author's note: I haven't written a story in forever, much less a story that goes beyond one chapter. But, after awhile, you start to miss it! Here's the first in what I hope will end up being a medium-sized series, all for an Anime I've never written for before. Let me know what you think, and ignore my rustiness! ...oh, aaaaand, this chapter is unedited. I'll probably fix that later, when I have more than just an hour before I've got to be at work.

How May I Assist You?

welcome to the real world

Who knew how difficult life could be, once your entire day was no longer laid out for you?

Graduation from Fuuka Academy had come and gone, Natsuki Kuga having barely just managed to meet the minimal requirements to escape. She attributed such luck to her strong desire to avoid ever having to wake up at 8AM ever again (the dark haired girl having completely ignored the fact that a job would potentially require such a horrible task) and her dreams of riding the open road, no tardy and truancy yelps being flung her way. Of course, graduation was more than just a door opening to the thick and cleared out road of freedom; it was also bills, and finances, and a complete lack of housing.

"Are you kidding me?! It's just a damn one bedroom apartment!"

"I'm sorry, Miss," the man stuttered, completely taken aback by the "force to be reckoned with" that was nearly howling before him. "It's the location, see? On a very nice side of town, with free membership to our apartment building's gym–"

The lone wolf scowled. "You are insane if you think I am going to pay that."

It was twenty minutes later of Natsuki screaming and the designated on-site property manager weakening that led to the girl standing in the cleared out room one day later, hands resting on hips and a still disgruntled look gracing her features. Even though she had managed to haggle the price down a bit – much to the landlord's frustration – it was still a bit pricey for her income, which happened to be… absolutely nothing.

She did have money left over from previous part-time jobs and investments that was just enough to cover the first month's payment and security deposit. However, if she wanted to eat anytime soon, a full-time position was remarkably necessary.

It was Monday evening of her first day in her new place and Mai, being the usual positive and interfering self that she was, was busy flipping through the classifieds.

"Natsuki, why don't you try this one?" she piped up, one finger pointing boldly at a line of small print across the page.

A grunt was heard from the room opposite to where Mai was lounging, the grunt soon being followed by a resounding thunk.

"Natsuki?" Mai called out again, a small crease forming on her brow. "Did you hear me?"

Another grunt, and then – quite abruptly – a thundering roll of boxes tumbling.

"Natsuki!"

"Don't get up!" a ragged voice roared from the bedroom, correctly interpreting Mai's panicked yell of her name to mean 'don't move, I have band-aids and I am not afraid to use them!' "I just… hell, when did treadmills become so heavy?... Mai, DON'T MOVE. Just STAY WHERE YOU ARE."

The orange-haired girl blinked, slowly retreating from her partially risen stance to once again settle back onto the ramshackle couch that the pair had picked out from a local thrift store. With a flutter of paper the newspaper was drawn open once more, Mai knowing better than to continue to harass Natsuki on her wellbeing rather than letting the blunette be.

A creaking sound of wood shifting sounded off before being followed by a long sigh, Natsuki finally stumbling out from her abyss of a room. Resting one hand on the threshold of the door, she wiped a dusty hand across her forehead, ignoring the dark smear it left across her sweat-stained brow. Mai, noticing the gesture out of the corner of her eye, flicked a hand out to grab a tissue as her old-time roommate gradually approached.

"So what were you looking at?" the girl asked curiously, distractedly taking the tissue from Mai's hand, using it to blot at her forehead.

"Job listings. There's not too many going around that will probably end up in your desired pay range."

"Well… what is there, of the ones that might be worth checking out?"

Quickly, Mai scanned over those that were obviously minimum wage or entirely illegal before letting her eyes land on those that she had already circled in ink.

"Here's one. 'Act now! Free meals provided for a five-day work week, along with additional benefits for fifteen dollars an hour...'"

A weight sank onto the couch cushion beside her. "Sounds promising."

"'…to baby sit my twelve children, ages varying from newborn to thir—'"

"Stop right there!"

Mai chuckled, turning to the next page. Somehow, Natsuki's abrupt refusal didn't surprise her. "Okay, here's another one. It pays well, but it's only for two days a week."

"Skip it," Natsuki interjected, waving her hand dismissively. "I need a full time job with benefits. My health insurance canceled out, since I'm no longer attending school."

"I see… well, how about this one then?" As Mai extended a finger to point at the circled ad, Natsuki leaned forward, eyeing it dubiously. "Sure, it doesn't give many details as to what your duties may be, but considering it's an ad placed by a corporation rather than a babysitting agency, I'm pretty sure it won't involve changing any dirty diapers."

Natsuki's eyebrow quirked. "Fujino? I think I've heard that name before. What do you know about it?"

A small grin pulled at the very corner of Mai's mouth, it taking all of her control to prevent it from being displayed completely. "Oh, nothing much, other than it's one of the most successful corporations to grace the city. They've recently experienced a tsunami of success, something that could probably be blamed on one of their up-and-coming executives." Mai didn't feel that it was imperative for Natsuki to also know of the rumors that followed said executive around in the tabloids.

"So… this job is for, what, assisting?" the blunette asked, having let Mai's half-way explanation go without further interrogation.

Her friend shrugged. "I'd guess so. Why don't you just give it a chance? I'll even call and set up an interview. Who knows? Maybe if I introduce myself as 'Natsuki Kuga's secretary, at your service!' they will take you more seriously." She paused, giggling, before hurriedly speaking once more: "Just imagine the irony, if they were to hire you for a secretarial position. A secretary having a secretary!"

The loud huff from her side was enough for Mai to register Natsuki's displeasure at such a joke.

"Oh, stop being so difficult. Just give it a try, please?" When Mai saw her old roommate's disapproving expression, she used her Ace in the hole, voice dropping to a sneaky and underhanded tone: "Out of all the companies out there, the Fujino Corporation is rumored to pay the best."

She waited, and waited, and waited… the silence extending well beyond her realm of patience. But, she knew her friend, and she knew what she would end up saying, two full minutes later:

"Fine, Tokiha. But I will have your head if they have me nursing infants!"