Many thanks to all who have reviewed, and thanks for your support. Sorry for the extremely long wait, but here's Chapter Five. Special thanks to those who have stuck with me since 'My Flatmate is an Icecube'! Cheers.

5: Cold Feet

The rain is pelting down and I haven't got an umbrella. Summer rains are exceedingly troublesome, but at least they are not that cold.

I am at my second stakeout destination, Kouei.

It's been quite a few months since I've worked here, and I survey the structure, the falling water stinging my eyes. There seems to be a tug-and-pull effect from the building, luring me into the working room to start drawing drafts.

I used to do that, at least.

I do miss drawing. It provided me with a recluse, somewhat. It was like the static parallel of basketball. But if you ask me which do I miss most, basketball or manga, I'd say basketball.

And I've only stopped playing for a mere few days.

x

"Rukawa-kun!" Shinohara-san waves to me as I step out onto the seventh floor of the building, before realizing I look somewhat different. "Good heavens, you're drenched."

Greetings started flying around.

"Hey, Rukawa!"

"How's it going in the basketball world, eh?"

"Heads up, towel!" hollers an ex-colleague, and I catch it, nodding to him in thanks. I drape it over my head.

"Welcome back!"

"WE SEE YOU ON TV!"

I put up a hand to acknowledge everyone and walk up to Shinohara-san, my socks squishing in my shoes.

"Sir, I need to speak to you."

"You'd better dry off first," he grins, cocking his head towards the washroom. "Then, you can come to my office."

I nod and head towards the toilet, my feet squelching all the way, earning a few laughs.

x

"She gave me specific instructions not to tell you her timetable," chuckles Shinohara-san. "Lover's tiff, eh?"

My eyes avert his gaze upon reflex. "No, it's not like that." I shiver slightly, as my wet body responds to the blast of the air-conditioning.

I steel myself and look at his eyes again.

"But you were living together," Shinohara-san folds his fingers together and props his elbows on the table, his expression suddenly serious.

I am momentarily stunned, even though my expression reveals nothing. Shinohara-san opens his mouth to speak, as if he has heard my inner thoughts.

"I just happened to look at your file after you left, and at the same time I was recommending her for an award," shrugs my ex-supervisor, "then I realized that your addresses were the same."

"Aa."

"Rukawa-kun… I don't know the full details of what happened but I do know it has taken quite a toll on your friendship. And I'm sorry, because I felt that both of you were great partners. You guys had the whole manga world going for you."

I nod to him, and am only slightly distracted as my hands freeze in the low temperature of Shinohara-san's room.

We had made quite a lot of money for the company. Shinohara-san shakes his head, expressing as much regret as if he has played an active role in the near-destruction of Toki's and my relationship.

"Rukawa-kun, no matter what, Kaede is a girl. You need to be sensitive to women," Shinohara-san pauses, and I can tell from the reddening of his neck that he is slightly embarrassed to be making this speech to me.

"Even though I am only hazarding guesses at what happened between the both of you, I think it is important that you be more open and learn how to talk about things more. I know you are quiet, private even, by nature – and it will be doubly hard for you because you don't make a conscious choice to be like this, but at least try…" He trails off, eyes closed.

I realize that he probably has encountered certain similar problems before, and personal experience is driving him to warn me. If my memory serves me correctly, Toki once told me that Shinohara-san is a divorcee.

I resist the urge to sneeze as the effect of the strong air-conditioning permeates every inch of my body, right down to my toes.

"You do know why she is angry, do you?"

I am silent to that imploration, and I know Shinohara-san has interpreted my silence correctly. He sighs and picks up a notepad and a pen.

"I just hope she doesn't kill me when you manage to find her," he mutters as his pen scratches the paper.

Shinohara-san hands me the memo and I thank him, looking down at all of Toki's deadlines and the times that she is expected to hand in her manuscripts.

My feet squelch once more as I stand up, and I take note of how cold they are.