One More Chance
Reminiscence 3: Friend of His
It was already evening and yet, the entire surrounding was blazing hot as the heat was still emitting from the earlier-scorched ground. Mikan removed her cotton white jacket to cool herself down from the heat. She was perspiring profusely and even the flyers were slightly damped by her perspiration. She wanted to go to an air-conditioned shopping centre and grabbed a big bottle of cold drinks to cool her heated body down.
A middle-aged man walked past her with his earphones stuck in his ear, seeming to be oblivious to his surroundings though he had his eyes opened. Mikan hurriedly ran to his side and tried to hand him a leaflet. Finally, the man's attention diverted to her but he rolled his eyes in annoyance and pushed her extended hand away. With that, he continued walking ahead while drifting into his world of rock music. Mikan bit her lips irritability and she quietly walked back to her original position where she had been standing.
"Sakura-san."
Mikan jerked upon hearing her boss' voice and quickly pretended to smile as she turned her head around to face him.
"Good evening, Hijiri-san!" she greeted in a cheerful tone as she bowed to him.
Yoichi laughed softly, "It's great to see your enthusiasm, Sakura-san, despite how hot the weather is today. Oh yes, I've something for you."
Mikan tilted her head, trying to steal a glimpse of what Yoichi was taking out from a plastic bag in his hand. Yoichi took out a bottle of chilled energy drink and handed to Mikan.
"Take it, Princess. You look kind of... drenched and exhausted. No objection too," he warned as he put the bottle on her head.
Mikan immediately grabbed the bottle before it fell down from her head and asked softly, "How much is it?"
"I'm not telling you. Anyway, I'm giving it to you free of charge and please take it as if I am doing it out of kindness. I'm your employer, you know."
"That's not right! You're making me very guilty for you have always helped me out. I'll pay for it!"
"Oh no, you don't!" Yoichi hissed with a cheeky smile on his face. "By the way, I like your honest and sincere attitude. It's very rare to find this type of people nowadays."
Mikan blushed lightly and praised him back, "I think I'm not really that good. Anyway, I like your charitable and 'refreshing' attitude!"
Yoichi's face became flustered and quickly retorted, "Sakura-san, I think you are really lacking of glucose to think straight. What do you mean by calling me 'refreshing'?"
"I'm serious, Hijiri-san! I like your smile and you look dashing when you smile. And when you smile, you seem to emit some kind of flowery aura and this aura can even brighten one's day!" Mikan blabbered happily.
This time, Yoichi's face became even redder and he said loudly, "There you go again! You are being too... too honest! By the way, I am also not as good as you think I am."
Mikan giggled as she twisted opened the bottle cap and took a sip of the energy drink.
"Thank you for the drink," she said. "Well, no matter what you say, I still think Hijiri-san is a great person at heart. Girls will definitely fall for you."
"Hey girl, you sounded as if you have fallen for me," he teased at flustered Mikan.
Just then, his handphone rang and he picked it up. He responded with a few 'yes's before he hung up.
"I think it's time for you to go home, Sakura-san," Yoichi said.
"Okay. Thank you."
"Be sure to report punctually tomorrow. I got new stuff for you to do."
"Yes, Sir!" Mikan did a salutation and she made Yoichi laugh.
"Yoichi," a stern voice broke his laughter and he immediately turned around to look at the person who had just called him.
Mikan opened her eyes in awe when she saw a real beauty standing directly behind Yoichi. She had a long straight hair with a small hair band. Her chin was sharp and, her eyes had a feel of sharpness and intelligence, in compliment with her small oval-shaped spectacles. Her skin was smoother and fairer than Mikan. She was like a beauty from the ancient Japanese legends.
Yoichi bit his lips and exclaimed, "Shizune! Why are you here? I thought you will be meeting me in my office later."
"You're slow so that's why I am checking up on you," she replied monotonously.
"Didn't you just call me a few minutes ago? You can't expect me to teleport there in a minute or two!" Yoichi snorted.
"A great entrepreneur doesn't waste his time on useless things like chatting with his employees. He should be fast and efficient," the beauty reprimanded him. "By the way, where is the thing which I told you to buy?"
Yoichi pouted and shoved the plastic bag rudely to her. The beauty frowned and snatched the bag away from him. She took a look inside and smiled. Her smile was very gentle and sweet, making Mikan blushed upon seeing that.
"Thank you, Yoichi. Let's go back to the office," she said sternly after she had removed that pretty smile away from her face.
Shizune turned to look at Mikan and scanned her from head to toe. Mikan forced a smile and bowed politely to her.
"Are you Mikan Sakura-san?" Shizune queried.
"Yes, I am."
"I see. I'm Shizune Yamanouchi, Yoichi's..."
"She's my childhood friend," Yoichi interrupted.
Shizune shot him a glare and returned a smile back to Mikan. Mikan wished her eyes wasn't playing tricks on her because she saw a few veins popped out from Shizune's temples.
"It's great to see you, Sakura-san. Hope to see you again. We need to go now," Shizune said as she dragged Yoichi along with her.
Yoichi waved back to Mikan and both of them disappeared into the street of crowd. Mikan kept the bottle and the remaining leaflets into her handbag. She walked back slowly to the office to put the leaflets down there.
When she opened the small, dark and quiet office, she thought Yoichi and the beauty, Shizune, had already gone home. She walked past Yoichi's office room stealthily to put the leaflets on the photocopier machine which was next to his room. She carefully stacked the pile of leaflets on top of the mountain of plain white papers and was prepared to leave as soon as possible. However, Yoichi's voice could be heard from inside of his room. It was soft but he sounded desperate. Curiosity killed the cat as Mikan stopped moving just to eavesdrop the conversion with whoever in the room with him.
"Listen, that girl is not what you think she is. She is just someone whom I helped," Yoichi explained.
Another voice which sounded like Shizune protested, "She is just making use of you so that she can have greater access to your assets after she have gotten closer to you. As your childhood friend, it is my advice to you to get rid of her as soon as possible."
"Why should I?"
"Don't you think that girl might interfere with your entrepreneurship? I can see your eyes are always thinking about that girl and you are not concentrating on your job well. She is a distraction. I tell you, she is a distraction to you."
Mikan flinched at Shizune's hysteric voice. She had no idea who that girl whom they were talking about was but she knew that girl must be so important to Yoichi that he would think of her all the time.
Yoichi spoke, "Shizune, I want you to stop asking me about my employee. She is just my employee so I don't see why you must be bothered about her."
There was silence. Mikan wanted to leave as soon as possible so that she would not be caught for eavesdropping their conversation.
Suddenly, Shizune spoke even louder, "I love you and Mikan Sakura is a bother to our relationship."
Mikan jerked and accidentally dropped her handbag onto the floor. Her bottle of drinks rolled out from her handbag and hit against the door. She gulped and held her breath.
"Who's there?" Yoichi shouted.
Mikan was petrified and she knew she was doomed for good.
Hi guys, thanks for reading up to Chapter 3. Please review. I don't mind criticisms but they have to be constructive. I wish to get some reviews before continuing to the next chapter. A simple review is more than welcomed too! Reviews will motivate me to work harder, write better and update faster! Thank you! :)
Next, I would like to thank those who had reviewed Chapter 2. Thanks for all those encouragements. Hope to hear more from you again! :D
Here are the responses:
- GakuenAliceLover: Thank you! I like that part too! :D
- Block Out The Noise: Thanks! Sure! Maybe you can story alert this story so you will know when the next chapter is up. :)
- Guest: Thanks for reviewing! :)
Lastly, I would also like to thank those who had story alerted and favourited this story. I am so touched! :'D
