"So you basically assumed she was a street rat, asked her to join you in a business venture, and she walked out on it?"

Alfred threw his hands up in the air, head darting in disbelief between Yuko and Lucy.

"Luce, why didn't you take him up on it? You're always going on about how we don't have a plan, and then you turn one down!"

"Did you already forget about the 'street rat' part?" Lucy bit back defensively, lips jerking into a disapproving frown.

It wasn't even past noon and she had already had her fill of the opposite sex for the day. Honestly, could her uncle, her own flesh and blood, take her side just this one time? He'd known this Kazuma man for less than an hour, less than half an hour, and she could tell that her uncle was already partial towards his side of the story.

"Now, I never assumed she was a street rat, that's a rather harsh way of putting it." Seated on a slightly tattered sofa with Mieko at his side, Kazuma figured there was no time like the present for some much overdue damage control.

"What's a 'street rat'?" Mieko looked up at Kazuma inquisitively. She hadn't the slightest clue what the word "rat" meant, but combining it with the word "street" was clearly something to avoid.

「It's a very rude way to refer to a poor person.」 Yuko spoke up while rounding the back of Lucy's chair. Lightly placing her hands on Lucy's shoulders, she instantly noticed how stiff she was. Her eyes warily trailed from the top of Lucy's head over to Kazuma and Mieko. 「It would be wise to forget such a phrase, Mieko. There's no need to remember it.」

Kazuma was nearly positive Yuko was staring him down specifically, a glint of maternal protectiveness seeping from her hardened gaze.

「Oh my.」 Mieko sat with her hands fidgeting in her lap, brows knitting into a tight line above her worry-filled eyes. 「Kazu, you didn't say that to her, right?」 She was nervous about their plan crashing and burning before, but she was kicking herself because her concerns were completely misguided–forget about her father, it was the overly confident dolt sitting next to her she should have been more concerned about!

image [https://i.pinimg.com/736x/92/2f/ff/922fff776a455ae23ff44adf03dd6106.jpg]

「For the second time.」 He bobbed his left knee up and down, a tried and true remedy he employed whenever one of his affiliates was trying his patience. 「No.」

Mieko could feel goosebumps rising up on her skin as that all-too-familiar tone of voice fell on her ears. She had heard it countless times before whenever he came over to fraternize with her father or when they were at parties.

He was either losing his patience or his interest altogether.

Oh, no, no, no that would not do.

「Kazu-」

"I simply offered a helping hand to someone who I thought had quite a bit of potential." He clasped his hands in front of him while shifting his weight forward.

"The offer still stands."

Lucy's nails dug into the armrests of her chair, the wood beneath her fingers pliant and bruising underneath her wrathful grip. He was still trying her?

"Oh, how flattering!" Pouting out her bottom lip, she moped her head to the side in feigned admiration. "Maybe now with this second chance at monetary success I'll finally be able to divorce my husband! Who doesn't exist."

"If only he did!" A wistful and mocking sigh could be heard from the corner in which Alfred stood, legs and arms crossed while leaning his head on the window.

"You know, Luce, this right here is the exact reason why you're not married in the first place!" He thrusted himself upright, swinging his arms towards Lucy before indignantly dropping them down to his sides. "You're always giving people mouth and jumping down their throats, even when they're trying to do something to help you!"

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Well when that help comes in the form of self-deprecation, I'm not interested." Her eyes continued to bore into Kazuma despite her uncle's berating tirade attacking her eardrums.

"Well maybe you could swallow your pride just this once and do it!"

"Al." Alfred and Lucy both flinched at the edge in Yuko's voice. Mieko froze, eyes jumping from a calm and collected Kazuma at her side towards the dysfunctional family in front of her.

Yuko's grip on Lucy's shoulder grew firm, temperament becoming uncharacteristically cross.

"Enough."

There was something about Yuko's tone of voice which inspired Mieko as much as it made her uncomfortable. Mieko had never before seen Yuko scold Alfred, or raise her voice to anyone for that matter. Ever since being introduced to all three of them, it had always been Alfred and Lucy at each other's throats about one thing or another while Yuko merely laughed it off or shook her head in defeat.

「Mister Kamoi.」 Her voice reverting back to her usual soothing, hospitable tone, Yuko sent an apologetic smile towards Kazuma as she continued.

「You'll have to forgive these two, it's been a rather hectic time ever since we've arrived and I fear they've both gotten a little restless due to our current situation.」 Her voice was calm but the sharp squeeze on Lucy's shoulder and stabbing gaze in Alfred's direction served more as a warning than a comfort.

Alfred failed to understand what Yuko was saying altogether, but Lucy felt a pang of shame and embarrassment as her eyes momentarily flickered down to the ground.

Kazuma simply shook his head and waved his hand.

He would have loved nothing more than to push this Lucy girl's buttons just for a little while longer, but he ultimately decided to spare Yuko the inevitable dramatics.

「No problem at all, that's why I'm here.」 He allowed himself one last glance in Lucy's direction.

She was still shooting him daggers, no surprise there.

"Well, I can imagine you and Alfred have many matters you'd like to discuss, so," She motioned her hand for Alfred to come over while nodding her head towards Kazuma. "Al, you should bring him into the old study we just cleaned. I'm confident we've been able to get rid of not all but most of the dust."

She and Kazuma both laughed at her little attempt at a joke as Mieko and Lucy met eyes for the first time since they had all sat down.

Lucy had so many questions. How long had her and Kazuma known each other? How did he become involved with the Takahara family? Why was he so proficient in English? Was he always an insufferable jackass or was it some kind of persona?

「Us ladies will have our own little chat out here.」

Eyes tearing away from Mieko, Lucy craned her neck backward, a mixture of unease and frustration swirling about in her stomach as she stared at Yuko with pleading eyes.

"But w-wait, shouldn't we-?"

"It'll be fine, Lucy. Trust your uncle."

Lucy didn't know whether she was biting back a laugh or suppressing a cry.

Trust her uncle. Good god, she knew Yuko loved the man but she of all people should know he wasn't exactly what one would call an aficionado in anything relating to money or business.

What's more, had he ever given Lucy a reason to respect let alone trust him? She couldn't, she wouldn't forget the sleepless nights with her brother's head tucked under her chin as they both listened to their mother and father quarreling in the kitchen about money–money that should have been there after her grandfather’s death, but was taken to Chicago instead.

She merely nodded her head, once again burying the memories of a home and family she’d never see again into the uncharted recesses of her heart. A tiny puff of air passed through her trembling lips.

"Fine." Her eyes trailed from her uncle stepping over towards the study's entryway to Kazuma rising from the sofa and following suit.

Her uncle had already completely changed his temperament, slapping on a cordial smile despite clawing into her mere minutes before.

He should have been a goddamn showman with how talented he was at keeping face.

"Lead the way, sir." Kazuma flicked his wrist in Alfred's direction as he strode past Yuko and Lucy. The hand resting behind his back twitched as he caught sight of the rosy tint flaring across Lucy's nose and cheeks.

Was she embarrassed?

It was rather refreshing to see a change from her usual spitfire attitude to something more demure, something more manageable. If a little scolding was all it took to get her back in line, perhaps she wouldn't be a problem after all.

The animated, bespectacled man enthusiastically ushering him into the adjoining room on the other hand, he wasn't so sure yet.

Something about his enthusiasm and–what was it, exactly?

An overly congenial demeanor, perhaps that was it–prompted Kazuma to keep his guard up no matter how agreeable an image this Alfred Hampton was fruitlessly striving for himself. Had he already forgotten all of the shameful bickering and squabbling he and his niece had displayed to a prospective business partner? They were lucky Kazuma believed in second chances, for if he didn't he would have been out the door with Mieko in tow within the first five minutes of making acquaintance.

"Right this way, Mister Kamoi." Alfred gingerly slid open the door and stepped inside the dimly lit room, Kazuma following behind.

Holding his breath as he started to shut the door behind them, the two men gave one last parting glance to the women in the sitting room before Kazuma closed the door completely.

"So, Mister Hampton."

He turned his body to face Alfred, one hand still resting on the door.

"Let's talk business, shall we?"