There was a knock on my office door and I looked up interested. Everyone in the British SPR usually just walked into my office. They never knocked on the door. Maybe it was a prospective client. But why would I be talking to client? I'm the President of Field Research, I'm the one that sends clients to other researchers.
"Come in." I called out to whoever was on the other side. Imagine my surprise when my colleague and co-worker, Lin Koujo, walked into my office. I watched as he shut the door behind and sat down in one of the seats in front of my desk. I continued to stare at him before he raised an eyebrow at me and I shook my head.
"You never knock. Why did you knock?" I asked. Something was wrong. Koujo was the last person that I had ever expected to knock on my door. Maybe it was because we had grown up together since we were twelve years old. Knocking on my door was something that Koujo just didn't do. At all.
"I just finished talking to Professor and Mrs. Davis." he started. I swallowed in apprehension. I loved the Davis family but they had just lost their oldest son and I wasn't sure what they were going to do with Noll, their youngest son and twin brother of the older one. And Noll had been insisting on going to Japan and looking for Gene's, his brother, body.
"What did they say?" I asked carefully. I wasn't sure that I wanted to know. With the Daviess anything was possible. And I do mean anything.
"They're letting Noll go to Japan. On one condition." he continued. I felt myself sitting on the edge of my seat. What was going on? Apparently my face was urging him on and he continued without me giving a verbal plea. "He has to have a guardian go with him and pretend to be his assistant. They're opening up a Japan SPR to cover up the fact that Noll is Oliver Davis."
"I see." I whispered before a thought struck me. "Who's going as his guardian?" I watched as Koujo's eyes trailed away from mine. What was going on? Why couldn't he look me in the eye.
"I'm going." he told me. I felt my eyes widen. He was what? Had he really said what I thought he had said? I looked at his face and saw that he was very clearly telling me the truth. I felt my heart beating up in my throat. He was going to Japan. For an unknown amount of time.
"I see. I guess I'll have to figure out who to recommend to Professor Davis for the Head of the Observation Department." I managed to whisper. Why was my heart beating so fast? Why did I feel as though I was going to be sick?
"Jacob has learned quickly, I think he would make a good leader." Koujo told me and I just nodded in understanding. I wasn't sure if I could talk to him. Why was he leaving?
"Madoka?" he asked me. I jerked and looked at him. I frowned as I realized that he was still there. Why was he still in my office?
"Shouldn't you be packing?" I asked angrily. I saw his eyes widen and I felt startled at my own change in attitude. What was wrong with me? "Just go. I'm sure you have plenty to do to get ready for your trip to Japan."
"Madoka, what's wrong?" he asked me as he touched my arm. I jerked away from the touch and turned towards my computer. I found that I didn't want to be anywhere near him. At all. Who was he to decide that he would just up and leave all of his friends behind? He didn't even discuss it with me. I suppose that I had thought I would at least have a clue to him deciding to leave with Noll.
"Just go." I managed to whisper as the tears came. That's how I usually worked when someone told me something like that. First I was shocked, then angry, and finally depressed. I could read myself just as well as anyone else. And it hurt.
"Madoka…" I heard him say again. Is that all he could say? Why couldn't he just stop saying my name and leave me alone?
"GET OUT!!" I screamed as I looked at him. I saw him take a step back at the sight of my teary face. I didn't care. "Leave! Go to Japan! I don't care!!" I managed to choke out. I watched as he turned on his heel and left, with my door slamming shut behind him. And not a moment to soon as I barely managed to bury my head in my arms to muffle the sounds of my sobbing.
I stood behind Professor Davis and Mrs. Davis at the airport. They were bidding their son and Koujo farewell. Koujo and I hadn't spoken since the incident in my office and I suppose it was for the best. Maybe we just weren't meant to stay friends although I wish that wasn't the case. I liked being friends with him.
"Call as soon as you get to the hotel." Mrs. Davis told Noll. I smiled as I saw him roll his eyes. He may be one of the brightest young men of his age but he was still only sixteen. And sixteen year olds weren't exactly thrilled with their parents telling them what to do. Noll was no exception.
"Good-bye, Noll, Lin-san." I said with a smile, that wasn't true, on my face. I nodded to Noll before I looked up as they called their plane number. I watched as they picked their bags up and began to walk away. I felt something in my chest tighten and I closed my eyes. I had promise myself that I wouldn't cry but I couldn't stop the tears. I had finally admitted that it hurt to let him go.
"Madoka…" I looked up at the sound of my name and felt my eyes widen. There he was, standing in front of me with his suitcase in hand. I just stood there with a dumbfounded look on my face. What was going on? Why was he still standing here? Didn't he have a plane to catch?
"It isn't forever." he told me. I felt my eyes widen even more before I shook my head as I bit my tears back. How did he know that?
"Gene didn't think it would be either." I whispered. I saw his eyes widen and I knew that had been below the belt. But did he really have to just decided that he wanted to go with Noll without even consulting me or any of his other friends. Was I wrong to be so angry at him? I hadn't thought I was being unreasonable but maybe I was. I just felt so hurt at the fact that he hadn't even thought to come and discuss the possibility of him leaving with me.
"Madoka, I know I've done something to make you angry." he told me as they called his plane number for a second time. I couldn't help but think 'No, duh.' as he told me that he realized he was the reason I was angry. I shook my head before turning away from him.
"Just go." I whispered angrily before walking away. I was done with the whole darn thing. I didn't want to be part of this, they were going to find Gene and that was it. I had washed my hands of the whole matter.
"Madoka, listen to me dammit!" I squeaked as he whirled me around so that I was looking up at him with wide eyes. He was glowering down at me and I felt as though I shrunk under that glare. He realized that I was being quiet and took it that I was listening, which at the moment was the only thought on my mind. To listen to him.
"I will come back." he paused and I just stood there, wondering if the iron grip he had on my arm would leave a bruise in the morning. "And when I do, you and I are going to resolve a lot of things. One of them which includes you and I going out and having a very long chat."
I continued to stand there and blink after him after he had let me go and walked towards the boarding station. I felt realization dawn on him and felt a scowl spread across my face before I shouted after him.
"THAT'S A ROTTEN WAY FOR TRYING TO GET FORGIVENESS!!" I called after him. The jerk didn't even turn towards me as he made his way onto the plane and I growled. There was no stinking way that he was getting forgiveness that easily. A long chat indeed. Oh, it will be a long chat…about his manners!!
This will be a two-shot, I just have to think of the second part, which will be a little bit longer and will have appearances from Mai, Noll, and Gene. So just review and tell me what you think.