I disembarked from Blue's Mercedes and walked towards the tower's entrance while scanning his itineraries for the day.
Just as I entered, my gaze landed on the elevator and thought "this where it all started."
Then I swiveled my head to the direction of the most familiar sound that I hear in S Tower. The sound of the trolley.
I saw a man at his 20's pushing it while talking. If I haven't been to that job, I might think that he's crazy for talking alone. But I know better. I smiled.
My smile faded when Shiela, Blue's secretary, sent me a message.
"Mr. Kim is furious... where is Mr. Sanders?"
I remembered. Mr. Kim is the Korean whom Blue is meeting with today for the expansion of one of his businesses in Korea.
The elevator 'pings' and Shiela's worried face welcomed me. And she seemed to be more horrified when she realized that Blue's not with me.
"Where's the boss?" She whispered.
"Downstairs." I said.
"what? He is supposed to be here. Mr.Kim is furious!"
I reached for my cellphone and dialled Blue's number.
"Where are you?" I asked. "Your prospect is here. And he is angry."
"Hold him." He said and hung up.
"What did he say?" Shiela asked.
"Hold him." I shrug.
"This is a disaster." She put her hand at her forehead.
"Where is the Korean?" I asked.
"At the conference room."
I hurried inside. I saw an old, grumpy man along with two pale faced young Koreans. "Who is Mr. Kim?" I asked.
The old man raised his hand and uttered a fast Korean dialect that no single word I could even understand. But one could automatically say that he is in rage.
One of his fellows spoke. "We really need to see Mr. Sanders now or else, you'll lose the deal."
I swallowed. I smiled and said. "He is on his way up here sir."
"I will be delayed. Hold the prospect."
Blue's voice reverberated in the Bluetooth speaker in my ear. The phone was in automatic answer while it is connected to the Bluetooth speaker.
Shoot! What's delaying him? I looked up at them and their faces are horrible.
Oh God. What should I do?
"Sir, would you like a coffee?" I said in my most respectful tone.
The old man grim his face even more and spoke in another incomprehensible manner.
The other guy spoke again, copying the tone of the old man. "We don't want coffee, we want Mr. Sanders."
"Alright sir, as what I have said, he is on his way up here." I reiterated.
Then to my surprise, the three of them stood up and turned.
Oh God, are they leaving? Do something Darryl. Do something!
"Wait!" I squeaked.
The three of them turned. This is it McKinley.
"Mr. Kim, this might be the most inappropriate time but I really want to say that I have read your book and it was awesome. I would want to give you a tribute for that if it's okay?" I smiled.
One of the pale faced guys whispered into him then he replied. "He appreciated it." The interpreter said and before they could turn again I asked.
"How about the tribute? Don't you want to see it? It's so sad, I practiced it for days and you just won't even try to look at it." I said and projected a sad face.
They were having a hurried conversation which took me the chance to whisper to Blue. "Where are you? Hurry!"
"I am in a hurry." He answered.
"Very well, Mr. Kim would like to see it." The interpreter said.
I smiled. Now what McKinley? "If you'll just go back to your seats please."
They attended dutifully. I went to the iPod near the amplifiers which the board is using during meetings and presentations.
I pressed Gwiyomi and while I waited for it to finish downloading, I tried to have a little speech.
"Uh... After I read your book, I felt inspired and determined to make my own version of this song as a tribute to you Mr. Kim."
Then just like on cue, the music started and I danced the Gwiyomi. I made the hand gestures just like the video on YouTube.
Shit! Shit! This is so humiliating. To my surprise, Mr. Kim clapped his hands in rhythm to the song. He was even singing. Gwiyomi, gwiyomi. I added a few twist and I turned around so I could whisper to Blue. "Where are you?" I said in a hardest diction ever.
"Watching you." Came the answer.
Just then I saw him on the glass door with an undeniable smile playing in his lips.
Shit!
The song ended and the three Koreans clapped their hands. "Thank you for watching." I said and cleared my throat. "Mr. Sanders is here to take over." I gestured to Blue.
As he approached he whispered. "I want you to do that again with no one but me as the audience."
...
I watched as the gentlemen clasped their hands in agreement. Blue escorted Mr. Kim himself through the elevator.
The door closed and Blue turned to us with a triumphant smile. I know what it meant, he got the deal.
"Congratulation sir." Shiela spoke.
"Thank you." He said and turned to me. "Darryl, come with me in my office."
I followed.
"Shiela...no calls please and visitors."
"Yes sir."
When I entered he closed the door and locked it. His face is engulfed a smile. "I want to thank you for what you did there a moment ago. If it wasn't for you, I might have lost them." He said.
"It wasn't actually an effort. It was you who made the deal not me."
"Hah! If you just knew, Mr. Kim has been blabbering about you."
"He did?" I asked in surprise.
"Yes. Actually, he asked if he could borrow you for a while."
"Borrow? What does he mean by that?"
"I don't know. But I don't like the idea."
"Well, that sounds fun." I said. "Mr. Kim seems friendly." I added.
"Well, I didn't let him borrow you." He eased his way towards me. "You are one in a million and I cannot just let something as valuable as you out of my hands."
I looked at him, perplexed.
"You know what, I feel jealous with Mr. Kim because he had seen you dance whereas I haven't." He leaned closer. "Don't you think it seemed so unfair?"
"No. It's not unfair at all. In fact Mr. Kim deserves it." I said. "He really did wrote an amazing book."
"Well yeah, which you haven't even read."
"So? At least I delayed him."
"By dancing." He smirked. "And I am curious how you did that. I want to see it too."
"Haha. No. I only did it once and I'll never do it again." I said.
"So you're saying that Mr. Kim deserves better to see you dance and I don't?" He asked.
"Mr. Sanders, look, I did that on purpose and to tell you honestly I really have no idea how I was able to do that."
He scowled. "You really favored other people than me." He turned his back on me.
What? Is he sulking? What the hell is wring with this guy?
"Mr. Sanders, you really don't understand. I'm favoring no one. I was merely doing my job."
He didn't respond.
Ugh! I rolled my eyes. "Mister Sanders, what I did is not a big deal. I am favoring no one. Like, hello, I just danced ungracefully in front of a man I don't even know while you had seen me naked and all and you sulk?"
"But I want to see you dance too." He said.
"You know, you're acting childish."
He faced me. "Childish huh? Actually I had a better idea. Why don't you dance in front of me without your clothes?"
"What? You are really out of your mind."
"Then why is dancing so hard for you when you just did it just a moment ago?"
"Fine. I'll do it." I said before he made me do his "better idea" which is more horrible.
BLUE'S PERSPECTIVE
I can't help but smile. Darryl looked so cute when he's frustrated.
"You know I don't want that song." I said.
"Then what do you want me to dance? It's the only dance I know of." He said with one brow raised. I really wanted to cuddle him now.
I smiled. "You know that's not true. I know your talents very well Darryl. You can sing and dance at the same time."
He laughed. "Perhaps you're wrong. I'm a horrible singer."
My smile widens. "There's no point hiding that, you are a horrible liar." I said and detached the screen of my Ultrabook.
I showed him the video taken in his room while he was mimicking Beyonce in her single ladies.
The shock in his face is palpable and as he looked at me, I can't help but let out a sound laughter.
DARRYL'S PERSPECTIVE
Shit! How did he get that? I stared back at the screen where my video was playing. I remembered that time.
I just finished taking a bath and I had nothing but my boxers. Everytime I take a bath, I play music and undeniably, Beyonce is on my playlist. I was about to choose my clothes when single ladies played and the urge to sing is so strong that led me to dancing.
I watched the video in horror as I see myself raising my hands while wiggling my hips. I even did a split! Shit! I was holding a comb for my microphone and I felt the moment. I just don't realize that there's a hidden camera somewhere.
The hairs of my body stood as the thought washed over. What else did he saw? Oh My God.
I looked back at Blue's smirking face. "Now, you can't deny." He said and he pressed a button and Beyonce's single ladies reverberated inside his office.
"I want you to do this again. And don't forget the split." He smiled.
I stood rooted. His face projected a questioning look. "What? You don't want Beyonce? Perhaps your version of Lady Gaga is better."
I think I lost the color of my face in humiliation. "you recorded that too?"
"Every corner in the house is recorded."
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked in frustration.
"I don't see any point telling you besides, I never thought this will happen. But you know I was thankful I didn't." He said and his face was really having his triumphant smile.
Oh God, I want to melt right now. Floor, swallow me please.
If everything is recorded, Gosh, he had seen me doing Burlesque too. Gosh, my version of Lady Marmalade, that was horrible. Goodness, my version of Katy Perry's Fireworks, I did acrobatics in there. Damn that Madagascar movie. Aaarrrrggghh..
"I'm waiting Darryl." He awakened me from my reverie.
He pressed replay and Beyonce played again.
Shit!
I did the single ladies while Blue was sitting on the couch, amused as ever.