Note: Chapter two, polished.
The Bodyguard and the Client
"Akemi-san," the Division A manager announced.
His stern voice echoed in the spacious room full of top-tier bodyguards awaiting their assignments. The place was an ocean of black: regardless of gender, everyone wore the same impeccable black suit and tie. Indeed, it was almost as if they were at a funeral; the only color came from the bodyguards' ties, though many wore black ties to complete the look.
From the back of the room, a tall woman stood up immediately and confidently.
"Yes, sir," she stated.
The manager gestured her forward and handed her a manila folder.
Opening the folder, Homura read the short description of her charge.
Kaname Madoka. Aged twenty-five. Art teacher and assistant archery club advisor at Mitakihara Middle School. Lives alone in a two-story house with four servants [chauffeur, two maids, cook]. Personal details on following page. Needs protection from a stalker called Kyubey: albino, medium height. Further information to be obtained. Duration of mission: indefinite. Appointment time: 3PM.
"Do you accept case number 1003, Akemi-san?" the manager asked.
The photo in the folder was of a smiling young woman with pink hair and eyes, but there was no photo of Kyubey; they had yet to gather more information on the elusive albino.
Homura nodded, declaring, "Yes, I accept case number 1003."
"Dismissed, then."
Already, her mind was thinking of ways to capture this Kyubey in the most efficient manner. She bowed and turned on her heel to leave.
Since evidently this client is wealthy enough to hire me, Homura mused, perhaps Kyubey is after her money. Or perhaps he is a sexual predator. She is rather pretty. Jerking back, Homura paused just outside her personal office.
Pretty? What an odd thought.
Homura shook her head and entered her office. Because of her status as one of the best in Division A, which was the highest of the three divisions, she had her own office, though it was relatively small.
A mess of Pocky wrappers littering the floor met her eyes. The culprit sat in Homura's expensive swivel chair, feet propped up on her equally expensive desk and munching on yet another pack of Pocky and intently playing on an old Nintendo.
Scowling, Homura waited for her red-headed companion to realize she was there.
Honestly, it is a wonder Kyouko has retained her position for so long despite her… unconventional behavior.
Kyouko was in the lowest of the three divisions, Division C, even though she had been working for Security Firm for almost as long as the company existed. Well, both Homura and Kyouko had been working with Security Firm since they were thirteen, as part of the company's mission to keep young boys and girls out of gangs and other sorts of trouble.
"Are you gonna just stand there and look creepy or are you gonna bother saying hi to me?" Kyouko's voice was muffled by the Pocky in her mouth and she did not look up from her game.
Restraining the urge to roll her eyes, Homura strode forward and plucked the Nintendo from the red-head's protesting hands.
"Oi! I was just about to beat my own high score!" Kyouko made no move to get her game back, but instead immediately began picking up the mess she had made on Homura's desk and floor, knowing that only once the area was mess-free would the silent woman return her Nintendo. "Geez, give a gal a break. You took so long I thought I'd run out of snacks," Kyouko grumbled.
"That is no excuse for littering, Sakura-san. In any case, I truly doubt you of all people would run out of sustenance." Despite the inherent teasing in her statement, Homura's voice was as monotonous as always. Even her expression held no humor, only stern blankness.
Kyouko cleared her throat uncomfortably, "Well, uh, I just dropped in to let you know that I'll be on vacation for the next month—my manager said something about getting a break from stress and stuff."
Homura noted the way Kyouko's hands suddenly started trembling. Sympathy for the girl filled her normally closed-off heart. "Yes. A vacation will benefit your health; however, do not think of this as an excuse to raid my home for food, Kyouko-san," she said, attempting, in her own way, to cheer up the normally energetic red-head. Her last mission had ended well, but the situation between the priest and his family had brought up painful reminders of Kyouko's childhood. Since then, the young woman remained agitated and tense, leaving Homura lost as to how to comfort her only companion.
A vacation is just what Kyouko-san needs.
Kyouko chuckled and gestured at the manila folder in the tall woman's hands. "A new assignment? You recently finished a mission though."
Homura did not respond as she gathered various papers and packed them neatly in her briefcase.
Shrugging, Kyouko settled down in Homura's swivel chair again.
Sounds from her Pokémon game, crunching, and paper-rustling filled the room; several minutes passed thusly, each preoccupied with their tasks.
"Kyouko-san," Homura murmured, breaking the silence.
"Humph, what? You have a bad habit of interrupting my games, woman!" Kyouko groused.
Good, she is not brooding. Homura stood by the door, waiting for Kyouko to take a hint and let her lock up her office.
"Oh, yeah. You've a mission; I forgot, keh. Have fun, Homura. Meanwhile, I will be indulging at my favorite ramen place~" With that, Kyouko grinned around a stick of Pocky and flounced out of the room before Homura could reprimand her.
Better the ramen place than I.
Now, I must meet with… Kaname Madoka.
Homura took a deep breath to collect herself and promptly headed to the Division A manager's office on the third level.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
"What a beautiful day!" Madoka clapped her hands as she looked out from her bedroom window. The garden radiated cheer and happiness with bursts of color from various flowers and butterflies flitting about. She could see Kumiko-san watering the newly planted gerberas.
The bright early sun gave everything a nice yellow glow and a cool breeze came in through the window; Madoka felt that nothing could go wrong today.
Humming a nameless tune, she went about her normal Saturday routine. Mae-san had left her a breakfast tray on her desk along with the day's mail, so Madoka happily munched on her buttered toast as she read a letter from her mother, who was away on a business trip in Tokyo.
Hmm, Mother does love working a lot, but maybe she should take a break, she thought to herself. I'll write back to her later today. Oh, that reminds me, I forgot to send Tatsuya my letter.
A quick glance at the rest of her mail revealed nothing but bills and a few credit offers, nothing unusual. She did wish they—whoever they were, she had no idea—would stop sending her credit offers. After all, Mama always said that too many credit cards were a sure-fire way of getting into hopeless debt, and no amount of overdraft protection would help.
"Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed. "I completely forgot that I'm supposed to go to Security Firm today, oh dear me. Let's see, it's only 8:30, they open at nine, ok, good. I'll finish breakfast while I ask one of the maids to tell Kyo-san to get the car ready," Madoka planned out loud, curling her left hand into a tight fist against her chest as she rang the call bell.
"Kaname-sama?" Mae-san asked, standing respectfully by the desk a minute later.
"Please ask Kyo-san to prepare the car; we will be going to Security Firm as soon as I am finished with my breakfast, and please make sure this letter to my brother gets sent," Madoka ordered. The maid took the letter and left quickly.
Shortly afterwards, Junko's dark green car—"I'll take good care of it, Mama!" "You mean Kyo-san will take good care of it, Madoka"—pulled out of the driveway and headed out to Security Firm.
Although nervous, Madoka knew that if she did not hire a bodyguard, Sayaka would probably do it for her.
If the service is as fast as Mami-san and Sayaka-chan say, then I should meet my new bodyguard sometime this afternoon, and by this time tomorrow I'll have a constant companion….
She slowly realized that her life would be very different with a bodyguard around her at all times.
How will it be at school? Will my bodyguard have to stand next to the door while I teach? That might scare the students. The more she thought about it, the less certain she was about hiring a bodyguard. However, an image of Kyubey's frozen smirk came to mind, and all qualms that Madoka had were immediately pushed aside. That settles it, I guess.
I really wish I hadn't met Kyubey that day.
However, throughout the trip to Security Firm, all Madoka could think about was Kyubey: his red eyes, his beguiling smirk/smile, and those words he said to her that rainy day.
"You know, you would be the perfect addition to my company."
Despite the unease the creepy albino inspired in her, Madoka could not help but wonder what Kyubey's company might be.
How could I possibly be useful to him? All I do is teach… I can barely manage to hold myself together around him! Mami-san and Sayaka-chan would be much more useful to him, wouldn't they?
Madoka found herself wanting to meet Kyubey again, just to ask him how she—a plain woman of twenty-five with no talent to her name—could make herself strong and useful like her dear friends. After all, he had clearly shown interest in her.
Do you think he could teach me how to live?
Her contemplations absorbed her attention, and it was with some surprise that she heard the chauffeur notifying her of their arrival. Before her doubts consumed her, Madoka hastily got out of the car and asked him to wait.
"Good afternoon, Madame. How may we be of service?" A smiling secretary greeted a slightly intimidated Madoka at the front desk.
Security Firm stood proud in the business district, five stores of dark grey steel. Its interior was no less impressive, with the inner walls and chairs were the same metallic color as the outside. Adorned with a few abstract paintings around the lobby, the building had a rather conservative yet modernist look.
I never did understand the point of abstract art. A single hallway led to the rest of the building.
"Ah, good morning. I would like to file a request for a personal bodyguard…." Unsure how to continue, Madoka wrung her hands and let her voice trail off into silence.
The secretary, a young man who reminded her of one of Tatsuya's friends, smiled sympathetically and pulled out a simple white form from one of the many cubby holes surrounding him. Handing it to her along with a pen, the young man reassured her, "Don't worry, Madam. Just take a seat and fill out this form; Security Firm will take care of the rest, guaranteed!"
Madoka nodded and sat in the nearest chair. She took a deep breath and quickly began filling in the required information.
Name: Kaname Madoka.
Age: 25.
Occupation: Art teacher and assistant archery club advisor at Mitakihara Middle School.
She diligently worked through the form and occasionally paused to wonder at some of the questions: Favorite color, favorite song, etc. There were also the expected security-related questions like "Do you lock your windows at night," "Notable idiosyncrasies," "Current and past restraining orders," and so on.
Roughly an hour later, Madoka finished the form, signed it, and resolutely returned it to the secretary.
He accepted it and told her to return at precisely three in the afternoon later that day to meet her potential bodyguard.
"Thank you," she smiled brightly at him and practically skipped out the door, though she forced herself to slow her pace.
With that kindling of hope, she drove off to visit Hitomi, who had called her late the previous night and all but demanded that Madoka come over to her place for lunch.
I'm looking forward to this afternoon. She grinned at her reflection in the window, her earlier deliberations completely forgotten—temporarily.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Homura took another deep breath, yet she remained on the wrong side of the manager's office. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she realized that her hand, lightly grasping the metal handle, was trembling slightly.
Since when am I anxious when meeting a new client? I am not the same shy girl that I was when I first joined years ago.
Years ago? That has nothing to do with anything.
Ridiculous thoughts, be gone!
Clenching her fists in a rare burst of passion, Homura squashed the clutter in her mind. The smiling image of Kaname Madoka came to mind.
I refuse to turn to mush over a mere client, Homura scolded herself.
An unstable client, at that.
She knocked twice and opened the door.
Assessing the situation, Homura's focused eyes took in the friendly atmosphere of the room. Her manager and the pink-haired client both got up, smiling, though nervousness lurked in the client's open face. Homura nodded her head in acknowledgement, refraining from openly staring at her potential charge and positioned herself to the right of the manager.
Everything is in order, no threats present, exits accounted; good.
"Kaname-san, I present to you Akemi Homura, the person we have selected as your personal bodyguard for as long as you wish. Akemi-san, this is Kaname Madoka, the daughter of an old family friend," the manager introduced the two women to each other.
This time, Homura bowed to Madoka and murmured, "A pleasure to meet you, Kaname-san."
To her embarrassment, Madoka realized that her cheeks were warming up. I'm blushing! "L-likewise, Akemi-san," she stammered, her lips twitching in a nervous smile.
"Please, Kaname-san, rest assured that your safety is in the most capable of hands. Akemi-san is one our elite security agents and I hope you will find nothing but quality and professionalism from her. Now, I will leave you two to get acquainted; I shall return in ten minutes." With that, the Division A manager shook Madoka's hand, nodded to Homura, and left his office. The two women remained motionless as the door closed on the manager.
Madoka sat down again, tucking her shaking hands under her legs and feeling shy around her new bodyguard.
Oh dear, she thought, dismayed at her own anxiety. Her bodyguard stood motionlessly next to the now-empty chair and apparently stared straight ahead.
Well, talk about awkward silence. Nonetheless, Madoka took the opportunity to examine her bodyguard. She's rather tall, with such pretty black hair—I wonder how she keeps it so smooth and straight?—black, too much black. Her purple tie is nice. It matches her eyes, I think. Oh, but her expression… it's so cold and empty—
I should be her friend!
With a newfound determination to befriend her aloof bodyguard, Madoka gathered up her courage and beamed at Homura. "Hello, I'm Madoka! I know you probably have better things to do than take care of a ditz like me, but I promise it won't really be for long." By the end of her sentence, Madoka found herself floundering in search for words to fill in the silence. Her palms began to sweat again.
Homura turned to face her charge.
Get it together, Akemi. What have you to fear? The girl looks like she will bury herself if you do not respond.
When she spoke, Homura kept her focus on a vague spot just above Madoka's head. "Yes, Kaname-san, I am aware that is your name. I am at your service for as long as is necessary; do not fret over such trivial matters." Do not be afraid of me, Kaname-san.
Homura stiffened at yet another uncharacteristic thought.
She let her eyes rove around the room, reassessing the room. For her, it was a way of calming herself and reestablishing her sense of control. When she glanced back at Madoka, she was wringing her hands nervously in her lap, obviously upset.
At that moment, Homura knew that this assignment would be unlike any other she had previously completed.
I need to reassure her, or else my task of protecting her will be very difficult later on. I do not need to be her friend, merely her protector, but her trust is imperative.
Before she could speak, however, the tense woman blurted, "T-that's a very nice tie you're wearing!"
Eyebrows twitching, Homura inclined her head. "Thank you… Kaname-san," she replied.
Madoka perked up and a joyous smile graced her open face.
You have a nice smile, Kaname-san.
Homura decided to freak out about her sudden inability to control her emotions later, when the safety of another human being was not in her hands. "If I may, Kaname-san, may you describe in detail your encounters with this Kyubey?"
Straight to business; there is no point in wasting time.
Madoka nodded, her hands fisting her skirt.
Homura pulled out a small notepad and pen from a pocket on the inside of her coat. "Please, if at any time you feel a panic or anxiety attack forthcoming, do not hesitate to stop."
When the manager returned a few minutes later, he found Madoka recounting her latest happenstance with the albino.
Jumping in her seat, Madoka glanced at him as he entered.
"We will be finished shortly, sir," Homura informed him.
The manager waved his hand, brushing away Homura's concern. "Please, continue."
Madoka stayed silent, toying with her fingers, only continuing at Homura's own nod.
"Um, yes, I don't think anyone else noticed him. The library was mostly empty anyway, and I was at the very back, behind several bookshelves. I didn't see him when I entered, but when I turned a corner, he was sitting on the floor, a book in his hands. I-I think it was open, but I don't know what it was about… I was too surprised to look at what he was reading, and he was staring at me…. Then again, I g-guess I should be used to seeing him around whenever I'm a-alone," Madoka laughed uncertainly, wringing her hands once more.
Homura meticulously recorded every detail in her notepad. "Thank you, Kaname-san."
The manager clapped his hands once, pleased that Homura was already familiarizing herself with the situation and establishing a professional relationship with her charge. "Well, Kaname-san? Are you pleased with the arrangement?" he asked.
This time, Madoka answered with enthusiasm, "I am very pleased, Taisho-san. I thank you for your help." Her bright eyes shone with a new confidence.
"Excellent, then. Akemi-san, sign here, and Kaname-san will sign right underneath. It is merely the formal agreement we discussed earlier, Kaname-san." Both Homura and Madoka quickly signed the agreement. "Now that that is taken care of, you are officially under the protection of Akemi-san." The manager bowed to them one last time when they left, and the two women returned the gesture.
Madoka led the way out of Security Firm and to her car, Homura a few steps behind her. When the chauffeur opened the door for Madoka, Homura conducted a quick inspection before approving and climbed in after her charge.
Right. This is going to take a little getting used to, Madoka thought to herself.
I wonder what her favorite color is, Homura wondered before remembering that the answer to that was in the manila folder. Ah, yes. One of the many odd questions that were answered.
An odd question—and completely irrelevant.
Then, I wonder if she ever gets lonely, living in a two-story house with only a few servants for company. Well, I hope she does not have the habit of getting up at early hours to snack, unlike someone else I know.
They were going to get along fabulously.
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A/N: Woo, chapter two is finished! A little longer than the first one, :D. To be clear: Mae, Kumiko, Taisho, and Kyo are all OCs; they don't really matter. Please review and tell me what you thought! ~Teddy.