Hello!

Thanks for clicking into this story. I'm already gracious as it is And I Hate You So was written a couple of years ago, and recently has been revised, just a little, so that it would make more sense. I really hope that you'll enjoy the fic, and leave me a review on the way!

-kck

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

And I Hate You So - Chapter 1

Mimi woke up early in the morning to the sound of the fax. She rubbed her eyes groggily and waited for the fax to finish. She was having a great dream. She was flying. Over the clouds and away from all the problems. She was free. Only to be crash-landed by that blasted fax.

With practically all her strength, she sat up from the warm bed and pulled the quilt away. The cold air around her immediately made their way into her, causing her to shiver and goosebumps to appear, and finally, caused her to sneeze.

Taking a nearby coat from a chair in her messy room, Mimi walked over to the fax machine, stepping over books, pens and some clothes. With her outstretched hand, she reached for the thin fax paper. "Company had cut off your power."

"What?!" Mimi cried. Just to test that it was true, she reached for the light and tuned it on. It refused to even blink. "Oh great. Just great." She fumbled in her large leather phone book.

"Yes, the electricity company?...Yes I was wondering why you cut off my power...Mimi Tachikawa...Yes, that's right...What?! I owe $700? Are you joking?...Alright alright. How long will it take then?...You gotta be kidding me..."

Mimi sat herself comfortably on the café chair. She came to this café everyday since what seems like forever. It sort of became a tradition, coming here every single morning. "I feel so old." She muttered under her breath. Mimi Tachikawa was already 22 years old and a successful writer. Not for a book, although she had written one, but for a newspaper - the Morning Daily. She only occupied a small column everyday, but even so, people all over the city read her articles. She wrote about anything in life: her own life, the ups and downs and anything that she felt like at the time. She earned just enough money each week to pay off her rent, and enjoy some entertainment and leisure with her friends.

"A flat white please. Thanks." Mimi said to the waitress. Pretty soon, her coffee was delivered in a mug.

Taking a sip, she opened her black laptop, and immediately started typing. Bad Luck, by Mimi Tachikawa.

What bad luck. My power got cut. I have no heat, and no light. I even forgot to save my columns, so they were all gone.

There seems to be a local saying, "to step on guano." Have you ever worn your favourite shoes one day, the newest, prettiest shoes ever, only to step in a soft pile? If so, then you understand...
After she had finished, she made sure that she saved it this time. Smiling, she moved her hand to close the laptop, and promptly knocked the cup of coffee onto the ground, making a loud crash. Mimi sighed, looking at the mess of the floor. "This is just not my day."
At last, she was out of that office. Mimi was walking back, on the cell phone with her friend, Kari, telling her about all her bad luck, and the power cut. Kari was a good friend and was also the part time photographer working for the Morning Daily. Even though she was years younger, she was already going steady with her boyfriend, Davis and yet, Mimi had never found anyone suitable. Greg, her current boyfriend was okay, helping her out sometimes when she needed it, but he was also a pain in the ass sometimes. She also had an ex, but tries to forget him and pretended that he didn't exist.

Hanging up with Kari, Mimi passed a junk shop, and stopped suddenly. She felt as if something was pulling her into it. Without struggling, she walked over and pushed open the old green door. As she walked in, chimes sounded, signalling a customer and potential buyer. The place was full of old odds and ends - chipped plates, old chimes, clocks and quite simply, junk. At the far side of the room, the shopkeeper turned around.

She was a middle-aged woman, with short, cropped black hair and thick square glasses. "Can I help you?" her squeaky voice emitted from bright red painted lips.

"No thanks," Mimi replied. "I'm unlucky today - I might break something."

The lady smiled. "Then I'll sell it to you cheaper."

Mimi raised an eyebrow, "I'm afraid of that."

"Broken pieces are useful too," the shopkeeper persisted. "Look!" she said while holding up a sculpture of what seemed to be many broken pieces glued together. "I made this. So nice, right?"

"It is pretty," Mimi lied.

The lady smiled with satisfaction and placed the object preciously back down on the table. "It's not for sale."

Mimi continued to look around the store. Suddenly, she spotted a whole section of - "Vinyl records? People want these?"

"This is great stuff!" The shopkeeper walked over to her. "All the classic collections!"

Mimi picked up a record and looked at the woman beside her. "My first boyfriend loved these. I gave him a limited edition once for his birthday." She turned the record cover over and stared down at it. "He was so happ-" she couldn't believe it. It just couldn't be...

The shop lady looked down at the record. "Sorry, but I'm holding that for someone."

"This is the one!" Mimi exclaimed. "I gave it to him! My first boyfriend! This is my signature. I'm Mimi! Why is it here?"

Instead of answering, the shopkeeper asked her, "You're a Virgo?"

"How did you know?"

"You should stay home today, you know?"

"How can he do this to me just because I'm a Virgo?" Mimi watched the shopkeeper walk back to the counter and followed her. "That's too cruel! It took me forever to find this! I can't let anyone have it." She fumbled in her handbag and pulled out a couple of notes and offered it to the lady, who stared at it for a few seconds before shaking her head.

"It's already been bought. He didn't have enough cash. He'll be back. Trust is important in business, you know."

"Please," Mimi begged. "I'll give you more money."

The shopkeeper considered once again. "Call him." she said, handing Mimi the phone, and a number.
"Okay, bye, mom." Yamato Ishida hung up the phone. "That only took up an hour of my life," he muttered. Just when he was prepared to lie down and relax, his cell phone began to ring. Damn! This better be good...Hello? Yes? I see...yes, I see...uh, please let me speak to the boss lady...Hi, hello? I don't care who she is. That record is mine, I'm coming to get it now. Thanks!"
The shopkeeper placed down the phone, looking disappointed. "He said no."

"He did?" Mimi couldn't take it anymore! Why her? She knew she was overreacting, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to let it happen. "He pretended to sympathize with me!"

"He did say that he's coming now. If you wait here, you can beg him face to face."

"Me? Beg him?" The shop lady nodded. "Oh, I can tell from his voice that he's nasty. All men are cold-blooded! I hope the record is mouldy and scratchy." With that, she grabbed her bags and walked furiously to the door, slamming it behind her.

To be continued...