Chapter 8 Hatori, the loyal fool

#Hanaeda, Japan, December 2010

A Japanese man was seen soaking in a hot spring bath. He was well-built and muscular, with shoulder-length hair, drinking sake while lost in thought, accompanied by a cigarette.

His entire body is covered in tattoos, and the largest tattoo on his back depicts a red dragon coiling around two crossed swords. On the blades of the swords is Japanese text that translates to the names Rehan and Budi Budiman in Indonesian.

Above the red dragon's head was another Japanese character inscription meaning "A true man is sharp like a sword and strong like a dragon." The man was Nakamura.

{Should I send my troops secretly to help Rehan and Budi Budiman?}

{But with Rehan's stubborn attitude, he'll definitely hate me if I help him without his permission!}

{Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Kurenai, the deputy leader of Japan's largest yakuza organisation and Rachel's biological mother, had stated that she had severed all ties with Rehan and Rachel. I am certain that Rachel chose Japan as her hiding place to meet her mother, Kurenai.}

{Damn it, what should I do? If I have to defy Kurenai, I'm not strong enough! However, I also can't refuse to help the two people who saved me from the suicide mission ordered by Kurenai.}

Tok...tok

"Excuse me, Boss!" a man's voice interrupted Nakamura's reverie.

"Come in, Hatori!" Nakamura ordered.

Hatori was a low-ranking Yakuza who had only been in the organisation for three years. Hatori himself only had two subordinates. He was recruited by Nakamura because of his loyal and dedicated attitude, but Hatori tended to act foolishly and felt invincible when carrying out tasks assigned by Nakamura.

Nakamura liked Hatori because no matter how difficult the task given to him, Hatori would always carry it out without complaint, even though he often ended up injured or nearly dead after completing his tasks.

Hatori opened the sliding door to the hot spring bath where Nakamura was soaking, then sat in the typical Japanese style, bowing his head in readiness to receive Nakamura's orders.

"Hatori, you are the only follower of mine who can speak a little Indonesian. Therefore, I will give you a very important task." Nakamura said while continuing to soak in the hot spring bath, staring at Hatori.

"My Indonesian isn't very good, but I understand a word or two!" Hatori replied, bowing his head.

'Good! Tomorrow afternoon, you must pick up a woman named Rachel from Indonesia at Hanaeda Airport at 1 p.m.' Nakamura said as he took out his cigar.

Hatori, seeing that Nakamura wanted to smoke, immediately stepped forward and lit his lighter to help Nakamura light the cigar.

'I'm ready to kill that woman and cut her into pieces!' Hatori said after seeing that Nakamura's cigar was lit and burning.

'Uhuk... uhuk!' Nakamura immediately choked on the cigar smoke after hearing Hatori's words.

'Hatori, don't go too far. She's just a woman.' Nakamura said, pointing to a glass of water.

Hatori quickly took the glass and handed it to Nakamura. Nakamura slowly drank the water in the glass.

"Alright, boss. In that case, I'll only mutilate her hands and feet and disfigure her face so she won't be recognised by the Indonesian embassy in Japan!" Hatori said, stroking his chin and imagining the scenario of the mutilation in his mind.

Blurrbb

Nakamura spat out the water in his mouth, and it sprayed and hit Hatori's face.

Hatori then wiped the water from his face with his white handkerchief. 'Boss Nakamura, are you okay? Was my execution too excessive?' Hatori asked Nakamura.

'Hatori Hanzo, I already told you she's just a woman, so don't overreact!' Nakamura said in a slightly raised voice, putting down the glass of water.

'I apologise, Boss. If that's the case, I and my men will beat that woman unconscious with our bare hands. Then I will bring her to face you!' Hatori said earnestly, staring into Nakamura's eyes.

'You and your men won't be able to beat that woman with your hands, Hatori.' Nakamura reminded Hatori.

"What?" Hatori raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Why does the boss think that I and my two men won't be able to beat up a woman named Rachel from Indonesia, boss? Is she that skilled in martial arts, or is she protected and guarded by some bodyguards?" Hatori asked Nakamura for an explanation while rubbing his palms together.

"I can't tell you the reason yet, Hatori." Nakamura replied, closing his eyes.

"Hmmm!" Hatori looked deep in thought as he watched his boss act so mysteriously, unlike usual.

Then Hatori had an epiphany, "Ah, now I understand why the boss always told me not to overreact towards that woman named Rachel." Hatori said confidently.

Nakamura raised his eyebrows upon hearing Hatori's words. Hatori might have many other abilities as a human and a Yakuza member. However, thinking was not one of Hatori's strengths.

"Have you truly discovered my reason?" Nakamura asked curiously while taking a deep drag on his cigar.

Nakamura thought that if Hatori could find the reason why he asked Hatori to pick up Rachel and not act excessively, he planned to promote Hatori and have him oversee two or three nightclubs under Nakamura's control.

"Does the boss doubt my ability to think and analyse?" Hatori asked, raising his eyebrows and smiling foolishly.

Hatori, still sitting in the typical Japanese posture, was scrutinised by Nakamura from head to toe.

{Has the foolish Hatori been pretending to be stupid all this time just to keep his position? But why has he been pretending to be stupid all this time? Perhaps because he has few followers and dares not vie for a higher position since he doesn't have enough followers. That's why he pretended to be stupid so he wouldn't be pushed out by the others!" Nakamura thought to himself in disbelief.

'Hatori!' Nakamura took a drag on his cigar and signalled to close the door with a nod of his head.

'Huh?' Hatori raised his eyebrows when he saw Nakamura move his head from left to right.

Nakamura repeated his gesture to close the sliding door that Hatori had opened from right to left.

"Boss? Did you sprain your neck or something? Should I call a doctor?" Hatori immediately stood up to ask Nakamura's bodyguard to call a doctor or a masseur.

"Sit down, Hatori!" Nakamura said, taking a deep breath.

{It turns out I was hoping too much for this white-skinned fool.} Nakamura thought to himself.

Hatori returned to his original spot and sat down again, and Nakamura could see Hatori's mouth moving as if he were muttering to himself.

"What's wrong with your mouth, Hatori? Is there something you want to say?" Nakamura asked with a flat expression.

Hatori turned around, then looked back at Nakamura, "Can I close the door, boss?" Hatori asked.

{This bastard actually understands how important Rachel is to me!} Nakamura thought to himself.

Nakamura smiled and nodded. After receiving Nakamura's signal, Hatori stood up and closed the door.

After Hatori closed and made sure the door was securely shut, he sat back down in front of Nakamura, who was soaking in the hot spring while smoking his cigar.

"Tell me what you know about the girl named Rachel from Indonesia!" Nakamura said with a meaningful smile at Hatori.

"Are you sure you want me to say it, and you won't kill me for what I'm about to say?" Hatori asked cautiously.

"I won't kill you!" Nakamura said with a smile, surprised that Hatori knew how important Rachel was to him.

"The boss swears on the name of the gods that you won't kill me if I tell the truth here and now?" Hatori asked, looking at Nakamura seriously.

'I promise in the name of the Gods that I will not kill you for anything you say. You may speak freely now!' Nakamura said enthusiastically.

The reason Nakamura did not send anyone else to pick up Rachel was to avoid drawing the attention of the other Yakuza who were currently at war with him. He did not want to involve Rachel, who was Rehan's only daughter, because Rehan had once saved his life in Indonesia.

Hatori was a Yakuza figure who was never taken seriously by his opponents or even his own allies. Therefore, Nakamura believed Hatori was the wise choice to escort and accompany Rachel while she was in Japan.

Besides being foolish and stupid, Hatori was a fighter who never gave up and was extremely loyal to Nakamura.

"I apologise if this is inappropriate, but after the Boss told me twice not to be overly friendly to the girl named Rachel whom I will pick up at Haneda Airport tomorrow, there are only two possible reasons for the Boss's attitude." Hatori spoke very carefully, as he felt he was entering the private realm of Nakamura's life.

Nakamura nodded his head with a smile and took a puff on his cigar, "Tell me, Hatori!"

"The girl named Rachel is definitely the Boss's mistress, and the Boss doesn't want his wife and children to find out. The boss is having an affair and asked the girl from Indonesia to come here because he desperately wants a son, which he hasn't been able to have so far!" After saying that, Hatori immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness from Nakamura.

Nakamura, who had been smiling with his eyes closed and nodding his head, suddenly opened his eyes and looked angry.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Nakamura snapped in a loud voice.

"Please forgive me, Boss. You promised in the name of the gods not to kill me no matter what I say!" Hatori said while remaining in a kneeling position before Nakamura.

Nakamura took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. "You said there are two possibilities, right?" he asked Hatori.

Hatori raised his head, sat back down as before, and nodded.

"Tell me what the second possibility is that's on your mind?" Nakamura asked while puffing on his cigar.

"You promised not to kill me, remember that, Boss!" Hatori said fearfully.

"Calm down, I'm a Yakuza! A Yakuza must keep the promises he has made in the name of the gods!" Nakamura said earnestly.

"I'm sure the first possibility is very unlikely to become a reality, because right now I doubt the boss can even stand for more than three minutes," Hatori said.

"Hey, you bastard! Don't test my patience by saying things outside the discussion. Tell me your second prediction!" Nakamura asked curiously.

"Alright, Boss, forgive me! So the remaining possibility is..." Hatori stopped speaking, afraid Nakamura would get angry and lose control.

Nakamura, aware of Hatori's fear, then said, "For the sake of the gods, speak up, Hatori, or I'll cut off your head!" Nakamura growled angrily.

"I suspect the girl named Rachel is the boss's illegitimate child with an Indonesian woman, when the boss was on a mission in Indonesia!" Hatori said while bowing again.

"HATORIIIIII.....!" Nakamura shouted angrily.

Brak

Brak

Since he had promised not to kill Hatori no matter what he said, Nakamura could only vent his frustration by destroying the room where he was soaking.