Okay. Yes. New chapter - finally. This is getting longer, because I finally learned to start using Microsoft Word again and not Notepad. ^_^;;; The title of this chapter is from Moulin Rouge (How badly did I spell it? You're not allowed to kill me for it, by the way) And new format. Because I'm crazy that way. And don't know WHY Watari calls a guy named 'Setsuna Fukakai' 'Kaze-kun'.. *Shrug* I think the author notes are going to be longer than the chapter itself - so, enjoy! ^^ (And I just realized that not much happens in this chapter.)

"Waiting to Exhale" Chapter 5 - "Come What May"

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It's a couple of days later now.

Setsuna-san and Hisoka still don't get along very well. Setsuna-san tries, I know, but Hisoka just won't let him.

It was the same way with me before I proved my worth.

I had a couple of chats with Setsuna-san - he's a very nice person. He has an older sister, by the name of Ayame. She still lives in Tokyo with a cousin and some friends.

He looks inherently sad when he talks about her, though.

I wonder why. He showed me a picture of her - she's very pretty, but hardly looks like him.

He laughed when I told him that. He said that they looked more alike when his hair was still black - Hisoka was right, his hair was dyed. But now that he died, he can't change it back.

Setsuna-san said his sister yelled at him for dying his hair outrageous colors - he just grinned all the time.

When he talks about his life on Earth, he always looks wistful. It seems he had a good life - but why is he a Shinigami now?

I wonder.

Anyway, Setsuna-san keeps visiting me. I'm glad, because I don't want to be alone. Hisoka's in the library a lot, researching spells and robots. I think. I hope.

"Tsuzuki-san, how are you feeling?" There's Setsuna-san again.

"Better, thanks," I smile up at him.

He sits, grinning and flipping his braid over his shoulder. "I think Hisoka- san is living in the library with the Gushoshin," Setsuna-san starts conversationally.

"Yes, and I don't know why. I think he's researching something. Don't know what, though."

"Who knows," he laughs. We sit in silence for a couple of minutes, and then he says, "Tsuzuki-san, I know you're itching to ask me something. What?"

I blink. How'd he know I wanted to ask him how he died?

"Well, Setsuna-san -" I start before he interrupts. "Call me Fukakai," he says with a warm smile.

".Okay. Well, Fukakai, at the risk of being rude, how did you die? Why did you become a Shinigami?"

His smile becomes forced, and I immediately start apologizing before he waves it off with a hand.

"Well, an exorcism gone wrong, you can say." I wince. "The spirits were being controlled by some outside force, and I was sent to exorcise them - the last thing I saw was a face. A pair of silver eyes, silver hair, and sharp features."

Well, that explains it. "I became a Shinigami to find out who was controlling them, and to stop him. The spirits shouldn't be messed around with - unless they're bothering someone. One shouldn't force the spirits to do evil."

I nod, agreeing. Spirits can be nasty little things.

He sighs, but then smiles. "So, was that all?"

I nod again, contrite. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. All I know is that if my sister wasn't sick, she'd be the one sent - and she'd be the one sitting here today. So I'm not sorry."

I smile widely. "So you're also here to protect her?"

He blinks, taken aback. "I never thought of it that way."

"Well, then. By being here, you're protecting her in your own way - and if she's an onmyouji as well, then she could feel your protectiveness. I think." A sweatdrop rolls down his head but he's smiling.

"Arigatou, Tsuzuki-san."

"Dou itashimashite! I'd do it again in a heartbeat!"

He stands. "Maa, I have to go help Watari-san with some chemicals in his lab."

"Oi, watch out. He's trying to invent a sex-changing potion."

He blanches. "You're kidding, right?"

I grin. "Nope, ask him yourself. And that's why we never touch the office coffee, he's always slipping his inventions into it,"

His face is pale. "But I drink it every morning!"

"Well be glad he hasn't put some in there since you came. But tomorrow, just bring your own coffee. And beware the 003 - she sometimes steps in the potions and ends up spreading it around the office."

I'm really scaring the poor guy. His braid is almost standing on end! "Well, if he turns me into a girl.er."

"You'd make a very pretty girl," I snicker.

"Oh, ha ha. I'm sure you'd be prettier. But I swear, Hisoka-san would probably make the best female," he laughs. "But I swear, Hisoka-san would probably make the best female!"

"A very sulky one, but probably he would. He'd kill Watari, though. Then he'd bring Watari back to life and make the poor scientist create an antidote. Then he'd kill Watari again."

"That would be the third time Watari died."

"He'd probably be sent to heaven with his inventions, like his 'Jason- kun'."

"Can't forget his new one," Fukakai pantomimed the scientist this morning. "A friend to all, young or old - RICHARD-KUN!" and he raises his arms up, just like Watari did when he raised up his controller-thingie. I don't even know what 'Richard-kun' was supposed to be.

We're both laughing. "I'd better go before we move onto the other office members - then I'd never leave."

"One word: Terazuma." I grin.

That's almost enough to break himself in half laughing, and he stumbles out of the room.

I snicker once more, wiping my garnet eyes that are filled with tears of mirth. Fukakai's a fun guy.

Tatsumi sticks his head in, rolling his eyes at Fukakai, who's choking and wandering down the hallway.

"How are you feeling, Tsuzuki?"

"Never been better," I reply.