Title: Rose Filling Cups
Author: Elle Doki
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Whoa!!!" the short brunette shouted as he fell back onto the black tiled floor of the costume shop he worked at.

Leaning over him, the one who'd pushed him suddenly down, was a young adult man with pale skin and black hair but his eyes were a mesmerizing golden red hue such that it couldn't be natural. "Will you go out with me?"

"Wh-what?" the brunette stammered, his black pants moving to try and push the other off with his knees.

"Will you go out with me?" he repeated, leaning closer to the other, staring into huge green eyes. "Just answer me now."

"I don't even know you!" he shouted.

"Shh," the one with black hair said, pushing his entire weight onto the other, smuthering them to the floor completely.

A group of footsteps were heard outside of the shop in the mall's covered halls. Some men were talking in hushed tones and then proceeded on.

The taller and older man sat up and looked toward the shop's door. "Good. They're gone."

"Ahem, you're still on me and you aren't exactly light." the brunette said as he tried to sit up, pushing the other off of him.

"Sorry about that." the taller one said as he stood up and brushed his black pants with the white crosses off and then straightened out his leather coat. "I had to make sure you'd cooperate."

"For what?" the brunette asked as he stood up, taking note of the physical features of the other- obviously Japanese ran in the man's blood. "What the hell do you want from me?"

"Huh?"

"First you come in here spouting crap about someone's death and then you tackle me asking me to go out with you!" He accused pointing a finger to the taller. "Tell me what the hell you want!"

He just blinked with an unreadable face. "Those guys are yakuza, and they want your abilities to find the ghost of their old boss or some shit like that."

"What?" the brunette blinked. "Hang on... How'd you -- or them -- find out that I can see ghosts?"

He smiled. "I lied."

"What....?"

"I needed to make sure you really could or not..."

"Wha....?!"

"I've been asking everyone in the mall since I heard someone on the staff was said to be able to see ghosts."

"WHA...."

"I just didn't believe it. Had to find them for myself."

WHACK. Right on the cheek. The taller man was hit so hard he went flying to the door of the shop.

"You moron!" the brunette shouted. "You scare me, intimidate me, threaten me and then you try to pin some stupid power on me just because that person was nameless!"

The man sat up, a hand on his cheek while he stared at the other dressed in black with a white shirt and elegant neck tuffle. "You mean you can't see ghosts?"

"Whether I can or not, I'm not about to tell some low-life guy who goes around with his own yakuza group intimidating people!!"

"Uh but..."

"Get out before I kick your ass so hard you'll feel your prostate come out your throat!" the brunette shouted, obviously angry.

The taller one just stood up and left quietly. The shorter just exhaled heavily and closed up shop before starting his walk home.

"Hey there," came a male voice behind him. The brunette stopped to see who called and then glared as the man with black hair caught up to him. "I was worried I'd lost you already." The brunette growled and turned to walk away, his arm caught by the other. "Hold on a second. I want you to answer my question before I let you go for the day."

A flat out: "No."

"Uh... but.... Don't you want to be able to tell people about the ghosts you can see? It's much better than keeping it to yourself."

"Tell you or keep it to myself...?" The brunette asked. "I'd pick myself over you any day."

"Narcissist?" the black haired man asked after the brunette was ten feet away. That comment made the other stop quickly. "Did I get it right?"

"No." he said, "You hit so far off it's amusing."

"Aww... C'mon date me."

"Why?"

"Because... I can show you how much better life is with a companion."

The brunette turned to the other. "I can't figure it out."

"What?"

"You're either sex-deprived or just really blind."

"I'm not sex-deprived, perv!" the black haired man shouted. "And my eye-sights a perfect 20/20!!"

"Then go look for a girl."

He shook his head. "I choose you. I've heard about your family and it seems to me like you could use a little bit of good luck, perhaps from a roommate?"

"I work in steps, sex-deprived idiot." the brunette said with a glare. "Number one: name. Number two: date. Number three: confession or rejection of feelings of attraction. And number four: possible roommate."

"A sequence...?" he blinked and shrugged. "I'm Chiharu. You?"

"Chi...haru? Oh you're THAT guy."

"Huh?"

"Everybody's talking about the hot hair salonist and night-guard Chiharu. Never knew they also left out lecherous."

"WHAT?! I'm no lech!!"

"So, what's your first name?"

"Eh?" He blinked and smiled. "Satomi. Now, c'mon. A cute guy like you has to have a cute name."

The brunette pouted and turned his back to Satomi. "Yumi... Kazuko Yumi."

"Great!" He smiled, "Now meet me tomorrow morning at 6:07AM by the clock tower's south end!" Satomi waved before running back toward the mall, probably to get to his night job.

Kazuko blinked. "6:07AM...? Why not just six...? Weird guy..."