[A/N] - Chapter two! Sorry for the length- trying to set up the premise...be patient! ;P
"Can't be helped! Can't be helped! Can't be helped! Can't be helped!" Risa swayed back and forth, with a determined face.
"Yeah!" Otani cried throwing his hands in the air.
"Can't be-" the two sucked in a deep breath. "HELPEDDDD!"
"One more!" Risa cried, bending down to find another song to sing.
"I thought you said just a couple," Otani reminded, though he was having fun too. "You said you just needed a little break from job searching."
A visible chill went up Risa's spine. She snapped up, facing him, her hands on her hips.
"Why do you keep bringing that up? I've been working very hard- I deserved a break!" she stuck out her bottom lip and crossed her arms. "So annoying..."
"Who's annoying?!" Otani asked, smacking her in the back of the head. "I need to get home anyway- I'm suppose to be waiting for a call from...eh...for an interview."
Risa noticed his word choice, but didn't have time to ask about it as she reluctantly left her sancuary and entered real life once again, where she was unemployed and desperate. She sighed- black smoke surrounding her head.
"What's with this atmosphere?" Otani shivered, cringing away from her.
"I'm going to be an unemployed leech, pulling you down further and further into the loser ocean!" she cried.
"What are you on about?"
She sighed, seriously depressed.
"I'm worried," she admitted. "That I won't find a job soon."
"Agencies see your wardrobe and are too reluctant to hire you."
"What's wrong with my wardrobe?!" Risa cried angrily.
He laughed. "Just joking." There was a pause. "If you stay positive and keep looking, I'm sure you'll find one soon enough."
Just like that, Risa was hopeful again.
"I'll try calling Mimi tomorrow!"
He smiled up at his girlfriend. She was so good-spirited.
Then he shook his head. What strange things was he thinking?
"Race you home," he said in a silly voice and sped off in front of her.
"H-Hey!" she spluttered and took off after him. "Unfair!"
The next day, Risa opened the door to the apartment and was immediately faced with a beautiful short woman, smiling at her.
"Ah, is this the Otani residence?" she asked in a sweet voice. Risa blinked.
"Yeah, are you here for him?"
"Yes ma'am. Is he here?"
Risa's expression grew fond. 'Ho ho ho,' she thought. 'Ma'am? How nice!" Risa deemed her normal enough to let in. She opened the door wider. "Come on in, he should be here soon."
"Ah...thank you."
She sat on their couch and Risa brought her a cup of green tea. She thanked her and took a sip.
"Are you Otani Atsushi's wife?" she asked, looking up.
Risa's tea went out her nose.
"W-W-Wife? No no!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, sister?"
"S-S-Sister?! How could we have the same genes and be so radically different in height?!"
"I'm sorry!" she cringed. "What are you to him?"
"I'm his girlfriend," Risa smiled, putting her hands in between her knees and swinging her legs.
The lady smiled, not daring to say anything else.
"Who are you?"
The lady pushed up her glasses. "My name is Sakura Kimiko. I'm Otani's assistant."
Risa froze.
"I just wanted to tell him how nice it is to have him aboard and how I look forward to working with him this year-"
"Assistant?"
Sakura blinked.
"Surely he told his girlfriend that he was hired," she said smiling. "You should be very proud of him."
Risa's eyes grew wide.
Suddenly, the door opened and Otani walked in, taking off his jacket. His jaw dropped when he saw Sakura sitting on his living room couch.
"S-S-Sakura!" he cried, racing over to her and picking her up by the arm. Risa noticed this and her eyebrows furrowed together.
"Otani, I came to-"
"Yes, let's talk outside. Koizumi- I'll be right back!"
"Oh, I...um," Sakura tried to say as Otani pushed her out the front door. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Koizumi!" she shouted and waved right before he slammed the door shut.
Risa's raised hand fell slowly to her lap and her heartbeat thudded loudly.
Otani's assistant? Otani...had an assistant? He...had a job?
He has a job?!
Why didn't he tell his girlfriend? Why was he lying to her?
Did this girl have something to do with it?
The door swung open and he crossed the room toward her. His red face turned a little and he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Your assistant?" Risa asked and Otani didn't respond. "Why didn't you tell me?"
He looked away.
"Because I didn't want to make you feel bad."
Her eyebrows perked together and her face flushed.
"Well, just so you know- I don't feel bad. I should be proud of you," she huffed.
"K...Koizumi..."
"I don't feel bad," she said again in a softer tone. "Congratulations," she added.
He smiled fondly. "Thank you." He glanced at her sitting position and planted a soft kiss on her lips briefly.
"I'm going to bed," he said pointedly, his face flushing slightly. "You coming?"
"What devilish things is Otani thinking of...?" she teased and his face burst into flames.
"I wasn't thinking anything! Get your mind out of the gutter!" he shot back and stormed to the bedroom.
"I'll be in in a second, let me check my email!"
"Like I care!" He slammed the door.
She smiled and then sat across her computer. She stared at the monitor for a moment before clicking on the search engine.
'Jobs in Osaka, Japan: Stylist'
Koizumi Risa was the unemployed girlfriend of the elementary teacher, Otani Atsushi. She refused to stay in that embarrassing position for long.
[A/N] - Thanks for reading. Chapter three in the works.