Do You Believe in Magic?
4: Strangers and Colleagues
'If I told you the whole story, you wouldn't believe me.' I took a sip from my frappuccino hoping he'd just get the necklace back and leave me alone.
'Try me.' He leaned in.
'But it's a crazy story, you'd call me a liar if I told you.'
'Then give me a fake, believable story.'
'The more you'd call me a liar, then.' I frowned, 'Look, As much as possible, I'd prefer not to lie, especially to a supposedly kind stranger who'd paid for my food and offered me a seat.' I tried to reason as much as I could, I didn't want to have to go through him not believing me, us getting into a fight, then having to greatly apologize to a stranger who doesn't even know my name, when all there is now is my wanting to return this dog tag just so he'd stop bothering me.
'Just tell me anything. Lie or not, I demand you tell me where you got that, because the last time I checked, that was hanging on my neck and it got caught in one of those wire fences, next thing I know, it went missing. If you can just tell me how that miraculously flew to your neck when you just got off a plane, then I'd happily get it back and never bother you again.'
I sighed, 'Fine.' I raised my hands showing I've surrendered. 'I'll tell you the truth. I don't know how it got here exactly, or when it happened because I was asleep for most of my trip. I woke up not long before we were about to land. Then we landed, not so long after that I got all my stuff and took a cab coming here. On my way here, when I bent down to get something from my bag, I felt something dangling on my neck, and I saw it.'
He stared for a while, it took him long enough to adjust in his seat and mutter a short 'whatever' before he finished his drink off, 'I'm leaving.'
'What, you're not even going to laugh at my story or at least call me a liar?' Not that I wanted him to. I just couldn't believe he believed me so easily.
'Did you want me to?'
'It's not that. It's just…'
'It's just that I believed you so easily. Isn't that right?' Like he read my thoughts, 'It's not that. I just wanna get outta here is all.' He took one last bite from his muffin, barely finishing half of it, and stood up. I stayed quiet but he didn't head out just yet. He was standing right in front of me—it took me a while to realize that he probably wanted his dog tag back.
'Oh! Right,' I took it off immediately and handed it to him, 'sorry.'
He stepped out through the glass doors leaving me alone with my ton of belongings, 'I need to find a place to stay.' I whined.
It took me about less than ten minutes to finish everything. After that, I took the same way out as he did, though with all my things. I didn't have enough money for a cab, so I guess I'd have to find a place close to here.
I walked around the block a little and didn't find any place cheap, comfortable, or clean. I'd wandered a few more blocks down, still nothing. It was just about lunchtime and I still hadn't found a place to stay, I still carried a ton of luggage and I was getting really hungry. I'm way too impatient to stand in line for an ATM with all these things with me. So I decided to look around a little more, maybe my luck would change.
Since I've been around here for the past couple hours, I thought maybe a different place would do me better.
I got on a bus and got off on the first stop. It didn't take so long, maybe if I get to find a good place fast, I'd be able to have a not-so-late lunch.
While I walked around, I passed by this music store and heard Für Elise playing outside their shop. It reminded me of when I was in the third grade when I had to play that song for a piano recital. I haven't played the piano in months. Sure, it made me feel all down and unhappy inside since my mother taught me how to play, and playing makes me miss her, but I guess I can admit I miss playing a lot.
Natsume got on a bus right after he'd left Starbucks. He dropped by another comic book store, and then headed back to his apartment. It was just about lunchtime. Natsume entered his apartment and found a box of pizza on the kitchen counter with a yellow sticky note on it.
'Call me up. I need to talk to you. –Dad'
'Great.' Natsume knew that the only time his father would send him something good was either when something was wrong, or if he was in trouble. They weren't a very tight family, so his father's idea of taking it easy on Natsume and his sister was to give them a treat before breaking the bad news.
Natsume grabbed the pizza box, took a can of rootbeer from the fridge, and headed straight to the living room to look for something to watch.
He found an interesting suspense movie, lowered the volume a little bit, and got a hold of his cellphone to call his father.
It rang a couple of times and he answered, 'Natsume.'
'Dad.' He said, uninterested, and took a sip of rootbeer.
'Natsume, your secretary went into labor this morning,' his father said on the other side of the line, along with the sound of a pen swiftly signing a piece of paper, followed by the sound of a page flipping, and then the sound of signing again. If anything, Natsume hated how his father never gave full attention to him or his sister, Aoi.
'OK, what do you want me to do about it?' As payback, Natsume tried to concentrate more on the movie instead of the phone call.
'Nothing,' he said, to Natsume's relief, 'except you need a new secretary now.'
'What? Why?' Natsume asked and sat up, putting his soda can down.
'She's moving away from the city to raise her child, I actually thought she told you that herself,' his father said, still sounding as monotonous as ever, 'so unless you want to work alone, go find yourself a new secretary.'
'Don't we have the department of human resources to do that?' Natsume leaned back again and took a bite from his second slice of pizza.
'Human resources hires major workers, Natsume, not assistants or secretaries, because they're supposed to be chosen by you, who has to be comfortable with them.' His father explained.
'Fine,' Natsume hung up, closed the pizza box and brought it back to the kitchen.
He headed out again, this time, on his way to the office a few blocks down. It was his day off, but after that call from his father, he had to talk to someone at the office to help him find a new secretary. He took his phone and dialed the third number on speed dial.
'Hello?' A low voice answered.
'Koko, it's me.' Natsume walked out of his apartment and locked the door.
'Oh, Natsume,' he sounded like he was in a good mood, 'I'm a little busy now, what's up?'
'Any chance you can find me a new secretary?' He said, hoping he wouldn't have to go through the trouble of finding one on his own.
'Well, I guess,' Koko answered as Natsume entered the elevator, 'but shouldn't that be your job? How would I know if you'll like her?'
'It doesn't have to be a girl, you know,' Natsume replied, 'isn't there someone in your contacts list that needs a job?'
'Fine, hold one while I take a look,' Koko sighed.
Natsume stepped out of the elevator. As he walked towards the exit, he spotted her again, walking past his building, right outside the glass doors.
'Koko, forget it,' Natsume told his friend over the phone.
'What?' Koko spoke through the phone.
'Never mind finding me a new secretary,' Natsume said, 'I think I've found one.' With that, Natsume hung up and slid his phone into his pocket.
'Hey!' Natsume ran out of the building and pushed the glass doors open. The brunette crossed the street and walked along while pulling her trolley bag behind her, obviously, not hearing Natsume's first call.
'Hey!' Someone called from behind me. I turned around and saw the jerk from this morning. I saw him inside the building across the street a few seconds ago, I didn't worry much, gladly thinking he wouldn't bother me.
I stopped and waited for him to get across the street, 'What do you want?'
'Judging by your luggage, I'm taking it you're new here,' he said, though his statement sounding a little bit like a question.
'Yea, why?' I asked.
'Do you need a job? 'Cause I can give you one.' He panted.
'You don't exercise much, do you?' I laughed, 'You ran here from that building a few meters away and you're tired.'
'Wha—' he looked annoyed, 'that's not the point! Do you want a job or not?'
'Sorry,' I calmed myself down, 'I guess it depends, what job are we talking about?'
'You can be my secretary,' he said, 'well, assistant, since it has a better ring to it.'
'Why are you offering me a job?' I crossed my arms over my chest.
'Because you obviously need one, and I need a secretary.' He said.
'Okay,' I said, I guess I do need a job if I'm going to pay for a place to live, 'what do you do anyway?'
He sighed, 'I'm head of a fashion department.'
I cracked up again, 'A fashion department? Way to go to man up.'
'Shut up,' he massaged his temples with his hand, 'do you want the job or not?'
'Alright, but I need a place to stay first,' I sighed.
'Well, then you're in luck,' he said, 'there's a vacant apartment just two floors below mine, you can stay there.'
'In that building?' I pointed at the tall black building he came from across the street, 'No way can I afford to live there. I can't even afford looking at it.'
'My dad gives discounts to employees.' He said, with a tone stating his being unconcerned about my lack of cash.
I glared at him, wondering if this was a good idea. I hardly knew this guy, and moments ago all he was to me was a jerk who thought I stole his necklace. I doubt he even knew my name. What's he thinking hiring a stranger? For all he knows, I could be the clumsiest person alive and end up spilling his morning coffee everywhere—which, I'm sure, is highly possible.
He's right though; I do need a job and a place to stay.
'When do I start?'
Author's Notes: Ok, so obviously, I'm not inspired enough. And I know what you're thinking, boss and secretary = cliché. Well, just wait. Anyway, I hope I didn't bore you. :P
