"I would like to ask for a leave,"
Yuri bowed her head down as she carefully slid the small silver flash drive on top of an elegant and intricate marbled office desk.
At the moment, a refined young woman with curled, blonde waist length hair and emerald green eyes, had her bottoms perched on the comforts of a cushioned chair, her legs crisscrossed beneath and brows furrowed as she suddenly slams a set of brown files on top of the horizontal surface, exclaiming in an annoyed tone, "A leave? When our department has this many tasks to do?!"
Not wanting to infuriate the already very furious young lady, Yuri remained silent, her head still bent down, refusing to add more fuel to the fire as she patiently wait for the lady's rage to tone down.
Celandine Zoe Lee… The infamous third child of Celandine Francis, a princess with a terrible temper, and the current manager of the ghostwriter's department in Sweet Haven Company.
"Don't you know that it must be at least 3 years before you could ask for a leave?! The ghostwriter's department has the lowest income this year, and I'm pissed off at that Michael dude for insulting MY department in front of the other managers! So could you please just leave? I don't want to see your face when I'm angry! It just pisses me off more!"
… You're the one whose oblivious that I've already worked here for 3 years…
For a moment, there was only silence inside the office-room until Zoe finally responds as she was now calm and more stable, speaking in a gentle tone, "I admire your persistence for standing there even after I've told you those things. Alrighty then, I'll listen to your appeal. Tell me what you want."
Repeating what I've said from before, I answered, "I would like to ask for a leave"
Thinking for a moment, Zoe says, "I've already told you my answer for that. An employee here at Sweet Haven must work here for at least 3 years before you could apply for a leave. Its not like I can just let you people go. Remember, you're still on a contract with us. The more you disobey the rules, the more that you are likely to suffer the consequences, and even die. Ah! Don't get me wrong! I'm not saying this for your sake. Let's just put it solely that I'm only telling you this since you have the courage to stand there with that face of yours. Now, tell me your choice. Are you willing to give up your life for freedom?"
That's… Am I genuinely willing to give up my life for freedom…?
Maybe that was the case… Maybe… Father gave up his life for us… for our freedom.
"Miss Zoe, I'm not meaning to talk back, but I think that you've misunderstood my request. In fact, I've already been working here for 3 years now…"
After a period of blank staring, Zoe finally replies, saying, "Oh? Is that so? Then, you must submit a file for leave first"
"I've already made a file for leave. It is in a separate folder inside that small silver flash drive…"
Blinking, Zoe plugged in the flash drive to her limited edition, silver pine-apple laptop, reacting once she sees the insides of the flash drive, saying, "This… You've finished all of your work for this week?"
"Yes. Since I'm hoping for a 3 days leave."
After skimming through the files inside the flash drive, Zoe spoke up again, inquiring, "And the other folder that you're talking about… You want to go back to Peach Dew Village?"
"Yes… I'm also hoping to see my mother for my leave"
"I see. Well, I'm not interested with your family matters so you can just go leave and return once you've finished your 3 days"
Yuri nods in return. She was still bowing down her head so she can't exactly bow for a thank you…
"Now, leave. I'm sick of seeing your face now"
… Are all princesses like this?
Walking out of the office door, the sight of Dennis greeted Yuri as the latter cheerfully approached her with a gigantic smile.
"What a coincidence! Miss Yuri, how is your day?"
Coincidence? I'm not in the mood to deal with coincidences like this…
"Ah, Dennis. I'm fine… thank you for the concern"
Smiling, Dennis asks, "Are you free this afternoon? There's a newly opened cake shop downtown and I have two 'sweets-all-you-can' coupons that the owner of the cake shop gave to me when I was passing by the storefront… I was just hoping that you could come with me after lunch this afternoon since the other coupon would be wasted if I go there alone…"
Sure thing. Why not?
… Is that what you thought I'd say to Dennis?
If that was my line, then a statue of myself might as well be put inside a cathedral since I'd be a saint if I said that to Dennis despite knowing that he's talking shit behind my back…
"I apologize, but I have to refuse your offer. I am busy for the entire day, so I advice you to invite Jean instead of me since he's from the proofreader's department. As far as I know, Jean's manager is on vacation, so the proofreader's department has a lot of time in their hands since there won't be any work assigned by their manager except for what he left out before his vacation"
After a brief moment of silence, Dennis spoke up again, asking, "Did Miss Zoe gave you a load of work"
again?"
Shaking my head no, I replied, "That's not what I meant by being busy. It's a personal matter, so I won't be able to tell you, anyway."
Looking down, Dennis mutters under his breath, "I see… so you don't trust me anymore huh…"
Not being able to comprehend what Dennis just said, I asked, "What? Did you just say something?"
Looking up to face me, Dennis smiles, saying, "It's nothing, I said nothing… Ah! That's right! I still have to visit the financial department! I still have a lot of mails to deliver, so I guess I'm off now. See you later!"
"Ok, good luck with your work, Dennis"
Smiling, Dennis replies, "If you're the one wishing me luck… I know that I can do anything"
Suddenly confused, I was about to ask him by what he meant by 'he can do anything' but he has already run off to the far distance.
… He's weird for someone who hides his true color.
Nonetheless, I should get going now.
I still have a plan at stake.
I have no time to eat sweets and cakes when a storm is up ahead…