Chapter 2:

"Kachou!! I thought you promised 'Soka-chan a vacation?" Tsuzuki asked and wheedled Kachou for the nth time that week. The boss of Meifu fisted his hands, his shoulders shaking slightly with irritation.

He just can't believe how Tsuzuki had recalled him saying that he would grant Kurosaki-kun with an all expense paid vacation. The inu-man certainly had a superb memory regarding treats and the like but he just doesn't see the good in remembering his job and responsibilities. Konoe noted to himself that he should point this out to Tsuzuki when he had the liberty to do so.

"Tsuzuki, what are you so bent out of shape for? I did not remember including you in that offer of a treat." Kachou replied squarely. The violet-eyed shinigami pouted adorably.

"Mou… But 'Soka-chan needs it! And he's got to have company if he takes a vacation!! Look at him…" He motioned to Hisoka who was currently hunched over his desk, typing something furiously.

"He's so obsessed in his work! And do you know he only sleeps 4 hours a night? Not to count the one hour he spends thrashing around the bed because of bad dreams!!! He would certainly die again but from exhaustion this time!" Tsuzuki exclaimed exasperatedly. Kachou looked over at his second most prudent worker.

Sure enough, the empath had dark, ugly circles under his eyes and he looks paler than usual. He also had a slight droop in his posture making him look extremely tired. Kachou must've stared longer than necessary because Tsuzuki had to poke him in the ribs before he snapped out of it.

"See I told you so! Doesn't he look like a zombie?! I suggest you give him the rest he deserves now!" Tsuzuki said as he raised his index finger in emphasis. Kachou sighed. Much as he really wanted to, he can't. Not when the recipient of the vacation wouldn't accept it.

Truth be told, Kachou had already offered Hisoka his vacation, right after he had healed. The empath had declined the offer, saying he really doesn't need it. Besides, he said that he had a lot of work to do and that he needed the distraction. So Kachou, grudgingly and somewhat happily agreed. After all, the vacation money would have to come out of his own pocket since the budget can't afford it at the time.

"You're right. He does look exhausted. But I already offered him the vacation and he declined it." Kachou said as he resumed his pace. He really needed to hand over some papers to Tatsumi… He had already delayed these documents for a day and if it gets any longer, Tatsumi might blow a fuse.

Tsuzuki was lost in his own world as he thought of something. He really needed to persuade Bon to have the long overdue vacation. But how to do? He asks himself as his mind kept whirling with endless possibilities. Then without warning he lit up like a candle and bolted to catch up with Kachou.

"Kachou! Wait up!!" He hollered at the top of his lungs, nearly scaring the wits of 003 who had been floating lazily at the hallway.

"What? I told you Tsuzuki, he declined it and I just can't force him." Kachou said, feeling deflated. Talking with Tsuzuki had really made him extremely tired.

"You see, I found a way to persuade him to go…" Kachou looked at Tsuzuki who was practically bouncing with excitement.

"How?"

"Well, you tell him that he needed to go to a field assignment."

"Then?"

"Then we sent him to the place you had in mind for his vacation!" Tsuzuki said with a flourish.

"Kurosaki-kun could be stubborn if he wants to, you know. What makes you think he'll stay there for long when he finds out that we tricked him?"

"Hmmm… You have a point there, Kachou." Tsuzuki says as he brings a hand to his forehead, rubbing at his temples.

"Of course I do. Now you just give up and go help Kurosaki-kun type that report of yours."

"I got it!!" Tsuzuki exclaimed suddenly, oblivious to the suggestion Kachou had said earlier.

"What?"

"You threaten to fire him if he doesn't agree!" Kachou looked at him skeptically.

"What makes you think he'll go for that?"

"Mainly because he likes to work and he needed some sort of distraction."

"But what if he really doesn't want to? What if he rather let me fire him than take the rest? I don't want to lose a worker you know? We're already short of hands." Kachou said. But Tsuzuki wasn't listening. He had that blank look in his face again. Meaning, he's thinking of something again.

"You're right. 'Soka-chan wouldn't probably believe you're gonna fire him anyway." Tsuzuki said after awhile of thinking deeply. He looked at Kachou thoughtfully, making the older man cringe under the stare.

"What?" Kachou asks irritably.

"Hmmm… Kachou… About that annual vacation the whole of Meifu takes, do you think we could do it much earlier this year?" Tsuzuki asks thoughtfully.

"Why are you asking? What are you up to?" Kachou asks suspiciously.

"Well, what if we just take it now? We will still send Hisoka on that 'field assignment'. Once he gets there we surprise him…"

"I don't know…"

"Come on Kachou!! It would be a lot of fun and it would help Hisoka loosen up. It might not show but he's still healing from the… you know, the last Muraki incident?" Kachou nodded.

"And besides I think we all needed a break after that too. Tatsumi and Watari had been exhausted with that assignment too! And Terazuma and Wakaba hadn't taken a vacation in what? 10 years? Come on…" Tsuzuki wheedled in full inu mode. Konoe was still contemplating. The violet eyed shinigami thought that another round of pity talk might do Kachou in.

"Come on Kachou. It's for the good of 'Soka-chan. If he realized that there will be nothing to do here and that all of us will be at some place other than this office, then he will definitely go for it. You know he needs the rest…"

"Okay." Kachou whispered more to himself than to Tsuzuki.

"You said something, Kachou?" Tsuzuki asks.

"I said, okay. We can go to the vacation." The violet eyed shinigami let out a cheer.

"But!"

"But what, Kachou?"

"You need to ask Tatsumi."

"Why?" Tsuzuki asks, confused.

"He has the budget for vacation and for just about anything you know?" Kachou said.

"Hmmm… I see. Okay! I'll go ask Tatsumi…" Tsuzuki said as he high tailed out of sight, all the while thinking that he had the vacation in the bag and wondering if Kachou really is the boss of Meifu.

Hisoka tapped at the computer with a flourish as he keyed in the last word of the document he was working on. After he proof read his work, he began clicking at the mouse furiously as he saved it and printed the paper.

He closed his eyes, resting them for awhile. Staring at the computer for five hours straight had made his vision slightly hazy and he was starting to see dancing white spots right before his eyes. He listened to the humming of the printer and the slight hum of talking emerging from the numerous stalls in Meifu, assuring himself that everything is in order.

As long as he was surrounded with comrades, Muraki couldn't possibly hurt him again. He thought to himself as he tried to rid the images of his last dream, or rather nightmare.

He was standing in a meadow, which stretches as long as his eyes could see. It was dark and all he could see was the outlines of the grass. He circled slowly from his place, trying to find out if there was anyone besides himself in the meadow.

Without warning he saw someone striding towards him. He instinctively walked away, feeling dread on his nerves. As he continued to back off, another figure appeared from the other direction, looking confused. Hisoka stopped dead in his tracks when he realized that the first figure was stalking not him but the second figure.

As far as he was concerned, he realized that he wasn't even noticed by the two. It was as if he wasn't around. He decided to watch the encounter. As he drew nearer he noticed that the first figure was him. His hand flew to his mouth when he realized that the second figure was Tsuzuki who was crying rivers of tears.

His doppelganger shot his hand out to Tsuzuki's neck and started wringing it. Tsuzuki eyes bulged and his face was starting to get purple. Although, Tsuzuki could have thrown off his double with his strength, he didn't. Instead Tsuzuki stood ground and was looking like he welcomed the thought of being killed by him. His double finally let go. But Tsuzuki was already drained of life. His saucer wide eyes stared at Tsuzuki for a long time before he brought them up to look at his double.

To his surprise, Muraki was standing behind his doppelganger, patting his head in an affectionate way. Then his hands reached out for 'Hisoka's' neck and started wringing too. He let go, and before his doppelganger's back reached the ground he snapped awake….

"Kurosaki-kun? Are you alright?" Kachou asks as he waves his hand before Bon's face. The empath had been staring blankly at the wall for a whole minute there. Kachou started worrying that Bon might have lost it.

"Kachou? Uh… I'm still printing the report if that's what you're here for?"

"Not it's not that." Kachou said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"What is it then?" Hisoka asks.

"Well, I needed someone to check on this girl." Kachou held out a picture of an attractive young lady with raven hair and almond eyes.

"Hmmm… what do you need to find out?" Hisoka asks as he took the picture from his hand.

"Nothing serious. Terazuma and Wakaba just need some information but they're a little out of time…"

"So what information do they need?"

"The schedule of that girl, from waking moment to sleeping time."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, that's about it. I wouldn't give this assignment to you but… The pair of them needs to get the other assignment done and they needed a head start on this one."

"No problem Kachou."

"Good. I know I can count on you." Hisoka nodded. Kachou turned to walk away.

"Oh yeah, Kachou!" Kachou turned back.

"Yes?"

"Should I bring Tsuzuki with me?" Kachou thought for awhile.

"I guess so. Shinigami should travel in pair right?" Kachou winked as he walked away, leaving Hisoka confused and surprised. Kachou winking?

t.b.c

A/N:

Sapphire Dragon: hey, thanks for reviewing again (and I don't mind the long review)!! Don't worry, in one of the later chapters I'll definitely discuss how the doppelganger happened to be in the possession of the Oriya clan. Hehehe… I'll think about putting that part in, you know Hakushaku and Watson, although it might be an interlude chapter or something… now that I'm thinking about it, it calls for something like humor ne? anyway, thanks again for reviewing, hope you liked this chapter although it's not much… the story's kind of progressing slow for the moment.

Fin-Phoenix: hey, thanks for the translations… I don't think I'll be needing any German translations anymore but if I do can you please help me? Please? Hehehe..

Kaya Kioko: Hey thanks!! I'm so glad you liked cibah so much!!