Her trip down the memory lane were broken upon hearing the ringing signaling the arrival to her stop, and quickly sprinted as soon as the doors are wide enough for her to slip through, leaving the madman on it just smiling widely while watching her retreating figure.
She arrives at work full of nerves and brimming with tension, and luckily far from being late though being much earlier than usual doesn't automatically become part of her labor points, as disappointing as it may sound.
Being an office worker in the center is both the easiest and the hardest way to earn those points. Easy in a way that the work is constant and fixed so no need to wander around looking for tasks to do, hard in the sense that the conversion of actual work to credit is one of the smaller ones in the city together with the routine involving meeting all types of people ready to pounce on them every time they just felt like doing it or they've been too stressed out of their minds.
At times, balance in itself feels like just another form of torture.
She ignores the curious looks thrown her way as soon as the swarm of her coworkers enters the space and rearranges the files on her desk for the nth time that morning. As soon as the first line of laborers came in, life resumes as usual.
And in the middle of the day they get reminded of an incoming visit from the main city.
"As you all know, company policy does not allow any of you to interact with the visitors until you're asked by them personally. Any form of rules broken in any way shall automatically be counted as probable deduction from your credits. No matter how insignificant the action may seem to be. Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir," they all sounded like a broken chorus, voices all overly enthusiastic, as they're expected to be.
The number of laborers coming in is the same as usual, maybe a bit more than usual, some trying to catch a glimpse of the visitors that just arrived rather than actually exchanging a large amount of labor points.
"What's with all these people gawking at us as if we're animals in a zoo?"
One of her coworkers seated beside her started whispering, looking jittery in her seat from all the visitors, in their noblesse glory, watching them work and talking to each other.
"We are, aren't we? I mean, this place is nothing but a glorified prison. Remove all the policies in place and bring everyone in the central facility and it's as good as any prison out there. They're here to visit the place, so of course they'll look at us in that way."
The other looks at her in shock, not expecting her to answer in such a way. Especially not when she has always seemed like one of the meek ones.
"What bullshit are you spouting? I didn't ask you to get all philosophical on me."
"You aren't that smart to use such big words, you might fry your brain."
"You!"
The raise in voice caught the attention of the visitors, as well as their supervisor who looked at the scene with great worry and glared at them sharply before calling their attention.
"What are you doing? Why didn't you greet him?! Come here! I'm sorry about them Mr. Taio."
The one who almost screamed immediately stood up and bowed in a hurry, worried about how the scene they caused would affect her credit. While Kina, who's still feeling tense from the encounter earlier just stayed on her seat, doing a word vomit before she could hold herself from doing so. Most likely would regret it afterwards but it's been a series of stressors she's been exposed to lately that she's been near her tipping point. Not unusual for her, but she's only ever let it all out at her house, and only when her niece is being treated to a meal outside by Norma.
"Why? Just standing up and going to the restroom already means salary deduction. Why should I stand up from my post to greet the man? It's not part of my job description. I'm not you."
But it did feel better after doing so.
"You-!"
He felt a hand on his shoulder, grip strong enough to make him wince and he turns around to see one of the assistants looking at him with a straight face.
"Mr. Harold we are on a schedule, can you lead Mr. Taio to your office so that we can finish our business before you reprimand anyone on your own time?"
"Of, of course! My bad, let's go, this way please. Kina you get some snacks and-"
"I'm not getting you snacks and coffee, tell that to your secretary. Next! Sorry for the delay, may I get your license?"
Despite her supervisor looking like they're about to pop a vein from her response, she kept on with her work, not noticing a grin that formed on a stranger's face after witnessing such an interaction.
A few were led into the office while others were made to check other areas within the facility, and upon entering, the man wearing a long dress suit paired with kitten heels, quite flamboyant per say and more expressive than the rest, took a seat on the couch without waiting to be invited, and spoke without waiting for his turn.
"Who was that again, Kina? Right? What's your plan about the lady?"
Despite being the one with power in the office, the supervisor did not dare to take a seat in front of him, and instead, stood straight with both hands clasped together in front of him.
"Huh? Ah, of course! She'll be removed from her post and be replaced with a more polite employee so-"
"So you're firing her, is that what it is?"
A tinge of mirth in his eyes, looking directly at the older man who's being a little too respectful than comfort, especially with the age gap.
"… I believe it's the most appropriate action. Sir."
"Alex?"
"…It is Harold but yes, Sir?"
He quickly wiped his brows, worried about the way he corrected him and hoped that no reprimand or deeper inspection would be suddenly thrown at his face without a warning.
"Tell the lady to come to the Northpoint to be picked up at eight tomorrow morning. Sharp. I need a new secretary after all."
Almost a minute of silence.
"What? What do you mean Sir?"
"Oh, I just lost a secretary, and I needed someone who can hold their ground, and it's just the right timing that I found one right here. Isn't it amazing? It's a hidden gem amongst these ragged ones," he answers, waving his hands animatedly as he talks.
"I mean, I could get you some recommendations Sir, for the personnel that you need, but I don't think she'll fit your needs."
A pause, followed by a sharp look directly into his eyes without blinking.
"And why would you say that?"
He felt himself getting burned from the look thrown his way.
"Well, she's in the lower ranks so we can-"
"But aren't they all relatives of criminals? What's the point of rankings?"
The one in power rolls his eyes in annoyance, irritated with the obvious reason for beating around the bush. That the one he wants is someone unwanted but still needed around there. Perhaps, a little bit too efficient that she reminds the supervisor of his incompetence.
"But she had already showed aggression before and had fights with rowdy workers. It just… I don't think she'll be of any help to you. We don't want her tarnishing your reputation after all."
Crossing his legs, he faces the other directly, leaning back but seeming to challenge him to speak out more than he's supposed to.
"But she's a great help here, aren't she? Since you don't have anything to complain about her work performance. I can guess she's efficient enough, don't you think so Hansel?"
"… It's Harold, but Sir-"
"But?"
Despite the age gap, the older one cowers under the scrutinizing gaze and ends up agreeing to what the other is being persistent on.
"…I believe so Mr. Taio, there is no complain about her work performance. I shall pass your words to her, may I go first?"
"Go ahead and do just that. There's nothing wrong anymore, right Harold?"
"Of course… of course Sir."
The man felt like sprinting away from the pressure he felt by just being around him, but he held back, not wanting to be reprimanded in any way. Being in his current position is the only means of living better, though not by much, in comparison to everyone else there.
The whole city is just an embellished prison, after all