Yuri quickly placed three glasses of water on a tray, making extra sure to not spill anything. As she did, she mumbled under her breath. "You idiot. How could you forget about it?"
The interview. The first job interview that she had managed to get at a proper place after scrambling around applying to everything she could. The one that Ichiro put his neck on the line to give her a chance at.
And now she had already gotten off on the wrong foot.
"Dammit..."
That udon noodle chef wouldn't let her apprentice under him unless she had a stable job, and now that she had left school early to focus on cooking... that was hard to do.
Yuri picked up the tray, carefully balancing the glasses of water. After that, she glanced at the kitchen curtain and tried her best to suppress her nerves. "Come on, Yuri. You've been through worse. This is just an interview... It isn't that bad."
She was Minato Miyamoto's granddaughter. She had been interviewed by press and television anchors because of her grandfather's cooking career. She had trained her fighting skills and kicked around countless goons who thought they could get to her grandfather through her. And she had even put up with that ridiculous bastard John Smith who turned her world upside down.
Compared to that, some pretty boy executive and his lewd secretary who he was obviously banging wasn't an issue.
...Except that said executive would decide if she would get a job at Project MirAIs. That, and the mysterious beautiful woman from yesterday also worked at Myth Inc, and she hadn't seemed too happy at Yuri closing shop before they finished watching that stream yesterday night.
Not only that, but she had *just* finished cleaning the mess of snacks that Tsuki and her friend Meggie made last night while they were having fun watching that stream, so she was still feeling a bit rushed.
Yuri sighed and plastered a smile on her face. After that, she walked out of the kitchen and back to the room.
Her interviewer, that Mister Qing Long, sat at the table, patiently waiting. Next to him, the lewd woman wearing a dress shirt that clung way too tight to her chest and a black skirt that hugged her thick thighs a bit too high up was busy scribbling notes.
Seeing that helped Yuri calm down a bit. After all, if an obvious delinquent girl like that who tanned her skin and dyed her hair silver could get a job, surely Yuri could.
Yuri walked over and set the tray of drinks on the table. After passing them out, she sat down across from Qing and said, "Sorry for the delay."
Qing waved his hand. "Once more, no need to apologize. In fact, I should thank you for your hospitality. Don't you think so, Sitri?" He glanced at the woman seated beside him.
Yuri followed his gaze.
So the woman's name was Sitri, was it?
...Yeah, she was basically guaranteed the job then. If they hired chuunibyou women like that who went around calling themselves after demons, then Yuri shouldn't have any worries.
Probably.
Sitri smiled. "Of course, Sir." She looked at Yuri and said, "She's a bit clumsy, but that's charming in it's own way."
Yuri's eyebrow twitched. Still, she kept on a professional smile and looked towards Qing. "How are we going to do this, Mister Long?"
Qing laced his fingers together and said, "It is a simple matter. Have you had an interview before?"
Yuri started to nod, but then she shook her head. "Not a job interview."
"Ah, yes." Qing nodded. "I suppose I could have worded that better. A young woman from such an esteemed pedigree would have experience with interviews from the press."
Sitri wrote something down on her notepad.
Yuri noticed, but carefully resisted the urge to check on what the woman was writing. Instead, she nodded and said, "That's right. This is actually my first interview for a job."
Mostly because her past jobs had all been given to her by those Torabu goons she kicked around or by Ichiro and her grandfather pulling strings.
"I see..." Qing unlaced his fingers and then tapped them on the table, lost in thought.
Yuri kept smiling. Calm. Professional. And doing her best to not show how worried she was that her past job experiences might ruin her chances at this new job.
After all, it would be bad press if an idol group member used to run around as a door kicker for the yakuza, right?
"Mm. In that case, I suppose I should tell you in detail how this will go. My Boss would be quite put out with me if I did not at least prepare you for future opportunities in case this does not work out." Qing frowned, as if remembering something unpleasant.
Yuri nodded. "Thank you, Mister Long."
Polite and proper. Even if she really wanted to know what kind of boss that guy had to make him have that kind of expression.
Qing took a sip from his glass of water. After setting the glass back down, he looked at Yuri and said, "There are multiple rounds of interviews. The process is done to screen out applicants for their personality and potential synergy with the team. In short, a personal examination to see if they would fit in the role we seek."
"Understood."
Qing gave an approving nod and said, "While I am certain that there are varying levels of formality to the interviews, today you can relax." He smiled and said, "I am simply here to get to know you. If it helps, think of this as a date-"
"*Ahem*." Sitri cleared her throat.
"...That is, a date between friends." Qing glanced at Sitri and then at Yuri. "In short, just a simple get to know each other. I will ask a few questions, and you need only give me your best and honest answer. Is that clear?"
Yuri nodded. "It is."
Though it wasn't clear how that guy could have suggested a date as a relaxing thing... Was he a natural lady's man or just that oblivious?
"Good. Then to start with... Would you mind telling me a bit about yourself?" Qing waved his right hand and said, "I have read the information you sent me, but I would like to hear from you directly."
Yuri froze. "T-Tell you about myself?"
"That is correct." Qing nodded. "Your aspirations, your goals, why you want to work at this company... things along those lines."
Yuri felt sweat drip down the back of her neck. Thankfully, not her forehead. That would be awkward. But telling him about herself...
"W-Well..."
Dammit. Ichiro should have mentioned something like this would come up!
Was it a trap? Did they want to confirm if she was really involved with the yakuza in the past? Or was it because she suddenly dropped out of high school the semester before she was going to graduate?
Yuri grabbed her glass of water and took a sip to buy time. Immediately, she tasted the acrid bitterness from the detergent and the sharp tang of the metals added to the tap water. Enough to pull her out of her nervousness.
She set her glass back down and then smiled. "Well... I'm not sure how much you want to know, so is a basic introduction okay?"
"Whatever you're comfortable with."
In the corner of her eye, Yuri saw Sitri click her pen and prepare to take notes.
Yuri resisted the urge to gulp and instead put on her best poker face. "My name is Miyamoto Yuri- Ah, I mean Yuri Miyamoto."
'Stupid Yuri! You're applying for a job at a Western based company! Introduce yourself properly!'
She took a deep breath and then said, "I like to cook and sing karaoke... Um, I'm decent at dancing and public speaking..."
The sound of a pen scratching paper echoed.
Yuri did her best to not panic and remembered the job description and what she said.
She came up blank.
"W-What else..." Yuri mumbled and said, "Um... I-I guess that's it? Haha... I'm not very interesting."
Qing raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
That time, Yuri really started to sweat. She fanned her face with her hand and then took a drink from her water. Water that she didn't even think was that disgusting considering how nervous she was.
...Maybe she should apologize to Ichiro the next time she saw him. His rants about interviews being the worst invention of human history didn't seem so out there now that she was being put through the wringer...
"Hm..." Qing nodded and said, "Very well. You said that you liked to cook, did you?"
"Y-Yes Sir! I mean, Mister Long!"
Qing smiled. "Relax. I am not here to judge you. I am simply here to get a better understanding of you as a person."
'Bullshit!'
Yuri bit back her retort and nodded. "Yes."
Sitri flipped a page in her notepad.
Qing laced his fingers together and then leaned forward, staring at Yuri. "Now... Would you mind telling me why you dropped out of high school to apply for this job?"
Yuri let out a nervous laugh.