Chapter Text
The day that he thought would never end finally proved. He had a final email to send out to the client, Hayasaka was just so glad they were patient with him… the team he was working with hadn’t helped him at all throughout the project and he’s glad the client could also understand that he had to take on all roles.
As the majority clocked out, he stayed back to finish the email and organise his things properly before the weekend - the first weekend at this job where he could think about other things but work - what a blessing.
“Shunsuke Hayasaka… Haven’t seen you all week. How’s it going?” One of Hayasaka’s colleagues came by and stood over his shoulder, shadowing him. Shoji; he was the project lead and was great friends with the managers of the company. He stood strong with a mug of boiling hot coffee in his hand and smoothed his neat golden hair as he spoke with casual authority. “Didn’t know that you had handled the project all on your own.”
“Ah… yes, I did it on my own… Did you not read any of my-”
Shoji interrupted him. “Why didn’t you ask for any help? Could’ve just sent us an-”
“Email? I did. I sent one, multiple for that matter. Could you have checked your emails whilst you were gone?” Hayasaka moved his head away from Shoji’s; all he could smell was the stench of coffee from his mouth. Shoji was frequently absent at work; He could even say he only came to be there and left again after he left a good impression on the boss and managers. And being there was enough to get him his monthly pay because the work he receives gets poured onto Hayasaka. He hated him.
“Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t do, Hayasaka. I should be telling you what to do. In fact, I came here with a request just to polish off your night. I have an extra commission due Friday, and I have to prepare for a family event. Handle it for me. ” He didn’t bother asking if he was free to do that, like usual.
He was never this casual about dumping work on him, but he wasn’t acting the same.
“But today is Friday.” Hayasaka added.
“Oh, is that so? I should’ve told you earlier because if you refuse to finish this commission, it goes against your name and the boss won’t be very happy. Chop chop! See you next week, Hayasaka!” Shoji heaved his bag properly onto his shoulder before turning and heading towards the exit door.
“Shoji.”
Shoji turned back to face Hayasaka, his face holding back an emotion Hayasaka couldn't quite understand. He felt himself tense up and his words escaped his mouth with frustration. Regardless, Hayasaka had to speak up.
“I can’t do this.” He said, hearing my tone sound serious for the first time in a while. “For once, just listen to me, you… you damn… idiot. ”
“Sound choice of words there, Hayasaka. That also reminds me. The boss wants to have a word with you.”
“You’re lying. You’re always lying to my face about these things!”
“Now why would I lie?” Shoji unfolded a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to Hayasaka. “Thought I’d just hand you the proof.”
Hayasaka’s lips sealed shut and his heart rate shot up. The paper had a report of the team’s progress in the recent year and notes for each person. Next to his name, it said ‘Meeting with boss’. A last-minute meeting with the boss wasn’t something anyone ever wanted. He’d heard stories about the boss firing the poor people who didn’t meet his unrealistic standards, so Hayasaka always tried hard to avoid being one of those people. Watching Shoji leave with a pungent smugness pissed him off, especially when he’d just dropped such a heavy thing for Hayasaka. For whatever reason, Hayasaka felt it was Shoji’s fault.
“Maybe I won’t see you next week.” Shoji left him and the paper behind, completely unfazed.
Regardless of what he felt, he still had to go see the boss, but what made him suspicious was that Shoji had that paper and Hayasaka didn’t. Wasn’t it meant to go out to the entire team?
The elevator stopped on the top floor, directly in the boss’ office… the empty office. There was no one sitting in the office chair, no one expecting to see him.
The chair was spun to an angle, and a spilt mug of coffee rested idly on a stapled piece of paper. The curiosity in me got the better of him - he had to look around.
As he stepped further away from the elevator entrance, the room aroused a feeling of abandonment; it was suspicious. As nervous as he was, he couldn’t help but keep walking. The sunset from the window was stunning, but the room felt eerie as the light highlighted random things anyone would never bat an eye at on a normal day. The spilt coffee looked recent, but the liquid had already dried and soaked into the paper. That paper… Hayasaka placed the paper Shoji handed him on the desk next to the mug and reached to examine the coffee paper.
The file had a similar layout and style to the one he was given, but it focused solely on Hayasaka. Strange.
“Shunsuke Hayasaka… Good performance… nothing significant… Lacks the potential to drive anything forwards…” Hayasaka read quietly to himself. Everything on the paper seemed fair enough until he turned to the other piece of paper.
“Fired? I’m fired?” He mumbled to himself
Hayasaka couldn’t argue with the big red ‘FIRED’ stamp on the page. Maybe they were going to tell him after the weekend? The boss was a harsh person, truly. Hayasaka had only joined about a year ago and he was being disposed of like chewing gum.
Shoji knew, but for how long? Why didn’t he want to tell him? How is he meant to support himself financially? This was his only plan for about two years. Time to think of a new one.