Punch

'My name is Athrun Zala.'

Cagalli stared at his hand for a full one minute. Athrun was feeling uncomfortable putting his hand out for so long but no response came about. He was battling with his mind whether to wait a bit longer or to just accept the fact that she doesn't want to shake his hand. Finally deciding to pull his hand away, she grabbed his hand and gave it a slight downward shook.

'I am Cagal-

'Ya, I know your name. Cagalli. Right?' Both of them let go of each others hand. Cagalli squinted her eyes at him rather annoyed being interrupted in the middle of the sentence.

'Yes. That's my name.' She turned around and grabbed a cloth. She picked up a glass lined up on the glass display and started wiping it dry. 'And it's very rude to interrupt when a person's talking.' She continued wiping another glass, not looking at the blue haired lad.

'Sorry for that. Too used to talking business deals. Interrupting people in mid sentence is drilled deep down to the bone.' He gave her a apologetic smile.

'Oh. You're a businessman? What kinda business? Looking at the way u dressed' Cagalli looked at him from top to bottom, 'I'm guessing...something big?' Right she was.

Athrun is the CEO for one of the vastly and successfully growing robotics engineering company in Plants. Genesis Corporation. It was established a few years back but the growth rate of the company is like moss growing on a wet stone. Well, this kind of result were very much expected because it's the young bloods who are managing it. With thousands and millions of new and exciting ideas coming and making it's appearance one after another have set them as one of the most promising companies standing and the business world have a huge expectation in how Genesis will grow. Plus with the good looks of the CEO and his subordinates, they have been very much popular with the ladies. Ever since they featured in the cover page of Business Today, a magazine exclusive for business related news, Genesis employees have become pretty much celebrities.

'Ya. I actually own a compa-No, wait. I am not here promote myself.' He mentally slapped himself for getting distracted. His business has occupied 90% of his life. At the mention of anything related to business will set his mind to operate as the CEO of Genesis Corp. 'Miss. I need to talk to you. Can u spare me some time.'

Finishing on wiping her last cup, she set it down and once again wiped her hand on the apron. 'Cagalli will do.' She never liked people addressing her with honorifics. Too formal. Cagalli and formal. Not a good match at all. 'Ya, go ahead. What is it?'

'Um...Actually...' Athrun was fidgeting. He does not know how to put in a nice way. however he says it, it will come out all in the same way. He sighed. Be a man, Athrun. Spit it out. It's now or never. No no no. Not never. It has to be now. Go!

'Actually, I am the one who hit your car.' There, it is out. Finally. He looked at Cagalli to see what she will do but he could not read the expression on her face. He opened his mouth to say something when a strong force made contact with his face and he found himself losing balance and stumbling on his feet. 'OUCH!' One hand grabbing the edge of the counter for stability and the other on his left cheek, What the fuck?! , he jerked his head to the direction where something hit him. He caught sight of Cagalli's red face and her hands balled into a fist.

She punched him! Athrun was dumbfounded. He just got punched. By a GIRL!

'That.' She started.'Was for running away.' Rubbing her knuckles, she stared down at him breathing out slowly. She was brimming with anger and she was hella sure that it was showing on her face. Her employee were staring wide eyed at what had just unfolded there.

Our boss...just punched a guy! All of them thought in unison. She is so cool. As expected of our boss. It was not exactly the right word to describe their boss but man, she was cool. Have you seen girls 'punching' a guy? There is slapping and all but the action of punching? Done by a girl? Only their boss can pull it off perfectly. Not to mention in such beauty. Look at her, standing there with her hands balled in a fist and looking down so handsomely at the guy...The guy? Oh yeah! The guy. Who got punched. All of them ripped their eyes off Cagalli and focused on the guy named Athrun. Poor guy. He is shocked. Well, that tends to happen when you see how our almighty boss look so...so...divine.

Nope. They got it all wrong actually. Athrun was simply...shocked.

Straightening himself up, he was completely baffled. He did not know what to do. He never got punched by girl. Well, there were slaps and all but punching? By a girl? Now, that's a first. 'What the hell was that for?' He stared wide eyed at the blonde haired girl. His cheek were red and stinging. His face was gaining color as his anger meter was reaching it's limit. He still can't believe he got punched. By a GIRL!

'I told you. That was for running way.' Cagalli replied with gritted teeth. She wanted to punch him more but she was aware of where she was. Customers might walk in and she don't want them to see a corpse lying in the shop. She gripped the side of apron to control herself from committing a crime.

'I came back!' Throwing his hands up, he shouted at her. She didn't even flinch.

'After 6 months!' She screamed back. Hearing that, Athrun hung his head low realizing that it was his fault to begin with. Biting his lips, he closed his eyes shut thinking back at the day of the accident. Looking at his rear view mirror to see a girl running after his car. He wanted to stop and apologize but he couldn't. He cannot stop so instead he sped off promising that he will come back and here he was telling her the truth and getting punched.

'That... Is my fault. I am sorry. Really sorry.' He sincerely apologized hoping that it would ease her anger. Rather than easing, it enraged her more.

'Sorry? You just said sorry?' Athrun nodded. Was it a bad idea saying sorry? Oh crap. I dont wanna get punched again. One hand on her hip, she said, 'Sorry just won't do honey.'

OH MY GOD! She said 'honey'. Crap. The cafe's employee all knew that Cagalli using 'honey' aint a good thing at all. This shows that her anger is beyond control. And that dude who is ridiculously handsome is beyond saving. Rest in peace, handsome guy. Only the lord can safe you.They prayed in their hearts and took one step back. You know for safety reasons.

Seeing the staff taking a step back, he figured that he was not in a favourable situation. 'Then, what do you want to do?' He blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

Raising an eyebrow, she questioned him back, 'What do I want to do?' Her fired up gaze poking on his skin. 'You. Asking me. What do i want to do?' Another bad idea asking that? Crap, Athrun. What is wrong with you?

'Fine.' she broke into a smile but her eyes were not showing the same thing as what her mouth did. ' What I want...is to PUNCH YOU TILL I BREAK YOUR FACE!'

'Woah woah woah!' Athrun instintively covered his face. 'I am against violence!' He peeked through the holes in between his fingers and saw that she has not moved from the place she was standing.

He lowered his hands. She cracked her fingers. He sighed. She glared at him.

'I came here to say that I will pay for the damage.' Instead I got punched. Touching his cheek, he winced in pain.

'Oh yeah. That's great. Cause I spend a fortune fixing that car!' Athrun's ears rang as she shouted. It's your fault, Athrun. You deserve it.

'I am truly very sorry.' He apologized once again. 'If you would tell how much it is, I will write you a check right away.' He put his hand in the jacket to take out his check book.

'I don't remember how much is it.' She told him crossing her arms.

'Ok. No problem.' He took out his check book and fished a pen out of the jacket as well. 'I will write you a blank check. You can write the amount yourself.'

'Yeah. That would be great.' she said with sarcasm dripping all over her words. Athrun looked up and caught her smiling like an evil clown.

'How many zeros should i put there?' Cagalli looked upwards thinking how many zeros she should put. Unable to come up with an answer, she turned to him. 'How many should I put so that you would go bankrupt?' She was smiling innocently but the words that came out of her mouth made him shudder.

'Maybe I shouldn't write you a check.' Instantly the check disappeared from his hands and was back in his jacket. This woman is crazy.

'Damn right you shouldn't. Given that I am so mad at you, I would actually put so many zeros that even your forefathers haven't seen before.' Cagalli shows no mercy when it comes to fighting back.

'You have a resit right?'

She nodded her head.

'Can you give me the resit?'

'I don't have it with me now.'

'Where is it?'

'My house.' She was starting to get annoyed with all the questions.

'Oh. Um. Maybe we could go and get it and get this all settled with.' Athrun praised himself for coming up with a solution.

'Listen,...' She try to recall his name. But failed. 'What did you say your name was?'

Getting tad bit annoyed himself, he replied. 'Athrun. Athrun Zala.'

'Yeah. That's right. Athrun...Is it ok calling you by your first name?' He nodded.

'Cool. Look, Athrun. Who is the one hit my car? You. Who is the one who ran away? You.' Athrun nodded in acknowledgement. 'So. Think about it yourself. Do you have the right to say what I should do?' Without pausing, she continued. 'No. You don't. You... are gonna listen to what I say. Understand?'

He listened to her silently asking The Lord why is he stuck in this situation.

Cagalli, not getting any answer, took one step towards him and leaned in and asked again, 'Understand?'

'Clearly.' He leaned back and averted his eyes, not daring to look into hers and see her eyes burning with rage.

Satisfied with the answer, she walked around him and went behind the counter. She slammed her hands on the glass top startling him and her employees. 'You will come here later at seven o'clock sharp. If you are late by even one minute' Cagalli made the slitting throat motion with her right thumb saying that she will kill him. Athrun gulped and nodded his head agreeing with the time.

'See you at seven then.' He turned on his heel and walked straight to the door. Getting out of there is his priority. Never had he been scared of a woman other than his mom.

'Wait.' He came to a stop. What now? He turned around reluctantly. Something was thrown in his direction and he managed to catch it before it hit his face. Athrun took a look at it. It was an ice pack.

He looked up to the girl who thrown in his direction. Cagalli's face still void of smile. 'For your cheek.' One finger pointing towards his direction.

He was surprised by that act. He said a thank you and headed out with the ice pack plastered to his face. Getting in his car, he checked his face in the mirror. It was very red. Thinking of what happened inside, he smiled without realizing.

'She sure knows how to punch. Interesting.'