Hidden Secrets

Chapter 64

Yaten had casually put his feet up on Seiya's large desk, observing the impressive fireworks over the harbor with an expressionless gaze. The conversation with Mimete had proven to be extremely enlightening, even more than he had expected. He had talked with her for hours, comparing her statements with the notes from the conversation with Tellu as best as he could.

A triumphant grin appeared on his lips as he leisurely lit a cigarette, internally patting himself on the back. The information he had gathered from Mimete was more than sufficient to finally eliminate Kenji. However, he knew he must not rush things now, even if patience wasn't one of his strengths.

He gradually flipped through the large stack of files left by the assistant, and with each page, his smile widened. The only thing that even Mimete remained unclear about was why Kenji hadn't investigated Minako's death more thoroughly. Yet, Yaten was sure he would find an answer to that sooner or later. After all, he had already assigned someone to keep an eye on the Chiba estate. As soon as Mamoru returned, he would confront him and finally get clarity on the events. It would only be a matter of a few days since Mamoru Chiba was expected back for the major board meeting after New Year. His personal confirmation for this was already logged in the system, further fueling Yaten's impatience.

The ringing of his phone snapped him out of his thoughts. Haruka was calling. "Happy New Year, Yaten. Where are you? You're not still in a coma, are you? We thought you would come to Black Moon," she exclaimed through the receiver. "Yes, that was the plan, but something came up. I'm at the harbor... But tell me, good thing I have you on the line now. On the freighter leaving tomorrow morning, there's still a cabin available for two. What do you think?" There was a brief silence as Yaten heard Haruka talking to someone before turning her attention back to him. "Yaten, what are you up to?" she asked suspiciously. "Just answer my question. I have neither the time nor the desire to explain everything in detail right now," he snapped impatiently. He knew he still had to uphold part of the deal. "In theory, yes... does it have something to do with this mysterious deal you couldn't tell me about?" Haruka inquired further. "Yes... exactly... I'll explain everything when we see each other. What do I need to do to get those people on the ship?" Yaten asked while nervously pressing his cigarette into the improvised ashtray. Haruka muttered again with someone in the background before whispering, "You're at the harbor, you said? Then stay there, I'll come to you. You won't manage with Seiya's organization. It took me years to figure it out, and if my memory doesn't deceive me, the freighter leaves before sunrise. I'll set things in motion, and hopefully, I'll get some answers." Yaten knew it made little sense to oppose. Somewhat unenthusiastically, he muttered, "See you soon," and hung up.

Hastily, he skimmed through some more of the notes and then stuffed them into his briefcase. Haruka didn't need to know everything, at least not yet. First, he had to get Tellu and Mimete out of the country, and then he needed to devise proper plans for all the other issues. On the one hand, he regretted not being able to take his vacation. But he knew this sacrifice would pay off.

Chibiusa's location kept flashing at him enticingly, but he reminded himself not to rush. First, he had to await the report from his people before deciding how to proceed. He hoped for news here as soon as possible to move forward. Slowly, he rose from his chair and approached the large glass front of the room, gazing out over the endless ocean. The darkness of the night enveloped him like a cloak, while the light from the last fireworks slowly faded away.

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The days flew by for Usagi, and finally, she had the opportunity to find peace and process everything she had experienced. The afternoons belonged exclusively to her and Shingo. They exchanged their experiences, and Usagi took the time to gradually tell him everything that had happened in her life. Shingo did the same, sharing his experiences. The two of them enjoyed being reunited, and their privacy was respected by everyone else.