Three

She couldn't believe she was running late. Well...maybe she could actually. What else was new? Staying up all night with her boyfriend on the phone probably hadn't been the greatest of ideas... Nor was her having the ingenious plan to make a bento for lunch for the love of her life, and running over to his place super early in the morning to give it to him it before he headed to school and work that day. Neither was the fact that she woke up late and didn't even wake up early like she had intended to. It was unlike Mamoru to be at a distance, but lately he had been. It had thrown Usagi off-guard and in a state of worry. Because of this, she decided to put extra effort into their relationship in hopes that it would resolve any doubts her boyfriend was having. However, she was becoming extremely drained as she took the time out of her already busy day in an attempt to appease him or remind him she still was a part of his life.

Usagi barely had made me the next train that was headed to Shinjuku-ku, but somehow as always, had managed to catch it right as the sliding doors were closing. She was quickly applying her make-up on the train in an attempt to look presentable for work and for their arriving newcomers. Be damned if it were rude to apply make-up on in an overcrowded train! She did not need to look like she had just rolled out of bed and ran a marathon! Not today!

'I'm so horrible for doing this on a train, people are truly going to hate my guts…' she thought to herself as she quickly applied mascara onto her eyelashes while she used the window near her as a mirror.

Usagi Tsukino had a horrible habit. It was the very bad habit for being late. She was super lucky that Haruka liked her as an employee or this deal wouldn't cut it with anyone else. She considered herself blessed. The blonde haired employee had always been told that she wasn't too bright. A 'odango atama' as even her boyfriend Mamoru would call her-which had the double meaning for her hairstyle and apparently what others thought of her intelligence level at times... However, Usagi didn't like to consider herself in that way and tried to nevertheless, keep her spirits up.

Self searching back a couple of years had been hard, but the end result lead to this. Usagi had the desire to be different. She didn't want to become some boring cooperate or salary worker for the rest of her life like many had and like her parents and teachers had expected of her. She searched and searched and searched...for something-anything that she could be happy with for the rest of her life.

Usagi of course by chance, ran into not one thing-but two things on accident. Those two things being Haruka and Mamoru…

She smile at the thought of how it would sound if she tried to explain it to anyone else at the moment if she could, as she discarded her lip gloss into her bag.

Usagi remembered the day clearly as if it were yesterday when she had ran into Haruka Tennou by accident in Roppongi. Everyone knew about her. She was not only super famous for her artwork, racing, and side jobs; but for her entertainment label as well as her exoticism in her tomboy-like beauty.

Haruka had been breathtakingly gorgeous, even for Usagi's standards.

She had taken the wrong hallway in Mori Tower... Matter of fact, she recalled that she had gotten off on the wrong floor in the elevator for the cafe she had intended to lurk around at and had yet to realize it. She had been so dazed with the elegance of the place she landed in by chance.

"Damn it Haruka, how in the fuck can you be so nonchalant about this? Doesn't this relationship mean anything to you?" Haruka's current girlfriend at the time screamed at her across from the lounge table. The woman herself was surprisingly calm, if not annoyed at the situation at hand...

Usagi expected her to yell back in a fit of rage, but it never once happened.

"I'm nonchalant because you bore me darling. Perhaps that's the answer to your second question as well?" Haruka answered with a smirk as she raised her wine glass to her thinly parted lips.

"What?! So you're telling me that you went out with me for kicks?" the girl hissed not looking pleased.

At that moment dark blue hues from the across the room pierced Usagi's like a cold wind. She had such deep cold eyes...Usagi had remembered them well. They were lonely, deep, passionate-everything all bundled in one. How could someone have so many emotions buried in one pair of eyes? Especially when she was acting bored and careless around what was now assumed to be an ex-girlfriend that she had no interest for...

Haruka smiled and stood walking towards her. Usagi was unable to move backwards as the woman slung her arm around her, "Because there are other bunnies that interest me I'm afraid Aino-san…"

Usagi flinched as a wine glass shattered beside them. Haruka had shielded them, and Usagi's current fashion designs and shopping bags fell to the floor in a mess along with the expensive wine staining the tiles a deep red.

The blonde haired woman walked past them and stopped only for a moment, "Tennou-san, you're no better than those men... If I had wanted a good time like that, I would have hopped my ass on over to Kabuki-cho. Stop using people to try to cure your loneliness... I'm not your boredom buster!"

With that, she had made her exit. Usagi couldn't help but smile at the next memory for it was a strange but fond one.

"What a shame…" Haruka murmured kneeling down at the mess on the floor. Wine had gotten all over Usagi's clothes of purchase as well as her sketch book…

"Ah! It's okay, it's nothing a dry cleaners and some new ideas for sketches won't fix!" Usagi remembered reassuring her.

She remembered Haruka insisting to compensate for the mess with desserts and coffee-and who was Usagi to refuse any of that? It was right then, a couple of hours later, that Usagi had gained a job at Tennou's Entertainment industry…

Her clumsy carelessness had lead her to something amazing for once. Haruka had even teased her about it as she left. "This was interesting Tsukino-san, I'll have to take you for treats again sometime. Perhaps I'll score a chance with you on our next date hm?"

That night, she had also ran into Mamoru on the last train home.

"Oh COME ON!" She remembered moaning as the train departed the platform without her aboard it. She had barely made it, and was close, but no cookie. She had stayed out a little bit later to celebrate and to bask in the fact that she actually had a job. Unfortunately, it lead her missing the train home. It would figure that her good luck would run out at the very end. Or so she thought...

'Ah...how unfortunate for us… I think we're the only two that missed it.' She remembered the male beside her saying. Usagi noticed his canvas packed away first and then his disheveled appearance from where he most likely ran to catch the train. He looked like an art student. She had noticed his overall appearance, his pale complexion, dark hair and eyes…

'This isn't good at all,' Usagi had agreed.

The pair ended up walking around Roppongi together while talking about each other's lives. Something had just clicked between the two of them. They had ended up going to a twenty-four hour cafe and talked the night away... That same day that she had met Haruka Tennou and scored her first job, had also been the first day that Usagi had met Chiba, Mamoru; who would soon be her boyfriend and the love of her life. All of it purely by accident. But it was a perfect accident that Usagi felt blessed by… She couldn't have been happier.

She had felt like nothing ever would change. Until lately that is... Sometimes she questioned if she was good enough for him. Recently, he had been constantly busy with work, artwork, and actual work to pay for his flat... Here Usagi was established, with an impressive job title despite people looking down on her careless ditzy personality. She was the one that was actually ahead of the game. Regardless of this predicament, she was aware wasn't the most beautiful girl ever, nor was she the most talented, or intelligent. Even Usagi would admit to it…

Exiting the train with a sigh, she recognized the time from the overhead clock. It sent her into a panic... She was super late.

"Aw man, Haruka's gonna kill me this time around! Usagi, how in the hell out of all days you could think it was brilliant idea to be romantic and run late to work?" she scolded herself out-loud as she began to run down the stairs as fast as her stilettos would allow her to.. It ended up being a horrible idea all together out of the many bad ideas that she had been having all morning long.

Usagi shrieked as she ended up making a tumble down the stairs as her heel lost balance on one of the steps. She braced for impact knowing it wasn't going to be pretty from this high up-but the impact never came... Matter of fact she hit into someone face forward she was pretty sure.

"Oh my god I am SO SORRY!" Usagi screamed bowing profusely from the ground that she was already on.

The man beside her was on the ground, rubbing his head in pain from the fall. Usagi couldn't believe how stupid she had been today so far. Her bad habits had some really seriously consequences…

"It's all good. That was quite the landing Odango Atama... It's probably not smart to be running down stairways," the male said assuring he was okay.

There went that nickname again... Then again, with Usagi's current hairstyle she couldn't blame anyone. She had kind of set herself up for it. It was right then that she had noticed how much alike this guy and Mamoru looked like.

He had raven black hair, though, this guy's was slightly different. His was longer only in a couple of strands that were obviously tied back for business because his red and black business attire contrasted with his flawless pale skin so perfectly screamed that he was probably so big shot heading to work... Matter of fact, was this a...host club boy? The flower in his pocket, his good looks, and his designer clothes pretty much proclaimed it to the world.

On the train though? Didn't guys like this have their own means of transportation?

"Yeah. It probably isn't. I was in a rush to get to work," Usagi answered as she gathered up her mess of stuff up from the ground.

"Same here. I haven't taken the train since my high school and college days-the system has changed quite a bit," the male replied.

"You're one of those guys hm?" Usagi questioned refusing the hand that was offered to help her up.

"Those guys..?" the male raised an eyebrow.

Usagi began to walk away, not answering the question that was shot back at her. There was no need for her to be involved with guys like that. One, they were full of lies and scams no matter how good looking they were. Two, she had Mamoru…

But to her surprise the guy was following her down the street a couple of blocks.

Usagi sighed in defeat wondering on how she was going to lose him. It wasn't like she wouldn't run into this type of situation when she would make stops in Kabuki-cho to visit some old friends who worked there or in Shibuya on the way to 109 to pick up things for her clients.

"Other than your good looks and money, " she began to call out in annoyance, "What else do you have?"

The raven haired male cocked his head to the side as if confused and then laughed, "My pride and intellect of course."

"As a host club boy?" Usagi asked flatly, turning around to stare at him without an inch of bemusement on her face.

"Host club boy?"

"I would appreciate if you didn't follow me to my work. As much as I realize that you're probably 'working' too; I have no interest in men like you."

"For your information Odango Atama, I WORK in this area," the male replied with a smile. He seemed unaffected by her accusations.

"Oh really? And stop calling me Odango Atama, it's annoying!" snapped Usagi.

"Well, maybe if you'd stop wearing those cute dango in your hair then it wouldn't become such a befitting nick name. If you'd like an introduction, I am Kou, Seiya," the male replied.

"W-wait hold on a moment...THE Kou, Seiya?" Usagi sputtered out in shock. This was the guy she was working with? She swore that Haruka referred to him as a female.

"The one and only."

"Excuse my rudeness, I'm Tsukino, Usagi. I'll be working with you," was surprisingly all Usagi managed to muster out of herself. And even then, that was a lot. Usually she'd be a jumbled mess for such a silly mistake. However, Seiya seemed so unprofessional. He was super lax and not even worried about being late for work. He was also pretty stylish for his profession to be manager of Kisaki, Michiru-sama.

"Nice to meet you. I'll be doing my best, as will you I hope. When I last checked, you were the stylist we'll be working with correct?" Seiya answered back.

"Yes. I'm the stylist for most of Haruka's idols," Usagi said.

"And one of the top and most desired personal stylists in the nation from what I have heard," added Seiya as if in a muse, "There's no need to be modest around me Tsukino-san. While I am adapt to the Japanese culture, I grew up in the United States for a while when I was younger. Bragging rights will get you far elsewhere."

Usagi sighed...she already felt a headache coming on. This guy was so eccentric. Thankfully, they were nearing the building so perhaps she wouldn't feel so awkward and overwhelmed by him... They both headed the rest of the way towards the building in an awkward silence, and it took Seiya opening the door for Usagi to let her inside of the place for her to murmur a quiet, "Thank you." to him to break the silence.

"I suppose it would be the more gentlemanly thing to do for a lady such as yourself..." mused Seiya playfully.

"You sure you're not a host club boy? You're much too flattering…"

"I'm pretty sure I'm not for a number of reasons," he chuckled.

"Could have fooled me," Usagi muttered.

"Oh? But I've already fooled you. Twice even...maybe three times in all," Seiya pointed out.

"Eh?"

"One, I'm not a host club boy. Two, I work with you as one of your colleagues," the male pointed out, his blue eyes shimmering as if there was something insanely amusing that he was hiding.

"Yeah...we figured that out," Usagi said as they both neared the door to Haruka's office.

Seiya made move to open the door and added bemusedly, "By the way, Tsukino-san?"

"Yes?"

"The third reason being; whoever said I was a boy?"

From then on out, Usagi Tsukino knew that it was going to be a very long day in the accompaniment of Kou, Seiya who had just mind-fucked her into oblivion. Not once, not twice, but three times that day…

-Revised 6/16/2016-