Really Nice Guy

In a small apartment in the corner of the room, there was an old PC. Around this PC, there were a lot of notes. Sticky notes were everywhere, a bunch of papers and mess. The whole room was actually a mess. A labyrinth of paperwork, photographs, alcohol bottles, and even some trash. Some coffee cups stacked on the window, one plant that was half dead. Instead of light, a small lamp was working. He sat in the chair in front of the PC. Then he decided to go through mails and news. He made some more notes, went through this mess of papers, highlighted some of them, others reorganizing in even more mess.

One mail said "Happy Birthday." His eyes lit up. It was some shoes firm ad. "For your birthday, we offer you this brand new fast shoes."

The spark in his eyes disappeared. Who even cares about their birthday? A bunch of children and naive people. Birthday is for the weak-minded, he was thinking. Maybe I should post on my vlog about how lame birthdays are.

I remember this one birthday when I was a kid and no one came... HA, I was so happy about it. I had the whole cake for myself. My mother was kind of sad that no one came, but she is also weak-minded to care about other people.

Ah, my head is in so much pain. This life is hard. My work is hard, but I am doing important, meaningful stuff. I am bettering the society. If I don't do it, who will? Some people are just moving around life aimlessly, like fishes in an aquarium. Some of them think that if they swim near the surface, that they are doing something smart. I am the one who pulls people out of aquariums and puts them in oceans. My work frees people, so why do I feel like sand right now?

Am I sand in this ocean, or am I just sand in an aquarium?

Ha, another mail wishing me happy birthday. My mother remembered, of course.

"Dear Son."

Why is she writing it so officially? Crazy woman.

"Happy birthday. I hope you spend it with your friends and have fun. I seen your interview today. You did good."

So she saw that, ha. That was bad. I was totally beat. My questions were not good enough. I thought they were good questions, but they just didn't work. Damn these politicians. They always get away from hard questions.

I will call my father and ask him for some dirt on that woman. He will dig something up, I am sure, and then I will get my revenge.

Ah, that young boy in the bar annoyed me so much. I know I've seen him somewhere before. It's all blurry in my mind. How do I know him? Is he a regular at the bar? That must be it. But why was he so nice to me?

He read one news by some big news outlet: "Reporter embarrasses himself by Deputy Prime Minister Asahina."

I didn't embarrass myself. Them, those snake oil salesmen of news. They are selling smoke news. Their news are as real as fog. They'd be better off selling fog in bottles.

I will show them embarrassment. I will crush them.

My ex didn't even wish me happy birthday. That is the thank you I get from that vampire woman. She was just draining my energy and leaving mess everywhere. It is good that she cheated on me. I got off easy.

Now I don't need to take care of her and clean her mess. Ah, my head hurts so bad. I shouldn't drink that much. What was I thinking?

I can try and write about Ms. Asahina in some positive light. Maybe that will gain some traction for me. Later I can crush her if I need to. I am like a Trojan horse, unpredictable, scary, provoking. I am winning on the inside. Why are people not calling me a genius more often? I am pretty brilliant.

People will like it if I write like I admitted defeat. Then I will get some sympathy, and I can work from the bottom to above.

I will build this like a house, brick by brick, and put something between bricks, cement or something, some glue thing.

Tanaka took a picture frame that was standing on his table, his ex-wife and him. He put it face down not to look at it.

In the morning, his coworker was getting difficulties because of the reputation of the whole media company. "Tanaka-san, people are angry at me for reporting this type of news."

"Morning to you too, Yuki. What news?"

"I am reporting on Shirakawa as usual. But he is not really doing anything, so I just make clickbait, really." Yuki said while touching her hair and twirling one strand of hair.

Tanaka smiled at her. "You are still young. Don't worry. You will learn with time to not care about other people's opinions. It's just what we do. It's our work to write something, so don't feel bad about it."

"Thank you, Tanaka-san. Are you maybe sometimes free for a drink?"

Tanaka was looking at Yuki, who was on the younger side, and was wondering what does she see in him. "I am sorry, Yuki. I don't think that is a good idea."

Yuki was kind of getting sad and shy. "Okay, no problem. If you change your mind, call me."

"Okay, thanks. Continue good work and don't worry about criticism."

Tanaka was never a guy good with emotions, feelings, and stuff like that. He took care of his mother and gave her everything she needed, but other than her, he didn't have anyone, and he was, on the surface, okay with it.

He entered his boss Yuma's office.

His boss was just in his chair, half asleep, barely having enough strength to keep his eyes open. A bunch of mess everywhere, a lot of cups on his table with leftover tea in some, in others leftover coffee. Some plates with dirty spoons and forks. His shirt had some stains, different colors, just like someone who was on a paintball session.

There was a couch in there with a blanket and pillow, and on the couch, there were a few shirts and clothes. The couch was nothing special. You could see that it was used every night.

Yuma was so slow he didn't even get the opportunity to attack with all his slow might Tanaka and his work.

"Boss, I take responsibility fully for the Akari interview. I tried my best."

"It's fine, it's fine." Yuma said while looking through his mugs to find which one he could drink. "Just make me one cup of something nice and hot, and you are forgiven. But, but, listen, Tanaka." He drank something then from a random mug. It was not nice based on the look on his face.

"Listen to me. It's fine. We are doing fine. We have huge numbers. Don't stress yourself, okay?"

"Yes, sir. Thanks for guidance, sir." Tanaka went to make his boss a nice cup of tea. He knew his boss was best at what he does. His boss was like a saint, but he just sort of gave up on being stressed. He just always says everything is fine and okay and to not stress about it. Tanaka respected Yuma most and saw in him this wise man.

He gave his boss cup of tea, and then Yuki came to him again, all excited. "Tanaka-san, Tanaka-san!"

"Yuki, I can't go out on a drink with you. I am really sorry. I am too old for it."

"No, no, it's not about that. They announced dates for the wedding finally!" she said, excited.

"Who? They? Akari and Shirakawa?"

"Yes, they're finally doing it. We have something new to cover. Aren't you happy?" Yuki said with tilting her head downwards, looking at Tanaka's nice, elegant brown shoes.

"I am happy for them," Tanaka said. "You know, Yuki, I think that I met Shirakawa."

"REEEALLYYY? Is he hot?"

"I think he is a really nice guy," said Tanaka with a smile and then went on his way with work.