He also remembered the disappointed faces of his parents, especially his father’s. Although his father didn’t express it in words, he must have been disappointed that his son, whom he’d sent to college, had so quickly become unemployed.
That was why he had been thrilled when he found a job at his current company, which was more prestigious than his last. He was able to save face with his parents. At least, that’s what he believed.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry. My current workplace is different from my old one. It’s a big-name company. Whole different league.” He gave a small, dry laugh. “They’re expecting a lot from me. Today, at the morning meeting, my supervisor said I was within striking distance of the top spot…Hmm?…No, it’s not great. Everyone else is also close to the top. Everyone’s doing their best.”
Everyone’s doing their best.
Everyone’s doing their best.
He paused to keep his voice from shaking. Everyone’s doing their best. It’s not like I can’t do my best, too.
He ended the call. Bee had finished eating and was wiping her mouth with a paw. Then she started licking it.
Is scrubbing a paw with a tongue right after a meal an effective way to clean it?
A small smile crept across Shuta’s face. After carefully cleaning her paw, Bee began stroking her face with it. She took her time, wiping her face gently and thoroughly. The way she rubbed her eyes was almost humanlike. When she was done, she seemed content.
“It must be nice to be a cat with not a care in the world.”
Bee sat quietly as Shuta stroked her around the cheeks. The moment Shuta removed his hand, Bee licked her paw again and scrubbed herself more vigorously than before. It was as if she was displeased with how he’d messed up her hairdo.
“Excuse me! How rude. Okay, I’m going to rough up your fur even more.”
The cat gracefully evaded his outstretched hand and stepped away for further grooming.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. Please come back.”
Bee kept her distance, clearly uninterested in his attempts to win her over. Shuta laughed out loud. It had been a long time since he’d laughed genuinely and not as a way to mask his true feelings. For a moment, he forgot the burden Kijima had forced upon him.
It must be because of Bee.
If he could get through today, things actually might be easier tomorrow. He believed it.
Shuta heard a sound in the distance. Oh, right, he thought as he half opened his eyes. He’d set his alarm for earlier than usual, hoping to get to work early today. But alongside the high-pitched ringing, he heard another odd noise—scratching and tearing.
He chuckled to himself. Tinnitus first thing in the morning? But then a sharp ripping sound jolted him from bed.
Confetti! All over the room. What is this? As he stood in disbelief, he heard more ripping sounds. In the corner, Bee was skillfully holding a piece of paper with her front paw and tearing it apart with her teeth.
“Bee, what are you doing?” The cat looked up at Shuta with the paper still in her mouth. A profit-and-loss report lay in shreds.
One of the documents he had planned to return secretly today. Bee clawed at it as if to show off her work.
“How…how did this happen?”
He had not removed any documents from the envelope the previous night. He looked over at the briefcase, noticed that the flap was open, likely from when he’d taken his phone out. It seemed the cat had fished the envelope out of his briefcase.
With a purr, Bee pressed her soft body against his leg. Silky fur through the thin fabric of his pajamas. Even amidst the shards of paper, she moved gracefully, her footfalls silent.
Shuta snuck into the office, hoping to find Yuina Sakashita. He had first met Yuina at an office gathering in which they had been seated next to each other, and she was the only person he knew in accounting. He made his way to her department and prayed she was in.
It was still early, so there were few people in the office. Shuta was relieved to find Yuina among them. He called her over quietly, and thankfully, she remembered him.
“You’re Shuta from sales, right? What’s up?”
“I have the favor of a lifetime to ask you. I need your help.”
When Shuta showed her the torn documents, Yuina’s eyes widened. “What— Are these client receipts?”
“They’re my manager Emoto’s clients. He said he got special authorization from the collections department to issue statements for the clients on this list.”
The list was the only document that had mercifully escaped the cat’s claws. Yuina quirked an eyebrow as she scrutinized it.
“There are so many people on this list. You’re telling me the sales team is handing receipts directly to these clients? That’s impossible. Also, why are all these documents torn?”
To dispel her suspicions, Shuta explained the situation honestly, but he kept Kijima out of it. He brought his hands together and bowed deeply.
“Please reissue the receipts without telling Emoto.”
“Whaat? I can’t do that,” said Yuina. “I can’t release customer documents without proper approval. I can’t hand them to a sales representative, not with a verbal request like this.”
“But I heard that Emoto has special authorization. The people on the list are longtime VIP customers, so there must be some way to process their paperwork that we’re unaware of.”
“Um, I don’t think so.”
