The Promise

I stepped into the office of our magazine still preoccupied with recent events, only to be met by the editor Nishimura Asami, who was smiling from ear-to-ear.

"Himeko! Hurry up and pass me your camera! I can't wait to see what the only daughter of the Ootori-group boss really looks like!"

As the "Ootori-group' word spread through the office, my fellow colleagues all hurried up and crowded around us - all full of anticipation.

"--- I... um.... camera...didn't manage to..."

I really was at a loss for words.

"Himeko, you're not about to say you "forgot to bring your camera"? It would be a great pity if you didn't manage to get a picture of Miss Himemiya. Well, hurry up and take out your digital recorder so we can have a listen!" The editor's face had lost half of its smile.

"No... I always bring my camera everywhere with me, but ... I ... didn't make a recording..."

I lowered my head, not being able to look her in the eye.

"You didn't even get a recording? What... tell me ... what happened? Didn't you just go and interview Miss Himemiya?"

By this time, Asami's face had lost all traces of her original smile, which was replaced by utter confusion.

"I did go to the cafe where I was supposed to interview her, but... because I... was late... so... Miss... Miss Himemiya had already left"

I could already tell without looking that her face had gone that funny blue colour. She ordered me to put my things down, and then dragged me towards her office.

"Kurusugawa Himeko, my Miss Muddlehead, tell me - how many times have you been late? If it was a normal job - asking you to take some pictures of trees and flowers or some random dogs or cats it wouldn't have mattered, but your interviewee is the Young Heiress of the Ootori-group boss. I already reminded you many many times yesterday before you went off work that this was a very very very important interview. Ever since Miss Himemiya went abroad at the age of 6, it was as if she had disappeared off this earth. She must be a mature 30 year old lady now, and well, up till this point, no one has ever really known her full name, and no one has seen what she looks like now, so when I received the phone call from the Himemiya household, taking the initiative to arrange a meeting, I was almost shocked to death! If I were on this rare job, I wouldn't even have minded arriving 10 hours in advance! And you....were LATE. GOD! This was probably our only chance of winning the readership over Numbre-Une.

"And, if it wasn't because Miss Otoha said very specifically that you should go alone, I would have sent out our most talented paparazzi captain - Nonoka - to do the job - let alone asking you, a photographer to cover this exclusive piece of news. And you, you just threw away the most wonderful opportunity of getting a pay rise AND a promotion."

She was now in a state where she could hardly speak anymore and had to pause to catch her breath.

"So... sorry..."

I knew I had screwed everything up, and could only mutter my apologies...

Alas Asami continued her rant, listing every single thing I had done wrong on my record. But me? My heart and mind had already left the office, and had returned to the crossroad where the dark-haired girl and I had gone our separate ways. I deeply regretted not asking for any sort of contact details...

TBC