Chapter 19: Chapter XVIII — don’t judge a book by its cover
A few weeks have passed, and now I am 100% sure about certain things. Having a lot of money is annoying and bothersome. Apparently, your higher-ups expect you to work harder and make more profit for the company. What is the meaning of having lots of money if I can't spend it? What am I, a banknote collector?
"Kazuyachi, I forgot my wallet~"
Ah, this is also an annoying part of being rich.
"Tsk, next time I won't pay a penny."
"Alright, alright~"
Do not alright me…
Sigh
I wish my Angel would be here to support me. The recruiting department has a day off today. Tachibana's team manager decided to organize a party. I haven't met her yet, but according to Tachibana, she is much better than Yamazaki…
"Excuse me, young man?" — a voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Huh? Ah, right. Please excuse me. I thought about something."
Since the whole recruiting department has a day off, someone has to replace them, at least a bit. This honor had fallen on my shoulders.
At least I already some experience as a recruiter back then. I still can't decide which job is more troublesome, the recruiter's one, or the consultant's one. I'd say both are troublesome. Work is troublesome. Let me live my life, you demons! And here am I, sitting in room 7.10, interviewing a new candidate.
"Please introduce yourself."
The man in front of me released a sigh.
I can tell by his expression, that when he wished for a new life, all of this was not what he wished for. Well, personally, I can certainly relate to it!
"My name is Nguyen Jin."
A Hafu? Couldn't tell by his appearance, he looked like an average Japanese to me. The man looked older than me, but not older than 30, that's for sure.
"Erhm, Mr. Nguyen, can you tell me about your skills?"
The man rolled his eyes and sighed again.
"What skills do you need?"
"…"
Sigh
Another great candidate.
"What was your occupation in the previous life?"
"An office clerk."
"Okay, do you have any hobby?"
"Does smoking count as a hobby?"
"…"
"Listen, kid…"
Oi, who are you calling a kida You are slightly older than me by appearance! I am here to help you, show some respect.
"…can't you just let me be?"
"I'm afraid I can't."
And he sighed again…
Nguyen crossed his arms.
"Seriously, I worked enough in my past life, can't I just take a break?"
"…"
"I worked hard, saved so much money. Too bad I didn't know I'll never be able to spend all of it."
Oh, a soulmate!
"Yes, yes. And everyone always expects you to solve all the problems at once" — I nodded.
"Right!" — Nguyen suddenly pointed his finger at me.
"This! This is the problem! You work hard, only to get a better salary and to work even harder! What's the point of it?!"
"And everyone's sucking up to you for money!"
The man in front of me nodded twice and then stopped, made a serious face and reached his hand out to me.
"Allow me to introduce myself again. My name is Nguyen Jin, you can call me by my first name. Sorry for being impolite."
"Fukuhara Kazuya, it's alright, I was not great either."
We shook our hands.
"Jin, I apologize for being like this, but I have to interview you further."
Jin shrugged.
"I guess I have no choice."
He coughed twice.
"I can't really tell anything else about me. Like I said, I was an office clerk, quite a good one. But apart from that – nothing special." — he shrugged again with a smirk on his face.
Nguyen clapped his hands.
"Can't you do a favor for your fellow friend?"
When did we become friends?! Although, I can relate to him. I wish there would be a solution that would let both of us satisfied… hm? Oh!
"Jin, I assume you would rather not be reborn or sent into a parallel world, right?"
The tired man crossed his hands and formed an "x".
"Never. Not a single chance."
I thought so.
"What if you could work here for us?"
Jin tilted his head.
"For you?"
"Right!"
I stood up and pointed at the door.
"Shall we make a small walk?"
***
While walking, I briefly described to him what the function of our company is. I can't tell whether he was surprised by the existence of such a company, but, well, I am sure he was curious about the work we do.
"So, here is the recruiting department. It's usually not that empty, they got a day off today."
"Oh! So you people get days off here?"
For what kind of company have you worked for?! A black company?!
"Their task is to interview new candidates, like yourself, and to hand the CVs over to us, the consultation department."
"That sounds bothersome."
I guess so.
Thereafter, I showed him my team.
I escorted Nguyen to where Ogawa and the others sat and found a sleeping monkey. The temptation of kicking his chair was too big, and I lost the battle.
"Oi! Who did that?!"
"I did."
Saru raised his head and looked at me.
"Hiiek! Senior! W-what are yo-, I mean, you should be at the recruiting center?"
"I was there, but I felt a sudden urge to kick someone, and I figured out you are the best option I got."
"I said I'll pay you back! Hm?"
Saru tilted his head and noticed Nguyen.
"Who's that?"
"Oh, it's a candidate. Name's Nguyen Jin. I'm showing him the company. Don't mind us."
I heard Jin sighing again.
"This looks almost identical to my office in the past life. Bad memories."
Well, nothing we can do about."
Meanwhile, Saru sat back on his chair. He noticed that it was almost time for the break.
"Senior, will you join us for a meal?"
"Ah, sorry" — I would, but Nguyen is my priority right now.
"Oh! Food! I'm hungry, can I join you too?"
"…"
Well, the rules don't forbid non-employees to eat here, as long as you pay for the food.
***
"Damn! It's a damn big cafeteria you got here!"
The fact that you're surprised by our cafeteria more than by our existence is something I will never be able to understand…
This week there was a cultural-themed menu with different sets to choose.
[Set 1:
Jäger Schnitzel with french fries and a mushroom sauce
Potato salad
A piece of Baumkuchen]
…
[Set 2:
Spaghetti Bolognese
Orzo salad
Panna cotta]
…
[Set 3:
Pho Bo soup
Goi cuon spring rolls
Che Thai]
To be honest, I'm a more European food-guy, so my choice was as clear as the daylight, it's either set 1 or set 2. Hm, I feel like I want more meat today, I guess I'll take the schnitzel.
We took our boards with food and headed to the electronic cashier. Ah, right, Saru forgot his wallet. Well, how many are we? 5… $25.00 in total, alright. I reached my card to the terminal, paid for five meals and went to search for a free place.
"Hey, senior, is everything alright?"
"Hm?"
"You paid for all of us…"
"…"
Indeed, I did… why? Argh… anyway.
"He~, you took the first set?"
"Right, and you all got the Italian one?"
"Seems like that. Oh, Nguyen got the Vietnamese set!"
"Of course, I asked for the Vietnamese one! There is no better food than ours."
We started eating. As usual, the meals here are delicious and full your stomach up. I was about to ask Jin if he liked the food, but his face… I saw a clear disappointment on it. Did he not like it?
"Tsk, the hell is that?!"
Yeah, I war right…
"Hm? What's the matter?"
"This is not our food. Not at all. It's an insult to our culture to call it with Vietnamese names."
I can understand your anger, but don't you think you're overreacting?!
"Who's the cook? I want to speak to him."
Oi, we don't need a fight between a candidate and our cook.
"Mhm? The chvhf ism hover therve." — Saru pointed to the cook that was standing at the corner.
Oi! Don't speak with a full mouth! And don't expose our chef like that!
"I see, thank you."
Crap.
"Jin, there is no point in violence" — I tried to stop him.
"I just want to talk to him."
"Ji-"
"I just want to talk to him."
The expression of your face does not resemble someone that just wants to talk!
My attempts to stop him were meaningless. Now he is standing in front of our chef, an old man called Choi.
"Oi, you cooked the set 3?!"
Jin! Someone who just wants to talk does not make such an aggressive grimace and does not speak in such a tone!
"Huh?! I did." — responded Choi.
"I suggest you to resign, gramps. Your food is shit!"
"Huh?! Say that again, kiddo."
"Your. Food. Is. Dog. Shit. Want me to repeat that again?"
Argh… I'm screwed. Both of them are ready to kill each other. Yamazaki will crucify me…
"Hah! Then let's see how your cooking is."
"Oi, gramps, are you challenging me?"
"Are you scared? People are right, a dog that barks doesn't bite."
"Who did you call a dog, huh?! Alright, show me the kitchen."
They both entered the kitchen. Saru and co were curious and followed them as well. How did things end up like this? What am I doing with my life?
***
Strangely, this fight became a nice show you usually see on the television. I would never believe looking someone cooking would be that entertaining and satisfying.
"You see, old fart? This is how it is supposed to be done."
"All I see until now is fancy circus tricks."
Though I wish the chefs would not bark at each other every second.
Some time after, the meal was ready.
"It looks the same" — said Saru and he war absolutely right about it.
"Tsk, don't judge a book by its cover! I once bought one with flowers depicted on it, but eventually, it was a pathetic story of a man jumping off a cliff with a woman."
Oi, don't call Dazai's No Longer Human pathetic just because it didn't fit your expectations! Read the book blurb before buying it! What did you expect, a florilegium?!
Everyone got his plate and we tasted it. Damn. Choi's food is really no match for it. Sorry, Mr. Choi, but…
"Gramps Choi, compared to this, your food is indeed dog shit."
You tactless, rude monkey! Don't be so straight.
"Tsk, what can you even understand in culinary?"
"Then try for yourself, old man" — said Jin with a grimace.
Choi took a plate and tasted it. After his first spoon, he suddenly stopped at sight. Just after a few seconds, he released a tsk and threw his spoon away.
"It is slightly better."
"Slightly, my ass! Admit your defeat, be a man."
"Alright! Alright! I admit my defeat."
Jin crossed his arms and raised his head, releasing a sound of satisfaction and victory.
Such a relief that it all ended as a culinary battle, and not an actual fight.
"Kazuya" — Jin called me.
"You said I can work for this company, right?"
I nodded.
"Then I want to work as a cook."
"Erh… okay. You sure?"
"Yes. I can't allow that old man to ruin our national cuisine with his filthy hands."
"Alright… Then follow us back to the 7th floor. I'll prepare the papers."
***
"And finally, the salary is…"
"I don't care, just give me the contract."
"Okay, okay. Here, I need your signature here and we are done."
I guess I should not tell him about the resignation part. He will figure it out on his own one day…
…
Sigh
Such a mess… But at least we got a new employee.
"Hm? Kazuya?"
"Huh? What is it, do you want another kick?"
"No… but, aren't you supposed to be at the recruiting center?"
"…"
"…"
I totally forgot about it… Crap, wasn't there an interview scheduled right after the break at 14:00? What time is it…
[15:39]
"…"
How did I forget about the interview? I ran to the elevator as fast as I could. The elevator itself felt so slowly, that I wish I'd take the stairs.
What room was it again?! 7.12? I think it was 7.12.
Finally, I approached the room 7.12 where the interview was supposed to be held. A person was sitting there, with crossed arms and a pissed off grimace on his face.
I'm screwed…
I can't even recall how long I was on my knees, apologizing for my incompetence.
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