Chapter 2: A New Ray of Light –What the Fu*k?
Tsukushi stood by the door, one hand with the key in the latch and the other holding on to her luggage. She had rang the door bell, banged against the door and generally raised a ruckus in the last fifteen minutes. Her hand was already painful from all the knocking and banging. However, no one had stirred from the house.
"Take the key and let yourself in. Chances are he is dead drunk, and won't hear you even if you break the door down." Tsubaki said in resignation as she thrust a spare key over to Tsukushi before rushing off to her audition.
How true had her Tsubaki's words been, she really hadn't got any result from the din she caused. However Tsukushi still held hesitations about opening the door and letting herself in to her employer who wasn't even aware of her existence, and would probably think her a thief. She was already starting to have second thoughts about coming over alone unannounced, about signing the stupid contract, and about going for the interview in the first place. What had gone into her befuddled mind to make such a rash decision?
Hadn't Yuki warned her about the infamous Doumyouji dark moods and violent temper? Why hadn't she heeded her good friend's advice? Yuki was the sweetest girl she knew, with tons of love and patience for unreasonable patients. However, even Yuki hadn't been able to tolerate his tantrums for more than a fortnight. What made her think she could rise up to the challenge? And to think she had even been goaded into signing the employment contract, binding her to the position for a year, failing which she would have to pay a compensation of USD50,000! It was money enough for her entire university education! Of course, if she successfully completed the entire period, she would also receive the same sum as a gratuity payment. However, that was IF she completed the full year of service. There never was free lunch in this world. Tsubaki was probably betting on her breaking the contract, and profiting from it!
Knocking her head, Tsukushi berated herself in disgust at her own impulsiveness and stupidity. Gosh, Doumyouji Tsubaki must think her ten kinds of fools to believe she could succeed where so many had failed. If her predecessors hadn't all failed to last beyond one month, why would Tsubaki add this stupid clause to bind fools like her!
Well, she might have been a fool to sign the contract, but if anything, she was a strong girl. She was a weed, and could withstand storm and shine. She was no pampered greenhouse flower. There was no way she was going to quit and pay 50,000 bucks! Come hell or heaven, she's signed the contract and she would fulfill it.
Bracing herself, Tsukushi turned the key in her hand, unlatching the door in seconds, before she could have second thoughts. Pushing the heavy rosewood door open gingerly, Tsukushi sneaked a peak into the house, seeing nothing but smelling something really foul. Crunching her nose, Tsukushi opened the door bigger, letting the some light from the corridor fill the apartment that was shrouded in darkness as she tried to make out the layout of the place and see if her 'patient' was anywhere in sight.
Almost stealthily, Tsukushi entered the apartment, and switched on the lights, all the while pinching her nose from the putrid smell that filled the air. She finally saw her employer lying in a drunken pile by the sofa, accompanied by magazines, beer cans and wine bottles.
How could anyone live in this pigsty! Tskushi thought in disgust. The place was filthy with magazines, newspapers, waste food and drinks lying all over the place like booby traps, waiting to trip and slip someone down. The sour, acrid stench that filled the room was also overbearing. Her stomach would have revolted if it hadn't been growling in protest for having missed both breakfast and lunch.
Looks like she really had her work cut out for her, she thought miserably. Cleaning up the place alone would take her ages! Closing her eyes and breathing a deep breath, Tsukushi set down her stuff and started to put the room to rights. Clearing up the overnight food, mopping up the vomit and spilled wine, picking up the rubbish and clearing beer cans, Tsukushi soon collapsed onto the cleaned sofa two hours later, deadbeat. Clenching her fists, she resolved to make the culprit keep the surroundings clean at all times after this. After all, Tsubaki had given her authority to force her patient in any way she could, to rehabilitate himself physically and mentally.
Something was still not quite right, Tsukushi thought as she sat in an upright position, sniffing a little.
What's that smell? Haven't I already cleaned up the room? Tsukushi thought in bewilderment as she lookeded around for any salted fish or soiled clothing in the living room that she might have missed. Tsukushi scanned the room suspiciously for things she might have left out. As her eyes swept past a dark pile that laid just by the balcony, she zoomed back with narrowed eyes as she pinpointed the culprit who was probably also her employer. ith mussed, greasy hair and sodden, dirty looking clothes. The foul smell is radiating from him, Tsukushi concluded with an unladylike scowl.
With an unladylike scowl, Tsukushi walked nearer towards the body that was dead to the world, and found the stench becoming stronger and more pungent as she approached. His clothes were dirty and badly stained. With mussed, greasy hair that was matted to his face that was already covered in several days' stub, her employer was practically drowning in his own vomit. An empty wine bottle lay empty by his left hand, while several cans lay by his right. In his current state, he was little better than a beggar in the street.
Tsukushi's heart squeezed as she felt both disgust and yet sympathy for the man who lie before her. However, this was before she noticed the small pinkish translucent pills that lay strewn on the floor, two of which were even in his now unclasped hand. Her face darkened immediately like the thundercloud as she saw those incriminating evidence of a drug addict.
Shaking her head in disgust, Tsukushi forgot all her earlier apprehension, misgivings and sympathy. She recognized those pills as Ice, a drug that was as addictive as heroine, but is only much more expensive and kills faster than the latter. His pathetic state struck a chord in her, calling up unpleasant memories from her youth. Her mind now was only focused on what a waste of a person this young man was. He had such a beautiful apartment, tons of money, a talented sister who loved and cared for him, and generally a good life ahead of him. But what was he doing, wallowing in his own pathetic misery, drowning in his own vomit, abusing drugs and letting everyone who cares for him down.
Going to the windows, she drew the curtains wide open, letting the afternoon sun infiltrate the room with its glaring brightness. Tsukushi's eyes squinted as light suddenly filled the room. Junpei had never failed to wake her up using this method before. She prayed hard that he'll get a mighty hangover that'll have him crying for his mum.
She'll get that lout up first and start his rehabilitation by scrubbing the hide off him, before she embark upon the task of ridding him of his drug cravings. If it was the last thing she did, she'll get him cleaned up, literally and figuratively.
Looking at her prey, Tsukushi awaited for his awakening to the glare and to the day. It was nearly 4 pm in the afternoon and the sun was right out there shining very brightly. However, Tsukusi noticed that he didn't even stir. His eyes were still closed and dead to the world.
With a sudden burst of guilt, Tsukushi finally realized she had forgotten that her ward was blind. He had lost his sight in a freak car accident several weeks ago, she recalled with some remorse. How could she have forgotten? She wouldn't even be here if he wasn't blind. However, strengthening her resolve, Tsukushi quashed the fleeting feeling of guilt. So what if he was blind? He should take things in his stride and go on a self destruction course and pull his loved ones down to hell with him.
Undaunted, Tsukushi went to the kitchen to fill a basin up with water and pouring a dozen or so ice cubes into the water. Light might not affect him, but water will definitely do the trick. Besides, he really needed a bath quick.
Mercilessly, Tsukushi splashed the whole basin of iced water onto him, causing him to wake up in almost an instant, sputtering.
"What the fu*k?" Tsukasa yelled as he woke up wet and freezing, totally ignorant of what had happened.
Hi all, sorry for the long time I took to update. I was really to swamped up by work. Anyway, I hope you guys are still interested in this fic and like the update :O
My next update will probably be on "Game of Life", and I hope it'll be soon, but it will depends on my workload.
Please remember to review, alright? Criticisms or ideas for the plot are very welcome too.
Anyway, can some kind soul volunteer to be my beta reader? Can't really spend time proofreading, and would hence really appreciate an editor. If no, then not a problem, I'll just try my best to proof-read and edit myself as fast as I can for each of my updates.
Thanks! And pls remember to R&R!!!