Disclaimer: I don't own A.T.O.M. and never will. Unfortunately. But I do own the idea of this fic and the new characters I introduced.
A/N: Hehe, sorry for a long time of no updates, I kinda forgot about it… Ooohps. But anyway, as a compensation, I'm posting the whole story, all chapters at once.
Remedy.
Chapter Two.
Sophie was sitting in her office. It was another ordinary Wednesday. The young woman was sorting out papers and thinking over one of Lee Industries' new contracts to-be-made.
Since Janus Lee returned to the post of the chairman about a months ago, the company started to recover from its prolonged downfall period. But that meant three times more work for the company's economic office. Although, Sophie didn't really mind: at least the work she was now doing was becoming more and more interesting. Sophie was more of an optimist by nature, so calculating possible profits was a task more pleasant for her than calculating possible losses.
So far, she had successfully been avoiding any contacts with Janus Lee. Although she knew that sooner or later he would find out that she was working in his company: after all, she was a highly respected, diligent and successful worker and was rapidly making herself a career by being constantly promoted.
It was around 3:00 PM, when her boss, Mr.Groovy, a man of around 50 years old, bald, stout and cheerful, paid her a visit.
"Sophie?" he asked cheerfully, coming up to her table.
Sophie rose her eyes from the papers and, recognizing Mr.Groovy, smiled widely.
"Hello, Mr.Groovy," she answered as cheerfully.
"Sophie, by what time will the monthly report for Mr.Lee be ready?" Mr.Groovy asked, still smiling.
"Oh," Sophie quickly searched through an accurate pile of papers on her table, and, pulling out a green folder, she continued: "I've already finished it."
At first, Mr.Groovy looked surprised. Then he laughed.
"Oh, my goodness! Your diligence and ability to work will never seethe to surprise me! How do you manage to get all this done so quickly? Do you sleep at all, by the way?"
Sophie smiled apologetically.
"You wouldn't want to know," she answered with a small laugh in her voice.
Mr.Groovy laughed heartedly.
"By the way," he spoke again, and Sophie looked at him questioningly, "As you know, I have to give the report to Mr.Lee by the end of the day, but I have a very important meeting in half an hour, and I'm afraid it will take too much time. And I can't cancel it."
As Mr.Groovy made a pause, his expression becoming slightly sadder, fear started creeping up Sophie's spine. A vague idea of what was coming formed in her mind.
"…So, I'm afraid, you will have to undertake this mission and spend some of your time – and, believe me, I know how precious time is for you – and give the report to Mr.Lee yourself," Mr.Groovy finally said. As he saw Sophie's eyes widening in fear, he quickly added: "Don't worry, everything will be alright, you're much better in presentations than me, you're the best actually."
"No, Mr.Groovy, I… I can't- " Sophie started stammering. She was afraid that this was coming, "I-I…"
Well, how are you supposed to explain to your boss that meeting face to face with the love of your life after he had been gone and considered dead for five years and doubtfully remembered you would be a painful experience?
"…I… Can somebody else do the job?" Sophie finally spat.
Mr.Groovy was shocked: Sophie had never ever refused of ANY task she had been given.
'She must be just too nervous. After all, it's the founder of the company himself,' Mr.Groovy thought.
"Don't be that nervous!" he tried to cheer her, "He's not that bad! And besides, who's a better man for the job than you? After all, you are the one who wrote this report! You spent so much time and strength on it, it's only fair that you present it!"
Sophie sat there numb and in shock.
"Yes," she said in a dead voice, "Of course, Mr.Groovy. As you say."
"Now, that's better!" Mr.Groovy exclaimed, not noticing Sophie's condition at all, "Alright then, good luck to you! Oh and I like your new hairstyle!"
Mr.Groovy left. By "new hairstyle" he meant Sophie's straightened hair. For some unknown even to herself reason, the first day Mr.Lee was reappointed as the chairman of Lee Industries, Sophie excused herself from the work and rushed to the beauty salon, something she had never ever done before, and straightened her hair, making herself a new cut. Her hair now barely reached the middle of the neck, and she had several short bangs of hair falling on her forehead.
Sophie continued to stare at the empty space which had been primarily occupied by Mr.Groovy.
"Oh, shit."
That was all she could say to herself.
Sophie leaned against the back of her armchair, closing her eyes and letting out a heavy sigh.
So, all of her strength, all of her attempts to avoid Janus, all of her efforts… All was in vain.
Had he already found out she was working in his company and was coming to him today?
The question was painful. Sophie had never felt so scared in her whole life. What would he say? How would he react upon seeing her? Would he even remember her?
Unable to think about all of that anymore, the girl pushed up from her seat and headed for the door, taking the damned green folder and an extra copy of the report with some notes with her.
For a moment, Sophie glared at the folder. Had she not been so diligent and anxious to finish the report as early as possible by herself, she would not be dealing with the problem of facing Mr.Lee right now. Damn her diligence and the love of success. To think that she had created this situation herself…
Sophie groaned. She hated herself.
The troubled economist left her office and headed for the one of the "big boss", as some had called Mr.Lee now.
'Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later,' she thought with defeat, entering the elevator, 'And maybe it's for the best. I mean the sooner I get this weight off my shoulders, the easier it will be for me to live. At least, I won't have to plague myself about this anymore.'
Just as the thought occurred to her, the doors of the elevator slid open. Sophie headed down the corridor for Mr.Lee's office. She stopped in front of the door and made a deep breath to calm her nerves. Then she pressed a button and waited.
After several moments, the door opened.
Sophie carefully entered and looked around.
She had been to this office several times before: once, when she had been a first-year student, and two or three times after she had joined Lee Industries as the trainee. It was spacious and large, almost half the size of her apartment. Most of the walls were made of glass, so there was a gorgeous panoramic view of the city. Opposite the door, closer to the other side of the room, stood a table. A blonde man in glasses was sitting in a large armchair, looking through some papers.
The man gave Sophie a quick glance and a smile, and then his gaze returned to the papers, but his eyebrows rose, as he was expecting to hear why she was there.
'He did not recognize me…' a part of her was relieved, but a part of her was saddened.
Sophie took another breath, a silent one, and mastered all of her confidence.
"Mr.Lee," she addressed him in a steady voice, "I don't know if Mr.Groovy has informed you or not, but I'm afraid he will not be able to present the report today, so…"
"Yes, yes, I know, he already informed me that he has a meeting today," Mr.Lee interrupted hastily, yet politely, "and that he would send someone else with the report."
"Indeed," Sophie confirmed in a wooden voice. She came up to his table and carefully laid the folder in front of him. Mr.Lee accepted the folder with a smile and a nod, and started looking through it.
"Please, take a sit," he gestured to an armchair in front of the table. Sophie sat down, laying her copy of the report on her knees: it was supposed to help her during the discussion.
Meanwhile, Mr.Lee was looking through the report. Sophie watched him carefully. Generally, he had a pleasant look on his face. He smiled sometimes, apparently satisfied with the firm's progresses and sometimes frowned, seeing figures not so cheerful.
"Well…" he spoke after some time, "Overall, it seems like we are finally getting out of the crisis situation."
"Yes, the worst part is already behind," Sophie nodded, "We managed to renegotiate the most important of our contracts, and banks are giving us new loans. Also, we shut some of the most loss-making facilities, which also improved the situation."
"Mhm…" Mr.Lee nodded, apparently listening to her carefully and studying the report figures at the same time.
"Unfortunately, the shutdown of these facilities was followed by a large number of employments being terminated, but that was an inevitable measure," Sophie went on, "We might be able to higher our former employees back once we are out of the crisis."
"Yes, I know," Mr.Lee sighed heavily, "What happened here without me?"
The question was directed to no one in particular, but Sophie still answered it.
"And what happens to a flock of sheep without a shepherd?" she smiled apologetically as Mr.Lee looked up at her, and quickly added: "Sorry about the metaphor."
But Lee looked quite amused.
"I like your sense of humor," he said with a laugh. Sophie smiled brightly.
Lee froze.
That smile… He had seen it before. But… He had never met this talented economist in front of him.
Sophie noticed Lee's shocked expression. Her smile faded at once.
"Is there something wrong?" she quickly asked with a frown.
"N-no," Lee answered slowly. Then he smiled again, as if nothing had happened, "Everything's alright. A very nice report. Who made it by the way?"
"Well…" Sophie smiled knowingly. Mr.Lee got the hint.
"Wonderful job!" he said, clearly surprised, "That is simply great!"
"Thank you!" she smiled again. And again Lee had a feeling of complete de ja vu.
As Sophie stood up and headed for the door, relieved that she would not have to explain anything to him, he spoke again:
"I'm sorry, what was your name again?" Lee said in an apologetic tone, "I'm afraid, Mr.Groovy did not tell me."
Lee laughed a little, not noticing that the young woman froze dead in her tracks.
Sophie's eyes widened. That was the part she was mostly afraid of. The part she could not avoid. She couldn't lie to him, by giving a false name. And once she said her own… Well, she would be in for a lot of painful explanation.
Lee watched the woman slowly turn around and look at him. He was shocked by her expression. She was smiling, but a very sad and broken smile, tears welled up in her eyes. Then she spoke, her voice very quite and shaking slightly.
"It's Sophie Olin, Mr.Lee."