<div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Paul Raike</strong> (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=84632.msg3727041#msg3727041) - <strong>Second Floor Hallway</strong> - <em>Talking to Kunoichi, wearing flip-flops</em></div><br/>The feeling of forgetting something grew as Paul walked further and further from his room, and he couldn't help but glance back, wracking his brain as he tried to figure out what it was. That, however, was a mistake; he ran into someone who was rounding the corner. "I'm sorry! Are you alright?" The words popped out of his mouth automatically, a lifetime of politesse training finally bearing fruit. He looked down as he extended a hand to help whoever it was back up, and caught a flash of green hair and feminine features that seemed somehow familiar, before his eyes were drawn to an outstretched hand, holding out a towel. His mind chewed on that thoughtfully for a second.<em>Why this strange woman offering me a towel? Perhaps Lulu remembered that there weren't any in the rooms, and sent someone to provide me with one?</em>His eyes tracked slowly back towards the woman's face as she simultaneously turned to look at him, and he tried for a friendly smile.<em>That was nice of her, except I already have---</em>His eyes widened slightly as the hammer of realization finally broke through dense stupidity, and his eyes darted back to the hand to verify that the towel she held was indeed the one that had been hanging around his waist preserving dignity. He suddenly realized that her eyes hadn't been tracking upwards towards his face. "Oh. Fuck."<br/><br/>The most imperturbable part of Paul's brain filed the experience away for future storytelling purposes, because it realized that one day he would find this situation absolutely hilarious; the rest of him tried very hard not to die of embarrassment. The urge to cover himself fought with ingrained chivalry; the compromise he found probably wasn't the one he would have chosen if he'd had time to think about it. The hand holding toiletries shifted to cover his crotch; his free, outstretched hand tugged the woman to her feet. "Um, hi," he said, trying hard to figure out a way to salvage the situation without being accused of sexual harassment. "I'm Paul. I'm one of the new assistants, and... um..." He really didn't know where he was going with this, so he looked more closely at the woman in front of him. The feeling of familiarity snapped into sharp focus, and his heart sank as he recognized one of the women he'd met during his interviews, Miss Myobi's personal assistant.<br/><br/>"Miss Ku... Koo-no-chi, right?" He mentally kicked himself for not spending more time getting to know her assistants.<em>Oh well,</em>he thought, and tried to relax.<em>Shit happens.</em>He finished the smile he started earlier and shook her hand, ignoring the distinctly surreal feeling of trying to act normally while standing naked in the middle of a hallway, covering himself with clear bag that really wasn't up to the task. Belatedly, he realized he probably should have taken back his towel sooner. "Er, can I have my towel back please?"