Kikuchi Saori, gumi’s mom, just finished printing out a couple of presentations before she headed to the conference room to discuss everything with her team. She was getting rather bored, and the thought of the coffee shop nearby tempted her to skip work and just lounge the day away. ’A matcha latte would be nice,’ She said to herself before knocking on the conference room and heading in.
Just as she did so, though, she caught sothing in the corner of her eyes, making her double back. The door to the conference room was already partly open and she already had one foot inside. Before she completely entered the room, however, she wore a relaxed smile and waved her free hand toward everyone in the room.
’Please excuse ,’ She whispered before turning around and closing the door behind her.
With the sa calm and collected expression she had on her face, she approached the person who just walked out of the elevator. Even if the person was a distance away from him, Saori knew that there was no way she wouldn’t notice him. ’Haji?’ She asked, the steady click of her heels resounding in the hallway.
"Ah, hello mo— ma’am? ma’am," Haji’s head was jumbled for a mont back there. He was supposed to call her ma’am, but then he realized that she was gumi’s mom... then he realized that he doesn’t actually know her na so she cut himself short before he could even say anything. And because of all that confusion, he almost called her mom instead of ma’am. Fortunately, he was able to get his bearings back before he made the irreversible mistake. The embarrassnt that would’ve followed was sothing Haji dreaded thinking about.
"Ah, I see... so you’re here for the interview? Best of luck," She said, her tranquil smile shifting into a warm and gentle one.
Haji could have sworn that he sensed pity in her gaze but he didn’t think too hard about it. Instead, he nodded and muttered his thanks.
"Once your interview is over, et over at the coffee shop nearby. Moonlight Cafe. You won’t miss it, it’s just beside this building." She continued.
"Ah-" Before Haji could answer, gumi’s mom was already in front of the door to the conference room.
’Well, I guess there’s no room for negotiation to begin with... is she going to instruct on my bodyguarding duties? And what did she an by an interview? Are there other applicants? There’s no way, right?’
There was no ti to think about such things. Shaking his head, Haji headed towards the CEO’s office. By the entrance stood a guard who simply nodded at him before muttering sothing on his walkie-talkie of so sort. He figured that gumi’s dad was already inford of his arrival the mont he stepped foot on the building.
With a gulp, Haji stood in front of the wooden mahogany door with golden handles engraved with so sort of vine plant as its design. He couldn’t tell what sort of plant it was and by the ti he was going through every weed he encountered in the park, a soft voice beckoned him to co inside the office.
Another gulp.
The door to the office slowly opened, and behind it was a lady who had dark hair and black-rimd eyeglasses. She was clutching a stack of paper in hand and the expression she wore was serious. Still, there was a certain serenity in her appearance that allowed Haji to regain his composure even if it was just a little bit.
Without saying a word, she bowed toward Haji, and then repeated her words since Haji seed to have stopped moving. "Please co in," She continued.
A modicum of nervousness hit Haji right on the gut, and his feet turned into jelly. To be fair, this was his first ti inside an actual office and it gave him the heebie-jeebies before he reassured himself that it was just any other interview.
Creak.
Haji’s heart skipped as the secretary closed the wooden door behind him. The first thought that occurred in Haji’s mind was that his line of escape was cut off... as if there was so life-threatening danger inside the office.
"Please sit down," Mr. Kikuchi gestured toward one of the chairs opposite his desk. "I’m guessing you’re here for the job?"
"I- uh, yes sir,"
Gulp.
"So... do you accept the job?"
Haji nodded.
"When can you start?"
"Um, right away?" Haji only knew one answer to the question so that’s the answer he automatically gave to Mr. Kikuchi.
"All right then," Mr. Kikuchi bobbed his head once before he stood up. "Secretary," He uttered, summoning his secretary.
"Yes, sir?"
"Inform Franz to turn back. Haji is going to ride with them going to school. And here you go, your allowance. Downstairs you can change into your new school uniform." Mr. Kikuchi instructed, handing Haji fifteen thousand yen. "My secretary will be assisting you."
With a nod, the secretary stood up from her seat, adjusting her glasses before slightly bowing towards Haji a second ti. "Right this way, sir."
"What is this for, sir?" Haji asked to confirm since he was just handed five days’ worth of construction work and what’s more, that’s not even part of his wage... it was his allowance.
"Your allowance." Mr. Kikuchi repeated, slightly confused as to why Haji asked when he clearly told him what it was.
"For the month?" Haji asked. He knew that it was a ridiculous question but he just had to ask.
"No, for the day." Mr. Kikuchi responded.
’Ah, so that’s what he ant.’ A light chuckle escaped Mr. Kikuchi’s mouth as he thought to himself.
"..."
’FOR THE DAY?!’ Haji inwardly exclaid, his eyes almost popping off their sockets. There was no way he was just handed fifteen thousand for the day.
"Sir, right this way," The secretary repeated. ’Well, I can sort of understand his reaction. I was born from a poor family too, kid.’ The secretary said in her mind as she grabbed Haji by the shoulders, leading him outside the CEO’s office since Mr. Kikuchi was a busy man.
Once you’re dismissed, you’re dismissed, don’t stay longer than you should— or so that’s one of the unwritten rules that the secretary lived by.
’For the day? No way! No frickin’ way!’
.....
A few minutes later,
"Yes, sir. Yes, sir... I’ll be on my way then." Franz muttered upon answering the call. With a nod, he hung up on the phone and briefly glanced towards gumi who seed to almost doze off in the back seat.
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