Bittersweet Acquaintences

Summary: Crippled by heartbreak, Hikari Sumi moves to Tokyo to forget her pain and to start afresh. But Fate seems determined to torment her as it thrusts her straight into the arms of a former high school associate who could mend or break her in more than one way.

Disclaimer: Who doesn't know it by now?

I love you.

Hikari Sumi laughed bitterly at the memory that her mind repeatedly conjured, tormenting her even after three months. The last few days before her break up constantly plagued her mind, relentlessly antagonizing her over and over again, mocking her. Breaking her. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched onto her pillow. It was going to be another long night.

Seating across herself from her friend she gave him a small smile as she held her hot chocolate with both hands to feel the gentle warmth her cup emitted.

'You're going to tell me something that I probably won't like'

Looking up in surprise, Sumi looked into Niou Masaharu's eyes before she let out a shaky laugh.

'Yeah. I am'

There was silence as they waited. Finally, Sumi relented. Looking down at the lid of her hot chocolate, she spoke.

'Haru. I'm moving to Tokyo. I can't stand it here in Kanagawa.'

The man looked at her and gave her a half-hearted smile.

'I know. We all knew, we were actually just waiting to see when you'd finally choose that. I think we were all selfishly hoping that maybe we'd be wrong about you'

Tears threatened to spill from Sumi's eyes. In an attempt to prevent herself from crying, she squeezed her eyes shut and gripped her cup even tighter before she finally let out a breath and loosened her grip.

'I'm sorry, but I'm ready to start a clean slate.'

Atobe Keigo swallowed another large portion of the coffee on his desk and looked at the cup in contemplation before he closed his eyes and placed his index finger and forefinger around the bridge of his nose. This was inelegance at its worst. Atobe Keigo simply did not swallow coffee, he drank it, he sipped it, he tried it, he did not do something so utterly gauche as swallowing coffee as if he had never tasted coffee before.

'Atobe.'

Looking up, Atobe scowled at the intruder.

'For the last time, Oshitari, I will not allow any incompetent fools to handle such a delicate project! This is the launch of a new branch, I am not going to allow any inept half-witted fool to make a mess of this!'

Oshitari raised an eyebrow.

'You should look at the state you're in. How about you hire a marketing manager or an assistant? Or even both?'

'No! I absolutely refuse!'

'There is one graduated from Cambridge and is recommended by Niou Masaharu and Yukimura Seiichi'

Atobe paused. Even he had to admit that Cambridge was a prestigious university. However, there were a select few from that school which could be incompetent. None the less though, to be commended by Niou and Yukimura was no easy feat, he knew the standards the two set for their business.

'She coordinated that really successful advertisement of their bakeries which skyrocketed their sales as soon as the first store was opened.'

Mentally debating his chances, Atobe ground his teeth in frustration, this was an important project, screw important, it was …. a monolithically significant task which he himself had been handling full time But a month with dealing with all the work had Atobe was falling behind on all the paperwork for all his other branches, and valuable time which was needed to catch up on all the documents meant relegating his precious new project which had a deadline that was fast approaching.

Atobe gave a sigh.

'How experienced is this person?How efficient is he?'

'She.'

Oshitari corrected Atobe, causing Atobe too look at Oshitari sceptically.

'She's not directly acquainted to me in any way, , she's coordinated marketing schemes for the Yagyuu Company, Sanada's dojo, the Hatsuno's new spa branch which they opened and she's proficient in several languages and – '

Atobe cut Oshitari off. He had seen all the relatively successful marketing schemes of the companies which Oshitari had mentioned and was interested. He hadn't head of this new marketing manager.

'Send her in. I'll interview her.'

'Atobe, she hasn't applied for the job, she mainly operates in Kanagawa'

No. Atobe Keigo was not disappointed. He was just furious that he had lost some precious minutes.

'Then why have you wasted my time to inform Ore-sama of this woman?'

Smiling slyly, Oshitari answered.

'Because I've found out that she's moving to Tokyo'

Niou Masaharu hummed as he listened to the phone ring. Thrice. Four times.

'Masaharu'

Grinning, Niou spoke into the phone.

'Hey babe, how's Tokyo? If you don't like it much, I'll drive around right now to help you move back into Kanagawa'

'I like it a lot.'

His smile faltered a little at the sound of his good friend's strained voice.

'Well, guess what? I've found you a new job'

'Great, thanks, I – You what?'

Smirking, Niou playfully sung into the phone.

'C'mon babe, it's really prestigious – with the Atobe company'

There was a sound of choking noise in the background.

'Atobe? Are you crazy? It was bad enough to be forced to tolerate him in Junior and High School with him and now you're asking me to willing work with him? Out of the question, Masaharu'

'People change.'

'Haru……..'

Niou could just picture the woman twisting the phone cord around her finger or twirling her hair in contemplation, after all, personal feelings aside, both knew that the Atobe company was one of most prestigious companies in the world.

'Just go meet the guy before you resign okay?'

'I'm not promising anything'

'Yeah, okay, make sure to take your resume and references for them to check up on everything.'

'What - '

Niou hung up. No need to tell Hikari that it was actually an interview. Sighing, Niou began to dial another number. There was another person he needed to call. He waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

Sumi stood in the hall wearing semi-formal clothes, a blouse and a navy skirt with her long dark hair in a single plait. She sighed as she held onto the folder with both hands. Honestly, why in gods name had she agreed to condemn herself to hell?

Inhaling, Sumi ran her hand along the pattern of her braid. She didn't advertise her work, she only worked for those she liked and trusted and vice-versa. There were also times where she would relegate her main job, marketing, to take up some part time photography or translating when she was in the mood. She wasn't one who lingered long in one area. Or it had been that way before.

'Hikari-chan, it's certainly been a long time'

Turning, Sumi looked at Oshitari skeptically.

'Why are you here, don't you have your own company to run?'

Oshitari chuckled. The woman's frankness still hadn't changed.

'My sister is running the place while I've decided to….let my feet up for a while'

Raising an eyebrow, Sumi said nothing as she nodded.

'So you're working for Atobe?'

'Atobe-sama if you want to be hired Hikari-chan'

This guy was still a major flirt. And still a killer with his smirks.

'Follow me please.'

Sumi was not impressed at the opulent room that she walked into. Atobe barely acknowledged either Oshitari or her and was slaving over something. When he finally looked up, Atobe snapped at them.

'What?'

That was distressing. Was she hallucinating or was the Atobe actually sporting eyebags?

'Atobe, the errr…prospective employee is here'

She jumped mentally. That sneak! Telling her she had been hired and that they wanted to just check her references! Before she could protest or say that there had been a mistake, Oshitari took her portfolio and passed it to Atobe.

'Right, you are?'

'Hikari Sumi'

She said. Not bothering to be offended at the fact that Atobe had no idea who she was, he had women and girls fawn all over him left, right and center, he obviously wasn't going to just remember some random girl from school.

'Right'

She watched as he flipped through her resume.

'You studied at Hyoutei?'

'Yes'

'Why don't I remember you?'

'Probably because we never really talked. I remember you though. Don't think anybody in Hyoutei could forget you'

The CEO looked up in amusement before he smirked.

'Ore-sama no bigi ni yoi na, you have been so awed by ore-sama's prowess that you still remember ore-sama even six years afterwards.'

Rolling her eyes, Sumi nodded.

'Right'

For a few minutes, Atobe simply looked through her portfolio before he closed it and examined her. Finally, she snapped.

'What?'

'You're hired then, Oshitari fill her in on the project, Hikari, this is casual and for the duration of your work term in the Atobe Company, you will be supervised by Oshitari.'

'Thank you.'

She murmer politely while bowing.

'Screw this job up and I swear you'll never find another job again.'

Atobe hadn't changed either. He was as arrogant and controlling as ever.

Yukimura Seiichi walked into the apartment which he shared with his business partner who was, surprisingly, Niou. Said man was leaning against the kitchen bench with a bottle of vodka near him. Dear god. He prayed Niou hadn't drunk too much alcohol.

'I spoke to Sumi, she's in Tokyo and Oshitari said he'd introduce her to Atobe, I don't know if she's been accepted though'

Yukimura nodded absentmindedly.

'What about him?'

Yukimura tilted his head to the side. He knew this was coming. 'What do you think?'

'Is he pissed?'

'No.'

'Furious?'

'No, he's devastated more than anything'

Niou snorted.

'He's twenty-five, he's a big boy now, he could just tell his parents to f-get off his case'

Yukimura gave a sharp glance at Niou before he could curse and spoke back, defending their mutual friend.

'Even though it doesn't look like it, he wants to uphold his family pride for them, he loves his family regardless and his family wants what's best for him'

'Even if it means tearing his damn heart into shreds for them'

He looked at Niou.

'We agreed we wouldn't interfere in this business, we're going to support them in this choice.'

Sighing, Niou sat down on the couch which was perpendicular to the one Yukimura was sitting on.

'Have you met the lovely bride-to-be yet?'

'No, Niou, and don't giver her a hard time.'

'That depends, she's already given them a hard time.'

Sumi walked into her apartment and slid it onto the dining table as she walked past it. The job she had sounded like an interesting one. It'd be intriguing to see what would happen. Smirking, she remembered how Oshitari had stressed over and over again that this project was not to reach the ears of anyone. Smiling, she turned on the TV and walked to the refrigerator to find something to eat. She froze as she heard a familiar song play and fade into an advertisement which she had helped make. Her semi-felicitous mood dissipated into thin air.

Author's Note:

1. Review to help me improve? I'm tossing up between two pairings in particular but not stating which ones XP.

2. Next one could take from a day to a month

3. I may occasionally review my work and revise it.