“Ugh…” He was laying down in his futon, still feeling a little unwell after his unfortunate lunch. Kouji had yet to eat anything since that time. Maybe now would be a better time to do it now since he had voided his belly of everything.

He chewed on a carrot, to try and ease himself back in. The vegtables that Yuma gave him was pretty good, even when it wasn’t cooked. Maybe Anastasia had a right to be jealous in the first place.

Sadly, this food wasn’t going to stay around for much longer. The same went for his money situation, seeing as his house was no longer going to be covered by the school. Maybe he could find a part time job somewhere before his money ran out. Kouji wondered if that would be against the rules at school, not that it would matter either way.

“I wonder if there’s any gardening jobs around here.” He checked out the free newspaper he picked up for potential listings. “Or maybe I can babysit some kids.” He was in an affluent neighborhood. Maybe some of the richer ones could use someone to watch over their children while busy with work.

His phone rang, grabbing his attention away from planning out his future. He answered it, the person on the other side was Teru.

“Yo.” She said simply. “You busy?” Kouji figured that she called this time since he wasn’t around last time. He wondered why she would bother hanging out with him. Unless this was a trap considering her other two friends.

“I’m home, so you’re free to-”

“I’m asking if you’re willing to check out an opportunity.” The way she worded it made him feel that this really was a trap.

“Depends on where you want me to go?” He spoke with a lot of caution in his voice. “I’m not going to just let myself get beat up.”

“Beat up?” She was taken aback that he still thought she was violent, despite their agreement. He figured that he was no longer her tutor, so their deal was probably void. “No, I want you to come to my house.”

“You want me to come over too?” That was an interesting coincidence, Anastasia just invited him the day before. But that was probably just that, he thought, a coincidence. “Sure.”

It wasn’t like he had anything better to do in his day. Plus, seeing her place sounded like an interesting proposition, along with whatever this opportunity supposed was that she thought he be interested in.

“Just send me your address.”

***

So he went to her place. Technologically advanced was the weakest way of describing the building. If Waa’s house was considered modern, than this one should be called futuristic.

On the inside, Teru was waiting impatiently for Kouji to arrive at her house. Her plan was about to begin. Operation Teru… The girls were really bad at naming things. Either that, or they were a little egotistical.

“So dad.” A vital piece of her plan had to do with her father. Esora Wakiyama. “You sure you want someone like him?”

“Of course, I can’t find anyone else to do it.” Teru was aware of Kouji’s financial situation. Surely getting him a job might aid in convincing him to stay at the school. Which made no sense when her dad spent about 30… seconds on that idea.

“If he were to take care of his money problem, wouldn’t he not want to go back to the school?” He laughed, not hiding how silly he thought it was. “Then again, it might not be that bad of an idea for you.”

“What? I’m not stupid or anything.” She crossed her arms and slouched her body. Her face told the story of how angry she usually looked.

“No, I mean. It’s pretty smart if he takes the job. Then you get him all to yourself.”

“I don’t want him for myself!” She yelled in frustration at his teasing. Teru was starting to regret this being her plan.

“Hello?” Their conversation was ended as the expected guest came knocking at their door.

“Hello, hello.” It was Esora that answered the door. Teru didn’t want to make it look like she was waiting for him. “My daughter’s told me a lot about you. Come on in.”

“I did not.” She verbally disagreed with that statement, even if it was factually true. “But I figured you might like what he’s about to say next.”

“Hmm?” He knew she said it was an opportunity, but didn’t realize it had anything to do with her family, specifically her dad.

“Right.” Her father directed him in. “As I’m sure you know, I’m a proud owner of a pharmaceutical company, and of course I’ve become quite wealthy.” He stopped them at what seemed like a dead end. Kouji wasn’t sure what was going on, until the man pressed a hidden button on the wall. Suddenly, part of it went up. Revealing a high-tech lab.

“Wow.” He couldn’t help but be in awe of the room he was in. The lights flickering on the control panels. A row of beakers, filled with unknown chemicals. Even what looked like a giant ray gun was set up here. “I’m surprised that you would let someone like me in here.”

“It’s that opportunity I was telling you about.” Teru informed him that her dad was looking for an assistant. Someone that could help out in the lab from time to time. Things that she didn’t want to help him with.

“I’m surprised he just doesn’t do this at his company. Aren’t you pretty big?”

“Yes.” However, Esora corrected that it was a pharmaceutical company, whereas what he was doing in his lab was his true passion in life. Being an inventor.

But alas, some inventions need testing. And a lot of people aren’t fond of being tested on in less ‘official’ means, no matter how desperate they were for cash.

“Right…” Kouji wasn’t sure what type of person Teru thought he was. Sure it would’ve been nice to get some work, but this didn’t seem like something he should take up. His tutoring tenure was already enough weirdness to last a lifetime.

“Just wait, I’ve got something that might make you seriously consider the job.” Esora hastily grabbed some papers from his table, and rushed out the door. Leaving the two of them alone.

“What are you up to?” He sneered at her, the second they were alone. “I doubt you’re doing this for goodwill, so what’s the catch?”

“Catch? What, you really think I can’t be nice?” She countered, defending herself from what she perceived to be an attack. On one hand, it was kind of true. But on the other… There wasn’t really another hand on this situation.

“Not to me.” He said. “Why would you of all people want me to have this job?’ Kouji couldn’t help but be suspicious of her. Kouji leaned onto a chair, one that he thought was oddly placed.

“Look, I’m just…” She stopped herself, she was about to say the truth for her motivation. But her price got in the way. “I mean, aren’t you poor. I’m sure a job like this could help.”

“Gee thanks.” He responded in a sarcastic tone. “I’m not so desperate for cash that I’ll do anything.” What type of person did she see him as? It was ticking him off. “Why do you care anyway? I’ll be out of your hair by the end of the week.”

“Fine!” She threw up her hands in frustration. However, she was standing far too close to the big ray gun. Unknowingly, she activated it. However, the two of them were too busy with their argument to notice. “I try to do something nice and this is what I get.”

“You’re not supposed to expect something when you do something nice.” He spoke through gritted teeth. His annoyance with her was reaching a boiling point. “And don’t be that surprised when someone isn’t so willing to jump into your lamebrain schemes.”

“Initiation process… Finished…” The two of them got so into their argument, that they didn’t hear the computer say something.

“Lamebrain!?” She got up into his face. “I’ll have you know, that this isn’t stupid. I thought about it all night!”

“Why were you thinking about it-” He was about to question why she was so dedicated to that idea. However, he was interrupted by a robotic voice. Finally catching their attention, the words said sent chills down his spine.

“...Ray firing in, five… four…” Slowly, their heads turned to the big ray gun her dad had been working on recently. The computer’s voice displaying their only warning. “...Three… Two…”

“Watch out!” He shoved her out of the way, just in time.”

“One…” A ray of light blinded her. Even through her shut eyelids. The only thing she could feel was being pushed by him, then the hard ground as she landed.

“Ugh.” She put a hand on her back in pain. Quickly, she came to the realization of what just occurred. “Kouji!” She yelled out, expecting to him down next to her. Or even on top of her, but neither was the case. “Kouji!” She yelled again, but everywhere she looked. He was nowhere to be seen, as if he vanished.

She braced herself for it. The flood of truth of what just happened in front of her. Did he just get… vaporized?

If that was the case, then this was all her fault. She clenched her fists in frustration. She was the one that pushed her out of the way. It was her idea that he come here in the first place.

“All right, I’m back. Now…” Her dad had returned with a large box in his hands. He wasn’t expecting anything from them, but he was greeted with a sight of his daughter sitting on the ground. While his hopeful assistant was gone. “What happened? Where did your friend go?”

“He’s… It was an accident…” She said, tears starting to form in her eyes. “Kouji’s-”

“Ugh, my head.” She was stopped from bawling her eyes out, when Kouji’s voice entered her ears. In excitement, she turned to where she heard it. Yet he still didn’t enter her vision. “That was a close one, are you okay Teru?”

“Kouji?” She said questioningly. “Where are you?” His voice was right next to her, but he wasn’t. It was like he was talking without a body.

“What are you talking about? I’m right here.”