When Shun Met Tatiana

"As if I can tell all you men in suits apart," she said, shrugging. "I only know he was big, with a thick skull. I sprained my wrist punching him."

Shun gritted his teeth.

"What did his hair look like?" he insisted.

"Black," she replied, shrugging. "I don't remember. I didn't get a good look at him. Why do you care? You're not serious about this date, are you? Please, it would be better if you just stopped being crazy."

"Good enough," he muttered, unclenching his fists.

"I'm sorry," he said, smiling again. "I'll make sure to report him to my...superiors."

"As if," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "That's all you people do--prey on the weak. I don't like any of your kind."

He smiled.

"We run a business, Miss. We aren't brutes. At least...most of us aren't brutes. I'm not a brute, anyway."

"I've yet to see proof of that," she sighed. "Because of you, I could've lost my job the other day--my boss was furious. It was awful."

"I really held you up that long?" He asked, his face turning red with embarrassment. "I'm very sorry! I...I'll make it up for you. That was very ungentlemanly of me."

"It certainly was," she said, unable to hide her satisfaction at his shame. "It was awful, not something a real man would do."

"If it's in my power, I'll do something for you to make up for my rudeness," he insisted. "Just tell me what I can do."

"Leave my brother and I alone forever, and forget about the debt," she said hopefully, glancing at a menu. She was hungry, after all.

He chuckled.

"Maybe if the date goes well, hm?" he asked, smiling.

She blinked, then looked up at him.

"...Do you mean it?"

He chuckled at her.

"Of course. I promised the next month of debt would be erased, remember?" Shun said.

She looked downcast again.

"...Perhaps you forget how much debt we owe total. A month is not much."

"If there are other dates..." he replied, gesturing with his hands, smiling.

She sighed, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"...I suppose I do not have much of a choice, huh?"

"No, no!" he exclaimed. "Don't force yourself. If you don't want to, it's your choice."

"But I want my brother to be safe," she insisted. "I'm only working one job right now. I don't think you understand."

"I can't force myself on a woman," he insisted.

"You had no problems bullying me into this date in the first place," she pointed out, flipping through the menu.

He stood up.

"I promised to erase a month's debt and I will, even if I leave right now," he replied seriously. "Whether things go well or not."

"I wish I had any reason to trust you," she replied.

"Let me put it this way," he said, leaning over the table. "If we date and things go well, I'll erase your debt slowly. If we date and things don't go well, I'll still erase your debt slowly.

"All I want is three dates. And if you never want to see me, then...you won't."

"...Fine," she said, nodding. "If you don't keep your end of the bargain, I'll never forgive you."

She closed her menu, sipping the water their waitress had left at their table. "I think I want the cheese ravioli," she said, mispronouncing the word horribly.