Monday's don't get much easier once you leave school. In fact, I think they only become more difficult depending on where you choose to work afterwards. Lucky for me, I'll have tons of practice dealing with Mondays now that I'm working a full-time job, mostly because every day feels like Monday where I work.
"M-Misaki? Is that you?"
Especially right now, because there's a pile of someone collapsed at my feet. His hand is outstretched with a coffee mug, and it's kind of amazing that he didn't spill it considering he's kneeling as though he's praying or taking a nap. With the editorial department nearing the end of "the cycle", it's most likely both of those things. You may think it odd to find someone huddled at your feet the second you step off an elevator, but this is the second time this week it's happened to me.
"Ah, Kisa! Are you alright?" I ask urgently, quickly bending over to make sure he's still breathing. I'm not sure what I could do if he had a heart attack right here on the floor. With any luck he's just collapsed with exhaustion.
"…eh?"
I huff in exasperation and move to pick the poor man up. "Honestly, Kisa. If you're going to take a nap, do it at your desk. I could've tripped over you."
"S-Sorry," he mumbles into my shoulder as we limp together to the Emerald department.
I'm kind of grateful for the way things worked out for me here. I've spoken with the editors in Kisa's department often, and while they're all pretty likable and charismatic, they always seem overworked or completely out of it. I had originally intended to become an editor myself, like Kisa, but instead was placed in Sales due to a competitive number of aspiring editors. So now I'm a sales assistant, something I never would have considered because of my past history with mathematics – but Usagi-san had suggested it because he thought I was sociable enough to make it work.
It's difficult work...
We finally reach the Emerald department, and the space is wallowing in anxiety and exhaustion. I manage to place Kisa back in his chair, only for him to go completely limp again, his head falling back and his tongue dangling to one side almost comically. Everyone else seems equally dead both inside and out.
...but at least I don't look like this right now.
I wave and blurt out a quick goodbye before continuing on my way. I had been hoping to check on the progress of the manuscript, but I have other things to do. I wouldn't have received a straight answer from them, anyways. Not in the state they're in.
I admit I'm also content with being so occupied. This job really presses me for time, but it's good to be distracted sometimes. I don't have to think about the future, about how I'm going to return home only to sit in an awkward silence until bedtime. And after that, I'll either immediately retreat to my own room or stay up awhile longer and wait for Usagi-san to whisk me off to bed like his personal teddy-bear. But that hasn't happened since before Takahiro came down for my graduation. It's worrying, really, and the additional stress of a job has made it even more difficult to talk to Usagi-san. I'm grateful that he gives me space, but I don't want things to be this way between us.
I guess…I miss talking to him.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I check it almost immediately. I was pretty handy with my phone before I started working full-time because Usagi-san liked to keep tabs on me. However, it isn't Usagi-san texting me this time, he never texts me anymore anyways, but rather the head of our department.
Meeting plans have changed. 1:45 Roastery. Thx.
Sent 1:16 PM.
"Crap, crap, crap" I whisper to myself in a mantra, hurrying back to my desk to grab my things. It'd be about a forty-five minute walk, and I don't have that kind of time.
I'll have to take the subway, I think as I throw myself back into the elevator. I meet with the head of our department almost weekly, but have come to learn that the man enjoys meeting in social spaces away from the office. I guess I'd be smart to remember that the next time I want to actually make it to a meeting on time.
I end up making it to the meeting almost twenty minutes late, but lucky for me he ends up being almost thirty minutes late. When we finally manage to finish up I decide to stay and eat something because I'm starving and didn't even have time to grab a quick breakfast today, let alone a full lunch. This place is very nice and relaxing anyways with clean, contemporary décor and a lively atmosphere. I order another cup of coffee and a pastry and hurry outside to snag myself a seat overlooking the city. People-watching tends to soothe my mind, and right now I could use some serious soothing.
After some time passes in which I've done little more but scroll through my messages and sip at my coffee, I'm disturbed from my compulsive daydreaming with the realization that I'm slacking off. Contrary to the stereotypes of this industry, I don't get paid to drink coffee and look semi-professional. I sigh and quickly shove my phone into my pocket, then reach down to grab my bag full of paperwork and other necessities. As long I'm sitting here, I may as well get some work done.
However, being the klutz that I am, the bag slips from my fingers as I attempt to grab it and the papers fall out in droves, almost laughing at me as they scatter around the deck of the coffee shop and float aimlessly, further and further away from me.
"AH! No, WAIT!" I screech, leaping off of my chair, diving head-first for the papers, "I had you all organized!"
I fall on my face and scurry belly-first across the deck, grabbing papers along the way. I must look pretty stupid like this, but at this point I'm not really concerned with looking professional. I need to get those papers back in order and then I need to return to work before I'm fired for laziness or something. With my luck, I'd be fired for littering at this point.
I feel extremely relieved as I retrieve nearly every paper, except for one. And just my luck, the paper contains a list of very important phone numbers. I look around frantically before I finally see it, loitering at the opposite end of the deck.
"HA!" I exclaim, diving for it like I did the others. Before I can reach it, however, a breeze picks it up and tries to carry it over the side of the deck. I panic, clawing for dear life so that I can grab it in time, blocking out the faint sound of laughing behind me. For a brief second I accept defeat, as it's about to fly straight over the edge, but then another hand shoots over my head and catches it, almost gracefully, before it can drift out of reach.
"Aha!" someone says, and when I look up there's a girl standing over me. She has the paper in her hand and gives it a once-over before handing it back to me, grinning merrily. "Wouldn't want to lose this!" she exclaims, nudging the paper into my forehead. I realize then that not only am I still kneeling on the ground, but, embarrassingly enough, I'm also kind of staring at this girl above me.
Where on earth did she come from?
Oh no. Did she see ALL OF THAT?
My cheeks flush and I immediately grab the paper from her (easily, because she's practically shoving it into my face at this point). "Ah, thank you," I say quickly, moving to stand up so that I can thank her properly.
"I'm sorry," she giggles from behind her hand. I notice that her face is red, probably just as red as mine. I really hope I didn't embarrass her with that whole charade. I almost consider apologizing myself, but decide against it. "I don't mean to laugh, but that was the funniest thing I've seen all week," she smiles sympathetically. "You must think I'm a sadist."
I kind of just blink at her for a moment, not really sure how to respond and still terribly embarrassed. After a few moments, however, I manage to pull myself together and smile sheepishly back.
"Ha, well I guess it was pretty funny. If it helps, you don't look like a sadist to me."
"Hm," she puts her pointer-finger to her chin thoughtfully, "and what do sadists look like?"
"Well, I've never seen one in real life," I snicker, "but if you were one, you'd probably either knock me back down or let the paper fall over the railing."
"Noted and filed for next time, then."
We laugh again and I'm feeling a lot lighter now that I'm actually conversing with someone. I was so tuned into my work for most of the morning that I missed a lot of the social interaction that keeps me up and going. This is nice, just some casual banter between strangers.
"Misaki Takahashi," I say, extending my hand to her. She smiles warmly back at me and takes it, and then I notice how strong and confident her grip is. You kind of learn how to read handshakes when you've been in this business for awhile.
"Minako Hayashi," she chirps, and my brain crashes.
She's trying to shake my hand but I'm frozen now, and when her face falls and she tries to take her hand back I can't seem to let go, either.
"Um," she quirks her head in concern, "are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I break out of my trance and take my hand back, rubbing it against my pants and fidgeting nervously. Of course my luck would see fit to introduce me to her. This was the girl niichan wanted to introduce me to…because he thought we'd make a good couple. Was this fate's way of messing with me? Was I stuck in the middle of my own cheesy romantic anime? There couldn't be any explanation for this completely random occurrence. There just couldn't be…
"Y-Yes! Fine!" But I know I don't look fine. I'm almost shaking now, and my face must be a rainbow of colors at this point. I honestly don't know how to feel. I decide that I need to calm down, though. Even if fate hasn't purposefully pushed us together, I find that I'm still open to knowing this girl on some level. I'd rather her first impression of me not be that I'm awkward or incapable of social interaction…even though I feel like that isn't far from the truth, in some respects. Especially right now.
"It's just," I begin, glancing down at my feet nervously, "I recognize your name. I-I think you know my brother. Takahiro?"
As I expected, her expression contorts into one of realization and then one of honest excitement. I can't help but feel relieved, and a little warmed by it as well.
"You! Oh my – it's you! You're Takahiro's brother! Of course, the last names. I really should've guessed," her hands are pressed to her face in wonder and I notice as she shifts closer to me. "He's told me so much about you, like how responsible you are and how devoted you are to your family – such admirable characteristics," she hums thoughtfully, glancing to one side and…blushing lightly?
It doesn't matter because I'm smiling too, and also undoubtedly blushing. I probably have been since we started talking.
"He's mentioned you too," I say honestly, although I probably shouldn't elaborate on what exactly was said.
"Well I hope nothing embarrassing!" she squawks, feigning horror. Her face quickly morphs back into a warm smile, though, and I'm surprised to find that I enjoy looking at it.
It feels like it' s been so long...
"Well," she continues when I say nothing, "if you want to, we should really hang out. But we don't have to," she adds quickly, "I just feel like we'd make really good friends." She's blushing again, but her smile is open and sincere. I admit to myself that she's cute, but I'm also nervous. What would Usagi-san say if I started hanging out with her? I've typically only been hit on by other men, so maybe he wouldn't think anything of it – not that I think she's hitting on me! It's just…
You said you were thinking about getting a girlfriend. You implied it to him.
"I'd love to!" I exclaim happily before I can make the situation even more awkward. Even if this meeting is completely coincidental, I'd like to try befriending this girl.
Of course nothing will come from it. You're still with Usagi-san aren't you?
It's always been him. It's always been him because you lo-
"Great!" her eyes crinkle at the corners and she looks relieved.
They're brown, too. Such a warm brown.
Author's Note:
...
So I know literally nothing about publishing houses. Woops. ;_; Sorry if this came out awkward or unrealistic.