No matter how much he pleaded and b

No matter how much he pleaded and begged, his father never gave in to his requests to give up his addiction, to move and start over and just be free of all the people he borrowed (sometimes stole) from.

Akihito was fourteen years and two days when he met Asami Ryuichi. He came from school in the evening, mentally preparing for the routine of cleaning up after his drunk father. What he met was said man, as sober as a soldier sitting on their living room couch while a man in an expensive business suit, who was flanked by two others on each side, sat with his legs crossed, staring at his fidgeting father intently.

Akihito felt something between fear and anger pass through him. "Dad, what's going on?"

His father looked at him so apologetically, like lamb to the slaughter and he knew something had changed for the worse. This time was different.

This man was different.

"A...Akihito, meet Asami Ryuichi."

Akihito had never been formally introduced to any of his father's debtors before and he didn't answer nor acknowledge the man's presence, a man obviously younger than his father, even if his mind was telling him to show respect to someone who could take all or nothing from them. He walked over and stood beside his father, being the anchor that always kept him grounded. He looked closely at the man before him; broad and thick, immaculate, powerful.

"How old is he?"

The man hadn't taken his eyes from his father, not once and Akihito startled at the deep rumble of such a baritone voice. The nature of the question set off all sorts of warning bells in his head because none of this man's predecessors had ever been interested in anything other than how to get their money back.

His father's eyes were sorrowful and his gaze never left his when he answered, "He's only fourteen."

iOnly fourteen./i Akihito had a hollowed out feeling in the pit of his stomach and when he broke his father's gaze to look back at the man, he realized he still wasn't looking at him, focusing intently on his father with the most piercing golden eyes he's ever seen.

"Six months, one million yen."

Akihito could see it in father's expression, the offer was like uncut diamonds to a jewellery thief, but there was something holding him back, making him hesitate in saying yes. Akihito could see he was leaning heavily on giving in and when those hazel eyes, a mirror image of his own, looked back at him for the last time, he knew.

"No." It was small and barely audible. Akihito knew without a doubt his father had just used him to cancel a part of his debt. A trade.

Akihito wanted to say something, to do something but the shame rolled off his father in waves and the man turned his head the next way, deliberately not looking at him while his shoulders hunched and shook. He'd heard of situations like this before, but had never experienced it and didn't know how he should really feel among the maelstrom of emotions rampaging through him. There was fear, anger, betrayal and a little bit of relief, because if going with this man meant his father would live another day then he would bite his tongue and suck it up for the time being, no matter how much he hated it.

"I'm giving you five minutes, then I'm leaving."

Akihito watched the man stand then head out the door with the two men in suits in tow. When the door closed, he looked back at his father with tears gathering in his eyes. "How could you, father?"

The tremors increased before his father started sobbing, all the while still keeping his face away.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." the man repeated through his cries and Akihito decided to accept this for what it was. The damage was already done and there's nothing he could do about it. Breaking his father's deal by not going meant instant death for both of them and there was nothing more to say. With 45 seconds left to spare, he stood and went out to the parking garage where the man awaited patiently for him to enter his car. When the car door shut behind him, it felt like the gavel pounded that sealed his fate.