The spacious office was quiet, broken only by the occasional bubbling of the aquarium and the chuckles of a young man lounging on the couch, his legs thrown over the armrest. He was texting someone on his smartphone, giggling from time to time. The man flirting via SMS was Dennis Cooper.
Dennis held the position of deputy director at a large company called «Catwalk,» which specialized in creating prêt-à-porter designer clothing and selling it through its own network of boutiques scattered across the country. The current head of the company, which he had inherited from his father, who in turn got it from his grandfather, was Leonard Matthews, and unfortunately, he had nearly ruined the family business. He didn’t realize when things had slipped away, but the company was in crisis.
Now Leonard Matthews was pacing in front of the panoramic window like a tiger in a cage. Then he stopped, shrugged off his dark jacket from his broad shoulders, and tossed it over the back of a chair. The man glanced at his best friend and, noticing his contented face, grimaced.
Grabbing a pen from the desk, the man accurately threw it at his forehead, hitting the target. «Hey!» Dennis protested. «What was that for? And why are you so happy? I couldn’t take it, Matthews! Have I been talking to myself for a whole hour? Did you even hear me?» Dennis rubbed his forehead, sighed, and shifted to a sitting position.
He set his phone aside, turning his attention back to his friend and boss. «Of course I heard you. I’ve been listening to you for months now.
Yes, your designers were poached abroad, and they also sabotaged a couple of shows, taking the collections with them.» He recalled. «But I thought you found a way out.
Merging with a Japanese company that will take us to a new level, right? And Asia is trending like never before. All these chingachgooks from BTS, anime fans, samurais, they’re at the peak of popularity, such a collab will bring our catwalk worldwide fame.» «BTS are Koreans, not Japanese,» Leonard corrected his friend.
«Whatever. The main thing is you found a way out, Lenny. Your dad couldn’t even dream of a contract with the Japanese.
Especially with the leader of the Eastern fashion industry, Takahashi. No one has managed that, no one. He hasn’t been to the USA since his youth, and you made contact with him.
So why are you sour and stressing again?» Dennis grumbled and then made an understanding grimace. «Ah, because of Allison, right?» — upon hearing the name of his fiancée, or rather, ex-fiancée, Leonard rubbed his forehead, as if trying to smooth out the wrinkles that appeared there. «No, I mean, actually yes, everything could go down the drain because of her,» the man said in a sharp tone.
«You know how long I’ve been negotiating with Makoto Takahashi. I communicated with him personally, winning him over. I invited him to the USA.
He admitted that he misses it and considers our country a treasure trove of traditions, family values, which he holds so dear. His mother is American, he even lived here before, and then moved to Japan. And he hasn’t returned since.
I promised him ballet, an excursion to historical sites.» «And what? What’s the problem?» — Dennis yawned. «Have we stopped showing Swan Lake? Have the swans run out, flown south?» Matthews wasn’t in the mood for jokes.
He leaned his hands on the desk, shaking his head with its thick dark chestnut hair. «The thing is, he values traditions above all,» Lenny said through gritted teeth. «And he won’t enter into business relations with a young bachelor, he has this quirk.
Maybe it’s from his childhood, I don’t know. Makoto was raised by his mother, they had a lot of problems, he didn’t know his father for a long time. Or maybe he’s a child of the Olympics or something?» — Dennis suggested with a smirk.
Matthews shrugged. «No idea, but the fact remains. He loves his wife, his children very much, appreciates those who share his views.
He’s coming here with his wife, and I’ve already promised to introduce him to my fiancée, even invited him to the wedding. If I tell him the wedding is off because my fiancée cheated on me, I don’t know if he’ll want to sign the contract. But he can’t cancel everything just because your fiancée turned out to be loose?» — Dennis was indignant.
«And it’s not like you cheated on her. Maybe the situation even works in your favor. The Jap will pity you, the poor abandoned guy, and seal the deal.»