Very well. [He adjusts his glasses, and they almost seem to gleam in the light.] Which will you choose to take on first? The written test, the test of skill or the test of willpower?
Heh. [He releases that smug chuckle.] That's pretty bold, coming from a newcomer. Very well, follow me.
[Byakuya starts moving across the store and motions for Daisuke to follow him. Eventually, they come to a stop in one corner of the store... where there's a very creepy Ronald McDonald mannequin set up.]
You can start whenever you feel prepared. But you must stare him in the eyes for five minutes without blinking or breaking down.
Daisuke looks up and down at the Ronald McDonald mannequin. He never had a problem with the character before, but for some reason, the mannequin reminds him of a menacing clown that he encountered in a nightmare. But it's okay, is what he keeps telling himself. At least this one won't move and doesn't have knives in his hands. Already a huge plus right there.
He stands in front of the mannequin and starts staring into its eyes.
... Ten seconds into the test and he feels like it's already difficult staring at anything without blinking for five minutes, but he keeps trying his best anyway. ]
[ As time passes, Daisuke feels that it's more of a matter of keeping his eyes open than freaking out because of the mannequin. After a minute, he blinks several times because his eyes feel so dry. He keeps staring at the mannequin though, since he felt that it was strange that this was labeled as a willpower test instead of an endurance test. ]
[ Now that he isn't focusing on not blinking, a feeling of uncertainty creeps up. It really does remind him of the clown that he faced in his vivid nightmares. For a moment, he thought he imagined the sound of knives grinding each other.
It's starting to feel a little unsettling... his expression on his face easily reflects that as he keeps staring.
... ... ...
He eventually reaches the five minute mark feeling the same throughout it all. ]
[Byakuya has been timing him with a timer app on his phone. Once he reaches the five minute mark, the phone breaks the silence with a loud, blaring siren noise.
Byakuya smirks while the siren noise comes to a stop.]
[ The loud siren startles him, almost making him jump. He feels very relieved when Byakuya congratulates him. All the uneasiness fades away and he grins. ]
[ Oh, okay. That makes a lot of sense to Daisuke, since he always heard that customer service was tough to work in. It'd be nice if he could stop being a doormat sometimes, but that will have to be something he grants on his own time. ]
[ It takes a moment for Daisuke to compile his words and think about how to say them, since he never liked to stand out. However, getting a job is different, so he might as well tell the truth about it. ]
I have good reflexes when I concentrate. I know how to pace myself once I figure things out and I'd like to say that I have a lot of... perseverance.
As for ambitions, I want to safely graduate from high school and attend college under an art program because it's what I wanted to do for a long time.
[ He wonders if that's a low standard for the former, but he certainly doesn't think so with how the city feels like it's changed after getting the app. ]
I wanted to work here so that I could help support someone that's like a brother to me. He's been working really hard to make ends meet at home, and while I do make money on the side with occasional commissions, it's not a steady income. I just want him to rest a little more often so that he doesn't burn out with everything that he has to do.
[Byakuya steeples his fingers and listens carefully to his testimony.]
I see. Those could prove to be fairly useful skills. [He doesn't sound to thrilled with them, but this boy seems to be more than meets the eyes.]
And your ambitions are a good start. Aiming for college and seeking to share the burden of breadwinning are respectable burdens to undertake. But what is your ultimate goal beyond that, when all is said and done?
I want to show my parents that moving to another city away from them when I was 14 years old wasn't a mistake. That I learned something with all my experiences and that I can take care of myself.
[ Daisuke feels a little relieved that he's moving onto the next test. But he's not sure what kind of written test would be suitable for this situation.
... Though, of course, he just waits on Byakuya to find out. ]
[He heads over behind the counter and soon lays down some supplies on a table.
-A set of printed papers -A sharpened pencil -a thing of particularly greasy french fries.]
This will be two tests in one. You will not only have to work on the test, but you will have to do it while eating french fries. Any answers that are obscured by grease will automatically be marked wrong. Are you ready to do your best?
[He sets off the timer once more. And now on to the test! It's a pretty long series of questions, from questions about approaches to resolve problems in the workplace, to questions about fast food itself and McDonalds trivia.]
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Capable enough to take on... The Test?
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[ He's actually not sure if he's ready, but he's trying to exude whatever confidence that he seemingly has. ]
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[ He has a feeling this will be difficult... He's just mentally preparing himself for anything now. ]
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[Byakuya starts moving across the store and motions for Daisuke to follow him. Eventually, they come to a stop in one corner of the store... where there's a very creepy Ronald McDonald mannequin set up.]
You can start whenever you feel prepared. But you must stare him in the eyes for five minutes without blinking or breaking down.
[Just standard employee testing, you know.]
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Daisuke looks up and down at the Ronald McDonald mannequin. He never had a problem with the character before, but for some reason, the mannequin reminds him of a menacing clown that he encountered in a nightmare. But it's okay, is what he keeps telling himself. At least this one won't move and doesn't have knives in his hands. Already a huge plus right there.
He stands in front of the mannequin and starts staring into its eyes.
... Ten seconds into the test and he feels like it's already difficult staring at anything without blinking for five minutes, but he keeps trying his best anyway. ]
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It's starting to feel a little unsettling... his expression on his face easily reflects that as he keeps staring.
... ... ...
He eventually reaches the five minute mark feeling the same throughout it all. ]
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Byakuya smirks while the siren noise comes to a stop.]
You survived. Congratulations.
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Thank you very much!
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Just as you stared that hellclown in the eyes, this job will require you to maintain eye contact with even the most unreasonable of customers.
You have now completed one step of the exam. Don't let it go to your head.
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What test is next?
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Before we move on to another test, tell me some more about yourself. Any skills or abilities you may have. Your goals and ambitions.
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I have good reflexes when I concentrate. I know how to pace myself once I figure things out and I'd like to say that I have a lot of... perseverance.
As for ambitions, I want to safely graduate from high school and attend college under an art program because it's what I wanted to do for a long time.
[ He wonders if that's a low standard for the former, but he certainly doesn't think so with how the city feels like it's changed after getting the app. ]
I wanted to work here so that I could help support someone that's like a brother to me. He's been working really hard to make ends meet at home, and while I do make money on the side with occasional commissions, it's not a steady income. I just want him to rest a little more often so that he doesn't burn out with everything that he has to do.
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I see. Those could prove to be fairly useful skills. [He doesn't sound to thrilled with them, but this boy seems to be more than meets the eyes.]
And your ambitions are a good start. Aiming for college and seeking to share the burden of breadwinning are respectable burdens to undertake. But what is your ultimate goal beyond that, when all is said and done?
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I want to show my parents that moving to another city away from them when I was 14 years old wasn't a mistake. That I learned something with all my experiences and that I can take care of myself.
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[He gets up and begins moving.]
Very well. Let's move on to the written test next.
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... Though, of course, he just waits on Byakuya to find out. ]
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-A set of printed papers
-A sharpened pencil
-a thing of particularly greasy french fries.]
This will be two tests in one. You will not only have to work on the test, but you will have to do it while eating french fries. Any answers that are obscured by grease will automatically be marked wrong. Are you ready to do your best?
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Just one question--what's the time limit for the test?
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[ Daisuke will now sit down and wait for Byakuya's cue to start the test with the pencil in his hand. ]
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[He sets off the timer once more. And now on to the test! It's a pretty long series of questions, from questions about approaches to resolve problems in the workplace, to questions about fast food itself and McDonalds trivia.]
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