Sorry about the wait!

Disclaimer: Princesa Alisakura and I don't own SIH, but this is her story.

Just another day at the office for Emerald. Rika has kept her word about trying to a be a better employee. They were in the the beginning stages so things were bright.

"Onodera? Muto-sensei's book just came out. Here are the copies." A stack of the manga she was in charge of was placed on her desk.

"Thank you!" She said with a big smile. She started to examine the book and sure enough all her work was right there. Sure it wasn't her usual litterateur, but any work done she takes pride in. She felt like in such a good mood she was going to go on a shopping spree. She didn't care if it was a honeymoon phase, she was too happy.

Soon enough after work she went shopping with Mika. Mika knew where everything was and was like a kid in a candy store. She went straight to the chapter and manga section while she did her own shopping. Rika managed to find a few books she wanted to pick up and went to find Mika.

"Oh hey look!" She heard a couple of girls in the manga section talking about Muto's book. Her face just lit up with joy.

"Oi." She heard a man's voice right behind her.

"Wah! Yokozawa-san?" Her good mood was gone completely.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Shopping spree." She picked up the cart of books in her hand.

"On the same day, the book you've been editing goes up for sale? That's my job. To make sure it sells." He says clearly not happy.

"There's nothing wrong shopping on the same day." She said.

"….Look I'm only going to say this once. Move out of the apartment." He orders.

"I can't. I can't do that to my kid. I just moved in. Besides why should it bother you? Are you dating Takano-san?" She challenged.

"And what if we were?" Was what he said. It caused Rika to just freeze. She didn't know what to say, only to be cut off by his phone apparently he was going to go drink with someone. When she asked if it was Masamune, he said is it wasn't her business.

Before things could get more awkward, an employee came over since he recognized Yokozawa. He quickly changed his demeanor and introduced her professionally as an editor. She was caught off guard, but went along with it. Soon enough after finding Mika, the girls checked out and went home. But all Rika could think about was what happened and her honeymoon phase was over in a quick two minutes.

The next day at the office the team congratulated Rika on her success on her first published manga. She thanked them and told then to finish their work before they celebrate. She decided to get some coffee to help boost her mood, only to hear a few gossip girls from general affairs.

"Did you hear? I saw Takano and Yokozawa drinking together." She squealed like a fan girl.

"Really?! You should have called me!" The other yelled.

"So they really did go drinking after all." Was what she thought as she about to press a button for coffee only to pressed by someone else.

"What?! Hey!" Only to yell at Masamune.

"Pay more attention." He told her.

He told her some good news about the book. Apparently it did well enough for additional runs putting her back in a good mood. He was pretty glad about that. He noticed that she was on cloud nine the day before only to be a bit bummed out about it the next. So the fact he was able to put a smile back on her face was an accomplishment to him. Then he invited her to his place to celebrate.

"Ahh..thanks, but I'm a bit-" She was cut off.

"Good I'll call your dad so he can take Mika." He said as he stole her coffee.

Rika did what she could, but it was too late. Her dad had insisted she have some adult fun. He even bragged about how he bought a copy of her work. Not much to her surprise since he does every time. She did manage to get her coworkers to put work first before partying. However after a train ride home she got a call.

"Hello?"

"Are you done?"

"Takano-san?!" She stopped.

"Are you by the apartments?"

"Why do you ask?"

"For your party remember? I'm just getting some things. I'm at the store by the train station." He said causing her to flinch and quickly walk away as that's where she was right now.

"Ah! Sorry I just left the building so there's no way-agh!" She felt someone grab her scarf as it was Masamune who spotted her just in time to finish shopping so in the end she was dragged to his place with junk food and beer.

"Congratulations on on your finished work and it's additional runs." He said as he passed her a can of beer.

"Thank you." Was all she said as she looked at the can like it was an alien.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"…I've never had a drink before." She said with a blushing face.

"Not even for your legal birthday?" He asked a bit surprised.

"Mika was there." She didn't want to drink in front of her kid.

"Celebrating?"

"I didn't want her to see me drunk."

"What about when she's not home?" He asked.

"I don't want her to accidentally open a can." Was her excuse.

"…She really is a good mom, but when comes to acting her age…"

"Well time to let loose. Go ahead and drink."

She opened the can and sniffed it. She gave it a sour look only to drink it anyway. She gave another sour look only to take another sip. Masamune couldn't help but feel like it was the most innocent thing he ever saw. It made him also very giddy to know he's sharing her first drinking moment. He has that at least after all this time.

"By the way, you went to store on the release date right?" He asked.

"What why do you know about that?" She asked putting her can down.

"Yokozawa told me. I don't really care, but that's sales territory, so be careful." He said.

"No it's fine." She said not bother trying to explain.

She just kept on pondering and drinking away with Masamune until…

"Maybe it's best you don't drink after all." He said as she was slumped over the table.

"Huh?! Wadd ou say?! *hic*" She said with her face completely red. She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't think to limit herself.

"Obnoxious and whinny. The worst kind of drunk." He commented sorta hoping she would be a cute flirty type of drunk only to end up with this.

"Shuddup! You think I cares cause your chief editor!?" She challenged only to have her beer taken.

"Alright no more." He held her beer away.

"Give tha back!" The next thing they knew they were wrestling for the beer only for her to lose her balance and fall on him and the beer to spill on her floor. Masamune was in a state of shock of the position they were in.

"Oh what a waste…" she mumbled cutely and tried to reach the can only to be kissed by Masamune.

She didn't try to push him away. She didn't have much energy nor was she in the mood to fight or yell when he pulled away.

"Could d'ou not *hic* do that? You're already going out with Yokozawa…*hic* I'm surprised you can do stuff like this."She said.

"Huh?" He was confused.

"Since you're already *hic* going out…you got to stop stuff like this." She explained.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" He asked not following.

"Don't lie! Yokozawa told me everything! And the girl from general affairs said she saw you two drinking together. I guess that's fun and all…but I guess it's fun to be around the person you love." She laughs bitterly.

"You know you're really drunk." He commented thinking that was the only reason she was saying this kind of things.

"I'm not drunk! *hic*" She tried to stand wanting to go home only to slip in the spilt beer.

"Sheesh. What am I going to do with you?" He asked her as she got up. He tossed her a towel to dry only to not do anything. So he took it upon himself to do it only to get one rub in only to be smacked away.

"Don't touch me!...look I know what you might think of me but I'm not like that at all anymore."

"Hey."

"I'm just a big joke to you after all! Me and Mika both."

"Onodera-"

"It's too much sometimes! It was all your fault! After that stupid letter you sent about not wanting us, Mika came not long after! We were put through so much pain all because that was the straw that broke the camel's back! So why is it that I can't keep calm when it comes to you?!" She yelled with tears and beer mixing together running down her face. He didn't say anything so she stood up to leave.

"Hey! Onodera! Hold on!" He grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Let go…I said-!" She turned around to yell again only to be pinned down.

"Do you honestly think I'm keeping calm when it comes to you? Do you?" He asked her.

"But…"

"When the people you love are around you at home or at work you do what you can to control yourself. So don't go provoking me! I won't be able to stop." He leans down and kisses her. She does her best to fight but she's too weak from drinking.

"Stop stop it! Why are you doing this?! You said in your letter you didn't want me! You're in love with Yokozawa anyway!"

"Listen I don't know anything about a letter. I never sent anything. I never got anything and I have no idea what you've been hearing, so stop assuming things every second!" He said looking her straight in the eye.

"The only ones I love are you and Mika. I keep telling you that I love you! How much more do you need?! If you're saying that's not enough…then tell me how much I need in order to let me in." He said as he leaned down to whisper into her ear, with Rika on the verge of tears.

"Listen, I don't know about a letter and I'm not dating Yokozawa…I-" He stopped when he heard her lightly sob.

"Se-sempai!" She sobbed with tears leaking out. His eyes widened, but held her tightly anyway.

"Rika….I love you."

How Rika ended up in this situation she didn't know. Last thing she remembered was drinking with Masamune. After that it was a complete blur. She woke up in a room that wasn't hers, completely naked and hickeys covered her body.

"You're up." She heard the door open along with her boss with a cup of coffee in hand. She flinched at the embarrassing display she was in.

"Go-good morning! Sorry I must be a bad drunk! Taking off my clothes in my boss's house." She quickly located her clothes and put them on with a nervous laughter.

"So you don't remember last night?" He asked causing her to stop.

"Remember what?"

"You really don't?"

"I'm sorry…Did I do something stupid?" She asked hoping it would be no.

"You are the worst…" He said with a sour look on his face while he sipped his coffee.

"Huh?! Well whatever! I overstayed my welcome so I better get going, by-argh!" She grabbed her things and tried to stand only to fall flat due to the pain in her back.

"My hips…Wait! I can't remember anything so does that mean I…No no! Definitely no!" She thought to herself as Masamune took out a cigarette to smoke.

"By the way what was that about a letter?" He asked now that she was sober.

"Huh? Letter?" She asked as she straightened herself out.

"The one you talked about last night."

"I don't have to tell you anything you should already know! Excuse me!" She said as she tried to exit only to be stopped again.

"I think…that you like me more than you let on." He stated.

"Huh?! Where did that come from?!" She asked.

"Try to remember last night." He said plainly as he smoked.

"Well I don't! If you have such an imagination put it towards your work! You're the one who's most behind! Excuse me!" She saw herself out and slammed the front door.

"Letter…"he mumbled not satisfied that he wasn't answered.

Rika never felt so humiliated. The last couple of times she was whisked away, but what if she actually gave…

"No! No! I would never give him consent!...Dream…Nightmare…this is all just one big nightmare!"