DESPITE such an abnormal evening, the next morning began the same as any other. I went to work and punched my timecard in the quiet office at seven o’clock.
After sorting the mail, I prepared materials for the sales staff. Then I completed the minor chores that they’d off-loaded to me after I clocked out the day before. Lastly, I compiled a checklist of tasks in order of precedence on the back of a misprinted sheet of paper. I gave myself some wiggle room, predicting which requests I might receive that day.
I liked odd jobs and general office work a surprising amount. And my efforts allowed the other employees to perform their duties in a stress-free environment.
“Alrighty,” I mumbled. “Time to go.”
The coffee maker in the kitchenette chimed to signal that it had finished brewing, and a delightful aroma filled the air. The coffee’s delivery to the president’s office on the top floor was the final item of my morning routine. My heart sank. Would the president let me return to work after that morning’s encounter?
“Pardon me,” I said, entering the room.
“Ah, good morning, my little cutie pie!” the president cooed. “Did you bring me another barista-level coffee today?”
Takeshi Mami was a stout man in his fifties with prominent bags under his drooping eyes. He grinned at me, his rotund frame crammed into a luxurious chair. I admired his determination to always be the first person to the office. But I didn’t want to spend time with him. His advances always made me uncomfortable.
“No, no, not at all,” I replied.
When I set the coffee on his desk, he grabbed my hand. As my breath caught, he leaned into me with a burst of energy.
“Have you given any thought to joining me in Nakasu tonight?” he asked.
“Well, um…” I would have agreed if it were a drinking party with coworkers or a client.
That would still be rough though.
Yet warning bells sounded in my head. Time alone with President Mami seemed dangerous.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “A friend of mine owns the restaurant, and his whole family will be there. It’ll be a casual affair. Good girls like you are a rarity these days. I just want to introduce everyone to my newest employee. Sounds fun, right?”
“I-I really appreciate the thought, but—!”
President Mami leaned closer and closer. Conversely, I tilted so far backward that I nearly performed a backbend, deflecting with a polite smile.
The bell signaling morning assembly rang. The comical, floaty sound couldn’t have come at a better time. The president released my hand, blew me a kiss, and exited the room.
“I’m exhausted,” I grumbled.
Leaving his office, I unexpectedly ran into Keiko Nieshima. She was college educated and twenty-seven years old—seven years older than me.
“Good morning,” I said.
Naturally, she ignored me.
Just my luck. This is going to start another rumor about me having an affair with the president, first thing in the morning. Could my life get any worse?
To my surprise, Nieshima approached me shortly after I reached my desk. “Are those documents ready?”
“Oh, um, do you mean these?” I feigned a bit of panic, not wanting to reveal that I’d finished them well in advance.
Nieshima stared at the papers with an unamused expression before reluctantly accepting them. In all likelihood, she’d hoped to put me on the spot. “Goodness,” she said. “You had time to prepare these when you were in the president’s office all morning again?” She spoke loudly enough for the entire office to hear.
In spite of my urge to flee, I simply smiled.
“My, my,” she continued. “You know this company so well that you can produce reports I don’t even remember asking for. Is that why you get so much love from the president? Still, I’d rather not know what his love looks like. I appreciate the help either way. I wouldn’t want to do this sort of grunt work in a million years.” She waved goodbye, wiggling her fingers, as she returned to the sales department.
“Nice work,” a male coworker whispered to me, trying to avoid her gaze.
Nonetheless, I heard Nieshima cluck her tongue.
Please don’t praise me in front of her, I thought, wanting to shrink into myself.
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DONE with their morning assignments, the other employees scattered for lunch. I ate a boxed meal while manning the phone. It consisted of leftover meat-and-potato stew from the day before, a boiled egg, and rice.
“Grunt work, huh?” I murmured.
I liked general office work. My preemptive organizing helped my coworkers. So Nieshima’s mockery stung all the more.
“Hey there, cutie pie,” wheedled a familiar voice as a hand clapped on my shoulder.
“Wha—?!”
The president began to massage my shoulders.
“P-President Mami?” I asked. “Um…”
“Your lunch looks tasty,” he said. “Did you pack it yourself?”
“Y-Yes. It’s leftovers of what my mom made for dinner last night.”
He chuckled. “Mm, I’d love to have a bite.”
Visceral disgust washed over me. He seemed to be referring to me rather than my lunch. I’m going to be sick.
I couldn’t brush him off, and he’d cornered me alone. He must have checked the security camera in his office beforehand.
Just then, the phone rang. My hand shot out to answer it.
“Could you have picked up any slower?!” screeched Nieshima from the receiver. “Don’t slack off just because you’re on phone duty! Not when there’s a number I need you to look up for me!”
I’m saved! Escaping President Mami’s grasp, I headed to Nieshima’s desk, her shrill voice a lifeline. In the corner of my eye, I spotted the president grudgingly puttering away as Nieshima shrieked accusation after accusation at me. After significant bowing and scraping, I was free to leave.
I only have five minutes left of my break, I realized. I wolfed down the rest of my lunch. Once I’d tidied my desk, I took a swig of green tea from my thermos and slumped in my chair with a sigh. A wave of exhaustion crashed through me.
And I still have no idea what to do. President Mami wanted to have an affair with me. Consequently, I’d attracted unwanted attention from my coworkers.
Over the past three years, I’d learned how to do my job well. I’d tried hard to earn the trust of my fellow employees. Furthermore, through trial and error, I’d become quite adept at handling unreasonable demands. Despite all the bad, I still enjoyed the job.
But what’s the point if my efforts breed nothing but resentment? Do I have no choice but to grin and bear it?
I recalled my encounter with Shinozaki the previous day. Would another path have opened up to me if I’d accepted his offer?
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