionate.
"It's not working," she sighed sadly.
— Then accept it. The kitchen always and everywhere has only one owner, and if he says "no", it means "no".
We were going to leave after breakfast, so after quickly swallowing his portion, Rymov went to the garage to get a car. After slowly finishing our meal and thanking the women, we went to the gate of the mansion, where our car was already parked by that time.
— Where to first? — asked the Russian Vasya, when we all sat down in the Porsche.
— To the Legless One.
— Boss! Well, how much is possible?
— Until the end of your days, blond. Suspicious persons have been spotted at your father's house. Are you savvy? Next time you will act more deliberately, and to make it so, I will remind you of this case.
Taro didn't even respond to my words, digesting the new information.
— Should I tell the guys? Rymov asked. — Let a couple of people stay with him.
— Already. Plus his father's security. That's enough for now," I said thoughtfully, rubbing my chin. — And there I will deal with this matter more deliberately, — a glance at the Tarot. So let's go to Taro first, then to Akemi, and then to the club. I have to hire more instructors today.
After handing over the Tarot to Sugishima, he took Akemi to her hotel, where he already handed her over to the Mouse. After that, with a clear conscience and a sigh of relief, he called the former ensign Takaki and arranged a meeting time, which he appointed at the club.
In the "Swallow", when we arrived there, there were only Wrapper, Kazuki and Goro. That's not counting the guards. Even Aunt Natasha went somewhere with a Shotgun for a couple. But I found out a little later, and when we first entered the club, the first one we came across was Vasya-chan. Sitting at the bar, he was sipping a certain green substance from a tall transparent glass. When he saw us, he got up without a word, walked up to Rymov and patted him on the shoulder. In response, Russian Vasya performed the same operation. After that, without saying a word, he went to fool around in the bar, and Goro moved in my direction. To be honest, I was impressed. Do they understand each other at the level of thought communication? Type of post passed — post accepted? Or something else?
—Hi, boss,— Goro greeted me cheerfully. — How was the release?
— As always, it could have been better. As well as worse, however. Well, how are you here? You've been drinking since morning, I see?
"Looks like it," he said, looking back at the glass left on the bar. Rymov just decided to take a sip from it. — He shouldn't have done that. — Judging by the way he coughed and spat out everything on the floor that he didn't have time to swallow, really in vain. — I was also tempted by a strange color. I thought it was exotic.
— And in practice? I asked.
— Alcohol. — and, after a little thought, added: — With dill.
"Looks like you're a little stronger on the stomach,— I shuddered.
— No, there, next to his spit, and my first attempt spread. I did this later, out of nothing to do, I went to the principle. However, I didn't finish it.
— Drunk fuck, can you drive something?
— You're hurting me, boss. It's my shift today. I stretched those three sips for two hours. So I'm not in one eye. I drank some juices.
After giving Goro a stern look, I went to my room to change. And twenty-five minutes later, the guards on the intercom announced the arrival of Takaki Sae. I was just getting out of the shower at that moment, so, having asked to tell him that I would be there in ten minutes, I began to get dressed.
Takaki was sitting at one of the tables in the central hall and with an expression on his face, "how can this exist?" I looked at the glass with the same green mud.
— Greetings, Takaki. I see that Vasya-chan made a joke on you too.
—Good morning, Sakurai-san," he greeted. And, glancing sideways at the glass, he continued: — I have agreed with the old people. They'll be waiting for us at a cafe not far from here. — And, glancing at his wristwatch, corrected himself: — More precisely, they are already waiting. I was a little late on my way to you.
— Then let's go. There is no need to keep the elders waiting.
The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the old men sitting at one of the cafe tables was that their mask was shitty. The dry old men, hunched over, talked about their own, about the senile, but at the same time they smelled of military training and combat experience. They say about such people: the old Guard. They must have served more than I've lived in the world. In both worlds.
"Good afternoon," I greeted, bowing. — Sakurai Shinji. Do you mind if I sit down?
"The young people have gone, I'll sit down right away," the old man who was sitting to my right grumbled. — As if their legs would fall off to stand next to their elders.
—Ahem, ahem,— Takaki coughed significantly.
— What, Taki-chan, did you have a cold? the one on the left grinned. — Look, Torenchi, someone seems to think that we should stretch out like some new recruits, as soon as we were offered a job.
The old man's funny nickname is the Trench. What did he do to get it? Did you like to sit in the trenches?
—It seems so, Kikku. — Yeah, and his buddy named Pink kicked him out of there. — It seems that young people have forgotten that we live well in retirement. Thank the gods that in this country they do not forget about their veterans.
I rubbed the bridge of my nose.
— No, have you seen it, Takaki? About times, about customs. Previously, before starting a conversation, at least they introduced themselves.
—You're not quite right, Sakurai-san. Old people have always been the same," the former ensign philosophically remarked.
— Are they as arrogant and boorish? I said thoughtfully to the ceiling. — Well, yes, I agree. Okay, then.
"The boy's a bit of a temper," Torenchi remarked.
"He would have been in our training in due time," Kikku said, "they would have quickly shot down his temper.
— I have already passed my training, gentlemen veterans. And I very much doubt that you would be able to teach me anything.
After my words, the old men just looked at me, grinning. After that, Torenchi — Trench — almost imperceptibly changed his position, and Kick-ku—Kick — leaned back in his chair. From such a position, seemingly relaxed and not dangerous, it is very convenient to jump up, simultaneously picking up the chair on which you are sitting. The chair, of course, is not for me, but for my companion, I doubt that they take me seriously. However, now I was wondering what all this was for? Are they charging the price? Or have you decided not to accept my offer? Judging by the fact that they still came to the meeting — that's what they are charging. In any case, I do not intend to be a boy for wallowing on the floor. Especially on the floor of some diner. So in response to their actions, I changed my support leg. At the same time smiling.
"And the boy is really not that simple, Kikku," the "right" old man said, ceasing to grin.
"Looks like we're going to have to listen to his offer, Torenchi.
— Having previously offered to sit down, of course, — this same Torenchi supplemented his friend, waving his hand in the direction of an empty chair.