Holding his shoes to my chest, I reach for the door handle.
"By the way, if you come late again, you're fired. If you bring my shoes late, you're fired too."
I swing the door open and race out. New shoes. NEW SHOES. I need to get him, new damn shoes. Do I look like your servant, you tall-little baby man? Do I look like your housemaid? I go through my wallet searching around for enough cash to get him his damn shoes. This money was supposed to be for groceries, yet I'm spending it on the devil's shoes. I only have $100, and I can't go to the bank in this rain, there are no ATMs around either. So, in the end, I really will be fired.
Mum and Dad in heaven give your little girl some luck.
----------
I'm running out of time, and the rain shows no sign of stopping. It's almost 12:15 PM, if I can't find a way to replace Park Daisuke's shoes, I can kiss my job goodbye. I jump to my feet and run to the elevator door, still cradling his wet shoes in my hand. I couldn't concentrate on any of my assignments and might have to stay even later than usual to complete them; If I don't get fired first. The elevator couldn't be any slower. It is like everything wants me to lose my job. The stupid bus that came late, the stupid rain that made me wet, and now the stupid elevator that is wasting my precious time.
I rush out of the elevator into the building lobby and head straight for the exit. I didn't even have a plan, but fortunately, I spot a taxi cab.
"Please take me to the nearest bank?" I say while I reach for the taxi door.
"And will you be paying me in shoes, miss?" the taxi man's smug response makes me notice I hadn't even brought my wallet with me. I close the door and step backwards.
"Can you wait for me? It will only take a minute." I plead in my sweetest tone.
"No way, If you were prettier sure." He mockingly laughs as he turns the steering wheel and drives away.
"Well, if you were more handsome you would be a model and not a taxi driver, idiot." I wave my fist in the air, letting my anger and irritation get the better of me.
With my impromptu plan A out the window, this was going to be a disaster. Suddenly the floor began to shift again, and I felt my stomach sink deeper, trying to ground myself I squat down. I needed to breathe and think. I could speak to the babyfaced devil and explain to him what happened. How bad could it be?
"I couldn't get you new shoes, I dried off these ones though" I display his now dry shoes. They weren't dapper like he usually liked it, but they weren't completely ruined.
"You can either drop your resignation letter, or I'll sign you off as fired" The fictional Park Daisuke responded curtly without even glancing up at me.
No. No. No. Park Daisuke would definitely fire me if I did that. The devil cannot be reasoned with. There must be something else I can do, but before I can pull my thoughts together to come up with a better solution, I feel a gentle tap on my head.
"You shouldn't be so close to the driveway." I look up to see warm brown eyes peering down at me. He reaches his hand out, and he pulls me slowly to my feet.
"Are you ok?" he continues, hands on his waist as he waits for my response.
"I'm fine," I notice Park Daisuke's shoes are still clutched to my chest, so I hide them behind my back.
"You don't look fine, I saw you shouting at the taxi cab, everyone saw you. You weren't subtle." He taps his lips while trying to see what I'm hiding behind my back.
"It's nothing important."
"Then why are you hiding it?" He chuckles while reaching for my hand.
"It's not mine, stop it." I try and wrestle him.
"Then, you stole it?" his eyes are wide in mock shock, while he stifles a laugh.
"Who would steal, wet men's shoes?" I push him back.
"You apparently." he smiles. "Don't be stubborn, let me see?"
"Fine, here." I shove them into his hands. "Do you have a shoe fetish?"
"Shoe fetish? No way." He stares at the shoes in disbelief "wow they look terrible, did this man go dancing in the rain?"
"Something like that," I mutter back. "They belong to my manager, Park Daisuke."
"Park Daisuke?" his voice pitches. "Did he fire you yet?" he laughs. It wasn't funny. I could actually get fired.
"If you just want to make fun of my predicament, go do it somewhere else. I could lose my job over something so silly." I snatch the shoes from his hands and walk towards a bench. The man follows after me and sits beside me.
"Are you going to give up because of something like this..." he reaches for my employee tag "...Ho Mizuki?"
"I might not have a choice, that is kind of what fired means genius." He just chuckles in response. "Besides, who are you? You don't look like an employee."
"I'm not an employee." He rubs his dark brown hair, blushing shyly. What is with this strange dude?
"I drive Daisuke around" He beams at me with a smile.
"You what?"
"I can actually help you with that, I'm sure there are spares upstairs?" he points. Up...where?
"Wait, you drive baby faced devil...Park Daisuke around?" I practically scream.
"Baby faced devil?" he laughs himself hoarse, tears spilling. "That has to be a new one, I should tell him" My eyes widen.
"I didn't mean it, It just slipped out" I clutch at his arms.
"So, you did mean it. And you're just sorry it slipped out." He picks the wet shoes off the floor.
"I didn't mean it. You can not tell Park Daisuke." I get up following after him as he walks into the building. "You are his driver, so you may not know this, but he is nothing like the kind face he has on. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing. An absolutely terrible human being, he would fire me if he heard I said such things about him."
The man pauses and turns back to me. "No, he won't."
"Yes. Park Daisuke would." I press my palms together. "He can pretty much do whatever he likes at Sunnies Reach, so don't tell him," I plead.
"Fine, I won't tell him. How about I get this replaced for you, so Daisuke doesn't fire your ass." He pats my head and strides off to the elevator. Waving back at me as the doors shut behind him.
Mum and dad in heaven must be watching over me because they sent someone to save me from the babyfaced devil.