Chapter 23: Switching Roles (part 1)

Atsushi sat in his office chair while Utoro crossed out words on Atsushi's survey and said, "Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Sugisaki-san, this is not a teen magazine survey! This is a political, life changing, and marriage altering survey for homosexuals. You will need to have this posted on the internet, magazines of all kinds, and even a few flyers in the city. People across Japan will be seeing this…and this is the crap you give me! I expected more out of you." Utoro dropped the survey as Atsushi looked at all the red marks.

He moaned, "Maybe if you tell what you are looking for, so then I can develop the questions better."

Utoro snarled, "Gotro-sama told you before the meaning for this survey, so do not belly ache to me that you do not understand the task before you."

Atsushi took the survey and looked at the red marks. Every word was crossed out. He said, "I have written surveys like this before for contests in this very building."

Utoro crossed his arms and said, "What contests and what purposes?"

Atsushi said, "The buildings' garden was going to be tear down for more offices, but I wrote a survey to save it. So—"

"Bias." Utoro said as he stood and opened the blinds to the city below.

Atsushi snarled, "There is bias in your tone! It is human to have some bias!"

Utoro snickered and said, "Exactly."

Atsushi sighed and said, "You lost me."

Utoro turned and said, "You see, bias is hard to identify and stop. Like you said, this is a human trait to 'fed the carrot to lead the horse to water.' But as professional research surveyors, we needed to be unbiased and knowledgeable of answers that can be beneficial for all parties involved. Of course the opposition, either heterosexuals or even homosexuals who wish to remaining hiding, will beg for this survey to be bias and uncultured. They expect a homosexual to write this survey, so their answers might be cruel if you ask them…" He recited one of Atsushi's survey questions, "for the new bill to be passed to allow homosexuals to be married citizens, what is your opinion?" Utoro snarled, "This is babying them! This is an insult to our very name if you ask 'in your opinion.' Please! Quake me with questions that either narrow down to true or false."

Atsushi stared at Utoro and slowly said, "Why should I write surveys like that? Should the survey be somewhat open to interpretation?"

Utoro looked at him and said, "If you have worked here for nine years, my answer would be yes to writing surveys that are open to interpretation. But you are just starting, fresh of the college wagon and a green horn. How many clichés must I use until you get the message that I am telling you?"

Atsushi blinked and said, "What message?"

Utoro groaned and grabbed Atsushi's wrist. He dragged him along the hall to the elevator and clicked the up button. Atsushi ripped his wrist away from Utoro's grasp and snarled, "You could have asked me to follow you."

"I believe in a direct approach than asking." Utoro snarled as he looked at Atsushi closely. He continued, "Asking you would be open to interpretation than telling you my vision, correct?"

Atsushi blinked very confused again as the elevator opened to Gotro-sama in a Frankenstein outfit. The outfit consisted of lightning bolts on the neck, platform shoes, and oversized rotten clothing. Gotro-sama was completely covered in the green make-up as he moaned, "going up?"

Utoro snarled, "Yes." He snuck in while trying to hide his flushing face.

Atsushi went in as the elevator changed too…an eerie stench of rotten fish and bones littered the elevator floor…he was not sure if the bones were real or not. He chose not to find out, so his small breaths to make sure the stench did not bother his stomach. His stomach was pretty tough to smells, but some people already got sick from the elevator ride…a pail near the door was proof of that.

Gotro-sama said in his normal voice, "Sugisaki-san, any progress on the survey? The timeline is coming too close to make too many mistakes."

Atsushi snarled, "I am trying but—" He turned to a very stern Gotro-sama. His sigh was long when the elevator opened…to an Eden of greens and every color in the rainbow and more…

The top most floor of the Karuiinochi Researchers was a green house filled with plants from every place on earth. Most of the plants were either separated by region found on the earth or by like types. The men entered as Atsushi stared with wonder at all the flowers.

Gotro-sama took off his boots as he said, "I remember your survey well for that contest. It was heartfelt, but it was also weak. The questions begged the survey taker to be the knowledgeable one than the survey maker. You also showed your weakness for being too soft on the survey takers…which is another reason why I assigned Utoro to help you."

Atsushi said, "I helped to save this garden, didn't I?"

Gotro-sama sighed and said, "Surveys do not save people, move bills, or even make the world go round. The surveys main purpose is to tally and make statistics for the various modes that surveys are designed for. For example, the one you made for that contest. We had seven winners in that contest, and yours was the highest used…but the hardest to determine. You asked for opinions and development of answers, which some liked. I did not since I want to take a survey that asks basic questions and computes easily. Your survey asked for sincerity for greener gardens and expecting everyone to care about your feelings."

Atsushi sighed and turned. He said, "So…do you think I should return to the normal plan? Watch other surveyors then make a national survey?"

Gotro-sama went to him and gently pushed him forward. He said, "Look at the flowers, Atsushi."

Atsushi shivered at his first name being spoken, but he did as told. The flowers were so magnificent and human-less creations…beauty that mechanical devices could not imitate…he loved flowers as much as he loved butterflies. The simplicity of freedom nature gave the admirer was always his favorite thing about watching nature. He would always take Yuki on nature walks often just to admire the unaltered nature, for the pure joy of freedom it gave him. That is why he took the contest to heart and made those survey questions; he felt this garden did not deserve to turn into stone because of needed office space.

Atsushi said, "It is very…no adjective could do this garden justice, sir."

Gotro-sama giggled lightly and said, "That is why I gave you the award for the contest to help save this garden."

Atsushi blinked and turned to Gotro-sama. He watched as Gotro-sama was watching his wife enjoying himself among the flowers. Utoro took up a watering can and watered some flowers.

Gotro-sama continued, "You have a gift, Atsushi. Your survey really did make me think about my own perceptions and reasoning for keeping this garden alive. This garden is hard to keep, but…like you said for the last question…" He sighed and recited, "Our earth has very limited space for her little babies of plants, herbs, and flowers. Death and reoccurrences of extinction are normal practices for this world to see. For a garden that has a limited view of the world, explain the reasons why this garden must die for concrete offices?"

Atsushi sighed and said, "I wrote…it does sound bias. Now that I hear it again…"

Gotro-sama giggled again and said, "Yes, it is very bias but with heart…now, listen to me. Utoro is a very kind man to show you this garden. This is very limited access to the other researchers in this building for a reason…"

Atsushi looked around and saw a few people caring for the plants. He said, "Why?"

"The innate beauty of a human's heart, I created this garden as a gift for Utoro." Gotro-sama said with a slight blush on his cheek. He continued as he watched his wife, "Utoro and I…well, we did not strike a chord when we first met. Actually, we loathed each other. He was a rambunctious secretary when I first hired him; I was a scientist with so many questions of the world that I never had time to question love or…mythology. I wanted to be the scientist that everyone would remember, the legendary genius among men…but even with all my success and awards…I felt a deep wound that many could never see…"

Atsushi looked at Gotro-sama as Gotro-sama looked at him. Gotro-sama continued, "The wound was not seeing a fresh, unaltered, and pure reason for my success. I was good for reasons that I naturally was good at science. A born scientist, so says my mother. But I never…cared for much for other reasons than just my own personal gain. But Utoro…he came with an air of importance and looked at my reports with a sneer. His famous line that made me fall in love with him was… 'So you feel you change the world with that math problem? Big deal, now high school students will loath you for your big head and little reasoning for the answer.' Of course, I asked him what would be his answer. He told me, 'zero. I refuse to play your stupid game for a math question that has no reason other than to confuse me.'" Gotro-sama laughed gently and smelled the flowers near him.

Gotro-sama finished, "the reasoning for saving this garden or even helping this bill to pass is evident in your eyes…your body movements…your frustration to meet my wife's expectations. But for a moment, Atsushi…smell, feel, and take a moment… What made you come here? What made you write that survey for this garden? Why do you want to write this survey for homosexual marriage? Answer those questions before I give you a tip for this new survey."

Atsushi smiled and said, "I came here to create surveys. My innate nature of research and development of questions is one of the top five in my classes. I also enjoy the message this building gives Tokyo and the world…"

Gotro-sama looked at Atsushi as he finished, "science can be many different branches, but this building allows all branches into one building. To promote change, development and continue research for the better of human kind."

Gotro-sama smiled and nodded for the continuation of the answers.

Atsushi turned to the flowers for his next answer and said, "I wrote that survey…just in the pure bliss nature gives me. I only heard of this garden, but now seeing it…I feel that my survey was well worth the trouble even though I was slightly bias on some of the questions."

Gotro-sama smirked as Atsushi turned to him for the last question.

Atsushi said, "The homosexual marriage…that is a long answer, sir."

Gotro-sama said, "Go on, I want to know the real reason this time."

Atsushi said, "I am in love with a man; this love was young and shallow as a teenager. I needed him for my pains and sorrows from my painful home life…"

Gotro-sama slowly turned to Atsushi.

Atsushi turned his glance away as he continued, "I love Yuki Kojima for his kindness, simplicity of life, and his…" He flushed and said, "I cannot lie…sexual attraction to me. We were just walking through life before with little contact before…he reached for my hand and asked me to join his group. I never felt so…happy with someone to ask me to join them. We naturally started to talk and get to know each other…as our love bloomed. I just could not have enough of him…he was so addicting and made me feel that life had a purpose than my family's weak picture of me. I had a reason to live…to be with Yuki and to be his partner. But the reason for the survey to be made…is not only for Yuki and my endearing love for him. I have been around a few cities before and seen the same reaction to, from, and around homosexuals…"

Gotro-sama and Atsushi looked at each other. They stared as they slowly started to understand each other more…

Atsushi continued, "Love is considered a gift given to a fair few that nurture, respect and tender love as the pure bliss it give couples. Being homosexual is tough on partners due to the stereotypes and legal limitations that homosexuals face each day. Many would say being homosexual is a disease or issue with dating women…or men. But that is not the case at all. Being with the person you love, regardless of sexual preference or reproductive parts, is a gift. This marriage law, of course, will be denied and ridiculed for the gift it gives homosexuals." He took a few breaths and said, "The gift of security, power, and respect. Of course, the law is just a piece of paper for same sex to sign…but in time, maybe if people see what this law means true for people like us…A chance to be in public, a chance to express ourselves freely, and a greater chance…to love. Fears and misconceptions make homosexuals fearful to be open, so they hide in the shadows of their apartments or their own selves. This causes issues with trying to live two separate lives…when all people of every type, sexual preference, race, social status, and every discriminatory action is made into a reason to fight each other. One bill cannot stop all of this hate, but it is a step…to a place we such all try to obtain in all our lifetimes."

Everyone in the garden turned to Atsushi. He finished, "We should all make a lifetime effort to understand and care for one another. This law is not just to make homosexuals feel better in public, but it should help everyone feel better in public. That is why I want to help create this survey…but sir…isn't that all bias?"

Gotro-sama smiled and said, "Yes and no…the heart will always have bias, but that…was enough to tell you this fool-proof tip for your survey."

Atsushi looked at him as Gotro-sama said, "Do not change your heart. Listen to every heart beat, moral and soul reasoning for this survey. You have the reasoning down packed, but…like Utoro has said. This survey needs to be unbiased and pure…but not without heart. You can do it, I have faith in you. But also another tip…just humor me if you can…"

Everyone stared at Gotro-sama with admiration and wondered his final tip. Gotro-sama said, "Are you seme or uke?"

Utoro blushed instantly as Atsushi looked confused and said, "I guess…I am on top, but what does that mean?"

Gotro-sama said, "Try being on the bottom for once and then…write the survey. Okay?"

Atsushi blinked and now had a new interpretation about his boss…this man was more confusing every moment he spent with him. Gotro-sama was a genius and wonderful to listen to, but what does being 'on the bottom' have to do with anything with the survey?