Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of the God Eaters except for my OCs and the plots.
Warning: AU setting, mentioned of red light district, possibly violent and rating may go up in the future chapter.
A/N: Hey! I know the this chapter and the last one was kind of dragging and all, but I have to write it this way in order to tell why the Female MC and Soma being the way the was at the moment and the problem they had to deal with along with other characters before the both of them finally met for real. And I promise, next chapter for sure that the both of them are going to bump into each other, and of course, with a little *cough* worst first impression *cough* about each other.
Anyway, hope you guys like this chapter and tell me what you think!
It's barely passed seven in the morning.
Kota was usually bad at waking up early in the morning, but he wasn't the type who would wake up with foul mood either. He was the kind of guy who would greet the new morning with his usual easy going, energetic mood after a refreshing brush up after dragging himself out of the comfy embrace of the comforter.
However, that morning, Kota's mood turned a little sour for a certain reason. And he had no intention of hiding it.
"Hey, brat..." slurred the drunk man in his late thirties, slamming his hand against the door case to support his wobbling frame, his big belly flutters as every time he belches. The reeking breaths of the drunk man were so bad that Kota had to stop himself from breathing much, "'sh dat bitch home?"
"Who?" Kota asked, without his usual casual smile on his face since he was not amused. Who would? To think that his friend has to deal with these obscene lowlife on her own almost every morning when she could have a better morning to greet her outside of this turbid place if not for her irresponsible mother.
That's right. Kota was not pleased about it even with his famous easy-go-lucky personality.
"Dont'cha play dumb ya brat!" The drunkard belched again and stumbled a little on his feet, "Dis's Asami's apartment rite?"
Asami was the given name of Hatsuyuki's mother.
"Not here." Kota gave a flat reply.
"Dun lie!" Shout the drunk man and Kota did not flinch at the sudden outburst of the middle-aged man. He was more worried that all the shouting would wake Hatsuyuki up from her well-deserved sleep and wish nothing more than quickly get over with it and slam the door shut at the man's face, which he could not as the drunkard would probably cause even more ruckus, "Dat woman said she'es waitin' in there."
"Not here," Kota said again, more firmly than before.
It's not like he was lying. That irresponsible woman was not in the apartment, nor does that did he give an affirmative answer to prove that she live here either.
"Never 'ind, shee 'ave a daughter, rite?" The drunk man hiccupped and rudely trying to push his way into the apartment, "Dat girly will make do!"
Upon hearing such sordid comment and seeing the drunken man who was going to attempt his filthy fantasy on his friend, Kota felt anger brewing in his chest along with a pang at the thought of Hatsuyuki was constantly being disdain in such way by these jerks.
"Wrong house!" This time, without a second thought or hesitation, Kota shove the obscene drunkard out of the apartment and slams the door shut that the startled man's face, made sure to lock the door before stomping away from the door, deliberately ignore the angry shouting and vulgar cursing coming from the man he had just shut out of the apartment.
Much to his relief, it only took the drunkard less than two minutes to finally leave them alone, of course, not before giving the door a hard kick and sprout another few rude cursing.
Though his relief was short lived because a dull sound of a person fallen down from the bed significant awake of his friend, and the sound of intense struggle with pieces of fabrics followed suit.
'Just when I purposely trying to get Hatsuyuki sleeping in, that big belly drunkard just had to show up and ruin everything with all his shouting!' Kota screamed in his head. His attention soon being attracted by the sight of his friend rushed out from the small bedroom, already in her outing attires.
"Kota! Why didn't you wake me up?" She cried out as she reaches for her winter coat that was left draped on the small couch in her living room, "I'm sooo late!"
"Chill, Yuki!" Kota grinned as he snatched the coat out of Hatsuyuki's grasp before she puts it on.
"It's seven-twenty and my shift starts at eight! I could barely make it in time!" cried the girl, "Give that back, Kota! It's not funny!"
"Like I just told you, chill!"
"I can't! That boss is mean and would fire anyone who made even the slightest mistake, let alone late!"
"Then you should be happy because you won't be seeing that mean boss anymore." Kota grinned wider, "In fact, you no longer have to meet the other two mean employers as well."
"... What?" Hatsuyuki stopped her struggle on trying to get her coat back from Kota as she was trying to process what the red-haired just said. She fixated her gaze blankly at his grinning face, when his words finally sink in, her face paled.
"W-what have you done?" Hatsuyuki uttered nervously, almost to scared to hear the direct answer from his childhood friend as her gaze still remained on that smiling face that literally spelled 'Doom' at her.
"I made a few calls to your employer and told them you quit, so you're not fired!" Kota chirped like he just did the proudest thing in the world and made an expression that screams 'praise me!'
Hatsuyuki's worst fear has been forced into reality.
"Kota, you-"
"Oh, almost forgot!" Kota immediately cuts her off before she had the chance to grill him alive, pulled her by her wrist and had her sit down at the small table, bolted into the bedroom to rummage through his bag pack and did a little cheer when he found it. He excitedly strides back into the cramp living room and slapped the piece of paper he brought with him to the small table with a big grin, "Ta-da!"
Looking at the huge grin on his face, Hatsuyuki couldn't bring herself to really shout at the guy, but the anger was evidently still hinted in her voice when she finally speaks, trying to be as calm as possible. For now.
"Kota, what? Just what possessed you to pull such abominable stunt?"
Unaffected by her brewing fury, he replied cheerily, "I was intended to do this a week earlier-"
"You what?!"
"-but since you haven't received your paychecks for your part-times until last two days, so I had it postponed until today."
"That still doesn't explain why you resigned me without my consent!"
"I found you a better part-time job that could easily replace the previous three that I resigned for you!"
"...Huh?" For the second time of that day, she stared at the red-haired with a dumbfounded look.
Still smiling gleefully, Kota pushes the paper towards the stunned girl, urging her to take a look as he continues no explain, "A certain restaurant is going to reopen in a a better location in a week's time, so the owner is currently attempt to hire at least five part-timers." Hatsuyuki reached out for the paper on the small table, and it was just as Kota mentioned, it was an application form, "Besides that, the owner is kind and understanding; most of the customers who dines there are friendly regulars, so you won't have to deal with unreasonable employers and disturbing, touchy customers anymore!"
A moment ago, Hatsuyuki was dubious about Kota's intention, but as soon as the familiar restaurant's name printed boldly on top of the application form caught her eyes, the immense sense of guilt filled her instantly for judging Kota's good intention so soon before hearing him out. She should have knew the red-haired better. Sure, he did used joke about resigning her from her multiple part-times once in a while whenever he found her thoroughly beaten from work, but never once he commence those so-called threats for real; and if he did, he must have valid reasons.
"So the boss is..."
"That's right, the boss who's gonna hire you is none other than my mom!" Kota cackled, almost proud that his surprise was somehow a success even though there's a little mishap with a random drunkard who showed up in the morning. He then pushed the black pen that he brought along with the paper into Hatsuyuki's dominant hand, urging her to fill up the application, "Come on, sign it! Quick! Then we could be fellow part-timers!"
"Kota, you know that I can't-" Hatsuyuki almost couldn't believe what was happening.
"Of course you can!" Kota cuts her off before she finishes again, with that genuine smile still plastered on his face, "The restaurant was remodeled and expanded, mom needs more helping hands she could get, preferably from the ones she's familiar with." Without giving her the chance to protest or reject, he decided it was the best to fill the form out for her after all. He snatched the pen and paper back and proceed to write down her personal informations that was required easily as though he had done it a million times, "Besides, the public safety of that new location is great, and the cops are diligent. If should anything happens, the cops would shows up in no time, so none of the bad stuff happened back then would less likely to occur there."
Years back then, she used to help out at the small family restaurant runs by Kota's mom. The regulars who dine there was really nice and friendly, she could understand why. The Fujiki family was naturally amiable, genuine and easy to get along, the atmosphere they brought along with them was contagious and soothing. She loved to spent time with them and work there as a part-timer, since insisted despite her protest on paying her better so that she could settle up all the debts soon, she made herself work harder than anyone else in return for her sincere caring and help.
But one day, one of those new aggressive debt collectors which that mother of her had caught herself in trouble with managed to found Hatsuyuki, who was working at the Fujiki's and started to cause havoc inside of the restaurant. The damages were severe and few of the customers was injured after being caught in crossfire. The Fujikis did not blame her for it since they knew about her problematic mother and tried to convince her to continue work at their place but at that time, with her overwhelmed by guilt and feared the worst would happen again next time that could bring harm to the Fujiki family, she insist to stop working there all at once.
It was probably around then, Hatsuyuki started to interact less with those around her. And thing had just gotten worst after she graduated from high school. If it weren't for Kota and Alisa's constant persistent visiting and staying over regardless her circumstance, she would've been even in an even worst of state mind by now and severely detached from something that truly matters.
But what really moved her now was Mrs. Fujiki. The red-hair's mom was still concern about her all this time even after she had intentionally put a distance between herself and that cheerful household so that they won't be caught up with her problem. All the exchanged regards were mostly through Kota. Now that Hatsuyuki thought of it, she felt very, very awful as a person.
"Here, all you have to do is sign it!" Whilst she was lost in her own thoughts, Kota placed down the pen and pushes the paper towards her again with an excited grin, immediately pulls her back from the hectic memory lanes. She looked at the application form, filled up with all her personal information by Kota without mistake, her signature was all it left to complete the form.
Complicated feelings welled up in her chest, and she made no move to sign it just yet, much to Kota's uneasiness, "Hey, stop thinking things too much. We're all happy to have you back!" he said, wanted to convince her that none of them blamed her for what happened years back then.
"I know, I know... I just..." Hatsuyuki paused, it took a lot for her not to choke up, "I was so caught up with all the debts, that sorry excuse for a mother, throwing my self into countless odd jobs to realize how terrifyingly detached I was from everyone who sincerely cared for me. I felt too bad..."
Without delayed, Kota shifted himself close to his childhood friend and gave her a big hug, "So, what you want to do now? Just so you know, rejecting me and mom's offer is not an option."
"I think..." Hatsuyuki rests her forehead on Kota's shoulder and uttered, "I think it would better for me to visit mom and thank her before I sign this paper." It had been awhile since she said the word 'mom'. It's not her biological mother, and no, she will never call that woman by that as long as she lives. Hatsuyuki has been calling Mrs. Fujiki 'mom' for as long as she remembered, as the said woman was the closest she had for a mother figure.
"Great! Mom will be thrilled!" Kota hailed, placing his hands on her shoulder, "Oh, and like I had said countless times before, Nozomi misses you like crazy! You better make up to her later by staying over!"
"Yea, I should..." She missed that little sister too.
"Then it settles! We can go tomorrow. As for today, let's take it easy!" Kota abruptly stood up and strides to the kitchen, then came back with two lunch boxes in his hands and handed one of them to Hatsuyuki. With tea prepared as well, they started eating their breakfast undisturbed.
That morning was undoubtedly the most peaceful and comforting breakfast Hatsuyuki had had in ages.
And the both of them hoped that it could just stay that way for as long as they lived.
A woman with long, wavy raven hair had lost count how many times she had been sighing for the same reason as she leaned her back against the backrest of her chair, casually drops the new yet same old registration form for retakes on her work desk, rubbing her fingers against her temple hoping an unwanted headache would subside soon.
"So tell me, how many more year do you intend to remain a sophomore?" Tsubaki asked with her eyes fixed on the young man who stood at the other side of her work desk with an indifferent look, "Not only that your attendance rate is still as pitiful as ever, you even went as far as purposely flunk your examinations."
"Hence, the submission of an application for the retake." Soma stated it like it was the most natural thing in the world with a very flat voice. And of course, Tsubaki was not pleased. Very unpleased.
"I have an inkling of why you are doing this, but this is definitely not the right method to deal with it." Tsubaki narrowed her eyes at the platinum blond, drumming the tip of her fingers rhythmically on the glass surface of her work desk. She knew the young man was no simpleton or a slacker, nor he was bad in studies or couldn't understand a thing during lectures. It was the matter of his attitudes in dealing problems. "In fact, it will not work forever. You will eventually have to graduate one day. Worst, with that attitude of yours, the Director will have to no problem making you living the way he wants you to. We all know that he is a patient man. All you did right now was nothing more than wasting years of your time while entertaining him with your futile attempts."
"That's my own problem. You don't have to fret." Another indifferent reply.
"You make it my problem!" The raven haired woman slammed her palm on her work desk, narrowed her eyes at the desolate young man she had been watching over for more than a decade.
Tsubaki Amamiya along with her younger brother Lindow Amamiya were orphans took in by the Schicksal family since their deceased parents used to work for Johannes Von Schicksal, the director of Fenrir of Japan Branch, a corporation specializing in biotechnology. He offered them a place to stay and paid for their educations. It was only eventual the Amamiya siblings works for him after the they both graduated and independent enough to return the favor. With Lindow worked as the head of security in Fenrir and Tsubaki as his secretary-assistant along with an extra task of being his son's appointed guardian shortly after a certain tragic accident.
There, she had to admit, being platinum blonde's guardian was a simple yet difficult task she had ever done. It was simple because she used to look after Lindow when she was younger and was aware of a boy's need and necessities as an older sister should. But it was difficult as well because Soma started off as an unusually quiet kid, which was normal considering the freak accident he had encountered. She had had Lindow to spent time with him, assuming that laid back brother of hers could rub some optimistic sense of his on the young lad, only to end up being yelled at by a very annoyed young Soma back then as Lindow was being too pushy in the matter of dragging him out of the house to play and for treating him like a kid. Though that did not stop the younger Amamiya from paying sudden visit to the grumpy kid despite being constantly shouted at and irregular work schedule.
Years of watching over the platinum blond was a complicated affair. She never had to worry about the boy's grades in school, though not the best, but at least he always made it within first 50 out of other three hundred more students of his grade. Yet, she would often found herself wary about boy's uncanny gift of getting himself in to trouble- or rather, trouble looks for him- and all eventually led him throwing his fist at his classmates and gave them bloody noses. She had lost count of the time she grimaced whenever the word 'school' blinking on the screen of her phone as it rang with annoying tones.
And just when Tsubaki thought that Soma has grown much calmer and decent after he had entered college, Johannes just had to throw in the arrange marriage bombshell on his son to make all her effort flushed to the drain. Only then, she started to put the blame about her constant headache on her boss instead of the young man for indirectly crushing her efforts and increasing her dilemma.
"Just sign your signature on the bottom right corner of the paper and you won't have to see my face for months." Soma urged, pointing at the assigned column for signature. He was here solely for that, the older Amamiya's lecture was unneeded. Once he has her signature, he'll just scram from her office and go wherever.
As though knowing what Soma was thinking at the moment, Tsubaki sighed in defeat, grabbing her pen and scribbled down her signature at assigned column, "It's not like I hate being your guardian, Soma. But I do hope you stop wasting your time. Just graduate and have a mature, calm conversation with your father won't kill you." she said, dropping her pen and handed the younger of the two the form.
"I don't hate you for being my guardian either, I just hate to do things as that old man of mine planned." shoved the paper into the inner pocket of his winter coat after folded it into smaller pieces and headed straight to the door, hopefully not running into the man he mentioned during his exit out of the costly building that he wants nothing to do with it for as long as he lived.
Just when Tsubaki wanted to stop the young man as she had not done talking, Soma pulled the door open only to be greeted by the sight of the man he was about to avoid like a disgusting plague. At the Soma scowled.
"What a pleasant surprise, Soma." unperturbed by his own son's displeasure of seeing him, Johannes merely smirked, taunting the younger Schicksal on purpose, "Glad to know that you are still lively enough to be grumpy after that... somewhat succeed errand I had you to do."
"Out of my way." Soma sneered, rudely shoving the taller man aside to make his way towards the elevator.
"Heh, still dealing problems with anger and tail between legs whenever you sees me," Johannes chuckled as he tailed behind his son, obviously knowing beforehand that Soma was meeting up with Tsubaki, and waited for the moment to shows up, "How immature of you even after all these years. How do you expect to outwit me with that predictable attitude of yours?"
"Does it matters?" Soma scoffed as he punched the 'Down' button, waiting impatiently for either one of the three elevator to arrive, and boy how he hate waiting whenever the person he loathed was pestering him like flies, "As long as I don't ended up as an asshole like you, even being animal sounds like a better option for life."
"Don't be ridiculous, son." Johannes laughed, but there's no sign of amusement in his eyes and he gazes at his own son who refused to look at him, "You inherited more from me than you ever want to admit."
"How tragic to me." Soma retorted sarcastically, hating the man for always trying to point out the resemblance which was not visible.
When the door of the elevator finally opens, Soma immediately stepped in and pushed the 'Close' button before Johannes had the chance to get in. His attempt was bootless when his father's hand stopped the door from clamping shut at the very last second. Sensing an object being in the way, the sensitive door of the elevator opens again, and it had only worsened Soma's already flaring annoyance.
"What now?" Soma snapped. What was it with all these people these days? Blocking his way and stopping him from even shutting a damn door!
"Before I forgot," Johannes lowered his hand and placed it behind his back along with the other one, making to move to share the elevator with his son, "Garland and his daughter would be visiting in weeks for Christmas, you are required to attend the dinner on time. You might as well try to get along with your bride-to-be. After all, Lorelei is a lovely young lady."
That had only made the younger Schicksal hated his father more than ever. Always controlling and thinks that he could have his way with his son's life and expect to be respected in return.
"Lovely my ass, she's just as twisted as you and Garland in the combine." Soma spatted and pushed the button again, "And you know what? Why don't you marry her yourself if you find her oh-so-lovely."
With the elevator door closed tight, Soma missed the sight of the complicated look in his father's eyes.