Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Yes Ma’am

Honestly, the press conference wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I did irk more than a couple of reporters when I ‘No commented’ them when they asked inappropriate questions. What I mean by that is questions about what we’re researching and the like. Did they really believe that I’d tell them information that our competitors could use to one up us?

Back at home, we help carry everything down for Kimi and Ako, then took them home. Dad was serious when he said he was going to increase security around us. We now have a three SUV convoy of security that follows us.

After we help them take their things in, we’re taking off our shoes when I hear Kimi’s father cry out, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Looking up, I see him standing in the hallway staring at us.

We stand in the hallway while Kimi and Ako peering at him with a frightened expression while Kimi timidly asks, “Is something wrong?”

“Where did all of this come from?”

I’m more than a little irked with his attitude about this. After all, it’s not as if he had to pay for it. Regardless, I hold my temper and politely reply, “We bought it for them. They needed all of it.”

He grits his teeth and growls out, “They most certainly do not and you have no business buying them anything!”

Smiling sweetly, I ask, “Is that right? Aren’t you the one who asked us to be friends? That means they need to be able to dress appropriately when we go places. Kimi and Ako will be attending parties with us as well. Do you want to embarrass them by not allowing them to dress properly for the events? Most times there will be some rather high profile people there.”

“Such as yourself?”

I’m guessing he saw the broadcast. Shrugging, I reply, “Amongst others… Anyone can see that is why you want them to be friends with us. The thing is that we decided that before you ever said a thing. If they become friends with our friends that will give them a leg up in society. Like I told them, knowledge and experience can carry you far in life, but knowing the right people can take you much farther.”

“Not everyone can afford to rely on their money to get through life, so they need to concentrate on their schooling. Parties, dates and all the rest of that can come later in life.”

Sofi cries out, “You can’t be serious? It’s hard to make the connections you’ll need later in life without developing relationships when you’re younger. Networking is important. Didn’t you understand what Sora told you?”

He almost sneers at us as he replies, “The quality of your work defines how far you can go in business. My parents never gave me a thing. I’m the one who made it here, no one else helped me.”

Sofi smiles sweetly at him as she says, “And look at where you are in your career. You’ve been with your company for 14 years and look at where you are.”

He snaps, “How do you know that?”

Honoka says from behind me, “Do you think anyone and their family that associates with us isn’t checked out?”

He grumbles until Honoka continues, “This isn’t about you. This is about Kimi and Ako and their lives.”

“What about them? I can’t afford to give them the clothes they need to run in your circles.”

Chinatsu takes up the reins of the conversation when she says, “Who said you did?” She gestures to the bags on the floor. “Were you asked to pay for them? No, you weren’t. Will you be asked to pay for them in the future? No, you won’t. Kimi and Ako are in the top ten students in our grade, so as long as they keep their grades up there’s no reason to stop them from dating or anything else. Going to parties and everything else with us can only benefit them in the long run. Even you admitted the perks of being around us. After all, you did ask us to be friends.”

“All of that may be true, but it feels wrong to accept all these presents for them.”

I so want to say something about him using Ako’s money right now, but I bite my tongue because it would only make him mad. So, instead, I look at Kimi and quietly ask, “Would you take your things upstairs? I need to speak with your father for a moment.”

She looks a little concerned, but after I pat her arm reassuringly, she nods. Everyone else helps carry the bags up. Once they are out of earshot, I ask, “Can we sit down and talk for a moment?”

He nods and leads me into the living room where I take a seat in a chair across from him. Dropping my pleasant facade, I ask, “What do you say we dispense with the bullshit?” His surprised expression makes me smile. “You not wanting them to have the clothes we bought has nothing to do with money or any of the other crap you’ve said, so what do you really want?”

I think I know, but we shall have to see what he says. “A future.” I raise my eyebrow questioningly and wait. He finally sighs and continues, “I’m going nowhere with my company since I was told this is as far as I am ever going to advance.”

“And that has what to do with me or us taking Ako and Kimi shopping?”

He looks at me to ask, “I saw the press conference. Why did you hide that you own TGR?”

You are reading story Upside Down at novel35.com

I stare at him astonished that he would even have to ask that question. Seriously, it’s self-explanatory why we would. “You’re kidding, right?” He merely looks at me until I shrug and say, “It was a safety issue. It got out who I am, so we decided to preempt the news and papers by announcing it. Regardless, please, don’t change the subject.”

“I want a better job at TGR.”

Immediately angry, I snap, “Are you threatening our friendship with Kimi and Ako if I don’t give you a job?”

“No. Not at all. My wife would kill me if I didn’t let them be friends with you.”

Smart woman. Far too smart to be tied to this throwback, but I am sure she has her reasons to stay with him this long.

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll make sure you get a job in accounting, BUT you will pay back every yen you took from Ako’s inheritance and I’ll make sure you have more than enough income to do that. Is that acceptable?” He nods. “I’ll be blunt here so we don’t have any misunderstandings. I don’t like you. I doubt I’ll ever like you, so don’t think you can just skate by because you’re their father. With that in mind, you don’t have an accounting degree and you won’t get far at TGR without it, so you’ll be going back to school. We have a degree program at TGR to encourage employees to continue their education. You WILL be taking advantage of that perk. Give me a moment.”

Taking out my phone, I find my contact for the director of HR and click on it. She answers a moment later. “Hello, Sora. Did you need something?”

“Hi, Ayuko. Yes, I’m sending over a Mr. Tanaka for you to hire as a lead accountant tomorrow.” I look at him to make sure he knows I am talking to him as well. “I need an eye kept on him to make sure he goes back to school for his degree as he says he will. If he makes no progress toward obtaining it within three month, he is to be given a written warning. If he still makes no progress within thirty days of being written up, he is to be fired.”

“Certainly.”

“Ayuko, this is out of the ordinary and I wouldn’t normally tell you how to do your job, but he is to be paid as if he has been with us for 14 years.”

I hear her typing for a moment. “Sora, you do realize that would mean his salary starts at ¥12 million?”

“Mhmm. I do.”

“Alright. I’ll tell security to expect him then.”

“Thank you, Ayuko.” I end the call. “I suggest you don’t mess this up. By the way, this isn’t free. You will allow Kimi and Ako much more freedom. They will be allowed to date and they will be going on many of them with us, understood?” He nods. “Nuh uh. The correct answer is ‘Yes, Ma’am’ or ‘Yes, Ms. Kobayashi’ is that clear?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

I nod in approval. “You’ll find we are a tightly knit corporation and that I’m a very generous boss, but I never tolerate lies, disloyalty or disrespect. Remember that.”

Standing up, I smooth my skirt and tell him, “Also, you’ll not tell Ako or Kimi anything we talked about, clear?”

Without waiting for a reply, I make my way upstairs. As I enter Kimi’s room, Chinatsu asks, “Is everything alright?”

Smiling, I reply, “Everything is fine now.”

Kimi asks, “Is he mad?”

I shake my head. “Quite the opposite actually. You and Ako will be allowed a lot more freedom to go out, to date, and hang out with us.”

Her eyes widen as she smiles and happily asks, “How in the world?”

Chinatsu tells her, “Sora, can be rather… persuasive.”

In the end, we help them hang their clothes, make plans to go shopping soon because they have no party dresses and then head home.

Now, we get to wait and see what the fallout from this is. I’m hoping that there won’t be any, but I’m not going to place bets on that. Knowing my luck this is merely going to paint a big ol’ bullseye on my back. Being ignored at school by most people I can handle, but I’m hoping that this doesn’t make for more kidnapping attempts.

You can find story with these keywords: Upside Down, Read Upside Down, Upside Down novel, Upside Down book, Upside Down story, Upside Down full, Upside Down Latest Chapter