Junjou Innocence

Chapter 2

Junjou Innocence | Chapter #2 | Eri

I am mad.

Wait, no. I'm beyond mad. I. Am. Boiling.

Dammit, sensei! Where's the manuscript you promised me?! I questioned myself mentally. I knew that Usami-sensei can fall into one of his moods and miss deadlines part of the time, but he's missed the deadline by almost forty eight hours! He knew what I'm like when he does things like that. That is when I become-as Sensei calls it-the 'Devil to Man.' I don't go beserk because I was born that way. I just get fired up because I'm serious about my job.

But, of course, being Usami-sensei's editor had it's perks. I occassionally talk to him on a daily basis, help him with smutty parts of his books, and get to see Misaki. Misaki is so cute, he and Sensei were just made for each other. Not to mention that Misaki makes me his famous stew-Lord knows that I couldn't cook to save a soul.

Hmm....maybe if I asked him he would make me lunch. Ohohoho, what a delicious thought!

As I came up the stairs I noticed that Sensei's door wasn't locked but ajar. Weird, there was no way that Sensei left his home and Misaki was usually thorough when locking the door. I entered the home and nearly fell flat on my face. Whose pink suitcases were those?! But they were cute, I admitted to myself, because of the small bear identification tags attached. But whose were they?

No one was in sight.

"Leave me alone!" I heard a high pitched voice from the above floor of Usami-sensei's penthouse and saw a girl wearing a beautiful, colorful kimono that I would never be able to buy with my salary. Two others appeared behind her, but she ignored them.

"Kaoruko!" Sensei called out.

Misaki was right behind him. He appeared confused. "Kaoruko, we're sorry if we upset you-"

"Go-ahhh!" The girl with ebony-like hair and the kimono slipped on the step descending down to where I was at. I saw her eyes widened and her lips parted. Her body seemed to somehow float, the colorful fabric spreading out like a dove's wings or a bird in flight. Unfortunately, I didn't think this bird could fly.

I didn't care if I was wearing a woman's suit or high heels, I darted up those stairs. Everything seemed to have gone in slow motion. I grabbed the girl as she came down and held her against me. My knees wobbled a bit but I caught her before she could hurt herself. At first I thought she passed out from shock, but her thick lashed eyes fluttered open. They were a dark, rich brown color like bitter chocolate and wideset, but her face was composed as if she had almost expected me to catch her. The girl-Kaoruko, was her name?-blinked. Her manicured fingers like claws dug into my clothes. She held onto me like a cat on a post.

"Are you alright?" I asked in a soft manner, afraid to scare her.

Kaoruko looked around and up at my face. "Um, yes." I was surprised. Even her voice was composed. "I am fine, thank you for asking."

I saw Misaki and Usami-sensei frozen at the top of the stairs, having nothing to do. "Aikawa, when did you get here?" Misaki asked.

"Just now." I glared at Sensei. "And YOU. Where's the manuscript?"

Sensei wore his usual suit and reading glasses. He shrugged and raised his hands. "It's not finished."

"GO FINISH IT IT'S ALMOST TWO DAYS OVERDO!" I ordered sternly.

"Alright, fine..."

Misaki went into the kitchen island. "I'll make you two tea," he said.

I carred the girl to the couch and set her down. Surprisingly she was light. And pretty. She looked like a pretty doll with her hair and makeup and kimono-the only thing that didn't fit right was her small pouty lips. Someone should turn that mouth upside down.

I decided to introduce myself. "Hello, my name is Eri Aikawa. I am Usami-sensei's editor." I sat down on the couch beside her. "And, you are?"

Her posture was magnigicent, with her hands folded neatly in her lap. Her eyes flicked to me. "I am his cousin, Kaoruko Usami. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said with a small nod.

"I see."

Misaki came in with two cups of tea and gave one to me and Kaoruko. She daintly sipped from it and Misaki sat across from us in a different chair. He put on a smile. "Kaoruko, I'm sorry if we did anything to upset you," he apologized.

"......I forgive you, Misaki," Kaoruko accepted stiffly. Just what were they arguing about?

I drink from my cup and look up the stairs-where I hoped that Sensei worked on his manuscript at. As I did so I felt dark eyes watch me. I turned and saw Kaoruko gazing at me, her lips pressed in a hard line.

"Is something wrong?" I ask.

Her gaze was steady. "The way you drink tea is not lady-like."

Misaki coughed on some water he drank. "Eh? Um, Kaoruko there's no reason to point out small flaws like that...."

"And what exactly's wrong with how I drink my tea?" I retorted with a polite smile.

"You're squeezing the handle too tightly," she said. She held up her own cup. "Try it like mine."

I suddenly heard a beeping from my phone. I whipped it out and checked a reminder. "Oh yes, I have to go get a manuscript being mailed into the post office," I said and got up from the couch.

"Will you be coming back?" Misaki asked.

"Yes, for Sensei's manuscript-"

"I'll go with you." I'm startled when Kaoruko abrubtly stood from the couch. She set her cup down delicately on the wooden table. "I need a break from here."

Misaki's shoulders fell a bit, but he smiled lightly. "But Kaoruko, you just got here didn't you?!"

"Yes, but I feel like accompanying Miss Aikawa to the post office," she sniffed.

I slowly picked up my bag and exited the penthouse with a girl I barely knew who followed me behind. Since when did I become a babysitter?!