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Chapter Text

Kai peeked at the street outside the subway station and smiled. No one he knew in sight. 

Perfect.

He exited the station quickly, trying to blend into the crowd, as if he was just one of the many salarymen on their way to another excruciatingly long day at work. Only a few meters away from the station did he slow down his pace. No one had seen him. He could walk to the office in peace.

Soichiro Hiwatari, Kai’s grandfather, prided himself in never taking public transportation. He saw the efficient Tokyo railway system as some plebeian invention, an atrocity people such as Kai and himself should be above using. Kai disagreed, and he took the subway whenever he wanted some time to himself before starting his day at Hiwatari Enterprises. What Soichiro didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.

Kai’s entire demeanour relaxed and he allowed himself to enjoy the day. The sun was shining, but it wasn’t too warm, just the beginning of the cherry blossom season in Tokyo. The light-colored concrete and tinted glass windows were glistening, almost blinding in the morning light. 

He made a quick detour to get a cup of coffee and stopped briefly at his favorite boutique to take a peek at the Spring collection in the shop window. The owner, who knew him by name by now, waved at him, but Kai pointed at his watch apologetically.

It was almost nine fifteen by the time Kai arrived at Hiwatari Enterprises. The company, led by Kai’s grandfather, was located in a glass skyscraper that had been built just five years ago, when Kai still had been in London for his MBA. Now he called one of the top floor offices his own. 

Stepping out of the elevator, the first thing he heard was the deep voice of his assistant, Hitoshi, wishing him a good morning. Kai merely nodded. After all, he was “a man of few words but great style”, as journalist Max Mizuhara put it in his last article about the ten most influential men under 30 in Tokyo. 

Max was a good friend, they had bonded over a feature about Hiwatari Enterprise’s charities a few years back, but still - Max would not write things about Kai that were not true. 

Hitoshi followed him into his office, where Kai put his coffee down and pulled his laptop from his bag. “Today is rather calm, isn’t it?” Kai asked.

“It is,” Hitoshi confirmed and briefly looked at his notepad, “You have your daily touch base with Mr. Hiwatari Sr. at ten, and then a conference call with MUFG Bank at three in the afternoon. Oh, and lunch with Miss Tatchibana at one o’clock.”

“Yes, good. Can you do me a favor and ask for the March statistics downstairs again? I still didn’t get them.” 

“On it, Sir.” With that, Hitoshi left. Kai could not help but grin: his assistant was a few years older than him, and male, but somehow, their dynamic worked perfectly. 

Hitoshi’s career at Hiwatari Enterprise was due to sheer luck. His youngest brother was some famous beyblader, a fun fact Hitoshi had used to get on the HR’s good side. However, it had quickly appeared that Hitoshi wouldn’t make a businessman, thanks to his overly perfectionist tendencies and his abrasive personality. Fortunately, Kai had noticed Hitoshi’s unparalleled attention to detail before he was fired and had immediately offered him a position as his assistant. Hitoshi was not the most fun guy to hang out with, but Kai had never missed a meeting, and his calendar was color-coded.

Since it was a slow morning, Kai allowed himself to lazily read the news online. He needed to know what was going on in the world, at least for small talk with his international business partners. In the US, the stock market had risen to a new record high yesterday. The European Union had been trying to implement a new copyright law. Then, there was a curious story from Russia: apparently, some maniac had made good use of the overall chaos after the collapse of the Soviet Union and secretly abducted street kids to turn them into some sort of child soldiers. The whole thing had come to light during last week after some kind of mass grave had been found in a building site in the middle of Moscow. Now the case of the “Horror Abbey”, as the media dubbed it, was all over the internet. 

“Wild,” Kai muttered to himself while he scanned the article. Despite having some Russian ancestry - his grandmother was from Ulan-Ude- Kai had rarely been to Russia. His grandfather had tried to gain a foothold in Moscow during the 90s, but apparently he never really found good business partners, or so that’s what he said. Now, Kai and Soichiro only visited the country for the mandatory visits to their Russian offices and occasional holidays.

Business with Russia was rather slow and pretty insignificant compared to their overall revenue. Alas, as this story reminded him of the neglected subsidiaries, Kai decided to touch base with them soon, if only to check if this scandal, or whatever it was, was somehow going to be disruptive for the Russian market. He texted Hitoshi and asked him to schedule a few calls this week.

Kai entered Soichiro’s office at ten sharp. Soichiro didn’t tolerate lateness of any kind. 

He was a broad, intimidating man, and not only in the context of business. Kai had learned to appreciate him; the word “love” didn’t seem fitting for their relationship. He was Soichiro’s sole heir, and heir to the whole company, and sometimes it felt like that was the only reason  Soichiro would even put up with him in the first place. Even as a kid Kai, could tell his grandfather didn’t really know how to deal with him; their relationship warmed up only after he finished his Bachelor’s degree and started as a trainee in the company. These days, they were getting along just fine, at least as long as things in the company went normal. 

“What is that hideous thing you’re wearing?” were the first words that came from Soichiro’s mouth. 

Kai looked down, confused, “It’s a suit?” Was a tailored one, too. 

Soichiro almost imperceptibly scrunched his nose. “The shirt.”

Kai stared down at his own shirt, where delicate flowery patterns added a tasteful touch of silver to the white fabric. “It’s still white,” he argued.

Soichiro’s eyebrow twitched. “You look like a teacup.”

Kai could not see how this was a bad thing, but he kept his mouth shut for the sake of peace and quiet. While his grandfather was taking his seat behind his massive wooden desk, Kai sat down on the other side, slid the chair back a bit to make room for his legs. Soichiro then began his usual interrogation about figures and numbers and the latest reports. Kai kept his answers straight to the point, knowing his grandfather wasn’t looking for a dissertation.

However, after a few minutes, Kai noticed that something was… off. His grandfather seemed distracted, almost absent-minded. He had to repeat several sentences because Soichiro apparently hadn’t listened. That never had happened before. 

He discreetly started to look around for evidence that could explain his grandfather’s behavior. Soichiro’s face gave nothing away as usual, and the surroundings seemed to be just as yesterday - bookshelves filled to the brink with leather-bound volumes, not to be read but to be looked at; the huge, old-fashioned desk with the old-fashioned paper weights and old-fashioned fountain pens... 

Kai's gaze darted to the scrunched up newspaper at the centre of Soichiro's desk. Bizarre. Soichiro’s daily newspaper was always folded back neatly after his perusal and placed to the left, along with other documents that needed to be either shredded or recycled. Kai's eyes narrowed for the briefest of moments as he wondered if it was something that he read that had his grandfather behave so uncharacteristically. 

“Is everything okay?” Kai finally asked bluntly. 

Soichiro’s eyes shot up - they were dark in his pale face, framed by grey hair. Apart from the eyes, the old man was remarkably colorless. Even his clothes were just different shades of grey. They stared at each other for a few seconds, and Kai noticed how he had to look down a bit, because he eventually had become taller than his grandfather, even when sitting - then Soichiro looked away. 

“It’s nothing,” he said, “It’s none of your business. Go on. You were talking about production lines…” 

“Oh my God, Kai, you - you look so fab!”

Hiromi Tatchibana pulled him in a tight, very un-Japanese hug. She smelled like fresh air and sunscreen, as if she had spent the first half of the day laying on the beach instead of working in an office cubicle just a few hundred metres away from here. They had the habit of meeting up in a lunch place located in a modern atrium building, where they could grab some food and sit down in the inner courtyard to get some unfiltered air. 

“Thank you,” Kai said. Hiromi’s words brought some consolation after what his grandfather had to say about his choice of clothes. 

“You should wear things like that more often,” his friend continued, “Ugh, I wish I could wear something nice for work, but in a position like mine you gotta blend in… You sure you don’t wanna employ me?”

“You don’t want to work with me,” Kai answered, and he wasn’t joking. Hiromi was smart, fun, ambitious, and way too good to be crushed by Soichiro’s leadership. He wanted to keep his best friend’s spirit intact. Furthermore, he rarely mixed his professional and personal life. Kai had few friends. He was bored quickly, so everyone who wanted to befriend him better made it worth his time. People he liked as colleagues were not the same people he liked as friends.

They sat down in their usual spot outside, underneath the branches of a tree that had been planted at the centre of the courtyard. The bench must’ve been in the sunlight until recently, because the wood was still warm. The acoustics in here were awful; one could hear every step on the mosaic floor, and voices echoed from the surrounding glass windows, behind which more offices lay. 

“Have you heard about that Horror Abbey in Russia?” Hiromi asked while Kai was biting into his sandwich. He nodded.

“Such a crazy story,” she continued, “First, they find a pile of bodies as soon as they start renovating the building. And from that, it gets wilder and wilder.”

“I haven’t heard much,” Kai admitted, “What’s it all about?”

Hiromi’s eyes lit up. She was a huge true crime fan and would tell Kai about the most horrible cases regularly. By now he had learned to continue eating while his friend would talk to him about murders and kidnappings. 

“So,” she said, “Here is the thing: There is this Abbey in the outskirts of Moscow, just some old abandoned building. It has been empty for a decade or so. A few weeks ago, the city decided to investigate if it was a ruin to be demolished, or a historical building worth renovating, so they sent a team to take some pictures, the usual deal… And they found… disturbing things.”

Hiromi took a sip of her drink, and Kai rolled his eyes at how excited this story made her.

“Turns out that this Abbey used to be a school, or an orphanage, I am not so sure. They found desks and chairs, of course. But when they went to the basement, they discovered the place wasn’t a legit school at all. I’m talking torture chambers and stuff. Like, really horrible. And of course… you’ve heard of the bodies they found in the forest. Children bodies.”

Kai felt a shiver running down his spine, despite the warm spring weather. Hiromi didn’t seem to notice, as she continued her story.

“So everyone is like - what happened to the kids? And then" - She paused to take another bite from her sandwich. “Then all of a sudden, some names came up in the newspapers, of some boys that lived there, and thankfully for them, the Abbey shut down before they joined the children in the forest,” she finished in a stage whisper. Hiromi then looked at Kai as if she was telling him something of utter importance. “They’re like our age, so this is really wild. The police found their names in old records and I think they’re now being interrogated.”

“That’s crazy,” Kai said, unsure what kind of reaction Hiromi was expecting.

“Yeah, right? I suppose we’ll know soon enough. Moscow is under massive pressure to find who the hell tortured kids for years. The public can’t believe a place like this existed right under their nose.”

“I suppose a few corrupted people will end up in jail,” Kai offered, wanting to wrap this conversation, his hunger having suddenly vanished.

“Yup. Maybe you should ask the journalists you know if they have more details.”

"I suppose I could ask Max," he mumbled, if only to placate her. At the moment, he had no intention of delving deeper into the matter. The talk of murdered children was already enough to put him off his food. 

Hiromi finally sensed his malaise, because she switched topics. “So, any news from the cute cardiologist you were talking to?”

“Yeah. We’re going for a few drinks tonight.”

“Ohh, exciting. Ask him if he has single doctor friends,” Hiromi said, “straight ones please.”

Kai rolled his eyes at Hiromi. “I’ll check first if he’s decent. Then we can see if he has friends who like gruesome stories as much as you do.”

Hiromi’s mouth stretched in a wide smile. “Deal.”

Kai made his way back to his apartment shortly before midnight. Despite the lack of meetings, there had been loads of paperwork piling up on his desk, so he had been forced to push his date to an even later hour.

The stupid date hadn’t even been worth it. As it turned out, the cardiologist was as plain as the white shirts Soichiro fancied. His grandfather might have even approved of the guy, even though he usually took no interest at all in Kai’s private life, as long as it wasn’t in the newspapers, and Kai made sure that never happened. Not that there had been anything newsworthy going on tonight: He had two drinks, more to unwind than anything else, then had called it a night.

It was only on the taxi ride back home that he noticed his phone was turned off. Kai shrugged. He often forgot to charge it, so this wasn’t out of the ordinary. If anything important had come up, Hitoshi would have taken care of it.

He allowed himself to relax in the seat and listened to the evening news the driver had put as background noise.

Of course, it was all about the Horror Abbey. The commentator repeated what Hiromi had told him, a few gruesome details sprinkled here and there. Kai was about to ask the driver to put some music on instead, when he heard words that made the blood freeze in his veins.

“We have new information concerning the case of the so-called “Horror Abbey” in Moscow, Russia. As police reported in a press statement a few minutes ago, it seems like Hiwatari Enterprises had been a sponsor for the alleged orphanage where several children have been tortured and murdered. This makes the Japanese company heavily involved and an important witness in the case. At this point in time, representatives of the company have declined all questions.” 

Chapter Text

Soichiro was rarely angry.

That was a trait Kai had inherited from him. Both men were often displeased, or annoyed at things, but their feelings rarely culminated in full-blown anger. One would never see, for instance, Soichiro yell at his laptop when it froze unexpectedly.

Hence, Kai was pretty surprised when he arrived at the manor later that night and heard Soichiro in an agitated phone discussion. He had barricaded himself in his home office, but his booming voice was loud enough to get through the door.

“No, I don’t want anyone commenting. No- tell him any journalist showing up to the building will be thrown out.”

Kai knocked softly on the door and waited.

The second he had heard the news, he had ordered the taxi driver to change his course and to make its way to the manor. There was no point going to his apartment. The manor was, and always had been, the lair of the Hiwatari family. Built in the beginning of the last century modelled on the British style, it stood on a hill between villas of other affluent families - dark and secretive in the midst of an overflowing, labyrinthic garden. Normally Kai could see some of the greenery from the window on the wall opposite him, but now there was only velvet darkness on the other side of the glass. The carpet beneath his feet swallowed the sounds - save for his grandfather’s yelling that is - and the paintings on the walls showed romantically stylized landscapes foreign to Japan. 

After a moment, Soichiro ended his phone conversation and called him in. When he saw Kai, his face darkened.

“Where were you?” he asked from between his teeth.

“I was at a strip club, snorting cocaine with our competitors,” Kai answered in a dry tone.

Soichiro rolled his eyes. “Now isn’t the time for your childish attitude.”

Kai entered and plopped himself on one of the large leather chairs. Soichiro sat down behind his desk.

Kai immediately broke the silence. “Were you going to tell me? That our name will appear in the Horror Abbey case? Or was I supposed to find out by myself on the news?”

“This wasn’t supposed to get out,” Soichiro hissed, ”they were supposed to quickly find out our involvement was minimal and leave us the hell alone.”

“ They ?”

“Russian authorities. I guess I have no choice now," Soichiro ran a hand through his grey hair and held Kai's gaze for a moment. "Listen carefully, Kai.

Soichiro took a deep breath and started, “Do you remember… Boris Nikolaievich Balkov?”

Kai’s blood froze in his veins. The wind howled around the house like in a winter storm, and Kai interpreted this sudden noise as a bad omen.

Of course he remembered. Balkov was a former Russian business partner of Soichiro. Kai had met the man only a handful of times as a child, but it had been enough to give him the certitude this man was up to no good. However, Soichiro had sung his praises for years and even invited Balkov to the manor a few times. As he got older, Kai had always wondered if his impression of the man had been clouded by the generational and cultural differences between them, or if his gut feeling had been right all along.

Kai offered a vague, “Yes, I remember him.”

Soichiro nodded. “Right. You are aware that Hiwatari Enterprises attempted to gain traction in Russia, after the collapse of the Soviet Union?”

Kai nodded back. It had been a wild time, it was said, with a whole economic system collapsing and leaving endless suffering for the people, but also unknown treasures for those willing to gamble a bit. Russia’s natural resources alone had made many Western investors forget their ideological reservations. And Soichiro wasn’t a man that paid too much attention to political delicacies. 

Soichiro clasped his hands together, and took a few seconds to gather his thoughts. When he spoke, his voice was calmer. “One of my… ideas was to develop our network by… dabbling in charity work in Moscow. I thought it would be a great way to meet potential business partners. From that point, we would have been able to expand. Unfortunately, it seems our name fell into the wrong ears. A few months in, Boris approached me and told me about this orphanage he was administrating.”

Kai felt all colours drain from his face.

The infamous Abbey.

Soichiro confirmed his doubts. “The orphanage was nicknamed ‘the Balkov Abbey’, after its headmaster. I am afraid I forgot the real name, it’s been so long. Boris pitched his orphanage and Hiwatari Enterprises invested a trivial sum in it, thinking it would be used to renovate the dormitories.”

Kai’s lips formed a line. This made more sense. Hiwatari Enterprises had a yearly budget that went into good causes and various charities.

“We donated regularly, for a few years. Eventually… these investments didn’t lead to anything for our company and we ended our collaboration. I didn’t think much of it at the time. Being in business means, once in a while, wasting time, or money. The total sum was too small to be of real significance to Hiwatari Enterprises anyway.”

“But the amount is high enough to appear on paper and make us key witnesses?” Kai asked.

Soichiro visibly relaxed, probably happy that Kai had guessed the rest. “Exactly. I didn’t want to mention it, because I was certain the authorities would do their due diligence and notice our involvement was limited. Unfortunately, we’re… a big name, even in Russia. Those dirty journalists are ready to jump on any piece of information to get the public’s attention. It seems we’ll have to salvage our reputation ourselves, in court.”

Kai raised an eyebrow. “Right. I suppose we’re going to Russia?”

Soichiro’s lips formed a conspicuous smile. “You are half correct, Kai. You’re going to Russia.”

Later

A business visa for Russia took a few weeks and an ungodly amount of paperwork. Thankfully, Kai had renewed his last year and it was still valid.

Kai was certain going to Moscow right now was an overkill, however, he told himself that the faster he dealt with this stupid trial, the faster he was back in Japan. It was almost morning by the time he climbed in the Hiwatari private jet that would bring him to Russia.

After his conversation with Soichiro, Kai had gone back to his place and hastily packed for his departure. Hitoshi had apparently been informed of Kai’s little trip in advance, because he had delivered him a box full of printed news that weren’t broadcasted outside Russia and any document, especially financial, that he could find in the Hiwatari Enterprises archives that mentioned anything about Moscow or an abbey. 

On his way to the airport, Kai had sent a quick text to Hiromi. 

I won’t be able to make it to lunch for a few days. Explain tomorrow. 

Kai had chosen to face the flight to Moscow in more comfortable clothes; dark red lounge pants, a soft white cotton t-shirt, a warm coat, and his favourite white cashmere pashmina to wrap around his neck to keep warm. The plane was going to be cold and since Kai wasn’t sure how long he would be in Russia, he had brought plenty of clothes. Moscow’s Spring and Tokyo’s Spring were two very different climates. He’d change before they landed, he decided. Settling into his seat when the plane finally began moving, Kai allowed his mind to reflect on everything that had happened in the last hours.

Soichiro was still recovering from heart surgery. Years of stress, rich food and no exercise had given him a weak heart, and the surgeons had to put in two stents and told him to get as much rest as possible. But even in his ailing health, he insisted on coming into the office everyday and often staying later than most. It was always him who made the final decisions, not Kai. So it struck the young Hiwatari as slightly odd that Soichiro chose him to represent the company in Russia, instead of going himself. Kai had a nagging suspicion that Soichiro didn’t see him as remotely competent, despite him working at the company for a couple years and having the education to back up the position he had been automatically assigned because of his name. Sighing, Kai decided that it must ultimately be Soichiro’s weak health that stopped him from attending the trial itself. After all, his team of doctors were in Japan, and he didn’t trust anyone else to look after him. 

Glancing out the window for a brief moment, Kai allowed himself to be lost in the inky expanse of nothingness on the outside, coloured with dark hues of purple and blue on a canvas of black. The clouds they’d already flown over invisible against the darkness. Kai wondered what it would be like to be lost in space, feeling utterly alone the longer he looked outside. His mind wandered to what Hiromi had said about the children being tortured and murdered, and the shallow graves in which they had been tossed and unearthed from. The nothingness outside made him think of himself, completely unaware of what he was really about to encounter. He wondered if the children in their stay at the Abbey had felt the same way, lost, alone and scared. He hoped desperately that his grandfather was telling the truth, and that their involvement was only financial and Soichiro had been entirely unaware of the true goings on at the Abbey. A shiver ran down his spine, and it wasn’t entirely from the cold. 

Kai jolted out of his inner musings, and turned his attention to the box of thick folders his driver had placed on the seat opposite him. Hitoshi had sent him only physical hard copies, no electronic media. If Kai’s laptop got stolen or hacked, anyone would have access to sensitive information and it wasn’t worth the risk. Moreover, if by a bad twist of luck the court subpoenaed their documents, emails and correspondence as evidence, at least crucial details wouldn’t be served on a silver platter. 

Unclasping the first folder, Kai found yellowing pages of hand and typewritten bank statements and transaction records, all in Russian. Trailing his eyes over the Cyrillic letters, he quickly found Boris’ name and the monthly payments made to him through ‘Hiwatari Charitable Trust’. Always the same amount and always on the first of every month for a few years until the payments stopped abruptly and completely, he discovered after leafing through them, jotting down the total amount in a corner at the back of the last page. Kai’s brow furrowed at the number. It was not an insignificant amount of money, but in the grand scheme of things, it was trivial to the Hiwataris. Kai spent more on clothes every year. Soichiro had been right, it was nowhere near enough to declare them major financial contributors to the organization the way the media was claiming. 

Kai opened the next folder. Hitoshi had downloaded and printed out articles from Russian newspapers that ran the story. Hitoshi didn’t speak a word of Russian and had either run the websites through a translator program, or asked Russian-speaking interns for help. Unfortunately, his efforts had given mixed results. Some articles were relevant, but others focused on Moscow’s Orthodox churches and abbeys, nothing about what Kai currently needed. Sighing, Kai sorted through them, put away the unrelated papers, and focused on the ones that could give him the information he needed. 

Some articles had photos of the actual Abbey, and it only served to confuse Kai even more. The cost of maintaining that massive building alone would have made the Hiwatari donation seem ridiculous. Surely, the Abbey had benefited from more generous sponsors throughout its history. 

Halfway through the folder, Kai had barely found anything he didn’t know already. Some articles indicated an address, some pointed out that the Abbey was a historical landmark, but most of them focused on sensationalizing the news, just like the Japanese and international media had. 

Kai rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Bracing himself for more of the same insignificant details, he began reading through the rest of the articles. 

Finally, his efforts began to pay off - he found a photo of Balkov, clearly an old one. The man looked the same as Kai remembered him, the same piercing, heavy hooded eyes and grimace etched deep into his face. The longer he looked at the photo, the more uncomfortable he got. It was the eyes, they somehow looked lifeless in the photo, lacking all emotion, and Kai felt like they were staring at him. 

Slamming that paper face down harder than necessary, Kai turned his attention to the next article, and his blood ran a little cold. The lifeless eyes of Boris were staring back up at him again, except he hadn't been photographed alone this time. Four young boys stood in front of him, their features blurry from the poor quality of the photo, their identical hard expressions very unnatural on teenage boys. Kai had only seen these kinds of expressions before on soldiers in documentaries or on serious crime survivors being interviewed, but never on boys that young. Perhaps there was some basis to the rumour of abused children. 

Kai studied the photo some more, Balkov had his hands placed protectively on the shoulders of one of them. The boy Balkov was holding looked thin, but it was hard to tell if he was underfed from the thick layers of his clothing. His hair was unusual, painstakingly styled into the shape of triangular horns at the back of his head, maybe in an effort to look more threatening. Kai couldn’t read his eyes, but the face was soft, even with the sharp angular lines of his cheekbones.

Kai had only met Balkov a few times, and spoken with him even fewer times but it was enough for him to have developed a strong, unshakeable feeling in his gut that the only thing that man cared to protect was himself, and was not to be trusted. Kai had learned his people reading skills from Soichiro, and part of him wondered how his grandfather had made such a grave error in judgement and had trusted a man such as Boris enough to do business with him, and even allowed the man into their home on occasion. Taking his eyes off the picture, Kai turned his attention to the headline. 

Boris the Blade: Moscow team, Borg, set for Western Russia regional Beyblade championship, Coach Balkov certain of victory. 

Kai’s eyebrows lifted, unsure of what surprised him more. The fact that grandfather was funding an academy that had a beyblade team, a decidedly children’s sport, or that the strange, creepy man was deemed fit to coach a team, any team at all.

Kai hadn’t beybladed often. He used to play with his father, Susumu, when he was a child. His father had been a good beyblader and was passionate about the game, so much that he had let it consume him. As some people become addicted to gambling, his father became addicted to his hobby. At one point, Soichiro had been forced to take the difficult decision to fire Susumu from the company. The blow must have been terrible, because Kai had not seen his father ever since, and Soichiro had banned even the mention of beyblades in the manor. 

It was then strange that Soichiro, who had cast away his own son for the greater good, had been unable to feel Balkov’s nauseating aura. Kai remembered his own sport coaches from his school days. Most of them had been strict, but encouraging and fair, qualities he didn’t see Balkov capable of possessing. 

Reading the article, Kai found that it mostly just sang praises of Balkov, lauding him for putting together a team of ‘troubled youths and orphaned children’, giving them 'constructive direction in life', teaching them important skills such as teamwork and stress management. The article only mentioned the Abbey once in relation to a training centre, but nothing more. From this angle, the beyblade team looked more and more like a cheap PR stunt, a creative way of seeking more donations. Kai set it aside, not without a final look to Balkov and his robotic proteges.

The next article was from a few weeks ago. It featured a photo of four men, three of whom looked to be around his own age and one fairly younger, perhaps in his early twenties. The title gave every detail Kai needed. Horror Abbey Case: Four Witnesses Called to Testify. Their names were not printed in the article - it simply said they had staunchly refused to comment - and their connection to the case was kept vague. Kai supposed they were the former students so often mentioned.

Kai pulled out the last folder out of the box, the one at the bottom. A very thin one that only held three pieces of paper. Grabbing them all out at once, he realized they were photographs, stored carefully between pieces of delicate parchment paper. He wasn’t certain when they had been taken, but judging by the image quality, they weren’t recent. 

The first one was a plain outside shot of the Abbey. The second one was a picture of the childrens’ dormitories, probably the one that was supposed to be renovated using their donation. Kai sighed in relief. Nothing groundbreaking here.

The third one was a group of about ten boys, most in their mid-teens, all wearing fingerless gloves and warm athletic clothing. Holding stern expressions, eyes either angry or vacant and their fists tightly clenched by their sides, as if massively uncomfortable that they had to pose at all. Searching their faces, Kai spotted the four men from the previous newspaper article. He briefly wondered if someone had bribed them to make a statement and quickly dismissed the thought, as it felt unjust and macabre in this situation. They had been through hell and came back to talk about it. Sooner rather than later he would have to speak to them to find out what was going on, preferably before the trial began.

He turned over the photograph to put behind the pile he was holding when something on the back of it caught his eye. 

In a neat, large scrawl were written the words, 

These are the best and the strongest of our academy. Final selection will be completed tomorrow. 

Kai’s eyes narrowed a little as he read the words, wondering why Balkov would bother to send his grandfather such a picture. What selection was this? A beyblade team selection perhaps? Why would his grandfather care about a PR stunt, especially involving a sport he evidently hated so much?

Allowing his eyes to flutter close once he had exhausted all the information he had been given, Kai laid his head back, wrapping himself in the scarf as he tried to get more comfortable. 

His sleep was peppered with vivid nightmares. Children looking lost and scared, their faces blurred but one boy in particular was clear, an amalgam his brain had made from all the photos he'd seen. Aleksander, he decided to name him. Vague and distant voices called out for help to Kai, who shifted uncomfortably in the plush leather seat in his sleep.  

He only woke up a few minutes before landing, and was too tired to change.

The stamp in his passport was still wet when the police found him. 

A person in plain clothing stepped right in his way as he was heading towards the airport exit. 

“Kai Hiwatari?” she asked, and only then Kai understood that this was not at all by accident. The woman he was looking at had bright green eyes and long, dark hair tied up in a high ponytail. Kai couldn’t help but notice she was stunning. 

This was bad. She was probably a reporter with good sources. Kai attempted to ignore her, but the woman followed him through the arrival area and quickly got back to his level.

“My name is Mariam Shields,” she said in a voice that meant business. “I am from the Moscow Criminal Department. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.” 

Kai slowed down. The police? Now this was worse.

“Can I see your badge?” Kai asked in a voice he wanted annoyed.

Mariam pulled her badge out of her pocket and showed it to him briefly. Kai nodded. “So is this an official police interrogation?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Mariam replied unfazed, “I just have a few questions. Am I right in assuming that you are here because of your family’s involvement in the Balkov case?” 

They stepped out into the fresh, cold Spring air that was enriched by the smell of gasoline. A few taxis were lining up, and a bit further away Kai saw the black Mercedes that the company had sent to pick him up. 

“I am in Moscow for business,” he replied, “Which, of course, also means that I will have a look at this whole… affair eventually.”

From the corner of his eye, Kai saw the chauffeur of the Mercedes waving at him. He walked towards the car, but Mariam Shields was apparently not done.

“Don’t you find it strange that a Japanese multinational would be involved with a Russian orphanage?”

Kai accelerated his pace and got to the car at last. The driver picked up his suitcases and Kai opened the back door. 

“I have no further comments to make. Talk to our lawyer for details,” Kai added, and without a last look at the detective, he entered the car and locked the door behind him.

Chapter Text

The Moscow office of Hiwatari Enterprises was much more modest than the headquarters in Tokyo. Albeit located in the city centre, right off the Noviy Arbat, the building was a relic from the 60s, a free-standing, prefabricated block, 7 stories high with tiny windows and rendering of the color of acid rain. Kai took some solace in the fact that in about two years the whole office would move to Moscow City, the brand new “Russian Manhattan”, just a few kilometres to the West, right at the banks of the Moskva river. Apart from that small patch of New-York-esque skyline, Moscow was a flat city. The broad Prospekt-streets with the relatively low buildings to each side always amazed him, as well as the impolite behavior of everyone living here. 

Pavel Mikhailovich Demidov, the head of the Russian legal department, was fortunately more accustomed to Japanese customs . He had been working for Hiwatari Enterprises for almost ten years now and was married to a Japanese woman . Kai knew him personally, as they had met numerous times before, usually on more pleasant occasions.

Being a gentleman at heart, he greeted Kai as if this was a day like any other, and offered tea. Kai wanted to decline, but quickly changed his mind. Pavel Mikhailovich handed him a cup of strong black tea with lemon juice, which was very different from his usual tea experience but the right thing after last night. It was 7 in the morning and he was running on roughly three hours of sleep and a few cookies the stewardess had found. He briefly thought back to his date yesterday which already felt ages ago. 

He was let into a room with wooden paneling that gave off a somewhat warm atmosphere. Instead of talking across the big desk they sat down in some kind of lounge area on leather seats that were flanked by two ribbon plants in huge pots. On the low table between them lay a few folders similar to the ones Kai brought with him. 

“So,” Kai started, “How has it been since… Well, everything.” 

Pavel Mikhailovich cleared his throat, he didn’t seem to know where to begin. “ The last days have been … very surprising, to say the least. Nobody could’ve expected things would get out of hand so quickly.”

“I wasn’t aware the situation got out of hand already?” Kai raised his eyebrows and Pavel Mikhailovich’s wrinkled face showed something that could have been distress. “Well, it’s bad enough that you have been sent here, Sir,” he answered. 

“Touché. So what are we dealing with?” 

“Well.” Another small cough. Pavel Mikhailovich grabbed one of the folders and opened it. “So far we have an ongoing investigation, mainly against Boris Nikolaevich Balkov as the head of the former institution known as “Balkov Abbey”. Prosecutor is the city of Moscow. Authorities are currently building a case. Balkov has been found and brought into custody. As you know, Hiwatari Enterprises has been identified as a former sponsor of the Abbey. Currently, it is unlikely that we will be seriously involved in the case. However, it is very possible we’ll have to testify in court in the near future.”

“Then we should show the court we have nothing to hide,” Kai said. 

Pavel Mikhailovich’s eye twitched and he added uncomfortably, “That would be my advice, too. However, Mr. Hiwatari Sr. clearly instructed me not to share any information whatsoever with the authorities until we are served a subpoena .” 

Kai could not hold back from scrunching his nose. “I don’t understand. Why am I here, then?” 

“If I may, Sir.” Pavel Mikhailovich shifted in his seat. “You being seen here will be a sign that Hiwatari Enterprises is taking this seriously and that it is in our interest to solve this … misunderstanding. However, I would advise not talking to the press or the authorities about any details. Stay in the background and only act in case something goes sideways. Right now we act as if the trial will evolve without any serious involvement of Hiwatari Enterprises.” 

“Right.” To say Kai was confused was an understatement. Why on earth did Soichiro make him stay up all night to travel to Russia - only to sit around with his hands folded on his lap? The only thing he could think of was that the whole issue was about to blow up in the media, and he had to be here to throw his weight around if necessary. 

“Listen,” Kai finally said, “I am not here to waste my time. I have a ton of work waiting for me in Japan. No matter what my grandfather thinks, I think I should prepare for an eventual confrontation. I want facts. You are probably aware that I know nothing about that case.”

The lawyer chuckled. “And how would you, Sir, you were a child yourself when Balkov was head of the Abbey. ” 

“Yes.” Kai hesitated. “Speaking of children… Who are these guys that the prosecution found? The witnesses? Do you have any information on them?” 

To his surprise, a dry grin spread out on Pavel Mikhailovich’s face. “I knew you’d ask for them eventually. Yes, we do have some information.” He reached for another folder and started leafing through it. After a short pause, he spread out a dozen pieces of paper on the table. Kai bent forward. There were pictures of the four men whose faces he already knew from the newspaper article. These pictures were more recent, all taken outside and clearly without the subject knowing they were being photographed . The lawyer also handed four profile sheets to Kai.

“I had a private investigator doing some research,” Pavel Mikhailovich explained with pride . “He found all four of them, and it wasn’t even that hard.” 

The lawyer picked a picture in the batch. “This one here is Sergeij Konstantinovich Rybakov.” 

The face Kai was looking at had a square jaw, flat nose and a high forehead. Blond hair and bluish grey eyes. According to the profile the guy was huge, but he didn’t look like your usual muscle man. His gaze was attentive, alert.

While he was looking at the photo, Pavel Mikhailovich went on: “Rybakov is 30 years old and works at a construction firm. No criminal record whatsoever. None of them have one , by the way. He went to college here in Moscow, paid for it with one or two jobs, got his degree at 25. According to his social media, he just got engaged to his girlfriend of two years .” 

Pavel Mikhailovich showed Kai a few more pictures of Sergei. One of him having coffee with a tall blonde woman, the other one a graduation picture taken five years ago.

Kai nodded, and Pavel Mikhailovich went on to the next set of pictures. The second guy was the youngest one, Kai remembered . He had messy dark hair and piercing eyes. One picture showed him playing on his phone in the subway, the other one was taken at a social event, Kai couldn’t guess what.

“Ivan Petrovich Papov. He is 26 , an engineering student. Top of his class. He worked odd jobs before going to university. Has a few aliases in various online communities , but nothing concerning. Rarely leaves his place, so we don’t have much on him. But one time he almost caught the investigator, so we think they know we’ve been following them . After that… incident, it became harder to sneak up on them. He is also the most tragic case, if I may say so myself . We think he got into the Abbey when he was still a toddler, so he might only have memories of that from his childhood.” 

Pavel Mikhailovich gave him a few seconds to digest the latest details and then went to the next pile of pictures.

“This is Bryan Petrovich Kuznetsov,” said Pavel Mikhailovich. The photo showed a man with the aura of a rogue. He was the only one that was smiling. His hair was some shade of ash blond and his eyes a clear grey. His nose, however, clearly had been broken at some point. The next picture showed him jogging in lighter clothing , and one could see he had muscular arms and a broad chest with a tattoo peeking out of his tank top. 

“This one looks like he means trouble,” Kai said and thus spoke his thoughts out loud by accident. 

“Well, yes, good observation. A few years ago, he used to be known by the police for his bar fighting skills and drunken antics, but he has calmed down since. He works in a car workshop, but not as your usual mechanic. Apparently he is a car IT specialist or something, working only with luxury vehicles. However, he also participates in boxing matches for money. Seems to have quite a temper that, according to the investigator, is hard to control, unless…” And with this, Pavel Mikhailovich pointed at the last paper, “this guy is around.” 

“Whoa.” The word escaped Kai’s mouth before he could stop himself. 

Pavel Mikhailovich chuckled. “That’s what I thought, too. It’s the eyes, huh?!” 

“It’s… everything,” Kai whispered. In the newspaper, the pictures had been black and white so there was no way he could’ve known that the fourth guy had not only astonishingly blue eyes but also intense red hair that probably made him stand out in crowds everywhere he went. After the rather plain features of his three companions, the contrast almost hurt the eye. 

Kai went to the next picture and he stopped breathing. The red-haired man was looking straight at the camera, and there was not a single doubt he knew he was being photographed. The look on his face said two things: One, I am smarter than you , and two, don’t fuck with me . 

“Yuriy Dmitrovich Ivanov,” Pavel Mikhailovich said. “He and Kuznetsov live together down in Lyublino. Ivanov works for an aviation company, but we’re not certain what he’s doing exactly. As for the rest… he’s a mystery. No social media, no known romantic relationships. Back when the Abbey had a beyblade team, he was the captain. If this group has a leader of some sorts, it’s him.”

“So if I want to get some information from them,” Kai said, thinking out loud, “I need to get to him first.” 

“I would assume so,” Pavel Mikhailovich said. “ Is that your plan , sir?” 

“Well, regardless of what my grandfather says, I need to get a good picture of the situation. And it looks like our new best friends here have a lot to say about the Abbey.” 

"Indeed, sir. I would agree with you here, attack is sometimes the best defense. Which brings me to my last point. Your grandfather wanted me to give you this…" With that, he bent over the armrest of his chair and pulled up a small plastic case that must have stood there the whole time, out of Kai's field of vision. Pavel Mikhailovich handed him the case that was heavier than he expected.

It contained a gun. 

Kai stared at the weapon, not knowing what to say. 

"Do you know how to shoot?" Pavel Mikhailovich asked in a fatherly voice. 

"Y-yes," Kai managed to answer. It was true, even though he only ever shot for sports. 

"I have to advise you to only make use of it if necessary. This is an unregistered gun, so we don't want the authorities to find it with you. But your grandfather insisted you have it for… Self-defense."

Kai gulped. Self-defense? What on earth did Kai have to defend himself from? 

Kai knew Soichiro wouldn’t be happy.

He had decided it didn’t matter.

Soichiro was rarely happy. He was a cold, hard man, with the emotional range of a teaspoon. He was either angry, annoyed, or indifferent. Kai had rarely seen him display joy and he wasn’t certain if it was because Soichiro hid his emotions or didn’t feel any. However, Kai knew this trial pissed him off more than he would admit in front of his grandson.

Soichiro hated to lose face, to look like a fool in public. More than losing money, he feared the public losing trust in his company. He had ordered Kai to lay low to not sabotage the fragile status quo they had reached.

Hence, he would be furious if he learned that Kai intended to visit the key witnesses.

Kai, on the other hand, was convinced the best way to expedite this trial was by getting answers from people who had them and then prove that in this instance, Hiwatari Enterprises was not in the known. Perhaps they would end up paying a fine, but a fine was better than being found guilty of crimes against humanity.

This is why on this beautiful Saturday morning, Kai had found himself far from his hotel, paying a surprise visit to two of the witnesses his lawyer had so carefully investigated on: the criminal-looking dude and his red-haired roommate. It made sense to reach out to the former team captain first. Kai had made Pavel Mikhailovich promise to not disclose this little excursion to Soichiro, and the lawyer had agreed. 

Kai didn’t know what he expected the neighborhood to look like. Moscow was a huge city, but he had never been to Lyublino. The district was located at the southeast border of the city, not as far out as Novomoskovsky or Troitsky, but still a good 30 minute subway ride to get there from his hotel. People didn’t make this ride for sightseeing, as there were hardly any sights. This was a pure living area, a dormitory town. Multilane highways connected the quarters that were formed mostly by Pyatietazhki, run-down five-level houses from the Soviet era. A bit closer to the train stations arose islands of newer high-rise buildings, up to 12 or 15 levels, that looked less ragged. 

The address Pavel Mkhailovich had given him led to one of those newer buildings. Kai was not surprised; it seemed like the former Abbey boys had managed to carve out decent careers. 

Exiting the elevator, Kai stepped out onto the floor, the sound of his footsteps absorbed into the thin carpet. He glanced down at the piece of paper Pavel had handed him :

Yuriy Dmitrievich Ivanov and Bryan Petrovich Kuznetsov,
tenth floor,
apartment number 1004

As he walked, thoughts of everything he’d read and shown came back in flashes in his mind, as well as the dream he had of the little boy being taken away by menacing looking guards. The closer he got to his destination, the louder the muffled sound of music appeared to become. Realizing it was coming from the apartment he was looking for, Kai took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn’t be crashing an early party. The meeting was going to be uncomfortable enough without an audience. Reaching the door, Kai knocked sharply, twice with his knuckles, and waited. Getting no response, he rang the doorbell. 

The sound of heavy footsteps came from the other end, and the door was yanked open. Kai was met with a tall, broad figure with ash blonde hair and not at all dressed for the cold weather outside. 

Kai recognized him immediately.

Bryan Kuznetsov, who quickly scanned over Kai’s person, looked a lot less intimidating in the flesh. 

“You’re not pizza,” Bryan said in Russian, with a lopsided grin as if impressed by his own astute observation, leaning with his weight on the partially opened door. 

Kai raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. Not the angry reception he was expecting.

“I’m Kai Hiwatari.” Kai said in English.   

The grin wiped from his face and Bryan’s face flashed with unfiltered anger when Kai’s name registered.  

“You and your family can fuck off,” Bryan shouted. His English wasn’t fluent, but he knew more than enough to swear, especially at a Hiwatari. “Why the fuck are you even here?” 

That was more like it, that was the reception Kai had expected. Exactly as Pavel had predicted. Unfazed, Kai carried on. 

“Is your captain, Yuriy Dmitrievich, home?” Kai said, remembering to refer to Yuriy formally like he'd been advised and then slipping his hands in his pockets, trying to appear as relaxed as possible, 

“What?” Bryan just got louder. 

“What’s with the shouting, Borya?” Another voice came from inside the apartment, getting closer to the door, asking the question in Russian. 

“It’s a Hiwatari bastard ,” Bryan practically hissed in response to the question, still maintaining eye contact with Kai as he tilted his head towards the person to whom the voice belonged. 

Kai didn’t have to wait long to see who it was. Long fingers gripped the door and pushed it open wider, and then he appeared before him. 

Yuriy Dmitrivich Ivanov. The photo Kai had been shown hadn’t even come close to  encapsulating just how intense this man was in person. The bright red hair against the stark contrast of his pale skin was even more striking in person. His sparkling blue eyes situated on high cheekbones that framed his face only served to highlight the intensity of the gaze that was locked on Kai. He stood in front of Bryan, partially shielding him from Kai’s view. 

Kai and Yuriy locked eyes, sizing each other up for a moment in silence. Yuriy looked down at him, a couple centimeters taller than Kai. 

"I'm Kai Hiwatari," Kai introduced himself once again, breaking the silence, stopping himself from holding out his hand as he cast a quick glance at the threshold of the door. Pavel had been thoughtful enough to give him a quick refresher of Russian superstitions. 

'Because of who you are, they will probably not invite you inside for tea. In any case, don't shake hands across the threshold. It's believed to bring bad luck . Don’t give them more reasons to distrust you. ' Pavel had told him. 

"What do you want?" Yuriy crossed his arms across his chest. His English wasn’t as harsh as Bryan’s and his tone wasn’t as aggressive. Cold, but intrigued.

Before Kai could answer, Bryan leaned closer to Yuriy, cold stare locked on Kai. 

"Looks like he'd be more at home performing magic tricks in front of a crowd," Bryan murmured to Yuriy in Russian, who clenched his jaw, struggling to keep a straight face at the remark. 

Kai cast a brief glance down at his clothes. Crushed velvet purple turtleneck and plain black woolen trousers, deerskin black leather jacket, admittedly on the glossier side. He didn't understand the problem, the purple brought out his eyes, and he’d toned down his clothes to make a good first impression. 

"And you'd be most comfortable collecting shells at the beach," Kai shot back in Russian, eyeing Bryan's tank top and shorts. 

Biting on the inside of his cheek, Yuriy tried to hold back a laugh, but the corners of his mouth twitched. 

Clearing his throat, Yuriy switched to Russian. "Why are you here?" 

"I'd like to talk with you,” answered Kai with the same neutral tone.

Bryan snorted behind him, gearing up to start yelling once more at Kai. Yuriy stepped forward and out of the apartment before Bryan could open his mouth, pulling the door shut behind him. 

A silence fell. Kai observed the corridor where they were standing. He could hear children playing and a dog was barking next door. The current setting was far from ideal in terms of privacy. They would have to go elsewhere.

"Yuriy Dmitrivich-" Kai began. 

"Don't call me that!" Yuriy snapped, evidently offended by the hollow formality. Collecting himself at the slight confusion in Kai's face, he spoke again, "Just Yuriy is fine." 

"Okay then. Yuriy , do you think we can sit down and talk somewhere else ?"

Yuriy raised an eyebrow. “ Why? "

“Just talk,” Kai said with a vague hand gesture.

“I have nothing to say to you, or to your family,” Yuriy said, staring him down, “If you wanna talk , call my lawyer.”

Kai sighed. He had expected this. Any other reaction would have been surprising. Fortunately, he had prepared.

“How old are you, Yuriy?” Kai knew the answer to that already, but he needed to get to a certain point and this was the easiest opening he had thought of.

“29. Why?" Yuriy's tone was still icy. Kai understood he wasn't pleased about having to deal with the trial and now the Hiwataris, especially since the trial was going to force them to face the public to air out the story of their suffering to the world. It needed a lot of courage, especially because he was forced to do it against his will. 

“You’re older than I am, so you understand I was not, and couldn’t have been personally involved in...the events of the Abbey." Kai began his practiced speech, trying to keep his words as neutral as possible. 

“ Your family was .” Yuriy stood with his arms still crossed across his chest. 

The sense of discomfort and uncertainty Kai had been feeling the entire plane ride swirled in his stomach again. The more time he was here, the worse the feeling got and Kai couldn't pinpoint the reason for it. 

Kai sighed. “Look… I don’t know what happened. A few days ago, I didn’t know that place existed at all. I am trying to make some sense of the situation… and I can’t blindly believe everything my family is telling me.”

Those last words seemed to hit something in Yuriy. The ocean eyes lit up. Kai knew he had to play his cards with care, as the next words could make or break the proposal.

“No one knows I am here,” Kai added in a whisper, as if revealing a terrible secret, “I am trying to keep this... off the record.”

Finally, after seconds that passed like minutes, Yuriy gave in. “What do you want?”

“One meeting is all I’m asking, ten minutes of your time, and then we never have to speak to each other again or even see each other outside of court.” 

Yuriy clenched his jaw, his sparkling eyes narrowing at Kai for a long moment as he contemplated the offer, before he finally threw his hands up in the air. 

“Fine, one meeting,” Yuriy said, holding up one finger. 

"One meeting," Kai repeated, holding out his hand for a handshake . Casting a glance down at it, Yuriy took it slowly but firmly. Cold, strong fingers wrapped around Kai’s warm ones.

Kai didn’t flinch.

“Give me your number,” Yuriy said, withdrawing his hand from Kai's grasp and pulling out his phone from his pocket. 

Kai nodded briefly. Kai hadn’t memorized the new number he’d been given, but Pavel had had the foresight of printing it out for him on a business card. Reaching into his pocket, Kai handed it to him, and then pulled out his own phone. 

"What's yours?" 

Yuriy shook his head and slowly reached for the door knob of his apartment.

“I will get in touch with you when it’s convenient for me to talk, and you can have your ten minutes. Nothing more.” Yuriy said as he pushed open the door, harder than necessary. Bryan, who was still standing on the other side almost got slammed by the opening door, jumping away just in time, clearly having eavesdropped on their conversation. 

“What’s this then?” Bryan asked, to no one in particular.

“That’s a door, genius,” Kai said before he could stop himself and turned on his heel to leave. He could have sworn he heard a laugh as the door shut, and it sounded like Yuriy's. 

He'd had his first victory. 

Chapter Text

In the week that followed his visit to Yuriy and Bryan, Kai barely got out of his hotel room. He had long calls with Hitoshi and Soichiro and took care of work matters. Soichiro explicitly forbade him from talking to Yuriy and his guys, so Kai didn’t mention the fact that he had already met them and was relieved that Pavel Mikhailovich kept his promise. He awaited communication from Yuriy’s side with the impatience of a child, but the red-haired man had apparently decided Kai wasn’t a top priority.

The Horror Abbey was on everyone’s lips. Rarely had a trial captivated Russian citizens to this extent. Kai had only been in Moscow for a few days, but everywhere he went, the topic followed him like a dark shadow. Even the hotel concierge had asked him if he was in town for it.

There were, thankfully, no new scary details, so the same ones got recycled over and over. Chains on the wall. Surgery tools. Whips. A teddy bear found in a dungeon. Several shallow graves full of child-sized bones.

The media had kept themselves busy by interviewing experts of all kinds, probing them on their opinions and insights. Should Balkov be tried for neglect, or murder? Was it psychologically safe for the former students to testify in court? Was this Abbey a symptom of profound issues in Russian society, or an anomaly to be condemned?

All these rumors culminated in the first day in court. The press was surprisingly calm on the day the trial started. The news was almost free from sensational headlines. However, at the courthouse several news vans were parked, and journalists occupied the front stairs, ready to pull everyone they’d get in front of the cameras.

Inevitably, Kai had to use a side entrance to get in. He was everything but eager to be recognized and confronted by the media. Although he couldn’t say how well he was known in Russia, he was sure some people would make the connection. 

As he took his seat in the back of the courtroom, Kai reflected that the massive hype probably explained why the trial started so fast. The public, just like the justice system, wanted answers, and not wait another decade for them.

The courtroom filled itself in a matter of minutes, and the session started at 1 pm sharp. The judge, a woman in her sixties with salt and pepper hair and dark, alert eyes, spoke with the sharp clear voice of people who aren’t looking to waste time. 

The first people to testify were the city workers who had opened the Abbey. They described what they found in great details. One even assured he saw ghosts and the judge had to remind them they were looking for facts. Pictures were shown, some had been in the news, others hadn’t. A collective shiver went through the audience when the court showed skeletal remains.

A forensic anthropologist confirmed the bones were humans and belonged to children, none having been identified so far. The causes of deaths were diverse, and ranged from fractured cervicals to diseases. But not everything could be determined by the bones alone. There was almost no tissue left, so the core of evidence was lost to time. Dental records of missing kids were currently being examined. However, as the anthropologist reminded the audience, no one could guarantee right now that the bones found and the Abbey were indeed linked. Perhaps an unknown serial killer had been using the place to hide their victims.

A collective murmur ran through the assembly.

Gruesome details aside, the first day ended up being pretty boring. Kai should have known that the media had sensationalized many discoveries. Not only the bones couldn’t be for sure linked to the Abbey, but the torture chambers weren’t torture chambers either. The pictures showed large rooms with medical equipment. Creepy, for sure, but better than the medieval dungeons Kai had been expecting.

His Russian legal jargon not being great, Kai was happy that he managed to understand most of what was going on without the easy access to Google translate on his phone. Just like everyone else, he had been forced to leave his precious device outside the courtroom.

Overall, Kai didn’t learn anything of concern to him. If anything, he felt reassured. The city of Moscow had a lot of pieces of evidence, but very few explanations to offer. Perhaps the Abbey had been used by criminals for their own unsavory crimes way after the school itself had been shut down? After all, the building had been left to rot for years. Kai even started to hope that this whole situation would burn out and die on its own without impacting Hiwatari Enterprises.

It was dark outside by the time he left the courtroom. Feeling too tired to wait for his chauffeur, he hailed a cab and let himself fall on the backseat, pressed to come back to his hotel room, order food, and sleep. For the first time in hours, he glanced at his phone.

Blood froze in his veins.

Soichiro had called him eleven times.

Hoping nothing awful had happened, Kai quickly called him back and Soichiro answered after half a ring.

“What took you so long?” said a booming voice at the other end of the line.

“You can’t have your phone in a courtroom,” Kai reminded his grandfather.

His answer was greeted by silence. After a while, Soichiro cleared his throat and in a calmer tone, asked Kai to provide a full recap of the day.

Kai sighed, trying to put his thoughts in order. He told Soichiro everything he could remember, from the children bones identification, to the torture chambers that ended up not being what they seemed to be. Kai attempted to be reassuring, to position himself as bearer of great news.

However, Soichiro didn’t share his optimism. He reminded Kai to be cautious, to not speak to anyone, and to stay clear of the press.

Finally, Kai asked the question that had been simmering in his mind for the past hours. “Why am I even here? Hiwatari Enterprises wasn’t mentioned at all today. The facts are pointing towards organized crime. I am not needed here.”

Soichiro dismissed his concerns, “On the contrary, dear Kai, if the facts are pointing towards organized crime, you have even more reasons to stay in Russia.”

“Are we best friends with the Russian mob now?”

“Kai, stop being dramatic,” Soichiro said, his voice stirred with agitation, “I have information that you do not have and that I cannot share. You need to trust me. Don’t you trust me anymore?”

Kai sighed. “Of course I trust you, grandfather.”

“Good. Then do as I say and nothing bad will happen. Do not let the media, or anyone else, put ideas in your head. Understood?”

“Right.”

Kai rolled his eyes. What did Soichiro expect? That Kai would jump on the next piece of yellow press and become a firm believer in conspiracy theories regarding the Abbey? Before he could ask further questions, Soichiro hung up without so much as a good-bye. Kai released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

His hunger had fully dissipated. Now, he just wanted to sleep and forget this whole trial existed. The next few days promised to be bleak. His grandfather was basically asking him to save the company’s reputation without having access to any of the key details. Kai was a puppet.

Kai sank back in the leather seat and closed his eyes.

When he came back to reality, he was almost at his hotel and three new text messages waited for him. The first one was from Hitoshi, asking when he was expected to be back, as he himself was swamped with work. The second one was from Hiromi, asking about the first day of the trial.

The third made his heart skip a beat.

The text, from an unknown Russian number, lit the screen like a headlight.
Hey magician. If you still feel like talking, tomorrow 8:30 am. I am feeling generous, so I can give you fifteen minutes.

His fingers trembling, Kai answered Yuriy’s message.

Just tell me where.

Yuriy had agreed to meet Kai in a popular cafe near Belorusskaya. Kai didn’t know why the redhead had chosen this neighborhood, but he didn’t care enough to ask.

When Kai arrived, the place was packed with clients waiting in line for their morning caffeine fix. Fortunately, few had chosen to sit, so Kai picked a table close to the window, slightly hidden from the main entrance, and patiently waited for his guest.

He had been thinking about Yuriy a lot more than he would care to admit. Perhaps it was guilt. No matter how insignificant the Hiwatari family’s donations had been, their money had potentially contributed to making the man’s childhood miserable. It didn’t help at all that they were the same age, because Kai could not keep himself from thinking: What if he had been in that situation? Living in an old Abbey instead of enjoying the comforts that the Hiwatari manor had to offer?

But there seemed more to it. He didn’t remember that Kuznetsov guy that well after all. Maybe it was a certain fascination with the character. Yuriy wasn’t a man easy to forget. 

Or maybe Kai was slowly developing the same morbid fascination as Hiromi for crimes.

Kai’s musings got interrupted by a red spot in his field of vision. He raised his head. Yuriy had just entered the coffee shop. His piercing eyes scanned the place to finally fall on Kai. Kai’s chest tightened, and it wasn’t from stress.

Yuriy smiled imperceptibly. He then closed the space between them and plopped himself on the chair in front of Kai, a mocking grin plastered across his pale face.

“How was yesterday, Hiwatari?”

Of course he was talking about the trial. 

Kai took a moment to observe the man in front of him. Yuriy had switched the t-shirt and sweatpants he wore last time for a pair of dark jeans, black boots, and a simple long-sleeved grey shirt. All retail, generic. Yuriy’s coat had visibly seen a few seasons already, judging by the mismatched buttons and the faint salt stains on the hem.

Yuriy was scrutinizing him too, and Kai wondered what impression he gave off. Today, Kai had opted for dark pants and a blue t-shirt, hoping to convey friendly vibes. To show that he too, was accessible.

“Not exactly the part I came for,” Kai answered sarcastically, remembering the pictures of opened graves.

Pressed to start their discussion, Kai rose up.  “I’m getting coffee. Want anything?”

Yuriy shook his head. “No thanks.”

“I am offering,” Kai insisted.

“I don’t need your pity,” Yuriy said coldly.

Kai shrugged, and tilted his head to the side, “Just tell yourself refusing will hurt my fragile Japanese sensitivity.

The joke seemed to ease Yuriy’s mood and he offered a tentative smile. Something inside Kai danced. Second victory.

“Tea, then,” Yuriy said. “Any kind. Don’t spit in it.”

Kai rolled his eyes and made his way to the counter. He ordered a cappuccino for himself, and a green tea the barista recommended. Then, he brought the drinks back to their table. Yuriy hadn’t moved an inch.

Yuriy’s eyes scanned him as Kai placed the drinks on the table. Kai wondered if this man had any notion of how intense his stare could be.

Kai pointed at the cup of tea, “It’s Japanese sencha. I thought it was… appropriate.”

Yuriy cut the politeness short. “You wanted to talk. I am here. I left home early just so we could meet.”

Kai took a sip of his coffee. “I don’t intend on wasting your time. I want to know what you know.”

Yuriy’s liquid eyes moved rapidly, examining Kai’s face. Finally, he said, “I know a lot of things.”

Kai frowned. Yuriy wasn’t the talkative type either. This would be a challenge. Kai had never been a people person and he wasn’t easily trusted. Yuriy Ivanov would be no exception.

“You know my last name,” Kai sighed, “I think you can guess what I want to know .”

Yuriy’s lips stretched in a mocking smile. “Yesterday’s experts didn’t reassure you? You’ve heard the defense, maybe Moscow has its own Jack the Ripper.”

Kai exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had pondered on this the entire night and had reached his own conclusion. “Don’t treat me like I am an idiot. I wouldn’t have been shipped urgently to Moscow if Hiwatari Enterprises had reasons to think this was a joke. We get sued every year and most of the time, I am not involved at all. This trial is a ticking time bomb and I’m in damage prevention mode. I need the truth.”

Yuriy leaned back on the narrow chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Kai had been blunt and he could see his honesty was making its way to Yuriy.

Finally, the redhead asked, “You wanna know how much blood your family has on their hands?”

“I want to know how much they knew,” Kai said, lowering his voice, “especially my grandfather. I saw that their financial contribution was minimal but… some details do not add up.”

Yuriy gave a dismissive hand gesture. “I cannot talk about the finances. We didn’t have access to this information. But I can assure you, your dear grandpapa knew exactly what was going on. I am sure of it.”

“How can you be so sure? You were a child,” Kai protested.

A sadistic glint went through Yuriy’s eyes. “I was a child. Then a teenager. I met your grandfather so often over the years that I knew him by name. And him… He saw us train. He saw us suffer. He was there when I was put in an artificial coma before being plunged in a tank full of some superdrug Boris had invented. His face was the first thing I saw when I woke up, I thought I had died and ended up in Hell.”

Yuriy finally decided that the tea wasn’t poisoned and took a sip.

Kai couldn’t answer. His chest contracted painfully and his tongue felt like concrete in his mouth. A part of his brain knew Yuriy was telling the truth. Kai had learned to spot liars early on, a vital skill in a job like his. Yuriy struck him as the honest type.

However, Kai couldn’t believe his grandfather would knowingly contribute to an institution that mistreated children. Surely, there was another explanation. It didn’t make sense. He would have been caught a decade ago by someone, the Russian authorities, any audit firm, the tax bureau. Anyone. Such a scandal could stay a secret for a few years maximum, certainly not more than ten years.

At least, Kai would have heard of it. It wouldn’t be the first company secret he was privy to. Hiwatari Enterprises partners were by no means saints, but they were generally trying to make business decently. At least that’s what Kai had believed. Until now.

Yuriy seemed to follow his train of thought. His facial expression relaxed and when he spoke, his voice was softer. “You truly didn’t know.”

Kai stared at his cup. “Apparently.”

Yuriy tilted his head to the side and chuckled. “It’s true what they say… you can have the beauty or the brains, but not both. In your case, it seems it’s in terms of the latter that you drew the short straw.”

Kai, his mind still racing with new information, was too stunned to answer.

Seeing that Kai had nothing to offer, Yuriy gave a dismissive hand gesture. “Tsk. And I thought you had dragged me here to silence me with money. I was already planning on buying a new car.”

Kai frowned. “Would you have accepted?”

“Of course not,” Yuriy answered, “I am legally forced to answer any question as best as I can and trust me, I fear prison a lot more than I fear your decrepit old man.”

This jab at Soichiro might have been the thing Kai needed to put himself back together. He banned all intrusive thoughts from his mind and forced himself to grin. 

“And there I thought I could fulfil your heart’s desire,” he said. 

“It might surprise you, but there are things money can’t buy,” Yuriy countered, but it seemed like he got the joke. 

He used this moment to finish his tea and rise up.

“Well, that was fun. Thanks for the tea. Don’t be offended if I don’t keep in touch. See you at the trial.”

On these words, Yuriy grabbed his coat and left, abandoning Kai to his doubts

Chapter Text

Kai spent the following days in monastic solitude. The cardiologist texted him twice, but Kai ignored his messages. In fact, he had been utterly confused the first time it happened, before he remembered what his life had been like before he had come to Moscow. 

After the first day of the trial, the media backtracked their crazy theories as if they hadn’t been the ones throwing them out there in the first place. The torture chambers became “laboratories”. The dungeons became “a basement”. The child-sized skeletons became “victims” and an impromptu vigil was held right in front of the Abbey by a few people wanting to pay homage that lasted about a day before they were chased away by the police. 

Kai had spoken to Soichiro regularly. Most days, they ignored the hot topic altogether and simply discussed business. On the rare occasions Kai had attempted to get more details, Soichiro had shut down his questions and ordered him to keep to the plan. 

Pavel Mikhailovich had apparently received a phone call from Mariam Shields, but Kai hadn’t heard from the Moscow police since their weird and unexpected airport conversation, so he assumed the lawyer had handled the situation accordingly.

This might change soon. Yuriy and his guys were set to being interrogated today.

Yesterday’s trial had been a series of testimonies from former employees of the Abbey. Teachers, janitors, cooks, sport coaches, nurses.

One by one, they had walked to the witness stand, and one by one, they had answered the same questions.

How long did they work at the Abbey? What were their tasks? Had they noticed anything suspicious during the duration of their contracts?

After a few witnesses, Kai had started to notice a pattern. People who had been employed at the Abbey more than fifteen years ago or so had mostly positive testimonies. They painted a portrait of a normal orphanage, poor certainly, but well-maintained, where boys and girls alike lived happily.

Then, for those who had worked under Boris Balkov, the portrait got darker. They remembered Boris Balkov as a tall, intimidating, and strict man. He had taken the Abbey’s rulership after its previous principal, but had fully changed the atmosphere.

Boris Balkov came from a military background. He had spent his entire career in the army or the Soviet secret services, before being assigned to the Abbey by the city of Moscow itself. His goal: make use of the city’s large population of neglected children.

It was true that the 90s had not been kind to the Russian population. The fall of the Iron Curtain and the following economic recession had plunged the population into poverty and chaos. Not to forget the struggle for power that had led to confrontations with the military on the streets of Moscow in the first years, as well as overall economic decline and the wars that started on the territory of the former Soviet Union. Families ended up with children they couldn’t afford to take care of, with no end to their misery in sight. Many of them ended up in the streets, or in already crowded orphanages. The local governments didn’t have the resources to properly handle the issue, meaning those children would most likely one day end up in jail, homeless, or dead.

Boris Balkov presented himself as a man with a plan to tackle a part of the problem in Moscow. Why not team up with the military and turn an orphanage into a place for children to learn discipline and useful life skills? Boris Balkov argued that on top of their normal school curriculum, the children needed to learn hard work that would transform them into model citizens. Wayward children would have an outlet for their build-up aggressiveness, and gain transferable life skills that would allow them to find a job later on. A win-win situation for everyone.

At first, the plan had seemed foolproof. Boris effectively transformed the ordinary orphanage into a proper military school. Gone were the lazy and joyous days, now, children were expected to wake up at the crack of dawn and balance a full physical training on top of their school work. Not only were they taught mathematics and grammar, they learned different sports, manual trade skills, and even computer programming.

One teacher even piped up that Balkov’s idea brought more money to the Abbey than ever before. Generous donors were lining up to contribute, teens reaching adulthood started successful careers in the army or were offered blue collar jobs, thanks to Balkov’s connections.

Then… the testimonies took a murky turn. Some witnesses said that after a while, the influx of money shrank and Balkov had no choice but to push his young proteges even harder, to transform them into commodities worth investing into. Merely learning was not good enough, now they had to prove their worth. Some kids were sent on “apprenticeships”, to never be seen again. Others illegally worked in corrupt factories or other shady organizations.

Some former employees confirmed this story, but added that using the children as a commodity had always been Boris’ initial plan and ‘offering a better future to wayward children’ was a farce, a front. That his protegees had been nothing but goods to be used, abused, and disposed of. They went as far as assuring that the Abbey’s medical team tested various drugs on the children, a service Balkov charged a hefty sum of money for to unethical pharmaceutical companies.

When some children became old and strong enough, Balkov turned them into mercenaries, highly trained soldiers the army could use at their will. In a time of political chaos, these little machines were worth gold. They could infiltrate places most adults couldn’t, they were obedient, efficient, and lethal when necessary.

On the other hand, another set of witnesses assured that no child suffered while they worked there and to their knowledge, the children were treated fairly. Perhaps Boris had been a strict headmaster, but what else could have been expected from a former military officer?

In all cases, witnesses spoke of silent and reserved children, trained to obey without questions. There was no doubt they suffered, the question was now to establish to what extent.

Kai had remembered the pictures from the newspaper and the moment he got back to his hotel room, he dug them out and stared at them, to see if he got the same impression as before. Kai had finally been able to spot Yuriy and Bryan on them, since he had a better idea of what to look for now. 

Paper eyes had stared back at him with no emotion.

Kai had gone to bed with more questions than answers and dreamed again of children screaming.

That morning, Kai had programmed his alarm to wake him up early. He had taken his time to get ready, as if the perfect morning routine would negate the fact that he was about to hear the four key witness state that his grandfather was complicit to torture.

Kai spent an hour training at the hotel gym and picked his outfit with care. He chose a navy blue suit and the same silver-patterned shirt Soichiro had so harshly judged not so long ago. He also ditched his contacts for glasses- he rarely wore them, but with some outfits, they just worked .

On his way to the courtroom, Kai received a text from Yuriy.

“ You wanted to know what I know. I hope you’re watching. ”

Kai thought about his answer for long minutes. Finally, he texted back, 

“With unwavering attention”

Since their face to face conversation, they hadn’t communicated at all. Kai had secretly hoped Yuriy would send him some relevant details. Pictures. Souvenirs. Anything. However, it seemed that for the redhead with the gorgeous eyes, Kai was just a thorn in his side. Kai couldn’t even blame him, his last name alone probably made him want to vomit.

Kai arrived at the courtroom early. He left his phone in the dedicated area and made his way to the same seat he had taken last time. The place was almost full, and by the time the trial was about to start, he found himself squeezed between an old lady wearing a faux fur jacket and a middle-aged balding man.

From the corner of his eye, Kai spotted a blonde woman that seemed familiar. A few seconds later, he recognized her from Pavel’s pictures. 

Sergei’s fiancée.

His heart contracted in his chest.

Her presence meant only one thing: the four witnesses were already here.

The trial started again right on time, at 10 am, with Ivan’s testimony. Yuriy, Bryan, and Sergei were nowhere to be seen, and Kai supposed they were kept in another room until it was their turn to speak.

Ivan walked to the witness stand like a criminal walks to the gallows. He kept his head down and his hands in his pocket. Only when he sat down was Kai able to see him properly.

Ivan was much shorter than Kai had expected. Thinner too. He wore a pale blue shirt and dark jeans. His long black hair was tied in a low ponytail and a few silver piercings ornamented his face. He kept his eyes fixed on his hands, in a contained reserve.

After solemnly promising to tell the truth, Ivan allowed the prosecutor to start his questions. Kai had expected Ivan to mumble his answers, but to Kai’s surprise, the younger man spoke in a clear, albeit low voice, in brief and precise sentences, as if every word had to hit its mark.

Ivan had been brought to the Abbey as a toddler. At the time, the Abbey was an orphanage run by a man named Igor Bondarenko, whose kind nature Ivan praised. However, when Boris Balkov took over, the atmosphere changed.

Ivan described an intense schedule, a pressure to be at peak performance at all times, and strict rules that were enforced mercilessly. Any mistake was punished. Ivan stayed vague on what he endured, he only indicated that the Abbey coaches were ‘imaginative,’ which made Kai shift a little uncomfortably in his seat. 

When asked about the infamous torture chambers, Ivan shrugged and said they were simple medical facilities. Balkov kept a close eye on his protegees’ health.

After what probably felt like an hour of pain for Ivan, he was dismissed, and Sergei took over.

Sergei had the stature of a professional heavyweight boxer, but the kind and calm demeanor of a teacher. He wore a simple, but elegant suit, probably tailored to fit his imposing body.

He exchanged a smile with his fiancée before starting his testimony.

Sergei took longer to answer every question, but kept his sentences concise as well. His parents died in a car crash when he was young, and he ended up at the Abbey out of sheer bad luck. He attended the institution for over five years. Sergei described the same ruthless living conditions as Ivan and didn’t fall into any traps the prosecutor threw to make him talk more.

Kai couldn’t help but smile. These guys had obviously gotten a tip or two on giving proper testimony. Court inexperience was something lawyers used to their advantage often, but in this case, it seemed like the four witnesses had prepared.

Sergei’s turn ended around noon, and the judge conveniently called a forty-five minutes lunch break. Kai stormed out of the courtroom, pressed to have some food, catch up on his emails, and think.

Kai wasn’t shocked to learn that the children were indeed mistreated. Deep down, a part of him had always known. Hiwatari Enterprises was sued every year for multiple stupid reasons, and Kai had learned to brush off these inconveniences. If the cavalry were called every single time an idiot mailed them a formal notice, Pavel Mikhailovich and his peers would be richer than Soichiro. 

Hence, Kai had known since the beginning that this case would be different. His grandfather wouldn’t have shipped him to Russia for anything else but an emergency. His company had given money to an orphanage that enslaved children and Soichiro had been aware of this for a long time. Now, it was up to Kai to get them out of this shithole.

If it wasn’t too late already.

Kai sighed and had almost reached the entrance, when a voice said:

“I almost didn’t recognize you with these glasses.”

Kai stopped in his tracks. He knew that mocking tone. He pivoted on his heel to face Yuriy, who was standing right in the middle of the corridor, indifferent to what was going on around him. They stood face to face, about two meters and a half away from each other.

Just like Sergei, Yuriy had opted for a full suit, which made him look vaguely menacing.

Not in an unpleasant way.

“Well, maybe you need your vision checked too,” Kai answered flatly.

The corner of Yuriy’s mouth stretched imperceptibly. “Are you enjoying the show so far, Hiwatari?”

“I told you, this show has my unwavering attention.”

Yuriy nodded. “Good.”

Yuriy and Kai stared at each other for a few seconds more, before Yuriy turned his back to Kai and walked towards the opposite direction. Before he could refrain himself, Kai heard himself asking, “What are your plans for lunch?”

Yuriy stopped, faced Kai once more and answered, “I am going somewhere with my team, why?”

Mentally slapping himself, Kai shrugged and said, “Just asking. See you.”

The trial resumed roughly at 1 pm.

Kai had taken his seat back between the balding man and the old lady. The old lady turned out to be the sister of one of the former employees, and Kai pretended to be merely a criminology PhD student interested in the case.

Their conversation was cut abruptly when Bryan Kuznetsov entered the courtroom. Just like Ivan, he had opted for a simple business casual attire, which was the best choice. In a full suit, Bryan would probably evoke a mafia higher-up.

Bryan’s testimony was slightly different, as he was visibly the talkative one out of the four. He took his time to answer every question, punctuating his speech of long pauses or irrelevant anecdotes.

The longer he testified, the more Kai noticed that this was all smoke and mirrors. Bryan certainly talked more, but he gave the same information as the others. He mostly repeated what the audience already knew, with more words and witty observations.

With a softer smile and fewer hand tattoos, Bryan would have made a skilled politician.

Just like Sergei, he had entered the Abbey as a kid. The youngest of four children, he grew up poor and neglected, before being found almost homeless by Boris Balkov. It was unclear if his parents were still alive. In all cases, he was happy that he was now out of that “hellhole” and able to focus on his own projects.

Just like the two others before him, he assured he hasn’t been aware of skeletons buried anywhere on the property. Children arrived and left on a regular basis, hence when one or two of them disappeared, it was rarely a matter of high importance.

Finally, almost at the end of the day, Yuriy’s turn to speak arrived.

Kai hadn’t realized how much he had waited for this moment until Yuriy made his way to the front of the courtroom.

“Such a unique hair color,” piped the old lady next to him, and Kai nodded.

Yuriy walked confidently to the witness stand and briefly turned towards the audience. His gaze scanned the public and landed on Kai. Yuriy’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Kai didn’t flinch.

Yuriy followed the same strategy as Ivan, answering every question with monosyllables or short succinct sentences, when he didn’t challenge the question altogether. Eventually, the prosecutor lost his patience and reminded Yuriy that he had to help the court, to which Yuriy said that he had promised the truth, not a monologue.

A light chuckle ran through the audience.

Overall, Kai didn’t learn anything relevant to Hiwatari Enterprises. Yuriy was born in the very north of Russia. His parents, middle-class by Soviet standards, fell into deep poverty when Yuriy was still a child. They struggled to take care of their only son and eventually, Yuriy was forced to fend for himself. That’s when he met Balkov, who offered him a decent education, food every day, and warm new clothes. Yuriy hadn’t needed much convincing to accept the offer.

Just like the others, Yuriy described intense, tiring days, very little free time, and a pressure to please the coaches and teachers. The training sessions were harsh and left no room for displays of weakness. Students quickly learned to ignore their bodies’ pain signals.

This herculean routine lasted for years, until Yuriy was in his mid-teens. The Abbey had less and less money to spare on its expensive protegees, and the funds began drying out. Balkov decided to focus on another project, and the children were progressively rehomed in other orphanages or boarding schools across Russia, until the Abbey became a vague memory.

Yuriy and his guys hadn’t heard of the Abbey again until a few weeks ago, when their names were found in old records and they were subpoenaed by the city of Moscow.

The sun was starting to set by the time the prosecutor decided that Yuriy had talked enough. The judge announced that the counter-interrogation would take place at a later date, and Kai didn’t miss Yuriy’s sour expression. He couldn’t blame him. Having your childhood dissected in front of an audience was an experience he wished on no one, and certainly not spanning two different days.

Kai swiftly exited the building without looking behind him.

He needed air.

Now that the realization that the Abbey was indeed a school where human experiments and child labor took place was starting to sink in, Kai had to put a plan in place, and fast.

Yuriy had assured him that Soichiro was more than aware of what was going on back then. Was Yuriy telling the truth, or was it some twisted plan to get compensation in cold hard cash?

Perhaps that’s what his grandfather wanted without saying it - to pay off Yuriy and his guys and have them lie in court. After all, how hard could it be? They could simply state that they couldn’t remember Soichiro. They were children. No one would ever discover the truth.

Kai was surprised his grandfather’s name hadn't come up even once today. Perhaps the prosecutor had assumed Yuriy and his guys would be too young to remember such details. In all cases, Hiwatari Enterprises had not been mentioned at all, but Kai knew their name would come up eventually.

Without having noticed exactly where his steps had guided him, Kai had walked around the imposing building and mechanically walked towards a small park nearby, where a few children were still happily playing despite the late hour.

Kai sat on a bench, ignoring the cold breeze. He didn’t want to get back to his hotel room right now, nor hear Soichiro’s vague threats over the phone.

What a nightmare.

Kai vaguely wondered what would happen to him in the next few weeks, but the answer was simple. Nothing. Legally speaking, nothing would happen to him. He couldn’t be held responsible for not knowing what Hiwatari Enterprises did with its money twenty years ago.

However, his reputation might get damaged beyond repair. He could lose friends. He would most likely lose his job if Soichiro was found guilty, as no one would want the grandson of a criminal in the company. Speaking of company… depending on the size of the scandal, they would either lose money, or go bankrupt.

Kai was still pondering these dark thoughts when a shadow passed behind him and plopped itself to his left. Kai glanced at the stranger and froze.

It was Yuriy.

“If I didn’t know how much you despise me, I would think you’re following me,” Kai said flatly.

Yuriy’s lips stretched in a grin. “I was, actually.”

Kai’s heartbeat accelerated. Yuriy had managed to follow him for a good five minutes and Kai hadn’t noticed anything. Hiding his discomfort, he chuckled, “You were? You changed your mind and you want that new car after all?”

Yuriy’s smile widened, but he offered no answer. Instead, he leaned back on the bench and took a small blue packet from his pocket. He then proceeded to take one cigarette out of the pack and lit it, ignoring Kai who was still staring at him.

“Didn’t know you were a smoker,” Kai said.

“Rarely,” Yuriy answered. “It helps with stress, but nicotine isn’t my drug of choice.”

His lighter clicked, and a small stream of smoke escaped Yuriy’s mouth as he put his head back. Kai waited, but the redhead didn’t speak up again. 

“You seemed pretty calm earlier today,” Kai finally said.

Yuriy nodded placidly. “Good to know.” 

Another pull, and some more smoke in the air which Kai could smell now. 

He rolled his eyes, having no time for this little game. “Why were you following me?”

Yuriy didn’t look at him when he spoke, he was staring into the distance in front of him. 

“I need to give you a heads-up,” he said. “Our lawyer managed to get details that will interest you. You know that Balkov is in custody, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Today, he was deemed mentally fit to be interrogated,” Yuriy continued, and glanced at Kai briefly. “They’re bringing him to the courtroom next week. That’s where your peace ends. Balkov will throw your grandfather under the bus, alongside anyone else that has been involved since the beginning of the Abbey.”

Kai’s lips formed a line. He was glad to finally know what Boris was up to, but he would have preferred to have a few more weeks. He hid his discomfort. “Tsk. Predictable. We anticipated this and we’re more than ready to defend ourselves if needed.”

Kai hoped he wasn’t lying. Pavel Mikhailovich and his team were currently preparing Hiwatari Enterprises’ defense, but Kai wasn’t privy to their strategy as much as he wished to be. His only choice was to trust the company’s legal firm.

“Your family was involved,” reminded Yuriy.

“ It’s not what we know, it’s what we can prove in court ,” Kai quoted from a movie he had seen ages ago. 

The redhead blinked and then shook his head gravely. “Still protecting grandpapa uh? Can’t blame you I suppose. I would probably do the same thing.”

“I am not saying I believe him blindly,” Kai retorted, “I am saying this is how the justice system works.”

Yuriy’s gaze darkened. “Believe me, I am aware.”

They sat in silence for a few moments. The children who had still been playing despite the late hour were now heading home, pressed by their mothers. Their voices slowly faded away until Kai and Yuriy were only surrounded by silence.

At some point Yuriy put the cigarette bud out. He leaned to the side to throw it into the trashcan next to the bench, while breathing out the last bit of smoke. Afterwards he just sat back, it didn’t seem like he planned to leave soon. 

Finally, Kai asked the question that had been at the back of his mind the entire time. “Why are you sharing this with me?”

“I just thought you had the right to know.”

Yuriy then sighed and rose up, and Kai was almost relieved. It had been awkward, the feeling that Yuriy was waiting for him to do or say something. 

“Anyway, I should leave. I suppose you’ve seen my face enough today.”

“I can’t complain,” Kai shrugged.

Then, seeing Yuriy’s perplexed expression, he added, “I told you, I am here for this trial.”

Yuriy blinked twice, as if he had been expecting another answer. Then, his demeanour relaxed and his mocking grin came back. “You mean you’re not entertained?”

Kai mechanically checked his phone, without really looking at the screen. Entertained? Was this really how Yuriy thought the description of tortures made him feel? At the same time, every new bit of information hadn’t made his way to his brain yet. He knew the facts, but they hadn’t taken their place as a part of reality yet.

Seeing that Yuriy was expecting an answer, Kai chose his words with care. “I am not certain how anyone would find your testimonies entertaining .”

Yuriy’s eyes narrowed, but his expression gave nothing.

“Look… I am still trying to process this situation,” Kai continued, his tone rising with more and more agitation as he spoke, “everything feels very abstract. A few weeks ago, this Abbey didn’t exist at all for me. And now, I am in the middle of one of the most gruesome trials of the year, my own family is accused of being complicit, and one of the victims thinks I am... having fun .”

Kai rose up as well and made his way back to the courtroom, where his chauffeur would be waiting for him. Yuriy mechanically followed him. It was unnerving, knowing he was not more than two steps behind him. But Kai didn’t turn around. 

He tightened his scarf around his neck. “Would be easier if I could see the place with my own eyes I suppose, but it’s not as if I could just… walk in and ask for a tour,” Kai remarked, both to himself and Yuriy. 

Yuriy stopped in his tracks. Kai just noticed because he heard how his soles slid across the floor. He turned around, perplexed. 

Yuriy’s mouth twitched. He walked closer to Kai and leaned in, as if awaiting a secret, and suddenly Kai became aware of their not insignificant height difference again. Yuriy smelled of smoke. Smoke and cold air. 

“You mean… you want to see the Abbey?” Yuriy asked.

“Well, I suppose I could get a special permission,” Kai mumbled, not believing the words that were coming out of his own mouth, “my lawyer can probably arrange it, and-”

Yuriy cut him with a dismissive raised hand. “Complicated. Unimaginative. Limited.”

Kai shifted impatiently. “What do you suggest, I just knock at the door? In case you haven’t heard, your old orphanage is now a crime scene. I would get turned away in three seconds.”

Yuriy took a step further, until he was close enough for Kai to see the wild glimmer in his eyes.

“Not if you don’t take the front door. Not if you have a guide who knows how to get in and out without being seen,” Yuriy dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. 

Kai furrowed his brows. His mind had perfectly followed Yuriy’s train of thoughts, but the rational part of his psyche refused to put words to this crazy idea as he watched Yuriy wearing a smirk that had no business being there given the seriousness of the proposed crime - breaking and entering of a crime scene. 

Yuriy put a solemn hand on Kai’s shoulder and announced;

“Kai Hiwatari. Tonight, I am bringing you to the Balkov Abbey.”

Chapter Text

That same night

Heart thudding in his chest, Kai anxiously looked out the window of the train as he was whizzed past the blurry landscape of urban Moscow and made its way closer to the outskirts of the city. He listened closely for the announcement of his stop, mentally counting them down in his head as each stop was made, the pounding in his chest only getting louder as he got closer to his destination.

Kai mechanically checked his phone to look at the time, something he'd been doing every few minutes or so, silently willing time to still, and then repeatedly checked the text message thread he had with Yuriy, hoping that the redhead would give him more information than the curt, instructional text he'd sent. 

Bring a flashlight. Meet me here - 

Yuriy had sent him a Google maps link - with a location pinned into it that appeared to be a few hundred metres away from the metro station. 

A few hours ago, he had agreed to let Yuriy guide him to the infamous Abbey. Yuriy had assured he had done this a few times already, and he had not been caught once. At the time, it had seemed like an easy enough plan. But now, Kai couldn’t help but wonder if Yuriy was leading him into some kind of trap.

Kai was jarred out of his thoughts when the announcement for his stop was finally made. He hurried out of the train, taking in a deep breath to steady himself, inhaling the cold, pine scented air and making his way out of the station and out onto the street. He couldn’t believe he was still in Moscow. This place was more reminiscent of an industrial district than anything else. According to Google maps, he was on the outskirts of the city and near a forest conveniently shielding the Abbey from prying eyes.

Kai had picked his most nondescript black coat and scarf for the occasion, and hid his usually eye-catching, naturally two-toned hair under a grey beanie. As he stepped on to the deserted but lit stone-paved walkway, he slipped his hand into the inside pocket of his thick coat, feeling for the cold metal of his gun through his gloved fingers, feeling strangely calmer and safer knowing that he had it. Even though a small part of him was certain he wouldn’t need to use it, another part just wished he wouldn’t have to. But one could never quite know what lurked in the shadows.

Kai finally spotted the meeting point Yuriy had indicated on his map and headed in that direction. The street was empty, but he still made an effort to walk as discreetly as he could. 

He noticed movement a few metres away, under a streetlamp, followed by a small, white and blue plume of smoke that hung heavily in the cold air before dissipating. Kai maintained a grip on the weapon, trying to look as if he were simply out on a casual after-dinner stroll for the evening in the forest and not on a mission to break into a crime scene. 

Another plume of smoke, and lit cigarette pinched between thumb and forefinger, wearing the same mocking grin he apparently always did, and all black clothes, Yuriy appeared. Stepping out of the shadows and closer to the lamplight, his shoulder length, blood red hair hidden underneath a dark toque, save for two thin locks falling from his widow’s peak that framed his face.

“You took your time,” Yuriy said as a greeting, drawing the cigarette to his lips again, the crystal blue eyes looking strangely, unsettlingly green in the yellow lamp light. Kai’s gaze couldn’t help but linger on the full lips with the cigarette between them before finally finding his voice. 

“At least I’m here,” he grumbled, not wanting to admit to Yuriy that the whole idea of tonight made him a little nervous and he had been trying to stall. "I wouldn't have been late if I didn't have to go looking for you like I'm on a treasure hunt." 

"It's not the best idea to show the world that we're hanging out together," Yuriy said, pulling out his pack of cigarettes and wordlessly offering one to Kai.

Kai exaggeratedly rolled his eyes and took a cigarette, more out of courtesy than anything else. He nodded a silent thank you and raised it to his lips before realizing he didn't have a lighter. Yuriy scoffed in surprise before drawing one from his pocket and clicked it, leaning in closer. The flame flickered slightly in the light wind and he leaned in closer, holding the back of Kai's hand with his other hand, his own cigarette still pinched in between his fingers. The flame glowed brightly, and Kai drew his gaze from it to Yuriy's, and found that he was looking back at him. The flame glowing in his eyes reflected like a cold fire. Taking in a deep breath, Kai let out a small cloud of his smoke, mingled with his hot breath. Yuriy clicked the lighter shut but held Kai in that position for a moment before letting go and taking a step back. 

Blinking a little at the sudden closeness, Kai’s heart raced and it wasn’t entirely from the nicotine quickly filling his veins and rushing to his brain. 

“Didn’t know you were a smoker,” Yuriy said, not bothering to hide the slight surprise in his voice. 

“I’ve heard it helps with stress,” Kai answered plainly. 

Yuriy simply raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and then walked back into the shadows from which he had appeared, toward the forest and out of the lamp light. Kai followed him wordlessly. They walked for a while, getting deeper and deeper into the woods. Away from the lamplight, they only had the moonlight as a source of illumination that didn’t serve very well as they got deeper into the thicket of trees, but it didn’t seem to phase Yuriy as he expertly walked on, as if he walked this path everyday. Kai had expected to hear small animals, or nocturnal birds - but there was nothing. Just an eerie quiet that was only disturbed by the sound of their breathing and the crunching of leaves and fallen twigs beneath their heavy boots.

Yuriy spoke after a few minutes, breaking the silence.

"We're going to get inside the Abbey grounds through a back entrance Bryan and I used to sneak out from all the time," Yuriy informed him in a matter-of-fact tone, sounding much like the tour guide he had promised to be.   

"Did you ever get caught?" Kai asked, his curiosity immediately piqued. 

Yuiry shook his head, almost having expected Kai’s question. "Almost, but just once, and we barely escaped with our skins intact." Yuriy’s tone was flat, voice giving away no emotion.   

"Where would you go?" Kai then asked, his own voice barely above a whisper. 

"Mostly here," Yuriy said, "We weren't allowed to have any money so we just hung out around here,” shrugging lightly, gesturing to the forest around them with one arm. Then he continued, “On particularly bad days, especially in the winter, Bryan would catch rabbits or other small animals and we'd build a fire." 

"What do you mean bad days?" Kai then asked, unable to contain himself, but Yuriy appeared to be in a conversational mood and answered him without any hesitation. 

"Sometimes, if we didn't do well in training, or if we disobeyed orders, we wouldn't get fed," Yuriy said easily, as casually as he'd comment on the weather. "It was more of a problem in the winter. It was rare for us but Vanya..Ivan often got the worst of it and it was more for his smart mouth than anything else.

Kai listened silently, unsure of how to react as he soaked in the words. He hadn't expected Yuriy to so casually drop such a dramatic, horrifying detail.

“Once we get in,” Yuriy continued, deftly changing the subject. “We’ll have to run to the building itself to make sure no one sees us. There aren't a lot of police around this side of the perimeter, but this is the part where someone could spot us if we’re unlucky.”

"We need to come up with a cover story if we're caught," Kai said. Remembering that they were indeed committing a rather serious crime. Not only were they breaking into a crime scene but if they were caught, given their involvement in the trial, they would absolutely be charged with attempting to tamper with the crime scene. But he pushed the thought away, flicking a bit of ash and watching it disappear in the darkness of the night. 

Yuriy shrugged, rather unaware of Kai’s mild inner turmoil. “If the police questions us, we tell them we were just looking for a quiet place." 

"What for?" Kai's brows furrowed as he took a deep drag of his cigarette.  

Yuriy gave him a side wink and a grin. "Take a wild guess, Hiwatari. To kiss, makeout... whatever you like to call it."

Kai was grateful that Yuriy’s intense, inquisitive gaze wasn’t on him, because he felt a blush dotting his neck and his face suddenly felt hot against the cold air of the night.

"I don’t think that’s the best alibi," Kai politely argued.

"It's foolproof,” Yuriy answered, dismissing Kai’s opinion, “They would just ask us to leave, but if we say we're not doing anything, then they’ll assume we’re drinking or stealing, and that will land us in trouble." 

Yuriy’s eyes then landed on Kai’s face, as if plainly reading his embarrassment. He chuckled lightly before adding, "Or would you rather tell them the truth, Hiwatari?" 

"No," Kai cleared his throat, suddenly almost losing his voice, "Your plan is good.”

"I know," Yuriy smirked and dropped his burnt out cigarette on the ground, crushing the tiny lit flame with his boot and then looked up at Kai. “Here we are,” he said, and turned to look at the high wall that stood in front of them. 

They had arrived in front of a large, red, brick wall, not unsimilar to the one surrounding the Red Square. The Abbey grounds. Kai remembered seeing this wall on the maps and satellite images he’d studied. There was only one way to get in and out, at least according to the official blueprints he saw in Pavel Mikhailovich’s office. This part of the wall was covered in overgrown plants and bushes, most of them barely starting to regrow their leaves after the spring thaw.

Yuriy evidently found these plants interesting, because he started to examine them, seemingly looking for something specific.

“If you tell me what you’re looking for, I can help,” Kai offered.

Yuriy ignored Kai’s remark and continued his quest. After a few minutes of rummaging around, he stopped and smiled.

"Ah!" he whispered out triumphantly. "Here it is!" 

Kai curiously stepped closer to peer over Yuriy’s shoulder, who had reached forward and grasped a tall, dead bush that had and yanked it backward. It had evidently been tangled in another one because it almost smacked him in the face as he quickly ducked his head to avoid it and collided into Kai, who instinctively wrapped his arms around Yuriy to steady them both, and felt the hard, corded muscles of his torso underneath his layers of clothing. Kai had rooted his feet firmly into the ground to keep them both in place and save them from getting knocked off their feet over to the cold ground. 

Recovering from his misstep quickly, Yuriy chuckled as Kai’s arms released their grip on him. 

"And here I thought those muscles were just for show." But his voice didn't hold the usual mocking, teasing tone that Kai had quickly become used to. Instead he sounded more relieved by Kai's presence than annoyed by it. 

Choosing not to respond, Kai turned his attention to the small clearing the bushes were hiding. They both peeked inside, Kai's heart thudding loudly in his chest, barely able to see anything in the darkness.  

"Remember," Yuriy whispered, who still stood a little too close for comfort, lightly cupping Kai’s jaw as his lips grazed the shell of his ear. "We're not supposed to be here," and slipped a leg and partially his upper body without waiting for Kai to respond, his coat scraping against the jagged bricks and stones, making a soft rustling noise as his boot landed on what sounded like gravel. Kai heard Yuriy gasp softly, thinking he scraped his skin against something.

Following Yuriy's lead, Kai also slipped a leg in sideways, and just like Yuriy's, his jacket also scraped against the broken infrastructure and Kai felt a sudden choking sensation, feeling his breathing getting constricted and he mimed, pointing at his neck since he was unable to make a sound. The redhead scoffed and Kai saw movement above him, and just as suddenly he was able to breathe again. 

"For fuck's sake," Yuriy sighed as he yanked the trapped end of Kai’s black scarf off the jagged stone and freeing him. "I'm not your babysitter, I shouldn’t have to tell you to not wear loose clothes when you’re sneaking in somewhere."  

“I am afraid this is not how I choose to spend my free time,” Kai answered dryly. He coughed in the crook of his arm, partially out of politeness toward Yuriy, but mostly to muffle the sound. “I usually don’t sneak into places.”

This was partially a lie. Kai hated to be told where he couldn’t go. Before working full-time for Soichiro, he used to enter commercial buildings and climb to the roofs, just to prove to himself that he could. He had only been caught on a few occasions, and had managed to lie his way out of trouble every single time.

However, Kai knew that his paltry attempts at defying authority and his teen escapades wouldn’t impress Yuriy at all, and would pale in comparison to sneaking into a heavily guarded crime scene at night, so he kept them to himself.

As if hearing his thoughts, the redhead answered, “That’s ok tsarevich, let me know if you’re scared.”

Kai wanted to glare at Yuriy but the Abbey caught his eye instead. 

The stone glowed eerily in the silver moonlight, casting the whole building in a ghostly appearance. 

“Holy shit.” The phrase escaped Kai before he could stop it. 

A chill ran down his spine, raising the hair at the back of his neck. Goosebumps formed over his arms despite the layers he was wearing.  

The infamous Horror Abbey stood right in front of him, cold and imposing. As was the case with most Russian monasteries, the buildings had been white once, but as they fell into disrepair, the walls, marred by time and pollution had darkened to a murky grey. Rain had painted black stripes underneath the windowsills. Here and there the rendering had broken away, and in the semi darkness Kai could see leaking gutters. Only the tips of the onion-domed towers reflected the light that might’ve come from street lamps on the other side of the wall. 

“Disgusting, isn’t it?” Yuriy followed Kai’s line of sight, then he turned his attention away to  rearrange the bushes that hid the hole in the wall and their precious escape route.

It wasn’t the word Kai would have used. The architecture itself was beautiful, breathtaking even, and yet intimidating. If it didn’t hold the dark history that was being claimed, Kai could have truly appreciated it, and he felt a foreboding sense of dread creep up from his stomach to his chest. But for the memories Yuriy evidently held of this place, disgusting seemed appropriate in the moment.  

“Yeah,” Kai said agreeably, loosening the scarf around his neck and then plunging his hands in his coat pocket, feeling both very hot and very cold at the same time. The building could hold the answers to all the questions Kai had, the ones Soichiro had continued to evade everytime he attempted to bring it up, and the answer to the question Yuriy had asked him when they first sat down together. How much blood is on your family’s hands?  

“Follow me,” Yuriy instructed, “we’ll stay in the shadows as much as we can, and when I tell you, we run to the building.” Kai nodded silently. 

Yuriy led them around the building, almost hugging the wall with their backs, using the cover of the night to shield themselves from prying eyes. Kai mimicked his movements.

“The police usually stay outside the gates,” Yuriy whispered, “I’ve walked by a few times. They walk around the perimeter, but do not enter.”

Kai’s gaze went to the tiny silhouettes chatting next to the police car. From his angle, he only saw one car. “Are you sure?”

“No, but what other choice do we have?” Yuriy said impatiently.

Kai’s heart was racing. They could only hope the police didn’t enter the Abbey to not compromise the investigation. He would have to trust Yuriy on this, and he was right - they didn’t really have any other options. But if their plan didn’t work…

Kai blushed ever so slightly at the thought. He wasn’t sure what was the worse option, getting arrested, or awkwardly making out with Yuriy. For a split second he wondered what it would feel like to have those full, soft lips pressed against his own, but quickly chased away the thought before his body betrayed what he was thinking. 

“Fine,” Kai answered in the most deadpan voice he could muster.

Yuriy finally stopped and pointed at a corner of the main building, still covered in unmelted snow and dirt. “There is a trap door there and it leads right inside. Follow me.”

They bolted to the area Yuriy had indicated. Every second, Kai thought he heard someone, but the only sound was their footsteps on the partially frozen ground.

Finally, they reached the trap door and complete darkness surrounded them once more.

Yuriy immediately inspected the trap door, seemingly making sure it was still safe to use. If Yuriy hadn’t pointed it out, Kai wouldn’t have noticed it at all, as it was almost fully enclosed in the ground and partially frozen.

“Back in the day, monks were terrified of another war or revolution,” Yuriy whispered, “They built multiple secret passages in and out of the Abbey. Most of them have been closed off or are not safe to use, but others…”

Yuriy let the rest of his sentence trail off. He focused on the large rusted lock that closed the door.

“Now is the tricky part,” Yuriy whispered.

With expert hands, Yuriy pulled out a lock pick from his pocket and inserted it into the padlock, He twisted and turned it over and over, but the rusting lock didn’t give in. Finally, after seconds that passed like minutes, the lock made a loud clicking noise and Yuriy yanked it open, freeing its confines.

“Hey! Who is over there?” a loud voice came from the distance moments later, followed by footsteps.

Kai’s heart skipped a beat and he froze where he stood, rooted to his spot. 

However, it took Yuriy less than a split second to react and Kai found himself pressed up hard against a cold stone wall, Yuriy’s gloved but still cold hand pressed into his shoulder. His other hand came down flat on Kai’s hip, pushing him further up against the flat surface of the wall. The grip on him was light but Kai could feel the strength of those hands holding him captive. Yuriy stepped to stand in front of him, their small height difference completely clouding over Kai’s view as he didn’t dare to glance in the direction of the police coming their way. Dipping his head to almost touch Kai’s lips and cupping his jaw, Yuriy stood without moving a muscle. Face so close that Kai could feel his hot breath on his own lips, the faint smell of smoke still clinging to his clothes and the mint chewing gum he’d popped in his mouth after it. It was far too dark to tell if Yuriy was even looking at him, but Kai imagined the intense gaze on him regardless, and if Yuriy hadn’t been already holding him there, for a moment, Kai thought the look in his eyes would have done the trick. Kai’s arms hung limp by his side. Had it been anyone else, or perhaps any other situation, he would have pushed away someone who dared to manhandle him, but here with Yuriy, he knew resistance wasn’t the smartest choice.

Heavy footsteps were getting closer and closer. Kai’s heart beat like a steel drum in his chest against his ribs and he was sure Yuriy could hear it too.

Before Kai could contemplate his next move, a door slammed in the distance. Kai flinched and Yuriy slapped the hand that sat on his shoulder on his mouth to stop him from making any noise. Kai’s eyes widened a little at the action, and couldn’t see properly, but he heard the footsteps stop.

Far away, another voice, feminine this time, yelled, “For fuck’s sake Dima, it’s the wind, again! Get back into the car, the coffee is getting cold!”

Kai heard Dima’s loud sigh. Then, the footsteps sounded like they retreated, making their way back to the entrance of the Abbey and outside the gate, until Yuriy and Kai were once again surrounded by silence.

“He’s gone,” Yuriy whispered, pulling back just as quickly as he had stepped closer. 

Kai felt his knees go weak when he was released and only partially from the adrenaline leaving his veins. He turned his attention to the now opened padlock that was hanging off the lock of the door. Yuriy quickly slipped it off the latch loop and put it into his pocket. Then, he opened the door and quietly slipped inside the secret passage, without waiting for Kai, but expecting him to follow. 

Inside was complete and utter darkness. Turning on a flashlight, Yuriy angled it upwards, illuminating the passage and its walls in an eerie glow.

They walked in complete silence, as if they hadn’t been millimeters away from an awkward kiss a few seconds ago. Kai briefly wondered how Yuriy kissed - if he’d be tender and gentle, or if he’d be rough, passionate and demanding, before chasing the thought away. It had certainly been a while since he had been intimate with anyone, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on his lack of personal life.

They finally arrived at another heavy wooden door, formed of multiple panels. Kai attempted to open it, but it was locked from the outside.

“Don’t bother, it’s been sealed off for at least thirty years,” Yuriy said.

On these words, he crouched down in front of the door and reached for the last panel. His fingers gently slid on the corners, until he found what he wanted. In a swift movement, he pushed the last panel to the side, revealing a space just large enough to allow an adult to crawl through it.

“These monks were smart,” remarked Kai.

Yuriy smiled, “Oh, it’s not monk work. Bryan and I did this. Took ages,” he said, sounding vaguely proud. 

Yuriy allowed Kai to crawl through the opening first, and then he followed suit. He then closed the secret passage behind them.

Kai took a deep breath, inhaling the air of the Horror Abbey, a mixture of humidity, dust, mud, stone and despair. Entering through the trapdoor, they reached a large, almost empty room, save for old, vintage torch holders and a few chairs in the right corner.

“We are in the East wing basement,” Yuriy explained, “it was never used because of the poor insolation. Of course… tell kids to not go somewhere, and that’s exactly where they’ll go exploring.”

“Let’s start with the upper floors,” Kai ordered. 

Yuriy chuckled. “As you wish, tsarevich, but I am warning you, we won’t have time to see everything. And stay close to me, or you’ll get lost.”

Kai rolled his eyes, but didn’t say anything. Yuriy  evidently took his tour guide role to heart. 

Yuriy guided them to the Abbey’s first floor to a large windowless room whose floor was covered in small, smooth hollow craters.

“Beyblade dishes?” Kai said more to himself than anything else.

“This was one of the indoor training arenas,” Yuriy confirmed without stopping to inspect anything and walking further. 

Kai illuminated one of the craters with his flashlight, peering into it as he knelt down on one knee to observe it closely. The metal had corroded in places, creating patches of green and white encased in rust against the brightly coloured dishes. 

Beyblading had always been bittersweet for him since his father left. His father had built one of these beydishes for them in the rock garden of the manor when Kai was a child. When Susumu had left for good, Soichiro had arranged for it to be removed and had the ground levelled.  

“Yup, we held exhibition matches here when visitors came,” Yuriy explained.

Kai mentally noted the confirmation that Balkov’s beyblade team was just a PR stunt. Then, he remembered a detail Pavel Mikhailovich had shared weeks ago, but that he hadn’t paid much attention to up until now.

“You… you were the captain of the beyblade team. The other players… they were Sergei, Ivan, and Bryan, correct?”

Yuriy gave him a perplexed look. “You… didn’t know that?”

“It…had escaped my mind,” Kai lied. He suddenly remembered Yuriy calling his friends “my team” and made the link between their faces and the newspaper picture he had scrutinized on the plane. It all made much more sense now.

“Were you any good?” Kai teased, unable to help himself. 

Yuriy stopped in his tracks and flashed a wolfish grin. “Any good? I was the best!” his voice pitching a little as he informed Kai of his skill. “Boris wanted me to make it to international championships. Unfortunately, the sport is expensive and pro beybladers all have bitbeasts. We did not have any and they are not easily found. Boris eventually deemed the project a waste of time.”

Yuriy nodded to himself and quickly made his way to the other end of the room.

“Keep up with me,” he said, flashing the light right in Kai’s face.

Kai immediately raised his arm to shield himself from the blinding light, squinting against it. He pulled a face at Yuriy but the redhead had already turned around, flashing the light down whatever was on the other side of the door. It took a while for Kai’s eyes to adjust to the darkness again; colorful spheres danced in his vision and he tried to blink them away, closing the door behind them and following Yuriy through a long corridor.

“Classrooms here,” Yuriy flashed the light to both sides of the corridor, “Nothing interesting.”

Kai briefly looked into the classrooms, getting glimpses of small desks and blackboards. The furniture was outdated and looked uncomfortable. The featureless, wooden design of the 70s or 80s -he wasn’t an expert- felt weirdly displaced in this building. But then again, the only thing that would fit in here were probably medieval church pews. 

Flashing the light ahead of him, Yuriy walked forward, fiddled with an attachment on a wall, and then pushed open another door.

The door opened to a narrow staircase that Yuriy and Kai climbed in silence, gripping the dusty railing to maintain their balance.

“Dormitories,” Yuriy simply announced when they reached the second floor.

This time, Yuriy walked slower. Kai got a good look inside the rooms. Some of them were full of bunks beds, and others had only two or three. The mattresses and bed linen were gone, leaving empty metal frames like straight out of a horror movie. The floor was made of wood panels that looked strangely intact. The light beams of their torches groped their way across the room and revealed scratches in the wood under the bed frames, all covered by a thick layer of dust. The ceiling must've caved in, as there were small piles of fallen rendering everywhere. 

“When you arrived, you slept with everyone else from your age group. As time went by, and if you followed the rules, you were allowed more and more privacy,” Yuriy explained in a hushed voice, as Kai turned towards him again.

“Where did you sleep?” Kai asked.

Yuriy pointed at a room to his right, “There.”

“Don’t you want to ent-”

“No,” Yuriy cut sharply.

They continued to walk in silence, passing more rooms, a few bathrooms, some empty storage spaces. The Abbey looked as if it had been quickly abandoned by people who thought they would be able to come back.

Eerie, creepy. But not quite the torture chambers Kai had expected. He remembered how Hiromi had told him about online groups she found on her hunt for the next true crime story: Those “urban exploration” people who climbed into abandoned buildings just for fun and thrill. It always seemed like the former Eastern Bloc was their favorite playground, and now Kai understood why. 

After a few minutes, Kai dared, “Is that it?”

“Of course not. That’s just the appetizer. This section of the building was open to visitors, donors, family members even. The real Abbey is in the dungeons,” Yuriy dropped his voice as he said the last word.

“Are we going to-”

“We’re on the way,” Yuriy interrupted, “patience, Hiwatari.”

They walked to the very end of the corridor and finally reached a laundry chute, or what it seemed to be.

Yuriy opened the chute and revealed a pitch black metal hole. “We told people this was to throw dirty laundry to be cleaned. But it’s false. It’s the quickest way to get to the basement of the West wing.”

Without further due, Yuriy sat in the opening, as if about to go down a waterslide.

“Brace yourself, it’s a big drop. Just slide down and bend your knees when you land,” Yuriy put the flashlight between his teeth and jumped down, the darkness swallowing him and all sounds within seconds. Kai stood, left in utter silence, with nothing more than the faint shimmer of his own flashlight. If his hand was trembling, he managed to ignore it. Why was he not able to hear Yuriy reaching the entrance? Were the walls really that thick?

Kai turned off his flashlight and slipped it in his pocket, not wanting his teeth to be knocked out if he fell on his face. The uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach got even stronger as he groped for the edges before he slid down. It reminded him of waterpark tubes that he’d been on as a teenager, except this time he didn’t know what, if anything, would break his fall. The cold metal made itself known to Kai even through the warm layers of his clothes as he tumbled down further into the tunnel, unsure of what awaited him. He kept his knees bent a little the entire time, not knowing how big a drop it actually was or when it would end.    

The end of the tunnel came faster than he expected, and the feeling of still air around him disappeared as the metal left the back of his legs and he tumbled on to the floor. It was colder down here, and his hands clawed into dust that rose around him like clouds. His pants were probably ruined now. 

Kai stood up again. Still, no sound, not even the echo of his own breathing. Maybe he could not hear it, because it was drowned out by his heartbeat. He suddenly became fully aware of the fact that he was underground, and even though he never had had a problem with that before, he had to suppress his incipient anxiety. Feeling disoriented as his eyes adjusted to the even blacker darkness around him as he groped for the flashlight in his pocket, his movements briefly becoming frantic when he couldn't find it. 

"Yuriy?" He felt panic rise in him in complete darkness. Without saying anything, Yuriy turned on his flashlight, pointing it to the floor. 

“What is this place?" Kai gasped, trying not to breathe as the smell attacked his nostrils. It stank of mold and toxic chemicals that even time and the cold hadn't entirely managed to dull.

"The belly of the beast." Yuriy's voice was breathless as he turned his flashlight and illuminated the long tunnel, briefly pausing for longer at some armor-plated doors that were deeper into the wall than others. “Welcome to the real Balkov Abbey.” 

Kai felt the hair raise on the back of his neck with Yuriy’s words. 

Slipping out and turning on his own flashlight, Kai looked around as well, aiming it everywhere, trying his best to ignore the erratic pounding in his chest. Nondescript cement walls, their lower half covered in thick, greenish paint that had an oily semblance; light bulbs overhead that had long since burned out, even if the Abbey was still being supplied with electricity. Kai stilled when he trained the beam of light to the end of the tunnel. A red door stood in stark contrast to the various shades of artificial light grey.

“What’s that?” Kai said to Yuriy, lightly rotating his wrist to make the light dance on the door and get Yuriy’s full attention on it. 

“That?” Yuriy took a deep breath before answering. “That is a solitary confinement room. There are three in total.”

Kai balked at the words, his stomach clenching at the answer.  

"Did my grandfather know about this?" Kai tried to keep his voice as level as possible, but he feared he knew the answer to that already. 

“I suppose he did,” Yuriy shrugged, “he walked through these corridors pretty often.”

“Oh,” was all Kai managed to say. He could feel his chest tightening, and it wasn’t from the lack of air in the sub ground level.

Bracing himself for the worst, he walked directly towards the red door, but Yuriy grabbed his arm to stop him, curling long, cold fingers around his wrist. “Where are you going?” 

“I just want to see it!” Kai snapped, yanking his arm out of Yuriy’s grasp. 

Sighing, Yuriy followed after him, matching Kai’s stride quickly. Reaching the door and finding it unlocked, Yuriy pushed it open with his shoulder, the wooden door had swelled and gotten stuck to the frame, the metal hinges creaking and echoing through the tunnel. He stiffened at the noises and immediately turned around and ran the beam of his flashlight along the hallways, checking to see if they had company. 

“Can’t be too careful,” he said to Kai when he was satisfied that they were alone. Kai had his attention turned to Yuriy and then behind him, the room completely forgotten for a moment.   

“Is there another way to come down here?” 

“Lots,” Yuriy said without giving him more of an explanation. 

Kai turned his focus back to the room, running the light along the walls of the small, sparse room. A thin metal cot was the only furniture. There were no windows, no source of light or heat, nothing. Kai flashed his light at the back of the door and gasped. The red paint had been almost entirely scratched off by hundreds of scratch marks.

Human ones.

“How long would children be put in here ?”

Yuriy shrugged. “Hours to days, depending. It was hard to tell.”

Thoughts and scenarios of everything that must have happened in the room played in Kai’s mind. Desperate pleas to be released, clawing at the walls and door when they started to slowly lose their grip on reality. A wave of nausea hit him as he visualized the amount of pain this room had caused, and the way Yuriy phrased his response.

"Were you ever put in here?" Kai's voice was soft, afraid of the answer he was going to receive. .

"A few times,” Yuriy said, with a clench of his jaw. 

A shiver went through Kai’s back, and he quickly exited the room and walked down a different hallway than the one they had come from, unsure of where he was going, once again forcing Yuriy to follow him.

_____________________

The underground levels of the Abbey spread out vastly. It was hard to tell when everything down here had been built. In some areas there were brick walls that seemed to be the original medieval structures of the cellar. But there were also parts made from concrete. It could be all a leftover from the war, a protective bunker for civilians maybe. Or, and Kai feared that this was more likely the case, this all had been built after Balkov’s own plans. If so, a next question arose: Where did the money for all that come from? Who were the other sponsors?

They walked past another red door that Kai avoided purposefully. They also briefly looked inside two storage rooms where the mold scent was almost unbearable. Kai finally let Yuriy guide him, realizing after a few twists and turns how easily it would be to get lost here. The basement was more akin to a maze, and there were no signs or anything that would point them in the right way.

Yuriy guided Kai through a narrow hallway, keeping the beam of his flashlight ahead of them. He seemed to know exactly where he was going.

Suddenly, the redhead stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. Yuriy confirmed that it was indeed locked, and then handed his flashlight to Kai. 

"Hold it steady," he said and slipped the lockpick out of his pocket again. Slipping it in the keyhole of the old, rusting padlock, Yuriy attempted the same trick he had earlier. 

"Why aren’t these open?" Kai said, struggling to keep the irritation out of his voice. "Didn't the investigators come here?"

“It’s possible they haven’t managed to reach this section,” Yuriy answered with a grunt.

Kai wasn’t a lock expert, but he noticed this lock wasn’t making the same sound as the one Yuriy had picked earlier. People who had locked this door did not want it to be opened ever again.

“Let me try,” Kai offered, attempting to take the lockpick from Yuriy’s hand. 

Yuriy pushed him back unceremoniously. “No, you’ll break it.”

Yuriy worked on the lock for a few more minutes, with no success. Finally, he resigned himself, “I think I’ll need bigger tools. I’ll check if there is anything that could open this door. You stay here.”

“And wait? Give me the lockpick, I’ll try.”

Yuriy sighed, and handed the precious tool to Kai. “Don’t do anything stupid. I’ll go check if there is a crowbar in one of the storages.”

Kai suppressed the impulse to retort back and simply nodded, “Got it.”

Yuriy walked back from where they came from and soon faded into the darkness. Kai found himself alone. He turned towards the door and attempted to pick at the lock himself. After a few minutes, he lost patience. This was harder than anticipated.

Deciding to explore a little bit more while waiting for Yuriy and a crowbar, Kai walked past the door and ventured deeper and deeper into the corridor, until the path took an abrupt turn to the right and he found himself facing the biggest door he had seen inside the Abbey so far. 

This one had been opened recently, Kai realized. The lock had been broken and the door had been slightly left ajar. Deciding he could spare a few seconds to have a look, he slowly pushed it open.

The small sound of the door creaking echoed loudly. Kai opened it just enough to slip inside. The smell of chemicals hit him like a slap to the face and he brought his scarf around his nose and mouth for protection. The scent mingled with something rancid, like rotting meat and wet fur.

The room was large, filled with gigantic, transparent tubes attached to fraying wires and control panels full of buttons at the end of each tube. Hundreds of bottles containing various chemicals and products were piled up neatly on shelves against the wall. Kai suddenly understood the smell; a few bottles had recently been cracked open and whatever liquids they contained had poured to the ground.

What the hell was this place? Was this one of the laboratories the court had made so much noise about? Kai had no recollection of hearing about tubes of any kinds, not this size at least. He would have remembered. The tubes were large enough to comfortably fit a grown man.

Just as he was about to get closer, his flashlight suddenly flickered and died. Kai found himself plunged in darkness. Taking a deep breath, he rationalized to himself that it was probably just the batteries weaving in and out. Clicking the switch to ‘off’, he lightly slapped it against his palm. He was just about to turn it on when strong hands pulled him back and held him in an iron-clad grip.

Cold metal pressed against his throat and he fought the urge to scream.

“Move a muscle and I slit your throat,” a harsh voice he didn’t recognize whispered in his ear. 

Kai froze, all the blood in his veins turning to ice. He weighed his options to get out of this. Where the fuck was Yuriy? Should he pretend to be lost? He tried to remember enough of his martial arts training, cursing himself for not taking it seriously when he was a kid. Suddenly, he remembered he had his gun in the pocket of his jacket. In a swift movement, the speed of which surprised even himself, Kai pulled out the gun, and moved his arm behind him to press against what he guessed would be the leg of the person holding him hostage. 

“Let me go or I’ll shoot,” Kai tried to make his voice as menacing as possible. To highlight his threat, he clicked off the safety of his revolver, the sound echoing in the room.

The person behind him stiffened, Kai realized, as the cold metal blade pressed against his skin slightly withdrew. 

"Kai." 

It was Yuriy's voice. The harsh, threatening tone got replaced with pure, unadulterated relief. Yuriy’s grip loosened and he let his forehead rest against Kai’s shoulder, breathing the adrenalin in and out.

“Fuck, you got me scared. I didn’t recognize you.”

The hand that held him in place relaxed, and the knife was pulled away from his throat. Yuriy then put his free hand on Kai’s shoulder.

They stood like that for a moment, Kai leaned his head back a little as his knees just about buckled from the adrenaline dissipating in his veins, glad for a moment that Yuriy was holding him. Kai withdrew the gun aimed at Yuriy and clicked the safety back in place, before pocketing it again. The sound broke the trancelike state in which they both found themselves. 

They both took a deep, shaky breath and Yuriy quickly unwrapped himself from Kai, clearing his throat. 

"Why do you have a knife?!" Kai spun around and demanded, putting his hands on Yuriy's shoulders and pushing him back, with lesser force than he intended. 

"Why do you have a gun?" Yuriy retorted, sounding annoyed at Kai's outburst. "And why did you wander off? I told you to stay put!"

“I was just checking!”

“You’re lucky I found you, you could have been dead on the floor if it were someone else.”  

“Would have been a bit of poetic justice for you, no?” Kai spat, still upset at having a knife pulled on him. His nerves were already frayed from the horrors that were being uncovered, and it hadn’t helped that Yuriy had somehow found the exact moment where he’d let his guard down and pounced with the stealth of a gray wolf. 

“Is that what you think I believe justice is?” Yuriy scoffed, “Listen, you can have as low an opinion of me as you want, I don’t care what a Hiwatari thinks of me. But, I brought you here so your safety is my responsibility.”

Kai couldn’t deny that the venom Yuriy dripped when he said his last name stung a little. He knew Yuriy despised the blood that flowed in his veins, yet he was the first person in a long time to express a desire of keeping him safe. 

“I can take care of myself.” Kai shot back petulantly. "I am not a child." 

"All right then, big boy," Yuriy's mocking tone was back, "You want to show me how to find your way back to the exit?”

Kai’s eyes narrowed, knowing Yuriy had a point. 

“Or you follow me and we both get out in one piece?” the redhead continued in a softer voice.

“Let’s continue,” Kai said, crushing his ego in the process.

He attempted again to turn on his flashlight. This time, the device gave him no trouble and he could see the room more clearly. Kai had pointed it randomly, and now the light was reflected by one of the glass cylinders. It blinded him. He moved his hand, and the light beam wandered over some sort of machinery, maybe an old computer. It was massive, with some switches and tiny displays. The floor around was covered in tangled up cables. Behind the apparatus stood a shelf where, again, containers were stored that seemed to be filled with powders or liquids. 

“Yuriy…” Kai managed to ask, “what is this place?”

“That’s a lab,” Yuriy stated flatly.

“I suppose it wasn’t used for fun and safe-for-kids science experiments?”

“More like... fun, tested-on-kids science experiments.”

Yuriy walked towards one of the tubes and gently knocked on it. “They’d have you wear an oxygen mask, then these would get filled up with… I forgot the name, but it’s a little like amniotic fluid that basically puts you in a semi-sleep state. Then, they’d have you inhale various drugs mixed with your oxygen over the course of a few hours. The Abbey scientists deemed this procedure the safest way to evaluate a drugs’ effects on the human body without external factors skewing the data.”

With Yuriy's explanation, Kai remembered something, a terrible detail Yuriy had shared what felt like ages ago and that just now resurfaced in his memory. He walked right next to Yuriy and without looking at him, asked, “When you said that my grandfather’s face was the first thing you saw after waking up from an artificial coma in a tank… is this what you were referring to?”

“Yes.”

Kai’s jaw clenched and heat creeped up to his neck. This time, it wasn’t because Yuriy was too close. 

His grandfather had been fully aware of the human experiments. His grandfather had witnessed torture on children. His grandfather had been aware of every sin of the Abbey and apparently not warned the authorities.

Could this really be true? Could his grandfather be that heartless? It was true Soichiro was a cold, calculating and strict man, with little empathy for others, but what businessman wasn’t? Moreover, he had never been unusually cruel to Kai. Sure, Kai had been raised strictly, but certainly not to the point of extended solitary confinement.

Finally, Yuriy noticed the leaking bottle of chemicals and frowned. “I think we should get out of here. C'mon, let’s go.”

--------------------

Yuriy led him through more long hallways and corridors, which all looked the same to Kai. He was a little surprised Yuriy didn’t seem lost even in the slightest, as Kai was beginning to feel like they’d been walking around in circles as they navigated their way around the subground level. The only conversation consisted of Yuriy pointing at locked rooms and consistently adding yet another gory detail to the list of horrors Kai had been compiling in his head. 

Sleep deprivation tanks, drug manufacturing lab, pain tolerance test lab, endurance test lab... the list went on, and on. 

They had arrived at the intersection of two corridors when Yuriy pulled out his phone from his pocket and abruptly stopped in his tracks as he turned to face him, making Kai almost bump into him.

"The sun will rise soon. We have to leave in the next hour. But, before we go, do you want to see the worst place in this hell hole?” 

The sick feeling only tightening further in his gut, Kai blinked at him. There was worse ? What could possibly be worse than what Yuriy had already shown him? His mind went back to when the news first broke of the trial as he silently contemplated the offer and then to the news of the bodies that had been found in the forest of the Abbey grounds. Kai didn’t think he could stomach looking at multiple, likely dug up graves of children after everything he’d already seen here. But the former students had all testified under oath that they didn’t know if any child had died at the Abbey.

“What is it?” Kai asked, bracing himself. If it really was going to be the gravesite, he’d say no. His ego could handle one more hit for the night. 

“Balkov’s office,” Yuriy sounded bitter and Kai could have sworn he heard his voice waver a little.

“Lead the way,” Kai breathed, almost relieved, but a little confused about how it could possibly be the worst thing on the Abbey campus. But he kept that question to himself.  

Yuriy paused for a moment. He turned his gaze first to his left, then to his right, training the beam of his flashlight down both corridors before picking one and walking down it, this time waiting for Kai to follow. The latter did, rather eagerly. 

Kai didn’t realize how much he wanted to see Balkov’s office until Yuriy brought it up. Finally, Yuriy led him to what was possibly the narrowest door they had encountered all night. This one, Kai noticed, wasn’t locked with a padlock, instead it simply had a small latch on the door with no handle on it whatsoever, but it appeared to be more to keep the door closed than to actually lock it.   

Unlatching it, Yuriy pulled it open, and trained the beam of his flashlight into the tiny, windowless room, which by the looks of it was a mere storage closet. The doorway of which was only wide enough to fit one person in at a time, certainly not two, fully grown men. Kai watched from behind Yuriy, raising up the beam of his own flashlight over Yuriy’s shoulder. The room was tiny, not much wider than the doorway itself, and small, just under two metres in length. Much like the rooms of the rest of the abbey basement, the walls of this room were also bare. The only thing in the room was a metal framed shelf, upon which lay a few cleaning supplies.

Hesitating for the briefest of moments, Yuriy stepped inside, made his way to the end of the closet, ran his hand along the concrete wall and pushed on it. Kai followed wordlessly, crowding Yuriy in the already much too small space. 

“Here we go,” Yuriy pocketed his now turned off flashlight as a soft unlatching sound filled the room, lightly echoing off the bare walls. 

Kai felt the briefest gust of air where he stood and to his absolute surprise, the thick, solid concrete wall moved. Yuriy pushed it to the side, and the wall slid along to the side as Yuriy threw his weight into it. The space created revealed dark nothingness. 

“Secret entrance,” Yuriy helpfully informed, as he created a space large enough for them to pass through and then, once again, like he had when they came down to the basement, disappeared into the darkness without waiting for Kai to follow. 

But Kai was now used to Yuriy being the kind of guide that didn't hold your hand through every hurdle. So, Kai, once again, placed all his trust in Yuriy and stepped through the space that had been created mere moments ago, keeping his flashlight switched on this time. 

Stepping behind the newly created door, Kai was met with a stairwell that evidently had no business being there, next to which stood Yuriy, looking at Kai expectantly.

"This stairway leads right inside Balkov's office,* Yuriy said as he began ascending. 

“It took us months to figure out this was here,” Yuriy said as he gripped the railing of the narrow stairwell. "We'd always wonder how Balkov just managed to show up in the basement without anyone seeing him arrive." 

“I thought you said there were multiple ways downstairs?” Kai asked.

“I exaggerated. There were not that many. This basement was hidden from most visitors and even a decent number of employees. We had to make sure no one would get there by accident when they were looking for the bathroom, for example.”

Yuriy pushed one final door at the top of the staircase and they found themselves back on the first floor.

Instantly, it felt different, especially compared to the horrible basement. It was large, albeit sparsely furnished and airy. The wall that faced them had three large windows framed by thick, dusty drawn curtains on either side. A small, clawfoot, oak table and a high back chair, which based on everything he’d learnt, he assumed doubled as Boris’ throne, were the main furniture. He cast his glance to the row of three large cupboards along a wall and smiled grimly, hoping he’d find something important there. The floor was stone tiled, rather than carpeted or hardwood as Kai would have expected for an office designed for the owner of the organization this size. But Kai chalked it all up to appearances. Boris would have had to create the air of not living in luxury. This room was designed for practicality, not luxury, a concept very different from both his and Soichiro’s offices back in Japan. 

Kai stepped in first, and he turned around when Yuriy wasn’t immediately at his side. He saw Yuriy still standing in the doorway, hesitating to cross the threshold, and Kai could have sworn he saw his face flash with the briefest moments of panic before he stepped in, closing the door behind him. Immediately, his guide walked to the main door and opened it slightly. 

Exploritorily, Kai cast the beam of his flashlight around the room, frowning at the empty, warping wooden bookshelves that lined the wall along the door. 

Yuriy stood with his hand on the door still, shifting his weight from one foot to another as he turned around. Kai wanted to ask what the matter was, although he was quite certain of what the problem was -  and decided to give Yuriy a moment with his thoughts.

“I still don’t like coming in here,” Yuriy volunteered in explanation as he sighed heavily, 

Looking over in the redhead’s direction, Kai searched in his mind for what he hoped would be helpful at that moment. “He’s away in prison now,” he offered. 

Yuriy shrugged, “Have a look around if you wish,” he said, as if trying to shift the attention away from himself and Kai nodded, picking up on the hint quickly. Yuriy then walked further into the room and toward the large, dusty windows that allowed the moonlight to filter in. 

Kai made his way over to the cupboards and opened one as noiselessly as he could, 

He opened more drawers in the cupboard, surprised when they easily slid open until he saw why. Flashing the beam of his light in, it turned out that they were all empty. Making his way to the next cupboard and finding the same result, he sighed heavily. Not entirely surprised but extremely irritated and disappointed, Kai turned around and leaned against the wall, he pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. He’d hoped they’d find something, anything, one piece of concrete evidence that gave him information that no one else was willing to share with him. He wanted answers, and now there was nothing. 

Sighing, he opened his eyes. Yuriy stood with his back turned to him, his gaze directed out the window. 

“There’s nothing in here,” Kai said, unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice. 

“I’m not surprised, Boris likely cleared everything out before going into hiding like the rat he is.” Yuriy didn’t turn around, he continued to stare out the window as if deep in thought. 

"I really thought I'd find something here," Kai said aloud, more to himself than to Yuriy, he rubbed his eyes with the back of his gloved hands and made his way over to the table. Grasping the heavy chair, Kai lifted it up easily and carried it over to the side, so as to not drag it and make too much of a racket, set it down a few metres away, and went over to sit at the table, putting his feet up on the edge as he leaned back on the palms of his hands. He glanced at Yuriy for a moment and then turned his attention to the view outside. 

Yuriy had turned halfway to face him, shoulder pressed against the window as he faced Kai, watching him with a rather wide eyed look. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it, as if thinking better of it. Instead, he walked over to Kai and stood by him, placing a hand on his back, lightly grasping and squeezing his shoulder for a brief second before withdrawing his hand.They watched the stillness of the sleeping city together for a long moment, their shoulders almost touching but not quite. The moon was about to set, and the sky was a dark blanket of navy blue, dotted with a few glimmering and twinkling stars far away in the cosmos. 

"It's strange the things that scare you as a child," Yuriy said after a few moments, breaking the delicate silence between them, his gaze still trained faraway. 

Kai watched him, he had nothing of comfort to say to Yuriy, so he listened silently, hoping to just be a sympathetic ear. 

"Growing up, being called to Boris' office was one of the scariest things I have ever had to experience.” Yuriy continued, running a finger along the light layer of dust that had settled on Boris’ table and inspecting it in the dim light. “Being called up here meant I was either going to be forced to put on a show for really big donors, and get in trouble if I didn’t do a good enough job, or, his crazy doctors wanted to run another experiment on me.” 

Kai could have sworn he heard Yuriy’s voice shake. 

“Now I am back in this.. fucking place,” Yuriy continued, “He decided my fate.. everyone’s fate from this table on a daily basis and now, you’re here, sitting with your filthy boots on it. And now it looks so small, so unimposing. It’s weird as hell to see.” 

“You should put your boots up on it too,” Kai said after a moment of silence. He didn’t have much to say in the form of comfort, but small, self-serving acts of his defiance were his wheelhouse. 

The first thing he’d done when he realized his father wasn’t coming back, was destroy the beyblade his father had given him by stamping on it with his football cleats to crush it.  

Yuriy’s head whipped to look at Kai, regarding him carefully. For a few moments, he didn’t say anything but then gingerly sat down on the table next to Kai, mimicking his pose. He put his boots up on the edge, and then pulled his legs close to his body, so his large boots rested on the table top. 

“I like how disrespectful this is,” Yuriy muttered, looking over and around himself, and at the room, as if seeing it for the first time. 

Kai hummed low in his throat and nodded, “Make sure you leave a big, dirty smudge for Balkov,” he suggested and then demonstrated. "If everything goes as it should, he will never come back here to see it but we'll always know it's there.”

“This can be our secret,” Yuriy said conspiratorily, and followed Kai’s advice, scraping his boot against the edge of the table to let it cake in the dirt from the dungeons. "You're kind of a brat," he observed. But his voice didn't hold any hint of maliciousness, just mere observation and the smallest hint of amusement. 

“Comes with being a tsarevich," Kai smirked and saw Yuriy smile for the first time since they entered the Abbey. 

Yuriy looked away from the window and around the room once, "We should go," he said, lightly squeezing Kai’s elbow, as he pushed himself off the desk. “The sun will rise soon.”  

“I’ll shut the cupboards,” Kai murmured as he got off the desk as well. Dejected, he walked over to the row of cupboards and slowly, as noiselessly as he could, began pushing in the drawers and shut the first cupboard. But the drawers of the second one made him pause. 

He pushed them in and pulled them open again, then repeated the motion a few times, brows crinkling in confusion. 

“What are you playing at?” Yuriy sounded as puzzled as Kai looked, making his way over to Kai. “We need to leave now!” 

“Two of these are heavier than the others,” Kai whispered, looking over in Yuriy’s direction, and then stepped back to inspect them. "But they are all the same from the outside." 

Stepping closer to inspect all the drawers again, Kai trained his beam of light longer over two drawers next to each other that differed in weight from the others. Then it struck him.  

"False bottom!" Kai whispered triumphantly and pushed down on the floor of the drawer, attempting to loosen the wood panel. "Yuriy, hand me your knife." Kai held his hand out, eyes still trained to the miniscule gap running along the width of the drawer, easily missed if one wasn’t specifically looking for something amiss. "I had one growing up," he explained, curling his fingers around the handle when Yuriy placed it in palm. He had been rather proud of his young self for making that ingenious hiding space after reading about it in a mystery novel he had been far too young to read. He stabbed the dull tip of the knife in the small gap and flicked it up with a turn of his wrist, "The only thing I ever kept in it was the beyblade and launcher my father gave me before he left," Kai blurted out in his excitement before biting back his tongue.

Kai had surprised even himself that he shared such a personal, painful detail of his childhood so readily with an almost stranger. He had never told anyone about the beyblade, not even Hiromi, his closest friend. Up until now, it was a secret he shared with only his father, but now, for some unknown reason, he had revealed it to Yuriy. 

Heart slamming in his chest, Kai waited with bated breath as he gently lifted up the lid and peered inside, quietly thankful that Yuriy had chosen not to comment on his revelation. 

"Fuck!" he slapped his thighs and let the lid slam shut, the noise echoing lightly echoing around them but absorbed by the stone by the rest of the room. The drawer, much to Kai's disappointment, was just as empty as the rest of the drawers. 

Taking his knife from Kai, Yuriy lifted up the lid of the other drawer Kai had pointed out. 

"Look!" Yuriy whispered. 

On the real floor of the drawer, sat a few pieces of yellowing, tattered paper. 

With shaking hands, Kai picked them up. 

They both huddled together, reading the faded words printed on the papers. Clearly being parts of a larger document that likely fell out when Boris must have made the mad dash to clear evidence. 

"It's a property deed," Kai whispered. His years working at Hiwatari Enterprises had him well versed in recognizing them, even in bits and pieces like this. "The city doesn’t own this land, it is private property." 

"Phoenix Holdings," Yuriy read out the name and looked towards Kai, "I've never heard of this company." 

"I might have," Kai responded slowly, something about the name felt hauntingly familiar. But he couldn't remember where or how he'd heard the name before. He squinted down at the words, racking his brain, searching for when he might have heard of them. 

Yuriy stared at him for a moment and then his gaze turned to the windows. 

"We really need to get out of here," Yuriy lightly gripped his elbow to gain his attention. The darkness outside was slowly giving way to purple and pink streaks in the sky. The sun would be rising soon, and they needed the cover of the night to get out of there safely.

Kai looked outside briefly, and carefully folded up the papers and tucked them in a secure, inside pocket of his coat. They then closed the drawers together and shut the cupboards. Yuriy turned to look inside the office one last time before turning his back on it and shutting the door behind him as they exited through the main door. 

______________________________

Making their way back down to the main level of the Abbey, Yuriy led them to the same wooden trap door through which they had come in. Pressing his ear to it, Yuriy listened for any signs of movement on the outside. Hearing nothing but the slight wind he slowly pried it open, bracing himself when it creaked slightly. 

“C’mon,” he whispered to Kai as he slipped out the door smoothly, who followed him wordlessly, and found Yuriy with his back pressed against the wall to avoid detection, Kai followed suit and watched the redhead slip the padlock back in place and click it shut. He silently did the job of lookout without being asked, just in case the brief, soft noise would have attracted any nearby attention in case they were unlucky. 

Silently pointing to the area from where they had entered the Abbey grounds, Yuriy began moving in that direction and Kai followed. Yuriy silently gestured for him to go first. remembering to get rid of his scarf, Kai slipped out of the large space in the wall quietly and turned his attention to his surroundings. 

With the thick forest blocking out most of the moonlight, it was much darker around them than it was on the Abbey grounds and his eyes took a moment to adjust. 

Yuriy looked around him quickly before turning and slipping a long leg through the gap in the wall, hands gripping either sides of the jagged edges of old stone and brick and pushing himself through when a tearing sound brought Kai’s attention to Yuriy.  

“Damn it,” Yuriy snapped as he came through on the other side. Stepping to the side to be hidden behind a solid wall, Yuriy pulled out and turned on his flashlight, holding up his arm to inspect it. A long cut ran along the length of his forearm, the cut itself didn’t look deep but the forearm of his coat sleeve was torn in half. Turning his head, Yuriy glared at the thin metal rod sticking out one of the bricks. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Yuriy told Kai, without giving him a chance to say anything. 

Making their way out of there quickly with Kai staying close to him, they were back near the street lamp illuminated footpath that had been laid down just outside the forest.

“Show it to me,” Kai gestured with his chin to Yuriy’s arm when they got out of the forest and onto the footpath. 

“It’s fine,” Yuriy slipped his hand into the pocket of his pants, clutching on the torn sleeve of his coat, “Just a scratch.” 

“I wasn’t asking, Yuriy,” Kai’s voice was tired, but came out firmer than he had intended. 

Sighing, Yuriy held out his arm and he turned to face him, surprising Kai slightly. He had half expected to be told to fuck off. Kai stared at him, and noticed that Yuriy looked tired, the usual intensity of his eyes had dimmed somewhat and his shoulders hunched ever so slightly. Grateful that Yuriy didn’t put up too much of a fight, Kai removed his dirty leather gloves and put them in his coat pocket.

Gently folding back the sleeve, Kai inspected the pale forearm, the fresh cut had formed a thin, red line that ran along the length of it, tinting the area around it pink. 

Silently, he wrapped his fingers around Yuriy’s wrist and led him to sit down on a bench about half a metre away from where they stood. 

“Does it hurt?” he asked as they sat down. Kai reached into a small inner pocket of his coat and pulled out a small bottle. Yuriy shook his head, his gaze trained intently on Kai, his lips had formed a hard line but he didn’t withdraw his arm. 

Flipping up the lid of the bottle, Kai poured a few drops in the palm of his hands and rubbed them together as the smell of alcohol filled the air between them, keeping his head down to concentrate on the task of sanitizing his hands. The last thing he wanted to do was give Yuriy an infection while trying to provide first aid. 

"This will sting a little,” Kai said softly, With his now clean hands, Kai gently touched Yuriy’s wrist once again and he poured a few drops of the gel close to the wound before gently smearing it into the cut.

Yuriy winced and his fist clenched in his grasp, but he stayed put and didn’t attempt to pull away as Kai disinfected the wound. 

“It will slow down the healing a little, but since we can’t wash it right now, hand sanitizer will have to do,” Kai murmured as he waited for it to dry and folded down Yuriy’s sleeve again. 

“Thanks,” Yuriy said, his voice gentler than Kai had ever heard it. 

Kai looked up and saw Yuriy still looking at him. The intense gaze had softened. Probably from the pain, Kai thought. So he nodded once and turned his attention to his lap, where Yuriy’s hand still was. 

Clearing his throat, Yuriy snatched back his arm and stood up from the bench. 

“We should head back.” 

Reluctantly standing up, Kai nodded once again. 

They’d fallen in an uncomfortable silence, and while Kai normally preferred quiet company, he wasn’t enjoying it this time. 

“You should get a tetanus injection,” Kai said the first thing that came to his mind. “That rod was more rust than iron.” 

“Yeah, I will.”

“When was the last time you got one?” Kai continued, not wanting the conversation to die out. He didn’t want to think about what he saw inside the dark walls of the Abbey.

“Probably when I was in there,” Yuriy said, jerking his head in the direction of the Abbey, “But I don’t know, they never told us what they were giving us.” 

That uncomfortable feeling in his stomach returned once again, and Kai couldn’t hold back the big question that he’d been holding back all this time. 

"How did you end up in this horrible place?" Kai didn't want to censor himself anymore. He had been wondering since Yuriy gave his statement in court. But now, after being in the Abbey and seeing that everything they had said was indeed real, Kai needed to know.

He couldn't get the image of the little boy he had seen in the newspaper - imagining a young Yuriy locked in solitary, being starved, being forced to endure the cold winters of Moscow and sneaking out to the forest in hopes of finding dinner. He hated the thought of a little child, of a child Yuriy having to endure all that. 

"I thought you paid attention at the trial," Yuriy shifted uncomfortably next to Kai.

"I did, and it was obvious there’s more to the story,” Kai tried to keep his voice level. 

“Not really. It was as I said, my parents were... let’s say taking care of me was no longer a priority for them, so I ended up on the streets. Boris found me, offered me a place to stay. Here I am, twenty years or so later.”

Kai felt something akin to a lead drop in his stomach when he heard Yuriy’s choice of words. His parents hadn’t been unable to care for him, they didn’t want to . 

After a moment, Kai poked the topic again. “After my father left, my grandparents took over as my guardians. Wasn’t a similar option… possible for you?”

Yuriy gave him a puzzled look.

“I thought your dad had a rare autoimmune disease? That’s what your Wikipedia said anyway.”

Kai smiled. Of course Yuriy would have Googled him. “An illness is indeed the official story.”

“Interesting. So, what happened? He cheated and left your mother for another woman? He drank? Or just a good, old, mid-life crisis?”

Kai took a moment to find an acceptable answer. He hadn’t bared this part of his soul to many people. “He lacked the sense of responsibility needed to be the head of the family. I think my grandfather tolerated his antics for a time, but one day gave him an ultimatum. I haven’t seen him in almost twenty years.”

“Dang,” answered Yuriy with an uncomfortable twist of the mouth, “our dads compete for Father of the Year I see.”

Yuriy’s answer was meant to be funny, but Kai could sense some empathy coming from his guide.

“To answer your question, no, that wasn’t an option for me,” Yuriy said, “My family members, those still alive or around, didn’t really have the means for one more mouth to feed.”

They reached the end of the footpath and close to the metro station. 

A lone blue Lada was parked on the other side of the road. 

“That’s our ride,” Yuriy commented.

Yuriy walked to the back of the car. The trunk opened with a click. Yuriy took a plastic bag and a nameless pair of black boots and handed them to Kai.

“Change boots and put yours in there. I had to guess your size.”

Kai quickly changed his boots. This was a good call. They probably both looked disgusting, caked in mud and dust. 

Yuriy also handed him a spare coat, brown and generic, but not without elegance. It was a tad too big, but would make do.

“You know where we live, I trust you’ll find a way to bring this back.”

Yuriy also changed his boots, but kept the same coat.

They climbed in the car. Kai noticed the driver was Ivan. His hair was tied in the same ponytail, but this time he was wearing a jacket and a black hoodie underneath.

“Morning Vanya,” greeted Yuriy.

“Morning boss,” answered Ivan, and Kai was unable to tell if his greeting was a joke or not.

Kai peeked at his phone for the first time in hours and noticed it had died. He should really learn to bring a charger.

“It’s almost 5 am,” Yuriy said, “we’ll drive back to Moscow and drop you a few metro stations away from our place. I'm sure you'll find your way back to your hotel.”

Kai gave a sharp nod. “Won’t be a problem.”

Chapter Text

The moment Kai reached his hotel room, he had called Hitoshi, and ordered him to gather what information he could on Phoenix Holdings and to share the details with him over the phone, not in an email . The risk of their communications being subpoenaed was now bigger than ever before. 

Kai did not manage to sleep the entire day, and only got some rest once the evening arrived.

His night was filled with nightmares of glass tubes where he drowned, and red doors that closed forever.

The knowledge of what all those children had been put through, of what Yuriy had been put through because of his family weighed on him like a boulder and he felt he'd been carrying it around since they stepped foot through the cursed doors of the Abbey. 

His grandfather knew . His grandfather was aware and didn’t do anything. It didn’t make sense. Kai had turned and returned the problem in his head for hours, and the only logical conclusion was that his grandfather had been lied to. Or manipulated. Or both. Perhaps he had been told these children were sick, or forced into silence by Balkov.

He needed more details from Yuriy. He needed to speak to more people. He needed to travel back twenty years in the past and understand what had happened.

Kai woke up before the sunrise, drenched in sweat and not particularly rested. His exhaustion came as a bit of a surprise to him. He was more than used to pulling all-nighters since he'd been at university and now working at Hiwatari Enterprises, often staying up until well past the crack of dawn to meet deadlines. But the night at the Abbey had him emotionally exhausted.

Kai texted Hitoshi that he had a fever and would be taking the day off. But Kai knew resting wouldn’t solve anything. He was a man of action. He needed to do something. He needed to move forward.

And he knew exactly what he wanted to do first.

-------- 

The same day

Bryan and Yuriy’s apartment

Yuriy returned home from work earlier than normal. 

He had been supremely inefficient all day and eventually told his boss he was feeling a bit under the weather. He was getting old, he felt . A night out used to be forgotten with a cup of strong tea and a hot shower, but evidently now, such escapades had a price.

The visit itself had definitely taken an emotional toll as well. Yuriy was, in a way glad he had infiltrated the Abbey a few times before bringing Kai in. The first time Yuriy had walked the corridors after more than ten years, he had found himself paralyzed in fear in front of Boris’ office.

The more time Yuriy spent with the young Hiwatari, the more convinced he became that the latter indeed knew nothing. That he had been existing in his little gold bubble, where Soichiro was little more than a loving grandfather and nothing else. Yuriy had found his hate melting and now, he could merely pity him. Perhaps admire him a tad too. It took a lot of courage to admit that one's own family had blood on their hands, but Kai had been facing the possibility with dignity. He was trying to form his own opinion.

Respect for the truth comes close to being the basis for all morality , remembered Yuriy from one of his favourite books, and as far as he knew, the truth was exactly what Kai Hiwatari was trying to uncover. Perhaps that meant he wasn’t as corrupted as Yuriy had feared.

Yuriy entered his apartment, removed his coat and his shoes, and headed directly to the kitchen, where Bryan was busy disassembling an iPhone.

“Mail for you,” said his roommate in the form of a greeting.

“You know the bills aren’t my sole responsibility, Borya.”

“Not a bill. Look on the couch,” answered Bryan, without looking away from his project.

Confused, Yuriy walked towards the couch and found a large black box. His expression became even more perplexed. It looked like a gift, however it was too late for his birthday, and he wasn’t expecting any packages. He took it in his hands and gently shook it. The inside of the box made no sound at all.

Deciding it most likely wasn’t a bomb, he carefully opened the box.

What he saw made his eyes widen. “Oh fuck.”

"What?" came Bryan's rather disinterested voice. 

Yuriy removed the item from the box and held it up. 

It was one of the nicest coats Yuriy had seen in his life, the kind of coat actors and politicians sported during public events. It was a black coat with a straight cut and square shoulders, perfectly in season. Yuriy wasn’t sure what the material was, some sort of cashmere and silk blend. Not the cheap polyester and acrylic wool he was used to. It looked expensive. It smelled expensive.

"It appears Kai Hiwatari bought me a present," said Yuriy, his voice not hiding his surprise.

Bryan looked up for the first time since Yuriy got home, and abandoning his project, made his way over to the couch. Yuriy held the coat up for Bryan to see.

"Nice," Bryan said, as he ran his forefinger and thumb along the seam of the soft material, "But if Pretty Boy has laced it with anthrax I'm going to be pissed ."

“You watch too many serial killers documentaries,” Yuriy retorted, while finally giving in to the temptation and trying the coat on. He adjusted the sleeves and the collar.

It was perfect. A bit more snug than what he generally wore, but it fit him like a glove.

Bryan looked at him again, his gaze wandering over him slowly. Then the corners of his mouth lifted in an approving way. “Seems like he has an eye for clothes . He already knows your measurements, unlike you. ” 

Bryan never got tired of reminding Yuriy of how utterly useless he was at shopping clothes. Yuriy’s old coat had been a tad too big, because Yuriy always just grabbed what he thought was his size and paid without trying things on first. Yuriy saw clothes as a mere social obligation, a classist display of status. He wore a rotation of plain, generic shirts, sweaters, and pants. Nothing offensive, but nothing that would make him stand out in a crowd. His only well-fitting suit, that he had worn at the trial, had been a one-time splurge.

“Probably a rich person superpower,” Yuriy responded, thinking of Kai’s perfectly tailored shirts and pants. He knew nothing about fashion, but he knew that people like Kai Hiwatari never had to walk into a store and make do with whatever was available in the discount section.

“Let’s just hope you don’t drop dead in the next hour,” continued Bryan.

"Borya he's not-" Yuriy began with a sigh. 

"He's still a Hiwatari at the end of the day," Bryan cut off Yuriy without sparing him a glance, "I wouldn't put it past him, is all I'm saying."

“We are not our parents,” Yuriy retorted, “you and I, more than anyone else, should know.”

Bryan’s smile dropped and he tilted his head to the side.

“You’re starting to like him,” Bryan said slowly. It wasn’t a question.

“What, no-”

Bryan raised a hand. “Calm down. It’s fine. Maybe Mister magician is a nice, friendly guy. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking he’s on our side.”

“I know that,” Yuriy said with a sigh, removing the coat and putting it back on the couch, “he’s not stupid enough to bite the hand that feeds.”

“No matter how evil that hand is,” Bryan concluded, before returning to his iPhone.

Kai’s hotel room

Later that day

Kai had more and more trouble caring about anything that wasn’t linked to the trial. Every other problem seemed futile at the very least. He had allowed Hitoshi to promote one of the Russian interns to help him scout the archives, looking for anything linked to Phoenix Holdings.

Kai couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that he’d heard the name of the company that owned the Abbey, and it wasn’t just in passing. There was something about it that he just couldn’t remember. The certitude was like an itch in the back of his mind.

His guilt wasn’t helping. Everything Yuriy had told him about his life at the Abbey had Kai feeling disgusted with himself and the blood that ran in his veins. He hoped that perhaps if he could find answers, some logic would finally emerge from this situation. Perhaps, he could repair some of the damage done.

Kai had spent a non-negligible part of the day researching 'Phoenix Holdings inc.', to no avail. He had been instantly swarmed by hundreds of results and hours later, he hadn’t processed them all. The vast majority of them were not relevant and many referred to Phoenix Holdings&Co, a medium-sized Bulgarian company that didn’t seem to own an Abbey.

The other part of his day had been spent shopping. Kai wanted to thank Yuriy for his time and help with something more tangible than a text. Perhaps he was being a bit over the top, but once an idea reached his mind, it rarely left.

It hadn’t taken long to find what he wanted. He had to guess Yuriy’s taste, and made sure Yuriy could return or exchange his gift if needed.

Then, he had taken a taxi all the way to Lyublino and walked to Yuriy’s apartment. Kai had placed a black, unmarked box on the floor in front of the door, alongside a bag that contained the coat and boots Yuriy had lent him . From his pocket, he retrieved a folded piece of card paper on which he had written, ‘Юрий’, Yuriy in neat Cryllic letters, very different from his usually messy handwriting, and placed it down on the top of the box. Ringing the doorbell, he had run to the stairwell, not trusting the elevators to make it in time before the door opened. 

Now, all that was left was to wait, and hope.

--- 

Later that evening

Cracking his eyes open and seeing darkness outside, Kai bolted upright. He had fallen asleep in his chair, like an old man.

Groping for his phone, he pried one eye open to look at the time. It was already past midnight and he had more than a dozen unread text messages.

The first ones were from Pavel Mikhailovich, with more details on the trial preparation. Apparently the news that Boris intended to throw his former sponsors under the bus had reached his ears.

Another one was from Hitoshi, apologizing for not having anything new on Phoenix Holdings and complaining that he had not taken a day off in weeks. Kai ignored him. A few were from Hiromi, enquiring about his well-being. Since he had arrived in Russia, they were talking even more than they did when he was in Japan, he kept her in the loop and she was there as a constant source of support for him as the trial went on.

There was one from the cardiologist, a cryptic message about how he didn’t want to be a bother but he still was hoping for a second date. Kai wondered if he had been slightly intoxicated while typing this. A few typos seemed to confirm this theory. 

The last texts made him jump to his feet.

They were from Yuriy. 

Yuriy had sent him a picture of him wearing an elegant black coat over a white shirt and a tie with a discreet pattern. He looked stunning, there was no way around it. To the picture, were attached innocent words that made Kai feel giddy inside. 

What do you think?  

Kai smiled to himself, heart doing a little sommersault. Yuriy was wearing the coat he left at the door for him, as an apology for having a hand in having his old one being ripped, and because he really needed a new one, his old one had seen one too many winters.

Yuriy was accepting his gift.

Looks good on you, Kai sent back as a response. 

Yuriy’s reply was quick. Kai barely had time to put his phone down and make a cup of coffee when his phone buzzed again. 

Yuriy: It does indeed. Thank you. Am I to expect this kind of treatment whenever we do something dangerous?

Kai: Did you have anything dangerous in mind?

Yuriy: I always do. 

Kai: Care to name a few?

Yuriy: I can’t be expected to do all the work. Why don’t you come up with something dangerous to do for our next time?

Kai’s heart shouldn’t have beaten that hard in his chest, and yet it did.

Yuriy wanted to see him again. Yuriy was willing to spend some time with him. Kai always complained that people were boring, but Yuriy hadn’t bored him one single second yet and although a part of him knew it was because they were at opposite ends in a trial for crimes against humanity, the other one couldn’t help but like the thrill.

Kai sighed. That’s exactly why he was single. 

He sent his answer quickly, before doing something stupid, like asking Yuriy to hang out for fun.

I’ll keep you updated.

________________

Two days later

Hiwatari Enterprises Legal Department in Moscow

“So that’s it? We tell the judge we didn’t know?”

Kai let the file fall from his hand back on the table and gave the man sitting in front of him a bored look.

“That’s the strategy, sir,” Pavel Mikhailovich answered, with a smile so fake it looked made of plastic.

Kai sighed. He had hoped Hiwatari Enterprises law firm would have some sort of brilliant solution to thwart Balkov’s testimony. Apparently they didn’t. Their whole strategy was denying any implication aside from occasional charity donations.

Kai attacked. “How about the fact that my grandfather was involved? Because he was , you know that.”

Pavel Mikhailovich gulped, but kept his smile. “All lies. Balkov is a lost man. He is throwing accusations with no proof.”

“The only thing that Balkov’s lawyer can prove is that Hiwatari Enterprises contributed small amounts to a charity fund. The paperwork exists, it is out there,” continued another lawyer, Galina Aleksandrovna, a short woman in her mid thirties sporting an inverted bob and speaking more directly than Pavel Mikhailovich ever dared.

“So that’s all that the defense can prove for now?” Kai asked.

“Yes,” confirmed Galina Aleksandrovna, “the next issue will be the witnesses’ testimonies. If enough people say that Hiwatari Enterprises knew that illegal activities were going on, our strategy will be to claim manipulation from Balkov.”

“After all, the man is a textbook case of sociopathy and antisocial personality disorder,” added Pavel Mikhailovich.

Kai frowned. “Doesn’t that make my grandfather insane or gullible by default?”

“Your grandfather is a generous man who got tricked by Boris Balkov,” said the lawyer as if he was trying to believe the story himself, “perhaps the witnesses remember events incorrectly. After all, they were merely children and could have been... confused.”

“We ran this strategy by your grandfather before you arrived,” Galina Aleksandrovna continued, “He agrees it is the best we can do for now.”

Kai sighed and fell back into his chair, realizing that the miracle he had hoped for wouldn’t come. He knew real life wasn’t a crime show, where lawyers magically found the ultimate proof that their client was innocent. Still, he had hoped better.

And once again, Kai was merely a puppet. Soichiro had talked to the legal team before anything happened. Kai’s opinions must have sounded like a toddler’s rant to Pavel Mikhailovich’s ears.

Kai thanked the legal team and made his way out of the office. The air still had a cold wintery feel, but was significantly warmer than when he first arrived. Yuriy’s new coat wouldn’t be needed much longer this season.

Kai mechanically walked to a park he had spotted a few visits ago and sat on a bench. It was almost desert ed , aside from an old woman walking one of those stupid fluffy white dogs and a toddler being pushed on the swing by his father.

Kai took out his cellphone and texted Hiromi.

Just came back from our legal dept. Their strategy is shit. If prosecutor finds anything, we’re fucked.

Hiromi’s answer didn’t wait. Call me.

Kai wasn’t terribly fond on talking on the phone, but he needed to vent to someone trustworthy. He dialed her number and when she picked up, abruptly asked, “Isn’t it early morning for you?”

“Yup. I just had breakfast,” answered Hiromi unfazed.

“Didn’t know you started that early.”

“Kai,” she sighed, “cut the small talk and tell me what’s up.”

Kai chuckled. He took a few seconds to gather his thoughts, and then summarized his entire meeting with the legal department. Hiromi listened, asking once or twice relevant questions. 

Legally speaking, this discussion wasn’t the wisest choice, however, Hiromi had proven multiple times she could be trusted. 

Eventually he ran out of things to say. He didn’t mention his discussions with Yuriy and their visit to the Abbey, even though he was tempted to. But right now it seemed to him like this was somewhat a secret between him, Yuriy, and inevitably the other former Abbey boys. And maybe he wasn’t ready yet to face the questions Hiromi would ask, should she get to know about all that. 

It was good, talking about it, if only about parts of the whole affair. It made the tightness in his chest bearable. 

“What did your grandfather say?” was Hiromi’s first question after he ended his monologue.

“Well, he doesn’t want the whole thing to blow up, of course,” Kai answered. “I haven’t talked to him in a while, but he approved of the legal strategy.”  

Hiromi hummed softly, a sound she usually made when she was about to reveal her true feelings on something. 

“Hot take,” Hiromi finally said. “The Kai Hiwatari I know did not question the actions of Soichiro Hiwatari, because he trusted him to have more experience and insight, and to make the right decisions. What changed?” 

For the first time, Kai hesitated. If he put his thoughts into words now, he couldn’t take them back. But then again, he had to talk about that, or he would go crazy.

“He is lying to me,” Kai said. “He did so from the beginning. I came to Russia thinking this would all just be a small inconvenience. And now there is a real danger that this will blow up, and still he won’t come clear.”

“How can you be so sure that he is lying?” Hiromi paused, and Kai knew she understood him without words. “You know something. And he doesn’t know that you do. What happened?” 

“I don’t know what I know,” Kai answered vaguely. “But things just don’t add up. I’ve found… a reliable source who gave me some details that would put my family in a precarious position if they come to light.”

“And you trust that source more than your own grandfather?” 

Again a few seconds passed before Kai answered. “Yes,” he said then and was a bit surprised by himself. “Because more and more things are coming to light, and they all lead to the conclusion that Hiwatari Enterprises is much more involved than Soichiro wants to admit,” he added. “First, my contact has nothing to lose, he couldn’t care less about the company. And second, why doesn’t Soichiro just tell me what happened back then? We could find a solution together. But he just uses me as a figurehead for the media.” 

Hiromi remained silent for a few seconds, before giving a soft laugh. “Wow. One could think whoever has information to incriminate Hiwatari Enterprises would ask you for money. That man sounds interesting.” 

Only then Kai realized he had slipped. It was clear that Hiromi wanted to know more, but thankfully she didn’t ask further questions. 

“If I can give you some advice,” she offered, and Kai said: “Please.” 

“Don’t get too involved, ” Hiromi said, her voice now serious again. “ Even if your grandfather hides things from you, he probably has a good reason. This whole trial ultimately has nothing to do with you. And the moment will come where you will have to look out for yourself first.” 

Kai almost scoffed. But Hiromi didn’t know what was going through his head, it wasn’t her fault that her advice already didn’t make sense to him. 

Because it was too late to not get involved. 

________________________________________

A few hours later Kai found himself strolling through Gorky Park. He had taken the metro to Park Kul'tury and crossed the Crimea Bridge. To his left he could already see the hideous memorial for tsar Peter I, which, in all its ugliness, should provide some distraction. But Kai’s mind was elsewhere. Not only was he still unable to process all that had happened in the Abbey, he also knew he should come up with some sort of strategy on his own, because right now it looked like his own interests were about to be separated from the company’s interests. Even though he wasn’t sure about his own interests in the first place - if it was still solely about wanting to find out the truth, or if there was something, somebody else. 

Reaching the end of the bridge, he went left, making his way towards the New Tretyakov Gallery and the sculpture park. The weather was pleasant, even though the sun was setting. People were walking along the river, and the fountain in front of the gallery was already running. 

His phone rang in his pocket. It took a few seconds for Kai to notice. He wasn’t really used to his own ringtone, as his phone seemed to constantly be low on battery power or switched off completely. Finally, he took it out of his pocket and checked the display.

It was Hitoshi.

With a frown, Kai picked up. “What is it?”

His assistant’s voice sounded even more tired than usual , if that was possible. He seemed on the brink of a burnout. That was new, but not entirely surprising. Hitoshi was usually hardworking and not easily thrown off the track, but he had worked above and beyond his usual schedule in the last weeks . Kai felt a pinch of pity - or, more likely, he realised he was probably not being a good employer right now - but he pushed that sentiment aside. 

“I think I’ve found out about Phoenix Holdings,” Hitoshi said.

“Alright.” Kai suppressed a sigh as he was readying himself for what was about to come. “I’m listening.”

“Do you know about that real estate scheme that some companies have going on?” Hitoshi asked. “It’s pretty simple, but also very efficient: You use a shell company to own the land. And that shell company is owned by another shell company. And so on and so forth.”

“Like a matreshka, I am aware, ” Kai said, and Hitoshi paused briefly, confused. 

“I guess? Anyway, what I am trying to say is… Phoenix Holdings is a European letterbox company, and said letterbox can be located in the Netherlands. It owns multiple properties in various European cities - Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, you name it. The thing is, if one tries to find out who owns Phoenix Holdings, one will find the name of yet another company. They stretched this scheme to a ridiculous extent. ”

“Who is ‘they’?” Kai asked. There was a free bench to his right, so he went over to sit down. 

“The names don’t matter, because these companies are all offshore shell companies. I wrote everything down for you, though. They’re all over the world. One was in Panama, one on the Seychelles - letterboxes everywhere! I had to dig through a lot of, pardon my words, bullshit before I found something useful. ” 

“So what did you find?” Kai interrupted. 

“Right.”

Kai heard Hitoshi breathing. His assistant’s voice had never sounded as nervous. “I don’t know what this is about, but I have to tell you, it creeped me out a bit. Because at the end of that chain of companies was BioVolt.”

“BioVolt?” Kai repeated. “As in, the Hiwatari Enterprise’s subsidiary? My father’s company?” 

“Exactly,” Hitoshi answered. “Looks like your family owns Phoenix Holdings, sir.” 

A few seconds of silence passed. Kai stared at whatever was happening in front of him without really seeing anything. His mind was racing. 

“Alright,” he finally said. “Good work, Kinomiya, thank you. I, uhm…”

“One more thing, Mr. Hiwatari,” Hitoshi said. 

Kai was too focused on what had been said to be upset about the interruption. “Yes?”

“I quit.”

Kai frowned. “What?” 

“I - I am deeply sorry, sir, but I simply… can’t continue like this. I’ve been reading about the case in Russia. Put it together with what you asked me to look for lately... I am not stupid, Mr. Hiwatari,” Hitoshi finished, his voice firmer.

Kai remained silent. 

“I do not want to be involved in Hiwatari Enterprises matters any longer, in any way, shape, or form,” Hitoshi continued. “ I will hand in my resignation to the HR department, effective immediately. You know I signed an NDA, so you can be sure I won’t talk to anybody about this… situation. But I’m out.” 

“That’s…” Kai was at a loss for words. “Well, so be it, Kinomiya. Thanks for letting me know.” 

Kai ended the call without so much as a formal good-bye. Only when his hand dropped into his lap did he realise he was trembling. He tried to breathe, long, steady breaths, but it didn’t work. There was… something clawing at his brain, his throat. He coughed and looked around, but nobody seemed to notice that he felt like he was about to lose control. The sun was still shining, despite everything. 

This was too much. He had been on the edge since visiting the Abbey, but this was the last straw, and he knew it, he felt it. 

He was drowning. 

Hiwatari Enterprises owned the land the Abbey stood on. He basically owned the Abbey. Furthermore - now it wasn’t just Soichiro who might’ve made one bad decision twenty years ago. Now Susumu was also somehow involved. 

He never had thought his father would come back into his life like this. 

Kai couldn’t breathe. He swallowed a few times, his whole body tense, his sight narrowing rapidly. For a few seconds he thought he would topple over. Instinctively he opted for something less alarming and lay down on the bench, his back pressed tightly against the warm wood. Looking up into the vastness of the sky helped. There were one, two, three, four tiny clouds. A seagull crossing his field of vision. A second one. 

Kai took a deep breath. Very slowly the dizziness faded, and as it did his mind was able to form clear thoughts again. He was exhausted, though. It didn’t seem physically possible to sit back up yet. He just hoped he didn’t draw any attention. All the other people around would hopefully just assume he was enjoying the weather. 

Finally, he lifted his hand again that still was holding his phone. It was hard to see anything on the display, as the light was blinding him. He scrolled through his messages until he found Yuriy’s name. Then he started typing. 

“I need to talk to you.”

Chapter Text

Being a Hiwatari, and moreover, having the money of a Hiwatari, opened many doors. For example the one of a small, but exclusive restaurant with a private backroom that he could book for a couple of hours. There were no windows but some big, gold-framed mirrors on the walls that made the room look larger. The room had an old-fashioned atmosphere, with its dark velvet cushions, thick carpet, and white embroidered tablecloth. Lavish flower bouquets stood in the corners and a chandelier with glass crystals illuminated the table.

He would have offered to have met Yuriy at the same cafe they first sat down together but it was a popular one and he wasn't in the mood to be disturbed, or have Yuriy be recognized now that the trial was being televised.

It was late morning on a warm and sunny Sunday, and Kai had proposed a meeting over breakfast. He didn’t know if Yuriy would even show up, as his answers via text message had been rather vague, even though Kai had emphasized that he had confidential details to share with him. He didn’t think Yuriy would show up for a casual chat, so he had tried to hint at the importance without saying too much. Kai wondered if he was slowly getting paranoid, as he less and less trusted his phone to be safe from unwanted ears or eyes.

Now that he was out of Soichiro's critical eye, Kai was dressing more to his taste than something that would meet Soichiro's approval. He had picked a lilac cable knit sweater, dark jeans, a Patek Philippe watch, and his favorite studded, bomber leather jacket that hung on the back of the chair, and silver ear studs. He sat at the table with his laptop open and in front of him, trying to do what little work he could get done without being physically present in Japan , even though his mind was constantly drifting. 

He was so engrossed in his work for a moment that he didn't see Yuriy entering the room. It was his reflection, a mere movement and a shimmer of red in the mirror on the opposite wall, that shook Kai out of his musings. He turned his head sideways to watch him being led in by a waiter, who discreetly closed the door behind him. For a second, Yuriy just stood in front of the table. His face was unreadable, and Kai wondered if he had overdone it with his choice of location. 

Then, Yuriy came closer and sat down in front of him. 

"You know, breakfast dates are a lot more romantic in bed," Yuriy said.

"I didn’t know you were the romantic type," said Kai dryly, closing his laptop and securing it into his satchel.

Kai met Yuriy's gaze. His blue eyes still had the same intensity but Yuriy wasn't wearing his patented mocking grin, nor the coat Kai gave him, he thought with a small twinge of disappointment. He had to guess the measurements, and he really wanted to see how the redhead would look in it in person . 

Instead, Yuriy wore the same generic brown coat he had given Kai after their Abbey visit.

Yuriy took the time to look around him and nodded approvingly at the decoration. “This is nice. I’ll forgive you this time.”

Before Kai could respond, the server came back in , pressed to take their orders. Yuriy ordered a strong black tea and a stack of blini for himself. Kai couldn’t manage to be hungry, so he requested more time to check the menu.

When the server left, Kai plunged. “Didn’t know this ugly thing was your coat.”

Yuriy shook his head. “It’s not, I borrowed it. It belongs to Bryan.”

Kai’s lips formed a line. He tried to read Yuriy’s face, but the redhead’s expression gave nothing.

Now, he realized that perhaps he had made a mistake. Yuriy had seemed pleased at first, but the fact that he wasn’t wearing Kai’s gift wasn’t a good sign. Maybe Kai’s generosity had bruised his ego.

Clumsily, Kai attempted, “If you don't like it, you can return it. It’s indicated on-.”

“Yeah, I saw,” Yuriy cut, “I also noticed the brand. Are you always that eager to burn money, or are you just trying to ease your guilt?”

Kai rolled his eyes. Yuriy’s doubts were starting to get on his nerves. “Stop seeing traps everywhere. The coat was just a thank you gift, 'cause it’s my fault the one you were wearing was ruined. I realize the effort it must have taken bringing me to that place. You chose to trust me and I am grateful. If receiving a token of appreciation from me makes you uncomfortable, return the damn thing and use the money however you want. Maybe bring your roommate for a haircut.”

Yuriy’s expression softened and he chuckled slightly. “I was indeed thinking of buying a new coat. So thank you , it saved me the time. Now" he said, squaring his shoulders, '' I hope you didn’t invite me today to just discuss fashion.”

Kai smiled. He wasn’t in the mood to argue with Yuriy. He quickly regained his composure and lowered his voice.

" Remember when I said I’d let you know when something dangerous would come up?” he said, trying to sound casual. “ I found out about Phoenix Holdings.” He paused, watching Yuriy’s face closely. “That's why I wanted to talk with you privately." 

Yuriy’s gaze darkened. "Okay then, what did you find out?" 

"It's one of many shell corporations that Hiwatari Enterprises owns," Kai said carefully, trying to keep his own involvement as non-existent as it really was, but unable to keep the guilt he was feeling out of his voice. He couldn’t quite manage yet to tell the whole truth: That it wasn’t just any shell company but one that was ultimately owned by none other than his own father. 

Yuriy’s eyes squinted, and then widened. “You mean…”

"Yes. Technically Hiwatari Enterprises own the Abbey,” Kai said slowly, unsure if Yuriy understood the gravity of what Kai was saying from his lack of reaction. “But unless the investigators know where to look, they're not going to find that out." 

“How did you find out then?” Yuriy asked.

“My assistant dug out some old files. The paper trail is… incriminating. It freaked him out so much that he resigned that very same day,” Kai explained.

Yuriy’s lips formed a line. “Sorry about that.”

“I can’t blame him,” Kai shrugged, “he saw the smoke and he ran away. I would have probably done the same had I been in his shoes.”

Kai ran a hand through his hair and concluded, “So yeah, as it turns out… to this day, my family still owns the Abbey.”

"This surprises you?" Yuriy remained unfazed still. 

" Honestly, it really doesn’t ," Kai rubbed his eyes, " Not after everything I learned..." he trailed off. He didn't need to finish his sentence, Yuriy knew what he was saying. 

"So what are you going to do now?" Yuriy asked. 

Kai shrugged. Truth was , he didn’t know. What he wanted to do and what he needed to do were starting to look like two vastly different paths, both with the certitude that this trial wouldn’t wrap up smoothly. He sighed and locked eyes with Yuriy again.

"You knew my family owned it ,” Kai said, switching the topic. It wasn't a question. 

The server came by and dropped off Yuriy’s beverage. Kai ordered a coffee for himself.

"No, I didn't," Yuriy picked up his tea and blew on it lightly, and Kai noticed he didn't add any sugar in it, "But like I told you, as often as I saw your dedushka, I was sure he was one of the guys Boris was answering to," he said and took a small sip.

"So my grandfather knew everything." 

" I suppose he did, at least a large part. " 

Kai leaned back against his chair with a sigh. " All the blood is on his hands." The wave of nausea hit Kai like a truck.

"Not all of it. Just… a non-negligible part of it," Yuriy said, taking another sip of his tea.

Yuriy’s food arrived. The plate was artfully decorated, and Kai interpreted his companion’s raised eyebrows as a sign of satisfaction. The server asked again if Kai wanted something to eat, and, again, he shook his head. 

“Wait,” Yuriy said to the server. “Bring that man a sandwich or something, anything filling.”

The server gave Kai a puzzled look, who in return, stared at Yuriy.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Yuriy said, as he noticed the expression on Kai’s face. “I can tell you’re going through some shit here. Better face it with something in your stomach.” 

Kai sighed again and gave the server a nod, who then left the room. Meanwhile, Yuriy tried his breakfast. 

“Not all that bad,” was his verdict, and Kai couldn’t help but grin while he watched the other dig in. 

“So,” Yuriy spoke up again after a minute of silence. “What are you going to do with all that new information?” 

Kai didn’t have an immediate answer. It occurred to him that part of him was still somewhat in denial. It all felt more like a news story to him than his real life. But here he was, with everything he thought he knew about his family slowly being turned into something sinister. 

“I don’t know,” Kai admitted. “It’s not like anybody will find out anytime soon. So it has no meaning for the trial.” 

“Well, it certainly doesn’t change things for us,” Yuriy said and nodded to himself. At that moment, the server came back to the room and put a plate on the table in front of Kai. “Smoked salmon croissant du jour , sir,” he said, before exiting the room one last time.

Kai grabbed the sandwich without so much as looking at it, and for the next minute they ate in silence. Yuriy was right, he started to feel better once the food reached his stomach. 

When they finished their meal, Kai pulled his cup closer again. “What did you mean when you said it doesn’t change things for you?” he asked, remembering where they left off. 

“I mean it as I said it,” Yuriy answered. “For me and the others knowing who the real owner of the Abbey is won’t change a thing. We’re just there to give our stories, and maybe get some sort of compensation. We have lawyers to keep us out of the big mud bath. That’s between Boris and whoever goes down with him.” 

“Well, I hope your lawyers know what they’re doing,” Kai mumbled. From his experience, a good lawyer could make a world of difference when the situation turned desperate. Unfortunately, Yuriy didn’t seem to be too convinced, as the corner of his mouth dropped. 

“It’s not like we can afford the best of the best,” Yuriy said. “They’re okay so far, t hey mostly make sure we don’t do anything stupid that would make this trial even longer. For instance, there is this quarrell going on with the police. Police want us to give loads of details about Boris - but that’s not always in our best interest. So our lawyers keep telling us to not say anything. We’re pressured from both sides. It doesn’t make anyone feel safe.” 

Yuriy stared at his own reflection in the mirror, and continued, “Things went a bit crazy a few weeks before the trial. Ivan and I were followed to work, and once, I caught someone in the street taking my picture.

Kai’s heart skipped a beat. Yuriy had given this information so casually, he probably didn’t know that those were the actions of Kai’s own legal team.

“Do you know who was following you?” Kai asked prudently.

Yuriy shook his head, a strand of red hair falling before his eyes. “Never found out who it was. I guess it doesn’t really matter.”

“I see. You’re in a vulnerable position.” He didn’t want to add that this was all the more reason to get the best lawyers they could get, but then again, people like that were expensive. Kai was aware he was spoiled in a sense, to always be able to afford the best of the best. Yuriy and his former teammates weren’t as lucky. 

There was nothing Kai could do for them now, though. He had other things to handle, like talking to his grandfather and finding out why all of a sudden the name of his father was coming up, too. This all started to get way too close to him. And with Hitoshi gone, the people he really could trust with this were very much limited . He needed some backup, and soon. 

The sound of Yuriy’s cup hitting the saucer let him snap back to reality. 

“I gotta go,” Yuriy said, and Kai couldn’t tell if it sounded apologetic. Probably not. 

“Thanks for coming,” Kai said as the other one was already getting up. They looked at each other briefly. 

“Thanks for the update, I guess,” Yuriy said. “Let’s continue like that, shall we? I think I’d like to know what happens on your side. Helps to be prepared.” 

“Sure.” Kai probably should feel happy about this outcome, but right now he was too exhausted to feel anything. Maybe he should just return to the hotel and sleep. 

“Oh, and one more thing.” 

He looked up at Yuriy, his brows raised questioningly.

“That...colour” Yuriy pointed at his sweater, “is hideous. However… I don’t know how you do it, but somehow you pull it off. Consider me impressed.” 

And with that, he turned around and left.

_____ 

Tokyo, Japan

It had been weeks since Kai had left for Russia, and Hiromi was starting to miss her lunchtime companion. Kai rarely had time to spend with her, but no matter how little they actually hung out, he was a true friend that she could trust. She would never have expected to think such a thing of the future CEO of one of the biggest companies in Asia, if not in the world.

Kai had taken his time in revealing who he was. The night she had met him, during a networking event at some consulting firm she couldn’t remember the name of, he had introduced himself as a mid-level back office employee of Hiwatari Enterprises who merely happened to share the famous last name. “Excel spreadsheets all day” had been his exact job description.

Then, he had slowly welcomed her in his world and she had done the same on her side. Over the years, they had learned that aside from their vastly different upbringings, they had a lot in common. They kept their friendship separated from their professional lives and it was all the better.

Until now.

Kai had somewhat become involved in the trial of the year and Hiromi had been kept informed in a more or less timely manner. She had never asked him to do so, but as the trial progressed, the frequency of his texts and calls had increased. For the first time since she had met him, Kai seemed on the verge of breaking. And it hurt her to not be able to help.

Speaking of the devil, Kai texted her, just as she was about to start her work day.

Hitoshi resigned.

Hiromi’s eyes widened in shock. This was bad. She quickly typed back, “What? What happened? When?”

K: Yesterday. Said he can’t work with us anymore. Can’t say much over text, but the company is in deep shit. Call me.

Hiromi peeked at her manager’s desk. It was predictably empty, as he was often in meetings until noon. She discreetly exited her desk and locked herself in an empty conference room.

Kai picked up at the first ring.

“Hiromi,” he said, sighing in relief.

“What’s up?” Hiromi asked, trying to keep her tone light, “Have they found out your grandfather is involved or…”

“I can’t say much at the moment,” Kai whispered, “but in short it’s becoming clear we’re… I mean the company… has done more than just giving charity donations to the Abbey. Hitoshi saw the red flags and bounced.”

The air around her became cold and she was suddenly sharply aware of the whiteness of the walls and the rugged carpet under her shoes.

“Fuck. I mean wow. That’s…” Hiromi couldn’t find the right words. What would she want to hear if she discovered that her family had been involved in atrocities?

“I’m not calling you for a pep talk,” Kai then quickly said, “I need your help and I need it right now. Remember when you joked that I should hire you? Well… that day has come.”

Hiromi blinked. Then, she walked back to the door, made sure it was locked, and whispered, “You… you can’t be serious. You want me to replace Hitoshi?”

“Just for the trial,” Kai continued in a rapid-paced whisper, “I need someone to help me. It sounds like a stupid idea, but I’ve thought about this. I’ll promote someone from within the company to become my new assistant for anything related to my normal job. And you… you’ll handle trial-related issues.”

Hiromi bit her lip. This was tempting, but risky. Not only had she never set a foot in Russia, she feared what a business collaboration with Kai would be like. He was a workaholic, who lived and breathed Hiwatari Enterprises. Furthermore, she couldn’t simply leave her job for a gig that might damage her own career.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Kai, sounds exciting and all, but I can’t do that. You should hire a new assistant, that’s all. I can even help you pick one, if that helps.”

Kai cleared his throat and he continued, his tone now serious. “Hiromi, I’ve thought about this. I need someone that I can trust. I trust you. You are a trustworthy person. Isn’t that so?”

“Of course you can trust me!” Hiromi said.

“Think about it this way,” Kai continued, his tone now calm and composed, “for you, joining me in Russia is a one in a lifetime experience. Didn’t you mention how fascinating this whole story was?”

“Yes, I have,” Hiromi conceded.

“You get to see the action from up close, without being completely involved. It’s virtually risk-free, Hitoshi never got bothered by the media or the police once. Furthermore, you won’t be gone for years. We all expect this trial to wrap up within a few weeks. Two months, maximum. What is two months?”

Hiromi waited for Kai to continue, but he waited in silence for her answer. He had some fair points. She had followed this story from afar since the beginning, obsessing over every little piece of data and gorging herself on the details Kai had shared. It was beyond true crime at this point, it was a real interest. Finally, she said, “Ok, fair. But I can’t take two months off work and I can’t just resign. I would like to keep my job. For once, the work doesn’t suck and the hours are decent.”

Hiromi could almost feel Kai smiling over the phone. 

“Let’s say you get to keep your job once you come back to Japan. Anything else?”

“Are you… negotiating with me?” she laughed.

“Your request makes perfect sense. If I can guarantee that your job will be waiting for you when you come back… will you agree?” Kai asked, his tone becoming insistent.

“What if we hate working together?” Hiromi finally asked, ignoring his latest remark.

“That’s a risk I am ready to take,” Kai retorted firmly, and Hiromi understood he had spent a fairly decent amount of time musing over this possibility.

Hiromi suddenly understood Kai wouldn’t give up. He needed her help in Russia and he wouldn’t take no for an answer unless she hung up on him.

After all, why not? She wouldn’t be in the spotlight. It might be an occasion to meet interesting people. She was not an expert in Russian law, but her current job involved a fair amount of research. It was a task she was, on paper, more than able to do.

Hiromi cleared her throat. “I need my job waiting for me when I am back. And that means any time. I could decide for instance, that I am taking a week off in Europe after this and it would not be an issue.”

“That can be arranged,” Kai answered with no hesitation, “What else?”

“I don’t speak Russian,” Hiromi said, more as a question than a real opposition. At this point, her decision had been practically made and she was simply reassuring herself.

“No worries, I’ll be with you most of the time, and for research we just promoted an intern to work on the Russian documents exclusively. Her name is Marina, she’s been doing an amazing job so far. Next?”

“I need a place to stay and a plane ticket.”

“Not a problem.”

“Not shitty ones.”

“Hiromi,” Kai sighed, “I am many things, cheap isn’t one of them. You’ll fly First Class and don’t worry about accommodations.”

Hiromi’s mouth stretched into a smile and she refrained a victory dance. “When do I start?”

• - - - -  - - 

“I am not sure I did this right,” Bryan said, eyeing the Mason jars standing on the kitchen counter. “Yura, can you check that kvass recipe again that we found the other day? I think I forgot something.” 

Sipping his tea, Yuriy pulled out his phone and opened the browser. As soon as he typed “k” into the search bar the algorithm autocompleted it to “Kai Hiwatari”. Before he could stop himself, his thumb had pressed down on the magnifying glass. 

Yuriy felt his fingers go cold with embarrassment when the same search results as usual popped up - the seven or eight violet-colored links that he had clicked numerous times, and the two handful of public pictures that existed of Kai: either stiff portraits shot for business websites or photographs taken during public events and press conferences.

The websites where his name popped up revealed nothing scandalous, or even interesting. Just a few biographical facts and random mentions of his name in business articles.

Kai Hiwatari was born in Japan and had studied at prestigious establishments before interning at notable companies in Europe, the US, and China. He had integrated Hiwatari Enterprises at least three years ago, after his Master’s degree. 

Ivan was better at stalking people, and he had done so right after they had dropped Kai off after their visit to the Abbey. A few days later, Ivan had barged into the flat, urging Yuriy and Bryan to sit down with him and had presented the results of his “research”. 

There hadn’t been too much, though. Kai’s graduation photo on his university’s website, along with a few mentions of his name with projects he had worked on during his Master’s degree. 

Ivan had also put an article from a Japanese magazine through a web translator, but it didn’t say much more than that Kai Hiwatari was brilliant and had a formidable taste in fashion.

The only valuable information had been the revelation that Kai was expected to, one day, replace his famous grandfather, Soichiro Hiwatari as the CEO of the family-owned multinational.

Only upon hearing this, Yuriy had realised for the first time that Kai wasn’t just some random grandchild of the mighty Soichiro, but indeed his sole heir. And he had begun to understand how all that pressure must weigh on him. After all, he could relate: Boris Balkov had basically done the same to him, even though on a smaller scale, by making him captain of the Abbey’s beyblade team. It wasn’t just sports for Balkov; instead, he had piled an unholy amount of responsibilities on Yuriy. If they lost, it wasn’t just losing. It meant less sponsoring, and it was Yuriy’s fault alone if they failed. 

It had taken years of therapy for Yuriy to untangle the mess that the Abbey had made of his brain. What remained was a slight need to control and a tendency to be overzealous. He had found his job to be a great outlet for these traits. After all, it could be very well his fault if a plane crashed and people died because of some technical malfunction.

Apart from all the business stuff, Ivan had found some glimpses of Kai’s personal life, mainly on private social media accounts. Kai had been tagged on a fair amount of vacation pictures with friends, but there was nothing indecent, just some rich people doing rich people stuff. There were a few snaps taken at some sort of pool party. Kai was never in the center of the picture, but one still had a good view of his toned body. Yuriy couldn’t help but wonder whether Kai had kept up with his training regime to the present day. 

“Yura.” That was Bryan’s voice. “Did you find the recipe?” 

Yuriy coughed uncomfortably. He quickly opened another tab and looked for the kvass recipe. 

“You had it on the stove the whole night, right?” he asked. 

“More or less,” Bryan answered. “You think it wasn't long enough?” He eyed the jars again before shrugging. “Meh. I think it’s still good. We should invite people over soon, let them taste it.” He grinned. “Been a while since the last party.” 

“We can have a party after I get my license,” Yuriy said dryly. 

Before the mess with the trial, he had started training for his pilot license. Both these things collided now big times, as he was studying for the upcoming test as well as preparing mentally for the trial. But he wouldn’t back down from the former now. Besides, it was a good distraction from the latter. Or… other things that were happening in his life lately. 

He sighed. “Also, Boris’ interrogation is coming up,” he said. “This is going to get messy.”

“Yeah. Pretty sure I’ll need a drink after that.” Bryan looked at him attentively. “Will you be alright?” 

“Yes.” Yuriy couldn’t look him in the eye. “I told you. I will be.” 

He didn’t mention that he had trouble sleeping lately. Instead of resting, he was lying awake in his bed, pondering over all the possible things Boris Balkov might say. And how it would feel like to see his ugly face again, after all these years. Yuriy was fully aware he was an adult now, and Boris could not get to him. He didn’t go to therapy for nothing. 

But he also always thought he had left the Abbey behind. 

Seemed like a child’s wishful thinking now. 

He caught himself wishing for some sort of comfort to get through all this. The trial got to him more than he cared to admit. And now, with talking to Kai almost on a daily basis, he got even more involved. 

If he was smart, he would stop that here and now. Tell Kai he was out and try to get his shit back together before it was too late. 

As if that would be so easy. As if that would give him any comfort. 

In a weird way, helping Kai made it easier to deal with. Seeing the shock and horror on Kai’s face was confirmation that what had happened to him really was bad. That he really had every right to be upset, to want this man behind bars, even though there still was this tiny voice in his head that wondered if he had not deserved his fucked up childhood. Or even wanted it. No therapy could make these thoughts stop for good. 

“I can hear the gears in your head grinding, Yura.” 

Bryan’s voice brought him back. His friend leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

Finally, Yuriy put his phone down and rubbed his forehead with one hand. 

“Later,” he said. “Maybe.” 

Chapter Text

A few days later

Courtroom

Kai knew the fact that he was almost late to court had nothing to do with him not being able to decide whether he wanted to wear glasses or contacts today, even though he spent 30 whole minutes pondering over both options before settling on glasses. Sure, he hadn’t gotten enough sleep, again, and had dreamed up a bunch of crap, again, but he was far from being tired. His senses were almost too alert. 

He wanted to see Boris Balkov in the flesh. 

He didn’t want to see him. 

He wanted to hear what he would say in his testimony. 

He never wanted to hear his voice again. 

Kai wondered how Yuriy felt about all that, if he himself already had such a visceral reaction to the man. He almost had sent him a text in the morning but then he just gave up on phrasing a message. “Good luck” didn’t seem adequate, not with everything that would happen today. Balkov’s interrogation, and then, the cross-examination of Ivan and Bryan. Yuriy and Sergei would have to answer more questions another day. 

Kai hadn’t spoken to Yuriy since their last meeting. It was just a few days ago, but it still seemed weird that they hadn’t at least texted once or twice. Kai hadn’t realised that he already was used to hearing from Yuriy often. 

The court room was packed when Kai entered. He cursed under his breath. He should have known that Boris Balkov’s testimony would draw a crowd. He quickly spotted the Hiwatari Enterprises’ legal team and walked towards them, hoping he could squeeze in somewhere.

Pavel Mikhailovich spotted him and paled. Then, he plastered a fake, polite smile across his face and rose up.

“Good morning, Sir. May I help you?”

“I am here for the trial,” Kai answered flatly, his hands in his coat pockets.

The lawyer’s face fell and his eyes widened. “Apologies Sir, I didn’t know you would come today,” Pavel Mikhailovich whispered with embarrassment, “let me find you a chair.” 

The lawyer looked around, but most seats were already taken. He was visibly about to ask one of his associates to vacate their chair, but Kai stopped him.

“It’s fine. I will sit elsewhere,” Kai shrugged as he turned, and walked slowly toward the back of the room. When he finally spotted a space, his eyes went to the person next to it and his heart dropped in his stomach.

Of course it was Yuriy.

Of course, the only available seat was next to Yuriy.

In the sea of drab browns, dull greys, morose blues and sombre black coats, Yuriy’s shock of blood red hair tied up in a neat bun stuck out almost offensively. Yuriy was seated with his team, talking with Sergei over the heads of Bryan and Ivan. 

Kai gave one last look to Pavel Mikhailovich, who silently encouraged him with a shrug that seemed to say, “What other choice do you have?” 

Kai gulped and made his way to the redhead and his team.

“Are you saving this seat for someone?” Kai asked the team, but mostly addressed Yuriy. He noticed the redhead was finally wearing the coat he’d given him, and it looked even better on him in person than he had any right to hope. 

Four pairs of eyes looked up at him, and for the briefest of moments, it looked as if Ivan was about to stand up when Bryan gripped his elbow and held him back. Kai noticed that Sergei’s fiancée was there, too, sitting right next to him. One of her hands lay on his tight in a gesture that might mean encouragement or calmness. Today would not be easy for the four men. 

“Not at all.”

It was Yuriy who spoke - and it was clear he spoke for the rest of them, given their expressions of grim displeasure, but no one said anything to contradict Yuriy.

Putting on his politest business smile, Kai sat down in the chair next to Yuriy, who introduced him to Sergei and his fiancée, placing a casual hand on Kai’s shoulder as he leaned sideways.

“You remember Ivan and Bryan, obviously,” Yuriy continued, looking between the three, giving Bryan a look Kai couldn’t quite read.

“Yeah,” Kai muttered, “Hi." He adjusted himself in his seat, crossing and uncrossing his legs in a futile attempt to get comfortable. Ivan redirected his attention back to the front, but Bryan watched Kai’s every move. 

“You know what your shoes have in common with baboons?” Bryan piped up, pointing at the red soles of Kai’s boots and ignoring the glare Yuriy gave him.

“What?” Kai looked up, a little confused. 

“They both have red bottoms.” Bryan announced, seemingly rather proud of himself.

Ivan and Sergei chuckled, Yuriy rolled his eyes.  

Kai didn’t quite understand why Bryan would make jokes on a day like this, but maybe that was just his way of dealing with the situation. Surely it wasn’t the worst coping mechanism.

Still, Kai couldn’t help but retort, “Oh, so you have a red ass?” 

Bryan’s smile faded, Sergei and Ivan chuckled again. Yuriy bit back a laugh, leaned away from Bryan and lightly grabbed Kai’s elbow, as if quietly signalling the end of that particular exchange. He whispered to Kai, “Are you ready for today?" 

Kai nodded briefly as he sat up straighter,  "What about you?" 

"As ready as I'll ever be," Yuriy shrugged, "I'm certainly not looking forward to being ripped apart by the lawyers. Or watch the others having to go through all that."

Kai glanced at Bryan and Ivan again. Ivan’s eyes were fixed on the witness stand. He was nervous but tried to play it down. Bryan crossed his arms and spread his legs, taking up much more space than he needed to, but nobody, not even Yuriy, objected. Shortly after, one of his knees started bouncing. 

Kai had contemplated on whether or not he wanted to tell Yuriy this but eventually his conscience won the battle. 

"Listen," he dropped his voice, silently asking Yuriy to lean in closer. "They will do everything they can to discredit what you're saying."

"I know," Yuriy said simply, "It's why I'm not looking forward to it. I'm only here because I need to be. And for them, of course.” He pointed at the others with his thumb. 

Kai empathized with that. He didn’t want to be involved in this trial any more than Yuriy. Just like him, Kai had also been forced into becoming a part of this mess for no fault of his own, by powers that were beyond his control. But as the horrors of his family’s past were being revealed, Kai found himself needing to uncover even more truths, however gruesome they may be. 

His reflection was cut short by the judge’s voice, announcing the start of the trial.

Kai finally looked at the front of the room and his blood froze. Boris Balkov had just made his entrance.

Kai hadn’t seen Boris Balkov in years, but he recognized the man immediately. Long shoulder-length, now greying hair he had tied into a neat ponytail. Pale eyes that reflected nothing but coldness. A half-smile perpetually dancing on his thin lips, as if trying to fool the world into thinking he was anything but a crook.

He wore a navy suit over a grey shirt. Kai hadn’t expected Boris to show up in his prison outfit, but he looked healthier than expected.

Boris took place in the stand and briefly thanked the policemen escorting him. He had a deep voice, one of those voices that could be heard from a great distance, even when the person speaking was on the other side of the room.

Kai remembered this voice, and it made him shiver. 

From the corner of his eye he noticed a small movement; Yuriy’s hand flinching. For a split second it looked like he was about to grab Kai’s, but he stopped himself so quickly that Kai thought he must’ve imagined it. Instead, Yuriy balled his hand into a fist. 

Discreetly, Kai turned his head a bit more to glance at Yuriy’s face. He could see his jaw clenching. His eyes were fixed on Boris, glaring with hate. 

Then Bryan shifted in his seat and reached out to gently squeeze Yuriy’s thigh. 

Finally, Yuriy blinked. His hands relaxed. 

Kai shifted slightly, crossing his legs the other way and put his elbow on the armrest. Casually he leaned a bit to the side, towards Yuriy. Close enough to notice his body heat. It wasn’t just to reassure Yuriy, but also himself. His pulse slowed down a bit, and he was able to direct his attention to the front of the room again. 

The last thing he heard before the trial began was Yuriy taking a deep breath and whispering an almost inaudible “Thank you."

Kai wasn't sure if those words were meant for him or for Bryan.

The questioning started. Or more appropriately, the monologue. Boris Balkov was ready, there was no doubt about that. He had prepared. He gave a long, sob story of the Abbey that differed from what Yuriy and his team had shared.

According to his narrative, Boris Balkov had taken up the position of Abbey administrator in hopes of helping and saving children. Of course, his military past had perhaps influenced his discipline style and no one would deny he had a firm grip, but wasn’t structure what neglected children needed? Hadn’t the press sung his praises for years? Hadn’t generous donors contributed to the Abbey, seduced by his approach? Over the years, Balkov had invited multiple prominent figures to the Abbey and no one ever found a trace of fool play. If anything, the kids had been spoiled!

Kai glanced briefly at Yuriy again. His calmness had not persisted for long: If looks could kill, Yuriy’s eyes would have murdered Balkov a long ten minutes ago.

The prosecutor wasn't all that interested in his story. Instead, he jumped on a word that had made the entire audience tilt - donors .

“You mentioned generous donors a few times… could you give us an example?”

“Objection,” Balkov’s lawyer, stated loudly, “my client has been allowed to not name the Abbey’s sponsors, for his own safety.”

Kai’s attention turned to Balkov’s legal representative. Anton Konstantinovich Antonov. “A crook” according to Soichiro, and the man indeed looked like one.

The judge sighed, but admitted that this was indeed true. Boris Balkov’s mouth stretched in a smile too cold to be sincere.

Kai released a breath slowly. So Yuriy had been wrong. Boris had decided to not name anyone… at least for now. But why? It seemed unlikely his silence was out of the generosity of his heart. Why would he backtrack on the revelation of the century?

Perhaps, Kai thought with a shiver, Soichiro had worked behind the scenes to make sure Balkov’s lips would remain shut.

The prosecutor sighed and rephrased his question. “Why would your “generous donors” be interested in your cause?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Balkov answered innocently. “Those were rough times. Everyone in Russia wanted for our country to heal from the wounds of the past. Investing in education means investing in the future. The Abbey educators and myself were on good terms with bank directors, top-level management of oil and gas companies, and senior executives in Russia… and elsewhere.”

He paused, and Kai thought his eyes shifted in his direction, even though Balkov was too far away to be sure. What would he see, anyways? Would he recognise Kai as the kid he had met all those years back in Japan? Maybe that was why Kai’s subconscious had decided on the glasses today; one more layer to hide behind.

What would he think, seeing Kai sitting right next to Yuriy, a little bit too close to be complete strangers? 

“I think most donors ached to give back to the community,” Balkov continued. “To the country that provided them with great business opportunities.” 

From his seat, Kai couldn’t tell whether the judge believed Balkov or not.

Boris Balkov spent the next thirty minutes rejecting every accusation against him. He had never willingly tortured children. He wasn’t aware of corpses on the Abbey’s grounds. He never saw the Abbey as a way to make profit. He was an honest man.

The prosecutor paced back and forth, visibly increasingly irritated. “Mister Balkov, you keep mentioning donors, sponsors that you’re not allowed to name as you fear for your life, but you are adamant that the Abbey wasn’t a for-profit organisation. How do you explain this?”

“My only goal was to keep the Abbey open, to save all of these children. But… even the most selfless goals require money.” Boris answered with a trembling voice.

The prosecutor raised an eyebrow. “Mister Balkov, allow me to rephrase my question. Did you financially profit from the Abbey?”

“Absolutely not!” Balkov yelled in such a thundering voice that Kai jumped in his seat.

“Then how come you now find yourself in a position where you can’t name certain donors at the risk of being killed?”

“Objection,” yelled Balkov’s lawyer, raising from his seat, “you are threatening my client.”

“Objection overruled,” answered the judge, “the prosecutor is stating a fact. Unless fearing for one’s life doesn’t mean death anymore?”

A few people in the audience let out nervous laughs and Boris raised a trembling hand towards his lawyer. Anton Konstantinovich sat back down.

“Your Honor, the prosecutor is correct, I’m afraid. I do fear for my life. You see… at the time… in order to get my beloved protegees what they needed… I was willing to do anything. I accepted donations from… very powerful people, people who had the means to cause harm if crossed. And today I stand here, as a martyr. The children do not realise how much I’ve been through to keep them healthy and alive, however I hold no grudge. My life's work was for the greater good, not ephemere gratitude.”

Kai rolled his eyes. What a farce.

Seeing that he probably wouldn’t get much further like this, the prosecutor rather abruptly changed his strategy. He began questioning Balkov about the Beyblade sport specifically. It wasn’t too far-fetched, as Yuriy and the others had given some information before on how they were trained as athletes for national, and even international, competitions. 

As one would expect, Balkov painted the whole thing as a “means to strengthen the bodies and minds of young people” and “prepare them for their future careers in highly competitive surroundings”. He sounded like a college football coach, Kai thought, and he didn’t fail to point out how well the team he created performed. For a few years there had been a small Beyblade hype, and his Russian team had been praised for their consistent performance. There never had been a pro league, as Beyblade stayed a niche sport, and over time the public interest declined. 

“Would you say that participating in Beyblade tournaments made the school more visible to the public eye? Maybe also outside Russia?” the prosecutor asked. 

“Certainly,” Balkov answered. “Over time I met people from abroad who were eager to form a pro league. I suppose for sponsoring contracts, mostly, and probably image campaigns.”

“Why would they come to you, of all people?”

There was movement in Balkov’s body, and it looked like he would turn towards Yuriy and the others, as if to point at them. But he didn’t.

“I told you,” he said. “My athletes were winning tournaments. The best players of the sport, the ones who could become pro athletes, came from my school.” 

Kai suppressed a sigh. He was by no means an expert in the economy of sports, but he knew that international leagues could be money machines if done right. His father had always wanted that but wasn’t assertive or smart enough to really pull it off. So he had chosen to run away instead. 

What was it, though? Balkov’s testimony was all over the place. Was he really fearing for his life, or did he just get caught up in some greedy sports business? It seemed like he was fishing for the best method to paint himself as the sole victim. Kai wouldn’t have been surprised if Balkov stated that it was the kids’ own fault for being tortured. 

Balkov smiled, as if retelling joyous memories. “I believed in my kids, I really did. Others did too. People from England, Germany, Brazil… One of my most generous donors also hoped to bring beyblading to the next level and for years, we worked closely together on this shared dream, me in Russia, him in Japan…”

Kai’s blood froze in his veins.

Boris suddenly interrupted himself and dramatically placed his hand on his mouth. “My apologies, I think I talked too much.”

But it was too late. Balkov’s words had their effect. The audience started whispering. Kai knew what they were saying.

Hiwatari Enterprises.

Their name had been all over the news at the beginning of the trial and it didn’t take a genius to put two and two together. Balkov had made it worse. Instead of name-dropping Hiwatari Enterprises, he had hinted at things worse than a passive implication.

Kai swore under his breath. It was brilliant. Disgusting and traitorous, but brilliant.

The judge quickly ordered silence again, but the prosecutor himself appeared troubled. Balkov’s lawyer pleaded to speak to his client in private and the judge called for a much-needed recess. Boris Balkov was escorted out by two policemen and Kai could have sworn he saw the old man smile on his way out.

The minute people started moving, Kai jumped to his feet towards his own legal team. He heard Yuriy saying his name, but he ignored him. He had to talk to Pavel Mikhailovich.

Now.

This was bad. Really bad. 

However, between him and the Hiwatari lawyers was a room full of people going in the opposite direction. Everyone wanted to get out, but when Kai finally reached the front, he couldn’t find anybody. It was like the floor had swallowed his legal team. Either they had gone straight into crisis mode and were debating strategies in a private room somewhere, or they had returned to the office to get away from the media. Either way, it was clear Kai wasn’t part of their plan. 

“Fuck,” he muttered.

Kai speed-walked towards the exit, retrieved his phone, and left the courthouse through a side door. As soon as he found himself alone, he dialled Soichiro’s number. His grandfather had been awfully quiet over the last days.

His grandfather took forever to answer and when he did, his tone was ice cold.

“Why are you calling me?” was Soichiro’s first question. 

“Did you forget?” Kai said angrily. “You sent me to Russia to make sure this Abbey shit doesn’t end in a disaster, but somehow I am not involved in any decision making - and also, by the way, the main defendant basically just name-dropped Hiwatari Enterprises as his donor, so, excuse my French… shit just hit the fan.” 

Soichiro chuckled and Kai fought the urge to throw his phone at a passing car.

“And this is exactly why you’re incapable of making important decisions,” Soichiro said. “You are emotional.” 

“I am - “ Kai was too stunned to finish his sentence. 

It wasn’t like he wasn’t used to that kind of remark. Whenever Kai questioned anything Soichiro did, his grandfather pointed out his weakness of character. Kai wondered how he would ever take over from Soichiro if he kept on refusing to see him as his equal. 

“What do you even want me to do?” Kai asked through gritted teeth.

“You’re wasting my time. Do not call me like this again,” Soichiro said in a threatening whisper. “You are the face of the company over there. Do what our lawyers say and do not question them. They know their role… unlike you.”

Soichiro ended the call and Kai let out an undignified growl.

He was fuming. This shitshow was ridiculous. It was beneath him. He didn’t jump through every fucking hoop Soichiro held up for him through all these years, just to be reduced to a pleasing face in times of crisis.

Kai kicked the air in frustration and removed his glasses to rub his eyes. Calm, calm, calm. He had to stay calm. Throwing a fit would not improve the situation.

He put his glasses back on and took a few deep breaths. Hiromi would be here soon, he would have someone to talk to. Maybe his legal team was working on a brilliant solution. Maybe everything would be fine.

Or at least not a complete disaster.

Kai sighed. With regained composure he returned to the courtroom. Bryan’s and Ivan’s seats were empty and Sergei and his fiancée hadn’t come back from the break either yet. However, Yuriy was already sitting on his chair. He appeared to be deep in his thoughts but looked up when Kai sat down next to him. 

“You okay?” he asked attentively.

For a moment they looked at each other, sizing each other up, trying to figure out how the last hours had affected the other. Yuriy’s body was calm, but there was still turmoil in his blue eyes, and Kai was sure that Yuriy could see right through his own mask. 

“Have been better,” he finally answered. 

Yuriy’s lips twitched. “Same.” 

Kai nodded and looked away. The room was filling up quickly now. He saw Sergei and his fiancée approaching. 

Yuriy sucked in a breath. “If you want to talk,” he said, “We could meet up.” 

Kai looked at him, surprised, but Yuriy’s eyes wandered towards Sergei. He stood up to make room for his teammate, and Kai had to do the same. Whatever had just happened between them, it was over. 

“I’ll think about it,” Kai said. 

Those were the last words they exchanged before the court resumed the hearing.

To the audience's surprise, the judge announced Boris Balkov had apparently “collapsed” due to the stress and would be interrogated again in private at a later time. Which meant the boys were next.

Ivan was the first one to answer questions from Anton Konstantinovich, Balkov’s attorney.

Balkov’s attorney looked every bit as slippery as Balkov himself did, Kai thought uncomfortably. The faux smile and modesty with which he interacted with the witnesses was just as disgusting as his lies to protect Balkov. But Ivan was not fazed by that, or at least he didn’t let it show. Anton Konstantinovich tried to make it sound like Ivan should be thankful for what Balkov did for him, but Ivan was quick to state that the only adult person he ever was thankful for during all those years was Balkov’s predecessor. The questions were rather predictable and thanks to Ivan’s short, precise answers, Antonov did not get much to work with. The cross-examination was rather short.

After a while, Kai found it easier to breathe. It seemed like the worst for today was over. Balkov wasn’t there, so Kai didn’t have to look at him the whole time. And Ivan did a good job. Kai found himself cheering him on internally. 

Then it was then Bryan's turn. He stood in the witness stand, his tattooed fingers gripping the ledge. 

Bryan got asked the same questions as Ivan, and his answers didn’t differ much.

However, after what was supposed to be the last one, Balkov's attorney spoke to the judge. 

“Your Honor, I would like to ask Mr. Kuznesov a few questions about an incident that took place in 2006.”

The judge frowned, but instructed him to proceed. Antonov’s mouth stretched in a terrible smile, Bryan’s eyes squinted, and Kai’s stomach twisted in a knot. This was going to be bad.

Antonov walked back to his desk and picked up a piece of paper from a folder. Then,he slowly summarised the content, “On 7th March 2006, Bryan Kuznetsov was caught vandalising a historical landmark and was promptly arrested. That landmark was the Balkov Abbey.” Antonov paused and eyed the audience sharply, then he continued, “Mister Kuznetsov admitted to spray painting a large phallic symbol and a crude rendition of what appears to be… my client’s face.”

Throughout the courtroom ran a general murmur of amusement and a few quiet giggles. Bryan’s face remained neutral. Yuriy cleared his throat and bit the inside of his cheek in a desperate attempt to not laugh, while Kai was far too taken aback by the revelation to react. He looked from Bryan to Yuriy - and found that Yuriy was already looking at him with a grin.

Kai immediately relaxed.   

"It was art," Bryan said flatly, his voice just barely divulging a hint of amusement, which to his credit, Kai thought, he kept well in check. “There are statues of naked people that are proudly displayed, cave paintings where people are naked - and yet somehow I get… arrested for creating art. Is it just because it's spray paint? Street artists are celebrated all over Moscow, and yet I’m being penalised.” 

“I would hardly call that art.” the lawyer countered icily.

“Everyone’s a critic,” Bryan lamented in a rather dramatic way.

The boys' lawyer, a round-faced guy named Levin, tried to object to the opposition bringing up irrelevant details and attempting to waste the court’s time. However, the judge allowed Antonov to go on.

Balkov’s attorney continued his questions. “Were you doing this to get back at your headmaster, perhaps an-” 

“ Former headmaster,” Bryan said through grit teeth, all semblance of mirth evaporated now. 

“Apologies, former headmaster” said Antonov sarcastically, and then continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted at all, “Perhaps an ill-thought out attempt at reclaiming some sense of control, a small moment of rebellion?” 

“Objection, the witness is being asked a leading question,” Levin appealed to the judge again, who nodded and turned her sharp gaze to Balkov’s attorney. 

“Sustained,” she said in a low voice. “You’ve been warned.” 

Antonov nodded and turned his attention to Bryan again, a smug smile on his lips despite the judge’s warning.

“Your Honor, my apologies. See, it is my belief that Mr Kuznetsov’s past is relevant. To summarise, Mr. Kuznetsov was sentenced to 120 hours of community service, instead of paying a fine. It was Mr. Kuznetsov’s first arrest, but not his first issue with the police, and it seems the judge who sentenced him took that into consideration.”

Levin cut in again. “That is still irrelevant to the current trial.”

Balkov’s lawyer feigned surprise. “But it’s not, quite the opposite. See, Mr Kuznetsov was apprehended over… spray painting - vandalism, however the trial transcript, which I have here,” he said pointing at the document in his hand, “establishes that Mr Kuznetsov was a known troublemaker at the time, he had been involved in similar acts before, as well as fights and troubling the peace, but had never been formally arrested.”

The man paused, careful to let the gravity of the word settle over the judge as well as the audience. He then turned again towards Bryan, “Do you deny these facts, Mr Kuznetsov?”

“I do not deny what I was found guilty of. However, that was my first and only offence.”

Antonov smiled again. “Mr Kuznetsov, under which circumstances did you meet your friend Mr Ivanov?”

“We met as kids,” said Bryan flatly, but Kai could see a nervous tremor in his hands.

“Mr Kuznetsov, is it true that you met Mr Ivanov because you were both... young thieves caught stealing from a butcher shop?”

Balkov’s lawyer then looked straight at Yuriy, and so did a large part of the audience.

Yuriy inhaled sharply, but quietly, and his balled up fist clenched even tighter as he glared back at the lawyer. Kai feigned indifference.

“Objection,” said Levin, “Irrelevant. Children are not criminally responsible.”

“Objection overruled,” said the judge, “this wasn’t a criminal accusation.”

“Thank you, Your Honor,” said Balkov’s lawyer, “however I believe it is fair to call anyone caught stealing a thief.”

“This isn’t a grammar lesson, please get to the point,” answered the judge.

“Yes, certainly.” Antonov turned to Bryan, “Mr. Kuznetsov, may I confirm that you met Mr Ivanov after stealing from a butcher shop?”

“I don’t recall how we met,” Bryan answered.

Anton Konstantinovich walked back to his desk and took a few different papers from a different folder. He then turned back towards Bryan.

“Mr Kuznetsov, I have here a diary entry from 1997 from my client, Mr. Balkov. In it, he wrote that you and Mr. Ivanov are infamous troublemakers in your neighbourhood. You were both known to steal, break into private properties, engage in disorderly conduct… Miraculously, all of these actions stopped after you both entered the Abbey.”

The lawyer looked at the judge. “Your Honor, had my client not intervened, had he not provided these troubled boys with food, shelter and an education, they would have continued on the trajectory of a criminal career - and would be present, sooner or later, perhaps in this very same courtroom, not as witnesses…but as defendants.”

A hush fell over the crowd, Bryan’s glare was murderous, and Yuriy had stopped breathing.

“We had to feed ourselves,” Bryan retorted, his voice so tight it was a wonder it didn’t crack. 

The atmosphere in the courtroom shifted, the light air of amusement had given way to the heavy brutality of what had been their childhood, laid bare like a stripped carcass for all to gawk at. 

“I would argue,” the lawyer continued, “That, not only did my client protect them from what would have inevitably been mob justice by the townsfolk, but also changed their lives for the better - put them on the career path of success. As the court knows, both of them are quite successful in their chosen careers, and it is, in no small part, due to my client's intervention."

“Objection,” finally said Levin, “Speculative and irrelevant.”

“Objection sustained,” said the judge. “Although I admire your faith in your client’s character, Mr Kuznetsov is, as you put it, as a witness and only as a witness.”

But the damage had been done. Next to Kai, Yuriy was breathing hard, struggling to maintain his composure. He was trembling with anger. 

So it was true, Kai thought to himself. All of what Antonov just said was true. 

He had imagined the boys’ childhood being rough before, but he never had quite been able to imagine to what extent. Of course, he had been naive. Kai’s own family was far from perfect, but he never had had to wonder where his next meal was coming from, with the conclusion that there would not be a next meal if he didn’t take care of it himself. 

And the shame that came with all that, having lived like Bryan and Yuriy had. Kai would never know a feeling like this. 

"I have no further questions, your Honor. I would, however, encourage the court to take the witness' statement about their former headmaster," he said, giving Bryan a look, "with more than just a pinch of salt. My client has admitted to strict discipline, but given his pupils’ tendencies, perhaps that was the only way to keep them on the right path. And today, my client is faced with serious accusations from bitter and ungrateful former pupils unable to see Boris Balkov changed their lives for the better.”

The attorney went back to his seat and Bryan exited the witness stand.

Yuriy's ears began to ring as Balkov's attorney so callously unearthed their painful past for the court to hear. This was bad. Plus, their own attorney was too dumbfounded to say anything.

Yuriy put his hands firmly on his knees, as if attempting to hold himself in the seat. He thought if he gripped them hard enough he'd be able to stop himself from standing up and launching himself to the front of the courtroom to rain punches on Balkov and his slippery attorney's hateful faces. He was breathing hard, and his heart beat so hard he could hear it, even the veins of his ears pounded.

In that moment, he felt all the hard work he'd done to move past his years in the Abbey slip away, and he was suddenly right back at the Abbey. He could almost hear Balkov saying that he'd be nothing without him, that if he hadn't picked him up off the streets he'd be “dead or worse” by now. 

It had taken him years of therapy and hard work to get over that. To teach himself, remind himself that everything he had achieved so far was despite his time in the Abbey, and not because of it. 

Yuriy had thought he was prepared for the trial today, he had convinced himself that he was. But he had been wrong, so very very wrong. 

He felt a strong grip on his bicep that brought him back to reality. He turned towards the person holding him and was surprised to see that it was Kai. He'd forgotten Kai was sitting next to him. 

Normally, Yuriy's knee jerk reaction would have been to shrug the hand off himself. He didn’t need anyone’s help and certainly not from a Hiwatari.

However this time, Yuriy couldn't bring himself to react. Kai’s hold loosened and he removed his hand, feeling strangely better. Kai had actually helped in stopping himself from rising from his seat and for that, Yuriy was grateful, but he said nothing. He simply turned his gaze back to the front of the courtroom, schooling his features into a deadpan mask, pretending, showing to the world he was not bothered by his painful past being aired for everyone to see.

He would not allow himself to prove Balkov right, to lose his dignity in the eyes of the public. Balkov no longer held any power over him, he had to remind himself - over and over again. 

He thought after all this time Balkov would not be able to get to him, and he was wrong. Old wounds that had healed over were now being brutally clawed open, scabs and all. 

Bryan was finally allowed to leave his stand, and he looked paler than usual. Yuriy hated to see him like this. They’d gone through all this together, protected each other and made sure they would not end up in jail, or worse. Balkov had nothing to do with that. He had been a means to an end first, and then their captor. Nothing they ever achieved was Balkov’s doing. 

Oh, how he wished he could tell that to the court.  

“I’m free tonight if you want.”

That was Kai’s voice next to him, barely higher than a murmur.

Yuriy turned towards him, puzzled.

“You said earlier we could meet if I wanted to talk,” Kai explained, “but it looks like you are the one who needs to talk. Does tonight work?”

Yuriy exhaled. “Sure. Text me when and where.”

Chapter Text

Later that day

Kai had bought a pack of cigarettes. He hadn’t done this since his particularly rebellious teenage years, when he would sneak out at night, break into public buildings and chain-smoke like a chimney. He was sure the house staff had smelled the nicotine from miles away, but they never had said anything. Smoking was another thing Soichiro considered beneath them and being caught would have resulted in consequences.

At some point, it became too complicated to hide it from Soichiro, so he had stopped, save for the occasional cigarette in college.

His lungs protested when he inhaled the first couple of times, but he almost welcomed the pain. The smoke swirled in the cold night air. Thirty stories below him, the streets of Moscow were bustling, even at this late hour.

Hotel guests were not supposed to be on the rooftop, but Kai knew his ways. He still wore his suit from the trial; he hadn’t bothered to change afterwards. Maybe he was hungry, but the cigarettes and the bottle of vodka in his pocket would fix that.

Yuriy had agreed to meet him later that night. Kai had a few hours to himself to think.

His brain was hurting.

First the trial. Then the Abbey. Yuriy’s revelations. The interrogation. Boris Balkov in the flesh.

Soichiro.

Kai coughed and took a first sip of vodka. A burning cold trickled down his throat.

Soichiro. Their brief call had left a lingering impression.

What the fuck did he ever do to the old man? For most of his life, Kai had done exactly what was expected of him. Even more so since Susumu had left. He had attended the schools Soichiro had chosen for him. He had played sports and chosen college classes according to Soichiro’s wishes. Hell, even his internships had been approved by Soichiro.

It was a fucking miracle, Kai thought, that his grandfather never controlled who he slept with. Kai was sure Soichiro welcomed the fact that he was gay because he was less likely to accidentally produce another Hiwatari offspring to gnaw at Soichiro’s fortune.

Kai sighed and took another sip. It burned less this time.

He could not remember a single time where he had made his grandfather proud, truly proud. The best he would get was a “You’ve done well” or a grunt of approval. Even when his teachers or mentors sung his praises to Soichiro, his grandfather would dismiss them.

Deep down, he had known for a long time his grandfather didn’t love him. At one point he might have, however any affectionate feelings had been buried long ago. Kai was the son of Susumu, the one who left. The pariah.

Susumu had not been like Soichiro and Kai wasn’t either. Kai couldn’t bring himself to see his existence as inherently superior, to think of himself as above the general order. What Kai considered common sense, Soichiro called weakness. There were lines Kai would never cross, and for that he was apparently a failure. Perhaps there was more, but the truth was… 

Soichiro did not care about Kai.

Soichiro only cared about himself, his name, and his reputation.

If Soichiro could trade Kai’s life to extend his by another ten years, he would do so without blinking. He hated that Kai was his heir, that he had to have an heir in the first place. That one day, he would be gone and Kai would be in charge.

Kai stretched his arms above his head.

Maybe it was time to face the truth. Soichiro did not like him, never would. He also did not trust him, never would either. To his grandfather, Kai was nothing more than a tool, a naive one at that. It was painful, seeing so clearly how little Soichiro thought of him.

And so… Kai was now alone. His family was the company, and to the company, right now he was slowly becoming an inconvenience. 

And Kai knew from experience Soichiro got rid of inconvenient people.

If it came to it, Soichiro would not hesitate to toss him aside. He would pay the amount needed to shut him up forever and ensure Kai was never seen in Japan or Russia again. 

Same as he had done with Susumu.  

Kai flicked the cigarette bud away and took a few sips from his bottle. 

There was one thing, etched in his damned Hiwatari genes, he could always rely on: His despair turned into motivation. Obsession maybe. Spite, surely. He would not back down now, even though he was alone. 

No. Not quite. He had Hiromi coming, who was smarter than half the people in the Hiwatari legal team. That woman was a powerhouse, and as stubborn as Kai himself. Together they would be able to dig up all the dirt. 

Kai paced back and forth, his brain calculating his options. Sure, he had to make Soichiro believe he was still more or less willingly doing what he wanted. But that was the easiest task, as long as his grandfather didn’t find out what Kai was doing behind his back. Which he wouldn’t. There were loads of things the old man didn’t know about Kai. 

He had Yuriy. Whatever that meant. 

What the fuck was he thinking? Inviting Yuriy to another meeting, acting like he was offering a shoulder to lean on, when in reality...

That was Hiwatari level fucked up indeed. If Yuriy ever found out what was going on in the back of Kai’s head whenever they were together, he would beat his brains out, and Kai would gladly take every punch. Everything not to be haunted by those eyes. 

And yet … would Yuriy punch him? He had agreed to meet him again, after all. Yuriy could easily air out all his frustration with Bryan and the others. They were in this together, and they were four people. No need for an extra shoulder to cry on. So what was Kai to Yuriy? The same as he was to Soichiro - a tool? Or information? Or money? 

But Yuriy didn’t want money. He had taken him to the Abbey and had shared his own information with him. And then … there were moments when they shared something else. Something much harder to grasp. 

Maybe they were both haunted. 

Another sip from the bottle. Kai swirled the liquid around in his mouth as if it tasted any good.  

How could he ever think dating that cardiologist was a good option when the only man who made him feel things was someone like Yuriy Ivanov? He shouldn't get excited about all this, the stakes were too high for excitement, but fuck - he hadn't felt this alive in a long time. Whenever he thought back to their visit to the Abbey, he could still feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins. This whole thing had been so dangerous. So forbidden. 

He wanted more of that. That was why he was fucked. 

That was why he should stay away from Yuriy.

Easier said than done, given the fact that he had offered to meet again tonight. Maybe he should cancel. Yuriy had Bryan and the others for solace. Kai was the one who needed company after all that had happened.

How pathetic.

And yet Yuriy had agreed. 

Kai put the bottle away. He could not appear drunk for their meeting. So far, he hadn't been able to offer much to Yuriy, he hardly knew anything. But he wanted to help. There had to be something that Kai could do, given his influence and his family's money.

Suddenly, it clicked.

A shiver of satisfaction ran through his spine.

Of course. He should have thought about that sooner. The solution had been standing in front of him this whole time. He knew how he could help Yuriy immediately.

Kai pocketed the bottle and slowly made his way back to his room. He needed to Google a few things before meeting Yuriy.

Yuriy, a guy he might go against in court soon.

A guy he shouldn’t be allowed to like as much as he did.

When had it started? Kai wasn’t sure. He certainly hadn’t been blown away by their first discussion. Nor by the second.

But…

There had been a moment in the Abbey. When they were sitting on Balkov's desk, Yuriy had glanced at him in a way he could not forget. For the first time, Kai had noticed some sort of respect in his eyes. Maybe even… a mutual understanding.

He had wanted Yuriy to look at him like that again.

Much later

Kai’s hotel

Yuriy was late, but Kai was grateful the redhead showed up at all. His blue eyes were filled with worries, different from the sharpness Kai was now accustomed to. He had changed in a full black outfit, as if hoping to remain invisible.

Or at least that was what had gone through Kai’s head when he himself had picked a full black outfit earlier in the evening. In other circumstances, the coincidence would have been hilarious. 

Kai had booked another private dining room, this time at his hotel. After today, he wanted to avoid people as much as possible.

Yuriy looked around the room and whistled appreciatively as he sat down. “Fancy place.”

Kai closed the menu in front of him and frowned. “You can stop saying things like that every single time. I thought you might want to talk in private, but if the location is too fancy we can go to a Burger King.”

Yuriy blinked and froze for a second. He quickly regained his composure and conceded, “You’re right. I apologize. That place is… a smart choice.”

Yuriy cleared his throat and looked at the menu. “Everything looks excellent, but I’m not terribly hungry.”

Kai waved a dismissive hand. “Same, don’t worry about it.”

“And… I might have had a drink or two before heading here,” Yuriy continued, his expression finally relaxing.

Kai chuckled. “I might have as well.”

Yuriy frowned and Kai felt too giddy to hide the truth. He leaned in and said conspicuously, “I unwinded with some vodka earlier tonight.”

Now it was Yuriy’s turn to grin. “Vodka? Are you serious? That’s actually strong. I just drank… bread.” 

Kai assumed Yuriy jokingly meant beer or maybe kvas. Most likely beer. Judging by the look on his face, it wasn’t exactly his favourite choice. 

“In that case, I had potatoes,” Kai answered, “and now I’m going for grapes.”

Yuriy blinked a few times more and now Kai could tell Yuriy wasn’t fully sober. He noticed how the other was briefly taking him in, blue eyes lingering a bit too long somewhere below his chin. It was only then that Kai remembered he hadn’t fully closed his shirt. It was rather unusual for him; last time he did that was when he tried to get some sort of reaction from the cardiologist (without success. His date had assumed he had been too warm). 

This was going to get interesting.

Kai broke the silence. “Do you want some grapes too, or you’re good with your sad bread water?”

Yuriy’s mouth stretched in a dumbfounded smile. “HA! I’ll follow you then. Let’s drown this shitty day.”

As if cued, the waiter peeked through the door and Kai ordered one of his favourite wines. A minute later, two delicate glasses were placed in front of them and Kai pretended to taste the wine, one of the most awkwards traditions in the world.

He then redirected his attention to Yuriy. “How about food? If we don’t eat anything we’ll be starving in one hour. Should we share a seafood plate? I haven’t had sashimi in forever.”

“Isn’t it a bit… datey?” asked the other man.

Kai raised an eyebrow and let out a sigh. “Do you give a fuck?”

Suddenly, Yuriy laughed, a real laugher. Now it was Kai’s turn to blink in surprise.

“No, I suppose I don’t,” Yuriy answered when he was done laughing.

Kai didn’t think his words had been particularly funny, but he didn’t care. The dark energy that had seemed to consume Yuriy when he arrived was fading away.

He had a great smile, Kai thought. Without even thinking about it, he smiled back.

Yuriy took the glass between his fingers and inspected it carefully. “This wine is great. I don’t know how tipsy you are, but I’ll be on the same level soon.”

“I’m alright, actually. I just needed a bit of help to unwind. How about you?” Kai looked at him over the rim of his glass. Their eyes met, longer than before. 

“I had a few beers with Bryan.”

“How is he?”

Yuriy sighed and he put his glass back on the table, his mood sombre again. “Could be better. Sergei and Ivan are with him. They’ll call me if Bryan does something stupid. Like spray paint a ballsack on the Abbey. Or punch a wall. Or call his ex.”

“Calling an ex is never a good idea,” Kai mused, and, as Yuriy raised one brow again, added, “Been there, done that.” 

Yuriy was silent for a few seconds, as if he was waiting for Kai to continue. But Kai refused to say more. 

“I don’t know about your exes, but Bryan likes them hot… and psycho,” Yuriy said. “The last one tried to run him over with her car.”

Kai frowned. “Ouch. What had he done?”

Yuriy shook his head. “Nothing that justifies a murder attempt.”

The waiter came back again and Kai ordered a shared seafood platter, alongside a few appetisers. The waiter gave them a polite smile and left.

“I assume Bryan doesn’t know you’re having dinner with me,” Kai said. It sounded more shameless than it should. It might’ve been the room. Private, secluded. As if they were hiding. Which, in all honesty, they were. If not exactly from Bryan.

“He knows I’m meeting you,” Yuriy said. “I told him. I said you wanted to talk to me. He was not mad. He actually thanked me for… not giving up.”

On these words, Yuriy emptied his wine glass and poured himself another. Kai sipped his wine, enjoying the heavy taste. As energising the vodka was, as calming was the wine. He put the glass down and rested his elbow on the table. 

“I know the trial doesn’t show his best side,” continued Yuriy almost apologetically, “but Bryan is my best friend and he’s a great guy.”

Weirdly enough, Kai believed him. Bryan might not be his cup of tea, but Yuriy was and so far, the redhead had proven to have a sound judgement.

Kai blinked a few times. He had reached the early phase of tipsiness, a gentle wine-induced cheerfulness, but in the midst of it all, one fact had become clear: he trusted Yuriy, more than he thought he ever would. He wanted Yuriy to trust him. He wanted Yuriy to get a semblance of justice.

And he knew how he could help.

Kai chose his next words with care, in order to introduce a certain topic. “This interrogation was a farce. Antonov played really dirty. It should never have happened. How come your lawyer didn’t jump in?

Yuriy chuckled and leaned back. “Levin? He’s a rookie. He’s smart, but he lacks experience.”

“Wait… A rookie? Aren’t you represented by a very good firm?”

Yuriy sighed. “Yeah but… the truth is, we can’t afford their top attorneys. The big dogs. So a junior lawyer is representing us. He’s actually the founder’s son. His dad chimes in once in a while, but that’s all.”

Kai decided not to comment on that. It was a fact that money did indeed give access to the best lawyers and an infinite amount of billable hours. Yuriy and his guys could not risk going bankrupt for this trial.

But Kai had money. He knew what his money could do for Yuriy, Bryan, and the others. 

The waiter suddenly appeared with their food and the two men remained silent while he placed the plates on the table. Then, Kai nodded a thank you and reached for the wine once more. He poured for them both. 

“I’d say you want to make me drunk,” Yuriy stated while watching him very closely. 

Before he could refrain himself, Kai winked at him. 

Yuriy snorted. 

The redhead carefully eyed the dishes and continued, “Levin is not bad at all. But it’s one of his first trials.”

Kai grabbed a piece of sashimi and ate it. Perfection.

“I had a talk with him,” Yuriy continued,” he apologized. He said he got nervous.”

Kai shook his head. “I don’t think anyone was expecting such a low blow. Bryan drew a dick on a wall, so what?”

Yuriy finally took an appetizer and ate it in one go, before answering, “Officially. But that’s not the whole story.”

Kai raised an eyebrow and took his time to swallow his bite. This was unexpected. 

He leaned in. “Go on?”

Yuriy leaned in too and plunged his eyes in his. Kai could smell a whiff of … something hanging in the air between them. Something fresh and earthy. 

 “You can’t repeat that. I’m not supposed to tell,” Yuriy said, his words forcing Kai to focus on their conversation again.

Kai placed an index on his mouth, then sat back in his chair.

Yuriy leaned back too and Kai exhaled. The redhead looked at the door, as to ensure they were truly alone, before answering. “Bryan is a good guy. But… at one point, a few years ago, he went through a rough patch. It was as if all his bottled up anger was overflowing and he did not know how to channel it. He started hanging out with questionable people and… he got into trouble a lot. Everything that was hinted at by Antonov is unfortunately true, and there is more.”

Yuriy took a pause, as if deciding how much he could reveal.

Kai thought back to all the information Pavel Michailovich had gathered about Bryan and the others. He had a hunch about what Yuriy would say next. 

Kai chose his words with care. “He processed the trauma how he could.”

Yuriy raised his eyebrows and finally continued, “One time, his then-girlfriend was harassed by a customer at work. Bryan found the guy and beat him to a pulp. He got into so many bar fights, he is banned from a few places. He and his loser friends would get drunk in public and behave like assholes. Bryan always managed to talk his way out of getting arrested and usually got away with a warning. But…”

Yuriy took another sip of wine and continued his story. “That one night, when Bryan decided to get artsy, the cops who caught him were not there to play. They fought, it got messy. Bryan spent the night in jail and we got told he might end up behind bars for real. But… in the end, aside from the artwork, there was not much they could prove without a confession. Bryan got sentenced to a few hours of community service for vandalism. It’s nothing compared to the initial charges he faced.”

Kai’s eyes widened. “Shit. No wonder Antonov got that reaction from Bryan.”

“Yeah. He knew where to hit.”

As Yuriy ate, Kai asked, “But Bryan has been behaving since, right?”

“Yeah,” said Yuriy between two bites, “that was a wake-up call for him. I dragged him to therapy and he started boxing classes, as an outlet for his anger. He’s come a long way.”

Kai thought about his first impression of Bryan. Sure, he looked like trouble, and one could easily feel threatened by him. But deep down Kai knew Yuriy was telling the truth, that Bryan was no longer a person who would use violence randomly.

“That’s good to hear,” Kai said. “And I promise, I won’t tell a soul.”

Kai was about to pour himself another glass of wine, when he realized the bottle was empty.

“The grape juice is gone,” Yuriy joked, “let’s just order another one. You know, for our health. It has nutrients and vitamins, after all.”

Kai didn’t protest. He wasn’t even close to the topic he wanted to broach with Yuriy. He ordered another bottle and then some water, for good measure. Meanwhile, Yuriy texted someone.

When their glasses were full again, Yuriy spoke.

“Levin said if Balkov’s lawyer starts that shit again with me or Sergei, he’ll be ready.”

“Will he?”

Yuriy shrugged. “One can only hope.”

Kai tilted his head to the side. “You said you could not afford the top dogs… how much did they quote you?”

Yuriy’s lips formed a line. “A lot.”

Kai’s face remained neutral and Yuriy smirked. “Well, I suppose for you it would not be. But for us, it just wasn’t a smart financial decision.”

Kai squinted, trying to find the correct words, but Yuriy’s eyes suddenly stopped wandering around and went straight back to him.

Kai froze and for a moment, he forgot the point of their conversation. He recalled seeing Yuriy’s picture for the first time in Pavel Mikhailovich’s office and having the wind knocked out of his lungs.

Kai wondered if Yuriy had the same effect on everyone or if it was just him.

Fuck, did Yuriy himself even know? Somebody should tell him that he could not continue this - staring straight into people’s souls and being surprised when they turned into puddles right at his feet. 

Yuriy’s voice brought him back to earth.

“Hiwatari? Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Absolutely. 

He needed to get his shit together. But who was he kidding, they were at wine bottle number two.

Kai forced his thoughts in order. “I have a proposition. You said… for me, your legal fees would be nothing.”

A range of emotions went on Yuriy’s face and Kai could almost see the lightbulb moment as it happened.

Yuriy tilted his head to the side and Kai tilted his head to the opposite side. Finally, Yuriy spoke. “Hiwatari. That’s a no.”

Kai feigned innocence. “I didn’t say anything.”

Yuriy shifted in his seat and rose an accusatory hand. “I made two plus two. You want better lawyers to represent us and you want to cover our legal fees. That’s a no.”

Kai had expected a refusal and had prepared his arguments. He unclenched his jaw and took the professional tone he had adopted for business meetings. “I see why you might think that’s a bad idea. But hear me out. This trial will get ugly. I told you before, my grandfather would not have shipped me here for nothing. My top lawyers would not attend a trial if they didn’t fear the outcome. The Balkov Abbey saga is just starting… and you guys… will be stuck in this mess before you even realize it.”

On these words, Yuriy’s left eye twitched almost imperceptibly.

Kai took a pause. He felt dead sober now. The atmosphere in the room had shifted. It was weird seeing Yuriy getting nervous. But he had to bring his point across. 

He continued. “Levin seems to have prepared you for the expected questions, which is great. But the Defense will try to discredit your testimonies, no matter what you reveal. Is there anything in your past, or Sergei’s past, that could be used against you? Anything? Any… misunderstanding? Embarrassing situation? I recall you mentioning nicotine wasn’t your drug of choice. I hope Antonov doesn’t find out how you like to have fun, because it would be… so easy to paint you as an addict.”

Yuriy opened and closed his mouth.

Kai kept talking. “You have living family members. I didn’t find much about your mother but-”

“Do NOT talk about my mother,” Yuriy said baring his teeth, “I told her to lay low.”

“Fine. I’ll leave her out of this. But you know who won’t? Antonov.”

Yuriy’s face twitched in discomfort.

Kai continued, “And Sergei? Is he a saint? Isn’t he about to get married, what if they get to his fiancée too? She seems lovely, don’t you want to keep her out of this?”

Yuriy gave a nervous chuckle, but his eyes widened. “Now you’re making up scenarios. She won’t be interrogated.”

Kai scoffed and crossed his arms in front of him. “No. But I took some time to check her social media. She’s a bit of an activist, isn’t she? Animal rights. Human rights. Maybe she’s just an empathetic person. Maybe she’s an anarchist manipulating Sergei.”

“What the hell are you talking about, no she’s not!” Yuriy said, louder than expected.

“And Bryan isn’t a criminal, but he sure looked like one today, didn’t he?”

Yuriy’s eyes moved to Kai, to the table, back to Kai again.

Kai’s voice lowered. “Hiwatari Enterprises get sued all the time. I’ve witnessed first hand the lengths people go to make the other party appear unreliable. Maybe you’re telling the truth… but Balkov is not. And I can guarantee you… the minute my grandfather feels this trial is getting out of hand, he’ll throw as much money as he can to save our name. Maybe Antonov won’t destroy you… but my family will.”

Kai reclined back in his chair and looked at Yuriy. It was the redhead’s turn to be at loss for words. They sat in silence for what appeared to be an eternity. Finally, Yuriy spoke, in a voice no higher than a murmur.

“It’ll get dirty you say?”

“Sorry to not be the bearer of good news.”

Yuriy poured them two glasses of water and downed his. Finally, his face relaxed and he chuckled. “You’re Soichiro’s grandson.”

Kai took the remark like a punch to the gut. “That’s not a compliment.”

“I mean you’re good at getting what you want.”

Yuriy regained his composure and lightly chuckled.

“So you accept?” Kai asked.

“First, I want to make sure whatever scheme you have in mind is legal,” said Yuriy.

Kai nodded. “It is legal. A bit sketchy, but legal.”

“And no one will find out?”

“Not unless someone talks.”

“What if suddenly you change your mind?”

Kai drank his glass of water and suggested, “I can sign something if you want to, a contract or-”

Yuriy interrupted him with a wave of his hand. “Tsk. You just told me how ruthless your family was in court. There is no point.”

Yuriy filled up both their wine glasses and raised his. “Kai Hiwatari, I’ll trust your word. That you’ll cover our legal fees until this goddamn trial is over. And if you don’t respect your promise… Well, I’ll tell Bryan to kick your ass. Or I’ll do it myself. You don’t look like you can fight.”

Their glasses clinked together, as to seal the agreement.

Kai smiled. “Deal. And I’ve done martial arts, for your information.”

“I’m shaking.”

Kai flipped him off. 

Yuriy’s gaze softened. “Thank you.”

“It’s the least I can do. Tell yourself it eases my guilt.”

They ate and drank in silence for a few minutes. The tension in the room was gone and for a while, Kai was fully content.

He then noticed Yuriy was staring at him. Not like earlier, with an analytical gaze, this time Yuriy’s eyes seemed at peace. Finally, the redhead broke the silence.

“You’re a weird guy.”

Kai shrugged. “I’ve been told.”

“It’s not a bad thing. I kept thinking… in other circumstances, we would have gotten along.”

“Aren’t we getting along now?”

Yuriy shrugged and Kai insisted, “I’m serious. Do you still hate me?”

Yuriy rolled his eyes and smirked. “No, Kai. No, I do not hate you. In fact, it’s puzzling how fast my opinion of you changed.”

Kai felt a small, very pleasant shiver running down his spine. Of course he had noticed that at the beginning of the night Yuriy had called him by his last name. 

“Good,” Kai said, trying to keep his composure. 

“No one in the team hates you either, by the way. Ivan has no opinion. Sergei said you seem nice. Bryan is just messing with you. Sergei’s fiancée, her name is Nadia by the way, she said you were, and I quote, stupidly handsome.”

Kai choked on a piece of shrimp and Yuriy’s eyes widened, as if the words had escaped him.

“Well thank you, she looks quite pretty herself,” Kai said between coughs. 

“Is she your type? I know she has a younger sister,” Yuriy said in a voice suddenly very excited.

Kai blinked and a sudden realisation fell on him.

Yuriy did not know Kai was gay. In fact, they had never discussed the topic. Kai did not know where Yuriy fell on the Kinsey scale, but it dawned on him the opposite was also true.

Kai had never dated a woman. As far as he could remember, he had always been attracted to men only. He had made out with a few girls when he was in university just to try, but the experiments confirmed he wasn’t missing out on anything. Kai had been out for so long, it never occurred to him that this piece of trivia might not be common knowledge outside of Japan. But then again, how would it? Hiwatari Enterprises had a whole team of PR consultants who made sure nobody could dig up anything that even slightly resembled dirt about Kai. Anything published about him had to be pre-approved, his Instagram included. That’s why he hardly ever used it.

Kai blinked a few times, before clarifying, “I don’t date women.”

Yuriy’s face relaxed and he shook his head apologetically. “My bad. I should have asked.”

“It’s fine,” Kai said, attacking his tartare next.

Yuriy took another sip of wine and asked, in a more normal tone, “So, before I make another mistake, is there a boyfriend waiting for you at home?”

“Honestly?” Kai paused for a moment, trying to decide how best to put it. “At this point, I’m lucky if the stray cat I occasionally fed is still hanging around.” 

For some reason, this answer made Yuriy laugh. Kai saw his chance, and asked, as nonchalantly as he could manage, “How about you? Anyone you’re hiding from the frenzy?”

“I’m very single. Bryan even gave up on trying to match me with someone, it’s that level of sad.”

It was Kai’s turn to laugh. “Tell me about it. My friend Hiromi called me ‘the most boring bachelor ever.’”

“Ouch.”

Kai shoved the rest of the tartare in his mouth, not wanting to waste any of it. “She’s flying from Tokyo to Moscow soon. You will meet her.”

“What?” It seemed to take Yuriy a while to fully comprehend his words. 

The wine, Kai thought almost apologetically. 

Kai gave Yuriy a summary of Hitoshi’s departure and Hiromi’s future involvement. Better now than later. He also talked about her in general, their friendship and their lunchtime tradition. Finally, Yuriy spoke.

“She’s coming to Russia… first time?”

“Yeah,” answered Kai, “if you have any ideas to ease the culture shock…”

Yuriy squinted, then spoke carefully, as if choosing his words. “I have… no, nevermind.” 

Suddenly, he looked grumpy, as if he was angry with himself. And maybe a little flustered? Kai was probably reading too much into it.

The wine!, he reminded himself. 

Still, Kai asked: “What are you thinking?”

Yuriy rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Ok, but that’s a weird idea… You can say no.”

“Go on.”

“You’re always the one inviting me,” said Yuriy suddenly speaking faster, “and yes we eat well but… I thought maybe you would like some homemade food. Bryan would be there and your friend would be welcome too. But my place is not fancy. It’s fine if you don’t want to.”

Now Kai was the one feeling flustered. Was Yuriy inviting him and Hiromi over for dinner? That wasn’t as romantic as it sounded, right? 

But suddenly Kai remembered that Russians were very hospitable, according to Pavel Mikhailovich. And Yuriy had thrown the invitation when Kai had mentioned Hiromi, not before. Surely, it must be normal for Yuriy to have people over. In all cases, it would probably be rude of Kai to refuse.

But whatever it was, it was another small victory for Kai. Maybe he could dare to hope that Yuriy did indeed trust him. 

Kai smiled as wide as he could, to put Yuriy at ease. “Sure! Homemade food sounds brilliant. We can… check for a good time, soon-ish.”

“Yeah,” Yuriy said while avoiding Kai’s eyes.

On these words, Yuriy glanced at the empty wine bottle, the plates, and then at his phone. “Shit, it’s getting late. I need to get going.”

Kai glanced at his own phone without registering the time. The screen was blurry, for some reason. “Do you… need a car? A taxi? You… you didn’t drive here, did you?”

Yuriy rose up and Kai could see he was not in any capacity to drive.

“No, I commuted.”

Kai rose too and was suprised at how much his head spun. “Good. Uh… I’ll stay here.”

Yuriy grabbed his jacket. “Do you need help heading back to your room?”

Kai’s cheeks burned until he realized Yuriy was merely asking him if he was too drunk to walk. How pathetic and embarrassing.

Kai forced himself to regain his composure and said. “I’m alright. I’ll stay here for a bit, I think I need some… herbal tea.”

“Good. Herbal tea is… truly awesome.”

“Yeah”

The two men stood awkwardly in front of each other, neither of them daring to end their night. They both shifted on their feet.

Suddenly, Yuriy stepped forward and wrapped one arm around Kai’s shoulders to bring him closer. Not expecting that goodbye hug, Kai stiffened, then relaxed as he awkwardly patted Yuriy’s arm, trying to ignore how stupidly good his embrace felt.

Then, Yuriy removed his arm from him and stepped back. “Good talking with you, Hiwatari. Thank you… again. Good night.”

Yuriy turned around and left the room quickly, without one last look at Kai.

Kai stood there for a moment, until he was certain Yuriy was gone. Then, he brought his collar to his face, trying to perceive some lingering scent of Yuriy on it.

Kai sighed.

Pathetic, embarrassing.

And infatuated with the last man on Earth he should be pursuing.

This is why he was single.

Chapter Text

For the first time since she first met Kai, Hiromi noticed the full range of advantages of being friends with a Hiwatari. 

As promised, Kai had taken care of all the necessary arrangements for her trip to Russia to be as smooth as possible. Not only had she flown First Class, she had been greeted at the airport by a private chauffeur and driven to the same hotel Kai was staying at. She had refused a luxury suite, so they had settled on a more reasonable room, right next to Kai’s own suite. The hotel itself was something she would never have been able to afford normally. It was close to the city centre, which would make travelling around easier, as several metro lines crossed within the general area. Kai had even given her his private chauffeur’s phone number and promised she could expense all taxi rides, would she ever feel too tired to commute. The court wasn’t too far away, either, she noticed while studying the map that was provided by the hotel.

Hiromi didn’t think she would be calling the driver often. Moscow’s metro stations were famously beautiful and Hiromi was looking forward to seeing all the artwork inside.

For now, Kai had scheduled a meeting in his suite roughly two hours after her arrival. It was enough time for her to take a shower and change into fresh clothes. She wasn’t completely sure what to wear, though. Kai had somewhat hired her, but also he was a friend, and she didn’t know what to expect from the upcoming meeting. Would it be a casual talk, or rather businesslike? 

Eventually she opted for classic black pants and a soft pink blouse.

She knocked at Kai’s door right on time and it took only a few seconds for Kai to open the door. 

For someone on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Kai Hiwatari looked as dashing as usual. He sported comfortable grey pants and a burgundy cashmere sweater, so soft-looking she had to refrain herself from touching it. Only his slighty redened eyes, hidden behind his glasses, gave away his mental state.

“Hello,” she said in a friendly manner and waited for him to invite her in. He didn’t answer and simply stepped aside to let her into the room.

The suite didn’t really meet her taste, as the interior looked a little too old-fashioned in her opinion. She preferred sleek and modern designs that breathed. The suite had lots of dark wood and velvet fabrics, completed by a thick carpet with an intricate pattern, and large windows with an impressive view.

Kai led her to a small table surrounded by two armchairs over which a lustre hung from the ceiling.

Hiromi peeked at the work desk. It was covered in papers, news articles, and folders Hiromi guessed were linked to the trial. She decided to ignore it for now.

“How was the flight?” Kai asked. “Have you already eaten? I ordered room service, I didn’t know what you wanted, so I picked a few different things.” 

“That’s very thoughtful, thank you.”

Hiromi decided to take some time for a little conversation warm-up and talked about her flight before jumping on the important matters.

A sudden knock at the door interrupted her monologue. An employee entered the room with a pot of black tea, a small pile of tiny sandwiches, an assortment of fruits and pastries, and a cup of coffee. After setting everything on the table for them, he said a few words in Russian and left.

A moment passed while Hiromi was examining the food and Kai was merely watching her. 

“So,” she said finally, putting food on a plate but not eating it yet, “Enough with the pleasantries. Let’s talk business. Give me a recap. I want to know everything.”

Kai placed his hands on the table. He didn’t exactly lean in, but it seemed like he suddenly feared the walls had eyes. “First and foremost,” he said, “I need someone I can trust, and right now people like that are very limited. So thank you for helping me.”

She nodded, glad Kai understood the risk she was taking for him.

Kai closed his eyes and took a deep, nervous breath. “I’ll tell you everything I know, but you’re not gonna like what I have to say. This conversation cannot leave this room.”

Hiromi picked a pastry from the tray and said, “Go on. Talk, I’ll eat.”

She didn’t know what to expect. She had always assumed there were some skeletons in the Hiwataris’ closet, as there were with every family of their standing, but she had thought of money laundering or illegal casinos. 

However, what Kai revealed ended up being worse than what she could have expected.

He spoke for a long time, in a hushed voice, even though they were alone. He spoke of decade-old secrets, human experiments conducted in a freezing Abbey, children abandoned by a system bigger than themselves, bones in shallow graves, old pictures of soldier-like teens selected for God knew what.

According to Kai, he hadn’t fully wrapped his mind around what had taken place back then, but he was certain of two things: Soichiro Hiwatari had been involved in organised child abuse and it was a matter of time before Hiwatari Enterprises got exposed.

And it was up to him to discover the truth as soon as possible.

He also gave a detailed account of his time in Russia so far. Every trial day. Soichiro’s attitude. His conversations with Yuriy, the visit at the Abbey, Hitoshi’s resignation. How he slept terribly, drank more than he ate, and had betrayed his grandfather at least once a day since his arrival. How his own father, Susumu Hiwatari, might be linked to the Abbey.

Hiromi asked for a few clarifications, but she mostly listened. By the end of Kai’s monologue, she had devoured half the platter and was at her third cup of tea.

“Wow,” she simply said.

Kai sighed. “I know.”

Hiromi nodded, noticing that Kai hadn’t touched his coffee at all.

She couldn’t help but feel a little honoured by the fact that Kai was opening up to her. He never talked much about his family in general, and she accepted that, knowing that this was not her business. His father was also a taboo subject she had learned not to tease.

However, the fact that he was now revealing all of this was proof that Kai was shaken to the core and needed support, not judgement.

“I want to find every single skeleton,” Kai said, his voice getting more and more agitated. “Who in the company was involved and how. Who profited from what Balkov was doing. Why no one ever said anything. The Balkov Abbey wasn’t just some maniac living his fantasies, this was large-scale organised crime. And my own fucking family was complicit in that. They watched while Yuriy and the others were tortured.”

Kai finally got up and walked to his desk. He grabbed a folder and flipped through the pages.

“There is a lot of research to be done. Lots of fact-checking,” he continued. “With Hitoshi gone, we need to find a way to get information. This is time-consuming, and I don’t have that time, as there are several leads. Also I need someone who is not as involved as I am. This whole thing messes with my head.” 

“I can do that. Someone will help with the Russian documents, you said?”

“Yes, an employee named Marina. I’ll give you her contact.”

“Do I have to show up for the trial?”

“No. Not yet. Anyway it’s all in Russian.”

Kai handed Hiromi the folder and she read the words written on it.

Phoenix Holdings

“Phoenix Holdings. That will be your priority. I want to know why we own the Abbey.”

Hiromi flipped through the pages. Meanwhile, Kai finally reached for his coffee, seemingly not caring that it was now cold.

Hiromi’s eyes went to the folder, then to Kai, then back to the folder. The next question floated in the air, but she waited a few minutes before voicing it out.

“Didn’t you mention Phoenix Holdings belonged to your father?”

Kai’s lips formed a line. “Technically, yes.”

Hiromi nodded.

Kai was a private person and had made it clear early in their friendship that he’d rather not discuss his family.

The fact that Susumu Hiwatari had retired young due to a rare autoimmune disease was not a secret in Japan and Hiromi had never pressed the matter. She had also noticed Kai did not talk about his mother, but according to Google, she was still involved in the family business and regularly showed up to official events.

Only recently, during one of their numerous trial-related calls had Kai revealed the truth. He had mostly been raised by Soichiro. Both his parents were never really around and his father left the family entirely when Kai was a child. 

Susumu Hiwatari was not sick. His rare disease had been a lie to cover up the shameful truth. Hiromi had sworn to bring that secret to the grave, but now, it seemed like the topic would have to be talked about.

“Have you…contacted him?” she asked.

Kai’s face gave no emotion. “No.”

Hiromi chose her next words with care. “Kai… don’t you think… at this point in time… talking to your dad will be… necessary?”

Kai’s voice remained neutral. “Yes.”

A silence fell. Hiromi could hear birds chirping outside and the clock ticking in the other room.

Hiromi knew Kai enough to understand the massive mental debate it must have been. Kai hated mentioning Susumu Hiwatari and she couldn’t blame him. However, Hiromi knew Kai had probably thought about every other single way to decipher the mystery around Phoenix Holdings before considering teasing that old childhood wound.

Finally, Kai let out a resigned sigh. “I don’t know where he is. I haven’t talked to him in years.”

“Would your family know? Your mother perhaps?”

Kai shook his head. “When this shitshow started, she booked a direct flight to the Maldives and said not to bother her unless someone important died.”

Hiromi massaged her temples. Kai was out of ideas.

As if reading her mind, Kai said, “Could you… Would you be able to help me with this?"

Hiromi nodded. “I’m not sure I can be successful. But I might know where to start.”

Kai’s head tilted to the side, intrigued.

“You are on good terms with Max Mizuhara, right?”

“Yeah, sure. You think he would know where my father is?”

“I’m just thinking…” said Hiromi pensively, “if you want to find your father, maybe he is the right one to ask? I mean, I have to say, I wouldn’t know where to look. But Max surely has connections.”

“And how do we keep him from spilling everything after realising he would get material for several big headlines?”

She smirked. “You’re Kai Hiwatari. In the middle of the most watched trial in Asia. You haven’t talked to the press at all yet. We can promise him some insight in return. Make a good deal. It’s what you do, right?”

Later that day

Kai had spent the entire day with Hiromi, then his legal team had unexpectedly called him for an urgent meeting. Kai had been worried at first, but turns out Pavel Mikhailovich and his lawyers had simply confirmed what Kai was already expecting: Hiwatari Enterprises would have to testify as witnesses during the trial. For now, Soichiro’s precious ass could stay comfortably in Japan, as the judge had deemed a company representative would suffice. In short, Kai would soon have to sit in front of a courtroom to speak on behalf of his family empire.

Pavel Mikhailovich had broken the news to Kai in a tone that had made Kai feel like a toddler being told it was almost bedtime. This confirmed his suspicions that the man only perceived him as Soichiro’s minion and not much more.

Kai exhaled. What a shitshow. The minute that stupid meeting had been over, he had scheduled a call with Hiromi for the next day and then gone on a long walk to clear his head until all he felt had been pangs of hunger and muscle aches.

Now, back in his hotel room, the situation seemed less chaotic.

Kai needed answers more than anything now, and fast. His legal team had said Kai might be called on the stand in the next few weeks, but Kai knew how fast time flew. He wasn’t ready. Now more than ever, he needed to make decisive moves.

Kai exhaled and picked up his phone. There was one call he needed to make.

He went to his contact list and scrolled until he found the name he was looking for.

Max Mizuhara

A few days later

Friday

Yuriy’s home

Yuriy had left work early and his boss had not argued. His entire office closely followed the trial and it became harder and harder to ignore the whispers behind his back all day. His boss had suggested he should take a few days off and Yuriy had promised to think about it.

To be fair, now that he didn’t have to worry about his legal fees, he might do it and splurge on some weekend getaway far from the chaos. He might even invite Kai to thank him.

Yuriy chuckled. His brain had again brought the Hiwatari heir front and center.

Kai Hiwatari was a mysterious man. The moment Yuriy thought he had him all figured out, Kai pulled a new trick from his sleeve.

Maybe he indeed was a magician.

At first, Yuriy had perceived Kai as a self-centered trust-fund baby, not worthy of his time or energy. Sure, he appeared to be smart, funny, and interesting. But at the end of the day, Kai was a rich brat protecting his family’s legacy, nothing more.

However, Yuriy’s opinion had been challenged by their visit to the Abbey. At the time, Yuriy had wanted to put Kai and his cursed last name in front of the horrifying truth. Yuriy had thought he was seeking revenge, but now he knew the full picture was more complicated.

Yuriy had viscerally needed for Kai to believe him, to see his wounds and feel his pain. To look him in the eyes and realize what his own flesh and blood had done.

Yuriy had expected denial, fear, or betrayal from Kai. Instead, the other man had faced the ordeal with dignity. Courage, even. At the end of the night, in Balkov’s office, Yuriy had looked at Kai with a newfound respect and understanding. Because Kai had seen Yuriy, but Yuriy had also seen Kai, the foreign boy in a strange land whose world had just collapsed. The other side of the coin.

Revenge had tasted more bitter than sweet. And Yuriy’s grudge towards Kai had entirely vanished.

Kai had subverted all expectations. He had been actively looking for the truth since the beginning, no matter how inconvenient or painful. The redhead had spent hours looking for the crack, the logical fallacy, the sinister plan behind Kai's actions, but the only plausible conclusion was that Kai Hiwatari, behind his sexy teacher glasses and fancy tailored suits, was indeed a good guy.

Yuriy hoped his intuition was correct.

He also hoped his increasing attraction to the Hiwatari heir wasn’t clouding his judgement.

Kai’s world was so different from his, but Kai didn’t make Yuriy feel inferior, quite the opposite. For someone as guarded as Yuriy, Kai was scaringly easy to talk to.

It was difficult to ignore how gorgeous Kai was. In pictures he was stunning, in person he looked even better. Yuriy had caught himself checking him out during their last dinner and he was sure Kai had noticed.

Yuriy sighed. He would have to work on pining discreetly.

Speaking of the devil, Kai had sent him a wall of text detailing his current problem. He had promised his friend Hiromi an evening out in Moscow tomorrow and was pressing Yuriy for ideas.

“I’m not the clubbing type, sorry,” Yuriy answered.

Kai’s answer came almost immediately. “How about restaurants? Do you know a good Georgian food place?”

“Tbilisi”

Kai: You should become a stand-up comedian

Yuriy: And you should eat healthier, you’ll drop dead by 40 if you only eat out.

Kai: It’s not like I can cook.

Before his brain could stop him, Yuriy had typed, “Why don’t you two come over tomorrow night like we discussed? A chill dinner.”

The little dots indicating Kai was typing appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again. Yuriy was starting to think he’d made a mistake when Kai finally answered.

Kai: Hiromi said she would love to. If that’s not too much trouble.

Yuriy released a long breath.

Kai Hiwatari was coming over for dinner.

Yuriy: That’s the least I can do. Bryan will be there. I’ll tell him to behave.

For sole answer, Kai sent him a thumbs up.

Yuriy put his phone back in his pocket, speed-walked to the door, and headed out. He had errands to run.

Chapter Text

Kai Hotel room

Saturday night

“What if Max doesn’t find my dad?” Kai asked from the couch.

“Give me a minute,” said Hiromi from the bathroom where she was getting ready.

Kai checked his watch again, as if afraid they were suddenly late to Yuriy’s dinner. The silver clock hands had barely moved. They were well in advance, hence Kai had nothing else to do but wait and think.

He sighed.

Kai had taken ages to decide what he would wear to Yuriy’s “casual dinner”, which indicated he was already not casual at all about it. He had finally settled on black pants and a blue shirt, sleek, elegant, but tame enough to not appear overdressed. Hiromi had picked a beautiful patterned skirt with a burgundy top. She had been relieved to learn that just like Japanese people, Russians didn’t wear shoes inside and she wouldn’t have to bother with heels the entire night.

Hiromi’s voice brought him back to the main topic. “Max said he would update you within a week, no matter what.”

He knew that information, and Hiromi knew he knew. She also knew him enough to bring him back to the cold hard facts and not entertain the anxiety-fueled scenarios his brain had cooked up.

A few days ago, Kai had contacted Max Tate. He had explained that he needed to speak urgently and privately to his father. Against all odds, Max had immediately offered to help. 

“Does it sound very weird when I say, I have been stalking your dad?”

Dumbfounded, Kai had not taken the time to ask what exactly Max meant. The important message was: the journalist had apparently been keeping tabs over the former Hiwatari heir and was confident he would be able to put father and son in contact.

This seemed too easy and Kai’s mind had been plagued by doubt. What if Max was wrong? What if his father never answered? Worse, what if Susumu refused to talk to him?

“He did say he knew where my father was,” said Kai, “well, that he was almost certain.”

“Kai, at this point in time, there is nothing else we can do,” answered Hiromi, vaguely irritated.

Kai stopped himself from pursuing the topic. She was right.

Kai had promised Max that if he managed this task, Kai would give him his first official statement about the trial. Max had not been able to contain his excitement.

Soichiro would be livid.

Kai glanced at his watch again.

He had decided against drinking before the dinner, but maybe he should have. His nerves were on fire. Too many things were happening at once and keeping it together was an increasing struggle.

He was working even more than before, not only on his usual work duties, but he also spent hours researching the web for anything at all regarding the Abbey. Social media posts, blogs, old archived websites. He had found a personal page from someone who wrote extensively about their time at the Abbey. Sadly, the page had not been updated in a decade and Kai had not managed to find the owner.

Kai had managed to carve some time in his schedule to train at the hotel gym, an activity his nervous system had welcomed. It was the only time his brain could forget that damned Abbey.

More and more former pupils of Balkov accepted to share their stories with the media and the news were, again, filled with sickening testimonies. One woman was practically mute because Balkov allegedly poured chemicals down her throat as punishment, burning her vocal cord beyond repair. A former pupil walked with a permanent limp, as he broke his ankle during training at the Abbey and was denied proper care.

Others seemed to have profited from their time in the Abbey. It was telling that most of them pursued careers in the military. Some became more or less famous athletes. They appeared in public and were, in part, beloved by their fans, but they seemed to keep more private than others.

Hiromi had managed to find out that some of the remains discovered on the Abbey grounds had been identified and the police were working with the families of the victims. That information was not public yet, so Kai had been impressed by her discovery.

However, it had confirmed one chilling truth: the bones belonged to former students. How many had walked the same Abbey corridors he had, only for them to never make it out alive?

Hiromi’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Are you okay?”

Hiromi had exited the bathroom without him noticing and she was now standing in front of him, smelling of hair spray and vanilla perfume.

He sighed. “As much as I can be, I suppose.”

Hiromi sighed. “Kai, let’s leave all of this bullshit here for tonight and just have fun.”

Kai nodded and got up from his seat. He tried to mentally push the posts and headlines away. She was right. Worrying over and over would not change a thing, except make them lose sleep and sanity.

Hiromi smiled and pretended to pose for an invisible camera. “How do I look?”

“Fine. Now, let’s go,” Kai mumbled, as he grabbed the bags of wine the concierge had brought up earlier in the day.

Hiromi’s smile fell and she gave a dramatic pout. “Aren’t you supposed to be my gay friend? Hype me up a little!”

“Yas girl, gorgeous, queen.” answered Kai in his most deadpan tone. “Slay.”

Hiromi blinked, and then exploded in laughter.

“Fine, sorry. I am ready.”

Kai grabbed his wallet and Hiromi attempted to change the topic. “What’s Yuriy’s roommate's name again?”

“I’ll give you a summary in the taxi.”

Saturday Evening

Yuriy and Bryan’s home

“Stop pacing like this, my blood pressure is rising just looking at you,” Bryan said with irritation from the couch.

“I am not pacing, I am cleaning, and if you helped me, shit would get done quicker,” Yuriy answered in the same acidic tone while carrying a pile of dusty books from the living room to his bedroom.

In response, Bryan shrugged and sipped on the beer he had just cracked open.

Kai and his friend were set to arrive anytime now, and Yuriy had just realized how inhabited the apartment looked. Kai was most likely used to dainty Japanese homes or rich houses professionally decorated and maintained by an army of staff; a bachelors’ den wouldn’t impress him. Not that him and his roommate lived in squalor, but the laundry still in the dryer, Bryan’s Doc Martens lazily tossed in the entrance, and the plants in cheap, partially sun-bleached plastic pots didn’t exactly stand as touchstones of posh interior design.

The fact that he wanted to impress Kai was a detail Yuriy deliberately ignored.

“Hiwatari won’t give a shit about what the apartment looks like, Yura,” Bryan emphasised. Bryan didn’t seem bothered at all by the upcoming visitors. If Yuriy hadn’t insisted, Bryan wouldn’t even have changed from his work clothes. “And he won’t be looking in the dryer.”

“I just want the place to be clean, that’s it!” Yuriy sighed, heading to the kitchen.

Bryan made his way to the kitchen, apparently not ready to let Yuriy clean in peace. The redhead ignored him as he dusted the top of the fridge.

“Your inferiority complex is showing,” Bryan said, leaning against the doorframe. “And is tsarevich even tall enough to see up there?” he added, his gaze at the top of the fridge.

Yuriy rolled his eyes. “Kai isn’t that short, he’s-”

Yuriy interrupted himself as Bryan’s eyes suddenly widened. Something seemed to click in his mind, and before Yuriy could stop him, Bryan pointed an accusatory finger, “Nooooooo, don’t tell me you like him.”

A stone dropped in Yuriy’s stomach. His vision blurred. His hesitation was enough for Bryan to bite again. “You sneaky bastard, you made me put a nice shirt on ‘cause your crush is coming to dinner.”

The word crush made Yuriy snap back to reality. He grabbed the dish cloth he had used to dust around and threw it at Bryan, who avoided it by a few centimetres.

“What the hell are you talking about, Borya?” Yuriy said, furrowing his brows, “I can’t clean my kitchen now?”

Bryan raised his free hand. “Yo, I ain’t blaming you, he's fuckable.”

Yuriy glanced at his watch. They had no time for this stupid argument. He attempted to divert the topic, knowing denial wouldn’t help his case. Bryan was not a man to let go easily, if he knew his words were troubling Yuriy, he would attack even harder.

“I thought you were straight,” the redhead said in the most casual tone he could manage under the circumstances.

Bryan’s smile stretched to a predator’s grin. “I am straight, not blind! He’s a dashing dude and he clearly made an impression on you. I know who you’re texting all day. You think I haven’t observed you two at the trial? That I haven’t seen you parading around like a peacock wearing that bougie coat he gave you? Even if you just wanted to f-”

“You know that’s not-”

“I know how your brain works Yura, that’s beyond the point!” Bryan yelled with an exaggerated arm movement to illustrate “beyond”. “Listen, all I’m saying is, if you wanna see what kind of tricks our little magician has down his pants, I’m not stopping you.” 

Their conversation was cut short by the sound of the door bell. 

Right on time. This could only be Kai.

All colour drained from Yuriy’s face. He turned towards Bryan. “Please don’t be an idiot.”

“Tsk, you know me better than this. You know what, I’ll take care of the friend. I’ll entertain her so you can spend some time with Pretty Boy.”

“Don’t scare her off.”

Bryan laughed and walked to the door. “I won’t.”

Yuriy put a finger on his lips and opened the door - much too early, as the other two still had to walk the hallway down to their apartment. The clacking of heels came closer. 

“You think she’s as pretty as him?” Bryan asked, straightening his shirt and wiggling his brows. 

“Behave,” Yuriy growled.

“You know I’m a gentleman. Besides, if she’s as stuck-up as Hiwatari as well, I am not interested.”

‘Stuck-up’ was not a word that Yuriy would use for Kai. Not anymore. But now was not the time to start another discussion about Kai’s qualities. 

“You gotta loosen up a little, Yura, you’re looking like a tin man.” He felt Bryan’s hands on his shoulders, massaging him like he was a wrestler in the ring. “I swear I will make you drunk just so you … “ What followed was a lengthy curse.

Yuriy looked up and saw Kai walking towards him. He swallowed a curse of his own and forced his mouth to smile, and he thought he probably looked like he was about to attack them, teeth first. He closed his mouth and looked at Kai’s friend. She was quite pretty, well-dressed and, judging by her body posture, adequately self-confident. 

“What the fuck are they putting in the water over there?” Bryan whispered, and Yuriy showed his elbow between his ribs to make him shut up. Bryan sucked the air in sharply.

“Hi,” Yuriy greeted, trying his best to sound casual and relaxed.

The way Kai smiled brought back memories of their conspirative meeting a few days back that had ended with herbal tea. As usual, he looked great. Yuriy was glad that, much like himself, Kai had opted for a more casual look, even though they were meeting for dinner. Kai Hiwatari, dressed to the nines, sitting in his kitchen, would've put him in a coma for sure. 

“Yuriy, Bryan,” Kai said before switching to English, “This is Hiromi Tachibana.” 

They refrained from shaking hands but nodded at each other. 

“Nice to meet you both,” she said. “And thank you for the invitation.” 

“Let's get it over with the pleasantries,” Bryan interrupted. “Come on in, take your shoes off, put slippers on, grab a glass.” 

Yuriy’s place

Saturday evening, later

This was fine.

Everything was fine.

Kai’s mood had immediately improved when he had entered Yuriy’s apartment. 

Bryan and Hiromi, to Kai's slight confusion, had got along almost instantly. In the time he and Yuriy made brief, awkward small talk, Hiromi had been led by Bryan for a short tour of the apartment, and Kai could hear them already laughing at each other's anecdotes, giving the appearance that they'd known each other since forever. 

Now, both seated on the couch, Bryan was speaking to Hiromi in clear, albeit heavily accented English, and she in turn, hung on to his every word as their conversation flowed. Kai had chosen to sit on the rocking chair and he felt rather like a third wheel on a first date because Yuriy had now disappeared into the kitchen, again. 

Yuriy returned and only then did Kai fully relax. The redhead took place next to him and now, the setting gave double date, Bryan and Hiromi on the couch, Kai and Yuriy facing them.

Kai took a sip of his drink and switched his attention to Bryan.

“I moved back with Yura when my ex and I broke up… like a year and a half ago or something.”

“Almost two years,” Yuriy corrected.

“The ex-girlfriend who tried to run you over?” Kai asked.

Bryan gave a playful wink. “Yup, that’s her.”

Hiromi gasped. “Oh my gosh, that’s horrible! What happened?”

Bryan shrugged. “The breakup was very messy, she kicked me out and she chased me down the street in her car to make sure I got the message. But I don’t think she would have hit me, she was just trying to scare me off.”

Hiromi didn’t seem convinced. “That’s insane.”

“She has a bit of a temper, she’s an intense woman.”

Kai and Yuriy exchanged a glance and Kai could almost hear Yuriy’s thoughts. Don’t ask.

After a few seconds of silence, Hiromi piped up, “My first boyfriend expected me to drop out of college to become a housewife. I refused and dumped him. You know what he did? He showed up to my house with flowers and a ring.”

Yuriy chuckled. “Looks like his romantic plan didn’t work out.”

“My mom called his parents to pick him up. They apologised, it was awkward.”

Yuriy took a sip of his water. “I bet his ego never recovered.”

Hiromi rolled her eyes. “Still better than the boyfriend after that who cheated on me… with his cousin.”

Bryan’s eyes widened and Yuriy scrunched his nose. “Ew, gross.”

Kai knew that story, it always made an impression at parties. Hiromi liked dating and had encountered her fair share of interesting specimens.

He looked up, still smirking at Hiromi’s story, and again his eyes met Yuriy’s. They exchanged a smile that surely would have lasted longer, had Bryan not spoken up again.

“One of my exes is a barmaid and she confessed to cheating with three different DJs. Three. She expected me to understand, apparently DJs were irresistible.”

Bryan and Hiromi one-upping each other with their dating woes was thoroughly enjoyable.

“Why was she not dating one?” Kai asked.

“Go figure. I didn’t ask.”

Hiromi leaned in. “I found out a guy I was dating… was already married.”

Bryan’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? Me too! After three months of dating, she revealed she had a husband back in her home country.”

Hiromi rolled her eyes. “I prefer when they show their red flags quickly. One time when I was in the States, a dude kept referring to me as his little geisha. But that doesn’t beat my date who kept rambling about aliens and lizard people.”

“I get plenty of alien talk with this dude,” Bryan said pointing at Yuriy.

“And I get plenty of gruesome true crime talk with you,” Yuriy snapped back so fast Kai understood it was an ongoing joke between them.

Yuriy crossed his arms in front of his chest and mumbled, “I work in aviation, I like the sky and I like space.”

Kai blinked, unsure if Yuriy was talking to him or thinking out loud.

He wondered what else Yuriy liked. What did his life look like when there was no trial? Who did he hang out with? What music did he listen to. What did the weird alien talk sound like? It was refreshing to meet someone whose interests were so different from his own.

Kai wanted the answers to all those questions.

"What's with... space?" Kai dared.

Bryan vaguely pointed at the ceiling. “Yura, what was that story about the dudes who died in a space capsule?” 

Kai raised his eyebrows in confusion.

“In 1971 three cosmonauts died during the Soyuz 11 mission, because a tiny ventilation valve malfunctioned during landing. They’re actually the only three humans who died in space.” Yuriy paused. “So far.” 

For a second nobody said anything.

"See, that's interesting," Hiromi piped up, "my date on the other hand was not."

Yuriy coughed. “Well, it’s good to have stuff like this in mind. In my line of work, I mean. Makes you check the planes more thoroughly.” 

“Agreed.” Kai said, raising his glass, and everyone followed suit.

Bryan cleared his throat. “Speaking of interests... a month ago, a girl I had met online invited me to her place. I shit you not, the walls of her apartment were covered in posters of Queen. I’m talking no matter where I was, Freddie Mercury was staring at me, including in the bathroom. I’m all about your flat showing your personality, but this was… jarring.”

“Hey, another intense woman, with good taste in music at least,” Yuriy said, and everyone laughed in agreement.

“Where the fuck do you even find these women?” Kai asked.

“The DSM-IV,” Yuriy said.

Bryan gave Yuriy the middle finger, but laughed. “At least I am meeting people. When was the last time you even went on a date, Yura?”

We visited a crime scene together, Kai thought.

Yuriy shrugged, but Bryan didn't let go. “Was it that girl who wanted to get married asap and have four kids?”

Yuriy rose an eyebrow. “I can’t blame her for being forward about her goals. But there was no second date."

Kai repressed a frown. Girl.

At least that would help get over him.

Hiromi’s voice prevented him from dwelling on his own feelings.

“Kai, you also have an ex who wanted to get married very quickly, no?”

Kai sighed. “It’s different. He had a weird obsession with my family, he wanted my last name and money. Took a restraining order to get rid of him.”

Bryan stretched his arm and gently patted Kai’s shoulder. “Aw, sucks for you tsarevich, see, that’s a perk when you’re poor, nobody gives a shit about my last name.”

“And people give too much shit about mine,” Kai answered.

“Is that why you’re single?” Bryan asked, a weird glint in his eyes.

“Oh no, that’s not the problem. Kai is the most boring bachelor ever, I swear,” Hiromi said, “he never likes anyone. At this point he should consider adopting a cat.”

“Wanna talk about boring? This guy,” Bryan added pointing to Yuriy, “I just gave up. I tried to be his wingman but…”

Bryan got up and gave a dramatic impression of Yuriy in a falsetto voice, “I’m getting weird vibes, Borya. Oh, they’re texting too much. Oh, she’s so dull, I’m bored.”

Hiromi laughed louder than needed.

“Last year, I introduced him to a friend of a friend. Super nice dude, works in tech, not ugly at all if you catch my drift. One month later, Yuriy said he… wasn’t feeling it.” Bryan ended his story with a theatrical sigh. “So now, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that my roommate will become my kids’ weird uncle who rambles about space shit.”

“Cheers to our struggles!” Hiromi joked, her attention now fully focused on Bryan.

But Kai’s ears were ringing.

A guy?

So Yuriy was not straight.

Kai’s gaze suddenly went to Yuriy and the redhead’s face confirmed everything he needed to know.

Yuriy had frozen and his eyes had widened, like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

So Yuriy, for one reason or another, was not comfortable with Bryan’s words. Bryan himself didn’t seem phased, which meant there had been some sort of misunderstanding between them.

Hiromi and Bryan were still joking around, blissfully unaware of the silent conversation happening right next to them.

Kai squinted his eyes. Yuriy almost imperceptibly shook his head. No.

Kai got the message. Don’t say anything. Don’t make a scene.

Kai’s lips stretched into a forced smile. “Hiromi, then maybe I should send Yuriy the number of the cardiologist I was seeing.”

“The one you ghosted? He has a boyfriend now. I stalked his social media.”

“My loss,” Kai said in a deadpan tone.

Yuriy suddenly got up from his seat. “I’ll check the meat.”

“I will help,” Kai immediately added.

Hiromi gave him a puzzled look. “Kai, you can’t cook,” but Kai ignored her and rushed behind Yuriy to the kitchen.

The redhead already had his back to him and was putting on oven mitts. Kai closed the door behind him.

Kai leaned against a counter as he watched Yuriy, wondering if he should say anything to fill the silence, but found he enjoyed watching this display of domesticity. He hadn't expected tightly buttoned Yuriy Ivanov to be as adept in the kitchen as he looked to be. 

Yuriy looked different in his home. As if his guard had been lowered a bit, the walls he had built around him weren’t quite as high, and being allowed to witness it felt more intimate than it should have. Yuriy was unguarded, but not vulnerable, and simply commanding the space he was occupying. 

Yuriy’s sharp voice and authoritative tone pulled Kai from his musings.  

"Don't just stand there, if you're here, make yourself useful."

Bossy, Kai thought as he looked around the cramped kitchen, suppressing a small smile, because he found he didn’t entirely dislike Yuriy ordering him around. It was a miracle of physics that so many appliances managed to fit in the same room. As far as Kai knew, it was fully equipped, including a wooden dining table just under the window. The table was big enough for four people, five at best. Kai noticed it hadn’t yet been set up.

“I don’t see plates on the table,” Kai pointed out, “I can do that.”

Yuriy didn’t answer, so Kai started rummaging through the cabinets. He found four relatively similar plates and placed them on the table. Then he picked cutlery from a drawer while Yuriy was poking the meat with an instrument Kai had never seen before.

It was odd, being in someone’s home. In Yuriy and Bryan’s home. Kai hadn’t expected squalor, but he was surprised at the coziness of the apartment. It felt comfortably inhabited. The smell of cooked food made his stomach rumble.

Yuriy placed the meat back in the oven and pressed a few buttons. Then, he washed his hands in the sink.

“Sorry about Bryan’s big mouth,” Yuriy suddenly piped up, “he’s not always like that.”

“I’m warming up to him,” Kai answered, “he’s funny.”

Yuriy still had his back to him and Kai was growing irritated, so he decided to address the rainbow elephant in the room. “That being said, I hope you’ll warn Bryan about outing you in front of strangers.”

Yuriy sighed. A few seconds passed, then he pivoted on his heels and faced Kai, an uncomfortable smile on his lips. “He didn’t out me.”

Kai tilted his head to the side. “So, are you… bi, or…”

“I don’t like labels,” Yuriy interrupted.

Yuriy’s eyes went to the door, then back to Kai. “I like women. But also men. And all the other genders, really. You didn’t know because… Well… I didn’t want to discuss my personal life with Soichiro Hiwatari’s grandson.”

Kai clenched his jaw. This was fair. Kai had a lot to lose if he trusted the wrong person, but so did Yuriy. A sharp reminder not to take his friendship for granted.

Kai gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. You’re right.”

Yuriy’s expression relaxed.

“Do you feel comfortable discussing your personal life with Kai then? Just me,” Kai asked, his tone softer.

Yuriy’s lips formed a line. “I wish I could say no.”

Yuriy quickly turned his back to Kai again and opened the fridge. Kai walked to the counter, unsure what he was supposed to do. But Yuriy had apparently decided he wasn’t done with his explanation.

“So Bryan is right, I suck at dating,” Yuriy said while handing condiments to Kai, “-Put these on the table please.- He pokes fun at me, but he knows when to stop. And no, he wouldn’t out me just like that, but since I invited you and your friend to dinner, I suppose he thought you knew.”

Yuriy closed the fridge door and shrugged. Kai understood the topic was no longer up for discussion.

Kai gestured towards the table to indicate he had followed Yuriy’s instructions and the redhead gave him a thumbs up.

Feeling rather proud of himself, Kai added, “Can I help with anything else?”

“Yeah, get the wine glasses. Second cabinet to the left.”

Kai got four glasses and placed them on the table. Then, he got the wine bottles out.

Yuriy gave him an intrigued look. “How many bottles did you bring?”

“Six. I didn’t know what you guys liked.”

Yuriy raised an eyebrow. “I’m not picky. I’m sure they’re all fantastic.”

“One of the whites is already in the fridge. It's the same wine we drank at my hotel. You mentioned you liked it.”

Kai glanced towards Yuriy and he could have sworn the other man had repressed a smile.

“That’s… very thoughtful of you.”

Yuriy pulled out a tray of tiramisu from the fridge and placed it on the counter. He went back to the stove, turning his back.

“Can you cut this?” 

Grabbing the biggest knife he could find from the drawer, Kai gripped the handle with his forefinger extended over the back of the blade as he began cutting into it. 

“Why are you holding the knife like that?” Yuriy was watching him with a curious expression. 

Kai stared at him, then at the knife, confused about what he was doing wrong. 

“Here,” Yuriy said, walking over to Kai and standing behind him. “You’ll tire out the tendons in your hand quickly if you hold it like that.” He placed one hand over Kai’s hand, adjusting his grip on the blade at the base with his thumb and forefinger and relaxed his wrist. “Lower your elbow,” he said, demonstrating the more comfortable way to hold the knife. 

His hand was rough against Kai’s skin, but the touch was gentle. His chest pressed against Kai’s back, and he could feel Yuriy’s heart beating just as hard as his was. Yuriy’s hand lingered on Kai’s even when Kai had corrected his grip.

“This is different” he said, his cheek centimetres away from Kai’s. 

“What?” 

“This time I’m not holding a knife to your throat,” Yuriy said and chuckled.

Kai was immediately sent back to that cramped room in the abbey where Yuriy held a knife to his throat thinking he was a stranger. At that time, Kai could never have imagined even in his wildest dreams that not long after that, he would be an invited guest in Yuriy’s home. 

“You’re not as funny as you think you are,” Kai said, 

“You’re wrong, tsarevich,” he squeezed Kai’s shoulder and stepped away, and Kai could hear the smile in Yuriy’s voice. 

The feeling of Yuriy’s touch still lingered on Kai’s skin in the form of small tingles. He was trying to not focus on the fact that Yuriy evidently remembered their trip to the Abbey just as vividly as he did, for perhaps one of the same reasons he did.  

He was trying to focus even less on how now whenever Yuriy called him tsarevich it no longer held the acidic tone it once did. 

Before Kai’s mind could concoct any fantasies with Yuriy in them, Bryan erupted in the kitchen. 

“Yura, what are you-,” Bryan said, before spotting Kai and interrupting himself. “Wine! Finally! Hiwatari, you’re the man.”

“Borya, those bottles are expensive, if we open one we must finish it,” Yuriy said.

“Is that a challenge?” Bryan said.

Yuriy rolled his eyes. “We have a lady here.”

Kai chuckled. “Don’t worry, she can drink her male colleagues under the table, she’ll be fine.”

Bryan's lips stretched in a predatory grin. “What are we waiting for then?”

Chapter Text

Later that evening

Yuriy and Bryan’s home

Kai ate like he hadn’t in ages. The homemade dishes tasted of comfort, and of a home he had never known. Hiromi was correct, Kai didn’t cook, no one in his family did. In college, he had learned to operate a rice cooker out of necessity, a skill he used about once a year. Soichiro made a point to never set foot in what he called the staff’s quarters. As for his mother, her signature dish was an espresso martini.

Kai couldn’t help but think life would be easier if he could enjoy meals like that more often.

Here, it was easy to feel comfortable. For the first time in days, the thoughts about the trial slipped from his mind, even though nobody sitting at this table was untouched by the trial. He almost could imagine being among friends; just having a casual dinner and drinks together, just to spend time. 

Kai had seldom experienced a night like this. Back in Japan, his acquaintances preferred fancy bars or restaurants over their own places, where conversation was deeper than surface level. Even Hiromi had never visited him at home. Thinking about that, so had hardly anyone else. 

Kai usually liked it that way. He was a private person by nature. On top of that, he had to be very careful about what information he shared with whom. Kai had learned at a bitterly young age that most people, including friends and family, weren’t worthy of his trust. It was simply more practical to keep everyone at arm's length. 

But now he looked around and, maybe for the first time ever, felt like moments like that had been missing in his life. 

Bryan had pushed his chair back a bit, both to have more room for his tall frame and to be able to get up for more wine whenever necessary. He had offered the most comfortable seat to Hiromi, who was sipping some of the delicious white while hanging on Bryan’s every word. Kai was still a bit taken aback by how immediately these two connected. He’d never seen Hiromi like that, but he also couldn’t say he wasn’t happy for her. She needed a good flirt as much as … 

Kai shook his head. 

Yuriy was sitting closest to the oven and the plates of food that didn’t fit on the table. Whenever something was needed, he could grab it without having to get up. Which led to him sitting somewhat sideways at the table. Maybe that way it was also easier for him to find room for his long legs. 

Having a perfect view of said long legs made Kai lose his train of thought more than once.  

He assumed that nobody would notice. Bryan and Hiromi were deep in conversation and Yuriy chimed in a couple of times and Kai nodded whenever necessary. Nevertheless, he had forgotten how observative Hiromi could be.

“By the way, Kai,” she said in English before suddenly switching to Japanese. “Are you looking forward to the dessert?”

Bryan raised an eyebrow but did not comment on the sudden language switch. 

Kai looked at Hiromi confused. “Dessert?”

Judging by her tone of voice he could tell she wasn't referring to any actual sweets. 

“You didn’t tell me you liked him,” she said. Her face didn’t give anything away; for the outsider it would look like they were talking about the weather. 

Kai had never been happier about being able to keep a straight face while panicking. His insides felt like Hiromi had lit them on fire. 

“Is it that obvious?” he asked. 

She shrugged. “I’m seeing a new side of you. Even when you told me about your dates before, you never seemed so … invested.”

“Oh.” 

“Is everything alright?” Bryan asked. 

“I was asking him about a Japanese saying,” she answered smoothly. “And if there is an English expression like this.”

“I fear it’s untranslatable,” Kai added and managed to produce a smile. 

“It’s not important. But Kai - “ Again Hiromi switched to Japanese. “I feel he likes you, too, by the way. He keeps staring at you when you’re not looking.” 

“If you wanna play this game we can do that too,” said Bryan switching to Russian, and Hiromi blushed.

“Back to English, yeah?” Bryan added.

“Sorry, it’s just… the wine makes my English terrible,” Hiromi lied.

Kai refrained from an eye roll. Hiromi had been nursing the same glass for one hour now. In fact, the wine had not been flowing as much as he had thought, which might be for the best.

Regardless, Bryan jumped to his feet. “Is the lady in need of refreshment? Have you ever tried kompot?”

Hiromi shook her head, but Bryan was already serving glasses of red juice. Kai took a moment to check his phone, and his heart skipped a beat.

Three missed calls from Max Mizuhara.

Kai cleared his throat. “I need to make a phone call. Privately.”

“We can be quiet,” Hiromi started, but Yuriy pointed at the hallway.

“Just go in my room,there it’ll be quiet. Door to the left. Take your time.”

Kai gave him a thankful nod and headed to the hallway, glass of kompot in one hand, phone in the other.

To Yuriy’s bedroom

It shouldn’t have felt as intimate as it did. What was Kai expecting, a private office? Yuriy’s offer was reasonable. Then why was his head spinning? At least he hadn’t been drinking much, otherwise his nervous system wouldn’t have survived.

Kai pushed open the door to Yuriy’s bedroom and was immediately greeted with that fresh and earthy scent he had come to associate with Yuriy. He found himself instinctively taking a long, deep breath, wanting to commit it to memory as strongly as he could. 

The redhead had been correct, from here, he could barely hear their voices coming from the kitchen.

Kai checked his phone again. Max had just texted him. “When can you talk?”

“Call me,” Kai wrote back.

He sighed and looked around.

Kai hadn’t exactly expected a mattress on the floor, but Yuriy’s bedroom looked surprisingly comfortable. Maybe it was the shelves filled with books, or the diplomas displayed on the wall, or even the moonlight piercing through the curtains.

Kai inhaled, letting the moment quiet his racing heart.

His phone buzzed and Kai picked up the call. “Max?”

“Hey! Kai! Is that a good time to talk?”

“I have a few minutes.”

“Ok great! So… let’s start with the good news, I know where your father is.”

Kai closed his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. He had expected this, but somehow it felt surreal. He didn’t allow himself any expression of joy and simply enquired, “And the bad news?”

“He’s in Indonesia, in some sort of fancy resort. The resort is located on a remote island north of Bali. From what I gathered, it’s a high-end retreat to rest and meditate, it doesn’t even have wifi. We’ll have to wait until your father comes back to civilization.”

 “Can’t you go and get him?” Kai asked impatiently.

Max gave a nervous chuckle.

Kai lowered his voice. “I’m serious. As mentioned, the matter is urgent and strictly confidential.”

“Kai,” started Max carefully, “to get there I would have to first fly to Bali, then book a private flight to-”

Kai removed his phone from his ear and sighed. Money. It was always about money.

“How much do you want?”

“Kai, I-”

“How much do you want?” Kai insisted. “For a round trip to Indonesia with accommodations.”

Kai could almost hear Max’s thoughts. A trip to South-East Asia was an inconvenience. A free trip to South-East Asia was a vacation.

Finally, Max said, “I can give you a ballpark.”

Kai rolled his eyes. “How confident are you my father is there?”

“A hundred percent,” answered Max.

“No need to ballpark. Just send me the bill.”

After a moment of silence, Max chuckled. “Deal. I’ll book the earliest flight possible.”

“Ok.”

“You really are Soichiro’s grandson,” said Max before ending the call.

Kai froze. The words weren’t meant as an insult, but they stung regardless.

Soichiro’s grandson.

Am I?

Kai put the phone back in his pocket and sat on the office chair in the corner, needing a moment to collect himself. He casted a long glance around the room once again, wanting to remember little details of it, hoping he could learn more about the parts of Yuriy’s life outside of the trial.  

A pile of books haphazardly laying on his desk caught his attention, since it was so out of place to the meticulous order of everything else in the room. Without thinking, he picked up the thickest one; Safety Standards in Modern Aviation: A Comprehensive Guide. Kai flipped through a few pages, and Yuriy's neat handwriting in the margins and highlighted passages indicated this was probably an old textbook.

Suddenly, a voice made him jump.

“Prying into my stuff, Hiwatari?”

Kai slowly turned around, his face neutral to hide his surprise.

“I was looking for cash. Didn’t find any.”

“I hollowed out that one to hide my knife,” Yuriy said, pointing to another thick book standing in the bookshelf. 

“In Crime and Punishment?” Kai said, realizing a second too late that Yuriy was joking. 

“A bit on the nose, no?” he quickly added after he caught on.

Yuriy chuckled, but Kai made his way towards the door. “Shall we? Our friends are waiting.”

Yuriy shook his head. “Bryan and Hiromi went to buy more wine.”

“We still have plenty of wine,” said Kai, puzzled.

Yuriy gave a playful smirk. “I know.”

Kai’s eyes widened and he stared at Yuriy in disbelief. Finally, Kai whistled. “Wow.”

“I know.”

“That was… unexpected.”

Yuriy shrugged, but Kai wasn’t done yet.

“Aside from… questionable art, does Bryan have other skeletons in the closet?”

“Kai, don’t worry, Yuriy started, “they-”

But Kai cut him. “Hiromi is here in Russia because of me. If anything happens to her…”

Yuriy nodded. “Got it. I’ve known Bryan for almost twenty years now. If Hiromi wants to flirt, Bryan is a safe person to have a fling with. But in any case, if he misbehaves…”

Kai raised a hand. “If Hiromi tells me Bryan even breathed wrong, I’ll have him turned into shoes.”

For some reason, this made Yuriy laugh.

Kai kept a neutral face. “I’m serious.”

“I know you’re serious. You’re not the type of person to be messed with. You pointed a gun at me one time, remember?”

They walked back to the living room and Kai sat on the couch. How could he forget. That night seemed like years ago, but it had only been a few months. Kai had since hidden the gun in his hotel safe. He couldn’t give it back, but he refused to keep it on his person.

“Looking back, it proved you weren’t as foolish as I thought,” Yuriy continued. “Impulsive, sure. But not stupid enough to infiltrate a crime scene with a stranger unarmed.”

“Is this how you saw me,” Kai asked, “foolish? Was I-”

But before Kai could continue, his phone buzzed in his pocket and he quickly read the text Hiromi had sent him.

He frowned.

“Bad news?” Yuriy asked.

“Not exactly… but… we’ll be alone for the rest of the evening. Hiromi and Bryan are heading back to her hotel room. Together.”

“I’m shocked,” was Yuriy’s deadpan response. 

Yuriy’s apartment

Later

Out of the six bottles of wine Kai had brought, there were four left, and Kai had insisted Yuriy should keep them. Yuriy had prepared some tea and had cleaned up most of the kitchen in fifteen minutes, while Kai had helped as much as he could without being in the way.

Then, the two men had brought up chairs and their teas on the small balcony.

For the first time in a long time, Kai felt at peace. Yuriy and he had talked about everything, except the trial. Under the warm glow of soft yellow lights that hung on the ceiling, Kai allowed himself to think about nothing, to pretend that the person dealing with the trial and the truth of the Hiwatari family was someone else and he was merely a spectator. His whole past life before the trial had begun to feel like a weird lie, or a sick joke. He usually couldn’t decide which, and most days it just felt like both.

Hiromi’s words at dinner entered his mind. 

He likes you too, she had said. 

Rubbing a hand over his face, he sighed 

‘Even if we like each other, what then? What difference would it make.’ Kai thought.

He looked down, down to the concrete stone on the ground, wondering what would happen if he jumped, or fell. It is not the fall that kills you. It is the landing, his brain unhelpfully supplied. 

“Afraid of heights?” Yuriy placed a firm hand on his bicep, as if he had heard the void calling out to Kai, as if he were protecting him.

“No,” and just like that, Kai changed the direction of his train of thought.

He stood up and leaned on the balcony railing. 

“I like heights,” he said, "As a child, I'd go up on the roof of the manor and sit at the edge. Sometimes I would stand up and I would feel at the top of the world.”

Yuriy got up from his chair and faced Kai. “Well..your wish was granted.” 

Kai shrugged, tucking his hands in his pockets to stop himself from fidgeting. “Did you do anything stupid as a kid?”

“Well,” Yuriy said, “I styled my hair spiked up like wolf ears.” He took a small step towards Kai, a little closer than expected. 

Kai raised an eyebrow, suddenly remembering the photo. The photo he had seen on the plane of Yuriy and the rest of the team. 

“Why?” he asked, taking a sip from his cup of tea.

“I like wolves,” said Yuriy.

“Why did you stop?” 

“Took too long,” Yuriy answered, his gaze now trained to the horizon too. He stood a little too close for comfort, but Kai didn’t dare move. “And I went through too much hair gel. Can’t stand the smell of it now.” he said, crinkling his nose, as if he were remembering the smell of it. Taking a sip of his tea, Yuriy rested his arm on the railing and his elbow brushed Kai’s arm. 

“Your hair looks nice now,” Kai said before he could stop himself. Often he had found himself admiring Yuriy’s hair, and more often than he wanted to admit even to himself, he wondered what it would be like to run his fingers through the thick strands, feel the texture and maybe even tug on it if–

“Yeah?” Yuriy took out the elastic holding his hair up and let it fall to his shoulders, running a hand through his hair. Kai realized this was the first time he had seen Yuriy with his hair down. “It’s so boring now.” 

“Nothing about you is boring,” Kai said, a little too quickly.

Note to self, Kai thought, do not say anything stupid for the rest of the evening.

But Yuriy didn't appear to be entirely unreceptive, because he leaned closer to Kai. 

“I like yours better, is that colour natural?” Yuriy’s intense gaze rested on Kai’s hair, then dragged slowly down to his mouth, and lower still to his partially exposed chest from the two buttons of his shirt that he had undone earlier that night.

Maybe you can find out, Kai thought before mentally slapping himself.

“Yeah, it is.” Kai managed instead, following Yuriy’s eyes, swallowing thickly.

Kai felt a flutter in his chest that he didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Smoke?” Yuriy offered, pulling out a pack from his pocket. 

Taking one with a small nod, “Are you nervous now?” he tried to tease. A small, selfish part of him wanted Yuriy to be nervous because of him. 

Yuriy looked at him for a moment but then shrugged noncommittally. “It’s nice after a pleasant evening.”

The same, small, selfish part of Kai felt his ego bruise but he did well enough to keep his expression neutral. He lit Kai’s cigarette for him as soon as he raised it to his lips, and Kai’s eyes flickered from the flame to Yuriy’s, to find that he’d been looking at him too, but they both looked away as soon as their eyes met.  

The redhead shifted on his feet, and picked up the ashtray from the table and placed it on the ledge of the railing. “Your friend is nice.”

Kai took a deep drag of his cigarette, and exhaled slowly, watching the small cloud of smoke dissipate. “That seems to be Bryan’s opinion too.”

“Don’t worry too much, he won’t hurt her,” Yuriy lightly squeezed Kai’s shoulder, and lingered, “He’s nicer than he looks.”

“If he does, I’ll have him murdered.” Kai reminded, in the most deadpan voice he could manage with Yuriy still touching him. 

Yuriy couldn’t help but chuckle, “It’s not funny ‘cause I know you’re serious,” he said in his defense at the derisive noise Kai made, holding his hands up in surrender before smiling, “You’re full of surprises, tsarevich. Every time I think I have you figured out, you show me I’m wrong. I can’t say I hate it.”

Kai felt his palms get clammy at the compliment, but clicked his tongue. “Didn’t you hear Hiromi? The most boring bachelor ever. She’s not lying.”

“Well, I think she’s wrong. I don’t think you’re boring.” Yuriy’s eyes bore into his, and Kai found himself unable to hold eye contact too long with him. 

Heart thumping in his chest and unable to find words to respond, he looked out at the view, but even that wasn’t as eye-catching as Yuriy. 

What Yuriy had said about Bryan before dinner had been playing on his mind all evening.

Since I invited you and your friend to dinner, I suppose he thought you knew.  

Bryan thought Kai knew Yuriy wasn’t straight. 

Kai wondered if it was meant to be an attempt at a date, before pushing the thought out of his head. His mind had been spinning since Hiromi told him she thought Yuriy liked him too. 

Lights shone from the windows of the buildings around them. 

A soft wind blew.  

Kai finally said, “Thank you for dinner,” desperate to change the subject. “You’re very talented. It was the best meal I’ve had in ages.” 

“I’m happy you liked it” Yuriy smiled softly at him.  

“You didn’t have to go through so much trouble for us,” he took a breath, “For me.” 

“It was no trouble,” Yuriy said easily, “And I wanted to, or else I wouldn’t have asked.” 

Yuriy turned around so now his back was against the railing. 

When he turned around, their fingers brushed. Heat swiftly rose to Kai’s neck, dotting it red and splotchy. Kai mechanically put out his cigarette in the ashtray placed between them, too surprised to do anything else and Yuriy followed suit almost immediately, setting it aside.  

Yuriy intertwined their fingers, his long, cold fingers felt electrifying against Kai’s warm hand. He didn’t pull away, and Yuriy made no attempt to let go of his fingers after the initial touch.

“You have a beautiful apartment, and it actually feels like a home.” Kai began, “Compared to this, my apartment back in Japan feels so…sterile.” He exhaled and ran his other hand through his hair, and caught Yuriy’s gaze following the movement of his fingers. 

“I like seeing you here, Kai” Yuriy said, “In my home, with me.” His voice was soft, gentle, barely above a whisper. His ears and cheeks held a faint dusting of red, not that different from Kai’s neck. 

“I like being here,” Kai said in a voice just as soft. 

He looked down at their still intertwined fingers, and took it as a sign that perhaps Hiromi was right, and Yuriy returned his feelings. Even the way Yuriy said his name felt different than when others did, like he was tasting it on his tongue.

Kai had a flashback of Yuriy at the Abbey suggesting they should make out if the police showed up, which had shocked him. But shock had quickly turned into a need. Kai had since spent an ungodly amount of time wondering what kissing Yuriy would feel like. 

Slipping it out of his pocket, Kai placed his hand on Yuriy’s chest. His eyes widened momentarily at Kai, but instead of brushing it away, as Kai feared, Yuriy leaned imperceptibly closer to Kai. 

For a moment, Kai didn’t want to think of the consequences or the fallout of his actions. 

He tilted up his chin, and licking his lips to moisten them, he stepped even closer to Yuriy.

They were so close that he could feel Yuriy’s hot breath on his lips.  

Kai was just about to close his eyes when cold fingers wrapped around the back of his neck, snapping him back to reality. 

Yuriy pressed his forehead to Kai’s, but put enough distance between them that their lips wouldn’t accidentally meet.

Hundreds of thoughts ran through Kai’s mind, but he couldn’t focus on a single one, because the sound of his own heartbeat, and the feeling of shame at the rejection drowned out everything as his knees struggled to support him.  

“Yuriy,” Kai broke the delicate silence, snapping the tension that coiled around them like a wire. He tried again, even though he wasn’t sure what he was going to say. “Yuriy, I-”

“This will not end well,” Yuriy said.

The universe froze.

Kai opened his mouth to protest, but Yuriy didn't let him and continued, “I would rather live with the daydream of what we could have been than give in to the temptation and find out.” Yuriy’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. 

Sighing, Kai exhaled as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders, and in that moment, it felt like it was.

He knew Yuriy was right, as much as he didn’t want him to be. As much as he wished it, there was no happy ending for them. 

If this were someone else, anyone else, Kai’s pride would have taken over. He probably would have told them not to delude themselves into thinking he had real feelings for them. But this was not someone else. This was Yuriy who stood before him. Yuriy, who had always been honest and straightforward with him - and he deserved, at the very least, the same courtesy in return.

“Yeah,” Kai said, closing his eyes for a moment, unable to suppress the disappointment showing on his face. “In an alternate universe,” he said. 

Yuriy withdrew his hand and Kai stepped back, pressed to put some distance between them. 

Breathing hard, Yuriy continued, “In my mind, we can always have a happily ever after,” his voice shook and he took a deep breath, squeezing their still intertwined fingers together, as if he didn’t want to let go, “I’m afraid we are not that lucky enough in real life.” 

Kai didn’t want to hear anymore on why this was a bad idea. He already knew it was a bad idea. 

Taking in a few short, very silent breaths, he said. “I should go,” Kai pulled his phone out of his pocket to pretend to look at the time. He needed to get out of there immediately, before the weight of his disappointment crushed him, “It is getting late.” 

“You don’t need to…..” Yuriy protested weakly, as if he had suddenly been drained of all his energy, as if he didn’t really mean what he said. 

“I’m tired,” Kai had wanted to be firm, but he thought his voice sounded just as drained as Yuriy’s. 

He really was tired. Tired of the trial, tired of being lied to by people whom he thought he could trust, tired of his situation with Yuriy. 

“Okay.” 

“Thank you again, for dinner.” Kai said, his manners kicking in even when he functioned on autopilot, as he put on his coat and walked to the door and slipped on his shoes. 

“Yeah.” 

Yuriy followed him to the door. “I’ll see you at the trial?” he said when Kai opened the door. Kai didn’t let his mind linger on if Yuriy sounded hopeful.

“Yeah,” Kai cringed at how unsure he sounded as exited the apartment and turned around to face him, “Goodnight, Yuriy.” 

“Goodnight, Kai.” 

Sunday morning

Way too early

Kai’s hotel room

Kai woke up when a lone sunray that had made its way through the curtains hit his face. He scrunched his nose and looked around.

He was back at his hotel. Safe. Alive.

Alone.

Every single bone in his body hurt. And there was another dull pain, somewhere in his ribcage. The pain of disappointment. And maybe shame.

His first coherent thought was about Yuriy.

Yuriy.

He had tried to kiss him.

Kai put his head in his hands, reality sinking in. He had already taken a huge risk by going there for dinner. If anyone found out about this, it would not matter what they actually had done within these walls, they would be screwed anyway. Might as well. Moreover, Yuriy basically had confessed his feelings for Kai. 

Oh god. He had. And Kai had dared to hope, for one split second, which had been a complete waste of energy, because Yuriy had rejected him.

Yuriy’s voice echoed in his mind. This will not end well.

Admittedly, Kai had not been rejected often in his life. 

But there was no arguing against it: Yuriy was right, and he had made his point abundantly clear. There was nothing more to say. The pain would go away once the memory of this evening would fade. 

Maybe.

Sunday morning

Later

Kai’s hotel room

Kai had tried to sleep again, to no avail. So he had got up, showered, and by the time Hiromi had knocked on his door, he was deep into old financial records.

She greeted him with a conspicuous smile. “Good night?”

But Kai wasn’t in the mood to entertain her jokes. “You really have no shame,” he stated flatly.

Hiromi’s expression fell and her voice took an accusing tone. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“You could have picked anyone else.”

“He’s tall, he’s hot, he’s really funny, and the sex was amazing. I think I chose just fine.”

“Kai rolled his eyes, but Hiromi wasn’t finished. quicker. She placed herself in front of him “No, no. Let’s talk. What’s wrong? He’s off-limits and you didn’t tell me?”

“No, it’s-”

“Then what’s the problem? Yuriy was bad in bed and you’re frustrated?”

Kai blinked, having not expected that answer. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t treat me like I’m dumb.”

“It’s not like that,” Kai retorted weakly, “we just had tea and talked. I don’t think I’m Yuriy’s type.”

“That’s not what Bryan said. According to him, Yuriy can’t shut up about you.”

The world around Kai became blurry and he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Hiromi’s face became softer. “Please. I know you two slept together yesterday, it’s fine, I won’t tell your lawyer.”

“Hiromi. Nothing happened between Yuriy and me.”

Hiromi rolled her eyes. “Kai, I swear, I won’t tell.”

“Nothing happened,” Kai repeated, “And it’s for the better.”

“He likes you,” Hiromi continued, “just make a move next time.”

“Hiromi, it’s not-”

“Yes it’s-”

“Hiromi, it’s NOT that simple, okay?” Kai said, his voice climbing a few decibels.

Hiromi’s face fell and she sat on her bed.

“You and Bryan… at the end of the day, you’re two consenting adults with no strings attached. Yuriy and I… do you have any idea of what my family pulled him through? He was plunged in a tank and experimented on. He was starved, beaten, tortured, over and over. For profit.”

Kai closed his eyes. “If it hadn’t been for my family’s money, Balkov would have never managed to run that place for such a long time. My grandfather wasn’t tricked by Balkov. He knew every torture the kids were subjected to. My father... My own father probably knew. The entire upper management of the company probably knew. And no one said anything. Because it was profitable. Because it got them bonuses, and vacations, and houses.”

“But you didn’t know.”

Kai waved a dismissive hand. “It doesn’t matter. I am a Hiwatari. I am a Hiwatari before I am Kai. And that’ll never change.”

Kai slowly exhaled and leaned his back on the wall. “I can’t be the selfish person asking Yuriy to ignore all of this in order to…what? Get to know me better? To consider me as dating material? To lock the skeletons in the closet and throw the key away? What kind of heartless monster would that make me?”

Hiromi opened her mouth, then closed it. Kai continued his speech.

“Yesterday, Yuriy and I talked. He… he told me he didn’t want to open that can. For his own sanity.”

Kai could still feel Yuriy’s forehead against his, their hands intertwined. 

Hiromi’s face twisted in sadness. “Kai… I’m sorry.”

Kai closed his eyes and sighed. When he looked at Hiromi again, his expression gave nothing but pain. “Let’s just end this thing and go back home, okay?”

Chapter Text

Moscow

Wednesday

Summer in Russia was beautiful, perhaps nature’s apology for the unforgiving winter. The sky took a perfect shade of blue, flowers bloomed, trees came back to life, and the city wasn’t so grey anymore. Funny to think when Kai arrived here, snow still covered the ground.

Despite the fantastic weather, Kai’s week has been bleak, as if the weather itself was mocking him for not being able to move on, unlike the seasons did. 

Yuriy hadn’t contacted him since their awkward goodbye and Kai hadn’t reached out either. Maybe it was for the best. Yuriy had traced an uncrossable boundary and Kai knew better than to test its limits.

Perhaps in a few years Kai would be sitting at another dinner, sharing the story of his crush on a man his grandfather tortured as a child. People would laugh. Wine would flow.

Things would be fine.

Time would pass, and he would grow indifferent to it.

He had to be.

Hiromi’s voice painfully dragged him back to Earth.

“What do you think?”

She showed him a pair of black suede pumps. Kai wasn’t familiar with heels. Blahnik or not, he never understood the hype for expensive, accelerated plantar fasciitis.

“They’re not super exciting,” he said with honesty.

Hiromi shrugged. “Well, I like them, so I’ll try them on.”

She turned her head towards the sales counter and immediately, a man in his early forties pranced towards them with a smile too wide to be sincere. Hiromi showed him the shoes she liked and he gave her an “OK” sign.

Kai sighed.

Hiromi and Kai had taken a well-deserved day off to check out the tourist attractions and do some shopping. Of course, the Yuriy fiasco had soured his mood, but it wasn’t the only grey cloud on his mind.

First, Max had not yet talked to Susumu. Max had flown to Bali, but had not yet reached the private resort where Kai’s father was currently staying. The island was so remote that only two flights from Denpasar per week made the trip. Max was now killing time in Bali, awaiting the next flight. Although a private plane was an option, Kai wanted to avoid too much scrutiny.

Then, two days ago, Kai had received a detailed list of questions he would probably be asked in court as well as tips to prepare for his counter-interrogation.

Pavel’s team had managed to delay Kai’s appearance in court for as long as possible, until the Judge had deemed that any further statement, claim, or affidavit would be interpreted as an obstruction of justice.

Kai was confident he could face the court, but he wished Soichiro would let him work in peace. Kai could barely suggest an idea to the legal team without being met with “Let’s run this by your grandfather.” The old man’s insistence on being at the center of every discussion had been annoying before, but was now comically counterproductive. At this pace, Kai feared he would never be ready.

The reappearance of the same salesman coming back with the suede pumps in a white shoe box drew Kai’s attention back to the present.

He gave Kai a conspicuous smirk, probably assuming he was a generous boyfriend. Kai’s face remained a deadpan mask, betraying no response to the unspoken comment.

“So, how are things with… Bryan?” Kai asked, as Hiromi sat on a leather chair.

“He wanted to see me today,” Hiromi answered as she changed her shoes, “I told him I was busy. But we might meet later this week, maybe at his place. I assume we shouldn’t be out and about in public for now.”

It wasn’t a question, but Kai nodded. “Might be best.”

Hiromi lowered her voice. “You sure it’s fine due to, you know…”

Kai waved a dismissive hand. “It’s fine.”

Hiromi got up and walked a few steps with the suede pumps, the clacking of the heels reverberating against the marble tiles. She looked at herself in the mirror and clapped. “I look fantastic! I’ll take them.”

“Great!” Kai simply said.

“I thought you didn’t like them.”

Kai shrugged. “They’re not ugly. Black suede is a classic, I think my mother has a similar pair.”

Hiromi smiled. “Well, your mother is incredibly well-dressed, so I like them even more.”

They headed to the register to pay and the salesman raised a confused eyebrow when Hiromi, not Kai, handed him a credit card. He quickly regained his professional composure and Hiromi grinned ear to ear when she paid.

The afternoon sun shone bright on the busy streets when they exited the store. Kai could perceive an acoustic version of Podmoskovnye Vechera, probably from a nearby street musician. Laughing children carrying bags of candies swiftly ran by them. A group of tourists sporting matching t-shirts was taking pictures with a Stalin impersonator.

Kai was glad he and Hiromi had visited the tourist attractions this morning, as right now the Red Square would surely be cramped.

“It’s getting busy. Let’s head back to the hotel, I need a shower,” Hiromi said, as if reading his thoughts.

They walked towards the metro station, where Kai’s chauffeur was waiting.

“How do you even know what my mother wears?” Kai suddenly asked.

“I follow her on Instagram,” Hiromi answered simply.

Kai blinked in surprise, and Hiromi’s face fell. “Oh, is it bad? Should I unfollow her?”

Kai shook his head. “No, it’s fine.”

“I saw she’s back from the Maldives. Is she currently in Japan?” Hiromi asked.

Kai shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

Hiromi tensed next to him and said, “You know, I was thinking… maybe now you should… talk to your mother about the Abbey. I know we’re focusing on your dad, but maybe your mother knows something.”

“I’ll think about it,” Kai said, in a tone that meant he would not.

Hiromi opened her mouth to say something else, but closed it and nodded.

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

Although they rarely spoke, Kai harbored no hard feelings towards his mother. Some of his friends grew up tormented by angry, screaming mothers, mothers who hit them and called them names, mothers who hated their own children. Kai’s mother had never been like that. Growing up, his mother didn’t scream, she barely talked to him. If he bothered her with some school nonsense, she gently redirected him towards his nannies. She never hit him, in fact, she rarely touched him. She said hello and goodbye with air kisses and awkward side-hugs to avoid wrinkling her clothes.

She cared about his well-being, so she had hired a team of nannies just for him. She cared about his education, so she had sent him to the best boarding schools in the world and had let Soichiro diligently mentor him. She often reminded Kai how lucky he was to have been born a Hiwatari. After all, in this cruel, unpredictable world, don’t most people want success?

Sometimes, when she was in a good mood, his mother would tell Kai about her own childhood, before she became Mrs Hiwatari and when she was just a girl named Kiku. Kai liked hearing about Kiku, he liked hearing about her ancestral house near Kyoto with the sliding doors, the teahouse on the lake, and the garden with the chrysanthemum flowers she was named after. He liked hearing about Kiku’s summers in Europe, about her father’s library of antique books, and her mother’s spectacular kimono collection.

But Kai never saw these wonders. Kiku’s pleasant childhood had abruptly ended in her teens, when a fire broke down one night, destroying the teahouse, the chrysanthemums, the kimonos, and burning her house to the ground with her parents still inside.

Kai didn’t know what happened after his mother became an orphan. She always ended her story there. He knew at one point she met his father, but she rarely mentioned Susumu. All that she recalled from their wedding was her expensive wedding dress, getting wine drunk with her bridesmaids, and the way Soichiro had congratulated her with a warm “Welcome to our family, Mrs Hiwatari.”

Hiwatari.

The same last name his mother wore like a crown, his father bore like a curse.

Maybe that’s why his father left, to escape the weight of his own family legacy.

Susumu had never liked being a Hiwatari. When he wasn’t at work, Susumu was often away, escaping reality on one of those exotic islands whose names Kai could never remember. Kai would go weeks without seeing him. When Susumu was around, he was the best dad in the world to Kai. No gift was too expensive, no activity was too extravagant. Kai was living a dream. One time, Susumu snuck him out of elementary school for a spontaneous trip to Disneyland Paris. For Kai’s seventh birthday, Susumu brought him to the World Beyblade Championship, where they sat in the first row and met the winners afterwards.

But Kai learned quickly that all dreams end. No matter how much fun they had, after a few days, maybe a week, Susumu disappeared again without a warning, leaving Kai’s nannies to pick up the pieces, until he randomly showed up again.

But one day, Susumu left and Kai never saw him again. 

At first, Kai didn’t notice his father had left for good, but he slowly picked up on the changes. 

Susumu’s pictures got removed from the walls. Soichiro held long, secret meetings with strange men in black suits. The staff stopped cleaning Susumu’s office and one day, Kai noticed it had been emptied. His mother spent over a week in bed, only leaving her room for quick trips to the wine cellar.

One day, Soichiro and his mother sat him down and confirmed his fear. Susumu had left the family. Susumu wasn’t coming back. And it was up to them to deal with the shame his failure would bring.

It was that day that Kai had destroyed the beyblade his father had given him, the one he used to keep hidden in a secret compartment in his bedroom desk drawer. 

Every powerful family had their secrets, the Hiwataris were no different. Kai knew a CEO with five sons, only two legitimate. A famous politician had disguised his months in rehab as an extended vacation. And Susumu Hiwatari wasn’t gone, he was sick. That’s the story Soichiro presented to the press, to his investors, and to every single person outside his inner circle.

Eventually, things went back to normal, as much as they could be. At home, Susumu’s name became taboo, a name that meant shame, a name that was never uttered unless it was to remind Kai who he should not become. His mother threw her wedding band into the fireplace and got a new, almost identical one, except a scarlet stone replaced the diamond. Kai stopped looking for his father’s face in crowds and lying about him had become second nature.

And yet, Kai had revealed the truth to Yuriy. He hadn’t even meant to, it had just slipped out. In the middle of an Abbey, the biggest secret of his life had stumbled from his mouth and all Kai felt had been relief. Like the weight on his shoulders had lightened by a small fraction.

That should have been a red flag.

Yuriy was right. They were never meant to be. They were never meant to cross paths, because Kai shouldn’t be willing to throw his entire family legacy away for something as fickle as justice. Yuriy Ivanov had made him feel alive, but Kai knew better. He couldn’t become another Susumu.

Hiromi’s voice interrupted his dark thoughts. “I see the car!”

They had arrived at the metro station, where the driver had patiently been waiting. Hiromi handed him her bags and offered an apologetic, “Sorry for taking so long.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Kai said with an irritated tone, “that’s his job.”

Hiromi blinked in surprise, but silently took place in the back seat. Kai sat next to her and addressed the driver in Russian. “Please bring my assistant back to the hotel. Then, I’ll be heading to Pavel Mikhailovich’s office.”

Later that day

Pavel Mikailovich’s office

Kai had never been the type to show up anywhere unannounced, but he figured out if he wanted a proper conversation with Pavel Mikhailovich, he would have to adjust his strategy.

Hence, when he arrived at his family lawyer’s office completely unexpected, his presence caused a bit of a stir. The secretary tried to convince him to come back later, but Kai insisted he was perfectly happy to wait in an adjacent room until Pavel Mikhailovich had time to see him.

Now, Kai was sitting in a private meeting room, killing time by checking the news on his phone. He wanted to see how his family was being portrayed by the media.

Horror Abbey Scandal: Is Soichiro Hiwatari Being Framed?

Soichiro Hiwatari “didn’t know Boris Balkov very well” according to an insider

Hiwatari Enterprises: Over A Century of Philanthropy

Kai raised an eyebrow. He recognized a crisis management campaign when he saw one. Hiwatari Enterprises’ legal team worked hard, but their PR team wasn't slacking either.

The general public, both in Japan and Russia, was ambivalent towards Hiwatari Enterprises’ role in the scandal. Sure, Soichiro Hiwatari might have worked with shady organisations like the Abbey, but thinking that one of the most successful businessmen in Japan had voluntarily taken part in horrendous crimes in Russia and left no traces for nearly two decades seemed downright ridiculous - thanks to carefully planned and paid for publications, opinion pieces, and a smart online presence using social media influencers, the company’s reputation and share values hadn’t yet tanked. 

Kai sighed. If only they knew.

Kai then checked his messages. No news from Max. No news from Hiromi. Soichiro had sent him documents to read, as if Kai wasn't busy enough.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes, a sweating and somewhat pale Pavel Mikhailovich erupted in the room. Kai got up, but didn't talk.

“Sir! I mean… Mister Hiwatari! I wasn’t expecting you today!”

“Strange,” answered Kai, "don't we have a counter-interrogation to prepare?”

“Yes, certainly, but your grandfather-”

“-is in Japan,” Kai cut dryly, “and will not be talking in court.”

A silence fell and for the first time, Kai noticed he was taller than Pavel. The lawyer blinked, looking at Kai as if seeing him for the very first time.

“Are you free now, or should I wait?” Kai asked, knowing full-well the other man couldn’t possibly tell his client to wait here any longer without being rude.

Pavel ran a hand through his hair and took off his glasses to rub his eyes.

He put his glasses back on, smiled, and said, “Let me get us some tea.”

At the same time

Hiromi’s hotel room

Hiromi had not planned on seeing Bryan, but there was no point pretending she didn’t miss him. She had called him right after her shower and they were now lounging on her hotel bed, enjoying a fantastic post-sex meal she would be expensing as a business dinner.

Working for Kai Hiwatari had its perks.

“Thanks for the food,” Bryan said, as if reading her thoughts.

“Thank Kai, not me. That’ll all go on my corporate credit card.”

Bryan chuckled. “I doubt I’ll have the chance to tell him. I assume we won’t be hanging out anytime soon.”

Hiromi sighed. “I suppose so.”

She took a bite of her cake and asked, “How is Yuriy?”

“He’s alright,” Bryan answered, “Sergei and Nadia took him… what was it… cake shopping, or dress tasting tonight.”

“Because he’s one of the groomsmen?”

Bryan tilted his head to the side. “Yes and no.”

Bryan looked at his food and continued, “When Yura is feeling down, he shouldn’t be left alone with his own thoughts. He’ll be fine, but right now he needs to get out of the house.”

“Kai has been in an awful mood too,” Hiromi said. “We went shopping today, but mentally he was elsewhere. Maybe he needs some time alone… I don’t know, I’ve never seen him like this before.”

Bryan sighed. “The whole thing is so fucking sad. For once, I can’t even blame Yura. I don’t think he expected to develop feelings for Soichiro Hiwatari’s grandson.”

“Kai hates being referred to as Soichiro’s grandson,” Hiromi pointed out.

Bryan shrugged. “That’s still who he is.”

On these words, Bryan stretched his arm to grab the water pitcher on the bedside table, revealing the scar that ran from his shoulder to his elbow. One of many. Hiromi hadn’t dared ask about them just yet.

Keeping her eyes on his arm, she lowered her voice and asked, “Would it be a dealbreaker if I was the person related to Soichiro?”

Bryan hesitated, pitcher in hand. Finally, he grabbed a glass, filled it with water, and said, “I don’t know.”

Hiromi’s lips stretched in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. It was a fair answer.

Bryan handed the glass to Hiromi and continued, "Look, I’m me. I like getting to know you, despite not knowing what tomorrow will bring. But Yuriy is Yuriy. I tend to follow my heart, but Yura… he follows this”, Bryan said, pointing at his head.

Bryan sighed. “Yuriy told me he considered every possible scenario, but none ended well. Unless Soichiro Hiwatari drops dead tomorrow morning, Yuriy and Kai can never be more than a fling, however…”

Bryan let the rest of his sentence trail off, but Hiromi understood what he meant.

“They’re way past the fling stage,” Hiromi said, taking a sip of her water. 

“No shit. They were way past the fling stage when Kai gave Yuriy that stupid coat,” answered Bryan energetically, “and that was months ago.”

Hiromi coughed in her water. “The what now?”

Bryan frowned. “The coat… Kai didn’t tell you about the coat?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Well, when we picked them up at the Abbey-”

Hiromi cut him. “-we? You were there?”

Bryan’s eyes widened dramatically. Before she could ask about the mysterious coat or the Abbey, he raised a hand.

“I have an idea. If you’re done eating, I’ll clean this up, I’ll make us some drinks, then… Let’s compare what we know.”

Hiromi smiled, a real smile this time. “Sounds like a plan.”

Later in the evening

Pavel Mikailovich’s office

Kai sat back on his chair and crossed his hands behind his head, as Pavel Mikhailovich talked.

They were probably the last five people in the building, himself, Pavel, Galina, and two interns who had spent the last hours taking notes. The sun had set hours ago, but aside from a quick break to order dinner, they had not stopped their discussion.

They had gone over every question unimaginable, crafted Kai’s court persona - professional, calm, slightly bored, but cooperative. Pavel had emphasized that “No,” “Yes,” and “I don’t know” were acceptable answers to tricky questions. Kai was also instructed to never give precise dates or numbers, and to avoid offering his own opinions.

“Words like ‘I think’ easily open cans of worms. I’ll object to leading questions, but if you seem keen on answering them, the judge might dismiss me,” Pavel repeated.

Kai nodded, adding Just Facts, No Opinions to his personal notes.

Pavel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Now, it’s getting late…Perhaps-”

Kai cut in. “Do you need more coffee?”

To his surprise, Pavel chuckled. “Sir, we went through everything we could tonight. The next step will be securing an interpreter for you.”

Kai rolled his eyes and leaned back on his chair. “Again, I don’t need an interpreter.”

“Sir,” Pavel said with a forced smile, “I acknowledge your Russian is excellent, however… you are not a native speaker. You have never lived in Russia. If I were to counter-interrogate you, I would be using this to my advantage. I would throw legal jargon, complicated terms, and cultural references you might not be familiar with. There are only so many times a witness can claim they don’t understand the questions before a judge mandates a court interpreter. And, more importantly, the interpreter gives you time to think if you need it.”

Kai nodded slowly. An interpreter would lengthen the process, but he had to admit Pavel had a point. Even though his Russian had considerably improved since landing in Moscow, mostly thanks to Yuriy, court wasn’t the time to show off his language skills.

Kai shrugged. “Right. I’ll stick to Japanese then.”

Pavel readjusted his glasses on his nose. “We’ll have to play our cards strategically. It won’t be enough to say Hiwatari Enterprises wasn’t involved, we’ll have to position ourselves as victims of Balkov.”

“Yes I know. But we have to be careful, Balkov hasn’t dragged us through the mud.”

Galina chimed in. “Yet. Balkov still thinks he can get away with it. The media paints him guilty, but legally speaking, there are a lot of gray zones, it’s not a slam dunk. The city can’t send him to jail based on what things look like. But the second Balkov feels he’s cooked, he’ll throw as many people as possible under the bus and we’ll have to prove he’s lying.”

“If he’s lying,” Kai dared to answer.

Pavel audibly gasped and the two interns looked at each other in surprise.

“Sir,” Pavel said, “Balkov is a liar! He is targeting us! We can’t let him tarnish the company’s name and reputation!"

Kai and Galina exchanged a glance and Kai chuckled. “Of course. We are the victims.”

Kai then looked at his watch and feigned a yawn. “I think we’re done here. I’ll be waiting for your email.”

On these words, the tension in the room immediately fell and after planning to have a follow-up meeting a few days later, everyone swiftly packed up, pressed to leave. Kai, however, wasn’t in a hurry, and he pretended to rearrange his bag as slowly as he could.

The two interns wished Kai a good evening before almost skipping through the door. Galina gave him a conspicuous wink before she left and Kai took a mental note to have a private conversation with her soon.

When there were only the two of them left, Pavel talked again. “Sir, allow me to walk you to your car.”

Kai nodded and grabbed his bag.

Finally.

The meeting had gone much better than Kai could have hoped for, so he felt confident pushing his luck a bit more tonight.

Kai and Pavel left the room and made their way through the dark hallway.

After a moment of silence, Kai said, “Thank you and your team for the hard work tonight.”

Pavel smiled. “That’s nothing sir.”

“Get a good rest.”

Pavel chuckled. “I will, right after I get in touch with your grandfather. He should be up in a few hours.”

Kai saw an opening and didn’t hesitate. “It’ll be very early in Tokyo.”

“He wants to be informed of any developments as soon as possible,” Pavel insisted.

Kai kept his face neutral and didn't answer. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Pavel spoke again.

“Mister Hiwatari’s instructions are clear.”

Kai stopped in his tracks and chose his next words with care. “How long have you been working for my grandfather?”

Pavel opened his mouth to answer, but Kai raised a hand. “You know what, it doesn’t matter. You have an exceptional sense of duty, which I know my grandfather values. He has always placed the company’s interests before his own. He still does today, in spite of…”

Kai let the rest of his sentence trail. Pavel gave a puzzled look, but Kai remained silent on purpose.

Finally, the lawyer gave in. “I’m not sure I understand, Sir.”

Kai widened his eyes, pretending to be surprised.

“Oh. I thought you knew,” Kai said in the same voice his mother used to pretend she didn’t know the beach was non-smoking.

His bad acting seemed to work, as Pavel appeared increasingly agitated.

“Sir, you know you can trust me,” Pavel said hastily, “is your grandfather unwell?”

Kai pretended to look around, as if afraid to be spied on. Then, he lowered his voice and said, “He’s not on the brink of death, if that’s what you mean. However…”

Kai leaned in and lowered his voice even more. “Soichiro has been Hiwatari Enterprises’ CEO for a very, very long time. His spirit is commendable, but his doctors are… worried about him. They’ve been begging him to retire for six years already.”

Now it was Pavel’s turn to appear shocked, except his surprise was genuine. “I thought his health was improving?”

Kai sighed. “At his age, there is only so much improvement modern healthcare can bring. My grandfather is a proud man, but his prime is long gone.”

A worried wrinkle appeared on Pavel’s forehead. Kai could almost hear his mental calculations. 

Finally, Pavel sighed and nodded. “Time spares no one.”

Kai started walking again and continued, “His… dedication is a quality I admire and strive for. He’s been spending a lot of time preparing me to take on the mantle, so that the transition won’t be felt too harshly.”

Kai rarely acknowledged that he was officially the next CEO of Hiwatari Enterprises. Although the announcement had been made years ago, Kai usually acted as if he was merely an employee. However, right now, he could no longer afford to be stuck on the back burner.

Pavel nodded. “I suppose that phone call can wait tomorrow then.”

Kai tilted his head. “You’re very understanding. That’s a quality I appreciate.”

They finally reached Kai's car, where his driver was still waiting.

Pavel bowed slightly. “It seems like your grandfather has done a great job preparing you to take over. Of course, I wish great health for Soichiro, but… stay assured that the good of Hiwatari Enterprises will always come first. I’m glad we’re both on the same page here.”

“Of course,” Kai said.

“You’ll be a great CEO,” Pavel added.

“I will be doing my best.”

Kai entered his car and before closing the door behind him, added, every word cold like ice in his mouth, “After all… I am the grandson of Soichiro Hiwatari.”