Chapter 22 - New Year, New Fight

"Wan Yi Jun, 098xxxx" Kousuke casually read aloud the name and number that was written over the plain visiting card. He was sure that he heard this name somewhere but failed to recall it at the moment.

Ming Yue glanced at the dumb boy who was still holding onto the visiting card and let out a heavy sigh, wondering why did she even bother to bring him to imperial. 

"We are not sure if it is Wan Yi Jun, who is going to investigate this case. If it is is him. We will have a chance." She informed Yojiro who was all ears, 

The moment he heard the name, the realization hit hard in the head and he immediately stared at the name on the card as well as his sister with a shocked expression.

"Ne Chan, Isn't the same officer whom we saw last time at the club...Captian Wan?" He asked to confirm if he guessed it correctly. Maybe whether he hasn't met that many people after coming to imperial, he kind of tried to remember everyone and among those faces, Captian Wan, the police officer who raided the rising raven was one he promised himself to avoid at any chance. But why his number is with his precious Ne chan? did she steal it from somewhere? Unable to control his curiosity, Kousuke began to ask all the questions that were popped into his mind in a very short time,

"Ne chan, where did you get this card? But does police officers are allowed to keep personal visiting cards?"

As soon as Kousuke started his usual routine of FAQ time, Yojiro wobbled his head in annoyance and answered the most relevant question among them.

"Yes, it is that police officer's name and contact number. Nothing else." He made an effort to shut chirpy bird in the room, however his reply only added oil to Kousuke's burning pit of doubts. 

"Nechan, did you call him?" He mechanically turned his head and asked the girl didn't even bother to acknowledge his presence, let alone answer his question. 

"Do you want me to call him?" Raising her eyebrows in query, Ming Yue reached out for her cell phone, that was kept inside her pocket. 

"No...no...why are you behaving like this, Nechan? I was just joking." Watching her abrupt behaviour, Kousuke couldn't help but panic. His Nechan had a very eccentric personality. She likes to put people in trouble, just for a fun. There were several instances where he felt that she was nothing but an absolute pscyhopath. Or else why would she ask him, no.. threaten him to call the police.

"Why are you taking the phone? Don't take the phone. No. No..."Kousuke literally begged the cold girl who was opening her contact list with a dead pan expression on her gorgeous face.

"Yoji, say something." He turned to his aloof brother who sat there and asked to stop Ming Yue from contacting Wan Yi Jun.

"Hsss...I seriously don't want to mention it again." Yojiro gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the armrest of their couch, so hard that it felt like that he might broke while controlling his urge to hit the other. "But Kousuke...why...why are you so dumb? This head on the top of your neck, is it for decoration? For god's sake just use it once in a while?"

Hearing those condescending sneers at a crucial moment of death and life, Kousuke couldn't refrain himself from jabbing at his brother.

"You are the dumb on. Can't you see that she is going to call that police officer? If he comes here, then we are done." 

"Kousuke, just answer this questions, okay?" Yojiro who somehow managed to regain his bearings, took a deep breath and leaned closer to the young man who was on the verge of breaking down. 

"First of all, why would Nechan...an illegal immigrant from Daisun, a citizen with a fair amount of police cases under her name, why would she call a police officer in the middle of the night?" He paused and stared at Kousuke who was silently listening to his questions, "Second and most importantly, how would she call him? In order to call that officer, she needs a number and that number is on the visiting card in your hands." Yojiro snatched the visiting card that was a dumbfounded Kousuke's hands and flashed it before his face. "Now use your pea brain to find answers for these questions." He gave a knock on Kousuke's fair forehead, before leaning back to the couch. 

"Pfftt.." Watching their interactions, even Ming Yue who was famous for keeping a supreme poker face, almost broke into laughter, easing the tensed mood in the room.

With a sheepish smile, Kousuke peeked into Ming Yue's phone screen to confirm his answers.

"If you are not call him, then whom are you calling?" He asked when he noticed "call disconnected" notification on Ming Yue's phone.

"Someone." She vaguely answered and got up from the couch. However, he who wasn't convinced by her answer, went onto pester his Nechan who was looking at the phone screen with a faint smile on her face.

"Who?"

"Just go to bed." She waved her palm and ignored the curious guy as she headed in the direction of her room.

"Ya...who is she calling?" Kousuke leaned forward and asked in a low voice to Yojiro who was about to leave the couch,

"While we were at the club, whose calls did you kept rejecting?" Yojiro tried to remind the youngman who lacked any brain cells to connect the dots and read the room. After a moment's silence,Kousuke's eyes lit up when he finally figured the person who could put a faint playful smile on his Nechan's pretty face.

"Tora."

"Woah...she is calling Tora? That's new. Its always him who calls her? What exactly happened to her?"

"It's the new year...she has to call him and fight. Otherwise he will start doubting that Nechan no longer loves him. " Yojiro added as a matter of fact. Unlike other people, his Nechan's way of expressing love was very different. Her language of love was fights and arguments. If she doesn't fight with you, then it means that she doesn't consider you as her own.

"Nechan, convey our new year wishes to Tora, too." Kousuke demanded at the girl who has already entered her bedroom.

"Do it by yourself." Ming Yue called out from the room. 

"No...I'm not calling Tora after rejecting all of his phone calls. I don't want to start the new year with nagging." Kousuke mumbled under his breath and strode to the bedroom, without any delay.

As soon as Ming Yue went inside the room , she kept checking her phone screen whether her call was getting connected or not. Since she didn't answered any calls ever since she entered the Wisteria garden and even switched off while travelling with Wan Yi Jun, she has missed multiple phone calls and messages from Tora. Now that she is finally free and gave a call, a sulky little tiger has kept rejecting her phone calls. Since her voice calls kept disconnecting, Ming Yue used the video call option. 

However, only after she saw herself on the phone screen, she remembered about Wan Yi Jun's hoodie and immediately pulled it off. 

Thanks to her hurried and clumsy action's, it got stuck on her hairclip, took sometime to come off. 

But unfortunately, by the time she removed the hoodie, the call was already got connected and it showed the handsome face of a man froze on the screen. 

Even with the crappy quality of the network, his good looking face that was on par with the models from fashion magazines, appeared as attractive and breath taking as it has always been. Few shiny golden brown hair strands that left out from his manbun, has perfectly framed his sculpted face and neat stubble.

But for some reason's his cheeks and ears appeared rather reddish.

"It got stuck?" Ming Yue came closer and picked up the phone to check whether the network was there or not. However, right at the moment, she heard a cough from the other side of the video call. 

"Are you there, Tora?" She repeated while holding the phone on different positions to check the connectivity. 

"Huh..yeah, I'm here...re.. here." Tora's usually profound voice appeared a bit raspy as he spoke. 

"Am I visible?" She asked again while bringing the phone closer and away from her face, only to receive a faint hum from the other side.

"Say something, I can't hear you."

"Go and wear something..." A harsh chiding which is followed by a long silence heard from Tora who kept looking away from the screen, as if someone has snapped his neck sideways.

"Wear something, I can't look at you like this."

Hearing his complaint, Ming Yue lowered her eyes at her own and realized that she did all the circus to connect the network, while wearing her bra. Would it be fair to say that she completely forgot to wear some T shirts or cover her torso in the hassle of calling her grumpy little fiancé? Maybe.

"Pfftt...don't act like you haven't seen me naked," Ming Yue rebuked when she saw Tora's struggle to keep a straight face while blushing like a tomato.

"That was years ago."

"What would have changed in these years?"

"You...!!!" He rebutted in the same tone and unknowingly glanced at her blooming youth only to gulp down a mouthful of saliva "Your body. You are no longer a kid, you are a woman...you can't appear half naked before a man."

"I thought that man was the one who was supposed to see me naked?" She casually commented and let out a teasing laughter, "If you can't look at me like this, then how are things going to work after our marriage? Are you going to keep your eyes shut while-"

"Enough." Even before she could teasing him anymore, Tora grumbled and turned to face the brazen woman who pulled his heart and mind into chaotic mess. Even though he tried hard not to stare at the smooth expanse her skin and firm mounds peeking out of the flimsy cloth, he just couldn't. 

She was alluringly delightful to boil his blood. However the exquisite sight of the golden chain that perfectly tied around her belly was the one thing that his eyes failed to notice. 

She was a woman who had no particular affinity towards ornaments, but she absolutely cherished that belly chain. 

It was nothing special...a simple golden chain with a tiny-teeny wisteria pendent, but it added a seductive charm to her ravishing beauty. 

"Tora, is it hot over there, why are you sweating so hard?" Ming Yue pretended that she didn't see his thirsty gazes and asked coyettishly,

"If you are not going to wear something modest, I swear, Michan...I will cut the call." Tora somehow managed to persuade Ming Yue to get dressed for the sake of his sanity.

"This is fine?" Ming Yue asked when she grabbed a ribbed sweater and wore it while he was still on the call.

"What about your eyes?" Tora who finally able to take a look on Ming Yue's face, pointed out as soon as he saw her black irises. 

"Good lord, you are so picky." She pouted her lips and stood up from the bed, and strode towards the bathroom to wash her hands before taking out her lenses. 

"I'm not picky. You were wearing it for hours and even went out for clubbing. It's not good for your eyes."

"Yes, doctor. I will take care of my eyes." She jokingly replied while taking out the pair of black lenses that covered her bi-coloured eyes. After washing her face, she returned to the bed and picked up the phone.

"So, what about you? You didn't go anywhere on New year night? I thought you might have gone to meet Yuki."

The moment, Ming Yue mentioned the name Yuki, Tora's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. It was evident that he didn't like that question, but still, Ming Yue continued with the banter,

"She might have waited for Tora Kun. Why are you kept rejecting that poor thing?" She asked in a concerned voice and looked at the man who chose to remain silent. "This year, I'm not even there...you could have went on a date with her. If I was on your shoes, I would have definitely gave her an unforgettable experience."

"You are a cruel and heartless woman, do you know that?" As soon as she finished, Tora retaliated in calm voice.

"Hmmph." Ming Yue nodded in agreement only to trigger him more.

"Sometimes I don't even understand why I'm still listening to your bullshit? Why I'm even waiting for someone who is not at all considerate to me. Who doesn't even bother to talk to me. Sometimes I hate you...more than anyone in the world." Tora bitterly admitted and glared at the woman who had no reaction even after hearing his words. 

"Aren't you even worried that one day I can no longer put up with you and leave you for good?" He asked in hurt voice. He was known as the ruthless assassin of Kobayashi clan, who is not afraid of anything, but this cold-hearted woman here, she was the only one who could tear his heart and soul with a single word.

"No."