ceo | bokuaka

[19] the last meeting

"how do i look?" bokuto asked nervously fiddling with his tie.

"as good as always," akaashi complimented.

the two were getting ready for the last meeting of the osaka trip. bokuto had warned akaashi that this last guy wasn't going to be as easy to persuade as the last associate. this guy was the head of the osaka branch and the main reason why the branch was going to shit in the first place. he was originally a part of the main tokyo branch, but after bokuto's father had enough of him, he appointed him to the osaka branch. while that worked for a few years with the branch actually succeeding, in his old age the man had given up trying to run the company properly.

while negotiating may be painful, akaashi couldn't help but feel relieved that they were on their final day in the city. after last nights dinner encounter, he hadn't slept well and stayed up most of the night. the only thing keeping him from a panic attack was bokuto's calming presence and a handful of melatonin.

"god, i can just tell this guys going to be a real dickhead," bokuto complained now trying to loop his tie.

"he seemed real nasty over email," akaashi sighed. "very blunt and insisted we cater to his schedule and what he wanted."

"and we still have two more branches to go," he muttered before frustratingly tearing off his tie all together to restart over.

"i'm sure it'll all work out," akaashi said strolling over towards the other, grabbing the dejected tie off the bed. "i know you want to get this all done as soon as possible but you shouldn't stress so much. we'll get it all sorted out," akaashi hummed tying the others tie.

bokuto tilted his head up for the younger, "i know, i just want to be able to go home as soon as possible and get some other pressing matters done. but i'll try not to stress, thank you," he said giving a light smile.

akaashi nodded before finishing up tying the knot, "all good."

"thanks, i was about ready to strangle myself with it," he scoffed.

once they were done they headed towards the osaka company building. unlike the other executives, this one didn't want to meet at a fancy restaurant but instead opted for his office saying, "i'd like to have this meeting not interfere with my work." akaashi desperately wanted to type back some snarky response saying that if he was so devoted to his work they wouldn't be having the meeting in the first place.

as they arrived akaashi noted the building was in a similar style to the tokyo one, just smaller. they walked in through the doors, greeting the front desk secretary who gave them their ID badges and sent them on their way to the top floor. once given the permission to enter, they pushed open the large wooden door.

"bokuto-san, nice to meet you. i don't think we've ever formally met," the man on the other side of the desk said standing up, quickly meeting the other and shaking bokuto's hand.

"nice to meet you too makino-san," bokuto replied. "this is my secretary, akaashi. he'll be joining us for the meeting today if that's okay."

makino looked over at akaashi, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he was thinking. he then presented a smile, "pleasure."

"likewise," akaashi bowed.

the two higher-ups continued polite talk before the three settled down at the table to discuss business. as they went over terms and business matters, akaashi couldn't help but notice that makino's eyes would drift from bokuto's and onto his own. sometimes it would just be a sparing glance. other times his eyes would linger and yet again narrow in thought until bokuto caught his attention. he didn't know what it was, but something about the executive made akaashi's skin crawl. his eyes seemed familiar, yet akaashi chalked it up to the fact that he just knew the guy from previous business matters and photos.

"if you want to change anything about the agreement, i'd be willing to negotiate-"

"i'll take it."

bokuto faltered for a moment before a confused look overcame his face. "you'll take it?" he repeated.

"yes, i agree with the terms," once again the man's eyes drifted over towards akaashi.

"well, i didn't think it'd be that easy," bokuto admitted with a chuckle.

"eh, i've been meaning to retire the last few years anyways. plus i've got more money than i know what to do with, anything else will be like pocket change," the man wheezed.

makino phoned in his secretary, who promptly showed up by his desk in less than a minute, "please show bokuto-san down to room 46 to finalize some things with the legal team," he instructed.

"yes sir," the woman complied, "right this way bokuto-san and akaashi-san."

"ah, just bokuto-san please. i would like it be a confidential finalization."

"of course sir, my fault."

bokuto stood up sparing akaashi a glance before following the lady, leaving akaashi and makino alone.

"sorry, i'm sure you understand legal processes. very complicated and makes it easier when the least amount of people are involved," makino apologized opening up a desk drawer, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter.

"completely understandable, it's your contract not mine," akaashi replied.

makino lit the tip of the cigarette and bringing it to his lips. he took a deep inhale before letting out a breath of smoke. it hit akaashi directly in the face.

"yknow," another puff, "you look quite familiar," makino stated waving his cigarette around.

the way the other said it made akaashi uncomfortable. it wasn't said like a general statement or a fly away comment, he said it as a announcement. as if it was fact that akaashi was someone the old man once knew.

"is that so?" akaashi asked briefly wanting to skip the topic.

"yes...in-fact, you resemble a good friend of mine," he chuckled.

akaashi couldn't pinpoint it. maybe it was the man's constant scanning of the younger or the tone of his voice. or maybe it was just his general demeanor. whatever it was, akaashi prayed that bokuto would get back soon.

"ah never mind that, just me being a senile old man," he wheezed again. "i better go check on how bokuto-san is doing. excuse me if you will," he out of his cigarette, standing up heading towards the door.

akaashi breathed a sigh of relief as the door shut behind makino. it was about 20 minutes later when the two came back into the room, talking about something akaashi didn't catch on to.

"thanks for having us, glad our deal worked out then," bokuto stated.

"yes, makes it easier on both of us i'm sure," makino replied.

they said their goodbyes, wrapping up the meeting. as bokuto and akaashi headed towards the exit, akaashi looked back over his shoulder. makino sat at his desk, another cigarette lit. his eyes bored into akaashi's as if he had been staring long before akaashi turned around. he whipped his head around, letting the wooden doors close behind him with a thump.

"well that was scarily easy," bokuto mumbled.

"yes...quite."