[Kyosuke POV]
“Anyone who thinks that like that has got be out of their mind! You’ve lost your touch, devil-Shoko.”
I gritted my teeth and bore down the face of the unflinching demon before me. She stood firm and unwavering in that finely pressed dark grey suit and purple tie. This woman was the definition of textbook. Her black hair was bound tightly in a ponytail and a pair of bangs wafted carelessly in front of her face so not even a single strand would touch her clothes.
The blood in my veins started to boil as she bore into me with those demonic purple eyes behind the lens of her round glasses. Her expression was filled with arrogance.
“The supply chain is simple. R&D creates the product. Marketing creates a sales plan. Sales pushes the product. It’s so simple even a child could comprehend it. I’d expect nothing less from Kyosuke the dog.”
Nails dug into my palm as I clenched my fist tighter. The nerve of this woman to think she could ever sell anything with numbers and data. She has no idea what it takes to get out and grind for a sale. Despite that cool demeanor of hers, I know exactly how to push her buttons.
I’ll knock that smug expression right off your face!
“What would you know? You’re not on the front lines facing these companies trying to convince them to buy our snacks with this garbage strategy!”
Her eyes winced and I could see a vein pop in her forehead. She was starting to crack. If there’s anything this woman hated it was having her hard work insulted.
Gotcha bitch!
“Shows what you know. Someone who’s all looks and no brains couldn’t possibly fathom the intricacies of what we’re trying to do here!”
The venom she spewed from her lips snapped against my heart. Just as I knew her weak points, she fired back at mine. I’m more than just good looks in a suit. It takes a lot of finesse and charm to do what I do. Why is it so hard for this four-eyed brainiac to comprehend that?!
“You wouldn’t be able to do anything if we didn’t work our asses off to keep the lights on around here!”
I needed to show her who was boss and put her in her place. Sales is the only department in the company that generates revenue. Without us, they’d all be on their asses.
“And who’s the one that makes it easier to do your job?!”
My teeth were on the verge of cracking from smashing them together for so long. No matter how smart she thought she was, this damn woman couldn’t understand basic economics and continued to undermine our valuable work.
“P-Please, calm down Mizushima-senpai!”
“You continue to waste your breath boss.”
My subordinates, Shiori Furukawa and Ryota Makino attempted to keep things peaceful but if I backed down here in front of them, I’d lose face. When it came to dealing with that vile woman, I wasn’t about to lose at anything!
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Hmm, I wonder who’s going to yield first?”
“D-Don’t encourage them Sakai-sempai! We should be getting along with everyone.”
Her team members Haru Sakai and the newbie Isamu Okamoto stood behind her. They remained neutral for the most part but if Shoko sank her fangs into them, it would only be a matter of time until she molded them into disgusting clones of herself.
Is there truly any greater tragedy in this world?!
“Over my dead body!”
“Then I’ll be doing the world a favor!”
“Now, now, everyone. This is no way for department leaders to act in front of their subordinates”
The head of our department, Akira Oshiro finally made his entrance. Dressed in a fashionable blue suit and razor sharp red tie was a decent compliment for his stylish black hair. No doubt he spent a pretty penny getting it shaped just the way he wanted because he relished in the attention. However, he always timed his grand appearance after the flames of our arguments burst instead of the beginning.
“What seems to be the fuss this time?”
His bold yet common question caused our heads to snap at the same time and by some unholy coincidence, we fired at our boss with the exact same demand.
“Tell this idiot I’m right!”
[Shoko POV]
“Anyone who thinks that like that has got be out of their mind! You’ve lost your touch, devil-Shoko.”
The mad barking of this inept dog has already soured my perfectly good morning. He stood before be, baring his fangs in that dark gray suit of his. The green tie knitted around his neck at least complimented his green eyes but his shaggy and unkempt brown hair was more of a fashion statement than an audacious declaration that he didn’t have to care about grooming. He was moderately attractive but I’d never admit that to his face. Not while he continued to act like an uncaged beast.
I could feel the tension in my skull tighten as a headache would soon bore its way into my mind as he barked. His expression was soaked in anger.
“The supply chain is simple. R&D creates the product. Marketing creates a sales plan. Sales pushes the product. It’s so simple even a child could comprehend it. I’d expect nothing less from Kyosuke the dog.”
I folded my arms under my chest and begged my lips to remain firm. It took everything I had to stop myself from smirking. Despite his best efforts, this animal had no idea how hard we worked just to make his life easier.
I’ll wrap that neck of yours in a leash and pull as hard as I need to in order to get you to heel!
“What would you know? You’re not on the front lines facing these companies trying to convince them to buy our snacks with this garbage strategy!”
My face involuntarily reacted, wincing at his bold words. No matter how hard I tried, this wild animal knew exactly what to say to get under my skin and not even my stern defenses could stand against his heinous claims.
He would dare insult my strategy?! Who does this dog think he is?!
“Shows what you know. Someone who’s all looks and no brains couldn’t possibly fathom the intricacies of what we’re trying to do here!”
His resolve cracked as the words left my lips. Unlike this beast who snarls and bares his fangs up front. I decided to soften him up with some mild praise before bringing the hammer down and smash his resolve. Dogs like this need to be properly trained when they are disobedient.
“You wouldn’t be able to do anything if we didn’t work our asses off to keep the lights on around here!”
I could feel the veins in my forehead throbbing. Does he think I’m really that dense? Of course I know how important his department is to the company. Now I must remind him how important we are to him.
“And who’s the one that makes it easier to do your job?!”
That came out louder than I intended. I was practically matching his volume and ferocity. Anyone from the outside looking in may have seen us as two animals in a growling match to assert our dominance. Unfortunately, a crowd had already gathered of our subordinates no less.
“P-Please, calm down Mizushima-senpai!”
“You continue to waste your breath boss.”
I felt sorry for Shiori Furukawa and Ryota Makino. Despite their best efforts, they were no closer to taming the wild beast than I was. Certainly he must have known that heeding their words would be perceived as a sign of weakness and was merely continuing to put on this show for their benefit.
“Hmm, I wonder who’s going to yield first?”
“D-Don’t encourage them Sakai-sempai! We should be getting along with everyone.”
My subordinates, Haru Sakai and Isamu Okamoto stood beside me as we continued snapping at one another. Sakai-san appealed to my competitive nature. She knew exactly what she had to say to steel my resolve. Okamoto-kun, on the other hand, was merely in his second day of employment and was still too new and naïve to understand the intricacies of what I had to do to maintain order in our department. If I let up even for a moment, everyone would believe the nonsense this dog was spouting.
Is there truly any greater tragedy in this world?!
“Over my dead body!”
“Then I’ll be doing the world a favor!”
“Now, now, everyone. This is no way for department leaders to act in front of their subordinates”
Akira Oshiro, the floor manager and our direct supervisor had finally slunk in. No matter how loud the dog barked in the beginning, our boss always intervened at the most opportune time. I’ve ascertained over the last year I’ve spent dealing with this beast’s horrendous attitude that conflict resolution was not one of Oshiro-san’s strong points.
“What seems to be the fuss this time?”
That audacious and yet reasonable question caused our heads to snapped at the same time and by some unholy coincidence, we shouted at our supervisor with the exact same demand.
“Tell this idiot I’m right!”