Title: Damn Executives
Parts: Chapter 2
Written by: Michibikare
E-mail: Michibikare@aol.com
URL: http://www.virtue.nu/ssu/index.html
Miss Tsukino quickly pushed Chiba off of her, once she
realized what he wanted--that of all other men attracted to a power-
ful and beautiful woman. He had obviously mistaken her for "easy,"
and that she was far from.
"Mr. Chiba! I will be forced to call security if you do not
remove yourself from this office immediately!" Usagi screamed at
the top of her lungs.
Mamoru collected his things, but left his resume on her
desk. Usagi had made him leave with his tail between his legs.
Just before closing her office door, he popped his head back into
the office, and meekly said, "Does that mean I get the job?"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, in the west side of the skyscraper, Rei Hino
was checking off employees for the morning in her cardboard-
sized office.
There was little room for client chairs in the office, let
alone her own desk. The office had a few posters that were matted
and framed--mostly of kabuki debut actors and actresses. She had
a small plastic plant that was positioned by a very small fixed
window--a window that looked out onto the rest of the department's
offices and cubicles.
She tucked some of her sleek black hair behind her ear
as she began to read a memo that was left by a page earlier that
morning. The time left on the memo was nearly three hours ago.
The head honcho requested her presence as soon as she was
available. "That will have to wait until after lunch." She said to the
one goldfish swimming around in a fishbowl on her desk.
Rei glanced at her watch to justify her timing--it was almost two
o'clock, and if she didn't take her lunch break now, she had the
feeling that she'd be swamped till five.
Hoping that the noon sun had warmed the atmosphere,
she left her light autumn jacket, grabbed her purse, and fled her
office.
Once she reached the downtown streets of Tokyo, a sigh
of relief overcame her. Even though Tokyo was a long way from
Sapporo, Rei felt somewhat at home once she passed a temple,
reminding her that it had been almost two days since her last
meditation. She debated on whether she should let her stomach
wait, and meditate at the temple, or keep going until she reached
her favorite chain of coffee shops a few blocks over.
Being a Shinto, she realized that she could easily grab
a quick bite on the way back to the office--after all, she knew she
was going to fail her stress test.
Climbing the tall stone steps, she tried to recall when
her last workout was--her home gym was collecting dust in the
corner of her bedroom. Almost out of breath, she reached the
entrance and after a quick chat with the clerk in the booth, she
entered one of the prayer rooms.
There, a fire was lit in a large pit in the center of the
room, and mats were spread out for kneeling. Rei took her shoes
off at the door, and grabbed a haiku inked on papyrus from a
large umbrella holder by the door. She kneeled on one of the
mats, and waved her haiku around in the air, signaling to the
Maker that she was there and ready to pray.
She lipped some traditional words into the fire, then
said a few personal prayers of her own--some for thanks, others
for success in her profession--especially for her awaiting meeting
with Tsukino. When she finished, she gracefully dropped the fine
papyrus paper into the flame, letting the fire engulf it.
After a silent sigh, she proceeded to the door, and put
her shoes back on. When she stood, she noticed a young priestess
girl blocking the doorway. The girl had her silky black hair pulled
into a twist atop her head. She wore the traditional clothing, and a
pleasant look upon her face.
"You are an elegant woman." Her voice was soft like music.
She reminded Rei a lot of herself when she was a girl.
Letting out a slight chuckle Rei replied. "Why thank you.
Were you watching me pray?"
The girl nodded.
"If only my life were as carefree as yours is…" Rei trailed
off. "You of course, must forgive me, I have a meeting with my boss,
and it's likely not to be a happy one. I've just moved here, and I can
already tell that things might not work out for me."
The girl was an attentive listener, and waited till Rei was
finished speaking before she began. "Where did you move from?"
"Sapporo. I'm in business with Tsukino Arts--you could
come to the academy--you look like a painter, or a fine musician--
violin I think…"
She smiled. "My life belongs here, in the temple. I have to
help my aunt run it because my parents moved to America."
"Why are you here then?" Rei adjusted her purse, as she
and the girl began to walk to the entrance of the temple.
"My father is a doctor, and couldn't find work here. There
was an offering in New York that he decided to take. And my mother--
well she went with him, for support I suppose. I was asked to come
though." She added. "And if my aunt's heath continues to fail at the
rate that it is, I might be forced to moved there, since I am to young to
run a temple on my own."
"Well," Rei put a hand on her shoulder. "I do hope things
work out with you."
"Thank you, and may your career bring you the most it can."
With that, the girl walked over to one of the shrines, and went inside.
Rei nodded, and then left for her much-awaited lunch. She
didn't even notice that the girl had taken her wallet.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ami Mizuno was sipping some tea while listening to
the latest in Japanese pop. She bobbed her head upbeat tempo
as she began to recall the morning's kabuki rehearsal.
Tonight was the opening for the scripts she wrote
nearly three years ago. It was like a dream come true--first she
was hired as a playwright for Tsukino Arts, and then her first
kabuki performance was being debuted tonight at the La Valse
Theatre.
She was praying that her report over the expenses and
theme of the show was acceptable for Miss Hino. She'd taken a
great deal of time to research the early beginnings of kabuki
theater, to make sure that her notes and script would be acceptable.
Ami reached over to her half-sized refrigerator and took out
a bottle of spring water. She opened it accordingly as one of her
pages knocked on her office door. Ami let her in, and asked her to
be seated.
"Thank you, Ms. Mizuno. I'll be quick about the news,
because there's a press conference in a few minutes downstairs. Rei
Hino scheduled a meeting for you and her at three. She said that after-
wards, you can go home for the day."
Ami thanked the page, as she left to attend the press
conference.
This meeting could go either way. Ami thought as she turned
off her radio and gathered up her things, as it was almost ten till three.
In a few moments, Ami had everything in her brief case, and was on her
way to Rei's office.
She politely knocked on the door, as she could see that Rei
was buried with files scattered on her desk.
"Come in, Mizuno, have a seat." Rei took off her glasses,
folded her hands and looked Ami in the eye. "I just had a brief meeting
with Miss Tsukino. She told me that your report over the kabuki debut
was unacceptable, and that if she didn't see better from you in the
future, you were going to have to start, and I quote, 'putting on plays in
your backyard again.'"
"I assume she didn't like the theme?"
"Not only that, but she said for a debut by a minor playwright,
your expenses were way too extravagant."
"Oh." Ami said, knowing that the disappointment in her voice
was showing. "Is she coming to the performance tonight?"
"Doubt it. She told me she has an interview dinner with another
applicant for the vice president--but don't let that get you down. I wouldn't
have given her the report if I didn't think that it could pass her. My
judgement was wrong this time, but I hope to see better from you, Mizuno.
Our kabuki students will get jobs from your scripts--we don't want them
to look like fools, now do we?"
"No, I suppose you're right. I'll think of some better things to write
on tonight, as I see the performance."
"Might I add a suggestion?" Rei leaned forward as if to guard her
voice. "Add some more contemporary themes. We want to attract some
young audiences and get them to keep coming back to the theater."
"Alright."
"Which reminds me, Mizuno--when is the school group coming?"
"To the Thursday afternoon performance."
"Oh--I think I'll attend that one then, there's one girl that I need to
have a chat with."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What's this?" Usagi yelled as she finished reading her secretary's
resigning letter.
Mika Tagachi sat in a client chair before Usagi. "It's time for me to
move one." Mika said, quoting her letter.
"Can't you give me a little bit more notice?" Tsukino's harsh attitude
was shining through again. "Or perhaps wait until I find a vice president?"
"No it can't. I'm leaving in three weeks, whether you find someone
else or not." With that, Mika left the office, and went home for the day.
"Now I have to scurry home and get ready for this dinner
engagement." Usagi mumbled as she packed up her briefcase. While
stuffing the many documents about her desk into the leather pack, she
didn't notice that Mamoru Chiba's resume was among them.
Parts: Chapter 2
Written by: Michibikare
E-mail: Michibikare@aol.com
URL: http://www.virtue.nu/ssu/index.html
Miss Tsukino quickly pushed Chiba off of her, once she
realized what he wanted--that of all other men attracted to a power-
ful and beautiful woman. He had obviously mistaken her for "easy,"
and that she was far from.
"Mr. Chiba! I will be forced to call security if you do not
remove yourself from this office immediately!" Usagi screamed at
the top of her lungs.
Mamoru collected his things, but left his resume on her
desk. Usagi had made him leave with his tail between his legs.
Just before closing her office door, he popped his head back into
the office, and meekly said, "Does that mean I get the job?"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, in the west side of the skyscraper, Rei Hino
was checking off employees for the morning in her cardboard-
sized office.
There was little room for client chairs in the office, let
alone her own desk. The office had a few posters that were matted
and framed--mostly of kabuki debut actors and actresses. She had
a small plastic plant that was positioned by a very small fixed
window--a window that looked out onto the rest of the department's
offices and cubicles.
She tucked some of her sleek black hair behind her ear
as she began to read a memo that was left by a page earlier that
morning. The time left on the memo was nearly three hours ago.
The head honcho requested her presence as soon as she was
available. "That will have to wait until after lunch." She said to the
one goldfish swimming around in a fishbowl on her desk.
Rei glanced at her watch to justify her timing--it was almost two
o'clock, and if she didn't take her lunch break now, she had the
feeling that she'd be swamped till five.
Hoping that the noon sun had warmed the atmosphere,
she left her light autumn jacket, grabbed her purse, and fled her
office.
Once she reached the downtown streets of Tokyo, a sigh
of relief overcame her. Even though Tokyo was a long way from
Sapporo, Rei felt somewhat at home once she passed a temple,
reminding her that it had been almost two days since her last
meditation. She debated on whether she should let her stomach
wait, and meditate at the temple, or keep going until she reached
her favorite chain of coffee shops a few blocks over.
Being a Shinto, she realized that she could easily grab
a quick bite on the way back to the office--after all, she knew she
was going to fail her stress test.
Climbing the tall stone steps, she tried to recall when
her last workout was--her home gym was collecting dust in the
corner of her bedroom. Almost out of breath, she reached the
entrance and after a quick chat with the clerk in the booth, she
entered one of the prayer rooms.
There, a fire was lit in a large pit in the center of the
room, and mats were spread out for kneeling. Rei took her shoes
off at the door, and grabbed a haiku inked on papyrus from a
large umbrella holder by the door. She kneeled on one of the
mats, and waved her haiku around in the air, signaling to the
Maker that she was there and ready to pray.
She lipped some traditional words into the fire, then
said a few personal prayers of her own--some for thanks, others
for success in her profession--especially for her awaiting meeting
with Tsukino. When she finished, she gracefully dropped the fine
papyrus paper into the flame, letting the fire engulf it.
After a silent sigh, she proceeded to the door, and put
her shoes back on. When she stood, she noticed a young priestess
girl blocking the doorway. The girl had her silky black hair pulled
into a twist atop her head. She wore the traditional clothing, and a
pleasant look upon her face.
"You are an elegant woman." Her voice was soft like music.
She reminded Rei a lot of herself when she was a girl.
Letting out a slight chuckle Rei replied. "Why thank you.
Were you watching me pray?"
The girl nodded.
"If only my life were as carefree as yours is…" Rei trailed
off. "You of course, must forgive me, I have a meeting with my boss,
and it's likely not to be a happy one. I've just moved here, and I can
already tell that things might not work out for me."
The girl was an attentive listener, and waited till Rei was
finished speaking before she began. "Where did you move from?"
"Sapporo. I'm in business with Tsukino Arts--you could
come to the academy--you look like a painter, or a fine musician--
violin I think…"
She smiled. "My life belongs here, in the temple. I have to
help my aunt run it because my parents moved to America."
"Why are you here then?" Rei adjusted her purse, as she
and the girl began to walk to the entrance of the temple.
"My father is a doctor, and couldn't find work here. There
was an offering in New York that he decided to take. And my mother--
well she went with him, for support I suppose. I was asked to come
though." She added. "And if my aunt's heath continues to fail at the
rate that it is, I might be forced to moved there, since I am to young to
run a temple on my own."
"Well," Rei put a hand on her shoulder. "I do hope things
work out with you."
"Thank you, and may your career bring you the most it can."
With that, the girl walked over to one of the shrines, and went inside.
Rei nodded, and then left for her much-awaited lunch. She
didn't even notice that the girl had taken her wallet.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ami Mizuno was sipping some tea while listening to
the latest in Japanese pop. She bobbed her head upbeat tempo
as she began to recall the morning's kabuki rehearsal.
Tonight was the opening for the scripts she wrote
nearly three years ago. It was like a dream come true--first she
was hired as a playwright for Tsukino Arts, and then her first
kabuki performance was being debuted tonight at the La Valse
Theatre.
She was praying that her report over the expenses and
theme of the show was acceptable for Miss Hino. She'd taken a
great deal of time to research the early beginnings of kabuki
theater, to make sure that her notes and script would be acceptable.
Ami reached over to her half-sized refrigerator and took out
a bottle of spring water. She opened it accordingly as one of her
pages knocked on her office door. Ami let her in, and asked her to
be seated.
"Thank you, Ms. Mizuno. I'll be quick about the news,
because there's a press conference in a few minutes downstairs. Rei
Hino scheduled a meeting for you and her at three. She said that after-
wards, you can go home for the day."
Ami thanked the page, as she left to attend the press
conference.
This meeting could go either way. Ami thought as she turned
off her radio and gathered up her things, as it was almost ten till three.
In a few moments, Ami had everything in her brief case, and was on her
way to Rei's office.
She politely knocked on the door, as she could see that Rei
was buried with files scattered on her desk.
"Come in, Mizuno, have a seat." Rei took off her glasses,
folded her hands and looked Ami in the eye. "I just had a brief meeting
with Miss Tsukino. She told me that your report over the kabuki debut
was unacceptable, and that if she didn't see better from you in the
future, you were going to have to start, and I quote, 'putting on plays in
your backyard again.'"
"I assume she didn't like the theme?"
"Not only that, but she said for a debut by a minor playwright,
your expenses were way too extravagant."
"Oh." Ami said, knowing that the disappointment in her voice
was showing. "Is she coming to the performance tonight?"
"Doubt it. She told me she has an interview dinner with another
applicant for the vice president--but don't let that get you down. I wouldn't
have given her the report if I didn't think that it could pass her. My
judgement was wrong this time, but I hope to see better from you, Mizuno.
Our kabuki students will get jobs from your scripts--we don't want them
to look like fools, now do we?"
"No, I suppose you're right. I'll think of some better things to write
on tonight, as I see the performance."
"Might I add a suggestion?" Rei leaned forward as if to guard her
voice. "Add some more contemporary themes. We want to attract some
young audiences and get them to keep coming back to the theater."
"Alright."
"Which reminds me, Mizuno--when is the school group coming?"
"To the Thursday afternoon performance."
"Oh--I think I'll attend that one then, there's one girl that I need to
have a chat with."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What's this?" Usagi yelled as she finished reading her secretary's
resigning letter.
Mika Tagachi sat in a client chair before Usagi. "It's time for me to
move one." Mika said, quoting her letter.
"Can't you give me a little bit more notice?" Tsukino's harsh attitude
was shining through again. "Or perhaps wait until I find a vice president?"
"No it can't. I'm leaving in three weeks, whether you find someone
else or not." With that, Mika left the office, and went home for the day.
"Now I have to scurry home and get ready for this dinner
engagement." Usagi mumbled as she packed up her briefcase. While
stuffing the many documents about her desk into the leather pack, she
didn't notice that Mamoru Chiba's resume was among them.