139. Negotiation 2

『Of course…we're not saying it's for free』

A member of Shirasaka family…the lawyer Shirasaka Koutarou tells Minaho-neesan.

『…How about 30 million yen?』

Margo-san smiles wryly while looking at the monitor.

「…Too cheap. It's completely out of question…!」

…Right.

I don't get it though…

『We'll pay 15 million in advance…and another 5 Million in return of Maika-san and Yamamine Megumi-san…When Mr. Shirasaka Sousuke has returned, we will split up the remaining 10 million. How is it? I don't think it's a bad deal for you…!』

『I'll make it 10 million for Maika. How about now?』

Mr. Ichikawa joins the lawyer too.

『In total…40 million yen, you won't be dissatisfied with it either…!』

Hearing Mr. Ichikawa's selfish remarks…Minaho-neesan finally started to laugh…!

『Fufu…Kukukuku… !』

『…What's wrong?』

Mr. Ichikawa pressures Minaho-neesan with strong eyes.

But…Minaho-neesan…

『No, but you see…I never thought that Shirasaka house and Ichikawa house are just like this…!』

『…What do you mean by that?』

Minaho-neesan smiles coldly and speaks to Mr. Ichikawa.

『Then, let me ask just in case…how do you intend to pay that money to us…?』

『…Well…if you tell me your bank account, I will contact my secretary and transfer it now…!』

Old man Ichikawa answers.

『Can you let your secretary mediate such a thing?』

『My secretary is faithful to me so there is nothing for you to worry about…!』

Old man Ichikawa answers resentfully, but…

Secretary…I guess it's Mr. Ichikawa's company employee.

Even I know that person shouldn't be involved in this case.

『Bank transfer…is that okay to send ransom where it maintain the shape?』1

『…T-That is』

『It will clearly show in the bank record how much money is transferred…!』

『…Ugh!』

Old man Ichikawa falters from what Minaho-neesan said.

…as expected, they didn't think about anything.

They're just only making demands saying 「Yeah, do it this way」…But they don't have any specifics to make it real…

…What are they doing?

『In the first place, even if Ichikawa-san lets out 10 million and the lawyer sends 30 million as he says…where will the money come from? There's no way the two of you would pay with your individual assets…!』

Minaho-neesan grins and laughs.

『That doesn't matter to you…!』

Old man Ichikawa shouts loudly.

『No…If ever the two of you raises a fund from Shirasaka group company and Ichikawa-san's family…that would be an embezzlement in business. Both of the companies are listed in stocks. Don't you think a large amount of unexplained expenditures will be a problem in the audit…?!』

That's right…the tens of millions of money can't be worked out so easily.

The 『40 million yen』can't be trusted unless there is a proof of concrete expenditure.

That means that the chance of it being a verbal promise is higher.

『…D-Don't make a fool of us. I can pull out 10 million from my personal account anytime…!』

Old man Ichikawa gets enraged.

『Yes…Ichikawa-sama is right. But, Shirasaka house cannot use the assets of their family unless there's an approval from the head』

That's right…as the lawyer said earlier, the head of Shirasaka family didn't approve of this talk.

If so…it's impossible to draw 30 million yen from the account of the head.

『What will you do?…There's no way you would try to scrape money from everyone in the clan…am I right?!』

『…That is』

The lawyer is at loss.

Eh…he really didn't think about anything?!

I don't know how many people are there in the Shirasaka family but it would be tough to collect 30 million…

Who will collect, and how much for each person…

『…That is, we will be discussing it with the main people in Shirasaka house. I think we'll manage somehow with 5 million per person…』

What…『Somehow』?!

Isn't that just all speculations?

『…Who will take out? Until when can they pay up? Will the money be returned eventually? Or it won't come back? if it does, who will compensate for it?…I think your problems are stacking up』

Minaho-neesan says lightly.

That's right…this is originally caused by 『Shirasaka Sousuke』who's a member of Shirasaka family.

There's no way other people from the clan would take out their money for this.

If it was me, I won't even pay a thousand.

As long as they don't promise to return it later, I don't think they should be able to gather that much money…

『…T-That's, Mr. Shirasaka Sousuke will be disposed of eventually and his personal assets will be used to repay the clan. Perhaps, Mr. Sousuke's house would amount 30 million yen』

The lawyer replied while wiping the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief.

『…Hey, wait a moment!』

Old man Ichikawa interrupts the lawyer.

『Sousuke-kun's asset isn't him alone. Half of the assets belong to the wife, Youko!』

『…That is right, however』

『Youko will divorce Sousuke-kun before this raises to be a scandal. You do know that right?!』

『Yes…The people of Shirasaka family feels very sorry for the inconvenience it has caused to Ichikawa-sama』

『Then, Shirasaka house will of course pay half of Sousuke-kun's assets as compensation…!』

Mr. Ichikawa's anger transfers from Minaho-neesan to the Shirasaka lawyer.

My my, Shirasaka Sousuke's assets will be halved and it'll be taken as compensation money.

『Also…There's also the support for Yukino and Maika until their college graduation…!』

『…About that』

Mr. Ichikawa's word made the lawyer incoherent.

What?…There's nothing decided on what to do between the Shirasaka and Ichikawa house…?!

With this, it's impossible to sell Shirasaka Sousuke's house and compensate for the ransom the clan will pay…

『…Well you see…I will take this back to Shirasaka house and discuss about it. No, please let me consult them. I can't bring an answer on this occasion by myself…!』

They can't promise anything with this.

The negotiations is a complete failure…

『Also…Uhm, about Sousuke-kun's daughter…Yukino-san and Maika-san…』

The lawyer said…and Mr. Ichikawa…

『…I will take over Youko's daughters…We don't intend to be in touch with Shirasaka family in the future』

『Well…that…the head, Moritsugu-sama has been affectionate with the two, especially Yukino-sama…that he strongly insisted to take over the two children to Shirasaka family…』

Mr. Ichikawa shouts at the lawyer in rage!

『I will never allow that!…Both of them are my granddaughters!』

『…B-but』

『Well fine…I will talk about that matter with Shirasaka-kun later…you don't need to talk about it…!』

『…Y-Yes, I'm very sorry』

…W-w-w-w-what the hell is this?

Do that talk somewhere else.

Or rather, these guys seriously think that Mana would be returned after this mediocre negotiations…

Margo-san speaks to me while looking at the monitor in disgust.

「…Yoshida-kun, what do you think about Mana's mother?」

「Eh…what?」

「Do you feel any sex appeal from that middle-aged lady?」

…Even if you suddenly ask me that.

Once again…I look at Yukino and Mana's mother reflected on another monitor.

Her father, Mr. Ichikawa is in the front so she's silent most of the time, but…

She's glaring at Minaho-neesan with an awfully angry look…

As if saying 'why do we have to experience this'…

There's not a a piece of sociability shown like when she shows herself in mass media as a food critic.

Anyway…She's just looking down on Minaho-neesan angrily.

She's having a very cruel face…

「…Hmm. To be honest, I don't want to approach her. That's an old lady with a self-important attitude…」

「Of course. Then, let's not plan to rape that old lady」

Eh…Margo-san?

「Yoshida-kun…You've been growing all this time without a mother…I know understand that you don't have the mother complex nature. In this case…you don't even know what a real mother is before having a complex…!」

「…What?」

I don't get what she's talking about.

「Yoshida-kun, how can you describe your mother in one phrase?」

…That is

「…『Untrustworthy』」

「…In other words?」

「『Enigmatic』…」

Yeah…I don't get that person

Also…I don't want to know.

I don't want to see her again.

I don't want to meet her.

I want to forget her existence.

「You're like that so Katsuko-san and Nagisa-san's maternal instincts are tickled」

Margo-san says.

「…Eh?」

「You never know the feeling of 『your mother caring for you』right? You have lived obliged to be independent at all times so you never think of relying on someone… You lack the sense of 『wanting to be protected』…」

…Is that so?

…me?

I turn to Megu.

「Yes. My heart is always tickled by Yoshi-kun too」

Eh…Megu?!

「Yoshi-kun always does all the hard work alone so it makes me want for him to rely on me more and more」

「That's why…your 『women』wants to hug you」

Margo-san said.

…I-Is that so?

…To be honest, I don't get it though.

「Uhm…Let's go back to the topic…Does Minaho-neesan's revenge plan include raping that old lady?」

「Yeah…Minaho has worked every plan to harass Shirasaka Sousuke. That includes raping Shirasaka's wife」

「…Well…If that's what Minaho-neesan wants…I'll do it…!」

I'm Minaho-neesan's 『brother』

I will do anything if that's what Minaho-neesan wants…

「Well…there's no need to force yourself. Won't you make Mana-chan worry?」

I look at Mana…

Mana's listening to us…

She sees our situation.

「Perhaps…Minaho won't wish for it too. If you rape that old lady…that will only be a reward for her. 『I'm embraced by a young boy2』you see」

Margo-san said and laughed.

「Also…if you look at the wife, you can't imagine the existence of their love as a couple. If that's the case…there's no revenge on making Shirasaka Sousuke watch his wife being raped. The people in question won't care any less」

True…she's not asking about Shirasaka Sousuke's safety since earlier.

She doesn't care about what happens to Shirasaka Sousuke./

Nobody worries about him.

They're only worrying about the scandal of the house…

Speaking of which…even Mana…

I can't see them worry that much though…!?

…What's going on?!

「Now…let's focus on the video, I think Minaho is about to cut the next card」

Margo-san said and we return our eyes to the monitor.

『…Looking at that state, you two seem to now know』

Minaho-nesan suddenly talks to old man Ichikawa and the lawyer.

『Mr. Shirasaka Sousuke has a lot of debts with a certain crime syndicate…if you repay that, there will be nothing left from his assets…!』

Mr. Ichikawa and the two makes a startled face…

『A couple's property is legally a joint property. Youko-sama is still Mr. Shirasaka Sousuke's wife, therefore…don't you think you have the obligation to pay Mr. Sousuke's debts…?!』

『Why do I have to pay such money…!』

Mana's mother shouted!

『…Youko, shut up』

Mr. Ichikawa tries to control his daughter…!

『But father!…Why do we have to be made fool by such a woman?!』

That's her true feelings?

『Being made fool of a prostitute! And yet Father's still not angry?!!!』

Yeah…I

I don't want to embrace this old lady.

I'd rather die…

『…Even we don't want this to happen…!』

Minaho-neesan speaks calmly.

『We were forcibly turned to prostitutes by Mr. Shirasaka Sousuke』

『Didn't I tell you that I am not related to that?!』

Mana's mother shouting doesn't stop…

「Ah…This is no good」

Mana muttered from my side.

「Mama, you can't help me like that…!」

I embrace Mana's shoulder.

「…Onii-chan」

Mana looks at me.

「It's okay…it'll be fine」

「…Y-Yeah」

Mana nods slightly from my words.

Reflected in the monitor…

『…Ichikawa-sama』

Minaho-neesan looks at the old man with cold eyes.

『…W-What is it?』

Mr. Ichikawa who's calming Mana's mother was called out by Minaho-neesan suddenly…

『I've given more than 12 hours grace time since I reported about Maika-san on the phone yesterday evening. But it seems that Ichikawa-san haven't used that time more efficiently…!』

Minaho-neesan's face smiles suspiciously…

『W-What are you saying…I-I talked to Shirasaka house and intended to present a profitable tems to you…!』

…You're saying that

But isn't that just a talk convenient for yourselves.

『…Then, will the ransom be 40 million yen?』

Old man Ichikawa holds his breath from Minaho-neesan's cold words.

『…T-That is right…Isn't that an exceptional term for a prostitution organization like you?! Am I wrong?!』

Old Man Ichikawa expresses his feelings!

『…In this case, I will tell you clearly! We are the core of the national mass media! We know a lot of people on the surface and on the back too. We can easily crush a small criminal group like you! We'll never give in to a lowly group of people like you! Hand over Maika and Sousuke-kun to us! They're not people that should be detained by people like you!』

Margo-san laughs at what old man Ichikawa said.

「…Yeah…they're really idiots. Truly idiots. He exposes the lie he spat himself!」

…Eh, what do you mean?

「Earlier, the content of the deal suggested by them is…『We have abandoned Shirasaka Sousuke so please let him return to Shirasaka family for the moment』…that was their promise」

「…Yes」

「They don't sound like they're going to keep it When we return Shirasaka Sousuke…they're not going to hand him back over…」

I see

That's why they speak like that.

「…Afterwards, they will be keeping him until he dies inside the Shirasaka family…but either way, they want to rescue Shirasaka Sousuke from 『Kuromori』alive」

…I see

「With that said…saying that the head of Shirasaka family opposing to this matter is also a lie…」

…Eh?

「After leaving the memorandum…they just intend to push that 『It's invalid as the head of Shirasaka family haven't approved of it』 Actually, the head of Shirasaka family knows all of it. Even that lawyer was dispatched here by the will of the head」

…All of it are lies.

They came here to negotiate with Minaho-neesan like that?

「…They're just underestimating us more than being dirty. They're really helpless people…!」

Margo-san spit out.

…Dammit.

I'm getting angrier.

『…Or are you saying that you're unsatisfied with 40 million yen?』

Old man Ichikawa is aggressively expecting a gratitude in return.

…That 40 million yen.

I wonder if they really intend to pay…

No…no way they would do that.

That's why these people didn't come here with concrete details…!

『…yes, I'm unsatisfied』

Minaho-neesan tells old man Ichikawa.

Her lips smiles wryly and distorted…!

『I have used 120 million yen in this twelve hours after all…!』

100…+20 million yen…?!

Old man Ichikawa opens his eyes wide in surprise…!

Mana's mother…and the lawyer too…

Minaho-neesan talks almly…

『Normally…when such a problem occurs, Ichikawa-sama's company and Shirasaka house uses their underground organization acquaintance's power, right? Only giving instructions to the people on the background, trying not to dirty one's hands…that's how you people do it…!』

Minaho-neesan's strong eyes…freezes Mr. Ichikawa, the lawyer and Mana's mother.

『That…the usual organization didn't move this time. No matter how much we offer them…nobody worked for you…do you know why?』

…That means?!

『That is right…I also put measures on the back. Using connections…and quite a lot of money to intimidate them horribly. I deliberately set up a bluff, imitating the other party…!』

Minaho-neesan has kept fighting for the same twelve hours…

In the underground society…

『In the first place…why is Shirasaka Koutarou is the lawyer here? Shirasaka house's counselor is Ohata-sensei. Ohata law office is a powerful office with a lot of customers in the political and financial world…』

Minaho-neesan's eyes is fixed strongly on the Shirasaka lawyer…

「But…in the Ohata law office, the matters related to the underground community is being taken care of Tsujimoto or Sagizaka. Shirasaka Lawyers keep the young lawyers on the Shirasaka family…Even if this is a case involving the Shirasaka family, it should've got nothing to do with the dirty work this time…!」

Minaho-neesan spent 12 years for this revenge.

Normally…she has investigated the enemy, about the circumstances of Shirasaka family…

『And yet, Shirasaka Koutarou is the lawyer that came here…Ohata-sensei must've juged that he doesn't want to engage in this case…!』

…I see.

I wonder why is Mr. Ichikawa is presenting unreasonable demands here?

Mr. Ichikawa and others…have been refused by the people who usually cooperates with them in such cases.

The people from the underground…

Their own legal adviser…

Everyone of them don't want to be related to the trouble with 『Kuromori』

To create that flow…

Minaho-neesan have done all this work all night…

The money, threat…making use of her full power…

『What do you think?…Normally, you don't do a dirty job on your own. To be clear, Ichikawa-sama's negotiation skill is the worst. Your bluff is not even a bluff, you don't even know the market price you should be presenting if you want to solve with money…that's the minimum rile in business too, am I wrong?』

Minaho-neesan snorts…

『At least you could've prepared a display money. People on the underground never uses bank transfer. Money used for trading are old bills that don't have their numbers circulating…cash Wrap it on cheap wrapping cloth, inside a white paper back and hand it over to the other party. That is the rule. We only trust the money in front of us…!』

Mr. Ichikawa and the lawyer fell silent.

Mana's mother still doesn't get the situation?…She's still looking at Minaho-neesan with a devilish look.

In the end…Mr. Ichikawa and the Shirasaka lawyer don't know anything about negotiation with the underground people.

They usually 『leave it to someone else』.

Just letting their own will execute by ordering from above…they don't know the specifics of negotiation.

They don't know the hardships of the people who throw blood, sweat and tears at the negotiation site.

No, they don't want to know.

That's why…they just do like usual even if they don't understand anything even today…

They respond to Minaho-neesan as if they're pushing orders from the top…

Either way, they underestimate everyone below them.

These people are scums.

The worst kind of people…

『We spend everything on this revenge…we won't be swayed by 40 million yen now…!』

That's right…Minaho-neesan is ready to die if her revenge ends.

She scattered money last night…ready to lose all the assets she own.

『Also…we've made our reputation bad in the underground for this day. 『Kuromori』doesn't move with money. 『Kuromori』crushes their opponents thoroughly. 『Kuromori』are cruel and brutal, they won't go easy on anyone…!』

Margo-san speaks while staring at the screen.

「That's right…That's why we were running wilde in the downtown every night. 『Kuromori』is a terrible 『mad dog』 We made our reputation bad so they won't know what will happen if they meddle with us badly…!」

「Yeah…That's why even if it's a delinquent or hoodlum, we never go easy on the opponents we bite」

Nei-san mutters…

「Yeah…we thoroughly injure those we see until they get the impression of 『Those guys are crazy. You'll only be hurt if you approach them』…」

So the violence every night…was all to make the name 『Kuromori』roar in the underground society.

All those activities to make the people underground recognize that 『Kuromori』is an untouchable existence, was done for this day…

「We don't know how effective it will be but…as long as it made Mr. Ichikawa and Shirasaka house's colleague think that 『We can't help if it's Kuromori』…it was worth the rampage.」

Margo-san said.

「In the end…the investigation group that received Shirasaka house's request withdrew when the discovered what stage the 『Kuromori』organization is. To be exact…Minaho made them withdraw…I guess. Because we are approaching the other company from here…!」

Minaho-neesan did that far.

「Then…Mr. Ichikawa and Shirasaka house has asked other investigation groups one after another but all of them declined. We can read the movement on that side completely. We're ahead of them all the times…making a rumor that『Shirasaka house has no way to win this match』 Nobody bets on the losing horse…to be honest, that was the fight for the twelve hours…」

Even if Shirasaka house and Mr. Ichikawa are big people in the mass media industry…

They're only a 『Surface world』existence.

In order to fight against the criminal organization 『Kuromori』they absolutely must seek cooperation from the 『Underground society』

Knowing that…Minaho-neesan goes ahead of the enemy and hold down the other parties that might cooperate with them…

「The large organizations surrender from money and power, and the small organizations were threatened by the notorious name of 『Kuromori』! In the end, they talk to the small crime syndicates. But, those people experienced cruelty from Maru-chan and me before, so…those people won't cooperate either…Mr. Ichikawa and Shirasaka house has come to negotiate without any weapons at hand…!」

Nei-san taught us.

…I see.

「And yet…Mr. Ichikawa and Shirasaka house tries to oppose us with bluffs we can see through. I honestly never thought that they were going to make light of us this far…!」

Margo-san's inner anger is passed to Minaho-neesan in the monitor.

『…Now then, what should we do, Ichikawa-sama? You do not have any allies in the underground society. Would you still make unreasonable requests to us?』

Old man Ichikawa…

『Go it…120 million yen…No, I will pay 135 million yen』

What's with that subtle amount?

『I'm not saying that this is a problem of money…we are very angry at your insincere correspondence…!』

Minaho-neesan smiles…

『That…does that mean that you will not return Maika and Sousuke-kun to us?』

Mr. Ichikawa still doesn't break his confident attitude this late in the talk…

『Weren't you the one who's not negotiating properly…am I wrong?!』

Minaho-neesan's word…

『Father! I can't hold back anymore! It is not right for someone as low as a prostitute to ridicule us! Give back Maika to us right now!!!!! Who do you think I am!!!!』

Mana's mother yells in hysteria…

「…Onii-chan」

Mana looks up at me.

「…What's wrong?」

Mana speaks to me while crying.

「Mana is going to be raped in front of Mama and Ojii-chan right?」

…Mana?!

「And…I just have to shout that 『Papa is in Gold Coast Australia』, right?」

…That means?

「Papa's no longer in Australia isn't he?」