A warm hand gently shook him out of the nap he had been unknowingly taking. Tsuzuki lifted his head off his desk, blearily blinking at the dark figure before him.

�Tsuzuki,� The figure greeted gruffly. �The workday ended a long time ago.� He informed the formerly sleeping man. �Though I am certain the company enjoys having you feel the need to stay after, I do believe the janitors would like to work without your presence.�

�Oh, thank you . . .� Tsuzuki hesitated, trying to let on that he really didn�t know the person�s name. Instead of answering him like a normal person would do, the dark figure held open the door tapping his foot impatiently.

Tsuzuki was not one to be deterred though. As he waited in the hallway for his companion to finish locking the door, he tried to straighten his mussed up hair.

By that time, the man had finished, and started to lead the way down the hall.

�Oh, by the way,� Tsuzuki called out, hurrying after the man. �I�m Tsuzuki Asato.� He tried to give his most winning smile. �I just transferred here a few days ago.�

The dark figure gave him a contemptuous look. �Good for you.� He commented, opening the entrance door for Tsuzuki. Tsuzuki stepped out into the street, shivering from the air that was cold after being in a nice heated office.

�Um, why are you locking the doors? The janitors will need to get in and out.� Tsuzuki commented. The look the man gave him made any further comment die in his throat.

After he was done, the man raked his fingers through his hair, stopping when they contacted with his visor. �The janitors have their own set of keys.�

�Oh, okay . . .� Tsuzuki scuffed his shoe against the pavement. The man gave Tsuzuki another look, which could have been pity, had the visor been more expressive.

�Do you need a ride home?� The man offered. Or at least, Tsuzuki thought he was offering one.

�Oh, no, I can walk just fine.� Tsuzuki smiled and waved. �I�ll see you tomorrow, right?�

�You should.� The man replied, already walking away.

***

The site of his home once again brought the unfortunate man to tears. In the middle of the living room he had a heap of dirty clothes left out that morning so he would remember to wash them when returned home.

Sighing, Tsuzuki glanced at the laundry money, and pursed his lips. He had enough to either cram most of his clothes into a load, or eat dinner that night. He glared at the offensive pile of laundry, hoping that it realized that his conflict was its entire fault.

It was the smell that decided it for him. If Tsuzuki did buy himself dinner, then he might not be able to keep it down with the smell emanating from the pile before him. Gathering up the pile of clothes, Tsuzuki made his way down to the Laundromat.

The Laundromat was on the bottom floor of the apartment complex, making it only somewhat difficult for Tsuzuki to reach from his apartment on the top floor.

The clean, white Laundromat was well lit, and its brilliance stunned Tsuzuki for several moments. Though it was too small for the whole apartment complex to use at once, it was quite large when you were the only person in it.

Well, almost the only person. Tsuzuki glanced at the only other occupant, who, for all intensive purposes, was absorbed in his newspaper. Well that was okay. After the success he had with his coworker, Tsuzuki didn�t really want to try to converse with anyone else.

Stuffing his clothes into the washing machine was rather difficult. After much grunting as he tried to stuff as many clothes into the miniscule machine, Tsuzuki was able to close the lid and enter the correct change for the machine to start.

Now there was only one problem. How would one get the machine to start?

Fingers sliding over the top, Tsuzuki looked for an obvious �push here to start� button. Unfortunately, this discovery was not forthcoming.

Crouching before the machine, Tsuzuki scanned the front for something, anything to push. The cool, shiny, flawless metal front met his questing gaze.

Somewhat frantic, Tsuzuki searched the top again, behind the machine, to the sides . . . nothing. Sitting back on his heels, Tsuzuki whimpered loudly.

�I give up.� He sniffed, burrowing his head into his arms in defeat.

Finally the person across the room took notice of him. Sighing impatiently, he neatly folded his newspaper and returned it to a pile of old newspapers that he had organized earlier that evening. His shoes made an impatient sound as they quickly crossed the floor towards Tsuzuki.

Tsuzuki could barely lift his head before the man leaned over him, opened the lid of the machine he was crouched before, and closed it. The machine started almost immediately.

�Thanks.� Tsuzuki gave the man a pitiful smile. The man appraised him silently, before inclining his head in acknowledgement.

�Have you moved here recently?� The man asked. �I do not recall noticing you before.�

�Just a few days ago,� Tsuzuki admitted. �By the way, I�m Tsuzuki Asato.� He enthusiastically offered his hand.

The man gave the hand a look one would a live viper. �Tatsumi. I am pleased to meet you.� He responded with a short bow, ignoring Tsuzuki�s outstretched hand.

Tsuzuki did his best to keep up the smile. �Do you live here?�

Tatsumi adjusted his glasses. �I would have thought that to be quite obvious.� He responded. �This Laundromat is only open to those who live in this apartment complex.�

�Eh, yes, of course,� Tsuzuki�s smile turned nervous. An uncomfortable silence ensured, only to be interrupted by the obnoxious sound of a buzzer.

�Please excuse me,� Tatsumi said, �But my laundry appears to be done.�

Tsuzuki blinked over at it confusedly. �But, you haven�t dried it yet,� He started, giving Tatsumi a confused look.

�It is cheaper to dry your clothes off the clothesline.� Tatsumi replied evenly. �Good bye, it was a pleasure to meet you, Tsuzuki-san.� Tatsumi was already moving away towards his laundry.

Tsuzuki sighed and rested his head against the cool metallic surface of the washing machine. It would be nice to crawl into his futon that evening, and pretend that the day�s events had not happened. His stomach rumbled complainingly, reminding him that it hadn�t had a decent meal since he had awoken from his afternoon nap to find a sandwich next to his face.

Soon he would go to bed and thing would be better in the morning . . .

Tsuzuki whimpered from hunger, and slid down so he could kneel while resting his head against the machine.

�Is there a problem?� Tatsumi�s voice sounded from above him.

Tsuzuki shook his head and looked up at the tall figure next to him. �No, not really,� Tatsumi raised an eyebrow. �Well, I didn�t have a good day at work,� Tsuzuki slowly admitted. �That one man wasn�t nice at all . . . and then I had too many reports so I had to work over time, and then I got lost on my way home and then-�

�Wait-� Before Tatsumi could stop him; Tsuzuki threw himself into remembering every wrong done to him that day.

�And I dropped my laundry five times down the stairs, and then I-� Tsuzuki�s voice started to gain a hysterical pitch as he continued, �And I�m hungry, and I can�t get any food until tomorrow, and I�m tired, and you�re mean, and-� Tatsumi�s hand over Tsuzuki�s mouth effectively stopped Tsuzuki from continuing.

Tatsumi used his free hand to hesitantly touch Tsuzuki�s shoulder. �Please stop.� He begged. Tsuzuki ferociously shook his head. �Here . . . ,� Tatsumi glanced around for help, but the Laundromat offered no obvious solutions. �You can . . . have . . . dinner!� Tatsumi focused on the only one of Tsuzuki�s problem�s he could immediately solve. �If you wish, you may eat with me tonight.� Tatsumi promised more firmly.

Tsuzuki looked up as far as he could with Tatsumi restraining him, and said something that was lost in Tatsumi�s hand.

Seeing that Tsuzuki wasn�t going to continue crying, Tatsumi immediately let go, wiping his hand with a handkerchief.

�Really?� Tsuzuki asked hopefully. Tatsumi gravely nodded. �Alrighty then!� Tsuzuki tried to give Tatsumi his most charming smile. The later only sighed, turning away to gather his laundry basket.

***

His mother had introduced him to rules at a young age, and, for all intensive purposes, they were ingrained into his mind. They were not strict rules, more of rules of common sense, such as don�t accept gifts from strangers and so on.

One of them was not to invite strangers into his home. Glancing at the stranger who was in his living room flipping through books, Tatsumi decided that perhaps he had not learned his lesson as well as he should have. But still, the man seemed too small and fragile to have a chance of harming him.

Carrying the dinner he had just finished over to the table that serviced as the main furniture of the living room, Tatsumi took the opportunity to observe the young man.

Tsuzuki, seeing him, immediately pressed his hand to his mouth and made an odd choking noise.

�Is there something wrong?� Tatsumi asked delicately. Surely he wouldn�t laugh at their dinner for the night, as Tsuzuki had seemed quite earnest about being hunger.

Tsuzuki shook his head earnestly. �No, it�s just that,� He made the choking noise again. �I guess it takes a real man to wear that.� He pointed at Tatsumi�s apron.

Tatsumi indignantly pressed his lips together as he glanced down at his apron. It had been on sale, and he had been worried about accidentally burning a hole in his more expensive shirts. So what if it had useless pink frills and rabbits stitched on it? �I am glad that you see it that way.� Tatsumi commented, deftly removing the offending garment. �Please take a seat, Tsuzuki-san.�

Tsuzuki hurried over to the table, giving Tatsumi barely enough time to sit down before Tsuzuki tore into his food with an �itadakimasu�. One part of Tatsumi was pleased that Tsuzuki was enjoying his food. A more powerful part noted that Tsuzuki was spraying pieces of half-eaten food everywhere.

�Tsuzuki-san,� Tatsumi waited until Tsuzuki looked up before continuing. �I do believe that if you eat at a more subdued pace, the food will not disappear.� He commented, watching the man before him intently.

At least Tsuzuki had enough manners to swallow before talking. �Oh yeah, sorry.� He grinned apologetically, and just at Tatsumi was about to smile in return, returned to his former pace of eating. Tatsumi sighed and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. It would be a long night.

***

�Thank you!� Tsuzuki smiled happily at Tatsumi. Tatsumi smiled, and tried not to look at the crumbs covering Tsuzuki�s mouth. �It was really delicious.�

�I am glad you enjoyed it.� Tatsumi smiled weakly, his fingers itching to reach out and wipe the bits of food off of Tsuzuki�s mouth. �We should do this again.�

Tsuzuki nodded. �Yes. Oh, wait,�

Tatsumi grimaced in anticipation. �Yes?� He asked warily.

�What�s your name again?�

End of Part 1