Who do you think you are? (LauKi)

Question VII

Kiku didn't stop writing until he heard some annoying crashes and bangs from next door. Living in an apartment wasn't exactly his ideal living situation, growing up with so many siblings in a huge house, but it made the most sense logically and financially. However, that required he live near people who couldn't smack for being annoying, like now. Judging by the ringing and metallic clanging, someone was trying to get their bike out and down the hall, presumably to go to work, but that was silly. He couldn't have worked all through the night.

"That's sunlight, isn't it. Meaning today is Monday, and I worked all through the night on this one creative outburst. Joy." Kiku leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms out. Perfect. Absolutely wonderful. Meaning if he's listening to someone he usually doesn't hear go off in the morning, it's late. 

"... My goodness, I'm late too!" Kiku kicked into overdrive, stumbling out of his chair and ripping through his laundry to find his uniform. How many pairs of black sweatpants does Kiku own to seemingly constantly be mistaking that black fabric for his black work trousers? Good, there they are, now face, mouth, head- well, he could brush his hair on his way to work. Teeth, not so much, so Kiku managed to multi-task by brushing his teeth while sitting on the toilet, then rinse off his face at the same time as he rinsed off his brush. Holy hell did he feel like he was back in school. Nightmarish, it all was. Hygiene aside, Kiku was pretty good at getting himself out of the door a few minutes after he realised the time. Which also meant his next-door neighbor, Angelo, was still getting mildly angry about this bike not doing what his childhood friend, Corteo, needed it too. Angelo and Kiku got along alright, both being on the quieter side, but there was some sort of underlying darkness Kiku had always sensed from him. Corteo, on the other hand, was sweeter than candy, even as he tried to calm his bicycle enraged dear friend. Honestly, it was almost adorable enough to get Kiku to pause for a moment. 

"Pardon me, sirs, if I could just get by, please, I'm extremely late for work, sirs, I'd be extremely grateful, so please-" Kiku made little sense in his words, but the two got it. Corteo, ever the patient man, pressed his back against the wall and pulled Angelo close so Kiku could squeeze by. 

"Sorry, sorry, I'm sure we'll get this sorted out soon." Corteo apologised as Kiku fit his way through, pushing his glasses up on his face. Such a cute couple might make Kiku's next R-rated manga... But now was not the time to be thinking that way. But quiet hot-head would be cute, Kiku thought desperately, pulling his shoulder bag up and over his head. 

Lucky for him, his workplace wasn't far. The Neverland Store of Promising Books and Stories was the ground floor of a tall building, but Kiku had no idea what was above the store. Some apartments or office space or something. Kiku slipped into the back door and pulled his shirt off to put on a clean white button-down shirt and pull on his vest overtop that. The uniform was fairly simple, just that and a slim black tie with plain black slacks, but Kiku rather liked that simple and clean look. It could be worn by anyone from a struggling writer to a lost prince, or perhaps a peasant masquerading as a servant or waitress. It was adaptable and, on other people, rather attractive. Speaking of other people, a younger man with very short white hair and startlingly blue eyes entered the back room as Kiku finished changing. 

"Honda, you're here! You're very late, you know," His expression flickered between pleasantly surprised and mildly irritated very quickly. "What happened?" 

"Norman, would you believe me if I said I had been writing all night until not long ago? I heard my neighbor trying to get his bike onto the street and it hit me that today was Monday, so I rushed as fast as I could. Good morning." Kiku covered a yawn and gave a polite smile. "Did anyone have to come in early for my sake?" 

"Emma came in early when I told her I was the only one here, so she took over most of your shift. If you'd like, I can see when she was supposed to start today and you can take over." Norman did his best to be helpful, but Kiku really didn't want to owe anyone else favours. 

"No need, but thank you very much. I'll ask her myself. Are you on your way out?" 

"Yeah, Ray is supposed to be working later, but I guess he got held up somewhere?" 

"Quite possible. Nevertheless, I must do my job at some point today, no? I'll be seeing you, Norman." Kiku excused himself and headed out onto the floor. He would find Emma and apologise before going on to the rest of the daily duties. 

...

When his break finally rolled around, Kiku found himself drifting off instead of finding something to eat properly, as Norman had suggested. He still hadn't found an adequate time to apologise. One or both of them was constantly being asked questions or else otherwise helping customers. Kiku had had to de-escalate a situation earlier when a large woman had started threatening Emma with a doll greatly resembling the woman, saying something like "Mama knows what you've done, you lecherous treacherous child you!" Kiku asked her to find something in the storeroom, a code for hide, and very politely asked the woman to leave. Between her, the lack of sleep, and trying to explain to people that it is bookstore policy not to accept returns or donations of textbooks that have writing and other forms of defacing or graffiti in them, Kiku had no energy left at all. He wasn't sure he could make it through the rest of his shift alive, at this point. 

"Uhhh, Mr Honda? There's a guy asking to see you." A head of strawberry blonde poked her head in, frowning gently. "Do you know a Lau? Tall, dark hair, closed eyes?" 

"Lau? Goodness gracious... Emma, tell him I'll be around shortly. I may be back from break a little late on this one." How much time did he have left? Ten minutes... Alright. Let's see if he can't deal with Lau in that amount of time. Kiku took off his nametag and lanyard so people might just think he dressed this way normally before he stepped out to confront the man in the changshan again. 

// END OF THE CHAPTER HAHAHAHAHHAHHHH