Buying Time

"Of course, you could have," Eva sternly replied to her brother as she stood up, walking to her mother. "Mum, can you believe that son of yours tried going out of this house last night just because I refused to tell him who that man was?"

"Which man?" Mrs Lee asked. However, in a few seconds before Eva could remind her, she remembered. "The man who came last night?"

Ji Hyuk gave Mrs Lee a questioning look, "Which man?"

Eva didn't want to bring up her kidnapping issue, so she answered the question before her mother could, "A random drunkard from the neighborhood came knocking right on the door. Thinking it could be the serial killer, mother hit him right in the head and we had to leave him in until he woke up."

Mrs Lee and Cupid gave Eva a surprise look at how fast she formulated all her lies without blinking.

"Oh, I see," Ji Hyuk replied. His face turned to Cupid, whose head was the only visible thing he could see, since he was sitting on the sofa facing the television. "But Cupid, you shouldn't try to put yourself in danger no matter what. Since last night, a victim was found in the street, everyone needs to be careful."

"I am not a fool sir, I just had to fool big sis," Cupid responded and got up from the sofa before he got occupied with another angry scene with his sister.

***

It was almost evening. Saverio had gotten himself occupied with several business meetings and was just getting back from the one held at a private restaurant when Leon called his attention.

"Mr. Saverio..."

"Yes?" He turned his neck slightly to the back, staring at his secretary.

"I have a question to ask, sir."

Saverio was suddenly alarmed. He entered his office and sat down, putting off his blue suit and leaving himself with his white shirt which he didn't hesitate to unbutton. Since he had told Leon to lock the door, there was no reason he couldn't be free to some extent. "I was surprised when you started asking me questions about asking questions, Leon. Just go on! I'm exhausted, so are you."

"It has been three days since you told me to send the email to the chosen applicant. She has not replied nor has she shown up for rejection if she has changed her mind."

Saverio sighed. He hit his hand on the table recalling the fact that his secretary was trying to remind him that he wasn't supposed to be working with him anymore since he had submitted his resignation letter. "I have no idea why she hasn't. Perhaps, you should reschedule another interview?"

Leon's eyes widened hearing that. This was giving him more stress than he had ever imagined. Planning interviews and serving as an interviewer in addition to his regular work had become hell for him, especially when he wanted to be done with the job already. "I believe you are buying time, sir."

"What?" Saverio wasn't expecting the reply from Leon. He stretched his hand towards Leon, and knowing what it was, Leon walked behind his boss and slowly took his suit behind him. He brought out the mirror in the breast pocket and then handed it over to him. If his boss became suddenly angry, he always needed a mirror to look at himself, then he would calm down suddenly as if the mirror was his stress reliever.

No matter how Leon tried to learn why, he just couldn't. Serving his boss for seven years, he still couldn't understand why some of his habits were even a habit. Perhaps, he was only conscious about his looks when he was angry?

His boss was no less a celebrity in the eyes of many female citizens and whenever he was out of the company, he always ensured that there was nothing odd with him. But it would be funny to think it was the reason he always had his mirror with him.

Saverio sternly collected the mirror from Leon and then stared at himself. He breathed hard as if trying to calm himself before he handed back the mirror to Leon who carefully placed it back in the pocket.

Saverio stood up, his broad chest and perfect abs showing through his unbuttoned shirt, "Yes, I am buying time because I realise the woman isn't fit to be a secretary."

An image of the woman staring horridly at him while she knocked his car door came to his vision but then, it got swapped with the image of her body, perfectly under the protection of her pink towel. "But we could try her," he beat Leon to it.

Leon was surprised that his boss had finally decided to try her but wasn't he just saying he didn't want her as his assistant? How could he have changed his mind that easily?

This man, no matter how long had worked with him, he still had no idea how his mind worked sometimes. "That is good news but then, like I said, she is not replying and it could have been a sign of rejection."

Saverio recalled the fact that she had been kidnapped and probably had lost her phone but that didn't mean she shouldn't be able to contact the company even so. Saverio paused, "Wait...Leon. I clearly told you that I...that I hired her but why didn't you tell her immediately and only waited to send an email?"

"It is not official that way. It is right I sent an email not telling her immediately because we also had other people we had interviewed. It would be considered a choice without thorough checking."

"Who cares what they say?"

"And as a woman, she could gossip to other applicants that she had gotten it instead of any of them. It would cause a rumour which we do not seek for. And again, applicants that are not chosen are not meant to know just immediately.

We just ignore them and they know outrightly that they have been rejected. This is not an organisation people could have a say in," Leon reminded Saverio.

It was what Saverio used to tell him. Their organisation was unique and different compared to other organisations because of how they managed things. They were proud of everything they dealt with.

After a while, Saverio told Leon, "Write a letter and then have it sent to her. It should contain the fact that she must resume this upcoming Monday."

"But...but I sent an email..."

"Just do as I say, else your resignation letter will stay here for a couple of months."

Though Saverio knew his words were pointless, it didn't matter if he approved the resignation or not. An employee had the right to resign if he wanted to and there was no right an employer had to dismiss it.

Even though Leon knew it couldn't be so, he bowed, "Of course, Mr. Seong. After writing, I will forward the letter and the address to our postman."

"Good."