The Exception Pt. 00: Prologue

"Ah yes, we spoke earlier. Wise of you to come with a witness might I add." The low respectful bow only served to make him feel even more uncomfortable but he reciprocated it after a hard nudge in the ribs. "Please take a seat. I apologise, tea time has just passed so I have nothing to offer in the way of meals."

He rounded the table and waited for them to get comfortable before sitting down himself. Emma relieved him of his hospitality in a way he could never achieve without generating some sort of awkward moment.

His hands felt sweaty but cold. A shiver ran up the length of his spine. It raised an unasked question of how much worse this feeling would be if he hadn't dragged his sibling out of work.

"I understand there's a fee owed to you," she began clasping her hands. "Unfortunately my brother doesn't have any recollection of it so would you mind filling us in?"

"Certainly." He stood up again and walked to the cabinet. It opened with a press of a button. "On the twenty-eighth of January last year a loan application was put in. It was approved as an investment on February the second, the very next month."

A black file was pulled out and the drawer closed without instruction as he got back to his seat and wore his glasses. "The figure was meant to be paid back over a period of twenty-four months with eighteen percent interest on an annual basis until the balance was reduced to zero.

He flipped to a specific page, turned it around and slid it towards Emma. "But it's been a year and he's just passed the grace period with no communication since. Those are the repayment terms. Please go through them carefully."

Emma unclipped the page and sat back on her chair, reading every line in silence. Corporate language was no easier than Shakespeare to him.

It was her cup of tea though so patiently did he await her findings. Okajima had his hands folded in front of his mouth, making it impossible to distinguish what kind of expression he held behind there.

Then panic settled in when she swore. Emilia never swore. Not even when driving with idiots alongside her. "What?"

"My god Connor. What did you do?"

"What?!"

The paper was gently placed back on the table and she revolved in her chair to face him absolutely vexed. "Two million..." She was at a loss for words.

He was still blank however. "What? Two million what?"

"Dollars," Okajima interjected. "The amount we gave you. The amount you owe us without our mark-up." His friendly demeanour was gone. A hand reached over to tap on the highlighted number. It then slid over to the other side of the paper. "Recognise that signature?"

'Fuck.'

He shook his head subtly, not in denying it but rather in shock. "This just has to be some kind of mistake."

"You reckon?" The account handler's eyebrows popped up questioningly.

Emma's hand slammed on the table catching both their attention. "On last year's managerial audit, your policies stated that loans are only available for use by other corporates, organisations, educational institutions and governments. It explicitly mentions individuals were not your demographic. This application should have been rejected."

He smiled wickedly. "Very perceptive of you. You're one of Holland's girls aren't you? I'm jealous. He has one of the most capable staff I've ever seen in action." The man pushed the paper aside to reveal the one beneath it. "As I said before, this application was approved of as an investment rather than a loan. Under those terms, we don't really care who applies so long as they show the capability to settle the bill."

The siblings looked at the man in stupor. Had he lost it or was there a roll of weed well hidden in that cabinet of his? What kind of approval board were they running here anyway? They should just fire the lot immediately. "He's twenty-three! What capacity has he to make two million in two years?"

The only response she got was a nudge the head toward the file. Connor had heard enough anyway. He grabbed the file before his sister could and started flipping pages, looking for something with substance.

His shivering fingers stopped hesitantly at a particular section. "This is my third semester's project. What's it looking for here?" The first two pages with his candidate information were missing.

"That sir, is your proposal."

He continued flipping through it infuriated.

'Proposal. Proposal he says...'

"It's based on a silly hypothesis, not actual applied physics! That's why a magnetic generator of that scale still doesn't exist. I couldn't possibly make this happen with three times that budget!" He slammed the closed file on the table and fell back in his chair softly panting and running fingers through his hair, feeling absolutely stressed. No, that would be putting it lightly. He was devastated.

The man kept his silence simply observing at first. "Pity. I'm no engineer in any sense of the word but I personally thought this looked promising when I went through it. So did my analysis team." They sat without exchange.

A comforting hand found the students shoulder. "Who's the witness?" he heard her ask.

'Yeah I'd like to know that too...'

Okajima rotated the now disorganised collection of papers to face him. "A Miss I. Bridges of number 1208, Mimosa house..."

"... Horton and thirteenth," Connor finished on his behalf, tired and seemingly amused while looking up to the ceiling. "The little cunt."

Emma's eyes just spread open.

Okajima started organising the pages, ordering them appropriately. "So you know her I'll take it?"

His sister gave him an irate but questioning look, demanding an answer. After this, she more than anyone else he knew, had a right to say 'I told you so'.

"Who else Emilia. My precious Ivy," he laughed. "Yeah she's dead."

'She's dead.'

Of all the low life things one human being could do to another, this was just inexcusable. Connor stood up and started pacing in attempt to relax his nerves. It wasn't working. He was truly scared there'd be no closure until he had blood on his hands.

"Is he going to be alright?"

"Just give him a moment. It's a lot to take in."

So this is why the chairs were bolted down. Lots of people who've entered this office must have been tempted to kick them over the balcony too. Why was she doing this to him? Did she get off on seeing him in such agony? It was like she was searching for every possible way to lay carnage to his life. You'd think after all this he would have stopped caring but...

"There just so happens to be an easier solution if you're interested." They both looked at him curious. "Amalgam is willing to freeze all debts and the accumulation of related interests if you'll do us a service in return." Connor was the subject of his focus while he spoke.

A small piece of paper materialised from his top pocket suggesting it had been there a while.

The account handler rose up and met them on the other side of the table, stretching out his hand. It was an appointment note set for three o'clock in the afternoon. "We only need you to make friends with a particular someone. Nothing else will ever be required of you."

The siblings exchanged looks. Emelia was slowly shaking her head the entire time. "Is this some sort of elaborate prank?" she queried.

"We don't make those kind of jokes Miss Forrest." He looked back at her brother sternly who just stared back with an equal amount of suspicion. "Sir. You have my word. Do this, and consider your slate frozen."

Connor frowned. Was he even being given much of a choice really?

'Just make friends huh... Settling millions is really that simple these days?'

**********

Three pm struck. People were busy with their daily obligations, rushing from here to there. Getting a late lunch, paying bills, buying groceries, lord knows how long the list really is but the pavement was full of civilians, all trying to get from one place to another. All but one.

One girl that stood leaning against the reflective window of a furniture shop with arms around her waist. She had long, brown, ribbon tied pigtails that hung down to her lower back. A natural fringe accentuated her delicate small face that bordered somewhere between a local and Japanese look.

She carried only a small black and white purse between manicured fingers that matched the sleeveless polka dotted dress she wore. This dress flared out into layers by her slim waist and cut off at her upper thighs, showing off a set of perfectly toned long legs set in string heels.

Aphrodite would be green with envy at the finesse she radiated her beauty. Clearly there was no effort on her end. She only appeared to be waiting for someone specific but caught the attention of practically every passer-by.

But anyone with half a mind would know that her kind was just for show, not to be spoken to by mere mortals. They would have to approach someone else more attainable.

Anyone with half a mind besides the dark haired boy that headed for her that is. He was in simple black and white formal wear along with a maroon waist coat. His casual step slowed down and faltered the moment her azure eyes turned to regard him. He seemed suspended in shock and paused a few paces from her without speaking a word.

This didn't affect her. Instead she stood up straight, unwrapped her arms and gracefully bridged the remaining gap, stopping a little closer than what society would deem appropriate. Had he hoped for more, he would have been heartbroken when she pulled the appointment note out of stupefied fingers and back pedalled to leave a more decent space in between.

"So this would make you Connor then?" She spoke so softly, just loud enough to be heard but with confidence all the same. Her voice could have melted the most brittle of hearts in an instant.

He nodded very slowly before he remembered he laid host to a functional mouth as well. "Uh... Yeah. I-I'm Connor."

"So it's been explained then," she turned around and started walking. Connor, still stuck in a daze could only stare after her, dumbfounded in awe she left behind. A couple of paces ahead, she stopped and looked back patiently. He kicked himself and quickly caught up. He still kept a few steps behind her though, trying not to stare and failing miserably.

'... We only need you to make friends with a particular someone...'

Confusion sung symphonies in his head. Honestly, who was this girl and what was her relation with the lender that assigned him here? What was the definition of friend in this scenario or more accurately, what did she expect of him?

'... Nothing else will ever be required of you...'

They then crossed the road and it occurred to him to ask somewhat nervously; "Um... Excuse me." The girl partially turned to face him, hands clasped behind her with her purse hanging off a string. "Where are we going, um...?"

"Luka," she finished for him.

"Huh?"

"That's my name. Luka," she repeated in that pleasant voice of hers.

"Ah Luka-chan," he repeated adding an honourific. "That's quite the cute name."

'Damn appropriate too.'

"Oh." He saw her subtle grimace with a sweat drop before turning around to walk again. "It sounds kinda wrong when you say it like that. Just Luka will do."

'Oops. Did I offend her right then?'

She pointed to a clothing shop just at the end of the block. The sign wasn't all that clear from their angle. His eyes turned their attention to more interesting things.

God, that walk... It practically turned the sidewalk into a runway. She didn't even appear to be trying. The modest sway of her hips, her refined posture, each graceful step taken in tandem. He could only imagine the kind of pervert he must have looked like right then.

There was the tinker of a bell when the door was pushed open. "You can't be serious. We're going shopping?"

"Apparently..." came her reply as she stepped through the entrance.

Even he knew this store. Or rather, he knew the label. It belonged to some well-known Russian designer. The pervert only ever designed women's clothing. But then again what did he care. It would probably be hypocritical to condemn the guy when he'd probably love how the girls looked in anyone of these clothes. Most of all her.

Luka went up to two young attendants and greeted them. They were quite friendly even though she still kept her reserved air about her. He heard the brunette inquire if some piece of clothing had come in yet.

"Yes, I set it aside for you. Do you want to see all the colours?"

Connor smiled to himself.

'So, it would seem I'm only here to carry bags. Easy enough.'

She vanished into the changing rooms for a minute before coming out in a cream summer dress. It might as well have been weaved by spiders with how silky it looked. His eyes eagerly did their job. Was there anything she didn't look epic in, he wondered.

She then went on to try on a blue one of the same kind.

"Opinion?"

Hold on. Did she just give him right to ogle her? "Make a 360," he instructed, which she did. Luxurious strands of glistening hair wafted her lemon like scent around. In heels, she stood almost eye level with him but not quite. She had this impossibly slim waist line that emphasised on her sizable high bust, and curved hips, which in turn drew you to her perfectly rounded rear that took your eyes down smooth legs. Everything just proportionally complimented each other. She could wear a garbage sack for all he cared and still be eye candy.

"You look okay," he commented.

She looked down at herself with a scrutinising eye. "You don't like it."

He shook his head, "I don't like its price tag." Did she know what he could do with twelve hundred?

She pulled it up by its string for inspection. "Red isn't really my colour either but it's just going to end up in the trash anyways."

'Oh... Oh okay. Well excuse me. What ever the hell was I thinking?'

She went back to an attendant. "I can't really decide. I think I'll just take them both."

"Are you serious right now?" He couldn't help but exclaim catching all their attention. "Both?"

Luka looked worriedly at the dresses now in the attendant's hands. "Did you have another in mind?"

"No. It's not that, it's..." a hand came up to make a palm face. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

The girl regarded him with a slightly baffled, slightly pitying expression. "You're weird."

'Would you look who's talking.'

When she had changed back, he followed her to the till where she unleashed her platinum card. The tiller was still asking for the mailing address when he lost all patience, packed the folded clothes into the shopping bag himself and headed for the door.

'Seriously. Mailing address for what...'

This time however, he was able to walk at her side with his chin a little higher. It wasn't bad at all really. No, Luka still barely said a word but it wasn't because she was shy or because she wasn't used to him or even disliked him. She just didn't talk much so all it translated to was a comfortable silence.

"Do you come here often?"

"Yeah. Kinda."

And that just proved his point. Woman of few words. So the only remaining question in that regard was could she hold a conversation?

That's how their day went mostly. She'd go empty S class stores, inadvertently innocently tease him when asking for an opinion and he'd torture himself by taking his eyes on a tour of her body as far as being 'decent' would allow. Her body suit everything she put on. However there were times it just got a bit too extreme and other parts of him also wished to give their opinion.

He felt his whole body heat up and a blood drop trickle out of his nose when it got to night gowns.

'I can't do this no more. This isn't fair. Fuck!'

Cold bathroom water splashed onto his face in attempt to cool his rampant nerves down. He had long washed the blood off his face. However that didn't do much for the rest boiling through his arteries. His face felt flushed and his hands trembled in everything they did. It was getting to the point where it hurt just to look at her.

He shut the faucet and looked up into the mirror while drying his hands on the nearby towel. Currently he stood in a Chanel reseller's toilet. His nose had finally started to behave. If only the same could be said for all of him.

Connor started to readjust his trousers for the umpteenth time that day. His manhood was fed up with all the edging and had no problem letting him know how pissed off it was. If he could hang on just a little longer...

"Everything okay?"

"Holy sh... Luka! You're in the men's! Geez!" He had no clue he could jump that high.

Quickly his hands scrambled to zip up his trouser and look somewhat decent. His hands settled for clasping in front of him when his zipper jammed.

Did she just giggle? A hand was raised to cover her mouth briefly and then dropped to reveal her first smile of the day. It wasn't pronounced but any kind of smile from her could have no subtle setting. It had him star struck.

The door was pushed all the way revealing the unisex symbol before the spring pulled it back to her. "You've been here a while."

He felt stupid. How could he think this was private? "I was... Sorry... I-It's stopped though. We can go. What's next?"

'Smooth.'

She frowned worriedly as her eyes took all of him in. He felt nude and helplessly turned on by the sight of her in that transparent night gown. What he would give for just a few seconds alone.

"Nothing's next. I'm sorry," she replied shaking her head, the smile gone. "We're done here."

She left him to finish sorting himself up. What ever was that about?

She hadn't bought any of the night wear when he came out. Too embarrassed to so much as look at her, he grabbed the shopping bags galore and went for the exit. For a change she followed.

It was getting late. Outside, the sunlight had been blotted out by all the tall skyscrapers so night had arrived pretty early in this part of town. Add the recent cloud cover, the cold breeze dragging along autumn leaves along lit up streets and you have a perfect indicator that your day should be up. Your night however...

"Straight ahead." she directed. Straight ahead across the street was Rainbow Towers. The hotel Panorlite sat in.

He looked back at her questioningly. "That's where you stay?"

She nodded and stepped past him onto the Zebra crossing. "That's where dinner is too."

'Wait... Wait a minute...'

He rushed after her. "How... How long have you been there?"

"About a week or so. I recently moved out of my parent's place."

He didn't pry. In reality, he moved out pretty early too. There were days he regretted it. Having no responsibilities was such a privilege. As was freedom.

Once inside, he made a slight detour to the receptionist's counter, leaving the shopping bags with her. The concierge offered to take them up but with the age he was pushing, Connor knew the generosity was out of chivalry rather than actual desire. "I'll be back for them later. I don't suppose you'd know if Janice is in?" He asked turning his head to the intern behind her computer.

"Oh yes she is. Who's that?"

He looked back at Luka who was staring at the fish in the fountain. "A friend. She's staying here so you can look up the specifics if you're feeling nosy." He removed his waist coat and handed it over before leaving. No point in looking like a waiter if you're on time off, right?

He noted with humour how practically everyone else in the foyer was secretly staring at her. It had been going on like this the whole day and honestly, he loved it. It's like his human worth quadrupled just by being next to her. You know, that feeling you get by walking with someone really good looking.