GAH I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL BTDUBS GUIZE, anyway...

Chapter 6: The Doormat Dormancy

And in that moment sparks and harps play out
A sweeping melody through fog and fantasy
And in that moment there's an honesty instinctive and pure but
It departs like it came, rapid and bearing no more
Than fleeting ecstasy of natural harmony.

"The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit"- La Dispute

"Kouchou-sensei how would you like to proceed concerning this?" The question resonated through the seated man as he gazed forlornly from his perch atop the gaudy throne, tapping the thick manila folder against his downturned lips.

He could not wait any longer, he was sure after he'd left the girl to the grasps of the track teams star runner that she'd embark on the wonderful reaches of athleticism. But he'd no such luck. She was dormant it seemed. From what Nick had reported to him, the girl had no interest at the moment- No, rather she was being held back by something. Worse still she'd completely gone under his radar. Before, the girl had been traceable, never predictable, but in the very least she followed a pattern.

Now, was an entirely different story. He could find her nowhere after the classes of the day finished. He worried. She'd always been a very active student, now when the bell rang she was off like a bullet rushing toward the gates to the freedom of the outside world. Truthfully it scared him.

He knew of her past, very well of it in fact. She'd been the very first scholarship student he'd admitted into his academy and he was fully aware of her broken home and the rough details of her estrangement to her foster family.

To be frank he was worried. He'd somehow developed a soft spot for the gal, he needed to be sure the child would flourish as he knew she could.

With a sigh the mustachioed man leaned back in the chair, the back creaking with his weight. He turned to his vice principal a look of determination on his usually cheery features. He gazed once more at the report on his desk.

Fourth absence this week. Eighth tardy this month. Sleeping in class often.

These were purely uncharacteristic behaviors for the girl. Thus his worry deepened. What could cause this suddenly erratic behavior she exhibited? The last six months had been a steady decline in focus. Was the girl finding the pressures of independent living too unmanageable? Was she working several jobs?

He pressed a palm to his tired eyes and rubbed the aching sensation of tire from them as he stubbed his cigar.

"Make an appointment with her on Monday, first thing in the morning. I will save her candidacy as a scholarship student. It is time to set that into motion." His deep voice reverberated against the luxuriously decorated walls, the gold linings of the roman tapestries on the walls highlighting his dominance in the crisp white toga, wrapped exuberantly with the folded sash of gold. The other inhabitant of the room kneeled, bowing his head of sienna curls to the emperor like man- all the more emphasized by the bowing man's less elaborate toga.

"Understood, Takarada-Kouchou." Lory smiled at the still bowed man and tossed the still closed folder onto his desk. Miss Mogami, I will be keeping you in this school. You are too valuable an asset to lose.

If only the man knew just how right his assumptions were about the weight of independent living. Three jobs, two of which no one knew about. And if she had her way, no one would. The copper haired girl sashayed through the dark haze of the Kyoto cityscape her work duffle tucked securely against her side. She checked her watch anxiously as her pace doubled, cursing under her breath. If not for the earlier delay she wouldn't be risking a late entrance to her night shift.

And what a delay It was she berated herself.

The day had ended and she was already three steps out of the door calling a good natured farewell to the classmates from homeroom. She'd no doubt swung their personal vote on her part after the rocky beginning to the year. Kyoko Mogami was now less the tag along of the schools heartthrob and a gawking mystery all her own. Countless clubs had scouted her for her excellent physical abilities, only further punctuated by her unbeatable Phys. Ed. records, but all had been turned away by the seemingly busy girl. She hadn't the time most days to even listen to the pleas of her peers, as she was twelve paces ahead of them most often calling a misguided apology and a quick dismissal over her shoulder as she mounted her mountain bike and rode off in a thunderous exit.

There was speculation amongst the peers she was less popular with that she was juggling inappropriate jobs in the city. That she perhaps was dating older men for money to copay her expenses. Countless amounts of baseless rumors that oddly enough passed through the ears of her childhood friend with neither affirmation or denial. It was another strange adjustment the general population had to make.

Shou Fuwa, seemed to have run himself into a funk. His grades the first semester nose dove into less than sparkling waters and his running, as a result, paid for it. To keep up his impeccable reputation he'd taken up self-study, but there was something utterly infuriating about the task and the tediousness of having no one to simply explain things when he didn't get them. He spent a good portion of his scheduled time for running, studying instead. The long nights he pulled in order to substantiate his understanding of his studies yanked at the already tightly wound chain that was his stability. He was getting tired. No one could tell, he was confident, but his scores were lower, his pace was slower. The carefully tended flame of his ego was diminishing with each passing day it felt. Regardless of the dime a dozen girls that threw endless praises in order to stoke the stubborn flame, it had begun to ice over. Ever since she left, he'd been a tad lack luster, his closest fangirls noticed a slight dimming effect, but instead blamed it on highschool stress.

The pseudo blonde teen stood in front of the posted exam scores and grit his teeth heavily as one name trumped his defiantly.

Mogami Kyoko

Fuwa Shou

She'd gained herself a name in their school after her outrageous declaration of revenge. "Yousei"- they called her, a nickname coined after Nick recounted the sight of her running to the freshman newbies on the track team. He had emphasized her focus, the sheer bliss she displayed when she ran as being the cousin of flight. So at peace, so untouchable. He'd scoffed and the god damn American had glared over the tops of the rest of his team members, finding his gaze and locking it in place as he spoke his next warning.

"You could All learn a thing or two about dedication from that girl. Her running completely gives over the individual to the action. Her place is there, though she won't be joining us this year for personal reasons, I intend to convince the "sprite" of her participation in our team next season." The word confused a good number of the other's as to what Nick was referring to with the English spoken word, but Shou knew. He knew of sprites and fairies, kings and queens, princesses, princes all of that garbage Kyoko had fed him about her dreamy notions. He got the reference and his indignation with the captain of their team increased with his implication of the girl in such terms.

"Sp-uh-rai-tuh?" A shorter chestnut haired male in front of him asked and Nick laughed, looking away from Shou.

"Uh, ah what's the word for it? A- a…" He trailed off for a moment then tapped a fist against his other palm.

"Yousei"

And so the nickname had stuck. The furtiveness of it decreased though as the "sightings" began to occur. Instances when she was running late or when she needed to think, she'd be on the run. It was even rumored that sometimes she'd be caught running the track of their campus toward the dusk of twilight. She'd be there and then- she'd disappear, her flight was evanescent, and so she became known as the sprite of Ohara High.

He told himself he didn't care.

And he didn't. However she spent her days was of no consequence to him, so Shou buried the niggling ache in his chest at night and fought through the nostalgic burn everytime he let his body fall into proper stance. Her words ghosting over his conscience, haunting his movements as he sprang forth from starting position. Her voice, whispering through his memory.

Crouch low.

Breathe, slow and steady.

Close out the world. Your movement fluid.

Nothing else matters

because you can fly.

The mantra was his prayer, he said it in his head before every race, at every practice to substitute her voice. But he didn't let himself think it was because of her, because she had left.

because it wasn't.

It wasn't that at all.

His gaze drifted lazily through the throng of his peers, particularly his female fans as they herded around him excitedly. He used to love this part of the day, well he still did, but somehow the girls seemed much more annoying than he had remembered. One always fighting with another over who'd walk his way home with him, yanking his sinewy limbs this way and that all the while ranting in that yipping tone. Jesus, Christ he was going to lose it if this puppy didn't let go of his damn sleeve.

"SHOU-CHAN WANTS TO WALK HOME WITH ME!" Her high screech grated his nerves and he yanked his limbs from the two bickering dogs, before either could say anything.

"I'm not going home today." He grunted, stomping off without a second glance as the two called after him. He slung his pack over his shoulder as he languidly made his way to the track field. He was particularly restless today, all he wanted was to run. He needed to get himself away from his thoughts.

The hill to the track loomed before him before he knew it and the blonde grinned slightly to himself, intent on sprinting up the damn thing. Call it a warm-up. Unfortunately, near vertical sprinting isn't exactly the smartest way to go about things after he'd skipped lunch. He pressed on regardless his muscles burning with that welcomed ache that numbed his mind and filled his veins with the slight elation of demi flight.

Reaching the apex of the hill all too soon, the boy was tempted to collapse on the lush grass of the field. He was stopped though. By a sight he all but abhorred.

In the thousand some odd students attending his school, Shou questioned incredulously why it had to be her he just happened to stumble upon. It had been months since they'd seen eachother. In fact, he didn't even recognize the form of this girl. She seemed to assured, so definite in nature. So independent the way she defied the limits of her body, pushed readily against the struggling gusts of winter breath that whipped around her semi-long copper mane and swept her lithe limbs through that same gust as if she were a seagull riding down that current of air.

As if she were flying.

For a brief moment Shou didn't feel anything but the dull pang in his chest as his own brown orbs came up and locked onto the pulsing gold of her eyes. They gleamed brightly in the sun and the most miraculous thing happened then. A mere twitch of the lips and then a full blown upturn that belied her joy.

She smiled. Brightly. She was happy. About what, he didn't know but her face was split with that same grin as she paused in her strides abruptly and fished something from the back pocket of her tight fit jeans. A small device procured in her hand was lighting and buzzing, shooting out some sort of soft tinkling.

A cell phone. He realized as she picked up said phone. He felt slightly jarred by this new discovery, she hadn't had a phone even when she was by his side, so then what did she need it for now? The question irked him and he found himself sidling closer, staying close to the tree line to avoid being seen. Best not to make contact, she was no doubt a vicious species.

Leaning against the tall oak, he pressed himself closer and picked up on her excitable talking.

"You know I wouldn't pass up a chance to see you again this week!" She gushed into the light purple device a wide smile lighting her features and a light flush of rose dusting her cheeks just enough that he could tell it wasn't because of her exercise. Shou's fists clenched at his sides and he fought to regulate his now harsh breathing.

"I can't wait until tonight. No, stop teasing me!" She giggled frivously into her cell, waving a hand at the semi-present person on the other line. Laughing for a moment she grinned and nodded to herself.

"Got it, I'll make sure I wear that… I know how you adore it." She giggled again in a flirtatious voice Shou had never heard coil her tone. He grit his teeth, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he took a step from the tree break and advanced on the oblivious girl. She ended the call with a sweet farewell and a meaningful look at the cells screen, her eyes soft and mouth sweet with the promise of meeting someone.. new.

He hadn't realized he'd gotten within such a distance to her until he was hovering just outside her realm of motion. The shadow that passed over the smiling gals head then alerted her to the presence of someone. The smile still plastered on her face she turned to the person behind her a blinding grin on her face and an apology on her lips. She wouldn't be joining any sort of clubs this semester aga-

Her eyes locked with that familiar hazelnut brown and the elation of her short phone call evaporated instantly. Her gaze flamed briefly before it died down to a less intimidating simmer. Her jaw set firmly and the copper-haired girl, without a word whipped around in the opposite direction briskly gliding away on the balls of her feet- ever the portrait of elegance.

She was a good twenty steps from his god forsaken presence, before something halted her movement. His rough grip on her upper arm constricted and he yanked her back into his form, forcing her to stumble backwards in a moment of shock. Her eyes widened before her pupils shrank infinitesimally, they were slits she was sure by then.

Who did this bleached Casanova knock-off punk think he was?

Kyoko caustic with the already escalating anger that boiled beneath her skin, didn't spare a moment to steady herself and instead turned into the arrogant boy. He brought her in just close enough and she forced her palms flat against his collar, shoving him violently from her.

The sneer that twisted her lips as she gazed at him, was much, much different than the smile she'd been showing to someone else just before. Shou felt all the calamity of that fact hit him square in the chest and infuriated he wished to throw this discontent back at her.

They stood at a stalemate, no words had even been exchanged yet and already this was a full out war. Then again, Shou should have thought twice about expecting anything less than just that. This girl had gone stark raving mad, had declared revenge. On him. It was laughable.

Because she was winning.

Just like that, she broke his weighted gaze with a derisive scoff and the swish of her hair was the ballad that played her out.

It wasn't over yet, not if he could help it. So he resorted to the only thing he knew.

"Thought you'd learned from your stupidity little Kyoko." He drawled, a hateful smirk adorning that pretty face of his.

Belittling her.

Kyoko paused, midstep and swung back on her heel, cocking to one side to address the boy. She merely glared at him and bit her tongue to avoid falling into his idiotic trap. He was trying to bait her, she knew.

"Love. Thought you'd said you'd learned just how fucking pointless it is. Especially for you." He jabbed unflinchingly, his steps bringing him closer to her.

"What the hell are you going on about?" Her gruff question hung in the air as Shou circled her like a vulture. He smirked haughtily and flitted his perfect, thin fingers through the wispy strands of hair that fell about her neck. Her face blanked as he advanced again, invading her personal space. His breath shelled hot, over the cusp of her cartilage and he whispered his insults gruffly into her head.

"Stupid girls, will be stupid I guess. Eh, Kyoko? Do you honestly find so much pleasure in slaving yourself for someone else. You know if you miss it that much. I'd be willing to take you b-ACK!" The whisper was stomped out violently by the well aimed heel of the copper-haired teen. Shou cussed colorfully as he hopped to and fro in pain. She stomped on his toe, oh fuck it hurt like hell.

The furious beauty growled and shoved the prone boy again, landing him flat on his ass before she squatted over his fallen form and fisted both ends of his collar in her dainty hands. She sneered loathingly at him and an odd fact occurred to Shou just then as his childhood friend became suddenly close and personal about her point.

Kyoko was disturbingly hot when she was mad.

"Listen here you blabbering imbecile. I have absolutely no idea what the hell you're talking about so stop wasting my time and your own. We're done here, Shotaro." Her commanding tone was a slight turn on and even with that acknowledgement Shou was veritably pissed with her dismissal after months of not seeing eachother.

"What about your God damn revenge? Hah Kyoko? D'jya Chicken out when you figured you couldn't win?" He grinned triumphantly, but miscalculated his jibe as the girl grinned back at him all the grudges and cold calculation of that smile injecting ice into his veins.

"As I recall Shoutaro, I've been quite fruitful in my own prospects, or have you forgotten Mr. Secondplace?" She grinned manically as his own expression fell into an undeniable frustration.

With that she pulled away and gathered her duffle. Tapping on her normal shoes she made her way from the still seated male throwing an extra warning his way in the form of a one finger symbol over her head.

The boy gawked in disbelief as the girl strode away her hips swinging naturally with her stride.

When the hell had his childhood friend become such a badass?

If not for that piece of sh- crap's deterrence she wouldn't have been running fifteen minutes behind schedule for her night shift at L07EM3. She'd stumbled across the bar after job hunting for weeks in those early months of self funding. The owner was a notorious playboy, but he was willing to hire her for her reasons and really wasn't so bad now that she knew him.

Kijima Hidehito

27 years old.

He'd been the number one host for years in Osaska's Namba district and after some sort of falling out with the clubs owner he'd taken his savings and opened this bar. She'd never asked any other details of his life, other than what he himself had divulged, but Kyoko knew he wasn't a bad guy. Unlike her retarded childhood friend, her boss was less of a total assface to the girls he went out with, and most often his ex's stayed friends with him.

Her steps sounded harshly against the slightly damp pavement of the dark Kyoto alleyway as she ruffled through her duffle again and procured the key to the back door he'd awarded her, well aware of her need to change after school.

The lock jangled open with a bit of urging on her part and she swung the door opened quickly scaring the living spirit out of the poor man passing innocently in front of it.

Speak of the devil.

"You're late Kyoko-chan." He deadpanned and she grinned sheepishly a slight tinge to her cheeks as he crossed his arms.

"Gomen, Hidehito-san I-"

"Kyoooooko-chan, how many times must I tell you it's Kijima. You make me feel like an old man." He whined pitifully and she giggled lightly, taking that as a sign that she was forgiven for her tardiness.

She hurried into the locker rooms she shared with two other coworkers'. Two whom she'd grown to love dearly after the months they'd spent together. Slipping her tight black mini on over her bright pink tights she grinned to herself as she recalled the conversation from earlier with one of said beloved women.

"Mo, what took you so long?" The irritated voice of her best friend filtered through the line and her expression brightened immediately.

"Gomenasai Moko-san, I was in the middle of exercising, and didn't notice."

"Hmph, so you go off and exercise alone after feeding me all those godforsaken sweets last week. You are going to make me fat and stay skinny!" She berated her and Kyoko laughed.

"Mo, anyway Chiori told me you'll be covering her shift tonight? You sure about that? Friday nights are hell." Her friend warned her good naturedly, Kyoko smiled warmly at proof of her friend's affection.

"You know I wouldn't pass up a chance to see you again this week!" She exclaimed to the other and she could tell Kanae was blushing by her sputtered response.

"Y-you stupid girl! That isn't what I was saying!"

"I can't wait until tonight." The ginger-haired girl giggled into the cell, elated at getting to spend time with the black haired beauty again.

"Mo I might just call-in today for that!" She threatened her playful tone clearly ringing through. Kyoko pleaded with her friend.

"No, stop teasing me!" They'd hardly gotten to see each other the previous week because of their mismatched schedules.

"Humph, whatever. Remember not to wear that god-awful ankle-skirt this time. It makes you look like a Yankee, don't think you can get out of the standard pink tights. If I've got to wear them, so do you!" Kanae grumbled over the line and over the tinkling sound of her friends giggling.

"Got it, I'll make sure I wear that… I know how you adore it." Kyoko teased referring to the mini skirt her friend had picked out for her last week on a shopping trip of theirs. Kanae sputtered into the phone and complained indignantly of the way she'd phrased the statement.

"Mo, you make me sound like some dirty pervert." She grumbled and Kyoko laughed good naturedly into her hand.

"I will see you tonight Kyoko. Don't be late, that stupid man gets so fussy if you aren't here on time." Kyoko smiled at that. Hidehito-san always got so worried over her, especially when she worked at nights. Kanae on more than one occasion implied that he may have a thing for her, but Kyoko didn't think that to be true, rather to her he seemed to be projecting to some sort of brotherly protectiveness over her. She reasoned this to herself because of their very glaring age difference, but also because he was a very obvious playboy and the man undeniably had a swagger of his own. If he wanted a woman, she was sure it wouldn't be anyone of her caliber.

With a small content sigh she bid her lovely friend farewell promising to not bring any deadly sweets, and to travel safely.

Her friend was so wonderful, always so bashfully worrying for her. She knew very well Kanae was a rough around the edges girl, but what mattered was still very clear to her. She had been the first person of the same sex, excluding Okaa-san who had berated her of the dangers of working the times she did. Who pressed her, regardless of their unfamiliarity at the time to spill out her heavy burdens and relieve just a bit of the sadness that twisted her lips unknowingly.

And when she had, the black haired beauty had breathed harshly and bent forward, the barrier that was Kyoko's hesitance and Kanae's stubbornness had caved bringing her gently into the arms of the softly crying woman. The normally borderline stoic woman had cracked along with her voice and she spoke in a nasally grumble, affected slightly by her own tears.

"It's hard. You've had it hard. But you're brave, and you'll make it. I know you will, because you rush through those doors, day in and day out and stumble to school the next morning, never even considering that you may need a break, but never giving in and it's something both of us understand Kyoko, we know. And we worry, because you need to slow down. You're pushing yourself. " The small girl had tremble within the comfort of her friends arms and had nodded obediently, tears gathering in the corners of her bloodshot eyes. She'd been on her forth sleepless night, when the exhaustion had finally dumped all its weight upon her, tossing her, slight and frail onto the ground; confining her to a consciousless state without her even feeling the anticipation of faint.

Her adoration of the cool beauty had started then, only trumped by her appreciation of Kanae's supreme effectiveness and professional attitude in her work place. She was the most popular bartender there, and though she blamed it on her beauty, Kyoko and everyone else in the building was well aware that it was the knockout combination of her attitude, skill and impeccable appearance that made the customers slaves to her serving.

Tying the small apron around her front Kyoko then bent to lace the high heeled boots on her dainty feet. Dressing up always took her a few extra moments, unlike the her co-workers she was indeed still very illegally working here. She intended to do whatever she could to ensure that her employer would never be prosecuted for hiring her. If that meant dressing in a manner she never would and adopting an entirely foreign countenance during her job, so be it.

Sliding the fake piercings into place, Kyoko looked at herself through the dependable presence of the mirror in front of her. She felt so foreign to her own appearance, a few altercations to her normal appearance and she was an entirely different person. But she felt the tell tale signs of recognition, enthused by her strawberry blonde locks. Sighing again she opened her locker and pulled out the extremely high quality wig that Hidehito-san had given to her early on, when she relayed her worries to him.

Slipping the cap over her head and tightening the secure combs at the back, Kyoko slid the particularly stubborn pieces of hair into place with her trusty comb. A touch of hair spray and some stylistic improvisation and she was complete.

Gazing back into the bright golden gaze of her reflection, Kyoko lowered her eyelids into a hazy half interested gaze, cocking her hip to the right and flipping her long platinum locks over her shoulder hotly. Tossing her packed belongings back into the locker, the girl gave a rough flick of her wrist and the metal box closed with a jarring slam.

The completely unrecognizable adaption of character glided, feral, from the dressing room and upon exit locked gazes with her startled employer. She gave him a sultry twist of the lips and glided past him.

Kijima told himself, time and time again, because he was aware that this was her way of getting through work best, that this was a persona she was ACTING AS, that the things she did to his heart were not purposeful. It was enough to give him, the prone older man he was, a god damn heart attack, but, he reasoned, if it helped the poor thing, than so be it.

The beat of her heels clicking along the polished floors resounded through the back hallway of the bar and throwing the "Employee's Only" door open the woman that paraded through her steps solidified. With a swift flick of her gaze toward the sassy bartender, she nodded in affirmation to the girl's brief smirk and picked up her first order at the meal window. Scanning the ticket quickly, she trashed it and slid the hot plates onto a tray, lifting easily and sashaying toward the noted table.

Reaching the small booth she accosted the speech of the two men easily with her approach. Shifting her weight onto one of her heeled feet and leaning just slightly toward the two very obvious college boys, tray still balanced evenly above her head.

"Order's up." She breathed easily, with that same fiery smirk. The two men sputtered in a rush to state their own orders and she gave a slow sultry laugh as she slid their orders in front of each of them without any prompting. They stared a little bewildered and she smirked again.

"You- "she pointed dauntingly at the taller of the two. An athletic looking male with light brown hair and a blush that said everything about his gaze was anything but decent, but nonetheless making an attempt.

"Were here last week, and ordered the same thing." With that she tucked her tray underneath her arm and swiveled on her heels, throwing a smoldering gaze over her shoulder she spoke.

"Enjoy your meal boys." She made the implication very clear that she viewed them very closely with children. Helped to staunch any of their unnecessary interest with her work persona. God knew, inside her own body the small fervently traditional teen railed against such behavior, but it brought business. And lots of it. She couldn't deny as much especially with the following whispers from the men as she left.

"My god I didn't believe you. She's a babe. Nakatsu, how in the hell did you manage to find this place?"

"Noe C'mon, she's kind of becoming a living legend. Remember Nanba- sempai. He told me about this place a few weeks ago, said it was great and the girls that worked here were a-plus. And when he told me about her, the waitress he couldn't woo, I had to see it."

"You'd think he'd quit messing around after going off to college, but noooo. Jeez, do you even know her name?"

"Pshhhh of course, what do you think I am?"

"An idiot." The shorter male deadpanned. The other huffed in response and gulped down a portion of his drink.

"In any case her name's-

"Setsuka! Order on 3-B" The familiar gruff bark of her best friend snapped her from her slow departure, and suddenly her stride was back and her character weighted like lead in her veins. Setsuka was cool and calm, never faltering and she wouldn't be ruffled by some little boys fawning over her.

The tall pseudo blonde, strode evenly forward- her balance impeccable once more as she dipped gracefully to collect her burden. She lifted the thin tray above her shoulder, eyeing the decanter of Finnish Whiskey. It was quite the pricey brand and whoever had ordered it must've been quite the spender considering he bought the entire thing. Spotting the pair from before, ogling her backside as her hips swung in her natural stride, Setsuka smirked as she reached the specified 3-B.

Fawn all they want, she was in no way inclined to give one single shi-

SHIT.

Kyoko fell back into her body with a force so cataclysmic that she physically staggered backward on the stiletto heels anchored to her small feet. She could feel the sweat build dangerously on her brow, her fingers twitched below the tray and her breath simply wouldn't expel from her permanently bloated lungs.

She wanted to run, to hide. To take flight and reclaim that ankle skirt, and definitely a much more conservative top then the corset ordeal she was bearing. Anything to hide her from those intrusive emerald eyes that had yet to look up from grading his papers at the small booth.

Stalled in her fright she glanced behind her to gauge the distance between herself and the bar, which she could most definitely take cover behind. In her measure though she locked gazes with her boss, and he offered a concerned tip of the head at her hesitance. Kyoko tensed in her shoes and deliberated the stakes of running now.

Shaking her head defiantly at her fear she smiled back at Kijima and closed her eyes for a moment, taking a breath.

You are at work! Setsuka is at work! He will not recognize you! He does not know you!

She took a shaky step forward and let Setsuka resume her place amongst her thoughts.

Her stride evened immediately with a sort of aloof arrogance and the afflicting sound of her heels clacking against the polished floors snapped the older man from his work. He turned up to regard her kindly, a smile stretching his handsome features as she arrived to deliver his order. Every intention to be a gentleman at all times- she scoffed at such a man- or at least Setsuka did.

Somehow her character gave her a certain confidence that she was in the clear, the man wasn't even looking at her through that very fake smile of his. Setsuka, without speaking a word swung the tray to waist height and slid his personal decanter onto the table- offhandedly wondering what was driving the man to such a debilitating bottle. Sliding his accompanying tumbler off the tray, she broke the seal deftly on his bottle pouring a small amount of personal poison into the glass.

It was then that she felt it, sharp and heated on her skin- like the fierce crack of a whip her spine tingled at the striking presence of those emerald orbs. It was like they were shooting beams of heat at her; the waves fluctuated and burned holes in her miniscule skirt and top. Sliding obscenely from the sultry image of her bent over backside, to the graceful dip of her back, to the barely concealed contours of her back, all the way up her pallid neck and through her pseudo blonde strands. She could feel his gaze travel lazily over her and when she bent back upward, tray in hand, she confronted the somewhat frightening half lidded gaze of her home room teacher. She shivered unconsciously and the image of her respected teacher shattered with a purely immoral twist of his lips. Feeling her eyes widen impossibly in their sockets Kyoko took an uncomfortable step backwards her body unexplainably feverish. She breathed slowly and plastered on her default "guest-face" as she poised her tray in front of her and her posture straightened.

"Enjoy your meal sir, if you need anything else feel free to ask." She spoke curtly and spun quickly on her heels intent on stomping away from this obviously ravenous beast. She had no idea what was inciting such a look from the man, but she didn't intend to stick around to find out.

She was half a step in her retreat when a firm grip on her wrist accosted her movement.

"Actually. There is something else I'd like to know…-" His unnecessarily husky voice paused at a loss for her name.

"S-Setsuka!" Kyoko provided very shakily, not looking the man in the eyes, far to thrown off by his looming height and the speed at which he'd snuck up on her.

"Ah, Setsuka-chan. I'd like to know when you get off work." His husky voice hummed through her bones and quaked her fibrillating heart. She sucked in a gasp and turned slightly, she beckoned the presence of her other self like a desperate rain dancer.

Called forth, the essence of Setsuka slid easily into her master and snatched her wrist back immediately from the hungry beast in front of her. How annoying.

"That customer-san, is none of your business." She flaunted effortlessly, flicking a wristful of her soft blonde locks behind her shoulder. She fixed her even golds on his own emerald gaze and smirked at his still hooded orbs.

"In plus Sensei, is this really a place you should be caught flirting with girls." Setsu added with a well aimed jibe if the way his arm tensed and partially flinched from her body, was any indication. Seeing it as a victory the sultry girl sashayed from the man, unaware of the fatal mistake she'd made. Before she could travel far the same firm grip accosted her elbow this time, spinning her around with a hint of force.

Ready to open her mouth and unleash a string of hellish comments on the persistent man, Setsu was quieted as a sense of dread crept through Kyoko's body.

The sight she was greeted with was neither burning hunger, nor fear. It was- well it was demonic. His eyes bore unforgiving into her, his face darkened by the angle of the overhead light and his seething anger. She felt her legs tremble just slightly as the man's grip clamped down unforgiving as he glared down into her soul.

"I will be waiting till your shift ends. We have much to talk about, Mogami-san." All the hellfire and brimstone of hell seemed to be promised in the statement,

and in the ferocity of his anger Kyoko was very sure she would be grilled over said fire.

Uh OH, the demon that is angry Ren has been unleashed.

Will Kyoko face a torched death by a tsuruga-style grilling, or will she make her heroic getaway?

TBC

AGH SO I COMPLETELY FORGOT TO MENTION:

The little tidbit about the player and the boyish girl, last chapter was a reference to another of Nakamura-sensei's works. Kudos if you can guess it, or rather if you got it. Oh and in case you were wondering the character Nick isn't actually an OC he's in the manga for all of like a page, but he's THERE! If you fellow SB-tards recall the foreign model who worked with Ren at the photoshoot right before the karuizawa/Reino arc- yeeeayuh that's him. He's sort of OC i guess though since I had to just kind of go with it, but WHATEVER I TAKE WHAT I CAN GET.

OH AND ALSO-

I will be including little breif episodes or appearances of characters from other manga's like in chapter 5. [haha there is one in this chapter] If you can guess right, you can contribute or request an appearance of one of your fav characters. ;)

And this isn't just for shits'n gigs it actually helps me stay pretty entertained myself while writing, so win win yeah?

SID