1 The Princess of the Yakuza

"How'd you find me?" He asked, knelt before me, out of breath as I tighten my finger around the trigger. "A little birdie told me."

That was just the beginning of my search for Riku...

It was 4 days before the next party and I was dreading it. Twice a month my father hosts parties at our main estate in Tokyo. The objective of each being to find me a suitable husband to take on the family business with. The only issue with that is 1. I have no interest in marriage, 2. Every man who encounters me seems to fall in love at first sight, which can become difficult,and 3. A majority of them can't get over the 'Princess of the Yakuza thing.'

When It comes to my life the only word that comes to mind is unconventional. I am like a modern day Disney princess. I can speak to animals, I have that perfect porcelain skin that everyone wants, and my singing is not so bad either. On top of all that, I'm the daughter and only child of the leader of the biggest mafia in china. If Being the only heir to the business my father spent his whole life building wasn't enough it's also highly frowned upon that a woman would be taking over soon, and an unmarried one at that.

As far as combat goes I've got the upper hand. The first 15 years of my life were spent in the best schools money could buy, and I mean that quite literally. At the age of 5 I wasn't riding a bike, I was learning to take out a target 20 kilo-meters away with a single swing of a blade. When I was 10 the difficulty increased as I was trained in 3 on 1 combat. I know how to use every weapon ever made, and I can beat almost anyone in hand to hand combat. In my fathers eyes I am perfect, I've always been a daddy's girl. Many say I was raised as a son should be, but I think I was raised to be the most bad ass woman on the planet. At Least that's what Riku says.

My mom died when she gave birth to me and my father never remarried, so I never really gotta have that mother figure around. I never had a boyfriend. As far as relationships when I couldn't be bothered, but now I didn't have a choice.

4 days before the party, most of the families had already arrived. This business is predominantly men, not many daughters. It's like being a kitten in a room surrounded by a bunch of dogs. Well that what they think anyways, they fail to realize that I'm a wolf or like a really big tiger.

Earlier when I said every guy falls in love with me, that was a little bit of an exaggeration. They all look at me, sure. Though there are a few who don't pounce right away. Along with some who are here against there will finally something I can relate to.

Later that day I was summoned to my fathers study. I walked through the door to find him at his desk, sitting there surrounded by papers. "You asked for me." I said as I walked in standing by the door. "Yes, we need to talk." He said as he waved for me to further enter the room. "This party will be the last." He said, looking up, making eye contact with me. "Finally, I'm sick of the family trying to auction me off. Does this mean I get to take over by myself." Finally I get what's rightfully;;y mine, finally what I deserve, what I've worked for. I thought before taking closer examination of my fathers tone and facial expression. No. This wasn't that.

"Not quite, this is your last chance to pick a husband. If you do not, the other families have refused to do an arranged marriage. They plan to overpower me. You need to pick a husband before it's too late." His words shook me to the core. I wasn't being forced into a before I certainly am now. "I can protect myself. You will not back me into a corner." I said sternly, raising my voice a little. "I am Kieki Cho, head of the Yakuza, you do not give me orders." He spat back matching my volume if not going over it. "This isn't right." I said quietly as the room got colder. "My hands are tied, if you don't make a decision soon they'll kill me, throw you out on the streets and make you a prostitute. I'm on borrowed time.

You must decide whether or not you want to carry on the family legacy or follow your own agenda. Either way I'm being run out whether it be by you the rightful heir or those incompetent men behind that door. You decide." That last word pierced my heart, I could see in his eyes that this was coming from a place of pain. When I was told to leave, as I walked out of my fathers office I realized that I had to make a choice and fast.

I was overly stressed at that point so I decided to go out to the garden and clear my head. I was out there going over my options and trying to make a decision. "But I really don't want to get married." I said to the rabbit sitting next to me on the bench in the back of the garden. "I know, but it's either marriage or a life of suffering. It doesn't seem like there's much of a choice." I said back to myself in a small high pitched voice, trying to sympathize with myself.

"That's my point, it's my life, if I don't want there to be a marriage there should be no marriage." "Then don't get married and figure it out like you always do." "Yeah but if I do decide not to get married then I'll be responsible for my father's death. This is all too much. Maybe I should just run away." I was sad as I buried my head into my hands contemplating my options. "Well that's not a very good plan." A familiar voice spoke out to me from behind. If not me speaking like a rabbit then who? I thought to myself as one name came to mind... Riku Emori. "Long time no see princess." He said cockily as he walked over to me.