I have so much free time on my hands I might as well start another fanfic and keep making myself out to sound indifferent in the author's notes.

...but really, I highly enjoy this pairing.

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR or its characters.


Irie Shouichi is 25 years old when his little robotics business is just starting to become well-known in his neighborhood, making him think that he should start moving out of his mom's house. He watches as the Gesso group dominates the Japanese economy by monopolizing industry after industry. The government doesn't do much about it since they're under the Gesso group's thumb, and the Japanese public doesn't protest, for everything is affordable, and the Gesso group doesn't seem to be after money.

Still, everywhere he looks, he sees the Gesso logo, and that unnerves him for some reason.

He finds comfort in the fact that the Gesso family hasn't turned its attention to robotics, otherwise his little business would never be profitable enough to let him move out of his mom's house.

Twenty-five years old and he still lives with his mother. What a disgrace. He's realized that he should have been more diligent in his high school and college years. He could have been a renowned researcher with his skills. Instead, he works out of his parents' garage, with the noisy neighborhood kids as his main clients.

At the moment, he's waiting to meet with a real estate agent from Gesso Realty. In the building of steel and glass, the Gesso logo appears everywhere, and he wonders how long it'll be before the group will be able to bring humanity to its knees. Sometimes, he pretends he cares.

"He'll see you now," a secretary tells him, pointing down the hallway at an open door.

Shouichi makes his way down the hallway, already feeling his stomach doing flips and somersaults.

The scent of flowers slowly becomes overpowering as he walks into the room and he stares at the colorful display of flowers decorating the room. In contrast, an albino man sits behind the desk, reading a newspaper. Everything about the man is white, from his skin to his white suit; the man could blend into the blank wall behind him if not for his bright electrifying violet eyes and the strange familiar tattoo under his left eye.

Shouichi tugs at his collar, gulps, and slips into the empty seat in front of the desk. The man, seemingly absorbed in the newspaper in his hands (The name of the newspaper is the first thing Shouichi sees: Gesso news) pays no attention to him.

He coughs to get the man's attention. He regrets it almost immediately when the man looks up and flashes him a bright (Bright, too bright) smile.

"Hello there," the man chirps, neatly folding the newspaper back up. He places it next to an open bag of marshmallows, and Shouichi notices that the desk is riddled with various doodads and toys. There's a solved rubix cube there, a perpetually swinging Newton's cradle over there, and some metallic beads stuck to a cylindrical base. His eyes are drawn to the lava lamp at the corner of the desk, and he wonders for a moment what kind of man he was dealing with here.

The man snaps his fingers in front of Shouichi's face, bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Ah! Oh, uh, sorry, I got distracted for a moment there," the redhead murmurs, his hands subconsciously going to his stomach.

"It's fine, it's fine! My desk is very distracting, no? Anyways, what brings you here, Shouichi?" The man leans forward, hands cradling his head like he was offering it to him on a platter. The thought chills Shouichi.

"H-how do you know my name?" he asks.

"Hn, good question!" The man taps a finger against his own lips, looking thoughtful. "My secretary told me?"

Shouichi narrows his eyes as his stomach ulcers start flaring up. "I-I see." He looks at the name tag on the man's pristine white suit. "B-Byakuran-san?"

"How do you know my name?" the man asks, looking genuinely astonished. Shouichi hesitantly smiles at the man's moment of stupidity.

"Your secretary told me?" he answers, using the man's own words against him. Byakuran continues looking confused, so Shouichi sighs and points to the nametag on the man's chest.

They both laugh, though Shouichi's laugh derives more from his nervousness than actual amusement.

"You got me there, Shou-chan!" Byakuran exclaims, chuckling a bit more.

"Sh-Shou-chan?" He's taken aback by this breach to etiquette. He barely knows the man and he's already calling him by a name that only his family uses.

"Is something wrong?" The albino raises an eyebrow, leaning back in his seat. "Oh! Sorry, I'm much too familiar with people for my own good! Is it alright to call you that?" Shouichi nods once, then remembers what he came for.

"U-um, I'm interested in-"

"Ah, also, I'm new to this whole realty thing. You'll have to guide me through it," Byakuran says in a lilting carefree tone as he holds out a hand for Shouichi to shake.

The man's smile continues to dazzle and Shouichi finds himself shaking the hand and smiling despite himself. He's slightly miffed that the man doesn't seem competent, but it wouldn't do too much harm to waste some more of his time.

After all, he's spent six years trying to be something he could never be. The thought of it adds a melancholic quality to his smile.

He opens his mouth to ask if they've met before, but Byakuran cuts in.

"I'm actually busy right now, Shou-chan! Shall we talk later, let's say..." The man's voice drops an octave as he reaches into his pockets. "...at this address. Is that fine with you?"

Shouichi takes the piece of paper, feeling disorientated. "Wh-what time?" he stutters out.

"You'll find out, Shou-chan!" the man chimes, looking as if he was about ready to do a twirl. "You don't know how overjoyed I am to meet you! We're going to have so much fun-"

"In helping me buy this apartment. Right," Shouichi finishes sardonically. He pulls his hand back, disappointed that he was actually drawn into all the jazz that the other man was spouting. "If we're finished here, I'll be going now."

Byakuran stares up at him with that bright bright smile as Shouichi gets up. As he walks out, he spares a glance behind him.

The pale man's smile has fallen, and nostalgia has settled in his lilac eyes. However, as soon as his eyes meet Shouichi's, his smile comes back and he waves good bye.

Nostalgia must be contagious because Shouichi swears he's met the man before.