Stealing Spree

Chapter 2883: Impatient Kyoka

After pampering Miwa-nee and Akane until they both fell asleep exhausted, I also prepared to sleep when an unknown number flashed on my phone screen. Normally, I’d ignore it, but I remembered something.

A fifty percent chance that it’s Mitsui Kyoka, the successor candidate for chairmanship of the Mitsui Group who had bypassed the succession ladder thanks to the former chairman’s will. Of course, she’s also Mizuki’s rival in the field of business advising.

I had been waiting for her call since Mizuki told me she gave her my number. If this was her, she probably couldn’t wait anymore after giving me the task to convince Hassen to support her.

I let it ring a few times while I checked on Akane’s sleeping form, curled up next to me with her golden hair splayed across the pillow like spilled ink. I caressed the girl’s cheeks and kissed her forehead before quietly slipping out of the bedroom to answer the call.

Putting the phone against my ear, I didn’t speak right away and waited for the caller to break the silence first. Static crackled for three excruciating seconds before a crisp feminine voice sliced through. "I expected you to pick up faster, Onoda-san."

The familiarity in her tone prickled at my skin—not the forced politeness of a business call, but the sharp-edged confidence of someone who’d already mapped out every possible response I might give.

I leaned against the hallway wall as a smile cracked on my face.

"Miss Kyoka, it’s been a while," I said, matching her dryness. "You called at midnight. Should I be flattered or concerned?"

A scoff came from the other end followed by papers rustling in the background, like she wanted me to hear her shuffling documents to underline how little this conversation mattered.

I guess this is her tactic when dealing with her clients, huh? Making them believe she’s already working on something even though they’re still at the negotiation stage.

"Neither. I’m efficient, not sentimental. When will you complete the task? A board meeting will be held tomorrow. His father will certainly try to suppress my influence."

"Is it that urgent, Miss Kyoka? If Hassen intervenes, will his father listen to him?"

"Of course not. But his voice mattered." Her voice cracked slightly, which, if it was someone else listening, would probably go unnoticed.

"I see... Let me ask you one thing first." I paused, letting the silence stretch just long enough to unsettle. "When was the last time you met him, Miss Kyoka? Is he so devastated after hearing about the news of your sudden rise as a successor candidate?"

Thinking about it, that guy was so infatuated with her that every business decision he had made was through her advice. He wouldn’t decide on anything without her approval. But this change in situation turned the tables on them.

Mitsui Kyoka stopped being a simple member of the family who was famous for her business acumen and became a candidate for succession, while Hassen remained to be a third-generation heir of a conglomerate. His authority in their company was still minuscule as he had nothing in his name yet other than the few baby companies he established that relied on her advice.

The silence stretched until Kyoka exhaled sharply through her nose. "Two weeks ago. Right before the announcement. This matter also astounded me, Onoda-san."

I could hear the unspoken tension in her clipped words. Hassen wasn’t just her younger cousin. He was the reason she’d risen so fast in the first place. His blind devotion had given her unprecedented access to boardroom secrets. And now that dynamic had inverted overnight.

"I see. You sound like you’re drowning," I murmured, sounding more solemn than anything else. If I wanted to get more of her genuine reaction, I should level myself to her current state. "Do you truly want to continue this battle? Is the chairmanship more important than your relationship with him?"

As expected, Kyoka’s composure seemingly broke but she was always quick to recover from it.

"Don’t presume to know my priorities, Onoda-san." Her voice was icy, but the undercurrent betrayed her. At the moment, she was unraveling. "You only have to do the task I requested you to do. Judging from Miss Hasegawa’s response, the contract I offered satisfied you. Don’t you think you’re overstepping your bounds by questioning me?"

"I don’t think I’m overstepping my bounds, Miss Kyoka. This is me trying to figure out how to tackle the problem of convincing him to stand with you. Besides, there’s no opportunity for me to meet him yet."

I could hear the sigh that escaped Kyoka’s lips before she spoke again. Her tone seemed to be softer now, as though she dropped the current persona of the woman who suddenly rose to her current position.

"Hassen hasn’t left his penthouse since the announcement. His father locked him out of all company systems. The only reason he hasn’t been disinherited yet is because..." She trailed off, and I filled in the silence.

"Because his father knows cutting him off would push him straight into your arms," I finished. The pieces clicked into place. Hassen’s father was protecting the family’s power structure and was trying to sever the bond between his son and Kyoka before it destabilized his higher chance to take that seat.

A dry chuckle crackled through the phone. "You’re quicker than Mizuki gave you credit for."

"Is it Mizuki who gave me credit? Didn’t you also acknowledge my abilities? I still have your calling card, although... I’ve never had the chance to use it."

"Hmph. Don’t be preposterous. That’s not acknowledgement. At least, not entirely. The only reason I asked you about this is that your words had brought a lasting effect on him. He had become so diligent since that night."

"Heh. Why attribute it to me? Isn’t it his ability to absorb advice that’s impressive?" I shifted the phone to my other ear, listening to the faint clink of ice cubes in what was undoubtedly whiskey. Kyoka’s tells were subtle. The way she paused after taking a sip and the deliberate spacing of her breathing.

Static hissed for three beats before she spoke again. "Indeed. But stop leading me in circles. I didn’t contract you for therapy. Can you secure his support or not?"

I exhaled slowly, picturing Kyoka gripping her whiskey glass hard enough to leave fingerprints.

"Tell me how to reach him. Otherwise, I’ll be helpless. He’s not in this city, is he?"

Another silence stretched, this time punctuated by the faint clink of Kyoka swirling her drink. "Free up time next week. I’ll pick you up."

"As long as it’s not Thursday or Friday. We have finals that week, after all."

"Huh? Finals?" Kyoka was confused. Of course, she would be, she probably thought I was older. She never accounted for me to be younger despite knowing Mizuki was also still a high-schooler.

"Miss Kyoka, yours truly is still a student."

"...You’re joking." Kyoka’s voice flattened into disbelief. The ice in her glass clinked violently as she set it down too hard.

I grinned at the ceiling. "Would I lie about exams?"

"It’s one thing to have a prodigy like Hasegawa, but you... This is crazy." I could hear the disbelief settling in her voice.

But then again, who said I am also a prodigy? She’s the only one claiming it. For me, being able to help my girl build that ’empire’ is enough. As for whether my abilities can be considered prodigious or not, it doesn’t matter.

Her silence stretched so long I checked the screen to confirm we hadn’t disconnected. Finally, Kyoka exhaled sharply. "Fine. Saturday morning, then. Don’t be late. I’ll send you an address."

The line went dead before I could respond. Was she that shaken to know I was still a student? Perhaps.

I pocketed my phone with a smirk, already picturing Mizuki’s smug face when she heard about this. That girl would probably tease Kyoka mercilessly.

As for why she’s going to pick me up when I only asked her to give me a way to reach that guy, I had no idea.

Maybe she’d just drop me off outside his penthouse, huh? But will that guy even welcome me? Or rather, will I be able to approach him at all? His father must’ve been monitoring him day and night.

Well, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. With this, regardless of the result, I’ll be completing my end of the contract. That 1% stake would definitely help the foundation of our future endeavors.

After slipping back into bed, Akane stirred, instinctively curling against my chest. Her warmth seeped into me as I cuddled her before joining her in the dreamland.

I couldn’t be caught up with that task yet. There were a lot of things to do tomorrow and the subsequent days. Mitsui Kyoka won’t be so impatient, right?

As for their board meeting tomorrow, I can honestly sense the confidence in her voice. She won’t easily crumble even if half of the board plots against her. And I’m certain, there’s also the shadow of Mizuki there.

Most likely, she also hired her as an assistant and the two prodigies joined hands for the first time.