Chapter 6: Meet the devil
.:x:. Three month later .:x:.
"Come on Michi-chan, don't be so tense. It's not like you're going to meet the devil." Stated Rei with a smile as they both walked toward the Tenou Corp's building.
"I know but I can't help it…" Replied Michiru, standing in front of the entrance. She then looked up at the skyscraper and took the time to ponder on what kind of person she will end up working with. 'Probably old and boring men…' With that thought, Michiru sighed and ran to her friend.
Once inside the building, they slowly made their way to the front desk and asked for directions. "Excuse me?" Interrupted Rei.
After a moment the receptionist look up and smiled politely. "Welcome to Tenou Corp, How can I help you?"
"Hi, can you please tell us how to get to the CEO office?" Asked Rei.
"Your names please?" Asked the receptionist back. Seeing the perplexed look on Rei's face, the receptionist indicated a board on their right. "I just need to record every guests that are going in and out of the building."
"It's alright" Michiru cut in, she smiled softly at Rei, who she knows was fuming silently. "My name is Kaiou Michiru and this is Hino Rei."
Typing the information into her computer, she then looked up and gave them directions. "Tenou-san is expecting you. His office is the one at the very top of the building. When you exit the lift please go to your left, his secretary will welcome you there."
Bowing slightly, Michiru thanked the receptionist and went to retrieve her friend, who has decided to wait far from the front desk.
Once she reached Rei, Michiru couldn't help but to smile at her friend's irritated face. "Don't be mad Rei-chan, she was just doing her job you know."
"Whatever…" Rei brushed it off. "I'm just not used to it". She knew that she was probably acting like a stupid spoiled brat, but she didn't like it when she has to go through the checking formalities like a common person.
As the lift took them to the very top of the building, they couldn't help but to look out from the transparent lift at the numerous people working in each floor. "Looks like father was right." Smiled Rei.
Michiru looked at her friend with a raised eyebrow and waited for an explanation. "Sorry, it's just that my father told me that there is a lot of young graduates working for Tenou Corp. and at first, I thought that it was because it was probably easier to get into a less renown company than in my father's company…. but the truth is that they all applied here first, because according to them the working environment is better and they got lots of perks."
"I see, so we might end up being trained by young graduates?" Asked Michiru cheerfully.
"Well, it's a high probability." Smiled Rei.
As the lift stopped at the last floor, Michiru took a deep breath and exited the lift with Rei following. They slowly made their way to their left as they were indicated and saw a huge transparent wall in front of them. As they got closer, they could see that two young women were already going toward the secretary office.
"Do you think there will be other trainees?" Asked Michiru.
"Hm… I don't think so. Father told me that it was sort of difficult to get us this opportunity. They seldom took in trainees… especially women." Stated Rei with a slight blush on her face.
Surprised by this statement and by Rei's behavior, Michiru was now more perplexed than ever. She knew that Rei's last comment could have been taken, somehow, as gender discrimination but she was used to it. However, the way Rei said it and the slight hue of blush on her face was telling her another story. "Ne, Rei-chan? Why is that?" Prompted Michiru. She was curious by now and wanted to know what she should understand by that last comment.
"You will see." Rei smiled knowingly and headed toward the secretary office, letting a surprised Michiru standing with one arched eyebrow.
Once in the secretary office, Rei and Michiru looked around to find that they were the only one in this immense place. "She probably went to the CEO's office with the other two we saw earlier." Stated Rei smiling. "We are a little bit early."
Just as Rei finished her sentence, the door on their left opened and revealed an elder woman in her fifties and according to the look on her face, she must be sorry for whoever were on the other side of the doors. After closing the door slowly, she sighed heavily and shook her head. "They will never understand." She muttered as she walked toward her desk.
As she got closer to her desk, she spotted two figures standing near by and was surprised to see two beautiful young women. 'Don't tell me they are the trainees he told me about.' The secretary couldn't help but sighed a second time and silently went behind her desk. "Welcome to Tenou Corp, you are probably Kaiou-san and Hino-san, right?" Asked the secretary. They both nodded respectfully and were going to say something, when the secretary cut in. " Tenou-san is currently with guests, can you please wait a moment? I will inform him that you are already here."
Without waiting for a confirmation, she immediately pressed the button that was her boss direct line. "Tenou-san, your appointment is here." She informed him all business like. "Are you sure?" She then asked in a more casual tone. "I know… Hm I see, if you think this might work then… I will send them right away." With that she hang up and looked at the two incredulous women in front of her.
"Tenou-san is waiting for you both." With that said she stood up and walked toward the CEO's doors. "Please, follow me."
Rei and Michiru looked at each other perplexed and then at the secretary. They didn't know what just happened now, but it was too late to ask, they were going to meet the devil.
.:x:. Inside the office .:x:.
"Tenou-san, your appointment." Called the secretary as she opened the door.
"Thank you…" Said Hatake, however upon turning around to meet his appointment, the view just before him let him speechless and motionless.
"Hum!" The secretary cleared her throat. "Tenou-san, those young ladies are Hino-san and Kaiou-san." She then introduced the two young women.
"Oh yes, sorry... Welcome to Tenou Corp. My name is Tenou Hatake and I'm the CEO. My brother and I will be in charge of your training." He said while walking toward the two women.
"Hino-san" He said shaking Rei's hand. As his eyes lay upon Michiru's ones, he couldn't help but to be captivated by this beautiful woman in front of him. "It's a pleasure, Kaiou-san." He finally managed to say. He was so intrigued by the aqua haired goddess that he forgot to release the young girl's hand. It wasn't until he heard Minako's pitch tone voice that he came back to earth.
"Hatake!" Shouted Minako. "I thought your company wasn't interested in trainees?" Said Minako, both hands on her hips.
"Oh Mina-chan, well that is true… but you see those young ladies come from UME Business School where I went to and was recommended by one of my good partner. So I couldn't really say no." Hatake tried to gently explain to his childhood friend.
"Hmph! I see, if it's like this… I will go and tell Ruka-kun!" Pouted Minako.
Beside Hatake, the young aqua haired girl stayed quiet and pensive. In fact, Michiru couldn't believe her eyes as they stayed fixed on the tall blonde next to her. The first thought that came to her mind was that this handsome man looked a lot like Haruka. She was mesmerized. 'Maybe they are relatives' She thought to herself, her eyes never leaving the man. She could feel her heart pounding faster and heat coming to her face, without really knowing why.
"Hey Michi-chan," Whispered Rei, trying to get her friend's attention. "You got an admirer, you lucky girl!" She grinned at Michiru and gently elbowed her. She saw how Hatake had looked at Michiru and she couldn't help but to tease the poor aqua haired girl.
Michiru turned to Rei, puzzled. She didn't get what her friend was telling her but at the same time she didn't get what she was feeling now either.
"Mina-chan, let's forget about that. We can always try another company." Reasoned Ayashi, gripping the girl sleeve.
"What are you saying Aya-chan? We got two big gigs and we need to be immersed in the business world…a top one at that. I want to stay here with Ruka-kun!" Answered the blonde back. "By the way, where else do you want to go?"
"I don't know, the production got us a list of big companies that would be more than happy to help us… why do you always have to take the difficult way?" Questioned Ayashi.
"I don't care! I want to be with my friend that's it!" Stated Minako. She then crossed her arms and sat on the couch. "I won't move till Ruka-kun's coming."
"Aino-san, Tenou-san is in a business trip and won't be here until… well some when today actually." Answered the secretary surprised. She completely forgot about that fact. She was so used to answer the blonde that it came naturally. "If you will excuse me, I have updates to make."
"Ok, Mina-chan. I need to talk with Hino-san and Kaiou-san now. Do you think you can give us some privacy?" Asked Hatake.
"No!"
"Come on Mina-chan, we can wait outside the office. There's a lounge for that." Said Ayashi, trying to convince her stubborn friend. She was a little bit embarrassed by her friend's antics, the only thing she wanted now was to be out of this office.
"No! I'm waiting for Ruka-kun!" Pouted Minako. She knew she was acting like a spoiled kid but she didn't care. She was raised that way.
"Who is waiting for me?" Asked Haruka casually, as she walked passed the office's doors, still reading her files. Not really paying attention to her surrounding.
"Ruka-kun!" Minako immediately jump on her feet and into the tall blonde arms. "I miss you so much!"
"Well I can see that." Answered Haruka smiling. "I was only out of town for one week and you miss me that much…I'm thankful." She gave Minako a short hug.
As the short blonde released Haruka, another short blonde came crashing into her. "Welcome back, Haruka-san." Whispered Ayashi.
"Wow, I'm lucky." Smiled Haruka and gave Ayashi a gentle hug, before releasing her. As the tall blonde looked up to her brother, her eyes went wide at the sight before her. 'Mi… Michiru?'
"Ok Haru, now that you're finally here, you will be able to reasoned them… well Minako especially. You see, she…." Started Hatake but his speech was useless, his sister was not paying attention to him anymore.
Michiru stood still. She couldn't believe her eyes. In front of her, was standing another person who looked a lot like Haruka. Worse, the person name was also Haruka. The more she looked at the tall blonde the faster her heart was beating. She knew her heart wasn't lying to her, the person in front of her must be the one she longed to see, but the appearance was deceiving. She didn't know what to think of it but she didn't have more time to ponder as her sight became blurry and then everything went black.
"Michiru!" Called Haruka, trying to run to her friend's side, but before she could move more than two steps, her brother was already embracing Michiru.
"Kaiou-san!" Seeing the unconscious state of the young woman, Hatake immediately decided to carry the young woman and laid her on his couch. "Hino-san, can you call someone from her family to see if they can come and pick her up?" He asked Rei while gently laying Michiru down.
"Hai!" Answered Rei promptly.
"Mina-chan, can you go to my secretary and ask her to call my doctor and ask him to come immediately?" Hatake then asked Minako as she stood next to him.
"Sure." She replied and was off to the office.
Haruka watched the scene before her without moving from her spot. 'Michiru…' She thought sadly. With a last look at the sight before her, she turned and left without noticing two blue eyes watching her.
AN: I know it's been like a year or more… but I've been really engross in my studies and travels. I wrote this chapter a while ago but didn't release it for fear of not being able to continue on a regular basis. I feel bad for not finishing this story, thus my come back. Hope people will still read it and like it. I promise it won't be as angsty/dramatic as Yakusoku though. I read it again and sometimes I do really think that I was way too cruel with Michiru! Anyway, hope you liked this chapter and still liked the story.