The Mysterious Mr. Black

12

"Next time be professional. I'm paying you to become useful. And don't think of me like I know nothing. I've had enough shit for this day! As far as you're concerned I know how to read and write shorthand writing. What you did was draw random lines and ugly illustrations!" After his outburst, there was an ugly silence in the room.

I never dared to speak or apologize. I knew that would be like throwing gasoline into a fire. The only thing I did was to look into the floor and wait for something to happen.

"I'll be expecting a more business-like minutes at the end of the day." He asserted as a resolution for my behavior and went out of the conference room. I picked up the scattered papers on the floor before going to my new reception area.

Okay. I admit. What I did was wrong. Now it's time to get serious. The first thing I did was to know the members of the board by looking at the Articles of Incorporation of the company, their annual reports if some officers were removed or appointed and the past minutes of the meeting. Lastly the most painstaking task of them all is to cross-reference their identity with my mental picture of their faces by typing their names on the net and stalking whoever results has given me until I found the right person. With my research skills and analytical thinking, I could easily replace Sherlock Holmes. Just kidding.

The majority of data from the minutes was taken straight from my memory since I stopped taking notes halfway of the meeting. Bless myself from having a good memory. After printing the MOM, I decided to give Mr. Black a peace offering for my behavior so I went out and bought his favorite coffee.

I took a piece of post-it note and wrote a love letter before sticking it to the cup.

I apologize for my actions. I promise to be more professional.

Ps. You would look better if you smile :)

I'm not sure if the postscript would annoy or insult him but I went with it anyway. I knocked three times before opening the door to his office even without his approval.

"Yes?" he asked. Curious about my unsolicited appearance.

"I want to give you something." I replied. I walked ahead and placed the minutes and the coffee with the note facing him on his table. After that, I went out without uttering another word. For the whole day, I never heard anything from Mr. Black. No compliment. No complaints. No commands. Nothing. I'm starting to think the coffee with a note is a bad idea.

Five o'clock came so I prepared my things and clocked out. Circumstance really hated me because the moment I stepped foot out of the building rain started pouring down as if they were waiting for my dismissal. I have no umbrella in my bag so I depended on the nearby bus stop for shelter.

The rain never stopped and even if I would like to take a taxi, every taxi that passes by are all occupied. Damn it. It's not just me who needed one. I have no other choice but to wait until the rain stops so that I can walk down to my station.

After an hour of waiting, I was elated when I saw a vacant taxi but was suddenly annoyed when a fancy car stopped in front of the bus stop and the taxi driver didn't saw me hail the cab. The car honked its horns. I looked behind me if I have a companion here who was waiting for his ride. I'm the only one here. The mirror went down and it was Mr. Black who was driving.

"Get in." he said. I have no other choice but to get in the car.

"Please fasten your seatbelt." He reminded me because the sensor for my seatbelt was blinking. I had a difficulty with the putting it because it keeps on getting stuck every time I pull.

"Don't pull it too hard!" he was getting impatient.

"I'm trying!"

"Give me that!" he took the seatbelt from my hand and gently pulled it down until I heard a click. I again smelled his manly cologne.

"Thanks." I said.

"Where do you live?" he asked me. I said my address. He nodded and started driving. The whole trip was silent so I just focused my attention on the windshield as the wiper continuously remove the raindrops on the surface. I found the sound of it oddly relaxing. When I got bored I tried to look at Mr. Black who was seriously maneuver the steering wheel. This was the first time I saw him drive.

"What?" he asked when he noticed me staring at him.

"Where's your driver?"

"What are you implying?" he replied.

"Nothing. It's just that from all the trips we made, this is the first time I saw you driving this car." He didn't reply so I returned my attention to the wiper. He really doesn't talk that much.

At last we finally arrived in front of my apartment. I said my gratitude and went out of his car but before I could close the door, I was surprised when I heard his even and powerful voice.

"Do you really think I would look better if I smile?" he asked. And that time, I feel like a big meteorite fell into my head. Did I heard it right? Is he asking if he looks better if he smiled?

"Yeah. You do." Was my answer still dumbfounded over his question. It's unexpected from him to ask silly questions such as that.

"Okay." And a miracle happened. Today at exactly 6:34 of July 27, the most stoic and emotionless Mr. Magnus Black flashed his most genuine smile. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Uh. Okay." I replied in a daze and closed the door to his car. He drove off. I still can't process what transpired for the last minute. I mean what the fuck happened? Is the world ending? I still didn't move and I didn't care if my body's getting wet from the rain. Something's happening inside me that I can't describe but all I know is that... I'm in a trance.