Ok, next chapter! Same as last time, please read and review! (BTW, I'm doing chapter titles like episode titles, just in case I confuse someone...)

Chapter Two: A phone call? Something to do with Kentaro?: Shock

At the top of the stairs, Kentaro took a second to observe the Hinata Apartments building. It was still a wondrous sight, even to those jaded by seeing it daily. A large, traditionally styled Japanese inn converted into an all-girls dorm by the original owner, Granny Hina. He'd only met her once, but she seemed nice enough.

He took a look to his left, gazing at the upstairs patio, where a certain kendo girl was going through her daily sword practice. Motoko was too deeply into her training to be bothered by such a weakling male, which she communicated to him with an angry glare.

What's wrong with her? I never did anything to her...

He shrugged it off, figuring she thought he was spying on her. He couldn't really blame her...his actions regarding Naru in high school had pretty much branded him a stalker, even though he never actually did anything but watch her from afar. He'd long since given up on her...it was as obvious to him as anything that Naru and Keitaro would end up together eventually. Lately, Kentaro had even been egging Keitaro on about Naru, trying to get him to stop being such a child and just admit his love to Naru. But, apparently, the confession wasn't going to come along just yet, so Kentaro focused most of his time on his job.

Bankruptcy is no walk in the park...

Kentaro did realize that it was his own fault for overinvesting in his management agency, leaving him financially destroyed when it tanked after Naru's blacklisting from the industry.

I shouldn't have put so much pressure on her to be a pop star. he thought to himself as he continued through the doors of the building.

Ever since the day when he lost his funds, he'd considered going back to his parents to get money, but he could not bring himself to do such a thing. I won't go to grovel like some deadbeat...that's why I need this job. I'm lucky my parents still let me live in the apartment building they own...

Unfortunately, his thoughts were interrupted by a rather loud hiccup. Kentaro knew that sound, as well as the scent that came with it...the smell of cheap sake. Of course, the only person that those two qualities could be attributed to was none other than the prankster of the Hinata Apartments, who apparently was already celebrating the upcoming festival...

"Are you already drunk at four in the afternoon?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Mitsune Konno was struggling to stand, rather unsuccessfully. She fell onto the couch in the common area and gurgled something that sounded like,

"Com'ere and give ol' Kitsune a hug, cutie...(Hic!)"

She had to be more incensed than usual to come on to Kentaro, who tried his best to ignore her obviously drunken statement.

"Go to bed, Kitsune. I've got work to do, and if Haruka catches me wasting time here, she'll probably dock my pay even lower!"

"Aww...you're no fun! I bet Su will (Hic!) keep me company!"

With that, Kitsune got up and straggled out the door, looking for the hyperactive girl.

Well, at least the only person left is the normal one...

Almost as if on cue, a young (and somewhat nervous) voice called out, "Sempai, is that you? How'd your study with Naru-sempai and Mutsumi-sempai go?"

That Keitaro has it far better than he can ever imagine...almost all the girls in this dorm have a crush on the idiot...

"Sorry Miss Shinobu, but it's just me."

"Oh, Kentaro, what are you doing here?"

The girl was obviously saddened that he had not been Keitaro...she'd had a crush on him for as long as they had lived together. Kentaro knew nothing could ever come of it, but even so, he felt a little jealous that all these girls, even Motoko, had a soft spot for the manager, even if he was a three- time loser ronin.

"I hope you don't mind, Miss Shinobu, but I need to clean the kitchen out."

He needed to make sure that she could stay out of the kitchen long enough for him to get his cleaning done, which could be difficult, considering that the girl practically lived there. Shinobu was a single child, staying at the Hinata because her divorcing parents couldn't decide who should take her, leaving her the chance to stay behind at the Apartments. She couldn't afford rent, so she did the majority of the housework instead, namely, cooking. Everyone agreed, Kentaro included, that it was far better to have her paying by cooking than paying money. Shinobu was an excellent cook, which wasn't surprising considering her parents had co-owned a restaurant before the divorce.

"Well, I do need to get the laundry inside before it rains...I guess it's okay."

Kentaro nodded and headed into the kitchen, setting the box on a table.

"Just make sure you're done by 5:30. I need to start dinner then. We're having pork-fried rice and sashimi!"

Since he was getting so little money, Haruka allowed him to eat with the residents on occasion, which he considered the least she could do. Still, he couldn't deny that the girl had cooking skills.

At least there's a good perk to this job...Shinobu could probably beat an Iron Chef.

Kentaro started unloading the contents of the box: some rags, some soap, and a container of bleach. He ran a bucket of water and started cleaning.

*An hour later, 5:25*

Finally, the chore was done. Haruka managed to make it more of a pain for him by running Su up to remind him not to forget to grout the tile. Unfortunately, the overexcitable girl knocked over the bleach, completely ruining Kentaro's clothes. He managed to trick the girl into leaving by telling her that Haruka was hiding bananas from her, causing her to leave in a hurry. He finished up the job, gathering the cleaning supplies and placing them back in the box to carry down to the teahouse. Kitsune had crashed in the teahouse with Haruka, dead drunk, with Su heading towards them. Keitaro and Naru were still off at Toudai. Motoko and Shinobu were outside. Tama was soaking in the hotsprings. No one but Kentaro was in the house when the telephone rang.

Probably just another telemarketer.

Kentaro set down his box and answered the phone on it's second ring.

"Hello, this is Hinata Apartments. Are you calling for a resident?"

The urgent voice at the other end of the phone replied, "No, but I'm looking for one of your workers...is Kentaro Sakata there?"

A bit unnerved by the fact that he'd been called somewhere he didn't live, he responded,

"This is he, what do you want?"

Kentaro stood by the phone for the next 5 minutes, his face etched in some kind of look of disbelief, perhaps shock. He was speechless until he said, "I-I understand. Goodbye."

He hung up the phone, just as Shinobu came to compliment him for cleaning the kitchen so well. She was the only resident that was ever actually nice to him, even complimenting his work.

"You did a great job on the kitchen, Kentaro!"

He didn't answer immediately. After about 3 seconds, he snapped out of his trance and replied...

"Oh...um, thanks...Miss Shinobu..."

Shinobu was a bit concerned...Kentaro seemed dazed, like he was lost in a dark fog. Concerned, she asked,

"What's wrong, Kentaro? You seem distracted..."

"It's nothing..."

He picked up his box and started out the door, not saying a word as he reached the teahouse and dropped the box off in the back. Haruka sighted him as he came back up front and called,

"Hey, Kentaro. Go get washed up, Shinobu's almost finished with dinner."

Haruka noticed a difference in Kentaro's demeanor...it was like all the confidence and happiness had been sucked out of him. Kentaro was silent for a few seconds, then responded,

"I'm really not that hungry today. Go on without me."

This was very weird to Haruka, who had never known anyone that could pass up one of Shinobu's meals. She actually began to feel a little bit of concern.

"Okay, then. I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Kentaro didn't respond as he walked towards town. The skies began to release the rain they'd held all day, and it seemed like he didn't even notice.