Playing with Hope
Chapter Two
Eriol surveyed calmly from behind his glasses the different reactions around the table. Not having the ability to hide their emotions well as he did, it was easy to see what they all thought of his decision. The only one who didn't show a negative or an outraged response was the oldest member of the board, and he had a suspicion it was because the old man had actually paid attention to everything he had said in the last few meetings.
He was particularly amused at the expression provided by one of his advisors. He hadn't been aware people could actually turn that shade of green. Since he had already explained the reasons behind this new line of action, he simply offered a curt nod and one of his usual smiles before leaving the meeting room. None bothered to follow him, and he was sure by the loud murmurs he heard when he left that they were discussing him in very unflattering terms. The thought made his smile widen.
Ever since his father passed away and he had inherited his spot in the company, as Eriol knew he would, he had become very interested in everything about the corporation. His father had trained him well, and though not thinking about joining the business for a few years, the untimely death of his father sped things up a bit. Specializing in buying, selling, building and destroying companies, Moon Corp. was one of the most powerful companies of the time. And Eriol liked being in control. Not that he had to be mean spirited like his father; Eriol had charisma and used it to his advantage.
"Hiiragizawa-san, what would you like me to tell your callers today?"
Eriol turned to his secretary; a middle-aged sweetheart named Naoko, and raised his brows.
"I'm sure you can come up with a suitable excuse." She smiled and nodded.
"Very well then, good day, sir."
"Good day, Naoko."
The lift was already in his floor so he didn't have to wait, and when the doors were beginning to close he could hear the men's voice approach. It seemed they had found their way out of the room. Once the doors closed, he pressed the L button at the bottom and inserted his key in the lock. That assured him that the lift wouldn't stop, even if called, until it reached the lobby, and already sure that his chauffer was there he closed his eyes and waited for the tell-tale ding that signified he had arrived.
It was known that in the ever growing world of business, when you owned a large corporation, it was equal to ruling a kingdom. You controlled not only your part, but the people and everything that was done, to ensure that the business prospered. If there was something or someone that was preventing this from happening, that was exterminated, after all it was in the company's best interest. If you owned a large enough company, and therefore ruled a large kingdom, you were also in possession of smaller companies you bought along the way. Those companies were still largely controlled by their first owners, but since you were in the majority, your vote was the one that counted. It was simple business and all you had to know how to do was perfect your poker face, and learn how to conquer. After all, it was the game of the masters, and only those survived.
Companies were torn apart if their rulers were not strong enough, and if they couldn't control everything they were supposed to the way they were supposed to, it was easy for someone with more experience in the game to conquer you. It was the risk of the business world, and it was how it was played. It might've seemed like a boring way to spend the rest of your life, at the top of a company, but that was where the rulers of the modern world were located. In the ancient world they were the Kings and Queens of lands, now the throne was overtaken by this new power.
Once the lift reached the ground floor and the doors opened, Eriol stepped out and sighed. Walking purposely towards the main entrance he readied himself for the next meeting of the day.
~~~~
When Eriol was seven years old his father thought he was old enough to visit one of the building demolitions. He had been excited that his father finally trusted him enough to take him and was involving him in the company he heard all day about. He knew and was aware that his father was a very busy man and just being included pleased him immensely.
The edifice was old and faded, but what really struck his mind was the sheer greatness of it. It was taller than he could imagine and just knowing that it would be torn down in a matter of seconds filled him with an excited apprehension he almost couldn't contain. His father had looked at him seriously and, his gaze never wavering from Eriol's face told him the words he would remember years later when he would stare at his father's pale face in the hospital morgue.
"There are few people in the world with enough power to destroy a lifetime of achievements. You, my boy, are going to be most powerful of them all. Never doubt that."
To the small boy, the words were further imprinted in his mind when his father pressed the button and the building came down. He tried not to wince, but it was useless and he flinched as if covering from the debris; even though it would never reach them. His father remained perfectly still and when he saw that he frowned to himself. It signified an instant of change for him, and though he didn't understand what his father had meant at the time, he knew it was an important moment. A moment he would never forget.
His father had then turned around and answered his ringing phone, leaving the small boy to watch the cloud of grey smoke block the once clear sky, his nostrils filled with the horrible smell of powder, asphalt and heat.
That was the day he learned to both, fear and respect his father, and the day he learned that even the tallest of giants could be defeated by the touch of a button. His eyes harder than before, Eriol turned around and without looking back at the empty lot or his father, entered the company car and waited. If you would've looked carefully [and quickly] enough, you would've seen the tears that had fallen from his eyes before he hastily scrubbed them away.
~~~~
"As you can see in the first chart-" the man said pointing with a small laser beam at the mentioned chart, addressing his small audience, "our financial state has been steady for the past few months." The small man turned off the beam and clapped for the lights to be turned on. "And while that might be good news for other companies, here at Moon Corp. we cannot afford to be merely steady. We need an increase or we will suffer greatly."
Eriol frowned; his perpetual smile erased completely from his face, and addressed the woman on his right. "Mitsuko, did you check the reports from the technical staff?"
She nodded once and took out several blue folders from her briefcase placing them briskly on top of the table. Eriol picked them up and scanning them quickly placed them in front of him. He looked up to the now sitting man and, his voice firm, uttered what everyone was dreading.
"We need to let some people go and hire new personnel."
The room remained quiet, but their agreement was noticeable in their faces. Moon Corp. would not suffer now. They -/he/- would make sure of that.
Only the people in the room held the stocks that were Moon Corp. and as the only stock holders in them lay the fortune of the corporation. Distant relatives, only those who were blood descendants of the original founding brothers were permitted to hold stock. Not allowed to sell them, their fortune would be worth nothing if they couldn't maintain the company alive.
As majority stock holder most of the burden (and wealth) rested on Eriol's shoulders, and with his game face on he looked at the other three people in the room. Jiang Mitsuko, the alert attorney, daughter of the only daughter of Hiiragizawa Jiro. Kento Isamu, the intelligent physics professor, son of the daughter of Hiiragizawa Katsuo. Izumi Emi, the beautiful surgeon, daughter of the son of Hiiragizawa Saburo. Then there was he, the only remaining person with the Hiiragizawa name, after Emi married and took her husband's name. The only son of Taro who was the firstborn of Ken'ichi.
Together they would have to keep Moon Corp. alive, by any means possible. Though not in the brink of bankruptcy, they were not willing to even toe the line.
"The rule of six?" Emi's soft voice queried from her comfortable spot on Eriol's left.
"The rule of six." Isamu affirmed. Eriol nodded and smiled back at Mitsuko when she smiled at him. The rule of six was a slow start, but it was the most influential one, since it involved some of the most important employees who were not up to par in their departments. They would each choose six people to dismiss and six to recruit. Already, Eriol already had three of each in mind. He would have to call his secretary to book him a flight to Hong Kong, the sooner the better.
Chapter Two
Eriol surveyed calmly from behind his glasses the different reactions around the table. Not having the ability to hide their emotions well as he did, it was easy to see what they all thought of his decision. The only one who didn't show a negative or an outraged response was the oldest member of the board, and he had a suspicion it was because the old man had actually paid attention to everything he had said in the last few meetings.
He was particularly amused at the expression provided by one of his advisors. He hadn't been aware people could actually turn that shade of green. Since he had already explained the reasons behind this new line of action, he simply offered a curt nod and one of his usual smiles before leaving the meeting room. None bothered to follow him, and he was sure by the loud murmurs he heard when he left that they were discussing him in very unflattering terms. The thought made his smile widen.
Ever since his father passed away and he had inherited his spot in the company, as Eriol knew he would, he had become very interested in everything about the corporation. His father had trained him well, and though not thinking about joining the business for a few years, the untimely death of his father sped things up a bit. Specializing in buying, selling, building and destroying companies, Moon Corp. was one of the most powerful companies of the time. And Eriol liked being in control. Not that he had to be mean spirited like his father; Eriol had charisma and used it to his advantage.
"Hiiragizawa-san, what would you like me to tell your callers today?"
Eriol turned to his secretary; a middle-aged sweetheart named Naoko, and raised his brows.
"I'm sure you can come up with a suitable excuse." She smiled and nodded.
"Very well then, good day, sir."
"Good day, Naoko."
The lift was already in his floor so he didn't have to wait, and when the doors were beginning to close he could hear the men's voice approach. It seemed they had found their way out of the room. Once the doors closed, he pressed the L button at the bottom and inserted his key in the lock. That assured him that the lift wouldn't stop, even if called, until it reached the lobby, and already sure that his chauffer was there he closed his eyes and waited for the tell-tale ding that signified he had arrived.
It was known that in the ever growing world of business, when you owned a large corporation, it was equal to ruling a kingdom. You controlled not only your part, but the people and everything that was done, to ensure that the business prospered. If there was something or someone that was preventing this from happening, that was exterminated, after all it was in the company's best interest. If you owned a large enough company, and therefore ruled a large kingdom, you were also in possession of smaller companies you bought along the way. Those companies were still largely controlled by their first owners, but since you were in the majority, your vote was the one that counted. It was simple business and all you had to know how to do was perfect your poker face, and learn how to conquer. After all, it was the game of the masters, and only those survived.
Companies were torn apart if their rulers were not strong enough, and if they couldn't control everything they were supposed to the way they were supposed to, it was easy for someone with more experience in the game to conquer you. It was the risk of the business world, and it was how it was played. It might've seemed like a boring way to spend the rest of your life, at the top of a company, but that was where the rulers of the modern world were located. In the ancient world they were the Kings and Queens of lands, now the throne was overtaken by this new power.
Once the lift reached the ground floor and the doors opened, Eriol stepped out and sighed. Walking purposely towards the main entrance he readied himself for the next meeting of the day.
~~~~
When Eriol was seven years old his father thought he was old enough to visit one of the building demolitions. He had been excited that his father finally trusted him enough to take him and was involving him in the company he heard all day about. He knew and was aware that his father was a very busy man and just being included pleased him immensely.
The edifice was old and faded, but what really struck his mind was the sheer greatness of it. It was taller than he could imagine and just knowing that it would be torn down in a matter of seconds filled him with an excited apprehension he almost couldn't contain. His father had looked at him seriously and, his gaze never wavering from Eriol's face told him the words he would remember years later when he would stare at his father's pale face in the hospital morgue.
"There are few people in the world with enough power to destroy a lifetime of achievements. You, my boy, are going to be most powerful of them all. Never doubt that."
To the small boy, the words were further imprinted in his mind when his father pressed the button and the building came down. He tried not to wince, but it was useless and he flinched as if covering from the debris; even though it would never reach them. His father remained perfectly still and when he saw that he frowned to himself. It signified an instant of change for him, and though he didn't understand what his father had meant at the time, he knew it was an important moment. A moment he would never forget.
His father had then turned around and answered his ringing phone, leaving the small boy to watch the cloud of grey smoke block the once clear sky, his nostrils filled with the horrible smell of powder, asphalt and heat.
That was the day he learned to both, fear and respect his father, and the day he learned that even the tallest of giants could be defeated by the touch of a button. His eyes harder than before, Eriol turned around and without looking back at the empty lot or his father, entered the company car and waited. If you would've looked carefully [and quickly] enough, you would've seen the tears that had fallen from his eyes before he hastily scrubbed them away.
~~~~
"As you can see in the first chart-" the man said pointing with a small laser beam at the mentioned chart, addressing his small audience, "our financial state has been steady for the past few months." The small man turned off the beam and clapped for the lights to be turned on. "And while that might be good news for other companies, here at Moon Corp. we cannot afford to be merely steady. We need an increase or we will suffer greatly."
Eriol frowned; his perpetual smile erased completely from his face, and addressed the woman on his right. "Mitsuko, did you check the reports from the technical staff?"
She nodded once and took out several blue folders from her briefcase placing them briskly on top of the table. Eriol picked them up and scanning them quickly placed them in front of him. He looked up to the now sitting man and, his voice firm, uttered what everyone was dreading.
"We need to let some people go and hire new personnel."
The room remained quiet, but their agreement was noticeable in their faces. Moon Corp. would not suffer now. They -/he/- would make sure of that.
Only the people in the room held the stocks that were Moon Corp. and as the only stock holders in them lay the fortune of the corporation. Distant relatives, only those who were blood descendants of the original founding brothers were permitted to hold stock. Not allowed to sell them, their fortune would be worth nothing if they couldn't maintain the company alive.
As majority stock holder most of the burden (and wealth) rested on Eriol's shoulders, and with his game face on he looked at the other three people in the room. Jiang Mitsuko, the alert attorney, daughter of the only daughter of Hiiragizawa Jiro. Kento Isamu, the intelligent physics professor, son of the daughter of Hiiragizawa Katsuo. Izumi Emi, the beautiful surgeon, daughter of the son of Hiiragizawa Saburo. Then there was he, the only remaining person with the Hiiragizawa name, after Emi married and took her husband's name. The only son of Taro who was the firstborn of Ken'ichi.
Together they would have to keep Moon Corp. alive, by any means possible. Though not in the brink of bankruptcy, they were not willing to even toe the line.
"The rule of six?" Emi's soft voice queried from her comfortable spot on Eriol's left.
"The rule of six." Isamu affirmed. Eriol nodded and smiled back at Mitsuko when she smiled at him. The rule of six was a slow start, but it was the most influential one, since it involved some of the most important employees who were not up to par in their departments. They would each choose six people to dismiss and six to recruit. Already, Eriol already had three of each in mind. He would have to call his secretary to book him a flight to Hong Kong, the sooner the better.