One Despicable Guy by FriendlyMushroom

Chapter 20: Deadline

June 16, 20 days to deadline.

The day was closer than ever. Megumi's heart raced every time she even thought about the date, mostly because she also knew there was something Yahiro was planning, and that he wouldn't tell her about. Yet, at that very moment, Megumi wasn't thinking about the deadline, but about the very dangerous familiar reunion taking place.

They were all inside of the Saiga Mansion, at the fancy looking living room, sitting around a brown round-table with cushioned red chairs around it, and everything was silence. Yahiro and she were by a side of the rounded table, although, since it was rounded, there was no way either of them could ignore the Saigas, also sharing a table with them.

Luckily for Yahiro, Akemi sat next to him and between father and son in favor of avoiding a conflict between the two. After all, she was neutral at the moment. Megumi wasn't that lucky, since she ended sitting next to Chitose, and it had been a while since her nerves around him had been fairly slim considering the great damage the kid had done in general.

The only sound anyone could hear was the sound of the living room's clock, and it's annoying 'tic' and 'toc' kind of sound, eventually followed by Yahiro's or Saku's flip of a sheet of paper since both were reading a contract. No one dared to say a thing. It wasn't a social meeting, or a familiar one, it was a business meeting, the kind of meetings Megumi hated since she was asked to remain calm and not to say a thing. Normally staying silent was nothing to her, but when it was forced upon her, it bugged her. And she felt desperately in need of breaking the silent atmosphere. Several times she tried, faking a smile and opening her lips as to say something, she at least knew both Yahiro and Saku enjoyed her voice. But with sadness she would notice nothing escaped her lips, and she would lower her head ashamed.

It had been like that for about three hours. Saku and Yahiro had both been reading the contract extremely carefully. Neither Megumi or Chitose knew what it was all about, only Akemi knew, and she was awfully nervous. Suddenly, the silence was finally broken, when Saku slammed the contract at the table.

"5 Million Dollars?" The old man yelled out of annoyance. "What the hell are we planning? A challenge resolution event or a wedding?" Saku yelled hard at Akemi, who flinched when hearing that last. Afterwards, Yahiro threw his contract to the table as well, not entirely convinced of what he read, he was actually annoyed. "Don't tell me you agree with these numbers." Saku added with hatred.

"Oh, if your greedy ego is wounded, I will agree with any number." Yahiro added, while standing up and placing both hands at the table. Megumi knew that pose. It was his 'taking a risk' posture. Yahiro was defying his father, even knowing that his father was dangerous being this close. "At any rate, you greedy old man didn't give me a wedding when I married Megumi, so you owe me that much for a show." Yahiro pointed out. "What I don't approve is the last paragraph of the contract. How can you disapprove my marriage to that extent?"

"I won't approve this marriage until I am defeated by you! So I don't acknowledge her as your wife yet!" Saku yelled while pointing at Megumi, who flinched at that last. "We will talk about your wedding when this is all over. You read the bottom lines, didn't you?" And Yahiro bit his lips in annoyance. "You aren't that happy now, are you? The contract is signed by her already! So it is official that upon signing it, there will be a wedding, whether it is to her or your supposed wife!" And Megumi grew confused, and faced Yahiro with concern. "I will pay the five million dollars for the organization of the event, only if you accept that last clause."

"You can't force me to that! That bottom line wasn't part of the deal when we began this race!" Yahiro yelled, and Akemi covered her ears not wanting to take part on the discussion. "I'm married to Megumi you damn old man! Like it or not! You can't change that part!" And Saku showed the contract to him. "I'm not doing it!" Yahiro yelled.