I can't lie, he has the prettiest eyes I've ever seen
Read - ch 1
Chapter 2
A doctor’s visit is not one you appreciate very much when you go there. Half the time, you aren’t even sure why you sit in front of the person in a white coat, waiting to be lectured about your bad habits and ‘cut down on sugar’ bullshit. But right now? These are the times you wish you had a doctor friend who could fix your back pain.
You press your lips hard to not make a sound and bend your upper body back, emitting a loud cracking sound from your spine. Your tense shoulders visibly relax. Your coworkers don’t turn to look. It is the 10th time you have done this in an hour.
Whatever you expected when you accepted this sitting job, it was NOT the chronic back pain. A pain that has now cursed you for your whole life. You sigh loudly and return to your original position, with a straighter posture this time, hands on keyboard again and ready to type out another stupid document for your boss. The pay is good, the environment is manageable, but boredom is your killer.
After a few minutes of typing, your eyes drift towards the corner of your computer screen.
5:57 pm
Three more minutes and Flash will have a solid competition for who can exit this office faster. You type out the last of the conclusion on the document in a moment of pure excitement about leaving. Japanese work culture? Yeah goodbye. If the others won’t leave until someone else will, then you will be the first one to do so. Being an inspiration is iconic on its own.
5:59 pm
The mouse makes a click sound as you turn off the computer. ‘No. Don’t show your excitement. You’ll get the evil eye.’ Suppressing a smile as hard as you can, you begin to pack your bags and prepare to leave the great four walls of lassitude. But luck is hardly ever on your side, is it?
Just as you stand up, the sound of heels stops nearby. It blocks you from standing up.
“Miss [name]?” Your coworker leans on your booth, wearing a sympathetic smile. Oh no no no.
“...yes?”
“The boss has called for you.” She pats your shoulder, giving it a light squeeze as if to say a quiet good luck. She speaks a few more words to you before leaving, but you hear nothing.
Like a ghost, you walk towards your boss’s office and stand in front of his door. There is a very fine line between homelessness and breaking this door with your bare hands, and you were dangerously close to doing the latter.
You take in a deep, violently trembling breath and knock on the door. The answer comes in a second, and you push the door open.
“Boss? You call-” all the politeness dies from your tone.
The older man lets out a nervous laugh and signals you closer, “There she is. [name], come here”
He stands beside the table like a meek fellow, slightly bowed down and with too stretched of a smile on his face. The chair he usually sits on is facing the other way, with another man on it like he owned the damn office. His elbow rests on the armrest while his hand holds a lit cigarette between his fingers.
When you step closer, the sight becomes even worse than your expectations.
“I hope you didn’t forget me, [name]” the velvety smooth voice of his saying your name does something you couldn’t quite understand in your stomach. The chair slowly turns around, and in his blue eyes you meet your reflection again. The man’s pink hair looks neater than last night, yet overrun with chaos. The perked-up corner of his lips in a smirk holds a conceit you hadn’t realised last night.
The same man.
He stands up and stalks towards your rigid figure, ignoring the existence of your boss entirely. If glaring could hurt, your eyes would have bled out by now. Only for the presence of your boss do you choose to remain quiet.
Your silence brings him closer. His steps do not stop until he is right in front of you and stares down with that smirk, that egostic smirk that speaks ‘I own everything here’ without lifting a finger.
“Well? Was I called here?” you smile. “Matter of fact, yes. We have been waiting for you. I was just talking to your boss about how exceptional you are as an employee.” his cockiness increases with each word. He turns his head slightly towards your boss, and he rushes in to explain.
“This gentleman here has just proposed the most excellent job for our employees. The pay is above anything you can get here, and it's a transitory one too. I thought who better to suggest than our employee of the month?” his voice sounds unusually bright.
You look between the two. “But I’m… not the employee of the month. If you want someone, then take Yuki. She deserves it more.”
The pink-haired man barks a laugh. “Humble. We like it. Or we don’t?” his hips rest on the table as he flicks off the cigarette. “But tell me, [name]. Do you really want to lose the money? Trust me, the pay is higher than anything even your boss begs to get.”
Your boss winces but stays quiet. The decision is not much of a dilemma for you. It is clear that whatever your boss said was probably a lie, and this man was not interested in giving this job to the best employee. If the money is good, why not take it?
“What is the pay?”
He laughs again, “Whatever you ask. But the job will be… difficult.”
You part your lips to reply, but the memory of the gun with him last night brings you back. What if it is something illegal?... Whatever, your boss will be held responsible if you are arrested or die anyway. There is not much to live for in your tedious life.
“Show me the terms and agreement, then I’ll decide.”
The man looks amused, but agrees nonetheless. Since work hours were over, you did not want to stay in the office any moment longer.
That is how you ended up at a cafe near your office with the pink-haired man currently writing something aggressive on a piece of paper.
You sip on your drink. “We never exchanged names, you know. How did you end up in my office?” “Coincidence,” he says without looking up.
“Bullshit. I never even told you my name. And who even are you?” The man finally stops writing and stares right into your eyes. His blue eyes reminded you of the ocean. “Sanzu. The name’s Sanzu.” The paper slides towards you. “Here. The contract. Read it carefully and do not make me repeat.
Sanzu. The name sounds familiar, but not quite right. You look down at writings in blue ink and read the lines carefully. They were short and simple. And strange.
“No questions about your job or personal life while working,” you mutter to no one and continue until you gasp. Loud enough to cover your mouth. You look to your side if anyone is listening, then whisper loudly, “Two million yen?!”
Sanzu folds his arms on his chest and leans back, speaking with that condescending tone. “I told you. The pay will be excellent”
“Do I have to steal something? A heist? I will not be becoming a hostess if it's that- what is this job?” “Be my girlfriend,” he continues after a pause, “ a fake one.”
…
Is this a prank?
You scan the paper again, “2 million yen… for a fake girlfriend? How does that work?”
“Just as it sounds.”
Very elaborative. The hardest blink ever, you take before speaking again. “Does that mean I have to accompany you to parties as your partner or?” Sanzu puts his finger up. “No questions about personal life or job. Did you read the contract? I thought you were one of the best, as your boss said.”
You deadpan, “That question is regarding this job. Not your-”
His body leans closer as he rests his elbows on the table and clasps his fingers. Sanzu, this man holds his eyes on you with such intensity that borders on insanity, yet quiet curiosity too. And nothing about this man is quiet.
“Will you accept the job, or not? It is as simple as that.”
Something about his whole demeanour irks you. Sanzu’s eyes are cold, but the smirk on his lips is chaotic. Your eyes drift from his eyes to the scar on his face. Diamond-shaped, they suit the harshness of his hands, but not his angelic beauty. They had a story to speak of their own. No doubt, the man is as extremely pleasing to the eye as he may be damaging.
Suddenly, he clicks his fingers right in front of your eyes and scoffs, not in a demeaning way. But if it is all a play for him. “Still here? Or are you too checking me out? I didn’t expect you to be such a pervert.”
Heat rushes into your cheeks, but you barely change your expression. Clicking your tongue, you pull the pen from his fingers and scribble something onto the paper. Without a word, you slide the paper back towards him.
Sanzu glances at the paper and smiles. “No intimate relations involved. If forced or acted upon by any party, the fine is 100k. Wow, truly a businesswoman you are, [name].” he signs the papers. “I’ll let you know when you are needed. And don’t worry about outfits or shit like that. I’ll buy you everything to suit the job.”
Your signature stops before hitting the paper as a question strikes, “Duration. How long do we have to do it?” Sanzu’s eyes drift out the window, towards the evening sky of Tokyo. The soft rays of the sun make his pink hair appear softer than it is. Or is it as rough as his calloused hands? You wonder if those eyes hold a secret unspeakable, or if the depth in them was always there until you noticed it now. To others, it looks like Sanzu has drifted to another world while still present. For the first time since you’ve met, the cocky attitude shows the smallest of cracks.
“A few months. It won’t be long.” The words are spoken quietly.
You look down at the paper and glide the pen across with your signature beside Sanzu’s. A few months' worth of your time for a huge payout. It is much better and higher than anything your current job can provide.
Maybe this is a wrong decision. But who cares? The thrill will be enough to keep you alive for that time.