[Fic] 世界一難しい友情 (World's Most Difficult Friendship)
1
Hotel CEO Ohno was petite, but his voice was clear and firm. "You're fired." he declared to his assistant. Ohno's eyebrows were furrowed and his cheeks were puffed, giving him the overall look of a child with a tantrum if not for his designer suit. He was aware that his being a head shorter than his assistant affected any effort he had to look threatening so he made sure to poison his tone with coldness. "Absolutely fired." he added.
However, Sakurai's face remained serene. His moody boss packs a dangerous temper but he was more amused of how easily he could work up Ohno. While the latter was a formidable bussinessman, Sakurai knew and understood that Ohno is the kind of person that can't be left alone for too long.
Just now, Sakurai had caught him turning down an important orientation for a security system update so he gave his boss a rhetorical question to ponder: "Is shachou an idiot?"
Sakurai knew he wasn't really fired, anyway. Ohno needed him.
Ohno knew this too, even when he saw the smug glint in his assistant's bright round eyes. Sakurai was the most reliable person in the company. And the company was Ohno's world.
2
Stubbornly, he argued that he didn't need an orientation because he was present at the meeting for the approval of the security updates to begin with. Sakurai reminded him that it was his company's own policy to have yearly checks and refreshers on the security system.
"I do know you have other things to do, so I spoke with the IT manager if we can get a better schedule. He'll come now." Sakurai walked behind the cozy leather boss chair where Ohno sat. He bent down to use Ohno's laptop, showing him an email memo.
"There you go." Sakurai straightened up. Ohno realized he had caught a pleasant whiff of woody floral musk from his assistant, probably the reason female employees like having him close by. That, or Sakurai's naturally pouty lips that were often curled into a smirk.
Ninomiya, IT Dept, 9:20
3
Before Ohno could request a different time, there was a knock on the door. "Enter." he sighed in defeat.
"Good morning, shachou." came the gentle voice of the tall bartender Aiba. If you don't look closely, he and Sakurai looked alike with their arching eyebrows and round eyes. He bowed low and stayed at the doorway, checking over his shoulders as he held the doorknob.
"Yes? Come in." Ohno gave him a nod with a welcoming smile. He was fond of this world-class bartender whom he and Sakurai met at a bar in Ginza. Aiba was talented, cheery, hardworking and pure-hearted as he was shy so Ohno figured he had something important to say if he was still fidgeting at the door.
"Well, shachou..." He entered, still holding the doorknob awkwardly. Ohno gave Sakurai an uncertain look, but Sakurai once again had that glint of smug amusement behind his steel frame glasses, intentionally not meeting his gaze. Ohno considered for a moment that his assistant may be an S, then said to Aiba, "Yes? What is it?"
"This is the dessert chef I referred last month." Aiba smiled a little too eagerly as he gave way for another man to enter.
Ohno had to blink for a moment. The chocolatier looked like a model with his angular features framed by short coffee brown hair. "I'm Matsumoto Jun."
He was about as tall as Aiba and his uniform didn't hide the lean but muscular physique. In his hands was a small tray with a platter of small chocolates and a glass of wine.
"Come in. Both of you." Ohno once again looked up to his assistant. Sakurai's face had a calm little smile. "So you met in Paris?"
"Yes, and there are some things we make that work nicely together." Aiba gestured to the tray in Matsumoto's hands.
"I made a little something." Matsumoto laid the tray on Ohno's desk. The president looked impressed and took the wine glass in his hand, sniffing it peacefully. Before he could ask about it, he was interrupted by another voice.
4
"Shachou-oh." A shorter man stood uncertainly at the door. He nearly walked right in and he blinked behind his glasses at the people in Ohno's offfice. "Should I come back another time?"
"Come in, Ninomiya-san." Sakurai spoke for the startled CEO.
"Eh? Ninomiya?" Aiba blurted.
"Ah." Matsumoto looked surprised.
"Aiba-shi? J?" Ninomiya said, looking at the two with his eyes as wide as they could go. "It's been years!"
"Yeah!" Aiba said, practically bouncing on his heels toward Ninomiya. Sakurai chuckled discreetly as Aiba went on. "I'm so happy I saw Jun-kun recently and he lives with Toma-kun here too!"
Matsumoto put a hand on Aiba's shoulder. "Maybe later, Aiba-kun." Aiba looked at Jun's serious face then at the president and his assistant. He shrunk between his two friends and held his hands together sheepishly.
Ohno and Sakurai exchanged looks. "It's alright. It's good for employees to be good friends with each other." Ohno said with a nod and Sakurai nodded with him, looking like a proud mother.
"Oh, yes, shachou. I could come back for the security updates later if you prefer." Ninomiya said, stepping closer to the door and making Aiba glance sadly at him.
"Actually, Ninomiya-san, Matsumoto-san is a new employee and Aiba-san was not present during the orientation for the restaurant staff. We had sent him on a seminar in Paris at the time. It could save time to have it for everyone now."
"Eh?" Ohno caught something. "Didn't you...were you not present at the meeting?"
"I follow where shachou would go." Sakurai said with an almost condescending voice. Almost. "I was with you at the meeting, but when you had a conference on the day of the orientation, I went with you too."
"Oh. Yes, of course." Ohno felt a little stupid for forgetting. He glared at Sakurai, realizing that he had walked into that trap. He figured Sakurai must be really just getting on his nerves for the sake of it so he did his best not to lose. He scoffed and jutted his chin. "I was just checking if you remember."
It was true, though. Sakurai was mostly teasing, watching Ohno's cheeks grow red. That was sort of his pastime.
Ninomiya cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Yes, yes. Carry on." Ohno waved an impatient hand, realizing too late that he was still holding the glass of wine. He had splashed Sakurai right at the crotch.
5
"Oh." Ohno's eyes lingered where the fine wine went as Sakurai stepped back, his expression still as calm as if this happened far too often. Of course, it really did. "S-sakurai-kun. I'm sorry about that." He stood up uncertainly. "I'll take care of that. I mean your slacks. I mean, having it washed. No, I'll replace it."
"Ah." Aiba croaked as Matsumoto hurriedly felt his pockets for a towel. He found one and walked over to Sakurai before realizing he can't exactly wipe the assistant. Matsumoto stiffly handed him the towel, hoping he played it cool.
"That won't be necessary." Sakurai stepped away from Matsumoto and made a courteous bow. "I'll change, I'll be right back. Carry on, please."
"Eh?" Aiba suddenly said. "S-sakurai-san?"
"Yes?" Sakurai stopped at the doorway, still looking pretty sure of himself for a man with wine on his crotch. Aiba briefly wondered how he pulled it off and asked. "Were you...a student council president?"
Matsumoto and Ninomiya looked at Aiba in surprise. He went on. "At our school, the student council president...was named Sakurai...wore glasses and said 'carry on' with that posh Tokyo accent, just like that. I mean, I think it's common here in Tokyo..."
"Yes." Sakurai said with a charming smile. "At the same high school as all of you here. Even shachou, the shy and quiet head of the baking club from long ago."
He disappeared with a light chuckle as everyone gaped at the door.
"H-he was-!" Ohno was the most surprised. His long gone high school days of avoiding the scary student council president came flashing back to his memory. "Sakurai-kaichou?!"
続く かも?!
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction and is not intended for profit nor copyright infringement.
Cast
Satoshi Ohno as Tsundere President
Sho Sakurai as Seme Butler/ Assistant
Masaki Aiba as Puppy-like Bartender
Jun Matsumoto as Model-like Dessert Chef
Kazunari Ninomiya as Megane IT Dept. Head