[Oh boy. Stunned by the recognition and the fear that someone is going to get fired, Sakura does the sensible thing and stares wide-eyed while her hands move automatically, offering up the receipt and her bag of food.]
Byakuya-san, right?
M-maybe they're just new... I'm sure it was a simple mistake.
[Might as well throw in her defense of whoever's going to get an earful, yikes]
[He quickly claims both the bag and the receipt! His eyes scan it and compare it to the order in the meal. Byakuya answers sharply without looking right at her.]
Let me be the judge of that. You don't need to cover for anyone!
[It's almost awe-inspiring how seriously he's taking this when all Sakura really wanted was someone to give her fries. Her hands fidget together while she sneaks glances between him and the front counter where she'd placed her order]
... You're not going to fire anyone, are you?
[DOES HE HAVE THAT POWER? She doesn't know, but she also wouldn't doubt it. Byakuya gives off that impression]
[As he looks over the order, her claim is confirmed. Something terribly wrong has unfolded under his watch... His clutch tightens around the receipt as he realizes it, and then he glances coldly over the bag towards her.]
...Would you want me to? [He says in a steely tone. Is this a serious offer?? It's hard to tell, with how severe he looks right now.]
[His severity remains for a moment...! ...And then he softly chuckles.]
And I never intended to. But it's good to see that, as I suspected, your character is pure.
[Byakuya lowers the receipt and the bag.]
None of my team is getting sacrificed if I have anything to say about it. But he shall be scolded. In this McDonalds, we only make mistakes so that we can know to never make them again!
[... Sakura's uncertain if she should feel offended she was given a moral test or just flabbergasted at this point, and finally settles on canting her head to the side with a wide-eyed expression.]
O-oh.
... So does that mean you're a manager, Byakuya-san?
I'm the shift leader. It's not the same level of power as a manager, but it does come with some authority and privileges. In fact, the manager only really steps in during extreme cases or when there's messages to pass down from corporate. I oversee most of the day-to-day operations and keep the employees working efficiently.
[Her mouth twitches into a smile of amusement] That's impressive, especially when you have so many employees to keep charge of.
[Put that on top of her list of things she wouldn't want to do - being responsible for someone else's blunder. Sakura has enough trouble dealing with her own]
Thank you. It's a burden that I willingly accept. Someone of my intellect works best in the role of a leader, and this is also a valuable step in climbing up the hierarchy of the fast food industry.
[What if Ronald McDonald himself heard?! Although, for what it's worth, Byakuya does shoot glances in a few directions before going on, checking to ensure that no one is eavesdropping on this conversation.]
That's one possibility. But that would just be one more stop in my journey. No, my final destination and my ultimate destiny is a CEO position much grander than any of any chain currently in existence...
[... Okay, Sakura's curiosity is palatable now. She's the kind of girl who'd be happy working at an antique store for the foreseeable future, and with no dreams of grandeur for herself, it's always mystifying when other people speak of their aspirations.]
That's the million dollar question, isn't it? Unfortunately, my menu is entirely classified at the moment. The element of surprise is also crucial, after all.
Of course it does. If it were easy, then the clown with the afro would have lost his gilded throne decades ago. [He motions towards a nearby, eerily lifelike mannequin of Ronald McDonald.]
Still, I'll be sure to remember you when my time comes.
[First off, that mannequin is creepy and Sakura fights the powerful urge to ask if it's for sale. Not for her house, of course! But she knows there's some customer of Jaeger's who'd probably buy it for the right price.
Secondly, fff "remember her", huh?]
So long as you sell me hot fries, I won't mind if I'm a forgotten face in the crowd.
If that's where you find solace, then that's fine. But the offer will remain on the table... If you need a job when the time comes, I can find a use for you.
[He smirks.]
I'll use only the amount of harshness that will drive him to improve. No more, no less. [Close enough?!]
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Byakuya-san, right?
M-maybe they're just new... I'm sure it was a simple mistake.
[Might as well throw in her defense of whoever's going to get an earful, yikes]
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[He quickly claims both the bag and the receipt! His eyes scan it and compare it to the order in the meal. Byakuya answers sharply without looking right at her.]
Let me be the judge of that. You don't need to cover for anyone!
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... You're not going to fire anyone, are you?
[DOES HE HAVE THAT POWER? She doesn't know, but she also wouldn't doubt it. Byakuya gives off that impression]
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...Would you want me to? [He says in a steely tone. Is this a serious offer?? It's hard to tell, with how severe he looks right now.]
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O-of course not! [Both her hands shoot up in protest, a faint quiver in the fingers because what the hell. ]
All I wanted were fries... No one needs to be fired on my account!
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And I never intended to. But it's good to see that, as I suspected, your character is pure.
[Byakuya lowers the receipt and the bag.]
None of my team is getting sacrificed if I have anything to say about it. But he shall be scolded. In this McDonalds, we only make mistakes so that we can know to never make them again!
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O-oh.
... So does that mean you're a manager, Byakuya-san?
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I'm the shift leader. It's not the same level of power as a manager, but it does come with some authority and privileges. In fact, the manager only really steps in during extreme cases or when there's messages to pass down from corporate. I oversee most of the day-to-day operations and keep the employees working efficiently.
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[Her mouth twitches into a smile of amusement] That's impressive, especially when you have so many employees to keep charge of.
[Put that on top of her list of things she wouldn't want to do - being responsible for someone else's blunder. Sakura has enough trouble dealing with her own]
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Thank you. It's a burden that I willingly accept. Someone of my intellect works best in the role of a leader, and this is also a valuable step in climbing up the hierarchy of the fast food industry.
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[Such blasphemy, openly talking about Byakuya climbing the ranks and stealing the seat of power.]
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That's one possibility. But that would just be one more stop in my journey. No, my final destination and my ultimate destiny is a CEO position much grander than any of any chain currently in existence...
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What is it that you plan to do, exactly...?
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Isn't it obvious? My ultimate goal is to take over the world.
...The world of fast food, that is. By opening my own chain!
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That is impressive.
[She folds her hands behind her back, grinning now]
And what will you sell, mm? Naturally you'll have to have something that stands out from the competition.
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That's the million dollar question, isn't it? Unfortunately, my menu is entirely classified at the moment. The element of surprise is also crucial, after all.
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Alright, then I won't press. It might take a while for you to, um... take over the food industry. These things require careful planning, I assume.
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Of course it does. If it were easy, then the clown with the afro would have lost his gilded throne decades ago. [He motions towards a nearby, eerily lifelike mannequin of Ronald McDonald.]
Still, I'll be sure to remember you when my time comes.
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Secondly, fff "remember her", huh?]
So long as you sell me hot fries, I won't mind if I'm a forgotten face in the crowd.
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A noble sentiment. So you'll be content without having a place in the new food order?
[A beat, and he shakes his head.]
I've let myself wander off on a tangent... my apologies. You will get your fries promptly, and that employee shall receive his reprimand!
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And thank you, Byakuya-san. Try not to be too hard on him, okay?
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[He smirks.]
I'll use only the amount of harshness that will drive him to improve. No more, no less. [Close enough?!]
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That's the best I can hope for, then.
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[With that, he goes off to get to it! And soon, she'll have her fries brought to her, along with an apologetic coupon for more fries in the future!]