Chapter 2: Chapter 1
Rena discovered Akane was right about the new candidate. In fact, Rena couldn't believe how impressive her résumé was for someone of her age. At the age of 24, and after graduating from one of the most prestigious universities in the country, the girl had already worked in big corporations in Japan. When she checked her résumé for the first time, Rena had a hard time matching the drenched girl who was patiently waiting for her turn in the hallway, with the person who had accomplished all those things on the paper.
Could looks be so deceiving?
She hired her. It was the most logical decision, albeit the fact she couldn't say the new candidate made a first good impression on her. In the end, this brief, awkward moment in the elevator was all-forgotten. What mattered the most to Rena, was what Jurina could bring to the team. Rena had been looking for someone with the necessary skills to build the time machine, and it seemed the younger girl was in capacity to help them.
Jurina didn't disappoint her. In only one month, Rena was amazed by the amount of progress they accomplished with the latest addition to the team. Of course, she didn't fool herself into believing it would be an easy task. They progressed much faster thanks to her new assistant, but there were too many unknown parameters to know if they would ever manage to reach their objective.
Rena was more than grateful for her help, but she couldn't say she had truly bonded with her new assistant. When it came to work, the other girl was always polite and on time, and anything but dedicated and professional. However, there was one personality trait she had difficulty adjusting to. Indeed, it didn't take her long to discover that Jurina was a total flirt.
She was almost sure that she had flirted with everyone on floor 22, men excluded. It didn't escape Rena's keen sense of observation that Jurina's conversations with her male co-workers remained strictly professional. Why that? The head of Matui Corporation found this difference in treatment between both sexes more than curious, but she kept her thoughts carefully to herself.
There was one realization that disturbed her even more than Jurina's flirty nature and obvious disinterest in men. Being her assistant, they interacted a lot during the day. There was one pattern her assistant followed with every other woman of the floor, except with her. She never tried to flirt with her. Not even once.
Jurina would smile to her here and then. Her kindness showed on many occasions, such as when she would bring her everyday her coffee inside her office at the 4 p.m. break. It wasn't something Rena had ever requested her to do, but her assistant had taken the liberty to do on her own initiative. However, it never went any further than that. Rena could tell her assistant chose her words carefully each time they spoke. In fact, there was a form of shyness in her eyes that only seemed to appear when they interacted.
Was it because Rena was her superior, and as such her assistant feared she would overstep boundaries if she acted too carefree with her? Rena had not a clue, but was more than once taken aback by this difference of treatment towards her. She should be glad her assistant was respectful and hardworking, so why was Jurina's attitude towards her troubling her so much?
Today again, Rena was witnessing her assistant's flirty behavior right in front of her nose. Because of the time machine project, the 24-year-old girl worked in close collaboration with Akane, and it seemed she had taken a particular liking in her. She flirted with her best friend way more often than with the other women of the floor. And, unfortunately for Rena, Akane's office was located right in her field of vision, making it impossible for her to ignore Jurina's actions.
This morning, Rena had plenty of work to do, but had a hard time focusing. A few minutes ago, her assistant had arrived at Akane's office, and was leaning over her shoulder to show her something on the touch screen monitor. They were too far for Rena to distinguish what they were saying, but she couldn't detach her eyes from the scene. Jurina had casually placed her hand on Akane's shoulder, an amused smile plastering her best friend's lips as Jurina was evidently saying something funny to her.
"Why does she keep doing that?" Rena muttered, displeased by her assistant's impossible flirty attitude.
A knock distracted her, the automatic door sliding open as a long dark, curly-haired woman entered her office. "It's 12:45 p.m. Want to go out for lunch?" Airi, her 27-year-old Human Resources manager, offered.
Already? Rena was shocked by the revelation. She barely had accomplished half of what she was supposed to do this morning. "Yes," Rena replied, knowing she needed a break. She lost focus as soon as her assistant arrived and began to flirt with Akane. "Just give me a few minutes. I want to finish this."
"Alright." Airi nodded, taking a look at the tablet computer Rena was pointing at. "Come and see me at my office when you're ready."
As Airi was about to turn on her heels, Rena felt the need to ask her one particular question. Something had been nagging her for a while, and witnessing her assistant's behavior with Akane prompted her to voice her concern. "Doesn't it... bother you? Seeing Jurina-san flirting with everyone, especially with your wife?"
"Absolutely not," Airi replied, much to her surprise. "It's mostly light teasing, and Akane doesn't mind. Besides, you can tell the women enjoy the attention they are getting. I can't count the number of times I heard them gushing over your assistant."
"She never flirts with me," Rena mumbled. When she realized the words she blurted out without thinking, she looked away in discomfort. For a minute, she hoped her friend had not heard her, but soon discovered it was only wishful thinking on her behalf.
"No, she doesn't," Airi conceded. "Why do you think that?"
"I have no idea," Rena admitted her ignorance. On one hand, she wasn't feeling particularly at ease broaching such a subject, but on the other, she felt relieved getting it off her chest. And who better could she talk about it than with a trusted friend? A friend who had also apparently well noticed this difference of treatment she was subjected to?
"And I think I'm being paranoid lately." Rena frowned, remembering vividly a few strange occurrences. "I'm under the impression she purposely flirts more with Akane because she knows I can see her from here. It's stupid, isn't it?"
Rena looked up in expectation, hoping Airi would state it was indeed only a figment of her wide imagination. Why would her assistant do that? It made no sense. However, Rena couldn't ignore her assistant glanced often in her direction when she visited Akane's desk.
"Of course, she's doing it on purpose," Airi chuckled softly, shaking her head in disbelief. "I adore you Rena but sometimes, you can be so clueless."
"What?" Rena searched her friend's eyes for an explanation, but she never elaborated. Rena didn't miss the amused look plastered on her face as she left her office.
Rena stared at her retreating form, processing their odd conversation. She couldn't shake off the sensation that Airi was trying to convey a message, but her mind was failing to decrypt it. Rena looked down to the tablet computer and tried to resume her work, but had a hard time getting back on the task at hand. Airi's last cryptic words rolled in her head over and over. What was she missing?
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