Chapter 2
No one really paid any attention to me.
"Tomorrow they should be in their normal state," Asahina san promised.
"For now it'll best if you'll just take a sit and do whatever." Isaka san instructed. I bowed my head toward Isaka san and Asahina san in thanks, and they were out of the morgue in seconds.
Lucky them.
I sat by the only available desk – the one take was facing Richan, and was next to Mino san (Hatori's desk was sinking under manga's and paper sheets). Both Richan and Mino san were asleep and stinky as fuck.
Kisa san was doing whatever, as he murmured to himself something while piling a sheet of paper over a huge pad each time.
God, they were miserable!
"Oi!" I turned around to see that Takano san's looking at me. "Who are you?" I got up from my seat and went straight to him.
"hajime mashte, watashiba Menahemo Shira." I said while bowing my head. "Isaka san put me here a minute ago. I'm the new worker in Emerald."
"Haven't heard of you." He said suspiciously.
"I got hired right now." I said. "I'll be in your care." I bowed my head again.
He examined me for a second. "Were you born in Japan?" he asked.
"no." that was pretty obvious – my skin was caramel colored, and not fair and delicate as the Japanese. I was cubby and had big - not Japanese like - brown eyes. "but I've read manga since I was 14, and saw anime since I was born!" I declared proudly.
"Have you ever edited manga?" he asked.
"yes – but only online. I translated manga from Japanese to English, and worked a bit with the tone – nothing too complicated."
He nodded. "Tomorrow we'll teach you the basics. For now, just stay out of our way."
"Can I help you in something?" I asked as the phone ringed, and a delivery man got inside of the office at the same time.
"Kisa Shouta!" the delivery man announced.
"Yes!" Richan said to the person he was talking to on the phone. "We just got the last manuscript."
"Baka!" Takano san made me jump. "When will you understand that you need to LIE and earn as much time as you possibly can?!"
"Don't pay attention to the voices," Richan asked from the unknown person. I bet it's someone from the printing.
"Richan's is done!" Kisa san announced. "Now it's mine…" he murmured as he got the manuscript from the delivery man.
"Here's your first job," Takano san said. "Take this to the printing." He gave me Hatori's manuscript that Kisa san'd just finished to look over.
"where and how?" I asked.
"Mino – what's left?" Takano san woke up Mino san.
"I'm done!" Mino said as he put together another manuscript.
"Go with her. Now – run! We don't have much time! Onodera, tell the printing to wait a bit longer!"
Mino san and I ran till we entered the train station. He paid for me and we got onboard just in time. Only then did I got to check him out close enough to see his bags, his ashy skin, his half closed eyelids… and his tired smile.
"why are you smiling?" I asked with a smile of my own.
He shrugged it off. "Who are you?"
"Oh, sorry – you were asleep when I said my name." he blushed and looked bushful. "It's Ok. I'm Menahemo Shira. I's my first day in Marakawa in general, and in Editing in a company itself. I'll be in your care." I said as I bowed my head.
"I'm Kanado Mino. it's nice to meet you." this smile of his... man I hope he's gay! i thought to myself.
It was my turn to blush.
Mino san… well, I was curious about him. In the manga they barely said anything about him, and still he has his spot in Emerald. Is he gay? Does he, too, have a cute lover? Is he S or M? And the million dollar (or yen) question – is he top or bottom?
We got back from the printing, and found no one but Takano san and Richan in the office.
"good job." We all said together.
"You can go home, now." Takano san said.
And there was a new problem.
Where the hell am I living?
Inside your pocket, the voice whispered.
I put my hand in my pocket and got out of there a monthly ticket for the train, a wallet and house-key that in little digits said 1203.
1203?
Wait, there's no way… or… is there…? Can it really be… that I… and Richan… and Takano… are living next to each other?
Thank you, brain!
The four of us – Takano san, Richan, Mino san and I got out of the building, as we saw no other than…
I looked at Richan, and both of our expressions said the same – holy shit!
Yakozawa san stood there in and called. "Masamune!" to Takano san.
Bitch.
Yakozawa is a total bitch.
"whataya want?" Takano san sighed, as Mino bowed to us and went to the nearest crosswalk.
"I'll be off first." Richan muttered and went towards the train station. I followed him. We got on the same train, and when he stood up and got off the station, so did I. he never noticed me, even though we entered to the building together, and he completely ignored me in the elevator. Yes, he was defiantly asleep when I was at the office.
He opened his door, but before he entered I bowed my head at him. "hajume mashte. Watashiba Shira Menahemo. I'm your new neighbor. Yorashkunai." He blinked at me and then bowed as well.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Ritsu Onodera." He rose to his height… he was only 174-175 cm… my little brother was higher than him!
"I'm living next door." I smiled at him, and his eyes bugged out. "At 1203."
"oh," he relaxed. Did he really think that I'd take Takano san's apartment?! I'm neither stupid nor crazy! Well… I AM crazy, but not as much.
Besides, I love these two, and I really hope Richan will tell Takano san that he loves him, at long last!
"when did you move here?" he asked politely, but it was clear that he was about to sleep on his feet.
"Go to sleep, we can talk tomorrow – you look dead on your feet." He sent me a tired smile, bowed and with a light "good night" (Wenasumi) and in seconds he was inside his apartment. I smile to myself just as the elevator door opened and Takano san got out of it.
He stopped in his tracks when he saw me. "Hello again. I'm your new neighbor." Just like Richan, his eyes bugged out. "I'm from 1203." And he relaxed. I couldn't stop my laugh. "you two are so alike!" I said.
He looked confused, but dead on his feet nonetheless.
"Guess tomorrow I'll see a bunch of fine young men instead of a couple of corpses?" I asked jokingly.
"we work very hard at Emerald." Takano san said as he leaned on his door. "No half assed work."
"I'll do my best and beyond." I promised.to keep you guys together, that is, I thought to myself. "Takano san, may I speak to you tomorrow morning before work?" I asked him.
"About what?" he got his keys out.
"non-work stuff. Don't worry, I'm not involving my private life and my work life together. I just need to talk to you…"
"About what?" he asked again.
"Onodera san." I said.
He looked at me from head to toe twice before saying for the third time. "About what?"
This time I ignored this question. "When can I go to your place? Or do you want to go to my room?" I asked. "ya know what? When you'll get up brush your teeth and go to my place. I'll be waiting." I winked at him. "well, goodnight." I said as I opened my door and closed it in the face of a very shocked and worried Takano san.
Sorry Hun, but… you're the most important one. I knew that if I'll get Takano san to cooperate with me, everything will go smoothly. But if I won't talk to him first… I'll lose my way pretty quickly.
