Mother
Sasuke? Please don't tell me you're
still at the office.
Mother
Then, I won't,
Me
I understand why you want to, but
we've talked about this. You can't just
live your life in your office.
Mother
Itachi didn't really leave me
much of a choice in the matter.
Neither did grandfather.
Me
Your father offered to come out of
retirement to help lighten your load,
you know?
Mother
I can handle it.
Me
If you say so.
But please don't shut yourself inside that
office. You're still so young.
Mother
This has to be some sort of practical joke.
There are rare occasions when something out of the norm changes up my daily routine. Knowing the staff I have, they assure themselves that those rare occasions stay rare. In order to keep things going smoothly they have to. But today's oddity stares back at me from the laptop screen.
It's a mess of exclamation points, capitalized letters, and profanity, all coming from a woman claiming to have just been fired from Sharingan News Organization. Why she's sending it to me, I could hazard a guess. She was drunk. She had to be. If what she says is true, then I suppose she had a reason to drink an obscene amount of alcohol, obscene enough to not only type this out but to also send it.
I breathe out a deep sigh, shaking my already pounding head. I may oversee all the companies under the Uchiha Enterprises name, but I can't possibly know what goes on in every level of the businesses under it. Though, not many people are aware of that fact and focus on whoever's the face of the company.
It's not uncommon for me to stumble upon an angry email from a fired employee, but what is uncommon is an email of this style. It's almost laughable.
Almost.
Instead, I'm more annoyed than anything.
I'm aware my upbringing has helped me in my career, but this woman knew nothing about me, let alone knew whether or not I actually wanted this position to begin with.
"Sir. I brought your usual."
Juugo's appearance at my office door tears my attention away from the offending email. In his hands is my breakfast.
Nodding at him, my assistant walks in and places the bag and the cup of coffee onto my desk. Before he shuts the door to leave, unsure if it's the sip of coffee that compels me to ask or my irritation, I say, "Tell Shisui I need confirmation of someone's past employment with SNO."
If Juugo is surprised, he doesn't show it. "Yes, sir. Who's the former employee?"
"Someone with the name Sakura Haruno."
He nods. "Would you like her file or just confirmation."
"Just the confirmation and reason for termination."
From: Sasuke Uchiha {sasuke_uchiha }
To: Sakura Haruno {sakuraharuno }
Subject: Re: regarding My toermination
Dear Ms. Haruno,
Thank you for your email, which this "perv" read during a late breakfast, because I was up late at the office working. From the tone of your letter—one filled with grammatical errors from a woman who's supposed to have a journalism degree—I'm assuming you wrote it while you were inebriated. If that's the case, at least you no longer need to get up in the morning. You're welcome.
For your information, I have not viewed the video you referred to. But if my "spank bank" ever runs a little low, perhaps I'll dig it out of my trash folder—along with the standard letter of recommendation your superior had planned to give you.
Sincerely,
Silver Spoon Ass
"And you have a meeting with finance at three tomorrow," Juugo recites the notes he'd left for himself from his phone from the passenger seat. "I rescheduled your business dinner with the head producers from Katon to Friday, like you asked."
I hum at the news, struggling to keep my senses awake from the backseat of the car. Having only slept three hours the night prior, my body is telling me it's time for rest. I would have been able to go to bed by midnight last night, had it not been for some nonsense going on with the board that my grandfather wanted me to take care of. That, and having to sort through a growing list of formalities I'm expected to attend to, formalities I would ignore if not for my position, that make sleep seem more like a luxury than a necessity. It's not like I have much choice in the matter, though. There's always something to do, money to be made, people to pay.
But while checking my watch, I can't help but notice the slow passage of time.
It's been a year since I got to where I am. Not because I worked all the way up to where I am, but because I was thrusted into it. Not because they saw what I could do, but because they needed a replacement fast. Not because my track record guaranteed success, but because I had the right last name for the job.
It's only been a year, yet the crane in my neck and the sleepless nights make it feel far longer than that.
Out of nowhere, my mind shifts to the email I received this morning, angry at the unnecessary reminder of my position and family background's play into it. I'm not stupid. I know some of what was in that email holds weight. I wouldn't have gotten to where I am without my last name, but what she failed to realize or acknowledge is the fact that this position wasn't supposed to be mine to begin with.
Though, I suppose she was more preoccupied with her own misgivings than she was to care about the "silver spoon ass" she was sending the email to.
"Sir?"
Having been so caught up in my own thoughts, I hadn't heard the rest of tomorrow's itinerary. My brain has become more and more focused on getting home now that the day is done. The faster I get there, the less likely it'll be for someone to call me about yet another problem to fix.
Juugo resumes talking about my schedule while the driver takes us to where I'm expected to be. With a short discussion about what to expect with my meeting with finance tomorrow, there's only a few minutes left before we arrive. Until then, I let my eyes close.
Finally. A little bit of peace.
Obnoxious
Just textin ya to remind ya that my wedding
rehearsal AND my wedding is next week
And as best man ya gotta get yr ass there
or were gnna have a problem ? ﾟﾘﾤ?
Obnoxious
I'm pretty sure I don't need daily reminders
for your stupid wedding, idiot.
Me
My wedding isnt stupid!
Ya just sound lonely
Ass deep in papers huh
Obnoxious
Shut up.
Me
Hey im tryna make conversation here!
Heard anything from itachi?
Obnoxious
It's been a year of silence. Why would
he reach out now?
Me
Loud. This city has always been too loud, so it's no surprise the people in it have the personalities to match.
Despite leaving my office by six in the evening yesterday, like it's always been these days, I hadn't gone to bed until two in the morning. Calls upon calls. Emails upon emails. The same old routine continues regardless of how early I get things done.
I suppose it was irrational of me to think there could be some semblance of change last night. With how Konoha City is, it's not even worth complaining about. The noise, the constant motion, there's always something happening. Someone could be causing a scene, and another one would be watching it all, not caring to stop it, perhaps even pulling out their phone to film a disaster or a miracle at work.
Just thinking about all of this is doing nothing about my aching head. Nothing is going to plan today. Lack of sleep, traffic jams, incompetent business partners, aggravating texts and an offending email, all that led to a day of nothing but headaches. It's no wonder I've become so unbearably irritable.
Mother was right. I've spent more time in the office than I have anywhere else apart from my own home. What choice did I have? My grandfather didn't have an alternative, and my own brother got up and left all of his responsibilities without a second thought. He said he stepped down to travel, and grandfather swears it's the truth. But it felt like nothing but bullshit.
But it worked. No one seemed to second guess it. Or at least, no one seemed to question it outright, no one willing to voice out their doubts. I haven't either. But not without a lack of trying.
I had always vied for grandfather's approval, and now with it, I don't know if it's what I'd expected, what I'd wanted. Especially after going a year without a single word from my brother. He promised he'd call, or at the very least, write. But it has only been silence, and none of it feels right.
"Sir, we arrived at the cafe."
Half the day is over, there's only a few more hours left. I needed all the caffeine I could get.
Unfortunately, I've gotten careless enough to forget something on my way out, too focused on my drink and staying awake to get through the rest of the day.
Uzumaki Naruto
HEY WHY ARENT YA ANSWERING
MY TEXTS?
MADE ME TEXT YOUR BUSINESS
PHONE LIKE SOME STRANGER
Obnoxious
Lost it on the way to work.
Me
Pfft no wayyy
EXCUSES
Obnoxious
I don't even need to look. I know the
texts are about your stupid wedding rehearsal.
Me
Again its not stupid!
But fine ill buy your excuse
If ya did lose it
justJust call ur phone and see if anyone picked it up
Obnoxious
Assuming they'd pick it up if they took it..
Me
Ya never know bruh
Obnoxious
Sometimes the idiot has good ideas.
"Hello?" A woman answers.
"Ah, so you've found my phone."
There's a short pause before she speaks again, amusement in her tone. "Yeah, wasn't really hard to find. You left it by the counter where you pick up your coffee order."
"I see."
"And if you're wondering, I haven't done anything to it."
"I wasn't going to ask."
"Bet you were thinking it, though." I don't know why she's so entertained by this. "So do you want me to leave it with the barista or something? Because I'm about to head out."
"I won't be able to get out of work until late. Leave it with the receptionist of the Uchiha building."
"That's across the street?"
"And?"
"You really can't just… pick it up yourself?"
I don't have time for this. The meeting is about the start. "No one I trust will be able to pick it up."
"That sounds like an excuse. Besides, I have a problem with Uchiha Enterprises at the moment."
"Bad enough you can't show your face in the building?" This conversation needs to end.
"Uh, no. Hopefully not to that extent."
"Good. They'll be expecting you."
I hang up.
From: Sakura Haruno {sakuraharuno }
To: Sasuke Uchiha {sasuke_uchiha }
Subject: regarding My toermination
Dear Mr. Uchiha,
Would you believe my account was hacked and someone else wrote that ridiculous letter? I'm guessing probably not. Considering how well educated, intelligent, hardworking, and successful you are. Am I laying it on a little too thick? I apologize, but I have a lot of shovelling to do. Is there any chance we can start over? You see, contrary to what you might think. I do not drink very often. Which is why when a very unexpected termination letter showed up at my door, it didn't take much to bury my sorrow. And incidentally, my sanity. Anyway, if you're still reading, thank you.
Here's the letter I should have written:
Dear Mr. Uchiha,
I'm writing this to request your assistance in what I believe was wrongful termination of my employment. I have been a dedicated employee of Uchiha Enterprises for nine and a half years. I started as an intern, received promotions through various news-writing positions and, eventually, reached my goal as senior reporter.
Recently, I went on a much-needed vacation to Kiri with six women for a bachelorette party. Our hotel had a private section of the beach reserved for nude sunbathing. Though not generally an exhibitionist, I joined my friends for a few hours of topless tanning. A few innocent photos were taken, none of which were posted by me, and my account was not tagged. Yet, somehow, I returned home to a letter of termination for violating company policy regarding lewd behavior.
While I understand the reason for having an inappropriate-behavior policy. I adamantly believe my conduct while on a private vacation, on a private beach, was not what it was meant to protect Uchiha Enterprises from. As such, I respectfully request that you review the policy and the termination of my employment.
Respectfully yours,
Sakura Haruno
Notes:
still battling writer's block but got this one out somehow. apologies for any typos. i wrote half of this on my phone when my laptop died and i didnt have my charger with me at the time.