Disclaimer: I do not own Bandai or Gundam Seed/ Destiny. On with the chapter!

Kira strolled into the office having mixed feelings; happy to see a smiling Lacus warmly greeting him as he made his way to his seat, yet the repercussions of the earlier board meeting still fresh in his mind. He felt rather lethargic after the meeting, but the warm smile of Lacus has certainly given him renewed vigor to carry for the next half of the day. Kira entered the office just as they were about to finish lunch break, he had originally wanted to reach the office much earlier but all due to a trip back home to change his clothes.

“So how was your course earlier? Was it tough?” Lacus asked, as she was preparing to begin her work after lunch break.

“Well… quite the experience I guess…” Kira smiled as he recalled the earlier board meeting.

“Do you sort of enjoy these courses Kira? From the looks of it you have been sent for quite a number of times…” Miriallia asked, curious to know his opinion.

“Of course he does… he gets to know more chicks through these courses… right Kira?” Dearkka stated his opinion.

“Unlike you Dearkka, some people actually learn from these Courses. And not just disturb the female employees…” Miriallia argued back.

“Say Kira… were the any pretty chicks back at your previous department? Well you could… you know… introduce some of them to me here…” Dearkka ignored Miriallia and flashed his pearly whites.

“Not exactly… but they’re nice people though…” Kira had no choice but to lie about his previous department.

“Say Kira… you were from the main office right? Have you any chance met any of the higher ranking board members, or even the future president Mr. Yamato?” Miriallia asked.

“Yeah, especially head of HR. I met her once, boy was she hot…” Dearkka fantasizing but was brought back to reality as Miriallia stepped on his feet.

“Ahem…” Miriallia ‘stamped’ her objections only to get cries of disbelief from Dearkka, having his clean shoe ruined.

“Well… sometimes I do see them pass by, but I don’t recognize many of them…” Kira didn’t exactly have to lie as he himself do not know most of the board members, until just now at the board meeting that is.

‘Oh we did have the current president Mr. Atha visiting our department a week ago, but you sort of missed him as you went to the restroom…” Lacus stated the facts to Kira.

“So did you get to meet the future president, Mr. Yamato? I heard he’s cute…” Miriallia again had a dreamy expression.

Kira blushed slightly at Miriallia’s remark. Haha… I’m cute? Hopefully Lacus thinks I’m cute too…

Yzak who had been listening casually at their conversation couldn’t help but grin at Mirillia’s remark. That’s sure hit the mark all right…he’s sure blushing like a big fat tomato right now…

“No, even if I had met him I don’t think I know who he is…” Kira lied; though part of him blushing like mad after being complimented.

“Yeah, that’s the thing about our future president… he doesn’t make much appearance to the public… What a mysterious guy, and I certainly find mysterious guys very cute, unlike some people who only like to show off…” Miriallia glanced at Dearkka.

“Girls find me much more mysterious all right…” Dearkka retorted back.

“Yeah right Dearkka, the only thing mysterious about you is that how you can never stop muttering nonsense” Miri replied back.

Dearkka again ignored Miri’s comment. “Say Kira had any chicks before?”

Kira blushed at Dearkka’s directness. “Err.. No…”

“What! Still a virgin?” Dearkka sort of surprised to see Kira being single all his life.

“Hey… its not bad being a virgin you know…” Kira defending himself.

“I certainly agree with Kira…” Lacus stated.

“You always do Lacus…” Miriallia teased her friend.

Lacus blushed furiously after being teased be her friend, and couldn’t really find anything to retort back. “ Hey… that’s not exactly true…”

Kira too blushed furiously, but he had other pressing problems at hand. He was thinking of asking Lacus out for a date, but he didn’t want it to make too unnatural, nor does he want to make too obvious in front of people. He’d be totally embarrassed to ask her when they’re alone together.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kira thought about it for the rest of the day, and thought of many avenues but he straight away rejected all the ideas. In the end, he guessed that through the phone would be the best bet. He doesn’t have to face Lacus and he could even prepare a script, just in case he’d forget what to say to Lacus. He thought it’d be best to ask his cousin for advice… but then again he decided against it. Knowing his cousin too well, she’d make fun of him rather than helping him.

Everytime he’d pick up the phone and pressed the number halfway through, he’d hang up the phone, too nervous to actually make the call. Time was certainly against him, afraid that Lacus might already be sleeping by the time he decided to call her. He certainly didn’t want to disturb her from her sleep, and it may not be the best of mood to ask a girl out especially when she’s in a sleepy mood.

As Kira was lost in his thoughts, he was unaware that Cagalli was silently peeking in to his room from the outside.

“If you’re gonna call her then just get it over and done with…” Cagalli announced as she entered the room.

“Oh hey Cagalli… spying on me again huh…” Kira perked up from his lying position on the bed.

“Just helping out my idiotic cousin, who doesn’t even have the guts to call a girl…” Cagalli made herself comfortable on Kira’s computer chair.

“Hey… I’m just…”

“Shy?” Cagalli finishes her cousin’s statement.

“Yeah… I mean no…” Kira blushed, embarrassed about the whole topic.

“Kira… like I said, if you wanna call her, just get it over and done with. There’s no two ways about it. The day’s not getting any younger you know…” Cagalli advised Kira.

“Yeah… you got a point there Cagalli. I’m just afraid that she’s asleep ready…”

“I don’t think so Kira, I bet she’s fantasizing about you now Kira…”

“Huh she is?”

“Dream on Kira… wait… this isn’t just an ordinary call is it?” Cagalli getting a hint as to what her cousin is up to.

“Just a simple call that’s all… nothing important anyways…” Kira tried to act innocent but his actions can be seen right through.

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna…” Cagalli grinned like cat.

Kira blushed knowing that his cousin has caught him in his plan. “Fine… I’m gonna ask her out… Just a simple outing that’s all… no making a big fuss out of it all right….”

“Finally my dear cousin is growing up… I’m so proud…” Cagalli teased Kira.

“Well… I do need some privacy over here…”

“Okay then… don’t be a sissy and be sure to call her okay… all the best dear cousin…” Cagalli made her way out of the room as to give Kira some privacy.

Kira finally took the courage to press the remaining numbers on his phone. He took a deep breath as he heard the phone dialing. Here it goes…there’s no turning back now… The phone dialled for quite some time, and this made Kira feel slightly anxious. Oh no… don’t tell me she’s already sleeping…

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lacus was at the kitchen preparing herself a nice warm cup of cocoa to accompany her as she watch some television shows before sleeping, as the phone rang. Oh my… who would be calling at this hour… She quickly washed her hands as she made her way to the cordless phone.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

“Hello?” Lacus asked as she picked up the phone.

“Hello? May I speak to Lacus please?” Kira didn’t really know how to start the conversation, and blushed the moment he heard Lacus’s voice. Stupid me… she’s living alone and yet you could still ask this type of question…

“I’m Lacus… Kira, is that you?” Lacus asked, as she immediately recognized the voice to be Kira. She too blushed the moment she recognized the voice of the caller.

“Oh hey Lacus, sorry for disturbing at this hour of day… were you busy?” Kira asked, afraid that he might be disturbing her while she’s busy.

“Oh no, not at all Kira. I was preparing some hot cocoa, I’m sorry if I took a while to answer the call…”

“Oh no it’s fine Lacus, it didn’t really take that long…”

“So… Why did want to call me for Kira? Anything of matter that I may help with? Its rare that you would want to call me up” Lacus asked, she too was curious as to why Kira would suddenly call her.

“Well I do agree it’s rare for me to call someone up…”

“Oh no Kira… I mean it in a good way, I don’t really get many guys calling me often” Lacus afraid that she might have offended Kira.

“Oh same for me Lacus… in fact it’s my first time calling a girl… so I’m quite nervous and all…” Kira couldn’t help but tell Lacus the truth.

“Oh don’t be Kira… you don’t need to be nervous around me, just treat like it like how we normally would talk at work… So anything of matter Kira?”

“Oh, its ah… nothing that important really… its just ah…” Kira still too embarrassed to ask Lacus out straight.

“Well Kira, you can trust me, I mean since it seems quite hard for you to say it…” Lacus relaxed on her sofa, thinking of how Kira would look like all nervous on the other end of the call.

Well… here it goes… there’s no point in dragging it any longer…Kira resolved to accomplish what he set out to do. “Lacus… are you ah… free this Sunday? What I mean is… are you busy on Sunday? You wanna like ah… go out, I mean catch a movie or something?” Kira somehow stammered, and his voice seemed rather weak, out of the sheer embarrassment of asking a girl out for the first time in his life. You sure sounded lame Kira…Kira reprimanded himself.

Lacus blushed, after Kira just asked her out. “Oh I’d love to Kira. I don’t really have any plans this Sunday, so why not…”

Kira felt the insides of him going to explode after Lacus just accepted his invitation. It’s the first time for Kira to be going out on the date. “Thanks Lacus, I’m really happy that you would agree to go out with me…”

“You don’t exactly need to thank me Kira, in fact I’m also happy that you asked me out…”

“So do you like still wanna chat or you’re feeling tired?” Kira asked, not really knowing how to continue the conversation, since he only thought about how to ask Lacus out, and not the rest of the conversation.

“I’m feeling fresh and don’t really have anything to do for now… so why not…” Lacus relaxed on the sofa, as she hugged her favorite large panda teddy bear.

Kira relaxed comfortably on his bed, a smile never leaving his lips, he can’t help but feel happy as he chat away with Lacus. Oblivious to him is that there were two pair of curious eyes, sneaking a peek from outside his door.

“Kira seems to be in a very happy mood…” Uzumi whispered to Cagalli. Uzumi was curious as to why Cagalli was sneaking a peek into Kira’s room quietly.

“Oh father…” Cagalli tried to hide her embarrassment after being caught in the act.

“From the looks of it he must be talking to a female friend I suppose…” Uzumi still peeking silently as he didn’t want to disturb the happy looking Kira.

“That is certainly correct…” Cagalli replied.

“But Kira does seem to be in good spirits lately, well I suppose he’ll tell us when the time is right… Come now Cagalli let’s not disturb Kira any further. We do have to wake up early tomorrow…” Uzumi retreated back to his room, smiling to himself. Well Kira… you do have someone in mind already… she must be wonderful person then to make you fell that happy… I have to admit youth is certainly a wonderful thing…whatever it is… you have to treasure her Kira…

“Oh okay father…” Cagalli followed suit, not really knowing how to explain to Uzumi, as she didn’t want to tell her father about Kira’s situation as of yet.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Who’d wanna come this early anyways… except only for a guy who’s too excited to come to work…Kira chuckled to himself. It was the first time Kira came to office before everyone else ever since he came to the department. Well, Kira did came in early, too early in fact. He came in half an hour earlier than usual, due to the fact that he couldn’t really get any sleep the night before, too excited as he replayed the phone conversation he had with Lacus in his mind countless times.

It’s good to come in early once in a while though… But as soon as he relaxed on his chair, the lethargy from not getting enough rest the previous night finally took a toll on him, as he stifled a yawn. I have to admit I’m not really a morning person after all…

Fllay was certainly surprised to see anyone reaching the office earlier than her, much less Kira of all people. She didn’t expect him to come this early, since she was usually the first one to arrive at the office. She unconsciously blushed the moment their gazes met.

“Oh good morning Ms. Alstar…” Kira smiled as he warmly greeted his boss.

“Morning Kira… didn’t I remind you to just call me Fllay from now on, no need for formalities anymore Kira…” Fllay replied his greeting, her blush refusing to leave her cheeks.

“Oh okay… surprised to see me this early?” Kira grinned.

“Pleasantly surprised I might say Kira, it’s not everyday that I see you reaching the office before anyone else…” Fllay replied, closing the distance between the two.

“It’s good to come early for once, actually I couldn’t really get any sleep yesterday night…” Kira smiled sheepishly, clearly any animosity between the two is clearly gone.

“That’s good to hear Kira, well I’d better get to my office now… there are tons of work waiting for me in there… so see you then Kira…” Fllay smiled to Kira as she made her way to her office.

“Okay…” Kira smiled back. That was certainly weird… and not too long ago we weren’t certainly on the same page… what a weird turn of events… but I must say she isn’t that bad a person after all… all she needs is time to get used to her…

Fllay was blushing like mad even as she reached her office. Why did I feel so embarrass back there…? Stupid emotions…

The rest of the employees came about a quarter of an hour later. They too were pleasantly surprise to see Kira reaching the office much earlier than they were.

“Morning Kira… you sure are early today” Lacus warmly greeted Kira with a smile.

As always, Lacus’s warm smile certainly gave Kira the extra boost he needed. The lethargy he felt earlier has certainly dissipated from his body. “Morning Lacus… couldn’t really get any sleep yesterday…” Kira smiled. The two promised each other not to tell the others about their ‘date’ this Sunday.

“Good to see you early for once Kira…” Miriallia added as she made herself comfortable on her chair.

“And for a moment I thought pigs could fly…” Dearkka quipped with his weird analogies.

“Ha ha… very funny Dearkka…” Kira replied, used to Dearkka and his antics.

“The two of you seem happier than usual… anything happened?” Miriallia grinned, after observing Kira and Lacus for quite some time.

Kira and Lacus blushed at Miriallia’s remark. “What makes you say so Miri… nothing unusual happened…” Lacus struggling to come up with a decent excuse.

“Really?” Miriallia cocked her eyebrow, not believing Lacus at all.

“Really Miri… why would I hide anything from you…” Lacus gave her friend the most reassuring smile she could make. Sorry Miri… but I already promised Kira…

“Kira is that true?” Miriallia still didn’t believe her old pal.

“Yup… nothing happened” Kira smiled, happy that he shared a secret with Lacus.

“It’s just your teenie weenie imagination again… and you always blame me for uttering nonsense…” Dearkka poked fun at Miri.

“Not talking to you Dearkka…” Miriallia stuck her tongue out at Dearkka.

The group carried on with their respective tasks. Kira finished up on his templates which have been tampered with and immediately messaged Athrun the moment he finished up on the proposal. This certainly leaves no chance or whatsoever to anyone who might want to sabotage his templates again. Despite having a hectic schedule, Athrun had no other choice but to go with his friend’s wishes, since Kira is after all the big boss. Athrun had to reschedule his some of his assignments or the sake of Kira. He proceeded down to the department after making a call to inform Fllay of his impending arrival.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kira gave Athrun a secret wink as he finished up on his presentation. Everyone turned to Athrun, who was jotting down some notes to conclude and review the presentation by Kira.

Well Kira… this is technically corruption… Athrun smiled to himself. But he did surprise me back there… I didn’t expect the presentation to be of this standard. But of course he did get help from experts and Fllay did help him out as well…

“I can safely say that I am certainly impressed by the presentation Kira.” Athrun concluded. Most of the staff were happy that Athrun liked the proposal, except for a certain guy who kept a calm exterior.

“But of course I expect nothing less than the high standards that the marketing department have belted out over the years. Congrats to those who have who have worked hard on this project, I know the scale of this project may not be grand but you guys have worked your socks off for the prosper of the company. Especially to Kira here for lending his expertise to the department, it wasn’t easy for me to prise him away from his previous department. He sure didn’t disappoint me and everyone here in the department…” Athrun added some story of his own.

“Oh no not at all…” Kira felt a little embarrassed after the ‘compliment’ by Athrun. You must certainly be enjoying this huh Athrun…Kira felt like strangling Athrun at the moment. But Lacus certainly looks rather impressed, well have to thank him on this one though…

“Well with that I conclude the meeting here, I shall be on my way now. Sorry to have taken your time off from work.” With that Athrun left the department.

“That was impressive Kira, getting compliments from Mr. Athrun himself…” Lacus complimented Kira, she too was impressed by Kira’s performance.

“Oh it was nothing…” Kira couldn’t help but blush at Lacus’s compliment.

“Don’t get too cocky Kira, you still have some more work to do. Everyone back to your own work…” Fllay instructed as she proceeded back to her own office.

“Okay ma’am…” Kira replied; feeling lost on cloud nine.

Author notes: finally after months away from my fanfic finally I’ve finished the chapter! I know this chapter is boring and lame but I had to go get this chapter done to move on with the story…

A very big SORRY (Bow down to my knees) to everyone who are still reading this fanfic and those who wanted this chap to be updated earlier, much much earlier… The main reason was I really lost direction in life, felt really low in my life and that the only thing I could write was angst… but this fic is a happy sort of fic so it’s better for me not to write it then…

I’ve finally completed my National service last week after 2 long years… now that’s done and dusted…

I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter, somehow I lost track since I was away for so long, but I wanna give a big big hug to everyone who supported me all this time… Your support is very precious to me…

Up next chapter… the long awaited ‘date’ chapter… Until then… happy reading people… apologies in advance if there are mistakes in this chapter…