18 An ideal CEO

"she got them right." the middle-aged woman presses the coffee cup on her cheek. "this is her first time."

"she even got names on them." the one with shrilly voice looks like she is going to cry tears of happiness. "she is a genius."

"i knew that you had it in you." the sweatsuit guy stands up and points at me zealously. "you even got my orange burst donut. you are a rare gem. you have passed the test, newbie."

"let's be friends." the blue-eyed pretty girl raises her arm. "give me your number."

"i want your number too." the casual guy flings his arm up in the high with a grin. "please go on a date with me."

this is ridiculous. i have never seen anyone who gets this happy from drinking coffee. these people are coffee junkies. i used to think that i wasn't normal. but, these creatures go way too deep in strangeness.

the cafe boy knows you well. can't you people call and give him orders directly? argh! i don't use my energy asking why. they have already asked me not to ask questions.

"please never quit." the sweatsuit guy comes forward and grabs my hands.

"i can't promise." i try to free my hands, but he is holding them like a man who is drowning.

"please." he looks at me with moist eyes. his black and rough hair is a tangled mess. "if you can get our coffees right, you can also do other work properly. we don't have enough staff in this department. we need someone like you."

the others also follow his lead and stare at me with watery eyes. my lips twitch in anger. what the hell is wrong with these people? i am just an errand girl. what kind of job that kamiyama bastard got me? it's my first day, but i have already met five crazy staffs and one pervert. everyone is demented here.

"i will try to stay as long as it's possible for me." i try to keep a poker face. "you can let go of my hand now. you should drink your coffee."

the sweatsuit man lets go my hands reluctantly. he is still looking at me like i have a halo above my head. i have to ask kamiyama if his employees have psychological problems.

"my name is omori masahiro." i can see a black hole in his toothy grin. "you can call me by my first name."

nope!

"izuhara shinichi."the casual guy winks at me. "i am single."

nobody asked.

"i am sekino chiyuri." the blue-eyed girl waves her hand. "let's go for shopping sometimes."

i haven't accepted your friendship, girl.

"miyahara sachi." the woman with a shrill voice shows me a warm smile. "i am married. i have two children. i don't do overtime. i am -"

you are oversharing, miyahara san.

"my name is yoshiya rino." the middle-aged woman takes a sip of the coffee and moans. she looks at me and says, "by the way, what happened to your hoodie?"

"i spill some coffee." i look away from her.

"we have some spare clothes in the storeroom." miyahara san looks at me with concern. "you will catch a cold if you don't change."

"i am fine." i shrug. "it's already dry."

"if you say so," she mumbles while staring at my clothes.

"at least, give us your number." izuhara is ready to tap my number on his phone. "we need your contact number."

"absolutely." yoshiya san has finished her cup. "tell us. we will add you to the group chat."

i utter the digits of my phone number to the eager employees of the fashion department. it feels like i gave free candies to little children. i shrug it off. i have to change my number after it is over.

"you are blessed_noodles?" omori san inquires me with a surprised tone. "you are our blessing."

"...." seriously?

"blessed noodles, we will call you that." sekino smiles. "it suits you better than the errand girl."

"just do whatever you want." i have given up. "what's my next errand?"

"blessed noodles, take this to the finance department." yoshiya san gives me a bundle of papers. "ask them to process them by evening. it's urgent. and take this. give them to the marketing department."

"where is the finance and marketing departments?" i ask her.

"20th and 21st floor." she claps her hands. "everyone, let's work today and finish early. i want to go home early."

"sure." everyone returns to their desks after hearing her words. i wonder who is the real leader of this dungeon. who cares, i don't want to know anymore. if i can get off early, i can go to my temporary room early. i can get some food early.

i am starving.

***

kamiyama returns before lunchtime. he pokes the 19th floor button first in the elevator. realizing what he has done, he presses the 23rd floor. that's just a mistake. he has no intention of seeing her. who asked her to get inside a stranger car? even little girls know these days not to talk to a stranger.

when he reaches his floor, he finds his assistant waiting for him. she looks slightly anxious. this time, he doesn't ignore her.

"mizutani, do you have something to say?" he asks her with a straight expression.

mizutani isami smiles. she fidgets with her fingers. his boss' mood has not been good since morning. he also left abruptly. will he accept her gesture? "boss, i have prepared lunch for you."

"lunch?" he furrows his brows. "i see. mizutani, have you checked on the fashion department recently."

she blinks. did he not understand? she personally prepared lunch and brought for him. he is asking about the fashion department. "i have read the recent report -"

"ask them to send their errand girl with the report to me" he looks at her thoughtfully. "go have lunch. take your time. you are working hard these days."

he dashes into his office after saying those words, leaving her flabbergasted. he has already read the report. she has a copy with her. why does the fashion department have to send the report again? is there some error that he wants to recheck?

she has been hoping to be with him during lunchtime. it's a perfect time... she blushes. this ceo has many rumors around him, but she knows him well. she has been with him for the last five years. she has been watching him closely. he is not a player. instead, he is a romantic who is waiting for the right girl. she is sure that she is the right girl. at the right time, she will confess her feelings for him.

she pouts. it seems that today is not the right day.

in the fashion department, yoshiya rino gets a call from mizutani isami. she doesn't understand why the ceo will ask for the progress report again. she decides to not think much about it. it's already lunchtime. blessed noodles return at the same time after completing her errands. this new errand girl is slow on her feet, but she has already won their hearts. yoshiya rino hands her the progress report and asks her to deliver the report to mizutani isami.

the girl with dark circles and a paler face nearly punches the 23rd floor button in the elevator. she seems tired. it's lunchtime. she is hoping to get some rest after this final errand. when the elevator door opens, she finds mizutani isami waiting in front of the elevator.

"you have come." she glances at the errand girl. she can't tell whether it's an adult or a child. the person is short and the clothes make her look like a hipster kid. did they hire a middle school student? "are you an adult?"

the errand girl rolls her eyes. "i am sure that i am older than you."

mizutani isami ignores her and says, "go inside. leave only if he asks you to leave. don't be nervous."

the errand girl watches her leave with a dark frown. she shakes her head and walks into the office. she glares at the man and slams the report on the table.

kiyohira observes her. she seems drained of energy. "have you had lunch?"

"kamiyama bastard, why did you give me this job?" she digs her nails in her palm. "i have been running around since morning."

"you are getting some exercise for a change." he reaches for her face. "did you have a hard time?"

she avoids his hand and steps back. she stares at him with disbelief. "are you out of your mind? did you forget my words? don't show me your fake care."

"i don't care about you." his gaze is indifferent. "i don't even see you as a human being. i only asked because you are my employee. it's part of my responsibility to check on my employees."

three dark lines appear on her forehead. "you are an ideal ceo who even checks on an errand girl."

"it's your first day." he doesn't meet her eyes. "nobody should be suspicious of your identity. you should never reveal your relationship with the kamiyama family to your colleagues. you shouldn't skip meals and be at risk of fainting at the premises. if you faint or become sick, the reputation of the kamiyama groups will be affected especially if they find out that you are her daughter. people will blame us for making you work hard to the point of fainting."