By the time they reached the administration building, Asakay had only covered three of the women he'd dated. When Uuzhit opened the door to the office, he asked who would follow and Inyoninko stepped forward. Iejei seized Asakay by his collar. His dark eyes pleaded with Inyoninko. She stared back with a partial smile. Iejei promised him a bucket load of chips and whatever other snacks he wanted and three personal requests of any magnitude. Asakay sat down then. When Iejei pointed to a spot by the wall, he scooted over, hugged his legs and made himself small. Only after seeing this did Inyoninko and Uuzhit enter the office.
As soon as they walked in, they noticed that Asakay's crush was not at the front desk. In her place was the young man Inyoninko saw yesterday, the one Asakay stole the book from. When they reached the desk, he looked up, glanced between them, then focused on Inyoninko. With a closer look at him, Inyoninko found that he was very thin and small. He looked fourteen, not even eighteen. He was pale with freckles across his unevenly tanned face. His jaw was too broad. His eyes were sunken, surrounded by dark circles. Pale green irises peered back at her. She nodded to him. He hesitated but then nodded back.
"I have your book."
He scrutinized her. "Yes," he mumbled. "But how did you?"
"My friend."
He nodded. "How did he?"
She didn't know quite what to say. "He's always been something of a thief."
He kept nodding, stealing glances at his surroundings and the cubicles behind him. Licking his lips, head lowered, stealing a glance at Uuzhit and then focusing on her, he wondered, "Do you think I could have it back?"
Inyoninko smiled softly. "Would you mind if I finished it first? I'm sorry but I'm really liking the chapter on Amitirzh and Tahakat."
"Yeah! Yeah!" An ear-splitting grin spread across his face. He drew himself up, a laugh rising from deep in his gut. "Go ahead. That's my favorite chapter, you know. When you think Tahakat might win, Amitirzh was so smart. To present the box that can only be opened when one genuinely wishes it were closed. And it opened to the story of Tahakat's life! He giggled and laughed and grinned. Refocusing on Inyoninko, "Please," he told her, "Yeah, hand it to me when you finish."
She got out her phone. "Then I'll need your number." He reached out and took her phone. "And what's your name?"
He lifted his head, grinning. "Juushtayw."
Both Inyoninko and Uuzhit smirked, regarding him. Uuzhit glanced aside to Inyoninko. "Fitting." Her smirk broadened.
"I'm Inyoninko."
Juushtayw raised his head and peered at her. "In. Yo. Nin. Ko." He handed her phone back. She nodded. "I'm Juushtayw." Both Uuzhit and Inyoninko burst with laughter. "What. Oh! I told you my name. Sorry!" He lowered his head. "Sorry."
Inyoninko raised herself up, waving it off and pointed to Uuzhit. "Can you just. Help him?"
"Seems we're having some fun here."
Uuzhit and Juushtayw stiffened. Inyoninko straightened up. She'd heard this voice before and looked over, finding a man just a little taller than average with well-groomed graying hair, a handlebar mustache and faded blue eyes. He was thin in the face but a little big around the middle. He wore a clean gray suit. It was nothing flashy but the way he stood in it seemed relaxed and comfortable. Inyoninko did not mind this man, they had very pleasant conversations the few times she ventured downstairs during one of the governor's parties, but it was the young green-haired woman standing behind him that made her freeze and scold herself, realizing that he was Eshuumina's father.
"Inyoninko," he greeted. She inclined her head. He bowed his head, then looked to Uuzhit. "And Uuzhit." Uuzhit inclined his head as well but stiffly with tense shoulders. The man's faded blue eyes shifted to Juushtayw. "I trust you're helping them well, right Juushtayw."
"Yes sir."
The man smiled. "Very good." With a slight bow, he bade them good day and left the office, ushering his daughter to quicken her step. Her gaze lingered on Inyoninko.
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