Siete Cielo: June 2007

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

05 : Without A Cause

A few steps from the cafe, someone caught up with me from behind.
What do you know, it's that guy who applied for the job.

"Can I help you...?" I asked him.
"Actually, yeah, that's the reason I chased you here." He smiled.
"So...?" I looked up at him. That familiar feeling is still there, really.
"I just wanna ask, are there any apartments near here that I can rent...," he paused, and probably seeing my puzzled face, he continued quickly, "Ah, I'm new here, I'm staying at a relative's house now. I'd really like to have my own residence here, you know, not wanting to trouble my relative much...?"
I nodded a bit, awkward being asked such a thing.

He smiled some more.

"I think there's one near here...not sure exactly where, only heard it from my friend though. But you can try asking the manager back there, she knows this place better than I do."
He nodded a few times and reached inside his pocket, from which he got out his cellphone.
"Thanks...uh...?" He cocked his head sideways, his eyes narrowed towards me.
"...yeah?" I blinked a few times, unsure of what he wanted further from me.
"Haven't introduced myself yet, sorry. I'm Jun." He held out his right hand.
"Haru." I held out mine and gave a brief shake.
"Thanks, Haru." He took a glance at his cellphone screen. "Ah, I should be going now, my friend's waiting for me. See you tomorrow!"
I just waved a bit as he ran off in the opposite direction to his so-called 'friend' who was waiting beside the cafe. I saw them going off in a black Nissan before turning around to head off in my own route again.

I thought about the conversation all the way home.
Talking with him face-to-face really makes his face seems familiar.
I know I've seen it somewhere before.
...why am I so worked up with this, anyway?

I scratched my head roughly in front of my front door and let out a breath of frustration. I got out the housekeys and switched on the lights inside. After closing the door, I let myself fall heavily on the sofa in front of the TV.
There were a few random magazines on the coffee table.
Must be Hikaru's.
I was about to get up from the comfortable sofa when my eyes caught something on one of the magazines. I quickly picked it up.

The face that was splashed across the cover was the one face I thought of since a few hours earlier. The face I thought looked really familiar. The face that annoyed me to a certain extent.
The face of Jun.

"It can't be...," I said to myself. I looked for his name, but it was nowhere to be found. Nothing even close to 'Jun', instead I read a lot of 'K.M's.
K.M I know is a celebrity, but Jun? No, doesn't ring a bell.
So he might really be just a familiar face.
No wonder I've seen him somewhere before.

Snickering at myself, I got up from the table and decided to take a shower.
I've been thinking hard without any reasons at all.
I hoped the shower'll help me wash away these unnecessary worries.
Sheesh.

+++ 05 : Without A Cause (by Pop Shuvit)

Nadia Nor at 01:13

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

04 : Seize the Day

The group which made a dinner appointment here in our cafe showed up rather late than promised, but they're still customers who have the right to ask for our service.
From what I could see, they're all from the same workplace, most probably a work-dinner-meeting-thing. Me and Taku had to stand their demands for three hours straight.

I know I shouldn't complain.

Who am I to do so?
I'm just a worker here, already bound by this work of submitting to others' orders.
If there's anyone or anything to blame, it'll be my own incompetence.

There's also something in particular that somehow got on my nerves. The pair of bodyguard-charge I noticed since the rain started, they're still there, even after the group had left. Well, the charge was there all the time, the bodyguard kept going out at times.

I wonder who the hell they are?
And why am I so ticked off?
They're probably waiting (really) patiently for someone that had yet to show up.

While I'm working myself off all day, they're just sitting there waiting, doing nothing.
This sounds childish, I know. Complaining about useless stuff that isn't even my problem. I don't have anything to do with them at all.

They must've only had today as their day off. Who knows what they do on other days. They might have harder works to do than me, a mere teenager, going to a school on weekdays, and doing part-time jobs on free times and weekends. Who knows, right?
There are people more unfortunate than me out there, somewhere.

"Excuse me...please?"

I immediately looked around. Who dared interrupt my rambling while arranging these chairs and tables?

"...excuse me?"

The charge of the pair, the younger-looking guy, waved towards me. I narrowed my eyes and looked around. I'm not really into social interaction at this time, for your information. I was hoping for another worker to be around me, but luck never had been on my side for many times. I sighed and went to the guy.

Who seemed familiar in a closer range. I thought for a while as he said something, until he asked me, "Are you listening?"
"--I'm sorry, I don't quite get what you wanted...you want...?"
He snickered. "I don't want anything. I just asked if I can work here, as a part-timer, maybe."

I must've blinked a lot of times to make this person say, "I don't think you're believing me. Well, I'm not really suited to having jobs, in fact this is the first time I'm asking for one...so should I ask someone else...?"

I mentally shook my head, then said, "We're not hiring anyone at the moment, actually. But we could need more help...I'll ask the manager here for you. Or would you like to ask her yourself? You know, to ask stuff personally."

His face almost literally brighten up, and answered, "Can I ask her myself? Please?"

"Sure...I'll call her in a bit." I looked over at the counter. "You stay here, alright."

I asked Taku if what the guy asked for is possible, and he looked for his mother in the back office. A minute later the manager stepped out of the counter and looked around. I showed her to the guy, and left them at their table.

"I didn't think many people would like to work here...as a part-timer even," Taku said to me when I reached the counter after the chairs and tables were arranged neatly. I just nodded.
"Ah well, this little cafe of ours might've reached some kind of popularity status among the people around here. Finally. We might get a raise, Haru!" Taku said happily, and literally beamed at me.

I can only shrug and looked sideways at the manager and the guy.
Really, that guy looked familiar. I'm sure I've seen him before. Seriously sure.

"Hey, Taku. That guy, you think he seems familiar?"
Taku turned to look over. He stared for a few seconds.
"Oi, if you want to stare, do it discreetly...you're attracting his attention, idiot."
"Sorry." Taku lowered his gaze, but he could still take in the guy's facial details.
"...so...? Enough staring yet?"
"Hm. Yeah, he does, somehow. But don't remember from where. Same school?"

"I don't think so...my guess is he's older than the both of us...and we've never been to the same school. Except for middle school."
Taku shrugged. "Yeah, you're right."
I kept silent for a bit.
"Why're you so interested in asking 'bout this guy?"
"Dunno. Maybe the familiarity is bugging me. Ah well." I stretched, and walked through the door to the back office to sign out for the day.

When I came out again, I could see the guy was smiling widely and saying thank you to the manager a few times. He must've got the job he wants. Well, congratulations to him.

I wish I could be congratulated upon, even for a small thing.
To anyone out there, get what you want no matter how.
Have the courage to seize your own opportunities.

I went up to Taku's room, got all my stuff, and went back down again to say goodbye to them all. Finally I can go back to the comfort of my own home.

+++ 04 : Seize the Day (by Avenged Sevenfold)

Nadia Nor at 23:32