Chapter 1

"And you are...?" She looks to be in her early twenties, maybe around Subaru's age. How did she get offered a job here when she's still in college? he wondered.

"Emalyne Hinata." The slender brunette answered shaking the pediatrician's hand firmly.

"Miss Hinata," the man contemplated, but was quickly corrected-

"No, no, please, call me by my first name, we'll be close acquaintances so really, no need for formality," the young woman said, shaking her head. Miss Hinata? No one calls me that.

"Evalyne then?"

"Ah, no, it's Emalyne."

"Oh, Emalyne it is then."

She wanted to hear him call her name again. It was smooth and silkily refined, as if it just lulled right off of his tongue. No, no, no, now is not the time for a thought like that, Ema thought bobbing her head so that strands of loose hair fell from her bun. I only just met him- what if he turns out to be a jerk? She forced that last idea into her head so that she could forget his charming politeness, if only for a second.

"My apologies, you have a very pretty name Emalyne." The pediatrician paused, struggling to come up with a proper introduction. He stumbled over the one he was used to saying when welcoming new employees- "Welcome to the hospital, it's a pleasure to work with you. My name is Masaomi Asahina, it's a great relief that management hired a secretary to help me organize, plan, and schedule my patients' appointments- it's gotten busy around here lately, and I hate to admit it, but I need the extra support." Where did that come from? A relief? I need the extra support? He quickly found his usual spiel again; "Please don't hesitate if you need help with anything. My clinic is just down that hall," he said extending a finger in the direction. "I have a patient soon so I better be going; I'll see you around Miss Hinata." With a turn of his hee he was off.

This secretary. I' be lying if I said she wasn't gorgeous. He tapped his head, Agh, it's not about looks, he reminded himself. But she seems competent, confident... The sureness of her handshake, her posture- that pencil skirt that accentuates her- He shook his head, as he found himself returning to her distracting physical beauty again. Dammit Masaomi, stop being such a perv. He scolded himself under his breath. The pediatrician wasn't a forward guy, but he wanted to see her again.

Ema frowned, Miss Hinata, it doesn't suit a college girl like me, she thought heading back to the desk.

She waited around all day, answering phone calls and seeing patients to their rightful offices. I need a degree to do this? She quickly pushed the thought out of her mind, No, I'm doing this to see if a hospital is the kind of place I want to work in. So far, she loved it. The hospital was full of children and parents, the majority of which went to the mysterious pediatrician, but all of them seemed to love that man very much. They came out of his office smiling with a little lollipop in hand, and parents seemed to be calm and reassured as they left as well. He makes being a pediatrician look easy… If it is, I hope as a doctor I can help people and make them happy just as easily, she thought carelessly. But I'm stuck here at this desk until an internship opens up. She frowned picking at a chip in the wooden desk; she glanced at the clock- Ah! Almost lunch timeee.

At a quarter past noon she heard the glass door swing open. She peeked over the ledge of the secretary desk and caught sight of a handsome blonde man.

"How can help you?" She asked using her best secretary voice.

"Wow, so Masaomi has a hot secretary working for him now, huh?" He said too casually.

Ema was taken aback by his blunt nature, "W-what?" For a monk… Those are monk robes aren't they? He's terribly ill mannered. She quickly composed herself and huffed under her breath, "For a monk you have terrible manners." She quickly regretted saying that, but when she looked up, the look on his face was worth it.

The surprise at least was worth it at least, but then he seemed hurt for a split second as his golden eyes softened, and that's what made her really feel sorry. But then he grinned quickly and slyly, "Hah! What wit!- very sharp of you," He said laughing heartily.

"So, what can I do for you?" Ema asked, getting impatient.

He looked at her attentively, "Would a kiss be too much to ask for?"

Again she drew quickly away, who asks a crazy question like that?

"Juuuust kidding," he said winking a golden eye at her. "I'm just here to drop off Masaomi's lunch," he paused, "... and I would definitely be more than happy to deliver it to him myself, but if I were him, I'd much rather have you deliver it." He said winking again. "Here you go," he dropped the lunch sack onto her desk, "let Masaomi know his favorite brother was here." It seemed as though the handsome monk was about to leave when the door opened again.

Kaname watched the beautiful secretary's face light up- he traced her line of sight to a tall, dark haired man who strode in. His steely eyes ignored Kaname besides the sideways glare he shot in an instant in his direction. The man wore casual attire- dark washed jeans and a sweatshirt with some sort of light university jacket over it. "School of Integrative Medicine" the jacket sleeve read. Graduate school, huh, Kaname noted, so he must be at least a couple years older than her. He shook the idea, not that that would matter to me. She'll like whoever she wants.

"Makoto?! What are you doing here?" Ema asked surprised at his sudden appearance. In an instant, she had forgotten Kaname's existence.

"Thought, I'd wish you a good first day at work." He said flashing a light-hearted grin. "Here, it's just a post-lunch dessert… Strawberry cake." Makoto placed the small box in Ema's hands.

Oh, this guy knows how to melt a lady's heart, thought Kaname, maybe even better than me…

Glancing towards the office doors in a way that was neither hurried or concerned, he added, "I've got to get back to the university though- lunch is going to end soon… Hey, have a good day." He lay a hand on the top of her head as if she were a young child, "I'll see ya at school tomorrow Em."

All of his movements were impressively smooth. "Your boyfriend?" Kaname asked as soon as the man left. "Masaomi's going to be disappointed," he added jokingly.

"No, Makoto isn't anything like that. He's a graduate student from university- a friend of mine. He's taking extra courses at the school while he waits for an internship to open up- like me… Except I've taken up this job."

"You say that like it's a bad thing- So it's your first day, and you already hate it-" Kaname laughed.

"Excuse me, but I have work to be doing," Ema cut in. She couldn't help but letting a little giggle escape in the meantime though.

"Oh? What's that? Excuse me, but you still have fifteen minutes left until your lunch ends- I would know cause I drop off Masaomi's lunch practically every day." Kaname replied sarcastically.

"It's not as if you make it," a calm voice broke in.

"Ah! Masaomi! Perfect timing, here's your lunch." Kaname said swiping the sack off her desk and tossing it towards his brother, "I was gonna have your lovely assistant bring it to you, but looks like I got distracted."

"Go get distracted somewhere else Kaname," the pediatrician said rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I was on my way out anyway." Kaname said scoffing as he headed towards the door. "See ya around Em~"

"Sorry about him. Kaname's a womanizer, but he's harmless," Masaomi commented. Em? Does Kaname know her? Why did he call her so familiarly? "Hey, Miss Hinata, I mean, Emalyne, would you like to go for coffee after work today? You know, as a welcome of course- a congratulations for joining the hospital." He quickly added.

"Sure, that sounds nice." Ema smiled gently.

-later-

"So Kaname's your..."

"My brother. I'm the eldest of thirteen." Masaomi added.

"Thirteen, huh?" Ema commented, that's a lot of brothers.

"Yeah. Working at the clinic, you'll probably run into more than a few of them. Most of them though, aren't as much trouble as Kaname if that'll put you any more at ease." He added sipping his cup of tea.

Thank you for reading! I'd really appreciate comments, suggestions and feedback on my writing!