Hiya. I'd better announce this, so you know. This story will be done in 20 chapters, by April 2006 or earlier, by hook or by crook, pathetic or not. I will never be able to finish it if I leave it hanging into the next school year, you see. I will be on clerkship (like OJT) by then, if my grades let me. There are old drafts I had typed out from a LONG while back, so I am going in some direction, don't worry.

Thanks for waiting. Thank you for still reading my pathetic material. I am bound to disappoint you again with a short and choppy chapter. I accept all kinds of comments, suggestions, bashing, and ranting. Just don't flame, I already know myself it's not up to my usual work. Here we go.

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"Look, Seta, I cannot explain your declining performance to the rest of the workers, without telling them what you do at night. As it is, it did not affect your work before."

"Yes, sir," he sighed.

Yuan stood from his leather chair behind a large desk, and walked to Jiro's side of the desk. "Get over her, Seta. She's not the only girl."

"Yes, sir," he sighed again.

"Are you even really listening to me, Seta?"

"Yes, sir."

"Can you fly up with eagle's wings to Mount Hiei for me, Seta?"

"Yes, sir."

"I thought so," Yuan sighed. "SOUJIROU, you're not listening!"

This startled the younger man into looking at the older one. "Sorry, sir."

Yuan shook his head. He went back to his own side of the desk, got an envelope, returned to where Jiro sat, and dropped the envelope onto the young man's lap with some force. "I don't want to do this, but you leave me no choice. Focus on that case for the next two weeks. You are on extended unpaid leave, starting now."

Jiro just looked down at the envelope. "Yes, sir." He sighed.

A long silence. Yuan waited for any signs of protest out of his right-hand man, but none came. He pounded the desk. "Aren't you even going to ask why? Aren't you going to complain?"

"No, sir."

"Do you at least have any questions?"

He had one. "How do I get money for this operation?"

"How should I know? Saitou just gives me the cases. It's more likely you will only get paid after the job is done."

"So, how do I eat for 2 weeks?"

"You're a wanderer; figure out something. But until you get out of that state of always being half-asleep, you will not get money from me. You have 2 weeks. Get out of my sight."

Jiro stood up and bowed to his boss without a word, and left.

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It was a busy afternoon, and she did not notice until too late that Jiro had been sitting at a corner without any food in front of him. Keeping customers waiting was a terrible no-no in the restaurant business. She quickly rushed to him and asked for his order.

"Tea, please," he said with a sad smile.

"Anything else?"

He shook his head. She shrugged, and left to get the order.

She got a weak smile from him as she placed a teapot and a cup in front of him, but nothing else. She left to take care of other customers. But when she looked again at the corner, he was gone. On the table were a few coins that he left behind.

She did think it was odd for him to arrive without telling her and to leave without telling her. But it was a busy day, and she had other things to think about. Like, a trip to the night market with Yahiko after work was done.

It was a festival week, and there were many sights and sounds that night. Yahiko fetched her exactly at the time they agreed to meet. She had tried to look a bit prettier for him. At the sight of that handsome young face and those confident eyes, she forgot about everything else. As before, for many years, she felt safe and secure with him around. She did not have to worry about anything. It was not that he would solve all her problems. Rather, he would be there to help her through them, to protect and save her as necessary.

However, as they walked through the stalls and shops, Tsubame could not help feeling that someone was watching her. Not stalking, just watching. She had a good idea of the difference, after years of being subjected to both for years.

"What's wrong?" the young man beside her asked. "Still hungry?" He asked this with a twinkle in his eyes.

She laughed. "I guess." She pointed at the nearest stand for octopus balls. "Let's get some!" He obliged, and started to take out a few coins from a pocket.

But as he was looking down at his money, Tsubame felt a hard tug at her arm, then a loosening from that arm. It had happened before; she knew it, and shouted it. "THIEF! Someone took my purse!"

A dash of wind passed by her and went past her. Then she saw a young man stop in front of another. The younger man gave one quick lengthwise slash, and sent the older man falling to the ground. The younger swerved to the back and knocked out the older one on the neck.

She barely recognized him. "Jiro!" she blurted, but inaudibly.

But he was gone as quickly as he came, leaving a man unconscious on the ground. When Yahiko got to where the man was, he only had to retrieve her purse, and give orders for someone to contact the police.

Yahiko returned to where she stood, still shaking a bit. "Are you alright?"

She quickly nodded, and gave him a tight hug. He returned it warmly.

"Come on, I'm taking you home."

She was glad for both of them being there……but she still did not understand what Jiro was doing there. She was not even sure if she had seen right, and saw him.

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She came to work early the next day, even before the sun rose. Tae needed someone to help her make negotiations with their suppliers at the market. She was in a good mood, so she swept the floors and helped to get the Akabeko ready for customers later on during the day.

She heard a few raps on the door, very unusual that early. She slid open the door and found Jiro. He looked very tired. He walked to a corner table and slunk onto a seat. From the looks of things he did not seem to realize that the Akabeko was still, officially, closed.

Tsubame followed him there. "Are you alright?"

He nodded with a smile. "Tea, please."

"That's all?"

He nodded again.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I was, well, temporarily fired, so I have no extra money."

"You? Fired?"

"Just 2 weeks. Long story," he smiled at her.

"Care to tell me?"

He shook his head.

Tsubame sat opposite him. "Please talk to me. It is highly unusual for you not to be bright and cheerful and talkative. I miss the old Jiro."

"But that is not who Jiro really is." He sighed.

Tsubame glanced at him, surprised. She had the notion that he was different with her than with everyone else, that he had shown her who he really was. Then again, she considered, maybe she should at least be glad that he was showing her that side of him. Brooding and sad.

Suddenly Jiro brightened and gave her his most masked smiling face. "I will be alright, Tsubame. Even if I have to force myself to wake up in the morning, and force myself to keep working at night, I will be alright."

Tsubame found it impossible to hold back a few tears. "I am sorry for doing this to you. I am truly sorry."

"Do not blame yourself. I shall be alright." And yet, his eyes belied his smile.

Tsubame did not believe it, but did not know what else to do. She asked permission to leave him for a while, and went to the kitchen.

She returned after a while with a rice bowl and miso. "Here. This is the part allotted to the waitresses in the morning, so I can give this to you, no charge."

He looked at the small meal, then up at her. "Thank you." The meal was finished in less than 5 minutes.

Jiro immediately stood up to leave as soon as he was done. "Sorry for disturbing you."

But as he opened the screen door, the young man ran into Yahiko, hand still raised to knock at the door. Yahiko, predictably, frowned upon seeing him.

Jiro sighed. "Take care of her." He bowed to Yahiko, and went on his way.

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Thanks to everybody for the concern. As I might have already said, unfortunately for all of you, Jiro Came to Town now has the position Days to Nightmares used to have: an outlet for disturbing thoughts. I cannot force this story to be genki anymore, like it was before. I am sorry. It is surely not my intention to ruin whatever little reputation I have in the RK section, but now I really must force my way to finish this story, possibly the last one I will make for my resident section (sigh). But don't worry about me, I'll be alright.

Making individual replies is rather not feasible for me (besides, I suck at them), so please be kind, please don't be mad that I don't reply individually, and don't report me for still making replies here. Maeko-Nohara: 6 hours is roughly also the same number of hours I get to sleep, and even less on some days. Sorry for doing that to you. Skenshingumi: Thanks for the tips. Pnaixrose: Thanks much. Warg: The mask is intended to be a bit chipped, sorry! I'll try to do better. Tofumice: Thanks for liking the last chapter. Mika-chan: Thank you so much. Junyortrakr: Thank you. What will happen next is more or less planned out a long time ago. Gabyhyatt: Thanks a lot. Mika-chan: Of course Sou-chan's a good man! yvie: Thanks a lot for the analysis, they were very nice. CatH: Sorry about that. Thanks for liking Sou-chan.