AN: Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry! To tell the truth I forgot about this story... How sad is that? Well, anyway, here is chapter one. It feels a little sloppy, but I figured I kept everyone waiting for an extended amount of time. If it is too sloppy for you just tell me to stop being lazy and fix it. I'm deeply apologetic.

Warnings: OOC-ness. Like really bad. And stupid dialogue. XP

Chapter 1:

The loud, undesirable hum of the vacuum cleaner filled the room, possibly the entire house, but it could not muffle Watanuki's curses. Despite the innumerable times he went over the same spot, the vacuum could not or would not lift the crumbs. The twenty-three-year-old growled in annoyance and frustration. This was the first home he'd had to clean in months, if he didn't do it perfectly he probably wouldn't be re-hired, and if he did as poor a job as the vacuum was doing he wouldn't be paid either.

Kimihiro took a deep breath and turned off the machine. He restarted it a moment later, yet it continued its obstinate behavior. Then the vacuum began making a hideous shrieking, grating noise. Watanuki nearly howled in rage. He shut the power off, again, and unplugged the black cord. Kimihiro hoped with all his might that it was somehow the outlet's fault and that he hadn't broken the pricey vacuum.

"Why the hell does this have to happen to me?! I do the best I can! I help people. Isn't it supposed to be the popular kids that can't survive in the real world?! I was as unpopular as they come! Where is that stupid…oh, right there." Watanuki mumbled to himself as he scoured the area. He plugged the vacuum into the new outlet and hurried back to the crumb-infested corner.

"C'mon," Watanuki coaxed and cajoled. The cleaning equipment spluttered and kicked back a decent portion of what he had just vacuumed. The machine then powered itself down almost smugly. Now the carpet, which once had only a few crumbs, was covered in dust, scraps of paper, and other food particles. Watanuki glowered.

"Why?! You piece of shit!" He berated the malfunctioning device. The damn thing wasn't even his, it belonged to the homeowner. Kimihiro tried turning it on a few times before coming to the conclusion that the vacuum was officially dead and he needed to make a phone call. As painful as it was, the homeowner needed to know that the rather expensive-looking vacuum was kaput. Reluctantly, Watanuki fished into his pocket for his cellular phone. It was a simple contrivance that was cheap and preformed the minimal functions. It made calls; it received text messages, and not much else. The bespectacled man dialed the number with a sigh and held the phone to his ear. It rang a few times before someone picked up and greeted him brusquely.

"Hello, I'm terribly sorry, Sato-san, but there appears to be a problem with the vacuum cleaner." Watanuki informed him. Maybe it was something that happened regularly and all Watanuki needed to do was give it a swift kick to get it working once more.

"What kind of problem?" Sato asked in an almost accusatory tone.

"Well, it lost suction, then it made a grinding noise and spat out some stuff. Now it won't turn on anymore." Watanuki explained as calmly as he could.

"That's never happened before," Sato breathed out in aggravation.

"Shit," The blue-eyed youth mumbled, "I'll just finish without it, and I won't charge you—"

"Don't bother, just leave the key and I'll hire someone else." The man ordered gruffly.

Watanuki pinched his nose and replied, "Are you sure? Look I really need this job—"

"I already said I'd hire someone else."

"Yes sir, I'll leave the key on the table." Watanuki seethed with his voice laced in disappointment. He hung up and grabbed his key ring, which would now house only one key. The one to his apartment and he was sure to lose that too if he didn't find some new clients. The bespectacled man viciously unclipped the homeowner's key and hastily tossed it at the table. He stormed out and slammed the door as fiercely as he could.

Watanuki jogged to his bicycle and hit his rusty kickstand so he could get home. He pedaled hard, not minding the wind as it stung his rapidly moistening eyes. He wiped the tears away with his sleeve. Kimihiro didn't even care that he'd left Sato's door unlocked.

Watanuki weaved through traffic, which wasn't heavy at this hour anyway. He whispered expletives under his breath the whole way and barely slowed once he arrived. It was a miracle he didn't careen over the handlebars considering how harshly he'd stopped. He hit the kickstand a few more times than necessary before heading into the apartment complex. The tiny bell jingled the way it always did to alert the part-time medium/landlady. Even though the elderly woman knew whom it was she always asked.

"Is that you, Watanuki?"

"Yeah," He responded and rushed passed her. Unfortunately he did not escape so easily.

"Watanuki, you're a few months behind on your rent and power bills." She tried to put it gently, yet firmly. After all she had an adopted granddaughter to take care of.

"I know!" Watanuki snapped, "I'm not an idiot!"

She looked startled for a moment, but then she softened.

"When one door closes another one opens," She offered sagely. Watanuki stared at his feet guiltily.

"I'm sorry—" He began, but his landlady smiled and shook her head knowingly.

"Go upstairs and eat, maybe things will start to look up." She told him then she shuffled away. Watanuki stared after her dumbly before closing his mouth and taking her advice.

He took the stairs two at a time before he reached his landing and entered the richly carpeted hallway. The plush sunk under his weight, which was probably a bit less than it ought to be. Watanuki hurried passed the other apartment rooms and stopped at his own. He fished out his key, opened the door, kicked off his street shoes, and headed straight for his couch. The apartment had come fully furnished; or rather it had a bed, a couch, and the basic appliances. Watanuki flopped onto the worn sofa feeling defeated, as well as exhausted. His phone rested uncomfortably in his pocket, so he tugged it out. It beeped at Kimihiro to inform him that the battery was going dead; he groaned and turned it off. Then, he tossed it, not caring where it ended up.

--

Ringing, something was ringing very loudly. It was too soft to be a fire alarm, but it was every bit as obnoxious. Watanuki rubbed at his eyes, not remembering when he had fallen asleep. His mouth felt dry and his glasses were lost somewhere in the cushions of the couch.

Fuck

That was his phone, but the ringtone was a bit different. Watanuki couldn't place what it was but it wasn't his ringtone. It bleated at him insistently, demanding his attention. Though he was nearly blind he ambled around for the phone. He found it only a few feet away from where he had been dozing.

"Hello?" His voice was still thick with sleep, and now he moved to find his glasses.

"Did I wake you?" The voice on the other end asked with a lilt that suggested she knew she had. Watanuki placed his glasses on his nose.

"No, no, it's fine. Um, who is this?" He asked.

"I am Yuuko Ichihara, it is nice to speak with you Watanuki Kimihiro." She answered with the same tone.

The twenty-three-year-old blinked in confusion and his mouth opened to form a question, but the Yuuko began talking once more.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I called, so I'll make this quick. I believe you are in need of employment, hm, Watanuki?"

"Y-yes, I don't und-" He began but was cut off.

"I have a job for you, but there are some…stipulations." Now the woman sounded serious. Watanuki became unsettled.

"What stipulations?" He found himself inquiring rather than doing the sane thing and hanging up.

"If you agree to take the job, you must keep it for a year. You cannot quit." Her voice sounded almost smug.

"What if I'm fired?"

"You won't be, I guarantee that. Are you interested?" Yuuko knew the answer, but it needed to be asked for formality's sake.

"What kind of job?" Watanuki should have been jumping for this opportunity, but he felt more nervous than anything.

"Nope, that is another stipulation, you have to agree without knowing what your job is. Well?"

"That's ridiculous! How am I supposed to know what I'm going to be doing?!" Watanuki demanded. Yuuko only chuckled.

"If you aren't interested, I'm sure there are plenty of other opportunities awaiting you." Yuuko said it as a threat, not a complement.

"I don't have a choice then." Watanuki groused.

"If you feel that way. Now, meet me at the Cat's Eye Café, tomorrow at nine. We have some preparatory work to do!" Yuuko sounded excited and she hung up before Watanuki could argue. The bespectacled man was left staring at his phone in confusion.

Wait…hadn't he turned his phone off?

Meh, it's another setup chapter, I get bored whilst writing such things. Bear with me, I hope to introduce Doumeki soon. Oh, and since this story is being written by the seat of my pants, how long do you think it should be? A short little four-or five-parter, or something more engaging?