Movie Date (Victor)

Finally, it's my day off. Than goodness. It's sunny today.

Renad: Where should I go?

I put shopping, having a nice meal and watching movies onto my schedule. Having a day off in the midst of so much work really made me happy. I packed my stuff and got ready.

*Ring-ring-ring*...

Renad: No way my phone is ringing again...

Goldman: Good morning, Renad. Are you at work?

Renad: No, I'm off today.

Goldman: What? You're taking a day off? How shameful! Have you no natural drive for sellf-preservation? How could you abandon your beloved job?

Renad: Umm.... It's just one day off.

Goldman: Help me out. Just this one day. I'm barely hanging in here at LFG.

Renad: Why? Too much work?

Goldman: Too much. I feel like dying. Only you can help me.

Renad: Really?

Goldman: Come over and you'll see. You don't want me to die at such a young age, do you?

Renad: Well... Alright then...

I put down the phone and sigh. Why can't I have one nice day off? I should go to LFG and check on Goldman. Maybe I'll have some time in the afternoon. I sighed and crossed shopping off my schedule.

***

In the elevator, several female staff were talking.

Female Staff A:

=================================

The work Goldman talked about was just organizing some files.

Goldman: You are truly amazing!

Renad: I've finished the work. Can I leave now?

Goldman: Of course, of course. Enjoy your day off.

Looking at the cloudless sky outside, my mood became better. A perfect day still awaited me. As I was thinking that, Victor came walking out from the corner of the corridor.

Victor: What are you doing here? You're off today.

I laughed and decided to try out Goldman's line on Victor.

Renad: Holidays are shameful. How could I abandon my beloved job for a day off??

Victor (Momentarily astonished):... (Turning into a chuckle): Don't think I don't know what you're up to.

Renad: Huh? Has he seen through me?

I turned to leave for my day off.

Victor: If that's the case, come and help me with some work.

Renad: What?!

Victor (Glancing at me): I won't take no for an answer.

Renad (Grinding my teeth):...

Victor had me working all afternoon.

Victor: Renad, book a ticket for me. Renad, buy some lunch downstairs and bring it up here on-the-double. Renad, buy a Big Little Times from the bookstore at the corner. Renad, get me a cup of coffee.

Renad (Beginning to feel anxious as time passes): Ahhhh! Half of the day has passed! Ahhhhh! Victor is doing this on purpose for sure!

I'm hitting my self in frustration while making coffee for Victor in the break room.

Renad: Well, I'll make you pay for ruining my day!

I opened a pouch of sports drink powder and put it into the brewed coffee.

Renad: What's this? Soda powder? In it goes! And some juice, and lemon tea! A few more ice cubes too!

I stirred the forbidding mixture in the cup and entered Victor's office, smiling.

Renad: Your coffee.

Victor (Looking at the coffee, frowning): What did you put in it?

Renad: Just ordinary coffee beans. Imported from Brazil.

I glanced at Victor. He frowned at the cup of coffee.

Did he suspect something?

Victor brought the cup to his lips, hesitantly took a small sip, and nodded.

Victor: Well, it tastes good.

Renad: Tastes... good?

I'm shocked by his answer. Has he lost his tongue?

Victor: Sure. This must be your first attempt. You'll get better with time.

I was shocked speechless. I could only surmise that Victor had lost his sense of taste.

Victor: Oh, yes. Bring me the newspaper on the bookcase.

I got back to being bossed around by him.

Victor finally let me leave LFG when it was dark. I sighed looking at the now sunless sky. My day off was ruined.

Victor: What's the matter? Unhappy?

Renad (Upset): Who me? I'm so happy right now.

Victor: You…. don't like to work with me?

Renad: At least not today. I was supposed to have a nice day off. But I got called in by Goldman in the morning and worked for you for the whole afternoon.. *Sigh* Maybe a life of toil is my destiny..

Victor: I see how it is.. I thought you were here voluntarily. Never mind. Where do you want to go now?

I took out the schedule. Only watching a movie was still on it.

Renad: Go to watch a movie. A new comedy is out.

Victor: Comedy? I don't watch comedies. How about a drama?

Renad: You want to go with me?

Victor: Yes. I ruined half of your day off. I should make it up to you. Let's take my car.

Victor led me to the parking lot before I could say anything.

At the cinema, I went to get drinks and popcorn.

Renad: Could you add some sugar to the second drink. Salt would also be fine. The guy who's here with me has strange tastes.

The salesperson was bewildered, but he did what I said. Until today I didn't know that Victor had this shortcoming. I guess what tastes bad to us is like fine cuisine to him. Kind of a pity, being unable to enjoy proper good food.

Renad: Here's a drink and some popcorn. Try some.

I gave him his drink. He took a drink and almost spit it out.

Victor: Ack, what is this?

Renad: A soda.

Victor: What happened to it?

Renad: Huh? Don't you like it? You liked that strange coffee I made. I thought maybe you just had messed up taste buds.

Victor: That's because I thought you couldn't make coffee. I didn't want to offend you. You knew it tasted weird? And you did it on purpose?

Renad: Huh?! I..

I was a bit happy knowing that Victor drank it because he didn't want to hurt my feelings.

Renad: I thought... You were just giving me a hard time on purpose.

Victor: Do you think I'm that terrible?

Renad: No, I know you're just not good at expressing yourself…

The movie was starting, so I went into the cinema with him.

Renad: I've been looking forward to this movie.

Victor (Looking at me silently)

The film started, and a particularly funny scene had the audience in stitches.

Renad: I told you it's good!

I turned to him and happened to look into his eyes. There was a gentle look on his face that l'd never seen.

Victor: Right…

A strange warmth was building in the air. I turned back. Thank goodness this was a movie theater.

In the dark theater, no one could see my face blush.

After a while, Victor put his head on my shoulder. He had fallen asleep, even in such raucous surroundings. I stared silently at his face, completely ignoring the movie. I suddenly felt that Victor's face in profile was extraordinarily handsome.

***

Finally, time off to enjoy the bright sunshine after so many days of work! I had things planned for such a lovely day, until I got a call from Goldman. I couldn't talk my way out of it, so here I am in LFG. Sometimes it feels like I'm destined to work my behind off. I finally got through helping Goldman with the files and before I could get back to my awesome day off, Victor hijacked me. To thank him, I made him a "special" coffee, but he actually thought it tasted fine! What's wrong with him? At last, everything was done, leaving me with barely enough time for a movie. Then, Victor offered to go with me, and that was when I realized he drank the coffee because he didn't want to hurt my feelings... I got warm and fuzzy all of a sudden.