Chapter 1: Into the Pit (1)

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Believe it or not, Umezaka Rio wasn't always called Rio - no, before that, she used to be an average OL named Tadano Hitomi.

Yes. 

This woman was 100% average and she knew it. She was born to average parents, had an average career and held average looks. She was fine with it. No, she was overjoyed. Because Tadano Hitomi was an extremely bitter and lazy human being. Her averageness provided her with the cloak she needed to escape drama, issues and in-fighting that everyone else seemed to suffer under. Instead of partaking in all that nonsense, she was free to live life on easy mode. She thought this would continue forever. She was wrong. Thinking back, the arrival of that woman should have been her first clue as to the horrible fate that laid in her future. 

Because one day, a certain woman transferred into her branch. 

Tadahitsu Mifuno was a father of three and pretty uncool human being in general. He was far past his prime. Extremely easy to make fun of, he couldn't handle confrontation to save his own life - but he was still an incredibly reliable senpai at work, and he was good at what he did. Tadahitsu had a big heart, and that was his blessing and his curse. He often defended his colleagues and taught them much. This man, who happened to be a colleague of hers, commented on something by the water cooler.

Excitedly, he said: "I heard from Kenji, but did you know? Apparently we're getting a new employee."

Hitomi could barely keep her eyes open. She had gamed all night and could only briefly mutter, "Ah, okay."

"It's not ah, okay, Hitomi! She's apparently a big deal", he said in a worried tone.

Hitomi raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Tadahitsu blushed in embarrassment. "Ah, I don't know! Just, be careful. Layoff season is just around the corner. If you're not careful, she might steal your job."

Hitomi: "Why me in particular?" 

Tadahitsu: "Are you serious? You came by 2 hours late yesterday."

Hitomi: "Ah."

Were it a normal establishment, then Hitomi supposed he was right. But it wasn't - Loop Inc. was the place she had interned at during her college days. Newly established and developing a new product no one had made before, the 5-year old business was steadily rising - It was already a medium-sized company with two other locations. Usually, this was the kind of business that a slacker like Hitomi could never even dream of working for. But she was surprisingly lucky at times. It was also owned by her a man her aunt saved from a falling flowerpot. Ironically, the boss and her bonded over their love of horticulture, so there. He was an old man who never took things too seriously. And Hitomi wasn't shameless; she made sure to finish her duties ahead of time. Then she lazed off. She had principles. 

"This Amamiya...what do you know about her?" asked Hitomi, bored. 

Tadahitsu, used to getting ignored, beamed. "You're interested now? Fine, I'll tell you. It was only brief, but...I heard something while giving my report to Senritsu-san."

"The deaf manager at Human Ressources?"

"Yeah. Anyway, while she checked my report for mistakes, I saw five women in the back shrieking and getting into it over someone in the middle. I couldn't see her face, but those women were yelling stuff like, "How dare you come here after Valentines Day!" "We know what you did!" "Kurosaki-kun will never be yours!" and all kinds of weird things. Every time the one in the middle said something back, they would only get more angry. It was nuts!"

Hitomi: "They were fighting? Over a guy?"

Tadahitsu: "Something like that, I guess? I have no idea. They all seemed young, though. And apparently the one in the middle was named Amamiya. Kenji told me yesterday that someone by that name was to transfer into our branch. All in all, it just seems like trouble."

Hitomi: "Yeah."

Tadahitsu: "Still, that information seemed interesting. I know it's not important, but I can't help but wonder who that Kurosaki-san man is. How could the mere mention of him spark a brawl in the meeting room?"

Hitomi threw her watercup in the garbage and sighed. Tadahitsu's tone grew curious, "Why are you sighing?"

Hitomi replied, "You're the type who can't rest until you watch like, all of a show after hearing the tagline."

Tadahitsu: "I'm not."

Hitomi: "You're the reason why N#tflix is doing well right now. Your poor wife is probably stuck paying the subscriptions."

Tadahitsu: "Hitomi! Honestly, bullying your senior like this...Hmpfh!"

Hitomi laughed, no longer able to keep a straight face. "I'm sorry, sorry..." but before she could continue, a shrill voice interrupted. It was a voice she hated. A voice she thought she left behind in High School.

"EEHHH! Hito-chan, is that you?!" What sounded like the shrill warrior cry of a female banshee about to descend a tree, to the people around her, it sounded just like a beautiful melodious voice.

Hitomi's day went from relaxing to the worst! Her legs must have sensed her dread, because they just kept on walking, much to Tadahitsu's surprise and that person's shock. 

"Hitomi, where are you going?" Tadahitsu called, but the real kicker came when that person ran in front of Hitomi. Once in front of her, that person took a brief look at her before smiling cutely and saying, "I knew it was you! Oh, Hito-chan, it's been so long! I missed you!"

Tadahitsu turned towards his kouhai in confusion. His kouhai was always lazy, unbothered, slightly mean, and had a strange sense of humor. Working with her revealed that she would never go out of her way to make friends. The older man turned towards the beautiful young lady and asked, "Excuse me, it can't be...Do you mean to say you're Hitomi-san's acquaintance?" 

The girl looked at Tadahitsu before she laughed. Cute bubbles of laughter sounded as everyone in the hallway were charmed by the young girl's cuteness. "No, silly billy! We're not acquaintances, we're friends!"

"Eh?"

"What?"

"They're friends?"

"Not just friends," the girl contined. "We're best friends! Ah, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Amamiya Ichigo, a part-time hire starting from today!" The girl shot everyone a winning smile. "I don't know my way around yet, but...I promise not to bother everyone. So, please take care of me?"

The hallway erupted in hushed whispers. Hitomi felt faint. 

'That girl's so cute!"

"Is she a model?"

"I'm so glad to be working at this company!"

It seemed that Amamiya's charm extended to everyone indiscriminately. You'd think the women would hate her, but no! Instead, the women saw her as a young cute child who knew nothing. They felt like they should protect her from the guys of the company. Truly, thought Hitomi, this farce of hers is working well here too. As if sensing her thoughts, Amamiya Ichigo turned her head towards her in a cute turn and smiled again in excitement. That was the final straw.

Hitomi had enough. 

She grabbed the arm of Amamiya, and said to the growing crowd of humans, "Right, well. You're coming with me. We have much to talk about."

Amamiya's eyes widened in fear, "Ah, is that so? Can't we speak here?"

She's got good instincts, she'll give her that. "No. Now move."

Before they left, Toujou-kun, a rising star at the Sales Department attempted to stop them. "Wait a minute, Tadano-kun!" Wow, that hurts, but okay, thought Hitomi. To no one's surprise, she hated her last name. Ichigo's arm vibrated slightly. Hitomi eyed the girl and she stopped snickering. 

The golden boy of the Sales Department continued: "I don't think it's right for you to force Amamiya-san away! We all wish to speak to our company's newest employee! Taking her for yourself is most unfair!" Gross. This whole charade was becoming more and more ridiculous.

"I'm sure Amamiya-san's scared stiff right now! Are you meaning to bully her?"

"I'm not. Like Tadahitsu-san said, we're friends. So buzz off."

Instead of getting hit by Toujou-san's rich boy aura, Hitomi valiantly ignored it and told him to move. The sheer shock made him tongue-tied, and she moved past him, Amamiya in tow.

While they power-walked to the stairs, she thought, 'Why is this happening?!'

---

"Why are you here." Hitomi asked, irked. They were at the long stairwell nobody frequented, and she wanted answers. 

"Mou, Hito-chan! Is that anyway for you to welcome your beloved cousin?" she asked cheekily; that innocent facade she had donned earlier had vanished. 

"You little shit -"

Amamiya just laughed. Yes, Amamiya was her cousin. Hitomi's dad was widowed when she was 12. He then had the brilliant idea of bringing in a new woman to be Hitomi's new mom. The lady he met was kind, nothing really wrong with her. The problem was her family. If her father hadn't remarried, she wouldn't technically be related to the ditzy idiot Amamiya Ichigo. Usually But that's what happened. Amamiya was her aunt's maiden name. Usually, the brat used the Tadano name just like the rest of them. 

Today was an exception, apparently.

If it was just a relation between the two, it would've been fine - but somewhere along the lines, Amamiya's parents started to fight a lot - and the dunce started frequenting her house like it was her own. She became her pseudo-adopted sister in all but name. Again, if this was all, she could accept it.

But that wasn't it!

Hitomi glared at Amamiya, who was sheepishly laughing. "I know this isn't ideal, but Hitomi, can't you forgive me? Think about it! This way, we'll be able to work together! Isn't that fun?" the insanely cute girl asked, doing her best to seem innocent and docile. 

Hitomi smacked her upside the head. "Ow!" the girl clutched her forehead. "You! What was that for?!" 

Hitomi: "For lying. Do you think I was born yesterday? I know you."

Amamiya threw her a bewildered look. "What, you're acting so strangely! I know so many people who would die to have me close. Why can't you just be happy?!" 

Hitomi: "Ichigo. What's wrong." She leveled the younger girl with a stern look.

And the young girl finally cracked. "You know, I know you never really liked me. I have always taken up the space in your house. My aunt and I...you...But this time, it's different! I'm here because I'm scared, okay?! I'm scared...and I went to the only person I know who's never freaking out about anything. Please..." she muttered weakly, hands shaking.

"Help me. Please?" Her voice ended abruptly, as if she genuinely thought Hitomi would refuse. 

Hitomi: "You idiot, why would I turn you away? My problem with you is..." Hitomi began as she twisted Ichigo's ear.

"Owowowow!! Stop!" the girl cried, but Hitomi continued.

"You're too content on riding along easy in life. Normally, I'd be called a hypocrite to condemn that, but at least in my situation, my actions aren't hurting anybody." Hitomi glanced at her cousin before tearing her eyes away.

"Or so I thought. Ichigo, seriously, you can't keep doing this 'cutie-honey' spiel. Yeah, life gets easier, but it's not right."

Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Then...that's why you were angry with me?"

Hitomi: "Not angry...pissed off and disappointed, yeah, but not angry. I thought you'd stop, but you didn't, and you seemed content in ignoring my presence at home. It takes two to spoil a relationship, Ichigo."

Ichigo's face reddened. "No! I, all this time I thought you hated me for...something else."

Hitomi: "What, my mother dying? That had nothing to do with you. Get it through your head already."

Amamiya was shocked, standing there. It was clear that she had thought Hitomi hated her for barging into her family, but she wasn't?!

The young girl grabbed her sleeves in anxiety before asking, "T-Then...why were you so mad at me?"

Hitomi looked at her in exasperation. "Oh I don't know, maybe because your horde of angry fanboys thought I was some obsessive fangirl of yours?

Amamiya: "Eh? Really, that's why?!" 

Hitomi: "Yes! Somehow one of them figured out that you and I live in the same house, and they all started bullying me. Oh, and how about everytime you seduced a guy, they'd get their friends to interrogate me into giving information about you?! Give me a break. Do you know how many people bothered me for that during high school?! Too many to count! Because of you, my carefree relaxing life was ruined! Not even online was I spared, there was always some nerdling you had smiled at who bombarded my inbox with questions about you. Seriously!"

Hitomi heaved after her rant, but she wasn't done. "I would've dealt with it all silently if it weren't for your incessant nagging," she yelled.

"Why?" asked Amamiya before she could stop herself. Her eyes were downcast, and now she was suddenly somber and scared. She was afraid that her sister would break ties with her forever. 

"Because we're family, you dolt! That's what family does, so stop second-guessing my intentions you brat! You think I went through all that just for you to think I hate you?" Hitomi couldn't believe the nerve of her annoying cousin. 

Amamiya seemed torn between happiness and sheer stubborness. "Ah...No, Wait! But you always have this scorned face on, as if everyone is beneath you and you hate everything! How was I not supposed to misunderstand?!"

Hitomi: "That's my natural face given by God. Deal with it."

"Then...we're okay?"

"We are. Come here," she said as she pulled her younger sibling into a hug. The younger girl flinched, but didn't say anything. It was clear that she was choked up with emotions.

When she became like this, Hitomi knew it was hard for her to speak. Oh, well, she thought. There was only 2 minutes left of break anyway. Thinking about the heap of work on her desk, Hitomi started mentally prepare to go back to work, but she was startled when she heard her younger sister say, "I have a stalker. I'm afraid he'll kill me."

For a while, it felt like time had stopped. Then, Hitomi's eyes grew hard. "Explain."

Amamiya's muffled reply came: "He's...somebody from B College, I think. I don't think I've ever met him before. I don't remember. I wish I did. He's already harrassed so many of my co-workers at my old part-time job, and he sent a few boxes of razor blades to my house. I...don't know what to do. I don't know how to make it stop, Hitomi..." Amamiya cried silently. "He's nuts. Everytime I speak to my friend Reiko, he sends me texts telling me not to get too close to her. Reiko told me she's being bullied online, too. Her family came by to shout at Dad last week." 

Hitomi couldn't believe it. This had happened while she was unaware? Her sister getting harrassed behind her back?

Amamiya continued. "And, *hick*, I know I use my looks to my advantage. It's wrong. I get it. I do! I was lonely! I was angry, and I wanted to feel like somebody cared, but now anybody that does is hurt. I'm a mess. I can't eat, I can't sleep...I, I'm such a failure..."

Amamiya sobbed, "So, now that I've said that, can't everything go back to normal? Can't that man leave me alone? Please, I'll apologize to everyone I know, so please...Make him go away..." That was all she managed to say before the girl burst into full-blown tears.

She crumbled to the floor in a heap. 

Hitomi's eyes laid frozen, watching her younger sister cry her heart out.

Her little fingers were still shaking. Soon, a roaring hatred blossomed inside her heart; she went closer to Ichigo and gave her a hug.

"It'll be okay," she said softly. She dried her tears. "As long as I'm around, that beansprout can't hurt you."

Amamiya, shaken, couldn't help but mutter, "Hitomi...you're so different. Acting nicely...It's a little gross,"

Hitomi laughed. "This shrimp. Do you want me to get pissed off instead? I'm holding back because you're hurt. Now get back to your office. You're here for an internship, yes? Do back and do your work. If it gets too hard, ask Senritsu-san for a break. She's nice like that. The most important part is, when we go home, we'll solve it together, okay?"

Amamiya sniffled weakly before smiling. Even if she was hurt, she looked happier than ever - likely because her absent sister-figure was speaking to her again.

"Y-yes! Okay," and then she exited the building. Then she turned back around. "Nee-chan!" Hitomi's eyes widened in shock at the familiar phrase. "Thank you," she yelled, before sprinting down the hallway.

Surprised, Hitomi smiled before turning serious once again. 

Hitomi supposed it was better this way. It was a small lie, but she wasn't letting the emotionally fragile Ichigo handle this. She wouldn't give that creep the satisfaction. Because in that hug, Hitomi had stolen her sister's phone. 

It was on.