Red Strings ¦¦ Chishiya Shuntarou x OC

Thirty-Fifth String

The past ten days were spent in high tension at the Chuya Group building. News of someone buying out the company had travelled and not only were the executives worried, all other employees were worried about what that could mean for their future.

It was the first time anyone had seen Chuya Atsushi looking agitated. Even when everyone else was panicking about the market crash all those years ago, Atsushi kept his cool and pushed through the crisis. This time, however, they could see the panic in his eyes despite his efforts at trying to remain calm.

He wanted to believe that they could avert this crisis too, but even after ten days of researching, they still had no idea who was behind it all.

Until he walked into the conference room.

Everything and everyone seemed to be in place. Except one person.

She held shares in the company, but Atsushi made sure she did not have enough to make it onto the board. All her life, he did everything to make sure she did not have a hand in the business. Yet, there she was, sitting at the top of the table on the other end.

"Take a seat, father," Kurenai smiled.

Her posture was relaxed, leaning back on the chair she was sitting in with both her elbows propped up on the arms, holding her hands together. She would be the last person Atsushi imagined to be behind everything. He would never have thought of her even if he had eliminated all other possibilities.

As he took his seat, Kurenai stood up. She had her iced Americano in one hand, and in the deep red dress with the bright red lips, she looked like a villain straight out of a movie.

"You're probably wondering why you're here. Why I'm here," she said, walking up to her father but she took her time. "And you probably know by now that a company called KC Corps has been buying shares of Chuya Group and slowly buying us out. Actually," she glanced at her watch, "by now, they should have the majority shares."

Whispers rippled around the room and every board member was pulling their phones out, desperate to know if she was right. Everyone except Atsushi. He had his eyes glued on his daughter. He only had one question:

How?

How did she manage to pull this off without his knowledge?

She was under the radar until she wanted them to know what was going on, and by then it was too late for them to do anything. Kurenai had always been intelligent, but to be this intelligent?

"KC Corps, father. Any idea who might own the company?" Kurenai asked.

Tapping Aoi's shoulder, she signalled for him to get out of his chair, taking his seat so she was sat beside her father. She took a sip of her iced coffee, never breaking eye contact with her father the entire time. She was blatantly challenging him right now.

"Just tell us what your goal is with this little performance of yours."

"There is one thing I admire you for, father," Kurenai said, leaning back in the chair and took another sip of her coffee. She was enjoying the drama, enjoying the facial expression of Atsushi's as he was slowly realising the extent of her abilities. "You are always so composed. You never let anything sway you. Except, of course, behind the scenes. Then you never hold back, do you? Aoi and I, we've experienced enough to know."

"So what? This is you taking revenge? By putting the entire company in jeopardy?"

"Jeopardy? Oh no, no, no," Kurenai tutted, shaking her head. "I would never put the Chuya Group in jeopardy. I just want you in jeopardy."

"KC Corps...Kurenai Chuya?" Only now were the other board members realising what was going on. "You did this, Kurenai? Why would you do this? That's your own father, and this is the company he has been working his entire life for!"

Kurenai slammed her cup on the table, though because it was plastic, it did not make much of an impact except for the ice rattling inside. She took in a deep breath, calming herself down. She was here to exact her revenge, she was not getting derailed by anyone.

"Yes, I do own KC Corps. Which means, technically, I own Chuya Group right now." Straightening herself, she leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. "And as director of the board, I'd like to put forth the motion to remove Chuya Atsushi from the board. And anything that concerns the company really. All those in favour."

She raised her hand, and scanned the room. Hideki and Aoi both put up their hands almost immediately after her. Most of the other board members were shocked to see them vote with Kurenai, and a handful of them raised their hands simply because those two did. Another couple of them voted with Kurenai but simply out of fear.

If she could rid the company of the man who built it up to what it was today, who was to say she would not get rid of them too?

Watching as several more hands went up in the air, Kurenai smiled to herself.

All these years, she had thought of different ways to take revenge on her father. She thought of causing scandals, but in the end, she would only be hurting herself. She thought of exposing his abusive behaviour, but she would need proof and her father was a very careful man. She even thought of hiring a hitman to kill him, but that would be too easy for him. She wanted him to suffer after all.

And what better way to torture him than to make him witness as she took over his precious company, and banning him from ever having a say in said company. The daughter he had been trying to suppress, the one he deemed only worthy as a tool to strengthen relationships with other corporations. And she was the one who snatched everything from underneath him.

Kurenai wanted him alive to see her become more successful than he ever would.

"Looks like you get to retire early, father," Kurenai smiled. "From today onwards, Chuya Group no longer needs you. Don't worry, you get to keep the shares that you currently hold. That should be enough for you to live the rest of your life comfortably."

Atsushi stood up suddenly, knocking his chair back. Kurenai could see him trying to hold himself back, and she could not help but laugh. As he turned to leave, Kurenai called out to stop him.

"Do you know what your fatal flaw is, father?" she asked, getting out of her chair and walked up to him. "Yes, you underestimated me, but that's not the fatal flaw. You, my dear father, are an asshole to everyone, and that enabled my plan because how do you think I was able to acquire the majority shares? Uncle Hasegawa, Aoi, and many other shareholders were willing to sell their shares to me, just to take you down."

His eyes flickered over to Hideki and Aoi, both of whom looking back expressionless. He should have known about Aoi, considering his close relationship with Kurenai. Hasegawa Hideki's betrayal, however, was one he did not expect.

For generations, the Hasegawa family had worked for the Chuya's. Hideki had been his right hand man all these years, the one he trusted the most. Yet here he was, standing in the light of his betrayal for his own daughter.

"You did all this just to be with that doctor?"

"You really think I went through all this trouble because you forbade my relationship with Shuntarou?" Kurenai laughed. "The fact that you tried to break us up only pushed the plan forward. I've been planning this since I was eighteen. And I did all this because you're an abusive hypocrite."

With one last glare, Atsushi stormed out of the conference room.

Kurenai turned to face the board members, and with a smile, she took her father's seat at the top of the table. It sure felt good to be sitting in this chair.

"Anyone like to follow after him?" she asked, gesturing with her hand.

No one dared to move. No one dared to say a word either.

Thought so.