Chapter Text
Traveling for work was an interesting experience.
I've always struggled when it came to getting a job. Around six months ago, I graduated high school with honors. How did I manage to graduate high school with honors? I honestly have no idea.
Actually, that's a lie. I know exactly how— do as many electives as you can handle, make tons of oddly specific chapter-based quizlets for each of your classes and play the free matching game everyday until your fingers get sore, and most important of all: make sure your teachers actually like you. Favoritism is real. It’s why you’ll rarely see a “trouble child” make honors. Every honors kid is a suck-up whether they like it or not. But, do you know what’s funny about the honors system? It does little to nothing to prepare you for life post-graduation— at least, in my world. Yeah, I made honors, but did I truly learn anything? Is any of the knowledge that I sacrificed my sleep for useful outside of a final exam that I’ll never need to take again unless I choose an expensive, oddly specific life path?
I think I just survived off the high I’d get when I saw a bigger than average number written in pen on a piece of paper.
This newfound knowledge, or “awakening,” only crossed my mind after I got my sweaty hands on my diploma. Once I returned to my seat between a guy who smelled like burnt battery acid and a girl who was dolled up to the max (happier than I could ever be in this moment,) all I could feel was dread. As graduation concluded, as I tossed my cap in the air along with many of my cheering peers, the dread was all-consuming. Once I get home, what do I do? After this very moment, after this supposedly “big time” in my whole life, what do I do?
Before now, I’ve never thought this much about my future. Stupid honors. Stupid, stupid, stupid, useless honors. Even more so, stupid me. I can’t even afford to go to college. Why did I try so hard? Why did I give all of my classes equal attention when I clearly didn’t want to keep moving forward with any of them? All of that effort for a useless title?!
Well… there’s no use dwelling on the past. I’ve graduated as an all-rounder. I have enough on my resume to get a decent, maybe entry-level job to afford to go to college in the future. I don’t even know what I want to major in yet, but I have all my life to figure that out. First, I need a source of income beyond my poor parents– and that starts with a job!
After buffing my resume up to the best it could ever be and absolutely slaying my cover letter, I started scrolling on my laptop to find job openings near me. To my surprise, there was more than I expected. Naturally, I applied to every single job I could find— even remote ones from different regions of my country. The more the merrier! In a weird way, it was fun— I was answering questions for some of them and it felt like a quiz to figure out what kind of bread I was... that’s an immature comparison, but it was this feeling I got that gave me the energy to keep going. I think I spent around an hour applying to jobs. Did I remember how many jobs I applied to specifically? No, but it was a lot, and I’m sure I’ll get called back for an interview soon. Now, I just need to close my laptop… and wait.
And wait…
… and wait…
… and wait…
Hours turn into weeks. Weeks turn into months. …
Once I found myself googling, “is it normal for jobs to take four months to get back to you? reddit,” I knew I was screwed.
It was humbling to know that I’ve gotten ghosted by a lot of hiring managers. That’s a lot of people that didn’t find me worthy enough to hire. It almost hurts. It felt like I was just pushing my resume into the void in hopes someone major would even take a peek. Not to mention, all the jobs I’ve applied for are ones that I’m very qualified for. Like, to work at a tutoring center for 1st to 3rd grade kids— I’m patient! I’m smart! I can teach basic math! I’m a genius! God, they really missed out on the tutor of a century. Their loss. Too bad for them. Not like I needed that job anyway… (I really needed that job).
I swallowed my pride and opened Indeed again. To no surprise, I had zero notifications besides some random job openings. Lame. But then, I had another thought— maybe these jobs Indeed suggested to me would actually give me a chance?
Maybe I should think bigger…
Maybe I was meant for a job that is beyond my current level of expertise.
Was I underselling myself this whole time?
I mean— the jobs I’ve applied for, like I said earlier, were ones I was qualified for. But… maybe I was overqualified for them. Maybe McDonalds didn’t want to hire me as a cook because they knew I was meant for better. What if they saw my potential and inadvertently protected me? What if the tutoring job ghosted me for the same reason? Despite being appealing on paper (or screen…), the company the job position would work under had very low reviews. Y/N, we need to think bigger. We need to get bolder. We need to be more specific. What are we trying to get out of this potential job? How much do we want to get paid? How do we want our higher-ups to be?
I pondered these questions while scrolling through my notifications tab. As if a hand came out of the screen and tugged me closer, I found myself drawn to a position I clearly wasn’t qualified for or close to. But… somehow, it called to me?
Full-Time Personal Sports Coach
Blue Lock Project
Tokyo, Japan 131-0045
¥3,011.89 an hour
Okay, so, this job is very irrational for me to take for so many reasons: I’ll need to travel there and I’m very young. I don’t even know how to live on my own. Also, despite me participating during gym class once in a while, I know little to nothing about sports. I’m, like, the worst candidate.
But why does it call so loudly for me? Whatever, I’ll take the bait. It’s not like they’re going to accept me anyway. I submitted my application (which had no quiz attached to it by the way, weird) and then I closed my laptop, expecting nothing.
...
To my surprise— it only took three days for me to get a response in my email from a woman named Anri. Sparing some useless details, I did indeed come clean with the fact that I didn’t live in Japan. My guilt would eat me alive if I didn’t confess that truth. But to my surprise, she didn’t care…? In fact, she was… excited about it? Something about “the boys need soccer training from someone outside of Japan” and that “you’ll be a great help…” whatever that means…
Feeling guilty again, I confessed that I also didn’t have any experience or knowledge in soccer. Somehow— again— this made her excited. Something about “don’t worry, you are a great fit!” and “by the time you get here, I know exactly who to pair you with…!” Somehow, this laid back attitude she has makes me more nervous than excited. Then, she said she would pay for my flight ticket and to let her know when I’m free so she can plan the flight. I told her to give me three days to prepare and in the same hour, sent me an online plane ticket under my name.
With the unwavering support of my parents, I called an Uber and headed to the airport.
And now here I am, on a flight to Japan, staring out of the window as my plane ascended above the clouds. I felt a nervous tug at my stomach in anticipation for what’s to come.
I think she accepted my job application too quickly.