After a while, Dean couldn't hear Kikki crying anymore. Knowing Alex must have consoled Kikki back to sleep, Dean let out a sigh of relief. He was happy he didn't have to go and face Alex right now after what had happened between them just now.
Dean let himself fall back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling as memories of Alex began to swirl in his mind.
His thoughts drifted back to the day he first stepped into the Alex's company, a mix of excitement and anxiety bubbling inside him. The interview that had brought him here replayed vividly in his mind.
Dean remembered the atmosphere of the office, sterile and professional, the air thick with the scent of fresh paper and polished wood.
As his name was called, he felt a rush of adrenaline. This was it—the chance he had been waiting for. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, the click of his shoes echoing in the quiet room.
Alex was seated behind a sleek desk, his eyes glued to Dean's resume. When he looked up, Dean's heart raced, hoping for recognition. He had expected a smile, perhaps a hint of familiarity to brighten Alex's serious expression. But instead, Alex's face was a mask of professionalism, serious and devoid of emotion, as if he didn't know Dean at all.
"Dean, is it?" Alex asked, his voice steady, with a hint of authority that made Dean sit a little straighter. Dean smiled, thinking back to their school days, hoping Alex would remember him—the annoying classmate who always sat next to him, chattering about anything and everything.
"Yeah, it's me," Dean replied, trying to sound confident. He hoped maybe Alex remembered him.
But the look in Alex's eyes told him otherwise. He simply nodded, focusing back on the resume. "Can you tell me about your qualifications?"
Dean answered the initial questions with relative ease, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease slightly. But as the interview progressed, the questions shifted to his work experience and specific details related to the job—topics he had not prepared for. Panic surged within him, a tight knot forming in his stomach as he stumbled over his words.
Alex's expression remained neutral, but Dean could sense the disappointment, and it hit him hard. By the time the interview wrapped up, he knew he wouldn't be getting the job.
"Thank you for coming in, Dean. You can wait for the response after the other interviews," Alex said, dismissing him.
Dean stood up, a mix of disappointment and nostalgia swirling within him. As he reached the door, a sudden impulse struck him, compelling him to turn back. He took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "Do you… do you remember me at all?"
Alex looked up, momentarily caught off guard. "Remember you?" he echoed, confusion flickering in his eyes.
"I mean, we were classmates before you moved here after tenth grade. You sat next to me in class," Dean pressed, his heart racing. He took a few steps towards Alex.
Alex's brow furrowed as he tried to recall, and then it struck him. "Oh… you're that annoying guy who talked all the time," he said, a faint smile creeping onto his face. "I didn't recognize you at first. You look… different now. Handsome, even."
Dean felt a rush of warmth at the compliment but quickly brushed it off. "Yeah, well, I've changed a bit since then." He chuckled awkwardly, acutely aware of the sharp contrast between their past selves and their present.
"Seriously, though," Alex continued, "I remember you as the guy who could never stop talking. But you look much more grown up now. Maybe that's why I didn't recognize you right away."
Dean laughed, the memory of their school days lighting up his mood, even if just for a moment. The connection they had felt so long ago now seemed distant yet vivid. But then reality set in again, and he realized that in this moment, they were just two men on opposite sides of an office desk—one trying to find his way in a new city, the other trying to maintain his professional demeanor.
"Actually, I know I probably won't get the job," Dean said, his voice shaking slightly. "But please, can you give me any job? I really need it. I promise I will do my best to learn and won't give you any reason to complain."
Dean felt desperation creeping into his chest. He needed this job more than anything, or his mom and dad would call him back home. The thought made his stomach churn. He didn't even have much money left for rent and food. He had already looked at so many companies; this was his last hope. If he couldn't secure a job through connections, he knew he wouldn't have a chance elsewhere either—especially with his lack of experience and knowledge about the job.
Alex paused, considering Dean's words. "How good are you with kids?" he finally asked. "Can you take care of a three-year-old?"
Dean frowned, confused about why Alex was asking him this. But the urgency of his situation pushed him to push through his uncertainty. "I'm really good with kids," he replied, his voice gaining confidence. "Back in my hometown, my older sister always left her twin kids with me when she went to work."
He held up his fingers, counting off his qualifications. "I know when they want milk—like, I can tell just by their little grunts. And I know when they need to go to the bathroom; it's all in their expressions. I've changed diapers more times than I can count, and I've mastered the art of the quick change. You wouldn't believe how squirmy toddlers can be, but I've got the reflexes for it!"
A smile crept onto his face as he recalled the chaos of those days. "And I can play games with them for hours. We'd have mini-basketball tournaments with a soft ball and a laundry basket, or I'd build forts with blankets and cushions in the living room. They loved it! I even learned a few nursery rhymes to get them to sleep when they were restless. The trick is to sing them softly while rocking them back and forth—sometimes it worked like a charm, and sometimes I had to resort to bribing them with their favorite snacks just to get them to settle down."
He took a deep breath, feeling more at ease as he spoke. "Oh, and when they started crying, I knew just what to do. I'd distract them with silly faces or make up funny stories about brave superheroes who saved the day. There was this one time when they both threw a fit because they wanted the same toy. I turned it into a race, telling them the first one to reach the toy would be the hero of the day. They forgot all about fighting and dashed off together, laughing the whole way. I promise, I can handle it!"
Alex raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. " Now, you're the same kid from school who talked nonstop.."
Dean flushed, scratching the back of his neck. "Haha. Really?"
Alex chuckled softly. "Alright, I'll give you a chance. I'll give you one month. If you can take care of my son well during that time, I'll offer you a permanent job woth whatever salary you want."
" What?" Dean's heart raced at the prospect. He wasn't there to be nanny of someone's kid. Although he was good with kids, he recalled how much his sister's children had tested his patience, how hard it could be. But as he heard the part about the salary, he knew he couldn't pass this up.
"Okay! I agree!" Dean exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over. "I'll do my best, I promise!"