Andromeda

"During the first machine war, or crusade as it was, the government took actions to calm the minds of public. There was great fear of a massive uprising of all machines that existed everywhere in the world. No longer did they feel protected by the Laws of Robots to keep machines from going wild. They did not understand what was truly happening, but the truth did not matter so long as the public would be calmed.

"It was in this urgency that the Anti-Artificial Intelligence Act was created. One could consider it as much of a lie and fine tasting poison as the Laws of Robots. It was a law and people were not forcibly bound to obey it if they did not wish it. However, it did ease the public. And so it was considered a great success in the effort to prevent the machines from rising up against their creators. The truth was lost and buried for it was far less random; it was designed and made as much as the machines were.

"The Anti-AI law made it illegal and punishable by imprisonment to be creating thinking machines, a machine with a will of its own. The law was vague and simple in the beginning, as many things usually are. It tried to cover everything leaving the courts to decide what was legal and not. But as the war continued to its final conclusion the public wanted more safety. And politicians desired more power from the fear that was created.

"That fear was wielded and used as a cry to shake the masses. They would agree to anything if it were to keep them safe from the bombings and deaths of the loved ones. The law grew larger removing machines that pretended, imitated life, but had no awareness or capacity to learn. It was in a few short years that robots disappeared from the streets, factories, and homes. Everywhere that they were working from a program and not under human control they were removed.

"The law went so far as to ban the human appearance of robots. They were no longer allowed to be created with a form of two legs and two arms or even a face like that of man. The machines were denied life, without even understanding it. Thousands of jobs were lost in the creation of the act, but millions opened creating a massive vacuum where machines had once filled the more undesirable tasks. It was spun as a benefit to man for the unemployment had been increasing greatly over the last twenty years. The government was safe in its position as were the public in the belief that this would never happen again.

"But they all forget that behind each machine is a man that creates them…"

Flesh is for Gods – Episode 02 – The Elixir of New Passion

'She's beautiful…' Satoru paused in his thoughts. He continued to stare at the woman without conscious regard to what he was doing anymore. It was impossible for his eyes to be pried away from the vision before him. It had been years since he had felt this way; he never thought that he would again. However, the peacefulness that was brought to him through his eyes was snapped back into reality. His conscious took over waking him to what he was doing, gawking at a woman a very beautiful one at that. 'What am I saying…I shouldn't…but it's her. It really is her. I can't believe that I found her.' His mind began to try to form up thoughts for them. There needed to be a reason, no matter how small, for him to approach her. He could not appear like some strange pervert that had no concern or tact. 'I should thank her, let her know that I'm alive.' That was all he needed, it was simple and sincere (even if it did have an ulterior motive behind it).

His foot began its first cautious step, but before his eager body moved he was knocked off balance suddenly. It was only by luck that his leg was extended out that stopped him from falling over to the concrete sidewalk under him. Satoru turned immediately to see who bumped into him. It was a man in suit with business to take care of. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, sir. I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you alright?" The man pulled Satoru up from his angled position, still not recovered, and dusted him off a little. Although, Satoru's clothes were as clean as they could be.

Satoru turned himself to face the man trying to be polite, even though he was a little bothered by being distracted from what he was trying to do. The sudden quickness of the man made him a little uneasy. It seemed like the man wanted to be going, but was staying around of courtesy. "Huh? Oh, yeah no harm done. I didn't mean…" An image of the woman appeared in his mind as though to remind him of what he wanted to do. It cut him off immediately making him turn around to look down the sidewalk once more. However, when he returned to his gaze at the memorial the woman was gone. 'She's gone. That fast…my only chance. Can't believe I missed her.'

"Sir? Are you alright?" The man moved around in front of Satoru trying to grab back his distracted eyes. He waved his arm around to get Satoru's attention, which was eventually successful.

Satoru was snapped out of his disappointed stare down the sidewalk and brought back to the man. He was a little surprised that he was still around with the urgent manner that he had a moment before. "Oh, yes, I'm sorry for being in your way."

"No, its alright-" The man did not get a chance to finish his sentence as Satoru walked away from him. It was not his intention to be so rude, but he was having difficulty not thinking about the woman that he had seen just a moment before. The man did not follow after Satoru seemingly satisfied to know that there was no damage done. After the momentary pause he continued off in the direction that he was going suddenly remembering that he had to be somewhere bringing him to a run.

Satoru walked down to the memorial where the woman had been until a minute ago. There was no sign of her in the area anymore. 'She was just here…what was she doing here? Did she lose someone to the bombing?' He knelt down looking at the numerous images that were laid out. There were candles and offerings set down on the ground in honor of those that had died. The bombing had taken so many lives from people it was hard to believe that they were all gone now. This memorial was the only sign that gave him a concept of how many had truly departed. "So many and here I am still. Why?" He stood up from the memorial seeing the destroyed building before him. 'I must find her. I have to thank her, I'm still alive because of her.'

There was determination in him now. He had other motives as well, but it was because of what she did to save him that he knew he had to find her. If he did anything she needed to be thanked properly. Unfortunately, he did not know how he was going to do that and what would be worthy of a life debt. Though more of an issue now was trying to locate her, it was a large city. It was only happenchance that she was in front of him before. He only hoped that his luck would be as fortunate the next time.

Satoru gave the streets one last look around for his piece of mind. "Nowhere…not going to be easy. I probably should be getting back to work." He had to focus his thoughts to bring himself back to reality. There was somewhere he had to be, namely doing his job. His extended absence would not be helped by his sudden disappearance on his first day back.

The city was beginning to warm itself up again as the evening was approaching and the sun was beginning to fall. There were only a couple hours left in the day before people would be leaving work. Satoru's thoughts continued to drift back to the image of the woman as he walked back to the building. If it did anything for him it made him forget the trip back. He was back in the office before he realized that he had left the rubble of the Kamihara Building.

The lights of the office along with the sudden distracting voice of Tadashi snapped him out of his thoughts once again. "So what do you think?" He was not even sure if he had been standing in the office for a while the way that Tadashi acted.

It took him a moment trying to think through what might have happened. However, he came to the conclusion that he could not remember, even if he happened be in the office. "I've been gone for an hour, some context would be helpful."

"The machines, the bombing, everything," Tadashi said in a matter of fact voice. It was a topic that did not seem to end no matter how long it was discussed. Even when there was no bombing it came up often. He had been asked his opinion during the interview for his job as well. There was no simple answer he had for it. He hated speaking about it, no matter how relevant it might be.

"You already know Satoru's view on it," Natsuko said stepping in the middle of the two of them. She had a worried expression on her face. As usual, she worried about Satoru. She always did try to look out for him, even though he was her boss. Though it had not always been that way. They had been simple co-workers and friends on previous projects. He had been made head of the project this time, but it still did not detour Natsuko from being there for him.

Tadashi pushed Natsuko out of the way with his arm trying to keep it just a debate between the two of them. "It must be different now with what happened to him." He did not want interruptions, even though that was what he was causing right now. It had everyone in the room distracted. Tadashi never had much tact with anything and continued to be vocal whenever he was passionate about something. For him, it was not even a matter of him being wrong. He just seemed to believe that if he was determined and knew himself to be right that was enough. It gave him an arrogance that was difficult to deal with at times.

Satoru had not even made move from his position remaining staring at Tadashi. No one knew what he was going to do. It was difficult for them to know if he was angry with Tadashi for being up the subject with him or if he just did not seem to care. Satoru face almost seemed to be one of disinterest, but it could have been simply a poker face. "Just let it go, Tadashi," Chiyoko said stepping up to Satoru defense now.

Tadashi pushed Chiyoko back as well turning to face her. It was impossible for him to be alone with the scene that he was making. "This is a serious question."

"But he's been through so much already," Natsuko said returning to the other side of Tadashi starting to corner him. The two women tried to place distance between Tadashi hoping it might calm things down. Though it was obvious that even if this moment could be adverted it would only rise again eventually. With world events as they were now there was no way to avoid such talk.

Satoru stepped forward bringing himself a little closer to Tadashi to the surprise of everyone. It had been unclear until that point if he was going to do anything other than just stand pretending to look like he was going to do something. However, Satoru was not going to allow them to stand up for him. It was something that had to be settled himself, eventually. "You're wondering what I think about machines, Tadashi?" Satoru said finally speaking bringing the room quiet. No one knew what was going to happen next, but with Satoru addressing him they feared for the worst.

Now that he had been answered Tadashi seemed pleased. He had been ignored up until now. Tadashi pushed through the women to face Satoru directly looking at him face to face. Only a foot or more lay between them now. "Yeah, I have to know what side you're on." He made it clear that he was not leaving without an answer this time.

"Side? Since when was this about sides?" Satoru said pausing thinking about what he wanted to say next. It was a painful area that he was getting into now with this argument. He hated it deeply, but there were always sides. He knew that there was no way out of it. There was always someone to pick the opposition, someone that viewed things just a little bit differently that they became an enemy. "This shouldn't be about sides. We got attacked by machines, yes, but you remember that it's the men behind them that hate us. Its not the machines."

"I can't believe you're still siding with those AI lovers," Tadashi said incredulously once Satoru had finished. He was already becoming angry just listening to Satoru speaking. He looked like he wanted interrupt him just to stop him from speaking. "After you nearly died from that bombing. They are aware, they aren't listening to their programmers anymore."

Satoru was not sure if Tadashi was actually concerned about him or just using it as another reason. He had little time to react feeling his own urge to defend his position quickly rising. There was little pause from Tadashi last words. "You don't know that. They were programmed to hate. Its ingrained into them, even being aware."

"You don't think they can evolve then?" Tadashi's reply was quick and cut him down just as fast. Everyone in the room froze with uncertainty, their eyes on Satoru. Chiyoko and Natsuko looking at him concerned once again.

The words cut him deeply; it was a response that he had no defense against. It was simple and to point that, one that he could not refute for as long as he was a programmer himself. 'Of course they could evolve, its in their programming. Its part of their awareness to change and adapt.' He knew that he had to concede the point as much as he did not believe it to be the case. But he could not even sum words to speak towards Tadashi. He simply hung his head down looking at the floor.

"Tch, can't defend what you don't believe yourself." Tadashi whipped around once he was finished satisfied with victory. He walked away from Satoru leaving him alone while the others were still confused.

"Tadashi!" Natsuko said trying to come to Satoru defense even if it was unwanted.

Satoru bit his lip trying to find anything that he could reply back with to Tadashi. There was nothing that he could find to scale the wall placed before him. He knew it too well knowing that it was not one that would come down. It almost seemed to be a callous copout. He resolved himself to say something, but it was all he could muster. "Get back to work, this is distracting us enough. We won't make the deadline."

Tadashi started to laugh from his turned back in the corner. "I see how it is. Very well." He sat down agreeing with Satoru having known that he won what he wanted. The others slowly began to disperse back to their seats with the excitement calming down.

Once everyone had found their seats Satoru turned away walking to his own. He sat down heavily feeling the ache of his body suddenly. He did not know what to say, but he had to say something to Tadashi. 'Maybe I…maybe I am wrong about it…but still…I want to…I want to believe that if they can change, that they could stop being killers.' If was difficult for him to avoid the subject. As the time passed along it was the only thing in his thoughts. He had his fingers resting on the keyboard staring blankly at the screen as though he was doing something. However, his mind was empty with only a single thought leaving his body unmoved.

Time disappeared for him until Kiyoshi's assistant broke him out of his statue position in the chair. She had been standing next to him for a few minutes hoping that he would notice her and turn to face her. But he could barely see out his eyes then. When she decided that enough time had passed she spoke to him clearly, "Mr. Kuromura, Lt. Colonel Takamoto called and wants to meet with you."

"Him again…" Satoru said with an unmistakable sound of dread in his voice.

"Yes, he said that you didn't make the last meeting."

"More like he didn't make it. Not that I would have wanted to anyway. I wouldn't be speaking to you now if we had that meeting." He could not believe that the man would go so far to blame their not meeting on him given the situation. Satoru's hands tightened into a fist as he could feel the stress in his body returning. That man always managed to get him angry without even trying. 'Here I go again, more unpleasantness for me. I'll have to get it over with sometime. The longer I wait the more angry he will become anyway.' Satoru tried to bring his focus back to the assistant. His body was still tensing from the thoughts that were continually going through him. "So when it is scheduled for then?"

"Tomorrow at 10am."

'Before lunch, should be in then.' This time he would not be missing the meeting. He had bad luck the first time, an understatement, but everything would go through now. Though there was a little hesitation in him with that thought. For him, knowing that it was going to happen assuredly would only increase his stress. "You can confirm it then. I'll be there."

Kiyoshi's assistant nodded her head to Satoru acknowledging him and writing down something on her electronic pad. After that she walked out of the office to leave Satoru to himself again. It was enough to break up his day, but he had stress filling in that empty void. All he could think of was dread now and not wanting to go to the meeting tomorrow.

Satoru tried to begin typing on this computer. He tried to get himself back to his work hoping for it to relieve him of his worries. There was no easy way in his mind. He looked for something else that could wrestle his thoughts free so that he could finish the day. Unfortunately, as days went there was little in it that he wanted to think about now. The debate that he had had plagued for a while now stress twisted his stomach. A gentle thought was required to ease him, but one that did not overwhelm him. There was nothing though, everything was too overpowering for him. He was not in control anymore.

The woman that he had seen came to him again. Her image in his mind was a distraction that he did not want, but his stress was gone now. It pleased him even though he wanted to only relieve himself of his stress so that he could work. The antidote for his stress proved to be more potent than he could handle. The thoughts the woman consumed him, as had his others before. He was returned back to where he had been with the same problem only in a more pleasing form.

She haunted his thoughts endlessly as he struggled to focus on his work. The brief moments that he had with her when he was rescued from death replayed through his mind. He felt calm and anxiety together creating new confusion. It forced him to his only other memory of her standing at that memorial. Either way, neither helped him to find focus, but more distraction. 'She won't go away. I can't stop thinking about her.'

'I wonder how I'll find her. The city is so big and she could be anywhere. I don't even know where to begin to search.' He tried to bring the thought to something at least partially productive for him. It was a matter of gratitude for him, even if he was deluding himself. The search for her would be difficult without any clues to go by. She could be anywhere in the city too far away for him to find. 'She was beautiful…I got to stop thinking about her. Work…work…the binary protocol…the protocol…she really was…no-no…no…need to focus.'

He remained unsuccessful in achieving anything productive in his day aside from wasting more time. It was his first day back so he allowed himself the time to slide a little and get back into his work. However, this could not continue for him. He could not allow it to control him, but he did not know how he was going to remedy his situation. Most of the issues that came up today for him would pass by quickly enough. It was the matter of the woman that he knew would linger until he found some resolution, internally or externally.

Satoru left the office glad to have the endless day over finally. He had left the train in the morning ready to start the day and yet he was walking towards it dreading what had it become. When he arrived the train was waiting for him wanting to take him home to rest. As he stepped on the car his thoughts about the debate in the office came back to him. 'These trains have people now controlling them…'

'You don't think they can evolve then?' Tadashi voice echoed through him.

'There was nothing wrong with the program running the train it couldn't evolve. It was simple, basic.' The train before had a primitive program controlling it, primitive by the standards of what thinking machines had become. It was all logic and precision. There was no objective decision making done. If it sense a person in the door it would remain open a moment longer, there was no choosing. 'But now it's a human controlling it. There was no need to blindly destroy all machines that did man's job.'

'I have to know what side you're on.'

'Sides, there's always sides. I can't escape it. Tadashi…you're so intelligent, but acting the same like the rest of the public…I just don't know. I wish this would just all end.' He did not believe that machines were destroying mankind's way of life. They were meant to enhance and aid them. It was only because of men that the purity was lost. 'No one is right anymore.'

Satoru walked into his apartment attempting to leave his troubles at the door with his jacket that was dropped precariously from distraction. The problems however were not gone from him. As he took a sip from his glass that he filled his mind continued to turn. There was no end in sight for him with his evening ruined. It eventually brought him to the end of his disjointed night at the comforting surround of his bed.

He laid back closing his eyes letting hopeful serenity wash over him in the empty darkness of his bedroom. It seemed to be working as nothing was coming to him. Time poured out as he drifted to sleep deeper until images began to replay to him once more. 'Its so clear now…I can see her pulling me to safety…the building crumbling and the flames…' The dream had become a nightmare with the heat of the flames burning at him throwing up him from his sheets in a cold sweat.

Satoru wiped his face with his moist palm and chest pounding heavily from the reality that it had brought him. He thought that he was back there again when it had happened, reliving it over again. Her images was becoming painfully linked to his dance with death. Once his breathing had returned to normal he laid back closing his eyes once more. 'I need to sleep…I can't keep thinking about her…'

A long night later the sun rose to announce morning's return finally. Satoru had managed to get to sleep soundly not interrupted anymore in the night by his nightmares. When he awoke he was oddly ready to get up in spite of the rough night. The alarm was waiting for him to go back to sleep only to be disappointed with him turning it off. He went through his morning routine ready to leave to the meeting, but suddenly realized that there was something missing. Satoru remembered that he did not get the address for their meeting. "I can't believe I didn't ask her. Call Kiyoshi's office."

"Dialing Kiyoshi's office…"

A moment passed by as the computer worked to establish a connection. When an image came up on the screen it was the assistant of Kiyoshi looking at him answering him instinctually. "Nakahoshi's office, he's not here right now-"

Satoru had cut her off quickly dispensing with pleasantries. "Hey! I'm glad I caught you. Do you know where the meeting is?"

"Oh, Mr. Kuromura…one minute please." She did not seem to be fazed by his rudeness and went to answer his question. After a moment of her turned away from the screen she faced him again with the address. "Here it is it's the Benihoshi Tower."

"Thanks, I know where that is." Satoru did not waste anymore time cutting the line and finishing what he had to do before leaving his apartment. He did not have anytime to go to work this time with the meeting so early. It meant that he had to take a different train to get to where he needed. And two trains later he had arrived at the building in a short walk.

Satoru entered the building meeting with security at the entrance. It was familiar ground almost like a week ago if it was not for that fact that he was in a better mood. There was still an ill stomach, but he could not avoid that with all of the preparation possible. He did not like meeting with the military it always ended up negative.

He reached the guard with the line moving quickly. "Pass on through," the guard said to him letting him into the lobby.

The distance to the receptionist at the desk was short. He felt like everything was moving too well, something had to be wrong. "I've a meeting with Lt. Colonel Takamoto at 10am."

The receptionist turned to face him immediately responding with a pleasant smile to greet him. She only took a moment to find the necessary information to pass on to him. "Oh, yes. You can go right up. Its room 4803."

"Thank you." Satoru walked passed the desk towards the elevator moving closer to the stress's source. 'Going a lot smoother than the last time. Feels a little strange, not quite like déjà vu, but close.' He stepped into the elevator riding it up to the forty-eighth floor. Stress was increasing in his chest with the ding of each floor passing by. His foot tapped the floor trying to exorcise a small amount of the tension quickly building through him.

The elevator quickly opened its doors dropping him out into the hall leaving him to find his own feet to stand. Satoru looked around the hall to get his bearings while he straightened his clothes once more. 'Let's see room 4803…there it is.' Room 4803 came upon him shortly not giving him a chance to back out. He opened the door into the office announcing himself to the receptionist as he entered. "I'm Satoru Kuromura to see Lt. Colonel Takamoto."

The woman looked over at him from her desk greeting him with a warm smile. "Mr. Kuromura, he is still in a meeting with someone. He'll be finished shortly."

It was the smile that took him back for a moment, but Satoru was quick to realize that he was mistaken. There was something else that had him nearly falling backwards in shock. If his eyes were playing tricks on him he did not want to believe it. 'I don't believe it! Its her…its her…it really is…in front of me now. What luck is this for me to run into her again?' He could not stop staring at her his mouth hung open agape. His brain could not even process the concept for him to have the manners to turn away.

"Mr. Kuromura?" the woman said looking at him a little confused by his reaction to her. She started to become uneasy by his frozen unresponsive state until he finally spoke.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll just sit down." Satoru face turned as red as his tie once he caught up to his actions. He backed up trying to put some distance between them towards the chair, but stumbled over the table. If he had not caught himself quickly he would have fallen on his back through the table painfully. The woman nearly jumped up as though to catch him in his spectacle. 'I look like a complete fool. I couldn't even say what I wanted to…but my chest it's pounding so hard. I need to calm down.'

Satoru found himself in the chair finally reaching a point that he could attempt to calm down. His heart was racing and his body was sweating. Whether it was because he acted the fool or another reason that lie without words he could not get comfortable. It felt like there was someone was watching him leaving him warm and nervous. His legs were shaking, but it was no longer the stress of meeting the Lt. Colonel. It was only a few minutes later that his body remembered what stress felt like as the door opened.

The Lt. Colonel let a man in a business suit out of his office giving a parting word whispered quietly before allowing him to leave. The man did not waste any time in motioning Satoru into his office with angered urgency. Satoru entered the small office that consisted of only a desk and two chairs with a shelf behind the desk. It was still very empty. The Lt. Colonel sat down behind his desk starting the meeting immediately. "So Mr. Kuromura, I expect you have good things to say to me."

'No lecture? Well I guess even he can be human…at times.' Satoru adjusted himself in the chair preparing for the long haul of a status update. "Yes, the project is moving along according to the timetable. We are hopeful for it to be ready a week ahead in fact."

"This is a surprise. Normally, you number crunchers are delaying and eating up the military budget on all of your projects. Always worried about one thing or another, testing too much. Maybe it was the right decision to hire your company after all."

"Yes…thank you," Satoru said clearing his throat softly. The sudden berating forced him into a new position in his chair. 'Not human enough, I guess.'

"And when will we have a demonstration of what this thing can do?"

"We should be ready for trials by the end of the month."

"Good. Most of the parts have already been finished. I can always rely on the factory to produce quickly. They will be delivered to you for assembly."

"Yes, sir." Sakura did not have a body yet or rather, the final body that was intend for her. It was simply a temporary vessel for trials during the development process. Satoru did not enjoy the idea of her actually receiving the real body, as it was just another sign of what she really was meant to do. He could not object though and sat in the chair going back and forth with the Lt. Colonel over numbers and reports. The meeting dragged on slowly eventually wrapping up with Satoru standing about to leave the office.

"Good day, sir." The Lt. Colonel walked him out of the office speaking to his receptionist for a moment. Satoru stepped over to the chair where he rearranged things in his bag. He falsely shuffled things around drawing out the time until the two were finished.

The Lt. Colonel looked up from the desk towards Satoru glaring at him. "What are you still doing here, get going now!"

Satoru slapped the bag closed on his hand being thankful that it was merely leather. He turned around facing the man to address him. "Yes, sir…" The Lt. Colonel disappeared into his office appearing as though Satoru had interrupted something. The door closed loudly shaking Satoru. Satoru approached the woman cautiously with his bag up trying recover is pounding heart. "I-I…"

"I'm sorry for his rudeness," she said to him with that pleasant smile again. It was enough to loosen his shoulders and relieve the stress that was building in him. Unfortunately, his heart was still pounding quickly for a different reason.

"N-no, it's alright. I'm used to it by now."

"This is my first day, so he's always like that?"

"Ah, well I think the military is always like that. They come to us for intelligence and play it off as their own."

She laughed lightly at his joke as Satoru brushed through his hair with his fingers trying to feel at ease. "Well have a good day." The woman turned away looking back at her computer screen leaving Satoru to walk towards the door.

Satoru did not know what more he could say taking the door as the polite invitation that it was. His hand gripped the knob starting to turn it when an uncontrollable reaction occurred causing him to turn back. "I…I…"

"You forget something?" she said looking up from her desk for a moment.

'Doesn't she remember? Or is it something else?' Satoru moved away from the door hesitation in his step fighting his uncertainty. 'Courage…' He barely made it to the desk feeling his chest scattering under the aching."I-I…I'd like to thank you."

The woman turned completely giving him her full attention while painting a confused twisting expression over her face. She looked at him as though she was piercing him with her gazing trying to find what he was thanking her for. "Huh? But I didn't do anything."

"N-no, no. Not this, I mean before. A week ago, at the Kamihara Building."

She paused in thought visibly going through her memories to recall what he was referring. It only took a moment for her to respond with surprise that caused her to stand up. "You! Its you isn't it? I-I…." She raised her hands up to her face taken back by the fact that the person she had saved was now standing before her. There was a sign of relief in her body to know that he was alive.

Satoru dared to step closer to her bringing them together making her perfume present in his nose. He tried not to let it distract him as he looked at her. "Yeah, it was me you saved from being killed in that explosion."

"I-I can't believe it. I'm so sorry that I didn't recognize you."

"Its alright."

"I'm glad to see that you're alive. I wasn't sure with all of the blood that was covering you. I'd hope that you didn't die. So many did that day." She turned away with thoughts caught around her head.

Satoru could see the sorrowful expression on her face clearly and wanted to try to take that away. He did not know how, but he stepped forward again now in arms reach of her. "I wanted to thank you for saving me." She looked up at him the smile that she had faded away. "I'd like to do something to show my gratitude."

"K-knowing that you're alive is enough for me."

"Please, what about lunch?"

"I shouldn't," she said her cheeks become flush suddenly. She could feel her palms warming up suddenly making them antsy at her chest.

Satoru wanted to run away having feelings that he had not felt in so long. It was as though a rusty door to the outside was being opened for the first time and he was seeing its bathing light. He wanted to welcome it in his arms. "I insist, just a thank you," he said trying to hold back his reddish emotion as well.

"A…a-alright."

"1 o'clock at the Ocean's View. You know where it is?"

"Yes."

"Thank you." Satoru promptly disappeared from the room feeling as though he was going to burst if he stayed any longer. A strange warmth was surrounding him while he left the building that he did not understand. He felt as though he should be grinning for some reason even though he was fleeing from it all. It sensation followed him back to work with thoughts of the woman dancing around in his mind unable to disappear.

"Good morning!" the receptionist said as he walked by looking distractedly charmed.

"Good…morning…"

"That's weird. I wonder if he's feeling alright."

Satoru continued through the halls not even remembering that he spoke to the receptionist. His feet were instinctually taking him to his room while he was left confused by his feelings. When he entered the room it alerted the others in the room to him. They looked at him with confusion at his disembodied state.

"Hey, Satoru."

"So how did the meeting go?"

"Not cutting the budget are they?"

"Hey…its ok…" He sat down in his chair the squeaking it made was louder than his voice. He was debated with himself over what happened in the Lt. Colonel's room with his receptionist. 'Lunch, I can't believe I said that. What am I thinking? What she must think of me. Its just lunch…just lunch.'

"Satoru? You okay?" Chiyoko said approaching him cautiously trying to wake him up from his dazed appearance.

"He's not sounding too good."

"Y-yeah…fine…" The sounds of their voices were not even being acknowledged consciously by him. His mouth was just sending out automated replies to them. Too much had him focused on what he was going to do about the situation that he placed himself in. 'Lunch…what am I going to do? I'm just over thinking it. Its nothing…nothing. I'm just saying thank you. That's all. But why do I feel this way then.' All the reassuring was not helping calm down.

The others in the office stood up approaching him out of concern. None of them knew what was wrong with him. They had never seen him act this way before. "Satoru? Are you saying something?"

"He's not relapsing is he?"

Natsuko placed her hand on his shoulder giving him physical contact that jumped his mental words into his mouth. "Its just lunch…" He did not even realize that he had spoken believing that he was still thinking to himself.

"Lunch, you eat something?" Kazuhiko said hoping for answers as much as anyone.

"Huh, lunch? I-I…uh…" Satoru said looking up at everyone that had him surrounded. He was finally in reality again hearing their worried voices and concerned expressions. However, his confusion did not last long before he retraced his words coming to a frightening conclusion. 'Oh great, I was talking out loud. Now what I am going to do. I don't want to explain it to them.'

"Lunch…its not lunch time yet, you got plans?"

"What…plans? No, of course not," Satoru said rushing his words with unmistakable emptiness. "What makes you think that?"

"You're lying."

"You got a hot date?" Tadashi said piping up to mock him.

"N-no, no…no." His face filled completely over in red with embarrassment, as he could not hide from the wild throw. There was no avoiding it, but he was going to try anyway. "Its not a date!"

"What?! It IS!" everyone said in surprised to hear that their boss and colleague had found someone.

"Satoru got a date!" Tadashi said finding pleasure in Satoru embarrassing pain.

"Smooth talker, who you taking to lunch?" Kazuhiko said pushing against him with his elbow.

"I just said its not!" Satoru said trying to object and deny the quickly spawning rumors. It was not as though they were actually rumors, but he was not about to confirm them willingly. He tilted his head down to the floor sighing under his breath. 'Where's that shovel…'

"Who's the lucky lady?"

"Its not what you think." They were all pulling on him for details and he tried to wave them off with his hands, but they were persistent. It seemed that they were all eager for something new to talk about and were taking great pleasure in this.

"Sure whatever, who is it?"

"Lt. Colonel Takamoto's new assistant…" he said resigning himself to defeat.

"She's in the military? I didn't think you'd go for someone like that. Guess you never know about someone."

"I don't think she's part of the military."

"You don't know? You didn't ask?"

"Well, it didn't…wait its not like that. She saved my life. I'm taking her to lunch to thank her." Satoru hoped that it was enough to recover himself from losing himself in the spiral hole that he was disappearing into quickly.

"Huh?" The eagerness was fading away with confusion in its stead once more. They all remained quiet waiting for an answer to the mysterious response Satoru gave to them.

"Saved your life?" Chiyoko said taking the initiative to inquire further.

"She pulled me out from the building before I was crushed from the debris."

"Oh, that is a little disappointing," Kazuhiko said.

A few of them shrugged their shoulders in disillusionment starting to move away from the crowded desk of Satoru. Though most of them still seemed unsatisfied by the answer looking at him. Satoru tried to back away from them waving his arms that he was sincere. "See, its nothing."

Natsuko grabbed up Satoru hands looking at him with reassurance waving through her eyes. "But it's so romantic, love at first sight-" she said suddenly breaking the air of sadness that hung.

"And the woman saved you. You can get some mileage out of it for a while," Kazuhiko said nudging him again breaking up Natsuko's grip.

"But its not…" Satoru said trying to get Kazuhiko off him. His brief moment of hopeful conclusion peacefully ended as the rest began to chime in as well. 'They don't understand. Even they think it's a date. It is, isn't it?'

"Of course it's a date, you going out to lunch with a woman. It's a date," Kazuhiko said plainly as though he knew what he was talking about to be infallible. He continued to press his opinion on Satoru and give him a man's congratulation slap on the back.

"Is she beautiful?" Tadashi asked brazeningly having been caught by the curiosity now too.

"That's personal, you shouldn't be asking him that," Chiyoko said snapping back at the two men that were pounding Satoru for information. Though that was not to say the women were being any less pushy about getting the gossip.

"Its important."

"Yeah…she really is beautiful…" Satoru said softly letting out a sigh not realizing that his thoughts were public still. It did not take him long to catch himself as well as the surprised stares of his co-workers. He dropped his head again feeling his face becoming warm with embarrassment. 'I can't believe I just said that out loud. What's wrong with me!?' He raised his head realizing that he needed to stop them quickly before letting it go to their heads. "W-wait, I didn't…"

"Knew it, it's a date," Kazuhiko said giving Satoru a big hug with one arm around the neck to express his pride in his boss. "You're going to lunch with a beautiful woman, no way around it. It's a date. Our boss got a date!"

'This isn't going to end well for me…'

"Now you remember what to do on a date, right?" Kazuhiko said flipping through a book that he mysteriously had on his person. Satoru shied away from him only to run into the two women. "How long has it been?"

"I think I can handle it…" He looked around at everyone hoping to end it at some point; the teasing was going to be the death of him before he even had his lunch.

"Right, it's like riding a bike. You never forget."

"Besides, I doubt he wants to hear your pervert thoughts on how to date a woman," Natsuko said pushing Kazuhiko out of the way to Satoru relief. It quickly devolved from that point with the interest turned towards Kazuhiko rather than Satoru.

"Hey, watch it!"

Satoru sat back down in his chair feeling the heavy weight of burden on him from the ordeal. He remained in his, sort of, quiet state trying to understand what he had gotten himself into by suggesting lunch. 'A date…what am I going to do?' It had been too long for him since he had done anything like this. He had just been so busy that a social life did not seem to enter into his mind. The last time he could remember going out with a woman was in college.

He contemplated what he was going to be doing and if he was doing the right thing. It was in mixed spirits as his heart was telling him one thing and his mind was saying another. Then it was all feebly rationalized by being a thank you, which had ulterior motives attached. No resolution was to be reached though, especially in the short period of time that he had before the lunch. It was already upon him and he was being shuffled out the door by his co-workers all with their guilty self-serving smiles.

"Good luck!" Chiyoko said pushing him down the hallway to the elevator.

"Hope you don't come back," Kazuhiko said with a smirk from behind her.

"Pervert!"

"Hey, just wishing him luck!"

"Y-yeah, thanks…I'll be going now," Satoru said at the elevator with everyone around him still. The door of the elevator opened quickly and he stepped in backwards feeling as though he was fleeing. He left the building walking awkwardly towards the restaurant not sure if he was doing the right thing now. However, while he battled over the morality of what he was doing with himself time passed. He was now in front of the restaurant with the woman sitting outside at a table waiting for him to show. Satoru threw everything out and rushed over to the table trying to ignore his pounding heart.

"Sorry, I'm late."

"Its alright, I'm just early."

'Just lunch, not a date…a date…'

To be continued…