"You need a ride back, just call alright?" Hikaru called to Haruhi.
"In case, just use what we gave you, okay?" Kaoru added.
She gave a wide smile as a response, "I'll be fine."
The dark-haired boy wore his aviators and gave a thumbs up to his brother before turning back to give a final word to the girl he once loved.
"Be careful," shooting her a reassuring smile, he added, "You might want to step back a little."
The copter was blowing sand all over the place, but it had minimal effect on Haruhi who had stepped a fair distance away. She waved her old friends goodbye until she could only see them as a speck in the sky.
"11:15 AM" she read the time aloud. Fifteen more minutes. Choosing a flat rock under shade, she sat and waited.
I didn't get enough sleep...maybe 15 minutes is enough...? NO! She argued herself awake, I chose this job. It comes with the job description. Putting her indexes on her temples, she slowly rubbed them. Breathe in...and out.
This had been a habit of hers to calm down and to concentrate. On court, this meant defeat to her opponents. She had been quite a natural as a lawyer; she had even finished in just 3 years. Fujoka Haruhi.
*Achoo!
I should get some vitamins later...
"Miss Fujoka, I hope you didn't wait to long." the same smooth voice she had heard the other day greeted her from behind.
"Not at all Ms. Arcs." Haruhi neither did stand nor look at the speaker, instead she sat still.
Sephiria Arcs. Not too much information on her. But she is "Number 1" on a certain "Chronos". Recalling the information she could get hold of. Her footsteps were drawing nearer.
"Welcome to Chronos, Ms. Fujoka." she was in front of her now. Her attire was slightly different. Instead of the warm smile Haruhi had etched in her mind, she was now dead serious and had a strange sword by her side.
Silently, Haruhi stood. Chronos, an underground company which ruled 1/3 of the world. Somehow, she found this quite fitting.
She started walking back to where she came from without a word. Haruhi followed to find a helicopter waiting.
Awestruck, she stopped a bit to digest what she just got into. Sorry Hikaru...I don't know if I can keep my promise.
"After you, Ms. Fujoka." Arcs waited just before the door of the copter. Clumsily, she climbed in and slowly wandered inside. A person in an all-black ensemble was giving her instructions when she was suddenly pushed to the ground.
"Haruhi, down!" A shower of bullets rained on the copter's side. Arcs had pushed her, and were dodging bullets at the same time.
"GO!"
The helicopter soared to the air, and Arcs had jumped an incredible height and landed to the ground with ease. Haruhi looked through the window, a bead of sweat dropping at her side. Just who are these people?
There were about ten people with big guns surrounding her, but she looked calm. She drew her blade.
Pulling herself away, she put a hand across her eyes. The person she just met...the person who had hired her was going to die right now. What's going to happen to me?
"All-clear." the familiar voice chimed in the radio.
"Roger that." one of the guys in black replied and proceeded to lower altitude.
Looking up, she felt her head ache. Everything was just a little over the top today. She couldn't believe any of this.
A hand on her shoulder caught her by surprise, "Okay?" it was the same- Sephiria Arcs. Was she hallucinating? What happened? Is it even possible to wipe away ten people in ten seconds?
She nodded still befuddled. "W-w-" she was stopped by a quick finger to her lips. She remained quiet the entire trip. Trusting them was still something she was not sure of, but in something like this, she had no choice.
"Ah good."
Haruhi lazily opened her eyes to see a similar ceiling she usually woke up to. Moaning, she put a pillow to her face. So bright. Was it all a dream? That would explain- What is that smell?
"Come now. Get up or you won't be able to taste this delicious blueberry cheesecake I made."
It can't be mistaken. It was Sephiria Arcs' voice. But what was she doing here? How did she get here?
Removing the pillow and slowly peeking, she got big-eyed at what she saw.
She rubbed her eyes just to make sure. This was her apartment, but somehow it had been thrice as wide as before. Now, there was actually a table and a computer. Where'd I get these? No, no, no. "Where am I?" she thought aloud.
"Get up and I'll tell you." she replied as sweet as Haruhi first heard her.
Slowly but warily, she sits up to find that she IS in her apartment. These were her things. But somehow, aside from the space, she now had a new computer and a new table. I wonder what kind of company Chronos is?
I am kinda hungry... her stomach grumbling in response, she removed the covers of her bed to discover everything wasn't a dream. She was wearing her suit in bed. It wasn't a dream. It actually happened. Or am I just losing my sanity here?
"..." she couldn't think of anything to say to her new boss. Half-scared and half-confused as she was, she walked over to the table to taste the cake.
"It's good." she said nonchalantly. The effects of waking up.
"Why, thank you." she smiled and ate her part.
"Ms. Arcs?" she asked, looking intently at her.
"Call me Seph-nee." being as sweet as the cake.
"Seph-nee...I was wondering if you could tell me about Chronos?" Haruhi had stopped eating the cake a while thinking she would get shouted at or threatened. Best get prepared.
Her face which had been smiling slowly turned to a melancholy. Somehow, it was a sad smile.
"You tell me." Sephiria had soft eyes. She looks very vulnerable. But she's Number 1. Haruhi had learned to not judge someone just by looks especially when she was still in the Host club. Honey-senpai. She smiled in her mind, thinking it would be a huge mistake to do it now.
"A company which rules 1/3 of the world, though only few know of it, Chronos helps maintain the flow of the world."
Continuing with her cake, she just waited for a continuation.
"With the use of their Erasers and Numbers, they have become a legend in the underground. That's about to as far as I know."
Weakly smiling at her, she slowly nodded in agreement. Is this psychology?
"A-and," adding this to clear her guilt for the while, "You're Number 1."
"Nicely done. But, it is not in-depth." standing, she made her way to the stove to turn it off.
"Tea?" shaking her head, she took another slice of cake on the table as Sephiria prepared tea for herself.
"That's how much newbies are supposed to know, so it's fine."
"...But, why was I called? I mean...you guys rule 1/3 of the world, but come to an amateur like me."
"You have great potential in you. Chronos just wants to help you reach your potential. Surely, you won't be making much progress like this." she had her back turned but Haruhi was caught in surprise.
They knew about her. Lifting her right index to her temple, she rubbed it a while and closed her eyes.
"What is my role in the company?" quickly retracting her hand as her boss turned around and brought tea to the table.
"As what you are now. A lawyer."
He opened his fridge to find just 3 cartons of milk left. Grabbing one, he walked back to his couch, and turned the TV on. The bell around his neck slightly ringing, it brought back so many memories. He smiled.
Flipping the channel until he got to the one he has been most interested on these past few days. The news.
"We're here today as witnesses to the astounding catch of high-level master criminal Joros Lasi, who has been the mastermind in more than 50 successful high-level crimes. Most of which, includes jewel-theft and mass murder.
Joros Lasi, bounty Y100, 000, 000. Mastermind of 58 high-level crimes. Taking big gulps, he thought.
"Okay now, that was an amazing capture! Could you tell the viewers more about it?"
"Ah, yeah. We've been actually tracking Lasi for 2 months now."
"Just two months? You guys must really be good." the reporter complemented.
"We couldn't have done it without a special helping hand. So, if you're listening right now, thanks. You know who you are." The man looked directly at the camera.
"And you sweetie, what's your name?" A blonde girl had been beside the man the whole time.
"Eve." she replied bluntly, seemingly not caring about the reporter.
"A-." he had shut the TV. He had paced to the window to get a good view of the city. Smiling to himself, he took a swig of his milk. It's just been six months.
"Hm?" saying this aloud, he jumped out the newly-opened window and dangled there by one hand, the other carried his milk. Within a second, he had swung himself to the rooftop a floor above his. All this without even breaking a sweat. He lay down to his usual spot and gazed at the stars.
Room number 312. She read the sign before her. Here goes.
*knocks
Nothing.
*knocks agin.
Still nothing.
Breathe in, breathe out. Reaching into her coat pocket, she took the key Kaoru had given her. Let's see if this could really open all locks.
*Click!
Gulp! Slowly, the door creaked as she opened it. It was a typical room in an apartment, though it was bigger than hers. It looked clean. She stepped in a bit, not bothering to close the door. A couch and a TV. No kitchen. That door must be the bathroom. Hm. No bed? From the looks of things, the person here was just comfortable on the couch, and didn't stay home much.
*Achoo!
Crap. She would soon find out if there really was no one there. Staying still, she waited. *sigh Clear.
Curling her neck strap given to her just a while ago, she nervously sat on the couch.
'Go and talk to this guy. Don't worry he won't hurt you at all. Just show him this okay?' That was Seph-nee's words, but just how much can I trust Chronos?
I don't have much too many options. She told herself, lying down and yawning. "10:10 PM" she read the time on her watch. Just a quick one...
