"Senpai! You're allright!"
Despite receiving a statement of relief from the bottom of another's heart I let out a tired sigh, how could I not?
Today had been rather 'eventful' after all so I wished that it would end rather quickly without much of a hitch.
But considering that I ran into him of all people quite late in the day I might as well as prepeare myself for the longest day ever.
"You're too loud Koen."
"Ehe... is that how you're supposed to gret a person worried sick for you?" he pouted.
"Were you even?"
"NOPE! Since it's senpai I'm actually surprised that the culprit didn't end up dead!"
Apparently there's a downside to the universal law of thou shall not kill as we aren't allowed to eliminate not so decent human being.
Natsuki Koen, 25 years old and my current assigned partner. He has a bright attitude and an obvious cheerful upbringing. Coupled with his slender and shorter than average frame along with his bright yellow shade of hair almost everyone here considers him as a godbless ray of sunshine.
"By the way you look down. Oh you probably chickened out again today didn't you?"
I felt like a spear was thrusted into my chest, and in case you didn't get it I'm the very center of the small group that would rather avoid him.
"Oi..... Can't you be a bit more sensitive...." I warned as both my hand approaches his neck.
"But Senpai I'm only telling the truth. Who knows what you might or might not do if this kept on going."
And with that another pike was driven straight into my heart.
Though I view him as annoying Koen is actually a pretty decent guy despite his tendencies to instinctively spat barbed words, in fact I'm one of the few who (unfortunately) know that he was capable of causing such psychological damage.
"Just don't say it out loud. I don't need a reminder of how spineless I am."
"Sorry-sorry. It's just that I only get to be this blunt around you, so there's no way I'm going to hold back."
I snorted at how he undervalue his nature. Blunt wasn't the case here he was observant and brutally honest, the worst two traits that one could combine. Even if he does showcase complete reigning over his not good for the sensitive heart natural oration one could only kept their true self at bay for so long.
"I know! why don't I act as a proxy for you!? I'll be your wingman like in one of those american sitcom."
"Sure, and tell her what? That guy over there has been secretly in love with you for over a year and a half?"
"Considering how much progress you've been making? Why not? Of course I'll probably go with something more subtle but not that obvious like 'my friend over there think you're cute'. Unless she is as dense as an anime character or as much of a coward as you are senpai!"
I found it remarkable that nobody have strangled this kid up until now. It was my own upbringing and lack of sensitivity that prevent me from doing just that, along with the fact that getting rid of the body and evidence was too much of a work.
Amplified after the return of my memory was my value on life, or more specifically my own. I avoid any kind of activities that could shorten my life no matter how small, and although it was only a minor tweak my personality was also affected.
Basically my pride is nonexistent, and as much as the working world oversell the idea that they need leaders more than followers there will never be a time where a person who willingly accept that they would be placed under someone else's thumb.
That mindset is also what got me this job in the first place, along with a partner that serves as a bonus and unremovable part of the deal.
We are paired to handle negotiations and matters that involve verbal agreement, and as much as I hate it we make one hell of a duo. As Koen usually put it my 'willingness to be stepped on' perfectly balances his 'Sharp tongue and even sharper intuition'.
Even when he constantly remind me how important my role is that doesn't change the fact that he's basically using me as a human shield. Since this role doesn't really differs in my previous life I barely give it any thought.
During negotiation it is important to accertain one's position, even the slightest of difference in standing could affect how the deal would turn out. Usually the two party is to converse until a 'mutually beneficial' point or solution is reached.
Naturally that will never probably happen.
Things such as loopholes and unwritten rule will definitely be added during a verbal exchange. Those two things are usually used by smaller companies to get out of a deal after leeching some profit or to serve as an emergency exit for a seemingly negative agreement.
And by the way those life binding contract that 'evil big corporations' make in television dramas are definitely real.
There was also the fact that everything is determined by the mood of the negotiator. If he felt too threatened then the deal would most likely be delayed or canceled, but if we let him grew too confident then we'll end up receiving the short end of the stick.
Maintaining honsety while ensuring one's safety, all the while reading the other side and keeping a neutral stance.
In other words negotiating is hard, but Koen and I somehow always manages.
Since our company is considerably big and independent we never try to bamboozle any of our potential partners, but that never stop them from trying to do the same to us and that's where the two of us come in.
In a nutshell Koen's job is to pick up any contradictory statement and pointing it out 'did you just try to scam us' in a passive agressive fashion, while mine is to receive whatever they spat should they lose their cool and to steer things back to a calmer water (who knew that keeping things cool in a conversation is a valuable talent).
Naturally the moment I was forced to act means that the other side was desperate enough to deceive us. Once this fact come into light we would have complete control over the remainder of the negotiaton.
However we always keep it so that the other party receive whatever it is they needed and ensure that we ourselves won't come back empty handed. This would result in a long term non contract related positive relationship.
But today I won't have to exercise any of those (sorry excuses for a) talents of mine.
"Do we have any meeting today?"
"Aha? You're really not bothered in the slightest aren't you? Even a martial artist would be fazed, or is this not your first time dealing with this kind of stuff?"
"Middle of a night in a convinience store. I was getting a midnight snack. No meetings then?"
"Just dull paperwork like always!"
'YOSHA!' I inwardly screamed.
The binds that constrict a worker, an eternal foe that no matter how hard cannot be killed, a pursuer who is right around the corner no matter where you are. That's paperwork.
And I welcome them with open arms.
"Senpai you really like boring stuff don'tcha?"
I didn't even bother to ask how did he know about my change of mood. And yes I am one of the extremely rare breed of workers who survives and thrives on paperwork.
Why I love those mundane chores you ask? Why it si because only real adults are capable of handling paperwork. Being buried with those 'responsibilities' shows how capable and trusted you are to your superior.....
I instantly shuddered at the tought of my employer.
"Ara are you thinking about Shirou taichou?" Koen deduced.
"Yeah...."
"I see....."
Even for a (supposedly) chatterbox like him he know when to draw the line.
Matonaka Shirou. The owner as well as the current acting director. A heir to a wealthy family as well as a genius who graduated college at the age of 17, in just a short span amount of time the company he built from scratch grew to the large enterprise that it is today.
Though he is the person who specifically order us to never take advantage of smaller companies he is the same person who manages to enslave two larger ones through the both of us. And even when knowing that such is how the business world works.....
"That doesn't change the fact that I'm a wicked person isn't that what you think Akaba-kun?"
"Geh!"
"Eh!?"
'Please don't be there 3X' despite knowing that it would change nothing I repeated the matra inside my head. We both turned around uneasily and surprise, surprise he was right there.
"Does it never crosses you that it might be you who is too soft?"
With hair white as snow and a smile that bewitch both sex Matonaka Shirou was the very personification of youthful beauty. Just like every genius he to has a quirk of his own, and that was his fashion sense.
He made it a habit to wear clothes that was out of style, not caring the fact whether it originated from the east or the west.
Today he is dressed in a classic european noble's clothing.
"The world we are traversing is a merciless one Akaba-kun, if we don't keep our fangs bared at all times it'll be us who'd be eaten next." He stated in a matter of fact style.
"Yes. I'll keep that in mind." That was all I could say. I took a risk and glanced at Koen, he too is petrified by the boss's presence.
It wasn't that we feared him, neither did he rules with an iron fist or have any particular bad boss tendencies.
It was something else, something that originates from beyond my consciousness.
It was as if I'm 'back there' and is facing 'that person' again. Only this time I was all alone.
"Good! It's nice to know that you understant why I'm like this!"
And just like that the invisible pressure seems to vanish.
"Truth is you guys are the only one I can talk so casualy to.... Everyone else either have sticks up their asses or just a plain shoe licker..." He dejectedly informed while putting his finger together like a four year old.
For a brief moment I almost bought his obviously fake facade. He really do look like a kid right now.
Crap
"Oya Akaba-kun did you perhaps grow taller?"
Shirou taichou was a great person one way or another, but it's just that his trigger was something that could easily be pulled.
"N-no. I-I'm sure that it's just your feeling..."
"Heh~ LET'S CHECK IT THEN." As always he pulled out a measuring tape out of thin air.
He has a real complex when it comes to stature. I was only a few centimeters taller than the avarge man my age but given that I usually hang out with Koen whose height was slightly bellow the general consensus gave away an ilusion of me being 'tall'.
Something that a person with the height of 160cm like him find rather unnerving.
"Hm-Hm. You're right, the measurement is the same as last time."
Yes there were previous affairs exactly like this one. And one of them happened during my interview.
"Sorry for making you go through that again. I'm really sensitive about this kind of things."
Since we know him well enough we kept our mouth shut and merely let out a nervous light laugh.
"Well don't just stand there! Hurry and get to work! By the way it's good that you're okay Akaba-kun."
Now that's a surprise. Shirou taichou was the type that could care less about schedule or the like, so why would he let us off the hook easily? Especially after that 'topic' was brought up.
"You guys are still here? Hurry up and GO!" And with that we scram like bad guys in old movies.
But my worry lingers... no it's more correct to say that it was still there.
For me to 'recal' and 'exercise' my ability on the same day, and not only that to be let off the hook so easily.
Something's not right.....
Regardless I pushed all of my worries into the back compartement of my head, doing my best to ignore and forget everything.
That's right it's just a coincidence and nothing more.
Today was just another normal day at the office.
XxX
Good good. It's looks like that you're okay my little red rook. I was worried that the warm up I sent your way was a bit too much, how glad was it to find out that I was wrong.
And what about you little yellow mouse? Perhaps my direction have turned you into a cornered rat, but that's when they are the most dangerous and is exactly what I need.
The Wise tree will soon bear fruit. He was probably getting senile for standing around doing nothing for too long but I too have given him a challenge that will undoubtedly rejuvenate him.
As for the lovers they're as mushy as always. Their love for one another could not be accounted and is as bright as always (even I have to shield my eyes) and of course it was the perfect reflection of their fighting prowers.
Yes yes everything is set. I'm really sorry but I can't tell you what will happen next, but I'm 100% sure that all of you will get through.
Make sure to work hard you five! I can assure you that the reward will be worth it.
Especially for me...