An Old Friend's Visit

Jackie sighed gloomily for the hundredth time that day as he recalled today's events. He looked at the dark, cloudy sky through the glass windows of his presidential suite and sighed again. How he wished to be with his precious Sarah right now. "Should I have been with my baby girl now if not for this stupid weather", he thought bitterly. All the available flights to Georgia including the one he had booked had been cancelled due to the stormy weather so he had no choice but to stay here in London for the time being.

"I just don't get it, why do they have to make such a fuss about a sprinkle of rain", he grumbled. Wasn't the sky clear about five minutes ago?

"Don't worry Jackie", he comforted himself. "This puny rain can't stop you from being with your beloved daughter. I'm sure it will all go away by any minute now. That's right! It'll go away and you'll be able to see the clear blue sky again". He then laughed.

It was as if Mother Nature had heard him that it thundered loudly and the winds began to blow fiercely as heavy rain poured down from the sky.

Looks like he was really stuck here...

" Saraahh!!", he sobbed loudly. "My poor baby girl! Forgive me, Daddy can't make it home today!!!"

Just then, his blue-eyed female secretary walked into the room. "Sir, there's someone here to meet you-", Agnes paused as she saw her boss's miserable state. "I'm sorry for disturbing you sir but CEO Ren Nakamura came here to meet you. Should I tell him to come again another time?"

Hmph! Stupid weather! I don't want to meet anyone right now. Not even Ren! Wait...

" Ren's here to visit me?! Where?", he asked rather excitedly, forgetting all about his sorry state.

"At the door...", she wasn't even finished with her sentence when he rushed out of the room and went to find Ren. Strange boss.

" Ren!", he called out to the grey haired 50 year old man standing near the door as he walked towards him.

"Jack, my old friend", Ren responded using the nickname he gave him during their college days as they both warmly embraced each other. It went for a while until - "You've gotten quite fat over the years, haven't you Jack?"

"Okay, you just spoiled it", Jack stated flatly, obviously pissed, as he parted away from their hug. "Hmph! You're one to talk , you have some nasty wrinkles yourself!"

Ren laughed, "Though it's been years since we last met, you're still the same college boy I knew way back then, Jack! Honest and easy to annoy."

Jackie chuckled,"You haven't changed much as well Ren. You're still quite sharp tongued as ever. What are you doing standing here? Come inside and have a seat on the comfy sofa", he said as he ushered him into the living room. "So... why the sudden visit?"

"Do I have to have a reason for paying a visit to my dear old friend?", Ren questioned him back while raising his eyebrows.

"Well, I guess you don't", Jackie laughed.

After two hours later

"Haha, did you see the look on Coach Ane's face that day. It was hilarious!", Ren roared with laughter as tears came out from his eyes. Jackie just hummed in response and got lost in his thoughts again.

Ren noticed this. "Jack you all right? You seem to be spacing out every now and then", he asked, concern being evident in his voice.

" Hmmm, it's just that", he sighed while rubbing his forehead with his index finger and thumb, " I've been thinking about my daughter."

Ren was greatly puzzled by his statement. "Your daughter Sarah? Well, what's wrong with her? Didn't you say that her health condition became normal now?"

"Yes, it has and I'm really overjoyed about it. But... it's just that my precious Sarah, being never been out of the house before, she's really missed out on a lot of life experiences and I want her to experience those things now that she's well, like how's it like to have finally achieved something you desire, or the time when you got punished with your friends but actually enjoyed it, or how's it like to hang out with friends and miss them when they're not there. However, as you know, the world can be a cruel place too. She could be in all types of dangerous situations and not know how to deal with it and I can't always be by her side to protect her. Granted, I can just hire some bodyguards for her but it will create other problems too. She'll have trouble making friends and people might even try to befriend her to only take advantage of her rich background. I just want the best for her, Ren, but I don't know what to do. Besides, her health condition finally became better, what if it worsens? I really don't want to lose her...", he trailed off with a depressing tone as he buried his face in his hands. He really felt useless. I can't even make the right choice for my daughter.

Seeing him like this, Ren couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He patted his shoulder hoping to comfort him a little. If only I could help him. Just then, it was as if something clicked inside his head.

"Jack, I've got it!", he shouted startling the said man himself.

"What?"

" The solution to your problem", he grinned."It's quite simple."

Jack was astonished when he heard this but recovered quickly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go on", he urged him,"Tell me the solution."

"As I said", Ren coughed, "My idea's really simple. Send Sarah to live with my family in Japan. Now before you say anything, hear me out. You know, that I have two sons right? Well, they happen to be of the same age as her. She can go to the same school with them and learn about ' things ' girls and boys do or talk about at their age. They might even protect her if she gets bullied and, not only them, but I have two other boys who, currently, are staying at my place. One's my brother's and the other one is my brother's sister-in-law's son. Both of them are quite well-mannered, they may also help her in times of need. And, being the over-protective father you are, you might be thinking that the boys might try to harass your daughter, though I and my wife aren't around the boys that much, there's Nanny Su who looks after the boys for us and will make sure Sarah does not feel out of place nor gets ' treated ' rudely by the boys which I'm sure won't happen. This way Sarah can be able to spend her youth days like a normal girl. So, how's it? Nice right?"

Jackie could only gape wide open until his jaw hit the floor and eyes bulging out of his head as if they were going to pop out of their places. He just couldn't wrap his head around Ren's idea. Send my precious darling to Japan away from me to live in a den full of wolves with raging testosterones ?!! Outrageous!!

" Ren, I think that this idea is absolutely preposterous!" he huffed angrily as he sat cross-legged on the sofa with his arms folded against his chest."As if I'd send my one and only Moonbeam into a house filled with wolves with raging teenage hormones whose minds are filled with evil intentions to hurt her."

"Wolves with raging teenage hormones? Minds filled with evil intentions to hurt her?" Ren thought quizzically. "How can they be filled with evil intentions to hurt her, they haven't even met here. This old man right here is one over-protective father, like on a whole another level. If this goes on, I'm afraid Sarah's gonna end up alone in the near future. Luckily, I have my ways. If not for Jack then for dear Sarah. Sheesh! She really needs to have a break away from this overly affectionate and protective father of hers. Like seriously man, you think my sons are wolves?"

He flexed his arms a bit before going on full lawyer mode. I'm gonna win this for sure.

"Fine then", he shrugged and leaned back, "Suit yourself. But I wonder what would happen if Sarah learns that you passed up an offer like this? Besides, I heard that she loves Japan and I bet that she's never been there due to her past health condition. However, she's already fine now, isn't she? Wouldn't it break her heart to pieces if she learns that her dear daddy which she loves and trusts very much gave up her golden opportunity to go to Japan?"

"How would it break her heart? I can take her there by myself now that she's fine", Jackie countered.

"True but when? Besides, being a business man myself, won't the next four months be the busiest for us? And even if you make time to take her to Japan amidst your busy schedule, you'll only have maybe like three days which isn't much. Well, forget about that. What about sending Sarah to school? You don't want her to miss out on experiences, so you'll send her to a school instead of homeschooling her right? I don't know how Sarah looks like now because it's been years since I last saw her but if she looks anything like her mother then wow, is she going to become super popular with the boys who will no doubt try any means to get her attention."

" I - I'll hire bodyguards."

"No doubt you can but like you said won't it create other problems for her. She'll have trouble making friends because people will be afraid of her and even if she does make friends, she'll have less privacy. Oh and ,not to forget, since she's never been outside and has absolutely no idea on how to interact with people her age she'll feel intimidated and may make a fool of herself which will make her the brunt of joke in the entire school which will result in people bullying her. Or maybe, she will hang out with bad company who will undoubtedly teach her all sorts of bad things which will result in her becoming a rebellious teenager and perhaps come to a point where she will run off to join some mafia gang." That should do the trick.

My daughter will get bullied and run off to join some mafia gang... It was as if the world came crashing down upon Jackie. The way he looked like right now was as if his soul had been sucked out of his body.

Meanwhile, Ren was trying hard to control his laughter as he saw the look on Jackie's face."This man will really believe anything. Look at him, he looks like some sort of dead, lifeless fish right now", he thought and looked at his watch,"Anytime now~"

"Ren, I think that she'll be better off in Japan", Jackie told him as he grabbed his shoulders and started shaking him furiously." I don't want my daughter to be a part of some mafia gang!!!"

"Alright, alright. Stop shaking me!", he said as he quickly got out of his grasp.

" Thank you Ren! Thank you!", Jackie cried as he hugged him." You're a lifesaver!"

"No, I just did what a friend would do for his friend in need", he smiled while patting his back. Idiotic man. He's really the same as ever. Still so easy to manipulate.

*****

"Sarah ,my beloved daughter, I'm back!!", Jackie called as he entered Sarah's room.

"Daddy!", Sarah cried joyfully when she saw him. She quickly ran towards him and hugged him lovingly. "I really missed you these past three months."

"Me too, dear, me too", he smiled warmly at her while gently patting her head." I have something to discuss with you Sarah."

She looked up at her father curiously and asked, "Well , what is it daddy?"

"You're going to Japan."

××××××××

Sorry for the late update. I'm just really lazy(￣ヘ￣;). Anyways, the boys will finally be appearing in the next chapter! Hehe, can't wait~ *giggles creepily*

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