2. THIS IS ONLY THE BEGIN. STORIES OF A FUTURE TO BE TOLD (ENG VERSION)

7. Agency or nursery?

Once they had both recovered, Can and Sanem walked to the entrance of the Fikri Harika hand in hand.

The storm had passed and the sun was shining again. Once the lift doors, which led from the underground car park to the agency, opened, Can, letting Sanem out first, like a true gentleman, allowed himself to joke: "Welcome to kindergarten! So much for primary school!"

Sanem laughed. Entering Fikri Harika was just like entering a kindergarten. There was no shortage of voices, shouting and running from one place to another. And that morning was no exception.

Can and Sanem stood still for a moment as the lift doors closed behind them. They were waiting. Sanem cupped a hand behind her ear to hear better.

"3... 2... 1..." counted Sanem.

"CEY CEY!!!! Where are you running to? Come here now!!!" shouted Deren.

"Here... and good morning to Fikri Harika!" replied Sanem spreading her arms wide to welcome that commotion.

"The Siren alarm doesn't miss a beat! Punctual as always." replied Can.

"Deren is like that. Methodical and punctual. Her routine never overruns. So much for the Swiss watch..." Sanem replied.

"But she punctures Swiss clocks with that tone!" exclaimed Can.

"Ah, my ears!" he exclaimed, trying to make the caused whistling stop.

"I think I've gone deaf." he then admitted, massaging them.

Sanem laughed.

"Can... haven't you gotten used to it yet? But how? You strong and hard as marble, haven't you trained your ears? You need to do some gymnastics!" his wife teased him.

"Oh, don't worry, she makes my ears exercise first thing in the morning!" exclaimed Can.

"In comparison, our children's voices are an ASMR." he replied.

"Have we perhaps found your Achilles heel, Can Divit?" teased Sanem.

"Maybe..." he replied.

"But didn't Cey Cey give you caps? Why don't you use them?"

Sanem reminded him.

"I wanted to, but I didn't make it in time." Can replied, feeling the pockets of the denim jacket he was wearing that morning, pulling them out. "The scream stunned me unexpectedly." he admitted, shaking his head to come to his senses.

Sanem sighed. "Come on and cheer up. Let's go and see what's going on. Today is an important day. And Deren's going to freak out more than usual, so I'd keep those handy if I were you." said Sanem pointing at the caps Can was stowing in his pocket.

"Hmm, I was thinking that.... we'll have to re-glass all the offices with acoustic glass if we want to survive!" exclaimed Can.

Sanem laughed.

"Or provide custom caps to all agency members." replied Sanem. "We'll take care of the design."

"Yes, of course, then we will go deaf! Everyone will yell at everyone and at that point we can change the sign from advertising agency to retirement home." said Can.

"Hmm, from Fikri Harika Advertising Agency to Fikri Harika Retirement Home is a snap. Doesn't sound bad though." teased Sanem.

"Close enough already..." replied Can taking a deep breath. He exhaled, throwing all the air out of his mouth. And he loosened his muscles, rolling his neck from side to side, as if preparing for a fight.

Sanem watched him.

"Ready champ?" she asked him jokingly.

"Ready." he replied.

"Let's go." she replied.

They headed towards the daily chaos of their beloved agency. As they arrived at the centre of the creative headquarters, they saw Cey Cey darting towards them.

Cey Cey was running with his head down, as soon as he raised his head and found himself in front of Can and Sanem a span from his face, he screamed: "AHHHH!!!"

Can and Sanem, in order not to collide with him, raised their intertwined hands for Cey Cey to pass through the middle.

As soon as Sanem heard him scream, out of fright she screamed too.

"AHHHH! Cey Cey!" she exclaimed.

"Ah, Mr Can, Sanem... good morniiiing!" he greeted them as he ran away.

"Where are you running to?" shouted Sanem after him.

Cey Cey froze suddenly, and in reverse, without turning around, he ran back to them. At Sanem's side he whispered: "Run! Run while you still have time. There's a fire-breathing dragon in the agency this morning! A fire-breathing dragon! ARGHH!" shivered Cey Cey.

"Is the situation that bad?" asked Sanem.

"Would that be Deren the fire-breathing dragon?" asked Can smiling.

"Exactly Mr Can, but... shhh! You never heard that from me! Run! Listen to me, take Sanem and lock yourself downstairs at the Sanem. You will be safe there." he said, lowering the tone of his voice.

"Sanem?!" the shrill voice of Deren drew their attention.

"There... that's it. It's too late now. Goodbye Sanem. It was good to be your best friend." he said laying his hand on her best friend's arm in comfort.

"Don't say that Cey Cey." said Sanem sadly, still with her back to Deren.

Then she took a deep breath and turned around with a knowing smile plastered on her face, she spread her arms wide exclaiming: "Here I am Deren! Good morning! Tell me, I'm all yours!"

It was like a dejavu.

Before walking towards her, through clenched teeth she exclaimed to Can and Cey Cey: "Run! Before she catch you too."

"Ah, I said that. Mr Can, follow me, I will take you to a safe place. I will protect you, don't worry." he said in a whisper.

"Ah, Cey Cey, you run away. I am not in danger. But you are. What do you want me to ask Deren? Come on!" he said patting him on the shoulder.

"Ah... you are always very brave, Mr Can. In fact you are a superhero. You have superpowers, I know that. You have proved it several times. But trust me, just follow me. Look, even your brother and Leyla got away with an excuse." he said freewheelingly.

"Ah! My brother is not here?" asked Can then.

"No. They snuck out, I helped them. They couldn't take it anymore." Cey Cey informed him.

"But it's only 11.30 in the morning," said Can, checking his watch.

"Exactly, do you realise?" replied Cey Cey.

"Don't worry Cey Cey, nothing will happen to me. Go." urged Can.

"CAN?!" called Deren to him.

"Here we go... I told you. You're screwed now, Mr Can." felt sorry for him Cey Cey.

Can looked up at Deren. "Deren?" he answered her with his calm. "Good morning. Is there any problem?" he asked her.

"Problems? PROBLEMS?! We are ruined! We have a lot of work to do, we have urgent jobs, brainstorming, presentations, creative choices, marketing strategies, preparing for upcoming shoots...'" Deren caught her breath, taking yet another sip of coffee inside a large transparent flask, complete with a litre gauge.

Those kinds of flasks were usually used to keep hydrated during sports training sessions, Can was well aware of that. But she had, of course, filled it with her favourite filtered coffee. The gauge indicated that it was already well over half full.

Perfect, Can thought sarcastically.

"Um, Deren, calm down." he told her quietly.