Colours of the Snow | Yuki Ishikawa

2

2020. August 25. 3 PM

"Hey, Ms. Erinne Hernandez! I'm your head team manager, Luigi Moretti. It's great to see you, and congratulations on successfully finishing quarantine," my head manager greeted me with a smile.

Honestly, I wasn't in the best state of mind when I left quarantine. Even though I like being at home, I felt a bit lost with just my laptop, TV, and food to keep me company. I couldn't even play the piano since there wasn't one in the room.

I even ended up exercising out of sheer boredom.

"And I'm Sylvana Rizzo, the operations manager for the team," Mr. Luigi's companion introduced herself.

Mr. Luigi personally fetched me from my quarantine hotel since he would be my head manager.

I greeted them back, "Nice to meet you, Sir Luigi and Ms. Sylvana." I reached out for a handshake.

"Oh, no need to be so formal. Just call us Luigi and Sylvana. It's great to meet you, Erinne," Sylvana said with a warm smile.

I nodded and smiled in agreement. "You can call me Eri," I replied happily.

I was a little nervous, but I knew I had to put on a brave face. As a project manager, I often feel a bit anxious when meeting new people. I prefer texting over calling and only contacting suppliers when necessary. If possible, I try to coordinate everything through messaging.

We rode into a parked sedan. Mr. Luigi took the driver's seat, Ms. Sylvana sat in the front passenger seat, and I settled into the back row.

"You're an architect, right?" Mr. Luigi asked as he started driving.

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"Are you okay with stepping away from your field? It's not something you'll be utilizing in your current role," he asked with curiosity.

"I actually see it as an opportunity to explore different areas and gain more experience. I've had previous project management experience, so I'm not entirely new to it," I explained.

"That's awesome! I think you'll do great," Mr. Luigi replied.

"I agree. Erinne's qualifications make her a perfect fit for the job. It won't be easy, but I have complete confidence in you," Ms. Sylvana added.

"Thanks, but please don't expect too much from me. I'm still new here," I replied with a shy smile.

"Don't worry, we've got your back," Mr. Luigi assured me. I let out a sigh of relief. As long as they didn't have high expectations, I knew I could handle it.

I wasn't sure where we were headed, but they informed me earlier that I would meet the team's board members and sponsor. After that, there would be a formal dinner party to introduce the whole team.

We had only been on the road for a few minutes when we stopped at a hotel. I observed to see if I should also get out of the car. Mr. Luigi and Ms. Sylvana started unbuckling their seatbelts.

"Please wait here. We'll be a minute," Mr. Luigi said as they headed into the lobby.

The car was parked by the driveway, and I sat inside, scrolling through my phone. After a bit, the trunk opened, and I saw them putting something inside. I couldn't really tell what it was because of the tinted windows, so I just waited for them to come back.

Mr. Luigi and Ms. Sylvana got back in the car, and someone opened the back door where I was sitting.

It was Yuki.

He seemed just as surprised as I was when he opened the door. We locked eyes in surprise. Even with his mask on, I knew it was Yuki.

"Come on in, Yuki. Take a seat," Mr. Luigi invited him.