Most of reincarnation anime would lead an ordinary person to glory and turn him/her to the protagonist in the new world. Ryoichi Chow would never image the day he was fired would become the day he reincarnated. However, he seemed not to be any significant role in the new world. He found himself more likely to be an NPC, a non-player character! Ordinary!! still!!!
"Mr. Chow, thank you for your contributions in the past 10 years, but our company's current situation might limit your development in the long term. I believe your capability deserves a better platform, so …"
The HR lady lost Ryoichi's attention in the first sentence. He thought: 'Oh fuck, I'm fired.'
Ryoichi was an ordinary 32-year old salesman, that type of person who had to dress up with neat suits everyday in Takeshiro Company. The age was not too old, but it really could not say young. He used to hide some grey hair within the original black, and the reason no one could hardly see it is he often got it dyed. His eyes were deep, but not too much vitality or warmth in, and there were seemingly dark areas under. He also had high cheekbones and thin lips, some characteristics that might not be very Asian but you could tell in the first time that he is an Asian man.
His half-Japanese and half-Chinese name came from his mixed heritage – a Chinese father and a Japanese- mother, who left the family for a Ushirou when he was only 2 years old. His strong and stoic father raised him alone and sponsored him until college, meanwhile suffering from cancer. After Ryoichi graduated, his father was not getting well and finally died before dawn.
His father's death took away part of his soul as well, so that Ryoichi fully devoted himself to work without any unnecessary social activities or dates. Being a sales man in the famous Takeshiro Company was his first job. Well, was. His performance also topped around the entire department for a few times. However, due to the influence of COVID-20, even the large corporation had to cut down the staff to survive. Unfortunately, he, without any valuable network, had to move away for a manager's kin.
"Mr. Chow? Are you still with me? Do you have any questions? Do you agree with the option of leave of pay…"
Ryoichi's thought comes back and said: "No, I request to raise the pay to N+5."
"That's, I'm afraid, that's not possible. According to our policy…"
"Would you cut the crap?" Ryoichi was getting a little bit impatient, "I understand it's only your job to talk to me, so I'm still trying to be nice to you. But you, my lady, you go talk to your manager and tell him or her that I won't accept unless the pay meets my satisfaction. By the way, what the company offers does not meet the requirements of legal provisions. If the employer terminates the contract compulsorily, the employer has to notify the employee at least one month and pay at least N+1. So, I won't leave this shit place until you guys can give me a satisfying reply."
"Mr. Chow, I'm sorry to say this, but you really have to go. Today will be your last working day, and I'm afraid if you refuse to cooperate, we'll have to use mandatory means. We wouldn't want to see that happen, would we?"
At this time, the door opened and Ryoichi could see a few security guards standing outside.
"So there's not much I can bargain with," he slowly stood up and grabbed his laptop.
"Right," the HR lady thought he might surrender, "it's wise to cooperate. At least you can still get the pay."
'Fuck the COVID-20, fuck the company, fuck them all,' Ryoichi thinks. 'So cruel the company is! What can I do? Oh right, the big boss will be here for tour today. If I confront him and state the situation, which might help a little bit.'
By thinking of that, he took a peep outside the window, the car fleet has not gone yet. So he suddenly rushed out of the door, threw his laptop hardly to the nearest security guard and broke a path through.
He ran to the escalator and pushed some people aside.
"Watch out!"
"Sorry!" He shouted, scared to look back, because he has heard the security requesting for support: "Stop him!"
The first floor of the Takeshiro building presents a fountain. The big boss and his bodyguards were just walking there when Ryoichi saw him.
"Takeshiro san! Mr. Takeshiro!" Ryoichi shouted, one of his leather shoes has lost somewhere when fleeing.
"Stop him!" The security also shouted.
The noise drew attention of the bystanders, who all stopped to look back and check what is going on.
"Please, let me through!"
Ryoichi was trying very hard to get through the crowd the approach Mr.Takeshiro. Only an inch away could he be there, Ryoichi felt himself be lifted away as a cat and tossed to the fountain.
The smell of disinfectant suddenly filled up his nose and mouth. The fountain was not deep, but the floor was too slippery for him to immediately stand up. He tried to grab something for prop, but failed. By the second falling, his head seemed to hit the pillar in the middle of the fountain. He felt that his consciousness was fading away, and now the awful smell started to fill up his lung. He saw nothing and the vision all turned to blue, to white.
'Am I dying? In a fountain? Oh hell no, haven't got my pay. What if I die? Well, no one is actually waiting for me to come home. Maybe that's it. That's all for my ordinary life. Haven't seen my mom for years. Is she well? Whatever, it's not bad to see my dad in heaven.'
Ryoichi then stopped thinking.