Feather Bound

Chapter 5

You sighed as you glanced at the caller ID, accepting the call and bringing the device up to your ear. "Mr. Vice President?"

"Y/N, I am so glad you answered, and again, please just call me Jiro," he said, and you frowned at the tone in his voice. He sounded anxious, like he was worried about something.

"Yes, sorry, Jiro. Is everything okay?" You asked, quickly stopping the microwave before it beeped. Leaving your dinner to cool, you walked into your living room, settling yourself on the sofa as Jiro let out a concerned sigh.

"The Commission car had arrived to pick you up this afternoon, but you and Hawks had already left the cafe. We were hopeful that maybe things had gone well and you'd decided to go somewhere more, um, private, but from the information the driver gathered, it might suggest otherwise."

You stared at the wall blankly, trying to process what he'd just said. You and Hawks had just met, and they had already expected him to try and take you back to his apartment if things went well? You knew this was an accelerated program, with only a few more dates before they'd move you both into a Commission apartment, but even still, that seemed quick. Were you seriously expected to submit to him that soon if that's what he wanted? Had he done that with any of the other girls he'd been matched with? That thought alone was enough to turn your stomach, though you couldn't quite fathom why. What did it matter to you if he had been intimate with his other matches? It wasn't your business.

"Y/N?" Jiro asked, snapping you back to the present. You clenched your jaw before letting out a long sigh.

"It wasn't horrible. He was unpleasant like you said he would be, but I stormed off because I was tired of him trying to lie to me," you responded, and you could hear the man on the other end of the phone groan in response.

"What did he do?" he asked, his weariness obvious in the way he was speaking. You almost chuckled, imagining him rubbing his temples like a teacher who was tired of saying the same thing over and over, but the students refused to listen.

"Well, besides the way he spoke to me, it really bothered me that he pretended to like everything I didn't. I hate being lied to, and I probably wouldn't have noticed he was lying until he brought up his favorite season. There is no way someone with a bird quirk likes winter. Plus, I've seen what he wears when winter rolls around. The jacket is different, and most people don't notice, but the lining looks thicker. That's when I figured out he was lying to me on purpose."

"You're observant; I like that," Jiro said with a sigh. "You're absolutely right, Hawks does hate the winter. I have to say I'm impressed you noticed the difference in his jacket. It's thicker because there is a heating element built into it."

"That's actually... kinda cool," you responded, wondering how they managed to make that work, proud of yourself for noticing the difference.

"Yeah, it is pretty cool," he chuckled in response. "But that isn't the reason I'm calling-"

"I'm sorry," you blurted out, cutting him off. "I shouldn't have stomped away like that. Are you angry?"

"What?" He said, the surprise in his voice evident as you heard him shifting himself over the phone. "Of course not! I was calling to see if you were planning on resigning from the program. After the driver gave me the information he'd gotten, I thought maybe you were done. Nobody would blame you, of course. Like I said, you're not the first, and I am so sorry for his behavior. He was taught better than this. Does this mean you're not quitting?"

You sucked in a breath; this was your out if you wanted to take it. You didn't have to put up with his terrible behavior anymore if you didn't want to. This wasn't going to end in a productive relationship; that much was clear. He hardly talked to you, and how were you supposed to be intimate with someone who clearly didn't want you? Yet, despite everything, you wanted to continue. Despite needing the money to help in your upcoming legal fight, you were oddly curious. There had to be a reason why he was the total opposite of the person you'd seen on TV with the people the Commission was matching him with. What was the reason?

"No, of course not. One bad date doesn't mean it's a bad match," you said, trying your best to sound confident. "But maybe you could give me some tips? You said you know him inside out. How do I do this?" You had to make this work somehow, had to get the Commission to pay your debt so you could finally reach out to a lawyer.

"You are a miracle!" He exclaimed, his excitement palpable even through the phone. "An absolute blessing. Nobody has ever made it past the first date; it's truly spectacular. As far as tips go, honestly, he thrives on positive feedback and attention. Compliment him, especially his wings."

"Okay, yeah, I'll try that," you responded, making a mental note of it for next time.

"Perfect. Someone will be reaching out to you with the details of your next meeting. As a thank you and an apology, we've taken the liberty of depositing some money into your account. Hopefully, that makes up for his behavior. Thanks again, Y/N. You're doing great!"

The line went dead before you could even thank him. Your heart was pounding as you pulled the phone from your face and quickly opened your banking app. Your heart nearly stopped altogether as it loaded, the balance staring you in the face. Not only was it enough to cover your book from today, you would easily be able to pay your rent, get groceries, and maybe even some fresh art supplies. You sank into the sofa with a relieved sigh, tears pricking your eyes as you soaked it in. You could do this; you'd get him to come around to at least fulfill the Commission's objective. That's all you needed to do.