I hope I don't have to rush this one either. I like this guy, too! But fair warning, he might come off OOC because he's my complete opposite. He is far from apathetic and demonic – no, this isn't that angel dude whose name I forgot. Or the devil! (Sain? Desmos? It was De…something…)

He is, though, of another species. ;P

Disclaimer: I finally got a 1 TB hard drive oh my god I'm going to scribble my name all over your huge face.

4: Thrice the Man Your Ideal Man is

Ever heard of Absolute Boyfriend?

Father knew he didn't have long, but he knew he didn't have to leave the world and his family with troubled situations. A few weeks after the Secret Service finished the Aliea meteorite cleanup and investigation, Father had come up to me in my room and said I was going to take charge of his company.

"W-What?" I remembered being so confused. "What about onee-san? She's your direct daughter." And even though I felt a pang in my chest when I said that, I knew fighting for her was the right thing. Father chuckled to me. "She says she'd rather take care of children than of adults."

"Then what makes you think I would want to do the same thing?"

"Because I believe you'll change the world, and not watch over adults."

Father let Midorikawa tag along, because being my roommate, he overheard the conversation from outside and quickly assumed that I was going on an office trip. Needless to say, Father knew Midorikawa was a fan of sticky notes (there was one Christmas when we were younger that all he had asked for was post-its). "What do you know, maybe he might be your future boss," Father joked.

"Or secretary." Midorikawa smiled. It had nothing to do with the fact that Gemini Storm was ranks lower than Gaia – the former captain simply loved telephones and answering machines.

"When do we go to the office?" My green-haired roommate was relentless. He had been asking about the offices, the facilities, the uniforms – anything he could get his hands on – ever since Father said he could come with us. "I don't know," I admitted, my mind still somewhere else. "Ask Father; his word is law."

"You should really get your head out of the clouds, lover boy," A new voice caused me to blush uncontrollably. It was Hitomiko-nee. "I can see your cherub butt from up there, and it's blushing mad."

"Hi-Hitomiko-nee!"

She and Midorikawa were laughing. "What's gotten you so worried on a Christmas week, hm? Have you greeted her?" She continued her assault as she signature hairflipped. "I could help you look for a gift, if you want. Or set you guys up. Maybe even—"

"I…If taking over the company means...arranged marriages…" I couldn't finish the thought: it was too embarrassing, and I figured that my two closest confidantes should have understood what I meant. If I had looked up then I would have seen Hitomiko-nee's features softening and Midorikawa's face relaxing into a smile. "You clearly forgot about someone we could leave that to."

I looked up at them in confusion. "What are you talking about?" Immediately, Midorikawa flashed me his phone screen: Dialing…Megamino Sokudone

She picked up on the fourth ring. "Oh, get me Haruki Murakami books! They're hard to find. Moshi moshi?"

I gulped. "Is it a bad time, Sokudone?" Then I heard her unintentional boisterous laughing. "Not at all. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Immediately, Midorikawa grabbed the phone back and Hitomiko-nee stopped me from trying to clamor for the mobile back. "What do you know about arranged marriages in companies?" I heard my green-haired roommate wondering.

The next day was December 29, and Father decided it wouldn't be as hustle-bustle during this time of the month, so he woke us up very disconcertingly early. "Wear something presentable," Was all he had instructed to me and the still groggy Midorikawa. I grabbed the gift that I intended to give to you, even though I knew you weren't going to be there, because it had become my good luck charm ever since I had seen it on the display of one of your favorite stores. I heard Father chuckle by the door when he saw me grab the familiar object. I tried to suppress an oncoming blush and barely succeeded by the time Midorikawa was partly functional. "This is Midorikawa Ryuuji of the Kira Corporation, how may I help you?"

I forgot to mention to you: last night, he had been so anxious that he suddenly wanted to practice his phone greeting, and thus was the result of his grogginess.

"Wake up, Mr. Secretary," I messed up with his hair, and then we raced to the door. For some reason I felt today was going to be a good day.

Today was not a good day.

The moment Midorikawa and I stepped into the lobby, he stared dreamily at the concierge as if he had finally found his purpose for existence. But I had another sight on my radar, and I was not prepared for this.

You were smiling at me as I rushed to hug you. H-Hug you? I meant stop a millimeter away from your face and stare at you awkwardly like the idiot redhead that I am. "Y-You're here," Was all I could say, still unable to take my eyes off your beaming smile. Ever the more energetic one, you hugged me before answering. "Kira-donno didn't tell you?" You tilted your head to the side, a habit I immediately fell in love with. F-fell – I meant to say I immediately found cute. "He said he was going to train me to be a bigwig's secretary!"

"I'm the secretary!" We both turned our heads to Midorikawa, who, guilty as I was to say, I had forgotten was even with us in the first place. And if he heard me thinking that, he'd teach me a thing or two about headlocks. "You're going to be the boss's secretary's secretary: how about that?" You put your hand on your hip and faced him: your one act of man-swaying power. Midorikawa sized his eyes to slits suspiciously before reluctantly agreeing. You smiled your cheeky smile again.

"Well if it isn't my favorite couple," Kidou-kun's father's voice was not unfamiliar sonar in the company building. Recently he had been making several business proposals and collaborations with father, most especially because of his declining health. I saw you lose your grin and had it replaced by a blush. "K-Kidou-san…"

Kidou-kun's father was eyeing you in a way that even made me uncomfortable. "I promised Yuuto I wouldn't anymore, but truly, child, what a wonderful sight would it have been if Yuuto were to have your hand." You bowed deeply and remained in that state even after he had left the building. "I'm very thankful that you think much of me, Kidou-san."

"What was that all about?"

"Hm?" You bit your upper lip as you hummed your answer to me; it had always been your habit to try and ignore all the awkward things that happened to you. Once upon a time, though, back when we used to hang out after school and practice, you would have told me everything.

But it was as if you suddenly read my mind. "It's…just that…Kidou-san wanted me to be the future wife of his future heir…" You were red in the face and avoiding eye contact with me. "Even though I had no political or wealthy background…"

(I would definitely marry you.)

"Did you say something, Hiroto-kun?"

"Huh? What? No, nothing." I didn't say that aloud, did I?

"This is the office of the boss's secretaries," Father pointed with one gracious hand to the roomier-than-average cubicles situated symmetrically at the sides of the polished doors that led to Father's office. "The secretary on the right is, of course, the main secretary. He takes care of the boss's affairs and schedules."

"What about the secretary on the left?" Midorikawa disappeared from his spot behind Father to the expensive office chair on the left cubicle. He had spotted two very fancy-looking phones: one an answering machine, and the other a fax. Father chuckled at him. "Logistics and the company affairs, so he has to make plenty of calls very frequently for status updates and routine checkups." Midorikawa immediately beamed.

"Merry Christmas, Father! Thanks for the position!"

"W-What?" You and I were flabbergasted. Father could only laugh with his bouncing stomach reverberating with every chortle. "This is my Christmas gift to you, three. And Hiroto, I know it may be a little early, and you might not even like your position, but—"

"With us as his secretaries?" Midorikawa piped in from behind, referring to himself and you, "He'd never not want to be the boss!"

"Midorikawa…" But you couldn't help laughing, as if you knew about how I really felt for you. "I'll leave you kids here to explore the main offices while I go get us some lunch."

"I wanna come, Kira-donno!" You suddenly skipped to his side. "That's going to be me serving your son over there, so I'd like to start my training immediately!"

(On the contrary, if we're talking about service here, I'd rather have you as my housewife.)

"Dude, I totally heard that. You're disgusting." Midorikawa was back at my side again, only to whisper such embarrassing words. "But then again, Oosamu-kun would look great in a pink polka dotted apron."

"And Haruya and Fusuke would look great with matching headdresses and feather dusters," I snickered back.

"Just wait here, sweetheart," We heard Father bid you as the elevator doors neared to a close. "I believe my son over there has something to give you."

"Father!" Oh, great, the blood wasn't going to stop circulating in my ears now. I watched you skip expectantly over to me with those wonderfully hopeful eyes and gorgeous smile of yours. "Oh, boy!" Your unmatched optimistic voice was not lost on translation – you sounded way too excited for such a simple gift. "I wonder what you got me!"

"It was hard finding that one game that you always dreamt about playing but never did because Midorikawa and I never got enough money from doing chores to buy it for you on your birthday, supposedly, and I had to wait a few more years until my pocket money grew and just when I thought I could finally buy it for Valentine's, it was sold out and I wasn't sure if it was going to be restocked in time for your birthday, so I had to stop myself from buying you pointless gifts because I know you'll set them aside if they weren't important—"

I was still listening to you rant when Father had come in with lunch, but even he was stuck outside the elevator doors listening to your very adorkably unconventional manner of confessing to me (because if you had held out that long for one silly game that I had long given up on because you had stopped getting me gifts these past years, then that had to mean something, right? That I wasn't the only one who liked someone?). I was grinning from ear to ear, something I hadn't done these past months because of the lack of you in my life.

"—so I had to work harder and made sure I was keeping a low profile, but your dad found out I was trying to look for a job, so he had asked me to play intern with the main secretary, who was really nice to me, and I learned a little about how the whole company works, which is also partly the reason why and how Kidou-san keeps pestering me about dating his goggle-brained genius son, and when I finally had enough money to buy the game Kira-donno said I could just leave it at the concierge but then it was so weird how you just arrived on time, today, and—"

"I get it," I could barely contain my relieved laughter. "Yeah, so tell each other your sappy little feelings!" Midorikawa shouted from his post. "I'm hungry!"

"But the food—" You started, but when we both turned our heads to the elevator, Father was there, standing, with his hands clutching on to the goodie bag of Chinese cuisine. "Oh."

And I realized then that I couldn't ever tell you I like you, not in front of my Father most especially, because he'd treat it like puppy love and let it pass now, but once I would take over the company, his representatives would make sure I'd get hitched to a big-name woman in order to expand the company – and I wasn't ready for that. I looked down on our shoes instead.

And like the many times you've done so today, you read my mind.

You hugged me tightly, as if you understood everything without my having to speak, and whispered, "Didn't you say you'd definitely marry me? Have me as your housewife?"

"Stop reading my mind."

"Can't help it – you're an open book. And my favorite."

Father had silently let us done what we wanted, but after lunch and you and Midorikawa were playing secretaries by your cubicles, he had called me outside, where we had another visitor. "Kira-donno," She smiled politely and bowed to top it off. Father smiled. "Megamino-kun."

"Hiroto."

"Sokudone." I nodded in response.

"Your father and I were just talking about future plans, and…collaborations. With the Kageyama Company," She didn't bring any blueprints, or laptops, tablets, or anything that would prove that she had come here to talk about long-term contracts with us. "Then he had popped the same question that Midorikawa had a few weeks prior." I gulped.

"Now I'm here for marriage counseling." She grinned.

"Arranged marriages are definitely not very popular in the modern era, since, we are, after all, freer to do what we want, but in companies, it's like a trump card." Sokudone explained as we sat at the terrace, the chilling December wind not deterring her from removing her gloves and waving her hands about as she explained. "People don't arrange marriages until they're close to bankruptcy. Back then, marriages between companies were a big thing, and very common then, which sparked a ton of successful collaborations, but nowadays independence and full-ownership are quite the option in favor. Bottom line is, if you keep the company as far away from the red, you'll do fine, and marrying anyone won't be as taboo as it was before." She ended with a gracious grin that she shared with Father.

"You're saying I should do a good job," I didn't mean to be slow with business matters, but I was only starting out, so you couldn't possibly blame me. Sokudone nodded. "And you can get any one from the market."

"Anyone?" I echoed, thinking of you.

"You could marry a guy with a different religion, for all I care," Sokudone added, but being a homophobe, shook her head. "Actually, don't go all-out homosexual on me." I laughed. "Anyone."

"But," Sokudone raised a petite pale finger before I could leave. "If they're one of your workers, you're going to have to fire them."

"Why?" I knew you loved pencil skirts and button-ups as much as Midorikawa fawned over telephones. I couldn't just boot you out.

"They'll be better as your housewife." She grinned at me; I had forgotten there was one night when I had called her up and told her everything about you and what I felt for you, and what I would do if I had the chance to marry you…in hindsight, I never thought she would let this crop up again. "Won't they?"

I relaxed into a smile. "They will."

"On the third day of Christmas, Hiroto gave to she," Midorikawa sang as he played on his mobile. "The thought of playing secretary. Oh! Sokudone sent a text!" He bolted straight up as I studied him.

"More like the thought of being his house wifey. By the way, does your company pay well?"

She wasn't kidding when she said she was discussing collaborations with Father.

I planned for this to end two days ago, but no, I just had to get sick and fall asleep for 12 hours. Whaddaya think? I've extended my deadline (which was supposed to be the last of December) to the first week of January. Therefore it's like a Christmas-New-Year special. :D

-Strawbeariiis