Author's Note: Muahaha welcome to chapter 5: in which Yuuto stares at Satsuki's boobs. Oh yes, and for those who have not read Chobits- Persocoms are robots that look almost exactly like humans. For those who have read Chobits, enjoy the reference! :P
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Yuuto was bored again. He stretched and looked around at all of his coworkers, diligently occupied and sighed to himself. He propped his chin up on his hands and stared at his computer screen, willing it to crash just so he would have an excuse to get up for a few minutes.
"I'm sorry but I can't legally do that; it's an invasion of privacy…"
"Hm?" Yuuto raised his head and peeked over at the information desk where a disappointed young man and teenage boy were talking to the attendant. He broke into a grin and casually strolled over to them, resting a hand on the attendant's shoulder and telling her he'd handle this. She started to protest but quickly broke off when she realized who it was and went away, blushing.
"So what can I do for you two fine gentlemen?" He asked cheerfully, wondering at the startled look the teenager was giving him. Evidently the older man didn't know why he was so surprised either as he gave the boy a questioning glance before explaining to Yuuto that they were looking for someone and asking if there was anything he could do to help them. Yuuto guided the two of them back to his desk and began searching his computer.
"Um… if this isn't legal, we probably shouldn't…" the older man hesitantly started but stopped when the boy gave him a pleading look.
"It's alright!" Yuuto reassured them both. "However, I'm afraid I'm not coming up with anything. This 'Fuuma Monou' doesn't seem to have been born in Japan, or in fact have any records here at all."
The boy's face fell and the older man comfortingly put an arm around his shoulders.
An idea struck Yuuto. "Is it possible that he's hiding his identity or involved in some sort of underground?"
The two looked at one another. "Yeah that's possible, but you wouldn't have anything on him then would you?" The man asked.
"No, we wouldn't. But I know somebody who might be able to track him down…" he spun around in his computer chair, enjoying the momentary feeling of weightlessness, and pulled up an instant messenger box. A small ding a moment later announced a response.
Why?
He wasn't about to admit that he'd been wanting to meet the hacker ever since they first started talking a few weeks ago so he typed back
Because I have two people looking for someone that there is absolutely no record of in our databases.
What do you want me to do about it?
Meet up with us so they can explain who they're looking for and you can work your magic and find him?
No.
Aw why not? The kid looks like he's about to cry if they don't find him.
The boy reading over his shoulder cried out indignantly "I am not!"
Yuuto laughed. "I know, I know. But he doesn't know that."
Why can't you just send me the information online?
It'll look too suspicious if we're just all sitting her in my cubicle, while I type up whatever they tell me for you instead of working. Come on, please?
What are the names of the people with you?
Yuuto asked and typed back. Subaru Sumeragi and Kamui Shirou.
There was a long pause.
"What's going on?" Subaru asked finally.
"I bet he's checking to make sure you're not undercover cops. You aren't by the way, are you?" Yuuto smiled up at them.
The two exchanged a nervous glance. "Um, no… why does he need to know that?"
"It's a long story."
Fine. Duklyon Bakery in twenty minutes.
"Success!" Yuuto declared. He stood up and grabbed his coat.
"Eh?"
"I'm coming too!" he informed them and knocked on his boss's door on the way out. "Kanoe-san?"
A young male intern started at Yuuto's opening the door and leapt away from Kanoe, who was carefully rebuttoning her blouse. "What is it Yuuto?" she asked calmly, ignoring the intern's embarrassed shuffling of the items on her desk.
He flashed a grin. "Showing the interns the ropes eh? I'm off to lunch!"
She raised one perfectly waxed eyebrow. "At 9:30?"
"Yup. And I may be a little bit long too. Just thought I'd let you know!" He ignored her disapproving look. "Work hard now and you'll go far." He winked over at the intern who began to stammer an incoherent response, cut short by Yuuto's slamming the door shut. "Ah to be an intern again." He sighed wistfully, taking no notice of Subaru's surprised and Kamui's disgusted looks.
Despite whatever opinions the two of them had formed of him by this point they obediently followed Yuuto to the bakery, whispering quietly to one another behind him. He considered intruding, but decided against it and then paused as they were entering the bakery. "Ah… I just realized… I have no idea what he looks like…"
The boy and the man stared at him in disbelief.
"Yuuto Kigai." A woman in a sleeveless army green dress sitting at a booth a few feet away called, pushing a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses up her nose. Seeing his confusion she added, "I had access to your work profile information, remember?"
"Oh so you did!" He took a seat next to her, guessing that the man and the boy were not keen on being separated. "I'm sorry, I had no idea the person I was talking to was such a beautiful young woman." He smiled winningly at her.
"And I had no idea the person I was talking to looked like a game show host. Do you always dress that way?" She scanned a menu with the same expression one might wear when reading a law manual.
Yuuto laughed and introduced Subaru and Kamui, sitting back to watch the three of them interact, his focus mostly on the girl, wondering what was going on behind those serious eyes of hers and just what cup size she was anyway. The dress wasn't incredibly low cut but Yuuto was enjoying the view above the neckline and mentally filling in what was below it, inch by inch when suddenly he realized the other three were staring at him. The girl's disengaged expression had not changed but Kamui was giving him yet another disgusted glare and Subaru seemed more confused than anything else. "Hm?"
"Do you mind if we go back to my lab so I can start searching?" the girl repeated.
"Oh not at all. In fact, I would love to see your lab; after that stunt you pulled a few weeks ago, I'm sure it must be impressive…"
She ignored his flattery and stood up, leaving cash on the table for her drink and walking out without checking to make sure he was behind her.
Yuuto smiled after her, enjoying the new angle just as much as the last. He wasn't normally one for challenges, after all, those took too much work, but there was something intriguing about the utter disinterest the girl was displaying in not only him but everything around her. He glanced over his shoulder to see Subaru and Kamui whispering to one another again. It looked like Kamui was asking him something and he thought he heard the words "like that before?" at the tail end of his question. Subaru merely shrugged but before Yuuto could really begin to wonder what it was they kept whispering about the girl brought them to a stop before a gated entrance to a rather large house. He whistled. "Impressive. Do you live here?"
"Of course." She replied, punching in the code to open the gates.
"Aren't you worried though, showing us where you live?"
She looked at him dead on. "No. You would never make it past my security systems if you tried to break in."
"You're very confident in them then."
She didn't respond, merely led them into the mansion where four scantily clad Persocoms stood in a row and welcomed them, offering to take their coats and bring them something to drink. Yuuto chuckled as Kamui turned bright red and tried not to look at the one in the incredibly short French maid outfit that had approached him. Subaru fidgeted but did at least manage to get out of his coat and hand it to the one in fishnet leggings waiting for it. Yuuto rested a hand under the chin of the stiletto-healed Persocom attending him. "Excellent craftsmanship. You ever get freaky with these things?"
The girl didn't answer again but as she turned to lead them down another corridor, he thought he caught sight of a small smirk on her lips. They followed her into a freezer-cold room and Yuuto immediately wished he hadn't given the Persocom his coat after all. The girl took a seat in front of one of the man monitors lining the walls of the room and began typing. The Persocoms provided more chairs for the other three who took their seats, watching the girl's fingers fly across the keys. After a long silence except for the soft whirring of machines and tapping of computer keys, she turned to them.
"I'm not coming up with anything. Are you sure he hasn't significantly altered his appearance and/or taken an alias?"
Subaru and Kamui exchanged a look.
"His appearance did alter…" Subaru began.
Kamui shook his head. "Not like that."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow.
"Well?" the girl prompted.
"No." the two replied in unison.
"Then there's nothing more I can do other than keep a look out for him." The girl informed them matter-of-factly.
The two sighed and thanked her for her time as she showed them all to the front door.
Yuuto too sighed, not looking forward to returning to work. "Oh, I almost forgot!" he paused on the doorstep as the girl was closing the door, the other two already on their way down the walk.
"Hm?"
"You never mentioned- what is your name?"
She hesitated a moment then replied, "Satsuki."
"Satsuki… it suits you."
She stared at him blankly.
"Can I come by and see you again sometime, Satsuki?"
She looked at him like he had just asked for her permission to juggle some baby seals on her roof.
"Just… you know, to say hi?"
She thought about it for a long moment and Yuuto waited patiently, watching Subaru and Kamui disappear down the street. At last she shrugged. "Suit yourself." She closed the door, effectively ending the conversation before he could ask her anything else but Yuuto was satisfied for the moment. He returned to work happily, feeling that it was a very productive lunch break.
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There were moments sometimes when Seiichiro Aoki could not believe his luck. Now was one of those moments as he watched his wife and son from the doorway of the boy's room. He fondly watched them say their prayer side by side, kneeling by the bed, Nataku doing his best to imitate his mother's graceful crossing herself then watched as he crawled onto the baseball patterned sheets and snuggled down as Karen pulled the thick blue comforter over him, pushing his hair back to press those ruby-red lips of hers against his forehead.
"I love you." She whispered gently.
"I love you more mommy!" he replied brightly.
She giggled, a gold-tinted laugh that warmed Seiichiro to his bones. "No, I love you more!"
"No! I love YOU more!" the boy insisted.
She leaned down to give him an Eskimo kiss. "Good night sweetheart." She said, switching off the bedside table lamp.
"Hey mommy?"
"Yes dear?"
"When I grow up, will you marry me?"
She laughed. "No, hon. I have someone just for me already."
"Just for you?"
Karen glanced at the doorway and Seiichiro felt his heart surge.
"Yes. And someday you'll find someone just for you too. And that should be the person that you ask to marry you. Now then, sweet dreams."
Nataku contemplated this as she kissed his forehead once more and walked out of the room and Seiichiro started to pull the door closed.
"I love you too, daddy!" the boy called.
Seiichiro paused and smiled in at him. "I love you too, son."
He returned to his own bedroom and wandered into the bathroom, taking a seat on the edge of the tub to watch Karen take her makeup off. He loved doing this; somehow it was far more sensual than watching her take her clothes off to him. Perhaps it was the privacy of it. Having been an underwear model, and having casually dated and had her fair share of sexual partners before she met him, Seiichiro was well aware that many people had seen his wife nude or semi-nude before. However, he got to see her as just her. The woman beneath the Estée Lauder and Sephora, the Dior and the Gabbana. The woman that he loved. She laughed when he told her that, her red curls dancing against her cheeks, red lips parted in a tantalizing smile that he couldn't resist moving in to kiss.
"You know what we haven't done in a long time?" she asked when they broke away, his hands wandering up the edge of the satin nightgown she'd changed into.
"Hm?" he asked, distracted by the silky material under his hands and the way her skin was nearly the same texture.
"Had a dinner party."
"I guess not."
She ran her fingers down his tie, drawing a shudder from him as her hand broke away just above the waist of his pants.
"Why don't we invite some people over for one next weekend then? It'll be an excuse to break out that champagne that coworker gave me for Christmas."
"Sounds good to me." He agreed.
She smiled and stood up, taking his hand and leading him to the bed.
A few moments later he had another good long evening of not being able to believe his luck.
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