𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 -𝘼 𝙃𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘-

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔

For two weeks, I have been working with Dr. Hatori, but now that the funeral is over, I must also work on my wedding plans. They want a western one, but I had wanted a traditional one. They insist on sakura blossoms for a spring wedding, and I can't stand either of those things. We don't seem to be able to come to any compromises.

I let out a worried sigh as I stack up paperwork. Weddings have never been my forte, neither was the planning of them. That's why I wanted it to be simple and traditional. "Yuihiso, someone's knocking on the door. Will you get that?"

"Huh! Oh, sure." I snap out of my frustrated trail of thought. "I'll go get that."

"TORI-SAN! IT'S MEEEEE, AYA!" I hear someone saying in a sing-song voice from the other side of the door. Wearily I open it to behold a very pale and very shiny person on the other side.

"You're not Tori-san! But you're not a maid either, who are you?" He gawks at me.

After the initial blinding that came from him standing in direct sunlight, I get a better look at the man. He looks other-worldly like he stepped off the set of some K-Drama that takes place in a fantasy world.

"Are you here to see Dr. Hatori? Do you have an appointment?" I blink rapidly, trying not to stare at him for too long.

"Why would I need to have an appointment to see my beloved!" He waves his arms around in a dramatic way. "NOW! You shall take me to Tori-san, and in return, I'll give you free fashion advice! Warning, you're doing it all wrong."

As he storms into the house, I follow in suit, stopping in front of the mirror. I can't be that awful looking. "TORI-SAN, I HAVE MISSED YOU SOOOOO MUCH!"

I run back into the work area to see one of the most painful encounters go down in my life. "Well, I haven't Ayame, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see my precious, Tori-san! Nothing wrong with that!" He gushes, wrapping his arms around Dr. Hatori, making him look extremely uncomfortable. "I wanted to let you know all that's been happening to me, but I couldn't just do it over the phone!"

"Yes, you could have." Dr. Hatori sighs.

"No, I couldn't have!" He whines.

"Ayame, I have a lot of work to do. I don't have time for your rambling, so you need to leave. Go see Shigure or something like that." Dr. Hatori pulls the lengthy man's arms off of him and gets back to his computer. "I'm a busy man Ayame. I don't have time for nonsense."

"But I wanted to ask you out for lunch! And then we could have had bonding time!" Ayame says, flopping down on the ground, pretending to cry.

"Maybe later."

"What about her?" He looks over to me, which ends up embarrassing me because I've been watching this whole scene go down. "Can I take her to lunch?"

"Do you even know who she is?" The Docter has a point. This man didn't introduce himself to me, nor have I to him. "Well?"

"Of course, I do! She's Ms. Shabby-Fashion-Sense!" Wow. Just, wow.

"Excuse me! I have a name!" I speak up. "And my fashion sense isn't shabby. It's just normal workwear."

"Whatever you say, Ms. Shabby-Fashion-Sense! So, can I take her out to lunch? I'd love to give her a whole new look. She'd look good in pink, no! Purple! Gasp, like royalty."

What a rambling fool. And besides, don't I have a say in whether or not I go out to lunch with you? You aren't exactly giving off the friendliest impressions. "I don't think Yuihiso wants to go out to lunch with you. Besides, she also has a lot of work to do, and I'll need her to be here later when I have to take Akito to an appointment."

"I'll have her back before then! Oh, Yuihiso, was that your name? I feel sorry for you, such a depressing name." If my Dad was the Arctic Circle to me at the funeral, this guy is the magma of Mt. Fuji.

"Listen here, buddy. I don't want to go to lunch with you. And I have no intention of letting you give me a new "fashion sense". And if you make another rude comment towards me, I will snap you in two!" I hiss, snapping my pencil, which I had been sharpening, in half.

Dang, only two weeks into my job, and I'm going to get fired. I shouldn't have snapped at Ayame. He's stupid, that's all, nothing personal, I'm sure.

"Wow, feisty. I like this girl, Tori-san."

My face drops in disbelief. While Dr. Hatori facepalms in the most violent way possible. "You can't be serious."

"Darrr-ling! I'm always serious." Who is this guy? Why is he hanging around Dr. Hatori? Why is he so, so egotistic! Why is it this guy acts like that cliche gay friend from all those rom-coms?

"Ayame, I think it would be best if you left and came back another day. We don't have time for this nonsense." Dr. Hatori advises. He looks very weary as if he knows that if this guy stays here any longer, Ayame would say something that shouldn't be said. Well, more than what he's already said.

"But-"

"Please." I've never seen Dr. Hatori have such an expression on his face. And it's too hard for me to even being to explain, to comprehend what it is.

"I understand, Tori-san. I'll leave." Ayame begins to leave, but I feel bad about letting him go when he came all this way.

"Ayame, I would love to go to lunch with you." I pipe up. It's either this or I go back to the house because I forgot to bring my lunch. And I should try to give this guy a chance.

"Really? Would you do that? You'd come to lunch with me!" His whole face lights up, like a child looking at a candy store.

"Yeah, why not." I force a smile onto my face. "If that's fine with you, Doctor?"

"You two go on, enjoy yourselves." He nods.

"Wonderful! I'm going to take you to my favorite restaurant, and then I'll take you shopping for better clothes. You definitely could use some." He links my arm with his and steers me out of the work area.

I can't help but laugh as I watch Dr. Hatori roll his eyes as we leave.