when the sharks are swimming (junko)

[aislinn02]

, before the sun decides to hide
( I KNOW YOU THINK MAYBE I'M OUT OF LINE IT'S ONLY GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME )

In the area of the shrine, the air was still without much of a breeze; even after the torrential downpour, earlier, the air vibrated with only a little bit of the electricity that often follows rain. Rin stopped where she was on the pathway, glancing around and taking a deep breath; there was nothing. The lack-luster touch in the air left her feeling a hollow, a little deprived. She had never been very religious - not after her family, not after anything - but she still expected something. Wasn't there supposed to be a feeling of divine intervention when you were at this place? Weren't you supposed to feel like there was something more?

She didn't. Rin was thoroughly disenchanted with this whole place that the only reason she stayed around was because she had a business meeting and because the grounds were fabulously kept.

Besides that, it was empty. And that was the perfect kind of place for a meeting, no doubt, especially one with means such as the one she was partaking in. Rin tucked a strand of soft hair behind her ear, procuring a cigarette and lighting it, Gods be damned. She was working off of two hours of sleep and three cups of coffee; she was deserving of a little slack, wasn't she? Besides, she firmly believed that she was at her best when she didn't sleep. There was so much more you could get done when you didn't waste it resting.

Taking a drag of her cigarette, and then exhaling the smoke into the damp air, she glanced at her phone. The digital clock on it read 1:23 PM; the young woman scowled a little. "You've got two minutes before you start to keep me waiting, Takashi," she muttered under her breath. "God knows I'm even more of a bitch if I have to wait for you."

Perhaps she should have felt a little guilty about smoking, and cursing, in the sight of the Gods, but she figured if they had a problem with it they'd let her know.

( I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED 'CAUSE I CAN SEE THE FUTURE LOOKING THROUGH YOUR EYES )

[Junko Takashi]

The skies were clear and smelled so fresh and clean. Junko took a deep breath in, enjoying his stroll down the shrine’s gardens. The sun was bright; it casted dancing shadows against the cement. Even as a man, he enjoyed the blooming flowers and old buildings. However, the trees barely rustled. He paused and stretched his arms over his head before proceeding. It would have been the perfect day if there had been a bit of a gentle wind. His watch beeped 1:25PM. Oops, he was late, again.

Junko woke up hardly an hour ago from a lovely 8 hour nap. He was never suffering from lack of sleep. After all, he lived like a jobless night owl. He spent hours upon hours on the computer in the darkest hours of the night into the wee hours of the morning. In fact, when most people were rising to go to work, he was getting ready for bed.

His nose caught wind of cigarette smoke. He bit his bottom lip involuntarily. Damn, now he was craving another cancer stick. He tried his hardest not to reach into his pocket, where it bounced against his leg as he walked.

He squinted as he approached the familiar path of the shrine. Frowning, he realized that his vision was once again blurry. It was going to be a problem hiding the fact that his vision was slowing worsening day by day. Yet, he has kept this secret for so long, he would not know how to tell another person. As long as it did not affect him drastically, as long as I can still function, it’s okay. He thought to himself, unconvincingly.

This job came at the right time; money was in the pits again. It was not because of drugs, booze, women, or rent. Hardly so; he wasn’t that kind of man. It was the equipment he had and the money he poured into his information digging systems. They were far beyond exorbitant.

“She certainly looks like hell,” he chuckled as he approached the feminine figure. The woman was actually very beautiful. She had a long, lean figure and a delicate face. But, boy, did she have a mouth on her. Very much like his ex-wife. He would know, of course. He constantly teased her as he had the sudden urge to do so today. With a serious expression on his face, he pointed dramatically at the woman’s face. “I haven’t seen bags like that since my 60 year old elementary gym teacher wore a tank top.”

[aislinn02]

, before the sun decides to hide
( I KNOW YOU THINK MAYBE I'M OUT OF LINE IT'S ONLY GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME )

To others, Rin would claim that she only dealt with Junko because he was good at what he did and she could appreciate that - even if he was complete idiot and she hardly tolerated stupidity, especially in the work place. The point was that he was a valuable asset to the business, and as a successful businesswoman, she was constantly on the lookout for the best of the best. Junko happened to be one of those. But in actuality, he was one of the few people she could stand to be around; it was easy to forget, sometimes, that they were business partners. How long had they been working together, anyway? Long enough to be considered friends, if Rin made anything like that.

When she heard Junko approach, she turned and gave him a most deadpan expression. Thoroughly unamused at his attempt to be cute, she blew a billow of smoke away and stuck the cigarette back in her mouth. I don't know why I put up with you, she thought, blue eyes narrowing as she smoothed out the front of her shirt. She had always been considered rather aesthetically pleasing, though she hadn't always put a lot of value on looks; there wasn't much you could do with a voluptuous figure unless you wanted to degrade yourself. She wanted to appear professional, intimidating, and meticulously kept. She was meticulously kept. Her hair was almost always in place, her clothes clean, her nails manicured her and appearance painfully kept to order. It was a small bit of control in a world otherwise domineered by chaos, and she enjoyed the chance to take charge of something.

"Fuck you," she told him. "I'm in my prime. You? You're far too old to be considered anything but prehistoric." She held up the cell phone for him, indicating the time - 1:26. "By the way, you're a minute late. That's practically a waste of my time."

Truthfully, he was probably only a couple years older than herself - but what else had he expected?

Rolling her eyes, she stuck the cell phone back in her pocket. Even though he was entirely eccentric and she could barely contain her sarcasm around him, she found that there was sort of a companion spirit in him. Even though she would never admit it aloud.

"Now that you've taken your sweet time getting here," Rin began, dropping her smoked cigarette to the ground and stamping it out, "why don't you skip to the part I pay you for? Spare me the platitudes, if you will."

( I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED 'CAUSE I CAN SEE THE FUTURE LOOKING THROUGH YOUR EYES )

[Junko Takashi]

Just like his job as a hacker, he has always had a love-hate relationship with Rin. They were indeed old friends. Bullying each other came so natural; it became Junko’s way of expression his fondness of her. He adored how reliable and hard driven she was and he knew deep down she was compassionate. There were also times that he wanted to smother her with a portable pillow because of her strict, condescending nature.

To the complete stranger, they undoubtedly appeared to be an attractive couple, teasing each other affectionately. Standing next to Rin, he appeared a little more than a head taller than her. His stature was lean yet muscular underneath his everyday attire; a white button up shirt causally tucked in dark jeans. His dark brown hair had a slightly tousled look and framed his face quite effortlessly. A shiver ran down his back. What a terrifying thought, Rin as his mate.

“Prehistoric?! Man, I already feel like an old man. Don’t rub it in.” Junko pouted. “And, jeez, you swear like a trucker. I was hoping you’d grow out of it by now.” he paused, crinkling his nose.

“It’s a good thing you’re pretty good looking and ‘in your prime’ because that foul mouth of yours isn’t going to catch you a mate.” Junko gripped the backing of a nearby bench, letting his fingers grazed along it before he settling himself on it.

Patting the place next to him, he flashed her his most charming smile. “Late, schmate. You are really no fun at all. C’mon here and take a load off, little Missy. Spend a little time with me.” The man offered her a small cup of store bought coffee, waving it around and letting the aroma linger in the air. The man enjoyed the business meetings. It was the only time when he got to spend some quality time with Rin. She was always so busy with yakuza business. What was the name of it again? Yamikitsune something or another.

He would say that her line of occupational hazards were far beyond dangerous. She was still a woman and he could not help but feel a bit protective of her. However, if he ever expressed it, Rin would say he was no better than a hypocrite. His line of work was not exactly harmless either.

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[aislinn02]

, before the sun decides to hide
( I KNOW YOU THINK MAYBE I'M OUT OF LINE IT'S ONLY GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME )

If she would dare to call Junko a friend, she wouldn't say it in front of anyone - not even him. That was the problem with working in the Yakuza; it was a difficult life, and you couldn't afford any casualties. Only a few people knew about her brother (or rather, his existence) and she'd made sure that the people who knew were people that she could easily crush beneath the boot of monarchy. That was how things worked, you know.

At any rate, she considered their situation for a minute - two young people, meeting in a quiet place to be alone for a moment. It probably looked as if they were a couple, though perhaps the swearing could have shattered that image rather forcefully. If Junko thought he was terrified at the thought of Rin as a lover, imagine her disdain.

Unfortunately for the hacker, there would be very little instances in which Rin would actually be nice. It wasn't really in her nature. She was far more accustomed to the aloof, condescending exterior she'd managed to perfect over the years, holding herself above the others and descending from her throne only when necessary (there was a brief escapade to the grocery store once that did not end well - never again). He could probably sit around and wait for a kind word for years on end and not even get one at his funeral. That's not to say she didn't care for him, though. Just not... Openly.

"You're not a child, Junko," Rin scoffed. "It's not like I'm poisoning your virgin ears, you poor thing. Although sometimes I do doubt your mental age."

It was strange; perhaps her affection came from the fact that he was so impetuously immature. Her brother, though only a year or two younger than her, was still at the mental capacity of an eight year old. It had been more difficult than amusing over the years, but she'd managed. She'd always managed.

Rin rolled her eyes. "'Pretty good looking'? Ooh, you know the way straight my heart, you lady-killer." She smiled a sly half-smile at him, the few and the rare. "We both know there isn't any mate-searching going on in my end of the deal. The only mate I've got is the biorobotics business, and anything else I can get my hands on." And it was true - she was far too much of a workaholic to actually ever settle down.

It was, however, a done deal for an actual sit-down when he produced a cup of coffee - her weakness, and perhaps one of the only. She gave him a look that said you know this only works because you brought coffee, taking the cup from him and sitting down where he indicated. Her legs crossed daintily, silver hair tumbling down across her shoulder; her expression was that of near-contentment as she sipped the coffee.

"But you will be the death of me," she sighed. "Bringing me coffee after I just smoked a cigarette. It's like you know all of my weaknesses already." She quirked a perfectly manicured brow at him, sipping the coffee again. "So I suppose the hacker business is going well, at least? Or are we struggling to maintain funds once more?"

( I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED 'CAUSE I CAN SEE THE FUTURE LOOKING THROUGH YOUR EYES )

[Junko Takashi]

“Well, my ex-wife always told me I act like teenager all the time so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’d say the same thing.” In many ways, Rin reminded him of her. They always gave him the same disgusted look but kind of in an affectionate way. It was always in good fun.

Oh, is that a smile now? He mentally tallied it in his brain scoreboard. It was certainly rare that anyone would have the privilege of seeing one of those. One of his goals in life was to be flabbergasted the number of smiles she could muster. It did not look good though. He could still remember every single time. Maybe that was okay because, every time she smiled, it was an unexpected surprise.

It was funny that something as little as an expression would trouble him so. People like Rin, who seem to have money and respect, were always frustrated and overworked. No matter how much they worked, they remained unfulfilled; some part of their life was empty. It was where true happiness came from. Every day should be filled with reasons to smile.

This applied to himself as well. Junko was a fairly respected hacker. For those who knew, to have someone like the Yamikitsune Kai back his work boosted his credibility. Others scouted him out because they knew how handy he was with a computer. However, he has worked hard his whole life, overcoming impossible obstacles and becoming one of the best in his fields. He ignored his family and they did not hesitate to leave. He could hardly blame them though. Who would want a part time father?

Junko ran his fingers through his hair. He was sounding like an old man again. He could not help it. Rin brought that out in him. Her personality contrasted harshly against his; where he was playful and immature, she was serious and straightforward. But maybe they were the same inside.

He gave her a friendly wink as the warmth of coffee cup disappeared from his fingers. “Now, that’s mean.” He theatrically placed his hands over his heart with a pained expression. “I won’t be the death of you! You’re just my best customer and I just know how to deliver.”

Grinning, he watched as Rin planted herself, very ladylike, next to him. His fingers causally tapped on the sides of his own cup of coffee. There was something on his mind he has meant to ask her for a while. “Biorobotics, huh.” The man said softly. What were the costs of these machines nowadays? Are they reliable? Will they change his life? He head researched tirelessly until it all turned to mush. Furrowing his brow, he quickly dismissed the thought.

“Oh, honey, when am I not struggling to keep up?” He chuckled. His head fell back against the top of the bench and he tucked his arm underneath. “Don’t you ever get tire of running? Every time you think you’re safe, they always seem to catch on.” He was far too proud to ask for help, but talking could not hurt; it was what he did best after all.

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[aislinn02]

, before the sun decides to hide
( I KNOW YOU THINK MAYBE I'M OUT OF LINE IT'S ONLY GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME )

Unfortunately, when you became part of the Yakuza, almost your entire life was dedicated to it. There was very little time for slacking or relaxing - not if you wanted things done right, anyway. And maybe that was Rin's biggest fault. She was hell-bent on success. She had very little drive for this, except that she got tangled into the business at a young age when she and Akihiko had escaped from their parents and that it had been her life (besides her brother) since then. For Rin, success meant getting things done yourself - she couldn't really trust anyone else to do it, after all. If they didn't do it her way, they were doing it the wrong way.

It was an incessant need for control, but it was a comforting one. What little happiness she could take from the world was taken when everything was going her way and she had complete control of the situation she was in. She was, unfortunately, rubbing off on Akihiko; but this, in her mind, wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Please don't compare me to your ex-wife," Rin sighed, taking another drink of coffee. "I'm sure we're both bitches, but I bet I'm more of a bitch than she ever was." A dry, near-humorless smile graced her lips then, but it dissipated as quickly as the sun behind a cloud. When he mentioned that she was his best customer, she rolled her eyes and the tension in her expression disappeared, too. "Well, I'm sure you say that to all of your customers," she told him, almost affectionately. It did bother her a little bit that he knew exactly the way to win her over, but after being companions with someone for so long, what else could she expect?

Before, and even now, friendships seemed like shallow things to Rin. What use was a friend when you had work to be done? Working in a dangerous profession left little room for error, which meant that friends were a weakness better not yet discovered. If she didn't have friends, she didn't have to worry about losing them.

A silver brow was lifted once more at Takashi's thoughtful murmured, repeating her favorite phrase - biorobitics. It was a business well worth investing in, she felt - as long as you did it right.

There was a softening in Rin's expression at his last comment, perhaps as if she completely understood him, or perhaps she was feeling sympathy for him. It wasn't very clear. She said, her tone a little quiet now, "I have been tired of running since I began when I was fifteen, Takashi. It has been far too long. But we both know that for people like me - perhaps even like us - the running doesn't stop until we're six feet under ground."

She took in a little breath, the smile on her face now a grim, albeit pretty, testament to a life she more happily kept private. "But enough talk about that," she said, keeping her tone poised and light. That was her best trait - composure. "If you're interested, I have a job for you. I need some information from a businessman who deals largely in biorobotics. Naturally, he doesn't want to give it up - not to the likes of me, anyway, and I'm not willing to waste the manpower on this waste of space in order to get it." Rin swirled the coffee around in her cup. "If you want it, I'll reward you handsomely. I always do."

( I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED 'CAUSE I CAN SEE THE FUTURE LOOKING THROUGH YOUR EYES )

[Junko Takashi]

“All you powerful women have to be bitches to get the same amount of respect as a stupid man with small… gun.” He said humorously, stroking his chin then giving her a thumb up. “I have your back, see?” Although, he had no idea what she was going through as a high ranking woman, the bottom line was he understood women was far stronger than men.

He hesitated, understanding her feeling to avoid personal information. It was one of those uncommon occasions that she opened up a little, and it let Junko to see a sliver of her life. “Running is just so tiresome now. I am not as young as I used to be. Or as fit,” he grinned, patting his tummy.

A job? His brown eyes lit up as those words fell from her lips. Rin always gave him the most challenging jobs. Granting it led him to grind his teeth, pull his hair out, and work tirelessly into the night, but it always gave him the satisfaction of overcoming a ridiculously fresh digital obstacle new to the scene.

Oh, and who can forget the splendid feeling of destroying some bastard’s reputation when the new broadcasted the next day. That was an aspect he enjoyed about the job. It made him feel like the brains behind the superheroes, or at least an accomplice worthy of praise.

Thinking back, he had always loved the clicking of the keys as his fingers flew across the keyboard in such an effortless fashion. He could recall numerous codes and programs off the top of his head within a few seconds. The glare of the computer screens shone bright in the darkness of his room was only normality for him. This was his life and his love.

“You know, I am always interested. That’s why you came to me,” he snorted, reaching over to pinch her cheeks lightly. He listened amusingly as she spoke. As always, Rin spoke disdainfully of this businessman, no doubt with her tone. “Oh, yes, I love it when you talk dirty to me. Tell me more, sweetheart.”

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[aislinn02]

, before the sun decides to hide
( I KNOW YOU THINK MAYBE I'M OUT OF LINE IT'S ONLY GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME )

Rin had never been much of a dweller. The only thing she had ever dwelled on were parents - the fact that she hated them, that she woudl gladly waste time (even though she was such a no-nonsense person) in order to get rid of them - and even then she tried not to think about them too often. While she did not require herself to stop and think ponderously on things from her pasts, they did sometimes rear their ugly heads, these ghosts from way back when. She felt it was destructive to think too much on these things; while she would never, ever forgive her parents, she knew that there was no use hanging onto them now.

"You were fit?" Rin inquired innocently, though the wan tone to her voice could not be missed, the dry humor in it crackling like Autumn leaves underfoot. "I can hardly picture you anything but the lumbering man you are now. Then again, perhaps that is how I think of all men." The tiny smile disappeared from her face to a much more comfortable expression for her; polite and businesslike intent.

At least with Junko, she could feel confident that things would get done. When it came to siphoning information, she didn't care how she got it, not really. As long as she got what she needed at the end of the day, she could do her job. And she was willing to pay good money for it.

Her eyes narrowed a little bit when he reached over and pinched her cheek. She swatted her hand in the air, as if to shoo him from her touching, and rubbed her cheek lightly where his fingers had been.

"I forget you're so weird, sometimes," Rin sighed. "You would like it when I used that tone." But she said this with amusement nonetheless, taking a drink of her coffee. "I need the information as soon as possible. By the end of the week, at the latest. It's Monday now, so I think that should be plenty of time - my sources tell me he's got weak protection on the information anyway. If I had the time or the care, I would waltz in there and do it myself." She eyed him with those soft irises, perhaps the only soft-looking thing about her, over her coffee. "Problem is, I don't have the time or the care. Which is why I'm paying you the money."

Rin finished the last of her coffee, giving a little disappointed noise before standing and beckoning with a crook of her finger for Junko to follow her. She began a leisurely stroll down the neatly-kept path in order to find a garbage can that she could dispense her coffee cup in.

"What's important is that he doesn't know the information's gone until the very last possible moment," she explained, her expression straightening a little bit. "I want it to be a real kicker when he realizes he's lost everything." Briefly, she glanced back over at Junko. "But I guess that's why you don't cross the Yamikitsune, eh?"

As they rounded a corner, she located a garbage can and slipped the coffee cup inside. "I could use another of those," she sighed, a little nonplussed at the idea of the wait for coffee. "Care to join me?"

( I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED 'CAUSE I CAN SEE THE FUTURE LOOKING THROUGH YOUR EYES )

[Junko Takashi]

He crinkled his nose; his bright eyes hidden by a passing shadow. “Eh! I’m not that bad not, am I?!” Junko looked down where his shirt met his plain leather belt. His finger poked at his belly, as if to measure the body fat. He was indeed getting a bit pudgier, compared to his younger days.

“If a girl like you thinks that, what will my dream girl say?! Maybe I do have to get back to the gym. But I’ve always thought I got this hip young dad look, y’know.” He said teasingly with a grin plastered on his aren’t-I-cute face. A man Junko’s age should not be making cute faces, but he never felt he grew up. In his heart, he was still a nerdy teenager with passion for computers.

Peeking at Rin, he noted her figure. It was not a body of a skinny girl but one of a sexy, confident woman. Even Junko had to admit that she was aesthetically pleasing to the eye. There is no way in hell she had time to work out, let alone worry about a diet plan. He thought accusingly. He quickly came to one conclusion that she must be some kind of cyborg. Yeah, terminator style (like in his fantasies).

“And I’m not that weird,” he mumbled but he nodded obediently, alert and attentive as she continued. End of the week. Fairly easy job. She peered over her coffee cup, eyes wide and almost childlike. His heart skipped a beat; her expression caught him off guard. Maybe it was because he was a head taller than her or that the fact that he was thinking of the past.

It reminded him that, if things had gone as planned with his ex-wife, they would have a wondrous young daughter by now. Yes, a beautiful daughter who, if she grew up like Rin, he would not mind so much. Actually, that was a lie. He would much rather his kid stay a cute, little girl who wuved her daddy forever.

“Of course, I can do it. I can guarantee you it in half the time, if it’s as easy as you say it is,” his lips curved upwards in a trained way. His trustworthy, business smile slipped out again. He had not even finished the coffee, but it had turned to a bitter and watery mess. He gladly chucked his drink into the trash bin after hers. Junko followed beside her, matching his pace with hers.

“You know, you scare the shit out of me but I wouldn’t mind another coffee.” He strolled a bit in front of her, and turned back, watching her with an amused face. To many, this seemed like something a child would do to tease his parents into chasing after him. Walking backwards with a silly grin. “There’s a little café right next to the shrine that just opened up. I hear they have killer cakes! Let’s go! It’ll be like a date… like a blind date gone horribly wrong, but still a date. I mean, you seriously need one anyway.”

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[aislinn02]

, before the sun decides to hide
( I KNOW YOU THINK MAYBE I'M OUT OF LINE IT'S ONLY GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME )

Rin was not necessarily a vain creature. She tried to keep the ego part of her down, even though she knew she was good at what she did and sometimes the ugly thing called pride reared its head in her line of work. She would usually reserve her preening for a more private moment, choosing to gloat over her victories when she was back in her apartment after a good, solid day of work. There was a sort of dignified satisfaction that came with saving it for when you were alone; anybody could just gloat in front of their peers, rub it in their faces, take all of the credit and decrease company morale. But it took a real boss to save it, credit those who helped, and wait until they were alone to really boast over their victories.

It seemed, though, that she couldn't help a bit of preening when Junko was around. Anybody could shower compliments on her all day and she would remain unimpressed, nonchalant; likely she would tell them to piss off, because she's a very busy woman and doesn't take to interruptions well, but Junko was different. Perhaps it was because they had been "friends" - if she dared to call him that! - for so long, or perhaps it just because she trusted Junko to turn it into something that was more acceptable. The blatant compliment of oh you're beautiful or the other romantic, sappy shit the world tried to throw on people was ridiculously disgusting. But Junko - Junko made it all right.

"Oh?" Rin asked, tilting her head in his direction. "But I thought I was your dream girl, Takashi?" A disarming smile was shot in his direction, eyelashes fluttering. "You wound my feelings so, you know."

She didn't know what his ideal "dream girl" was, not really - but she was fairly certain she did not fit into that mold. She was never one to conform, anyway, and she thought perhaps a small part of him might still be a little tired of that kind of thing. She hoped not. Junko was too endearing to lose faith in something as kind as love.

A slender hand on a curvy hip, the lighter-haired of the two arched a brow at him. "I would think by now you know I'm not one to settle quickly for romance," Rin declared a little airily. "Though I suppose this has been a long-standing affair between the two of us. I knew you would come around to my charms, if only I badgered you a little more." Sarcasm fluttered in her tone, light as a butterfly, a thin veil over her light words. "Well, now that you know my deepest, darkest affections for you, let me take your arm like the gentleman you could be and show me where this coffee shop is."

( I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED 'CAUSE I CAN SEE THE FUTURE LOOKING THROUGH YOUR EYES )

[Junko Takashi]

Junko was quite surprised when she so easily accepted his offer. That didn’t take as much work as I thought it would. Maybe she’s getting a little soft. Without a second more to spare, he grasped her arm eagerly and hooked it crudely with his. He was quite rough with women. Something he could not help because of his lack of experience in the said field recently. He had not spent much time with them, well, outside of his need to fulfill his… needs.

This always left him feeling guilty the day after, when he rushed off with a pitiful excuse about a business meeting or going out of town. He by no means treated women like they were objects. He under no circumstances forced them to do anything they did not want to do and he never went home with a girl who drank a bit too much.

There were just no more whimsical ideas of dream girls and wifey material that crossed his mind. Junko found that out soon after he first got married. His opinions were squished underneath her foot; compromise was not possible on either end. That was what happened when one marries a strong woman. He has always like strong females. Perhaps that is what got him in trouble in the first place.

Or maybe his refusal to become a responsible adult forced him to avoid relationships after realizing how much was expected out of him in a marriage. He did what he liked to do and did it when he felt like doing it; period. There was nothing wrong with that.

On top of that, his job hardly offered the financial and physical security to raise a family. Who knew when his next paycheck would come? Who knew who held a grudge against him? When would they target his family?

He would hate to admit it but Rin stood as one of his only friends, even if they only met each other in work situations. It was nice to hear her express her feelings on their relationship. By God, it was once in a blue moon. Despite other’s opinions of Rin, he would always think her as a amiable young woman. Her charm definitely made her more appealing not only as a business client but as a person as well.

“Ha, you would make a lovely dominatrix. Y’know with your verbal abuse towards people. Always making people like me cry and grovel at your feet. But I’m not into that kind of stuff so I couldn’t help you in that department anyway. No one would ever believe if I said you were charming anyhow.”

He dragged Rin along, pausing when he remembered that she was a woman. In his experience, they do not tend to like being manhandled. He slowed his pace and gently patted her hand as they walked towards the exit of the shrine. “It’s just a little up ahead. Do you want to take a car or walk- we probably should walk anyway. It’s good for the heart!”

Grinning, he pulled her lightly along until they reached the cozy entrance of a petite café. He pulled opened the door for her and smiled, “After you, milady.”

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