Jakunen Mirai

Chapter 15: A Blessed Day

***

The last four weeks had been hectic for Sheree and her comrades. The Zaibatsu had just bought over another minor company – engineering, of all things – and there were so many things to do, people to meet...not even considering the new employees from the old company!

However, somehow, Sheree had found some spare time to once again tempt fate, and explore the mansion. She knew Kazuya’s main office was on the fourth storey of the building, though he’d, of late, taken to working in the main building more often than his private office. For some reason, as much as she knew it might kill her, she had to see him again. There was more than the simple reason of the need to sate her desire this time; a special day had arrived. August the first.

Her friends had chipped in a small amount of money each, along with members of the Zaibatsu staff; in total, she’d collected a total of over five hundred dollars. Unanimously, the decision had been made as to what their money would be spent on...

Sheree had the honour of delivering it bestowed upon her, since most by now had come to realise her infatuation with a certain someone...though none knew the extent of it. They’d put it down to mere lust for danger. Her colleagues had tried to convince her to leave it in the office on the upper floors of the main building, but no...she wanted to put in the office in the mansion!

Again, she re-read the card attached to the small box – which was delicately wrapped in shiny red paper – written lovingly in perfect-looking kanji.

            For all you’ve done for this company

            From the company you have amongst your friends

            For a certain special day you’ve earned

            From your admirers and followers

Happy Birthday Kazuya Mishima.

It was short, sweet...maybe even a little soppy...but Yuki had so badly wanted to write the note on the small golden card. Softening at the dedication and kindness of the young Japanese woman, everyone relented and had let her write it.

And now here she was, on the fourth floor of the mansion, outside the Boss’s office. The door was half open, and there was no one inside. Cautiously, since this time no doubt he wasn’t asleep, Sheree crept inside and placed the package down silently on the massive mahogany desk, and snuck back out again. The door remained unmoved the entire time.

Tucking her thin wad of paper under her arm, Sheree turned and headed silently out toward the back door of the mansion...she needed to get back to work. In the distance, she could have sworn she heard a door click shut...she froze.

No sound.

She thought she was going mad for a moment, but swiftly moved on...she didn’t want to get caught in here. Down the last fight of stairs she descended, and skittered across the floor toward the door.

And promptly crashed into something.

Or someone.

With a loud rustling of paper being sent flying everywhere, she and the one she smashed into fell to the ground with equally loud thuds. For a moment she saw stars, but felt warm, smooth, but intensely powerful fingers grasp her arm around the wrist.

Then there was that magically deep rumble of a voice. “Ms Brown...gomen nasai, I didn’t see you until it was too late...” Before she could even think of responding, she was dragged to her feet by an unnaturally strong hand.

She glanced up to see the Boss himself, looking ever so slightly worried. Her heart froze for a moment...she’d been caught!

After letting her go, he arched a brow in response to the prolonged silence. “Ms Brown...are you alright?”

She gulped, and nodded frantically for a moment. “Yes yes, of course sir; I’m so sorry, I’m so clumsy...” On the verge of panic, she crouched down, frenetically grabbing at the papers lying down next to her – there were others on the ground, but she assumed the ones closest to her were hers. Without a second thought, she skittered out of the building, only wishing her high-heeled-clad feet would carry her at least twice as fast. With her hands down in front of her, grasping the papers firmly, she dashed out, barely able to restrain the panicked squeal that wanted to come.

Kazuya watched her leave in post-haste with one brow raised high on his forehead. Strange girl. After a moment he bent down and grabbed his papers from the ground, then made his way upstairs to gather a few more reports...then it was back over to the main centre for some more work.

Once he was inside his office, he sat down heavily in his leather chair, letting out a heavy, exhausted sigh as he did so. He felt like he weighed a thousand kilograms – despite the fact that he weighed little over seventy in reality. Something sparkling in the golden sunlight caught his eye. For the moment he threw down the documentation to see what it was...it turned out to be a little box, wrapped flawlessly in red wrapping paper...with a little golden card dangling from it.

Curiously, he reached out and picked it up, examining the small package superficially. The card seemed more important for the moment...he grasped it between two slender fingers, and read the message.

It took a few seconds of re-reading it for him to realise exactly what it meant – it was his birthday? Oh yes, August the 1st. He’d forgotten that particular day...after all, it was his mother that allowed him to celebrate that particular day – after that, his father made sure he regretted it. After all it was the day he had tarnished this world with his presence, was it not?

After a moment, a small, warm smile crept across his face. Someone knew...and cared. He felt...almost loved. Well, appreciated would do. Placing the card down on his desk, he then tended to the carefully wrapped gift...it was such a small box, whatever was inside was no doubt just a small token of someone’s respect. Though, someone had put a lot of effort into wrapping it, so he gave it proper attention in carefully unwrapping it, so as not to tear the paper.

Within the confines of the delicate red paper was a box...not surprisingly. It was a simple white cardboard box of course. Within it, so he discovered, was an item enough to make even him gasp with shock.

A gold-banded Rolex watch was sitting inside the box! He knew that these things never come cheap...

For a while, he sat and examined the expensive accessory...yes, it was definitely a pricey one to say the least...and absolutely beautiful; it would go perfectly with his favourite suit. Thoughtfully, whoever bought it knew his taste – he didn’t like to appear as wealthy as he was. The watch, likewise, was simple enough to pass as something an average person might stretch to afford – without looking ridiculous with his normal attire.

Reality set back in when he saw his papers sitting on the desk, ignored. The gift and the kindles and generosity that came with it stuck in his mind however, and he put the watch around his left wrist almost ceremoniously as he reached for the dreaded return to work.

After picking up the papers, he sat back to read them...only they weren’t saying what he wanted them to.

Actually, they were part of a report he had asked to have handed to him tomorrow...the last one proved to be a personal email – not addressed to him. They were Sheree’s documents! She’d obviously grabbed the wrong ones before. Without reading further, he stood and headed swiftly back to the main office. He couldn’t continue today without the information contained on those documents Sheree grabbed...

***

Yuki rolled her eyes as she passed by Sheree, babbling madly to the poor man at the photocopier. That woman was on a permanent caffeine high, it seemed. She had just come back from a much deserved afternoon break, and was reluctant to get back to work...but she was running late for her next shift. So, in the style so common now within the Zaibatsu, she artfully scampered back to her cubicle nearby...

...only to end up plummeting into Kazuya, who was performing a similar task.

Yuki stumbled backward, and fell against someone’s bulkhead with a sizeable thump. Kazuya, on the other hand, had nothing to fall against but the floor...which is where he invariably ended up sitting.

As the Mishima Zaibatsu’s CEO tumbled to the ground, a few shrieked in shock and horror, others simply dashed behind something to watch without ending up in the line of fire themselves. Kazuya himself found himself sitting on the floor, dazed to say the least. Blinking and wide-eyed, he glanced over at Yuki, who was obviously appalled by the whole situation. After a few seconds of hyperventilation, she dashed over to him, on the verge of sobbing, and pulled him up by the arm. He complied, dusting himself off.

She immediately started to bombard him with panicked apologies; he tried to silence her with a few words assuring her he was fine. After readjusting his coat, he picked up Yuki’s files and handed them to her. As he did, he couldn’t help but notice how much she was smiling. He perked a brow at this occurrence.

“You found the watch...” She was beaming with pride.

He returned the smile with one of his own small, ambiguous smirks. “Yes...someone has a better memory than I do...I had completely forgotten what day it was...” He glanced down at the golden accessory, and smiled just a little more...enough for everyone to notice it and recognise it as a smile. “Someone has a very kind and generous heart...this is the first gift I’ve had since I can remember...”

More than one face in the building was glowing at this point...no one had expected recognition for their gift...let alone an indirect thanks. Kazuya’s ebony eyes glanced up at Sheree, who had to bite her fingers so she didn’t squeal for joy. He smirked somewhat. “At least now I know what you were doing inside the mansion...”

She blushed beet-red, giggled, and hid behind a bulkhead in response.

Kazuya pulled his sleeve back down over his birthday gift, smiled ever so slightly, and followed Sheree behind that bulkhead...she shrieked slightly when she turned on the chair to see him standing over her, leaning casually against the bulkhead beside her. “Ms Brown, I do believe you have some of my reports...”

For a moment she looked absolutely horrified, but then she remembered. “Oh! Oh...” She immediately took off toward her cubicle and collected the papers she snatched from the mansion’s floor, and handed them to her boss without a second’s hesitation. In return, he handed her the papers that belonged to her. With nothing more than a nod, he looked down at his documents, pleased that he had the right ones finally, and that they were all there.

He paused. “By the way, I didn’t read your email, you needn’t worry...” Well that wasn’t entirely true...he read the first line, realised it wasn’t for him, and placed it aside. She grinned shyly, and skittered off toward her own mini-office.

***

It was finally time to settle down for the evening, after a solid twelve hours working. Kazuya had decided to pack up for the day, finally, at nine in the evening, and sit in whatever was comfortable, on the couch, admiring the generous gift he was given by his staff. He was still feeling the thrill he felt when he first saw the package, what it was, and who it was from.

Dressed in the day’s slacks, a singlet, and a pair of socks, he felt decidedly sloppy – but it was no matter, there was no one around to tell him to dress properly. This was his house, after all.

Then, there was a knock at the front door. He glanced up, both brows raised. Now how could someone possibly get through the security at the front gate at this hour? Must’ve been someone from way back when who still had a pass or something ridiculous. Since there was no-one home but him, he got up and headed for the door. He wasn’t obscenely undressed, so he needn’t fuss about getting more clothes on...he simply went to the door and opened it. No need for the usual rituals of the intercom for ID and all.

When he pulled the huge, heavy front door open, he thought his heart would cease beating right there and then.

It was Jin!