Orenda (n.)

An internal summoning Of personal strength to change fate; the courage to love some one against the obstacles life had set before you

Tanaka went perfectly still as he digested this news, his breathing got even more shakier as he started at Donghae, who was fighting his own shock by revealing his true identity to an old man like Tanaka.

Finally he got up and went towards the door and gripped the handle tight, He knew Tanaka needed some time to pull himself together, but before he opened the door, Donghae looked back at the old man crouched in the shadows

"Do me a favour and stay quiet, it's the only reason why you're still alive Tanaka" said Donghae, his voice carrying easily through the length of the room.

He saw Tanaka look up, at last Donghae saw him give a small, shaky, grateful nod.

**************

Bright pearly orange sunlight that fell into the room from the French windows was steadily shifting it's hues towards a soft periwinkle twilight outside. Luca was restlessly pacing up and down Jake's room, often glancing at the gold edged envelope that was placed on top of the huge Mahogany work table.

Jake was also looking at it, deep in thought which did nothing to improve Luca's mood. Finally he took it into his hands and tore open the top, spilling the neatly folded paper on to the surface of the table

"The yearly Casino event" scoffed Jake, "they have the nerve to invite me again" he muttered with a smile as he read it calmly.

Luca stopped pacing around and snorted,

"they can't simply ignore you" he grunted sarcastically, "not after all the trouble 'your highness' does not fail to cause every God damned year!"

"it wasn't that much of a scandal last year" muttered Jake, although a slow smile was playing on his lips. Every year since he was 13, these envelopes bearing the invitations to the yearly Casino event at Osaka Bay kept reaching his table... And every year, Jake Maranzano was marked as the public enemy number one for causing any kind of an ultimate disaster... But the plus point was that they never failed to invite him every year despite the colossal loss of revenue for the Hotel.

"it's the chance for me to personally find about some stuff" said Jake studiously, "and get a nice rest too" he added afterthought.

"All the more reason you should NOT go like this without me!" grunted Luca, watching as Jake let the invitation slip from his fingers, onto to rich brown surface of the table. "last year you almost got shot, and lucky I was there with you!"

"I'll have Donghae with me and Falcons this time" said Jake in a quiet voice, "think about it Luca, we can find out about our guest's little hiding place, Takarazuka is not far from Osaka Bay"

"so you are going"

"I am going" said Jake simply

Luca huffed again, "it's dangerous Hyukjae, what if someone tries to attack you again? This thing about LaVerè can wait till you come back safely from Japan"

"No it can't Luca" said Jake with a note of finality in his voice, "whoever called me that day knows more about our family secrets, and I'm not even sure who the hell Ventura is!"

"you are paranoid" said Luca, "if he knows LaVerè, then he is clearly helping our side"

Jake looked doubtful at that, somehow the tiny part of his mind refused to trust anyone, especially an unknown stranger that knows how to tip him off just as Tanaka appeared... It had been clearly planned so well.. And it unnerved him.

"I don't know" said Jake, "I'm getting suspicious of everybody, didn't LaVerè herself tell me that she'll find more about Aiden? What did she tell me all this time? Absolutely nothing about him!"

Luca stayed silent, he had nothing to say to that...

"I want you to keep an eye on her, and try to locate who this Ventura guy is"

"yes sir" said Luca respectfully, "And I wanted to remind you of the tape recorder we got from the police, did you still listen to it?"

Luca saw Jake wincing at the mention of that explosion, clearly that fateful day was still raw on his mind...

"No" said Jake, "it can wait till I come back"

Suddenly the double doors opened and Donghae walked into the study looking lost in his own thoughts...

With a huge effort, he pulled himself back to the present, Donghae raised his eyes and looked at Hyukjae who was silently watching him with Luca. Finally Jake looked at Luca who gave him a curt nod and swept out of the room, closing the double doors behind him.

Donghae suddenly felt goosebumps rising on his skin, Hyukjae was looking at him seriously until Donghae moved forward and glanced at the envelope,

"what's that?" he asked curiously.

"it's an invitation for the casino event in Japan" said Jake, not even attempting to explain further...

"sooo... are you going?" asked Donghae, placing the envelope back on the table,

Jake gave short laugh and looked down, "course I am"

For a moment Donghae almost smiled, but it quickly disappeared from his face when realization hit, "this is not just for fun is it?" he asked while Jake refused to look at him.

"Tanaka thinks he's lucky" said Hyukjae, running his fingers lightly on his silver gun, "he refuses to answer my questions"

"you can't kill him Jake" said Donghae, making sure he didn't sound desperate, "he's the only one who knows where the Jade pendant is"

"I know" said Jake, "which is why I command the falcons to find his house"

Donghae gulped, how far has Hyukjae gone to find the Jade pendant?

"since we are going to a Casino" said Jake suddenly, pulling Donghae out of his thoughts, "wanna play Cards?"

"w-what?" stuttered Donghae, never in his life he had attempted to study the almost magical concept of card games, but Jake just smiled evilly at him,

"Hope you're not sore loser then" edged on Jake gleefully while getting up and going near his cupboard where he kept his books. He took out a gleaming silver box which Donghae had not noticed before and placed it promptly on his bed.

"What? No Hyukjae, I'm not playing it! I don't even know how to" whined Donghae, a blush of embarrassment creeping up to his cheeks

"What?! Come on, you must know something... not even poker?"

Donghae looked at him with his best puppy eyed look and shook his head...

"sit" command Jake while staring intently at him. When Donghae was obediently seated down infront of him, Jake spent at least 30 minutes ranting about Poker winning rules until Donghae felt his mind getting strained with all the things he needed to remember, but he somehow managed to cling into the main basic concept.

"Alright" said Hyukjae, but Donghae noticed his grin, he fucking knew he was gonna fail this shit!, "let's try a round"

"Ok" said Donghae in a small voice,

Jake dealt out the cards and immediately got excited on his pair while Donghae watched him glumly

"Alright, you want to continue?"

"Jake" sighed Donghae, "we didn't even start yet"

Jake looked up to see Donghae's reaction to his own cards. It was not a happy look...

"Yes, check" said Jake laying out two of his cards on the bed

"Ok, I check too" said Donghae, determined not to let go

"I check again!" Donghae yelled again after a few minutes and slid in a chip on the pile of cards that were gathered on the bed after some time.

"raise" smirked Jake following him quickly.

"Where's your raise then?" asked Donghae dubiously, he barely understood this part of the game,

Without a word, Jake slide in a chip about as equal as Donghae's own chip

"I add your shirt"

It took seconds for Donghae to realize what was happening, the truth of what Jake was playing him into, hit him like a fucking brick wall,

"Is this -"

"Strip Poker? yeah it is" said Jake calmly placing down his bunch of cards on the bed with an obvious smile.

It was a high 4 of a kind in Queens.

"Take it off" he said while Donghae stared at him,

"no I can't!" hissed Donghae glancing back at the double doors fearfully,

With a sigh, Hyukjae pulled him closer and stared at his eyes, making everything else in the room dissolve into brightly colored vistas... The only thing he was aware of were Jake's familiar bright grey blue eyes. He vaguely felt Jake's slight fingers on his shirt, removing button after button until the white material fell away over his shoulders... Then he felt his lips, slowly caressing and complementing his mouth. Donghae felt his eyes flutter close against Jake's warm, soft mouth...

Out of nowhere Hyukjae heard the handle Of his bedroom door turning, with a speed that he didn't know was possible, he pushed Donghae away from him just as Luca opened the door,

"Boss I wanted to tell you that-- WHAT. IN THE LIVING HELL is happening here?!" gaped Luca, taking note of Donghae's violently coughing, shirtless figure on the bed along with Hyukjae Maranzano while a live tornado of strip Poker cards surrounded them.

Donghae was still coughing violently, though in contrast Jake looked quite composed and unconcerned.

"I was teaching him" he said stubbornly, "but Donghae didn't seem to like card games"

"and why is he coughing his throat out?"

"I think" said Hyukjae, dying to gulp down his huge smirk, "he couldn't bare loosing to me"

Luca snorted, and to both his and Donghae's utter relief, seemed to buy that lie although he growled back at Donghae,

"put on your shirt!"

"yes sir!" said Donghae and immediately seized his shirt back and fumbled with it, but Jake saw he was grinning

Luca composed himself again, "I just wanted to say that your jet is at your disposal at any time you please"

"Right we are leaving tonight" said Jake getting up while Donghae gaped at him

"tonight?" he croaked

"Yeah" said Jake, and Donghae saw him putting on a familiar smart watch on his left wrist, "pack your guns"