Chapter Four

Sunday evening Asuka pulled up in front of the Kudoh residence. She reapplied lipstick with the aid of her rearview mirror and adjusted her bulky sunglasses. They were thankfully large enough to cover the bags under her eyes that had been the result of a few more nights spent reading and another in a chat room with Aki, both pretending to be naïve teenage boys, but alas, no takers. Well, no cult takers, they both had been propositioned by a few pedophiles for cybering, and one particularly creepy scuzzbag who wanted to meet at a host club.

The heels of her boots clicked sharply on the walkway of the neat little house. She knocked sharply on the front door and waited.

And waited.

She knocked again and when there was still no response she took a step back to take a closer look at the house. "Little shit knew we were meeting today." She muttered to herself, trying to pick out which window most likely to belonged to Yohji's room, and then stooped over to look for a good sized rock to throw at it. However everything in sight had been swept clean.

She tried knocking on the door a final time, and when that didn't work she sat down on the stoop to unzip one of her boots.

Meanwhile upstairs Yohji was stretched across his bed lying on his stomach. He had a pair of bulky over ear headphones on, which had a very long cord plugged into the stereo on his desk. He was listening to Prince, head and shoulders moving slightly to the music as he skimmed through the last of the articles Asuka had left him, sliding a highlighter back and forth through his fingers until he found a sentence to circle. He used one foot to slide back the crimson vinyl pants leg of the other and scratched it with his toes.

His bed was adjacent to the window and Asuka had guessed right.

Therefore when her boot slammed against the glass, even with his headphones on the noise scared the shit out of him. He jumped up, stretching the cord of the headphones beyond their limit, which pulled the stereo a few inches from its place on his desk and sent CD cases and pens to the floor. He also banged his foot on the wall.

"Ow!" Yohji yelled, reaching over to rub his abused foot. He glanced out the window and caught Asuka waving cheerfully from the yard.

"One minute!" He yelled to her. He took off the headphones, put them on the desk, paused the CD and picked up the toppled cases before jogging down the stairs, limping slightly.

He passed by the living room where his father was laying on the couch, wearing a suit despite the fact that he didn't work on Sundays. He was passed out, under the influence of alcohol or possibly something less benign. Yohji shook his head in disgust. "Couldn't hear the door, could you Dad?"

He opened the front door with one hand and started gathering his hair into a short pony tail with the other. It was just barely long enough to tie back. Asuka was sitting on the stoop putting her boot back on.

"Hey stud. Ready to go?" She asked.

"Not quite. You didn't give me any notice you were coming."

"I told you Sunday." She said as she stood up.

"Oh, so is being ready to leave at a moment's notice more of my PI training, oh wise and respected sensei?" He asked. "What?" She was staring at him.

"N-nothing. Go get some shoes on. You're not getting in my car in slippers you European weirdo."

Yohji rolled his eyes. "Europeans wear shoes too." He muttered as he obediently turned to find socks and shoes. "Should I take the articles and the books with me?"

"Nah, you should know those already. Are you going to be a minute or should I wait out here?" She asked.

"Oh, well you can come in if you want but there's not much to chez Kudoh." He answered, holding the door open for her.

"Thank you." She watched him limp back up the stairs and guessed that had something to do with the thud and crash she'd heard after hurling her boot at his window. Try as she might she was staring at him again as he left.

Despite his flirtations, based on seeing him for the first time outside of a school uniform he was giving off the gayest vibes she had ever encountered from a human being. Sexy gay, but gay nonetheless which was rather confusing.

In addition to dark crimson vinyl pants he was also wearing a tight fitting black David Bowie t-shirt that rode up a little to show some of his abdomen and hip bones. The t-shirt collar was also low, showing a good deal of neck and collar bone. That and his hair was very well groomed for a teenage boy. If he wasn't gay he was very, very metrosexual. Hm. She'd have to ask Aki if his gaydar went off later on.

"Ready." Yohji said, returning a moment later with black shoes.

"Cool, let's roll."

Yohji followed her to her car and got into the passenger side without even attempting to open her door for her. She smiled approvingly at him. Her training was working already.

"Asuka-sensei, where are we going?" He asked.

"Sensei?" She asked with a smile.

He shrugged. "It sounded appropriate."

She laughed. "We're going to see my friend Aki. He's good with computers so I asked him to show you a few things. He's my tech and intel guy. It's a bit of a hike to see him though so on the way we're going to talk job and make sure you actually learned something from all that reading."

"Okay. That sounds reasonable."

"Recite."

Yohji earned himself another metaphorical gold star by responding quickly and seriously to the barked order. "The Garnets target emotionally vulnerable teenage boys with wealthy parents yet are apparently not financially motivated, which suggests they have an independent source of wealth from some beneficiary or outside funding, and have some secondary motivation for targeting the wealthy kids."

"Good boy." Asuka said with an approving nod. "Now, what do you make of that information?"

Yohji blinked. "Oh, I get a say? I thought I was just supposed to memorize."

"Well that would be pretty useless if nothing penetrated. C'mon kid, analyze and interpret the info." Asuka prodded.

Yohji rolled his eyes. "I did, I just wasn't sure if I was supposed to. I think it sounds like whoever founded this thing probably has a vendetta against rich people, and I'm thinking he probably was one. That would explain the source of the funds and the targeting. But isn't that too obvious?"

"Obvious doesn't always mean wrong. Some people are careless. But we don't know enough about the Garnets to assume gender yet." Asuka assessed, and caught Yohji's snort. 

"Alright amateur detective, why are you so sure the head is male? Or even one person for that matter?"

"It's a cult for guys. Doesn't that mean they'd be listening to a guy?" Yohji asked in a tone so disrespectful it bordered on insulting. No, scratch that thought, Asuka was insulted.

"Alright Yohji, let's get something straight here. I am not your freaking lit teacher or math teacher or anyone else you give lip to at school all day. I may be teaching you, but I am your boss and if you want to get paid for this then you are going to watch your tone." Asuka caught his eye roll, but her point seemed to penetrate. "I can think of many reasons why a cult leader might want to use a figurehead instead of implicating themselves. And if you form ideas about the perp without evidence to back it up your assumptions are only going to work against you. We clear on that?"

"Yeah, I'll try not to jump to conclusions. I get it." He muttered.

"Honey it's nothing to get upset over. Now if you screw up next week, then you can look all gloomy and depressed because I'll fucking kill you, I mean if your screw up doesn't get you killed first, but for right now…you can make mistakes to your little heart's content, okay?" They were at a stop light so she squeezed his hand and smiled brightly at him. He snorted in amusement, against his will from the looks of it. As an afterthought she added, "And you really don't have to worry about impressing me Yohji, you wouldn't be here if you hadn't done that."

He didn't say anything, obviously and pathetically trying to keep a 'cool' front going, but he visibly brightened which was adorable. It kind of made her want to compliment him again, but her work ethic got in the way of her desire to flirt. That and the light turned so she had to look at the road again.

"Tell me about the profiling the Garnets are doing."

"I did. They're looking for rich wieners with no friends." Yohji answered, sounding a bit exasperated.

"That's an oversimplification. Come on kid, I left you a binder heavy enough to crush a rodent's skull with. You had to get more than that out of it." She prodded.

"Okay…specifically they're looking for lonely kids, not loners. Kids who want to fit in but don't know how, like unintentional outcasts and misfits."

"And how is that relevant to us?" She asked.

"Natsuhiko's really socially awkward and apparently that bothers him. When I get in I should probably befriend him and try to help him with that, like talking to people and stuff." Yohji assessed.

Asuka considered. "I actually wasn't thinking that far ahead, but that's really good. Although I don't think you should befriend him unless you plan on keeping it up after the job's done, otherwise when you stop talking to him there's a chance he'll fall right back in with the Garnets or someone just like them. And no, I don't think of that in terms of a future rent check, when I do my job I like to do it right."

"I didn't say anything." Yohji said, waving his hands in front of him defensively. He was smiling, apparently he approved of her response. "So what were you thinking then?"

She chewed her lip, wondering how he was going to take this. "I'm thinking we'll have to play up your half-gaijin status a bit, make it look like it isolates you-"

"Not a problem." His expression soured. "It actually does isolate me, if you were curious. And like I said before, Megumi picked Otoya. I couldn't find a date to the dance so I had to skip it because the only girl who was interested was some creepy little freshmen who cut off a piece of my jacket and carries it around with her."

"Really? I'd have thought you were popular." Asuka said.

"Yeah, well I'm not. My dad's a loser, we're poor and I'm a half breed." His voice was dripping with bitterness. "But at least it'll finally be good for something."

"True enough." Dear God she hoped Hana was not that creepy little freshman he'd mentioned. "You know when I went to school there was a kid who was half-European and we actually thought she was pretty cool for it."

"Yeah? It didn't bother you guys?"

"No, actually I think it made her popular. But it was because she was part Westerner, y'know? There were a few other half gaijin kids in my grade but since they were just Koreans they were outcasts. I befriended one of them anyway, and it's been crazy useful for me. He works in the Yakuza now and he's a good source of info for me."

Yohji rolled his eyes. "A Korean Yakuza who squeals to a PI, wow. Are there anymore walking movie stereotypes I should know about?"

"I'll let you know if I think of any."

They traded tidbits about the cult for the rest of the drive to Aki's house. Asuka pulled into his driveway behind his parents' minivan. She noticed a confused look on Yohji's face. "What?"

"Your hacker friend lives with his parents?" He asked.

"What makes you say that?"

"The bumper stickers on the minivan." Yohji answered. "Unless he hearts bingo and is proud of his honor student at…my high school. Huh. He has a sibling at my school?"

"Yeah."

"Anyone I know?"

"Come on kiddo, Aki's waiting." She answered quickly, getting out of the car in a rush.

"Asuka-sensei, why aren't you answering my question?" Yohji asked with a laugh. With his long legs he caught up to her quickly even though she was power walking to the front door. She still didn't answer him even after ringing the bell, but luckily he was amused by it. Then Hana answered the door and his expression turned to stunned recognition. He also compulsively reached a hand to the back of his shirt, and she guessed Hana was the jacket mutilator.

Hana looked like she was going to faint. Her eyes had widened to twice their size and her face paled. She was wearing a baggy grey t-shirt that was covered with paint splatters, her hair was in a messy bun with a paint brush poking out of it and she had on pajama pants with rubber duck print and fuzzy, mop like electric green slippers.

"Y-yohji-sempai, what are you doing here?" She asked, voice barely audible it was so breathy.

Asuka frowned. "Aki didn't tell you we were coming over Sweetie?"

"A-aki? He, oh that…AKI!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!" She screeched. Her face went bright red. She turned and ran back into the house. They could hear Aki laughing from his office, which was located right off the hallway.

"You know Hana-chan is my stalker freshman, right?" Yohji whispered out of the corner of his mouth. He had a very fixed smile on his face.

"Aki mentioned that, yeah." Asuka whispered back. "Can we come in guys, or are you too busy killing each other?" Asuka called into the house.

Aki emerged from his office, bright blue glasses dangling from one ear and a wide, shit eating grin on his face, but clearly not in the least bit dead. He was pushing Hana back with one 

bony hand. Hana finally gave up and ran away crying about how he'd ruined her life. They heard her bedroom door slam barely five seconds after that.

"That was really mean Aki, even for you." Asuka snorted.

Aki shrugged. "She's an annoying brat, she deserved it. Hi Yohji, nice to meet you. I'm really sorry about my sister. She's a sweet kid but, you know, fixated." Aki said as he shook Yohji's hand.

"Eh, it's cool. So…you're the hacker?"

"What, I'm not what you expected?" Aki asked. He was at least as tall as Yohji and actually even more slender, being possibly ten pounds underweight and all angles. His hair was short, spiky and dyed a teal that his glasses complimented, at least once he straightened them again. He was wearing a Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles t-shirt with dress pants and the same mop like slippers as Hana, only in neon purple. "You thought you were gonna meet a suave hacker instead of a nerdy shut in who lives with his parents? Oh Asuka, this kid is adorable."

"I know." Asuka ruffled his hair, and mouthed to Aki, 'watch his nose'. It did indeed crinkle as Yohji edged away from her and Aki clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing.

They all jumped as music suddenly blared from the general direction of Hana's room. Aki let out a long suffering sigh. "Great, she's started with the anime music. She's trying to get back at me. You know I can sing every opening and closing song to Inu-Yasha now, even when it's in English? I sucked at English in school."

Asuka laughed. "Oh I know, we did start dating when your parents hired me to tutor you. I still swear you only started flirting with me to distract me from verb conjugations."

"That is not true. I thought you were very pretty and interesting-"

"Interesting maybe." Asuka turned to Yohji. "I was starting college, already living alone and paying for everything myself. I didn't have enough time to invest in my looks like, at all. I was always wearing the most unflattering sweats and my hair was a puffy ball of split ends held together by a scrunchie and bobby pins."

"Somehow I can't picture that." Yohji said. He looked like he was trying. Then he glanced at Aki again. "You two dated?"

"Yeah, for a couple years. But Asuka did a study abroad in the States and the distance killed the romance." Aki answered. "I think she expected me to be single when she got back too, which is almost insulting."

"You're on the computer for like eighteen hours of every day! You don't talk to real people! It was totally reasonable to expect you to be single when I got back! But no, we've never been single at the same time since then." She said, shaking her head. "I still haven't met your new boy, and I need to decide if he's worthy or not."

"B-boy? You're dating a boy?" Yohji asked. He took a compulsive step away from Aki, who, far from being offended, widened his smirk and took a couple steps closer to Yohji and wrapped an arm around his waist, pinning him to his side.

"Yes, I'm dating a very pretty boy now. Boys, girls, it's all good. Now come on into my office so I can show you some basics."

Yohji shot a pleading look at Asuka as he was dragged into the room. Asuka smirked at him. "I'm going to talk to Hana and see if I can get her to let up on the music, okay boys? Have fun!"

She walked down the hall to Hana's room and knocked on the door. "Sweetie it's Asuka, not your evil brother! Can you open the door?!" She had to yell to hear herself over the music.

Hana opened the door, blocking the doorway. Her cheeks were tearstained.

"Oh honey, are you okay?" She asked. "I swear I had no intention of surprising you like that."

"I was painting. I smell like turpenoid and I look disgusting and he saw me." She whimpered.

"Well you know what though? That means he saw you being creative, doing something that sets you apart from other girls. That's a good thing, isn't it? Now he knows you're talented!" Asuka said brightly.

Hana hung her head, staring at her mop slippers as she considered. "You think so Asuka?"

"Well that's what I would think but we both know boys are a little slow on the uptake. Can I hang out with you while your idiot brother teaches Yohji computer nerd stuff?" She asked.

Hana nodded and let Asuka into her room. She also turned down the music so they could hear each other.

"What was that from?" Asuka asked, indicating the CD player.

"Cowboy Bebop. I'm really into it right now. Do you want to see what I was painting?"

"Sure."

The Murakamis were a well off family, meaning that not only did they have the money to indulge their children's creative passions they also had the space to accommodate Aki's computer paraphernalia and for Hana to have an art desk, school desk, bed, easel and vanity in her bedroom. There was a dip in the ceiling that sort of cut the room in half so that part of it was like a normal bedroom and part of it was like an art studio. Hana lead Asuka over to the art desk and showed her her latest works, which kept them entertained for the better part of three hours. Hana really was very talented, if not a little eccentric and awkward, and Asuka enjoyed talking to her and trying to boost her confidence.

"So…why were you with Yohji-sempai. You two aren't…dating, right?" She mumbled.

Asuka laughed. "Hana he's five years younger than me!"

"You dated my brother and he's three years younger than you." She pointed out accusingly. "But I'd rather you date Aki again than date Yohji."

"I know Hana, you'd rather date him, right?" She asked.

Hana chewed her lip, eyes trained anywhere but Asuka again. "I don't know. I really, really, really like him, but he's an upperclassman and he's better looking than me and I'd just feel really stupid and ugly around him all the time."

"Hana! You're a beautiful girl! Do not let your stupid brother tell you otherwise. You're also smart and like, a genius painter. I mean look at this stuff. You know what I see for you after high school? I see you opening a gallery somewhere. And your parents are actually so cool they'd help you. Or maybe traveling a bit, going to like Paris…Rome…New York?" She suggested. Hana smiled at her.

"You think so?"

"Oh yeah. I lived in New York for awhile, I think you'd have a blast there. And hey, when you're a big famous artist you have gotta take me to France with you and take me around the Louvre and tell me all about artist stuff. And maybe we can drag Yohji with us and put him to work as our translator. He's part French you know."

"I know! He's fluent too so he actually could. So you're not dating him?"

"Nope. We're working together, that's it." Asuka said, diplomatically leaving out Yohji's infatuation with her.

Hana grinned. "Do you think I have a chance with him?"

"Well, right now you're being a little intense for him…honey did you actually tear off a piece of his jacket to carry around with you?"

Hana had the decency to blush. "Um…I'd rather not talk about that. Yeah, I thought I should probably stop doing things like that. So I already scared him away then."

"I didn't say that. You just need to tone it down. But hey, who knows? Some guys might find that sort of idolatry flattering…"

"But probably not." Hana finished. "Got it. Okay, well I'm going to get changed into something that doesn't make me look homeless. Do you think it'd be a good idea to go in there and offer them something to drink or should I just hide in my room?"

"Sweetie you go in there and flirt away. I'll be there to elbow and pinch your brother every time he tries to embarrass you." Asuka promised. Hana's toothy smile was simply adorable.

"Thanks Asuka! You are the best girlfriend Aki's ever had. I wish you were going to be my big sister."

Asuka smiled back. "That would have been cool, wouldn't it? I'll see you in a few minutes."

She shook her head as she walked down the hall to Aki's office. Adorable though she was when you got to know her, there was no way for poor innocent boys like Yohji to tell that. What in the world had possessed her to tear off pieces of his clothes? What was next, taking a lock of hair?

She found Yohji sitting in front of the computer with Aki standing behind him leaning over his shoulder, occasionally putting his hand over Yohji's and directing the mouse. He'd slid his fingers between Yohji's which made the action somewhat more like a caress than teaching merited, but on the plus side Yohji didn't look uncomfortable around him anymore. Three hours of what Asuka accurately figured to be constant teasing must have scared the homophobe out of him.

"Are you boys getting along?" Asuka asked.

"Very well thanks Asuka-san!" Aki answered brightly, standing upright again to regard her with a wink. "Your boy's a quick study. He's actually, like remembering the shit I'm telling him, it's great! I showed him how to set up an account and hide it from the owners of the computer, and you know, do all that basic secure-the-line crap so we'll be able to talk to him once he's inside."

"Awesome. That is great news." She said approvingly.

"Plus he showed me how to make nearly untraceable viruses. I'm having fun with this one. Oh, and he hacked me into Myspace-"

"What space?" Asuka asked.

Aki snorted. "God you're like a dinosaur. It's a web thing, kids make pages and leave messages and post pictures and blogs and stuff."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so anyway I found Otoya's page. C'mere." Yohji beckoned her forward and Asuka obediently looked at the computer. Asuka grinned, snorted and then bent double laughing. They'd changed it so that his user name was Barakumin and all his journal entries were now headed 'unclean', 'filthy', 'impure' and things of the sort. There was a picture posted of Otoya with his arm around Megumi, both were dressed formally so it was likely from the dance from the other night. They'd changed the caption so that it read 'me and my airhead, i'll dump the 

bitch as soon as she puts out (or maybe she'll leave me since my prick's about as large as a toddler's)'

"You guys are cruel, you know that?" She laughed.

"Hey, cruelty is an excellent way to teach kids something and make it stick. The only English I remember is yo' mamma jokes you know." Aki reminded her.

"He was telling me what it was like to date you Asuka-sensei." Yohji added. He pulled up Aki's Myspace page. "And he showed me this."

"Showed you what?" Asuka demanded as Yohji opened his photo page, while Aki groaned.

Asuka stared in horror at a line of pictures of her from her college days. Her hair was indeed frizzed out, random bits held down at odd angles by bobby pins. She'd had her nose pierced for about a week, and six of the pictures were taken during that week. In some of the pictures she was wearing heavy eye liner, one even had her in pig tails and all featured her old, hideous, two sizes too big cherry red doc martin boots. She was wearing overall cutoffs and a flannel shirt in one picture.

"I was in college." She said weakly.

Yohji's expression was pure glee. He clicked on a thumbnail and opened a picture of Asuka and Aki sitting together on a park bench. Asuka's hair was the color of Yohji's pants and in pig tails. She was wearing her clunky boots, a faded grey tank top and baggy jeans while holding an acoustic guitar. Aki was wrapping his skinny arms around her from behind. His hair was long, stringy and black, bangs obscuring most of his face. Having his hair long had made his full lips even more effeminate looking somehow. They looked like a couple of lesbians.

"So you play guitar?" Yohji asked.

"It was freshman year. I learned a couple of songs." Asuka snapped. "Why did you show him these? No, why did you post them on the internet for everyone to see!? Christ Aki, I don't even show my own mother pictures of me from college! I, I didn't even think I posed for this many pictures!"

"I thought you'd be pissed." Aki muttered. "But really Asuka, you can't use the college excuse, you only graduated last year. Your Pulp Fiction-Uma Thurman chic thing is disgustingly recent."

"Uurgh…" She moaned.

They all looked up at a knock from the doorway. Hana blushed at them. She'd changed into a pair of purple jeans and a black sweater. Her hair was brushed and her feet were free of hideous slippers.

"Hi guys. Um, I was just wondering if you wanted something to drink?" She had a tray of juice boxes with her.

"Sure! Thanks Hana!" Asuka said brightly.

"Thank you Hana-chan." Yohji said politely as he took a juice box. Hana's face turned scarlet and she clearly almost dropped the tray. Aki was going to say something but Asuka elbowed him painfully in the stomach before he managed it.

"Asuka-sensei, are we going to be leaving soon? It is a school night." Yohji pointed out.

Hana hovered awkwardly by the doorway, staring at him. Asuka tried to catch her eye so she could signal the girl to try talking to him, but it was impossible. So she answered Yohji.

"Yeah, I guess we should get going. Need you awake to play cult-bait tomorrow."

"Wh-what? Cult bait?" Hana squeaked.

"Oh no, oh Hana honey don't worry. It's nothing big, I just needed a little infiltration help for work and Yohji's kindly agreed to help me out. It's not anything to worry about, I promise." The poor thing looked terrified and Asuka's assurances didn't seem to be helping.

"Is this about those creepy kids in the cafeteria?" Hana asked. "The ones who wear the ugly rock necklaces and those weird head-scarves?"

"Maybe. Are the necklaces dark red stone?" Asuka asked. Hana nodded. "They're recruiting kids in your cafeteria?"

"Yup. They tried to get my friend Toshiki to talk to them but he thought they were annoying." Hana said with a shrug. "They seemed like wieners to me."

Yohji smirked. "Told ya so."

"Hey, I never said they weren't wieners!" Asuka snapped. Hana looked proud of herself. She beat a hasty retreat lest she embarrass herself after her small victory of making her crush smile.

"Alright kiddo, let's get rolling. Thanks a bunch Aki."

"No problem Asuka, glad to do it." Aki answered. He kissed her on the cheek and walked them to the front door.

Yohji was quiet on the way back and Asuka left him to his thoughts. She turned on the radio, couldn't find anything she liked and ended up pushing in a mix tape. She sang along softly with the eclectic music she'd started liking while studying in America and before she knew it they were back at Yohji's house. She turned to face him when he didn't get out of the car and noticed he was leaning against the window and snoring lightly.

"Yohji. Sweetie, you're home. Hon? Stop drooling on my car." She said, gently nudging his shoulder.

"Huh? What…? Oh." He blinked a couple times and rubbed his eyes. "Yay, home sweet hell hole."

"Sorry?"

"Nothing. I'll see you tomorrow Asuka-sensei." He murmured. He reached to open the door then stopped, an anxious look crossing his face. "No, no oh shit no!" He moaned.

"What is it?" She glanced past him and caught sight of a man in a wrinkled business suit moving at a quick pace, though less than steadily, towards her car. In a moment he was hammering on her window. Yohji had shrunk down in his seat.

Asuka rolled the window down. "Can I help you sir?"

"You can giff me m'son back you fucking whore! Where the hell've you been Yohji?! It's fucking minnight!" Yoshikazu Kudoh slurred.

"Maybe you shouldn't be yelling then Dad. We do have neighbors." Yohji answered in a tone that was much braver than his posture. Asuka instinctively pushed the button on the locks. It seriously looked like Yohji's father wanted to hit him.

"Don't take that friggin tone wif me you ungrateful-I-I-I been up worryin' over you an yer out with some hussie-"

"Excuse me sir, but you are being unforgivably rude. Now I'm sorry that Yohji didn't tell you where he was going but he's home safe and sound now. There's no reason at all to make a scene." Asuka snapped.

"Alrigh, alrigh…get outta th'car."

"Excuse me?"

"I ain't lettin' some dumb broad talk ta me that way. Get outta the car!" Yoshikazu slurred.

"Fuck this." Asuka said as she stepped on the gas. As Yohji's dad had been leaning heavily on the car he toppled into the street with a loud "Oof!"

Yohji twisted around in the seat and stared behind him.

"Fuck! Oh fuck, oh fuck! Why did you do that? He's going to kill me when I go home. You know I can't go home tonight now, right?" He asked.

"I know." She snapped. "I'm sorry, I could have handled that better. I really truly hate being called a broad and Yohji, hon, I couldn't let you go into the house with him like that. Your father's an addict, isn't he?"

Yohji frowned. She didn't really expect him to answer, what with only having met last week and the topic being so personal. She tended to offend people with personal questions and dead-on observations like that a lot. Yohji, however, wasn't offended, just saddened. He answered her in a dull tone. "Y-yeah. Since Mom died, really. I mean he drank a little before that but now, now…" He didn't finish his sentence.

"Right. Well you can crash with me tonight and if we're really lucky when you get home from school tomorrow he won't remember that lovely little outburst." Asuka decided.

They drove in silence for another few minutes, Yohji staring out the window now wide awake and frowning while Asuka tried to slip back into the groove she'd had with her mix tape before. The awkward tension was killing her. "Yohji I'm so sorry."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. There's nothing okay about that situation. I'm sorry your mother died, I'm sorry your father's such a disappointment, I'm sorry your classmates suck and I'm sorry Megumi was too much of a ditz to pick you. You don't deserve any of that shit, you're a good kid." She said with conviction.

Yohji smiled a small, sad smile at her. "Thank you Asuka. But I'm glad you picked me at least. This week's not a total loss now, you know?"


"Okay, there is a couch underneath all of this junk, I promise." Asuka said, scooping up an armful of clothes, shoes, magazines and other accumulated filth. She moved it to a giant circle chair which was already piled high with junk.

"Housekeeper on vacation?" Yohji joked.

"Something like that, yeah." She said as she took another armload to the chair. "I'll grab you a blanket and pillow…from somewhere. Shit, where'd I put that stuff? Oh, do you need to borrow pajamas too?" She asked, guessing that the vinyl pants weren't terribly comfortable.

"I guess." He looked a little awkward. "Asuka-sensei, your apartment is a dump."

She snorted. "I know, but I'm just a snoop detective, I don't rake in that much. That's why I had to hire you, remember?"

"Yeah."

"I'll be right back. Try to make yourself comfortable, okay?" She walked into her bedroom and pulled her hair out of her ponytail so that it fell down her back. She stripped down to her bra and panties and opened her closet. There were a few pairs of pajamas clean, but not much that a boy would wear, which left her with a flowery flannel nightgown her mother had given her for her birthday two years ago. Clearly that wasn't actually an option. She opted for work out clothes instead. They were comfy enough to double as pajamas.

The extra pillow and blanket turned out to be buried under a mountain of shoes at the bottom of her closet. She carried them out to the living room and threw them on the couch, along with her favorite three-sizes-too-large-but-there's-a-pull-string-so-it-doesn't-matter PJ pants and a thin t-shirt.

"Bathroom's that tiled closet off the kitchen. There's a spare toothbrush behind the mirror. I'll see you bright and early so we can get your stuff before you have to be at school. G'night Yohji."

"Good night Asuka." He answered politely.

A/N I want to reiterate thanks to my reviewers thus far, especially for the feedback on Asuka. It really is hard to write a characterization of a Weiss canon female that doesn't suck, but I think I've got her down pretty well by now. Thanks to my friend Mel (not sure what her current pen name is) for the info on Japanese society that has gone into this fic-this would be the result of having conversations with her while she was doing a research job. And once again, I am not encouraging dissing the barakumin, my characters are just bigots, apparently. Whoo.