2006.11.15

NOTE: This is finished (it is?) but I’m filing it under snips.

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Yasuhara was very good at pretending he didn't see things happen even when they did, a short distance from where he was doing the filing.

"Maybe it was a loose floorboard?" He suggested kindly, but Mai only groaned into a cushion. (She had thrown herself on the couch after the coast was clear.) "Or maybe it's the rug? I remember Takigawa-san tripped on that one before."

Mai wearily raised her head. Her cheeks were still red. "It's ice cream."

Yasuhara blinked.

"Ice cream. I ate three cups at school today. That must be it."

"Mai-san, I don't think ice cream affects a person's sense of balance."

Mai slumped back on the couch with an agonized mmmmrff.

"But whatever it was, I'm just glad you weren't hurt."

"Mmmffff."

Minutes ago, Mai burst through the door, waving a bag from the nearby convenience store ("look, we have snacks!"). She had kicked her shoes off and was rushing to the kitchen when she suddenly lost her footing and skidded and nearly slammed into the wall --

if it weren't for the Shibuya Psychic Research CEO's timely appearance.

Yasuhara had bolted out of his chair when he suddenly noticed Mai pressed against a striking pale figure in black. (When...did the boss come out of his office?) Mai's purchases had scattered across the floor, and some sheets of paper -- possibly from one of Naru's folders -- wafted into the air.

Naru was holding Mai around the waist, looking just the slightest bit annoyed.

"Wha-Wha-Wha--"

"What are you trying to do," Naru sharply said.

"What do you mean-- I wasn't...MMMFFFF--"

Naru had lifted Mai up, just enough to have her stand properly on her feet, but suddenly tightened his arms around her, crushing her against him. Mai started making a sound that eerily sounded like a small animal dying. For a moment Yasuhara considered interfering on his co-worker's behalf (there was little of her to be seen in all that black), but he saw the arms around Mai's back tense for a moment, then slowly loosen their hold.

Yasuhara quietly walked back to his seat and carefully kept his eyes on the computer screen. It didn't take long for the usual to start.

"W-What the hell was that!?" Mai wheezed, clutching at her chest.

"Is that how you talk to somebody who just saved you?"

"I didn't ask for help!!"

"Then maybe you would've liked to kiss the wall?"

"Maybe you would!"

"If it's a mirror, I might reconsider." Without missing a beat, Naru turned to Yasuhara, who was pretending to busy himself with some columns. "I'll be asking you to conduct a bit of research, if it's all right."

"Perfectly all right, boss."

"Some of the needed documents are--" Naru's gaze fell on the mess on the floor.

"I'll collect them, please don't worry."

"Thank you." Turning back to Mai, Naru let his business smile twist into a smirk. "You should stop eating junk if you want to become a little smarter."

".....%*GI(G*R@!!!!!!"

(The beautiful male protagonist in black gracefully exits left, leaving the redfaced female protagonist murderously bashing her PET bottle of tea against the pale gray carpet.)

"That said," Yasuhara gaily said, tipping an imaginary hat in the air, "you just missed the highlight of the afternoon, Mister Monk."

Fingers frozen on the doorknob of the SPR office, Takigawa looked mystified. "Ayako was drunk?"

"No."

"Lin spoke?"

"Not more than usual."

"....We have snacks?"

"Monk-san and his intuition!" Yasuhara started chuckling as he made his way down the stairs. Takigawa scratched his head as the figure disappeared around the bend, then he shrugged and opened the SPR door.

There was a crunch! as he stepped inside, and for a moment, squinting in the dim light, Takigawa regarded the bag of cheddar cheese potato chips lodged under his boot.

[end 10:45]

http://www.geocities.com/naikouteki/