Embracing Her Destiny
By Keiko Tanaka
Part 4 - The Big Finale

Kaori Ichida sat behind her desk, rolling the Cohiba Cuban cigar between her black gloved fingers, watching the smoke rise from the burning end.
“Tell me the Yamamoto are no more,” she snapped.
Nobuo sighed. Kaori’s sole purpose these days was the total destruction of the former Yamamoto crime family and every last member of it.
The Ichida-gumi had all their territory now. All of the Yamamoto leadership was dead. Their clan had been powerless since the death of the evil bitch that was Michiko Yamamoto, but that wasn’t enough for Kaori.

She wanted every last stinking trace of that fucking Yamamoto clan to be wiped off the face of the Earth.
“You know as well as I do that the last remnants are in hiding,” Nobuo said.
Kaori pounded her fist on the desk. “We are the fucking yakuza! We are experts at finding people in hiding. I want them dead! No more fucking excuses, Nobuo!”
Nobuo narrowed his eyes. “You have never talked to me like that before.”
Kaori ripped the Beretta from her shoulder holster, aimed it at him and cocked it. “Do you want to leave this room in a box?”

“Calm down,” Nobuo stated. He was the only one who could talk to her like that, and she knew it.
Kaori clicked the hammer back in place, threw the gun on her desk. “Fuck you.” She gave a primal scream. “Dammit!”
Nobuo just sat there, remaining calm.
This was nothing new the past few months after Kaori’s lover Yukie was killed by Michiko Yamamoto, even as she breathed her dying breath. Kaori blamed herself for not only Yukie’s death, but for putting her in danger to begin with. Nothing Nobuo could do or say would convince her otherwise.

He hated to see his boss, the woman he loved and would never know it, in such pain. She had even cut her beautiful long hair, so now it hung in a short bob around her face, giving her an almost elfin look.
As he was considering just what to say to Kaori next, the blonde burst into the room, carrying two shopping bags in each hand.
The blonde was Kaori’s new mistress, Cindy.
Kaori had seen her in a club a couple of months ago. Thin with bleach blonde hair, an ample bosom, and a nice ass, Kaori was immediately attracted to the exotic looking woman. She had sent for Cindy and the blonde was brought to her table where they shared the rest of the evening together.

That same night, Kaori had sent her latest mistress packing and Cindy had been sharing her bed ever since. At least she was past the stage now where she changed mistresses as often as she changed her underwear, as she did when she first started having women again after Yukie’s death.
Cindy was quite the force of nature. She had come to Japan just to visit but stayed after meeting Kaori. Her favorite pastimes were shopping and warming Kaori’s bed, both of which she did with great vigor. The 18 year old was always in a great mood, upbeat, flashing a big smile. She would be a great success as a model or actress if she was so inclined.
Nobuo doubted she would ever do so with Kaori’s almost limitless financial resources at her command. Why would she?

“Oh,” Cindy said upon seeing Nobuo. “Am I interrupting?”
“No,” Kaori said, holding out her hand. As Cindy settled on her lap and kissed her, Nobuo thought that she often interrupted but Kaori would never chide her for doing so. “We’ll finish this later,” Kaori told him, as always, peeking around Cindy after the kiss.
“Of course, oyabun,” Nobuo said, then withdrew.
“Just wait until you see me in the new lingerie I bought,” Cindy was saying to Kaori as he opened the door.
“I don’t know why you bother,” Kaori replied. “I’ll just rip it off you.”
Nobuo sighed as he closed the door behind him. He didn’t need to hear that.

Nobuo walked into his apartment in downtown Tokyo.
He rarely came here during the day. So much so that his mistress, Yoko, who was lying on the futon watching TV, looked at him in shock when he walked into the living area.
Yoko had been one of Kaori’s many mistresses after Yukie’s death until she threw her out on the street in one of her frequent piques of anger. Nobuo had felt sorry for Yoko, as she had no where to go except the streets. He would have none of that, so he took her in.
It had been an adjustment. He had not lived with a woman since his wife was killed in one of the clan wars that came along occasionally. But Yoko was quite a woman, and not just inside the bedroom.

She knew he didn’t really love her. Women just knew these things. Well, except the one he really loved, apparently. But Yoko didn’t let it affect her in the slightest. She was a beautiful and attentive mistress.
“Is something wrong, my love?” Yoko asked, concerned.
“No,” Nobuo said. “I just needed to get away for a while.”
Yoko lit two cigarettes and brought him one. “Forgive my surprise, but you never come home in the middle of the day.”

Nobuo took a long drag off the cigarette. “I know.”
Yoko melted into his arms. “I am glad you came home to see me though.”
Nobuo kissed her hungrily.
Yoko smiled after the kiss, stepped back, set her cigarette in the ashtray, undressed for him.
Nobuo watched her as he finished his cigarette. Yoko plucked the rest of it from his fingers before undressing him.
He carried her to the bed, lay her down on it. Bent down over her, claimed her.
As he entered her, it was not her face he saw in his mind.
It was Kaori’s. Just as it always was.

Kaori opened her eyes.
A white fog haze was around the edges of her vision. She felt out of focus, listless.
The orgasms had been incredible but she never felt like this before.
Kaori saw Cindy through the haze as her mistress lit up one of her cigarettes. She didn’t even know Cindy smoked, she had never seen her do that before.
Cindy smiled as she saw Kaori watching her.
“My, but you’re a strong one,” Cindy said after exhaling a cloud of smoke. “That sedative I put in your champagne could have put you out for a while. No matter.”
Kaori looked over at the champagne glasses and saw that one was still full. It wasn’t hers. That had got past her earlier. She was slipping.
She watched as Cindy removed the Beretta from her holster hanging over the chair. The girl aimed the gun at her and smiled.
“Why?” Kaori croaked.

“Revenge,” Cindy stated. “I was Ichiro Yamamoto’s mistress. You killed him…and your own father.”
“You fool,” Kaori spat, fighting to remain conscious. “Michiko Yamamoto killed them.”
Cindy’s face fell. “But Michiko told me….”
Kaori laughed. “And you listened to her?”
Cindy shook her head. “You’re lying.”
“No she’s not,” a voice said from behind her.
Cindy wheeled and pulled the trigger by reflex, shooting Nobuo in the chest.
“NO!” Kaori cried.

Nobuo reeled with the impact of the bullet, but managed to put two bullets through Cindy’s heart before he fell to his knees.
An armed woman came rushing into the room.
“Noriko, call an ambulance!” Kaori ordered. “NOW!”
Noriko nodded and ran off.
Kaori knelt down beside Nobuo. Tears rolled down her face.
“Dammit, not again!” she cried.
“I told you I’d always be there for you,” Nobuo whispered.
“I should have known,” Kaori said with a wan smile. “So stay with me.”
Nobuo swallowed. “I’ll try, love.”
Kaori blinked. “What?”

Nobuo smiled. “I should have told you…a long time ago.”
Kaori swallowed and smiled down at him. “Tell me now.”
“I love you…”
Kaori’s world reeled. She had no idea.
But now a lot of things made sense.
Why Nobuo trained her to fulfill her destiny when he could have so easily taken her father’s position for his own.
Who the girl was who never returned his feelings.
Why he was so damn loyal to a girl who had no fucking clue how to be a yakuza boss.
Kaori was openly crying now. “You never said a word….”
Nobuo smiled. “At least I finally got to tell you.” He tried to touch her face but was too weak. “Stay safe, my love. Remember what I taught you.”
His head lolled back.
“Don’t you leave me, damn you!” Kaori cursed.
But Nobuo didn’t hear her.

Nobuo woke to the smell of flowers.
All kinds, strewn all about the room. Everywhere he looked.
Sitting in a chair, her head leaning back at an unnatural angle, fast asleep, was he woman he loved.

“You’re going to break your neck,” Nobuo managed to croak out after a couple of attempts.
Kaori sat up suddenly and instantly regretted it as the sharp pain in her neck made apparent.
“Told you,” Nobuo chuckled.
Kaori scooted her chair toward the bed. “About damn time you woke up, you lazy ass.”
“A lot of thanks I get for getting shot,” he shot back.
Kaori looked at him seriously. “We have a lot to talk about.”
“Just forget what I said,” Nobuo said, knowing what she was talking about.
“Too late, buster.”

Nobuo nodded. “I mean it. I know how it is. You like girls. I can live with that. Always have.”
Kaori put her hand over his mouth. “Just shut the fuck up for a minute, will you? For crying out loud…”
Nobuo clamped his mouth shut.
“First of all, don’t go being all heroic on me again, you’ve done enough of that,” Kaori began. “Second of all, I’ll determine who I like, thank you very much.”
”You’re the boss,” Nobuo said.
“Shhh,” Kaori snapped.

Nobuo winced and clamped his mouth shut again.
Kaori took his hand. “You have always been there for me, Nobuo. I have done nothing but hurt you. Looking back, I am ashamed of myself.”
Nobuo put his hand over hers. “Don’t be. You can’t help who you are.”
Kaori sighed. “I don’t want to be Michiko Yamamoto. Cut off from everyone. Hard as nails. Wanting everyone who didn’t kowtow to her dead. I was well on my way to becoming her, Nobuo, and you know it.”

Nobuo shook his head. “You could NEVER be like her, Kaori.”
“Shush,” Kaori snapped.
Nobuo put his finger to his lips.
“I had a lot of time to think waiting for you to come out of it,” Kaori said. She put his hands to her lips. “I just want you to know…I love you too.”
Nobuo looked at her in shock. “What…”
“Just shut up and kiss me, you big idiot.”
They kissed gently, then more passionately. Kaori giggled when the bleeps that monitored his vital signs started going crazy.

“I better take it easy on you for a while,” Kaori commented.
“I need to talk to Yoko,” Nobuo said.
“Already done,” Kaori said. “She already knew how you felt about me. It was no surprise.”
“She has nowhere to go,” Nobuo pointed out.
“I am taking care of that too,” Kaori said. She stood up. “Now you, my love, get your rest. Because you are going to need it when you get out of here.”
Nobuo gave her a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
Kaori smiled seductively. “When it comes to men, I’m still a virgin, you know.”
Nobuo turned beet red.

Kaori laughed at his discomfort. Apparently women didn’t usually talk to him this way. “I do hope you are ready to play the submissive though.”
With that, Kaori floated out of the room, leaving him speechless.
Nobuo leaned back and put his hands back behind his head.
He was looking forward to his future with Kaori.
Nobuo feel asleep and had pleasant dreams for the first time in a long time.