Lee nodded his head in reply to greetings directed his way as he made his way through Hatake Corps. His destination clear in his mind as he made his way towards Atushi's office.
"Mr Lee!!" A startled feminine voice greeted hastily on Lee's energetic and startling arrival at the top floor.
"Hey Kina. " He greeted cheerily and the young girl in question blushed to the roots of her hair when Lee directed his megawatt smile at her, causing Lee to smile endearingly at the girl. It was rare to see someone blush as much as this whenever he smiled so widely at them. Some said he looked weird whenever he did that, and others, did not just have the level of exuberance he had, so they found him really exhausting to be with.
But, Yukina wasn't creeped out, and neither did she find him exhausting either, so he guessed she was okay...and really beautiful too... Lee quickly stopped his traitorous trail of thoughts, scolding himself inwardly that he wasn't here to ogle his friend's secretary.
"Is he in?" Of course Lee knew his friend was in. Atushi was a certified workaholic and the guy literally lived in his office. What Lee asked was nothing than a reflex question.
"Y-yes but he said not to let anyone..."
"Oh did he...?"
"H- hai..." Yukina answered even though the question was a rhetorical one.
"Well that makes my timing all the more perfect!" He winked and moved closer to Atushi's door, already pushing it open while Yukina let out a panicked squeak, trying hard to convince him that her boss was really busy and had warned her severely not to let anyone in.
But as it was with Lee, her pleas fell on deaf ears - just like how it always does whenever he made up his mind to do something. Yukina was just the... unlucky victim this time.
When she finally realized that there was nothing stopping Mr Lee, she immediately went to stand at his back as he pushed the door open completely, in order to explain herself to her boss who was reading a.... picture book...it looked like one, yet at the same time not. She wasn't able to see it more clearly because he closed the book at lightning speed, and partly because Mr Lee was partially blocking her view.
"Hello my friend!!" Lee's voice boomed a little too loud that even Yukina winced slightly at the volume but Mr Hatake wasn't affected - definitely because he was used to his friend's antics.
Without anyone inviting or asking him, Lee strode confidently to take the seat directly opposite Atushi's, and Yukina - now completely frazzled - desperately tried explaining her shortcomings to her boss.
"I'm - I'm sorry sir...i tried telling- i tried to stop him but I..."
"It's okay..." Atushi cut her off coldly, "it's Lee." He said it, like as if it was more than enough explanation for what just happened... and from the look of it, it seemed to be the case.
"Get back to work and maybe try harder to stop whoever might want to barge into my office next time... the security we have isn't just for show." He said in dismissal - and though his voice gave no inflection that he was angry, Yukina had worked with him long enough to know a scolding when she heard one.
"H- hai!" She said in a squeaky voice and turned to promptly disappear from his office but not before hearing Mr Lee saying...
"Stop being such a jerk Atushi. You know it's not her fault, so she doesn't need any scolding from you." Yukina couldn't help but smile softly in appreciation on hearing him defend her. It wasn't everyday you saw a situation like what just happened, without the secretary wasn't thrown under the bus at the end, even if it was completely not the secretary's fault. Mr Lee was... he is really kind.
Lee waited for a few minutes after Yukina left before finally facing his friend and what he had originally come here for. Atushi had quickly managed to put away the book he had been caught reading - though he didn't need to, because Lee knew what it was, and he knew that Lee knew - and was now glaring pointedly at Lee.
"What are you doing here?" The question was thrown coldly and directly, accompanied with a cold icy glare but Lee wasn't fazed, he has been friends with Atushi long enough not to allow his cold attitude faze him too much... sometimes - most times, Atushi could be a mean and scary jerk...the incident four years ago was a perfect example... even though he was really regretting it now...
Lee quickly shook himself from going deeper into the past. What's done is done. There was no need thinking or pondering over 'what if's.'
"Why else would i be here if it is not to see you, we haven't spoken or seen eye for quite awhile now." Okay, that was total bullshit! They both had had a friendly spar in Lee's dojo just last weekend, so they both knew he was lying.
"I'm not a fool, Lee. And i have work to do. So the sooner you tell me what you are really here for, the better for you. Because I have no qualms in kicking you out. I have important work to do, and your presence is nothing but a nuisance."
Ouch! That was really harsh. Lee was positive that he would have broken down in tears or fume with anger, if he hasn't been friends with this ice cube of a man, for a very long time.
As far as Lee could remember, Atushi has always been a cold - and sometimes... insensitive brat. The only person who had managed to get under that cold exterior and barrier, was Hayami.
Hayami had succeeded in making Atushi more human and capable of feelings and emotions. Too bad Atushi had messed up and when he finally realized his mistake, it had already been too late. Hayami left - since four years now - and Lee had sadly had to watch as his friend fell first into the deep pit of despair and grief before finally going back to how he had been before Hayami entered their lives - cold and unfeeling, and completely insensitive. Only that this time, it was worse than before.
The only person who could help change Atushi once again, was Hayami...but even that felt totally impossible. There was no doubt that Hayami hated Atushi and worse, she might actually have found someone else, moved on and was happy with her life- and that, was something Lee knew she totally deserved, after all the pain Atushi had put her through. Even though it pained him to admit and may sound like a betrayal to his friend.
Lee shook himself from the world of the past once again and focused on the present. Atushi did not need to know that he was thinking of Hayami, or he might kick him out for real this time.
"There's no work here that's too important to the point where you can't take some time off or chat with a friend for a while, Atushi. You just for some weird reason, enjoy punishing yourself behind this desk of your's." Lee said in reply to him being a nuisance taunt made by his friend.
"I swear if any of you comment once more, that i am wasting my life behind my desk, i will..."
"Any of you...?" Lee was now confused, what was his friend talking about, who else told him that? Atushi sighed and pressed his hand to his head, sighing warily and tiredly, he tried answering his friend to the best of his ability - and that was very little at about now.
"Shimura said the same thing to me just two days earlier when he had invited me for drinks, only for me to have to drag his drunken ass home. "
Lee winced at the info. It was no news, that a drunk Shimura was nothing less than a pain in the neck - just like him. But the difference was that...while Lee ran away from drinking as far as he could, Shimura wholeheartedly embraced it.
Lee couldn't really blame the guy. The three friends all knew that Shimura drank alcohol like that because it was the only way he could cope and not completely lose himself in grief... just like how Atushi drowned himself in his work.
"Well...he wasn't really lying..." Lee started to say, but quickly kept quiet, on seeing the murderous glare Atushi sent his way. "Anyways.... hmmm...why wasn't i aware of this outing?"
"I don't know Lee. Probably because he knows the fact that you are a lightweight and very disastrous when drunk or..." Atushi sighed and rubbed his temples once again, "you can ask him that yourself. Just...why are you here Lee?"
"You look really tired." Lee stated, concern clear in his voice.
"I have work." Was the clipped reply Atushi gave, his tone leaving no room for arguments, so Lee let it slide....for now. It wasn't really the right time and place to start an argument about his friend's health anyway.
"I wanted to know if you are coming for Miou's and Yukio's wedding next weekend." He said, finally stating the reason for which he came, and if it was possible, Atushi's glare got even colder and murderous. "You mean... you couldn't ask me this over the phone?"
"Oh of course i would have told you over the phone. But knowing you, and being aware of your attitude towards personal phone calls or messages, i figured it was best that i came to see you."
Atushi tried protesting against what his friend said, but later stopped himself - he knew what his friend said was completely true. Also, Lee wasn't really done with him yet.
"I also didn't come just to inform you, i also wanted to hear your excuses on why you will decide not to come."
Bingo! Atushi sighed once more. Lee knew him too well. And while that was sometimes annoying, he was actually glad that his friend already knows he wasn't going to the wedding. Now if only he could find a believable excuse...Aha!
"Well i wasn't invited Lee, and i am in no mood to downgrade myself by attending a function that i have wasn't invited to."
"First thing first Atushi..." Lee started, "we both know the part about you not being invited is a big ass lie! Almost everyone in our side of the town was invited, and i know for a fact that Yukio wouldn't be so rude to invite almost everyone, and not invite you who he considers a friend."
"We're not friends..." Atushi commented sulkily, but Lee did him the big honor of ignoring him, and carry on with what he was saying.
"Well then, what's your next excuse? Let me guess...'you have work.' " Lee mockingly repeated what he was told earlier. "Well newsflash Atushi, we both know that that's also a big ass lie. There's no work here that's too important to stop you from attending the wedding of someone who is not only your friend, but also a valuable business partner, that would be extremely rude... even for you. Well... should I go on with more reasons why your reason for not coming is invalid?" Lee said smugly, raising a challenging eyebrow at Atushi -who if looks could kill, Lee would be more than six feet under, due to the intensity of the glare he was giving him.
There was no doubt, that he was pissed because Lee had completely seen through his excuses and also because Lee's reasons on why he was meant to come, was absolutely correct.
"Are you still decided on not coming, or do I need to remind you that you not honoring Yukio's invitation may actually put a strain on your relationship as...you know, 'business partners '?"
"That's enough Lee, I've heard enough from you." Atushi replied indignantly but Lee wasn't fazed. Instead, he continued staring at his friend expectantly
"I'm coming to the wedding if that's what you want to hear - but... when, and how long i decide to stay for the ceremony is none of your business. So far as Yukio sees that i honored his invitation, whatever i do after, is none of your business. Are. We. Clear?" Atushi said tightly and Lee shrugged.
"That's fine by me..." Lee said, a big triumphant grin sitting on his face.
"Good. Now get the hell out of my office, I've tolerated you long enough."
"Sure, thanks! See you at the wedding." Lee said cheerily but Atushi gave no reply but that didn't even dampen Lee's spirit. He got what he wanted after all, so he wasn't complaining. It wasn't everyday he won an argument with Hatake Atushi, and Lee was so going to savor this victory for a long time.
"And yes, Atushi..." Lee called, his hand already on the door knob, ready to push the door open.
"What?" Atushi snapped irritably, the irritation he felt at his friend really showing in his eyes and Lee smirked. If Atushi was already this irritated, then what he was about to tell him, was so going to piss him off and true to his words...
"Lee you bastard!!"
But Lee was already out of harm's way, and was now struggling to control his loud laughter, which in turn, startled Yukina who was very shocked hearing her boss shout like that and to see Mr Lee laugh his head off instead of being frightened.
"Mr Lee..." She called hesitantly, and quietly watched as he struggled and finally succeeded in bringing his laughter under control and flashed her a big smile and she struggled not to blush as she always did whenever he smiled at her. She had more important things to worry about - like Mr Hatake's unexpected outburst that she had just witnessed.
"Mr Hatake...is he..."
"Oh he's fine. I just ruffled his feathers a bit but apart from that, everything's fine."
"Oh okay. " She said gratefully "it was nice seeing you Mr Lee." She said with a small respectful bow but..."hey come on don't be like that. I should be the one bowing in apology since i almost got you into trouble after all." Lee said in remorse.
"It's okay sir, I'm just grateful you defended me when Mr Hatake scolded me. Thank you for not throwing me under the bus."
Lee sighed and shook his head, "still, you don't deserve that... allow me make it up to you?"
"Th- there's no need for that sir..."
"Yukina please... let me make it up to you. My mind won't be at rest if I just leave things this way, so pretty please?"
It was clear he wasn't going to take no for an answer, so she relented. "Yes, okay."
"Yes...here..." He extended...his phone?
"S- sir?"
"Your number please."
"Okay..." She slowly took the phone, imputed her number and saved it before handing his phone back to him.
Lee checked and saw that she saved the number as...'Yukina Hatake Corps ' and he chuckled, she was just too cute.
"Okay Kina, thanks. I'll give you a call this weekend then. But until then..." He gestured towards Atushi's door, "good luck." And just like that, he was gone just as quickly as he came, while Yukina just watched with awe as he left.
'Mr Lee wasn't just kind'... she thought to herself, 'he was also cool... and very handsome.' She blushed once again at her traitorous thought before quickly snapping herself back to reality and went back to her work. Mr Lee may be cool and kind, but Mr Hatake wasn't any of those. He could be very scary and sometimes mean.
And she didn't want to risk being on the receiving end of his wrath, she just wasn't strong like Mr Lee.