S C A N D A L

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Ouch!" The sting from his cut lower lip forced Shiro to abandon his attempt at nervously nibbling but nothing could stop his hands from trembling as he opened his laptop and searched for his father's email.

With his mother's wedding fast approaching, it was only natural that they informed his father of the news. Although Shiro doubted the man would even care, he was hoping that his father wouldn't snub his mother's wedding, unlike what he did to his. But as he scanned the preliminary greetings and got to the heart of the matter, as expected, Naoki didn't even congratulate Kumiko on her upcoming marriage and the announcement of her pregnancy. Worst, he badly needed money. Again. And was now applying to his loving and very fortunately placed son.

Atsuko remodeled the whole estate and bought fashionable new furnishings overseas, as well as a new wardrobe for herself. Naoki felt it only reasonable that Shiro should accept the responsibility for the debt. Although he had followed Shiro's advice and was setting the whole estate at Ehime to distinction, Atsuko felt that his marriage to the Matsumoto would force their family to assume a prominent social position. With that being said, they were asking for ten million as an adequate amount.

Kurou had been kind enough to give them double what they originally asked and Shiro was not that thick-faced to ask for more. Heart beating painfully in his throat, Shiro shut down the laptop computer angrily. Ten million! He may as well have asked for the moon. To top it all off, Naoki wasn't even asking for it as a loan. He wanted it as an outright gift!

There wasn't even any logic behind it. The unfortunate situation wasn't even his fault, no matter what his father might think. The blame rested on Atsuko's shoulders. Her greed had caused this downfall!

But what could he do? He couldn't stand by and watched his father jailed for debt or worse lose the bathhouse that Shiro worked hard to establish. Despite whose fault it was, Shiro was caught in the middle of it, and he would suffer the consequences.

Shiro knew that he could probably throw himself into Kurou's arms and sobbed out the problem, and asked him to help him handle it. But he couldn't do that now. Knowing that Kei Nakajima was just around the corner, waiting for his husband to make one wrong move. Also, what would the Matsumoto's say? Given Masahiko's knowledge that he had Kei investigated and his warning, he would not take kindly to his brother's husband whose relatives tried to milk his brother dry. Shiro knew he must think of something else.

"Shiro?" Yoshi came to his office with a tray of cookies and milk. He knew his cousin hadn't had lunch and Kurou left early for work. "It's way past lunchtime. Aren't you hungry?"

"No," Shiro mumbled, mostly to himself.

Yoshihiro looked searchingly at him. "Is something wrong?"

"Oto-san's debts," he pushed back the tears. "He'll never be able to pay all of them, and I can't ask Kurou for any more help. Not now!"

"You're right," Yoshi commiserated, "After that conversation with his older brother, it would probably not be a good time."

Shiro shook his head. "Yoshi, you must help me. Have I anything to sell that my husband wouldn't miss?"

"Hmm...only the clothes but how much is your father asking?"

"Ten million."

"Ten million?! Even if we sell my clothes it wouldn't be enough!"

"Fine. I must think of something else..."

Yoshi put the tray down on Shiro's desk. "Maybe your father will come up with a way to solve his own problems."

"No," Shiro uttered sadly. "I don't think anyone but a rich man can overcome this. He's in far too deep."

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