Unresolved

<President, these are… a few of the staff’s ideas I’ve gathered for the Celestial Orchestra rerun’s promo campaign.> Gen laid the stack of papers out on his boss’ desk. Miyano-San was just glued to her computer as always, half of her attention on storyboards and the other half on some kind of intentional flight list.

<Thank you, Ishida. Did you spot anything promising in Con Alley?>

Genkei flinched. He’d been pushing the fact that he’d even been there today deep down inside himself.

<Ishida. What happened?> She swooped on his hesitation like a hawk.

<Nothing of importance.>

<You wouldn’t lie to your superior, would you?> She encroached.

<…> He seized up, but she was right. He couldn’t well ignore what was essentially a direct order from his boss. <It’s not… a work-related matter, that’s all I meant. I only happened to encounter an old- I mean, somebody I once knew.>

<Kaneko?>

The young man staggered where he stood. <How did you know?>

<I saw that one today after they got into trouble again. I know you don’t like hearing about them, so I didn’t tell you. But if your high school fling is distracting you this much we ought to address->

<They were never a “fling,” and I’m not distracted. It was just a singular strange occurrence.>

<So you say. But still, you brought me back nothing from that alley.>

<Are you really surprised? Our population is a talentless one. Didn’t you once say that yourself?>

Miyano sighed.

<I’ve called them many things… but never talentless.>

<You really believe that?>

<One day… it’s always possible one of them could rise up and become something special. I have to believe that.>

<And how long will that take?>

<There’s no telling… but someone’ll have to replace me someday. The industry is on our backs at this point.>

<Sounds like you might be waiting for a while then.>

Miyano leaned into her desk, propping herself up on her tired elbows. All of a sudden, she wasn’t interested in being professional.

<And how long will it take you to resolve whatever it is you have going on with Tara?>

<I thought we were done with that.> He flinched again.

<Not until you put a lid on it.> She knowingly chuckled. <However things go, you’ll be bogged down in regret for the rest of your life if you don’t resolve your issues. And I mean that as a friend… not a boss.>

<It will resolve itself, eventually.>

<You might not have that long.> She looked at him with honesty. <Our work kills strong people and evicirates weaker ones. Take it from me… you don’t want to be stuck waiting for whatever ending fate writes for you. Go make your own, alright?>

<…>

<That’s an order.>

<…Yes ma’am.>

Miyano smiled as Genkei exited the room with renewed conviction.

<Boys can be so ridiculous…> Turning to her computer she realized the time had almost arrived. She readied her hand back on her phone.