10 Years Later
I gripped the handle of the steering wheel harder as I came closer to my destination. Turning into the parking lot, I parked my white BMW convertible between a red Mercedes Benz and a silver Bug. Taking a deep breath I got out of the car and started walking to the building that caused my life to change forever…that bank. I didn't dare walk closer to it than I already was; I was only a couple feet away from my car.
This was the building where I had entered it with a gun. Me, the 10 year old me had a gun and held hostages. But I remember an officer, and I've always wanted to tell him thank you for this new life of mine, but unfortunately I had forgotten his name and appearance long ago. Smiling just a bit, I walked back to the car, and headed to my 'real' destination. My new job interview.
The radio blasted the latest song Misery by Maroon 5 on the radio. Yes, just because I was going to a professional job interview that didn't mean I couldn't be a bit wild 15 minutes before I got there. Tipping my head back, I remembered what everyone had told me when I announced the job I was pursuing. My best friends Utau and Yaya were totally against it, saying it was too dangerous. My college professors Nikaidou and Yukari also told me it was dangerous, and considering my past it wouldn't be wise. The only one who encouraged me was Ami, which I guess was pretty much all I needed. I remember Utau pulling me aside the afternoon I had announced my career and asked me why I had picked it. I told her, "Someone special to me, although I can't remember him at all saved me from a horrible present and future. His job – a negotiator. Utau, I want to help those who were and still are like Ami and I. I want to help."
I smiled at the distant memory as I pulled into the crowded parking space. Grabbing my purse and files, I got out of the car and straightened my black pencil skirt. I had an aqua turquoise colored blouse to match. To match with the pair, I had on a brand new pair of black Prada pumps. Taking in a nervous breath, I started to walk to the grayish tan building. Entering the building, my heels made sharp and quick 'click-clack' noises as I walked across tiled floor. I went up to the front desk and sent a silent prayer.
"Hi, how may I help you?" asked a small petite woman with shoulder length black hair.
"Hi, I'm Amu Hinamori. I believe I talked to you on the phone the other day about a possible job."
"Oh yes. Yes, yes, please follow me," smiled the woman.
She walked around the counter and then led me down a hallway. Officers would smile or nod there head respectfully. There were even those who winked, which was awfully disgusting.
"So what job are you applying for?" asked the woman.
"Negotiator."
"Oooh. That's a pretty hard-nut job, but by the looks of you, I know you can pull it off."
"Thanks."
"Okay doke, here we are. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call me. Oh here's my number, and…oh gosh silly me! I forgot my name. I'm Suzuki."
"Oh, okay, thank you!"
I turned around and faced the wooden door in front of me. My heart was beating crazily, so hard I thought it would pump out of my chest. Closing my eyes, I slowly reached for the doorknob in front of me and opened the door.
The office was really big. There was large window that took up an entire wall and showed the city off. A large desk was placed in the middle of the room with three small couches in front of it. Sitting at the desk was a quite young man with the nameplate Chief Tsukasa. He had light brown hair with gentle eyes.
"Um…hi," I said taking a seat.
"Hello Amu."
"Hi…woah how'd you know my name?"
"Word travels fast around here," he smiled. "What do you need?"
"A job…negotiator."
"Oh yes. Let me check your files."
He turned around and started peering through a large filing cabinet, and in the meantime I shifted nervously on the flowered couch. Turning back around, I saw a manila folder in his hands. Placing it on his desk, he started going through it.
"Interesting, you were a criminal like person at the age of 10 and you want to apply for a job as a negotiator. May I ask why?"
"Someone who was a negotiator helped me out. Unfortunately, I can't recognize his face anymore. But…it's…I want to tell him thank you."
"You got the job, so wait here while I fetch your partner."
"Yeah…wait! I got the job?"
"Yes!"
"YES!" I shouted.
Realizing my surroundings, I turned a bright pink and sunk back to my seat.
"Sorry," I mumbled.
"No, no….hahaha, no it's fine," laughed Tsukasa.
Normal POV ~
Tsukasa walked out of his office, still slightly suffering from the young girl's reaction. He turned into the corner and opened another office door, where a male was sitting, and his feet on the table taking a nap. Amused, he picked up a book and dropped it on the desk causing the man to startle and wake up in a jolt.
"Hey! What the hell was that for Tsukasa?"
"Come with me."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
The male obediently agreed and followed the higher ranking officer to his office. The door opened and when they walked in the male stared at the young girl curiously and then he realized.
Ikuto POV
I had wondered why Tsukasa had brought me here, and had even debated about what he was going to make me do. But a partner…so I was getting a partner? But as far as I've been here I've never been any trouble so why'd I need a partner?
He opened the door to his office and when he moved in I saw a girl in strawberry pink hair. And for some reason, even after Tsukasa told me to sit down, I was frozen still in my spot. My eyes transfixed on the woman sitting in front of me. I didn't know her, yet she was so familiar. As she turned back to see who had entered the office, I studied her face. She had a soft, round, almost oval face with a small straight nose. But the thing that stood out the most was her unusual pink her and her honey golden eyes.
"Ikuto? Ikuto are you going to sit down of keep staring at her?" chuckled Tskukasa.
"Huh, oh…sorry," I said, taking seat on the couch near the girl.
"So why am I here?" I asked impatiently. Not that I needed to do something urgent, it's just that this girl wouldn't get out of my head.
"Miss Hinamori here has just been hired here as our brand new negotiator and…
Oh no…not that. Anything but that. Please don't say it, please don't say it, please don't say it, please don't say it, please don't say it, please don't say it, pleeeeease don't say it!
"You're going to be her partner. Okay and since this has been solved, you'll show her around after you leave, and she'll assist you on your jobs."
"Fine."
"Thank you!" smiled the pink haired girl.
As the both of us left Tsukasa's office, I led her down the hallway where a bunch of my so called colleagues didn't bother to hide their amusement. I had planned to walk right past them, but they cornered us…kind of.
"You got yourself a nice one there!" exclaimed one of them.
"Why do you get all the good ones?"
"Hey princess, did you dye your hair, or is it naturally pink. Because it's grabbed the attention of my heart!" said one them touching her hair. Pssh, I have better comeback than that lame one.
"Touch me and I won't hesitate to beat your balls till there blue," she smiled sweetly.
It was an obvious threat and the other two had backed away, but the stupid one still kept her hand on her hair. He even went as far to twirl it around his finger.
"What are you going to beat me with?"
"My fist, hands, feet," she smiled.
"Princess, I'm letting you know I'm a certified cop with a black belt in karate. And plus looking at you, I know you can't do anything."
Smiling sweetly, she gently grabbed the hand that was on her hair, held onto it, and kicked him fiercely in his manhood.
"Ooough!" shouted the man falling to the floor. He was in pain, she was smiling, and the rest of us including me stood there trying not to burst out laughing.
"Nice to meet you all," she said as I led her away from them.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
"You know," I said once I was behind the training room. "You might not be such a bad partner after all seeing what you just did."
"Hey, he had it coming."
"Mhm."
Amu POV
Sweat dripped off my forehead and slid all the way down to my chin where it fell to the hardwood floor. Forget that, my entire body was soaking wet with sweat. And here I thought my first day would be filing papers or get the 101 on negotiating, not doing hand to hand combat with an actual negotiator.
Blocking Ikuto's punch toward my ribs with hand, I quickly broke away and stepped back.
"I'm done, no more…"
"What do you mean no more? 2 hours of hand to hand combat is nothing!"
"Excuse you, but you've probably been working here for like…forever! I on the other hand just started here, and my body is sore as hell! I'm stopping."
"Fine. Here's a towel," he said tossing me the white cloth.
I caught the towel in my hand and wiped off all of my sweat, at the same time I took a seat on the floor. I looked up and saw Ikuto just staring out the window. He sure is weird. The total opposite of the negotiator who saved me. He had a good build. He was lean and muscular in all the right places, none of those outrageous muscles. He had shaggy blue hair. But not a light blue and not a dark blue. But for some reason when I looked the color I was reminded of the midnight sky. His eyes also had the same color as his hair- midnight blue. How strange. He seemed familiar, but at the same time he didn't.
"What?" he asked.
"Huh?"
"What are you looking at nothing?"
"Nothing," I lied. What's up with this guy?
"Mhm. Hey, did you dye your hair that outrageous color?"
OUTRAGEOUS?
"This is my natural color," I said with a frown.
"Suuure." Really? This guy looks like he's in his late twenties yet he acts like a kid!
"What about your outrageous hair color? Did you dye yours too?"
"You wish. This is my real hair. I wouldn't do something as cheap and dye it…like you."
"WHY YOU-
"I knew it. You really can't be a negotiator. The boss told me to report whatever happened with you after 6:30. And look here, it is 6:30. And not only are you losing your temper with a little fight, you got tired after 2 hours of training. If you excuse me now, I have to go tell him."
The door closed with a small thud, and I fell to my knees. This can't be happening now? No, not after all that I went through. Getting the courses and the scholarships and recommendations and everything else was exhausting, yet I managed to complete it. Convincing my family and close friends what job I was pursuing was tough, but I managed to do it. My goal…my goal, I have to protect all those kids out there. And him! I won't be able to tell him thank you! I…I
"I still haven't met him yet!" I shouted.
I got up and started running back to the boss's office as fast as I could. I pushed past people, and almost fell down; officers were staring at me, I could tell, but I didn't care. I had one goal in mind. I had to stop him. At first everything was unfamiliar, but soon I started to recognize my surroundings. The front office…and then a hallway, and next a turn, and…I'm here. I slammed the door open revealing Ikuto and Tsukasa talking.
"I want the job!" I exclaimed, not caring I had tears still rolling down my cheeks, and that my hair was all messed up. I didn't care that I was in sweats or that I was my breathing was jagged.
"You're not ready! Hell with that, you got pissed off from me making fun of your hair color!"
"Give me another chance! Let me prove myself, and if I can't then I won't accept the job!"
"Tsukasa, you possibly can't agree with this can you?" asked Ikuto.
"No, I shouldn't agree, but this girl. She has a fierce determination," he said with a smile. "Okay, you've got yourself a chance. In the meantime, you are to train and you never when the time will come, so be prepared."
"YES SIR!"
A/N
Thanks so much for the reviews! Anyways, I don't really like this chapter, not sure why and I've changed it a thousand times. Oh well…
Read~Review~Enjoy
Neko-Meme
