Business AU - Prologue and Chapter 1
Title: As We Aspire to Be
Universe: NewS/ Business AU
Rating: PG-13
Character/ Pairings: NewS, OC, other Johnny’s
Disclaimer: I’m in dire need of money. If I own them, I would have peddled them off already. Or at least put them up for rent. I’m evil. Bwahaha. ^_^
A/N: I wanted to write an AU that I can somehow relate to (read: slight ranting). We all wish to be acquainted with officemates like them. Talk about spicing the workplace. Yum.I added a character to make my non-NewS-fans friends relate and to see the whole story from her viewpoint. The character will grow on you. Don’t worry. *keeps finger-crossed*
Summary: NewS in business suits. No, it’s not the weeeek PV. They are actual business executives, and doing one heck of a job at it.
"Discover the new executives of Kitagawa and Associates - Japan’s largest professional services and consultancy firm."
PROLOGUE
She looked at the pile of working papers in front of her. She can’t help but cringe.
Her neck feels like its going to break anytime. She has been spending too much time bowing at her laptop trying to work out deadlines.
She glanced at the wall clock above her. 3: 50 am. Great. A couple more hours to go and it will be daylight. She had been like this for 6 weeks. Only stopping to get at least 3 hours of sleep everyday. She was running on caffeine for almost 20 days. Heck, if she would be having her check-up today, she wouldn’t be surprised if it was coffee running through her veins and no longer blood.
She sighed. Such is her exciting life. She needed a break. She longed to actually feel the sunshine on her face, breathe in fresh air and see lush greeneries. Not just see the sun from her window and breathe in recycled air. For now, the only break that she can get is from stretching her aching back. She pulled her arm upwards to do so. Ahh, that feels good. She smiled. Grateful for the little joys in her life. Only to realize that her bliss was short-lived.
Standing in front of her was her boss, Ana, looking more tired than she was.
“Are you through?’ she asked her. It was a good thing that Ana was only 3 years her senior. It made working with her easier.
“Almost. I’m finishing the documentation.” she told her. She can’t help but give her senior a smile. Tired as she was, this person was far more exhausted. Juggling 7 clients all at once was her senior’s cross to carry. At least she only has 4.
“Good. Remember you have to meet up with the BIG boss later at 10. I would advise you to freshen up before that.” she informed her, taking note what today was.
“I wonder what that is for. Do you think I’m in trouble?” she asked. She wasn’t aware of anything disastrous that she had done recently.
Ana shook her head. “I don’t think so. If you were, I would have been butchered beforehand.” She assured the youngster while she walked towards the direction of her own cubicle.
-------
“Huh?! Me?!” she asked her boss incredulously.
“Yes. You. This is a special engagement. Your contract abroad will be for a year. The senior partner in Japan specifically hand-picked your CV from all others. I think it is an honor and a wonderful opportunity for you to learn.”
She simply nodded in response. Everything was surreal for her. Special Engagement? Japan? Now? What could she possibly do to help out in the project? She was going to ask this but was pre-empted by her boss.
“Details of the nature of your work will be provided via email. You need not worry about your visa, it had been taken care of. But you would need to wrap-up your deliverables for all your clients before you leave - which would be Saturday next week.” Her boss informed her nonchalantly. She was going to nod again in reply. And was on the verge of doing so, when the last statement sank in.
Saturday next week??? But today is Thursday! Panic etched all over her face.
-------
CHAPTER 1
Tokyo, Japan
She arrived at the airport at 10 pm. Damn this headache. She can feel her head splitting into two. Not from jetlag but from all the sleepless nights she had to labor to finish up her deliverables.
She hadn’t gone far when she heard someone call her name.
“Ms. Montez! Ms. Lia Montez!”
She turned towards the direction of the voice. She saw a young man running towards her. He was wearing dark jeans and white polo shirt.
When he reached her, he asked in between intakes of breath, “Are you Lia Montez?” the man asked in awkward English.
“You are?” she asked in return. She thought it wise not to confirm her identity before knowing the other person as well. Besides, he looked too young to be one of her new colleagues.
“I’m sorry, I forgot my manners. I am Yamashita Shoon. Pleased to meet you.” He said, his head politely bowed in front of her. When he looked up, it was then that she noticed how tall the kid was. Not to mention how good-looking. He looks like an anime character that came to life. She can’t help but smile at her thoughts. The kid must have thought that she was smiling at him, for he smiled at her as well.
He reminds me of my younger brother. She extended her hand to the boy. “Hi, I am Lia Montez. Nice meeting you too. By any chance, did K&A send you?” she asked with her eyebrows raised, indicating she found that hard to believe. He looked like he’s 17 or 18, too young to be part of the firm.
He seemed to have read her mind. He offered a slight bow and said ,” Yes, I was sent by K&A to fetch you from the airport. But no, I don’t work there. At least, not yet. I’m a trainee though.” He gave her a grin, obviously proud of the fact.
Kitagawa & Associates, or popularly known as K&A, is the largest professional services and consultancy firm in Japan and one of the largest in the Asia-Pacific region. It’s well known for the top-notch and diverse services it provides - from financial statements audit to SAS 70 engagements. Clientele varies from manufacturing to telecommunications to aviation. It has been noted by numerous award-giving bodies in Business. Needless to say, it employs only the best of the best in their field.
“May I get your bag for you?” he asked her. She nodded as she handed her trolley to the boy. “Thank you, Yamashita-san.” The boy smiled at her and replied. “It’s nothing. I’m simply doing my assignment. Oh and please, call me Shoon.” He said as he led her to the exit. She trailed behind him, half-expecting him to flag a cab, only to see a black stretch limousine stop in front of them.
Shoon opened the door for her and said ,”You first”. She stood stunned for a moment. Is this how they treat borrowed staffs? She had never ridden a limo her whole life, but she knows that it can’t possibly be used as a service vehicle for staffs. Then perhaps, it’s used to make a good first impression for guests. Only, she is not a guest. No need for any impression. She can’t help but dwell on that as she entered the vehicle. She let out a low whistle once inside. Shoon also entered the limo and grinned at her. “Nice isn’t it?” She simply nodded in reply as Shoon poured her a glass of champagne.
-------
“Wait. Am I going to stay in this hotel?” she asked incredulously as they walked towards the main lobby. It looked like a first class hotel. Revolving glass doors graced the front entrance. A beautiful crystal chandelier provided the soft lighting. Granite flooring gave a classy yet homey feel. Ornate furniture and accent pieces populate the area. She remembered the sign outside read Johnny’s Enterprise.
Shoon smiled at her and replied, “This is not a hotel. It’s a high-class lodging for the employees. It’s easier to get hold of them when they are staying under one roof. VIP clients also stay here as guests. But aside from the occasional visitors, only K&A people stays here. ”
Her jaw dropped at his explanation. Lodging? Where K&A employees stays? You have got to be kidding me.
He smiled at her reaction. Shoon excused himself, went to the reception area and talked to another good-looking boy around his age. The kid looked at her, smiled and bowed in respect, and gave Shoon an electronic pass.
“Here you go Ms. Montez.” Shoon said as he gave her the key to her room. He gestured towards the uniformed boy to her right. “He will be accompanying you to your room. Your belongings have already been taken upstairs. Also, don’t bother giving him a tip. This is his assignment too.” He said with a wink.
------
She was still bewildered from the events that happened since coming here. She had been astounded to find her room was more of a hotel suite, with complete and top of the line amenities. Living room, bedroom, kitchen, shower room - all furnished with luxury as its theme. Heck, she even has a walk-in closet and a Jacuzzi to top it off! But nothing beats the view from her room, the picturesque city view of Tokyo. It was so beautiful that her heart skipped a beat, in utter fascination. She was still pondering if this was all a dream, until exhaustion won over. She had slept the whole day that Sunday.
Today was a Monday. Her first day of work at K&A. She was full from the breakfast sent over to her room that morning, with a complete Welcome to K&A! note attached. She spent half an hour just relaxing at the Jacuzzi and enjoyed the refreshing feeling. Her next surprise came when she was about to change her clothes. She opened the closet doors to find a hanger for her business attires, only to find them lined up with designer suits ranging from Armani to Chanel. She opened other doors and found them filled with bags, shoes and accessories. All made by top designers, all beautiful beyond words. Is this mine? No that can’t be. Perhaps, the last occupant left it here. No, that can’t be either. It was too idiotic to do. No one leaves hundreds of thousand of dollars (perhaps even more) worth of branded goodies. She tried on a black Prada pant suit to find that it fitted her perfectly. Even the red Salvatorre Ferragamo mules were her size. Are all K&A employees treated this way? She shook her head in disbelief. At a time that downsizing was the trend, no company would be that generous.
And yet here she was, sitting at the back of the Mercedes S350, wearing the clothes she had tried on earlier (she rationalized she was only borrowing them), complete with pearl accessories and Hermes bag. The car was waiting at the lobby to escort her that day. I need to clarify this with the manager today. Are these gifts? Company incentive? Or a scheming device to force a service contract with the firm? Her head reeled on the possibilities.
The car came to a stop. The driver opened the door for her. She stepped down and walked towards her new office building - Kitagawa & Associates emblazoned on the edifice.
-------
Her meeting wasn’t until 10 am. She was an hour early. Instead of barging in the office where she was sure her presence would be announced, she opted to sneak in the coffee shop at the ground floor. At least, she blended here. And other average looking people - from employees to clientele - thrive as well. She needed to relax her mind too, before embarking on a new workload. She ordered a tall white mocha and found a nice little spot at the corner. She took out the novel she had been reading from the plane. She was in the middle of enjoying the heart-warming storyline of the book when a group of young men sat at the empty table next to her.
She looked up due to the commotion they were causing. She gaped at what she saw. Six insanely handsome men were taking their seats, all clad in expensive business suits, and each one promptly holding a cup of coffee. They look like they’re going to have a photo shoot!, she thought. She placed the novel up to her nose so that they wouldn’t notice her gawking at them. She can feel her heartbeat quickened as she looked at them. How can men this gorgeous end up grouped together in this firm? They looked more like pop idols than business executives to her. She proceeded to drink her coffee to distract her mouth from dropping again.
“Any idea who the newbie is?” The young man with pouty lips said in Japanese, in between sips of his coffee.
“Apparently, it’s a woman. Can you believe it? A woman? At K&A?” the tall guy with Mohawk hair replied. He looked distraught at the very idea.
“This is shit. It’s one thing to hire another staff for our group. But for them to choose a woman is downright insulting. We are being dragged down. She will be the death of us.” The other one snarled, looking ready for the kill. She saw him pound his fist at the desk as he said so.
“I am hoping for the better, but somehow, none of their replacements did us a good job, ne. I’m scared that she will be destroying our Member Ai.” the one-lidded guy told them.
“Yeah, I think that too. They don’t really fit in. Sometimes they are just not at par with us. Not even a little.” The guy (who looked like a girl) reacted. The other guys nodded in agreement.
She had to look away at them now. She was annoyed at how these 6 are acting so pompous. She hated it when people look down on other people. She opted to concentrate on her novel instead. At least, that would be more productive, she thought. Her concentration was tested when she heard them talking again.
“You are so right. Remember the last one they hired? He didn’t even last 3 days!”
“Or the one before him! A total idiot who does not even know the difference between a bond and a stock! A total baka!”
“And to think all of them were young men with shiny degrees to boast about. This time around, not only is the new one a woman but with modest accomplishments.”
“Eh? How so? “
“Yours truly searched for her records from the Human Resources files. No picture attached to her records though.”
“Wow! How daring! What did you find out?”
“Nothing much. Pretty typical if I must say so. She’s not even a cum laude graduate. Nor does she have a special award to her name.”
“Average.”
She heard someone snort. A fit of laughter erupted. Then a momentary pause in their conversation. They are either thinking something more idiotic to say or they got tired of talking and laughing, she surmised.
“Perhaps the firm is doing a cost-cutting measure which is why they hired her.”
“Cost-cutting my ass! We all know that Johnny likes it grand. I think she is one of our legions of fans who has tried and actually succeeded at working here. In such a case, she could actually be the one paying to work here. Just to be with us!”
“Well… you do have a point. It’s not like this is the first time someone did that. Remember that 62-year old woman who offered to buy the firm just to be with you? That was hilarious!”
“It’s not hilarious. It’s creepy! And didn’t I say never to mention that again? Shut up you mohawk!”
Laughter erupted again. Only much louder this time.
“Sshh. Not so loud guys. There is a woman on the other table as well.” The guy with chubby cheeks and dimples hissed. All 6 of them turned their attention to the woman sitting beside them, looking engrossed on the novel she is reading.
Tiny beads of sweat are breaking free from her brow. She was too scared to move. How was she supposed to react? As much as she hated them for looking down on women in general, she also knows that she is to blame. She was eavesdropping afterall. On a very loud yet supposedly secret talk among the six. Even when she can feel their gazes on her. She did nothing. She continued pretending to be reading the book.
After what seemed like an eternity, the man who brought up the topic spoke up.
“She doesn’t look Japanese. And she’s reading an English novel. Even if she can hear us, she won’t be able to make out what we are talking about.” He proceeded to look at the other guys from the table, as if it was a pain to look at the woman beside them. Just then, his phone rang. He simply said “We’ll be there” and ended the call.
The other five took that as a cue; they all stood up and headed for the door.
Male Chauvinist Pigs… she thought with disgust at their disappearing backs.
------
She walked in the plush office of Manager Takizawa Hideaki at exactly 9:50 am. She was no longer surprised to see that he was a very handsome man. Too beautiful in fact that he might be mistaken for a girl (twice it happened that day).
With hands outstretched to her, he said, “A pleasure to meet you Ms. Liana Montez. I am Takizawa Hideaki, Country Manager for K&A. We are ecstatic to have you in our firm”. She shook his hand for a brief moment and replied, “The pleasure is all mine Mr. Takizawa. It is definitely an honor. And please, call me Lia”
The young director chuckled and shook his head a little. “You can call me Tackey. Everyone else does.” The smile he gave her was enough to melt the knickers of anyone. THE killer smile. She was too stunned to say anything, she simply smiled in response.
“I assume you already have the files you need related to our firm, as well as the first engagement you will be undertaking?” he inquired.
“Ah yes. I have already gone over them. Thank you for bringing it on such short notice Manager Tackey. ” She said in response.
“Well, Lia, it’s no bother, really. I assumed you would be needing those. You have a reputation of paying attention to details”, he said with a wink. She had to smile at his comment. People saying different things - good or bad - about her no longer came as a surprise.
“The clothes seem to fit you well. It looks good on you.” He said after looking at her with appreciation. She blushed at his comment. Anyone would look good at something as expensive as this, she thought.
“About that….” she started to say.
“They are part of your clothing allowance. All K&A staffs get a week’s worth of business attires at the beginning of the year. Although in your case, you might have gotten a bit more. It seems they were very excited to finally be able to dress up a girl.” He said as a matter-of-factly.
Clothing allowance? It was more of a grand shopping spree to her. Gotten a bit more? She has an entire closet full of them It’s a month worth of clothing to her. And who the heck are dressing her up anyways? Her mind reeled at the endless questions and comments.
“I guess we should have you meet your teammates. They are waiting in the conference room at this moment. I can assure you they look better in person than the pictures in their CV I have sent you. ” He said as he ushered her outside the door.
“I know”, she said. The manager looked at her, confused at her statement. She did not offer any explanation and instead said, “Thank you by the way”
“What for?” he asked as they walked on the office corridor going to the conference room.
“For agreeing to withhold any information regarding me. For keeping it classified.”
He simply nodded in agreement as they stopped in front of the conference room door.
-------
“Good morning gentlemen.” Manager Takizawa greeted the young men at the mahogany table.
“Good morning”, they replied in unison.
“Well, where is she? Where is OUR new teammate?”
“She couldn’t have backed out this early, could she?”
Manager Takizawa lifted his right hand to signal them to stop. He grabbed hold of the woman at the door and ushered her in.
“She will be part of this team from now on. This is Ms. Lia Montez. Lia, meet your groupmates.”
She bowed politely at the introduction and proceeded to sit in front, facing them. There was a brief silence before someone spoke up.
“Ah! She’s the girl in the café!”, the man with dimples said in surprise.
“Tackey-san. Don’t you think she looks a bit young? She doesn’t look like she has much experience in this business.” the man who seemed to be the leader in the group asked.
“To top that, she is not even Japanese! How are we supposed to talk? Do you intend to have an interpreter with her all the time?! And what about the documentations? Would somebody else be translating it for her? That’s a lot of work to do! And not to mention stupid. Absolutely stupid.”
She turned her attention from the young men to Manager Takizawa. She can see the latter’s ashen face as the conversation progressed. She, on the other hand, maintained a face void of any emotion.
“St… Sto… Stop. Stop!” Tackey said with gritted teeth. He seemed appalled by the reaction of the young men and embarrassed at the same time.
“How can we, when you are not answering any of our questions?” the Mohawk haired guy replied calmly.
“Please Tackey-san, be honest with us. She doesn’t understand what’s going on anyways”, the cutie boy pleaded.
“She… She…” Tackey tried to reply. But he was too angered by the childish behavior of this team. He looked incredulous and ready to strangle the young men that were his subordinates. He found it hard to finish his sentence, let alone find the words. He simply looked at her with humiliated eyes.
She took the queue and instead replied. “I believe what he is saying is…. I can understand Japanese very well.” She replied in perfect Japanese.
Silence.
“Ow, Shit!”
------
Awkward does not even begin to describe the air in the conference room at that moment. No one had uttered anything since they found out that the woman in the group that they had been talking (and bad-mouthing) about had heard their comments.
Their expressions vary from horror to embarrassment, but leaning more on the latter.
She was the first one to speak out, since the air was suffocating her already.
“How about we start from the beginning?” she said and even smiled warmly at them. She took the deafening silence as a yes.
She stood up and facing the men she said, “Ohayo gozaimasu. Montez Lia-desu. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu.” She bowed politely. It seemed that she was not as affected at the incident as they thought she was.
“Introduce yourselves and your position. Now.” Manager Tackey ordered his subordinates.
They reluctantly followed him.
“Yamashita Tomohisa desu. Management Engineer. I also have a minor in Economics.” the man with pouty lips said. He offered a slight nod in acknowledgment.
“Nishikido Ryo- desu. Financial Analyst and Stock Broker. The best at both.” said another. Still giving her a death glare.
“Koyama Keiichito-desu. Taxation Specialist. Hajimemashite.” The one-lidded guy said with a polite bow.
“Kato Shigeaki-desu. Lawyer. Nice to meet you, I guess.“ the mohawk hair guy said as he pushed his glasses up the rim of his nose.
“Masuda Takahisa-desu. Electronics and Communications Engineer. You can call me Massu.” the chubby cheeked guy with dimples said. He gave her one of his brilliant smile.
“Tegoshi Yuya-desu. Psychologist. Can I call you Lia-chan? ” The pretty boy said in greeting.
In spite of the situation, she managed to keep the smile plastered on her lips. She bowed in acknowledgment as the last guy was finished with his introduction.
It was the Manager’s turn to speak up. “This is team NEWS, which stands for Nippon Ensemble for World Standards. Unlike other firms that are grouped according to one’s specialization, K&A diversified the group. In one team, you can find different fortes to suit the client’s likewise diversified needs. The project leader would depend on the type of engagement that we are hired for. For instance, if it’s related to Human Resource outsourcing, then Yuya would be the team lead. Otherwise, Tomohisa is the appointed leader.” He gestured towards Yamashita-san. “Do you have any other questions, Lia?”
She shook her head and replied, “None as of the moment.”
“Well, should you have any queries, or should you need assistance in anything, do not hesitate to ask these guys. They owe you that much.” He said while looking at the young men, waiting for any sign of reluctance. No one dared to contend his statement.
“In such a case, I would have to excuse myself. I have a meeting with a high-profile client. For now, get acquainted with each other. Especially since your first engagement together would start tomorrow. ”, Tackey said as he walked towards door. “You have the rest of the day off Lia. Feel free to relax a little.” He smiled at her.
“I will. I would just need to talk to the guys for a minute.” She informed him. He understood what she meant and he bade her good bye.
The moment that Manager Tackey had closed the door behind him, all of the guys started to speak all at once.
“Lia, we are so sorry… we are so sorry… we…. “
“We didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that we were so frustrated and….”
“Please understand that we do not really hate you…”
“You know you could have told us that you can converse in Japanese sooner…”
“In behalf of the group, I would like to apologize to you…”
“We didn’t mean to hurt you…”
They kept going on like this. Everyone trying to repair the damage that they had done.
She on the other hand already had enough of them talking.
“Enough! Jeez, don’t you guys ever shut up?” she said, unable to hide her irritation any longer. Finally, they stopped talking. Partly because she had told them to do so and partly because she seemed to have lost her sweet temperament.
“What’s done is done. You have already insulted me and judged me even before I have had the chance to prove myself. I am not angry at any of you. I am just hurt and deeply disappointed. I haven’t been expecting such an immature conduct from K&A’s finest.” She told the guys who were staring at her and listening intently to what she had said.
When she saw that none of them had anything to say in response to her, she continued. “I don’t know much about any of you. Likewise, I am sure that your knowledge of me is limited to the piece of crap you got from HR…” she briefly looked at Tegoshi, who smiled sheepishly at her. “… but starting tomorrow, I would be part of this team for a year. Now I know that you feel that I am intruding your group’s Ai…”
“It’s member ai.” Koyama said to correct her. He smiled at her encouragingly.
“… ok, member ai, it is. But I have no intention of ripping your group apart nor be the weight to pull you down…” she turned to look at Nishikido who seemed angry and embarrassed at the same time. “…I simply want to do what I came here for. It wouldn’t hurt to become friends with my teammates in the process. But judging from your violent reactions, it seems improbable now. At the very least, I hope we can be civil with each other.”
When none of them still reacted, she stood up from her seat and said “I would be reporting for work, as a temporary part of NewS, tomorrow. But for now, I need to rest some more. Today had been an emotionally tiring one. I will be taking my leave. It was nice meeting you, and I am honored to be part of the team. Onegaishimasu.” She bowed down briefly and walked out the door. She didn’t care to look back, as tears were already threatening to show any minute. Get a hold of yourself!, she scolded herself.
She kept her head low as she walked the marble corridors and pushed the elevator button going down. When she was safely inside the elevator, only then did she allow the tears to flow freely. This is going to be a long year after all.
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Universe: NewS/ Business AU
Rating: PG-13
Character/ Pairings: NewS, OC, other Johnny’s
Disclaimer: I’m in dire need of money. If I own them, I would have peddled them off already. Or at least put them up for rent. I’m evil. Bwahaha. ^_^
A/N: I wanted to write an AU that I can somehow relate to (read: slight ranting). We all wish to be acquainted with officemates like them. Talk about spicing the workplace. Yum.I added a character to make my non-NewS-fans friends relate and to see the whole story from her viewpoint. The character will grow on you. Don’t worry. *keeps finger-crossed*
Summary: NewS in business suits. No, it’s not the weeeek PV. They are actual business executives, and doing one heck of a job at it.
"Discover the new executives of Kitagawa and Associates - Japan’s largest professional services and consultancy firm."
PROLOGUE
She looked at the pile of working papers in front of her. She can’t help but cringe.
Her neck feels like its going to break anytime. She has been spending too much time bowing at her laptop trying to work out deadlines.
She glanced at the wall clock above her. 3: 50 am. Great. A couple more hours to go and it will be daylight. She had been like this for 6 weeks. Only stopping to get at least 3 hours of sleep everyday. She was running on caffeine for almost 20 days. Heck, if she would be having her check-up today, she wouldn’t be surprised if it was coffee running through her veins and no longer blood.
She sighed. Such is her exciting life. She needed a break. She longed to actually feel the sunshine on her face, breathe in fresh air and see lush greeneries. Not just see the sun from her window and breathe in recycled air. For now, the only break that she can get is from stretching her aching back. She pulled her arm upwards to do so. Ahh, that feels good. She smiled. Grateful for the little joys in her life. Only to realize that her bliss was short-lived.
Standing in front of her was her boss, Ana, looking more tired than she was.
“Are you through?’ she asked her. It was a good thing that Ana was only 3 years her senior. It made working with her easier.
“Almost. I’m finishing the documentation.” she told her. She can’t help but give her senior a smile. Tired as she was, this person was far more exhausted. Juggling 7 clients all at once was her senior’s cross to carry. At least she only has 4.
“Good. Remember you have to meet up with the BIG boss later at 10. I would advise you to freshen up before that.” she informed her, taking note what today was.
“I wonder what that is for. Do you think I’m in trouble?” she asked. She wasn’t aware of anything disastrous that she had done recently.
Ana shook her head. “I don’t think so. If you were, I would have been butchered beforehand.” She assured the youngster while she walked towards the direction of her own cubicle.
-------
“Huh?! Me?!” she asked her boss incredulously.
“Yes. You. This is a special engagement. Your contract abroad will be for a year. The senior partner in Japan specifically hand-picked your CV from all others. I think it is an honor and a wonderful opportunity for you to learn.”
She simply nodded in response. Everything was surreal for her. Special Engagement? Japan? Now? What could she possibly do to help out in the project? She was going to ask this but was pre-empted by her boss.
“Details of the nature of your work will be provided via email. You need not worry about your visa, it had been taken care of. But you would need to wrap-up your deliverables for all your clients before you leave - which would be Saturday next week.” Her boss informed her nonchalantly. She was going to nod again in reply. And was on the verge of doing so, when the last statement sank in.
Saturday next week??? But today is Thursday! Panic etched all over her face.
-------
CHAPTER 1
Tokyo, Japan
She arrived at the airport at 10 pm. Damn this headache. She can feel her head splitting into two. Not from jetlag but from all the sleepless nights she had to labor to finish up her deliverables.
She hadn’t gone far when she heard someone call her name.
“Ms. Montez! Ms. Lia Montez!”
She turned towards the direction of the voice. She saw a young man running towards her. He was wearing dark jeans and white polo shirt.
When he reached her, he asked in between intakes of breath, “Are you Lia Montez?” the man asked in awkward English.
“You are?” she asked in return. She thought it wise not to confirm her identity before knowing the other person as well. Besides, he looked too young to be one of her new colleagues.
“I’m sorry, I forgot my manners. I am Yamashita Shoon. Pleased to meet you.” He said, his head politely bowed in front of her. When he looked up, it was then that she noticed how tall the kid was. Not to mention how good-looking. He looks like an anime character that came to life. She can’t help but smile at her thoughts. The kid must have thought that she was smiling at him, for he smiled at her as well.
He reminds me of my younger brother. She extended her hand to the boy. “Hi, I am Lia Montez. Nice meeting you too. By any chance, did K&A send you?” she asked with her eyebrows raised, indicating she found that hard to believe. He looked like he’s 17 or 18, too young to be part of the firm.
He seemed to have read her mind. He offered a slight bow and said ,” Yes, I was sent by K&A to fetch you from the airport. But no, I don’t work there. At least, not yet. I’m a trainee though.” He gave her a grin, obviously proud of the fact.
Kitagawa & Associates, or popularly known as K&A, is the largest professional services and consultancy firm in Japan and one of the largest in the Asia-Pacific region. It’s well known for the top-notch and diverse services it provides - from financial statements audit to SAS 70 engagements. Clientele varies from manufacturing to telecommunications to aviation. It has been noted by numerous award-giving bodies in Business. Needless to say, it employs only the best of the best in their field.
“May I get your bag for you?” he asked her. She nodded as she handed her trolley to the boy. “Thank you, Yamashita-san.” The boy smiled at her and replied. “It’s nothing. I’m simply doing my assignment. Oh and please, call me Shoon.” He said as he led her to the exit. She trailed behind him, half-expecting him to flag a cab, only to see a black stretch limousine stop in front of them.
Shoon opened the door for her and said ,”You first”. She stood stunned for a moment. Is this how they treat borrowed staffs? She had never ridden a limo her whole life, but she knows that it can’t possibly be used as a service vehicle for staffs. Then perhaps, it’s used to make a good first impression for guests. Only, she is not a guest. No need for any impression. She can’t help but dwell on that as she entered the vehicle. She let out a low whistle once inside. Shoon also entered the limo and grinned at her. “Nice isn’t it?” She simply nodded in reply as Shoon poured her a glass of champagne.
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“Wait. Am I going to stay in this hotel?” she asked incredulously as they walked towards the main lobby. It looked like a first class hotel. Revolving glass doors graced the front entrance. A beautiful crystal chandelier provided the soft lighting. Granite flooring gave a classy yet homey feel. Ornate furniture and accent pieces populate the area. She remembered the sign outside read Johnny’s Enterprise.
Shoon smiled at her and replied, “This is not a hotel. It’s a high-class lodging for the employees. It’s easier to get hold of them when they are staying under one roof. VIP clients also stay here as guests. But aside from the occasional visitors, only K&A people stays here. ”
Her jaw dropped at his explanation. Lodging? Where K&A employees stays? You have got to be kidding me.
He smiled at her reaction. Shoon excused himself, went to the reception area and talked to another good-looking boy around his age. The kid looked at her, smiled and bowed in respect, and gave Shoon an electronic pass.
“Here you go Ms. Montez.” Shoon said as he gave her the key to her room. He gestured towards the uniformed boy to her right. “He will be accompanying you to your room. Your belongings have already been taken upstairs. Also, don’t bother giving him a tip. This is his assignment too.” He said with a wink.
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She was still bewildered from the events that happened since coming here. She had been astounded to find her room was more of a hotel suite, with complete and top of the line amenities. Living room, bedroom, kitchen, shower room - all furnished with luxury as its theme. Heck, she even has a walk-in closet and a Jacuzzi to top it off! But nothing beats the view from her room, the picturesque city view of Tokyo. It was so beautiful that her heart skipped a beat, in utter fascination. She was still pondering if this was all a dream, until exhaustion won over. She had slept the whole day that Sunday.
Today was a Monday. Her first day of work at K&A. She was full from the breakfast sent over to her room that morning, with a complete Welcome to K&A! note attached. She spent half an hour just relaxing at the Jacuzzi and enjoyed the refreshing feeling. Her next surprise came when she was about to change her clothes. She opened the closet doors to find a hanger for her business attires, only to find them lined up with designer suits ranging from Armani to Chanel. She opened other doors and found them filled with bags, shoes and accessories. All made by top designers, all beautiful beyond words. Is this mine? No that can’t be. Perhaps, the last occupant left it here. No, that can’t be either. It was too idiotic to do. No one leaves hundreds of thousand of dollars (perhaps even more) worth of branded goodies. She tried on a black Prada pant suit to find that it fitted her perfectly. Even the red Salvatorre Ferragamo mules were her size. Are all K&A employees treated this way? She shook her head in disbelief. At a time that downsizing was the trend, no company would be that generous.
And yet here she was, sitting at the back of the Mercedes S350, wearing the clothes she had tried on earlier (she rationalized she was only borrowing them), complete with pearl accessories and Hermes bag. The car was waiting at the lobby to escort her that day. I need to clarify this with the manager today. Are these gifts? Company incentive? Or a scheming device to force a service contract with the firm? Her head reeled on the possibilities.
The car came to a stop. The driver opened the door for her. She stepped down and walked towards her new office building - Kitagawa & Associates emblazoned on the edifice.
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Her meeting wasn’t until 10 am. She was an hour early. Instead of barging in the office where she was sure her presence would be announced, she opted to sneak in the coffee shop at the ground floor. At least, she blended here. And other average looking people - from employees to clientele - thrive as well. She needed to relax her mind too, before embarking on a new workload. She ordered a tall white mocha and found a nice little spot at the corner. She took out the novel she had been reading from the plane. She was in the middle of enjoying the heart-warming storyline of the book when a group of young men sat at the empty table next to her.
She looked up due to the commotion they were causing. She gaped at what she saw. Six insanely handsome men were taking their seats, all clad in expensive business suits, and each one promptly holding a cup of coffee. They look like they’re going to have a photo shoot!, she thought. She placed the novel up to her nose so that they wouldn’t notice her gawking at them. She can feel her heartbeat quickened as she looked at them. How can men this gorgeous end up grouped together in this firm? They looked more like pop idols than business executives to her. She proceeded to drink her coffee to distract her mouth from dropping again.
“Any idea who the newbie is?” The young man with pouty lips said in Japanese, in between sips of his coffee.
“Apparently, it’s a woman. Can you believe it? A woman? At K&A?” the tall guy with Mohawk hair replied. He looked distraught at the very idea.
“This is shit. It’s one thing to hire another staff for our group. But for them to choose a woman is downright insulting. We are being dragged down. She will be the death of us.” The other one snarled, looking ready for the kill. She saw him pound his fist at the desk as he said so.
“I am hoping for the better, but somehow, none of their replacements did us a good job, ne. I’m scared that she will be destroying our Member Ai.” the one-lidded guy told them.
“Yeah, I think that too. They don’t really fit in. Sometimes they are just not at par with us. Not even a little.” The guy (who looked like a girl) reacted. The other guys nodded in agreement.
She had to look away at them now. She was annoyed at how these 6 are acting so pompous. She hated it when people look down on other people. She opted to concentrate on her novel instead. At least, that would be more productive, she thought. Her concentration was tested when she heard them talking again.
“You are so right. Remember the last one they hired? He didn’t even last 3 days!”
“Or the one before him! A total idiot who does not even know the difference between a bond and a stock! A total baka!”
“And to think all of them were young men with shiny degrees to boast about. This time around, not only is the new one a woman but with modest accomplishments.”
“Eh? How so? “
“Yours truly searched for her records from the Human Resources files. No picture attached to her records though.”
“Wow! How daring! What did you find out?”
“Nothing much. Pretty typical if I must say so. She’s not even a cum laude graduate. Nor does she have a special award to her name.”
“Average.”
She heard someone snort. A fit of laughter erupted. Then a momentary pause in their conversation. They are either thinking something more idiotic to say or they got tired of talking and laughing, she surmised.
“Perhaps the firm is doing a cost-cutting measure which is why they hired her.”
“Cost-cutting my ass! We all know that Johnny likes it grand. I think she is one of our legions of fans who has tried and actually succeeded at working here. In such a case, she could actually be the one paying to work here. Just to be with us!”
“Well… you do have a point. It’s not like this is the first time someone did that. Remember that 62-year old woman who offered to buy the firm just to be with you? That was hilarious!”
“It’s not hilarious. It’s creepy! And didn’t I say never to mention that again? Shut up you mohawk!”
Laughter erupted again. Only much louder this time.
“Sshh. Not so loud guys. There is a woman on the other table as well.” The guy with chubby cheeks and dimples hissed. All 6 of them turned their attention to the woman sitting beside them, looking engrossed on the novel she is reading.
Tiny beads of sweat are breaking free from her brow. She was too scared to move. How was she supposed to react? As much as she hated them for looking down on women in general, she also knows that she is to blame. She was eavesdropping afterall. On a very loud yet supposedly secret talk among the six. Even when she can feel their gazes on her. She did nothing. She continued pretending to be reading the book.
After what seemed like an eternity, the man who brought up the topic spoke up.
“She doesn’t look Japanese. And she’s reading an English novel. Even if she can hear us, she won’t be able to make out what we are talking about.” He proceeded to look at the other guys from the table, as if it was a pain to look at the woman beside them. Just then, his phone rang. He simply said “We’ll be there” and ended the call.
The other five took that as a cue; they all stood up and headed for the door.
Male Chauvinist Pigs… she thought with disgust at their disappearing backs.
------
She walked in the plush office of Manager Takizawa Hideaki at exactly 9:50 am. She was no longer surprised to see that he was a very handsome man. Too beautiful in fact that he might be mistaken for a girl (twice it happened that day).
With hands outstretched to her, he said, “A pleasure to meet you Ms. Liana Montez. I am Takizawa Hideaki, Country Manager for K&A. We are ecstatic to have you in our firm”. She shook his hand for a brief moment and replied, “The pleasure is all mine Mr. Takizawa. It is definitely an honor. And please, call me Lia”
The young director chuckled and shook his head a little. “You can call me Tackey. Everyone else does.” The smile he gave her was enough to melt the knickers of anyone. THE killer smile. She was too stunned to say anything, she simply smiled in response.
“I assume you already have the files you need related to our firm, as well as the first engagement you will be undertaking?” he inquired.
“Ah yes. I have already gone over them. Thank you for bringing it on such short notice Manager Tackey. ” She said in response.
“Well, Lia, it’s no bother, really. I assumed you would be needing those. You have a reputation of paying attention to details”, he said with a wink. She had to smile at his comment. People saying different things - good or bad - about her no longer came as a surprise.
“The clothes seem to fit you well. It looks good on you.” He said after looking at her with appreciation. She blushed at his comment. Anyone would look good at something as expensive as this, she thought.
“About that….” she started to say.
“They are part of your clothing allowance. All K&A staffs get a week’s worth of business attires at the beginning of the year. Although in your case, you might have gotten a bit more. It seems they were very excited to finally be able to dress up a girl.” He said as a matter-of-factly.
Clothing allowance? It was more of a grand shopping spree to her. Gotten a bit more? She has an entire closet full of them It’s a month worth of clothing to her. And who the heck are dressing her up anyways? Her mind reeled at the endless questions and comments.
“I guess we should have you meet your teammates. They are waiting in the conference room at this moment. I can assure you they look better in person than the pictures in their CV I have sent you. ” He said as he ushered her outside the door.
“I know”, she said. The manager looked at her, confused at her statement. She did not offer any explanation and instead said, “Thank you by the way”
“What for?” he asked as they walked on the office corridor going to the conference room.
“For agreeing to withhold any information regarding me. For keeping it classified.”
He simply nodded in agreement as they stopped in front of the conference room door.
-------
“Good morning gentlemen.” Manager Takizawa greeted the young men at the mahogany table.
“Good morning”, they replied in unison.
“Well, where is she? Where is OUR new teammate?”
“She couldn’t have backed out this early, could she?”
Manager Takizawa lifted his right hand to signal them to stop. He grabbed hold of the woman at the door and ushered her in.
“She will be part of this team from now on. This is Ms. Lia Montez. Lia, meet your groupmates.”
She bowed politely at the introduction and proceeded to sit in front, facing them. There was a brief silence before someone spoke up.
“Ah! She’s the girl in the café!”, the man with dimples said in surprise.
“Tackey-san. Don’t you think she looks a bit young? She doesn’t look like she has much experience in this business.” the man who seemed to be the leader in the group asked.
“To top that, she is not even Japanese! How are we supposed to talk? Do you intend to have an interpreter with her all the time?! And what about the documentations? Would somebody else be translating it for her? That’s a lot of work to do! And not to mention stupid. Absolutely stupid.”
She turned her attention from the young men to Manager Takizawa. She can see the latter’s ashen face as the conversation progressed. She, on the other hand, maintained a face void of any emotion.
“St… Sto… Stop. Stop!” Tackey said with gritted teeth. He seemed appalled by the reaction of the young men and embarrassed at the same time.
“How can we, when you are not answering any of our questions?” the Mohawk haired guy replied calmly.
“Please Tackey-san, be honest with us. She doesn’t understand what’s going on anyways”, the cutie boy pleaded.
“She… She…” Tackey tried to reply. But he was too angered by the childish behavior of this team. He looked incredulous and ready to strangle the young men that were his subordinates. He found it hard to finish his sentence, let alone find the words. He simply looked at her with humiliated eyes.
She took the queue and instead replied. “I believe what he is saying is…. I can understand Japanese very well.” She replied in perfect Japanese.
Silence.
“Ow, Shit!”
------
Awkward does not even begin to describe the air in the conference room at that moment. No one had uttered anything since they found out that the woman in the group that they had been talking (and bad-mouthing) about had heard their comments.
Their expressions vary from horror to embarrassment, but leaning more on the latter.
She was the first one to speak out, since the air was suffocating her already.
“How about we start from the beginning?” she said and even smiled warmly at them. She took the deafening silence as a yes.
She stood up and facing the men she said, “Ohayo gozaimasu. Montez Lia-desu. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu.” She bowed politely. It seemed that she was not as affected at the incident as they thought she was.
“Introduce yourselves and your position. Now.” Manager Tackey ordered his subordinates.
They reluctantly followed him.
“Yamashita Tomohisa desu. Management Engineer. I also have a minor in Economics.” the man with pouty lips said. He offered a slight nod in acknowledgment.
“Nishikido Ryo- desu. Financial Analyst and Stock Broker. The best at both.” said another. Still giving her a death glare.
“Koyama Keiichito-desu. Taxation Specialist. Hajimemashite.” The one-lidded guy said with a polite bow.
“Kato Shigeaki-desu. Lawyer. Nice to meet you, I guess.“ the mohawk hair guy said as he pushed his glasses up the rim of his nose.
“Masuda Takahisa-desu. Electronics and Communications Engineer. You can call me Massu.” the chubby cheeked guy with dimples said. He gave her one of his brilliant smile.
“Tegoshi Yuya-desu. Psychologist. Can I call you Lia-chan? ” The pretty boy said in greeting.
In spite of the situation, she managed to keep the smile plastered on her lips. She bowed in acknowledgment as the last guy was finished with his introduction.
It was the Manager’s turn to speak up. “This is team NEWS, which stands for Nippon Ensemble for World Standards. Unlike other firms that are grouped according to one’s specialization, K&A diversified the group. In one team, you can find different fortes to suit the client’s likewise diversified needs. The project leader would depend on the type of engagement that we are hired for. For instance, if it’s related to Human Resource outsourcing, then Yuya would be the team lead. Otherwise, Tomohisa is the appointed leader.” He gestured towards Yamashita-san. “Do you have any other questions, Lia?”
She shook her head and replied, “None as of the moment.”
“Well, should you have any queries, or should you need assistance in anything, do not hesitate to ask these guys. They owe you that much.” He said while looking at the young men, waiting for any sign of reluctance. No one dared to contend his statement.
“In such a case, I would have to excuse myself. I have a meeting with a high-profile client. For now, get acquainted with each other. Especially since your first engagement together would start tomorrow. ”, Tackey said as he walked towards door. “You have the rest of the day off Lia. Feel free to relax a little.” He smiled at her.
“I will. I would just need to talk to the guys for a minute.” She informed him. He understood what she meant and he bade her good bye.
The moment that Manager Tackey had closed the door behind him, all of the guys started to speak all at once.
“Lia, we are so sorry… we are so sorry… we…. “
“We didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that we were so frustrated and….”
“Please understand that we do not really hate you…”
“You know you could have told us that you can converse in Japanese sooner…”
“In behalf of the group, I would like to apologize to you…”
“We didn’t mean to hurt you…”
They kept going on like this. Everyone trying to repair the damage that they had done.
She on the other hand already had enough of them talking.
“Enough! Jeez, don’t you guys ever shut up?” she said, unable to hide her irritation any longer. Finally, they stopped talking. Partly because she had told them to do so and partly because she seemed to have lost her sweet temperament.
“What’s done is done. You have already insulted me and judged me even before I have had the chance to prove myself. I am not angry at any of you. I am just hurt and deeply disappointed. I haven’t been expecting such an immature conduct from K&A’s finest.” She told the guys who were staring at her and listening intently to what she had said.
When she saw that none of them had anything to say in response to her, she continued. “I don’t know much about any of you. Likewise, I am sure that your knowledge of me is limited to the piece of crap you got from HR…” she briefly looked at Tegoshi, who smiled sheepishly at her. “… but starting tomorrow, I would be part of this team for a year. Now I know that you feel that I am intruding your group’s Ai…”
“It’s member ai.” Koyama said to correct her. He smiled at her encouragingly.
“… ok, member ai, it is. But I have no intention of ripping your group apart nor be the weight to pull you down…” she turned to look at Nishikido who seemed angry and embarrassed at the same time. “…I simply want to do what I came here for. It wouldn’t hurt to become friends with my teammates in the process. But judging from your violent reactions, it seems improbable now. At the very least, I hope we can be civil with each other.”
When none of them still reacted, she stood up from her seat and said “I would be reporting for work, as a temporary part of NewS, tomorrow. But for now, I need to rest some more. Today had been an emotionally tiring one. I will be taking my leave. It was nice meeting you, and I am honored to be part of the team. Onegaishimasu.” She bowed down briefly and walked out the door. She didn’t care to look back, as tears were already threatening to show any minute. Get a hold of yourself!, she scolded herself.
She kept her head low as she walked the marble corridors and pushed the elevator button going down. When she was safely inside the elevator, only then did she allow the tears to flow freely. This is going to be a long year after all.
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