Chapter 6: Conflict

Author's Note: So sorry to everyone! This is the sixth chapter! I'm coming up with the seventh one soon enough. Sorry once again! And lots, and lots of thanks to Emi-san ( aka Sundial Dreams although she might change her pen name some time.) for helping with this chapter! Aishite'ru! .

Relena had decided to sneak out of the store at six thirty in order to go out with Lea. She didn't want to even think about what Ienzo had said earlier. As far as she knew, he was a friendly, kindly colleague who had changed since he was promoted to the position of manager. She just hoped he would come to his senses. Waiting outside the store, she clutched her bag nervously as the minutes ticked by. People came and went, bustling by on their daily routines, obviously not noticing the anxious woman standing by the side of the road. Ienzo could come out any moment now. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she saw a black SUV pull up in front of her, and in its drivers' seat, the familiar redhead with his familiar grin. Lea waved at her. "Hop in, Larx!" he called. Relena grinned back. "Oh how long has it been since I abandoned that name." She said, channeling Xemnas for the fun of it. As she opened the door to the passenger's seat and sat herself next to Lea, she felt a bead of sweat run down her face as she lowered her head, rather embarassed, and started to stare at her shoes. "Why so tense, Larx?" Lea asked, giving her a friendly punch on the shoulder. "Oh, it's nothing." Relena replied quickly, letting loose a nervous chuckle. No one noticed the new manager watching from the entrance of the Apple Store.

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Ienzo clenched his fists, his visible eye glazing over with a layer of utmost hatred. He did not know why he felt this way, but only one thing was clear. Relena had defied him. He could not help now but to stare in utter contempt as Lea and his date drove away for the evening. Storming back into the store, the others stared at the once soft-spoken worker, now changed completely. He glared at them. "What are you miserable people staring at? Get back to work or I shall be forced to lower your salary!" Slamming his office door behind him, and ignoring the soft whispers of fearful workers, Ienzo grabbed the phone that lay on his desk. Dialing a number, he waited as the dialtone sounded. "Hello?"

"I am giving you one chance. Do you wish for your job back?"

"Of course!" Came the person from the other end of the line.

"Then I need you to be at my office in five minutes. We have many things to discuss."

Meanwhile...

"We have a reservation for two, under Lea Matsuyama." Lea stated. The formally dressed waiter smiled at the pair. "Right away, Sir." he said, grabbing two menus off the reservation counter, and leading the couple towards a cosy table in the corner of the restaurant. A single candle lay in the center of the table, the flame gently illuminating the relatively dark corner. "Ladies first." Lea said, pulling the chair out for Relena. As she smiled and took her seat, Lea handed her one of the menus. "So, what dish do you wish to have, Madam Relena?" he said jokingly in a faux, formal voice. Relena laughed. "Well, Sir Lea, I would like a vegetable salad." "Right away, Madam." Lea said, before calling a waiter over. "My lovely date here would like a vegetable salad, and I will have the chicken." "Of course Sir." The waiter said, taking down their order, before collecting the menus and disappearing into the restaurant kitchen. "Well here we are." Lea said, chuckling lightly. "Indeed." Relena said in agreement, a faint smile concealing her nervousness, which had been her primary feeling since her evening with Lea began. She wondered if Ienzo had found out she was missing yet.

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Marusha wrapped a bouquet of red roses with a ribbon, presenting it to the woman in front of him who then paid promptly and left. The man sighed, slumping down on his chair at the florist shop's counter, before opening a book he had been reading, ironically titled "Why Won't She Notice Me?" by Elaeus X. Opening the book to the second chapter, where he had stopped, he read the first few lines. "Is it because I'm too ugly?" the first line read. Marusha rolled his eyes. He did have customers to the florist's wanting to date him, but all he cared about was Relena. So he didn't reckon he was "ugly" in any manner. Just as he was about to turn the page, the soft tinkle of a bell announced that there was yet another customer.

Sighing once more, Marusha stood up and spoke in a well-practiced manner. "Welcome to Tokyo Florist, may I be of assistance?" The tone of his voice clearly hid his dismay that the customer was not Relena. After all, why would Relena want to visit a florist? She didn't need flowers. Lea would have given her plenty of those. Marusha made a mental note to himself never to give good service to Lea, should he ever visit this florist shop. He turned to glance again at the familiar customer who had just entered the shop.

A tall, well-dressed thin man with long and pale brown hair stepped in, a test tube clutched in his right hand for no particular reason. "Hello, Marusha." he said in a bored, drawling manner. "I want to acquire a bouquet of blue flowers. I don't suppose you have those, do you." Marusha was insulted. This was the famous Tokyo Florist. "Of course we do." he said, before grabbing a nearby bunch of mixed flowers of various shades of blue, and handing it to the man in front of him. "It has been quite awhile, Marusha." The man chuckled. "Yes, Even." The florist said bitterly. "Who are the flowers for, anyway?" "Well it's for a special someone. You wouldn't know who she is, anyhow. However, I must bid you farewell now, Marusha. My date is waiting." "But aren't crimson roses better for a special someone?" Even turned for a moment. "I have always found the hue of ice intriguing, Marusha. And apparently, so does my future wife. Goodbye." And with that, Even paid and left the store, leaving a forlorn Marusha feeling even worse than usual. Apparently, Even, otherwise known as Vexen or 'The Old Man' when he was in the Organization, had a girlfriend, a special someone to treasure. Marusha didn't even feel it as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

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Relena hurried back into the Apple store, hoping that she wasn't to be noticed. She had left her documents and other such items on her table, and needed to get them before she went home that day. The store was deserted of course, this being after closing time. But she couldn't help thinking about her date with Lea, a smile gracing her features as she thought about that evening's events. Unlocking the back door, she walked into the store and switched on the lights, hoping to get her things and back out in a few minutes' time. She wanted to be home soon, for Lea said he'd call sometime later. She couldn't wait.

"Relena."

A voice startled her, snapping Relena out of her dreamy state. She turned around, and her eyes widened at the sight of Ienzo, his arms folded just like they had been every day when he had been a member of the nefarious Organization XIII. He stood in a dark corner of the store, the shadows casting over his clothes, making it seem like he was in his black coat once again, his visible eye now holding no emotion but a glint of menacingness. It was like a reflection of who he had once been. The Cloaked Schemer, Zexion. Relena stood there stiffly, clutching the office documents in her arms, her eyes pleading for Ienzo to change back. To return to what he had once been since the day he had regained his heart. But the look in his eyes did not shift. He kept his steely gaze on her as he emerged from the shadowy corner and spoke to her, the tone of his voice edged with bitterness and contempt.

"You defied me, Relena."

Relena did not reply.

"I cared about you. I was your friend. Why do you do this? If you continue like this, I have no other choice..."

Ienzo's voice faltered, and he gave a quiet sob for a moment, his gaze diverted to the ground, before it fleetingly returned to her face. A sense of dread overcame Relena, as she backed away slowly, feeling somewhat paralyzed with fear. The fear of someone who had once been a good associate, and her loyal confidante. "Y-you have n-no other choice but to do what?" Relena managed to choke out, the tension in the air building rapidly as the two stared at each other, with mixtures of heated rage, fear, and distrust. Why had it all come to this? Relena was confused. She held out her hand in a gesture of friendship. "Ienzo, don't do this. We're still friends. Don't do this now...I don't know your reasons, but I don't hate you." Relena said slowly, hoping to calm the distraught Ienzo.

Ienzo did not reach out his own hand, but continued to stare at her. "Then, if I take your hand, will you not associate with Lea?" He asked. A tinge of hope was now evident in his voice. "What do you have against us?" Relena replied sharply, offended. Ienzo withdrew the hand he had been longing to reach out to her. "You will still see him then." he said angrily. "Then it is now decided. You leave me no choice. I am sorry, Relena. But I am glad that I have taken this step before you betrayed my trust." And with that, Ienzo left the store, turning the lights off. Relena was left, standing alone, in the darkness. She could not move as the tears started to flow.