GALA NIGHT 2: Secretary Hyde's Backup Plan
1697 Words
The mellow and soft music were soundly playing at the nightclub.
"One more glass,"
The bartender swooped up another order coming from a man in his early twenties, his hair were messily styled, free on their own and it completely suit the man's carefree aura.
Jay Gomez swiped his pinky finger near his eyes to clear the strand of hair that fell there, his slender brown eyes squinting at the touch, the nose crinkling while his large thin-lips upturn to make a smirking expression.
"You told me to keep quite and let you speak but you won't even open your own mouth to utter a single word, why, my friend? I don't have all night to wait for you to open up."
The middle school teacher tapped his fingers on the wooden bar counter top impatiently as he looked around in their surrounding. Keikazu, a billionaire CEO and a friend from college called him out in the middle of Monday night, disturbing him from checking the students papers as term exams just ended. However, now that they are meeting face to face, the host sat frozen in his seat, playing with his drink and staring into space.
Jay stood up with the attempt to leave,
"Dude, if you won't speak.. I'm going."
then returning back to sit when K eventually opened his mouth to tell him what's been bothering on his mind.
"Mr. Gibson wants to lure me into a marriage set-up.. there's a Gala night on Wednesday and I was told of his plan about finding a suitable man for her daughter. I heard I'm the top candidate."
The middle school teacher listened. Then bursted out laughing earning a piercing glare from K. He stopped laughing after and put on a serious face seeing how K is not taking it as a laughing matter, he cleared his throat as he speak.
"Don't you want that? I mean.. If I heard it right their family are equally as wealthy as yours, surely, it will delight uncle Lance."
"That's no way to please my father if ever.. it will be my mom who'd love that idea."
Jay knew how persistent Kyza is when it comes to making his friend date but always fails in the end because of K's stubborn nature and unknown reasons for not involving himself to romance.
"Haha, yes, I agree with you. Aunt Kyza have been bugging you to get a girlfriend, right?"
K didn't answer instead he finally brought to his mouth the glass containing rum he was just playing about and drank the drink in one go, savoring it's strong taste. He lifted his eyes back and forth in the dim lighted room to ponder.
"Do you have something against gay people?"
Taken aback would been an understatement for Jay's reaction to what his long time and closest friend have just blurted out. Instinctively, he put his crossed arms to his body, hugging himself as if protecting against K.
If they were somewhere private, K would have thrown a punch straight at Jay's face already but he kept his calm.
"Even if you're the last person on earth, I won't date you." He said firmly.
Exactly at that moment, the bartender gave Jay another drink, he gripped on the glass tightly still shocked to the core.
"G-good to know but.. why're you suddenly asking about that? Are you..?"
He trailed on his question as he lifted his glass and gulped his drink, trying to calm himself.
"I think.. I like my secretary."
Only for Jay to spit out what he had, coughing after he choked on the drink then he realized that K's secretary was nothing out of extraordinary.
"Your secretary? Isn't it a gorgeous woman, with a sexy body and model-like proportions?"
K glared at Jay. The latter instantly remembered something and quickly made-up an excuse.
"Well.. that was two months ago when I last visited at your office and witnessed her gawking at me. I mean, I know I'm hot and she's hot so we got down bad."
"Animalistic nature."
"C'mon dude, every man's got to have that. We get horny if we see something that turns us on."
"Yeah and that's why most men get labeled as 'trash' because of that."
"You're so mean."
The two fell silent for a moment before Jay asked what was running on his mind.
"So.. you like your secretary? And your secretary.. is a guy I suppose?"
Jay's words were careful but weighing. He rested his chin on his palm while waiting for K's answer.
"He's.. the longest secretary I have for about one month and two weeks now. You know, nobody could withstand how workaholic I am, but him.. he knows how to read my mood. He's professional. When it comes to dealing with people, be it for business or his subordinates, he knows his ways. What's more is that he's warm, a dedicated person. There's alot to of good things to tell about him but if there is one word to describe him, then it's probably.." K purposely trailed off as he find within him the right word then his eyes flickered with admiration as he said, "..PERFECTION."
In a long time that Jay have known K, eversince they were in University there's only three emotions that he obviously shows. First and foremost, anger. K doesn't hold his anger back and completely lash out when triggered, he's easily irritated about small mistakes. Second, stern. Everyone knows him as a stoic person, his eyes doesn't hold any emotions and his face were mostly painted without any color other than his signature poker face and lastly, Jay have seen him hurt before but that's about it. However, now what Jay have witnessed passing by the stoic man's eyes while talking about his secretary were also new to Jay.
He doesn't want to perceived things in his own way and even make judgments based on what he heard so far but what he can make up from the prologue of his friend's story is something the other man might not want to hear.
"There's a clear boundary between 'like' and 'crush'. One holds a romantic feeling on the line while the latter is limited solely to admiration. In your case, you're crossing the line."
K remained silent yet his mind were in total chaos.
"I don't want you to be hasty, K."
"What are you implying?"
"Why don't you bring a date for the Gala night and find a girl to pretend to be your girlfriend. In two ways she can help, one is to drive away anything related to romance and two.. to find things clear in terms of your 'real' feelings."
_______
"Wait. You said you will take care of it?"
"Yeah, I know I said that and I promised but I can't help it.. I even contacted the rest of the guys but we are all busy."
Hyde discreetly walked out of the room, giving his boss a privacy because he seem to be on an argument with the other person on the end of the phone call.
Tuesday morning and they were on their usual tasks but K appear to be under the weather. The boss walked into work with his eyebrows knotted together. All the employees were terrified and got into their own works accordingly.
After a while, Hyde decided to go back inside. When he got in, he quickly took notice the uneasiness in the stoic boss's face. He looks.. worried.
He stepped towards where he is and knocked on his desk to get his attention.
"Anything I can do to help, sir?" He asked with a warm smile.
K contemplated whether to tell Hyde about it or not as he's a party involved with their plan. He and Jay decided to try it out and find a pretend girlfriend for him, Jay promised to take care of everything but tomorrow's the big day yet Jay couldn't find anyone to take part the most important role.
"Find some suitable women whom I can take as my companion tomorrow night. I want the selection.. as soon as possible."
K have no other choice.
Hyde excused himself, fired up from receiving quite a diversion of work at the same time curious as to what type of girl will the legendary stoic boss will like?
Unbeknownst to Hyde, K wanted to hide himself under his desk, embarassed that he needed help just to find a girl, a date rather. Secretary Hyde didn't pay it any mind yet the stoic boss was dying out of embarrassment.
It didn't take a long hour for Hyde to show the tablet containing different profiles of various women each with their own unique and plausible accomplishments as well as pretty faces.
"What is this?"
"The selection sir, please browse through every slide and pick whomever that attracts you." Unbothered, Hyde even smiled at his boss.
K's grip on the tablet tightened, irritated that Hyde seem to be happy showing him a variety of unknown girls. Mad at his secretary's reaction, K didn't think his decision through and just let his fingers slide on the tablet and stopping without looking at it. He proceeded to give it back to his secretary who's waiting for him with a wide grin on his face.
"Contact her and give her the details, send a nice dress to her address and schedule a car and chauffeur to pick her up. We'll be meeting at the entrance tomorrow night. I'm leaving it to you."
After speaking what's on his mind, K left the room with a pissed expression.
Hyde doesn't seem to care that he'll be meeting a girl, or even if he date someone.
_________
W E D N E S D AY, 6:00 PM.
(I'm sorry but something urgent came up, I won't be able to accompany your boss, I've already returned the deposit you transferred to my account as well as the dress)
Hyde jumped out of bed, all flustered and panicked. Immediately reaching for his phone and dialing an important number.
"Hello? There's a problem.."
"What?! The boss's date won't be able to attend!!!?"
- Writer
