This choice: Go straight to their office • Go Back...Chapter #6Go straight to their office by: Mr. George   You don't want to confess to the secretary how much you need the money. With your savings running low, and no other prospects a $50,000 payday and free accommodation for a month feels like a no-brainer.
The problem... nah... more of a concern, is you haven't heard of them before. While you're no troll, you can't pretend to keep up on the latest trends in male grooming, beyond the basics. The chance to boost your knowledge and present your best self is a nice bonus.
Arriving at the lab, you feel your anxieties ease, as you see a plush modern facility.
女性の美しさ
Joseino utsukushisa
The name emblazoned in large clear letters above, the main entrance.
Even as you enter, the receptionist rises from her desk, and gives you a deep bow.
"Mr. Williams-san?" her voice lifting just enough to suggest a question.
"I'm Haruko Tanaka. This way please."
Smiling and nodding you, look around for the paper copy of the e-mail. But she's already gesturing for you to head towards the bank of elevators. Her uniform is crisp and perfect, her English a little stilted and formal, but lacks the ease of familiarity. You tower over her by a full head and shoulders.
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Her uniform is smart, but clearly her position is secretarial. Your eyes drift to her slender physique, and her petite arse as she leads you towards the elevators. Her long legs well displayed by the quite short, but still respectful skirt.
As you near the elevator doors, you raise your gaze. Not wanting her to see where you rest your look in the reflection of the doors. Trying to distract yourself, you wonder if she's also a candidate or a model for their procedures. She was certainly attractive enough.
The elevator rises smoothly, and your guide leads you to one of the desk. The room is set out with a variety of cubicles, and you spot a few smiles, as you walk behind her.
You're a little surprised, when the doors open onto the floor with the various laboratories. It looks like all the secretaries are Japanese, you see a few blushing faces, a few hands covering mouths as gossip spills between neighbouring desk. You feel even more like Godzilla, looming over all these women. You resist the urge to stomp more loudly, like a giant. The impulse makes you smile.
"James-san?"
A brief, fast conversation between the two girls happens in Japanese. At the end, the receptionist smiles an apology to you, for the rudeness. Picking up a sheaf, of twenty pages stapled together, she flicks to the back page, and the empty line for you to sign. A pencil 'x' marking the spot.
"If you wish to proceed."
You idly glance at various points, and while it's not complex, the form is filled with jargon. You nod as if you're reading it intently, until you see what you're looking for, the $50,000, and the section about both you requiring to undergo the procedure, and their obligation to pay you the required sum.
Accepting the pen, you clip it onto the contract.
"Laboratory, now." she smiles a hint of pride in her voice.
- - - - -
Leaving the elevator the second time, the view could hardly be more different. The rows of secretaries replaced with banks of scientific equipment. A distracted woman comes towards you, "Mr... Williams James..." she frowns.
"Mr. James Williams. Welcome. I'm Professor Sakura Manko."
Her English is heavily accented, and you have to strain to make out what she's saying. The receptionist stands a little straighter, a little taller, with the scientist eager to explain what's involved. Her lab coat is a pristine white, and you wonder if she actually does any science here, or if she's more of a director.
You know height is no guide to intelligence, but it feels odd to also stand about a foot taller than Professor Manko.
The tour doesn't reveal much, as you struggle to understand Professor Manko's enthusiasm comes across, although this makes her English even harder to understand. At first you ask Haruko, to explain when you have a question. However, it becomes clear that the explanation is rather technical, and Haruko's vocabulary not familiar with those terms... at least in English. You want to show you're paying attention.
You also detect after the third question, that she's reluctant to sound like she's contradicting a superior, and her answers, aren't really clearing much up for you. The tour only lasts another ten minutes, and you mirror the Professor's smiles, and head nods.
It ends with you in Prof. Manko's office, you sitting opposite her. An expectant smile on her face, and Haruko standing behind you. A tilt of her head, towards the paperwork tells you it's time to sign the contract.
She reaches into a drawer, and fetches out a pen. As you reach for it, she waves her hands in warning. Looking more carefully, you feel a chill, it's a syringe. Suddenly the whole scene feels like a horror movie. The look on your face must be a picture, as the Professor waves.
"Pain.... anaesthetic..."
Not the most calming choice of words, and she looks past your shoulder to Haruko, a look on her face, asking if she's using the correct words.
Haruko smiles and nods, settling a hand on your shoulder.
"The full procedure can be painful, and to ease this we have prepared an anaesthetic."
You hadn't fully realised what was involved, assuming it was testing cosmetics. You hadn't guessed, and you still aren't sure but it feels like some surgery is involved. You aren't sure. You've never felt closer to the $50,000, and you would feel like a tease to have taken this tour, and then not proceed.
Hand trembling, you reach to sign the contract. Passing it across to the professor, she signs the following page. Satisfied, she leads you through, to a pristine white room. A long bench like bed, is against one wall, and she pats it to invite you to settle there. Looking backwards you see Haruko hasn't followed.
Regretting not having the chance to thank her, or say good-bye. You turn towards the professor who is miming for you to take off your shirt. You feel warm and fuzzy, as the needle slides home. Your blood spreading like warm treacle, as the overhead lights blur into a white landscape.   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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