Eidolon

Warning (PG16)

This episode contains adult themes. Reader discretion recommended.

Kazuo Kuroda raised a single hand and all eyes turned to the patriarch. “Kuroda’s ambition,” he intoned, his voice a low rumble that vibrated in the air over the table, “has always been to be groundbreaking. Eidolon is no exception.”

He paused, letting the weight of the company’s legacy settle over them. “However, there is no business, groundbreaking or otherwise, without funding. That is why we train our personnel,” he continued, his gaze sweeping over Takumi with the dismissive appraisal one might give a piece of malfunctioning equipment, “to be ever mindful of budgets and timelines. Realism and idealism must be balanced. That is the discipline that built Kuroda.”

Bjorn nodded, the picture of polite agreement, “Of course research without funding is doomed. The key is in backing the right horse. Sometimes, the largest investment yields the most monumental reward.” The two CEOs locked eyes, a silent battle of philosophies waged across the table, pragmatism versus unbridled vision, with no clear victor.

Throughout this, Rei had remained a study in serene composure, though internally, she was furious on Takumi’s behalf. She saw the subtle tightening around his mouth, the humiliation he was forced to swallow under Kuroda’s and Bjorn’s condescensions. Under the heat of Hisako’s venomous stare, she made a deliberate choice.

She picked up her fork with flourish, drawing attention with the simple, elegant motion. “This dish is extraordinary,” she mused, her voice a calm, pleasant counterpoint to the tension. She took a delicate bite, enjoying it unhurriedly before continuing, “The use of such rustic, traditional Norwegian ingredients, elevated with classic French techniques; it transforms the very essence of the ingredients into something… more.” 

She lifted her gaze, letting it sweep respectfully over the men, “It reminds me of Eidolon’s potential. The technology will take the dreams of its users and, using its sophisticated systems, refine and elevate those desires into an experience beyond the base data.” She turned specifically to Takumi, bowing her head in a graceful show of deference, “Thank you, Takumi-san, for your vision, and for allowing me to be a part of it. To enable clients to realistically test their passions… it’s a profound concept.”

Then, she shifted her attention to Bjorn, her expression one of genuine admiration, “Your Biococa technology is the very foundation that makes such realism possible. The result of years devoted to innovation, no doubt. Your visionary attitude is inspiring”, she paused, her eyes sparkling, “You once mentioned a long term application of the advanced digital construct, used to preserve key minds for future generations… imagining a modern day digital Einstein to discuss with, or even for him to study future discoveries – now that is a thought that moves beyond fascinating. It’s humbling.”

Finally, she turned to Kazuo, bowing her neck even lower, a picture of perfect obedience and gratitude, “And of course none of this would be possible without you, Kuroda-sama. Thank you for building such an ambitious company – the very vessel that allows someone like me to sit here.”

The air, once thick with competitive tension and veiled insults, had been transformed. Rei had managed to de-escalated the situation with diplomatic grace, flattering each man’s ego and contribution without overt sycophancy. She had positioned Takumi as the visionary, Bjorn as the revolutionary innovator, and Kazuo as the foundational architect of it all. She was the perfect, eloquent asset, soothing the savage beasts of corporate ego with nothing but her words and poise, leaving Hisako fermenting in bypassed, impotent fury.

For a moment, the only sound was the faint, ambient hum of the restaurant’s other guests and the distant, silent drama of the mountainous vista. The delicate ecosystem of egos Rei had so carefully balanced hung in a precarious silence.

Takumi looked at her, a complex storm of pride and concern in his gaze. He was proud of her poise, fiercely possessive of her beauty and the diplomatic talent she had just displayed, but worried about the covetous attention it was drawing. Bjorn’s smile was a study in itself. It first thinned, a razor’s edge of displeasure at the lavish praise Rei had bestowed upon Takumi. But when she had turned her flattery onto him, his smile widened, transforming into a grin so broad it seemed to cut across his entire face. He absorbed her words like a sunbathing snake, basking in the warmth of her admiration.

Kazuo’s reaction was more subtle, but no less telling. He seemed mildly annoyed by the attention given to Takumi, impassive towards Bjorn’s, but at the mention of his own foundational role, his eyebrows lifted a fraction. A shadow of a smile, more a ghost of satisfaction than actual amusement, touched his lips. He appreciated the recognition of his ultimate authority.

The only one utterly unimpressed was Hisako. She watched Rei’s rhetorical deescalation not as a strategic move, but as a whore’s gambit. In her eyes, Rei was merely a corporate bed warmer, charming her way upward. A faint, condescending chuckle, almost inaudible, escaped her. It was a tiny sound, but in the tense silence, it was a gunshot.

Rei, keenly aware of every shift in the room’s energy, turned her attention directly to Hisako, drawing every eye to the assistant. “Hisako-san,” Rei began, her voice soft but carrying. She offered a small, respectful bow, “As my senior, I of course respect the hard work you must put into supporting Kuroda-sama. Though we haven’t had the opportunity to work together, I’m certain a woman of your rank has earned her position through many significant accomplishments.”

She raised her head, and her gaze was no longer soft, it was a blade, sharp and challenging, locking with Hisako’s. It was a silent dare, a provocation wrapped in courtesy: go on, insult me now, after I’ve just publicly shown you respect.

It was the last drop. Hisako’s mask shattered, her eyes widening in sheer, apoplectic disbelief. “You… you impertinent girl!” she hissed, her voice losing all pretense of professionalism, carrying further than she intended, “Know your place! Talking like an intellectual, when you are nothing but a tasteless lure! A Chochin vixen playing men with curves and flattery!”

The crass, venomous words hung in the air, a toxic cloud that seemed to suck the oxygen from the glass-walled room. Not only did their table fall utterly silent, but the conversation at a few neighboring tables stuttered and died, patrons turning to stare.

The reaction from the men was instantaneous. Bjorn’s face, a moment ago smug, morphed into pure shock, then outrage. Takumi’s expression mirrored it, his body tensing as if ready to physically intervene. But the most terrifying reaction came from Kazuo Kuroda. He didn’t shout, didn’t even look at Hisako directly, simply turned his head a fraction, and his gaze was one of such profound, icy disappointment and rage that it seemed to freeze the room. Hisako physically shrank under its weight, her bluster evaporating, leaving only a terrified, small woman.

Without a single word, Kazuo rose. Hisako scrambled to her feet, bowing automatically even before he did. He offered a shallow, apologetic bow to Bjorn, “You have my sincerest apologies for my assistant’s unforgivable outburst. You will have to excuse me. I must go and have a conversation with her. I’ll return shortly.” His tone was lethally calm. He proceeded to stroll from the restaurant, not a single glance spared for the trembling Hisako, who hurried after him, her neck bent, maintaining the perfect three-step distance even in her disgrace.

As she hurried after Kazuo’s retreating back, her face burned with a humiliation deeper than any reprimand. Poison filled her veins, it wasn’t just about losing face; it was about Rei Morita, a thing of the gutter who seemed destined to steal everything Hisako had ever wanted.

Left at the table were Rei, Bjorn and Takumi. For a long moment, none of them spoke, all simply staring after the retreating figures, the echo of Hisako’s foolish, career-ending words ringing in the sudden quiet. A treacherous smile threatened to break through Rei’s careful facade. She was deeply content that Hisako had taken the bait and so spectacularly revealed her own pettiness. To mask her distasteful glee, she dropped her gaze to her dish, staring at the intricate food without seeing it.

Bjorn was the first to break the silence. “Rei, please disregard that unfortunate comment,” he said, his voice a blend of gentle reassurance and strained outrage, “It was clearly the product of jealousy and ignorance.”

Across the table, Takumi rose. With measured, unhurried movements, he walked to Hisako’s now-empty seat and set the chair down a fraction closer to Rei. He placed a hand on her shoulder; a gesture consciously platonic, protective and consoling, giving it a reassuring squeeze. 

“Bjorn is right,” Takumi said, his voice low and steady, “Not only did Hisako fail to understand the intelligence behind your statements, she also insulted every man at this table.” His gaze lifted from Rei to lock directly onto Bjorn’s, “She insinuated that we’re all capable of being exploited and blinded.”

The air crackled. Takumi’s stare was a direct challenge, a silent accusation that he knew full well the game Bjorn was playing; using his status and Kazuo’s presence to sideline Takumi and buy proximity to Rei. Even as Takumi maintained the statement of Rei’s innocence, he was signaling that if anyone was capable of being seduced, it was probably Bjorn.

Bjorn cleared his throat, the sound loud in the tense quiet. “Her insult did indeed include everyone,” he conceded, his own gaze hardening as it narrowed to meet Takumi’s. He paused, letting the implication hang, “It’s a clear reminder of the dangers of jealousy and a fundamental misunderstanding of rank versus innate ability. A misunderstood victim narrative, claiming a hollow injustice.”

As he spoke, he stared daggers at Takumi, implying that he was also blinded, which made his implication not only arrogant and rude, given their difference in corporate rank, but deeply hypocritical. The nature of Takumi and Rei’s relationship was, to Bjorn, as clear as day.

Rei, who had only been feigning emotional distress to hide her pleasure at Hisako’s downfall, caught on to the tense, unspoken battle raging between the two men. She straightened her posture with dignified grace, causing Takumi’s hand to slide naturally from her shoulder. She flashed a mellow but confident smile.

“I’m sorry Hisako’s dislike of me caused her to insult everyone,” she said, her tone carefully tactful, “I definitely don’t hold any grand delusions of misleading or manipulating you. Besides…”, she added, her expression turning almost cheeky, “I find the concept perfectly impossible. After all, the reason we’re all gathered here is because you are both equally stubborn, convinced of your own business approaches and ambitions for Eidolon.”

She smiled at them with a disarmingly brazen expression. Bjorn chuckled, and Takumi gave a reluctant smile of admittance, adjusting his position and straightening his tie. “Stubborn is the wrong word,” Takumi countered, a flicker of a real smile touching his lips, “Passionate and dedicated rather, those terms fit our mutual traits better – wouldn’t you agree, Bjorn?” Bjorn laughed wholeheartedly now, the sound rich and conceding, “Agreed. Determined is another, more flattering alternative.”

Rei laughed too, the sound a melodic, raspy ripple that seemed to cleanse the air of its poisonous traces. It was a natural laugh that drifted over the table, and for a moment, it spellbound both men. Takumi realized he had never heard her laugh like that before, so free and unguarded.

Something had fundamentally shifted in her after the concubine ritual. He had sensed it on the stairs, in the comfortable silence of the car ride; a new peace within her. She truly was like a diamond, he thought, the more pressure he put her under, the stronger and more brilliantly she seemed to shine.