Shades of Azure
シェイドス オフ アジュル
A guy's lonely life brightens as he encounters a girl who's unemployed… for the nth time around.
Chapter One: Miyu, Miyu
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"PLEASE! I beg you!"
"No more pleases, Ms. Kouzuki. You're fired."
"But--"
The door closed again. This time, I knew that I am doomed once more…
Miyu Kouzuki, aged 21, realized her big mistake for waking up late everyday. This was her major problem since she was a senior high school student. She didn't want it either, and it can't be helped.
It is her nth time being fired. She got used to it; scanning a newspaper almost every week, scanning and scanning… getting fired… walking out of the office, scanning for a new job opportunity… and so the viscious cycle remains.
"...But then I know that something's missing in my life," She told herself, shrugging at her problems. Suddenly, her cellphone rang.
"Yes, hello?"
"Hey Miyu!" it was a cheerful girl's voice, making Miyu smile. "What's that sad tone all about? Fired again?"
Miyu's cheeks burned. "Yeah, I know, Ms. Whose-work-is-stable…." She muttered "What's up, Aya?"
"I think I have a job that suits you!" Aya exclaimed, really positive.
"You sure?"
"Yup. All you have to do is go here at our building… you know where it is, and afterwards… you'll fall in line."
"Well, that's simple, but… what kind job?"
"You're going to know as soon as you arrive here. So hurry up! Today is the last day." Aya ended. "See ya!"
"Okay. I'm going." She take the crossing and hurriedly went to the office of Aya. Aya has been Miyu's best friend since high school and she knows she won't tell a fake info on something.
--
"I'm sorry, next please."
"Hi, baby! I am gonna be your--" a girl began, but the cute little baby in front of her began to turn back.
"No, sorry… next!" a man called out, sighing at the 35-paged list of applicants who failed.
"… man, this is a tough job… and Ruu cannot find a perfect mom yet." Kurosu Santa muttered aloud. All the ladies suddenly yelled, and Santa looked around him. A crossed-armed guy was standing in front of him, frowning.
"What did you say?" he bickered. "What mom are you talking about? Continue your work, or else…"
"Okay, okay… thanks for that, best friend… next please!" Santa called.
"Hello cute darling… I'm Christine Hanakomachi… I'm sure you'll like me as…" she ended up staring at the guy instead of the baby. She almost fainted. The next one came in.
"Hello sir! I'm--"
"Next!" Santa murmured. "Mr. Saionji does not entertain sitters for him. Only for his son, I tell you. And Chris, you already have your work. Give others a chance."
"Wait--" Christine tried to explain.
"Santa, I want everything to be fixed by the end of the day. Make sure you found the right person." Saionji Kanata turned his back and proceeded to the elevator.
"Aye!" Santa answered gleefully, though exhausted.
Miyu stood at the tip of her toes, looking at the long line in front of her.
"Geez, this line might take forever!" Miyu cried "I wonder what job Aya is telling me. Is it something worth my time and energy?"
She looked around her. She noticed that lots of women who applied failed and walked slowly and sadly.
"… or can I pass this…"
Miyu noticed that the line suddenly minimized at that short span of time. Then, a cute little baby caught her attention. She smiled at the baby, and instantly, the baby smiled back at her.
Santa was quite surprised for it is the first time Ruu ever smiled during the 3 days of the search. He followed the little child's gaze, and it turned out to be at Miyu. Ruu continued to smile, pointing at Miyu.
"Oh, wow! What's a cute child doing here?" Miyu wondered.
"You! You!" Santa called on to Miyu, leaving his place. "Ms!"
Everyone looked at her. Miyu pointed out to herself. "ME?"
"Yes, you, who else?" Santa pulled her closer to the baby. The baby's expression turned so glad, smiling and almost jumping at the same time. Miyu patted the baby's head and faced Santa.
"Sir, what do you need?"
"What's your name?" Santa just asked her right away.
"Kouzuki. Kouzuki Miyu, sir."
"Ms. Kouzuki, you're hired!" Santa exclaimed, loud enough to be heard by everyone at the lobby. Miyu can't believe what's going on.
"Hired? For what? I haven't--" she tried to tell him, but Santa was just too happy to react about it. At last his job is done. At last, Ruu has chosen one, after 3 days of toil and hard work. Kanata will surely thank him… no, reward him. Maybe he can treat him somewhere… but Santa is so sure that it is really her.
"Hey Mr., I don't get the point of this." Miyu demanded. "What's really going on?"
A line of ladies who were somewhat sobbing came to her:
"Sad to say, the baby chose you!" one replied.
"Chose me?"
"You don't know why you're here?"
"Of course not, I'm just here to look for a job," Miyu answered them. "So tell me what this is all about. And what's the child got to do with my new job?"
"He is not just a mere child," The lady with a pink hair, who introduced herself as Christine, began. "That child is the only son of the cute and charming President of this company!"
"WHAT?"
Miyu remained confused. She tried to put all of the facts together. Child plus job equals…
"I'll be a baby-sitter!" Miyu exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Santa answered her.
Miyu looked at Ruu once more. God, he's an extremely cute child! But I didn't go here for such a job! I didn't study college just to baby-sit… though I can say that I cannot resist him and I have no choice since I am jobless right now… hmn, should I go and accept the job?
"Please!" Santa cried. "I would really appreciate if you choose to be Ruu's official sitter!"
"Mr.--"
"Santa, Santa Kurosu." He shaked hands with her. "Don't you know that you'll have a salary of about…" Santa took his calculator.
"100,000 yen a month? Mr. Saionji would be willing to give that money just to hire someone who will take care of his child!"
"Hundred thousand yen? Holy cow!" Miyu exclaimed, suddenly fainting to the ground. And someone had saved her from totally falling down…
--
Miyu woke up resting on a sofa. She looked around an unfamiliar scene, and to the three ladies fanning her.
"What the--" she exclaimed. When she looked at her right side, Mr. Kurosu was sitting beside a handsome man carrying the baby she saw a while ago. Then she remembered the offered money, and she came back to her senses.
"Ms. Kouzuki, right?" the handsome man asked. "I'm Saionji Kanata, and I'm the father of Ruu."
Miyu was crestfallen. He's so cute, but he has a family already… she sighed and nodded.
"Santa told me that Ruu wants you to be his sitter." Kanata told her. "And I'm willing to pay 100,000 yen a month just for that service,"
"Wow!" Miyu exclaimed inside her. "Cool!"
Then she suddenly wondered. "Why do you have to conduct an extensive search for a simple baby-sitter?" she suddenly asked.
"It's Ruu's choice." Kanata answered immediately. "De does have the right to pick the one he wants to take care of him."
"How about... your wife?" Miyu asked.
Kanata shot her with a sudden glare, as if he does not want to talk about it. "She's gone."
"Oh…" Miyu began, and she just can't help but admire him. Stupid mother of this kid! Why would she leave a handsome guy like Mr. Saionji?
"If that is so, stop being so nosy. Take Ruu with you and Santa will take you to our house." He said, standing up. "After that, you can take your things to our house and move in. Santa will show your room. It will be on Ruu's room too."
"Um.. okay!" Miyu cheerfully answered. "Thank you!"
Kanata stared at her with his cool expression, "You have nothing to thank me of."
"Whatever!" Miyu said, carrying Ruu. The baby clinged to her as if there's no tomorrow (exaggerated). Kanata noticed that he really likes her.
Miyu stared at Ruu for a long time. Poor kid, you sure are lonely without your mother and your father's busy working. But don't worry, I'll be by your side. I promise you that.
Thus, this begins Miyu's new job. We all hope that she doesn't get fired!
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»To be continued