So I'm finally back to writing! School is finally over and I've got a one-month break to enjoy before the hectic-ness starts up all over again, so in the meantime I'm gonna get as much updated as time permits!
Anywho, this story is a birthday fic for Matt, aka ARCtheElite. :D Happy birthday, Matt, and I'm truly sorry this is belated! Hope you enjoy the story nevertheless. It's a little silly and all (meaning: slight OOCness), but I hope I managed to capture some accuracies with this fic, haha!
And off we go!
The Job Hoppers
Ishida Yamato loved his moments of solitude.
Sure, he was in a pretty famous band, and he had a tight-knit circle of friends he could always hang around with, but that didn't mean that he didn't enjoy his alone time. Just because he was the bearer of the crest of friendship did not mean that he had to be some sort of social butterfly – sure, he enjoyed his friends' company, but what was not to like about lounging around at home, whipping up a good dish or two and practicing on his guitar, old harmonica and even the occasional piano?
As his life grew busier with school and band practices and what not, these moments became far rarer and naturally, he treasured them all the more. Today was an example – it was already two weeks into winter break and this was the first free day he had to himself since holidays started! He had gotten up at eleven o'clock (oh yes, sleep is gooood) and was just making himself a nice cup of tea when the doorbell rang.
Yamato frowned and debated whether to pretend he wasn't in. Unfortunately the windows were open and he could just see the all-too-familiar bushy mop of brown hair from where he was standing.
He sighed. Yes, Taichi was his best friend. They had gone through thick and thin together. Taichi was someone you could always count on... but he also had the most annoying habit of showing up at the most inopportune moments.
------
"Why me, Taichi?"
Yamato raised an eyebrow as he spoke and Taichi sighed. He had known Yamato wouldn't be easy to convince. But still…
"Because you're my best friend," he sighed, putting extra emphasis on the last two words. "Also, I desperately need the money, and two weeks of break have passed and I still haven't found a thing, and this particular job requires two people to apply together, so…"
Yamato threw up his hands. "What kind of crazy job is that? You can go find another one. Just check the papers. You'll find something. I'm already giving piano lessons every other evening, remember? I don't exactly have time for another job."
"Puh-leeeeze, Yamato?"
Yamato's eyes widened in surprise. Had he just heard Taichi plea? He took a good look at Taichi's desperate face and cackled maliciously to himself. Perhaps he would agree in the end – Taichi was pretty well-known for his persistence – but still, he deserved to enjoy a bit of fun before that happened.
Yamato cocked his head to one side. "You know, I think just a bit more of sincerity is required…"
And so, that was how Yamato's potentially lovely day of solitude ended – with him and Taichi heading to some unknown (to Yamato, anyway) place for an interview. It was freezing cold and the thick jacket Yamato donned made him feel sleepy and sluggish and rather annoyed with Taichi for dragging him out.
It was a pet shop which required two employees to work together at one time. Yamato had been wary at first when Taichi first mentioned this but had agreed in the end. After all, they would probably do nothing more than counter service. The animals would be kept in cages, wouldn't they? Yamato didn't particularly like animals. It wasn't because he was scared of them. They – well – they just tickled.
(Not that he'd ever mention that to anybody, not in a million years…)
Anyway. It was surprising really, how fast the interview lasted. There were a whole bunch of animals in the shop, ranging from the normal dogs and cats to the more exotic snakes of some weird sort. It also turned out that quite a few of these animals, including some magnificent looking parrots, were not kept in cages (much to Yamato's dismay) and it was rather distracting having puppies pawing at your thighs while you tried to answer questions. Given that, though, the interview still seemed to pass remarkably fast and before they even knew what was happening, the shop owner, who looked very young – about the same age as Yamato and Taichi, in fact – was shaking hands with them, handing over the key with strict instructions on when to close shop and lock up, and a long list of detailed steps on animal feeding. And all this while a petite young girl - possibly an employee - stood by his side, smiling and nodding politely at every word they said.
"I'm sure you guys will manage fine. Weren't you those Chosen Children? I've seen how experienced you guys are with those Digimon," the shop owner, whose name was Tanaka, beamed at them as he placed one hand swiftly on the door handle, the other clutching the girl's hand tightly. "I'll be back this evening at six – see you guys then, and work hard!"
The door swung shut as he vanished, leaving the faint tinkling sound of bells attached to the door in their wake. Yamato and Taichi exchanged mystified looks, having both been under the impression that the two would at least stay behind to coach two new, inexperienced employees. Taichi looked a little offended, no doubt about what Tanaka had said about digimon. Yamato was already beginning to wonder what they had gotten themselves into.
"That was weird," Yamato said, shaking his head. "I don't think he even listened to us properly. What kind of interview was that? And what's the deal with that girl? They seemed like they were in such a rush."
Taichi shrugged. "Oh well. Who cares? We're getting paid for this!" He gazed at the long list in his hands. "Looks like we have a busy day ahead!" Grabbing a gigantic packet of dog food off the shelf, he grinned at Yamato. "What're you waiting for? Let's get started!"
"Get started! Get started!" Cackled a huge, colourful parrot perched on top of a fake branch. Yamato stared at it. It ruffled its feathers back indignantly.
Yamato's head ached already. He thought miserably of his untouched cup of tea, sitting forlornly on his table back home. Oh why, oh why had he been so stupid as to agree?
------
It felt as though six o'clock would never come, but in the end it did. The to-do list had not only been long, the font had been teensy – each breed of dog apparently required a different kind of food, the terrapins needed their shells polished, and the parrots and hamster had to be fed their little nibbles. It had taken all of Yamato's self-control to not shudder as one enormous parrot nuzzled its beak against his face. How had Sora managed to put up with this all these years?
On the bright side, though, they had managed to sell three terrapins, one cute little tabby kitten and even a bright green grass snake. That was certainly something to be proud of.
"Well – almost time to knock off," Taichi panted, leaning against the mop that was balanced in his hands. Yamato had to give his friend credit – he had never seen Taichi work so hard before. He had enthusiastically brushed the kittens and mopped the floor as if his life depended on it. Even though he had gotten the steps mixed up and did the brushing after the mopping, rendering the latter utterly useless. But still…
"Yeah. It's about time," Yamato said carelessly. His gaze roved over the now-clean counter. "Hey, where're the keys?"
"Keys?"
"The keys for locking up, remember?" Yamato took quick steps toward the counter and ran his hand across the bare countertop. There was nothing there except for the accounts book, the cash register and a laptop… yet he remembered clearly that they had placed the keys right next to the cash register. None of them had touched it at all, preoccupied with their jobs as they were. How could it have gone missing?
"Oh damn, is it missing?" Taichi hurried over too, having realized that this was no small problem. "But we left them here all this while! How could they have – "
"Polly got the keys! Polly got the keys!"
It felt like a scene from a bad, clichéd comedy, it really did. That very thought ran through Yamato's head as he spun around to face the source of the offending noise, having realized what had happened even before he registered it. Taichi was already one step ahead – picking up the mop, he dashed forward to where most of the parrots were dozing… all except for a familiar-looking colourful one. A flash of silver dangled from its beak, looking for a second like some sort of strange piercing.
"Give that back, you stupid bird!" Taichi roared, brandishing the mop. The parrot simply turned away.
"What's going on?"
The door swung open at that moment, and Yamato turned in relief. "Tanaka!" He exclaimed, only to realize that it wasn't Tanaka. Standing at the entrance was a middle-aged man with graying hair and a weather beaten face. He bore a strange resemblance to Tanaka, and looked simply astounded to see the pair of them standing there.
"What are you doing in my shop?" He thundered, storming in. Behind Taichi, Polly emitted a tiny squawk and the keys fell from her beaks, landing with a gentle crash onto the floor.
"Your shop?" Taichi looked bemused. "What are you talking about? This isn't your shop, it belongs to someone called Tanaka. We're his new employees. He hired us today."
The man's expression changed so quickly, it was amazing to watch.
"That – that wretched son of mine!" The man spluttered. Taichi and Yamato stared at each other. Realization was dawning on Yamato and he could see that his expression was mirrored on Taichi's face.
"That kid is incorrigible! He never listens to me, that twat… always going out with girls now, is he? If it's not a blonde one today, then it's some redhead or another… I knew I should have hired a male to work alongside him! Hiring people behind my back just to get out of working! He'll be the death of me! He will…"
It took the man a full fifteen minutes before he remembered that Taichi and Yamato were still standing stock-still as he rampaged. Even the animals had gone quiet with his presence. Even amidst his shock Yamato felt mildly impressed by the effect this guy seemed to have on animals.
"Oh, yes. Well," the man forced a weak smile at them as he rummaged in his pockets, retrieving from them a thick cheque book. "Very sorry about today. Tanaka's my son, and him hiring you today was just a silly trick on his part." He pulled out a pen as he spoke, scribbling hurriedly on the cheque slips. "Thanks for your help, but I'm afraid we don't actually need any employees. Here," and he handed the cheques to the two boys, now looking half-sheepish. "I'm sure that's enough to cover for today. You two don't have to come anymore tomorrow. But thank you for your help anyway."
He bowed awkwardly, clearing indicating that they should leave. Bowing just as awkwardly back, the two escaped into the cold evening air.
"Can you believe that!" Taichi spluttered angrily as he stuffed his cheque into his pocket. "That idiot Tanaka was lying to us! Just when I thought I had gotten a steady job, too! If I ever meet him again, I will…"
Yamato simply smiled benignly as they strolled on. Never had he felt happier to be fired, if you could call this actual firing. Taichi's tirade felt like music to his ears, and as they walked on he counted to himself that he still had about four hours of his day of solitude left – enough for a nice supper and his half-finished song composition for his band –
"What's that?" Taichi said suddenly.
Brought back to earth, Yamato looked at where Taichi was pointing. They were walking past a row of shophouses, and Taichi had stopped right in front of a large, spacious-looking shop. The glass doors were tinted such that they couldn't see what was inside. Yamato looked around for a shop sign, but there wasn't any.
"A shop without a sign? How weird," he commented.
"Oh, no," Taichi sighed, sounding impatient. "I mean, look at this!" And he pointed at a small, inconspicuous slip of paper stuck on the glass door. It read:
The Piano Palace
Open daily except for Sundays and Public Holidays, 8am to 9pm
Part-time Sales Assistant needed
Walk-in Interviews welcomed anytime during opening hours
"This must be my lucky day!" Taichi said cheerfully to Yamato. "The Heavens must have noted the unfairness dealt to us today and decided to give us a second opportunity!"
Yamato rolled his eyes. "I'm not interested in another job, Taichi," he said flatly.
Taichi laughed. "I'm not telling you to apply this time, am I? But would it hurt to just step inside for about five minutes while I ask around? It won't take long."
Yamato shrugged. No harm done, after all, and he was rather curious to see the interior of the shop. "Fair enough," he answered, and they both entered.
The pale yellow lights emitted from the chandeliers that hung from the high ceiling was the first thing that greeted the two, bathing them in a pool of warm light. Yamato felt his jaw drop as they walked further in. Dozens of shiny grand pianos greeted him, arranged in alternating colours of white and black – it felt like he was in some kind of Alternate Universe Chess Game. Quite beside himself, he ran his hand over the side of one of them.
"This," he whispered, "is a beauty."
He barely noticed Taichi making his way swiftly to where the shop owners were, neither did he hear Taichi's slightly embarrassed apologies about his antics – "He's one of those music geniuses, he's just a tad overexcited right now." It was only twenty minutes later when he looked up and realized that the shop seemed rather empty. Taichi was next to him, polishing the piano adjacent to the one he had been moaning over.
"Back to reality now, are you?" Taichi smirked as Yamato glared at him, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Anyway, I got the job! The shop's almost closing anyhow, so the owners decided to go for a quick dinner. I just need to do a bit of polishing." He gestured toward the doors. "You can leave first, you know. Thanks for the moral support, but I can manage fine from here."
Yamato cleared his throat. "It's okay, really," he replied quickly, checking his watch. "It won't be long before closing time anyway. I might as well just wait here. We go the same way back home after all."
"Right, budding Musician," Taichi smirked as he returned to his polishing.
The rest of the hour was near heaven for Yamato as he examined every inch of the pianos, playing around with the keys and trying his best to ignore Taichi's amused glances. How could he have missed such an amazing shop in all the years he had lived in Odaiba? How could he? Of all the treasures to have missed…
A tinkling sound interrupted his train of thoughts and he almost laughed out loud. Here he was, so lost in his dreams that he was hearing piano keys being played in his head!
"Oh shit."
Was he now hearing voices in his head, too? Yamato chuckled wryly to himself.
"Argh!"
Yamato's head shot up and blinked at the sight that greeted him. Taichi was in front of him, peering into a straight back piano which had its top lid open, a look of utter horror written all over his face. Inexplicably, a sense of foreboding began to fill Yamato. What had happened?
"What happened?" Yamato asked cautiously, getting up rather reluctantly from the cushy seat and making his way over to where Taichi was.
Taichi groaned. "It's so stupid," he sighed, eyes never leaving the piano as he spoke. "I was cleaning when I remembered Misako – that's one of the owners – telling me to help her put back the keys in the safety box properly before they come back from dinner. And so I took it, stupidly gave this piano a final polish before I put it away and my hands just slipped…"
Yamato gasped, the real meaning of the tinkling sound he had heard previously registering fully in his head.
"How dumb can you get, Taichi?" He shot at the other boy, reaching a hand carefully into the piano and fingering about. "You could hurt the piano!"
"Hurt?" Taichi snapped back, looking annoyed now. "You're acting like this freaking thing is alive! And be careful!" He hissed as Yamato groped around.
"Almost got it!" Yamato exclaimed, his hands closing over the familiar sharp, metal objects.
"I think they're coming!" Taichi cried at the very same moment.
The door swung open at that very second and the two owners stepped in, talking softly to each other and looking extremely content. Yamato realized to his horror that his arm was still deep inside the piano.
The expression change on the couple's faces could have been funny if not for the scenario they were in.
"What are you doing?!" Misako cried, providing Yamato and Taichi with an over-whelming sense of déjà vu. She dashed forward and pulled Yamato's arm out with amazing strength. "You – you inhumane creatures! You are hurting the piano! It will never be the same again! Out, out!"
She flapped her hands wildly at them , looking just like a angry mother hen with these antics. Not knowing what else to do, Yamato unballed his fist and handed the keys quietly to them.
The man standing next to Misako wore a dangerously dark expression at the sight of this, his face bearing a great resemblance to a stormy night. "Get out of my shop now. OUT!"
The two practically tumbled out of the shop, mortified and highly embarrassed. The rest of their walk home was spent, most unsurprisingly, in silence.
And that concluded a most fateful wintry day in which Yamato had his day of peace interrupted, and both boys got fired not just once, but twice in the span of a day. Yamato was well assured, though, that he wouldn't have anymore of his precious days of solitude interrupted by meaningless interferences.
Not for a very long time.
FIN.
Like it? Hate it? Want to give me some chocolate gingerbread cookies? Please review! :)