Zodiac Sigh!

Author's note: --

Chapter 9 – Morality Rising!

A heavy rain outpours the city as Shizuru was having a hard time, figuring out on how to get home. Ignoring to bring her umbrella to work did occur in her mind, as she did not forecast the weather. Indeed, weather is such an unpredictable as the person's mood as she tries to shelter herself from the punishing rain.

She glanced at her watch. It read 8:30.

Just as she was about to tire, she can see at the far end of the road, a yellow car emerges from the darkness. She waved her hand as the taxi accelerates its speed…

…or maybe not.

It was not a taxi but just a yellow car that villainously splashed the water unto her. Shizuru was completely wet as she cursed the devilish driver. She wondered on how that person could ever madly drive towards the duct with the dirty water. However, shouting at the top of her voice is useless if the sound of thunder and rain cracks loudly in this misty night.

Moriko saw the helpless prey waiting at the shed as Shizuru waves at her, giving her a kinesthetic knowledge that she needs a ride.

That's what you think!

Instead, she pushed the pedal to hasten her car. She can see the blurry vision of terrified female as the water from the road spatters her. As the car went far away from the distance, she barely hears her screams, with all of her arms waving angrily in the air.

An impetuous laughter vibrates her ears.

Shizuru could not help but got irritated by that reckless driver as the car drove away to its mile. How can he do this to her? Her suit drenches down to the concrete floor. Just as luck was about to turn back, someone took noticed of her shocking appearance.

A conventional black car drove carefully in front of her. She has seen this before as the window lowers to see who is in the driver's seat.

Sakyo witnessed the whole scene as mercy occupies his heart. He gallantly accommodates the destitute woman into his car and travels proceeding home. A thought came into her mind that the essence of being a CEO does not exist only in the company…it was everywhere. However, when it comes to outside of the office, she no longer thinks this is the case. He is just a human being with a heart…a golden heart, you may say. He is also a man who is courageous enough to stand and lead the army of leader-hungry employees.

She felt so ashamed on how her immersed suit continuously drips down to its fine leather seats. She wanted to ask him if he has a towel in the back seat of his car but couldn't due to the extreme shyness that she has. How can a secretary ask a favor from your boss where in fact he is not her closest friend? She can feel that there is a small but deep space in between them. She hypothesizes that there is an invisible barrier unable to break through.

"Don't worry about the seat. I can dry them up tomorrow." He said.

Shizuru just gave him her smile with a touch of discomfort in her face. How can she tell him the truth? There is no way that she is proud of this incident when the CEO himself became your driver for one night. The worst part is this; he is telling you that being soaking wet is all right in his luxury car.

"Where do you live? I can take you home. It is impossible for you to get through to this rain." He offered.

"I lived in Sakura Avenue." She told him.

"You lived there? I know that place…and it is the cheapest rent for the low income people!" he exclaimed.

For all the people in the world, a Leo man definitely knows how to lecture all human beings on how a low cost rent could dehumanize your integrity. In the next few minutes, he started to recite about researching and investigating for a friendly neighborhood by using all kinds of communications available today. All she can do now is to remain quiet all throughout the journey. Shizuru was just seconds away from saying, shut up! She hardly controls her humongous headache as she can feel the pain palpitating in her head like a rubber ball bouncing repeatedly.

Sakyo turned his car unto the right side of the street and from there; it reveals the avenue where he detest most. This man has such a discriminating taste when it comes to defining the word "money". For him, money means luxury while for Shizuru, it means budget. He can clearly see, the car made straight to the dead night on how neighbors were extremely cautious. Lights from the street posts were bright enough to shine over the darkened avenue. Albeit there are no crimes happen here, but for a female, it was not an excuse to get your self home late.

He stopped his car at the pavement as she was about to open the car's door, he removed his suit to cover her from the continuous monsoon.

Shizuru, again, got bewilder with his rendition as she refused him.

Sakyo, on the other hand, did not withdraw his ply.

She turned her back against him.

"I insist, Shizuru. If you don't accept it, expect that I am going to fire you tomorrow morning." He threatened.

Does she have a choice? For Shizuru, she seriously took the statement as she accepts his offer to shelter her from the suit to its damning rain. She faintly said the words, "thank you," as she rushed quickly to the apartment's main entrance. Damn that CEO, she thought secretly. He surely knows what he wants and worst, he knows how to get it! He genially apperceives an employee's weaknesses by his very own words or writing to do it…no matter what it takes. Perhaps, all he wanted for her to do is to take a chance when something goes along within your path.

By the time she got into her room, a sign of alleviation entered her system as she went home safe and sound. Of course, she is, especially for someone like Sakyo Valdez, whom an embossed person figures that would take her to the domestic pad.

A knock from the door is something that she did not predict. As soon as she disclosed it, there he stands the person that she worked for.

"I think you forgot this." He said as he handled her shoulder bag.

She can visibly notice that his long-sleeved white shirt dampen from the rain. She can tell that he fought it just to make way here.

She slowly accepts it as he inspects the room that she is living in.

"Do you live in this kind of condition?" he asked, as if it was an impossible for him to do if he was in her place.

How sarcastic he is to end her night by asking that question. Shizuru has yet no choice to choose but to say "yes". He is so mean and I do not have a clue to what have I done to deserve this. I can see through your eyes that you wanted to say that a pad of mine is well suited for the refugees. The worst part is that you might say, "I should have contact the United Nations to give you a temporary but decent shelter."

However, there were no more words to say from the chairperson.

"I will see you tomorrow…I hope that you won't get sick." He said as he parted to the ground floor.

Closing the door is such a nice thing to do by slamming it with all her might. However, she cannot do that because she is not a hot-tempered person. A brief explanation of Shizuru's mood is like this; her parents did not raise a spoiled child. As an eldest in the family, she endured a lot of discipline and at the same time love in order for her to become a matured adult. Besides, it is pointless to unleash your anger at this night where her neighbors were deeply sleeping.

As she hit the sack for tonight, she oddly took a newspaper for today to read the horoscope.

Darn me, I am now getting obsessed reading this astrology!

Shizuru told herself that this is just a fancy way to pass the time.

The astrology written for today goes like this:

Leo: Your warm-hearted personality shines through the deepest and darkest corners of the earth. Truly, you are the master of the sun.

Virgo: An unexpected offer from someone you secretly admire steps into your life like a blazing sun.

The word 'sun' must be very symbolic for today's events. Sakyo is indeed the master of the sun for he does not need education or attend training in a crash course of "how to be in control". Like the flaming sphere, it never ceases to give his brilliance. For Sakyo, he will be forever joyful in generating what he can offer to the world.

In some small ways, she was lucky to have him as her boss.

Shizuru nearly misses the clock for only thirty seconds, as she was able to make it on time. She is a wonder woman who could order the entire foodstuff plus the suit that she dry-cleaned the other day. She felt anemic as these tasks could take eternity to finish it. However, there was no available choice for her to withdraw. As for Sakyo, he is the man who knows solid instructions.

As soon as she hangs the suit to Sakyo's personal closet, a reminder came into her mind. Today was Sakyo's birthday and she has a tiny gift that she hopes he will not mistaken it as a bribe. Rather, it is a gift to which it already a part of her for being a charitable person.

She places a small box above his desk as she began to do her customary work. An elegant capitalist entered without any prior salutation.

He stopped as he, too, observed a peculiar four-sided package in the table.

Examining at every angle of the box brought his eyes into the trance state. Sakyo looked up to his secretary, to ask her about his upcoming question.

"Shizuru, does this gift come from you?"

"Why, yes, it is. It was your birthday." She said modestly.

Sakyo just looked up above the ceiling. As if he doubts her, is it really my birthday?

"I guess you are right. Even my own birthday, I completely have forgotten about it."

Indeed, you are! Though you are not a perfect CEO that I ever met, I admire the way you took hold of this corporation. I must say that I am proud of you.

Silence and smile are the only answers she can give.

Two down…

…twenty eight to go.

When will these papers end is a question that requires an intensive debate. Two halves of her brain is trying to communicate to each other on how to organize Shizuru's thoughts. Meanwhile, the controller herself has no ounce of strength left to twitch every muscle in her body. Amending all of these can take days or even weeks but her arrogating supervisor is asking too much.

An idea cracks her sensible mind.

If you want to dose off your stress, hand him over your resignation paper.

Shizuru shut her paranoia off as she began to distract herself by recalibrating the papers that are due for today. As the compressing arteries and veins are gripping to its maximum brute force, she relinquishes all of her systems as she decided to give her self a justifying break.

When all have said and done, she stood up from her seat. She promises herself that she will not take a long break. She needs some recharging by going to the office's kitchen area to where the other staff breaks. Walking out from the room is liberating as every slave can truly appreciate the word freedom. She strides down the hallway towards to the said area to where she met her friend.

Eri Takahashi has been drinking in one corner, sipping a hot coffee from a tiny straw. Shizuru got tempted to do the same as she fixes herself with it. Eri's eyeballs retreat the new employee as Shizuru can sense that some danger is hanging over her. She came closer to her and by the actions of it, Eri stood up, bringing along her coffee.

"Eri," she called out, "what is wrong with you? I want to sit and enjoy your company."

"I have to avoid you…I don't want to risk my job."

"What do you mean by 'risk'? There is no such thing…"

Shizuru's sharp mind came into a conclusion that these were all possible because of Moriko Endo. Albeit without any trace of evidences, she can effortlessly see that Moriko must have warned her about socializing the meticulous secretary. How is that so? Just because she criticizes her papers and all she knows now is that she took it personally. What an idiot Moriko is? What a fantastic way to start an argument!

However, she cannot blame Eri for that matter.

Shizuru just nodded her head as Eri walk away from the area. Then again, she sat alone just like the last time. She is beginning to think on how to make friends in this consolidated world. Consuming a caffeinated liquid wakes her senses as her nerves begin to absorb the effect of it. Somehow, her brain took the last effect as it starts to function again.

By the time she finished her five-minute coffee break, she pass through the boardroom with familiar voices. She decided to stop for a while and listen over to the conversation that is taking place.

"She is doing more than her usual job."

"Indeed, and I just don't know how to thank her. She might be new but it seems she knows what she is doing."

"…but she came from the rival company, right?"

"Yes, you are, but I love the way she conducts the job. She may not be perfect but you cannot find everything in one person. I appreciate all her deeds and I am blessed that she was here managing beyond her duty."

Are they talking about me?

"Are you planning to do the same?"

"Yes, I will definitely do that! Besides, I owe her more than half of my work."

Business triumphs are nothing for Shizuru. She loves doing the job done fast and efficient. Rewards are secondary for a compliant person. Her body finally adapts to the stress especially she overheard Sakyo and Goro's conversation about the dark horse employee.

Delivering a resignation letter as of this time is a wrong move since they both now certify that her endeavors were worth more than gold or platinum.

Shizuru walked away with her morale rising to the stratosphere.

-To be continued-