Chapter 2: False Hopes and Secret Desires

(I do not own FB. For the sake of the story though I may pretend to be Mii…Teehee!)

Mii nearly fell out of her seat as the man held up the manuscript in progress, "You mean you forgot you had it done!"

This man was not at all what she had expected. He didn't dress or act professionally…and if he truly had forgotten the progress he had made on a manuscript that had a deadline only a week away he was quite scatter brained as well.

Mii was in disbelief, as the novelist held the manuscript out to her. She slowly extended a hand to take it. He pulled it away quickly and she blinked in surprise. A smirk crossed the man's face as he looked at her.

"Of course," He said so that one couldn't tell if he were serious or joking, "It would be a shame to let you have it just yet. It would spoil the whole story. Perhaps I should simply wait to hand it in to you until the whole book is finished."

"No, no!" She said quickly. "I'm certain it won't spoil anything" She reached out for it again "Let's just see how it's coming along, shall we?"

He pulled the manuscript further from her grasp and she lunged for it, landing with a soft "Oof" on the desk. She thought she heard a snigger, and she pursed her lips in frustration, as she pulled herself off the desk a little embarrassedly.

He had an unmistakable gleam in his eye. She could only hope this was some sort of initiation. Perhaps, hopefully, this behavior would change.

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Shigure found this concept of tormenting the cute young editor to be quite amusing. He smirked as he watched her hit the desk with a soft oof. He thumbed idly through the manuscript as he watched her trying to regain her composure. "Mii, why don't you have a cup of tea, you look like you need to relax some." He smiled disarmingly at her and she sighed and nodded.

"Ok, one cup of tea" She held up one finger to emphasize her point. "Then I really must go. And I expect the next two chapters of that manuscript done fore your deadline!"

"Yes, yes, don't worry, they will be." Shigure said waving his hand boredly at her. "Now…what kind of tea would you like? Hmm? Green tea. Green tea is quite good." He rambled on and on about the benefits of green tea as he led her too the living room, gesturing that she should sit down.

He watched as she took a seat then bustled to the kitchen and put on a pot of water to boil, that is, as soon as he found a pot in the mess he called his kitchen. He hummed his tune (by his tune I mean 'High School girls, High School girls, etc) and waited for the tea to boil, all the time trying to think up new ways to torment the young lady who was in hi living room. After all, she was adorable when flustered.

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Mii sat in the living room, idly twiddling her thumbs. She sighed and checked her watch, mostly for lack of anything better to do. She looked out the window; the landscape around the home was lovely. She took a deep breath and immediately covered her nose. There was an awful stench. The building reeked of old garbage and spoiled, or burned, food.

This place desperately needed a woman's touch, she thought absently. She looked around and thought of the changes she would make to the abode if – She caught herself mid-thought and shook her head. What was she thinking? She couldn't be thinking the thoughts that had found their way to her mind. She had just met this man after all; she didn't know a thing about him. Other than he had the most adorable smile she had ever seen. No, these things shouldn't be occurring to her! He was her client! It was scandalous! She brushed off the thoughts, forcing herself to subdue them. She would not develop feelings for this man. She couldn't.

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Shigure leaned against the wall in the kitchen and let out a soft sigh. His mind wandered to Hatori and the conversation he had just had with the doctor on the phone. Hatori and Kana wished to be married. They were going to approach Akito that evening, and Hatori wanted his friend to be there.

Idly Shigure began to wonder if he would ever find these same feelings Hatori had found; the same pure happiness that comes with love. He turned his gaze in the direction of the room his new editor was sitting in. He wondered how closely bound to professional etiquette she was. Maybe…she was cute; after all, so maybe there was a chance they could…no, no, she probably was far to wrapped up in professionalism to even have these thoughts occur to her. Besides, there was the matter of the curse. Still, maybe…

The tea pot whistled and Shigure waded through the heaps of trash over to the oven where the tea was calling out that it was ready. He poured to cups, and walked out to where Mii sat waiting. She glanced up at him, and he smiled as he offered the tea to her. She took it with a small smile of her own, their fingers brushed together, causing her to blush softly, and him to grin broadly.

She gently sipped her tea. Very mature for someone in her early 20s, he thought as he took a sip of his own. He watched unaware of where his attention was focused, until she noticed him staring and blushed a little deeper.

She finished her tea hurriedly, and stood, bowing politely, "Thank you for the tea. It was nice meeting you. I hope that we can work well together, sensei. I really should be going though."

Shigure nodded understandingly and walked her to the door. He looked down at her and smiled as they stood in the doorway. And she could feel herself about to blush again.

"I'll be back in a week for those first seven chapters." She said as she once more bowed politely and headed towards the place she had parked her car.

Shigure closed the door slowly after watching her walk off. He then headed upstairs to change into his one good suit. He always had to look his best if he was going to the main house. And he had to leave soon to be there in time for Ha'ri.

(Yay, another chapter done. Again, I ask that you inform me of whether or not Yuki is with Shigure at this point, provided Shigure is even supposed to be on his own...Please Review so that I know if I should bother to continue to post.)