Chapter Text
The cicadas were too loud. Even this high up and with double glazing, he could still hear the cries of cicadas as if they were roosting in his ears. Once upon a time, he read it somewhere that the loud cries were made by the males through the soundboxes in their abdomens, like ventriloquists. They said, the hotter the day, the louder the cries. Today, must've been an exceptionally hot day, then.
The central air-conditioning droned badly, as if it was telling everyone of its exertions. Its fight was mostly in vain, though, because the air vent above his head was expelling hot air. It took every willpower he had not to fidget or to try loosening his tie. He felt sweat even under his hair making his head itch. Maybe he needed another haircut, he thought as he fought the impulse to scratch his head or tear his hair out. So preoccupied was he with his own discomfort that he barely heard what was being told to him, catching just the tail end of it.
"What? Another trainee?" He thought he heard wrong, but his boss nodded her head, minutely, as if she was a mere mirage.
"I'm sorry you have to get the news directly from me," Kirishima-san was skirting around the topic and not in the mood to explain. Not just because both his section chief and deputy were on outside assignment, but because he could easily turn them down if he put his persuasive argumentative powers to good use; this much was quite clear to him. It seemed that it was already a done deal even before he stepped foot inside the boss's office. She really didn't invite him to get his opinion, merely giving him an order disguised as a suggestion.
She looked a bit impatient, probably wondering why he was still standing in front of her desk, as if raring for an argument.
"Why at this time?" He still had so many questions. The company usually take in trainees in batches, twice a year—early spring and mid-fall. An out of season recruitment rarely happened unless there was an emergency. He didn't remember his section or even his department needing any trainees this year, let alone an off-season hire.
She roughly rubbed at where a few strands of hair had stuck to the side of her neck, inhaled noisily and exhaled in a huff. "He's a special case."
"Can't Nakamura or Imaizumi take him? I'm already neck deep with some projects that need my full effort. I can't possibly take on a trainee right now." Either he wouldn't be able to look after the trainee, or he would end up neglecting his projects. He was sure of it.
"Can't possibly, he said," his boss parrotted back, cadence and all, then smiled almost enigmatically like a sphinx sitting behind her desk. She chuckled, seeing him so stiff. "Don't worry, he's not wet behind the ears; in fact a bit older than our usual hires. Actually he used to work here a few years ago." She chuckled, seeing him so stiff "Just look at him more like a colleague. Get him to help you on your projects, too. Who knows he might be more useful than you think."
He shuddered involuntarily. The last trainee to help him on a project, almost cost him the project. He sighed, but Kirishima-san merely smiled, "Even if you have a hard time, just take it as a learning experience. You can't learn if you don't make mistakes."
She was rather good with these things—make you think you want to do it by your own volition. "I'm sure you can do a good job with him. His CV is here, you can read it first. Google him if you have to. He'll start Monday." It was already Wednesday, though?
When Kirishima said "a bit older", Togawa didn't expect that to mean a man almost ten years older than him. Similarly, her "used to work here a few years ago" actually meant an entire one-and-a-half decade ago. The guy apparently joined the company straight after receiving his master's degree in finance. He worked here for five years then suddenly moved to work for a provincial factory making small electronic parts. The second posting also lasted five years.
Then there was a six-year gap between then and today. It was annotated down as "freelance consultant" with no further information given.
Kirishima-san was right; there was no way he could see this person as a trainee. The man had been 'formally unemployed' longer than Togawa's whole employment career.
The CV was sparse, nothing more than cursory personal details, university degrees and dates/places of employment (including his student internships that was just a roll-call of blue chip companies). All put together with the same level of detachment that people give when filling in forms at the City Hall. It was made quickly plain to him just by seeing, that it was one of those formality CVs written by shoe-in candidates who didn't have to lengthily justify their past careers. The type of CV that would go straight to the Great HR Shredder if it were submitted by a true trainee.
Togawa sighed, staring at the benignly smiling face frozen in the photograph affixed on the top left of the document. A friendly face, seemingly dependable, this side of handsome. He'd probably get more information from Google than from this piece of paper. Maybe later.
He turned down Kirishima-san's invitation to a goukon, walked back to his section, already putting the new trainee at the back of his mind. It was already the middle of the week and he still had a lot more pressing stuff to do.
"Thank you for picking me up."
"No problem," he replied non-commitally.
Leading the way from HR to his own department, Togawa concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, keeping his eyes forward, not straying to the man matching his stride next to him. The CV photo really didn't do the man justice. Not at all.
He wasn't prepared for anything. That he forgot to google the man over the weekend worrying about his project and golfing with a client, was the least of it. Whatever it was he expected to see when he was called to HR, the scene and this man was not it at all.
The way the man carried himself, the cadence of his voice, how he pronounced his words and paced his sentences. The way he leaned against a desk and laughed at whatever the HR section chief told him, with head slightly tilted backwards, a slightly bowed torso wrapped in a smartly-tailored light summer suit.
...remember your father, the man had told the chief. He retired the year after I joined but he helped me a lot in that short span of time.
He was excited when he found out you'd be joining us again.
I'm honored he still remembers me. I should pay a visit soon.
You're a man who leaves lasting impressions, Nozue-san, the chief had said, quite honestly. Togawa thought so too.
Kirishima-san was right, yet again. This man was so far away from a bumbling newbie as anyone could be. Age and experience probably contributed a lot to it.
"Oh! Here is Togawa," the HR chief saw him first. "He's been with us for over five years. He'll be showing you the ropes, Nozue-san."
The way he had turned around, smiled and held out a hand for Togawa to shake. Firmly too, it turned out.
They waited at the elevator, the only people there since not many people ventured to the HR floors if they could help it. Togawa clenched his right hand, where he could still feel the ghost of cool palm and fingers. He looked straight ahead, trying not to steal glances at the man who was reading the company handbook as they waited.
It seemed Nozue-san was perceptive, too. He knew that Togawa, for whatever reason, wasn't ready to talk to him just yet.
He watched from the sidelines as the rest of the section swarmed around Nozue-san, welcoming him to the team, showing him to his desk and around the floor—where the pantry and other facilities were. Even offered to show him around the area during lunch.
It seemed like they were already taken by Nozue-san's vibe. Even more when Nozue-san took out two boxes of cakes as a courtesy gift. Such a proper man, Togawa thought.
You shouldn't have bothered yourself too much! Nakamura exclaimed. We're all easy-going here!
It's no hassle. I was already making a few, so two more weren't that big of a difference. Some rustling and an impressed squeal from the ladies. This one is the eggless version.
Togawa ignored the impromptu party, sat heavily on his chair and woke up his computer from sleep-mode. Just ten minutes away from his desk, already his emails were piling up. He barely noticed a slice of cake on a napkin being put on top of his document mountain. He nodded his thanks but didn't look up.
If you have any questions, just ask us! Kouno-san sure was enthusiastic. She looked entirely sold on Nozue-san already. The whole section was. There were even people from other section who ventured over out of curiosity then helping themselves to cake. Maybe this way, he wouldn't need to entangle himself so much with the newcomer.