The subtle sound of buzzing cut through the silence. M/n turned onto his side, annoyed at having his sleep disturbed. He reached toward his phone, which sat charging on his nightstand.
He winced at the bright light that suddenly hit his face, blinding him for a moment. Though he usually checked the caller ID before answering, he couldn't be bothered at the moment.
"Hello...?" he answered, his deeper-than-usual voice making it evident that he had been sleeping.
"Is this Mr. L/n?"
"Yes, ma'am..." the (h/c)-ette responded, blinking away his sleepiness. "How can I help you...?"
"I'm very sorry to be calling you so late, Mr. L/n. My name is Ritsuka Blaires. I'm an associate of your grandfather's. I was calling because he recently informed me of a change in owners. Would I be correct in assuming you'll be his replacement?"
M/n sat up on the bed, his drowsiness leaving him. He brushed his messy hair out of his face. "That's right," he answered.
"Great. For now, all I needed was your verbal confirmation. Could I ask for a better date and time to properly discuss the details?"
"I'll leave it up to you, as long as it isn't too late during the night..."
"Alright. I'll find a time that'll work for both of us and get back to you. Good night, Mr. L/n."
"Good night..."
He hung up and placed his phone back on the nightstand. He then fell back onto the soft mattress. A sigh left his parted lips as he lay there for a bit, staring up at his blank ceiling.
It seemed as though his once-peaceful slumber would now be disturbed. The matter of his ownership over the bureau would fester in his mind all night.
It wasn't entirely something he didn't want to do, yet, he was still concerned about how well he'd be able to handle it. To add to his concerns, he still had to take care of his son. He was already struggling to make time. Taking over would only consume his free time more and more.
But he also knew that he had to. His grandfather wasn't getting any younger. Sooner or later, M/n would have had to take over the company. There was no one else except those who weren't family. Even then, he didn't exactly feel comfortable handing the position over to someone else.
He had enough to worry about without having someone in the office messing things up and causing unnecessary issues. The last thing that needed to happen was for peace in the office to be disrupted.
I just can't catch a break, can I...?
--
"Sorry, but I'm afraid I won't be available that day."
Freshly showered and changed, M/n was making his way downstairs, briefcase in one hand and his phone in the other. Currently, he was occupied with a phone call.
"I have prior arrangements with a client," he said to the person on the other line, "I'll have to look at my schedule for other available dates."
Already downstairs, S/n heard his father's voice in the distance. He beamed with excitement and ran out of the living room, leaving behind his notebook and crayons.
Earlier, he had managed to tie his shoes all on his own. He wanted to show his father what he had done. But just as he was about to call out to him, S/n saw the phone that his dad had against his ear.
The serious look on his face and the tone of voice told the little boy that M/n was currently busy with work. "I'll have my assistant look into it."
The small boy stood there, wondering if he should just show his dad later. But just as he was leaving, M/n took notice of his son standing near the doorway. He said his goodbyes to the person on the other line and hung up.
"S/n."
The little boy looked over at his dad, waiting for what he would say next. "Good morning," the (h/c)-ette said, showing him a smile.
S/n smiled in return, brightening up again. "Morning, Papa!"
He ran over to M/n and hugged him. The (h/c)-ette ruffled the boy's hair. "Got something to tell me?"
"Uh-huh!" he responded, shaking his head up and down.
S/n then lifted his leg, showing off his shoes. "I tied my shoes! All by myself."
"That's great, S/n! I'm proud of you."
Hearing those words, S/n couldn't help the grin that made its way onto his face. "Keep that up and soon, you'll be able to do lots of stuff by yourself."
At that, the boy's eyes shone. "Really?"
"Yup. Now, come on. Let's eat breakfast."
--
In the office, it seemed the uneventful days had come to an end. Everyone was busy at work as the number of clients increased. M/n was no exception to that. However, he wasn't busy with a new client. Rather, he was busy with the additional duties he was left with by his grandfather.
He sighed, setting down the papers he had in his hands. M/n had been working in the office long enough to know that more papers usually meant more to do. Still, he pushed himself to handle it and get it over and done with.
Among the papers, though, M/n managed to catch a glimpse of an application. It seemed someone wanted to join the bureau. He picked it up and began looking through it.
"Hmm..."
The applicant appeared to have the necessary qualifications. However, he soon realized it would become a matter of whether the current team could handle a new member. As much as M/n thought that having someone else on board would alleviate the workload, it could also create more work.
After all, the new member would have to be shown around, told the rules of the company, settled into the right department, get acquainted with everyone and potential new clients, and anything related. In all honesty, it sounded like more work than it was worth.
But, he decided to talk it over with the rest. Perhaps, if they could handle it, he would consider taking in the new applicant. So, he sent out an email, letting all the department heads, as well as the assistants, know that a meeting would take place later that day.
"Guess that matter will be for later..." he muttered under his breath, setting the application aside, before grabbing the rest of the papers.
--
There was chatter in the room, everyone talking amongst each other as they awaited M/n's arrival. "What do you think this will be about?"
"His email said something about discussing a new employee."
Soon enough, the (h/c)-ette stepped into the room. At that instant, the room went silent, curiosity festering in everyone's minds. M/n glanced around. It seemed everyone was able to make it. All the better, he thought.
"Thank you for taking the time to come down here," he said. "I know you're all very busy with this sudden new wave of clients, so I appreciate it."
"L/n, you mentioned an applicant?" one of the department heads said.
"That's right," he replied, then handed out copies of the applicant's resume to everyone in the room.
He allowed them a moment to look over the sheet. A few seemed to already be thinking about it. "So, are you thinking of bringing them in?"
"I thought it over earlier," M/n said. "Considering our current situation, we could use the extra help. But, as I'm sure you all know, there's a lot that comes with bringing someone new on board."
"That's true..."
"We would have to get them up to speed and everything."
"They would also have to build up some trust with everyone, including the clients."
"Right," M/n said. "So, I want to know what you all think. Can you handle a new member?"
Everyone then looked at each other, wondering who would speak first. Eventually, one of the assistants spoke up.
"Personally, I wouldn't mind assisting another attorney. If it means the stress of the workload will lessen on everyone, then I'm all for it. Though, that's just me."
Following the assistant's words, another one of the department heads spoke up. "I agree. We could use another set of hands. Even if we get more work initially, it'll lessen eventually. That's good enough for me."
It seemed everyone else began to agree. M/n nodded, seeing that they had all come to a decision. "So, everyone's alright with a new member?"
"Yes," they all responded.
"Alright. It seems everyone is on board with the idea. Rest assured, if it becomes too much, I will set time aside to help out."
It seemed everyone appreciated those words from M/n. It brought a smile to everyone's faces.
"If there are no further questions, you're dismissed."