It's been several days since Ryosuke left.

(Soryu said "Don't worry, we'll take care of it", but...)

I'm so worried about him, but I can't even concentrate on my work. I'm worried about Momiji... what if she's being depressed.

(I hope Ryosuke doesn't do anything reckless.)

Ota: "Hm? What's wrong, Meimei?"

Meimei: "Ota..."

Hikaru asked me to deliver some flowers to the gallery and Ota catches me on the way there.

Meimei: "Well... I'm supposed to deliver these before I go home."

Ota: "No, that's not what I meant. You just seem really depressed."

Meimei: "..."

(And I've been in front of guests, too...)

Ota: "I heard the little puppy went missing."

Meimei: "How did you know that?"

Ota: "Baba told me."

Meimei: "Oh... he must've heard from Soryu..."

Ota: "Yeah, right. Soryu never confides in anyone unless he absolutely has to."

Meimei: "..."

(I supposed he's right. It is Ice Dragons business, after all.)

(So then how did they find out?)

(But I can't ever get over how big their information network is...)

Ota: "I hope you find the puppy safe and sound, before anything happens to him."

Meimei: "I think he'll come home soon."

Ota: "Yeah. Puppy is madly in love with Soryu, after all."

Meimei: "What?"

Ota: "It's just like we talked about before."

Ota: "If you wanna go right, but your boss says left. That whole thing."

Ota: "Soryu wants to see who's really behind the problem, but the boss wants Ryosuke's head for it."

Meimei: "Ugh... well, you've got a point."

Meimei: "But... it's so weird."

Meimei: "The idea of obeying someone even if they're wrong."

Ota: "That's the kind of loyally you need, or you can't pledge allegiance to your boss."

Ota: "I'm sure Soryu's grandfather never dreamed as he was... entrusting the Ice Dragons to such a greedy person."

(So Soryu says he wants to bring it back to how it was under his grandfather's leadership.)

But I didn't understand what he meant by that at first, but now that I know how Ryuun runs things... I'm beginning to feel the exact same way Soryu does.

Ota: "Ah! Come over here for a minute."

Ota tugs on my arm cause he's tearing me away from my thoughts.
______________________________________________________

As suddenly, Ota makes me sit down at the table.

Meimei: "What is it?"

Ota: "You and I are having a meeting right now."

Meimei: "Excuse me? But why?"

(What's he talking about?)

Ota: "Look, over there..."

Ota casually looks away from me and I follow his gaze.

Meimei: "That guy..."

(That's the old man who that wasn't feeling well at the other day.)

(He looks like he's feeling much better today. I'm glad.)

Meimei: "What about him?"

Ota: "Huh? Don't you know him?"

Meimei: "Yes, I do. Because I took care of him from the other day. So he was feeling ill."

Meimei: "But he seemed like a really nice old man."

Ota: "No, no, no! That's Rahman!"

Meimei: "What?"

Ota: "You know the gang that Soryu's fighting with right now? Well he's the boss."

Meimei: "What!?"

Ota: "Shhh! Your voice is too loud!"

Meimei: "Oops... sorry."

(He's the boss of a mob in Dubai!? What the hell!?)

I sighs as casually open a brochure and I peek over the top, and I see Rahman crossing his arms cause he looking at a painting of Ota's.

Meimei: "But... does he come here often?"

Ota: "No, I think today was the first time."

Meimei: "I think he seems extremely interested."

Ota: "I wonder why he came here?"

Meimei: "..."

Just then, a guy who must be one of his underlings walks over and he tells him something. Whatever his news was must be surprising, because Rahman opens his eyes wide.

Rahman: "I see. So this Inui is a young member of the Ice Dragons?"

Rahman: "I can't believe he just showed up alone like that..."

Meimei: "Huh...?"

(What!? Did he just say "Inui"!?)

I feel panicked when I'm about to right over to him, but Ota pulls me back, cause he told me to calm down.

Underling: "He came to settle things between us and the Ice Dragons."

Meimei: "Settle things..."

Ota: "..."

Ota and I look at each other.

Ota: "...Let's go."

I nodded my head when Ota grabs my arm and we hurry away from the gallery.
___________________________________________________

After I say goodbye to Ota, I leave the hotel with a really bad feeling inside. The phrase "settle things" keeps repeating inside head.

(If that means what I think it means, then Ryosuke will...)

I shake my head to try to rid myself of anxiety as I walk towards Soryu's house.

(The wind is blowing so hard... but I wonder if another sandstorm is coming?)

The distant sky across the desert looks like brown smoke.
____________________________

When I open the front gate and I can't believe my eyes.

Meimei: "Ryosuke!!"

Ryosuke: "...Miss... Yae..."

Meimei: "When did you get here...?"

Ryosuke's lying on the ground, cause he's covered in cuts and bruises.

Ryosuke: "Heheh... sorry... I got beat up."

(He got beat to a pulp! Is the other mafia responsible for this!?)

He doesn't look like he'll even be able to get up, so I somehow manage to help him.

Ryosuke: "...!"

Meimei: "You must be in so much pain. But we need to get inside. Before a sandstorm is coming..."

Ryosuke: "I-I need to go see Mr. Oh..."

Meimei: "Alright, let's go."

Meimei: "But don't make your precious Momiji was being worried."

Ryosuke: "..."

Ryosuke: "Heheh... you're so strong, Miss Yae."

Meimei: "You're the one who strong, Ryosuke. Risking your life at like this..."

Ryosuke: "I did it all for Mr. Oh..."

Ryosuke: "No... I did it for myself. Because I'm an idiot and I don't know anything..."

Even though he's so badly beaten, all Ryosuke cares about right now is Soryu and the Ice Dragons. I felt my heart aches so much right now but I just want to cry.
______________________________________________________

Meimei: "We're almost there, Ryosuke..."

Meimei: "!!!"

Ryosuke: "..."

Ryosuke can hardly move, so I'm helping him inside. And as soon as we enter, cause we see Ryuun standing there.

(Why does he have to be here at a time like this!?)

Soryu: "...You came back."

Ryosuke: "I'm sorry for being selfish..."

Ryuun: "..."

Ryosuke: "Oof..."

Meimei: "Ah, are you okay?"

Ryosuke staggers and I'm not strong enough to support him, but he's right... I'm strong.

Soryu: "Meimei, I'm glad you came, too."

Soryu says as he rushes over to Ryosuke and firmly supports his weight.

Soryu: "Hang in there, Inui."

Ryosuke: "I-I'm fine... but I don't want to see Momiji worried about me..."

Soryu: "So I heard you did it all alone?"

Ryosuke: "Yes, sir. I investigated it myself, and even though I didn't have enough evidence..."

Ryosuke: "I managed to convince them of that the Ice Dragons are innocent."

Soryu: "...I see."

Soryu doesn't saying much and he nods, the polar opposite of Ryuun, who's looking at Ryosuke like he's piece of trash.

Ryuun: "What are you talking about?"

Ryuum: "The Ice Dragons' good name is ruined because of you!"

Ryuun: "It ended in foul play!"

Ryosuke: "...Yes, sir."

Ryuun: "At this point it doesn't matter if we're innocent or not!"

Ryuun: "The only thing of that matters to them is all the trouble as you've caused!"

Ryuun: "Any idiot could take your place in this organization!"

Ryosuke: "..."

(He doesn't have to say it like that...)

Soryu: "Rahman's asked to meet with us to talk things over again."

Soryu: "Inui did what he could and I think he did the right thing."

Ryuun: "Soryu, you need to abandon of that naïve way of thinking of you inherited from your grandfather."

Ryuun: "I'm disgusted with you."

Soryu: "...Excuse me for saying this, but cutting of Inui won't change the situation now."

Ryuun: "And it won't change the fact that of they have the upper hand now, either."

Soryu: "..."

Ryuun: "..."

They glare at each other as making the atmosphere in here feel even more tense.

(I heard they didn't get along, but I don't know about that as their philosophies were so different.)

Ryuun: "You haven't forgotten what it meant to pledge your allegiance to the Ice Dragons, have you?"

Soryu: "It means there will be no fighting amongst the Ice Dragons."

Ryuun: "That's right. We need to keep everyone on the same page."

Ryuun: "...Hey. Throw him outside."

Man: "Yes, sir."

Ryosuke: "Oww...!"

Ryuun motions with his chin to a nearby man, who takes Ryosuke outside.

Meimei: "Ryosuke!"

(But he can barely walk!)

(Can't they at least tend to his injuries first?)

Samejima: "Meimei..."

Samejima stops me and he shakes his head.

(No... I'm just supposed to abandon Ryosuke without doing anything?)

Soryu: "...Damn it!"

Soryu curses quietly. He balls his hands tightly into fists and his back looks like it's starting to tremble.
___________________________________________________________

Ryuun: "Be grateful, I didn't have him killed."

Ryuun: "He's injured enough. He doesn't need anymore."

Ryosuke: "Ughh..."

Soryu: "..."

Samejima: "..."

Nobody says a word when they take Ryosuke outside.

(Is this supposed to be the bonds of their family?)

(It maybe necessary to protect the Ice Dragons, but this is just too cruel!)

As suddenly. I hear a loud gush of wind.

Meimei: "The sandstorm...!"

Even though the door is closed and I can tell the storm's totally engulfing the house.

*Back then*

Baba: "Sor's always hated the way Ryuun runs things."

Baba: "And because of that, he's had to do a lot of jobs as he didn't agree with."

Baba: "But a good boss always has good, trusting employees."

Baba: "Ryosuke and the others have always believed in Soryu. And you're the one who supports them."
_______________________________________________

(Even though Soryu wants to do something, but he can't.)

(He's pledged his loyalty to the Ice Dragons and no matter how unreasonable his boss is... he can't turn his back on him and disobey him.)

(But I can do something! But Momiji is...)

(If the Ice Dragons are truly a family, but then... they can't just abandon Ryosuke like this!)

Meimei: "Grrrr! I can't stand it!?"

Soryu: "Meimei!"

I grabs my coat and I rush out the door. I hear Soryu calling my name from behind me, but I don't turn around. Instead, I just head right into the sandstorm.

~End of (Season 2) Chapter 5~

TO BE CONTINUED....