Zodiac Sigh!
Author's note: --
Chapter 6 – Death note?
Shizuru was reading his paper that he gave her with all the instructions written on it. Doing that, she remembers something from the book she read a long time ago. A shivering feeling occupies her brittle emotions.
Nightmares marked unto the unfortunate victim, lasts an entire lifetime, succumbed to fear and death.
She was indeed, an unfortunate victim of business cruelty.
"Shizuru, are you alright?" Sakyo asked with a concern look in his face.
Is this really happening?
Everybody has its own fears of reading a "death note". For some reason, her body reacted as if she was experiencing a fight or flight response. What does that mean? This means that the body, specifically the sympathetic nervous system, quickly recognizes the stress (in this case, the horrifying paper that Sakyo gave her) is threatening her homeostasis. A body does wonder, as they say, even the veteran physiologist cannot explain fully on how this protective mechanism works.
Her heart starts to contract forcefully beyond its limitation, as she does not have a clue whether this is a sign of cardiac arrest or not. Her breathing accelerated too, beyond capacity and dispersion as sweat began to appear in her cold forehead.
Sakyo croaked his throat, reminding her that she is wasting her time, reading.
Shizuru's subordinate nerves must have alerted her cerebral supervisor as she went back from her senses. She "gladly" receives the paper as she turns her back against him. When suddenly he called her attention to know where is she going.
"I am going back to my desk outside."
"Your desk is already here." He informed.
Sakyo is pointing his finger towards the corner of the room with the desk empty. A small version of his genuine mahogany table is waiting its occupant.
This is worst that I thought!
She advances to the table with great caution as if there was a ticking time bomb hidden underneath. Honestly, she admits to herself that she was willing to work closely with the executive, as it was a goal for her. Nevertheless, the paper disrupts the serene atmosphere towards her perception of ideal workplace.
Morning madness petrifies every blue-collared people to its knees.
Shizuru wanted to stop the speeding taxi by standing in front of it, as she needs to die thirty minutes before nine o' clock. Why is it so? It is because of early ritual that her boss delegated such insurmountable tasks. If you think that insanity is confine only in one place, then you are wrong.
Psychosis can be found anywhere to anyone at anytime. She aggressively pushed her way towards to a near coffee shop to order a tall cup of Italian Latte'. Customers are gearing up from the counter as she already bought a financial newspaper, bagel, latte' and…
Did she forget something?
Oh yes, the office should be open before the employees time their way in for work. Not to mention, she needs to prepare Sakyo's table with papers, appointments and reminders. If only she has a palm top, then everything else is a breeze.
Her suit, fortunately, still has not stain from smudges of chocolate, coffee, mud and even a mucous for she has this obsessive-compulsive habit in cleanliness. Her stiletto shoes really grill her ankles and feet as running to Tokyo's business centers are like a concrete race ready for marathon.
Struggling her way into the revolving glass and steel entrance of the main building is like taking a carnival ride. The difference is that it only lasts for a few seconds. Her way of cruising through the horde of people can create mental chaos as she made it on time to get to the elevator.
As she now reaches the nineteenth floor of the building, she immediately slides down her identification card to a tiny electronic reader. The green light flickers on as the door automatically opened for her. She turned on the office lights as she activates the air-conditioning system to ventilate the empty room.
Opening the executive's room is comparable to a main butler inside the mansion. It takes eternity to produce a lot of muscular movements and organizational skills. Everything must be perfectly set up for she knew that new employees like her are still under surveillance.
What do you mean by "under surveillance"?
You see, every employee, though not as a suspect, has a careful eagle-eye observations coming from their supervisors on how they handle their jobs. Their first six-months determine if they are really worth keeping or not. For the employees, too, it is crucial for them to take seriously their performance because that requires from other companies to search their work histories on how they function.
Efficient and team-oriented employee can add a feather to the company's cap.
Sakyo entered his time through an electronic device by scanning his fingerprint. As he was about to enter the office, he saw something unusual.
Lights were properly dim in accordance to what he had written in the paper. He can hear the humming sound coming from the air conditioners. The temperature was tolerable. Phone lines and computers were activated in stand-by mode. He opened the door leading to his private office as by the sight of it, surprises him more.
Business papers that are in due today are properly placed above his table. As he inspects it, it was well computer-written in accordance to what he requested for. Even his personal computer that she turned it on, she skillfully enters the data about his present meetings that he needs to do via teleconferencing. A cup of coffee and bagel sits above from his expensive china-made plate. A few sheets of tissue are located besides it.
Thus, she followed everything that scribed in the paper.
Silence is so golden that Shizuru can make a fortune out from it.
As Sakyo was talking to an important client over the phone, she cannot concentrate at all. She can feel the pressure of working within his presence. Her computer seems to shift it's mode to screen saving as it temporarily appears a virtual maze. She lightly touches the mouse as it goes back to normal mode.
She has been typing for three hours now as she can feel the pain in her wrists. Her hands are starting to take its toll. Amazement is a thrill for her but when it mixes with horrific messages…she can feel herself disappearing like dispersed molecules.
By the way, what does the paper say?
Her head is bopping on one side as she realized that she was sleepy. Waking up from five o' clock is usual time for her but rushing herself to beat the eight-thirty seems to be too much to bear (for only a day). She can hear him biding a farewell to his client over the phone.
Shizuru took notice of a note, which was stick to the sides of the monitor, about reminding a client that Sakyo needs to reply before five p.m. today. Mind wander can bring an error as she gathers up her courage to inform something. She approaches his table as he looked up to her with a steady gaze.
"Mr. Sakyo, I would like to get this a clear word from you."
"Proceed." He allowed her.
"A client would like to have a partnership to you. He wants to discuss further over the phone. Additionally, he wants an answer from you as soon as possible."
"What company is that?"
"It's T.A.R. Company."
He briefly looked at one corner, thinking of his response. Finally, Sakyo tells her one word that makes him taste her initial irritation.
"Tell him maybe…got that? Maybe. It is up to you to do the details. As soon as you finish doing it, I will read it for formal approval." He said confidently.
What kind of order is that?
"Take your time so long as you will be able to finish it by noon today." He added.
That sounds so reciprocally clashing! She thought furiously.
She turns her wrist to glance at her watch. It read 11:10.
By the time Sakyo gave her his "masterful instructions", he gathers his attention towards to his personal computer. She can tell his eyes were deeply engrossed to the monitor.
Alternatively, maybe he is.
Sakyo made a "tsk" sound, coming out from the corner of his mouth, as it connotes that he is disappointed over something. His head sways from side to side, as she wondered what that could be.
"Damn! He captured my rook!"
The executive is playing chess against the computer.
Shizuru had an unexplainable urged to kill him as she slowly turns her back and walks away. Take your time so long as you will be able to finish it by noon today is the first thing she will ever hate to hear. She wished that her ears could produce a distorting sound so that she cannot understand every bidding word from him.
Shizuru took a last look from the dreaded paper that he gave her yesterday. She thinks that this could snap her internal being.
Congratulations for being here. These are the following tasks that you need to do for the first six months. After my evaluation, I will solely decide whether you deserve the current position that you are holding or not.
1. Be at the office at exactly 8:30 a.m. to open the lights, air conditioners and computers. The official working hours are from 9:00 to 5:00 and Mondays to Fridays.
2. Prepare everything in my office such as coffee, bagel, financial newspaper and the important documents that I need to sign for that day.
3. Regarding the nourishments that I need as indicated above, these are the following stores that you should buy alone: a. coffee and bagel – Tokyo 1820 Coffee Shop b. newspaper – Tokyo Financial Times. I will reimburse the spending weekly as long as you keep the receipts.
4. Documents should be printed in the computer with the following specifications: The font should be in Times New Roman with 12 as its size. All paragraphs should be indented five spaces, double spaces in between, allocate one-inch of space above and below the borders of the paper as well as to the left and right spaces, adding half an inch of it.
5. I want every document finish upon my command as soon as possible. If I received those documents late, I will take note a demerit system from your performance.
6. After finishing the documents, I have to review to finalize it.
7. Remind me of all appointments that I have scheduled for those days thirty minutes before the said time.
8. Remind me of all-important clients that I need to discuss with them, thirty minutes before the said time.
The last number seems to fit the description to where she is now…to remind him. She thought that a boss of hers has a good memory keeping… but she was wrong. All wrong to the point that her premonitions are starting to acquire some rust.
Excreting all her English business words are no match against the constricted time as she rushed herself to beat every second from the clock. She shortly stops to think deeply what to say next as her fingers are already itching their way to the keyboard. She took a glimpse at the watch located on the lower right of the screen as it read 11:20. She has ten minutes to conquer the deadline.
All the sound that dominates the private room is the clicking ones coming from the keyboard, comparable to a person's chatted teeth. Sakyo couldn't help but to smile as he secretly hides behind the computer monitor, keeping himself busy.
Meanwhile, she cursed her brain on how they react so slowly to the demands of her questionable grammars. Good thing though, that the computer has an automatic grammar correction as it reflects the red line. It indicates that it needs revising the sentence. The typing noise stopped as she saved the document and printed it.
The printer replied by transcribing the information to the paper as it feeds electronically. As the printer was about to finish, it stops for no apparent reason.
What the fuck is going on?
Shizuru wanted to bang her fisted hand unto the printer but cannot because she was in his presence. Any sign of bizarre behavior from the employee might give him a misunderstanding. Her arteries in her head started to appear beneath the superficial skin as she wished this abhorrent happening to end…now. The clock read 11:27.
What is wrong with this thing?
As she was about to faint from the pressure, the printer moves the paper out, indicating that it was all done.
She immediately grabbed the paper as she submitted to him…on time.
Sakyo, diverting his attention away from the game shortly, took the paper as he read it thoroughly.
"This document is not bad at all. You are a fast worker." He commented.
Of course, it is because you made a timely ultimatum! Unfortunately, for me, I don't have a choice but to follow it. She thought angrily as she gave him a proud smile.
Sakyo gave his noting approval as she went back to her chair to do an extra work. He called the client over the phone while holding the paper.
He began to converse at the other end of the phone line.
"Hello, good morning, this is Sakyo Valdez from Purple Eye Company. I would like to speak to Mr. Saito, please."
A brief silence followed but the talk continued.
"Mr. Saito, it's me Sakyo Valdez and I made my decision regarding your proposed business partnership."
As he began to explain his side based on her meticulous details of business reason why it will take, a few months time to think it over. Why is that so? It is because the T.A.R Company is currently in unstable financial situation. Albeit an important client, Sakyo did not want to offend the said company by just pushing him over the cliff. It should be carefully explain his side and with precaution on why partnership is not possible as of this time. The client understood as he gave him a sincere gratitude.
"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Saito. Perhaps, if time is right, I should consider your offer."
The discussion continued informally. "Do you think so? Well, thank you. I think it hard for my decisions I made and its details. I should have been an analyst for some reason." He joked.
Is he garnering all the glory that I painfully work hard for it?
He is such an ego feeder!
Shizuru's temper accelerated to the highest peak as her eyes were now turning to deadly flames.
On the other hand, Sakyo's smile seems to mark on his face permanently.
Shizuru was so tired that she does not know whether she came back from her former employer. A déjà vu of stress conquers her as she came home late night now. Worst, she needs to do the duty for tomorrow morning where the sun has not risen up yet.
At bed, she knew that dinner is no longer compulsory but an option for a hardworking woman like her. She almost forgot to read her daily newspaper as she unfolds the pages. A horoscope met her eyes with disgust.
Virgo: Today, you are overwhelmed with work as your boss or any authoritative figure sees your efforts unnoticeable.
Curiously, she read the Leo horoscope, too.
Leo: You are a leader who needs a humbling attitude towards to your subordinates. They behold you and do not disappoint them.
"Yeah, right!" She exclaimed loudly.
-To be continued-