AN: I'm finally back! My internet's was down for about a week, so I haven't been on in a while. Thankyou for the reviews everybody, I'm glad everybody liked the last chapter. Without further ado, here's the beginning of the rest of the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.
Chapter 7
Mai walked into her office Monday morning with an extra bounce in her step. Her date with Jonouchi had been running through her mind all weekend. The flowers, the chocolates, the shop, the lunch, and the park…and the kiss…she blushed and tried to hold back a smile while walking down the hallway of cubicles. Ever since Saturday, the idea of her and Jonouchi actually being something seemed so real, rather than just a silly daydream. They would go on a second date that weekend and then maybe a third date the next. She had a special idea in mind for that. They'd agreed to watch a movie together Saturday night and eat dinner afterwards. She could hardly wait. She loved how she felt around him. He was so funny and laid back and silly. She felt like she could just relax when she was around him, and like she didn't have to be anything but herself. He actually seemed to like her for more than her looks, which was a first for her. He'd actually asked her questions, and he'd actually listened. All the guys she'd dated before never did that. They weren't thoughtful enough. The thing about Jonouchi she loved the most was that he was so silly and goofy, but yet he was so caring and thoughtful at the same time. He could give her a good laugh and then he could really care for her. She sighed and hoped that she wasn't blowing everything out of proportion. For all she knew, he was just trying to get laid by an older, attractive woman. She didn't know how she could find out.
"Good morning, Ms. Kujaku!" a female, high pitched voice squealed from down the hall way. A short, red haired woman walked towards her with a box in her hands. "Here's the box of old magazines you wanted," she said with a relieved expression on her face as she dropped the heavy cardboard box into Mai's hands. The woman sighed tiredly.
"Good morning and thank you, Mrs. Vasquez," she said abruptly. Her last thoughts about Jonouchi had made her a little angry. Mrs. Vasquez looked at Mai strangely. Usually she looked respectful and a little intimidated, but this morning she looked excited. She had a quivering smile on her face, and her eyes stared at Mai eagerly.
"You look upset, Ms. Kujaku," she said. Since when did a worker ever talk to her like that?, she wondered.
"Why shouldn't I be? I'm at work early on a Monday morning and I'm now carrying a really heavy box," she said angrily, but Mrs. Vasquez's smile didn't waver. If anything, it looked quite devious now.
"Well…I heard you went on a date this weekend!" She let out all in one breath. She'd obviously been holding this back. Mai sighed.
"How many of you know?"
"Mr. Orshiro announced it this morning!" she kept smiling. She was smirking now. Mai sighed again.
"Yes, I went on a date this weekend," Mai hoped that would be enough, but she was smirking at her.
"What the hell is that look for?" she asked angrily.
"Is he really sixteen years old?" Mai somehow knew this was coming. It was just like Mr. Oshiro to tell everybody this and let everybody get in her business. It was embarrassing enough going on a date with a sixteen year old without anybody knowing, but with everybody knowing? This was taking a toll on her pride…
"Yes, so quit giving me that look."
"Did you have fun? Do you like him?" she asked excitedly. Mai didn't really want to talk about this with her, but she didn't want to act rude and create tension in the workplace.
"I had fun, and yes, I like him."
"Really? Even though he's so young?" she looked disbelieving. Mai knew that Mrs. Vasquez was at least in her late thirties or early forties, so this was probably a lot harder for her to understand.
"Yes, I like him," she repeated. Mrs. Vasquez looked at her a moment and hesitated to speak, as if she was thinking.
"Alright, but… really, a woman like you could do much better," she smiled pitifully and walked past her.
Mai was deeply offended. She didn't even know Jonouchi and she was saying that she could do better. She was judging him completely based on his age. Mai scowled on the inside at the woman. She was so rude!, she thought. How could she be so judgmental? Then her thoughts stopped dead in their tracks. What Mrs. Vasquez just said was what Mai had been thinking to herself the whole time. She'd thought to herself that she could do much better because he's only sixteen years old. Was she really the same as Mrs. Vasquez by judging Jonouchi just on his age? She was exactly the same she realized, but after hearing the woman judge Jonouchi so harshly she realized how bad it was. She thought about Jonouchi again. Yes, he was young, but he seemed so much older. His casual sense of humor, his kindness, his caring, his responsibility were all very adult qualities. She'd always thought teenagers were so immature, but…
Maybe I'm the one that's been immature…
That couldn't be it…could it? She was an adult. She had a job, she paid the bills, she had a nice car, she had the right clothes, the right look, she had respect from others… she wondered silently to herself.
"Mai!" she heard a deep voice call her name from in front of her. She looked up to see Mr. Oshiro walking towards her down the hallway. "Are you asleep over there? You're just standing there and I called your name twice already!" he said cheerfully. His cheeks were flushed, as if he'd just finished laughing. She realized that she had been standing there, dozing off about Jonouchi.
"Sorry…just spaced out," she forced a smile. She had to admit, she probably looked pretty dumb just standing there.
"May I carry that box to your office for you?" he held his hands out.
"No. I'll do it," and she walked off. He followed just behind her into her office much to Mai's despair. She really didn't want to talk to him right now. If only he wasn't the one holding her paycheck…
She set the heavy box down hurriedly and sat in her leather chair in behind her desk. Mr. Oshiro politely sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. He looked at her amusedly and silently, saying nothing.
"Well? Are you here for something?" she asked angrily. Mr. Oshiro only looked more amused.
"Oh, how I love a woman with a short temper. So cute…" he sighed, losing himself in a daydream. He looked back at her. "Too bad my wife's the complete opposite. I couldn't make her mad if I tried. She can be so dull sometimes…"
Mai didn't want to hear stuff like this and she didn't see the point. Was this only more of his constant flirting?
"I'll be sending a few last minute invites to Spirit's tenth anniversary gala this morning. Anybody you would like me to call?" she asked, changing the subject. That usually worked best in these situations.
"Hm…I didn't invite my wife because she's not going. She and I received a last minute invite to her sister's wedding down south on the same day as the gala. I'll be going to the gala of course."
"I'm sorry that didn't work out for you two."
"Oh-ho, don't worry about it, life goes on," he said and paused a moment. Then he smiled at her, showing his bleached teeth. "What about your new man…or should I say boy-toy…are you inviting him?" he said smirking at her.
"You think you're really funny, don't you?" she said and he didn't say anything. "You know you had no business telling everybody about that this morning," she tried not to glare at him. He was her boss, after all.
"They all like you and most of them work for you. They have a right to know. And anyway, they're all happy for you."
"Did you have to tell them he's only sixteen?"
"Does that embarrass you?"
"…No."
"Then what's the problem?" he said. As much as she hated him at that moment, he was right. She shouldn't be embarrassed by Jonouchi or else she would be as bad as Mrs. Vasquez.
"Just stay out of my business."
"Well, I have to say, I think you're wasting your time with the boy-"
"I didn't ask for your opinion!"
"-and that he doesn't have the age or the maturity to be dating a woman like you. You need a real man in your life," he finished calmly and looked deeply into her eyes. His green eyes looked calm and steady, something that comes with the passing of one's prime age. Mai stared at him for a minute, trying to restrain herself from yelling at him.
"If that's what you've come to say, then please leave my office," she said calmly. He let out a sigh and stood up a moment later. He looked at her calmly, but as if he was angry on the inside.
"There's a meeting in my office at one o' clock. Be there," he said promptly and left the room, letting the door close with a quiet click.
Mai hated him. He was rude, and he was wrong. He was wrong about Jonouchi. She was, in fact, planning to invite him to the gala. There she would prove that a gentleman was a gentleman no matter what age he was...
She hoped.
AN: Thanks for reading. Reviews appreciated .
