3 days have passed…..
Ever since the incident of me casually hugging Kashiwagi-san last night, she's been acting a bit strange. Kashiwagi-san rarely scolds me. In fact, she was a little reluctant to look at my face.
(Is this the phase towards me getting fired? Huh…)
Even I thought about that, in fact there wasn't anything strange in these three days. But I got news from Enomoto-san, that today she and her husband will be visiting the central Kumoishi office, in Edogawa.
“Whoa! I can't believe you were able to summon Enomoto-san! Turns out I had a point if you are a bit special, Eijiro!” Kinji-san patted my back happily.
His words were loud enough to make all the sales co-workers hear. They're talking about me. It makes me uncomfortable. Some of my co-workers seem happy, some are not.
“Sssst! I told you not to be so loud, Kinji-san!” I put my index finger in my mouth while facing him deeply.
“Ehhhhh~ You kept it a secret?”
"Well, didn't I say yesterday?! Besides, Enomoto-san doesn't agree either!”
"A~ah... you're really pessimistic huh..."
(This bastard!)
Last night as a celebration of the news that Enomoto-san would be arriving the next day, I went to Kinji-san's apartment which was four rooms from mine, on the fourth floor. Because my heart is happy, I want to help her play a game. Kinji-san was the second person I informed. And he called Aemi-san, who became the third person to know about it. We're like family already.
Even though I remember very well that this matter should not be told anyone. Although I also remember that Kinji-san was a bit drunk that time.
While the first person I told…,
Of course, Kashiwagi-san.
More precisely, the next night after my somewhat immoral act, embracing Kashiwagi-san on a whim. She is crazy! That workaholic still works another night. I just want to ask for her help so that Enomoto-san will come to an agreement. I thought Kashiwagi-san would say something like this,
"You've been working for a few months. You should be able to deal with this problem independently, Munekata-san!”
It turned out the other way around. Kashiwagi-san even looked enthusiastic.
After all, this is Kumoishi's big chance to mark the map of its product sales widening in Okinawa. And I…, don't want any mistakes.
.
.
Now the time has pointed at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. It was Enomoto-san's promised time for the next meeting.
Previously, Kashiwagi-san and I took a break together while discussing a plan to get Enomoto-san to agree to my proposal. Kashiwagi-san spoke as usual. As if yesterday's incident never happened. Well, that's enough to make me relieved anyway.
However…
Occasionally her cheeks were slightly red and sometimes the atmosphere became awkward. Like now…
We waited together at the reception, to welcome Enomoto-san.
Me and Kashiwagi-san, sitting next to each other, awkwardly unable to say anything. It's just either being nervous with Enomoto-san or because of Kashiwagi-san yesterday.
Luckily, Reiko-san and Ayumi-san, the two reception employees chatted with Kashiwagi-san so the awkward situation didn't last too long.
A few minutes later…
From the glass front door, two people around the age of early fifties could be seen. The one is a gentleman with a slightly pot belly and thick gray mustache and eyebrows, wearing a dark blue short shirt and beige jeans. While the other one, a woman whose hair is neatly tied in a low bun, with a bit of gray hair.
"Mooo~ I can't believe Tokyo is hotter than Okinawa…" said the mom, while wiping the cheek of a man who I believe was her husband, with a handkerchief she took from the pocket of a gray one piece dress.
"Mama ... no need, ah! It's embarrassing to see people!”
“Mooo~ nothing wrong, right?”
For some reason, couples who look like they have been married for a long time are very romantic.
(It must be Enomoto-san!)
Me and Kashiwagi-san immediately greeted them. Then we went straight to the top floor, in the meeting room.
We chatted quite intensely about their first impressions of coming to Tokyo, especially Edogawa. I'll add that Edogawa is famous for its charm of waterways and a place that is lush and quite cool even though it's in the city. Enomoto-san also thought so, but because they had to go down to Tokyo airport from Okinawa, she and her husband said they didn't want to get out of the car all the way to Kumoishi. They expect too much car air conditioning. Enomoto-san said that she and her husband are also planning a vacation after this.
I happily recommend them places like Heisei park and Tokyo marine life park. Enomoto-san seemed pleased to hear that.
The elevator door opens. Five steps straight ahead, is the place. I have arranged some of the products that became the popular foothold of Kumoishi products. Starting with the lemonade and all new soda variants, of course, because it's summer and it just so happens that our client looks thirsty.
I have all of Kumoishi's newest varaint soda on the table. All flavors from cherry blossom, milk strawberry, honey pineapple, coffee and apple tea.
"Please, you may try everything of what you want!" Kashiwagi-san invites them.
Enomoto-san's eyes looked surprised and looked interested, even her husband without preamble took coffee soda.
Of course, in order to make the client comfortable, Kashiwagi-san and I also had a drink. During meetings with clients, Kumoishi always gives as many testers as possible.
“Hm… do you like coffee, honey?” Enomoto-san turned towards her husband.
“Well, actually when I was on service to another country, I had a chance to taste coffee soda. It tastes refreshing with cream, coffee and soda flavors. I've forgotten the brand, but if it tastes the same… maybe I can switch from beer to soda?” Enomoto-san's husband stared at the coffee soda bottle he was carrying while nodding. “Yes, yes, yes it is possible! I thought… do coffee soda products contain caffeine?”
“Ah, since our coffee soda product uses real coffee, of course it should contain caffeine. But don't worry, because I've foreseen this and talked to the research and development team. They say the caffeine has been reduced to just 5%. So, you don't need to worry about having trouble sleeping or being allergic to caffeine," explained Kashiwagi-san calmly and looking very professional dealing with his clients.
"You promised you'd never drink beer again, right, honey?" Enomoto-san nudged his husband's cheek with a playful forefinger.
“S-stop it, mama! T-that's if it tastes similar! Yes, Yes, Yes…."
Seeing the two of them, made us a little embarrassed.
(I… don't understand why they are so romantic. But… it's a relief. And as usual, Kashiwagi-san explained completely and clearly.)
“But… I'm glad Kumoishi thought of such a detail. That's actually great news. My husband isn't very caffeine friendly anyway. More or less allergic to caffeine… just makes his heart beat faster,” said Enomoto-san.
"Oh, sorry. That means you absolutely… can't with caffeine, sir…?”
“Yvon Shimazaki. Not really. I can still with tea. But for the coffee itself… not at all. I once had a hard time drinking one cup. Apart from my heart beating fast, I can't sleep all day. Well, this is quite embarrassing. To be honest, I really like the taste of coffee, even though it's from soda."
We talked very relaxed and calm. Enomoto-san and her husband, Yvon Shimazaki. Enomoto-san even talked about her past with her husband. We were quite surprised that Enomoto-san's husband is of Japanese-French descent. Well, actually I'm sure Kashiwagi-san also noticed from Shimazaki-san's foreign-like nose.
They were also quite happy to have tasted all the flavors of Kumoishi's newest variant soda drinks product. In fact, the bottles that in Shimazaki-san table for all the flavors of sodas, have been used up clean. The guy really enjoyed our soda I guess?
Almost an hour has passed, Enomoto-san and her husband have tried all of our products. They are quite satisfied. At first, I just thought that Enomoto-san would agree with two or three variants of sodas or potato chips. Quite the contrary. Enomoto-san agreed with all the variants of the sodas, potato chips and even agreed to try some of our biscuits and milk candies.
(The last boss always leaves a lot of loot, huh?) I said to myself comparing it to the reward game I played. Stupid fit logic actually, but I feel satisfied.
They have signed a contract with Kumoishi for one year.
After that, we took Enomoto-san and his husband on a tour of the Kumoishi production factories on the second and third floors.
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