That was an ugly stunt you pulled on them.
Nakagawa you arse! James brought another cup of espresso to a
waiting suit. The resort lacked a professional barista, and given the
latest guests sorely needed one. He had taken it upon himself to help
Christina's grandfather make a good impression, and thus it was that
he found himself in a white uniform better suited for a high end
Tokyo coffee house than this old fashioned holiday resort.
The suit took the coffee without as much as giving
him a glance. Gotta love my own place. I can talk with my
customers there.
James walked to the bar where he could prepare the
next order. All over the dining hall waitresses in faux kimonos
served beers and stronger beverages while trying to hide the tired
faces that came with waiting on tables for too many years.
The old goat, and in this case it really was an
old goat, wasn't traditional enough to force his staff to work in the
real deal. A kimono would have been suffocating in August. Thinking
of him made James feel like a little kid. He's a hundred, bloody
hell! Those were subjective years of course. He looked forty,
just like the Wakayama parents he had attended school together with.
They were at Himekaizen at the same time I was the first time. But
in this world, not the other one where I lived.
James' thoughts were reaching the point where he
was about to play the 'what if' game when a young woman strode into
the hall. She had the looks of royalty inspecting her subjects, and
it took a few seconds before he realised it was Christina who had
entered. He heard the collective sigh as faces turned in her
direction as if commanded to.
She's out of my league. That's not just ten
years more experience of living. Damn, she'll eat the poor bastards
alive!
“Gentlemen, I'm here to make certain you've
brought your bathing trunks. Tomorrow's sessions will start on the
beach.”
Surprised murmurs echoed between the tables until
one of the more senior members of the assembly rose to address her.
“Young lady, what is the meaning of this?”
She seemed totally unperturbed by his haughty
voice and just sent him a condescending glare. “My name is Ageruman
Kuritina, and I'm the CEO of Chag, an associate of TAP.”
“TAP?”
“Twin Arc Production, management consulting,”
she clarified in a voice that clearly told them all what she thought
of anyone in such poor contact with reality that he was unaware of
the obvious.
James choked down a laugh and looked at where old
Nakagawa sat. The old geezer almost spluttered his coffee over the
table and looked like he was about to have a heart attack. Suits
you! The kids take care of their own, and they're doing a damn good
job at it. Hot damn, she's superb!
“If anyone of you have forgot to bring bathing
clothes mister Nakagawa,” she shot a look at the principal, “will
be more than willing to rectify the mistake.”
James turned to make a cup of espresso no-one had
ordered. He shook with laughter and glee. Sucker! She's got you
now! He shook his head in amazement. Well, when she's angry enough
her Japanese is almost perfect. Good to know.
When he turned to face
the dining hall again Nakagawa had regained his composure and had
risen to bow affirmatively.
“Session starts after breakfast at nine hundred
hours. Any questions?”
I thought that Ulf guy was bad, but damn she's
the bakemono! Billion dollar empress,
hell yeah! James loaded his cups onto a tray and made his rounds.
He made certain to give Nakagawa the first cup, which had cooled down
enough to merit being thrown into the sink.
James watched Nakagawa grimace as he took a sip.
It was petty, but James felt like being petty. What the old geezer
had put the kids through was awful, and that he had the audacity to
pull more surprises on them right now was just that more aggravating.
It didn't matter that two of the kids were in their fifties
subjectively. They still felt and reacted like the teens they looked
like.
“Sir, anything else?” he asked as he watched
Christina leave the hall. She was up to something, but exactly what
James couldn't guess.
When he received an affirmative followed by the
tired wave only someone in middle management used he nodded and
headed for the counter. I hope you pull it off, whatever it is
you're trying to do.
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