Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Digimon.

As pretty much anyone could tell you, nothing can make you feel quite so well as time spent with your best friend. And no one would notice this quite so much as someone who'd been alone most of her life. But just as 'good things come to those who wait,' there was also a another saying that diamond profiters and romantics all around the world tried their best to deny: nothing lasts forever.

Ruki herself was, if nothing else, a realist. So when she saw that long black car parked on the opposite side of the road, she knew her fun was over for the moment.

"Lee, what time is it?" She asked.

Lee glanced down at his watch--a watch that apparently everyone but her was in possession of, since she asked so often. "Almost 2:00," he answered.

I'm so late.

"I need to go," Ruki said, "and you need to get back to your shopping. I'll call you when I get off work. So answer your phone!" She was already walking toward the car, knowing instinctively who was behind the wheel and that they were waiting for her. She knew she was right on the money when Iida stepped out of the car to greet her, his finger over his mouth to tell her to be quiet as he opened her door so that she could climb in. She stopped staring at him like he was mad when she heard Okanao's voice, realizing that he was on the phone with, she supposed, his wife.

As soon as Ruki sat down and buckled her seatbelt, Okanao passed a box back to her. Ruki looked at it blankly. It was a shoe box.

She blushed immediately, especially when she opened it and discovered a pair of expensive Tsubos in red.

"Closest we could find to something your style," Iida told her.

"Thank you," Ruki said. "I'll pay you back."

"The company volunteered to cover it," Iida tossed a grin over his shoulder as he pulled out into the street--typically without signaling. "Especially since Hypnos masterfully negotiated a contract with Digimon that got us hired as your entourage."

"You're kidding!"

"No," Okanao said quietly, puting his cell phone firmly at Iida's ear. "We're not. She wants to talk to you."

"Nat-chan!" Iida said in a cheerful, innocent tone--and then he seemed to wilt as his best friend's wife lit into him over something or another. By the time they pulled up in front of the office, the conversation had ended and Iida was passing the cell phone back to Okanao with a pained expression on his face. "She sounds like she's doing good," he said.

Kunda was waiting for them at the door, and she ran out to meet them quickly, opening the door and climbing in quickly. "Sadako's, please," she instructed, and turned back to the hurried conversation on her cell phone.

Iida pulled out again, to the sound of shrill horns blaring behind him. Ruki quickly buckled her seatbelt again, though she did lean up to talk to Okanao. "What are we doing?" She demanded.

Kunda closed her cell phone with a snap. "Shopping," she answered.

By the time Iida pulled up in front of Sadako's, Ruki was positive that she'd used every protest she could think of to talk Kunda out of this shopping expedition. Kunda had nodded politely, smiled occasionally, and then opened her door, leading all of them--Iida included--into the store. Because of the nature of their quest, there were six workers waiting by the door to assist them--to the most expensive items in the store, unless Ruki was mistaken.

Of course Kunda knew all of them. "This is Temko Kioko," she began the introductions, gesturing toward the shortest one, all smiles and bumbling business. "Takasu Hisako" was taller, with bone-straight brown hair. "Takishida Mana" was probably the tallest, near Iida's height. "Komon Miwako" and "Shiba Yukari" were nearly mirror images of each other fashion-wise, and finally, "Fuse Seki" was another bleach-blonde girl, and the one who seemed to be in charge.

"And everyone," Kunda continued, drawing Ruki out. "This is Miss Ruki."

"I've had the girls select a few things already," Fuse was telling Kunda as the tour began.

"Wonderful," Kunda said, smiling that bright, cheerful Barbie smile that Ruki hadn't seen since the interview. Somehow, it just looked weird now. "Bring everything to the dressing room. We'll get to them shortly."

Ruki glanced over her shoulder to find Iida looking at some scary sundress while trying to convince Okanao that it was just the thing his wife needed. Okanao sensed her looking at him, and smiled at her, though he rolled his eyes at Iida's taste. Or that's what she thought he meant. Ruki laughed, earning a glance from Kunda, who looked up to see the sundress.

"Really, Iida," she scolded him--and her smile was a lot more genuine now.

Catching on, Takasu said, "And that sundress is far too mature for someone like Makino Ruki! She'd like something like this," and she pulled out yet another frightening sundress, pink with a lace trim.

Ruki's eyes were as wide as saucers and filled with absolute horror. Kunda laughed in amusement.

"Please tell me you aren't going to dress me like that," Ruki nearly begged.

"Trust me," Kunda said with a wink, and went to the rack of clothes Komon and Shiba had brought out. A lot of it was frilly and pretty, and more like something Juri would wear, though obviously quite a bit more expensive. "Step into the changing room and I'll take in some clothes for you to try on. You're a seven, right?"

"Huh?"

"I thought so," Kunda nodded.

Feeling completely out of her element, Ruki did step into the changing room, and a moment later, Kunda had Temko passing in outfits for her to try on. Surprised, she noticed that there wasn't a dress or lace trim anywhere--and she didn't see much more pink than could fill a thimble.

Maybe she hasn't gotten to them yet, Ruki thought, even as she slid into a pair of designer jeans.

Note: Oh, I'm sorry! This took so long to write! I just never got a chance to sit down at it. I'm sorry. And the chapter's not even that good for the wait. Also, the laptop hasn't been fixed yet, either. Though it doesn't die every hour anymore. And two new reviewers! Yay!

And I combined two chapters to make one, since otherwise they'd be ridiculously short.

Also, doesn't want to let me edit. At all. Otherwise, you'd have seen this Wednesday.

AzNAnGeL07 -- Sorry it took so long to post a new chapter. You'll be here til the story's finished, right?

Yokai no Miko -- Glad you like it. Here's the next chapter, and I'm working right now on the upcoming one. I have a lot of time to make up for!

CWolf2 -- Wow, you think she's IC? Thank you! And I will do my best to live up to the promise of this story.