Chapter 12 The Depths of the Ocean #2
“Once you’re deep in the ocean, you’re in the world, but you’re also not.
Your ears stop hearing and start measuring.
Pressure. Current. Distant sounds. That’s what it is when I’m asleep.
But, then someone comes near or a sound is made and the water changes.
A molecule of air moves wrong. A floorboard creaks.
An unrecognizable scent pivots, and my body moves before the story catches up.
” He frowned. “By the time the story says that’s a woman you know, the blade is already out and at the neck, the wrist is already pinned. ”
“And if I had shouted your name sooner?”
He shook his head. “Words are slow. Scent is fastest.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Yeah but. . .it’s dangerous.” He nervously ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry.”
“I know you are. I can see it all over you.” I shrugged. “Anyway, I'm. . .steadier. Still shaky, but I'll be okay. I just need—" I looked at the kitchen. "I need something normal to do. Tea. Cooking. Something familiar."
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “Let’s talk while I do. If you have the time. I don’t want to bother you.”
“No. You’re not bothering me at all. What do you want to talk about?”
“Anything.”
“Well then. . .” His eyes perked up immediately. "Has Kenji talked to you about the Claws and my grievances?"
I blinked. "No. What's going on?"
He smiled—actually smiled—and it transformed his exhausted face into a boyish expression. "There's a hierarchy around Kenji when it comes to his inner circle."
"Okay. Can you tell me more about this?" I leaned against the counter, genuinely curious. “I want to learn everything."
He made motions with his hands, gesturing up and down like he was building invisible stairs. "Kenji is the Dragon."
"Of course."
"Wait.” He stopped and dropped his hands. Then, he looked around.
“What?”
“You'll never find anything you need in here. Especially not tea." He gestured around the kitchen. "You have to go to the pantry. Come on. You can get what you want while I explain."
“Al-right. . .”
One of the guards followed.
Hiro walked toward a door and pulled it open.
I nearly choked.
The room wasn't a normal-looking pantry.
It was a massive space with shelves stretching from floor to ceiling, stocked with everything imaginable. It looked like a small, very upscale grocery store that had been transplanted into Kenji’s mansion.
And inside, two armed men stood guard.
"Well damn," I whispered.
This property was insane. Sako had never shown me this part on the tour, probably assuming I would never cook.
Hiro stepped inside like it was the most natural thing in the world to have armed guards protecting food supply. "What do you want to get?"
"Tea."
"Alright." He turned to one of the guards. "Where's the tea?"
One man pointed down an aisle to the left.
Hiro guided me that direction, and I tried not to gape at everything around me. The pantry was even organized like a luxury market—labeled sections, pristine shelves, everything from basics to exotic imports.
"So, my brother is the top of the hierarchy.”
“Yes.”
“Next, you have Reo. Honestly, he's lower than me because Kenji and I are brothers. However, officially, Reo is the Dragon's Roar."
"Understood."
"He's important, of course, but only because I allow him to be."
I couldn't help but smile. "Well, that is nice of you."
"Yeah. I know," he said it, completely seriously.
We reached the tea aisle, and I stopped, overwhelmed by the options. There were teas from every region of Japan, plus imports from China, India, England. Herbal blends. Medicinal teas. Ceremonial grades.
I started pulling things down—chamomile, green tea, ginger, honey from a shelf nearby. Then, I glanced over my shoulder. "What type of tea do you like?"
He looked surprised that I'd asked. "Any tea."
"Okay. I'll make us some tea." I grabbed a few more options. "Are you hungry?"
He blinked. "Maybe."
I turned to look at him. "Maybe? Are you hungry or not?"
"Well. . .that depends.”
“On what?”
“Are you going to make me something?"
"Of course. Do you want to eat?”
He stared at me for a few seconds and then whispered, “Yes.”
“What do you usually eat for breakfast?"
He shrugged. "Whatever's around."
"Okay, but do you have a favorite dish?"
He rattled off a few Japanese breakfast staples—miso soup, grilled fish, tamagoyaki. Then he paused. "But I want you to make something that you like to cook in the morning."
Something warm spread through my chest. "I'm big on Eggs Benedict."
"That sounds delicious."
"Alright. Let's try and figure this place out while you continue to explain to me the hierarchy of Kenji's inner circle."
He smiled back, and I realized this was probably the most relaxed I'd seen him since I arrived.
I wanted to ask him about the sake, about why he'd been sleeping in the kitchen instead of his bedroom. But I wouldn't push. Not yet. He was opening up in his own way, and that was enough.
We started moving through the aisles, gathering ingredients. English muffins that were clearly imported and expensive. Eggs that were labeled organic, from some farm I'd never heard of. Canadian bacon. Butter. Lemons for hollandaise sauce.
One of my guards hurried forward with a large cloth bag. "This may help.”
“Aww. This is perfect. Thank you.”
The guard walked by my side and I realized that he probably brought the bag because he still wasn’t sure if I should be so close to Hiro. Surely, he was still nervous from that altercation.
Meanwhile, Hiro took the bag before I could grab it from the guard and then began placing the items inside. The gesture was so unexpectedly thoughtful that it made me smile wider.
We continued down the aisles.
White vinegar for poaching the eggs.
Paprika.
Cayenne.
Salt.
Hiro led me down another aisle. "Next, we have the Fangs."
"Okay."
"The Fangs are important because the Fangs are in the Dragon's mouth. So once the Roar comes out, the Fangs follow."
“That makes sense.”
"So yes." Hiro shrugged. "It was fine for you to give the Fangs some food during that night of the date."
I froze mid-step.
Oh shit. What is going on? Had I done something wrong?
Turning to him, I kept my face neutral.
"However, the Claws are next. This is the most important thing you must remember."
“Alright. Claws right under the Fangs.”
“Exactly.” Hiro gestured for us to continue.
We moved to another section where fresh herbs were kept in a temperature-controlled case. The glass doors were etched with delicate designs, and inside, everything was perfectly arranged.
I grabbed what I needed.
Chives.
Parsley.
Tarragon.
"The Claws are what the Dragon strikes with," Hiro took the bundle of tarragon out of my hand and placed it in the bag. "They're what the Dragon kills with. They are insanely important. In fact, the Claws tend to do more of the dirty work than the Fangs and the Roar."
"That makes a lot of sense too."
"But then you have the Eyes."
"Okay."
"The Eyes are unimportant."
I nearly dropped the container of cream I'd just picked up. "Really? I would think they're super important."
"Absolutely not," he said it with so much conviction that I had to look at him. "They're not important at all."
I laughed at the absolute disdain in his voice. "What's wrong with the Eyes?"
"They just watch Kenji have sex."
I smirked. "But isn't that important?"
"No."
"But what if there's a woman who tries to kill him during sex?"
"It's not going to happen. Reo created this job from pure, unnecessary micro-managing and anxiety.
No one is killing my brother while he has sex.
His reflexes are too fast." Hiro grabbed the container of heavy cream from me and placed it in the bag.
"It's a cushy, useless job. The Eyes don't deserve anything, and they definitely didn't deserve the bento boxes that night. "
Oh.
And there it was.
The grievance.
I studied him.
Hiro was exhausted—dark circles under his eyes, his hair slightly tangled, his pants rumpled from sleeping at the kitchen table. But he was also alert, ready.
I had no doubt he could kill someone right now if he needed to.
And beneath all of that, he looked genuinely hurt.
I'd given bento boxes to the Eyes—the unimportant ones—but not to the Claws and him. And somehow, without meaning to, I'd offended an entire tier of Kenji's inner circle.
"You know what?" I nodded and met his eyes. "You're right. Thank you for telling me. I will correct that immediately."
His eyes brightened. “You will?”
"Yes. I must. You all are the Claws.”
“That’s all I’m saying.”
“And not only will you all get something to eat, but it has to be much grander than the bento boxes I gave the Eyes."
He smiled—really smiled—and it transformed his whole face.
"But first," I held up one finger, "let's go make some Eggs Benedict for breakfast, and we can talk more about how I'm going to make it up to you and the Claws."
He looked so genuinely happy that it made my chest ache.
This man—this dangerous, broken man who'd just held a knife to my throat—was delighted that I was going to cook him breakfast and acknowledge the hierarchy he valued.
We headed back toward the kitchen, and I continued to try and understand the new family that I was joining. This strange, violent, hierarchical family where love was measured in protection, hierarchy mattered more than rank, and broken men held knives in their sleep.
Hiro glanced at me, still carrying the bag of groceries, still careful to keep distance between us.
Still so clearly terrified of hurting me again.
And despite everything—despite my cracked phone, despite the ghost of steel I could still feel at my throat, despite knowing he was one of the most dangerous men on this island—I wanted to know him.
The Dragon's brother.
The man with cherry blossoms torn apart on his back.
The one who'd learned to fight in his sleep as a child.
Because as my grandma always said. . .broken things could still be precious with the right type of love.