If I could choose a parallel universe, it would be the one where I created Pretear.

Thanks to those who reviewed.

Summary: Himeno gets to tag along at work.

Please review guys, the chapter's a bit useless but it's very important for the development thing. A bit boring, but anyways, here it goes. No flames please, I'm not immune anymore.

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Picture Perfect

Chapter 3: No Work and All Play

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Hayate had lost his beauty sleep. Thoughts about the stolen kiss invaded his mind, forcing him to think of a way to apologize to the 'guest'. He planned to go to her room at exactly 7 am, knock on her door to wake her up, and apologize. If she doesn't wake up, he'll come barging in, shake her eyes open and scream 'gomenasai' at the top of his lungs.

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Then a little devil crept in his mind. "How about kissing her again while she's still asleep? Or maybe go a little bit further?"

Hayate punched himself mentally. Stop it you pervert. Maybe if I ask her nicely enough, she'll dismiss the whole thing as an effect of the alcohol.

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The devil once again comes. "How about not telling her? That would save your own skin. Besides, you know that sober or not, you would have still done it."

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Arg, that's true…No, I still have some dignity in me. I have to be a man. I will do it!

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"That's right; that's just the way it is when you get those manly urges. Go get that pretty lady you little--"

Shut up.

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He dressed himself in his favorite suit, black with a dark blue silk shirt and a navy blue tie. He sprayed on his favorite cologne, checked himself in front of the mirror and went to the guest room. Perfect.

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Hayate gathered up his courage to knock. He gave the door three sharp raps before he pressed his ear to it to listen. He couldn't hear anything, so he turned the knob and went inside. The curtains were made of a very thick material, blocking the light, making it very dark inside the room. Assuming she was still asleep, he pulled up a chair beside the bed and started talking.

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"Awayuki-san, I deeply apologize for um…I'm sorry for, wait that doesn't sound right. I'm just here to apologize for my behavior last night. I was drunk, you were there, you seemed awfully beautiful so I decided to…I'm so sorry, please forgive me. Don't worry, this will never happen again, I'm not a pervert or anything. It's just that I saw your face in the moonlight and my body, rather my face moved against my will. It's instinct you know, when a man sees a woman…Arg. But I'm so sorry…"

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"For what?"

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"For, you know, the…"

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"The what?"

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"You know darn well what I mean--"

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Hayate turned his head around sharply to face Himeno whose face was only inches away. He blushed at their proximity and moved his head back.

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"For being…grumpy last night." Nice save…Hayate felt his poor heart slow down as he got away.

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"Come down, I've made you breakfast. It's to thank you for your kindness to me Ito-san. Oh, by the way, ohaiyoo gozaimasu."

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"Ohaiyoo gozaimasu Awayuki-san, thanks for that."

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Happy that he wouldn't have to cook for that morning, he quickly felt the smile fade form his face as he saw what the girl called 'food'. On the plates were black pieces of God-knows-what that he simply refused to eat. They were five minutes short of being charcoal he uses for still-life portraits. He looked at her and found her smiling at him, waiting for Hayate to eat the 'food' she cooked. Hayate sighed and speared a small piece with his fork. This is probably atonement for all my sins. Somebody, kill me now…

"Ohaiyoo Hayate! Ohaiyoo…"

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"Awayuki Himeno."

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"Awayuki-san, I'm Miboshi Goh. Yoroshiku!"

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"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

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Goh stood there, holding Himeno's hand for quite a long time which Hayate noticed. He peeled off Goh's fingers and dragged Himeno to his office, away from the smiling idiot who took advantage of the situation.

"Ano ne, Ito-san, why did you bring me here to your work?"

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"Because I don't trust you with my house." If she could burn a small piece of toast, what more a whole building. That's one kid who was left playing matches by her parents…

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"Haaai…ne, ne, Ito-san, what's this?"

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Himeno carefully picked up a black squarish piece with glass that looked suspiciously like the headlights of the car. Hayate grinned evilly and told her to press a button. The weird contraption gave out a bright flash of blinding light to which Himeno gave a little scream. Hayate rushed to the camera and plugged it to the computer and printed a photo. It was a photo of Himeno with her eyes screwed shut. Kawaii.

"Oi, Kei, make a hundred copies and distribute them on the streets!" His assistant grinned and reached for the picture when Himeno grabbed it and tore it into pieces. "Hidoi!" The two guys just laughed.

There she met a lot of well, weird people. First there was Nakanishi Mayune, a pale-pink haired receptionist who harasses young, handsome, and rich men, employee, boss and client alike. "What can I say, she keeps us in business with her killer connections," Hayate said. Or her killer showers…Mayune quickly appeared beside Hayate asking him if he was free for that night. He grinned and told her to meet him there when the big hand points to 12 and the small hand points to 13. Mayune gave him a wry smile and sauntered off to her desk.

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"Ojou-chan, want to go jigging with me in clubs tonight?" Himeno shuddered as a short, bald man was clinging to her shirt. "Aya, ojii-san, hanashite!" She whacked him on the head with her bag and moved closer to Hayate. "Ito-san, why I such a hentai in your office?" "Awayuki-san, that's the president of Hikari Enterprises." "Where do you work again Ito-san?" "Hikari Enterprises." Himeno looked at him incredulously, almost waiting for Hayate to confess that it was just a joke. "Him?" "Yup, that's Tanaka-sama." Himeno quickly bowed her head in apology, "Gomenasai."

The old man flashed her a smile and told her, "Don't mind ojou-chan, how about dinner tonight?" he got another whack to his head.

Kurokawa Mawata, the ever reliable radio lover/technician decided to confer with Hayate on the settings needed for the opening next week. Himeno wandered off as the two launched into a heated argument on whether to use a gloss or matte finish.

Himeno sat down on Hayate's chair in his office. She decided to take a look around. The mini refrigerator held a few cans of beer, a bottle with a couple of swigs of sake left inside, and some leftover Chinese food Hayate was crazy about. She checked the desk and found it almost empty, save a few framed photos on it. They were all neat and color-coordinated. So much like Ito-san…

She scanned the pictures on his desk and found a familiar face in one of them. Silver hair, pale skin, the wan smile and meltingly gorgeous eyes…

Missing you already Sasame…

To be continued….

Chapter was a bit useless but important for me to be able to continue. Light fluffy stuff will soon turn to sappy tear-jerkers for those who cry easily. For those who are stone like me, laugh your hearts out. 7 more chapters to go! Please give feedback! Thanks to those who reviewed!

Ack, before I forget:
Hidoi- mean
Ojii-san- grampa
Ojou-chan- small lady, young woman… etc
Hentai- pervert
Hanashite- I think it means let go! Tell me if I'm wrong. That's how I hear it in anime. Oh, by the way, what's the color of Sasame's eyes? The shower thing with Mayune is the thing she does in the anime.