CHAPTER 02

I thought I was the only one applying today, but there were many others. Those ahead of me were already in their interviews, while others were waiting to be called.

We were on the 3rd floor, lined up in an empty office for the interviews. A staff member was collecting our biodata, and then they would call us one by one. This was my first time, so I was really nervous.

I took a biscuit from my small black bag and ate it quickly. I suddenly got hungry. This happens when I’m nervous. I need to eat or chew something to calm my nerves. There were more than twenty applicants, and I could see the nervousness on the faces of my fellow applicants. I wanted to make friends, but they seemed to dislike me, so I ignored them to avoid seeing their glares. As if they were guaranteed the job because of their attitude?

Let’s see, we’re not in a position to brag and glare.

Especially since we’re on CCTV. I waved and made cute peace signs to let the CCTV monitor know I was kind and not grumpy. My fellow applicants saw me, and they gave me insulting smiles. Jealousy, huh.

We watched for the door to open, meaning the previous applicants’ interviews were finished. If they had sad faces, it meant they didn’t pass. Those with wide smiles had a chance of being hired and would be contacted by phone. Others had wide smiles when they left the room, and we thought they passed, but they didn’t. They were just happy because there were handsome guys inside, and it was their first time seeing the two young men, so they were thrilled.

Tsk, I don’t know what’s wrong with these women. Did they apply for work to see their boss every day if they got hired, or did they just apply to see handsome guys and didn’t care if they didn’t pass? What kind of mindset is that? Well, even if they didn’t pass, they got to see handsome guys for free. Handsome guys, my head, tsk.

I, on the other hand, was chill. If I get hired, great. If not, it’s okay, it’s tiring. I made an effort to look good, wear nice clothes that I bought from a thrift store, and even took a jeep to avoid ruining my makeup, even though my chest was squeezed because of how crowded it was earlier. That crazy driver and conductor, and I was also careful not to get my clothes dirty, so I had no choice but to ride the jeep, even though I had bad luck on the jeep earlier, and my butt almost became one fourth of the seat. That conductor was annoying. The “one more, one more” thing was irritating.

There were only ten applicants left waiting outside. I felt the urge to pee, so I decided to go since the line was long before my turn. I told the woman behind me that I was sitting in front of her, but she just glared at me. We’ll see who’s laughing when I pass, huh.

Since I really needed to pee, I turned around and walked away from them to find a restroom.

I pressed the elevator button when I got there, thinking there would be many restrooms downstairs, and if there were any on this floor, there would only be a few on the third floor. But I didn’t know where they were because there were no signs. I might get lost and wander around the third floor all afternoon because there were so many doors.

As I entered the elevator and pressed the button, the folder I was carrying fell, and some of my biodata and other papers with writing or certificates fell to the floor. At least I’ll have something to give if they ask for them during the interview.

“Haizt, what a day. Hopefully, this is the only bad luck, and later I’ll hear a big congratulations.” I talked to myself. There’s a saying, right? After the rain, the sun will shine. Just like my bad luck today. Hopefully, I’ll have good luck later.

I heard the elevator click, and I immediately stood straight and walked out without looking back, clutching my folder. I looked for the receptionist’s table in the building, where I asked earlier, to ask again where the toilet was, but no matter how much I looked around, I couldn’t find it. And why were there so few people here? Is this building new? Why is it so big if no one is renting or using the large space? That’s why, because I ended up on the fourteenth floor. I got lost. I pressed the wrong button. What bad luck.

“This life is a trip.”

I ignored it, and thankfully, while looking for the restroom, I saw a single restroom. In a hurry, I immediately went inside and into a cubicle. Even though I was surprised by the style of their restroom, I ignored it. What mattered now was relieving myself.

After doing my business, I immediately went out of the cubicle.

But I suddenly froze. There was a man in the restroom. I lowered my eyes, and I didn’t expect what I saw. My eyes widened as they went back to his face.

“Ahhh!” We both screamed.

“Who the hell are you?” he snapped, quickly zipping up. I closed my eyes while pointing at him, not knowing the right direction because I didn’t know if what I saw earlier was real or just his fist? It was long!

“Who are you? Are you harassing me? You’re so shameless!” I accused him.

“What? This is the men’s restroom. Why are you here?” I opened my eyes at his words. He was standing straight, looking me over.

“What? What men’s restroom?” I looked around, and he was right. This wasn’t a women’s restroom. It was different. So, I peed in the men’s room? The heck. And when I saw the sign on the back of the door, it was a drawing of a male sign, not a female one. Lord, forgive me. I didn’t mean to see that.

“What are you doing in the men’s restroom? Are you spying on us?”

“Spying? Hey! This face wouldn’t do that. No way. And why would I do that? First, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was here to pee while waiting for my turn at the job interview, and I think you are, too? We’re both applying for a job, am I right or wrong? So don’t accuse me. I might report you to the barangay. I’m close to our barangay captain!” I threatened him, hands on my hips.

He didn’t say anything and just looked at me, so I rolled my eyes and turned away.

“Excuse me, brother!”