Beneath the Surface: Secrets of an Obsessed Heart
Chapter 37 - 36

Chapter 37: Chapter 36

Still, he didn’t like the fact that it was Raiden of all people. The man stood there, smirking at him. As if saying; "Serves you right." He wanted to smack the stupid smirk off his face.

Hiro could no longer hold himself back. Tears streamed down his cheeks uncontrollably, his emotions intertwining in a tumultuous dance. He didn’t want to go to Raiden. He didn’t want to make the stupid deal. He didn’t want to belong to anyone but because of his Big brother’s decisions and his sister’s life, he had to. He had to go on his knees, beg and cry to the man he despised. He had to throw away his pride, his dignity, and become Raiden’s for a year, free for Raiden to do with him as he wished.

Did his brother think it was easy for him?

Raiden’s heart broke, witnessing Hiro’s emotional storm. Although he didn’t want to involve himself in their argument, he just couldn’t stand by and watch the person he loved for years cry vehemently.

Not caring about what Sora would do or say, he walked towards Hiro and embraced him, enfolding him in a cocoon of safety and security.

Hiro suddenly felt like he was encased in a pool of warmth. His tear-streaked face pressed against Raiden’s chest, the woody scent of Raiden’s presence acted as a shield, a comforting barrier against the storm of emotions. Gradually, the torrent of tears subsided, and for the first time, Hiro found solace in the haven of Raiden’s arms.

Meanwhile, in a corner, Sora seethed with a volatile mixture of rage and frustration. The sight of Raiden comforting his brother ignited a fierce desire in him to tear them apart. Raiden was a freak. A sick pervert. He didn’t want his brother in the arms of someone like Raiden. He could vividly remember the things he had seen in Raiden’s room. They were disgusting. And to think his brother was the object of Raiden’s desires made him want to shred Raiden to strips.

Driven by impulsivity, Sora advanced to snatch Hiro away, but a single glance from Raiden froze him in his tracks.

Raiden’s smokey grey eyes bore into Sora’s with a dangerous intensity, a silent promise of consequence. The air seemed to quiver under the weight of Raiden’s commanding presence. Without uttering a word, Raiden communicated a chilling message to Sora: "Touch him, and you’ll regret it."

Upon receiving the bone-chilling message from Raiden, Sora instinctively took a step back, granting them the space they needed.

"Hiro..." He called out gently, hoping his brother would come to him but Hiro only hugged Raiden, a silent form of rejection but it was like a blood curdling slap to Sora’s face.

It suddenly dawned on him that he had been the catalyst for Hiro’s tears. He was the one who drove his own brother straight into the wolf’s mouth. He had caused it all.

If he hadn’t messed up, Raiden would not be in their lives at the moment. He was the one who made bad decisions, rendering Hiro helpless. He made Hiro go to Raiden himself.

In that moment of sober acknowledgment, Sora left the balcony, contemplating the consequences of his own actions.

********

The next morning...

A sleek black Chevrolet glided to a graceful halt in front of Hiro’s residence, its polished exterior catching the ambient light in a subtle dance. Raiden emerged from the car, a commanding figure in his customary dark three-piece suit that exuded both sophistication and an air of authority. His tie, a seamless extension of the ensemble, bore the same deep black hue.

His dark hair, adorned with streaks of crimson, flowed with an almost poetic grace, dancing in synchrony with the cold morning breeze.

He stood by the door of the car, patiently waiting for Hiro to come out.

His driver, who stood by the driver’s seat, yawned out loud, fatigue evident in his features. He subtly glared at his employer then grumbled to himself; "I wonder what we’re doing in front of this shabby house so early in this cold morning."

"Did you say something, Han?" Raiden asked, turning to look at his grumpy driver.

Han flinched, clearly hearing the underlying threat in his employer’s voice. He shook his head vehemently. "No. No sir. I didn’t say anything."

"Good." Raiden chuckled. "Now, I want you to treat Hiro with utmost respect. You will refer to him as sir or Mr Watanabe. You will do whatever he asks of you without a single complaint. If he asks you to bark, you bark. If he asks you to roll over, you roll over. Do you understand?"

The driver hurriedly nodded. "Yes sir." He had questions. He had so many questions but there was no way he could ask. He loved his life too much to lose it over curiosity.

He had never seen his Boss care so much about anyone. Not even his dates. What made this Hiro guy so special?

Raiden thought for some seconds then said; "You know what, just regard him as my wife and treat him as such. Is that clear?"

Han nearly choked on his own saliva but quickly composed himself and shouted; "Yes sir!"

Raiden then saw Hiro and Sora approaching and smiled. "As for the tall guy, treat him as you wish. I do not care."

"Yes sir!" Han replied. He couldn’t wait for his Boss’s wife to come out. He wanted to see just who his Boss was head over heels for.

As Hiro stepped out of the weathered front door, the cold morning air greeted him with a crisp embrace, making him shiver. He hugged himself, rubbing his arms to make himself feel warmer. He really hated the cold.

A pair of worn-out jeans hugged his legs. A thin pink shirt clung to his frame, accompanied by a white sweater which was riddled with holes so it wasn’t really serving it’s purpose but he had no other one to wear for he had washed the one Michi gifted him.

Sora, who was dressed similarly, just that his own clothes had no holes, wanted to give Hiro his jacket but Hiro wasn’t talking to him. He was still giving him the silent treatment which he hated but there was nothing he could do or say. He brought it upon himself. He could only silently put up with it no matter how suffocated it made him feel.

As Hiro and his brother ventured towards the gate, they saw Raiden standing there. A look of surprise flickered in their eyes. For Hiro, it was pleasant. For Sora, it was the complete opposite. He scowled, gritting his teeth. Why did the freak have to show up so early? He was going to use the bus ride to the hospital to see if he could peel away the walls between him and Hiro. Now Raiden’s presence had ruined it all.