The next morning, Chris got up early and donned one of his best suits. Despite his discussions with he wife the night before, he still felt a whole lot of nerves as he stared at himself in the mirror.
What would be the outcome of today? Would the commissioner of the NPB prevent him from getting a job in the same industry out of spite?
However, Chris shook his head in the next moment before a flash of determination crept into his features.
If he couldn’t find a job there, then he would just find somewhere else.
With his mindset fixed, Chris walked down the stairs and was soon greeted by his wife who had already sat down for her morning coffee.
Usually she was not a morning person, however today she put on a smile and handed him a travel coffee mug.
“Thanks honey.” He said with a smile before placing a kiss on the top of her head.
“Where are the boys?”
“Out on their morning run.”
Chris nodded and took a sip of his coffee.
“I should leave now. It’ll take around an hour to get to Tokyo”
“Have a safe trip.” Yuki said with a bright smile.
The two said their goodbyes before Chris walked to the car.
“Tell the boys we’ll be having hamburgers for dinner tomorrow night.” He said with a grin.
Yuki’s eyes widened, yet she smiled brilliantly in response.
Chris only cooked hamburgers on the grill for special occasions. Him saying this was all Yuki needed to know that he had already made up his mind to leave the job no matter the consequences.
Thus Chris made his way to the headquarters of the NPB in Tokyo, his current employer. The trip was quiet as his mind was going over each scenario, as if to mentally prepare himself for the encounters.
Upon arriving, he walked through the automatic glass doors and was met with the familiar lobby. He paused for a moment before taking a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth to compose himself.
‘Alright, just gotta rip it off like a band aid.’ He said inwardly.
“Good morning Chris, how was your leave?”
An older lady at the reception spoke up from behind her desk as he walked past.
“A-Ah it was good thank you Miyo. I’m in a bit of a rush this morning sorry.”
He did not want to appear rude, however he didn’t feel like getting into a conversation at this moment. So after a few superfluous words, he continued forward, trying to keep his mindset.
Thankfully, it was early enough that only a few people were present in the office at this time. His boss was known for starting his day as the sun rose, therefore it was the perfect opportunity.
Chris breathed out a sigh of relief after seeing the suited man through the window of his boss’s office and he moved forward to knock on the door.
“Come in.”
The deep voice beckoned him inside.
“Ah Chris, what brings you in so early today? I thought you were still on leave to spend some time with your family.”
Sakai Tomo’s tone lightened as he saw Chris walk in, however he was astute enough to see there was something wrong on his features.
“Um, about that sir…”
Sakai let out a small chuckle before gesturing for him to take a seat, “Come, let’s have a chat.”
Chris couldn’t help but smile wryly. It was clear that the commissioner had already figured out that there was something wrong, perhaps his acting was just terrible.
He obliged, taking the offered seat and shifting a little to get comfortable. Since he was so tall, he always felt a little uncomfortable in the chairs provided by the office.
Sakai closed his office door before walking slowly over to his desk and taking a seat. After a moment, he trained his gaze on Chris and smiled softly.
“So, what can I do for you today?” His words sounded sincere, to which Chris was thankful.
Chris hesitated a little, but finally managed to find the words he wanted to say.
“I won’t beat around the bush. I’ve come here to resign from my position as Foreign Adviser.”
He kept his gaze on Sakai’s face, looking for any signs of emotion. However, the man in his 50’s was like a stone statue, showing no change to his expression.
After a few moments of silence, the older man sat back in his chair and let out a small sigh.
“Truly a shame. But what can you do?”
It seemed like he was talking to no one in particular.
“Um, did you want to know my reason sir?” Chris who was beginning to feel a little awkward, spoke up. He didn’t want the boss to get the wrong impression.
“No no it’s fine, all the signs were there already. I knew you were always a little reluctant to take on the role because you’d be away from your family.” His voice trailed off, as if reminiscing about an old memory.
“S-So you’re not upset?”
“Upset? God’s no. If anything I envy you Chris… To be able to make such a decision in favor of your family. It’s something that I wish I did all those years ago.”
Sakai’s eyes were full of melancholy as he thought back to his own decisions.
Chris breathed a small sigh of relief, happy that the news hadn’t caused a rift between them.
“Ah, if you’re looking for another job… Stick around for another 20 minutes and I’ll introduce someone to you.”
“Eh?”
Out of all the scenarios that he had been through in the 1 hour trip to the office this morning, this was nowhere close to how any of them had gone. He was prepared for curses to be thrown or names to be called, yet this was way out of his expectations.
However, he didn’t refuse. There was no harm in hearing the commissioner out, it was the least he could do.
Knock Knock
“Ah you’re early!” Sakai called out, focusing his attention on the new arrival.
Chris turned his gaze to see an older man with balding gray hair and sporting a goatee. The guy looked quite familiar.
Everything seems to be going surprisingly well for Chris. Who is this newcomer and what job could he be getting offered?
Mass release count: 10 chaps tomorrow!
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