"It's small."

"I don't take up much room. Besides..." Yui looked at Gendo and smiled devilishly. "Just enough room for two in the bedroom."

"Yui," he warned.

"It was a joke. What happened to your sense of humor? Besides, you should be happy since you saw the results of your finals."

"Yeah, but now it's... job season, and I'm not looking forward to that."

Yui shrugged, setting down a box. "I don't know. I think I'd rather work than go to school. That way I feel like I'm accomplishing something."

"Yeah, but you're strange."

She elbowed Gendo in the gut. "Then what does that say about you?"

"I'm easily charmed by good looks, of course."

"Of course, how silly of me." Looking at the small apartment, Yui had a hard time believing that she'd be living there. It was always either the dorm or, well, the dorm when the project paid for her residence over the previous spring and summer. Going home was definitely out of the question, though she'd need to find a way to tell everything to her parents.

"You know," she said thoughtfully as Gendo began moving boxes, "if you really want a job..."

"No. How many times are you going to make me say it? Your professor and I don't get along," he answered, stopping her.

"You only met him once."

"And that was enough."

Sighing, Yui dropped the subject for the time being.

"How did the move go?"

"Just fine."

"If you need more time, just let me know and I'm sure we can work something out."

"No, it's really okay, Professor. All moved in; just the unpacking left to do."

"I still have my concerns about it."

Yui smiled, slipping on a lab coat. "Don't worry. I can handle Gendo. He's just a big kitten."

Fuyutsuki shook his head when Yui wasn't looking. It looked like he was too late, hadn't been assertive enough to stop her from continuing in what he considered a complete farce of a relationship.

"He's really smart, maybe even smarter than I am, but I wouldn't admit that to anyone else," she continued.

Smiling faintly, Fuyutsuki nodded. She sounded the same, but there was a look to her...

"I... asked him if he was interested in joining the project."

The smile immediately fell from his face, which Yui _did_ see.

"I hope you don't mind, Professor. I really think he could be an asset here." Yui briefly got an annoyed look on her face. "If I can ever get him to shape up."

Adopting a perfectly normal smile, Fuyutsuki said, "Oh, that's fine. I have confidence in your judgment. The more good people we have working, the better."

"That's what I thought, and I'm not exaggerating when I say how smart he is. But he seems more interested in working at a burger counter than doing anything worthwhile."

Kozo Fuyutsuki maintained the smile that didn't reach his eyes, and nodded. "You know how busy we'll be..." Busy enough to keep her away from Rokubungi.

"I could ask again if he wanted to join, but I don't think he'll change his mind. He's pretty stubborn like that." Yui shrugged, feeling a bit odd when the older man patted her shoulder.

"Do your best." And he hoped to never see the face of that other man again.