I said you could only order me to check on clients, actually. [ Jim lets Sakurai have the rest of the jell-o, leaning back in the seat across the other man's desk and crossing his legs at the ankle. ] Not that I was busy.
Besides, [ and here comes the lie ] I'm curious how it'll turn out.
[Dammit, the jell-o tastes better than he thought it would, and he quickly finishes it off before Jim can change his mind and take it back. Indirect kiss and all. Ugh. Whatever.]
You're curious.
[Sho pulls out a tissue and wipes his mouth, then fixes Jim with a withering glare.]
I want to make sure my colleague's okay. [ Jim's totally unaffected, in other words. Maybe Sakurai's glare works on the other employees, but Jim's at a point in his life where he really couldn't care less about his status at work any more. ] If I wanted entertainment, I'd have set firecrackers in your office.
[ It's actually something he'd never do. Too dangerous, and even Jim has his limits. ]
That's not so bad. [ Being fired, that is. Jim could care less. ] Maybe I can talk to HR about becoming a licenced counsellor, too. Would that make you feel better?
[ Jim takes the now-empty bowl up. At least Sakurai's spirits seem to be living somewhat, at least in direct contrast to earlier. He takes Sakurai's spoon, too, and heads off towards the kitchen to clean everything up.
Jim did his good deed for the day. Totally justifies his semi-mean thing for the day, he likes to think.
Besides, it's not like Sakurai does any work, anyway. ]
[Sho realises as soon as he's spoken that he's made a mistake. Even as Jim is opening the door Sho is already getting to his feet and following after him.]
Don't go.
[Shit, he sounds like a needy girlfriend. But it's not like that.]
[ Jim turns to look back in some mild surprise, just for the shock effect of it all. But he manages a small smile all the same. ] Sure. Let me just finish washing this or I'll forget.
[ So he does go to the break room, washing and setting the used utensils aside. When he comes back to Sakurai he's patting his slacks in some absent motion of drying, both brows lifting in curiosity. ]
[Sho hates himself for having to stoop so low as to ask for help - it's a weakness, an admission of failure - but he supposes if he should end up having to ask anyone, it may as well be Jim. After all, the man already knows about his disastrous performance at the sales meeting the other day, and since his father hasn't mentioned anything to him about it yet, maybe Jim has kept it quiet. Maybe. He jams his hands into his trouser pockets and looks out of the window, turning around when Jim comes back in.]
Help me find where the wire goes.
[No 'please', no 'thank you', just a basic instruction; it's hard enough for him to even say the words in the first place.]
They're all tangled up at the back. I can't tell which is which.
[ Jim isn't too perturbed by Sakurai's blunt order. He walks over to the CPU, takes a peek at the back and stares for a moment as if he isn't completely familiar with the set-up, and then points out the wire in question. ]
This should be it. [ He brushes his finger against it, turning to make sure Sakurai's listening. ] The little plastic lock here [ he squeezes it and then releases ] gives it away.
[Jim notices that he dresses smartly. It shouldn't matter, but it does. Puffing his chest out slightly, Sho starts to follow the wire towards the modem.]
Yeah. Maybe they'll think you're actually being useful.
[He smirks - probably the first time he's actually looked happy in the past fifteen minutes.]
[ Jim follows with both hands in his pockets, watching as Sakurai tugs on the wire taped to the wall. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Yamamura roll her eyes at him, but he does his best not to smile; can't ruin the illusion, after all. ]
I think everyone's sort of figured that when I'm with you, I'm actually wasting time. [ He lifts a hand just to scratch at his nose. ] Since we're always having such great fun.
I'm being sarcastic, Sakurai. [ Jim dismisses him with a flapping hand--don't pay attention to me, man, keep going. Then again, the statement can be a little more than sarcasm given Jim's reputation as the office prankster, but Sakurai doesn't seem too attuned to that side of Jim's life. ] Don't look at me like that.
[It's news to Sho. Not that he's always that great at judging people anyway, but he was genuinely under the impression that Jim was popular in the office. Of course, that would require him to actually pay attention to what's going on.]
[ How does Jim explain that he's well-liked, but everyone knows that most of his free time is dedicated to pranking Sakurai? Now that he thinks about it, maybe that is pathetic, but no-one's really complained about it so far.
Hm. There's no possible way to say such a thing without coming out about the things he's done. ]
Sure. Uh... [ Good job, Halpert. ] Yeah. They don't like me 'cause I'm under Sakurai-san.
Different paygrade and all, you know? Makes for bad blood.
[He's walking and talking now, albeit in hushed tones, tracing the path of the wire. It's never really occurred to Sho that the employees below him would be on different rates; he's only ever really thought of it as him getting paid more, and them - including Jim - getting paid less.]
I know this is hard to believe, but I wasn't hired to babysit you, Sakurai.
[ Jim wonders if the other man even notices the wire continuing further than its intended modem device. He realises he forgot to fully factor in the concept of Sakurai's intelligence, something he has to pay for dearly now. ]
'Head of Sales' doesn't translate to 'watch over employer's son'.
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Besides, [ and here comes the lie ] I'm curious how it'll turn out.
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You're curious.
[Sho pulls out a tissue and wipes his mouth, then fixes Jim with a withering glare.]
I'm your colleague, not your entertainment.
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[ It's actually something he'd never do. Too dangerous, and even Jim has his limits. ]
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[Sho laughs, but it borders a little too close to the hysterical.]
And if you set off firecrackers within an inch of my office, my father would have you fired in an instant.
[Jell-o finished, he continues his search for the correct wire. Nope, that one's the keyboard.]
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[He glances over his shoulder, already checking the next wire. It looks like he's finally found the right one this time.]
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[ Jim takes the now-empty bowl up. At least Sakurai's spirits seem to be living somewhat, at least in direct contrast to earlier. He takes Sakurai's spoon, too, and heads off towards the kitchen to clean everything up.
Jim did his good deed for the day. Totally justifies his semi-mean thing for the day, he likes to think.
Besides, it's not like Sakurai does any work, anyway. ]
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[Sho realises as soon as he's spoken that he's made a mistake. Even as Jim is opening the door Sho is already getting to his feet and following after him.]
Don't go.
[Shit, he sounds like a needy girlfriend. But it's not like that.]
I... I need you to help me.
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[ So he does go to the break room, washing and setting the used utensils aside. When he comes back to Sakurai he's patting his slacks in some absent motion of drying, both brows lifting in curiosity. ]
What do I do?
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Help me find where the wire goes.
[No 'please', no 'thank you', just a basic instruction; it's hard enough for him to even say the words in the first place.]
They're all tangled up at the back. I can't tell which is which.
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This should be it. [ He brushes his finger against it, turning to make sure Sakurai's listening. ] The little plastic lock here [ he squeezes it and then releases ] gives it away.
You should be able to follow it now, right?
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I think so, yeah.
[A pause for a moment.]
...I'm going to look like a right idiot wandering around with this.
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Besides, [ gesturing vaguely to Sakurai's suit, he nods ] you're dressed smart.
You still want me to walk with you?
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Yeah. Maybe they'll think you're actually being useful.
[He smirks - probably the first time he's actually looked happy in the past fifteen minutes.]
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I think everyone's sort of figured that when I'm with you, I'm actually wasting time. [ He lifts a hand just to scratch at his nose. ] Since we're always having such great fun.
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[Sho stops, turns to look at Jim, pauses. He lowers his voice so as to avoid being heard by anyone else.]
What do you mean by that?
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[Sho's statement is final.]
You're not being sarcastic. They all say spending time with me is a waste of time. Don't they?
[He waves a hand himself, indicating the rest of the office.]
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[ Jim sighs. ] Relax. It's more my reputation than yours.
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[It's news to Sho. Not that he's always that great at judging people anyway, but he was genuinely under the impression that Jim was popular in the office. Of course, that would require him to actually pay attention to what's going on.]
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Hm. There's no possible way to say such a thing without coming out about the things he's done. ]
Sure. Uh... [ Good job, Halpert. ] Yeah. They don't like me 'cause I'm under Sakurai-san.
Different paygrade and all, you know? Makes for bad blood.
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[He's walking and talking now, albeit in hushed tones, tracing the path of the wire. It's never really occurred to Sho that the employees below him would be on different rates; he's only ever really thought of it as him getting paid more, and them - including Jim - getting paid less.]
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[ Reaching up, he rubs absently at the tip of his nose. ] It's no big deal, though. Just a technicality.
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I guess you get paid extra for babysitting duties, huh.
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[ Jim wonders if the other man even notices the wire continuing further than its intended modem device. He realises he forgot to fully factor in the concept of Sakurai's intelligence, something he has to pay for dearly now. ]
'Head of Sales' doesn't translate to 'watch over employer's son'.
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