"Not bad, not bad at all," Jay muttered to himself as he entered his new flat. Although not the cheapest option, it was nonetheless nearby to his new office, as well as located in a nicer part of town. Furthermore, it was a rather high up, granting him an excellent view of the park he first landed in. It was certainly better than the shadier portions of Republic City that Jay had learned to avoid in his past three months here.
Jay quicky dumped the boxes at the door, before checking the clock. Half past eight. He had half an hour more to reach his workplace. Sure, Asami had said he was free to arrive later since she knew he had to move to his new flat, but it wasn't a great idea to be late for work on his first day.
Exiting the building, Jay soon spotted the trolley cart he needed to take. 'Damn I'm late,' Jay thought as he mentally slapped himself. He quickly dashed towards the pedestrian crossing, where another trolley cart travelling in the opposite direction had stopped. Nodding in acknowledgement to the driver who gestured for him to cross, Jay prepared to run across the road when suddenly, the screeching of tyres could be heard. A car had appeared from a blind spot behind the trolley cart, and was headed on a crash course collision towards Jay. And last time he checked, cars are definitely stronger than humans.
The car had jam braked considerably, yet it was still traveling rather quickly. It slammed into Jay's midsection, sending him flying a short distance before hitting the road. As he struggled to get up, Jay's head was spinning and his vision blurry. The sound of running footsteps could be heard, and a tall slender figure appeared in his view, blocking off the sunlight. "Jay...Jay can you hear me?" A familiar voice called out as the blurry figure came into focus, revealing herself to be Asami.
Jay sat on the ground for a short while, before his head cleared sufficiently and he tried to stand. It hurt a lot, but soon he was back on his feet with Asami's help. His head was still spinning, Jay sat down next to the driver's seat before Asami left to pick up his bag, along with the few objects that flew out during the collision. Before long, Asami returned.
"Oh my gosh Jay I am so, so sorry. I was travelling a little fast and I didn't see you at all. Would you like me to take you to a healer?" Asami asked as she returned to the car. By now, Jay's head had stopped spinning, although his torso still hurt like mad. He lifted his shirt, only to reveal a huge bruise on his torso.
"Yea, I think I need to see a doctor," Jay said, gently prodding the bruise before wincing in pain. Asami nodded and quickly drove off to the nearest water bender healer. Throughout the ride, she kept apologising to Jay, as well as promising to make up for him.
Waterbending healing was definitely a weird experience for Jay. It was weird enough seeing a bubble of water being levitated by the healer, but having it press against his bruise, and feel as well as visibly see the bruise lose its color and pain was a whole new level. Before long, it was almost as good as new. Through talking with the healer, a middle-aged woman, Jay learnt more about the capabilities of waterbending healing. External injuries like cuts, bleeding were the easiest and most effective, while internal wounds and illnesses were much harder. Then there were also the chi paths - whatever they meant.
"Thank you," Jay thanked the healer once more, and she nodded and bowed before heading back into her clinic. Walking out the door, Jay soon spotted Asami leaning against her car, waiting for him.
"So how was it?" Asami asked, noticing Jay had stopped limping and was in much less pain.
"Almost as good as new," Jay replied, smiling as he patted his stomach. He got back into the car after Asami, who had offered to send him to work. After all, it was the same place.
"So about me making up to you…" Asami started, before being cut off by Jay.
"It was an accident. You didn't do it on purpose. Plus you already got a healer for me and offered to give me a lift. There's nothing else to make up for."
"No I insist. Think of it as helping me feel less guilty. So Kwong's cuisine, tonight?" Asami asked again.
"Kwong's cuisine? Now I'm starting to think that you own that place," Jay chuckled, while Asami laughed too. 'Intelligent, friendly and witty too,' Asami thought to herself as she looked at Jay from the corner of her eyes, who was now looking intently about the satomobile. 'Just the kind of new blood we need in our company.' Most of the engineers that had worked with her father were also getting old, and new innovative minds were needed for Future Industries to be futuristic and live up to its name.
"Does this car have any seatbelts? Or air bags or shatterproof windscreens?" Jay finally asked after looking about the car. Asami looked at him, before shaking her head, saying, "I have no idea what those are, care to explain?"
"Alright, when we get back to the office. For now just focus on driving," Jay said, feeling a little worried after realising that this car doesn't even have a fraction of the safety devices in the car he drove back home.
Back in Future Industries headquarters, Jay was given assigned a desk. His was located at the corner of a large floor, in which there were many tables in an open layout. 'Right, cubicles haven't been introduced.'
"So I was discussing with my father, and he decided to create a new design and innovation department and placed me in charge," Asami said as she stopped by the door. "So I would like to ask if you would be willing to be the assistant in charge for this new department?"
Jay blinked in surprise. It was his first day here, and he had already received a promotion. Granted, it was a new department, but second in charge? That was miles ahead of being a normal designer he had signed up for. Not only did he have the chance to create new technologies in this new department, he would also have enough authority to do so. Furthermore he would be working with Asami, who Jay knew was also into new innovations and inventions from their limited interactions. Jay immediately seized that chance.
"Welcome aboard! However, you would need to shift your new office, and it's currently still rather new," Asami said, before leading Jay to another floor.
"When you said new, I didn't know you meant this new," Jay laughed as he looked around the empty floor. Empty boxes and abandoned furniture littered the place, apparent that renovations were still well underway. A small section had been renovated - consisting of a small office along with a meeting room, in which sat an oval conference desk.
"Yea, this belonged to another department that was relocated to the new building due to overcrowding. I think it was the satomobile sales department," Asami rubbed her neck in embarrassment as she looked around the half finished floor. Jay was fine with it though, since his office and a meeting room was already complete. By the time the new members joined, this place would be up and running.
Remembering his conversation with Asami, Jay soon began explaining what he meant to Asami. Pulling up a chalkboard that had toppled over, Jay soon explained his thoughts and ideas to Asami, who sat on an old table. There had been satomobile accidents before, although since there were few satomobiles in the past, the consequences were not that severe. However, with the boom in automobile ownership throughout Republic City, from a upper-class only luxury along with use by the police, to a middle-class transport, the safety devices also needed to keep pace. Jay went on to explain to Asami the workings and rationale behind safety belts, along with other important safety devices such as airbags and roll cages. Asami was confused about crumple zones at first, not understanding why they should make the satomobile bodies softer rather than harder, but soon caught on to what Jay was saying.
"You are really one bright guy," Asami couldn't help but say at the end of Jay's short lecture. "I'm really glad you are here rather than just some designer."
"It's nothing much really," Jay chuckled, glad that his future knowledge gave him an advantage. It may prove to be important though, since he was in a world where people can literally shoot fire out of their palms and chuck rocks without even touching them. He, on the other hand, was just like a normal guy, called a non-bender. Usually relegated to menial work and lower social classes, only a handful of them managed to climb up the social ladder, such as Hiroshi and Asami.
A few weeks had passed, and Jay had assimilated well into Future Industries. His department was slowly growing in size, and for a start had set out working on the safety devices for the satomobiles. Asami would occasionally visit, but for the most part Jay was running the department. One day, Asami came over to Jay's office during the evening. Apparently both of them had forgotten her promise to make up to Jay for knocking him over. Before long, Jay soon found himself back at Kwong's cuisine. They followed the waiter to the seat specially reserved for the Satos, and soon they were awaiting their food.
"Would you like a newspaper Miss Sato?" the waiter asked as he brought a newspaper on a silver tray. 'Kwong's cuisine is a fancy place indeed,' Jay thought to himself.
"No thank you, I'm not like my father...wait a minute, can I take a look at that paper?" Asami was about to decline the offer when something caught her eye. Jay raised his eyebrow as Asami took the newspaper, looking intently at it before looking at Jay, then back at the newspaper.
"Is there something -" Jay's curiosity had finally worn out, but Asami cut him off.
"That's you isn't it?" Asami cried as she showed Jay the newspaper. On the front page was a picture of Jay and Chang in front of the restaurant, while the title reads: From failing business to the latest trend: Meet the man responsible for it. Jay was surprised. He had expected the news story to be published in some obscure corner of the newspaper, tucked away between advertisements, and not a front cover story. Looking at Asami still staring at him wide-eyed, Jay nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me that you were behind one of the hottest restaurants right now?" Asami continued, still amazed at what this young man had to offer.
"Well I did say I worked in a restaurant during the interview."
"Yea and I thought you were working as a waiter or kitchen assistant," Asami blurted out honestly.
"Asami, your words hurt me. How could you think so little of me?" Jay joked, clutching his chest in mock hurt. Over the past few weeks, Asami had grown closer to Jay. One main reason was that she didn't have much friends, mostly spending her time in the office where Jay was one of the few around her age. The other reason was that she was intrigued by Jay. Not only was he very bright, there was also an air of mystery around him. Jay seemed to have unlimited new ideas, and just when she thought she understood him well, she would be proven wrong.
Throughout dinner, Jay and Asami continued talking. Jay was sharing with Asami about his time in the restaurant, calling it "the true story that you won't read about from the papers" although excluding the part about Rei, while Asami told him more about herself, especially how many people still find it weird for a woman to be in the technology business.
"Yea I had this idea for quite some time, but I haven't got time to work on it because of the police contract. It's basically a bicycle with a small engine mounted on it," Asami was relating to Jay how she had an idea, which he quickly identified as either a motorcycle or a scooter, but she had been busy working with the police. While the satomobile was what Future Industries were famous for, they also build airships, and Asami was signing a contract with Republic City Police Department to supply them with the latest model airships, in addition to patrol satomobiles and other technologies.
"Oh, that sounds pretty interesting," Jay mused, although his mind was thinking back to a few days back. Hiroshi Sato had met Jay in the office, and asked him to help collect an order form from the florist under Jay's apartment. Hiroshi explained it was for Asami's birthday, which would be coming in a week. That would mean Asami's birthday would be in a few day's time. Jay realised that he may just have the gift for Asami.
The next few days, Jay spent his evenings at home coming up with some designs. While he had initially considered giving Asami the vehicle itself, he soon realised that he did not have the capability to have it produced. Even though he was the vice head in his department, he was still unable to get the vehicle produced, since his department handled more of design and innovation rather than production and manufacturing. In the end, Jay decided on giving Asami the blueprints instead, figuring that she may be even more interested in the blueprints, since being able to edit it would certainly appeal to her engineer side. Eventually, Jay came up with two separate blueprints - one for a scooter like the Vespas back in his world, and another for a large, more rugged motorcycle.
"Have you seen Asami?" Jay asked.
"I saw her and Hiroshi left not too long ago for lunch," Chong said. Chong was a few years older than Jay, having been part of Future Industries in the satomobile division. One of the newer and younger members of Future Industries, Asami had personally recommended that Chong join the new division. The young man and Jay had become fast friends, sharing their innovation, new ideas and love of pulling office pranks on the other members of Jay's department.
Shrugging, Jay went back to his work, reviewing paper after paper, new ideas, attending meetings. Before he knew it, it was time for him to return back to his small apartment, cook a simple dinner with the weird hybrid flora and fauna that he had gotten used to, before hitting the hay.
"Hey, I'm surprised that you are still here," Asami called as she walked into Jay's office. The latter was still packing up, arranging a messy pile of paper that was about to slide off his desk. Jay noticed her presence, before congratulating, "Hi Asami, happy birthday."
"How did you find out my birthday?" Asami was surprised.
"I heard you and your father went out for lunch today, which is unlike your style since you forever eat in your office. Also, your father asked me to help him with an order of birthday flowers," Jay spoke, still straightening his pile. Behind him, Asami nodded, finding his reason as to why he had such information to be valid.
"By the way, happy birthday," Jay said as he pulled out the nondescript paper tube.
"Oh you didn't have to…" Asami said as she received the present, but stopped short when she felt it to be empty. She arched her eyebrows in suspicion at Jay as she shook the tube, trying to have in idea what was inside, wondering if it is one of Jay's pranks again. Jay could not resist to bring the office pranking culture from his world over, and soon his colleagues realised he was the reason why sometimes their tables would be outside the door, or their chairs mysteriously frozen to the ceiling - it only took the help of a nearby waterbender. Finally, Asami decided to open the package, promising herself to make Jay the crash test dummy he himself invented should it turn out to be another prank.
"What is this… oh my gosh! Jay how did you…" Asami almost squealed as she opened the package, revealing blueprints and artist impressions of two new vehicles - a moped and a motorcycle. She immediately spread the papers all over Jay's neat desk, as the engineer inside her sprang to life and she began pouring over all the details of the blueprints, with occasional "ohh" and "ahh" of realisation. Jay just chuckled, folding his arms as he watched from the side as Asami poured over the blueprints like a fangirl.
"If you don't mind, I have to go home and cook dinner," Jay deadpanned as he watched Asami turns her attention to the next blueprint. Smiling sheepishly, Asami apologised as she stowed the blueprints back into their tube.
"That is some pretty nice work though. How bout we go out for dinner together tonight? Then we can discuss this over dinner. My treat, how bout that?" Asami stopped Jay as he was about to leave his office. Jay pondered for a moment. On one hand it was a dinner with an attractive young woman. On the other hand, she was his boss and making use of the dinner time to talk more about work stuff, infringing on his personal time. Then again, he did not have much to do in his apartment after dinner, besides listening to pro-bending matches on the radio. He still did not understand that game at all though.
"Hmm, alright. But where should we go?" Jay finally agreed.
"I just had Kwong's cuisine for lunch. How bout let's check out the restaurant you worked at. Chang and Jay's right?" Asami remembered the magazine she saw not too long ago. Jay had no objections. After all he had promised to return to visit the restaurant, and it was already quite some time since he left.
Asami's car parked in front of the restaurant. The modest sized restaurant now had grown in size, had a totally new front as well as more waiters and servers. Stepping out of the car, Jay and Asami headed to the entrance, where a waiter then showed them to their seats. They had arrived before the dinner crowd, and as they awaited their food the crowd soon began to build up, eventually forming a queue outside the restaurant.
Jay and Asami were tucking into their food, when Jay suddenly felt a strong hearty slap on the back. Almost spitting out his food, Jay turned around, and there stood a smiling Chang.
"Jay! It is about time you come back after ditching us!" Chang jokes, before nodding to Asami in acknowledgement. Despite the fact that the restaurant had grown and he was now a rich man, Chang still had the same attitude - cheerful and still loving to tell stories. He soon found himself sitting with Asami and Jay, telling her the story of how this restaurant, and the part Jay played in its success.
"The very food you are eating right now, that was created by Jay himself," Chang pointed to the pizza on Asami's plate. Asami looked down at the food, before looking back at Jay, simply smiled and shrugged. She couldn't help but realise just how talented and yet mysterious Jay was. Not only were the ideas he proposed excellent, he also seemed to possess a talent in innovating, and now she realised he was an accomplished food creator too. 'Just who are you, Jay?' Asami chuckled in her mind.
Eventually, Jay and Asami left the restaurant, but not before Chang made sure everyone there knew he was the Jay in Chang and Jay's. Jay managed to quickly escape from the embarrassment with Asami, and soon they were back in the satomobile, buckled up in a prototype seatbelt and headed back towards Jay's house.
"Thanks for the present, it is really something I wasn't expecting but I really love it," Asami said as she pulled to a stop underneath Jay's house.
"Nah it's nothing. Take it as a gift for helping me get a new department all to myself," Jay laughed before bidding Asami farewell and heading up to his apartment. As Asami saw the figure disappears into the lobby, she couldn't help but wonder, 'Just who is this Jay and what is backstory.'
"I guess its a story for another day," Asami mused before driving back towards her home.