08/30/2014

'Misumi onee-san' Naru's voice was barely a whisper and if it weren't for the closeness Mai wouldn't have heard It, but she did.

'Onee-san?' Mai asked, bewildered.

All eyes were going back and forth between Misumi and Naru but neither seemed to notice, they were too busy having a staring contest, which by the looks of it no one was going to back down from.

So finally Lin cleared his throat making both of them break eye contact.

'Noll' Misumi whispered and if Mai wasn't mistaken, her voice held nothing but affection.

'I told them that it was—' Naru started, but was interrupted.

"-I know, but it isn't their fault, its my choice." Misumi said firmly.

'Office. Now!' Naru growled and stormed into his office, leaving the door open for Misume chan to follow.

'Gomenai, I suppose you are already aquainted with his rude behavior but I apologize for my interruption on a working day.' Misumi bowed her head and all of the gang stood dumbfounded as she hurriedly followed Naru to his office, Lin tailing behind.

-Office-

'Lin, will you please put some sense into this person?' Naru growled without looking at either of them and Misumi even through his rudeness found him endearing. Gene had always said Naru was all steel outside but had a vulnerable heart inside, and Misumi believed him.

So she just smiled, even though it hurted thinking about Gene.

'Noll, you cannot force me to go back, I want to help.'

'I don't need your help,' Naru snapped.

'And I don't need your permission to assist in my own-'

'Don't give me that, Gene would've wanted you safe and away from here.' Naru interrupted Misumi. He turned around and his eyes held a pleaded look, one which broke Misumi's heart so she took a step closer to him and whispered, so only he could hear.

'He would want me beside you, when he is no longer able to.' Before Naru could reply, there was a knock on the door and Naru closed his face like a book and was expressionless when Mai poked her head inside.

'Naru, there is someone here to see you.'

'A client?' His voice was monotonous.

'I think.' Hers unsure.

'ill be right back.' He stormed out, closing the door behind him with a loud thud.

Misumi's POV

The second Naru left, I dropped on the chair beside Lin, as if I was standing by strings and someone had just let them loose. All the strength I had mustered up before coming here was starting to melt, and my resolve of staying here with it.

'What am I going to do with him Lin?' I asked, feeling as if there was no shred of hope left in my whole being.

Lin only smiled, a smile so sad that it made my heart swell.

'He loved him.' He whispered as if it were the most obvious thing, and it was.

'-and Gene loved Noll like his own self Lin, but now that he's gone, I can't help but feel as if our Noll is slowly drifting away, into the darkness to which one cannot follow. I promised Gene I'll always look after that stupid scientist because he is not good at doing that himself, but how can I help him when he won't even let me in?' I was as close to crying as heavenly possible, and it took all my willpower to keep the tears from falling mercilessly down my face.

'Give him time,' Lin said soothingly.

I knew consoling broken girls was not an area of expertise for Lin but appreciated him for trying.

'How long?' I asked, more to myself.

'Long enough, if you keep that face on.' A new voice said from behind me, and I cursed under my breath.