"What? All of these?" Megumi glanced at the list of schedules and piles of documents on her desk.
Ever since they arrived in the office and making orders around for his staff to accomodate her, he had left her with Arisa and had not return to the office.
"Yes. He needed you to review and read all these reports and proposals. He wants your input and advise before making decision on each one." Arisa explained.
"Where is he now?" Megumi glanced around the room.
Arisa glanced at the note book she held briefly. "He's in the meeting with the construction company but it should be over in 10 minutes before he had another meeting with the design team. And after that he have to go for a meeting outside the office for the latest development project and.."
"Wait... Maybe I should just ask what time is he coming back?" Megumi got dizzy just from his morning schedules. She knew he's a busy man but didn't realise just how busy he truly was.
"He'll be back for lunch with you in the office. He asked me to ask you what kind of food you would like and if you want to make reservation somewhere or eat in. Normally he would drive home for lunch but since today you're here.. " Arisa didn't continued when Megumi nodded in full understanding. Her husband has everything scheduled well.
"So would you like me to make a booking somewhere or would you like me to show you some menus of food that can be delivered here?" Arisa asked.
"What's his scheduled after lunch looks like?" Megumi asked instead.
Arisa glanced at the note book in her hand briefly.
"He has few more meetings right after lunch and few proposals need to be approved by him today."
Megumi felt tired just listening to his schedules.
"We'll stay in then. If you could let me know which restaurant he usually get his lunch from, I can choose the menu from there." Megumi said and Arisa smiled and gave her a curt nod.
"Is there anything else I can help you with before I leave you? How do you like your Coffee?" She asked.
"Coffee sounds great. I like mocha, thank you. I will start reading these reports and proposals and go through them."
Arisa made a polite bow. "I will be back with your coffee and leave you to it then. Let me know if you need any other assistance."
"Ah Arisa... " Megumi suddenly called before the woman left the room.
"Yes?"
"How long have you been working for my husband?"
Arisa smiled. "I have been working for him since he started up his own company. We used to work together in Mizuho. But when he left his father's company. He offered for me to come and work for him as his PA. So I quit my job and the rest is history."
"Oh wow.. that's .." Megumi was speechless she didn't expected that answer. She wasn't sure what to expect. They worked together and he asked her to quiet her job and follow him. Just how close were they? She's in charged for all his schedules means there's hardly any secret between them. She probably responsible for many of his errands and personal affairs too. Megumi had so much questions but afraid to ask them.
"Mr. Akagi is a very hard working person. He's very ambitious and fair. Many of the staff here has been working for him for a while." Arisa added quickly as if sensing her curiosity.
"You have been his PA since then? You must know him very well by now." Megumi mused out loud making Arisa smiled.
"He's a changed man now ever since you're around. He was quite different then." Arisa said as if trying to give her assurance but yet it only confirmed her nightmare about his lifestyle during their time apart. Her expressions must have give away because Arisa suddenly gasped. "I'm so sorry. I talk too much. Excuse me."
She turned and walked out of the room before Megumi could say another word.
Megumi stared at the door and glanced at the pile of documents on her desk. Ryouji has ordered a desk for her to be placed next to his desk.
"I bet he was different then." Megumi grumbled and glanced at the view outside the floor to ceiling window behind her. She let out a sigh and sat herself before grabbing one of the report in front of her.
It wasn't long before she got lost in going through the reports and proposals on her desk. Arisa took her lunch order and brought her coffee in between.
His office was sound proof and it's very nice and peaceful to in there. A soft music playing on the background and she played his songs that he has compiled for her on repeat to accompany her working.
She have a new found appreciation for Ryouji and how flexible he has been for her to accomodate her when in reality he truly had so much on his plate. She made him have lunch at home with her without realising just how much time that would be wasted on his part. She knew better now and appreciated his effort.
"Working hard there?" A deep voice startled her and make her almost drop the documents in her hand. She glanced up to find a man in suit giving her the once over. He had an amused look on his face and his lip curled into a smile. He closed the door behind him and made his way towards her.
"I... I.." She wasn't sure what to say and wondering just how long he's been standing there. She didn't hear him coming at all. Somehow his presence made her feel uncomfortable.
"You must be Akagi's lunch?" He smiled as he take a slow step towards her. His eyes assessing her and glanced at the piles in front of her. "Did he make you work while waiting?"
"Excuse me?," Megumi stood up and wonder why Arisa let him in. He must be close to Ryouji to be able to come in to the office without Ryouji's presence. Yet he wasn't at their wedding which means he's not considered close by Ryouji. She didn't like the look he was giving her. She remembered those looks from back in her modelling days. When men openly appraised her.
He let out a whistle and chuckled to himself as he stop across her desk.
She cleared her throat. "I think you mistook me for someone else. Ryouji's not here yet. Maybe if you would wait outside, Arisa will let you know when he's back."
"Yet .. here you are on your own. Going through his work stuff." He slide his hand in his pants pocket. A grin on his face.
"Well I.."
"You're quite pretty now that I see you close up. What's your name?"
Megumi widened her eyes in full surprise. He's definitely coming on to her and didn't know who she was.
"I would suggest for you to walk yourself out of this office and wait outside outside until Ryouji comes back or else I won't be responsible to what happen when Ryouji heard what you just said to me." She told him. Her eyes full of amusement. Whoever this guy was, he was too cocky.
He tilted his head to one side as he stared at her. Before grinning widely.
"Wow... Ryouji huh? So personal. And what will you tell him exactly? Cutie Honey?" He challenged her just as the door slammed open and Ryouji walked in. The guy turned around at the interruption.
"Ryouji.." she called his name in a relief sigh.
Ryouji's eyes assessing her and a look of relief in his eyes for a moment before his eyes found the other guy in the room. He walked over to her and grabbed her by the shoulder while staring at the other guy in the eyes. His look was cold and threatening.
"She would tell me to rethink my sudden decision to terminate our agreement and rethink my plan to put your company for bankruptcy even though I will tell her that it's a fair decision judging from how my wife was harassed at my own office." Ryouji said coldly.
"Wife?"
The man looked taken aback as he glanced at Megumi before looking at Ryouji again.
"Ahh come on, Akagi. That's a joke right? You just upset that I made a pass on your..."
"Please watch what you're about to say or there's not much I could say to change his mind." Megumi stopped him as she smiled sweetly to Ryouji. "I think he was about refer me as your lunch. I wonder what that means."
"Arisa!" Ryouji bellowed so loud she winced and the guy in front of them went red either from anger or embarrassment.
Arisa walked in the room, her eyes widened in total surprise to find them all in the room.
"Why did you let Toshiaki wandering alone to my office when my wife is working alone inside?"
"Ah.. Mr. Toshiaki, I thought I told you to wait outside. I'm so sorry. He came in earlier and I told him that you're not arrive yet and he couldn't wait in your office because someone in there. Then he went away, I thought he went to the bathroom.. he must let himself in when I was taking a call. I'm so sorry..."
"Just leave us now. Make sure nothing like this ever happen again." Ryouji told her and she mumbled her apology before closing the door, leaving three of them on their own.
"She's truly your wife?" Toshiaki seemed clearly flustered now. "I didn't know. I truly didn't know. I thought when Arisa said someone was inside, I thought... I thought.. you know.. "
Megumi nodded along. "I think I know what you mean. You made it clear what you thought as soon as you enter the room." She chuckled to herself. Clearly enjoying the discomfort look on his face. "Even after I told you that you must have misunderstood and ask you to wait outside."
"Look Akagi, i know it doesn't look great. Clearly I misunderstood the whole situation but let's reschedule our meeting. My apology, I didn't know she's your wife."
Ryouji glared at him. He was annoyed.
"I never had to wait outside so when I saw her sitting next to your desk, so absorbed in all those documents.. I thought I.. ahh come on! You always had girls around lunch time in your office waiting.. and never mind if I come in or went home with them so I thought..."
Megumi glared at Ryouji at the revelation. His face went red and he looked away before facing Toshiaki.
"One of these days you will need to learn to shut up and know your place." Ryouji told him. "Megumi, this is Toshiaki. He's in entertainment business."
Megumi nodded politely. "Nice to finally get a proper introduction. Do you work for .."
"Ahh he doesn't work for me. He has his own company. He normally takes my leftovers. Artists that I hand over to him." Ryouji smirked at him. Toshiaki rolled his eyes while Megumi said nothing. Clearly there's a lot of in jokes that she didn't want to divulge further.
"Ahhh see? He's always been the sharing kind, so of course I would..."
"I don't share what's belong to me. Mark my words and best to remember that." Ryouji cut his words. His voice was hard and serious.
Toshiaki stared at him for a long time before finally clear his throat and sat himself down on one of the sofa.
"So shall we start our meeting? You were joking about planning to bankrupt me right?"
Ryouji shrugged as he glanced at Megumi. "I haven't make up my mind just yet. So what's this meeting is all about? You only have 10 minutes left."
Toshiaki glanced at Megumi before clearing his throat again. "Uh.. do we move to a meeting room?"
Ryouji laugh. "After pretending to be overly comfortable with me, why bother move to meeting room now? Say what you need to say, Megumi won't mind."
Megumi just nodded and took her seat back and grab the report she was reading earlier. She felt the awkward silence that fills the room and noticed Toshiaki was trying to signal something to Ryouji but failed when Ryouji said nothing. She continued to work while trying to overhear their conversation.
"I'm here to discuss some of the artists that you hand over to our company."
"Any problem? How are they? I saw some good CF coming out for them. I think they would be happy with your label."
"Ah most of them are doing well especially Saito Yuki. She's a real
Talent. I'm so surprise you let her go. I think she also wanted to try many things and not just focus on singing so we would definitely have a lot of works line up for her. I have a slight problem with Chiemi Kai though. "
Megumi's heart skipped a beat at the mention of those names.
"What's the problem?"
"Well, she's not exactly working with us to produce any work and she's getting married soon. So transferring her to us is just burden us with a lot of ground work so far and I don't think she's going to stick around. She's quitting entertainment business. I might have to let her go soon."
"She's getting married?" Ryouji sounded surprise. Megumi had trouble concentrating all of sudden.
Toshiaki nodded. "Ah yeah to Toru Hasebe. I thought you knew since you two.. ouch!" Ryouji must have kicked him or something. "It's quite sudden. But then again, they knew each other since high school."
"Ah... I see. Any other updates?" Ryouji glanced at his watch. "If not then, I guess that's it for today. I'm glad at least Yuki have branched out to do other roles than singing. She's going to go far."
Toshiaki nodded in agreement and stole a glance at Megumi. "I really appreciate you handing her over to our company. Actually now that I see it, she looks a bit like your wife. There's resemblance there. Did.."
"That's enough for today, Toshiaki. You may go now." Ryouji stood up and grabbed Toshiaki by his arm before walking him towards the door.
"Let me say goodbye to your wife first.."
"Don't bother. I think you will be busy trying to keep your company together for the next 6 months or so. All the best." Ryouji opened the door wide enough.
"Eh? Eh? .." he was flustered as he glanced towards Megumi but Ryouji pushed him out of the door before he could say anymore.
"Arisa, block all calls and send in the food. Make sure no one disturb us no matter how urgent they claim it to be. And get someone to make sure Toshiaki knows his way out."
Ryouji walked in and slammed the door behind him in a huff. He had a scowl on his face.
"Are you ok?" He asked he as he went around his desk and sat on her desk facing her. "Sorry about all that. That guy always act as if he owned the place. Did he made you feel uncomfortable? I'm so sorry."
Megumi said nothing but put down the report she was struggling to concentrate since the conversation took place earlier on. For the first time that day, she look at him and noticed the tired look in his eyes.
He always cared about her and worry for her when she was too busy to care about her self and her own feelings. Regardless her insecurities, it was her that he married to. No matter what's their history, he let go those girls for her. So what more could he do to assured her that she got nothing to worry about?
He's been working at all time and trying to accomodate her. A weekend trip was definitely something he needed at this point.
A knock on the door made him turned around and told Arisa to come in. She walked in with another staff who carried some foods and set them on the table before leaving the room again.
"Shall we eat? You need some food to keep you going. I might need you to work overtime today." He caressed her cheeks softly. She smiled at the gesture. Ryouji could be a sweet guy yet he's also a ruthless business man.
"I read some of the proposals and report. I wonder what you want me to do with them. You didn't exactly tell me what do to." She told him while he was busy checking out the foods in front of them.
"Ahh those? Just go through it and let me know if there's anything you find it interesting enough or profitable. We can consider it. If it's not, put it aside. Arisa will deal with them. The reports, let me know what you think of them and I will just make decisions based on your conclusions. What do you think we need to do or what we shouldn't do. Either way, let me know."
"Wait... Wait... you're trusting me with all this important decision making. Shouldn't you be looking at it yourself? I'm not sure I have your kind of business mind."
Ryouji laughed at that. "I trust you. Isn't that enough?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "Be serious!"
"If you think that's not enough, I have made calls to check on your work performance at the company you did your intern in UK. Alex given me a glowing report on you. So based on that, you're qualified to do what I asked you to do."
"You did what?!" Megumi couldn't believe her hearing while Ryouji grinned at her and continue to eat.
"Eat up! Don't be so surprise. I knew you would protest if I just gave you responsibilities like that so I thought at least I can back it up with your own qualification and references to assured you that you are right for the job." Ryouji pushes her head playfully.
"The problem with you is that you always needed the proof and assurance. I don't. Like I said, I trust you. We worked together remember? I have seen how you work, your work ethic, your negotiation skills during those brief meetings we had last year. Beside, I trust that you will have my best interest at heart. Afterall, what's mine is yours."
"You're too trusting, Ryouji." She can't help but smile.
"Ah... I don't trust people easily but when I do, it would be a shame if those I trust betrayed that trust. So don't cross that line." He said in a serious tone suddenly.
"What do you mean?"
"You left me once...and run to someone else when you face trouble. Do that again and see how much trust I left in you." He said making Megumi choked on her water. He patted her back gently. "I thought I should give you fair warning in advance."
Megumi take another gulp of water before facing him. Gone was her smile.
"The thing with trust ... it goes both ways. You play around and live up a crazy bachelor life once, cheat on me and see how much I can trust you in return and this time I will leave and never return." Megumi slapped his arm. "Consider it my warning in advance. I don't share what's belong to me either."
Ryouji didn't expect her response at all. He threw his head back and broke into laughter shaking his head in disbelief before pulling her into his embrace despite her resistance. He liked the fact that she wasn't afraid of him.