A World Of Grey (Legend of Korra)

Chapter 31

Jun sat at the reception desk, leafing idly through one of a number of thoroughly perused magazines. It helped to stave off the worst of the monotony. She would never let a complaint as petty as mere boredom escape her lips, however. Her job was secure and safe, and simply by virtue of accepting it Jun had eased several crushing burdens from her shoulders. All she had to do was keep her lips sealed. It was a matter of trust, both on her part and her employer's. Though she sometimes awoke with the uncertain, perhaps irrational fear that the pillars erected to support her life had crumbled away at the slightest whim, the woman who built them had thus far given Jun no reason to doubt her.

The distinct staccato of heels lifted her eyes from the pages of the magazine, distracting her from the world of vibrant floral arrangements. Jun straightened her spine as she saw her employer, quickly setting the magazine aside.

The sure and confident way in which she carried herself drew the eye, her shoulders a high, even line and stride precisely measured. Her aura of authority was something Jun was quietly envious of.

She was a powerful woman, not just in terms of her sheer physicality (for Jun had witnessed her perform some impressive feats of strength), but there was something in the sense of presence that encompassed her. She commanded the attention and respect of the room she walked into. Jun remembered the great difficulty she had just in directly meeting and holding the woman's eyes during their first conversation. They were gentle upon her, but there was no mistaking the subtle force that dwelt behind them.

Briefcase in hand and the hem of her overcoat falling to her knees, Asami Sato walked up to the desk. Jun noticed immediately that the small, polite smile she wore was tight.

"Good evening, Ms. Sato. How was your day?"

"Reasonably productive," she answered, reaching inside her coat with her unoccupied hand. She then removed it, the small rectangle of an envelope clutched between her fingers. Jun sat up a little straighter, flashing her gaze across the lobby and behind the woman in front of her desk. Said woman waited for her attention to return to her.

"I need this to be delivered by tomorrow evening," she said quietly, setting the envelope down on the counter and sliding it forward with a finger.

It disappeared not a moment later, and Jun nodded her understanding. The instructions did not need to be repeated; she had done this before. Asami Sato nodded in response. And then she turned away without another word. Jun watched her back as she approached the pair of elevators, thoughtful despite cautiously warning herself not to delve into her employer's business – even in the realm of imagination.

The look on that woman's face was not one she had seen before.

--

Mako stood between the edge of the bed and the desk, a still and contemplative figure. The fingers of his left hand tapped quietly upon the relatively busy wooden surface, those of his right occupied with the letter in their grip.

The envelope from which he had retrieved the letter sat unassumingly in front of him, this time even the lone character of his name absent. Still, his gut had clenched in that all too familiar manner when he opened his mailbox and saw it. That was several hours ago, when he returned home from a long and frustrating shift. Mako had not been able to relax since carefully peeling open the envelope and revealing its contents. His eyes flitted routinely towards the clock and his thoughts were similarly restless.

It was almost time, but Mako was still unable to make up his mind. He was a man who spared very little patience for himself, and he sorely disliked being indecisive. There was little room for such a luxury in his life, even in his earliest years. Mako had needed to be quick-witted in order to survive the cutthroat back streets of Republic City and protect his little brother.