Standing outside her and her brother's apartment, Atsuko stood smiling at Kida Masaomi, the blonde boy who had just walked her home.
"So, uhm, you should let go of my hand" She laughed quietly looking down at their intertwined fingers
"Right!" Masaomi nodded retracting his hand quickly, his cheeks reddening
Glancing at her door, she looked back toward Masaomi, who was looking down at his shoes as if they were suddenly the most interesting thing he had ever seen. Poking his shoulder, Atsuko began to unzip his coat that she still wore.
"Keep it" He insisted zipping the jacket back up "It looks better on you anyway"
"Well, I'll see you Monday then?" she laughed at the adolescent
"Wouldn't miss it for the world" He paused for a moment, seemingly mulling something over "Do- do you think we could do this again sometime? Strictly friends of course."
Atsuko grinned hugging the boy, then, light flooded them. They jerked apart to see her brother standing in the doorway, glaring daggers at the young man. It was an awkward moment to say the least, the younger Tanaka rubbing the back of her neck as the two men stared each other down.
"Kida-san, I wasn't aware you were on friendly terms with my sister." Tom pushed his glasses up slightly
"Hello Tanaka-san" Masaomi forcing a smile " I was just walking her home, you know how dangerous these streets can be after dark"
"And I just invited him to dinner next Tuesday!" Atsuko nodded happily
"You did?" Tom and Masaomi chimed in unison before shooting daggers at each other
"I did!" She stomped her foot "Stop questioning me!"
Tom nodded before grabbing his keys "I'm late, I'll tell Shizuo that you said hi"
"Okay, be safe" Atsuko smiled kissing her brother's cheek "I'll set the percolator for three"
"Set it for two" Tom ruffled her hair before shooting a glare to the young man "I'll see you later"
Masaomi and Atsuko watched the debt collector disappear down the stairs. There was a silence between them for awhile, finally, the obsidian haired girl turned to the bleached boy
"Bring your little friend, Mikado, how long has it been since he's had a home cooked meal?" She asked placing her hands on her hips
"Probably last summer-"
"That was a rhetorical question Masaomi-kun"
"Oh"
Masaomi smiled, bidding the debt collector's sister goodnight. In the frosty winter air their cheeks were flushed, and it was starting to get too cold for comfort. Atsuko pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, offering a small smile before heading inside. Once inside Atsuko tied her hair back and proceeded to strip out of Masaomi's coat, followed by various clothing paraphernalia. This all led to the washroom where she settled into the tub for a good soaking.
Looking around the washroom she mused that the apartment was rather plain, lacking a personal touch, a woman's touch. The walls had no pictures, the curtains were plain, not to mention her room definitely needed a lamp, or Christmas lights! Oh, she could get those lights that hung down like ice sickles and they could be like tiny twinkling stars in her room!
Her head jerked up as she heard someone come into the apartment calling her name. Stumbling out of the tub she wrapped herself in the blue plush robe and skittered into the living room where Shizuo stood, looking away from her robe-clad form.
"Shizuo-san! What's happened?" She asked examining him closely
"Get dressed, I'll explain things on our way" He ordered gruffly
Hurrying into her room she struggled to pull clothes on, after she managed to pull them on, albeit, very awkwardly as she had tripped as she had thrown a leg into her pants. As she slipped her favorite boots on she paused looking at Masaomi's coat. Wrapping her scarf around her neck she pulled the coat on, zipping it up to where only a bit of her scarf peeked out. Grabbing her mobile phone she rushed back into the living room where she found Shizuo smoking a cigarette.
"Tom needs your help with a client" Shizuo grabbed her elbow and began to drag her down the stairs of the apartment complex
"I can't ever enjoy anything can I?" She grumbled "just wanted a decent bath"
Shizuo stopped dead in his tracks, whirling Atsuko around by her elbow he bent down to eye level with her "Now listen here, your brother talks about you all the time, he's ridiculously proud of you. Though I'm beginning to see you don't deserve any of his praise"
"You don't know anything about me!" She shrieked trying to pull her arm out of the older man's iron grip
"I know plenty about you, like how your favorite ice cream is green tea flavor, and sometimes you go out and buy taiyaki even though it reminds you of your mother and it makes you sad to think about her, but the fucking fish shaped snack filled with lemon custard makes you feel closer to her"
Atsuko's arm finally wrenched itself from Shizuo's grip and slapped him across the face "Anyone knows that! And you have no right to manhandle me, even if you could snap me in two!"
Shizuo sighed and lit another cigarette, why was she so difficult? Exhaling a stream of smoke in her face he gently wrapped and arm around her shoulder and began to steer her down the mostly empty streets. He hadn't seen Atsuko so quiet before, he was slightly worried that he could very well indeed get fired for upsetting her so.
"Shizuo-san?" Atsuko's voice was quiet, if he hadn't been listening for it he wouldn't have heard it
He grunted in reply, looking down at the young woman. He could see the yellow scarf peeping out of the top of a coat that he had not seen on her before, it smelled vaguely of cologne. It was another man's coat, the sign of marked territory.
"I'm sorry for slapping you" She spoke up this time
He shrugged letting smoke come out of his nose, "It's okay"
"Now what about Tom-nii's client, what's all this hubbub?"