Made For You
TITLE: Made For You
PAIRING: Massu/Shigemi
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 7,382
SUMMARY: After years of avoiding the trend, Massu is given a mannequin -- a lab-made pseudo-person.
"How are you always so behind the times?" Ryo asks from behind his big desk, frowning.
Massu sighs. "It's just not a priority to me."
"Any one who's any one has a mannequin, especially people like us. It's a basic sign of wealth and prestige. And, they're good company. It's not like we have time to cultivate deep, lasting friendships with random people."
"President, I can appreciate your need for mannequins based on your hectic schedule, but-"
"Yours is just as bad as mine," Ryo sneers, like he thinks Massu is insulting his tastes. "Are you jealous because I got Koyama one, even though you've been working for me longer?"
"No, I-"
"His works suffers when he doesn't think his friends care enough about it, or keep in touch as much as he likes; he's too sensitive. It was cheaper to buy him a mannequin than keep dealing with it."
Massu pinches the bridge of his nose. "President-"
"I'll make one part of your summer bonus, how about that?" Ryo presses his intercom, and tells Koyama to schedule an appointment for Massu at the mannequin lab.
"... If you insist, sir," Massu mumbles, thinking about how he'll need to clean out his spare bedroom.
-
Massu can appreciate the popularity behind mannequins -- he keeps up on changes on fashion in his spare time just as thoroughly as he keeps up on stocks during work. But, there's something off-putting about mannequins to him at the same time. They are so human in so many ways, that it seems wholly unnatural to be able to own one, like a near-human is still an object, equivalent to a car or home. He knows that some mannequins -- like Koyama's or Ryo's -- live a luxurious life, but others are worse off than even the slaves of old, because mannequins aren't proper people. They're made in a lab, with the desired features picked by the client and speed-incubated, where years pass in days, and then they're delivered. There's an entire black market of sold and traded Mannequins, where they really are more like their name-sake than the humans they were modeled after.
-
Ryo is only the boss when they're in the office. Any other time, less formal and behavior titles are fine. The same goes for Koyama.
Such is the curse of being childhood friends.
"I sort of want another," Ryo says, watching Yamapi and Jin playing Mario Kart.
"Ryo-chan, three is more than enough," Koyama laughs.
Ryo frowns. "I come from a big family. I can't sleep knowing the house is empty."
Uchi comes over with coffee, nearly spilling some on the tray in his rush to get back to the game.
"You must understand, Koyama; you've got Tegoshi."
Koyama laughs. "He's a handful. Between him and work, I don't have any time."
Ryo scoffs. "You like him."
"I always wanted a little brother," Koyama whispers, looking dreamy.
Massu sips his coffee and tries to melt into the couch.
-
"Now, Masuda-san," the doctor says, "I presume you understand why mannequins -- especially those made by reputable labs and ordered by reasonable men, such as yourself -- are so predominantly male?"
Massu blinks, confused. "I... honestly hadn't ever thought about it."
"Oh, well. Female mannequins tend to be harder to handle, with more emotional and psychological imbalances than our average rate of error allows for. We strongly discourage our clients from ordering female mannequins. Our incubators ensure that the fetus receives the proper hormones at the right developmental stage for the sex of the mannequin to be changed."
"... Okay."
The doctor passes Massu a fat book and a few forms. "Please fill these out, and let us know which characteristics you'd like for your mannequin to have."
-
Pale skin and red-brown hair. Straight teeth and dimples. A strong sense of self and intellectual curiosity. Long legs and a sharp sense of humor.
Really, anything in a person can be genetically programmed in.
"Thank you, Masuda-san. The process will take about one month. We'll call you with updates and when everything is finished."
When Massu leaves the building, he feels like everyone knows and is judging him. And, of course, they are. They know he just ordered a mannequin based on the building he was in, and they're judging him to be a high-class, wealthy sort of person, because it's the best lab in the whole damn country.
-
Massu tries to not stare and let his face twitch when Koyama reaches across the table to wipe barbeque sauce off the corner of Tegoshi's mouth.
"How could you keep missing it?"
"Kei-chan is the best!" Tegoshi squeaks, his eyes shining.
They make sickeningly cute noises at each for another minute before they stop.
"Massu, when is yours going to be done?"
"It's got another week or so."
"Can we have a welcoming party?" Tegoshi asks, looking between Massu and Koyama like he isn't sure who to be asking.
"We'll see, Tegonyan. Now, finish your rice," Koyama says, pushing the bowl a little closer to him.
-
It's a few days later that Massu receives from a call from the lab, and as he answers the call, he can't help but be curious if this is another update on the progress, or if the incubation is complete.
"I have some unfortunate news, Masuda-san," the doctor begins, sounding awkward and guilty. "It seems the incubator we used for your Mannequin has malfunctioned. We'll have to start from scratch. I apologize for this inconvenience."
"... What does this all mean?"
"We'll have to scrap the mannequin in production and start over."
"What's wrong with the one that's already around?"
"Well," the doctor sounds puzzled. "It's female."
"And?"
"... You requested a male, Masuda-san."
"Because that's what you recommended."
"Females are difficult to handle. It's best to terminate them as quickly as possible. We will need your signature on a few documents. For legal purposes."
Massu stiffens. "Terminate? You're just going to kill her?"
"It's the best course of action."
Massu frowns and snaps shut his cell phone. He stomps angrily through the parking garage and drives like a maniac to the lab.
The doctor is in the lobby to greet him, looking very uncomfortable.
"Really, this is all very run of the mill procedures, Masuda-san, I can assure you. It's not like it's a human being."
Massu channels his sharp, assertive broker persona -- a rarity outside of work -- and the doctor crumbles under the harsh stare.
"I will be the judge of this myself. Where is she?"
The doctor fidgets, like he doesn't think human pronouns are appropriate for mannequins, and then leads Massu further into the building, until they're standing on the safe-side of a one-way mirror.
The girl -- Massu's mannequin -- is sitting in a medical examination room, looking very small and lost, even though Massu can tell she was aged to her early 20s before the problem was caught.
"How did it take you so long to notice?"
"T-the computers said the hormones had been released on time. It wasn't until we started introducing the education parameters you specified that we realized there was something wrong."
A nurse walks into the examination room with a tray of syringes and needles. The mannequin frowns and scoots away on the bed.
"Once you've signed the papers, we'll-"
"No."
The doctor stares at Massu, torn between looking confused and horrified. The nurse turns towards the mirror, like she's waiting for a sign.
"Sir, female mannequins are-"
"She's sitting there, alive, and it's not fair to kill her just because things didn't turn out the way they were planned."
"Masuda-san," the doctors says, like he's in pain.
"I'll take her."
-
On the drive home, with the girl mannequin pressing her face against the window in wonder, Massu receives a call.
"Did you really just accept a female mannequin?" Ryo asks, quietly, like he doesn't want to be overheard.
"Yes."
"You're insane."
"I'll manage."
Ryo is quiet for a long moment before he says, "This makes all the clothes and stuff I got as a gift totally inappropriate. Thanks for fucking up my be-an-awesome-boss plans."
"You've done enough. I can handle it from here."
"I hope so."
-
She is very quiet, having said only a handful of things, and Massu figures it's the stress. It's probably totally normal. When they arrive home, she stands awkwardly in the hallway while Massu puts his things away.
"You don't have to be so worried." He takes her arm, and leads her to her room. "This your home now. Do you want to rest a little?"
She nods, and Massu starts to pull away, but she latches onto him, grabbing his arm in a strong grip and looks at him with dark, serious eyes.
"What is my name?" She says, voice raspy.
Massu just looks at her -- really looks, for the first time -- and feels an inordinate swelling of affection and something else for this Mannequin that he saved from an early death.
"Shigemi," Masusu says. "You look like a Shigemi."
"Shigemi," she echoes, like she's trying it out on her tongue. "What about a surname?"
"Um." Massu blanks, saying the first thing that comes to mind. ".... Kato?"
She frowns. "Isn't that sort of plain?"
"S-sorry. I'll try and think of something better."
"It's okay," she says quickly. "Since it's the name you've given me."
"If you don't like it, I'll change it."
"I like it," she insists. "Kato Shigemi. I like it."
Finally, she lessens her grip on Massu's arm and takes a tiny step away.
They've only been together for a few minutes, but already, Massu is thinking that he understands the real reason behind why Ryo likes mannequins so much.
-
In the morning, Ryo calls to tell him he's got the day off.
"You haven't taken a day off in forever, and you've got a new mannequin to settle in. I'm sure there's a lot she needs."
Massu sits groggily in bed, mumbling and agreeing with everything Ryo is saying.
"Oh, and buy her some cute party clothes."
"Why?" Massu asks, lying back down in bed.
"Because, she'll need something appropriate to wear to the welcoming party at my place on Saturday."
Massu groans. "That's really-"
"You know how much Pi and Jin and Uchi love throwing these stupid kind of parties. Get here around 8, okay?"
Ryo doesn't wait for an answer and hangs up. And, Massu falls back asleep. He doesn't wake up until there's a soft hand stirring him awake and Shigemi kneeling next to his bed.
"Good morning," she says, voice smooth and low.
Massu may or may not flush a little. Though, he does try to hide his morning breath from her.
-
A day of shopping yields a full wardrobe for Shigemi.
Massu tries hard not to dictate what she should and shouldn't wear based on the rules of fashion that his many magazine subscriptions have taught him. He lets her experiment in the dressing room with some different styles while he waits out in the lounge.
She doesn't like flashy clothing, and Massu thinks that isn't so bad -- two people dressed as loudly as himself would look horrible together. She likes white and blacks and deep v-neck shirts that Massu think are a little scandalous.
She wasn't too excited about needing party dresses and declared, in the middle of a department store, that clubs and that sort of thing weren't either of their scenes. But, with Ryo's welcoming party on his mind, Massu pushed her gently into the Special Occasion section.
The trunk and backseat of Massu car are filled with bags, and he can't help but think keeping a mannequin is very expensive.
-
On Saturday, Ryo opens the door of his penthouse with a smug grin, acknowledging Massu just long enough to invite him in.
Tegoshi comes tearing around the corner, and skids to a halt. Koyama's following behind him, softly reprimanding him for poor manners.
"Massu, where....?" He asks, and finally, notices Shigemi, which is the time when everything clicks for him. "You got a girl?!"
"Things just sort of turned out that way," Massu says.
Ryo's three mannequins, what with all the commotion, peek their heads around the corner, pushing each other out of the way to get a clear look, and Tegoshi is still staring like he's never seen a female mannequin before (which maybe, he hasn't). Massu is too busy talking with Ryo and Koyama to notice them. But, Shigemi does, and she reaches out to grab Massu's sleeve.
"It's okay." Massu pats her arm. "This party is for you, after all."
"I told you, I don't need a party," Shigemi mumbles, stepping closer to Massu when Tegoshi reaches out to touch her hair.
"Let's go sit," Ryo says, leading the way through the crowd to the living room.
Shigemi stays close to Massu, frowning and ducking her head when Tegoshi keeps trying to touch her hair.
"Are you sure you'll be okay with a girl?" Koyama asks.
"Girls are a handful!" Yamapi says from somewhere behind Ryo, like he knows what he's talking about.
Massu frowns. "Everyone keeps saying that, but Shigemi has been nothing but perfect."
Shige smiles and preens for a moment, basking in Massu's affectionate tone, and in her distraction, Tegoshi finally gets a hand on her.
"Ah! Her hair is so soft! I want mine to be like that."
Shigemi recoils, scowling. "Do you have no concept of personal space?"
"No," Tegoshi replies, smiling.
"He's harmlessly self-centered, Shigemi-chan," Koyama adds. "He doesn't mean anything rude by it."
Shigemi looks like she wants to say something sharp and critical about Tegoshi's behavior, but abruptly stops just before she opens her mouth. She puts on a stern face and scoots back into the couch, like she's trying to get as far away from Tegoshi as she can and leans against Massu's shoulder. And, then, the conversation moves on.
-
"Was that entirely necessary?" Shigemi asks later, in the midst of washing off foundation and powder.
"They all wanted to meet you."
She sticks her head out of the bathroom. "I felt so awkward. And, that Tegoshi kid -- it's like he enjoys being irritating."
"Koyama spoils him." Massu sighs. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd mind."
The clinking in the bathroom abruptly stops, and when it finally registers to Massu, Shigemi's already standing next to him next to the couch.
"I just-- I would have rather stayed in," she murmurs. "I barely know you, yet I've got to go out and meet all these people who don't mean nearly as much."
"S-Shigemi-"
"Can we do something -- just the two of us -- tomorrow?" She asks quietly, like she's a little embarrassed.
Massu can't help but flush; it sounds like she's asking him out on a date, even though, it's probably more that she's feeling lost and alone and is looking for a bond with the person she knows technically owns her.
"I... work tomorrow. How about Sunday? Disney Sea?" Massu says.
Shigemi smiles, the skin around her eyes wrinkling and her dimples showing.
-
Ryo and Koyama look honestly surprised to see Massu at work the next day.
"Go back home," Ryo snaps. But, Massu knows he doesn't really want that, what with the fat stack of papers in his arms.
"If I'm not here, you'll be buried by purchase orders, President," Massu says, taking most of the stack.
"It's okay," Ryo murmurs. "I don't mind if you take a couple more days off."
Massu takes off down the hall, towards his office. "I'll get right on these."
Minutes later, Koyama comes in with a cup of tea.
"Shigemi-chan will be lonely. Tegoshi was when I first got him."
"Tegoshi still gets lonely when you leave."
"But, she doesn't know anyone else."
Massu pinches the bridge of his nose, muttering, "I'll call her during lunch to make sure she's okay."
Koyama still looks worried, but is appeased enough to leave Massu to his work.
The purchase orders are tedious, but simple enough work; mindless button pushing and calling a few clients who don't understand the directions which read, "Please Print Clearly."
At noon, Koyama brings him a sports drink -- what Massu always has with his lunch -- and stands before his desk, waiting, until Massu looks up.
"You're going to call Shigemi-chan first, right?"
Massu doesn't see how a few minutes will make a difference after a couple hours. But, he also doesn't put it past Koyama to stand there until he makes the call.
It rings a few times, and goes straight to the answering machine.
"Shigemi? Are you home?" Massu asks. "Pick up."
There's no answer, and eventually, the machine cuts off the call, hanging up for him.
Koyama, at the end of his desk, looks horrified. "You have to go home, right now!"
"I'm sure she's fine," Massu says, reaching for his drink.
"What if something happened to her?! What if the stove caught fire? What if she slipped in the bath and hit her head? What if she broke her leg and-"
"Alright, alright, I'm going." Massu grabs his jacket. "Tell the boss for me."
Koyama follows him all the way down to his car, spouting out ever more horrible things that might have happened.
Massu doesn't go well above speed limit all the way home. He's just keeping up with the pace of traffic; there are a lot of speeders out today.
-
He fumbles with the key, calling out once the door is open.
There's again no response, and Massu does start to fret, because Shigemi's ID card hadn't come yet, and she's not allowed to go out alone without it.
"Shigemi?" He says, louder, and hears a little noise from the veranda.
Massu is there in an instant, pulling open the door, and slumping against the frame once he sees Shigemi, laying on a chaise lounge and rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"... Isn't it early for you to be home?" She mumbles.
Massu steps closer. "How long have you been asleep."
She shrugs, stands and stretches her arms up, and Massu has to pointedly work to keep his eyes from lingering on where her shirt rides up over her belly.
"I called, and you didn't answer, and Koyama kept coming up with all these awful things that could have happened to you."
Shigemi laughs, light and airy. "I'm sorry. I didn't plan on napping, but-"
"Let's go get lunch."
"You haven't eaten yet?"
"No. Let's go to the ramen place by the station." Massu's holds out his hand for her. "Let's go."
He doesn't think she's blushing. She might be, but he doesn't think so.
-
"Miso, salt, or pork?" The old man behind the counter asks the moment they walk in.
"Salt for me, and an order of gyoza. Shigemi?"
She frowns, and leans in a little closer. "I don't know which kind..."
"Girls always like our miso," the ramen chef says, so she orders it.
"You'll like ramen," Massu says, sitting. "Most girls worry about the calories in the noodles, but you're a bit more sophisticated than that, right?"
"Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the human body."
The ramen chef laughs, and puts an extra piece of pork chashu in her bowl. "This one's a keeper!"
They eat, chit-chatting, and the chef hands them extra napkins when Shigemi sloshes her noodles around too much and spills some of the broth. Massu teases her gently, saying she eats ramen like a child, while she tries to pat dry her shirt.
She looks a little embarrassed, but Massu thinks she looks lovely, even with the miso broth stain.
-
Massu only knows when it's Sunday because he's being awoken earlier than normal, and it's to the smell of brewing coffee, miso and fish. He pokes his head out of his room, dressed only in boxers, and can only barely see Shigemi in the kitchen in her pajamas.
"Wha're you doin'?" Massu mumbles, and then, has to repeat it, louder, because Shigemi didn't hear him the first time.
"The internet said Sundays are busy days, and that with traffic it will take an hour. We'll want to be there a little before opening, and I know you like a leisurely breakfast."
Massu blinks and rubs his nose. "What?"
She stops stirring the miso and looks almost hurt. "You said... We could go to Disney Sea today...."
"Oh!" Massu snaps awake. "Yeah, yeah, of course."
She looks relieved, and goes back to making breakfast.
-
The line for entry tickets is long and crowded, and it's hard not to get a little jostled. Massu keeps a hand on Shigemi's back, trying to steer her clear of the worst of it.
"Have you been here before?" She asks. "The internet said it's a popular date sight."
"No, it wasn't ever something I thought to make time for."
Shigemi almost squeals a little when she gets the ticket in her hand, but settles instead for taking Massu's arm and tugging him into the park. She calls all the shots for the day, dragging him through the Mediterranean Harbor and Mysterious Island. They skip Mermaid Lagoon ("Everything online said it was kid-ish."), and she doesn't let up on the pace, until they stop for curry in the Arabian Coast.
"You're too much," Massu whines. "How do you have so much energy?"
She laughs and lets Massu order for her.
He doesn't like thinking about how she's, legally, a non-person. That Shigemi, whom he feels such a connection with in just a week, is an item, like a TV or his car. It seems cruel, he thinks, watching Shigemi carefully tear apart nan and dip it in curry, to make something that is so human and so dynamic, yet consider it nothing. It's weird to think about, but he made a good person; someone smart and mature and gentle and funny, and so pretty she could have been such a heartbreaker if not for the whole mannequin thing. And, even though he received so many warnings, there's been nothing to make him think she's unbalanced or overemotional like the doctor had been talking about.
When the waiter, an older man, who looks like someone's grandfather, brings the check, he says happily, unthinking, "Your girlfriend is so lovely. You're a lucky man."
Massu tries to correct him, but he walks away too quickly, and when he looks across the table, Massu can't help but think Shigemi looks a little upset.
-
Compared to the morning, the afternoon's pace moves like molasses. Shigemi seems almost tired, perking up only in those moments when Massu asks if she's having fun. By the time they reach the last section of the park -- the American Waterfront -- it's dark, and people are obviously starting to leave. It's almost odd how few people are standing about the fake boat parked at the pier.
"Is something wrong?" Massu asks, sitting on a plastic crate airbrushed to look like wood.
Shigemi wrings her hands together, and doesn't make eye contact whens he says, "It's not appropriate, but... it's probably better not to correct people. When... they assume we're dating."
"Why?"
She fidgets on her feet. "When female mannequins were mass-produced... there was a lot of discrimination."
"... Because of their behavior."
Shigemi nods. "I don't want to cause you any trouble. So. It might... be better to lie."
"You're so well-behaved though," Massu says, standing, stepping closer to her. "And, that was a long time ago. People wouldn't be like that anymore."
"Yes, they would," Shigemi whines, her voice tight. "They'd judge us both all the time. You're life would become hell, and you'd hate me for it, and I couldn't stand that."
Massu stops, and wonders if maybe Shigemi isn't as perfect as she seemed. That maybe, this is the behavior he was warned about; this despair and worry about judgement that seems to be crushing her from the inside. He reaches out, placing a soft hand on her elbow.
"You saved me, I know it," she whispers. "I should have been terminated, but I wasn't. It was you."
"Yeah," Massu murmurs.
"I owe you everything." She finally looks at him, staring through her bangs. "And, I don't want you to regret what you did. So, it's better to just lie."
She looks so sad and determined, and all Massu can think to do is pull her tight against his chest and let her compose herself, shielded from the view of the last few park patrons.
-
A few days later, Shigemi's ID comes, and Massu gives it to her, along with an emerald-colored cell phone.
"Tegoshi-kun came into the office today, and he said he wants to have lunch with you soon."
Shigemi frowns, rubbing her thumb against the ID card.
"It's okay for you to have a life of your owns, friends and all. You don't need to sit around here all day waiting for me."
"I don't mind," she whispers.
"Well, I do. I'll feel better. Go have lunch with Tegoshi."
"He annoys me."
Massu laughs. "He annoys everyone. Just have lunch with him. Koyama is going to be out of town on business for a few days, and he gets lonely."
-
Lunch with Tegoshi is actually lunch with him and Ryo's Mannequins as well, at a yakiniku place where Shigemi is pressed tight between Tegoshi and Uchi so everyone can be near the grill. Shigemi can feel her make-up smudging from the heat while Jin and Yamashita bicker on the other side of the table about beef.
"It's so lonely," Tegoshi whines, letting Pi do all the cooking of his meat. "I hate it. Can't I stay with you guys at Ryo-chan's place?"
"No," they all three chime at the same time.
"What about with you and Massu?"
Shigemi frowns, and shakes her head.
"Tegoshi, that would be so improper," Jin chides. "You'd totally mess with their fuck schedule."
Uchi spits water all over the table, and Pi snaps at Jin. Shigemi slumps in her seat and tries to look very small.
"Why are you all so shocked? That's all guys ever did when there were a lot of girl Mannequins."
Shigemi throws her chopsticks across the table at Jin, not even caring that it's a breach of table etiquette, and Massu wouldn't like it. "I'm going home."
She pushes at Uchi's shoulders, snapping at him to let her out of the booth. He gets up, looking guilty about Jin's behavior, and she storms out of the restaurant. It's not until she's outside that she realizes she doesn't know the way home or even where the train station is. She bites her lip and tries to figure out what to do -- it's the middle of the day, and she doesn't want to bother Massu while he's at work -- but, there's a soft hand on her shoulder, that turns out to be Pi's.
"I'm sorry about Jin. He has a real problem with saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. I'll take you home."
Pi leads her to his car -- one that seems far too nice for a Mannequin to be driving.
"Massu's a gentlemen," Pi says after a minute of driving. "He wouldn't do something like that."
Shigemi sighs and rest her head against the window. Pi sneaks a glance at her and furrows his brows.
"Or, is the problem that you do want him to?"
She gasps, and squirms in her seat, like she's trying to move as far from him as she can get.
Pi pinches the bridge of his noise. "Shigemi-chan--"
"I know," she whines. "It's prohibited, but I can't help it."
"Well, you'd better find a way to help it. You know very well that female mannequins were blamed for Japan's birthrate dropping even lower."
"'They'd rather make a wife than find one'," Shigemi echoes, something she knows she heard somewhere, but can't place.
"You need to find something to distract yourself. A hobby, or something."
She nods, but doesn't say what she's thinking; it wouldn't change anything.
-
When Massu gets home, he knows not to ask Shigemi about her day. She's sitting on the couch, in sweatpants, watching a children's movie and eating ice cream. If she didn't know that Massu hates it, she'd probably be eating straight from the carton. Luckily, having an older sister taught Massu a lot of things. So, he just gets a spoon and the carton and goes to join her.
-
Ryo's work follows him home more often than not, and in those cases, there is a very strict quiet and do-not-disturb policy.
Today is one of those days, but Pi risks the gauntlet. He takes Ryo a coffee -- black, the manly way -- and asks for a moment.
"I'm busy, Pi."
"I know, but this is important."
"Uchi told me about it already.
"It's something else."
"What the hell kind of lunch was this?"
"There's a problem. With Shigemi."
Ryo groans. "Dammit, I knew she'd be trouble. She's going crazy like all the others, isn't she?"
"That's not it." Pi crouches on the floor, and feels almost guilty about what he's going to say, like there's some kind of mannequin confidentiality agreement. But, more than that, he knows Ryo would be upset if he knew he'd been lied to, and to Pi, Ryo will always come first. "Shigemi is in love with Massu."
"What?" Ryo murmurs, a very long moment later. "This is serious, Pi. You can't joke about it."
"I know."
"Fuck," Ryo says, putting his head in his hands. "Fuck."
-
They fall asleep together on the couch, stomachs filled with ice cream, and when Massu wakes up, it's very dark outside and there's an infomercial playing on the TV. He yawns and tries to shake Shigemi awake, but she just mumbles and shifts closer.
"Seriously, don't sleep on the couch," Massu says.
Shigemi is still asleep, and Massu carefully pulls away, so as to not wake her. She's still blissfully out of it as Massu stands at the end of the couch, trying to decide what to do. She's small enough to basically fit on the couch, but it seems unnecessary when her room isn't even 10 meters down the hall. So, slowly and gently, he slips an arm across her back, and the other under her knees, and lifts her off the couch.
She murmurs something and presses her face into Massu's chest. He feels that tell-tale pang of affection again, and can't help resting his cheek against her hair as they pass through the doorway to her room.
It's warm enough in the apartment, and she's got sweats on, so Massu isn't worried about her being cold. He doesn't think she's going to wake up at all -- and makes a mental note about her being a heavy sleeper -- but, at the last moment, just before he pulls his his arms away and steps back, her eyes blinks open and she looks a little confused.
"Massu?.... You carried me?"
He laughs, and sits on the edge of the bed. "It seemed mean to leave you on the couch."
She nods and combs a few fingers through her hair.
"Did something happen at lunch?"
She looks away, and Massu knows he's got it now.
"I'm sorry about Tegoshi. I guess it takes a while to get used to him."
"It wasn't Tegoshi," she starts. "Nishikido-kun's mannequins came too, and Jin said something.... unnecessary."
Massu frowns, remembering when Ryo had put in the order for Jin, excited about having a direct and unabashed mannequin.
"I'll talk with Ryo."
She shakes her head. "I'm sure Uchi-kun and Yamashita-kun already have."
They're quiet together; Shigemi playing with the ends of her hair, and Massu watching her, still trying to judge whether she really is okay or not. But, when she looks up at him through her bangs -- like at Disney Sea, his mind supplies -- it's like an awful, glorious distraction, and he's not thinking about what Jin did to upset her, but instead, the way she's looking at him like he's everything. Her hair is messy, she doesn't have any make-up on and sweats are inherently asexual attire, but he can't help leaning forward, his mind a mantra of so pretty and kissing her.
She squeaks, like the action surprised her, but the few soft fingers curling around Massu's hand tell another story.
Massu feels like he's flying, like there's a bigger spark in this one kiss than in any other relationship he's ever had. It's consuming and intoxicating, and he doesn't break out of the spell until Shigemi's hand starts to move up his forearm in a slow glide.
He pulls away, and she's nearly panting, eyes round and lips red and wet. He closes his eyes, trying to focus, all the parts of his Mannequin Purchase and Owner Agreement that said things about recognizing the legal prohibition on relations with mannequins flying through his mind.
"Massu--"
"Don't," he snaps.
And, while his mind a blur of wants and shoulds, he flees to his room and does what he can to convince himself that Shigemi won't be crying.
-
Ryo takes it as a point of pride that, as the boss and founder of the firm, he is the first one in the office everyday.
Which is why it's so odd the following day when he finds Massu in the break room making what looks like a second pot of coffee.
"Good morning, Boss," Massu mumbles, look far more focused on spooning coffee grounds into the machine.
".... How long have you been in?
"I couldn't sleep last night. So, I figured I'd just come in and get some work done."
Ryo frowns. "Come with me."
A moment later, when Massu is slumped in a plush, ridiculously expensive chair, Ryo says, "Tell me what happened with Shigemi."
"How do you know anything did?"
"You are aware that she's in love with you?"
Massu thinks about all the time she's held onto his arm when they're out, and how she always looks at him with such soft, open eyes. He nods.
"So, what happened? Did she make a move?"
"No," Massu sighs. "I did."
Something falls over on Ryo's desk, and when Massu looks up, his boss has on an expression of half-shock, half-horror.
"I know."
"Massu."
"I know."
"This can't happen. You know what the social policy on this is!"
"What am I supposed to do?" Massu snaps.
"Either two either have to stop this... thing, right now. And, if you can't, you're going to have to Recall her back to the lab."
Massu's entire body suddenly jolts, like he'd been shocked. "They'll terminate her!"
"Those are the rules. And your only options. So, you'd better figure this bullshit out."
Massu frowns, visibly upset, and Ryo dismisses him from the office.
-
In the evening, Massu reluctantly returns home -- Ryo's words and Shigemi's lips floating through his head. He opens to the door to the sound of sizzling of oil in a pan and the smell of cooking ground pork.
He pokes his head around the wall, and Shigemi twitches, like she knows he's right there.
"Gyoza?"
"I know they're your favorite."
Massu knows if they don't talk about this, it's only going to make their lives miserable and awkward, so, he takes the first step.
"I'm sorry," he says. "About last night. I shouldn't have."
Shigemi drops the cooking chopsticks and scrambles to pick them up off the floor.
"But, it's hard not to when you look at me like that."
She drops the chopsticks into the sink and grabs onto the lip of the counter, holding it tightly in her hands. "Please don't send me back to the lab," she whispers, voice trembling.
Massu steps closer, further into the kitchen. "You know I couldn't do that."
"Others can put in a Recall. Who else knows?"
"Ryo -- but, he won't tell anyone."
The oil grows quiet, and, with a new pair of chopsticks, Shigemi pulls the gyoza out and onto a plate. "You can't be sure of that."
Massu reaches ahead, turning off the stove, and then pulls Shigemi close, against his chest. She pointedly avoids eye contact, but practically falls into Massu's arms.
"Don't worry," he says. "Everything will be fine."
-
When it's just the two of them, and they're afforded privacy, they have their own rules. Shigemi doesn't hold herself back from looking at Massu with dreamy eyes and sitting close against his side on the couch. Massu lets his gaze linger on flashes on skin when she reaches for something stored above the refrigerator and gives her gentle kisses goodnight.
They have their own existence together, hidden from the eyes of the world. As time passes, though, they start to want for more.
-
"I really want a fourth," Ryo mumbles, standing next to Massu while they wait for Uchi and Shigemi to finish shopping.
"... But?"
"The guys didn't like the idea."
Massu sighs. "They probably already feel that your attention is split and spread too thin."
Uchi holds a white sweater up, but Shigemi vetoes it with a shake of her head.
"... Did you ever get that thing settled?"
"I suppose. In a way."
Ryo steps into Massu's line of vision. "What does that mean?"
"It means I've got it under control."
Ryo looks skeptical, but backs off.
Later, at lunch, Uchi grabs a scrunchie out of one of their bags and pulls back Shigemi's hair for her. "It's so much nicer without Jin and Pi being loud and obnoxious," he says, and she agrees immediately. Massu laughs quietly, and Ryo nods, almost like he's tired. The waitress comes to take their order, and none of them miss the way she looks at Massu with a sweet smile and flirty eyes. And, she does it all through their meal, standing close to him and coming over often to check on their drinks or that the food is made to satisfaction.
Ryo looks on happily, and prods at Massu's side whenever she comes over.
If anyone notices how quiet Shigemi is all through the meal, they don't say anything.
When the waitress returns with the change and check, there is a phone number and the name "Miho" scribbled across the bottom.
-
Massu tosses out the receipt at the first opportunity, but it doesn't seem at all to relieve Shigemi. She is quiet and tense all the way home, her earlier good mood completely gone.
"I wouldn't have called her, you know," he whispers, afraid to talk any louder.
"That's not the point," she snaps, voice hoarse.
"You can't be unreasonable like this. Your behavior is too obvious."
Shige sniffles. "I don't feel like only part of a person, so why do I have to be treated like one?"
"That's just how things are here. We can't help it."
Massu reaches out, tapping Shigemi on the thigh until she takes his hand. And, even though she's frustrated about the status quo they have to live through and the waitress coming onto Massu, she holds his hand tightly all the rest of the way home.
-
The next time when they're at work together, Ryo asks about the waitress, and is openly unhappy with Massu's response.
"Why not? She was totally all over you."
Massu swirls his coffee around. "I don't like pushy girls."
Ryo narrows his eyes. "Shigemi guilted you out of it, didn't she?"
"Don't blame her for my decision."
"I want to trust you to be able to deal with this, but the longer it goes on, the more I don't think you can."
"What-"
Ryo stares down Massu and uses his boss voice. "You're making me feel quite obliged to put in a Recall on her."
Massu doesn't run home, because he knows it would be too obvious. But, he does spend the rest of the work day sitting quietly at his desk, thinking about what to do.
-
"I want you to pack up your things tonight."
Shigemi looks up from a magazine, obviously confused.
"Tomorrow, you're going to the airport, and getting on a flight for Jakarta."
Her jaw drops. "What? Why?"
"I can't risk you being Recalled," Massu says, and Shigemi turns pale. "I've set everything up. I'll join you in a few days."
"R-recalled? Someone put in a Recall?"
Massu shakes his head. "Not yet, but it sounded like he would soon." Shigemi closes the magazine, looking like she's still in a bit of shock, and Massu slides next to her on the couch. "Everything will be fine, I promise."
"Why would someone do this? I haven't done anything. Mannequins are normally only Recalled for dangerous behavior," she murmurs, leaning towards Massu.
Massu reaches his arm across the back of Shigemi's shoulder and pulls her closer. "He knows how I feel about you."
-
In the morning, Massu packs her away in a taxi with, among other things, her Owner Permit for Travel, which will get her though customs without Massu. They message each other back-and-forth up until the doors on the plane close, because it's the only way either of them feels safe.
It's a stressful day, with Massu actually snapping at interns and lower firm workers, which sends Koyama into a fretful worry over Massu's behavior. He doesn't receive a message from Shigemi until late in the day, after she's cleared customs and immigration in Jakarta.
It's so muggy here, the message says. When are you coming?
As soon as I can. Next week at the latest, Massu replies.
-
It's a swift early sign-out of the apartment's lease, selling his car and what things aren't important enough to send ahead of himself to Jakarta, packing things up and composing his resignation letter.
The last day he ever goes into work, he tells no one that it's his last day. He doesn't think it's safe for anyone to know. He takes Koyama out for lunch, and while Koyama rambles off about something Tegoshi did, Massu thinks he'll miss Koyama quite a bit. At the end of the day, as he takes the elevator down to the lobby with Ryo, there's an odd feeling, because when they say "goodbye" and go to their own cars, it really will be goodbye, because Massu can't be sure he'll ever be coming back to Japan.
But, when they do go their own ways, and Massu watches Ryo get further and further away in the garage, Massu can't bring himself to regret what he's doing or regret slipping back into the building and placing his letter of resignation on Ryo's desk.
The next morning, he hands his keys to the landlord and gets in a taxi for Narita International Airport. He gets to Jakarta with time to spare for a late dinner with Shigemi, who smiles across the table at him for the whole meal and pets soft fingers through his hair when he falls asleep on the couch in the hotel room.
-
They move to a little coastal village, where the women look at Shigemi and her red hair in gentle envy, and the men do what they can to learn from Massu's impeccable business sense. The language barrier is small enough that they feel welcomed and as new members of the community, but not so much that the villagers are able to figure out exactly the nature of Massu and Shigemi coming there.
They wake up to the sunrise everyday, Massu sprawled out on his stomach and Shigemi pressed against his side. With nowhere they have to be, every morning is a lazy morning, with soft kisses and gentle shakes awake and slow trips to the market to buy fresh fruit. The beach and the jungle are their playgrounds, and each night, they return home, tired and happy, falling in bed and complaining about cold toes and fingers.
They both know it isn't quite true love yet, but that, honestly, it's only a matter of time.
PAIRING: Massu/Shigemi
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 7,382
SUMMARY: After years of avoiding the trend, Massu is given a mannequin -- a lab-made pseudo-person.
"How are you always so behind the times?" Ryo asks from behind his big desk, frowning.
Massu sighs. "It's just not a priority to me."
"Any one who's any one has a mannequin, especially people like us. It's a basic sign of wealth and prestige. And, they're good company. It's not like we have time to cultivate deep, lasting friendships with random people."
"President, I can appreciate your need for mannequins based on your hectic schedule, but-"
"Yours is just as bad as mine," Ryo sneers, like he thinks Massu is insulting his tastes. "Are you jealous because I got Koyama one, even though you've been working for me longer?"
"No, I-"
"His works suffers when he doesn't think his friends care enough about it, or keep in touch as much as he likes; he's too sensitive. It was cheaper to buy him a mannequin than keep dealing with it."
Massu pinches the bridge of his nose. "President-"
"I'll make one part of your summer bonus, how about that?" Ryo presses his intercom, and tells Koyama to schedule an appointment for Massu at the mannequin lab.
"... If you insist, sir," Massu mumbles, thinking about how he'll need to clean out his spare bedroom.
-
Massu can appreciate the popularity behind mannequins -- he keeps up on changes on fashion in his spare time just as thoroughly as he keeps up on stocks during work. But, there's something off-putting about mannequins to him at the same time. They are so human in so many ways, that it seems wholly unnatural to be able to own one, like a near-human is still an object, equivalent to a car or home. He knows that some mannequins -- like Koyama's or Ryo's -- live a luxurious life, but others are worse off than even the slaves of old, because mannequins aren't proper people. They're made in a lab, with the desired features picked by the client and speed-incubated, where years pass in days, and then they're delivered. There's an entire black market of sold and traded Mannequins, where they really are more like their name-sake than the humans they were modeled after.
-
Ryo is only the boss when they're in the office. Any other time, less formal and behavior titles are fine. The same goes for Koyama.
Such is the curse of being childhood friends.
"I sort of want another," Ryo says, watching Yamapi and Jin playing Mario Kart.
"Ryo-chan, three is more than enough," Koyama laughs.
Ryo frowns. "I come from a big family. I can't sleep knowing the house is empty."
Uchi comes over with coffee, nearly spilling some on the tray in his rush to get back to the game.
"You must understand, Koyama; you've got Tegoshi."
Koyama laughs. "He's a handful. Between him and work, I don't have any time."
Ryo scoffs. "You like him."
"I always wanted a little brother," Koyama whispers, looking dreamy.
Massu sips his coffee and tries to melt into the couch.
-
"Now, Masuda-san," the doctor says, "I presume you understand why mannequins -- especially those made by reputable labs and ordered by reasonable men, such as yourself -- are so predominantly male?"
Massu blinks, confused. "I... honestly hadn't ever thought about it."
"Oh, well. Female mannequins tend to be harder to handle, with more emotional and psychological imbalances than our average rate of error allows for. We strongly discourage our clients from ordering female mannequins. Our incubators ensure that the fetus receives the proper hormones at the right developmental stage for the sex of the mannequin to be changed."
"... Okay."
The doctor passes Massu a fat book and a few forms. "Please fill these out, and let us know which characteristics you'd like for your mannequin to have."
-
Pale skin and red-brown hair. Straight teeth and dimples. A strong sense of self and intellectual curiosity. Long legs and a sharp sense of humor.
Really, anything in a person can be genetically programmed in.
"Thank you, Masuda-san. The process will take about one month. We'll call you with updates and when everything is finished."
When Massu leaves the building, he feels like everyone knows and is judging him. And, of course, they are. They know he just ordered a mannequin based on the building he was in, and they're judging him to be a high-class, wealthy sort of person, because it's the best lab in the whole damn country.
-
Massu tries to not stare and let his face twitch when Koyama reaches across the table to wipe barbeque sauce off the corner of Tegoshi's mouth.
"How could you keep missing it?"
"Kei-chan is the best!" Tegoshi squeaks, his eyes shining.
They make sickeningly cute noises at each for another minute before they stop.
"Massu, when is yours going to be done?"
"It's got another week or so."
"Can we have a welcoming party?" Tegoshi asks, looking between Massu and Koyama like he isn't sure who to be asking.
"We'll see, Tegonyan. Now, finish your rice," Koyama says, pushing the bowl a little closer to him.
-
It's a few days later that Massu receives from a call from the lab, and as he answers the call, he can't help but be curious if this is another update on the progress, or if the incubation is complete.
"I have some unfortunate news, Masuda-san," the doctor begins, sounding awkward and guilty. "It seems the incubator we used for your Mannequin has malfunctioned. We'll have to start from scratch. I apologize for this inconvenience."
"... What does this all mean?"
"We'll have to scrap the mannequin in production and start over."
"What's wrong with the one that's already around?"
"Well," the doctor sounds puzzled. "It's female."
"And?"
"... You requested a male, Masuda-san."
"Because that's what you recommended."
"Females are difficult to handle. It's best to terminate them as quickly as possible. We will need your signature on a few documents. For legal purposes."
Massu stiffens. "Terminate? You're just going to kill her?"
"It's the best course of action."
Massu frowns and snaps shut his cell phone. He stomps angrily through the parking garage and drives like a maniac to the lab.
The doctor is in the lobby to greet him, looking very uncomfortable.
"Really, this is all very run of the mill procedures, Masuda-san, I can assure you. It's not like it's a human being."
Massu channels his sharp, assertive broker persona -- a rarity outside of work -- and the doctor crumbles under the harsh stare.
"I will be the judge of this myself. Where is she?"
The doctor fidgets, like he doesn't think human pronouns are appropriate for mannequins, and then leads Massu further into the building, until they're standing on the safe-side of a one-way mirror.
The girl -- Massu's mannequin -- is sitting in a medical examination room, looking very small and lost, even though Massu can tell she was aged to her early 20s before the problem was caught.
"How did it take you so long to notice?"
"T-the computers said the hormones had been released on time. It wasn't until we started introducing the education parameters you specified that we realized there was something wrong."
A nurse walks into the examination room with a tray of syringes and needles. The mannequin frowns and scoots away on the bed.
"Once you've signed the papers, we'll-"
"No."
The doctor stares at Massu, torn between looking confused and horrified. The nurse turns towards the mirror, like she's waiting for a sign.
"Sir, female mannequins are-"
"She's sitting there, alive, and it's not fair to kill her just because things didn't turn out the way they were planned."
"Masuda-san," the doctors says, like he's in pain.
"I'll take her."
-
On the drive home, with the girl mannequin pressing her face against the window in wonder, Massu receives a call.
"Did you really just accept a female mannequin?" Ryo asks, quietly, like he doesn't want to be overheard.
"Yes."
"You're insane."
"I'll manage."
Ryo is quiet for a long moment before he says, "This makes all the clothes and stuff I got as a gift totally inappropriate. Thanks for fucking up my be-an-awesome-boss plans."
"You've done enough. I can handle it from here."
"I hope so."
-
She is very quiet, having said only a handful of things, and Massu figures it's the stress. It's probably totally normal. When they arrive home, she stands awkwardly in the hallway while Massu puts his things away.
"You don't have to be so worried." He takes her arm, and leads her to her room. "This your home now. Do you want to rest a little?"
She nods, and Massu starts to pull away, but she latches onto him, grabbing his arm in a strong grip and looks at him with dark, serious eyes.
"What is my name?" She says, voice raspy.
Massu just looks at her -- really looks, for the first time -- and feels an inordinate swelling of affection and something else for this Mannequin that he saved from an early death.
"Shigemi," Masusu says. "You look like a Shigemi."
"Shigemi," she echoes, like she's trying it out on her tongue. "What about a surname?"
"Um." Massu blanks, saying the first thing that comes to mind. ".... Kato?"
She frowns. "Isn't that sort of plain?"
"S-sorry. I'll try and think of something better."
"It's okay," she says quickly. "Since it's the name you've given me."
"If you don't like it, I'll change it."
"I like it," she insists. "Kato Shigemi. I like it."
Finally, she lessens her grip on Massu's arm and takes a tiny step away.
They've only been together for a few minutes, but already, Massu is thinking that he understands the real reason behind why Ryo likes mannequins so much.
-
In the morning, Ryo calls to tell him he's got the day off.
"You haven't taken a day off in forever, and you've got a new mannequin to settle in. I'm sure there's a lot she needs."
Massu sits groggily in bed, mumbling and agreeing with everything Ryo is saying.
"Oh, and buy her some cute party clothes."
"Why?" Massu asks, lying back down in bed.
"Because, she'll need something appropriate to wear to the welcoming party at my place on Saturday."
Massu groans. "That's really-"
"You know how much Pi and Jin and Uchi love throwing these stupid kind of parties. Get here around 8, okay?"
Ryo doesn't wait for an answer and hangs up. And, Massu falls back asleep. He doesn't wake up until there's a soft hand stirring him awake and Shigemi kneeling next to his bed.
"Good morning," she says, voice smooth and low.
Massu may or may not flush a little. Though, he does try to hide his morning breath from her.
-
A day of shopping yields a full wardrobe for Shigemi.
Massu tries hard not to dictate what she should and shouldn't wear based on the rules of fashion that his many magazine subscriptions have taught him. He lets her experiment in the dressing room with some different styles while he waits out in the lounge.
She doesn't like flashy clothing, and Massu thinks that isn't so bad -- two people dressed as loudly as himself would look horrible together. She likes white and blacks and deep v-neck shirts that Massu think are a little scandalous.
She wasn't too excited about needing party dresses and declared, in the middle of a department store, that clubs and that sort of thing weren't either of their scenes. But, with Ryo's welcoming party on his mind, Massu pushed her gently into the Special Occasion section.
The trunk and backseat of Massu car are filled with bags, and he can't help but think keeping a mannequin is very expensive.
-
On Saturday, Ryo opens the door of his penthouse with a smug grin, acknowledging Massu just long enough to invite him in.
Tegoshi comes tearing around the corner, and skids to a halt. Koyama's following behind him, softly reprimanding him for poor manners.
"Massu, where....?" He asks, and finally, notices Shigemi, which is the time when everything clicks for him. "You got a girl?!"
"Things just sort of turned out that way," Massu says.
Ryo's three mannequins, what with all the commotion, peek their heads around the corner, pushing each other out of the way to get a clear look, and Tegoshi is still staring like he's never seen a female mannequin before (which maybe, he hasn't). Massu is too busy talking with Ryo and Koyama to notice them. But, Shigemi does, and she reaches out to grab Massu's sleeve.
"It's okay." Massu pats her arm. "This party is for you, after all."
"I told you, I don't need a party," Shigemi mumbles, stepping closer to Massu when Tegoshi reaches out to touch her hair.
"Let's go sit," Ryo says, leading the way through the crowd to the living room.
Shigemi stays close to Massu, frowning and ducking her head when Tegoshi keeps trying to touch her hair.
"Are you sure you'll be okay with a girl?" Koyama asks.
"Girls are a handful!" Yamapi says from somewhere behind Ryo, like he knows what he's talking about.
Massu frowns. "Everyone keeps saying that, but Shigemi has been nothing but perfect."
Shige smiles and preens for a moment, basking in Massu's affectionate tone, and in her distraction, Tegoshi finally gets a hand on her.
"Ah! Her hair is so soft! I want mine to be like that."
Shigemi recoils, scowling. "Do you have no concept of personal space?"
"No," Tegoshi replies, smiling.
"He's harmlessly self-centered, Shigemi-chan," Koyama adds. "He doesn't mean anything rude by it."
Shigemi looks like she wants to say something sharp and critical about Tegoshi's behavior, but abruptly stops just before she opens her mouth. She puts on a stern face and scoots back into the couch, like she's trying to get as far away from Tegoshi as she can and leans against Massu's shoulder. And, then, the conversation moves on.
-
"Was that entirely necessary?" Shigemi asks later, in the midst of washing off foundation and powder.
"They all wanted to meet you."
She sticks her head out of the bathroom. "I felt so awkward. And, that Tegoshi kid -- it's like he enjoys being irritating."
"Koyama spoils him." Massu sighs. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd mind."
The clinking in the bathroom abruptly stops, and when it finally registers to Massu, Shigemi's already standing next to him next to the couch.
"I just-- I would have rather stayed in," she murmurs. "I barely know you, yet I've got to go out and meet all these people who don't mean nearly as much."
"S-Shigemi-"
"Can we do something -- just the two of us -- tomorrow?" She asks quietly, like she's a little embarrassed.
Massu can't help but flush; it sounds like she's asking him out on a date, even though, it's probably more that she's feeling lost and alone and is looking for a bond with the person she knows technically owns her.
"I... work tomorrow. How about Sunday? Disney Sea?" Massu says.
Shigemi smiles, the skin around her eyes wrinkling and her dimples showing.
-
Ryo and Koyama look honestly surprised to see Massu at work the next day.
"Go back home," Ryo snaps. But, Massu knows he doesn't really want that, what with the fat stack of papers in his arms.
"If I'm not here, you'll be buried by purchase orders, President," Massu says, taking most of the stack.
"It's okay," Ryo murmurs. "I don't mind if you take a couple more days off."
Massu takes off down the hall, towards his office. "I'll get right on these."
Minutes later, Koyama comes in with a cup of tea.
"Shigemi-chan will be lonely. Tegoshi was when I first got him."
"Tegoshi still gets lonely when you leave."
"But, she doesn't know anyone else."
Massu pinches the bridge of his nose, muttering, "I'll call her during lunch to make sure she's okay."
Koyama still looks worried, but is appeased enough to leave Massu to his work.
The purchase orders are tedious, but simple enough work; mindless button pushing and calling a few clients who don't understand the directions which read, "Please Print Clearly."
At noon, Koyama brings him a sports drink -- what Massu always has with his lunch -- and stands before his desk, waiting, until Massu looks up.
"You're going to call Shigemi-chan first, right?"
Massu doesn't see how a few minutes will make a difference after a couple hours. But, he also doesn't put it past Koyama to stand there until he makes the call.
It rings a few times, and goes straight to the answering machine.
"Shigemi? Are you home?" Massu asks. "Pick up."
There's no answer, and eventually, the machine cuts off the call, hanging up for him.
Koyama, at the end of his desk, looks horrified. "You have to go home, right now!"
"I'm sure she's fine," Massu says, reaching for his drink.
"What if something happened to her?! What if the stove caught fire? What if she slipped in the bath and hit her head? What if she broke her leg and-"
"Alright, alright, I'm going." Massu grabs his jacket. "Tell the boss for me."
Koyama follows him all the way down to his car, spouting out ever more horrible things that might have happened.
Massu doesn't go well above speed limit all the way home. He's just keeping up with the pace of traffic; there are a lot of speeders out today.
-
He fumbles with the key, calling out once the door is open.
There's again no response, and Massu does start to fret, because Shigemi's ID card hadn't come yet, and she's not allowed to go out alone without it.
"Shigemi?" He says, louder, and hears a little noise from the veranda.
Massu is there in an instant, pulling open the door, and slumping against the frame once he sees Shigemi, laying on a chaise lounge and rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"... Isn't it early for you to be home?" She mumbles.
Massu steps closer. "How long have you been asleep."
She shrugs, stands and stretches her arms up, and Massu has to pointedly work to keep his eyes from lingering on where her shirt rides up over her belly.
"I called, and you didn't answer, and Koyama kept coming up with all these awful things that could have happened to you."
Shigemi laughs, light and airy. "I'm sorry. I didn't plan on napping, but-"
"Let's go get lunch."
"You haven't eaten yet?"
"No. Let's go to the ramen place by the station." Massu's holds out his hand for her. "Let's go."
He doesn't think she's blushing. She might be, but he doesn't think so.
-
"Miso, salt, or pork?" The old man behind the counter asks the moment they walk in.
"Salt for me, and an order of gyoza. Shigemi?"
She frowns, and leans in a little closer. "I don't know which kind..."
"Girls always like our miso," the ramen chef says, so she orders it.
"You'll like ramen," Massu says, sitting. "Most girls worry about the calories in the noodles, but you're a bit more sophisticated than that, right?"
"Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the human body."
The ramen chef laughs, and puts an extra piece of pork chashu in her bowl. "This one's a keeper!"
They eat, chit-chatting, and the chef hands them extra napkins when Shigemi sloshes her noodles around too much and spills some of the broth. Massu teases her gently, saying she eats ramen like a child, while she tries to pat dry her shirt.
She looks a little embarrassed, but Massu thinks she looks lovely, even with the miso broth stain.
-
Massu only knows when it's Sunday because he's being awoken earlier than normal, and it's to the smell of brewing coffee, miso and fish. He pokes his head out of his room, dressed only in boxers, and can only barely see Shigemi in the kitchen in her pajamas.
"Wha're you doin'?" Massu mumbles, and then, has to repeat it, louder, because Shigemi didn't hear him the first time.
"The internet said Sundays are busy days, and that with traffic it will take an hour. We'll want to be there a little before opening, and I know you like a leisurely breakfast."
Massu blinks and rubs his nose. "What?"
She stops stirring the miso and looks almost hurt. "You said... We could go to Disney Sea today...."
"Oh!" Massu snaps awake. "Yeah, yeah, of course."
She looks relieved, and goes back to making breakfast.
-
The line for entry tickets is long and crowded, and it's hard not to get a little jostled. Massu keeps a hand on Shigemi's back, trying to steer her clear of the worst of it.
"Have you been here before?" She asks. "The internet said it's a popular date sight."
"No, it wasn't ever something I thought to make time for."
Shigemi almost squeals a little when she gets the ticket in her hand, but settles instead for taking Massu's arm and tugging him into the park. She calls all the shots for the day, dragging him through the Mediterranean Harbor and Mysterious Island. They skip Mermaid Lagoon ("Everything online said it was kid-ish."), and she doesn't let up on the pace, until they stop for curry in the Arabian Coast.
"You're too much," Massu whines. "How do you have so much energy?"
She laughs and lets Massu order for her.
He doesn't like thinking about how she's, legally, a non-person. That Shigemi, whom he feels such a connection with in just a week, is an item, like a TV or his car. It seems cruel, he thinks, watching Shigemi carefully tear apart nan and dip it in curry, to make something that is so human and so dynamic, yet consider it nothing. It's weird to think about, but he made a good person; someone smart and mature and gentle and funny, and so pretty she could have been such a heartbreaker if not for the whole mannequin thing. And, even though he received so many warnings, there's been nothing to make him think she's unbalanced or overemotional like the doctor had been talking about.
When the waiter, an older man, who looks like someone's grandfather, brings the check, he says happily, unthinking, "Your girlfriend is so lovely. You're a lucky man."
Massu tries to correct him, but he walks away too quickly, and when he looks across the table, Massu can't help but think Shigemi looks a little upset.
-
Compared to the morning, the afternoon's pace moves like molasses. Shigemi seems almost tired, perking up only in those moments when Massu asks if she's having fun. By the time they reach the last section of the park -- the American Waterfront -- it's dark, and people are obviously starting to leave. It's almost odd how few people are standing about the fake boat parked at the pier.
"Is something wrong?" Massu asks, sitting on a plastic crate airbrushed to look like wood.
Shigemi wrings her hands together, and doesn't make eye contact whens he says, "It's not appropriate, but... it's probably better not to correct people. When... they assume we're dating."
"Why?"
She fidgets on her feet. "When female mannequins were mass-produced... there was a lot of discrimination."
"... Because of their behavior."
Shigemi nods. "I don't want to cause you any trouble. So. It might... be better to lie."
"You're so well-behaved though," Massu says, standing, stepping closer to her. "And, that was a long time ago. People wouldn't be like that anymore."
"Yes, they would," Shigemi whines, her voice tight. "They'd judge us both all the time. You're life would become hell, and you'd hate me for it, and I couldn't stand that."
Massu stops, and wonders if maybe Shigemi isn't as perfect as she seemed. That maybe, this is the behavior he was warned about; this despair and worry about judgement that seems to be crushing her from the inside. He reaches out, placing a soft hand on her elbow.
"You saved me, I know it," she whispers. "I should have been terminated, but I wasn't. It was you."
"Yeah," Massu murmurs.
"I owe you everything." She finally looks at him, staring through her bangs. "And, I don't want you to regret what you did. So, it's better to just lie."
She looks so sad and determined, and all Massu can think to do is pull her tight against his chest and let her compose herself, shielded from the view of the last few park patrons.
-
A few days later, Shigemi's ID comes, and Massu gives it to her, along with an emerald-colored cell phone.
"Tegoshi-kun came into the office today, and he said he wants to have lunch with you soon."
Shigemi frowns, rubbing her thumb against the ID card.
"It's okay for you to have a life of your owns, friends and all. You don't need to sit around here all day waiting for me."
"I don't mind," she whispers.
"Well, I do. I'll feel better. Go have lunch with Tegoshi."
"He annoys me."
Massu laughs. "He annoys everyone. Just have lunch with him. Koyama is going to be out of town on business for a few days, and he gets lonely."
-
Lunch with Tegoshi is actually lunch with him and Ryo's Mannequins as well, at a yakiniku place where Shigemi is pressed tight between Tegoshi and Uchi so everyone can be near the grill. Shigemi can feel her make-up smudging from the heat while Jin and Yamashita bicker on the other side of the table about beef.
"It's so lonely," Tegoshi whines, letting Pi do all the cooking of his meat. "I hate it. Can't I stay with you guys at Ryo-chan's place?"
"No," they all three chime at the same time.
"What about with you and Massu?"
Shigemi frowns, and shakes her head.
"Tegoshi, that would be so improper," Jin chides. "You'd totally mess with their fuck schedule."
Uchi spits water all over the table, and Pi snaps at Jin. Shigemi slumps in her seat and tries to look very small.
"Why are you all so shocked? That's all guys ever did when there were a lot of girl Mannequins."
Shigemi throws her chopsticks across the table at Jin, not even caring that it's a breach of table etiquette, and Massu wouldn't like it. "I'm going home."
She pushes at Uchi's shoulders, snapping at him to let her out of the booth. He gets up, looking guilty about Jin's behavior, and she storms out of the restaurant. It's not until she's outside that she realizes she doesn't know the way home or even where the train station is. She bites her lip and tries to figure out what to do -- it's the middle of the day, and she doesn't want to bother Massu while he's at work -- but, there's a soft hand on her shoulder, that turns out to be Pi's.
"I'm sorry about Jin. He has a real problem with saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. I'll take you home."
Pi leads her to his car -- one that seems far too nice for a Mannequin to be driving.
"Massu's a gentlemen," Pi says after a minute of driving. "He wouldn't do something like that."
Shigemi sighs and rest her head against the window. Pi sneaks a glance at her and furrows his brows.
"Or, is the problem that you do want him to?"
She gasps, and squirms in her seat, like she's trying to move as far from him as she can get.
Pi pinches the bridge of his noise. "Shigemi-chan--"
"I know," she whines. "It's prohibited, but I can't help it."
"Well, you'd better find a way to help it. You know very well that female mannequins were blamed for Japan's birthrate dropping even lower."
"'They'd rather make a wife than find one'," Shigemi echoes, something she knows she heard somewhere, but can't place.
"You need to find something to distract yourself. A hobby, or something."
She nods, but doesn't say what she's thinking; it wouldn't change anything.
-
When Massu gets home, he knows not to ask Shigemi about her day. She's sitting on the couch, in sweatpants, watching a children's movie and eating ice cream. If she didn't know that Massu hates it, she'd probably be eating straight from the carton. Luckily, having an older sister taught Massu a lot of things. So, he just gets a spoon and the carton and goes to join her.
-
Ryo's work follows him home more often than not, and in those cases, there is a very strict quiet and do-not-disturb policy.
Today is one of those days, but Pi risks the gauntlet. He takes Ryo a coffee -- black, the manly way -- and asks for a moment.
"I'm busy, Pi."
"I know, but this is important."
"Uchi told me about it already.
"It's something else."
"What the hell kind of lunch was this?"
"There's a problem. With Shigemi."
Ryo groans. "Dammit, I knew she'd be trouble. She's going crazy like all the others, isn't she?"
"That's not it." Pi crouches on the floor, and feels almost guilty about what he's going to say, like there's some kind of mannequin confidentiality agreement. But, more than that, he knows Ryo would be upset if he knew he'd been lied to, and to Pi, Ryo will always come first. "Shigemi is in love with Massu."
"What?" Ryo murmurs, a very long moment later. "This is serious, Pi. You can't joke about it."
"I know."
"Fuck," Ryo says, putting his head in his hands. "Fuck."
-
They fall asleep together on the couch, stomachs filled with ice cream, and when Massu wakes up, it's very dark outside and there's an infomercial playing on the TV. He yawns and tries to shake Shigemi awake, but she just mumbles and shifts closer.
"Seriously, don't sleep on the couch," Massu says.
Shigemi is still asleep, and Massu carefully pulls away, so as to not wake her. She's still blissfully out of it as Massu stands at the end of the couch, trying to decide what to do. She's small enough to basically fit on the couch, but it seems unnecessary when her room isn't even 10 meters down the hall. So, slowly and gently, he slips an arm across her back, and the other under her knees, and lifts her off the couch.
She murmurs something and presses her face into Massu's chest. He feels that tell-tale pang of affection again, and can't help resting his cheek against her hair as they pass through the doorway to her room.
It's warm enough in the apartment, and she's got sweats on, so Massu isn't worried about her being cold. He doesn't think she's going to wake up at all -- and makes a mental note about her being a heavy sleeper -- but, at the last moment, just before he pulls his his arms away and steps back, her eyes blinks open and she looks a little confused.
"Massu?.... You carried me?"
He laughs, and sits on the edge of the bed. "It seemed mean to leave you on the couch."
She nods and combs a few fingers through her hair.
"Did something happen at lunch?"
She looks away, and Massu knows he's got it now.
"I'm sorry about Tegoshi. I guess it takes a while to get used to him."
"It wasn't Tegoshi," she starts. "Nishikido-kun's mannequins came too, and Jin said something.... unnecessary."
Massu frowns, remembering when Ryo had put in the order for Jin, excited about having a direct and unabashed mannequin.
"I'll talk with Ryo."
She shakes her head. "I'm sure Uchi-kun and Yamashita-kun already have."
They're quiet together; Shigemi playing with the ends of her hair, and Massu watching her, still trying to judge whether she really is okay or not. But, when she looks up at him through her bangs -- like at Disney Sea, his mind supplies -- it's like an awful, glorious distraction, and he's not thinking about what Jin did to upset her, but instead, the way she's looking at him like he's everything. Her hair is messy, she doesn't have any make-up on and sweats are inherently asexual attire, but he can't help leaning forward, his mind a mantra of so pretty and kissing her.
She squeaks, like the action surprised her, but the few soft fingers curling around Massu's hand tell another story.
Massu feels like he's flying, like there's a bigger spark in this one kiss than in any other relationship he's ever had. It's consuming and intoxicating, and he doesn't break out of the spell until Shigemi's hand starts to move up his forearm in a slow glide.
He pulls away, and she's nearly panting, eyes round and lips red and wet. He closes his eyes, trying to focus, all the parts of his Mannequin Purchase and Owner Agreement that said things about recognizing the legal prohibition on relations with mannequins flying through his mind.
"Massu--"
"Don't," he snaps.
And, while his mind a blur of wants and shoulds, he flees to his room and does what he can to convince himself that Shigemi won't be crying.
-
Ryo takes it as a point of pride that, as the boss and founder of the firm, he is the first one in the office everyday.
Which is why it's so odd the following day when he finds Massu in the break room making what looks like a second pot of coffee.
"Good morning, Boss," Massu mumbles, look far more focused on spooning coffee grounds into the machine.
".... How long have you been in?
"I couldn't sleep last night. So, I figured I'd just come in and get some work done."
Ryo frowns. "Come with me."
A moment later, when Massu is slumped in a plush, ridiculously expensive chair, Ryo says, "Tell me what happened with Shigemi."
"How do you know anything did?"
"You are aware that she's in love with you?"
Massu thinks about all the time she's held onto his arm when they're out, and how she always looks at him with such soft, open eyes. He nods.
"So, what happened? Did she make a move?"
"No," Massu sighs. "I did."
Something falls over on Ryo's desk, and when Massu looks up, his boss has on an expression of half-shock, half-horror.
"I know."
"Massu."
"I know."
"This can't happen. You know what the social policy on this is!"
"What am I supposed to do?" Massu snaps.
"Either two either have to stop this... thing, right now. And, if you can't, you're going to have to Recall her back to the lab."
Massu's entire body suddenly jolts, like he'd been shocked. "They'll terminate her!"
"Those are the rules. And your only options. So, you'd better figure this bullshit out."
Massu frowns, visibly upset, and Ryo dismisses him from the office.
-
In the evening, Massu reluctantly returns home -- Ryo's words and Shigemi's lips floating through his head. He opens to the door to the sound of sizzling of oil in a pan and the smell of cooking ground pork.
He pokes his head around the wall, and Shigemi twitches, like she knows he's right there.
"Gyoza?"
"I know they're your favorite."
Massu knows if they don't talk about this, it's only going to make their lives miserable and awkward, so, he takes the first step.
"I'm sorry," he says. "About last night. I shouldn't have."
Shigemi drops the cooking chopsticks and scrambles to pick them up off the floor.
"But, it's hard not to when you look at me like that."
She drops the chopsticks into the sink and grabs onto the lip of the counter, holding it tightly in her hands. "Please don't send me back to the lab," she whispers, voice trembling.
Massu steps closer, further into the kitchen. "You know I couldn't do that."
"Others can put in a Recall. Who else knows?"
"Ryo -- but, he won't tell anyone."
The oil grows quiet, and, with a new pair of chopsticks, Shigemi pulls the gyoza out and onto a plate. "You can't be sure of that."
Massu reaches ahead, turning off the stove, and then pulls Shigemi close, against his chest. She pointedly avoids eye contact, but practically falls into Massu's arms.
"Don't worry," he says. "Everything will be fine."
-
When it's just the two of them, and they're afforded privacy, they have their own rules. Shigemi doesn't hold herself back from looking at Massu with dreamy eyes and sitting close against his side on the couch. Massu lets his gaze linger on flashes on skin when she reaches for something stored above the refrigerator and gives her gentle kisses goodnight.
They have their own existence together, hidden from the eyes of the world. As time passes, though, they start to want for more.
-
"I really want a fourth," Ryo mumbles, standing next to Massu while they wait for Uchi and Shigemi to finish shopping.
"... But?"
"The guys didn't like the idea."
Massu sighs. "They probably already feel that your attention is split and spread too thin."
Uchi holds a white sweater up, but Shigemi vetoes it with a shake of her head.
"... Did you ever get that thing settled?"
"I suppose. In a way."
Ryo steps into Massu's line of vision. "What does that mean?"
"It means I've got it under control."
Ryo looks skeptical, but backs off.
Later, at lunch, Uchi grabs a scrunchie out of one of their bags and pulls back Shigemi's hair for her. "It's so much nicer without Jin and Pi being loud and obnoxious," he says, and she agrees immediately. Massu laughs quietly, and Ryo nods, almost like he's tired. The waitress comes to take their order, and none of them miss the way she looks at Massu with a sweet smile and flirty eyes. And, she does it all through their meal, standing close to him and coming over often to check on their drinks or that the food is made to satisfaction.
Ryo looks on happily, and prods at Massu's side whenever she comes over.
If anyone notices how quiet Shigemi is all through the meal, they don't say anything.
When the waitress returns with the change and check, there is a phone number and the name "Miho" scribbled across the bottom.
-
Massu tosses out the receipt at the first opportunity, but it doesn't seem at all to relieve Shigemi. She is quiet and tense all the way home, her earlier good mood completely gone.
"I wouldn't have called her, you know," he whispers, afraid to talk any louder.
"That's not the point," she snaps, voice hoarse.
"You can't be unreasonable like this. Your behavior is too obvious."
Shige sniffles. "I don't feel like only part of a person, so why do I have to be treated like one?"
"That's just how things are here. We can't help it."
Massu reaches out, tapping Shigemi on the thigh until she takes his hand. And, even though she's frustrated about the status quo they have to live through and the waitress coming onto Massu, she holds his hand tightly all the rest of the way home.
-
The next time when they're at work together, Ryo asks about the waitress, and is openly unhappy with Massu's response.
"Why not? She was totally all over you."
Massu swirls his coffee around. "I don't like pushy girls."
Ryo narrows his eyes. "Shigemi guilted you out of it, didn't she?"
"Don't blame her for my decision."
"I want to trust you to be able to deal with this, but the longer it goes on, the more I don't think you can."
"What-"
Ryo stares down Massu and uses his boss voice. "You're making me feel quite obliged to put in a Recall on her."
Massu doesn't run home, because he knows it would be too obvious. But, he does spend the rest of the work day sitting quietly at his desk, thinking about what to do.
-
"I want you to pack up your things tonight."
Shigemi looks up from a magazine, obviously confused.
"Tomorrow, you're going to the airport, and getting on a flight for Jakarta."
Her jaw drops. "What? Why?"
"I can't risk you being Recalled," Massu says, and Shigemi turns pale. "I've set everything up. I'll join you in a few days."
"R-recalled? Someone put in a Recall?"
Massu shakes his head. "Not yet, but it sounded like he would soon." Shigemi closes the magazine, looking like she's still in a bit of shock, and Massu slides next to her on the couch. "Everything will be fine, I promise."
"Why would someone do this? I haven't done anything. Mannequins are normally only Recalled for dangerous behavior," she murmurs, leaning towards Massu.
Massu reaches his arm across the back of Shigemi's shoulder and pulls her closer. "He knows how I feel about you."
-
In the morning, Massu packs her away in a taxi with, among other things, her Owner Permit for Travel, which will get her though customs without Massu. They message each other back-and-forth up until the doors on the plane close, because it's the only way either of them feels safe.
It's a stressful day, with Massu actually snapping at interns and lower firm workers, which sends Koyama into a fretful worry over Massu's behavior. He doesn't receive a message from Shigemi until late in the day, after she's cleared customs and immigration in Jakarta.
It's so muggy here, the message says. When are you coming?
As soon as I can. Next week at the latest, Massu replies.
-
It's a swift early sign-out of the apartment's lease, selling his car and what things aren't important enough to send ahead of himself to Jakarta, packing things up and composing his resignation letter.
The last day he ever goes into work, he tells no one that it's his last day. He doesn't think it's safe for anyone to know. He takes Koyama out for lunch, and while Koyama rambles off about something Tegoshi did, Massu thinks he'll miss Koyama quite a bit. At the end of the day, as he takes the elevator down to the lobby with Ryo, there's an odd feeling, because when they say "goodbye" and go to their own cars, it really will be goodbye, because Massu can't be sure he'll ever be coming back to Japan.
But, when they do go their own ways, and Massu watches Ryo get further and further away in the garage, Massu can't bring himself to regret what he's doing or regret slipping back into the building and placing his letter of resignation on Ryo's desk.
The next morning, he hands his keys to the landlord and gets in a taxi for Narita International Airport. He gets to Jakarta with time to spare for a late dinner with Shigemi, who smiles across the table at him for the whole meal and pets soft fingers through his hair when he falls asleep on the couch in the hotel room.
-
They move to a little coastal village, where the women look at Shigemi and her red hair in gentle envy, and the men do what they can to learn from Massu's impeccable business sense. The language barrier is small enough that they feel welcomed and as new members of the community, but not so much that the villagers are able to figure out exactly the nature of Massu and Shigemi coming there.
They wake up to the sunrise everyday, Massu sprawled out on his stomach and Shigemi pressed against his side. With nowhere they have to be, every morning is a lazy morning, with soft kisses and gentle shakes awake and slow trips to the market to buy fresh fruit. The beach and the jungle are their playgrounds, and each night, they return home, tired and happy, falling in bed and complaining about cold toes and fingers.
They both know it isn't quite true love yet, but that, honestly, it's only a matter of time.