If the kitchen was no good, maybe there was a storage room? A cold room? Something more helpful than nothing, at the very least. Erina's pace picked up as she moved deeper into the building. Muffled voices reached her ears, growing louder with each step. One of the doors was ajar, light coming through into the dark hallways.

  "…how ridiculous that is?" Akira's voice floated through. "They might as well be asking us to scrub their floors for them."

  "Those were their updated terms," replied a gravelly voice. "Patriarch Kano has already reviewed the conditions and deemed them acceptable. Or you telling me you gonna contest his decision?"

  "And going over my head while you're at it, huh?"

  Erina peeked around the corner. The three lieutenants sat in luxurious leather chairs across from each other, their men lining the walls as they attended to the meeting. A thick haze of smoke had gathered on the ceiling.

  "Falcons were sighted at the port as of late," said Yoshizawa.

  "Yeah, mhm," said Akira. Erina couldn't see her from this angle, only the back of her chair. "And?"

  "They're not local to the area. Watanabe's shikigami have found where we process our shipments to America." The large man crushed his cigarette into the ashtray at his side, smoke rising as he twisted it down. "There are ways to conceal them. Make it harder for us to observe their presence. He ain't done none of 'em."

  A pause as Akira pondered that. "…He's doing it on purpose. Letting us know they know. Meaning if we don't comply…"

  "Of course, this is the reason they see fit to change the deal. They have ammunition now, and our main port shutting down would be a significant loss in this quarter. Seeing as it falls under my jurisdiction, why would I bring this discussion to you when reviewing it with the chairman?"

  "Exactly," said Akira. "Sounds like a you problem. Don't see how it's mine."

  "Because the mana is gathering in your territory," he said pointedly. "I seem to recall you declining to participate in the division of land, so I hardly see you to be in a position to dispute receiving the most spawn-prone territory all these years later." Yoshizawa sat up. "Oh, my apologies. I understand you don't wish to be bothered with my affairs. Next time, I'll simply conduct my operations on your grounds without contacting you."

  Erina could feel the heated glare coming from Akira's chair without even seeing her in it.

  "…could find vendors through the club…" Akira muttered to herself, barely audible. She clicked her tongue. "Tall order after all."

  "Indeed, their conditions are untenable. A right fuckin' ball twister, even." He lit a fresh cigarette and settled back in. "But rather, do we need to fulfill the contract to the letter? Perhaps a counter-offer could be made… an alternative deal that your territory is best suited for. Perhaps the fruits of your labor from the 'gold mine' you unearthed?"

  They locked eyes. She said slowly, "Care to run that by me again?"

  "I am graciously giving you the opportunity to contribute," he responded in turn. "You and I both know it's been a damn sight since you done enough o' that for the family."

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  She shifted in her seat. "And processed through you, under your name, so you can pawn it off to the Mafia or whoever will bite. That's what you're expecting to hear from me?"

  A mocking smile took over his demeanor. "There are no free lunches."

  "Wouldn't you love to get your hands on it," deadpanned Akira. "I'll consider it. For the other matter—"

  "Wait," said Kiyori.

  The other two turned. Erina had almost forgotten Kiyori was there. The ends of their clothes and hair continued to move and flow as if tugged by the wind, even indoors.

  A shiver went through Erina. She knew why Kiyori had chosen that moment to speak up. The pale lieutenant knew someone else was watching them.

  A broad shoulder clipped Erina. She clawed back the fearful squeal before it could leave her throat as Shimizu pushed past her and into the room.

  "Pardon me, sirs." Shimizu bowed his head as he stepped around the room. Their used ashtrays were exchanged for fresh ones. Glasses of wine were refilled. Akira silently raised hers in acknowledgement as he left.

  "Wha—" Erina found a rough hand closed around her collar and tugging her along, away from the room as the lieutenants resumed their meeting. "Oof!"

  Shimizu picked her up off her feet and pinned her to the wall, scowling face looming through the dark. "Emisane," he snarled. "Nobody told you to visit. The fuck you think you're doing back here?"

  "Looking for you," she strained out. "Customer. Order."

  "…What?" His grip slackened.

  "Students out front," said Erina. "They want a pizza."

  "Who the shit comes all the way out here and—" Shimizu dropped her and went to the front, peeking through the crack in the door.

  "I-I don't know them," she said preemptively. "I wanted to ask whether we have dough, or sauce, or—"

  "You gotta be fuckin' with me…" Shimizu looked back, eyes fixed on the meeting through the walls. "…Oh, what the hell ever! Emisane!"

  "S-Sir!"

  "You're coming with me!"

  They hurried to the supermarket, catching no shortage of stares from passersby as they went from shelf to shelf grabbing everything they needed. Erina returned struggling under an armful of ingredients and equipment, only to have no time to rest as they hurried to cooking.

  "Sir," she said over the pepperoni she was cutting. "Couldn't we have bought a frozen pizza and—"

  "Like nobody can tell?" he growled over the dough he was pulverizing into shape. "Shut up and keep working."

  Erina nodded hurriedly and got back to cutting.

  It took the better part of an hour to make. Shimizu kept returning to the door to the front and coming back cursing under his breath. Those brats were still loitering around.

  "Thank you for the wait." Erina placed the pizza box on the front counter.

  Yuuta handed it off to his friends behind him.

  "Finally," one of them said, "I'm starving over here."

  "Save me a slice!"

  "Hey." One student in particular nudged him before digging in. "Now's your chance."

  "Don't push me!" Yuuta sent him on his way and turned back to Erina, body language turning meek again. "So listen, mind if I…"

  He kept looking over her shoulder at the imposing man in a suit peering through the crack in the kitchen door who was obviously not a regular restaurant worker whatsoever.

  "Mind if we exchanged numbers?" Yuuta pushed through anyway. "I-I dunno, talk sometime?"

  "Okay," said Erina.

  "Eh? Really? Just like that?"

  "I don't mind." More correctly, she didn't care either way.

  They swapped numbers. The students left the store shortly after that, Yuuta waving her farewell on the way out. She heard an outburst of cheers as soon as the door closed.

  What was all that about? Erina just wished they had picked any day besides today to go get pizza. She thought her life might be over when Shimizu caught her peeking into the meeting.

  It wasn't until then that a thought occurred to her. She forgot to ask those students to pay.

  Akira came out the back not long after, rolling her shoulders with a heavy sigh. "Meeting's done," she said. "How'd it go, Erina?"

  "One customer appeared," she said.

  "Told you someone might show up." Akira shot a grin at Shimizu. "Right, we're closing shop for today."

  "How was the meeting?"

  "Nothing to worry your head over."

  "What was it about?"

  Shimizu was staring. Erina realized she might be crossing a line.

  "My problems, not yours." Akira's tone remained light and casual. "You'll know what you need to, when you need to. Keep things simple. Oh, right. Do me a favor and keep going through the lab for today, will you? Report back with everything you figure out like usual. All the details on what they do, how they work, how to run them, all that jazz."

  "Yes, sir," said Erina.

  "Give you another call sometime. See you 'round."