Anything But Ordinary

Chapter One

Rich girl blues

This could have been the hottest summer to ever shroud the city of Tokyo. And Kaoru for one hates muggy weathers such as this. Especially when she's in the middle of finding a new job! The last company she had worked for kicked her out due to crisis and now she's one of those people who are scantily unwaged. She wandered along the hot side streets of Tokyo District, tired and starving. Finding a job for the last twelve hours could be very, very exhausting. The newspaper on her hand was crumpled since she fairly stomps on it after being rejected on the previous companies she visited this morning.

Her vision's blurry, her stomach's making funny sounds and her feet are protesting from walking. Kaoru would give anything to have a nice, long bubble bath with nothing else to worry about but her own personal needs and luxuries.

Oh! If only she hadn't disobeyed her parents, she wouldn't be here walking around Tokyo like a stray cat. How many times had she regretted going to Sano's car rally and betting all of her allowance to him and his stupid car? Now she have to earn it all back through labour for the whole year! It was her punishment. About two months ago she was living on her parent's house, bathing on her parent's money, enjoying the rich girl life and basking on the afterglow of whole-day shopping. But now she's living on a small apartment she's sharing with a friend, doing all things a peasant does just to acquire money to support her living.

"Sometimes I do hate myself for being me." She thought bitterly as crossed the street with slumped shoulders and dry eyes. The sun was glaring, and out of lack of common sense she forgot to bring an umbrella. Being jobless and acquiring skin cancer doesn't mix well.

Passing along the area where all the branded shops are lined-up, Kaoru remembered the long forgotten days when she comes here buying all the things that she fancies, necessity or not. And now all she could do was to stand outside the shop and stare at the newly designed clothes. How pathetic.

A sigh surpassed her lips, shaking her head and muttered, "Ten more months, Kaoru and you'll be spared!" she can't believed her very own parents did this to her. Even though she deserves to be punished, this whole 'working' thing was insane! They could have just grounded her for the whole year or cut-off some of her allowance but-not-like-this! She pities herself for being so poor…

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't noticed a couple of girls looking curiously at her from the inside of the boutique. The two girls somehow squealed and started running outside the store. "Kaoru?" they both called and this brought Kaoru out of her daze. Kaoru turned and saw the two girls, "Kamiya Kaoru, is that you? Oh my God!" the taller one shrieked after seeing Kaoru's whole working attire.

"Tae? Tsubame-chan?" she blinked at the two, hoping that her eyes were deceiving her. As the three finally recognized each other, the two girls squealed and gave her a hug that almost draws all the air out of her.

"We missed you!" Tsubame happily chirped as the three dislodged from each other's arms.

"No connection for almost two months! Where have you been?" Tae on the other hand looked fretful as she again eyed Kaoru's clothing.

Kaoru sighed, "Long story." Tae and Tsubame had been one of her closest friends' since high school.

"Oh! I have an idea!" Tae went all thrilled again, "What about coffee then?"

Coffee? In the middle of summer? Are they insane? And besides, if ever she was thinking of drinking coffee right now she wouldn't be able to for two obvious reasons. One, she has no money. And two, she's in the middle of finding a new job! "Uh, I can't guys. I need to—"

"Oh hush!" Tae quickly grabbed her arm and started ushering her down the streets, "You'll be drinking coffee with us whether you like it or not! It's my treat, don't worry." She winked at her and then called Tsubame to follow them.

For some reasons, Kaoru felt insulted at Tae's last words. Although she wouldn't be wondering why Tae assumed that she had no money at the moment. With the clothes I boldly wore today… psh! No wonder!

"You're what?" Tae exclaimed appalled as Kaoru explained what happened right after the drag race. "I-I can't believe it! Your parents actually did this?" she said, her shaking finger pointing at her.

Kaoru rolled her eyes, "No, they just thought it'd be fun to make me dress like this. Of course it's my parents' idea!"

"They cut-off your allowance, banned you from your house and forced you to live in an apartment living the crappy life?" Tsubame herself could not believe what she's hearing. "But, Kaoru-nee-san… I-I don't think you'll survive this kind of punishment."

"Believe me, Tsubame; I've survived living like this for the past two months." Kaoru took the smoothie in front of her and started drinking. Her throat was totally parched from the scorching weather and continuous story telling.

Tae sympathetically shook her head, "And all of these because of that stupid rally…"

Kaoru furrowed her brows, "What's the matter? Got your self a free membership to loathe rally welcome imprisonmentclub?"

"Yes, I too wasted a lot of money betting on Sano's car." Tae winced at the memory.

"Well, that's what you get from gambling." Tsubame shrugged her shoulders and drank the cappuccino she ordered. She looked at the two and received death glares from them. "I told you not to trust my brother when it comes to drag racing. He's never good at it."

Kaoru and Tae scowled in unison.

"So, where are you planning to work now?" Tae asked.

Kaoru shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I'm still looking for it."

"I know! There's an open slot on daddy's company! At least if you work there we'll be able to spend much more time together." Tae suggested with enthusiasm.

"Are you serious? My parents know your parents, Tae. I don't want them to get the bad impression again. I'm making up to them, remember?"

"Oh, yeah right. You got a point." Both Tae and Tsubame nodded at this and then Tae looked thoughtful again.

Kaoru did not bother waiting for her friends' propositions and glanced at her wrist watch, "I got to go." She quickly grabbed her purse and then stood up, "its nice running into you, guys."

"W-what? You're leaving now?" Tsubame asked.

Kaoru nodded and then reached for the smoothie for one last sip, "Time is gold. Thanks for the drink. Bye!" and then she was gone, not bothering seeing her friends' faces and went straight outside.

Three hours more passed and still no luck. And she's starting to get pissed off. Now she's sitting inside the train leading to the next city, staring into space. She was tired, her whole body worn-out and her legs gone totally numb. Why? Why was the world so cruel to her? All she wanted was a nice, decent job! Why can't she find one? And why do they keep on refusing her? Is there something wrong with her? Is she too ugly? Or too dense? Bad odour perhaps? Do I OFFEND? Out of frustration, Kaoru grabbed her head and started ruffling her hair as she kicked angrily on the floor, "Waaahhhhh!"

The woman sitting next to her and so as the whole people sitting around her was alarmed as they saw this. Realizing that she's the centre of their attention, she promptly combed her hair with her fingers and timidly looked away. She's glad she's finally heading home. Today ended up fruitless and so she decided to look again tomorrow.

It only took an hour or so until she reached her apartment. Tiredly walking up on the stairs and reaching the front door, Kaoru grabbed the knob and sauntered inside. The lights were all open, a sign that her roommate's at home as well. "I'm home." She drawled, throwing her bag and newspaper on the coffee table and sunk down on the sole red couch.

"How's your job hunting?" a young woman with long braided hair entered the small living room.

"Not good, Misao. Not good." She buried her face against the throw pillow, causing her voice to sound muffled.

"That bad huh?" Misao grinned and sat on the coffee table, staring at her. She and Kaoru had been roommates since, well, since her parents kicked her out and forced her to find a cheap place to stay in. And she's lucky enough that she found Misao and her shabby apartment. At first being the rich girl as she was found it really hard to live the hapless life. But since Misao had been a good teacher and had been showing her the good side of being poor, Kaoru finally managed to live like this just in two months.

Kaoru needed to confide with something since the frustration of not finding the thing she wants completely irritates her. She raised her head and looked at her, "Why can't I find a job, Misao? Why can't it just, y'know, appear like poof hi! Need a job? Work for me!"

Misao giggled at this and shook her head, "Because it doesn't work like that, Kaoru. You have to work hard before earning the things you want. That's how you live in a poor life." Now, how many times had she told her that?

"I know! It's just—well… I'm just sooo tired of it! I wish I could just go to sleep and let the remaining ten months pass!" she again buried her head on the throw pillow and angrily punched the other.

I have to pep talk this girl before she destroys my stuff. Misao thought, "I told you to come with me so I could apply you for the job the hospital's offering."

"And what? Be someone's assistant again? I don't want to be bossed around and be jobless the next day."

"Aww… Kaoru, everyone starts from scratch! You can't be a supervisor once you stepped inside an office. Of course you have to work your way up." Misao patiently reasoned out.

"But I'm still not ready. I still have another year in College and I have to finish that. I can't work and study at the same time." Kaoru moaned.

"That's what I'm doing right now, Kaoru. I'm working so I could go to College. And still I can manage everything."

Kaoru once again removed herself from the throw pillow and sat up, her head hung forward, "I'm not like you, Misao. I'm not used doing things at the same time. It's… its too hard." Kaoru felt terrible at this and lowered her head more.

Misao sighed and moved to sit next to her. She placed an arm around her shoulders and said, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. I promise!"

Kaoru looked at her and made a faint smile, "Thanks." She's glad Misao's right here to support her. Two months… such a short time to make real good friends such as her. It's as if they had known each other for so long.

"Tell you what," Misao's green eyes lit-up, "You come along with me tomorrow and I'll arrange an interview for you."

"Are you serious? I can't go working in a hospital. I don't know anything about the medical stuff."

"Don't be silly! That's not our job. All you have to do is to assist the doctor and nothing else."

"Like a secretary?"

"Exactly!"

"Hmm…"

"So, are you coming with me or not?"

There's no way she'll go wandering around Tokyo again tomorrow. She's getting tired of it and it'll be nice to accept Misao's offer. It'll be much better to work at the same area as hers.

"Alright." She said, "I accept your offer. I'll go with you."

"Good." Misao broadly smiled and so as Kaoru.

She just hoped that this decision would earn her a new job.

I mean, what's so hard on writing stuff and serving coffee? Piece of cake!

The next day, as what was promised, Misao took Kaoru on the hospital. After spending a lot of pep talk in the bus for an hour, they finally arrived.

"C'mon, Kaoru! No one's gonna stick their injections on your fat ass here, don't worry!"

Misao knew for a fact that Kaoru's dead scared on entering hospitals since the mere sight and smell of it reminds her of injections and dextrose. Top two and three of the things invented in this world she hated most.

Finally Kaoru mustered all the courage she needed and walked inside the hospital's reception area just behind her roommate. Her eyes cautiously examined the whole area and cringed at the awful stench of clean hospital utensils.

Misao went straight to the reception stall and greeted the blonde haired nurse behind it, "Good morning, Lisa! Have you seen Jeremy?"

"Jeremy? You've just missed him. Doctor You-know-who called for assistance on third floor." The nurse named Lisa slyly looked on Misao whose cheeks starting to flush deep red.

"You-know-who? As in—"

"Exactly." Lisa nodded; the devious look playing on her blue eyes never wavered.

"Oh…I—I see… I'll-I mean we'll just wait for him—no! I mean Jeremy when he gets back." Misao couldn't believe she's stammering out her words, "Thanks Lisa." And then she headed to the empty seats and sunk low on the cushion with a sigh.

Kaoru sceptically stared at her friend, wondering of what made perky Misao fluster like that. She immediately followed her and sat on the seat next to hers, "Are you alright?"

Misao raised her head only to find her friend sceptically looking at her, "Ye-yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Kaoru asked again.

"Yes, seriously, I'm fine!" Misao nervously laughed and straightened up on her seat. She looked up and noticed Kaoru doubtfully staring at her, "What?"

"Why is your face all red?" she asked.

Misao's eyes widened and restlessly touched her face, "I'm blushing that hard?"

Kaoru again nodded sympathetically, finding how fruitless it was for Misao to even try to hide her emotions, "Now would you mind telling me what made you trip over your tongue. I swear you look like an idiot back there. Stammering on your own words' not a very good sign, honey."

"Alright!" Misao despairingly raised her hands, "You got me. I guess I'll just have to tell you who You-know-who is."

"Who is he? Or is it a she—Ow!" Kaoru winced, rubbing the arm Misao playfully smacked.

Misao glared at her and then defiantly looked away, "For your information, I'm straight!"

"Then who is this You-know-who guy? Tell me." Kaoru said, still rubbing her arm.

"He's one of the youngest doctors around here." Misao's face started blushing as she spoke, "Y'know, the usual stuff. Good looking, smart and well-off. It's just that—"

"Just that what?" Kaoru asked with a hint of anticipation on her voice.

"He's sort off—y'know, stuck-up... But girls usually throw their knickers up in the air whenever he's around."

"Including you?" Kaoru teased with a playful smirk pulling the corners of her mouth.

Misao again gave her another death glare, "Of course not! At least I have a little decency here! I much prefer admiring him in silence, thank you."

Kaoru snorted, crossing her arms and glared at her roommate, "Well that explains why the others seems to be so much ahead of you! If you like this guy that much, why won't you throw your knickers up in the air too so he'll be able to notice you?"

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you." Misao said, releasing a small laugh.

"I'm just trying to give you an advice, Misao. If you want him, you'd better move your fat-ass and do something!"

"Hey! My ass is not fat!"

"Try looking at the mirror."

"Oh, shut up!"

"That's a get back for saying my ass is fat!" Kaoru defiantly replied, remembering the words Misao said about 'No one's gonna stick their injections on your fat ass' before they entered the hospital.

Misao once again found herself laughing, "Little devil, aren't you?"

Kaoru grinned and shook her head, "What can I say? It runs in the family."

Laughter filled the reception hall, both not minding the attention they're getting from the other people who eyed them.

Misao continued teasing Kaoru not until her eyes widened and her pink cheeks once again flushed deep red. Once Kaoru noticed this, she turned and looked over her shoulder where Misao's eyes currently looking at.

Near the elevator she could see two men conversing. A brown haired, chunky middle-aged man talking to a doctor who pretty much fits Misao's description. "Is that him? The stuck-up doctor?" she turned to her roommate who's still at daze with her mouth hanging open. Kaoru sighed and muttered, "You're a complete turn off." She reached out to push Misao's mouth close.

At the same time, Misao managed to blink twice and started exclaiming happily, "That's him, Kaoru! That's him!"

"I know, I know! Just—stop jumping around! It nauseates me."

And then Misao pacified down and this made Kaoru's brows furrowed. She glanced over her shoulder again and saw the two men walking towards the reception booth. Her blue eyes widened and she looked over to Misao who's now standing straight in front of her. She saw her make various signals on her face and quickly Kaoru stood up too and straightened her green top.

The man with a chubby face seems to notice the two and walked towards them, "Hey there, Misao."

"Oh, hey Jeremy!" Misao who seems like not to be paying much attention on the man named Jeremy greeted.

Jeremy smiled and then turned his eyes towards the girl standing beside Misao, "You've brought a friend along with you. How nice."

Misao dazedly looked at the handsome doctor who's currently leafing through a few pages on the counter. Kaoru had to nudge her side to wake her from her trance-like state. "Ow!" she angrily looked at her roommate who's now gesturing for her to introduce her. "Oh, right! Jeremy, this is my roommate, Kamiya Kaoru. She's the one I've been talking about."

Jeremy smiled and extended a hand towards her, "Hi, Kaoru. I'm Jeremy Fisher." They both shook hands and then he said, "Have I heard right? You're looking for a job…"

"Yes, sir. I do need a job right now. That is, if there's any slot here that I can fill in—"

"Well, lucky you! There is an open slot. Secretary, is that alright with you?" Jeremy replied.

"Of course!" Kaoru elatedly said she couldn't suppress the happiness she's feeling right now since the thought of having a job again delighted her. "I'll take it!"

Jeremy chuckled and nodded, "Okay then, I'll set an interview for you. Is it okay if we do the interview now?"

Kaoru smiled widely and shrugged her shoulders, "Fine with me."

"Alright, wait here." Then Jeremy started walking away and left the two girls squealing. About a minute or two, he returned, "Follow me, Kamiya-san."

Kaoru nodded and then took one last glance on her friend. Misao smiled and mouthed, 'Good-luck!'

Kaoru grinned and nodded as she walked closely behind Jeremy.

Misao sighed, Finally! She felt really relieved that Kaoru's finally having that interview right now. At least it'll save her much more time than wandering around. And then she quickly turned her gaze towards the counter. Though much to her disappointment, the doctor was no longer there. Great! I missed him… another sigh escaped her lips and then she started walking towards the reception booth. Oh well, better go back to work…

Jeremy led Kaoru to the doctor's room and then left immediately after that. He said he needed to attend to some important matters and that the person who'll interview her will be there any minute. She made a polite bow as she watched him leave and then sat herself on the chair in front of a very neat desk.

What else would I expect from a doctor anyway? They're supposed to be neat… She mused as she observed the files and folders neatly piled on the left side of the table. And then she started looking around, noticing posters of a body with visible internal organs and veins. "Major veins of the systemic circulation, anterior view. Hmm…" she suddenly found her self reading the bold letters and then observed the whole poster. Then she moved to the other poster beside it containing an illustration of the human heart, "The intrinsic conduction system of the heart. Wow…" then she moved to the other which read, 'Gross Anatomy of the heart'. Kaoru furrowed her brows as she examined the whole room, "I'm working for a Cardiologist." She assumed, her eyes still drawn on the illustration of the human heart. She's seen it numerous times during high school. But three years in College doing nothing but to study how to cook good food hindered her from seeing these medical and science stuff.

Her train of thoughts was immediately interrupted when she heard the sound of an opening door. Must be the one to interview me. Kaoru spun on her seat and sat up straight.

The doctor entered which made her instinctively glance at him. Kaoru had to do a double-take when she saw who the doctor is. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped and abruptly glanced on the gold plate placed in front of the table. Dr. Shinomori Aoshi Cardiac Surgeon, she intently read the bold letters, it's him! The one Misao fancies! She looked up again and saw him leafing through the files on his hand. She immediately stood up and politely bowed, "Good morning." She greeted, still in shock on the unsuspected events.

"Hn." The doctor named Shinomori Aoshi made a nod and proceeded to the chair behind the desk. His eyes still glued on the folder in his hands.

Noticing that he had seated himself comfortably on his chair without as much of telling her to sit as well, Kaoru snorted and sternly sat in front of him. Stuck-up I must say! As he was busy on leafing through his files, Kaoru looked at him intently, observing every traits he posses. But all she could see was his glorious black hair and perfectly sculpted nose and cheek bones. She couldn't exactly see his eyes since it's currently glued on the papers…

"I-I'm here for the job, Shinomori-san." She said, trying to draw his attention out of those friggin' papers.

Finally he raised his eyes and placed the paper on the table. Ice blue eyes clashed with gullible cobalt ones. Kaoru had to hold back a gasp just from the mere sight of his beautiful eyes. Misao's right, he is quite good-looking… she thought as she silently sat there making eye to eye contact with him. Erase the quite, moron… he's really handsome, in a very stuck-up sort of way. "You're up for the secretary slot?" he asked, his voice a soothing baritone yet the remoteness was still there.

Kaoru nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Are you capable on doing the job?" he asked again.

"I've had an experience from my previous job, sir. I'm sure I'm capable of doing it." She courteously replied.

"Then you're hired." He simply said without much of pressuring her, "You're working for me starting tomorrow morning. Be here at eight."

What? That's it? Kaoru couldn't believe this. She's kind of expecting an interrogation which unexpectedly never came. Well, that wasn't so hard after all. "Thank you, Shinomori-san." She stood up and bowed again then she turned to leave.

But before she could even step a foot out of his office, he turned to her and said, "Be here at exactly eight o'clock, you understand? I hate tardiness, if you must know."

"Yes, of course." She gave him a nod and then finally went outside the room.

As the door closed, Kaoru scrunched her face out of irritation. She mockingly imitated the last words he said and then scoffed; "Toffee-nosed!" she muttered and started walking off with heavy, livid foot steps. Wait till Misao hears this! I can't believe I'm working for that guy! Hell sure, she'll have a great time working with him ten hours a day. So much for finding a new job…

TBC