Chapter 4
"You wanted to see me?"
A few people had been telling her to come to her Boss' office as soon as Nozomi walked into the building. They kept on saying how urgent it was and that piqued her interest.
"Ah, yes," Her boss gently laid the stack of paper he has been reading as she approached his table, "Have a seat."
One of her eyebrows rose. That's not a good sign. Usually, he would tell her a brief summary of her new task and then dismiss her almost immediately. But now, he actually wants her to sit down.
No wonder everyone looked agitated and told her to drop off her things and come to his office right after. The last time she has seen him like this was three months ago at the height of the scandal.
Once she settled on her seat, he cleared his throat and said, "First, I want to congratulate you. Your suggestion was approved and soon, we will hold an audition for Orpheus, treating it like a mini Love Live Project."
Love Live Project is a contest held bi-annually for school idols but a few years back, the first ever M-side was held for school band groups. Orpheus was crowned as the winning band among thousands who registered. The event was such a huge hit that the band members were immediately scouted for record deals, television appearances and the likes. However, the LL Project School Band edition wasn't announced since then.
She thought it'll be a huge event from how Naoki won't shut up this morning, but she didn't expect it to be this phenomenal. He was practically shaking in his seat as he spewed gibberish at her during the car ride to work. Her boss laid his clasped hands on his desk and looked squarely at her.
"I want you to help organize this event. You haven't really been involved since you got here."
There was underlining motive in his words. It's true that all she's been doing was screening fan letters and act as a chaperon to one of members or the whole group when they have TV or radio guesting.
"You are to carry out my orders and see that they are met accordingly. You can take as much resources you need." He added.
That wasn't so bad, she thought. At least now she doesn't have to read any risqué fan letters as much. "Will that be all?"
She immediately regretted asking that question when his eyes gleamed in a certain way. The last time he had that expression Nozomi suggested they have this audition, though it did good, she was presented to a room full of marketing executives trying to one up each other and was forced to fend for herself.
"So, I heard about that thing that happened yesterday morning in your office. And I don't like it." The last part came out harshly. It completely threw her off guard. Nozomi's eyes widened. Just how in the world did he found out? And to what extent? Does someone else know?
"You and Elliot need to work out your differences."
"How do you suggest we fix it then?" She recovered from the initial shock and her expression changed into mild annoyance. She did not want to be reminded of yesterday's hiccup with a certain blond.
Her boss leaned back in his seat. "Do you know what today is, Nonchan?" She will not like this, will she? Her brows narrowed as she frowned.
"Monday?" she answered apprehensively. He smiled at her sweetly. Yes, she will definitely not like this.
"Today is the day I appoint you as Elliot's little guardian angel," she grimaced at the title. Seriously, she preferred the professional title "personal assistant".
"Effective immediately." He said with finality and it felt like a gavel dropped and sealed her fate.
Kotori exhaled audibly, making the fringes of her hair flutter. She spent her second day in Japan mostly spacing out and taking short naps, which is normal when your body is trying to adjust to a certain time zone. Then, it took her another two days to place everything in their proper places before she finally settled in.
Her apartment is a studio type with a small balcony where she could hang her laundry to dry. There's also a small kitchenette and a separate toilet and bathroom. Most of the space is taken by the bed and a large wooden closet. She also has a study desk and a small low table. It was difficult to move around her room since the air conditioning unit broke down yesterday. The summer heat made moving unbearable. She already contacted the landlady about it and hopefully, it will get fixed later.
"Maybe I'll go out today," she thought, as she wiped the sweat off her brow. She went out a couple of times to the convenience store nearby to buy pre-made bento boxes but she hasn't really explored the neighborhood yet.
"I should go grocery shopping..." she looked about her room, mentally taking her things into account.
Once decided, she took a pad of paper and a pen from her desk drawer. She lives alone now; she can't just buy stuff as she pleases. Kotori paused as she remembered the rich silk and colorful patterned fabrics Japan has to offer and she can't wait to get her hands on. She shook her head, she better stop thinking about clothes.
She listed down a few things like food, ingredients and toiletries, what a typical college student needs to survive everyday life. Kotori can cook a decent meal but she's mostly fond of baking. She sighed as her list became lengthy. At this rate, she needs to get a part-time job.
"It's still summer anyway, best to ready my resume..." Kotori checked her phone, the one Haruki gave her. It helped her a lot but there was so many apps she haven't checked yet. She used the GPS mostly and read daily news online.
Despite being fluent in speaking Nihonggo, there are still some characters she doesn't understand especially kanji.
As for Haruki, he sent her a lot of emails. From "good morning :)" to "sleep tight! ;D".
He even called last night to check up on her, making sure she's doing fine. He sounded tired though. He said something about a full house or was it a fun house? She forgot. Their bakery sure is popular, she thought. Despite his obvious fatigue, they still ended up talking all night.
"I'm going shopping today ^_^v" She tapped the send button on the screen and got a reply almost instantly.
"Uwaah... wish I could go with you D;"
They emailed back and forth for a while until Kotori decided it was about time to head out. She slipped her wallet and phone into her purse and left her apartment, making sure the door was locked.
She finds herself in Akihabara again. There's something about the ambience of the district that amazes her. Everything around her looked vibrant and buzzing with life. There are shops and stalls of all kinds, catering to different cliques. It's a unique place where creative self-expression is encouraged and she liked that immensely. To her, Akibahara is the perfect source of artistic inspiration.
Kotori leisurely walked down the street, humming a certain ringtone she heard on her first night back here in Japan. She checked out the clothes and trinkets on display, relishing the beauty of its intricate designs and its texture.
After the nth boutique she went into, she remembered why she was there. Wandering aimlessly isn't good, she mentally scolded herself. Kotori slapped her cheeks with both hands and folded her elbows, seemingly fired up to get things done. She went out of the boutique and planned to walk further downtown when she noticed a young man appear from below, carrying a signage. Once he was done setting it up, he stepped away as a passerby struck a conversation with him.
While he was distracted, Kotori peered at the signage and found out it's an advertisement of that day's special menu for a café with an arrow pointing downstairs. The entrance reminded her so much of the place Haruki brought her into a few days ago.
Intrigued, she walked down and came across double glass doors decorated with posters of pastries and cakes. There was also a sign that says: "We're hiring!"
"Whoa... hey!" The young man came down after her, his black hair was tied in cute little pigtail. "We're not open yet."
"Excuse me..."
"Huh?"
"Uhm, about that sign at the entrance," She said pointing at the flier.
"Wait, are you Minami-san?"
She blinked in confusion. "Yes, how did you—"
"Come with me," He grabbed her arm and pulled her upstairs. Kotori was surprised he has a strong grip despite his built. She was led to an alleyway and they went inside a sturdy looking house directly above the cafe. They entered a room that seems to be the staff's break room.
"Here, just through that door. Your locker is the third on the left." He handed her a uniform wrapped in a thin plastic—a western style maid outfit. "You can put your valuables in there since it's just us; the Buchou is always in the kitchen. Don't worry I won't take your stuff."
Something about this is weird. Kotori worked part-time before and she was interviewed briefly before anything else so when he didn't bother asking for her CV and just outright told her to get changed, she couldn't help but be confused. Was it always like this here in Japan? Maybe they need to test her skills before officially hiring her but isn't that what's training for?
"Well? Don't just stare at me and get changed already so I can teach you how to properly place an order."
"I-I'm ready!" Kotori emerged from the other room wearing the uniform. It was a classic Victorian maid outfit complete with a headdress. It was a bit loose around her waist. Maybe she could alter it later? She noticed the young man now dressed like a butler. His dark hair and ruby colored eyes blends well with his suit.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Your hair," he starts, pulling his gloves off.
"Eh?" She didn't forget to comb her hair this morning, did she?
"Twintails,"
"Eh?"
"Sit there for a moment. I'll do your hair,"
"Ehhhhh?!"
Taking advantage of her confusion, he maneuvered her into a chair, combed her hair gently and teased it into a twintail style with deft fingers. Kotori could only sit there dumbfounded as he worked his magic. He didn't really look like the type who would know how to style anyone's hair or even have such gentle hands.
"Wow," Kotori was at awe as she stared at mirror. She never really styled her hair that much, aside from the little side loop she always sports and occasionally tying it up on a loose ponytail or braids.
"Did you work as a hairdresser before, Naoki-senpai?" He made sure to stress the senpai part to her when he introduced himself.
"Nah, I have two younger twin sisters. They always want to try out different hairstyles once in a while." He was busy tapping on a device as he spoke. "You have a smart phone, right?"
He passed her the device. It looked similar to a smart phone but it's used for placing orders instead.
"It's self-explanatory or do you need help with it?" She shook her head and Naoki continued talking.
"Alright, let's start with greeting the customers. Repeat after me," He pressed a hand to his chest and said, "Okaerinasaimase, ojou-sama..." then he slowly dipped his head in a small bow.
"Oooh," She clapped at his example of grace as he slowly stood straight not breaking his character.
"Now you try it, but say goshujin-sama instead," he nodded for her to start.
"Okaerinasaimase, goshujin-sama!" She said, trying to copy him but she ended up less graceful but with more enthusiasm. When he made no sound, she looked at him with worried, upturned eyes.
"Uuu... is it not good?" she asked. Naoki wasn't sure on what to think. Dealing with Nozomi's antics for two years, he thought he was an expert on knowing when a woman is being genuine or not. The sudden gap in her early demeanor and that pout is throwing him off.
So when she asked "How was it, senpai?" gingerly, Naoki realized he has much to learn and that this girl will give Nozomi a run for her money. Women are scary. He already feels sorry for the sap this girl gets her hands on, that guy will be so whipped. He cleared his throat.
"Good job, Minami. I can already feel our sales skyrocketing."
And that's exactly what happened. They usually didn't have many customers. It's a newly opened cafe and their block has three other cafes to compete with. But adding Minami into their staff roster left others at their wake, and a new rumor about a legendary maid began to spread all throughout Akihabara.
"Thanks for today!" Kotori greeted her senpai as he walked out of the locker room, he had changed in the bathroom early when she was in locker room.
"Actually, you're the one I needed to thank. 'Cause of you, we sold out pretty early." He grinned, "Now I can get groceries at the market before the housewives can get all the good stuff.
Ah... Oh, right! Kotori completely forgot about getting groceries. "Naoki-senpai, do mind if I come with you? I'm not familiar with this area yet."
"Not really, but what do you mean you're not familiar with this area? Don't you live nearby?"
"Uhm... I won't say nearby. It's a fairly long walk from here."
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"Naoki! I heard we got a new impressive employee today!" Another man, in his late 40's, said gleefully as he entered the room. He took off his toque and smiled at the girl.
"You did great missy. I haven't been that busy in the kitchen for years!" He chuckled in amusement.
"And Naoki, good job! I knew you have a good eye!" The manager said proudly as he patted Naoki's back in congratulations.
"Wait, wait... Buchou, I thought we were expecting Minami today?" Naoki asked, confused by the way the Buchou is acting.
"Ah, yes. Minami, my daughter, decided to go on a trip with her friends instead of helping out here at the shop." The Buchou explained.
"But then- you said you're Minami!" he said, pointing at the bemused girl.
"Eh? I am! My n-name is Kotori Minami. It's nice to meet you!" she bowed politely. There was a moment of silence for a few seconds until their manager bursts out laughing at their expressions. "Ah, what a day!" he said, wiping away his tears.
"Now, now. Don't worry about it, Naoki. Everything worked out for the better. I say this is the work of fate!" He winked at Kotori in a fatherly way.
"Come on you two, you both deserve a treat." He said, motioning them to follow. "Oh and by the way, welcome to our café, Kotori-chan. You're hired!" Those last two words were the sweetest words she heard that day.
"Man, I messed up!"
"It's okay senpai, it all worked out in the end!"
"Yeah, good thing Buchou was a really nice guy. If it was any of my previous employers, I'd be fired in a heartbeat." Naoki decided to teach her a few shortcuts along the market. He strategically surveyed the alleyways on how to get to and from there to get the best deals before the other consumers. Kotori noticed that her senpai is very frugal and practical. Though she would prefer getting her groceries from the supermarket, he insisted they get it fresh from the artisan marketplace. He said it was by far cheaper and better in quality. Kotori completely fell in love with the place.
There were not only arrays of fresh fruits and vegetables, assorted meats and food stuff but there were also a lot of fine materials she could use into her blooming profession.
"It gets even cheaper if you buy in bulk," said Naoki, and she's swooned all over again.
"Oh my god, calm down," Naoki pulled her into a store that mainly sells eggs and dairy products. "I swear, you were having an orga—"
"Uwaah, would you look at that," a suspiciously loud whisper could be heard, "Naoki-kun has a new girl with him. Is he cheating on our precious Nontan?"
"She's not my girlfriend," Naoki said briskly. "And this is my new co-worker. If you're starting to gossip about me, at least wait until I'm out of earshot."
"Sorry, sorry," The man behind the counter laughed good-naturedly, "It's just you haven't bringing Nontan for a while now. What's your name, girly?"
"Oh, Kotori Minami," She bowed politely. "I'll be in your care from now on."
"This one's polite, I like her! Do you like milk, Kotori-chan? I'll give you a shot, if you like." He leered.
"Bastard." Naoki glared at the shopkeeper. If only there were other stores that offered the same quality products, he wouldn't be there shopping in that store ever. But before he could say anything about his inappropriate remark, Kotori surprised them both by chuckling.
"A shot of milk isn't enough, silly. If you make that a bottle of fresh milk then I'll gladly accept your offer." She smiled innocently.
Naoki's jaw dropped. Did she seriously miss the meaning of the offer? The innuendo completely flew over her head and right out the window. Just how oblivious can she be? Even the shop owner looked shaken for a bit in the face of an innocent smiling girl.
"Then, take a bottle of milk then. It's on the house!" the shop owner said upon recovering.
"Eh, really?" she said, her eyes twinkling with delight. "Thank you so much! I'll bake cheesecake with it and bring you some next time!"
"My, my, what a good girl you are, Kotori-chan!" The shop owner looked touched. In Naoki's head he was like, who is this person?
"Uhuh, right..." Naoki glanced at her in the corner of his eye. It hasn't even been a full minute since she stepped inside and Kotori already has the shop owner, who's known to have a perverse personality, eating at the palm of her hands. Scary...
They went to several other shops and Naoki experience all the same scenario with Kotori getting free stuff. He was exhausted but thankful, Kotori's 'good luck' brought food to his table, too. They also offered him a lot of stuff. He could feed his siblings and Nozomi for the next few days with these.
"People around here are so nice," Kotori hummed as she walked beside him, carrying several grocery bags in both hands.
He could only nod.
They eventually have to split up. They walked back, now standing in front of Spica, their workplace. Naoki would offer her a ride but he wasn't sure what time Nozomi will get there to pick him up.
Kotori decided to just walk back home. She may not look like it but she had her fair share of manual labor. They bid farewell and promised to work hard tomorrow.
Naoki didn't wait long. A few minutes after Kotori left he received a text from Nozomi telling him that she won't be about to pick him up. He actually expected that since she might work on the auditions but not so soon as this.
"Looks like I'm walking, too." He headed south, smiling to himself. He got home around 7pm the last time Nozomi got held back from work and one of his twin sisters ate all the snacks they had, she couldn't take a bite when he finished cooking dinner.
His phone chimed again, a call this time. He looked at the screen and saw it was Cocoa.
"Didn't I tell you to only call me during emer—" he listened to the hysterical voice at the other end. He grew pale. "What?"
"Okay... calm down, alright? Oniichan's coming," the call ended and Naoki was out of the door in a flash.
The sky was turning dark purple as Kotori slowly made her way to her apartment complex, trudging through the dry pavement with nine grocery bags in her hands. She needs to walk up a small hill before she gets there, Kotori sighed tiredly. Maybe I should've just gotten a cab...
The streetlights lit up as she turned around a corner. There's a park nearby, she could take a seat on the park bench for a little rest.
As she walked down the road, she noticed a lone hooded figure slumped against the wall near the streetlight, his signature orange hair and jacket glowed warmly under the light. Her heart skipped a beat. She only knew of one person who sports such a bright color—Haruki-kun. She narrowed her eyes in confusion. Unlike Haruki, this lone figure looked tired and drained in the semi-darkness. He didn't exude the same sunny aura she knew.
Despite her doubts, she gathered her courage and called out, "Is that you, Haruki-kun?" she asked hesitantly. She was prepared to apologize if she got the wrong person.
The lone figure looked towards her direction, his eyes hidden by his hood. "Kotori-chan?" She heard her name being called. Then, he pulled down his hood and without a doubt, it was Haruki. "Ah! It is you!" Haruki's unfocused eyes sparkled as he recognized her profile.
"Kotori-chan~!" He called again as he happily jogged to her and gave her a hug.
"Kyaa! Mou, Haruki-kun! My groceries!" She tried her best to keep her balance and prevent her shopping bags from falling as he continued to lock his arms around her in a warm embrace.
With his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her away a little so he could look at her face. "Even in the dark, I knew I'll recognize you anywhere!" he said, smiling confidently.
She blushed under his intent gaze. "Don't make a habit of waiting in the dark, though. It's dangerous." She reminded gently.
"Aww~ Kotori-chan~!" Touched by her concern for his wellbeing, he lifted her up in the air and twirled her around with the groceries and all.
"Kyaa! Wait! Haruki-kun!"
After a while, he bought a can of orange juice as an apology for almost smothering her. Kotori was sitting on the bench, making sure all her stuff was okay. It made him smile how she pays so much attention to detail. She was so focused she didn't hear his approach. He smiled mischievously.
"Here you go," He pressed the cold can against her cheek making her squeak. He sat beside her, laughing as she tried to glare at him while pouting cutely.
"Mou, Haruki-kun! Stop teasing me..."
"Sorry, I was just really happy to see you!" he grinned. He watched silently as she pulled the tab and drank from the can daintily.
"Ne, Kotori-chan. What was your life like before?" he asked out of the blue.
"Before? You mean when I was living abroad?" she looked at him for confirmation. Haruki nodded.
Kotori held the drink with both hands. "Well, I guess I was weird in high school. You know, I'd talk someone's ears out if they were willing to listen," she chuckled. "If my Mom wasn't the school dean, I'd probably get bullied."
"I doubt that." He gently pulled a single strand of her hair behind her ear. "Kotori-chan's the sweetest girl I know!"
"Thank you..." she blushed, unused to such gestures. It wasn't her first time to hear compliments from the opposite sex but they sounded superficial to her before. But Haruki was different. His sincere words make her heart beat a little faster. She didn't know what to do.
So instead, she averted her eyes shyly and continued her story. "So after graduating high school, I worked on retail for a while..."
She talked about her first job experiences, the few friends she made in college and the times they shared, the designers she looked up to, the secret places where she went to in her free time, the activities she loved doing, etc. She shared with him about her journey about being a fashion designer.
Soon, her face was glowing with pride for the choices she made to achieve her dream.
Her eyes looked bright, determined and straightforward. Just by sitting beside her, he felt like her energy and enthusiasm is being transferred to him. In his eyes, she looked really captivating.
He placed his head on her shoulder and breathed in deeply. This is exactly what he needed. He wasn't 100% sure he'll meet her today but he's glad he bet on that small chance of seeing her.
"Haruki-kun?" Kotori said, concerned. "Are you okay?"
"Do you mind if we stay like this for a while?"
She shook her head. "You can lean on me for as long as you wish."
He chuckled. "Thank you, Kotori-chan. You really are the sweetest girl I know."
Kotori could almost imagine his bright smile as he repeated his words earlier.
She blushed but stayed still.
They remained like that for a while, enjoying the comfortable silence that fell between them under the cover of the night.
Nozomi just had the most awkward dinner of her life. Normally, a fan would be delighted to sit across Elliot as they try not to faint and splat face first on a very expensive beefsteak, but the fancy tableware and melodic ambiance of the restaurant felt like an interrogation room to her.
As soon as she left her boss' office this morning, she's been together with Elliot the whole time and not in a good way. At first, he acted like she didn't exist. He doesn't respond whenever she asks him a question.
Then he started to look really annoyed. He definitely didn't want Nozomi near him. Lastly, during dinner, he was blatantly glaring at her, not minding the female waiter who keeps on swooning every time she goes to their table to serve their food.
This is a mistake, she sighed. This whole disaster is gonna blow up on her face. After this, he has a late night TV guesting. She didn't realize how busy his schedule is until now.
Her phone rang as they were on their way to the parking lot- it was Naoki. Elliot was walking a few feet a head of her so she discreetly answered her phone, not wanting to suffer anymore death glares at least until they get back at the TV studio.
"Nicochi, this is really—wait, calm down," On the other line, Naoki was talking way too fast, he also seemed like he's out of breath as if he ran for miles. "Breathe slowly, Nicochi. Okay, tell me what happened."
Elliot was pissed. The chairman called him this morning to tell him about his new arrangements with Toujou. He doesn't really like all the attention he gets from the female populace. He just wants to be left alone but Toujou is a different case.
She doesn't fawn over him like the other assistants he was assigned to. From what he heard, she's pretty laid back and doesn't help in production. She just stays cooped up inside her office most of the time. How she even got in was a mystery. One day the chairman just introduced her to the band as assistant manager and everyone just agreed with him without a hitch.
Rumor has it that nepotism was involved. Elliot hated people like that, a greenhorn who gets privileges just because they have close ties with someone of great influence.
Suddenly, Toujou ran past him and went straight to the direction where she parked her car. A few seconds later, he heard the start of the car engine. Is she leaving me here?!
Elliot ran, he quickly tapped on the driver side's window when he got there. "Hey, open up!"
Nozomi rolled down the window, looking all serious. "Sorry, I have to be somewhere."
"Are you being serious?" He asked, looking at her as if she grew another head. She's crazy. "Did you forget that you're my ride to the studio?!"
"I already called someone," She said distractedly. She closed the window of her car again and mouthed 'I'm sorry' before speeding off, leaving a very disconcerted Elliot behind.
BETA & Co-writer: Keirajoy
