Inside the cab, Leonard began thinking if he should ask the manager for his salary tomorrow or not? Is it the right time? What if the manager asks him why he wanted to collect his pay this early, what would he tell him? Well, he'll just tell him he needed money badly, there was a lot he wanted to do with money. That was also the system's idea.
But he wouldn't ask him for his pay tomorrow, no, not yet. There was no time, but he also need to act wisely in collecting his pay. There's what they call the perfect time. He would ask him in the next two days, or who knows, tomorrow, he just needs to watch out for the perfect time.
The cabman arrived in front of his apartment, and he wasted no time hopping out of the car and settling the cabman. He didn't even wait for the cabman to speed off before he sauntered to the door of his apartment, unlocked it, and stepped into his apartment.
*********
Leonard was on his bed, and the system's reminder kept on ringing in his ears,
'Six days to go, complete your quest, or you die...Six days to go, complete your quest, or you die'.
Six f**king more days to go, that's counting from one and then to six, if he doesn't seduce and screw Eva within that six days...death awaits him. This was making him more confused as to if he should ask the manager for his pay tomorrow or not. But with just one mistake, it would be very hard to fix. Yeah, the manager knew that he was hardworking, he notices it...but Leonard would still have to get his pay from him cautiously and wisely.
And he can't tell the manager, 'Sir, there's a very important task I need to achieve, and to achieve it, I need money'. Revealing that he was on a mission would cost him his life...the female system has warned him. But after contemplating for minutes, he decided not to ask him tomorrow, the day after tomorrow would be the best time to ask him.
Making up his mind though he was in a bit of fear, he dozed off.
********
Leonard was prepared for work already, but you know, he didn't wake up on time today...he overslept. Was it 'cause of what he was thinking yesterday night before going to sleep? Or was it something else? No one knows. He was all dressed up, he had groomed himself, what remains was for him to eat breakfast.
A cup of tea was in front of him, with five slices of toasted bread close to the tea, yeah, he was eating tea and toasted bread for breakfast. He wasn't in a rush, he wasn't just in the mood to rush. He woke up late, and he was still doing things a little sluggishly, why? It was remaining six f**king days before his first quest expires.
He focused on the food in front of him, thank goodness, he wasn't eating sluggishly. Within some minutes, he was done eating, he took the cup to the kitchen, washed it, and kept it where it's supposed to be. Then what next? He evacuated his apartment. There was money in his pocket, little though, but it was enough for him to board a cab and change would remain, but he decided to trek.
He knew that he was late for work, but men, once again, he wasn't in the mood to rush, at least, he had been coming early for these past days. He journeyed until he arrived at the company, yeah, the mighty 'Q and R construction company'. He strolled towards the company, he sighted the security guard, but he pretended like he didn't see him...he just walked past him.
He halted when the guard said, "Hey man, you're late".
Like what? He had been coming early for the past days since he got employed in this company, and today that he was late due to valid reasons no one should know about, he was being told that he was late? The security guard had come late more than once, and here he was telling Leonard that he was late? Leonard almost got offended, but he calmed 'cause of the tone of voice the guard used in telling him this, it wasn't harsh, it was mild.
Leonard turned around focusing his gaze on the guard, he was calm, but the guard could still tell that he was offended by his statement. So he quickly said,
"Oh, man, sorry if I offended you with my statement, didn't mean to. Like, you've always been on time, I shouldn't have said that. But seriously, I didn't say it to offend you".
Leonard walked to the spot where the guard was standing, placed his palms on his right shoulder, and uttered,
"I wouldn't lie, that statement of yours offended me, but as you said, you didn't say it to offend me. Yeah, I know I'm late, but I'm late for a reason, a valid reason. So, you shouldn't have said that".
"Sorry, man, like I've been late too, and you never told me, 'Hey man, why were you late today?'. Even when I didn't come to work, you mildly asked the reason for it, with concern. Once again, I'm sorry, sorry for using the word, 'hey' on you".
Leonard smiled and uttered, "No prob, at least, you realized your mistake and you corrected it. Stay cool, man".
After making that utterance, he strolled into the company. Entering the company and sauntering along the last floor, he noticed that some of the workers' eyes were on him, you know, that stare of, 'You are late man'. He knew he was f**king late 'cause the whole desks were all occupied, at least, some of them managed to come before him today.
For the past days he had been making it to this company early, he knows how many desks he used to find vacant anytime he was strolling along this last floor. But today that he came late, the first time this was happening since he got employed in this company, they were staring at him like he's the worst latecomer they've ever known. They managed to arrive before him today, and they were already feeling like they were in heaven.
His eyes met with Rita's as he was strolling and glancing at those people that were staring at him like fools. She was different, she wasn't giving him that stare of, 'You late, man', she was just giving him a blank stare. Well, what was he gonna do? He looked away, sauntered to the staircase, and began ascending. Reaching the first floor, everyone's gaze just focused on him, that same stare of, 'Latecomer'.
He just sighed and sauntered straight to his desk and balanced on it. Most of them were staring at him, but it was like they didn't have the mind to ask him why he was late. But Felix would definitely ask him, he and Leonard were close enough,
"Hey, man, why are you late? You always come before me". Felix uttered to him in a low tone of voice, but it was audible enough for Leonard to hear.
"I woke up late this morning, there's a lot on my mind, something you shouldn't bother about". Leonard uttered.
"Isn't it something you want to talk about? It's better to disclose it to someone than to keep it to yourself".
"No, no, don't bother about it, it's something I can handle".
"OK then, if you say so".
"Has the manager arrived? His he in his office?". Leonard asked Felix.
"Yeah, he's arrived", Felix responded, "Any prob?".
"No, it's cool".
Felix nodded his head and focused on what he was doing, he could feel that something was bothering, Leonard...but he didn't just know what it was. If he knows, Leonard's life would be endangered, something would happen to him even before his quest expires. Leonard sat on his desk, but to put on his computer and start working was problem for him...yeah, his mind was filled up.
He just sat on that desk and made up his mind to collect his pay from the manager tomorrow, whatever happens after that would determine if he would live or not. He wanted to see if the newest worker of this company was around, so he raised his head and began scanning around to see if he'll sight, Mark. After some seconds of glancing around, he sighted him.
Well, he had confirmed that, it was time to begin working. He put on the computer in front of him and began working. And so it continued, minutes passed, and he was still sitting on his desk working...he had become immersed in it.