{.o5} {Endearing :ღ: Tweedle Dum}

Working as the Hatter's top financer was an incredibly exhausting occupation. She was constantly deluged with an incredible amount of numbers to crunch – their current assets, the numerous financial transactions between the territories, and most importantly salaries.

She was certainly competent and unafraid to do what she felt was completely necessary, even if it meant cutting some employee's salaries. She rarely got any complaints for such a thing, mostly because she tended to have an intimidating presence. No one would dare subject themselves to her wrath.

Though, to her annoyance, there was still that one that tried to whine about it anyway.

"Come on! This is ridiculous!" Tweedle Dum cried, rushing into her office with the look of blatant annoyance. "Really, another salary cut? This is the second one already!"

The faceless woman remained perfectly impassive as she continued calculating their current profit, not even looking up to meet the furious child's gaze. She had grown far too used to the boy's appearance, and, in fact, had grown to expect it. "I'm sorry if you are displeased with your current paycheck, Dum. Just like the last one, it needed to be done. Cutting you and your brother's salary seemed to be the most beneficial to us financially."

"But why must it be ours? Why can't you cut someone else's salary… like newbie-hare's paycheck! It's not like he does very much!" Dum insisted.

"Sir Elliot deserves the salary he gets now and possibly more if Master Dupre allowed it. It's not like either of you work. You both just play around," she argued glibly. Then for a moment she raised her faceless gaze to meet his, a crooked smile curving her lips. "Besides, you both are just kids, whether you are in your adult forms or not. It's not like you need more money anyway."

"But we are adults! WE ARE! WE ARE! WE ARE!" Dum cried adamantly, stomping his feet and throwing a rather irate tantrum. Seeing he was contradicting himself and acting more childishly, he promptly shut his mouth and crossed his arms over his chest, his cheeks slowly matching the color of his eyes – a bright red.

Such a display only caused the Hatter financer to laugh.

In normal situations, she would have found such behavior rather irritating. She always had very little patience in dealing with other people's complaints, especially the twins. She would have wasted no time in kicking them both out. She was always immune to their puppy dog eyes and their childish, cuter means of persuasion. She normally wouldn't be affected by such a sight, especially when he was in his child form.

That was why she always thought that their adult form was her weakness. Whenever the adult Dum came to her office, persuade her into changing their salary with his touch and kiss, her resolution slowly began to waver and slowly crumble down at such pleasurable manipulation.

Perhaps, her weakness was not their adult form. Maybe it was just Dum.

Deep down, though she rather chose to deny it, she always thought of Dum as rather endearing. Even now she felt resolve over their salary begin to waver as she stared at that cute face. It only made it harder for her to continue saying no. She always swore he knew he had this effect on her; that was why she always saw him rather than his blue-garbed brother. He knew exactly what to do just to manipulate her into doing what he wants sooner or later.

The faceless woman now only laughed at herself at such a realization.

She then rose to her feet and stood by the pouting boy's side. Dum froze when she playfully ruffled his head and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead.

"How about I consider it?" she said sweetly, slowly guiding the flushed child towards the door. "After I recalculate our expenses and other finances, perhaps I will reconsider and give you two a raise. Okay?"

Dum was entirely speechless, his face slowly becoming even redder than his uniform. He barely noticed that the Hatter financer had shown him the door and shut it right in his face.

…or realize that he got tricked into shutting his mouth. Dum suddenly realized that he and his brother weren't the only ones who had the propensity in utilizing blatant manipulation.

"HEY, WAIT! I'm not through with you yet! You won't do anything, you heartless shrew! Open the door now!" Dum shouted, struggling to open the locked door.

"Good day, Dum!" she shouted cheerily and resumed back on her work. She mumbled under her breath, "Just being cute isn't enough to change my mind..."

No matter how cute Dum could be, she far more preferred the satisfaction of beating him in his own game. No one dares mess with this financer – not even him.

Sequel to Repetition in Wonders of the Heart. :3

Gotta love speedy updates. I'll miss 'em personally. Just don't mind me, trying to make up for some lost time and time I will lose in the future~

Thanks for reading.