Well here it be. I do have to say that I thought this would be three chapters but really I think I'll stop here. The third chapter no matter how I look at it seems broken and almost unnecessary. If I ever do get that chapter to where I want it, I'll put it up, but for all intents and purposes this is the last chapter...until my mind betrays me and makes me jot something down one random day.

Skip Beat I cannot own sadly, but the mistake I will. Enjoy!


"Thanks for your hard work, here is some tea before we head out," he says smiling graciously in her surprised direction.

She gives him her signature demon face, like he has thrown holy water on her and now she is melting in excruciating pain.

She cannot be blamed too much, like a nimble ninja he takes position on the desk next to her and is handing her the wooden tea cup along with that blazing smile of his.

She can only be glad that everyone else on the floor has gone home, seeing as how it is almost about to be 9:30 pm.

"Mogami-san?"

She schools her face, takes the cup from him, and gives her thanks.

What is his agenda she wonders, taking note of his long lithe legs that run from the top of the desk to the floor. How many bottles of milk did the man consume to be that tall and what exactly is his genetic code for height she muses.

His sleeves are rolled up and she cannot help but admire the show of skin and muscles.

His tie is perfect still in place after the long work day and he peeks at her from over his cup.

She crookedly looks away.

"How was your day?" he asks pleasantly.

"Good," she says as she blinks at him.

"You appeared to have been running around a lot today," he notes.

"Ah yes, we had to get some input and files from the marketing, finance, and research departments," she replies as she counts them off on her fingers.

Wait, is he making small talk with her? Why?

Did he lose some office bet?

It was not as if her colleagues were horrible to her or anything but for the most part she was left alone. The males looked at her as only a coworker and the females were friendly enough to her because she was not competition. What with her plain black hair in a bun and her simple modest clothes, she hardly stood out and yet here was the man women threw themselves at making small talk with her.

She asked him how his day was as she narrowed down the likelihood of an office bet and who had taken part enough to get the Hizuri Kuon to actually participate.

Was it Yashiro-san? He was always secretly trying to get people together and was fairly close to Hizuri-san since he was the assistant manager. Or could it have been Kurosaki-san who dressed like a gangster half the time and pulled pranks the rest half? Perhaps it was Matsunai-san who attempted to have an iron grip on Hizuri-san at all times? Or was it Miroku-san who was strangely enigmatic and looked at Hizuri-san in a strange manner? But he also looked at her in a strange manner, so perhaps he was not involved. Maybe it was the cute Kawagoe-san whose smile at times appeared to take down even the strongest of opponents? If they had all actively participated then Hizuri-san would have had to participate, since he was social and joined his coworkers in the usual office hijinks.

As she muses away she fails to notice that green eyes are once again focused on her and her name is being called.

When a slim hand waves in front of her face she jerks back.

"Mogami-san?"

Head tilted to one side Hizuri-san is looking confusedly at her in a rather adorable manner. Was it okay to call a grown man adorable?

She laughs nervously and bows her body in apology for her woolgathering while he talked.

"Well it has been a tiring and long day," he says giving her an excuse for her rudeness in not paying attention to what he was saying. "Perhaps we should head out."

He takes both their tea cups and she instantly gets up and stops him.

"I can take care of those Hizuri-san," she says holding out her hand for the cups.

Surprisingly he gives up the cups without a fuss and gives her that mysteriously soft smile of his.

Her fickle heart skips a beat.

Playboy.

She comes back to pack her things after she cleans and puts away the cups in the break room.

He is still by his desk.

"Shall we be off?" he asks casually.

Before she can ask him if he lost a bet the corner of her eyes pick up on something blindingly colorful.

"Ho-ho-ho we still have people working on the floor eh?"

Standing in all his cosplay glory is the President of the company. The rumors of him randomly walking into different departments was true thinks Kyoko as he watches them both like a hawk.

She had only encountered him from afar a few times, each time he had been dressed in full costume. Today he appeared to be dressed as a green overall wearing chicken? Or at least that is what she surmises from looking at his white feathery body and tail.

She looks a bit behind him to see a man in full veil, was he Arab? He is holding the chicken head, which confirms her guess.

"Working the clock are we Hizuri-san?" asks the President with an almost nefarious grin. How could that be possible thought Kyoko, why would the President be evil?

She shakes her head slightly to take the negative thought out of her head as Hizuri-san replies.

"Yes, we're just about to leave."

"We?" asks the President, still grinning, was his grin getting larger?

What baffles Kyoko is the fact that Hizuri-san rolls his eyes at the President. Rolling his eyes!

"Is that not the proper grammatical term for denoting myself and Mogami-san? Is there something I'm missing here Takarada-san?"

Takarada-san? Was Hizuri-san always this rude? Who talked to the president in that way?

The president laughs as he walks to Hizuri-san and good-heartedly slaps his back with the chicken wings.

"Still unhappy with me?"

"I'm not a child."

Was Hizuri-san pouting? Should she leave? If she could tear her eyes away from the half pouting face that is. Charmingly cute.

"Then join me for dinner," He turns to look at her, "Would you like to join us for dinner Mogami-san?"

Mouth still open Kyoko looks at the President in his chicken suit.

"Sorry, but I have plans," says Hizuri-san as he moves the chicken wing off his shoulder.

The president pouts, "Lies, what plans can a boring guy like you have?"

"None that you need to be aware of."

"I'm sure it's not a woman."

"Again, with all due respect it is none of your business."

The President shrugs and replies, "Julie will tell me, so it hardly matters how much you try to hide it."

Julie? This was her cue to leave.

"Otsukaresama desu, if you will excuse me Takarada-shacho, Hizuri-san, I will be leaving first", she bows in their direction and walks out the room grabbing her things.

Julie, thinks Kyoko is a pretty name, almost princess like. The elevator dings disrupting her thoughts on fairies and princesses with puffy lacy dresses.

Just as the doors close a hand interferes and stops the doors from closing all the way.

Is it pathetic that she has that hand memorized by now?

"Forgive me," he says in that voice of his "I needed to escape."

He gives her an embarrassed smile and she nods, not really understanding what he is escaping and trying not to find his smile endearing. Her demons cackle in glee. Or is it her angels?

The door closes once again, trapping them in silence save her racing heart.

"I hope Takarada-san didn't," he pauses, searching for a word.

"Didn't?" She prods.

He rubs the back of neck. How can he make, even that action look good?

"Didn't make you feel awkward? He has no filter when it comes to teasing me," he explains.

She looks at him and for some reason pale pink color suffuses his cheeks.

"It's fine," she says and her mouth runs on "Julie is a very pretty name."

Blood rushes to her face and she is sure there has never been a more embarrassing moment in her life. She wants to bang her head against the elevator doors.

She bows and profusely starts to apologize.

A sincere touch gently push her up and she sees a glint in those eyes filled with kindness. Her shoulder is burning from his light touch.

He smiles at her and says "I will be sure to tell my mother you find her name to be pretty."

Mother?

Oh god.

Her heart soars. Recreant.

She laugh nervously as she thinks of something proper to say. Thankfully she does not have to say anything as the elevator doors open. They walk out.

"May I walk you home?" he asks as they walk across the empty lobby.

She halts, now is the perfect time to ask about the bet.

"Ano, Hizuri-san," she starts as her hands fidget with her purse handle, she avoids looking at his face but she cannot go on.

He leans down "Mogami-san?"

She closes her eyes and rushes the words out "Did you lose some sort of a bet or is there a bet going around in the office that you have to partake in Hizuri-san?"

He tilts his head, confused.

"A bet? Of what sort?"

Now her feet are shuffling.

"Well…a bet where you need to walk me home or something?"

She hesitantly peeks at him and a wave of emotions cross his face.

His hands go back to his neck, "Forgive me Mogami-san, but I don't think I'm quite following what you're getting at."

She furrows her eyebrows, how can she explain this to him properly.

Perhaps the best method would be to ask him one by one and he would get her point.

"Hizuri-san why do you want to walk me home?" she ask straight forwardly, looking up at him, so she can point him in the right direction.

He stares back at her expectant expression, looks away and then looks back with a strange firmness.

"Because I would like to," he answers.

"Yes, but why?" she pushes.

"Because I would like to get to know you better," he elaborates.

"Yes, but why?" she gently prods further.

His look changes, there is an emotion swirling in those eyes. She wonders what it is.

"Because," he starts out slow but gains more emotion as he goes on, "I would like to know more about the person I like."

A confused looks falls on her.

"Which person?" she asks, was that what it was. He was being nice to her to find out about someone else in the office. Her heart clutched in pain. She ignored it, or tried to ignore it. Who could the luck lady be though? As she pondered she almost missed his answer.

"You, Mogami-san," he says, as if it is the most normal thing in the world.

She blinks. Turns her head left and right to make sure there are no hidden cameras.

Ah! She misheard him.

She giggles, he looks on nervously? Surely not. Definitely not!

"Forgive me Hizuri-san I misheard what you just said, it's silly really. Can you please repeat who you like, ah but worry not I won't tell anyone."

He clears his throat and his hands glide through his locks, "I said I like you Mogami-san."

He looks at her sheepishly.

She blinks some more. Surely not. Has her hearing really failed on her?

Her fist hits her palm, she must be dreaming.

"Hmm this is a rather realistic dream," she mutters, wondering how she can wake up.

Sturdy fingers give a tug at her cheeks to bring about a tiny bit of discomfort.

"Forgive me," he apologizes, taking his time pulling his hand back as she stares back at him, "I would pinch myself but I don't know if you would believe that I really felt pain, but suffice to say this really isn't a dream. I do like you Mogami-san, in the romantic sense, it might be hard to believe. I mean I'm not the best of men but I mean I do like you and I-"

She ran. It's not true. She is hallucinating. She is losing her mind, all that stress from work is causing her to make up things. Though a tiny voice asks, what stress from work?

She does not get far as that dangerous hand puts a stop to her escape.

He does not let go and her arm is shaking.

"Forgive me, I will let go once I have said everything and I promise I will not bring it up again, please."

He is pleading, she still could not look at him, why is he pleading?

Oh god she needs to breathe. Why is she suffocating? And why in all that is good is this man pleading?

Why could she not breathe?

"Mogami-san? Mogami-san?!"

A hand is rubbing her back.

A hazy voice is soothing her.

In and out, that is all she has to do, in and out.

When her breathing finally is under control she notices, her arm is no longer shaking but it feels cold, as does her back.

"Forgive me," he says softly, regret and hurt lingering in his timbre, "I'll call a cab for you and I won't speak of this again."

Her head jerks up as she watches him walk to the road. Her hand shoots out and grabs the hem of his jacket. Her arm was not shaking. Her arm never shook. It is almost silly how her arm was never shaking.

He turns around and looks at her expectantly. She lets go of his jacket.

She is a fool. She knew, knew with Sho (Fuwa the bastard), but she will consider the consequences of this foolishness later. For now all she can think of is how her arm did not shake.

"I'm sorry," "she manages to get out, he shakes his head and she battles that with a shake of her head.

"No-" he starts, but she cut him off firmly.

"No, it is my fault, I thought it was a bet. I mean I thought perhaps it was Kurosaki-san, or maybe Yashiro-san, I mean it would more likely be Yashiro-san since he seems to like playing matchmaker, but then it could also be Kurosaki-san, I mean this one time he kept sending heart shaped pizzas to Matsunai-san, and well she thought she had a secret admirer."

She is rambling, and her hands are fidgeting. He must think her an idiot. She looks up at him and her heart is taken. Again and again by him.

Eyes filled with tender affection are looking down at her.

"Did anyone ever tell you how adorable you look when you're nervous?" he asks.

She freezes and he winces.

"Sorry, I didn't mean that, no wait, I did mean that but I really shouldn't have said it like that," his hand goes to his hair again "and I mean I should take this slow, but well sometimes I just get –"

Something bubbles inside of her and before she knows it she is laughing. They are both so silly. She just could not help herself. He gives her that look again before joining her and her heart almost bursts. He has such a wondrous laugh. Slightly boyish filled with sunshine. Magical almost.

When their laughter is spent he asks her if she wants to get some tea with him before he sees her off home. She says yes, and she does not point out that they just had tea before they left work. How foolish they both are and that thought puts a mysterious smile on her face that he cannot help but appreciate.


Thanks for reading as always!

For the wonderful and patient people waiting for my other stories I can only apologize...its been a hard few years and even this story was collecting dust for a year or so and I'm honestly not even sure how I managed to get here. I'm still trying to get my life together, and I do hope I can touch back on those stories but I make no promises. I do heartfully apologize.