I can't let you read this without begging for your pardon first :( ! School was tougher than expected hehe and this chapter was so hard to downsize because it's only a transition. Anyways, I hope it's not too hasty because I don't want to give you something not worth reading :)
Thanks for following the story, and sorry but this and the following chapter are gonna be longer than usual and kind of fast haha you'll see ^_^
...
Not too sure if I should have said something or not, I still did not retire my gaze from her now approaching silhouette. She had an elegant smile on her face although focusing her eyes as if trying to convince herself it was indeed me. Hers wasn't an unpleased reaction, but the polite disbelief of a surprise.
"Oreki-san?" She almost mumbled as she slowed down her last steps towards me.
"Ch-Chitanda-san, good afternoon." Somewhat taken aback, I stuttered.
Her lips soon curved into a wider grin.
"It is a pleasure to see you here." She said in an overly kind manner. "Thank you for taking the time to consider our company."
And then, after I had for two months lived in the convincement of surely never having to meet her so soon, Chitanda bowed at a perfectly acute angle, holding her pale rose coat around her waist.
This resulted the most strange since it had to be me the one bowing with such formality at whom, as soon as I signed the contract, would turn into my superior.
Whilst returning the polite gesture in the most awkward way, I kept asking myself how had things taken this road.
Thinking back of the unfairly short interlude between Mayaka's party and the moment Chitanda came across my way, I realized of what can be brought with time truly being something unpredictable. And it all had started by early November.
…
Throughout October, Oosaki Tarou, the old owner of the bank I was working for, had gone through some financial struggle with his investors. This should have been obvious to anyone working there since the actions charts that were displayed daily became suddenly unsteady. But it hadn't been nothing us staff worried too much about since it had happened before and always went back to normality in matter of weeks. Until November arrived.
It turned out that said problems had been exhausting Oosaki for several months over and his health was worsening with the issue. And so, out of a senile mind and body, he came to a definitive realization. At his eighty-six, no longer having the energy to take care of Oosaki Banking Corporation of Yamanashi, he decided to give it up before, sooner or later, taking it into bankrupt.
It didn't take long for a private bank to purchase all three branches in the prefecture. All actions were sold, all accounts in our registry were transferred to the new owners or a different bank, and the personnel was downsized by sixty percent. Those staff cutouts started at the bottom; janitors, secretaries, messengers, accountants, were withdrawn from the company. Only the highest positions obtained a new contract and unaffected benefits.
As of the matter from the personnel's point of view, it was more than a misfortune. Our three last weeks there were hellish since we had to bring everything to an enclosure so that the new workers could start off fresh.
On a Friday noon, while I enjoyed a hot cup of black coffee at my desk during our only break, I overheard some of my coworkers gathered in a semicircle, complaining about times being difficult.
"What about you, Oreki-kun?" One of them included me. "You always get things done rather quickly, why haven't you switched banks by now?"
Not him, but his statement, irked my gut since times like these challenged my dearest working motto and there was no way for me to shrug off the problem and move on with a quick solution.
With little effort and no interest on building up a detailed response, I spoke simply. "Oosaki-san's decision was so blunt, even if I hurry, it's not upon me to find a job as quickly as it could've been if we had been warned ahead of time."
"You're struggling too, huh?" He pushed back heavily against his chair as he sighed in an empathetic manner.
It seemed as if the blame fell over Oosaki, however, rumors told that he'd had an original plan, but the purchasers had refused to wait beyond three weeks before bringing in their people. And so, three weeks into November, the bank was clear and a bunch of us jobless
Like those guys, I too had dropped some applications here and there by mid-November. But no such luck had crossed my way, or theirs.
…
Talking of misfortune, on November's last Saturday, Satoshi decided to call at around noon. Thinking it could be a company responding to my job application, I picked up the phone, only to hear the blatant tone in his voice and a lot of background noise.
"Houtarou! Mind a visit?"
"Satoshi? What are you talking about?"
"We'll be there at around… two!"
"Open your eyes already, Houtarou!" I heard Mayaka in the back.
"Hey, I wasn't-"
"Okay, see ya!"
Dial tone.
Assuming receiving them was no longer a choice, plus I didn't have anything else to do, I continued to wait for any responses to my job applications. Yet, nothing happened during the three following hours.
…
My compulsory guests arrived as warned and their only reasoning as to why they decided to break into my peaceful home was because « I felt like taking a couple of holidays I've been saving up. So why not granting you, my lonesome friend, with some quality time? » According to Satoshi's boldness.
Whether I considered my spare time a vacation or not, both of us were free for the time being. However, while I had chosen peace at home, he and Mayaka had decided to disturb my weekend. They were on their way to Osaka, in the meantime, I had to bear them as the host until they left at night to arrive to their destination in the morning.
I offered them drinks in hopes that they would prepare them themselves, but I ended up in the kitchen brewing barley tea for everyone. Once I finished pouring it into three cups, I took them to the coffee table in the living room, where they were both waiting.
"Weren't you just promoted?" I referred to Mayaka.
"Yeah, that's why I have to attend a three-day workshop over there." She said before sipping the tea.
"And you?" I looked at Satoshi.
"I heard that Honobu Yonezawa might be there at the moment, interviewing him is a good excuse to extend my holiday." He retorted.
"So you're both on a work trip, not a holiday."
"Well, fifty-fifty." He shifted his head to one side.
For a moment everything went quiet, but having nothing more to say, I didn't mind. Then I realized that they were both looking at me, then each other, then back at me.
"What is it?" I put down my cup, suspicious of their intentions.
Mayaka opened her eyes wider, as if insisting on Satoshi to speak up while she kept her cup under her nose.
"I was reading the newspaper the other day… Did Oosaki-san really sell the company?" He made a grimace as if stepping on quivery ground.
"How did you know?" I frowned confused but unaffected.
"There was an article in the business section talking of an international bank chain predominating in Kofu after buying other banks in the area. Oosaki was part of the list." He explained.
Perhaps it had just slipped my sight, because I always read the newspapers in the morning, but I hadn't paid much attention to the rest of the pages since I kept checking the now-hiring section.
"Well, he did."
Seeing my calm expression, Mayaka went directly to the core of their interest.
"So what's your plan?"
I breathed deeply before deciding on how to put it so they wouldn't turn the topic into the main point, it was already giving me a headache.
"That's the unpleasant part of it." I stretched my arm and scratched the back of my neck. "I can't get too ahead of myself. I'm applying for three banks downtown; but so far that's pretty much it."
"I guess you'd rather take it your way and save your precious energy." Satoshi mocked.
"I wish I could relax back and take my time." I saw Mayaka roll up her eyes and Satoshi chuckle as I sighed in pain. "But Tomoe's been trying to get Dad to quit his job or at least work a single shift. I can't be a free loader right now."
"Ah… your dad still works until late? That's why he isn't home yet." Satoshi concluded.
"But, about the applications, you haven't gotten a response yet?" Mayaka threw us back to the point.
"It's still early." I excused myself, even when knowing that a week had already passed.
As if thinking was the order of the day, everyone went quiet again, until Satoshi talked.
"This late into the year, it might get especially tough, won't it?" He sounded rather apologetic more than witty.
I slithered my gaze away. "Who knows?"
"Well, you can't blame them for holding hiring seasons." Mayaka added in her usual just tone. "That shouldn't stop you, though. There has to be somewhere where there's vacancy."
"Unless there's a bank with extended seasons this year." Satoshi kept on.
"Extended?" I asked since I hadn't heard of that possibility.
"It's actually happening with the Chitandas." Mayaka replied. "Chi-chan was talking about some changes going on this year, so they had to re-open their season until the end of December."
Satoshi's eyes simultaneously lit up with an idea.
"That's just perfect!" He chirped and came sit down next to me. "That way you wouldn't have to wait for a spot to be released and just present yourself with a convincing resume." He flooded with inspiration as if his words were full of sense. "Even Maya could put in a nice word in for you!"
She raised an eyebrow in discomfort, but then relaxed her expression while stirring her tea with a little spoon.
"I do think you're trustworthy." She said nonchalantly before bringing her cup up to her mouth.
Satoshi stopped fighting back my attempts to get him off my shoulder and I froze. We both turned to inspect Mayaka's much too simple-hearted attitude.
When she put down her cup and met our blank eyes, her expression went back to usual.
"What?" Her eyes shadowed. "I'm talking of you as a person. Just because I'm friends with Chi-chan doesn't mean I'd convince her to sneak you into her company." She sipped the tea once again but turning away, back to her normal self.
Satoshi laughed at this and went back to me. I resumed my irritation.
"That's ridiculous, Satoshi." I pulled back. "Let it go, it's not such a big deal."
He reached over for his cup at the other side of the table, seemingly letting go of his game.
"Funny how you turned down Chitanda-san's invitation a month ago and now you're waiting for a company to reply." He hissed. "Could that have been a godly warning or an accidental curse?" I could see his mocking smirk behind the rim of his cup.
"Well, since is Oreki Houtarou who we're speaking of, he wouldn't even bother considering a job that's one hour away from his bed." Her malicious voice thrived over my silence.
"Insufferable." I muttered.
As threatened, Mayaka and Satoshi stayed until that day's evening. We had dinner out and I saw them off at the train station.
Walking back home, I wondered if they believed me when I said things so calmly. Part of that was true, but not being sure of what would happen next or even what was happening currently left me with an uneasy feeling of frustration.
…
Even past noon, the air outside was starting to carry along the chill of winter a little sooner than usual. I left home earlier to go downtown and meet people from different banks.
Two of the companies I had applied to, politely rejected me. Things in fact started getting wearying.
Once I came out of the last bank on the list, I took advantage of the trip to drop a letter for my sister in a postal service mailbox. In it, I did not mention a thing about my recent mishaps since the least I needed was her calling one of her weird friends to hire me. Those summertime jobs were in the past of my adolescence.
Once home, I noticed the answering machine had recorded a message from a private number. I let it play while I sat down opening the bill envelopes that had come in the mail. The machine exhaled its beep and the next thing I heard, among static noises and in an inconsistent audio, was Tomoe's loud voice.
« Hello, Hou-ta-rou! You must be at work or something, huh? » Her cheerful tone pained me a little. « Sorry, but I can't call later. Um… well the thing is I need that PIN number thing that comes with the phone manual? Something like that… Be a nice brother and look for it for me, okay? I'll call back tomorrow, better have it! Bye-bye! »
Even before the message was over, I could feel a bugging pressure taking over my eyelids.
« Oh! Right, those papers should be in one of your drawers- »
The corrupted static audio came to a sudden end after her last hurried word.
Wondering what had Tomoe gotten herself into this time and when had she started to use my room as her file cabinet, I decided to look for the manual later after having lunch.
I got off the couch and headed to the kitchen to put some rice in the cooker. Just as I shut the lid of the electric pot, I heard the doorbell ring.
What a surprise, a delivery with red « Return to Sender » stamps all over.
…
Seemingly, visiting my house on the way to Osaka wasn't enough, so they had to do it once more in their return to Tokyo.
For the second time, I found myself pouring hot beverages for three while the food was ready. Due to this turn of events, I had to add more rice to the cooker since both of my friends arrived meaning to eat outside but gave up the idea once I told them I was just about to prepare lunch.
Instead of using the sofa, they took a seat at the kitchen counter. Since one of Satoshi's hobbies was cooking and Mayaka felt somewhat guilty for having me triplicate the amount of food, they voluntarily chose to prepare the meal. With Satoshi preparing the curry and Mayaka chopping ingredients, all that was upon me was to prepare the coffee and check on the rice.
After all, this visit was not too shabby for my taste.
Leaving the stew thicken for a few minutes on the fire, the three of us sat at the dining table in front of the counter.
In a quick jolt, as if remembering something, Satoshi snapped two fingers and pulled out a folded piece of paper from his ever so indispensable drawstring bag. He then handed it over to me before taking a sip of his coffee.
Holding an eyebrow up as he gestured with his hand for me to hurry and unfold the paper, I did. In impeccable handwriting, that couldn't be his, was a list of requirements. Confused, I asked "What's this?"
"We ran into Nana-san, Chitanda-san's secretary, in Osaka." He immediately swallowed the coffee to replay with a smile.
I rolled up my eyes.
"Fuku-chan insisted on asking if she knew what was needed to get an interview." Mayaka spoke in a hue of disagreement, crossing her arms. "Just when will you stop spoiling Houtarou?" She turned to scold him.
"I told you-"
I focused my glance on Satoshi's gleeful face. But even an upset tone and cold stare weren't enough to demolish his natural enthusiasm, he proved. He hacked my speech and proceeded with his data display.
"You can bring or mail those papers to the department of Human Resources." He held up an index. "If you pass that filter, you get a general interview."
"Wait." I tried to interrupt him, but failed.
"And," He spoke louder. "If you make it through that, then they book you a personal interview." Satoshi ended his sentence with a proud grin.
Irritated, I couldn't offer the sort of reward Satoshi was waiting from my words.
"I have it under control, I can find myself a job." I gave up my irritation.
I dropped my hands on top of the table, pushed the chair back and got up. Serving rice into three bowls while Mayaka helped Satoshi with the hot curry, the mood went back to neutral.
Two bites into the food, Satoshi renewed his previous proposal.
"You're already betting on other places, why not this one?" He shrugged.
I swallowed the spicy vegetables of my last bite slowly before giving out an answer but was stopped even before opening my mouth.
"He's still right, Houtarou." This time it was her who didn't let me finish, or even start. "There's really not much to lose, just a bit of effort." Her shoulders shrank as she covered her mouth with a neatly folded napkin.
Satoshi grinned as it wasn't usual for Mayaka to support his babbling unless it was objectively rational.
"At least give it a thought." He said after I went silently back to my plate. "You're already saying no when the first step doesn't even involve you going all the way there." He cheered.
Tired of arguing and too busy trying to enjoy the food, I breathed deeply.
"I guess it won't harm to think about it, if that's the only way to keep your mouths shut." My voice was clear and even, so no hopes were to be given.
Satoshi's eagerness still made him bring out a thumb up in front of me.
"Well, it can't turn out that bad." Mayaka concluded and dug her spoon into the bowl.
"Hmm…"
I doubted myself.
That Wednesday, they didn't stay for as long as they had before and by past four they were already back at the main door. Giving out my goodbyes while they slid their feet into their shoes, I added one last demand.
"Ah, by the way." They turned around as I held the door open. "You can't keep bursting into my house anytime you please. Sometimes I do have other plans."
"Sleeping? It doesn't sound like plans to me." Mayaka's infamous smirk appeared.
"Well, we can't let you die old and lonely, my friend." Satoshi patted me on the shoulder before walking out the door.
"At least warn me next time." I waved once and closed the door when they turned around the corner of the sidewalk.
…
The next day, I began searching through my drawers for Tomoe's requested PIN. Leafing through different documents, a small piece of paper fell and slid to the back of the drawer. There, in a dark corner, was Chitanda Eru's business card. Having had no reason to go back to it, I had quickly forgotten it was there, at least until my friends brought it up.
Lying my attention on what I was doing, I left the card aside and kept taking out papers until, at the bottom of the third drawer I checked, found my sister's phone manual.
Now that the search was over, I picked up every item scattered on the carpet to storage it back in its place. Chitanda's card came across my eyes once again. It may have been the status of my wandering mind, but this time I held the card between two fingers and began to think of what seemed as one of Satoshi's simple jokes.
Perhaps, thinking too deeply of a joke would turn it into a misunderstanding, as he always stated. However, at the lack of a distraction, my mind started to rationalize the whys of seeking for employment in Yokohama sounded so inconvenient.
I could not say I wasn't somewhat desperate after two unsuccessful trials at different places, but I bitterly hoped this frustration to vanish sooner than later. After all, both Mayaka and Satoshi candidly believed Chitanda's to be the opportunity I needed.
Before I dived deeper into this conclusions, I heard the house's phone ring and the only two calls I expected were from either a job interview or my sister. But it was too early to receive her call.
…
About two hours passed between phone calls, the second one coming from Tomoe, the first one coming from my third-option bank. The man on the phone thanked me for my interest, but apologized for not having room for another accountant.
I spent the two following hours to his call looking online or in the newspaper for other companies to visit and apply the next day, even if they weren't banks.
Later I picked up the speaker to hear my sister's muffled voice among static.
I recited the PIN number she asked for and after a quick catch-up on her location, warned that I was going to hang up.
« Wait! » I heard her and brought the phone back to my ear. « How's Dad? He quit yet? »
"No, he hasn't." I knew she wouldn't be happy with such answer.
« Well, help me convince him! » She demanded, hurting my ear. « It's easier for you since you're right there! »
As she spoke loudly, I realized that before, when taking the previous call, I had brought Chitanda's business card with me and left it near the answering machine.
"I'll try." Was my only resolution as I absorbed-mindedly turned around between my fingers the rectangular piece of paper.
Tomoe said goodbye and the corrupted sound stopped when I put the phone back on the base. At that point, hurting my pride, I suppose was when I gave in.
…
On that same week's Friday I wrapped up a copy of every document they asked for in an envelope and addressed it to Yokohama, Kanagawa. To my surprise, I received an answer only four days afterwards.
A man called during late morning, informing me that all the paperwork had been done accordingly and my profile seemed acceptable to apply for a position in their Account and Finance Department.
After three unsuccessful trials, it was hard to comprehend a somewhat positive response to my solicitude. Yet, I had dropped one more application at a local factory as a billing clerk, so reserved myself from thinking too confidently of Chitanda's company. Passing the first filter only meant that I theoretically gathered enough certificates to be considered as an accountant.
The man on the phone notified me of the general interview taking place the next Monday at ten in the morning. Grabbing a pen and paper, I took note on this and also on the directions he gave me so I could get there, since he realized that my address was not in Kanagawa.
And so, three days later, I was traveling to Yokohama.
…
The start of another week arrived and the factory I was waiting to hear from hadn't yet answered me. A billing clerk was not the best position since I would prefer not to fall back to where I'd started. But times weren't the best for me in Kofu, so in the end, I was secretly hoping I wouldn't have to take that job.
I pondered on this as I realized that the train cabin felt especially cold even when it was not empty and winter hadn't officially arrived. I still had an hour to go.
A clear sky was covering Kofu when I left, but the clouds seemed to cluster tighter as time passed and the train kept moving.
I buried my hands in my pockets as I closed my eyes to make the ride less uneasy. Long drives could dizzy me fairly quickly, and sleeping was my only form of relief. However, I could not relax enough to sleep or read the rest of the way.
I had to admit that deep down inside, I was feeling anxious. I couldn't decide whether that anxiety came from investing time and effort into an uncertain and most probably unpromising interview; or if I subconsciously wished my energy not to be used in vain and actually be hired.
I too wondered why Satoshi and Mayaka believed I could make my way into this enterprise as if it were a simple task, and why I had given up the pride that kept me from coming. I could not possibly empty my head even when the way was long and the atmosphere was quiet.
All these holes in my mind took hold of me for quite a long time. Before I knew it, my destination was two stations away, it was a little past nine and my interview was right at ten. Either anxiety or nervousness, I felt as though my thoughts were disorganized, and I didn't like that.
Finally there, I got off the train with a folder and a paperback in my bag. I was not sure of how I would handle Chitanda's people, and I couldn't figure out what would come out of this peculiar investment of effort. But it was much too late to turn around.
…
Thanks to the indications written down on the piece of paper I carried, I found quite easily the building I was heading to. It was not the center of the picture at first sight among other prominent edifices, but if seen individually, it did look quite impressing.
Modern, yet unpretentious, this building had a welcoming façade, quickly reminding me of Chitanda being the owner. It was mostly composed of mirror silver windows that reflected Yokohama's evenly white sky from all angles. It consisted of two main constructions, the first being about five floors taller than the second, connected by a glass aisle that crossed through a vast, lime green garden. And stone walls surrounded the entire property.
Going past my amusement, I was determined to get this done, so I walked through the glass doors of the main entrance. Blindingly luminous and transparent, the central atrium rose until the third floor, and the vast reception welcomed those arriving and dismissed those departing.
Unlike Oosaki's bank, were things moved rather slowly, people here were moving around energetically, some with a phone on their ear, some with a stack of papers in their hands, but everyone addressing something. It wasn't crowded or messy, but it did leave an overwhelming first impression.
I walked up to the receptionist's semi-lunar desk and reported myself for a job interview. She asked for my name and quickly redirected me to the second floor once she had confirmed my appointment.
After she held up a finger pointing at the elevator, I took it and headed to Human Resources. Once the doors opened, I could see the same amount of activity I had at the ground floor.
A woman dressed in a suit and holding a clipboard took the names of anyone attending an interview, marked them and then led us to a separate waiting room filled with black cushioned chairs. She left and, following the order of the rows, I sat down behind the other seven people there.
I lifted my wristwatch and noticed that it was quarter before ten and just four more people had arrived. Once the clock hands marked ten o'clock, the woman from earlier came out of the room in front of us and proceeded to explain the procedure. We would be called in groups of four, with the list being chronologically organized according to the submission of our applications.
The first group was received and lasted forty-five minutes in there. I used this time to appease the lightheadedness left as remaining from the train ride.
"Oreki Houtarou-san." I heard the woman's gentle voice call out my name in the second group.
I walked through the door, bowed to the table of interviewers and sat down on the last spot from right-to-left. There was a total of three people on the table, by their name badges, one was the Hiring Manager, another one the Head of Planning, and the woman in the middle was the Executive Director of Finance herself.
The two on the sides looked pretty ordinary, formal and staid people. However, the woman in the middle, "Sawakiguchi M." for her name tag, even when wearing a suit, had a rather eccentric attitude.
Her red hair, up-done at the back but with two braids that framed her face, seemed sloppy. From all three, she was the only one unafraid of sharing a smile, and the jovial tone in her voice made it seemed as if she was trying to make friends instead of evaluating subordinates. She kept fidgeting her feet under the table whenever an answer turned long and boring, and read fast through our applications right before asking her questions.
By the time the Hiring Manager moved onto me, it took me by surprise since I was astonished by that woman's nonchalant behavior. They proceeded to ask the normal questions regarding my experience, purposes and stuff of the like. But towards the end, Sawakiguchi reached me at her own curiosity.
"So, Oreki Houtarou-san" She said holding up my resume before her eyes. "You had been working for Oosaki Tarou's bank in Yamanashi's main branch office, right?" She extended her opened palm towards me.
Obviously taken aback by her irrelevant statement more than a question, the other two interviewers turned to her, as well as the other confused participants.
"… Yes, I had." Somewhat feeling under pressure, I answered.
"Did you resign from his company or where you forced to leave?" She didn't scrutinize the looks of her concerned peers.
"Sawakiguchi-san, that's not-" The Head of Planning begged in a low voice.
In turn, Sawakiguchi looked at her directly in the eye and simply put on an oblivious and childish expression. "I came here to make questions." She finalized the discussion and planted her eyes back on me. Leaning in closer, she keenly waited for a response. "Please be honest."
"… I did not resign." I retorted. "The company's actions were sold and the personnel downsized." Surpassing my own embarrassment, I solidified my voice. "I was withdrawn."
Sawakiguchi seemed pleased at my honesty as her smile became humble. Then, she contently went back to her papers. "Very well, please proceed."
Trying to wash off the mortification from her attitude, the other two interviewers moved on and eventually brought the appointment to an end, dismissing the group to bring in the last one.
The chaperone woman told us that the preliminary results would be posted at one o'clock, kindly inviting us to wait at our own will. I assumed this made sense since the important interviews were the ones personally addressed by the Executive Director herself, after all, she was the potentially future boss.
As a reward for waiting, they gave us access to the building's cafeteria. I accepted the invitation and went back to the ground floor. If I could avoid having to come again just to be discharged, I preferred it that way.
The cafeteria was facing the back of the property, so it had a broad view of the garden. Not really feeling hungry, or choosing not to fill my stomach and worsen the ride back to Kofu, I just took a seat at a table next to a window and pulled out the cheap paperback I had picked up at the train station.
The story itself wasn't a great deal, but it made time go by less noticeably. So, that when I was past halfway through the pages and decided to check my watch, it was already time. I went back and when the elevator doors opened, two guys, who looked younger than me, got off with awfully discouraged expressions, as if they had failed an important test.
"Tomorrow we still have another interview, let's now pray for that one." I overheard while getting onto the lift.
Their reactions did little to affect my neutral mood now that I was growing numb to being rejected. Not that I enjoyed it, but there was nothing I could do about it. Besides, I recalled Sawakiguchi's question, mentioning you had been fired at your previous job significantly decreased your chances of being hired.
I returned to the waiting room from before, and a group of people were already forming a semicircle to read the list. It was an image similar to that of school kids finding out their next year's group, except for the lack of glee adults excelled at.
Three people. The list was a mere plain white screen in the center of the wall holding up three names displayed in black.
Kishimoto Ai
Oreki Houtarou
Ito Kazunari
…
I wanted to fixate on what I saw and verified over and over for at least ten minutes before leaving that place. But my head kept spinning around and I could barely stand, let alone walk from the train station to my house.
Lying on my bed and staring at my white ceiling to have a point of stability, I felt as though I had just rode on a rollercoaster.
Was Sawakiguchi testing me after somewhat ridiculing the reason to losing my job? Were the other two people overcompensating for her bold demeanor? Were the other nine people that incompetent?
I could not decide on which question should take over the vortex of confusion recoiling my nerves.
Later that day I received a verification e-mail and the next a call from the company. They set me up an appointment to meet with Sawakiguchi herself for the personal interview on Monday the following week. That gave me a total of six full days to prepare myself for being complexed deeply by that weird woman.
I knew it was pretentious on my side, but I could not trust Sawakiguchi's judgement to the fullest. I had my suspicions that her quirky image strayed far from her actual professional standards, if so, she would probably take me off-guard and dispel me after satisfying her own madness.
Regardless, I had to endure one, probably last, trip to her domains.
…
Once more, those glass doors received me and this time I was not stopping at the second, but the seventh floor. Every time the metallic doors of the elevator opened at almost each floor, the level of ebullition increased, while I could not say so about my degree of self-confidence. Seeing all those people moving energetically and harmoniously made me question if I would ever see myself as part of them.
But the ride ended, I heard the bell of the elevator stopping and next I was walking towards the main office of the department. Slightly nervous to be enclosed alone with Sawakiguchi, I still did not stop walking on a straight line to her office.
A man, older than me but much more frail-looking, immediately recognized me as the only stranger heading towards Sawakiguchi's office. He verified my name and in a deep yet brittle voice asked me to sit and wait for her. Just like most of the building's main structures, her office's walls were of glass but painted in an opaque white. Outside were lined two waiting sofas, were I sat.
I took in the impression this floor was leaving on me, and the man who'd received me went back to his work. No one else arrived after me and about five minutes before two, the time at which my appointment had been settled, Sawakiguchi popped out of her office, leaving the door open for the woman she had interviewed before me. She bowed and joyfully dismissed her.
Startled by her mere presence, I remained still until she put a hand on her forehead, pretending to scan the room in search of someone. She then turned towards me forcing her eyes.
"Are you ready?" She inquired in a challenging tone.
Surprised, I stood up and greeted her before going "Of course".
She swung her wrist and then extended her hand to point the way to her desk. I went in and could see papers, folders, binders and books piled up around. I didn't see any trash scattered, but it seemed like she couldn't care less about filing things into cabinets. In any case, I was not there to judge her space since, past from being unexpected, I couldn't care less either.
"Please sit down." She said, closing the door.
I did sit down but between us, on top of the desk, I noticed a mountain of papers, and she did too.
"Ah, excuse me, you can push them aside." Her hand waved but she was busy looking for something else. "I should probably start hanging those, huh?" She seemed to remind herself.
When I moved the pile of papers, it was impossible not to read the large letters on them. They all seemed to be diplomas, certificates, acknowledgement awards, and other papers in token of recognition. So there was more to Sawakiguchi A. than met the eye.
"You're Oreki Houtarou, if I recall right." She looked away before opening my file and checking if she had guessed correctly. "Ha! This still works." She pressed a finger against her temple. "I remember you're the one from that grandpa Oosaki's company. I never thought he'd sell his legendary bank."
"Neither did I." I mumbled.
"I guess so." She cackled. Leaving my papers aside and lowering the volume of her voice, Sawakiguchi leaned in closer. "Ever heard of the economic bump of the eighties?" She sat back and spoke in a normal volume. "You must have during college."
I nodded as she continued.
"The thing is, back then when I was much, much younger, my father and uncles used to work for Oosaki. From many other investors, he was one of the few who survived clean-handed. And all I heard my dad talk about was how strict and demented he was to them, but-" She clapped her hands and looked me straight in the eye. "Never once did my family miss a meal during the entire crisis."
The humble and childish smile reappeared on her face and her tone seemed much softer.
"I know that old man can be really picky about who can stay in his company, but if you made it through two years and only lost your job because he was no longer the owner, then you must be very resilient."
Perplexed by her overly assuring statements, and with no way of responding to them, I limited myself to only sharing a stuttered "Thanks".
After story-time with Sawakiguchi M. was over, and without further ado, she began to use the remaining fifty minutes of the interview by making her questions. Apart from her careless attitude, her questions were complex and stern, plus, she only wanted precise and compelling answers, no longer than two minutes.
Before our time was over, after she'd made all the questions she could tightly fit in fifty minutes, Sawakiguchi asked for my own. I didn't ask over three things, nothing out of the ordinary, unlike her. What she seemed to seek for in my replies was perspicacity, liability and morality. Never did she question my education, knowledge or capability, like if those were a given.
"So that settles it then." Her confident voice announced.
Confused, I thought she was dismissing me, but before I stood up, she kept talking nonstop.
"Ah… I will have the paperwork done soon, but they'll call you somewhere after Christmas." Her nonchalant tone once again poked a hole in my head.
She got up and went over to the door, but didn't stop there.
"Also," She held up an index before her chin. "You're not from around, so use the meantime to consider an area around here-"
With all the courtesy I could show, I stood up and talked over her.
"E-Excuse me, Director."
She looked over her shoulder and the same oblivious expression from a week ago was there again.
"What is it that you mean?"
Giggling, she let go of the doorknob and began waving her head sideways. "You really have no clue?"
I denied.
"Oreki Houtarou," She stretched out an opened hand in front of me. "Welcome."
…
In what seemed like the blinking of an eye, I was shaking Sawakiguchi's hand.
Once outside, the man who had received me, who I learned Ieyoshi Hide was his name, wrote down a phone number and other information on a piece of paper. He said they would call me when my contract was ready and I could come over to revise it, sign it and arrange the date of my arrival.
Everything seemed to move so fast and I felt in the middle of a highway, just walking one step at a time till I reached the ground floor. Until something woke me out of it.
I stopped at the center of the atrium, and looked up to the crystal entrance. Just crossing the reception, was Chitanda.
With a senseless expression, I stared at her. She waved a hand in a surprised greeting and even from afar her cheeks acquired a rose color. But I did not move an inch from my position until I realized she was now four feet away from me.
After our brief encounter, Chitanda had to dismiss herself with the same politeness.
"If you'll excuse me, I have to be going now. It was nice seeing you. Have a good day." She smiled.
We parted ways and so it went.
...