Hired Help
Chapter 2 – One's First Day…
"Kai-Kaiba-san…" Uchimura bit her lip as Seto advanced towards her.
"Uchimura…" he spoke and then, got very close to her face, breathing on her. "Tsubaki…I love you…"
"Kai-Kaiba-san…" she winced under his breath…
"Uchimura…" Seto commented after about fifteen minutes of silence at the breakfast table, pardoning Mokuba's messy eating habits and the clinking of silverware.
"Y-yes sir!" Uchimura asked, looking up, her glasses folded neatly next to her plate.
"Why aren't you wearing your glasses?" he asked and she gave a red blush.
"Umm…I don't need them now! I'll be fine!" she laughed.
"Pass the eggs!" Mokuba demanded and Seto shot him a look.
"Ahh, here you are Mokuba-san!" Uchimura grabbed the eggs and held them out to the boy.
"Uchimura…" Kaiba sweatdropped along with Mokuba, "You just passed the bacon to that bust on the display case."
"Ack! How dumb!" She laughed. "Umm…where are you Mokuba-san?" She asked, trying to find the young boy.
"Umm…thanks Uchimura…" Mokuba quirked an eyebrow and took the eggs by himself, a little wary. "Maybe you should put on your glasses."
"Oh I'm fine! I should probably put in my contacts, but they do bother me so," she smiled and once again poked herself with a fork while trying to put it in her mouth.
"Uchimura, put on your glasses, that's an order," Seto commanded.
"Y-yes sir!" she nodded and flipped on her glasses quickly. She blushed and looked down at her plate. "I'm sorry it's just…"
"It's just what?" Seto asked.
"You liked me better without glasses," she reminded him. "I just thought you might like me more if I didn't wear them."
Seto looked at her, blushed lightly, and sipped his coffee, trying to hide his embarrassment of what he had said before. "How dumb, I really don't care if you wear your glasses or not."
"Oh! Okay!" she nodded. "Then I'll probably wear them. I don't want to run into stuff!"
"Uchimura," Seto said after sipping his water. "Today I have an important meeting my vice presidents. You'll be coming along to do dictation, got that?"
"Oh, yes sir!" Uchimura nodded, standing up from the table. "I'll go get dressed right away! When are we leaving for the meeting?"
Seto glanced at the clock. "Twenty minutes."
"Oh my! I-I-I'll be right down sir!" Uchimura sprinted out the dining room, leaving her food still steaming on her plate. Mokuba watched her go with a look of somewhat interest.
"Can I have her rice, Seto?"
"No. You're not a vulture. If you're hungry, ask the cooks to make you more."
"She's so weird," Mokuba muttered, sliding down in his chair.
"The cook isn't weird. You barely know her."
"I meant Uchibaka," Mokuba snapped. Seto shot him a reproachful look, and Mokuba quickly sat back up. "I mean…Uchimura-san."
"What's so weird about her?" Seto asked, sipping a cup of coffee while glancing at the morning paper.
"She stays up all night working, then falls asleep and acts like it's a capital offense," Mokuba offered. "And, for instance, she sprints from the dining room because she doesn't want to be late to your meeting. She's Grade A weirdo Seto. Can you please make her sleep outside or something? I don't want her weird germs on me."
"Mokuba, go and clean your room."
"Oh c'mon!" Mokuba whined. "You only tell me to do that when you're mad at me! My room's clean enough. The maids cleaned it yesterday."
"Clean it yourself. It's good for your character."
Mokuba got up from the table, grumbling to himself. Seto paid him little mind, still sipping coffee and reading the morning paper. Soon, Mokuba's stomping and grumbling could not be heard, and Seto put down the paper and his cup of coffee.
"Hmm…I guess she is weird," Seto shrugged. "But I always valued hard working individuals. And the unusual has always intrigued me."
"I'm here Kaiba-san! I apologize for the wait!"
Seto looked up to see Uchimura dressed out of her sweat pants and tee-shirt and now in a very gray, very rumpled woman's business suit. It was hardly flattering, and Uchimura's braids were still as cock-eyed as ever. She had on her glasses as well, and it was obvious that she hadn't put any make up.
"Good. I was getting tired of waiting," Seto remarked, standing up. He grabbed his briefcase from the side of the door and walked through the door. "Come on. The driver's waiting."
"R-right!" Uchimura nodded, clutching her clipboard and pens to her chest. As she ran behind Seto, her pens dropped to the ground, and she constantly had to run back to pick them up. "I-I apologize Kaiba-san! I'm coming!"
"Don't screw up on your first day," sighed Seto. "First rule of business. Never screw up on your first day."
"My gosh!" Uchimura gasped as they reached the building in which Kaiba Corp. operated. "This building is huge! How will we ever find the meeting room?"
"We'll use the elevator," Seto muttered, walking into the building to be greeted by many employees. "And I know where the room is. I work in this building, don't I?"
"Kaiba-san! I've been meaning to talk to you about that new product we've been placing on the market! I think we should produce a sequel series!"
"Kaiba-san! The screenwriter's manager just called. He's saying we have to negotiate more money for the deal to be done. We're doing all we can to scrape minimum, but we would really appreciate your input!"
"Kaiba-san--"
"A lot of people want to talk to you…" Uchimura observed, shivering at all the people who were shouting things at Seto.
"I'm the head of the company. I don't understand why these people don't think they can do anything without my input," Seto said.
"Why are you just ignoring them?" Uchimura asked. Seto stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the "Up" button.
"It's daily routine."
With that, the elevator doors opened and the two stepped inside to head to their next destination.
"Ahh, Kaiba-san. Glad to see you."
"Kaiba-san, we should go out to dinner sometime. Have you met my wife?"
"Kaiba-san, so glad you could make it."
The two had reached the meeting room, and Uchimura had done her best to remain as calm and quiet as possible. The room was a silvery gray with a huge long table where many, many people sat, many rising up to greet Seto. Seto ignored them and sat down at the head of the table. Uchimura stood still, and Seto gave her an annoyed look.
"Who's this little girl?" one man, who looked about three times Uchimura's age, asked. "Your sister? Or your future wife?"
"Very funny, Akihara," Seto snapped. "She's my new secretary. Uchimura, there's a seat for you in the corner." Seto pointed to the far right corner, and Uchimura blushed as she saw other women staring at her, their pens and paper also poised at the ready.
"I-I'm sorry Kaiba-san!" Uchimura bowed and quickly ran over to the rest of the women, who were looking her up and down with odd expressions. Uchimura realized that most of them were abnormally beautiful, with long wavy hair and tight suits. Uchimura thought herself very out of place amongst the women.
"Uchimura," Seto said. Uchimura looked up.
"Y-yes Kaiba-san?"
"Did you already forget what I said?" Seto asked, frowning at her with dark eyes. "That's your cue to start writing."
"Oh! Of course!" Uchimura nodded, blushing again. Many of the other secretaries laughed, as did the men in the room. Uchimura did her best to keep her crimson red face hidden as she stared at the paper in front of her.
"Now, gentlemen…" Seto turned to the men at the table and began. "I apologize for the…" he glanced at Uchimura, "disturbance. Let's begin."
"H-here are the notes from the meeting, Kaiba-san." The meeting had ended, and the men were now milling around the room, conversing with one another and their secretaries.
Seto snatched the clipboard out of her hand and flipped through the pages. "These notes are perfect. How did you find out their names?"
"I just read their nameplates," Uchimura smiled and Seto's eyes widened. "And I looked over on other secretaries' notes. They knew the names better then I."
"Nice observation skills," Seto said gruffly, making sure that it wouldn't be taken as a compliment. "I expect that everyday from you, Uchimura."
"Y-yes sir! Of course sir!" Uchimura bowed low, nodding to her boss.
"Kaiba-san!"
Seto and Uchimura looked up to see one of the middle aged men walking towards them, his hand around the waist of one of the secretaries that Uchimura had sat with. She was especially young and beautiful. Curly blonde hair and red lipstick, not to mention vivacious curves and long legs. "I just came here to compliment you on your excellent plans for this month's revenue. And I also wanted to meet this young…" he paused and looked at Uchimura, "lady. She's your secretary, is she?"
"Yes, Shibame, I believe I said that," Seto snapped.
"A firecracker as ever, Kaiba-san," giggled the beautiful woman.
"Oh! Speaking of which," Shibame laughed. "This is my new secretary, Oharu."
"M-m-my name is…" Uchimura started, but was cut off my Shibame.
"And what's your secretary's name?"
"Uchimura. Uchimura Tsubaki," Seto introduced Uchimura, and she bowed.
"Tsubaki, is it?" Shibame chortled. "What a lovely name."
"Which the name matched the rest of her," Oharu said, laughing. Shibame joined in, and Uchimura looked taken aback. "No offense, of course darling. I know some of us can't get full points in all departments."
"And in which department is she lacking, Oharu?" Shibame asked, egging his secretary on. Uchimura was red with embarrassment.
"Well, the looks and grace department of course," Oharu laughed. "But she's an excellent writer. Maybe you should become an author dear. You write so well, and I think that you'd be best suited to closed, personal spaces. You could work in your basement!"
Shibame and Oharu laughed at that wise crack, and Seto frowned. "If we're done with all the revelry," Seto sighed. "I must be going."
"Oh, already Kaiba-san?" Shibame asked, smirking. "How about we have a quick lunch together?"
"I'm actually busy," Seto told him, walking past both him and Oharu. "My goldfish need feeding."
"Funny as ever, Kaiba-san!" Shibame laughed uproariously, but Seto didn't crack a smile. "No, no, I insist! The men are all getting to have a cigar and a few drinks. You simply must come along!"
"Must I remind you that I'm underage?"
"And what about us?" Oharu asked, smirking.
"The ladies were planning to grab a bite to eat," Shibame explained. "Wouldn't you like that, Tsubaki?"
"Urrm…uhh…w-whatever Kaiba-san says is fine…" Uchimura said, blushing once again.
"Well, in that case!" Oharu smiled, pulling Uchimura's arm over to the gaggle of pretty secretaries. "Girls, fresh meat is coming to lunch with us!"
"I'll skip the cigar," Seto remarked. "I've got to review these notes anyway. Uchimura!"
Uchimura quickly took out her clipboard and a pen and was poised to write. Seto sighed. "Put them away. What I meant is, Uchimura, when you're done, and make it quick by the way, come back to this room."
"Y-yes sir!" Uchimura nodded vigorously. "I'll be back within the hour!"
With that, the secretaries laughed and led Uchimura out of the room, talking and laughing amongst themselves. The men left as well, leaving Seto all alone in the room, reviewing Uchimura's notes.
"She really is weird…" Seto muttered, flipping through the notes. "But at least these notes are excellent. Hmm?" he looked down to see a message in the margin of one page written in green ink, contrasting the black around it.
Kaiba-san,
Sorry I embarrassed you! (a small face that looked as though it was frustrated and embarrassed was drawn next to this message) I'll do better from now on!
-Uchimura
Seto sighed and put down the notes. He picked up a glass of water and downed it in one gulp. He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, put down the glass, and continued to read.
"So…Tsubaki-chan, can I call you Tsubaki-chan, how old are you?"
"Umm…sixteen…" Uchimura replied, blushing as she ate a bit of her soup in front of her.
"My goodness!" one secretary laughed. "So young! You must really be talented."
"I-I don't think so," Uchimura shook her head. "I've already embarrassed Kaiba-san. I'm a pretty lousy secretary."
"False modesty," one secretary laughed and the others nodded in agreement. "Kaiba-san must have picked you for some reason!"
"Although it definitely wasn't your sense of fashion."
"Or the way you style your hair."
"W-well I never thought that those things were really important…" Uchimura was cut off by the resounding laughter of her companions. She looked up, rather confused as to the meaning of the laughing.
"Of course looks are important dear," Oharu remarked. "You're a girl, aren't you? You've got to show off what you've got!"
"I-I always wanted to let my ability show…"
"Ability's fine and dandy," another secretary with long black hair remarked. "But if you don't have the looks to back it up, no one's going to pay attention to you. Sad, but true. Appearance is everything in this world."
"Oh…" Uchimura murmured, looking down into her soup. She adjusted her glasses in her reflection. "D-do you think I'm ugly?"
"No offense darling, but every choice you've made today goes from bad to worse," Oharu laughed. "You hair is a mess, those glasses are atrocious, I can't believe you didn't even put lipstick on, that suit is horrible, and your nylons have runs in them."
Uchimura blushed as the group of secretaries began to criticize her clothing, hair, and make-up choices. She felt so…attacked.
"I-I have to go!" she finally said, sitting up from her seat suddenly, making the secretaries quiet down. "Kaiba-san is waiting for me back at the building."
With that, she grabbed her clipboard and bag and quickly walked out of the restaurant door.
But finding Seto was harder then Uchimura had thought it would be. She hadn't been paying attention when Seto had pressed their floor button, and therefore she had no idea where in the world to head to. She looked at the buttons in front of her. There were at least eighty…
"I know!" Uchimura smiled. "I'll just press all the buttons, and then get off at the floor that matches the one that we got off on last time!"
Uchimura quickly ran her thumb down ever single button, and the elevator began to move. It stopped abruptly at the second floor and the doors opened. Uchimura smiled. "This is it! It looks exactly like the floor we got off at! What luck!" Uchimura walked out into the hall. She noticed an employee walking by and stopped him.
"Excuse me, where's the meeting room?" she asked. The man looked at her, confused.
"Umm…miss, there's no meeting room here on the second floor."
"Huh? B-but I was just here!" Uchimura exclaimed.
"You must have the wrong floor," the man smiled. "Try looking upstairs. I know there are meeting rooms on floors 30-45."
"But this floor matches the one I was just on exactly!" Uchimura explained.
"Well, miss, all the floors have the same layout. They match exactly." Uchimura's face fell and she tuned as white as a sheet. Her only way of finding Kaiba-san was now gone.
"Oh, this is horrible!" Uchimura muttered as she stood in an empty elevator, not pressing any buttons. "I'll never find Kaiba-san this way."
Suddenly, the elevator gave a jolt, and Uchimura felt herself being thrown upwards. "Hmmm…where am I going now?"
The floors went up and up until the elevator finally stopped on the forty second floor. The doors opened, and Uchimura smiled widely to see none other then Seto standing in front of her. "Kaiba-san!" Uchimura gasped, glomping Seto.
"H-hey! Get off of me, Uchimura!"
"I-I got lost in the building, and th-then I couldn't find you and then I thought I did find you, but then all the floors looked the same and then I had to--"
"I assumed you had gotten lost," Seto sighed, shaking his head. "Anyway, enough. Let's just go home, I'm tired."
"Of course Kaiba-san!" Uchimura nodded, stepping back into the elevator. Seto pressed the first floor button and they were heading down. For a few seconds, they remained silent. "Kaiba-san?"
"What?"
"How was my first day?"
Seto paused.
Kaiba-san,
Sorry I embarrassed you! (a small face that looked as though it was frustrated and embarrassed was drawn next to this message) I'll do better from now on!
-Uchimura
"Fine," he muttered, and Uchimura smiled widely. "You did fine."
Such was Tsubaki Uchimura's first day.
Yay! Finished! I hope you guys all enjoyed it! This fic will remain on hiatus, I am sad to say. But don't worry! I'll update it as soon as my other fics finish up! (which should be soon)