Tobirama

There was only one good thing that had come out of my traumatic childhood, and that was my brother.

Hashirama wasn't my brother in blood, but he was my brother in every other sense of the word. We were placed in the same foster family when both of us were thirteen, and stayed there for a year, the longest I had ever been in any foster family. But then, Hashirama got adopted, while I was whirled back to the carousel of social services once more.

We had remained close, Hashirama and I, although I didn't open up to him much. He encouraged me to, but as opposed to the skin-and-bone blondes I dated, he didn't push it. When he asked me if I was okay, it was a suggestion for me to open up. I never agreed to it, but I did appreciate being in his proximity. It was one of the few things I missed when traveling, the only other thing being my own bed and my solitude.

Now, from my suite in Tokyo, preparing for dinner with Hakka-san, I made a video call. 

"Hello, man!" he greeted.

I almost smiled when I saw his stupid face on my screen.  

"I changed my mind, turn your video off. You're ugly", I teased. 

"Shut up", he said. His warm-brown eyes were smiling, flashing his row of pearly teeth, flicking long, chestnut hair. With his olive skin, he was my polar opposite, making it hard for us to convince people we were actually brothers, something that had annoyed us endlessly when we were young. "How is Tokyo treating you? Hooked up with a cute cat boy yet?"

"I'm straight", I said, not understanding he was joking. Things like that sometimes passed over my head. More than one skinny blonde had suggested I was autistic. That was probably true, but knowing it wouldn't help me. 

"Can you bring one home for me?" Hashirama asked. 

"You're a sick fuck."

"What can I do for you, man?" he asked then, and he seemed to become serious. "You look ragged."

I sighed, not seeing the use of hiding the true reason I'd called much longer.

"Last night, I woke up with chest pain. For the second time. I'm worried."

Hashirama frowned. He was a doctor, and he asked me some questions.

"Sounds like a panic attack."

I had never had one before. Hashirama explained what it was, that it felt scary but was completely harmless. But instead of calming me down (this was, no doubt, better than a heart disease), it made me even more flustered.

"Are you serious? But why? I'm not anxious. I'm not stressed."

"Look at you, man", Hashirama said, laying down in his double bed at home which he shared with himself if he didn't share it with a small boy, ever the bachelor, his hair spreading over the pillow. "You look wasted. People will think you're on drugs or something."

I walked with the video call to the bathroom, looked at myself in the mirror. The skin beneath my eyes were tinted blue, and I had lines in my face I didn't recognise. I hadn't noticed before, probably because I didn't spend too much time checking myself out. 

"Can't you see this trip to Tokyo as a vacation?" 

"That's what Mr Swanson said", I said.

"He's a clever man."

I sighed. 

"I will finish my work here as fast as I can, just a couple of days. Then, I'll see if I can get a day or two off back in New York." Once I've caught up with everything I'm behind on due to this trip, I didn't add.

"Don't you have anyone with you who can help?"

I thought about Izuna, the tiny little employee.

"One. But it will be too much for him. This is not a one-man job."

"Do you have anyone else that you can send over?"

"Nobody I trust."

"But-"

"No", I interrupted, so sternly Hashirama knew it was a lost case. I had only accepted Izuna as Hakka-san had demanded someone who spoke Japanese. I did not want anyone else on this case; it was a huge one. A rich estate owner against the Japanese government and coal sharks. 

"I can come down and help", Hashirama offered. 

"No", I said, but I didn't sound as certain as I wanted to.

"I know I'm not a lawyer, but I can do all the heavy paperwork. I've done it for you before." That was true, a couple of years ago when I had taken my ass to the Bahamas for a vacation. Although I had worked morning to evening there as well, even if I didn't tell my brother that. "So your employee can do the lawyer stuff. And you can rest."

Hashirama had a private practice he was in total control over, so we agreed he would come over tomorrow. I texted my secretary to book my brother on a first class transpacific flight and a suite at the same hotel as me and Izuna. 

"I need to go", I said. "Business dinner."

"Oh, you love those!" Hashirama teased.

"Shut up", I said; both of us knew I hated them. 

"Get some rest."

We both knew I wouldn't. 

Hakka-san's hotel was beautiful, I had to admit, but I didn't waste any time inspecting it closer. I didn't have time to look at beautiful things. Instead, I immediately went to the reception to make myself known. The dinner were to be between me, Hakka-san and five men on his team. I had dressed in my best black suit for the occasion, a light purple shirt beneath, no tie. I had a pair of black boots instead of good shoes; they made me feel powerful, especially paired with my glasses. I had combed my hair over to one side.

I was taken to the Michelin restaurant attached to the hotel, that was completely vegetarian. Whereas the lobby area of his hotel was inspired by a Japanese sakura garden at night, the restaurant was all about a botanical garden in daylight, with plants, ponds filled with real koi, lotuses and beautiful paper lanterns. I would have loved to stay here for our visit, but had a policy of never spending money on our clients, nor accept any offer for a free stay. 

I was shown to a long table of mahogany where Hakka-san's large frame was sitting at one head-end. The other head-end was empty, reserved for me, and on the long sides were five other tall, strong men in suits of Hakka san's and...

I was taken aback. Izuna was sitting next to the vacant head-end, looking very stylish in a creme linen shirt with a thick silver chain around his neck. His hair was pulled back in a knot in his neck that looked very Asian-inspired, matching his surroundings. He looked up at me from beneath his fringe and smiled a little. I had no idea he would be here. Usually, it would have angered me, but for some reason, it didn't.

"I hope you don't mind I invited your employee", Hakka-san said in his Japanese accent with a smile, but he said it in a way that let me know I had no say in the matter. I liked him for that. "He's a gem."

Izuna looked at Hakka-san, distraught.

"Mr Senju didn't know I was coming?" he asked.

"Don't worry", I said. "You're very welcome to dine with us." Actually, I was ashamed of not even having thought of inviting him as well. Of course he should participate; it was a business dinner, and he was very much part of the business. 

I sat down at the head end, next to Izuna.

"We already ordered the starters", Hakka-san said. "Everything we have on the menu on small dishes so we can share. I'm sure you'll find something you like."

"Sounds wonderful. Thank you."

The starters came almost before my flat ass touched my chair, and the table was laden with various traditional foods with a modern twist: Seaweed salad, crispy kale with soy sauce, fried rice balls with peanut sauce, kimchi... 

"Oh, wow!" Izuna said, his eyes glittering.

I looked at him as he ate. I was so used to blonde girls demanding I took them to the fanciest restaurants and then, they would order a salad and sparkling water but hardly eat or drink. Izuna, it seemed, was a hearty eater, and he took a little bit of everything and ate without any "I shouldn't!" He looked tiny next to the business man next to him, although not misplaced. He chatted happily, answering questions about his heritage and education, asking all the right questions back.

And me, who usually detested business dinners, found that I was enjoying myself.

As we discussed the case, we shared our mains in the same manner, and I even had dessert. How could I resist when the table was laden with crème brûlée flavoured with miso, honey and saffron ice cream, and dark chocolate brownie gaining its salt from soy sauce?

"That was delicious, thank you", Izuna said.

I looked at the little man. He blushed and looked down, but I agreed with Hakka-san who had said he was a gem. Izuna was clearly very intelligent, and quick in his thought process. Maybe, I thought, sipping my wine, I could leave this case with him and my brother without feeling bad.