The Desire 🔥 (PART-1)

You are my peaceful rainfall of the night

It was 9 P.M by the Tokyo standard time, just about the time the Boss takes his hot morning shower after returning from his work. He made sure to maintain a lifestyle wherein the law could not find a hair to hold against him. His routine was like his holy shrine, he never thought of disrupting it for whatever be the reason. He heard his landline phone ring from amidst the semi-soundproof glass case of the shower-room.

He walked out, still half-wet and wrapped from his waist to knee-length in a cyan towel.

"Asami", he said dryly into the receiver.

What he received from the other side was apparently an invitation from Mr. Norton to a small house-auction in which he would receive further details of their confidential deal.

"Hai", the Boss gave his gentle acquiescence in his native language before hanging up.

It would mean missing another important contract, but it was risky to deny Mr. Norton anything. Mr. Denisevich Norton was one of Asami Ryuichi's most elite clients, and it was easy to see why. Mr. Norton was the owner of thirty-seven real estate properties in which the Boss had proposed to invest, and clearly his request was such as the Boss would go out of his way to grant.

Asami Ryuichi remembered that night very clearly — that dark auction room back in Vedalgo. He had not quite planned to attend it, only his assistants made the last minute change in his schedule in order to defer the requests of

a highly valuable client. Turn of events strangely required Asami to attend this low, immoral human auction before he could further business proceedings. He was beginning to feel suffocated when the last announcement of the evening boomed out into the invisible microphone, “And, as you all know, we save the best for the last.”

The last item as they were called, was brought into the limelight, hands and face tightly bound. He was clad in a mere trouser, the upper portion of his body fully bare, but even a partially sighted person could see why this was the finest specimen.

Asami noticed that he was observing this man more keenly than he had the rest. The host went on, “This is the finest specimen of the evening, ladies and gentlemen, all the way from China. His hands will unfortunately remain tied,” the host sounded disconcerted, “you see, this man is more vicious than we expected and we are lacking enough trained personnel to take down such highly skilled combatants as this one.”

Asami was aware that he leaned in a bit more on his seat.

With one heavy tug, one of the handlers tore off the item’s face cover. Off strew his beautiful, thick, raven hair strands all over his face, shoulder, and back. What it revealed was a scene Asami would not forget.

Even in that ill-lit auction room all his features were visible as clear-cut as if his structure was hewn of perfect ivory. But beyond his beauty what attracted Asami to him further than to any other item, or even any other person, till then, was perhaps his eyes that shone from under his awry hair that fell all over his face. Clearly he had been drugged. And yet his eyes shone like embers, that were waiting for the fire to be lit back on. He stood silently scanning the crowd of rich low-lives in front of him, like a sceptre which knew no panic, like a warrior who knew he must be patient.

Grace and Aggression. The combination Asami could never bring himself to deny.

‘$20 million’, the first bid board went up even before the host had announced the commencement.

“Ah, and our first bid!” the host’s voice cackled joyously into the invisible mic, clearly satisfied that his special item had produced the desired effect.

One by one, the hall started filling with more and more and more numbers. The auction went on for longer than any other in the history of Vedalgo, as everyone seemed eager to get a hold of him, as though he were panacea. Each bid rising above the other, knowing no end.

The host was down to panic by the chaos, when the hall hit a sudden silence when a well clad elderly man, who hadn't made a bid yet, raised a board reading $200 million.

The host gulped, but calmly followed the instructions forwarded to him by the panel of statisticians working incessantly inside the glass house.

“$200million, next bid $250 million,” there was a long pause, no response. Almost every mouth began cursing the old man at the back.

FeiLong stood silently. With his head cast down. He didn't remember being this shamed all his life. All because of he wanted to save his brother, Tou. Even as he saw his destruction closing its filthy hands in on him, he whispered to the God that he held dear, please protect him. He felt a tinge of wetness dense in on the corner of his left eye.

Asami was only quiet because he was keenly observing his prey, as was his habit before making a move, like a lion watching his deer, observing its every feature, its every move.

“$250m, anyone?” The hosts words sounded, a final warning.

Asami knew he had delayed. He whispered something into Kirishma’s ear, who’s eyes went wide at dismay and shock,

“But— Asami-sama—“

Asami gave him a reassuring nod, which amounted to “just do your job.”

Kirishma gulped hard as he held up a bid board with shaking hands.

The entire hall turned back and looked at Asami. The host's lips dried up, he couldn't shape the words.

FeiLong’s eyes shifted from the ground to his prospective master. Asami was oblivious to all other gazes, his eyes were stuck on his prize. His love-prize.

“fo—- $400 million,” the host finally managed to stutter, “sold.”

He said without any final word.