A Demon's Lapse

The goal of setting Nora free was so Kiyohira could focus on his original mission: world domination. However, it did the opposite. He felt a great deal of emptiness in his heart. He refused to acknowledge that he wasn't the same anymore. He grew to resent Nora and whatever spell she had cast upon him. Matsuda and the others noticed a change in him. He wasn't 'there' anymore. Kiyohira resisted the urge to bring Nora back.

He entered the room where Nora had stayed, a few days later after her departure. The room was spotless as if no one had ever stayed there. There was one noticeable difference, however, and that was the Pablo Neruda book that she borrowed from his library. They never had a chance to talk about the book. What other books did she like? If there was one thing that helped him retain his humanity was his love for literature. Pablo Neruda was one of his mother's favourites, not his personally but he kept it in his library in her memory. He opened it to where it was bookmarked and read the poem:

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,

I love you directly without problems or pride:

I love you like this because I don't know any other way to love,

except in this form in which I am not, nor are you,

so close that your hand upon my chest is mine,

so close that your eyes close with my dreams.

Kiyohira felt his heart contort at reading the passage; it filled him with rage. He stormed into his office, book in hand, and began to trash the place. He threw the book across the room. He couldn't get Nora out of his head. The first time they met was when he began to feel something for her, yet he didn't want to recognize it. It all started when his reflection in the mirror spoke back to him. He didn't know if he was hallucinating or not.

"You can't hide from the truth, Kiyohira," the reflection said.

"What truth? There's nothing happening," he retorted.

"You're pathetic. After all the things you've done in your life, you can't even own the fact that you're in love with the girl."

"She's not even a girl!"

"You know that's a lie. You want her. You can't get her out of your mind and your heart."

Kiyohira put his hand over it. He forgot that he had one. It was closed off all these years and Nora opened the floodgates. He remembered her courage to defy him and to put herself in harm's way for seemingly foolish reasons. He thought about her smile, her face, her hair, her body, her voice, and her beautiful, dark brown eyes. How could I love someone like her? How could she love a man like me? He saw his reflection smiling at him as he realized the truth. Before it set in, he flipped over his desk and continued to wreck everything around him. His reflection, undeterred, just looked back at him. He yelled and he put his fist through the mirror, shattering the glass and sending the shards all throughout the room.

He stood there, fuming. Nothing or no one would ever get in his way of taking over the world. Much less no woman. His thirst for power was unquenchable. His reflection that still shone through the pieces of the mirror beneath had a solemn expression, for Kiyohira had subdued his own heart, caving into his dark desires.

"I shall control everything," he said to himself, clenching one of his fists.

Summer was ending and he received an invitation to a gala hosted by Zubriga, the group with which Nakano had had dealings with. Even though his men retrieved that stolen data, it didn't mean that it hadn't already been shared with them.

"It could be some sort of trap, sir," Matsuda said. He stood at Kiyohira's desk in his office.

"It may be, but it's best to find out what they did with the intel," Kiyohira replied. He continued, "I want to know who's behind this operation."

Kiyohira wanted to show up at the gala to remind the world who he was. He wanted everyone to cower in fear of him. His economic and physical might was not something to be played with. Yes, he fell into a moment of weakness with Nora, but now he would come back strong and immune to such follies. Women were just his playthings and he would never allow one to enchant him again.

Singapore was another place where Kiyohira needed to seize control over. This Zubriga organization needed to be brought to heel or to absolute destruction. He would not allow some other corporation to rule while he was around. From the helicopter, he saw the city. It looked like a model replica that he could shape and mould as he desired. The helicopter landed on top of the Grand Hotel, where the employees awaited their guests who flew in. Inside the building, awaited his harem of beautiful women.

"Mr. Kimura, here are the girls you asked for," said a short, middle-aged man with a comb over. He was the hotel liaison in charge of making sure all the high-profile guests were satisfied with their stay. Kiyohira only nodded at him as the women gathered around him.

Kiyohira had been to so many lavish events in luxurious places in his life that he was used to the ritual. This was one of the many ways to assert his dominance in the corporate world. He and his entourage entered the venue and descended the stairs. As expected, all the guests had their eyes on Kiyohira and his majestic parade. He had a smirk on his face for he was basking in his own glory. However, there was something in the setting that he was not expecting.

On his right, stood a small and slender figure who looked familiar but unrecognizable. Facing the other way, she turned around to face him, hands clasped together. It was as if everything were in slow motion when he saw her and her demure appearance. She had a puzzled look with her lips shaped in a little "o". She was wearing an elegant dark green dress that had her back exposed, the very same back that arched below him some months ago. The very spell over him that he sought to destroy was recast.

Nora.