Holding On [Nine Percent/ Idol Producer]

Chapter Two.

With his ID Card slung around his neck and a bag in his hand, Justin bows at every other person who seems familiar.

“How about you start with going through the company policies regarding the contractual relationship between the House and the authors,” Dong Jiayi, his immediate senior, says, handing him a file, “and then study the cases of mild controversy and what could have been done to prevent those? Let's do it from the basics, okay?” she hands a copy of the same to the boy standing next to Justin, “it doesn't have to be perfect, but I believe both of you are smart enough to know what to present and what not to present.”

Justin looks at Jiayi, he has seen her in the morning at the bus stop, her hair up in a bun and a coffee in her hand, trying to stifle a yawn. She isn't much older than him either, an age difference of five years, at most.
But now that she stands in front of him, her hair is open, shoulders high and backed, her gaze is confident.

“Questions?” she asks. Seeing neither of two saying anything, Jiayi says, “Submit the report by the end of this week.”

--

“Hey, Justin!”

Justin closes his eyes and lets out a breath of exhaustion, adjusting his glasses as he prepares himself to face the girl.

“Are you going for lunch?” Nessa asks as she stands in front of him, smiling.

Justin gets the urge to blow her off, but decides against it as he replies, “I have some work,” and leaves.

As he's about to step into the elevator, he spots Xukun walking towards it, his eyes on the document in hand and a middle aged man next to him. Justin subtly lets the elevator to pass.

“Get me the success stats of her previously published works and send a copy each to the Editorial and the Marketing departments,” Xukun still has his gaze on the document in hand as he stands next to Justin, “keep the document on my desk in ten minutes. Also, bring me the departmental profits for the month, a detailed one. Send it in someone else's hand, and don't skip your lunch.”
He looks at the man, and smiles. “I don't want you to lose energy. We have a lot to work on.”

The man smiles and bows in acknowledgement before walking in the opposite direction, his phone against his ear already as Justin hears him speak, “I need the prints for the gains and losses for the month of each...”

“Justin, right?” He feels his hands suddenly getting cold before realising that he's wearing the ID Card, and noticing Xukun's eyes slightly move to his ID Card, “Contractual and Legal Department.”

Justin bows to which Xukun smiles, “who's your immediate senior? Dong Jiayi? Or Zhang Jieqing?”

“Dong Jiayi.”

“Oh, she's a hard one.”

The elevator doors open. Xukun gets in and looks at Justin expectantly, waiting for him to enter. For a second there, the doors start to close and Xukun questions if Justin even has any motive of getting on the elevator altogether.

“Please go ahead,” Justin says with a smile, “I just realised I have plans for lunch.”

Xukun simply stares at him, a smile on his face as the elevator doors close for the second time.

--

“Hey Justin,” he closes his eyes and prepares himself to decline Nessa's offer again, “you up for lunch today?”

“No, actu-"

On opening his eyes, his gaze meets Jiayi's over Nessa's height.

He has seen her this morning too, her hair in a bun, a pen in her that she never uses in the office, eyes tired and sleep deprived, the coffee cup in her other hand. For a moment, he thought about stopping by and offering her a ride to work, but decided against it.

“No, actually what?” Nessa probes.

“I have,” Justin looks back at her, closing his eyes momentarily, “plans.”

Nessa opens her mouth to say something, but shakes her head as she smiles defeatedly and leaves.

Sitting on the other side of the glass panel, Justin looks at you with a smile.

“How's everything at work? You never told me which company it was.”

“You'll know it once you're out.”

“Wow, look at that audacity,” you glare at him, “I'm your sister, I deserve to know about you right in the moment.”

“Trust me,” he says, “you will know it the day you step out of here.”

Knowing Justin, he won't reveal it unless he wants. You try to divert the topic. “Tell me, how's everything at work.”

“I submitted a report last week, related to some controversies and stuff. Our immediate senior hasn't said anything except for the new task. She wants us to prepare some new company policies.”

“Sounds exhausting.”

“Not really. She says that she isn’t expecting the perfect report, it should be well formulated and thought through, giving detailed justification for every decision.”

“She's the senior, huh?”

“Yeah, she's very,” Justin waits a moment to pass while you try to study his expression as he completes the sentence, “professional.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Like, before work, she's a totally different person, but then, when she's in the office, everything about her changes. And, it's like, the earlier version never existed.”

“I see,” you say trying to draw his attention, “are there other people too? Or is it just her?”

“Oh, there is this another girl. New, like me. Annoying, unlike me. She asks me out for lunch every single day and I decline her offer every single day too but she still shows up the next day and asks me for lunch and it's so annoying like take a hint girl, I ain't interested.”

You laugh.

“Honestly though. She's like so tiny but she's so enthusiastic whenever I see her and work has already drained my energy in a week but she still shows up with a huge smile and her ponytail bops every time she walks. Seriously, how did she even get appointed? She looks like a tenth grader. She even acts like one-"

“Calm down baby brother,” you say with a laugh,  “instead of declining her offer every single time, why don't you go out for lunch once and make sure she understands that you are not interested? Or maybe, you two can end up as friends too, who knows? She totally seems like your female version.”

Justin scrunches up his nose in disgust. “We are not alike.”

“Whatever makes you sleep at night.”