Zodiac Sigh!
Author's note: --
Chapter 7 – Friend and Foe
Shizuru wished that the sun would not rise from its shining glory as she began the detested ritual from her leonine boss. A cup of latte', bagel and newspaper were all set. Rushing to beat the time is now part of her biological body clock as she rushed towards the pedestrian crossing.
Unfortunately, it already made a red hand signal, indicating to stop crossing the street.
She just hate the way he commanded the orders vaguely as she does not know whether him or Mr. Butajiri is the worst executive that she has ever worked for. She shook her head for a sign of disappointment as she can see the far end of the traffic signal that the white walking man flashes on its light.
She crossed the street, not minding the people that she bumped into, until someone familiar meets her eyesight.
It was Mr. Butajiri, who was crossing at the opposite side of the street, with his face slugged.
Diversification immediately entered her instincts as she covered her face with a bag of bagel in her hand while her eyes coated with strands of her hair. As they were about to meet, she made another quick decision to hide behind the man who was walking ahead of her.
Fortunately, he missed her by the second.
She gave herself some relief that she need to alert herself for somebody like him.
The doors are still lock as Shizuru slides the identification card unto the electronic reader. It shows the red light as it implies that the door will never opened for some reason that she lacks something. She tried it one more time for she prays this will work. Unfortunately, it did not deliver its promise.
"What is wrong with this?" Shizuru asked herself through the thin air.
"You're sliding the card too fast." Someone educated her.
She turned over her shoulder as Sakyo was standing behind her. How long is he there waiting? She was so embarrassed and afraid on why he was here this early. She checked her memory that she knew it wasn't his time to get in. A man with distinct attitude poise himself besides her as he gently clasped her hand with the card.
A pool of blood suddenly rushed upwards to her face. She did not totally expect that he was teaching him on how to slide the card with proper timing.
He gently slips the card as the electronic reader finally shows the green light. The door automatically opens for both of them as she thanked him for that. Lessons of simplified unbarring aperture should be part of her training module. She rushed herself towards the entrance to prepare everything that she needs to do. Such speed is annoying for her pencil-styled skirt as it limits her pace of walking. Opening the lights, air-conditioners and setting him all the papers that he needs to work out today.
She placed his morning nourishments as he can see, far from where he was standing, a slim smoke coming out from the cup cover. He smiled, as he needs to do some payback, someday.
She ordered herself some rice, fried fish and miso soup. A cold coconut juice will do the trick to supply her glucose-manic cerebrum. As she paves her way through the crowded cafeteria, she couldn't find luck in searching for a vacant seat. She carefully scans the entire area as she notice far from the corner that Sakyo was eating alone. An empty seat awaits there.
Oh, no, I am not going to join him! She thought against her stomach's will.
A stomach is such a wonderful organ in the body as it produces sounds of growls and hisses. Just like in an orchestra, they rhythmically tuned into each other, as they demand guidance from the conductress (which in this case is Shizuru). Ignoring the gastronomic maniac is hard to do especially if her reaction coincides with it. She was hungry as the beast as she needs to nurture her body.
She spotted a fellow employee, standing up from his seat, as she quickly hastens her pace to dwell in his chair. As luck turns against her, someone that she targets on has already possesses it.
On the other hand, she seems to be alone.
She gave herself a good and big sigh of comfort as she kindly approached the lone woman in the table. Shizuru hope that she will give her a permission to append with her.
A female at her age gazed to the new employee, "you must be new because this is my first time to see you. You can join me here in this table."
"Thank you," she replied with a trace of happiness in her voice as she placed her tray unto the table.
A black-hair woman with nostalgic eyes looks so disinterested. Her slightly stout body arched forward to the table, feeding some food to self. Her thick eyeglasses, as she predicted, came from the sixties era. Worst, her fashion style goes beyond to the high-school-sweetie-girl type. She was wearing a knitted sweater with all of its sight-invasive colors, and a pleated checkered skirt that extends down below her knees. She can also tell that her shoes can hurt anybody for someone she missteps in. The heels were too thick to carry it. This woman needs to upgrade everything, she thought meticulously.
"My name is Shizuru Kuwabara. I am just new here in this company." She introduces herself.
"Oh, please to meet you. My name is Eri Takahashi. I worked at the marketing department…make that the scariest department."
Her eyebrows rose in a surprising manner the way she open her fear that quickly, "why is that so?"
"It is because of…"
Suddenly, a mad female voice interrupted the traumatized employee, "you better hurry up, Eri. Your designs suck and you need to finish it before four o' clock." She mentions those words with a strong insisting force.
"Yes, ma'am," murmured the lowly peon as she bustle her meal. Shizuru saw her boastful attitude as she noticed that she adjusted herself into an affectionate and docile maiden. She sat next to Sakyo will all her sweetest delight and charm in joining him.
"Who was she? How come she treats you like a trash?" She inquired with a fume coming out from her mouth.
"…but I am a trash." She bluntly told her.
"What are you talking about? I am not a psychologist or something but you should not treat yourself that way. You're special." She encouraged the lowly female.
"How did you know?"
"It is because everybody's special! All are different but all are great!" she claimed proudly.
"What department do you work in?" she asked, not minding if the topic detoured.
"I work as Mr. Valdez's secretary. I work closely…"
As if heaven and earth have collided, Eri suddenly stops eating her meal, stood up from her seat and bowed her head lowly to her. Shizuru raised her eyebrow as she clearly sees that this woman needs a good self-esteem.
Shizuru's cheeks reddened as Eri made a little commotion around their fellow employees. This is the case of a princess and a lady-in-waiting, who both are complete opposites of each other. You got a stunning secretary who armors her self with dignity, not minding if those clothes came from the sassiest department store or a flea market. Meanwhile, you got a female whose deflated confidence does not have feminine qualities that men are looking for.
She ordered her to return her seat as she gave him a grim reminder that her supervisor might lashed out her infamous callings. Their conversation continued.
"Wow, you are Mr. Sakyo's office secretary. You must be smart!"
"Well…honestly, I am not smart. I'm just hard working." She humbled.
"Being Mr. Sakyo's secretary is a privilege. You see, he rarely hires an office secretary in his premise because he is very demanding. Additionally, he has keen eyes on how to hire people."
You can say that again. I started working a few days ago and I can feel the burn of his entreatments, she apprehended.
"When was the last time did he has a secretary?" Shizuru asked curiously.
"It has been two years since his former employee left."
"Did you know the reason why the antecedent left?"
She lean her body close to her, "it is a big secret…because Sakyo found out that his previous secretary was manipulating his colleagues' for malicious plan." She whispered.
"Oh, that was dangerous!"
"That is the reason why he didn't hire another one, right after he left. However, when the company grew its profits, he has no choice but to employ. You are so lucky that you are the one filling up the job. He really needs one…badly."
The words "need" and "badly" seems to give her chills, like an Eskimo stranded in the polar cap without any protective coverings in his body. "I'm lucky that it turned out to be me. He needs me badly." She expressed falsely, matching with her eyes wide as golf balls.
This dialogue eases both females as they chatted along with their backgrounds. Eating their lunch is a perfect time to relax. Talking to each other is such a therapeutic way to release the morning stress. Friendship blossomed between the contrasted dames. Eri is one of the veteran workers who have seen the company grew for the last three years. She is a graduate of fine arts. She remembered Sakyo as the one and only boss who sincerely appreciates her talent. In fact, she did not apply for work. He just discovered her at the subway while sketching faces.
"That was incredible! You got a fantastic talent!" Shizuru exclaimed with hilarity.
"Well, I don't know. You haven't seen my art works yet." Eri doubted.
As soon Shizuru was about to speak, Eri's mysterious supervisor scolded her, one more time, to advise her that she urgently return to her desk or face the risk of penalty. Her manner of walking seems to be like a model, strolling down to the catwalk. She can tell that through her swaying hips that makes the buttocks looked like a hanging ham, swinging from side to side.
Lacking a choice, Eri left silently without even finishing her food.
She is so mean!
On the other hand, Shizuru's conversation ended abruptly. She now faces no one but an empty chair with some leftover grains of rice. Her mind made wanderlust as whom that evil maiden is. She may be new but she can analyze, from the given scene, on how employees integrate for the sake of company's name. Internal business conflict can be distressing as it can accumulate an erupting force, waiting to explode.
Shizuru returned to her desk as she began to open her personal computer. Her mind boggles as if it was an unsolved jigsaw puzzle. Who was she and what nerve does she have to maltreat her subordinate morally? Did she do that just because she is somebody is a potential reason or maybe because her new found power finds its way to her head.
Whatever the reason is, she needs to be cautious. She can tell that the woman is quite dangerous in a way on how she abuses her powers. If she can get her hands (or claws for that matter) on her, she must prepare for the worst.
Sakyo entered his office with a handful of papers. He called unto her for a closed discussion.
"I need you to analyze this and I know this is not your job."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Scrutinize every word that is written in these papers. These are the plans to advertise the company's next product, 'Futurity'. The marketing department submitted these to me and I don't have time to review. I had an important meeting with the fire inspectors.
"Fire inspectors?"
"They wanted to discuss some matters regarding their annual building inspection. It will last for a while then I will be back if everything is all done." He assured.
Shizuru obtain those papers as he grabbed his blazer and left her quietly.
I am a sucker for this!
Returning to her seat is like getting a kid to behave in one corner doing detention work. How can he do this to her? Analyzing the marketing department plans are not her forte'. She honestly confesses to her self that Sakyo is giving her the tasks that she no longer holds in that area. You know what, she thought, I might as well get his attention that I deserve. A raise will be fine if I finish this before the office hour ends.
Shizuru saw the door opened with a villainous female coming into his lair.
"Excuse me, do you need something?" she asked politely.
"Yes and I want to talk to Mr. Sakyo Valdez."
"I'm sorry but he just left minutes ago to meet the inspectors. Is there anything that I can do for you?"
"Yes, kindly submit this to him about Eri Takahashi's performance report. This employee needs a grill."
"Alright, by the way, what is your name?"
"My name? You do not know…oh, yes, you are new here. I'm Moriko Endo, the marketing director."
She finally learns the name of Eri's nemesis.
Hence, it was you.
-To be continued-