Resignation of Bien

Gimme Sticker

"Did Mr. George contact you?" Joanna asked as they walked towards the vendor outside the station.

Bien glanced at his phone. "Yeah, he messaged me last night. Did he reach out to you too?"

Joanna nodded. "What did he say?"

"Just a cryptic 'trust no one'," Bien replied. "Did he tell you the same?"

Joanna nodded again. "I was surprised he sent me a message, too. He seemed quite more fond of you. What did you say?"

"Nothing. I'm almost out when I read the message. I got distracted. Then I completely forgot about it."

"It's probably for the best. We should steer clear of him," Joanna advised. "I heard from the boss' driver that Mr. Boy and Mr. George had a falling out. It's safer not to get involved."

"That's ridiculous." Bien shook his head. "It's their issue, not mine."

Joanna shrugged, telling Bien that it was only a reminder. Office politics could be nasty. But to hell with politics, Bien disliked such drama; he preferred focusing on his work. It only divided companies and those who were good kiss-ups would always get the upper hand; most of the time, good kiss-ups were only good at that: being a kiss-up.

Bien firmly believed that their fight had nothing to do with him. So what if he talked to Mr. George? Will it cause harm to Sing FM? Biend didn't think so.

"Did you hear about the announcement?" Joanna asked as she grabbed a pack of chips hung on the display and turned to the merchant. "How much?"

Bien remained preoccupied. Financial concerns and job frustrations weighed heavily on his mind. Joanna grabbed Bien's wallet and opened it.

"I left my money in my bag. I'll borrow yours. You don't mind, do you?"

Bien shook his head. When Joanna was done, they walked back to the office. Joanna opening her snack was the only thing that broke the silence. "Everything okay?" she asked, concerned.

Bien poured out his worries—from mounting bills to his father's health, to his job search struggles, to his longing for a promotion.

Joanna shook her head. "No, no, no! Don't talk about wanting that promotion. It might seem impatient. Bosses don't like that."

"They can hate that all they want. You know I deserve it. The position has been vacant since the soft launch and I have all the experience needed for the Program Director."

"I get it, but trust me," Joanna warned, drawing from her corporate experience. "You can't outshine the boss. It's a rule. And you've been nothing but a huge lightbulb."

Bien held the door open for Joanna as they returned to the office. "I won't let others take credit for my work."

Joanna rolled her eyes playfully. "Just be careful."

They parted ways, each attending to their tasks. Bien headed upstairs to the radio booth. Bien knew Joanna had a point, but he couldn't just let others take credit for what he did. After all, it wasn't a walk in the park. It took time, energy, and neurons.

The chill of the room greeted him—a measure to prevent equipment overheating. He donned a company jacket and prepared for his show. It was almost ten in the morning and Bien's radio show was about to begin. His head was filled with a lot of things, but it did not hinder his ability to perform his duties. He was way too good and proud of his talents, he never gave any substandard performance. After finishing, Lucas joined him in the booth. They exchanged greetings with their usual handshake routine.

"I heard your show earlier," Lucas remarked. "You seemed off, Direct."

"Really?" Bien loaded songs into the system, feeling a pang of insecurity. "Was it that bad?"

Lucas was quick to assure Bien that it was not as though he did not deliver. "I just noticed you were a bit down like you just wanted the show to end."

Bien was quiet. Maybe he got affected after all.

"Anyway, the meeting's starting. Everyone's gathering," Lucas informed him.

Bien knew what Lucas meant that they needed to go down to the meeting room. The people from the tech department would take care of loading songs while no radio DJ was present.

Right from the glass door, his colleagues assembled in the meeting room. Sir Vil and Susan sat together, Joanna and Alexandra near the boss's chair, and tech department staff scattered around. Bien and Lucas settled in the middle.

Everyone sat properly as Mr. Boy entered the room. He made no effort to greet anyone till he reached the front. His driver followed, carrying a box Mr. Boy ceremoniously opened, revealing stickers Bien had designed for Gimme Sticker.

"As you know," Mr. Boy began, displaying the stickers, "we're gearing up for Sing FM's hard launch. These will be distributed on Gimme Sticker."

Gimme Sticker was a major promotional event. Each sticker had a unique number announced daily on-air for giveaways—a concept Mr. George had initiated. They were to give stickers to drivers, especially drivers of public transportation. Bien still wondered why Mr. George resigned.

"As you all know," said Mr. Boy, "George Osabel resigned. That is a lie. He was fired for insubordination. He planned on working for our competition, that treacherous bastard. Let this be a reminder to all of you that I value loyalty. You're loyal to me, I'll take care of you."

Bien felt Mr. Boy's gaze on him, unnerving yet puzzling. The boss emphasized loyalty before addressing upcoming changes.

"There will be changes in our organization," said Mr. Boy. "Starting with Gimme Sticker. I would like Joanna Dimalanta to take charge of this operation. Since day one I have seen her dedication and believe she will do well, leading this event. I hope you don't give her a hard time."

Bien darted his glare to Joanna and gestured his excitement for his friend. Joanna's win was a win for Bien as well. He felt proud. Why wouldn't he? He believed in her. When all the claps died down, the boss continued.

"And as you probably noticed, the Program Director's office has been vacant since soft launch. I think it's high time somebody takes on the role."

Bien's eyes glowed and he bit his lips, preventing a let-out of an obvious glimmer of pride. Finally, the day came. He clenched his fist so tight it felt a bit numb as he looked at Joanna, hoping for reciprocated support. Joanna was glued to the boss.

The door opened and a middle-aged balding man entered. It felt like a knife to the chest. Bien's smile vanished, shoulders slumped, and he sank into his seat as Mr. Boy announced, "This is Noel Villanueva. He's a veteran radio broadcaster, and our Program Director..."