Sweet Pineapple

Chapter 16

Nyan's POV

I must have lost my sanity the day I agreed to work in this company. And I'm pretty sure the person who organized my schedule for today hates the guts of me. Teenage trainees all day?! Really?! They must be kidding me....

I headed to the room where fifteen trainees were waiting to be styled. There was another hairdresser with me, a woman I didn't remember the name but had already worked with. She was a short lady, around her forties, curly blond hair. Something about her facial expressions told me that she wasn't happy about her schedule either. I opened the door and the sound of loud teenagers chatting hurt my ears. I looked down and the lady beside me had her eyes closed and her lips pressed together as she took a deep breath. Same, lady, same!

We got into the room and started preparing our stuff. Daniel Yang, the person responsible for the trainees, came across the room to our working station, a clip-board in his hand.

"Morning." Said the round-faced man as he approached us. "I have the list of names here, please follow the order, they go straight to filming when they are ready. Who is doing the makeup?"

The lady and I exchanged glances. "I think there should be another person for the makeup, Mr. Yang." She replied. "We are both hairstylists."

The little man started scanning through the sheet. "Oh, yes, you're right, Vera. You can start now, I'll call the office to see why the other guy is not here yet."

"Okay." I said, taking the list and calling out the first name while the lady called the second.

I was almost finishing the first boy when someone burst through the door. A young woman came in, she was very thin and short. Her dark hair was messily tied in a bun. Her small compliances reminded me a little of Berta.

"Sorry, sorry." She said in a rush to prepare her stuff on the other station close to us. "I wasn't supposed to be here today, but apparently the other guy got sick and I had to come quickly."

"Who was the guy?" I asked as something weird tickled inside my stomach.

"It's a new guy, the Korean one, I forgot his name."

The tickle inside my stomach grew. "Jae-Eun?"

"Yes, yes, this one." She ignored my startled face and continued throwing her brushes on the table.

Jae-Eun is sick!? I talked to him this morning and he was just fine, what could have happened? I finished what I was doing and the boy moved from my chair to the next one to have his makeup done. I called up for the next one, taking a look at my phone to see if there was any message from Jae. Nothing. I wanted to call him, but it was impossible to leave the room now. I have to work quickly if I want to check on him.

Time fled and when I realized there were only two boys left. Vera was still working on someone and I was just about to call the next name when Daniel entered the room.

"Oh my god, they're still here?" He said abruptly. "Do it quickly! Can't you work quicker than this?"

Is he really talking to me like that? "We are on time, Daniel." I replied, way more politely than I wanted to.

"You are too slow! They are not going to be ready on time, they still need to change their outfit."

"Next time you ask for more staff, then."

"We wouldn't need more staff if you were doing your job properly! That's the problem with hiring people like you."

"People like me?" I was clenching my teeth and fists, ready to jump on his neck.

"Nyan, calm down." Said Vera, holding my arm beside me. "We are almost done, They will be ready in five minutes, Mr. Yang."

She was not yet finished saying out her words when that piece of shit decided to yell at her. "You better finish it NOW! I'm reporting it to the office!"

I shut my eyes, catching a deep breath before I stepped between Daniel and the small lady. "She said, we finish in five minutes!"

"I'm your superior, you'd better speak nicely..."

"Or what?!"

"Nyan, Nyan... please!" Vera was holding me back. I was buffing like an angry dog. He deserved a punch on that ugly face. "Mr. Yang, let us do our job, please. This is not helping."

Daniel made a face and turned his back to us, leaving the room.

"People like me? What does he mean with 'people like me'?"

"Don't bother yourself with this, Nyan. It's useless." Said Vera while patting my back. "Let's finish our work."

I tried to focus on what I needed to do but my mind was flying way farther. First, the sudden notice of Jae being sick, then that bastard ruining my mood. I really needed to get the hell out.

I started throwing my stuff into my bag. "I'm sorry, Vera, but there's something important I need to take care of. Can you finish them? I'll make it up to you later, I promise!"

"Sure, Nyan." She answered, calling to the boys who were waiting in a corner. "You can go, I'll finish here."

I quickly apologized to everyone in the room and left, heading to the fourth floor, dialing Jae's number on my way there. I gave up when he didn't answer the fifth time.

When I arrived at his room, he wasn't there either. I started asking everyone around if someone had seen him, but he had just disappeared. I had already walked the entire building looking for Jae, he really wasn't anywhere. Berta! she must know of his whereabouts. I picked up the phone and called her. I grew more anxious by the second. when she finally answered.

"Hi, Berta! Do you know about Jae? I heard he's sick, he didn't go to work. Do you know where he is?"

"Hi Nyan, no, I don't know about Jae. I left home early and haven't seen him since. Have you called him yet?"

"I've called several times but he doesn't answer. I'm really worried. Did he come home?"

"Hum, it could be. I'm closer, I'll go there and check if he's back. Anything else I'll let you know!"

"Okay, thanks a lot, Berta!"

I went to Jae's office in case he showed up there while I waited to hear from Berta. I sat down on the couch and tried to calm down. I didn't even understand why I was so nervous. Jae' is a grown man, he can take care of himself, right? I have no reason to be worried like that. Besides, he was fine this morning, it can't be anything serious.

That's when something caught my attention. It was Jae's bag on the makeup table. I ran and opened the bag, his cell phone was there, as well as all his work supplies.

He couldn't have gone home without his stuff. I barely shook the thought when my cell phone rang. It was Berta.

"Any news?"

"Nothing, he's not home."

"I thought so, his things are here at the company. Everything is here but him."

"Nyan..." She said hesitantly. "It's not the first time he disappears, you know that..."

"Yes..." I knew what she meant. For a moment I hesitated, wondering what I should do next. "I'll look for him. It doesn't matter how many times, Berta. I can't just... you know..."

"Okay. I get you. I'll help."