"When they were there for each other..."
It was almost two days, when Altan wrapped his interview session. The company has selected a suitable candidate, named as Eda Ozdemir, who previously worked at the respectable company. Which turned out to be hoax, as all the frauds unveiled. The fraudulent of Yeni Hayat Yapi- recognised as growing industry- wasn't a hidden news, it quickly made it'a way as the top news of Istanbul's every corner.
Hiring an ex-employe of company which is involved in scam, isn't really a good idea. But Altan knew there were innocent people's too. And besides, there's even risk of not knowing if the stranger who joined company would be faithful or not.
And afterall, running businesses is all about risk, whether in term of profits, money, employees, which they have to take if business should be kept going.
Altan was unconsciously tapping the spoon and fork kept on the table, while waiting and while being in thoughts too. Altan almost forgot that he was waiting for his supposedly only best friend Deniz. Deniz Ece, had been out of the country for some past days to visit his extended family.
Deniz has been constant friend for Altan, something he was always grateful in his life for. They appeared to be quite opposite in terms of choices, but they understood each other quickly, bonding over that.
Deniz came back in the country, and after being away for some days, the duo wanted to meet each other, in their go to street food stall, a fixed place of both!
"Damn! I didn't knew you would be this depressed without me.". Deniz gave an unexpected hit on Altan's back, as Altan didn't seemed to noticed his presence. He startled by sudden voice and hit, but eventually chuckled out.
Deniz laughed loudly. Surely he missed interacting with his buddy.
"That's why I told you to not go, but you never listened to me.". Altan lazily teased him back, as they hugged each other. "Welcome back bro!"
The duo took their seat opposite to each other. It was pleasant to see that friend after long, who stays the same worthy one no matter the distance and time. And this was the thing with Altan and Deniz, they weren't always together, went days without contact yet their friendship lives in their heart.
"How was your visit? Was there any family drama once again?". Altan asked him, as they both sipped on their drinks Altan previously ordered for them.
"I don't know man, I was staying in hotel seperately. There were already drama going on, I felt better to not stay there." Deniz answered, about the family dramas which Altan always knew about.
"Yeah brother, you did right." They completed their drinks, and ordered further light things to eat. "Huh, leave about that... what's going on in your life? Found anyone to settle with and have children with?" Deniz playfully threw the question at him.
"Deniz..." Altan chuckled
"Don't you like flowers Mr. handsome stranger?"
"Then stick it back with the glue Mr."
The mention of childrens brought back the only memory in Altan's mind these days, it's been long time since he had some interaction with childrens, that he forgot how those little ones can be entertainment and hilarious at times, he re discovered it that day.
"You are insane. Nothing like that happened, we just wrapped the interview two days ago." Altan explained, Deniz knew about the interview going on from some times now.
"Oh that's great. How's the new candidate? And where is the person from?" Deniz asked taking a morsel of food in his mouth.
"She's good. All I can say from interview is, she can be a worthy Director, but whom of us in perfect. And she was previously Managing Director in 'Yeni Hayap Yapa' organisation."
"What?" Deniz shockingly reacted. "You know what that company was involved in Altan, it's so risky to hire that company's people." Deniz felt pretty shocked, as he never thought Altan could do something like this.
"Yes..." Altan replied. "But I don't want to think about that, besides that company would surely had candidates and employees who were innocent, and there's literally equal risk in hiring any new one too.." As much it made sense, Deniz was still little uncomfortable with that idea. But it was his friends last decision, in which he didn't wanted to interfere, something he never did in Altan's life and vice verse by his friend.
Deniz shrugged. "Well, I guess your company, so you know better."
"Yeah..."
They sat in silence for a minute or two, which wasn't an uncomfortable one at all. The duo knew silence can be a good one too, which happens often.
"Have you re-considered about your dating life? From which you took the break after your relationship ended with Sofia."
It was Altan's turn to shrug.
"I don't know, I mean not that I despite dates or being in relationship, but I just can't see them getting anywhere in the way my previous dates ended. It's not like womens are after my money or something, like other people thinks.. but... But there should be compatibility, trust, efforts and interest. Which usually differs between me and my partner."
Altan took a pause, which Deniz didn't interrupted, allowing the man to collect his thoughts properly and continue it.
"I don't say I don't have mistake, but I can't even say everytime both of us are at faults. Sometimes just me and the person I choose don't share same dynamics which literally affects the relationship, or sometimes I don't know how to manage it."
Deniz nods his head, understanding the struggle Altan tried to voice out.
"Yeah I get it. Maybe you need to workout on yourself and learn to have responsibilities that works in your and your future relationship." Deniz tried to put in word in right way. Altan agreed by nodding.
"Okayy I understood it now but..." He took a pause, to think something. "Even for that, you have to date first."
Both burst out laughing at the lame joke of Deniz to lighten up the environment.
"You are such a... God!" Altan shaked his head at his friend and his antics.
But deep down Altan knew Deniz understood what Altan wanted to say him, and that was enough for him. They were that friends who can have a deep talk with each other and can laugh next moment all while without feeling awkward or overthinking about the amount of sharing they do.
And that exactly was the reason why Altan was grateful for him, as his friend who can be there for him whenever he needed the right person.
***
"Do you know Ceylin, after returning back from trip that day the flower I kept in my pocket dried out." The girl who came across as Ceylin's friend and bench mate suddenly stopped writing the notes their teacher were providing, to share the thing she suddenly remembered.
Her friend's seemingly interesting story distracted Ceylin too, from taking notes and the girls converged into a conversation on one of their favourite topic.
"Because you plucked it. My mom says it dries when we pluck it.". Ceylin responded knowing the obvious.
"Yeah... But I wanted to keep it forever. It was beautiful." Her voice had a tint of sadness. "But you know, I cried so much when it dried, so my dad brought me new ones. They don't dry. They are so good." She chirped up in very next moment.
Ceylin raised her both eyebrows in surprise and she wondered if such thing as her friend mentioned can happen.
"How is that possible? Ceylin questioned in surprise yet.
"Because my dad brought me magical flowers, he knows magic." The girl perked up with smile gesturing magic with her hands.
"How but?" Ceylin's face fell as she didn't liked the fact that she couldn't be the one to see magics. "My mom doesn't knows magic. I never saw her doing so."
The other child slightly poked Ceylin's shoulder, as a mean of meaningless touch they shares. "That's because she is Mom. Moms don't know magics. Dads know magic and they do it. Just like male fairy."
Ceylin felt sadness creeping out of her face now, on the mention of father, the one she never had. The harmless conversation without any intentions made her feel the absence of her father once again, some feeling which never disappeared at the first place.
"But you know I don't have dad, who will do magic for me then?"
"Children, please concentrate on the board and take your notes." The girls heard their teacher disrupting their conversation and guiding them to continue taking notes, certainly pointed on them.
Both saw the teacher, and pick their pencils to continue from where they left off.
"Then you won't see any magic Ceylin, I am sorry." Her friend made note to say the particular line to Ceylin, for which she felt genuinely bad for her friend.
Ceylin didn't knew how to react on the line, whether to hide her sadness or to say something to her friend, or to continue with her work, being only seven years old yet.
The child sat in silence for just a second, and took a look of her surrounding probably wondering what to do, but her gaze fell on the board and the realisation hit her that she will fell behind on her works, she hurriedly took her pencil back and continued noting, almost forgetting what her thoughts and sadness were some seconds ago.