I woke up in my cruddy one room apartment.  It’s all I could get for $500 a month.  A pain rippled down my back as I felt a spring stab my spine yet again.  My broken, mysteriously lumpy mattress was a housewarming gift from my mother.  Thanks Mom, I always knew how little you cared about me, especially since you ran off with Brian, leaving me and dad alone.  Dad was no better; he was always as drunk as a skunk, leaving me to fend for myself at school.  It’s a miracle that I was able to maintain good grades while I lived in a highly toxic family home, if you can call it a family home.
I decided to get off this atrocious metallic sack I call a bed and got ready for work, a really crappy office job.  When I went to brush my teeth, the faucet made an awful gurgling noise, like it was choking or vomiting or both.  When the water finally flowed it was a diarrhea color, making my stomach churn.  Forget brushing my teeth, I’ll just use a swig of mouthwash and call it a day.  When I got in my clean suit I rushed out of my God forsaken apartment and drove to my job.  I was just a paid intern, sent to do really stupid, simple odd jobs that any monkey can do.  Filling in the printer, making a fresh pot of coffee, refilling staplers because all of these fat hogs I call co-workers were too lazy to do anything themselves.
The building where I work towered over the neighboring buildings in the city.  This structure looked like it was built out of marble for it shone brightly whenever the sunlight hit it.  During high noon the building seemed to shimmer as if it was coated with glitter, making peoples’ walking speeds slow to a crawl as their eyes take in the dazzling sight.  This facility is where we made posters and advertisements for many huge companies.  With its grand achievements it amazes me that I can’t get a decent paycheck, considering that I practically do everything to keep this company from going under.
The grand doors slid open for me as I stepped inside.  The receptionist, Opal, flashed me a gentle smile.  That smile made my heart quicken a little bit and I gave her a slight wave.  She’s the only kind person to acknowledge my existence.  She’s practically an angel to me.
“Oh James,” she said and waved me over.  “The big boss told me that he needed to see you as soon as you walked into the building. “
“When did he tell you this?” I asked and scratched the back of my head in confusion.
“Seven,” she replied and her nimble fingers darted across the keyboard skillfully.  “You better get some pep in your step James; you know the boss hates to be waiting.”
“Right!” I said and rushed off to the elevator, which came rather quickly.
The lift arrived with a gentle ding and I climbed aboard.  I tapped the button for the penthouse while preparing myself for whatever the boss wanted with me.  Nothing could be worse than firing me.  There are many companies that want me but I stayed loyal to this one while hoping that my pay will increase.  The elevator eventually slowed and a red carpet was before me as a sleek metal desk stood before me.  The Boss is a very stern man.  His blonde hair is always combed to the side, never having a single hair out of place.  For some reason he loves to wear striped suits and his stance would fool anyone into thinking that he’s a noble.  His emerald eyes are known to swoon any heart that meets his gentle, yet hard gaze.
“James, please take a seat,” he said and moved his hand to the right chair facing his desk.
Once I made myself comfortable I tried to make the gap between my neck and my shirt wider by gently tugging at the tie.
“I understand that you do such great work the company but there’s a slight issue.  There have been countless competitors calling me, begging me for you.  I don’t want to give you up; you make the best decaf coffee I have ever tasted.”
“Uh…thank you sir,” I choked out.  “I appreciate your compliments.”
“Yes whatever,” he said coolly and cleared his throat.  “One company stood out to me though.”
“What is it called?”
“They say they’re Hoshi TV.  Whatever Hoshi means,” he muttered under his breath and casted his eyes up at me.  “I need you to do something for me, for the company James.  I need you to go to Hoshi TV and go undercover there.  I need you to find out what makes it so popular in Japan.  Do you think you can do that for me?”
“Double cross a company in Japan for your own personal gain?  I must refuse.  I can’t stand to do anything so…so diabolical!” I hissed and quickly rose over my boss.  “If Hoshi TV wants me they’ll have to call me personally!  I can’t stoop so low to make this company even richer while I live in the shadows doing back breaking labor for minimum wage for a rich company!”
Silence fell upon us as my boss’s emerald eyes tried to glare a hole into my soul.
“What do you mean you won’t do anything for me?  You incompetent fool!  I saved you from living in a cardboard box!  My money is given to you so that you can live!  So you can eat, sleep, and put clean clothes on your back!  Without me you’re nothing!”
“Correction, without me YOU’RE nothing!  I do everything around here!  I get you guys donuts, give you coffee, cater your stupid weekly parties and even get your four ply toilet paper.  Four ply!” I snapped.  “And why do I get four-ply toilet paper for your royal behinds?  Because you said that your butts are too tender for two ply!  I can’t believe I’ve been working for four years for a bunch of royal pains in the necks!  I think I will take up Hoshi TV’s job offer to get away from you, this company, and this country!  You’ve done nothing but bring me misery and I want my pay, all of it because I quit!”
“You can’t quit!  I own you James Hunter!  I made you the man you are today!”
“No…no you didn’t,” I growled.  “I shed so much blood, sweat, and tears to get to where I am today, I’m surprised I haven’t quitted sooner.  Give me my check and my 401K.  I’m going to Japan for Hoshi TV!”
“I…I was just kidding!” my coward of a boss whimpered in a weak attempt to make me stay.  “I didn’t mean any of those things!  Don’t go.”
The phone rang and the boss put the call on speaker.
“Yes Opal what is it?”
“There’s a man here saying he’s from Hoshi TV,” she said.  “He’s requesting to see James.”
“He’s busy,” the boss growled.
“I’m actually free…give me my money and I’ll go work for Hoshi TV.”
“Ah so glad you got our invitation,” another man said over the phone in an odd accent.  “Your trip will be all expenses paid in full.”
A smile came across my face as I looked at my boss cower in defeat.  He slid a check over to me and I left the building with my head held high.  When I went to the desk I didn’t see the Hoshi TV man anywhere.
“Hey Opal,” I said in a questioning tone.  “Where’s that man?”
“He just left, but he left a ticket for you to Japan.  You fly tomorrow.  Why are you leaving so early?”
“I just quit my job.”
“Well it’s about time you left…I told you to get out of here as soon as possible didn’t I?” she stated happily and started to file her clear nails.
“Yeah…you were right.  Thanks for standing beside me.  I have to go!”
“Good luck in life James…I wish you the best.”

“After I left I returned home, packed my bags, and flew here for the interview,” I finished and looked at Akechi sitting still in his chair with his hands neatly folded on the table.
“Impressive…very impressive how you stood up to your old boss to come here.  What gave you the courage to stand up for yourself after four years of hard labor?”
“Well when I was in school I was bullied a lot, so I eventually learned how to stand up for myself,” I replied a bit proudly.
“So you would say that you know combat skills?”
“Yes sir,” I replied and Akechi looked at me with a huge smile.
“Very impressive!  I would love to see your skills sometime Hunter san,” he said happily.  “Maybe even sooner than I would like.”
“I don’t understand,” I said and Akechi stood from his chair.
“You will soon,” he replied quietly and walked to me, towering over me.  “Hunter san.  I’ll keep in touch.”
“You mean...it’s over?” I asked and he nodded.  “Thank you for making the time for me, Akechi san.”
I extended my hand but then quickly remembered that the Japanese don’t really shake hands.  I bowed before leaving the room.  When I left I felt a thousand pounds lighter, and I could breathe again.
“That...that wasn’t so bad!” I said proudly and walked off to see the secretary.  “Good bye, er sayonara.”
“Bye bye Mr. Hunter...we’ll contact you later,” she said and I left the building to enter the bustling streets of the city.
After catching a cab, thankfully he spoke English, I managed to find my hotel and checked in.  The room was fabulous courtesy of Hoshi TV.  The crisp white bed was low to the floor and faced a wall mounted flat screen television.  There was a sofa that laid against the window, giving me a brilliant view of the city as life went on.  The carpet and wall behind the bed had a cherry blossom design on a dark green textiles.  I swear it looks like something straight out of a magazine.  With a smile I slid off my tie, placed my suitcase on the bed, and took a shower.  That interview made me break out into a cold sweat.
After what would probably be the best shower in my life, the phone rang.  Which is odd because I just checked in here, who would have the number to the hotel room.  I picked up the receiver.
“Hunter san?” a familiar voice said on the other end of the line.
“This is he,” I replied, trying to remember where I heard the voice from.
There was a few muffled sounds, probably from the phone being passed to another person.
“Hunter san!”  a more cheerful voice said into the receiver.
“Akechi san?” I asked.
“Oh good you do remember me!”
“We just talked sir,” I whispered.  “You called me?”
“OH no I had my secretary call you, you got the job.”
“I...I got the job?!  Thank you!  Thank you so much!  Uh...uh arigatou!” I stuttered with pure enthusiasm.
“Oh anytime.  I liked your hunger for wanting this job so badly.  Also I felt like being such a nice guy, your past almost moved me to tears.  Which is saying a lot because I never cry...never,” he said and I felt a chill go down my back.  “Anyway, a bus will come for you and the others tomorrow so get up bright and early.  Don’t come with anything but the clothes on your back, do you understand?  That means no phones, no wallets, actually bring your wallet and I’ll keep it safe.”
Keep it safe?  What does he mean by that?
“Anyway, I’ll be ecstatic to see you and the others tomorrow!  Please get a good night sleep and some food.  Bye bye.”
“Uh. Mr. Akechi wait!” I said but I was met with a rather harsh click on the other end.  “Must be busy talking to others.”
I couldn’t ponder on his strange behavior for long because my stomach wouldn’t stop complaining about being empty.  I wonder if they serve dinner here, I mean everything was paid for by Hoshi TV, the least they could do is have dinner right?  I was just about to leave my room to go to the lounge when there was a knock at the door.  Upon its opening there was a woman with a cart with silver domes on them.
“Hello, I brought you dinner Hunter san.”
“But...but I didn’t order room service.  I’m sorry,” I replied.
“Nonsense!  Hoshi TV paid for everything, including your all American dinner.  Compliments of Akechi dono,” she said and handed me a silver dome with my name written in beautiful handwriting.
I bowed in thanks with the food in my hands and she wheeled her little food cart away.  I closed the door and went to the table to watch some TV, searching for a television show that spoke some English, or at least had subtitles so I won’t be completely lost with my limited Japanese.  I settled down on my bed and opened up the tray to see a bowl of rice, miso soup, fried chicken bits and noodles with a can of ginger ale.  It looked amazing, like something out of a magazine.  Akechi dono is so generous to provide me with a wonderful meal.  With a huge smile I ate my wonderful mean in a matter of minutes.  Once dinner was devoured, I took a shower and fell asleep.  The bed made my body sink into a heavenly state.  The mattress is so comfortable compared to my horrible spring trap.  I cannot wait for tomorrow!