Sorry for the very long delay. I ran this story into a corner, especially with that last chapter. And any plans I had did not feel right. I hate the white empty Word document of doom. So, as some of you might know, the GetBackers fic got finished, a Samurai 7 short fic was completed, and other things were written. I suppose I'll just keep the old plans and drafts I had and go on with that.

I've been away helping to build an S7 fansite, loving then getting creeped by Gankutsuou, missing RK every time I watch Tsukikage Ran, ogling Gackt, erm, Cloud in Advent Children, enjoying Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd Gig, deciphering what I could of Full Metal Panic The Second Raid. (If any of you are wondering, yes, I THINK I'm still studying and doing schoolwork somewhere in the midst of all that anime). All that anime doesn't help in thinking for my oldest fandom.

I'm honored people still remember my work. Thanks to all of you for the concern. It does make me remember this fic. Unfortunately, if the story doesn't come to me, it doesn't come. Thank you for waiting for so long. Sorry this is short. Completed in one day after so many months. Better than nothing. Handsome boss guy makes his re-appearance. Hope you like.

……………………….

The door to the general manager's office opened discreetly. A young man entered without a word, dressed well enough but dragging his feet and swaying uneasily. He bowed quickly to the man behind a large desk filled with receipts and letters.

It was an hour before noon.

"You are beyond late, Seta," the boss said with an icy tone, without looking up from his papers.

"Sorry, sir, I overslept….." he tried to explain.

"No matter, just start going through those papers over there," the boss pointed to a table with a stack of white sheets.

"Hai, Yuan-san…" and Jiro shuffled his feet up to the table with the papers.

But when the boss looked up from reading the papers after around 5 more minutes, his assistant had not done anything with the papers. He was merely staring at them blankly.

"SETA!"

The assistant jumped and faced his boss. "Hai?"

"The papers?"

The assistant looked down at them. "Oh, yes, sir, well, you see……"

"Just sort them, will you?"

"Hai…."

The boss went out for a while to settle other obligations. But when he returned, his assistant still had not done anything to the papers he had asked to file. Worse, seated in a chair in front of the little table, the assistant was already quite asleep. Even having a disturbed dream, from the way he shook his head back and forth.

"SETA SOUJIROU!"

It woke the assistant. He held his head and looked up drowsily at his boss.

"Seta Soujirou, what in the world is the matter with you?" his boss finally pounded the desk and raised his voice.

"Sir?" he asked back, and looked at him with droopy eyes.

"Am I actually talking to Seta Soujirou?"

"Um, yes, sir……" as his eyes drooped a little more.

But the boss understood that further conversation would get nowhere. "Get out, go home, Soujirou. You will useless to me today."

It made the assistant snap to attention for a few seconds. "But, SIR!"

"Get out!"

He sighed, dragged his feet out, and carefully closed the door.

His boss shook his head. "I didn't want to do that, but there's a big new deal, and I can't have him delaying the work." He called for a messenger. "Please go to the Akabeko and try to get a little gossip out of the people there, then report." The messenger nodded and left.

The boss then tried to ignore the minor annoyance, and went back to accepting clients and reading letters.

It was very difficult.

The boss was not the most approachable person in the company, but he had to fend off questions from the accountants and the division managers about his right-hand man. The assistant was generally liked, and he worked hard and fast. Thus, it concerned them that something seemed to be very wrong with Jiro that day.

Jiro did not go home, as he was told. Most of them had seen him on the second floor of the building. He was either asleep in a tired, disturbed way, seated on one of the benches, or he was pacing the floor around the bench, or he was looking out the window to the street. His demeanor prevented any of the other employees from talking to him directly. Even the boss knew it was pointless to scold him again and to force him to go home.

Nonetheless, it was a busy day for everybody, so everybody just kept wondering at the back of their heads, as they kept on with the work. They sighed as they saw him, then moved on.

The messenger finally returned late that afternoon.

"There is news that the kendo teacher will soon marry the Akabeko's waitress. The manager of the restaurant was announcing it to her friends. The couple arrived last night from a trip to the hot springs, and the kendo teacher had proposed to her while he was there."

"So that's it," the boss shook his snow-white head. "And I suppose you've already told all the meddlers of the accounting department on the way here?"

The messenger smiled and said yes.

"When you go out, tell them to leave the boy alone. Give him space."

"Yes, sir," and the messenger left.

But another messenger came in afterward. He bowed to the white-haired manager, and handed a letter and an envelope.

The boss looked them over quickly and smirked. "I'll give word to the stovepipe tomorrow morning." This satisfied the messenger, and he left. The boss then gave the envelope and its contents a closer reading.

The sun was setting when the boss opened the door of his office. He found his assistant dozing on a chair, sadness filling his face. The young man could not hide behind his masklike face while asleep.

He patted the young man on the shoulder, until he awoke. "In my office, right now, Seta," he said gently.

"Yes, sir," the assistant stood and followed him in.

The boss walked to his desk, and sat back in the leather chair. His assistant slunk into another leather chair, on the opposite end of the desk. Jiro gave a little sigh.

He presented a thin envelope to the young man. "There. That should take your mind off your problem."

Jiro looked up at him and received the envelope, his brows questioning sleepily. He opened the envelope, and browsed through the documents. "But, Enishi-san……this is…"

"You've heard about the murders that have been happening, I suppose," the boss said. "You are being tasked to be the chief investigator in the case. The regular people aren't fast enough to catch him."

"But, Enishi-san!"

"No buts, Soujirou, you know you can do this. In fact, this is quite simple. I will demand that you take up the case."

"But…."

Enishi stood up and faced the window behind him. It was dark now outside, and he looked down at the street lamps and the few people passing the street below.

"The attack on Himura 8 years ago was almost successful because I took everything, everything, from him, before I gave the final blow. He had nothing to fall back on after I was done. I've also been there, lost everything and had nothing to fall back on. Heaven knows how many weeks came and went before the world made sense again. You, on the other hand, have something to fall back on. Use it, until you can get past the hurt that woman gave you. Hide behind the mask, if necessary. But use it."

Jiro looked down at the documents again, and sighed. Then he raised his head, and faced the general manager.

The flame is his eyes was gone. The sorrow had disappeared. In the deathly pale face, was a strange, happy smile.

"Tell Saitou-san, I accept the case."

…………………………

Look on the bright side. At least it wasn't just an author note. (sigh)

Of course I know all about moving about like a zombie in the middle of the day, and falling asleep at all the wrong times. Been there, done that. During a good length of the long hiatus. My course will do that to almost anyone. (sigh) Sorry, another bridging chapter that got you nowhere. I know this chapter was rather pathetic, but I need it to get my head going for the story again. I should have a story for you in the next chapter. If you notice I'm taking the route I used with Ginji, where I don't get into Jiro's head. I don't think I know him well enough to do that. So I make his actions show what he feels.

I promise that this story will be completed before April next year, for school-related reasons. I don't know what the quality of the work will be, but it will be finished by then.

To majority of you: Yes, I figured that the ending bit was too obvious. Oh, well. Since most of you suspected that quickly, I had to rethink plans. Again.

Michievous Lass – Thank you. Tofumice– Sorry about the chapter being so drifty and lazy. Give me a link to "Heaven In Your Arms", please. I can't track the new stuff now, so I only read fics suggested by others. Junyortrakr – Thanks for liking. pnaixrose ­– Yup, he finally had his chance. Chiki – Thanks for saying Yahiko acted like a good Japanese person. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Another Baka -- grins back Maeko Nohara – Thanks much. Noname – Sure it has to have honor, don't worry about me. Zantaz – Thanks for all the comments.

skenshingirl – Thanks for all the comments to all the chapters! It helped me see my current continuity. Thanks so much. Tsubame? I'll be careful, thanks. New story summary? Yeah, I know, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Sorry about all the angst. My life makes me angsty. But I'll try to add a little more comedy again. Conversation between Kenshin and Yahiko? I'll get to it, yeah, I should be putting that in already…….

Once again, comments and suggestions accepted. See you around!