The Case of the Tea Set - PG-13 [Yukan Club]
Title: The Case of the Tea Set
Author: Kamika Farinas aka tinyangl
Rating: PG-13
Words: 6732
Characters: Yukan Club, Seishirou/Noriko
Summary: Seishirou has only ever wanted Noriko happy, and he manages to get the entire group to help him do just that.
Author's Note: This was written for acchikocchi although I don't know how much she'll want it after she's read it. XP She asked me to write Seishirou/Noriko fic and this popped up and it ended up reading more like an episode of Yukan Club (and not even a good one at that). Tinge of Seishirou/Noriko, if you squint at the right angle. And my characterization is probably shot so I apologize in advance for that. I'll try writing a different Seishirou/Noriko fic to make up for this one. XP
Author's Note 2: The tea set I talk about here does exist, except I got my facts wrong the first time I researched it. It was commissioned by Alessi and is really called the Kung-Fu Tea set. You can check out pictures of it over here.
Author's Note 3: ...*hangs head* My friends are very good at convincing me to do things. Translations for the intro goes to Nya!fansubs. *hangs head* I apologize for the lame. Thanks to anamuan for the beta, it was uber helpful. As with cynicalism for helping me as I was pestering her with sentences that needed improvement and the such (and just for listening to me in general.)
"A police chief as a father,
He's a reserved and dependable guy.
He also likes various mechanical things.
He's Shouchikubai Miroku!
Her father is a master in the Japanese Arts.
Her mother is the head of the tea world.
An eloquent lady whose only hate is men.
Hakushika Noriko!
The heir to a huge hospital.
Into various genres of studies and excels in martial arts.
The versatile high school student.
Kikumasamune Seishirou.
Living alone with her mother who owns a jewelry business.
She uses her seductive and beautiful figure to her advantage
And dreams of marrying into riches.
Kizakura Karen!
The Swedish ambasador as a father
And himself a quarter.
A playboy who dates numerous women at once.
Bidou Granmanie!
The world's huge gateway, Kenbishi Zaibatsu president's daughter.
Her motor skills are better than any man's.
Her hobby is to indulge in eating.
Kenbishi Yuri!
These six are super celebrities.
Having too much free time on their hands,
They butt into many different cases.
People call them,
The Yukan Club!"
Seishirou leans forward in his chair, his hands laced in front of him and his eyebrows furrowed together in concentration. He's realized recently that he may have a sister complex and he's not exactly sure how he feels about this. When he had finally realized it, he hadn't been able to give it much thought. At the time, he'd been so distracted by whatever problem the Yukan Club had been trying to solve that when he felt his heart constrict upon seeing Noriko in trouble, the thought of protecting her had come from instinct without him having to put much thought into it. It's when she's staring up at him in relief and his heart is still thumping from the anxiety that the thought that he might just have what is called a sister complex pops into his head. He's not entirely sure what one does with a sister complex and he ends up blurting it out to Miroku.
Miroku blinks at him, eyes wide as he swirls a tongue over another lollipop. "What?" he asks.
Groaning, Seishirou repeats. "I think I have a sister complex over Noriko."
There's a long pause before Miroku says something. "Are you sure it's a sister complex?" He plops the lollipop back in his mouth, leaning forward on his elbow as he gives Seishirou a look that he supposes he should understand.
Instead, Seishirou rolls his eyes. "Am I sure? Am I ever unsure?" he counters.
"Maybe. Would you tell us if you were?" His lollipop moves from one side of his mouth to the other without Miroku using his hands.
Seishirou has to pause, "Unless you guys are witnessing it, then no." He sighs. "Point taken. But yes, I am sure it's that. And not..." he waves his hand in the air. "Whatever it is you think it is."
The room plunges into silence as Seishirou watches Miroku think - his nose scrunches at the very top as he squints a little, the lollipop moving from one side of his mouth to the other - he always was very expressive, a face for every type of emotion. "What makes you think you even have a sister complex?" he finally asks.
Seishirou curses his luck at having to explain something that he's not even sure he has coherently put together himself - not for lack of trying, of course. There'd been one point after his "discovery" where he'd even put together some type of timeline to try and pinpoint when he'd start to feel as he did. He bites at his lip, blowing a strand of hair out of his eyes as he tries to piece his words together. "I want to protect her all the time. I've known her since childhood and we've been together for a long amount of time. I don't think I know a life without Noriko. I don't want her to be hurt or pained or troubled, and I want to make sure she lives a life of happiness - whether I'm in it or not."
Seishirou watches as Miroku stares at him, mouth slightly agape as his eyes switch from normal to wide and almost watery. "Oh no," Seishirou starts. "Miroku, please don't-"
Miroku claps a hand over his mouth, a little above since the lollipop is still protruding from his lips. "That is," he sniffles, "the sweetest thing I've ever heard."
Seishirou has to sigh, hanging his head. He hated that his friend was so emotional - so easily too. If this whole thing hadn't been about Noriko, she'd be the one he would be talking to - she was the only other person in this group that had their brain screwed on right.
"So what," Miroku sniffles again, "do you want us to do about this?"
Seishirou blinks. "What?" he asks, at a loss for words.
"Well, you were telling me this for a reason, weren't you?" Miroku prompts, taking the lollipop out of his mouth. "Did you have something in mind?"
For the first time, Seishirou thinks he actually has no idea whatsoever. What had he expected after telling Miroku? "I..." he starts, his mind racing with thoughts - except not the kind he expected. He wasn't sure how school work was going to help him in this case. "...Don't exactly have a set plan right about now. But I-"
Miroku cracks a smile, startling Seishirou to the point that he stops talking. "You have no idea, do you?"
"Well," Seishirou starts. He was the Body President. He should be able to think of something. Anything. His mind races with thoughts of what he'd said to Miroku and suddenly he has it. He knows just what he wants. Seishirou breathes before piercing Miroku with his eyes, "To make her happy. That's all it's ever been."
One of the corners of Miroku's lips jerk upwards as he laces his fingers in front of him. "Well, I'm sure that shouldn't be too difficult."
Seishirou wonders if Miroku even knows how badly his plans usually go.
~*~
"What makes you think I'm not happy with my life right now?" Noriko asks Miroku as she takes a sip of her tea. Seishirou has to roll his eyes - asking the person herself was not the best idea and he wasn't even sure how Miroku convinced him to do it.
"Don't you have anything you want?" Miroku prods, strumming his guitar from a chair nearby. Seishirou shakes his head, leaning against an elbow as he looks in the other direction, pretending to pay attention to the book in front of him instead of on the conversation going on behind him.
"What are you even asking, Miroku? Are you going to ask all of us what we want?" Karen interjects. Seishirou glances up to find her staring at Miroku in confusion, her thick lips in a pout.
"Well-" Miroku starts, looking a little uncomfortable - probably at the prospect of having to give everyone something to make this look "normal."
"I want a nikuman!" Yuri cheerfully blurts out, her hand raised in the air.
Everyone stares without saying a word before Miroku says what's on all their minds. "You have one in front of you, Yuri."
"I know that!" She pouts. "I'm just really excited for it!" She reaches out for the nikuman, biting into it happily. Seishirou watches for a few more seconds as her eyes shut and she sighs in contentment before taking another bite. His eyes drift back to his book.
"I would like this tea set that I've heard is the best of the best," Noriko says conversationally. She takes another sip before sighing and setting it back down before glancing at Miroku. "But it's out of my price range and my mother insists that our old fashioned tea sets are the best for our purposes."
Everyone's heads swivel in her direction as Miroku asks, "How much is it?"
"7 million, 100 thousand yen."
Seishirou flinches at the number before looking around the room at everyone's reaction - Yuri counts it with her fingers - possible trying to figure out how many nikuman she can get with that amount of money, Karen's stunned to silence as just the sound of that amount of money makes her salivate, and Bidou is staring in the distance, probably thinking about the amount of dates he can pay for with that amount of money. But it's Miroku's expression that makes Seishirou want to laugh the most. His hand has slipped from the strings of the guitar and his mouth is wide open, the lollipop he'd been sucking on already half out of his mouth. His eyes are wide and suddenly one of his hands is clutching at his heart, almost imagining how painful it'd be to even buy something with that amount of money.
"What could possibly be that expensive?" Seishirou asks Noriko who's nonchalantly fixing another cup of tea.
She looks up and catches Seishirou's eyes, blinking at first before answering, "This tea set by Gary Chang - It's called Alessi and it's a limited edition. Which is one of the reasons why it's so expensive." Seishirou wonders why he thinks her eyes are expressive - it's not like Noriko to say something without verbally speaking. "But it's just a silly fancy," Noriko says, breaking their eye contact. "I don't really ever expect to see one, much less get one."
Miroku stares at Seishirou, but Seishirou doesn't pay him any heed. His eyes are on Noriko and he wonders why his heart is beating as fast as it is, and why it's vowing that they'll find that tea set one way or another. All about happiness, he convinces himself. All he wants is Noriko happy.
~*~
"Seishirou, will you stop..." Miroku waves his hand in Seishirou's general direction. "Fidgeting, or whatever it is you're doing." He throws Seishirou a dirty look, "It's already cramped enough in here and you're moving around isn't helping matters."
Seishirou glares darkly, before snapping. "You don't have to be here for this."
Miroku stares, "What is this exactly?" He eyes Seishirou suspiciously, almost lowering his gaze.
"Not. That." Seishirou hisses. "It's reconnaisance. You know how this works."
Miroku looks out the windows to a normal looking home before turning back to Seishirou, "Who exactly are we spying on? That bird on the left tree? I can tell you now that he's been trying to chase after that robin in the other tree. But she's been turning away his advances." Seishirou watches dryly as Miroku mock-acts the entire thing, even tucking his hands under his arms and flapping them.
"No?" Miroku says, looking a little disappointed - as though he'd put all that time into watching those birds and they ended up not being useful - and putting down his arms.
Seishirou shakes his head before pointing at a house two houses away from where their van is parked. "We're observing that house."
Miroku follows the line of Seishirou's arm, even leaning in to make sure that he doesn't mess up and look in the entirely different direction only to find a simple house - one that would belong to a family of four or something of that sort. A nice sized front lawn and space between that house and the ones beside it. "Are we... stalking someone?" Miroku asks, raising an eyebrow as he faces Seishirou.
"The man that lives in that house is the only person close enough to us who has bought one of those tea sets," Seishirou explains.
Miroku's eyes widen. "Are we going to steal it?!" he asks, sounding half excited.
"No!"
Miroku pouts, "Really? That's kinda boring."
Seishirou has to sigh, "You've been spending too much time with Yuri. We're not doing anything illegal."
"For now at least!" Miroku chirps before pulling out binoculars from the dashboard of the van. "So why are we here?"
"To see what kind of person he is."
Miroku rounds his head, "Wouldn't that involve talking to him?"
"We need a little background first. See his daily habits - does he seem like a good person? Is he overly paranoid?"
"Does he kick puppies in his free time?" Miroku adds in with a smirk.
"Where does he work? How can he afford such an expensive tea set?" Seishirou continues, ignoring Miroku's comment completely.
"Okay, okay. I get the point," Miroku waves in Seishirou's direction. "Can I ask why we're the only ones? Where are the others?"
"No!" Seishirou starts. He frowns, "I'd like to keep this between us, okay? Nobody's to know about this."
Miroku turns his head slowly, his eyes wide as he looks away from the binoculars. "Um..." he starts and Seishirou narrows his eyes.
"You. Didn't."
The back door to the van opens and both males turn to find their three friends tumbling in. "Hey~" Bidou greets with a wave, "We had a hard time finding this place. Miroku's text of behind the two trees with the robins wasn't the most helpful."
Seishirou glares at Miroku as Miroku chuckles uncomfortably. "You still found it, didn't you?" Miroku points out.
"A big white van isn't exactly hiding material in this place," Karen sighs. "What are we doing here anyway?"
Seishirou's glare only gets darker as Miroku scratches the back of his head with the binoculars. "Well, you see..." Miroku starts.
~*~
"This is a bad idea," Seishirou hisses as he watches Miroku adjust Karen's blonde wig and Yuri fixing up Bidou's bowtie.
"The best way to know if he'll let us at least borrow it is if we talked to him face to face," Karen insists, blowing kisses into her pocket mirror before clamping it shut. "How else can we gauge his personality?"
"That was what-"
"Reconnaisance was for," Bidou finishes with a sigh. "But you won't get far enough with that."
Yuri grins widely and inserts a fake rose into Bidou's breast pocket, angling it just right so that the picture through the small camera can be seen clearly on the screen in the van. "Looking great," she exclaims happily, pushing him out of the van. "Now go knock him out!" Bidou air-punches before Karen smacks him on the shoulder.
"Stop playing around and let's get this gift for Noriko." She throws Seishirou an exaggerated wink, and he feels like digging a hole, burying himself in it and never coming out. Instead, he opts for glaring at Miroku who busies himself with fixing up their communication.
The camera captures the settings as Bidou and Karen walk towards the house - "Oh! The robin got his girl!" Miroku cheers and Yuri joins in, despite not knowing what exactly Miroku was happy about. Seishirou shakes his head and sighs, giving in to the fact that this was just going to go as they wanted it. The three inside the van watch as Karen knocks on the door, then turns to Bidou, fidgeting with something above the neck - his bowtie, they assumed.
The wooden door swings open and the five stare into the eyes of an old man. "Ah, Sasaki-san?" Bidou greets, bowing politely - Karen does the same beside him.
"Yes?" the old man croaks, "Is there something you wanted?"
"I caught word that you have an Alessi tea set?" Bidou asks fluidly, his thumbs on the lapels of his suit. "I'm Miura Seiji and this is my wife, Aiko We like to call ourselves tea set connoisseurs." He places an arm around Karen, and pulls her flush against his side, her hands moving to around his waist as she smiles brightly at the man. "I was wondering if we could possibly have a look-see. We've been trying to catch sight of one for ages."
Sasaki Makoto eyes Bidou cautiously and inside the van, Miroku and Yuri are biting at their nails. Despite the nonchalant look that he's trying to keep up, Seishirou can feel his heart pounding and he wonders if the world'll be nice and give him just what he wants.
"It hasn't arrived yet," Makoto explains a beat later. "But you're more than welcome to check out our other tea sets, if you're inclined." He smiles brightly at them, "I'm more than happy to allow any tea set connoisseur to have a look at some of the ones we have collected over the years."
"Makoto," a voice comes from inside and a lady around the same age as Makoto walks into sight. "Oh! Are there guests?"
"Oh my," Bidou exclaims happily, leaning forward, unwrapping himself from Karen's grip, to plant a kiss on the back of the lady's hand. "What a lovely sight. And here I thought I was only going to get a look at one fine thing."
Sasaki Hikari blinks at him before extracting her hand from his grasp, "Makoto. Who are these people?"
"Ah, tea set connoisseurs - A Mr. and Mrs... Oh, I don't quite remember." Makoto squints at Bidou and Karen.
"Miura Seiji and Aiko," Karen supplies helpfully, but Hikari glares darkly at the younger female.
"A little young to be married, aren't you?" She clucks at them.
By now, Bidou's starting to fidget, "Well. We met young and believed that we were made for each other. Isn't that right, honey?" He looks down to beam at Karen and Karen nods back, just as happily.
"That's right, darling!"
"And what exactly are you here for?" Hikari asks, eyes narrowing.
"We heard you have an Alessi tea set and we were just so curious-"
"No, we don't!" Hikari quickly interjects, her eyes flaring as her hand pushes Makoto back away from the door. "We'd never own such a thing. Now if you'll excuse us, there are things that need to be attended to."
Bidou and Karen look into Makoto's resigned eyes as the door slams in front of them.
"Well, I never." Karen mutters under her breath and Bidou pulls her down the steps and back into the street.
In the van, Seishirou asks the two with him, "You were saying about this being the best way?" They collectively pout in his direction and he has to look away before they kill him with their adorable. "Never mind. Let's try something different."
The other two join them a few minutes later - Karen with some selective words about Hikari - and Seishirou stares at an invisible point between Karen and Bidou as he explains what he thinks they should do.
("Not more reconnaisance, right?" Yuri pleads and Miroku has to press his hand against her mouth to get her to shut up so Seishirou won't glare holes into her.)
~*~
"Oh, so not bored anymore," Yuri breathes after she hears Seishirou's plot. Beside her, Miroku rubs his hands together in excitement.
Karen pulls out one of the wigs. "So, do I look better as a redhead or maybe we can go a little wild and use pink." She holds it against Miroku's face, "Actually..."
Miroku holds some pink strands against his face. "What do you think?" he asks cheerfully. "Match my complexion?"
"Definitely~" Karen giggles. "Maybe you should wear pink all the time."
"It's my favorite color!" Miroku jokes. "They'll have to change my name so it'll go along with my favorite color in the world!"
Yuri elbows Miroku sharply - although Yuri rarely has control of her power and ends up knocking the breath out of him - and jerks her head in Seishirou's direction. They both turn to look at the male and he's glaring in Miroku's direction to which Miroku pantomimes zipping up his lip and tossing the key out the window.
There's an awkward silence before Bidou speaks up, "As long as it matches my gorgeous locks." Karen swiftly kicks him in the shin and he flinches, although never letting the smile fall from his face.
~*~
"I'm in position," Miroku mumbles into his mouth piece.
"What?!" Yuri yells into his ear, causing Miroku to flinch slightly.
"I'm in position," Miroku grits through his teeth.
"Speak louder," Yuri insists through the ear piece.
"I'm in position!" he yells into his piece attached to his collar. He huffs before continuing, "And now the rest of the neighborhood knows this as well."
Seishirou rolls his eyes as he watches Yuri giggle madly to herself. "You didn't have to yell it."
"Yuri," Miroku scowls, "I will get back at you later." He walks around a mail truck before opening up the back to grab a big brown package. He places it on the ground before he shuts the doors, locking them up before he forgets. Adjusting his uniform, and fidgeting with the cap, he makes sure that his wig of dark black hair that's tied into a ponytail doesn't look at all fake. Picking up the package again, Miroku holds it in his arms as he walks up the steps carefully and knocks on the door. "Delivery for Sasaki Makoto-san," Miroku announces.
The door opens and Miroku peers over the edge of his black rim glasses to squint at the old man. "Sasaki-san?" Miroku asks.
"Ah, yes. Is that for me?" Miroku nods. "Why don't you set that inside? I don't have the best back so if you will."
Miroku smiles brightly at Makoto, "It'd be my pleasure." He steps inside, kicking off his shoes. "Sorry to intrude," he says politely before being led inside the house by the directions of Makoto. They enter a room not too far from the hallway and Miroku is made to place the box on the sole table in the room. Before standing back up, Miroku makes sure to place a small device under the table, right near the middle so as not to attract the attention of any wandering legs. Pulling out a piece of paper from his back pocket he hands it to Makoto. "If you could just stamp here?"
The old man takes out a stamp from inside his sleeve before marking the sheet.
Miroku smiles brightly, tipping his cap in the man's direction. "Have a good day, Sasaki-san." He walks back out the hallway, slipping into his shoes again and once he's out the door, he whispers into his piece. "Mission accomplished."
"Great job, Miroku," Seishirou congratulates. "Bidou, Karen. Your turn."
Bidou and Karen walk towards the door - Karen in a red-headed wig (a completely difference from the blonde one she had chosen last time) while Bidou had chosen a black-haired one that contrasted wildly with his pale skin and blue eyes. They were sure they looked different than they had before.
However as soon as Hikari had opened the door, her eyes narrow. "Are you two back again?"
Bidou and Karen look at each other and chorus in unison, "No!"
Hikari scoffs, "We don't have what you're looking for. If you'd please stop pestering us, or else I will have to call the police and have you taken away." She slams the door in their faces and Bidou and Karen stare for a very long time before looking at each other, Karen twirling strands of her fake red hair in her finger as Bidou examines his features in a mirror.
"I don't see how she knew," Karen pouts as Bidou shrugs. Inside the van, Seishirou slaps a hand on his forehead as Yuri wonders loudly as well before Miroku joins them a minute later.
"What'd I miss?" Miroku asks nonchalantly.
~*~
The first thing Miroku hears when he throws open the van doors is "They're leaving town." Miroku blinks at an obviously exhausted Seishirou who tosses Miroku the head phones. "They're leaving town and that's when we'll strike."
"Are we stealing it?!" Yuri exclaims from behind Miroku.
"Borrowing," Seishirou corrects, as he rubs at his eyes.
"Will I have anything to do today?" Yuri asks.
"If I gave you anything, you'd mess it up if you even smelt a donut."
Yuri gleefully squeals, "Speak of the devil! I have one now!" She bites into one of the donuts she had brought along and Seishirou has to sigh, rubbing at his eyes.
"You look like crap," Miroku tells him, settling into the seat next to Seishirou.
"And you look like a bunch of daisies in the morning," Seishirou snaps, before getting up to lie down on the line of chairs. "Just wake me up when you hear something important, okay?" He shuts his eyes and as he starts to drift off, half of him listens to Miroku and Yuri's conversation.
"Seishirou sure is going all out on this one," Yuri observes.
"When it's a good cause..." Miroku starts.
There's a long pause before Yuri asks, "Will Noriko really be happy with all this?"
Seishirou finds the silence maddening, but he can't even think of an answer to that. So he drifts to sleep and lets them figure out answers to unanswerable questions.
~*~
Seishirou is awakened by someone nudging at his side. "What?" he asks groggily.
"Everyone's here and it sounds like Sasaki-san is leaving the house soon," Miroku tells him.
Seishirou breathes before he sits up in his seat, plopping in a breath mint before speaking. "Well, now we go in."
Karen stares at Seishirou, slightly frowning, "Is this the best choice?"
"Maybe?" Seishirou says in sheer exhaustion. He combs a hand through his hair. "We've gone this far. We should carry it out to the end. It's not like we're taking it forever... Just borrowing."
"And if Noriko asks?" Bidou points out.
"It's from a friend," Seishirou supplies. "They're just visiting and after they heard about her interest, they were more than happy to let her see it."
"So you're just going to lie to her?" Karen frowns.
"Yes! ...Maybe?" Seishirou exhales. "It's a dream of hers. I just want to be able to grant it. I can do it myself if you don't want to get into trouble with her." He tries to lift himself off the seat, but Miroku pushes him back.
"You can barely stand," Miroku scolds. "We're helping out, right guys?" He looks at the others and they nod, a little hesitantly, but agreeing all the same.
Yuri grins, "Besides! I finally have something to do!"
"Yeah, look out." Miroku supplies.
She shrugs. "Still a job."
~*~
For them, it wasn't supposed to go wrong. They waited exactly for when Matoko and Hikari would leave the house and they did, an hour or so after they had woken Seishirou up. They prepped for things they need to enter the house so as not to look so suspicious - disguises of maintence workers that would double as an excuse as to why they were looking for the key to the door. They managed to get inside thanks to Yuri's lock picking skills and true to her word, she stood outside - watching out for anyone who was at all related to the house and warn them.
The others enter the house, rushing around to find the room that the tea set could possibly be in - Miroku not having found it in the room he thought they had led him to originaly. The house is a lot larger than they expect - being three levels tall plus including a basement. (Bidou had been particularly excited when he had found a game room in the basement, but Karen managed to drag him out of there without too much trouble.)
However, nobody expected that when Makoto and Hikari left, they would have someone stay inside the house to watch it.
"Those five who entered the house better come here now or your friend gets it," a booming voice calls out to them. Miroku, who's the closest, can hear Yuri's muffles of help as he dashes to the main hallway to find a big man holding Yuri's hands behind her back and a hand clamped over her mouth.
"Let Yuri go!" he starts but hands are pulling him back into a hold and he yelps at the sudden shooting pain up his legs, bringing him down to his knees.
"Found these two in the basement," another voice supplies and Miroku half turns to find Bidou and Karen in another man's grasp.
"This guy's a fighter," a fourth person says and Miroku has to groan that all of them were taken down so easily. He turns to look at Seishirou and notices that the man holding Seishirou has a bloody nose and a split lip - not as easily as he had thought. Seishirou frowns in Miroku's direction before two people enter the house through the doorway.
"I thought we'd gotten rid of you," Hikari sniffs, turning her nose up at Karen and Bidou. "Who are these other people? Your accomplices?"
Seishirou gapes. "I thought... I thought I'd heard you were leaving town."
Makoto stares at Miroku for a long time, the younger male trying to look away so as to not get a good look at his face. "We decided we didn't want to go in the long run. We'd just gotten a very nice delivery and we didn't want to risk our chances." He narrows his eyes. "You're the delivery boy!"
Miroku flinches, "Not at all."
"Yeah! You had black hair, that ridiculous looking cap and ugly glasses," Makoto snorts.
Miroku pouts at this. "They weren't ugly," he mumbles under his breath.
"Why are you here again? All of you?" he asks, his eyes narrowing.
"Anata, it doesn't matter. Let's just call the police and get these juveniles out of my house," Hikari frowns. She moves towards the kitchen, Makoto following behind her.
"Wait!" Yuri pleads, "This was all for Noriko!" She says this all on a whim as she struggles against hands holding her back.
"Wait!" Makoto raises a hand as he spins around, facing Yuri with a glare. "Who did you just say?"
The other four stare widely as Yuri throws them all a look before gulping. "I said Noriko."
There's a long pause before Makoto opens his mouth again, "Let them go."
"Anata-" Hikari starts before Makoto raises his hand again. "Give her a call please." Hikari nods and rushes out of the room as the others give each other confused looks and mouth his words.
"All of you know Noriko?" he asks, except he's really only asking Yuri as he crouches down to meet her face to face.
Yuri pouts heavily, "Of course! She's our best friend!"
A door is thrown open behind them moments later and all heads swivel in that direction - they wonder how she got here so fast - and Seishirou has to flinch at the look of anger in Noriko's face. She toes off her shoes, bowing at Makoto and Hikari who joins them at the same time. She turns to face her friends. "What exactly is going on here?" she demands, her hands on her hips.
Everyone other than Seishirou choruses at the same time, "Seishirou made us."
Seishirou glares at the nearest person, who is conveniently Miroku. "What was that?!" he hisses.
"Seishirou-san!" Noriko berates, and he sighs before facing her. "What is the meaning of this?!"
He stares at her for a long moment before saying, "I need to talk to you in private."
"Out of the question," she snaps back.
Seishirou's gaze intensifies. "In private," he insists and the entire room holds their breath as Noriko pauses.
"Fine," she says, nodding towards Makoto who nods towards the guards to release Seishirou. They do so and Seishirou moves to his feet shakily. Noriko reaches out to wrap her hand around Seishirou's arm and yanks him in her direction. "Sasaki-san, I'll be borrowing a room, if you will."
Makoto nods, his arms crossed, "Go right ahead. Go to the one that's two doors from the right."
Noriko raises an eyebrow but walks in that direction anyway. Seishirou throws his friends a glare before he disappears around a corner and he can hear the collective sigh of relief in the room when he leaves. As he's pulled along the hallway, Seishirou stares at Noriko's back and he has to wonder what he's going to say.
They walk into a dark room and Noriko switches on the light as she lets go of Seishirou's arm. Seishirou shuts the door behind him, watching as Noriko walks up to a table in the center of the room, a sleek tea set made of sterling silver glimmer under the lights. He can hear her pleased sigh as she settles herself into a sitting position and examines each piece. After a few moments of just watching her in her element, Seishirou is startled when she asks, "Aren't you going to sit down?" She looks up at him and he rushes to do so. "Now can you tell me what's going on?"
Seishirou stares at the set in front of them, instead of on her. "This is the set you wanted to see, wasn't it?" He looks up, "The Alessi one?"
Noriko looks startled at his words. "How do you-" She pauses for a bit. "You didn't come here just for that, did you?"
He picks up one of the pieces, "It's very modern. No wonder your mother didn't want you to get it. It's against tradition."
"Seishirou-san," Noriko reprimands. "Stop avoiding the question."
"It looks like it's architecture made into a tea set. Quite fascinating," Seishirou says examining one of the containers.
Noriko snatches it out of his hands. "You're avoiding answering, and trying to get into a discussion over this tea set is not going to distract me from getting my answers."
He sighs, before lifting his eyes to meet her gaze. "Yes, Noriko. We came here for this tea set. Is that what you wanted to know? We weren't going to steal it. Not really anyway. We just wanted you to see it."
"Sasaki-san is my mother's friend. I would've seen it in the end!"
"We didn't know that," Seishirou points out.
"Doesn't excuse you for doing something so foolish!" Noriko exclaims, almost moving to slam her hands on the table. She exhales slowly before asking, "Why were you so determined?"
Seishirou pales. "Is that really necessary information?"
"Of course it is! You tried to steal someone's mail and throw it onto me just so you could show me! I am indirectly responsible for this mess you have caused so I would like to know the reason as to why you were so determined. Especially when it causes you to act so foolishly!" Noriko re-arranges the tea set in front of them; Seishirou thinks it's just for something to do.
He exhales slowly. "Because it'd make you smile," he says, his eyes meeting hers. "You said it was a wish of yours and all we wanted to do was grant it." He watches as her face fills with realization before she pushes up slightly, her hands on the desk. She leans towards him and his eyes widen before one hand flies out and slaps him across the face.
"Of all the most ridiculous things I have ever heard, Seishirou-san, this one takes the cake. And we're friends with Yuri," Noriko scolds before sitting back down. "To make me smile doesn't require such measures. Just being around my friends would make me happy enough. And for you not to see that is disappointing." She huffs, before standing up. "I expected better from you."
"Wait." Seishirou says, stopping her in her tracks. "Just... Don't blame the others." She spins around to meet his eyes as he stands up slowly. "I dragged them into this and it's all my fault so... Don't be angry at them."
She stares at him before sighing and walking back to the table, leaning over to pick up one of the cups. Seishirou follows her with his eyes. "Do you know what the name Alessi means?" she asks, gesturing towards the cup.
"Not at all. I didn't come across it in any of my research."
"It's a form of the name Alexis. Alexis which means protector and defender." Noriko explains before handing him the cup. "That's what you are, Seishirou-san, and why I admire you so. You protect us all, even with your harsh words and severe demeanor and for that, I admire you."
Seishirou blinks before staring down at the cup. He looks up to see her walking back towards the door and places it back on the table. "I'll always be those things for you," he murmurs still staring at the table; he says it so low that he's not sure she's heard him, but the sudden halt in her movements and in the intake of breath tells him otherwise. "It may not mean much right now. But it's a life-long vow - I'll always watch over you."
Noriko turns around. "I know," she blinks. "Haven't you already been doing that for years?"
He cracks a smile, "I thought I'd re-affirm it."
She shakes her head, smiling back at him before turning back to open the door. As the door slides open, five bodies tumble forward and the two people in the room stare at the pile of hands and legs.
Miroku's the first to lift his head, his eyes meeting Seishirou as he laughs awkwardly, waving his hand, "Hi?"
"You are horrible eavesdroppers," Noriko scolds. "Even you, Sasaki-san?"
Makoto raises his head, laughing as awkwardly as Miroku was. "After hearing the story from the kids, I couldn't resist."
Noriko frowns heavily, rearing her head towards Seishirou as though it was all his fault that Makoto was acting this way. He shrugs at her lightly as the bodies in the pile complain loudly. "Ow! That's my foot, Bidou!" And a shriek from Miroku, "Who touched my collarbone?! You know I'm ticklish!" "My hair!" Bidou yelps, "Someone's tugging at my hair!"
Seishirou shakes his head as he laughs, walking over to help out his friends. His mind reels though - protector and defender... He thinks he'd be okay with those titles. After all, as Noriko said, hadn't he been doing that for years already?
Omake:
“They were afraid that it might get stolen. There've been robberies in that area lately,” Seishirou explains before laying the newspaper flat on the table in their club room. “But yesterday, the police were able to reprimand the robber.” All of them, minus Noriko, stare at a large photo of Miroku's father and the hand-cuffed criminal taking up a large portion of one page.
“That explains a lot,” Karen sighs as she opens up her pocket mirror to fix up her make-up.
"So how long had you been listening to them anyway?" Miroku asks Seishirou curiously.
Seishirou flinches before shaking his head. "Not long at all."
A grin appears on Yuri's face as she gets up from her seat, walking around to stand near Seishirou, poking him in the cheek. "What'd you hear?" she asks playfully and as though just remembering, he starts to flush a light red.
Karen's eyes go wide as she leans against the table on her elbows. "What'd you hear?" she asks excitedly. "Were there secrets told or did you hear stories of way back when - like when they first met or..." she sighs.
He flushes and Miroku raises an eyebrow, twisting around the lollipop in his mouth. "You heard something you didn't want to hear," he observes as Yuri continues to poke at Seishirou's cheek, whining, "Tell me. Tell me tell me!"
Seishirou nods once and Miroku stares, eyes narrowing as Seishriou does the same. "You heard..." There's a long pause before Miroku finishes, "noises." Seishirou doesn't move for a long moment, but then nods just an inch. Miroku nearly spits out his lollipop in his laughter which causes Seishirou to glare at his friend.
Bidou stares at Miroku then at Seishirou before back to Miroku and then he laughs loudly, joining Miroku before reclining in his chair. "Well, nobody did say the old would forget the song of love," he says with a wave of his hand.
Seishirou drops his head as Yuri freezes in her poking to stare at Bidou and Karen's jaw drops. A pin drops somewhere before Miroku bursts into laughter. "Oh, that is way too voyeuristic, even for you."
"I didn't listen!" Seishirou exclaims loudly just as the door opens.
"Everyone! Sasaki-san said he was okay with us borrowing the tea set for today! I thought I'd let you all see how it works," Noriko says as she comes in with a box and sets it onto the table in front of them. All five heads stare at it warily for a long moment, as though imagining what could've happened before starting to gather their things.
"I have a test to study for," Yuri says, to which Noriko raises an eyebrow. "You never study."
"It's called lunchtime class. And I'm late!" she chirps before dashing out of the room.
Miroku chuckles before waving at Noriko. "Got an assignment from my father."
"A date," Bidou waves before planting a kiss on Noriko's hand. "Can't be late."
Karen shrugs helplessly at her friend. "Sorry, I have a date too. But have fun with the tea set!" She walks out with Bidou, the two exchanging dating tips before Noriko rears her head on Seishirou.
"Seishirou-san?" she asks pointedly.
He looks up from his book and blinks, before laughing. "Sure. I wouldn't mind some tea."
Noriko beams, before preparing the tea set. Seishirou shakes his head. Maybe he should've told the others the noises had definitely come from another room. And was just some samurai movie blasting from a television set. He smirks - never mind, this was much more fun.
Author: Kamika Farinas aka tinyangl
Rating: PG-13
Words: 6732
Characters: Yukan Club, Seishirou/Noriko
Summary: Seishirou has only ever wanted Noriko happy, and he manages to get the entire group to help him do just that.
Author's Note: This was written for acchikocchi although I don't know how much she'll want it after she's read it. XP She asked me to write Seishirou/Noriko fic and this popped up and it ended up reading more like an episode of Yukan Club (and not even a good one at that). Tinge of Seishirou/Noriko, if you squint at the right angle. And my characterization is probably shot so I apologize in advance for that. I'll try writing a different Seishirou/Noriko fic to make up for this one. XP
Author's Note 2: The tea set I talk about here does exist, except I got my facts wrong the first time I researched it. It was commissioned by Alessi and is really called the Kung-Fu Tea set. You can check out pictures of it over here.
Author's Note 3: ...*hangs head* My friends are very good at convincing me to do things. Translations for the intro goes to Nya!fansubs. *hangs head* I apologize for the lame. Thanks to anamuan for the beta, it was uber helpful. As with cynicalism for helping me as I was pestering her with sentences that needed improvement and the such (and just for listening to me in general.)
"A police chief as a father,
He's a reserved and dependable guy.
He also likes various mechanical things.
He's Shouchikubai Miroku!
Her father is a master in the Japanese Arts.
Her mother is the head of the tea world.
An eloquent lady whose only hate is men.
Hakushika Noriko!
The heir to a huge hospital.
Into various genres of studies and excels in martial arts.
The versatile high school student.
Kikumasamune Seishirou.
Living alone with her mother who owns a jewelry business.
She uses her seductive and beautiful figure to her advantage
And dreams of marrying into riches.
Kizakura Karen!
The Swedish ambasador as a father
And himself a quarter.
A playboy who dates numerous women at once.
Bidou Granmanie!
The world's huge gateway, Kenbishi Zaibatsu president's daughter.
Her motor skills are better than any man's.
Her hobby is to indulge in eating.
Kenbishi Yuri!
These six are super celebrities.
Having too much free time on their hands,
They butt into many different cases.
People call them,
The Yukan Club!"
Seishirou leans forward in his chair, his hands laced in front of him and his eyebrows furrowed together in concentration. He's realized recently that he may have a sister complex and he's not exactly sure how he feels about this. When he had finally realized it, he hadn't been able to give it much thought. At the time, he'd been so distracted by whatever problem the Yukan Club had been trying to solve that when he felt his heart constrict upon seeing Noriko in trouble, the thought of protecting her had come from instinct without him having to put much thought into it. It's when she's staring up at him in relief and his heart is still thumping from the anxiety that the thought that he might just have what is called a sister complex pops into his head. He's not entirely sure what one does with a sister complex and he ends up blurting it out to Miroku.
Miroku blinks at him, eyes wide as he swirls a tongue over another lollipop. "What?" he asks.
Groaning, Seishirou repeats. "I think I have a sister complex over Noriko."
There's a long pause before Miroku says something. "Are you sure it's a sister complex?" He plops the lollipop back in his mouth, leaning forward on his elbow as he gives Seishirou a look that he supposes he should understand.
Instead, Seishirou rolls his eyes. "Am I sure? Am I ever unsure?" he counters.
"Maybe. Would you tell us if you were?" His lollipop moves from one side of his mouth to the other without Miroku using his hands.
Seishirou has to pause, "Unless you guys are witnessing it, then no." He sighs. "Point taken. But yes, I am sure it's that. And not..." he waves his hand in the air. "Whatever it is you think it is."
The room plunges into silence as Seishirou watches Miroku think - his nose scrunches at the very top as he squints a little, the lollipop moving from one side of his mouth to the other - he always was very expressive, a face for every type of emotion. "What makes you think you even have a sister complex?" he finally asks.
Seishirou curses his luck at having to explain something that he's not even sure he has coherently put together himself - not for lack of trying, of course. There'd been one point after his "discovery" where he'd even put together some type of timeline to try and pinpoint when he'd start to feel as he did. He bites at his lip, blowing a strand of hair out of his eyes as he tries to piece his words together. "I want to protect her all the time. I've known her since childhood and we've been together for a long amount of time. I don't think I know a life without Noriko. I don't want her to be hurt or pained or troubled, and I want to make sure she lives a life of happiness - whether I'm in it or not."
Seishirou watches as Miroku stares at him, mouth slightly agape as his eyes switch from normal to wide and almost watery. "Oh no," Seishirou starts. "Miroku, please don't-"
Miroku claps a hand over his mouth, a little above since the lollipop is still protruding from his lips. "That is," he sniffles, "the sweetest thing I've ever heard."
Seishirou has to sigh, hanging his head. He hated that his friend was so emotional - so easily too. If this whole thing hadn't been about Noriko, she'd be the one he would be talking to - she was the only other person in this group that had their brain screwed on right.
"So what," Miroku sniffles again, "do you want us to do about this?"
Seishirou blinks. "What?" he asks, at a loss for words.
"Well, you were telling me this for a reason, weren't you?" Miroku prompts, taking the lollipop out of his mouth. "Did you have something in mind?"
For the first time, Seishirou thinks he actually has no idea whatsoever. What had he expected after telling Miroku? "I..." he starts, his mind racing with thoughts - except not the kind he expected. He wasn't sure how school work was going to help him in this case. "...Don't exactly have a set plan right about now. But I-"
Miroku cracks a smile, startling Seishirou to the point that he stops talking. "You have no idea, do you?"
"Well," Seishirou starts. He was the Body President. He should be able to think of something. Anything. His mind races with thoughts of what he'd said to Miroku and suddenly he has it. He knows just what he wants. Seishirou breathes before piercing Miroku with his eyes, "To make her happy. That's all it's ever been."
One of the corners of Miroku's lips jerk upwards as he laces his fingers in front of him. "Well, I'm sure that shouldn't be too difficult."
Seishirou wonders if Miroku even knows how badly his plans usually go.
~*~
"What makes you think I'm not happy with my life right now?" Noriko asks Miroku as she takes a sip of her tea. Seishirou has to roll his eyes - asking the person herself was not the best idea and he wasn't even sure how Miroku convinced him to do it.
"Don't you have anything you want?" Miroku prods, strumming his guitar from a chair nearby. Seishirou shakes his head, leaning against an elbow as he looks in the other direction, pretending to pay attention to the book in front of him instead of on the conversation going on behind him.
"What are you even asking, Miroku? Are you going to ask all of us what we want?" Karen interjects. Seishirou glances up to find her staring at Miroku in confusion, her thick lips in a pout.
"Well-" Miroku starts, looking a little uncomfortable - probably at the prospect of having to give everyone something to make this look "normal."
"I want a nikuman!" Yuri cheerfully blurts out, her hand raised in the air.
Everyone stares without saying a word before Miroku says what's on all their minds. "You have one in front of you, Yuri."
"I know that!" She pouts. "I'm just really excited for it!" She reaches out for the nikuman, biting into it happily. Seishirou watches for a few more seconds as her eyes shut and she sighs in contentment before taking another bite. His eyes drift back to his book.
"I would like this tea set that I've heard is the best of the best," Noriko says conversationally. She takes another sip before sighing and setting it back down before glancing at Miroku. "But it's out of my price range and my mother insists that our old fashioned tea sets are the best for our purposes."
Everyone's heads swivel in her direction as Miroku asks, "How much is it?"
"7 million, 100 thousand yen."
Seishirou flinches at the number before looking around the room at everyone's reaction - Yuri counts it with her fingers - possible trying to figure out how many nikuman she can get with that amount of money, Karen's stunned to silence as just the sound of that amount of money makes her salivate, and Bidou is staring in the distance, probably thinking about the amount of dates he can pay for with that amount of money. But it's Miroku's expression that makes Seishirou want to laugh the most. His hand has slipped from the strings of the guitar and his mouth is wide open, the lollipop he'd been sucking on already half out of his mouth. His eyes are wide and suddenly one of his hands is clutching at his heart, almost imagining how painful it'd be to even buy something with that amount of money.
"What could possibly be that expensive?" Seishirou asks Noriko who's nonchalantly fixing another cup of tea.
She looks up and catches Seishirou's eyes, blinking at first before answering, "This tea set by Gary Chang - It's called Alessi and it's a limited edition. Which is one of the reasons why it's so expensive." Seishirou wonders why he thinks her eyes are expressive - it's not like Noriko to say something without verbally speaking. "But it's just a silly fancy," Noriko says, breaking their eye contact. "I don't really ever expect to see one, much less get one."
Miroku stares at Seishirou, but Seishirou doesn't pay him any heed. His eyes are on Noriko and he wonders why his heart is beating as fast as it is, and why it's vowing that they'll find that tea set one way or another. All about happiness, he convinces himself. All he wants is Noriko happy.
~*~
"Seishirou, will you stop..." Miroku waves his hand in Seishirou's general direction. "Fidgeting, or whatever it is you're doing." He throws Seishirou a dirty look, "It's already cramped enough in here and you're moving around isn't helping matters."
Seishirou glares darkly, before snapping. "You don't have to be here for this."
Miroku stares, "What is this exactly?" He eyes Seishirou suspiciously, almost lowering his gaze.
"Not. That." Seishirou hisses. "It's reconnaisance. You know how this works."
Miroku looks out the windows to a normal looking home before turning back to Seishirou, "Who exactly are we spying on? That bird on the left tree? I can tell you now that he's been trying to chase after that robin in the other tree. But she's been turning away his advances." Seishirou watches dryly as Miroku mock-acts the entire thing, even tucking his hands under his arms and flapping them.
"No?" Miroku says, looking a little disappointed - as though he'd put all that time into watching those birds and they ended up not being useful - and putting down his arms.
Seishirou shakes his head before pointing at a house two houses away from where their van is parked. "We're observing that house."
Miroku follows the line of Seishirou's arm, even leaning in to make sure that he doesn't mess up and look in the entirely different direction only to find a simple house - one that would belong to a family of four or something of that sort. A nice sized front lawn and space between that house and the ones beside it. "Are we... stalking someone?" Miroku asks, raising an eyebrow as he faces Seishirou.
"The man that lives in that house is the only person close enough to us who has bought one of those tea sets," Seishirou explains.
Miroku's eyes widen. "Are we going to steal it?!" he asks, sounding half excited.
"No!"
Miroku pouts, "Really? That's kinda boring."
Seishirou has to sigh, "You've been spending too much time with Yuri. We're not doing anything illegal."
"For now at least!" Miroku chirps before pulling out binoculars from the dashboard of the van. "So why are we here?"
"To see what kind of person he is."
Miroku rounds his head, "Wouldn't that involve talking to him?"
"We need a little background first. See his daily habits - does he seem like a good person? Is he overly paranoid?"
"Does he kick puppies in his free time?" Miroku adds in with a smirk.
"Where does he work? How can he afford such an expensive tea set?" Seishirou continues, ignoring Miroku's comment completely.
"Okay, okay. I get the point," Miroku waves in Seishirou's direction. "Can I ask why we're the only ones? Where are the others?"
"No!" Seishirou starts. He frowns, "I'd like to keep this between us, okay? Nobody's to know about this."
Miroku turns his head slowly, his eyes wide as he looks away from the binoculars. "Um..." he starts and Seishirou narrows his eyes.
"You. Didn't."
The back door to the van opens and both males turn to find their three friends tumbling in. "Hey~" Bidou greets with a wave, "We had a hard time finding this place. Miroku's text of behind the two trees with the robins wasn't the most helpful."
Seishirou glares at Miroku as Miroku chuckles uncomfortably. "You still found it, didn't you?" Miroku points out.
"A big white van isn't exactly hiding material in this place," Karen sighs. "What are we doing here anyway?"
Seishirou's glare only gets darker as Miroku scratches the back of his head with the binoculars. "Well, you see..." Miroku starts.
~*~
"This is a bad idea," Seishirou hisses as he watches Miroku adjust Karen's blonde wig and Yuri fixing up Bidou's bowtie.
"The best way to know if he'll let us at least borrow it is if we talked to him face to face," Karen insists, blowing kisses into her pocket mirror before clamping it shut. "How else can we gauge his personality?"
"That was what-"
"Reconnaisance was for," Bidou finishes with a sigh. "But you won't get far enough with that."
Yuri grins widely and inserts a fake rose into Bidou's breast pocket, angling it just right so that the picture through the small camera can be seen clearly on the screen in the van. "Looking great," she exclaims happily, pushing him out of the van. "Now go knock him out!" Bidou air-punches before Karen smacks him on the shoulder.
"Stop playing around and let's get this gift for Noriko." She throws Seishirou an exaggerated wink, and he feels like digging a hole, burying himself in it and never coming out. Instead, he opts for glaring at Miroku who busies himself with fixing up their communication.
The camera captures the settings as Bidou and Karen walk towards the house - "Oh! The robin got his girl!" Miroku cheers and Yuri joins in, despite not knowing what exactly Miroku was happy about. Seishirou shakes his head and sighs, giving in to the fact that this was just going to go as they wanted it. The three inside the van watch as Karen knocks on the door, then turns to Bidou, fidgeting with something above the neck - his bowtie, they assumed.
The wooden door swings open and the five stare into the eyes of an old man. "Ah, Sasaki-san?" Bidou greets, bowing politely - Karen does the same beside him.
"Yes?" the old man croaks, "Is there something you wanted?"
"I caught word that you have an Alessi tea set?" Bidou asks fluidly, his thumbs on the lapels of his suit. "I'm Miura Seiji and this is my wife, Aiko We like to call ourselves tea set connoisseurs." He places an arm around Karen, and pulls her flush against his side, her hands moving to around his waist as she smiles brightly at the man. "I was wondering if we could possibly have a look-see. We've been trying to catch sight of one for ages."
Sasaki Makoto eyes Bidou cautiously and inside the van, Miroku and Yuri are biting at their nails. Despite the nonchalant look that he's trying to keep up, Seishirou can feel his heart pounding and he wonders if the world'll be nice and give him just what he wants.
"It hasn't arrived yet," Makoto explains a beat later. "But you're more than welcome to check out our other tea sets, if you're inclined." He smiles brightly at them, "I'm more than happy to allow any tea set connoisseur to have a look at some of the ones we have collected over the years."
"Makoto," a voice comes from inside and a lady around the same age as Makoto walks into sight. "Oh! Are there guests?"
"Oh my," Bidou exclaims happily, leaning forward, unwrapping himself from Karen's grip, to plant a kiss on the back of the lady's hand. "What a lovely sight. And here I thought I was only going to get a look at one fine thing."
Sasaki Hikari blinks at him before extracting her hand from his grasp, "Makoto. Who are these people?"
"Ah, tea set connoisseurs - A Mr. and Mrs... Oh, I don't quite remember." Makoto squints at Bidou and Karen.
"Miura Seiji and Aiko," Karen supplies helpfully, but Hikari glares darkly at the younger female.
"A little young to be married, aren't you?" She clucks at them.
By now, Bidou's starting to fidget, "Well. We met young and believed that we were made for each other. Isn't that right, honey?" He looks down to beam at Karen and Karen nods back, just as happily.
"That's right, darling!"
"And what exactly are you here for?" Hikari asks, eyes narrowing.
"We heard you have an Alessi tea set and we were just so curious-"
"No, we don't!" Hikari quickly interjects, her eyes flaring as her hand pushes Makoto back away from the door. "We'd never own such a thing. Now if you'll excuse us, there are things that need to be attended to."
Bidou and Karen look into Makoto's resigned eyes as the door slams in front of them.
"Well, I never." Karen mutters under her breath and Bidou pulls her down the steps and back into the street.
In the van, Seishirou asks the two with him, "You were saying about this being the best way?" They collectively pout in his direction and he has to look away before they kill him with their adorable. "Never mind. Let's try something different."
The other two join them a few minutes later - Karen with some selective words about Hikari - and Seishirou stares at an invisible point between Karen and Bidou as he explains what he thinks they should do.
("Not more reconnaisance, right?" Yuri pleads and Miroku has to press his hand against her mouth to get her to shut up so Seishirou won't glare holes into her.)
~*~
"Oh, so not bored anymore," Yuri breathes after she hears Seishirou's plot. Beside her, Miroku rubs his hands together in excitement.
Karen pulls out one of the wigs. "So, do I look better as a redhead or maybe we can go a little wild and use pink." She holds it against Miroku's face, "Actually..."
Miroku holds some pink strands against his face. "What do you think?" he asks cheerfully. "Match my complexion?"
"Definitely~" Karen giggles. "Maybe you should wear pink all the time."
"It's my favorite color!" Miroku jokes. "They'll have to change my name so it'll go along with my favorite color in the world!"
Yuri elbows Miroku sharply - although Yuri rarely has control of her power and ends up knocking the breath out of him - and jerks her head in Seishirou's direction. They both turn to look at the male and he's glaring in Miroku's direction to which Miroku pantomimes zipping up his lip and tossing the key out the window.
There's an awkward silence before Bidou speaks up, "As long as it matches my gorgeous locks." Karen swiftly kicks him in the shin and he flinches, although never letting the smile fall from his face.
~*~
"I'm in position," Miroku mumbles into his mouth piece.
"What?!" Yuri yells into his ear, causing Miroku to flinch slightly.
"I'm in position," Miroku grits through his teeth.
"Speak louder," Yuri insists through the ear piece.
"I'm in position!" he yells into his piece attached to his collar. He huffs before continuing, "And now the rest of the neighborhood knows this as well."
Seishirou rolls his eyes as he watches Yuri giggle madly to herself. "You didn't have to yell it."
"Yuri," Miroku scowls, "I will get back at you later." He walks around a mail truck before opening up the back to grab a big brown package. He places it on the ground before he shuts the doors, locking them up before he forgets. Adjusting his uniform, and fidgeting with the cap, he makes sure that his wig of dark black hair that's tied into a ponytail doesn't look at all fake. Picking up the package again, Miroku holds it in his arms as he walks up the steps carefully and knocks on the door. "Delivery for Sasaki Makoto-san," Miroku announces.
The door opens and Miroku peers over the edge of his black rim glasses to squint at the old man. "Sasaki-san?" Miroku asks.
"Ah, yes. Is that for me?" Miroku nods. "Why don't you set that inside? I don't have the best back so if you will."
Miroku smiles brightly at Makoto, "It'd be my pleasure." He steps inside, kicking off his shoes. "Sorry to intrude," he says politely before being led inside the house by the directions of Makoto. They enter a room not too far from the hallway and Miroku is made to place the box on the sole table in the room. Before standing back up, Miroku makes sure to place a small device under the table, right near the middle so as not to attract the attention of any wandering legs. Pulling out a piece of paper from his back pocket he hands it to Makoto. "If you could just stamp here?"
The old man takes out a stamp from inside his sleeve before marking the sheet.
Miroku smiles brightly, tipping his cap in the man's direction. "Have a good day, Sasaki-san." He walks back out the hallway, slipping into his shoes again and once he's out the door, he whispers into his piece. "Mission accomplished."
"Great job, Miroku," Seishirou congratulates. "Bidou, Karen. Your turn."
Bidou and Karen walk towards the door - Karen in a red-headed wig (a completely difference from the blonde one she had chosen last time) while Bidou had chosen a black-haired one that contrasted wildly with his pale skin and blue eyes. They were sure they looked different than they had before.
However as soon as Hikari had opened the door, her eyes narrow. "Are you two back again?"
Bidou and Karen look at each other and chorus in unison, "No!"
Hikari scoffs, "We don't have what you're looking for. If you'd please stop pestering us, or else I will have to call the police and have you taken away." She slams the door in their faces and Bidou and Karen stare for a very long time before looking at each other, Karen twirling strands of her fake red hair in her finger as Bidou examines his features in a mirror.
"I don't see how she knew," Karen pouts as Bidou shrugs. Inside the van, Seishirou slaps a hand on his forehead as Yuri wonders loudly as well before Miroku joins them a minute later.
"What'd I miss?" Miroku asks nonchalantly.
~*~
The first thing Miroku hears when he throws open the van doors is "They're leaving town." Miroku blinks at an obviously exhausted Seishirou who tosses Miroku the head phones. "They're leaving town and that's when we'll strike."
"Are we stealing it?!" Yuri exclaims from behind Miroku.
"Borrowing," Seishirou corrects, as he rubs at his eyes.
"Will I have anything to do today?" Yuri asks.
"If I gave you anything, you'd mess it up if you even smelt a donut."
Yuri gleefully squeals, "Speak of the devil! I have one now!" She bites into one of the donuts she had brought along and Seishirou has to sigh, rubbing at his eyes.
"You look like crap," Miroku tells him, settling into the seat next to Seishirou.
"And you look like a bunch of daisies in the morning," Seishirou snaps, before getting up to lie down on the line of chairs. "Just wake me up when you hear something important, okay?" He shuts his eyes and as he starts to drift off, half of him listens to Miroku and Yuri's conversation.
"Seishirou sure is going all out on this one," Yuri observes.
"When it's a good cause..." Miroku starts.
There's a long pause before Yuri asks, "Will Noriko really be happy with all this?"
Seishirou finds the silence maddening, but he can't even think of an answer to that. So he drifts to sleep and lets them figure out answers to unanswerable questions.
~*~
Seishirou is awakened by someone nudging at his side. "What?" he asks groggily.
"Everyone's here and it sounds like Sasaki-san is leaving the house soon," Miroku tells him.
Seishirou breathes before he sits up in his seat, plopping in a breath mint before speaking. "Well, now we go in."
Karen stares at Seishirou, slightly frowning, "Is this the best choice?"
"Maybe?" Seishirou says in sheer exhaustion. He combs a hand through his hair. "We've gone this far. We should carry it out to the end. It's not like we're taking it forever... Just borrowing."
"And if Noriko asks?" Bidou points out.
"It's from a friend," Seishirou supplies. "They're just visiting and after they heard about her interest, they were more than happy to let her see it."
"So you're just going to lie to her?" Karen frowns.
"Yes! ...Maybe?" Seishirou exhales. "It's a dream of hers. I just want to be able to grant it. I can do it myself if you don't want to get into trouble with her." He tries to lift himself off the seat, but Miroku pushes him back.
"You can barely stand," Miroku scolds. "We're helping out, right guys?" He looks at the others and they nod, a little hesitantly, but agreeing all the same.
Yuri grins, "Besides! I finally have something to do!"
"Yeah, look out." Miroku supplies.
She shrugs. "Still a job."
~*~
For them, it wasn't supposed to go wrong. They waited exactly for when Matoko and Hikari would leave the house and they did, an hour or so after they had woken Seishirou up. They prepped for things they need to enter the house so as not to look so suspicious - disguises of maintence workers that would double as an excuse as to why they were looking for the key to the door. They managed to get inside thanks to Yuri's lock picking skills and true to her word, she stood outside - watching out for anyone who was at all related to the house and warn them.
The others enter the house, rushing around to find the room that the tea set could possibly be in - Miroku not having found it in the room he thought they had led him to originaly. The house is a lot larger than they expect - being three levels tall plus including a basement. (Bidou had been particularly excited when he had found a game room in the basement, but Karen managed to drag him out of there without too much trouble.)
However, nobody expected that when Makoto and Hikari left, they would have someone stay inside the house to watch it.
"Those five who entered the house better come here now or your friend gets it," a booming voice calls out to them. Miroku, who's the closest, can hear Yuri's muffles of help as he dashes to the main hallway to find a big man holding Yuri's hands behind her back and a hand clamped over her mouth.
"Let Yuri go!" he starts but hands are pulling him back into a hold and he yelps at the sudden shooting pain up his legs, bringing him down to his knees.
"Found these two in the basement," another voice supplies and Miroku half turns to find Bidou and Karen in another man's grasp.
"This guy's a fighter," a fourth person says and Miroku has to groan that all of them were taken down so easily. He turns to look at Seishirou and notices that the man holding Seishirou has a bloody nose and a split lip - not as easily as he had thought. Seishirou frowns in Miroku's direction before two people enter the house through the doorway.
"I thought we'd gotten rid of you," Hikari sniffs, turning her nose up at Karen and Bidou. "Who are these other people? Your accomplices?"
Seishirou gapes. "I thought... I thought I'd heard you were leaving town."
Makoto stares at Miroku for a long time, the younger male trying to look away so as to not get a good look at his face. "We decided we didn't want to go in the long run. We'd just gotten a very nice delivery and we didn't want to risk our chances." He narrows his eyes. "You're the delivery boy!"
Miroku flinches, "Not at all."
"Yeah! You had black hair, that ridiculous looking cap and ugly glasses," Makoto snorts.
Miroku pouts at this. "They weren't ugly," he mumbles under his breath.
"Why are you here again? All of you?" he asks, his eyes narrowing.
"Anata, it doesn't matter. Let's just call the police and get these juveniles out of my house," Hikari frowns. She moves towards the kitchen, Makoto following behind her.
"Wait!" Yuri pleads, "This was all for Noriko!" She says this all on a whim as she struggles against hands holding her back.
"Wait!" Makoto raises a hand as he spins around, facing Yuri with a glare. "Who did you just say?"
The other four stare widely as Yuri throws them all a look before gulping. "I said Noriko."
There's a long pause before Makoto opens his mouth again, "Let them go."
"Anata-" Hikari starts before Makoto raises his hand again. "Give her a call please." Hikari nods and rushes out of the room as the others give each other confused looks and mouth his words.
"All of you know Noriko?" he asks, except he's really only asking Yuri as he crouches down to meet her face to face.
Yuri pouts heavily, "Of course! She's our best friend!"
A door is thrown open behind them moments later and all heads swivel in that direction - they wonder how she got here so fast - and Seishirou has to flinch at the look of anger in Noriko's face. She toes off her shoes, bowing at Makoto and Hikari who joins them at the same time. She turns to face her friends. "What exactly is going on here?" she demands, her hands on her hips.
Everyone other than Seishirou choruses at the same time, "Seishirou made us."
Seishirou glares at the nearest person, who is conveniently Miroku. "What was that?!" he hisses.
"Seishirou-san!" Noriko berates, and he sighs before facing her. "What is the meaning of this?!"
He stares at her for a long moment before saying, "I need to talk to you in private."
"Out of the question," she snaps back.
Seishirou's gaze intensifies. "In private," he insists and the entire room holds their breath as Noriko pauses.
"Fine," she says, nodding towards Makoto who nods towards the guards to release Seishirou. They do so and Seishirou moves to his feet shakily. Noriko reaches out to wrap her hand around Seishirou's arm and yanks him in her direction. "Sasaki-san, I'll be borrowing a room, if you will."
Makoto nods, his arms crossed, "Go right ahead. Go to the one that's two doors from the right."
Noriko raises an eyebrow but walks in that direction anyway. Seishirou throws his friends a glare before he disappears around a corner and he can hear the collective sigh of relief in the room when he leaves. As he's pulled along the hallway, Seishirou stares at Noriko's back and he has to wonder what he's going to say.
They walk into a dark room and Noriko switches on the light as she lets go of Seishirou's arm. Seishirou shuts the door behind him, watching as Noriko walks up to a table in the center of the room, a sleek tea set made of sterling silver glimmer under the lights. He can hear her pleased sigh as she settles herself into a sitting position and examines each piece. After a few moments of just watching her in her element, Seishirou is startled when she asks, "Aren't you going to sit down?" She looks up at him and he rushes to do so. "Now can you tell me what's going on?"
Seishirou stares at the set in front of them, instead of on her. "This is the set you wanted to see, wasn't it?" He looks up, "The Alessi one?"
Noriko looks startled at his words. "How do you-" She pauses for a bit. "You didn't come here just for that, did you?"
He picks up one of the pieces, "It's very modern. No wonder your mother didn't want you to get it. It's against tradition."
"Seishirou-san," Noriko reprimands. "Stop avoiding the question."
"It looks like it's architecture made into a tea set. Quite fascinating," Seishirou says examining one of the containers.
Noriko snatches it out of his hands. "You're avoiding answering, and trying to get into a discussion over this tea set is not going to distract me from getting my answers."
He sighs, before lifting his eyes to meet her gaze. "Yes, Noriko. We came here for this tea set. Is that what you wanted to know? We weren't going to steal it. Not really anyway. We just wanted you to see it."
"Sasaki-san is my mother's friend. I would've seen it in the end!"
"We didn't know that," Seishirou points out.
"Doesn't excuse you for doing something so foolish!" Noriko exclaims, almost moving to slam her hands on the table. She exhales slowly before asking, "Why were you so determined?"
Seishirou pales. "Is that really necessary information?"
"Of course it is! You tried to steal someone's mail and throw it onto me just so you could show me! I am indirectly responsible for this mess you have caused so I would like to know the reason as to why you were so determined. Especially when it causes you to act so foolishly!" Noriko re-arranges the tea set in front of them; Seishirou thinks it's just for something to do.
He exhales slowly. "Because it'd make you smile," he says, his eyes meeting hers. "You said it was a wish of yours and all we wanted to do was grant it." He watches as her face fills with realization before she pushes up slightly, her hands on the desk. She leans towards him and his eyes widen before one hand flies out and slaps him across the face.
"Of all the most ridiculous things I have ever heard, Seishirou-san, this one takes the cake. And we're friends with Yuri," Noriko scolds before sitting back down. "To make me smile doesn't require such measures. Just being around my friends would make me happy enough. And for you not to see that is disappointing." She huffs, before standing up. "I expected better from you."
"Wait." Seishirou says, stopping her in her tracks. "Just... Don't blame the others." She spins around to meet his eyes as he stands up slowly. "I dragged them into this and it's all my fault so... Don't be angry at them."
She stares at him before sighing and walking back to the table, leaning over to pick up one of the cups. Seishirou follows her with his eyes. "Do you know what the name Alessi means?" she asks, gesturing towards the cup.
"Not at all. I didn't come across it in any of my research."
"It's a form of the name Alexis. Alexis which means protector and defender." Noriko explains before handing him the cup. "That's what you are, Seishirou-san, and why I admire you so. You protect us all, even with your harsh words and severe demeanor and for that, I admire you."
Seishirou blinks before staring down at the cup. He looks up to see her walking back towards the door and places it back on the table. "I'll always be those things for you," he murmurs still staring at the table; he says it so low that he's not sure she's heard him, but the sudden halt in her movements and in the intake of breath tells him otherwise. "It may not mean much right now. But it's a life-long vow - I'll always watch over you."
Noriko turns around. "I know," she blinks. "Haven't you already been doing that for years?"
He cracks a smile, "I thought I'd re-affirm it."
She shakes her head, smiling back at him before turning back to open the door. As the door slides open, five bodies tumble forward and the two people in the room stare at the pile of hands and legs.
Miroku's the first to lift his head, his eyes meeting Seishirou as he laughs awkwardly, waving his hand, "Hi?"
"You are horrible eavesdroppers," Noriko scolds. "Even you, Sasaki-san?"
Makoto raises his head, laughing as awkwardly as Miroku was. "After hearing the story from the kids, I couldn't resist."
Noriko frowns heavily, rearing her head towards Seishirou as though it was all his fault that Makoto was acting this way. He shrugs at her lightly as the bodies in the pile complain loudly. "Ow! That's my foot, Bidou!" And a shriek from Miroku, "Who touched my collarbone?! You know I'm ticklish!" "My hair!" Bidou yelps, "Someone's tugging at my hair!"
Seishirou shakes his head as he laughs, walking over to help out his friends. His mind reels though - protector and defender... He thinks he'd be okay with those titles. After all, as Noriko said, hadn't he been doing that for years already?
Omake:
“They were afraid that it might get stolen. There've been robberies in that area lately,” Seishirou explains before laying the newspaper flat on the table in their club room. “But yesterday, the police were able to reprimand the robber.” All of them, minus Noriko, stare at a large photo of Miroku's father and the hand-cuffed criminal taking up a large portion of one page.
“That explains a lot,” Karen sighs as she opens up her pocket mirror to fix up her make-up.
"So how long had you been listening to them anyway?" Miroku asks Seishirou curiously.
Seishirou flinches before shaking his head. "Not long at all."
A grin appears on Yuri's face as she gets up from her seat, walking around to stand near Seishirou, poking him in the cheek. "What'd you hear?" she asks playfully and as though just remembering, he starts to flush a light red.
Karen's eyes go wide as she leans against the table on her elbows. "What'd you hear?" she asks excitedly. "Were there secrets told or did you hear stories of way back when - like when they first met or..." she sighs.
He flushes and Miroku raises an eyebrow, twisting around the lollipop in his mouth. "You heard something you didn't want to hear," he observes as Yuri continues to poke at Seishirou's cheek, whining, "Tell me. Tell me tell me!"
Seishirou nods once and Miroku stares, eyes narrowing as Seishriou does the same. "You heard..." There's a long pause before Miroku finishes, "noises." Seishirou doesn't move for a long moment, but then nods just an inch. Miroku nearly spits out his lollipop in his laughter which causes Seishirou to glare at his friend.
Bidou stares at Miroku then at Seishirou before back to Miroku and then he laughs loudly, joining Miroku before reclining in his chair. "Well, nobody did say the old would forget the song of love," he says with a wave of his hand.
Seishirou drops his head as Yuri freezes in her poking to stare at Bidou and Karen's jaw drops. A pin drops somewhere before Miroku bursts into laughter. "Oh, that is way too voyeuristic, even for you."
"I didn't listen!" Seishirou exclaims loudly just as the door opens.
"Everyone! Sasaki-san said he was okay with us borrowing the tea set for today! I thought I'd let you all see how it works," Noriko says as she comes in with a box and sets it onto the table in front of them. All five heads stare at it warily for a long moment, as though imagining what could've happened before starting to gather their things.
"I have a test to study for," Yuri says, to which Noriko raises an eyebrow. "You never study."
"It's called lunchtime class. And I'm late!" she chirps before dashing out of the room.
Miroku chuckles before waving at Noriko. "Got an assignment from my father."
"A date," Bidou waves before planting a kiss on Noriko's hand. "Can't be late."
Karen shrugs helplessly at her friend. "Sorry, I have a date too. But have fun with the tea set!" She walks out with Bidou, the two exchanging dating tips before Noriko rears her head on Seishirou.
"Seishirou-san?" she asks pointedly.
He looks up from his book and blinks, before laughing. "Sure. I wouldn't mind some tea."
Noriko beams, before preparing the tea set. Seishirou shakes his head. Maybe he should've told the others the noises had definitely come from another room. And was just some samurai movie blasting from a television set. He smirks - never mind, this was much more fun.