A/n: Hewow! This is my latest story… please give me reviews on what you guys think about it, coz I might be just wasting my time if no one is interested. So please R&R! and before you think that the story is boring please finish reading it, then tell me if it's boring or not…

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. And the brands of cigarettes.

A little summary: Athrun is an office worker, who is now afraid of going on dates because of certain circumstances… his life used to be boring and lifeless… but one day, a woman is about to change all that.

00000000000000000000000000000

Hi, I'm Athrun Zala. Just an average looking guy, with a nice job, moderately giving me my monthly pay, only enough to provide my daily essentials, didn't really gave it much thought of buying super nice clothes. A simple shirt here and there, a store bought meal was enough.

Every day was the same routine. I would pass by 143 Camisole Avenue, get on the subway, go to work, get on the subway again, pass by 143 Camisole Avenue again, and arrive home to my apartment.

Sometimes I would go out to drink in bars with some friends, most of the time I stay at home, tweaking with my computer, watching T.V.

Each and everyday was the same…

My phone rang. "Hello…? Oh it's you Kira… yeah just like last week then. Bye."

Went to the comfort room to wash my face, I looked in the mirror and saw my usual reflection. Damn… I badly need a shave, ingrowns are becoming permanent fixtures on my chin, and my eye bags are big like snow bear candies glued below my eyes.

But did I care? Nope. It's only the guys anyway, as always. What about dates you say? Tried it. The last one was a goddamn disaster. She was a nice girl. Too nice. She reminded me of my mother. 'Sigh' turns out she fell for my best friend. I still can't get over it…

I found out about it when I enjoyed a full length show on my apartment, right on my bed. The stars? My ex and best friend.

I haven't gone out with a babe since. And hey, their still my friends, I enjoyed it didn't I?

Though an office mate of mine keeps giving me signals to swank with her in bed, she reminds me of a kid next door, so… I couldn't do it. She could be put to good use when I'm old though.

I glanced at my watch. It's already eight p.m. the guys are going to kill me. I wore my usual clothes, shirt, pants, sandals… feel like there's something missing though… ah yes, Winston. How could I forget?

Got out and passed by 143 Camisole Ave. again. As always. I only walk to where the guys are. Ever since oils skyrocketed out of graphs, I can't afford a taxi. I need to lose the beer belly anyway.

I pass by people everyday like I was just some kind of specter, no one sees me but I see them. They have become part of my daily ritual of greeting them when I don't want to.

The first person I meet is the old lady on her stoop, selling her organic yuck veggies, smiling at me, thinking that I might give in to her whims and buy the whole lot.

Next is my sanctuary, the place that gives me the proper nutrition a twenty plus guy like me needs to cope up with life's ever changing society, the place where no body bothers you and let you enjoy your usual stupor even for the whole day, they serve hot meals and freshly brewed coffee. What's this place you say? That's easy my friend. It's called a Diner.

Next, is the former hot model of a class A, street porno magazine, her name is Murrue Ramius. Let's emphasize the word FORMER. She's old but not that old. From the way she looks I would say, maybe in her early forties? Anyway… she still dresses hot, but you can already see the many cellulites appearing on her legs that make you puke out almost all your organs. I got the feeling that she's got the hots for me. Why? Oh I don't know… maybe coz she takes off her top every time I pass by! You won't believe how huge and sagging her double Ds are…

Lastly is the poor man, when I say poor, I mean no money. In all honesty, I really admire this guy, yeah he may be smelly and dirty most of the time, but this guy teaches you to be contented with your life, whether you're rich or poor. This guy used to work for a huge multi national company, but found out about the lies of working his sweat to feed the boss' spoiled son, now he eats out of trash cans, but does he complain? Never.

Yeah, this is the simple life. Welcome to my neighborhood, Zone three of Lowerton. There are three cities – Upperton, Middleton and Lowerton, connected by subways; meaning that the only way to go from city to city is through the subways. It's easy to determine which city is poor, moderate, and rich. Need I explain?

Finally, I arrived at my destination, the bar where I and my friends always end up on Sundays when there's no work. The calories I have lost will be regained and my saneness about to be put out. Cool isn't it? There are strippers for me and my friends for the taking, and they indulge in them like chocolate syrup on chocolate sundaes. But no, not me, don't wanna get any of those STDs in me.

I went inside. The place was still in its usual grandiose ambiance of laughing drunkards and stripping sluts dancing on the stage with colored lights engrossed on their specific parts.

And just a couple of feet away from the stage, are my friends in our usual table. Kira, my best friend, and the guy who took my girlfriend, whom I still can't get over. By the way her name is Lacus Clyne, or should I say…Lacus Yamato.

Yup, their married, for two months now. Kira is my best friend way back when we were in grade school.

He lives in Middleton with his wife, he's an office mate of mine, yeah we work together for an ad agency in Middleton, but I really don't wanna live there; Too much competition…and social ramblers.

Next to Kira is Yzak, a temperamental pretty boy. Girls would use their hair to wipe the floor he walks upon… literally. But, he never notices any of them; which makes me wonder if he's bisexual or straight. He's me and Kira's classmate in high school, and works as our company's agent spy, to check out any new ideas our rivals are making.

And next to Yzak is Dearka, their roommates. Dearka is one hell of a sarcastic whining practical jokester. Sometimes I wonder if he and Yzak are lovers, the way they argue, and stick together like going absolutely everywhere together. It really gives you goose-bumping suspicions. Oh and he doesn't have a job. Pity…

Kira waved his hand. A signal that he finally notices me, slob, what took him so long?

I approach. Kira's face was already red from his drinking.

"Hey Athrun! What took you so long?"

"Oh nothing."

"C'mon! Grab a seat… Yo waitress! Give us another round!"

I sat down next to Kira, as always. Next to me is Yzak, just drinking silently, waiting for me to be the first one to talk to him. It's rather annoying.

"So Yzak, how's the investigation going?" he looked at me with those pretty fluttering eyes of his, strangely, he's got long lashes for a guy. He took another sip at his drink before talking to me.

"I recently found out that their latest computer graphics designer is making a hit, by making the cookies on boxes green, and saying that aliens made them."

"Oh… is it a threat?" He laughed.

"…Course not."

I glanced at Dearka beside Yzak, who was just enjoying himself with the cigarette girl, her name was Miriallia.

When she saw me looking at her, she immediately came in front of me. I think she has a crush on me, but Dearka likes her so she's off limits.

"Hi Athrun…! Her eyes always bright up when I'm here; And as usual Dearka's gonna get me for that later.

She placed her cigarette box on our table that hanged from her neck with a leather rope, "What will it be Athrun? Winston? Hope? Capri? Dunhill?" now she's constantly smiling at me. Now you know why I have suspicions of her liking me.

"That's okay Millie," I took out my box of Winston from my shirt pocket, "I already got one box here…" I bought one just incase Dearka accuses me of hitting on her.

Her smile faded a little, "Oh, okay, maybe next time then…" before she almost reach the other customer's table, Dearka came running to buy probably a case of the cigarettes.

I turned to face Kira, already sleeping on the table; of course I woke him up, I nudged his shoulder and his saliva dropped upon awaking. "Hey Kira wake up will ya! You let me come here just to see you sleep! Why d'you let me come here anyway?"

He wiped his dripping saliva with his sleeve; I can't believe Lacus has to put up with a slob like him. "Uhh…Athrun, my sister from Upperton has a business thing, an experiment thing I totally don't know; she needs to find a place to live for a couple of weeks here in Lowerton…"

Ever experienced that feeling when someone is about to ask you a favor even though they know that you hate those kind of things? Well… I'm feeling it right this second.

I shrugged, "What's your Sister's business experiment got to do with me? Isn't she that successful career woman who married that…that…multi millionaire guy! Yuuna was it!"

He rubs his eyes almost always, one of his bad habits I hate, "Yeah that's her, her name is Cagalli, and she needs a place to stay and… I was wondering if she could…"

"What! She can't! I'm not ready to meet women yet Kira! Why? Can't she just rent a place or somethin'!"

Another one of Kira's annoying habits is that he stammers when he's nervous.

"Y-you know h-how dangerous this p-place is Athrun! And I need her to be with someone I t-trust!"

"What's this business experiment thing that she has to come here anyway!"

"I don't know… s-some kind of immersion with the p-poor kind of thing I guess…"

"Oh so, am I part of this experiment just because I live here!" I feel so insulted.

"N-no! Of course not… please Athrun just this once!"

Now, he's starting to sound pathetic… so I might as well give in. Just this once!

"Okay fine. But you're gonna have to be the one to clean my place!"

He opened his arms to thank me, in which he knows I hate coz I might look gay, of course I turned away as fast as I could, and avoiding his… eeew…hug.

"Thanks Athrun, this really means a lot to me!"

"Yeh sure sure, you may now stop groveling! When is she coming anyway?"

He scratched his head, took out his cellphone from his back pocket and begins to read… "Uhh… tomorrow evening. So I and Lacus will come by your place tomorrow morning to clean it up."

"Lacus? Lacus is coming? God I-I miss her… haven't seen her since your wedding… how is she anyway?"

Kira glared at me, he knows that I still like his wife; he stole her from me after all…

"Athrun, stop… she…"

I stopped him before he lectures me again. "Yeah, yeah I get it!"

I turned around to see what Yzak and Dearka are doing, and there they are, already drunk and dancing with the strippers… I haven't even drunk my drink yet and already I don't feel so good… maybe because of what Kira was about to say about Lacus again? Probably…

For the first time, I decided to go home early. Street lamps are already lit up and strangely… the usual smog has lifted…

I passed by 143 Camisole Ave. again… and arrived home.

Tomorrow… is going to be a long, long day.

000000000000000000000000000

A/n: So what do you guys think? Please don't forget to R&R!

Thankees!