"Look, I'm telling you, my tuition check was sent three days ago. Please just let me
register for my classes!" Misao grumbled to the upperclassman running the registration
booth. What makes this college think its students are competent enough to do these sort
of things? Look at this idiot, I bet he was home schooled. He lacks, obviously, even basic
people skills.
"Miss?" Misao's face had now contorted into something out of an impressionist
painting. Her small body, which people often mistake for that of a 16 year old, was now
stiff from her tense muscles. She'd had enough! It took every ounce of her control not to
pummel this obvious obstacle; he would have to be taken out.
"Huh?" she was rudely snapped out of her insidious thoughts.
"Miss, I'm sorry but I can't allow to register for classes. You have a $2,000 debt
that must be paid off. However, if you are that desperate, you can wait to see the head of
financial aid."
"Where is this head of financial aid? Is it a student, for the love of gods please say
no!"
"No, the head of financial aid is indeed an adult, whom, aside from working here
has no affiliation with this school. Rest assured."
"Well where is he?!" Finally someone who will know what they are talking
about!
"All you need to do is put into writing your issue, then queue over there." The
man, on the edge of being a victim of homicide, pointed to a line consisting of no less than
100 people. Misao felt herself slip into the seventh circle of hell.
"What the hell is that?! That's not a line, that's cruel and unusual punishment." I
don't have the patience for this! Glancing at her watch she quickly realized she didn't
have the time either. She quickly wrote down her grievances, handed the paper to the man
behind the makeshift desk. "Give this to the head of financial aid, I'll know if you don't. I
CAN find you."
"M..M..Miss?" Although lacking sense of perception, the man knew a threat when
he heard it.
"WHAT?" Misao's head jerked her head around, making no attempt to hide the
fire blazing in her eyes."I need your social security number."
"Why?! I put my full name at the top and bottom."
"You are merely a number here. Its imperative that I have your social security
number. Its our way of not having to remember your name, and it doubles to ensure that
you're not an illegal alien!" He smiled at that last attempt for a joke.
"Fine, I'll give my number just stop that!" She proceeded to write down all seven
digits. Her identity at college wasn't Misao it was 587-35-6645. She gathered her things
and with one last quick glance at the clock dashed out the glass doors.
"There were only two places where you were known by a number" Misao groused
to herself "the army and college!"
"Don't forget prison." Answered an amused voice. She hadn't even realized she grumbled
her thoughts until the witty little answer had floated past her. Jerking around Misao came
face to chest with a nice but very tall man. Craning her neck back she met a pair of icy
blue eyes.
"And you expect me to believe there is a difference between the two?" She asked acidly,
one eyebrow raised in sarcasm.
"Sure. They feed you in prison and it costs a hell of a lot less." A smile stole over Misao's
face. It was the first one all day. She had beginning to think she would carry a permanent
scowl as she walked or more correctly wandered around the huge campus, trying to
supress the urge to growl at other freshman looking equally lost.
"Let's not forget the fashionable uniforms they provide!" Misao collaborated, glad to find
another human hidden amongst a throng of collegiate neanderthals. She had wanted so
much to enjoy college, however the buracrates had thwarted that wistful idea.
"Seeing a frustrated freshman always takes me back." the man roused regarding Misao;
her aura so strong and full of life intrigued him greatly. I'll have to keep an eye on this
one, she could prove to be....
"Ahhh!! I'm late!" The man winced as his thoughts were abruptly interrupted. "I'm gonna
be late on my second day! I'm sorry but I must leave, as a fast food employee I am
completely expendable."
As the man watched the girl wildly run to her destination, his stoic expressed permeated
his face; however he felt as if his heart had been lifted. For once another person, a girl
nonetheless, had looked at him without disgust or fear in her eyes. He allowed for a smile
to slip through his neutral façade for the first time in months.
===============
"Thank you for choosing World Burger may I take your order." Misao chanted her
memorized greeting into a headset commonly known as The Beast. Whose cruel idea
was it to invent drive thru! Misao's thoughts quickly drifted to the man she had lustfully
laid eyes on earlier. If I didn't have to come to this hell hole I would've been able to at
least catch his name. Her mind was raging with anger, however with the cheeriest voice
she could muster she continued with her job. "Alright I have two #1s, one all the way and
one with cheese, no lettuce, tomato, or onion, but heavy pickle. Both meals with coke to
drink. Is that everything?" Misao let an audible moan escape as the customer continued to
order three more meals and two kids meals. I can't take this!
"Ms. Leiko, can I take my break?!"
"Sure, just take that gentleman's order then you can go for fifteen minutes." Leiko
absently gestured to the customer standing in front of the counter.
Yes! Only one customer stands between me and my small glimpse of freedom! Handing
The Beast to Leiko she bounded over to the register.
"Hi! What can I get for you today?" this time her spirited voice was genuine.
"My, you sure are jubilant for being at work." She knew that voice! But from where? She
craned her neck around the advertisement signs that littered the counter to see him.
Oh my gods he's here! Her slight blush although never mentioned didn't go unnoticed.
"............" For the first time Misao's words failed out. She couldn't think; she couldn't
hear, all she could do was gaze at this vision of sex before her. Yes, I want that! Wait!
What am I thinking? I don't even know his name.
"Will this be cash, check, or credit?" Finally words found her mouth, she must have been
gaping at him for five solid minutes. Worth it! she mused to herself.
"Hmmm...credit." The man said opening his wallet to find a solitary dime floating about. A
little embarrassed at the lack of greenery, he allowed for a second smile. How is it that
this girl somehow always indulgences me to smile?
"That's fine I just need to see some ID."
"Alright, will my driver's license work?"
"Anything with a picture will do."
The man handed Misao his driver's license; she scrutinized his picture and quickly stole a
glance at his name. Aoshi, I'll have to remember that one. Heh, heh, heh.
"Thanks, what can I get you today?" Misao smiled mischievously as she handed Aoshi his
license back.
"Well, nothing too big." As Misao's new acquaintance deciphered the pictures on the
menu, she maintained her lusty smile.
As this god among men proceeded to rail off his order, Misao absent mindedly pushed the
corresponding buttons. Her thoughts were obviously elsewhere.
"Is that everything?" Misao asked. She examined his form, striving to find any
imperfection. None! What is with this guy?! Why is it that when ever he is here I can't
concentrate on anything but his body?!
After Aoshi left with his order, Misao was about to take her break when she was coyly
approached by her boss. The serious look on her face worried Misao; Burger World was
making entirely too much money for her to have any reason for such an expression.
"What's wrong Ms. Leiko?" Misao's shakey voice was barely audiable over the hustle and
bustle of the restaurant.
"Do you know that man Misao?" Leiko's eyes pierced right through Misao's frightened
gaze.
"Not really; I just met him today at school. I didn't even know his name until....." hiding
her eyes she continued lowering her voice even more ".....I stole a peak at his ID card."
Then as if suddenly coming to her senses questioning "Why?!"
"You know his name and you aren't scared?"
"Why? Should I be?"
"You don't know about Aoshi Shinomari do you?"
"Know what?" Misao asked sick of her manager's prying.
"Well lets just say he has difficulty controlling his anger."
But with his pensive eyes he always seems so in control. Misao reflected thinking back
to those icey blue orbs. Although; he did seem to have a sadness hidden behind his
gaze.
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Misao questioned, obvisously not enjoying the
vagueness of Leiko.
"His freshman year he was the captian of the kendo team. When the team went to
nationals it came down between him and a man from the rival school. He inevitably lost.
The defeat shattered him. He let go of anything that he felt held him back; his schooling,
his religion, and even his sanity."
Leiko paused, allowing Misao time to asborb all she is saying.
"He had nothing to left to lose. His friends, worried about his condition went to confront
him. They found him at his usual training ground, a nearby cliff. Aoshi became enraged,
unable to believe his friends would turn on him. He pushed one against a tree so hard he
rendered him brain dead. The other he smashed against a rock; and his best friend he
pushed over the cliff ,waited till he heard the body hit the rocks below then continued his
training. He didn't even bother to remove the mangled bodies of his friends till he had
finished his training. He piled their corpses along the side of an abandoned roadway and
calmly walked home."
Misao was floored What?! That can't be. That can't be the same man I met today who
seemed so amiable. That can't be the same Aoshi.
"The families of his friends demanded justice be brought to Aoshi. However, coming from
an affluent family Aoshi could afford the best lawyers. His main defense being that Aoshi
was so deep in training that he truely believed his friends to be thugs after his life. Oh
course we know better."
"How do you know for sure?! It could all be gossip! You know how people like to talk
around here." Practically demanding Leiko to tell Misao it was all a joke and that Aoshi is
really a great guy.
"How would I know?!" Tears brimming in Leiko's eyes. "The man he so carelessly tossed
over the cliff like a rag doll? He killed my brother, his best friend! He received no
punishment, gave no apology, never even felt so much as remorse."
================
Days went by and Misao saw no sign of Aoshi; she didn't know what she would say even
if she did. After a while she slowly let the story roam to the back of her head.
It wasn't until nearly two weeks later when Misao was running across campus, once again
due to her tardiness, that she ran into what felt like a brick wall.
Where'd that wall come from?
She looked up to find something else entirely.
"Escaping from prision Ms. ..... "
As the man with the brick abs searched for her name Misao quickly realized it was Aoshi.
She couldn't help but recall Leiko's story. 'He killed my brother, his best friend!'
Unable to think rationally she quickly dusted herself off, gathered her books making sure
not to make any form of eye contact, then suddenly ran away.
"Misao!" Hearing him call her by name sent a thousand pricks straight to her heart. She
tingled with excitment and anxiety. However, she couldn't stop. She couldn't face him.
Not yet. She ended up being late to class, the scolding from her teacher was infinitely
better than even one glance of Aoshi's. Even the mention of his name brought an delouge
of thoughts and emotions flooding her mind.
register for my classes!" Misao grumbled to the upperclassman running the registration
booth. What makes this college think its students are competent enough to do these sort
of things? Look at this idiot, I bet he was home schooled. He lacks, obviously, even basic
people skills.
"Miss?" Misao's face had now contorted into something out of an impressionist
painting. Her small body, which people often mistake for that of a 16 year old, was now
stiff from her tense muscles. She'd had enough! It took every ounce of her control not to
pummel this obvious obstacle; he would have to be taken out.
"Huh?" she was rudely snapped out of her insidious thoughts.
"Miss, I'm sorry but I can't allow to register for classes. You have a $2,000 debt
that must be paid off. However, if you are that desperate, you can wait to see the head of
financial aid."
"Where is this head of financial aid? Is it a student, for the love of gods please say
no!"
"No, the head of financial aid is indeed an adult, whom, aside from working here
has no affiliation with this school. Rest assured."
"Well where is he?!" Finally someone who will know what they are talking
about!
"All you need to do is put into writing your issue, then queue over there." The
man, on the edge of being a victim of homicide, pointed to a line consisting of no less than
100 people. Misao felt herself slip into the seventh circle of hell.
"What the hell is that?! That's not a line, that's cruel and unusual punishment." I
don't have the patience for this! Glancing at her watch she quickly realized she didn't
have the time either. She quickly wrote down her grievances, handed the paper to the man
behind the makeshift desk. "Give this to the head of financial aid, I'll know if you don't. I
CAN find you."
"M..M..Miss?" Although lacking sense of perception, the man knew a threat when
he heard it.
"WHAT?" Misao's head jerked her head around, making no attempt to hide the
fire blazing in her eyes."I need your social security number."
"Why?! I put my full name at the top and bottom."
"You are merely a number here. Its imperative that I have your social security
number. Its our way of not having to remember your name, and it doubles to ensure that
you're not an illegal alien!" He smiled at that last attempt for a joke.
"Fine, I'll give my number just stop that!" She proceeded to write down all seven
digits. Her identity at college wasn't Misao it was 587-35-6645. She gathered her things
and with one last quick glance at the clock dashed out the glass doors.
"There were only two places where you were known by a number" Misao groused
to herself "the army and college!"
"Don't forget prison." Answered an amused voice. She hadn't even realized she grumbled
her thoughts until the witty little answer had floated past her. Jerking around Misao came
face to chest with a nice but very tall man. Craning her neck back she met a pair of icy
blue eyes.
"And you expect me to believe there is a difference between the two?" She asked acidly,
one eyebrow raised in sarcasm.
"Sure. They feed you in prison and it costs a hell of a lot less." A smile stole over Misao's
face. It was the first one all day. She had beginning to think she would carry a permanent
scowl as she walked or more correctly wandered around the huge campus, trying to
supress the urge to growl at other freshman looking equally lost.
"Let's not forget the fashionable uniforms they provide!" Misao collaborated, glad to find
another human hidden amongst a throng of collegiate neanderthals. She had wanted so
much to enjoy college, however the buracrates had thwarted that wistful idea.
"Seeing a frustrated freshman always takes me back." the man roused regarding Misao;
her aura so strong and full of life intrigued him greatly. I'll have to keep an eye on this
one, she could prove to be....
"Ahhh!! I'm late!" The man winced as his thoughts were abruptly interrupted. "I'm gonna
be late on my second day! I'm sorry but I must leave, as a fast food employee I am
completely expendable."
As the man watched the girl wildly run to her destination, his stoic expressed permeated
his face; however he felt as if his heart had been lifted. For once another person, a girl
nonetheless, had looked at him without disgust or fear in her eyes. He allowed for a smile
to slip through his neutral façade for the first time in months.
===============
"Thank you for choosing World Burger may I take your order." Misao chanted her
memorized greeting into a headset commonly known as The Beast. Whose cruel idea
was it to invent drive thru! Misao's thoughts quickly drifted to the man she had lustfully
laid eyes on earlier. If I didn't have to come to this hell hole I would've been able to at
least catch his name. Her mind was raging with anger, however with the cheeriest voice
she could muster she continued with her job. "Alright I have two #1s, one all the way and
one with cheese, no lettuce, tomato, or onion, but heavy pickle. Both meals with coke to
drink. Is that everything?" Misao let an audible moan escape as the customer continued to
order three more meals and two kids meals. I can't take this!
"Ms. Leiko, can I take my break?!"
"Sure, just take that gentleman's order then you can go for fifteen minutes." Leiko
absently gestured to the customer standing in front of the counter.
Yes! Only one customer stands between me and my small glimpse of freedom! Handing
The Beast to Leiko she bounded over to the register.
"Hi! What can I get for you today?" this time her spirited voice was genuine.
"My, you sure are jubilant for being at work." She knew that voice! But from where? She
craned her neck around the advertisement signs that littered the counter to see him.
Oh my gods he's here! Her slight blush although never mentioned didn't go unnoticed.
"............" For the first time Misao's words failed out. She couldn't think; she couldn't
hear, all she could do was gaze at this vision of sex before her. Yes, I want that! Wait!
What am I thinking? I don't even know his name.
"Will this be cash, check, or credit?" Finally words found her mouth, she must have been
gaping at him for five solid minutes. Worth it! she mused to herself.
"Hmmm...credit." The man said opening his wallet to find a solitary dime floating about. A
little embarrassed at the lack of greenery, he allowed for a second smile. How is it that
this girl somehow always indulgences me to smile?
"That's fine I just need to see some ID."
"Alright, will my driver's license work?"
"Anything with a picture will do."
The man handed Misao his driver's license; she scrutinized his picture and quickly stole a
glance at his name. Aoshi, I'll have to remember that one. Heh, heh, heh.
"Thanks, what can I get you today?" Misao smiled mischievously as she handed Aoshi his
license back.
"Well, nothing too big." As Misao's new acquaintance deciphered the pictures on the
menu, she maintained her lusty smile.
As this god among men proceeded to rail off his order, Misao absent mindedly pushed the
corresponding buttons. Her thoughts were obviously elsewhere.
"Is that everything?" Misao asked. She examined his form, striving to find any
imperfection. None! What is with this guy?! Why is it that when ever he is here I can't
concentrate on anything but his body?!
After Aoshi left with his order, Misao was about to take her break when she was coyly
approached by her boss. The serious look on her face worried Misao; Burger World was
making entirely too much money for her to have any reason for such an expression.
"What's wrong Ms. Leiko?" Misao's shakey voice was barely audiable over the hustle and
bustle of the restaurant.
"Do you know that man Misao?" Leiko's eyes pierced right through Misao's frightened
gaze.
"Not really; I just met him today at school. I didn't even know his name until....." hiding
her eyes she continued lowering her voice even more ".....I stole a peak at his ID card."
Then as if suddenly coming to her senses questioning "Why?!"
"You know his name and you aren't scared?"
"Why? Should I be?"
"You don't know about Aoshi Shinomari do you?"
"Know what?" Misao asked sick of her manager's prying.
"Well lets just say he has difficulty controlling his anger."
But with his pensive eyes he always seems so in control. Misao reflected thinking back
to those icey blue orbs. Although; he did seem to have a sadness hidden behind his
gaze.
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Misao questioned, obvisously not enjoying the
vagueness of Leiko.
"His freshman year he was the captian of the kendo team. When the team went to
nationals it came down between him and a man from the rival school. He inevitably lost.
The defeat shattered him. He let go of anything that he felt held him back; his schooling,
his religion, and even his sanity."
Leiko paused, allowing Misao time to asborb all she is saying.
"He had nothing to left to lose. His friends, worried about his condition went to confront
him. They found him at his usual training ground, a nearby cliff. Aoshi became enraged,
unable to believe his friends would turn on him. He pushed one against a tree so hard he
rendered him brain dead. The other he smashed against a rock; and his best friend he
pushed over the cliff ,waited till he heard the body hit the rocks below then continued his
training. He didn't even bother to remove the mangled bodies of his friends till he had
finished his training. He piled their corpses along the side of an abandoned roadway and
calmly walked home."
Misao was floored What?! That can't be. That can't be the same man I met today who
seemed so amiable. That can't be the same Aoshi.
"The families of his friends demanded justice be brought to Aoshi. However, coming from
an affluent family Aoshi could afford the best lawyers. His main defense being that Aoshi
was so deep in training that he truely believed his friends to be thugs after his life. Oh
course we know better."
"How do you know for sure?! It could all be gossip! You know how people like to talk
around here." Practically demanding Leiko to tell Misao it was all a joke and that Aoshi is
really a great guy.
"How would I know?!" Tears brimming in Leiko's eyes. "The man he so carelessly tossed
over the cliff like a rag doll? He killed my brother, his best friend! He received no
punishment, gave no apology, never even felt so much as remorse."
================
Days went by and Misao saw no sign of Aoshi; she didn't know what she would say even
if she did. After a while she slowly let the story roam to the back of her head.
It wasn't until nearly two weeks later when Misao was running across campus, once again
due to her tardiness, that she ran into what felt like a brick wall.
Where'd that wall come from?
She looked up to find something else entirely.
"Escaping from prision Ms. ..... "
As the man with the brick abs searched for her name Misao quickly realized it was Aoshi.
She couldn't help but recall Leiko's story. 'He killed my brother, his best friend!'
Unable to think rationally she quickly dusted herself off, gathered her books making sure
not to make any form of eye contact, then suddenly ran away.
"Misao!" Hearing him call her by name sent a thousand pricks straight to her heart. She
tingled with excitment and anxiety. However, she couldn't stop. She couldn't face him.
Not yet. She ended up being late to class, the scolding from her teacher was infinitely
better than even one glance of Aoshi's. Even the mention of his name brought an delouge
of thoughts and emotions flooding her mind.