Title: Buy Me With Your Love
Chapter Two
I watched a movie once. It's about two vampires who "bonded", they formed a pact that they would be together forever. To bind oneself to another is a pretty scary thing to do and right now, that pretty much sums up what he wants to happen.
"Here it is," he says as he drops a thick stack of papers in front of me. I read the words typewritten on the cover. Contract. The word isn't new to me, I heard it before. I see it used in movies, novels, and real life, but I never got involved with it. After all, I'm still in college and life after college meant a lot of those. "Let's handle this in a civilized manner."
He smiles once again and I'm starting to be scared.
At this very moment, I'm sitting on a plush leather chair in Natsume Hyuuga's office. Everything in the room described its owner perfectly—neat, suave, and intimidating. The man probably does not have any lover since his desk is composed of office items and not one single picture frame.
I suddenly feel that the room has gone colder. Or am I just sweating?
I stare at the papers again and based from its lengthy amount, it would perhaps take me four hours to finish reading the entire thing. He probably notices my worry since he takes my silence as a chance to elaborate more.
"Turn it to page 78," I follow his instruction and flip the pages casually. "Everything is pretty much summed up there. You can see at the bottom of the paper, it says that 'Natsume Hyuuga swears from everything to page 1 up to page 77 has been summarized in page 78.'"
"Then why not just send me page 78 alone?" I ask.
He cocks a brow and looks at me stupendously as if I'm a talking animal. "Good observation," he says. "I just like to keep everything my way."
"My way?"
He clears his throat and spins his chair the other way around. "I like everything to be precise and neat," he emphasizes the word clearly in hopes I would easily understand which I do. "I took the occasion to completely elaborate everything I want to say. No holes for you to escape."
I gulp.
CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT
On this day onwards (6-01-13), Mikan Sakura would be working under Natsume Hyuuga until the sum of seven thousand dollars is fully paid. In case, Mikan Sakura does not fulfill her job well, she will be put to jail and all her belongings would be placed as collateral.
For 140 days (4 months and 18 days), the employee would be working with $50 per day as her salary.
1. The employee will be provided of a shelter close to the employer's home.
2. The employee will be provided of food and water, but she will not receive any penny of her salary.
3. The employee will come to every beck and call of her employer.
4. The employee will not touch any of her employer's belongings.
5. The employee is not allowed to bring guests inside her abode without her employer's permission.
6. The employer has every right to command the employee in anything he asks for except when it endangers the employee's life.
7. The employee will work as a personal maid in the employer's abode and she is allowed to escort the employer in any event he wishes.
8. The employee must treat her employer with utmost respect.
9. The employee is still allowed to finish her studies during her residency.
"Nine rules for 77 pages?!" I exclaim.
He crosses his fingers and stares at me blankly. "Any problem with that, Miss Sakura?"
He must have thought a lot about those rules. If only I can find a single hole, I could show him that I'm not someone he should played with. "Nothing, sir."
"Ah," he says. "Rule 8 states that you must treat me with utmost respect, Miss Sakura. From now on, you will call me as Sir Natsume Hyuuga. Full name."
"I haven't signed the contract yet." I hoot.
"But you will." He adds with a sly smirk etched on his face.
I slowly grab the pen before me and before I sign my name on the piece of paper that would control my life, I take one long look at my future boss. I stare at him as if it's my final way that I could show him that I'm nonconforming.
I leisurely take my time in etching my name on the contract. If only he knows what he is going to deal with from now on.
"Wait a minute," it only dawns at me right after I signed my name. "Rule 1 dictates that you will provide me a home, but where? If it's going to be in your lot, then I refuse."
"You cannot refuse, Miss Sakura." He says. "You already signed the contract."
"I want to amend." I reply.
He tuts. "That's not how it goes, Miss Sakura. You sign, you conform."
I feel like an utter idiot. How did I let this happen?
When I glance back at him, I see the end of his lips twitching! He must have been holding back his laugh. He mouths and it just adds more oil to the fire, "Employer-1, Employee-0."
I'm back now at my apartment. Ever since I moved here seven months ago, I never got the chance to clean the entire place. Most of my things are still inside the packaging boxes and the only ones that are out are my clothes, cooking utensils, and the dinner ware. Hyuuga only gave me 30 minutes to get the things I need, the rest would be sent later on. So I pack up my Jansport bag and put a few clothes and other necessities in there.
"Are you already don— woah, what the hell is this place?" Hyuuga comes into the room and gapes at the entire scene before him. My place must be the epitome of what he's standing up against: dirt, germs, and mess. "Oh God, I didn't know that you're such a pig." He notices the stack of unwashed dishes and the stench of the 1 and a half week old garbage and that makes him rush out of the room and into the hallway.
"You…" he pants as he takes out a small bottle from his coat's inner pocket and sprays a pleasing aroma around the area. "Hurry up, I can't stand the place."
"I need to talk to the owner, I need to tell her that I'm moving out." I tell him, but he hushes me with another spray from his bottle.
"My men will talk to her soon," he states. "Hurry now and let's leave before the germs gets to us."
I gawk at his display of disgust. Nobody would have thought that the man of the year would react so violently to this kind of mess. Or perhaps I'm just too immune with my surrounding.
He grabs the bag from my hand which leads me to yell at him. "Hey, where are you going with my bag?!"
He doesn't look back at me and continues to walk outside. "I'm carrying it for you. I maybe your employer, but I'm a gentleman."
I take a long stare at his back and notice how broad his shoulders and how graceful he is with every movement he makes. Perhaps he's not heartless after all. He glances at me and cocks a brow. "I don't have all day, Miss Mikan Sakura, so hurry up."
His statement makes my reverie disappear and I rush outside to join him.
I tightly grasp my backpack's strap. I couldn't believe what I'm seeing right now. It has only been 10 minutes since we arrived at Hyuuga's house and we went straight to the place I would be living. Inside his huge land, there's a quaint and small building that caters a room to every servant he has. My room is twice bigger than my old apartment and everywhere I look, it feels like I'm in a five-star hotel. The entire floor is carpeted with red velvet, the window frames are engraved with intricate angelic designs, I have my own comfort room inside, and there's even a receiving area inside my room. I tell to myself that this is too good to be true.
"Miss Sakura, your mouth is open." Hyuuga informs me and instantly close my mouth. I couldn't believe that I hit the jackpot!
"Don't celebrate so soon, Miss Sakura," Hyuuga tells me which makes me remember that I am now a slave to a person like him. "This is just only the beginning."
A young man clad in white from head to toe pops out and gives Hyuuga a polite bow. "This is Yuu Tobita," Hyuuga introduces the boy next to him. "He's the same age as you, I believe. He's the head butler so treat him with respect as well. I would take my leave now, I have more important matters to attend to, Mister Tobita would tend to your questions, if you have any."
"Good afternoon, Miss Mikan Sakura." The boy in glasses greets.
"Ah, you may call me Mikan," I tell him. "Calling me Miss even though we're in the same age is just too formal for me."
He gives out a small smile. "I'll try, M-Mikan."
I beam out an assuring smile that I prefer this way.
"As of this moment, you're the first female Sir Natsume Hyuuga has ever hired, so right now you're the only one residing at this floor. You see, males and females are not allowed to live in the same floor." Yuu explains. "Do you see that phone right there?" he points his index finger and I follow its direction. "If Sir Natsume Hyuuga calls for you, he will reach you through that."
"Do you have to call him like that?" I ask.
"Sorry, I b-beg your pardon?" he looks at me oddly.
"Do you have to call him by his full name even though he's not here? I mean, he's not here so he's not gonna know." I tell him.
He looks at me sternly and I must have pressed the wrong button. "Sir Natsume Hyuuga is a very kind man. I wish to treat him like this. I owe my life to him and I would do everything to repay all the good deeds he has done for me. I'm the head butler, but I'm also the head of security so you better watch your back Miss Mikan Sakura, because I'll be watching you." Then he leaves.
Yuu shoots daggers with his piercing stare and I feel cold sweat pouring behind my back. I have to remind myself not to cross Yuu Tobita. He's so gaga over Hyuuga.