Car Trouble?
(Aoiya Restaurant - Kyoto)
"I see you only have one option to take Mr Yukishiro. You sell your company to me or else you'll end up going bankrupt, your employees will be left in the dust, having no redundancy packages and all the motives to sue you. So for the next…oh…say about 50 years you'll be paying off your multimillion-dollar debts to them. Now answer me again Mr Yukishiro, what do you plan to do with your business?"
"Shinomori you are one rich son of a bitch! How can you do this to my company? We have done nothing to harm your companies at all! We are no threat so leave my company alone!" Enishi Yukishiro spat in anger at the man sitting across from him casually sipping his tea.
"I have no time for your rants. So we have a deal then? Do sign at the bottom Mr Yukishiro, I do not have all day." He spoke calmly once more; the other customers in the restaurant staring at them weren't affecting him at all.
"Aoshi you are such a bastard! No wonder you are so alone. No one likes you…hell I doubt your family or servants like you either! I wish for the day when you meet someone who you do not wish to part with…maybe a woman will come into your life that you'll love. I pray the day when she will not even want you either." Enishi spoke again as he finished signing the document and threw it in Aoshi's face and proceeded to storm out of the restaurant.
"If I wished to Enishi, I could have someone in my life but I am far too busy and so I do not have anyone. It is my choice not to have someone, but if I so desired I could have any woman I wanted…including your sister." He watched as customers stopped eating and stared between himself and a furious Enishi.
"You stay the fuck away from my sister and my company Aoshi Shinomori!" Enishi bellowed and then left the restaurant. Aoshi stared down at the papers that were thrown at him, his eyes narrowing at the 'fuck off' written on the signature line and scrunched them up in anger.
"That is the first and last time you do that to me Yukishiro Enishi." Aoshi stood up, his green-grey eyes glancing around the restaurant, customers bowing their heads "pretending" they never saw or heard anything but each eyed the man as he left the restaurant after paying the bill.
Aoshi Shinomori stood on the sidewalk looking boredly up at the cloudy sky, the rain pelting down as he waited for the black limousine to pick him up. Seconds passed as the limousine pulled up, the driver getting out, with an umbrella and placed it over Aoshi's head as he got into the back of the car. Aoshi opened his laptop, and clicked on the shortcut button to open up his daily journal and began typing away.
"To the airport Master Shinomori?" The driver spoke looking through the rear vision mirror watching the dark haired man lean over to open the mini bar fridge and bring out a bottle of chilled spring water.
"Yes and please step on it as well. I do not wish to be in this disgusting city any longer. Also do me a favour Shiro. Please send half a dozen yellow and white roses each to a Yukishiro Tomoe expressing my deepest apologises for not being able to make our dinner this evening. Also send…I don't know a diamond bracelet perhaps as a gift as well."
"Yes Master Shinomori." Shiro responded and drove a little faster. He secretly dreaded everytime his boss came to Kyoto for business and partied when he left. Not many of his employees liked being his employees but they all owed debts to the Shinomori family and knew this was the only way to repay their young Master's father for showing them such kind hospitality when he was alive. Was working hard these days? It certainly was. Trying to please the young Master was near impossible. He always complained about something…still being the 12-year-old they knew him as…a spoilt little rich boy…
* * * *
(Shinomori Mansion)
"So, this mechanic is a woman?" Hyotokko and Shikijo muttered quietly to themselves as they peered through the ajar door. The young woman lay under the car, clanking noises coming from whatever it was that she was doing under there.
"You know you can come in…I will not bite." Misao spoke, the men's eyes widening in surprise at being caught 'spying' on her. They each looked at each other, knowing they could spare a couple of minutes and slowly stepped into the garage as though walking towards their deaths.
They stopped and watched silently as the young woman slid out from underneath the limousine and stood up. She wiped some grease onto her deep blue work overalls, they covering her entire body. The long trouser and sleeve length ones, a couple of small holes here and there but she'd had them for a long time so they did there job really well.
"My name's Misao and you two are?" She spoke with a smile on her face and proceeded to shake their hands, still looking up at their slightly shocked faces. She didn't receive an answer and shrugged her shoulders never being able to understand rich people and went back to looking at the engine. She turned back around when she heard a slight cough from one of the men as he began to introduce himself.
"My name is Shikijo…"
"And I'm Hyotokko." The larger man spoke up as well.
"Well I'm glad someone seems to speak in this place. That Hannya guy seems like a real stiff!" Misao spoke exasperated and moved towards her rucksack to pull out her bottle of water.
"Oh you haven't met a stiff until you've met Master Ao-" Shikijo was elbowed in the ribs by a quiet Hyotokko, Misao placing the cap on her water bottle and moved towards the two men silently intrigued to hear more of this snobby Master of theirs.
"Do tell?" Misao asked, her ocean blue eyes pleading for them to continue on. She watched as they stared around the garage as though making sure no one else was around and moved closer to Misao, deciding she could be trusted and began telling her tales of one Aoshi Shinomori.
* * * *
(Tokyo Airport- 3pm)
"Hannya I am at the airport and will be home in less then an hour. Have you sorted out a mechanic yet?"
"Yes Master Shinomori I have payed all debts to Henry and he himself recommended a company. They are known as Okina's Mechanical Service and a mechanic is already here and looking over the limousine as we speak."
"Very good, tell him I will be home and shall come to meet him and discuss payment for his services."
"Master Shin-" Hannya stared at the phone as it produced the beeping noise as Aoshi had already hung up on him. He shook his head and turned around to make his way towards the two giggling women in the large family room.
"Master has returned home, so do make last minute clean ups before he comes." The two women got up and quickly began busying themselves knowing their employer liked everything spick and span.
"I shall inform the woman that Master is returning and wishes to speak with her." Hannya responded…basically to himself as the women had already scurried away. He stepped outside and walked towards the large garage, his eyebrows furrowing as he heard female and male laughter coming from inside.
"What is going on in here?" Hannya demanded and watched as Shikijo and Hyotokko turned swiftly around looking in his direction. They spoke a fast goodbye to Misao and bid a hasty retreat.
"You really should relax Hannya, they weren't doing any harm…and I'm still working as well. In fact I was just teaching them some of the basics of looking after the limousine and they seemed to enjoy it."
"I do not care of such things Miss Misao. I came to inform you that our Master has arrived back in Tokyo and will be home in an hour. I suggest you make yourself presentable as he wishes to speak with you." Hannya turned around ready to head for the mansion once he was finished.
"I don't think so Hannya." Misao responded her arms crossing over her chest as she watched him slowly turn to face her once more.
"I beg your pardon?" He questioned and watched as she dropped her arms away and began explaining what she meant.
"I am a mechanic. It may not be befitting for women in your terms, but cars and motorcycles are what I love. I've been doing this with my family ever since I was 6 years old and this is all I know. I know nothing of your high customs in the rich world, but we common folk like speaking on the same level. Now, your "master" will have to come to me, because frankly if he wants his limousine to be fixed…all of his cars in fact, he'll need to come to me. This car is a wreck and if he wishes to know what is wrong with it then it is best for him to enter the garage like any other person. What is he like allergic to it or something?" Misao questioned sarcastically once she finished her ramble and watched a hint of a smirk cross the butlers lips.
"Miss Misao, what you need to understand is that Master is not your average…"
"Car expert?" Misao finished for him and watched as he silently nodded his head. She almost heard a sigh escape his lips as he continued on.
"Young Master has never been the same since his father died and was very young when he took over the family business. He knows technology, knows about the business world and politics, but when its something like fixing cars, changing tires etc that is when people like yourself are called in." Hannya watched as Misao nodded her head.
"Sounds like he's a real nightmare to be an employee for?" Hannya didn't say a word and instead stared silently at the short woman.
"Well everyone needs to know something about everything and so I'll teach him." Misao shrugged after that and moved under the car to get back to work.
"Teach him? I seriously doubt Master will allow to be taught by a mechanic…or a woman for that matter, but if you wish to try by all means the ball is in your court Miss Misao. He'll be here shortly and I'll send him straight to you." Hannya shook his head as she went back to work, completely ignoring him and instead hummed along to the music being played on the radio.
* * * *
(Almost an hour later…)
Yet another yellow cab pulled up into the Shinomori residence and Hannya was already at the path to open the door for Aoshi and pay the driver at the same time. Employees watched the driver speed off, just like the previous one did wishing to get as far away from the dark haired man as quickly as possible.
"Take my briefcase inside Hannya, I wish to speak to the mechanic. He is in the garage I presume?" Aoshi questioned while handing his leather case over and began walking towards the opened door, his green-grey eyes glancing over at the motorcycle parked under a shady tree.
As he neared he could hear loud music coming from inside. Typical workmen, playing such a racket. Did they not have ears? It was practically bursting Aoshi's eardrums off. He stepped into the garage, his employees moving off to do something, they not having the chance to tell him that the mechanic was a she and not a he as he presumed it would be.
"Do turn this racket off?" Aoshi spoke in his usual tone of voice as he stood near the limousine, the person lying on the ground underneath it not hearing a word he said. He watched annoyingly as their leg kept moving to the beat of the loud music and he swiftly made his way over towards the radio and pulled the plug, the garage going silent.
"I say do come out of there young man, I wish to speak with you about payment for your services." Aoshi spoke making his way towards the front of the limousine. He listened to a soft clank as the mechanic dropped their tools on the ground and moved out from underneath the car to stand in front of him.
"Well that is one thing you have wrong." A feminine voice reached Aoshi's ears, he watching as a greasy hand lifted up, the baseball cap swiftly coming off and a long braid fell down the back of the mechanic. His eyebrow creased slightly in confusion and his green-grey eyes finally met ocean blue orbs lined with thick black eyelashes.
"The so called 'he' happens to be a 'she'." Misao responded as the tall man did nothing but stare down at her, his eyebrows creased in confusion.
"You…you are a woman." He spoke astonished, much like Hannya had when she first arrived. Misao did nothing but roll her eyes at him.
"Your observation really kills me…and you are?" Misao spoke with her hands on hips as she stared up at him. She only just reached to his chest…also noting he was quite well built for a rich 'boy'.
"I happen to be the owner of this estate…and your employer for that matter. You shall address me as Mr Shinomori for the remainder of the time you are working in this garage." He watched as she arched an eyebrow in his direction, but nodded her head in agreement knowing Okina would have her head if she lost this job.
"I've only been working on the limousine for today and quite frankly your last service on this car was not done properly. In fact many things are wrong with this car. Come and take a look." Misao spoke and grabbed his wrist without thinking and dragged him over towards the engine.
"Do refrain yourself from touching me madam. I have no idea what type of germs you carry with you." Misao rubbed her temple for a few seconds. Oh boy, this was going to be one long fucking day!
* * * *
To be continued…
* * * *
Authors Notes: Arigatoo for reading and reviewing so far Minna! I'm glad someone likes it and I love how I've made Aoshi a complete asshole! (^_^) Should I mellow him out or keep him like this? Do tell me what you think again and look out for the next chapter…probably tomorrow I'd say…depends how awake I feel.
I t wasn't that hard to figure out who Aoshi was huh? And Misao is not a punk, just a mechanic who happens to be obsessed with cars and motorcycles. She's a hard worker and loved Okina very much, hence the fact that although Aoshi will drive her to the point of insanity she'll continue with the job because of the old geezer!
Till next time…