《Another Ordinary World is Pink?!》 Chapter 1: Another Ordinary Day at the Office Chapter One: The alarm on his cellphone suddenly went off, as it buzzed incessantly on the night stand next to the bed. I was still groggy as I had just been caught unsuspectingly by the alarm. I woke up startled from the alarm to see that the time on the display showed that it was already 8 o¡¯clock in the morning. The panic of sleeping in for an extra hour than I had originally planned made me forget the already fading dream I was having just before. I couldn¡¯t believe I slept through the alarm for the past hour. Still not wanting to get up, I sat back in bed trying to remember the dream since it felt like it was really good one. Then the alarm went off again, shaking the heavy thoughts on my mind. Angrily looking at the cellphone, I thought I turned off the alarm a moment ago. Stupid, I must have hit snooze instead. The thoughts of the dream disappeared, just a grey feeling that it might have been something good. In the end I sighed longing to have good dreams that seem to be so few. ¡°Especially since reality is such a nightmare, it haunts me even in my sleep a lot,¡± I muttered groggily in complaint to the mirror as I brushed up my hair a bit. I was thinking I couldn¡¯t come to work looking bad, especially since I am the editor in chief to the biggest newspaper in the city. No matter how late I will be, just to keep face to the business is the only thing I hold at utmost importance. It¡¯s better to be very late then to come in quickly to the office right out of bed especially with nasty bed head that I usually get. I got to the office a little exhausted with a bit of a head ache that was growing since waking up late. I look at the calendar by habit, even though I already knew that today was busy with meetings. I had planned all the meetings ahead of time after all. I even gave myself a week to prepare for them, so I breathed a soft sigh as I felt that I will be ready. What has been giving me the real-life nightmare was the numbers as I look at the budget plans again. ¡°No news is always bad news in newspaper business. I can¡¯t believe it has declined so much! Even the advertisements in the newspapers don¡¯t cover the costs! The business has been in the red for two years now, and there seems to be no end in the pit of debt that keeps getting deeper,¡± I said to my friend who happens to have come to visit my office every once in a while. He shrugged to say, ¡°Come on. You know even though I am your friend, I don¡¯t read it except for the times you hand me a free copy at the door. I just don¡¯t have the time to read it. In fact I might even come by your office less. After all, you know I have been a married man for two years. She will think I am cheating if I am missing so much.¡± I sighed. I was thinking to myself a bit. What a geezer he talks so much without pause, I bet he didn¡¯t even listen to what I was saying. Well, there are all kinds of friends, and sometimes ones who come by even if they don¡¯t listen are sometimes the best. I watched as he walked out of the office without so much as a good-bye, no wait he may have said good-bye. I stopped paying attention to his rambling conversation; I am too worried about work to actually listen to his gossip. Ugh, here I was thinking he didn¡¯t listen to me. Oh, well. I see the secretary walk in with stacks of paperwork that were dropped precariously on top of the already surmounting documents that was previously left on the desk. I couldn¡¯t even tell the desk was made out of rich red oak wood anymore as it was covered in white sheets of paper and computer cables. I actually missed seeing the simple red oak wood desk that lacked all the stupid stuff cluttering it. Why is it that as the deficit keeps getting deeper, the paperwork that comes with the bankruptcy is getting higher. I glare at the paperwork vehemently, hoping they would combust half-heartedly. Nope, think positive. Well I guess even if it did combust, it would not solve anything. It would probably mean loads more paperwork to do. Now looking at the paper work with renewed vigor, surely it¡¯s an enemy much like the dreaded hydra! Especially since it seems that it multiplies so, when one sheet is gone then nine more comes in to replace it. Well, I guess I will have to fight on! The only way to fight this beast is with the trustworthy pen. I start filling the paper work when I suddenly realized that I lost track of time. I look at the clock, I sighed. I can¡¯t believe I spent two hours filling out paper work, and it¡¯s not even close to being finished. I get up to get away from the endless words that have been making my eyes swim and tear up. I decided it¡¯s best to get something to eat before the meeting. I look at the staff room where there was company provided donuts, fruits, and drinks. As they were company provided, that means it¡¯s really coming out of my pocket as an incentive to the employees. I grimaced a little thinking about it, but it was one thing that can¡¯t be cut from the budget as it really was popular to the employees. Most company benefits were already cut since five years ago, however this one stayed as appeasement to the strike that occurred due to benefit cuts. Maybe I could get the employees to agree to less company purchase of donuts and coffee. Ask them to stick with company purchase of water and fruits only? I didn¡¯t mean to be such a penny pincher, but the budget is bad. I knew that even if I got the food and drink costs down it would still be in the red. I start eating the donuts, knowing it¡¯s eating my money I might as well enjoy it. I grab an apple and a water bottle to take back to my office. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.I kept my eye on the clock more closely, planning on finishing more of the paper work before the meeting. Since I was looking at the clock, of course even the second hand seems so slow! It¡¯s a miracle time is moving at all when watching the clock, twenty minutes is like an eternity. I didn¡¯t get as far as I hoped with the paper work, half wishing to hire someone to do it. Then again, no money available to hire the extra hand needed. I am working as much as five people for this company, no at least ten! I am working over nights, weekends, and holidays trying to keep the city¡¯s only newspaper publishing afloat! There were five smaller local newspapers, however they have failed to keep up the publishing costs and went under five years ago. I look at the picture of my father I kept, the owner of the newspaper publishing before me. The noise and the business seemed alluring to a young kid, it¡¯s all my old man¡¯s fault for taking me to work! Now I¡¯m trying to take on this impossible task of keeping the company stay in business if just a little longer. I would find it a pity to lose the newspaper company, especially since it¡¯s the last one in this city. I don¡¯t hate that I ended up working myself too hard for the sake of the newspaper business. It¡¯s not because of my dad either, it¡¯s because I truly think it would be sad for the town to lose another piece of its history. I remember when I was younger that a building that was by the river, it seemed in good enough condition. The nice iron gates around it and the gutters were made out of copper that has corroded to a jade colored green. The edifice was a work of art with its wreathed copper framing the round windows as well as copper gargoyles on the gutters rims. There were leafed columns that held a certain pride at the front of the building with marble steps. The building wasn¡¯t able to sell for fifty years, so it was torn down and the copper from the building was melted down and estimated to be worth $20 million. I was really sad then, however I could only express it with anger back then. I was moody, feeling that if only I had the money to buy the house then maybe it could have been a historical site since it was around so long. It was in fact in line to be a historical building, but the money to buy the house was too much for the city¡¯s historical society to take it. I was always attached to history, whether it was coins, buildings, or newspapers. The moment I was able to share a piece of my father¡¯s history by working my way into my father¡¯s newspaper publishing, becoming the newspaper editor to the city¡¯s largest newspaper was exciting. However, the burden became a bit much when I had become the owner of the publishing company, so I took the second seat as editor in chief. Yet how come the burden doesn¡¯t seem less when I am the editor in chief, where the heck is the editor at? I look at some paperwork on the desk that should¡¯ve been filled out by my boss; in fact most of them should have been done a month ago! It doesn¡¯t seem like the work has become less at all since taking second seat, it grows even more! I should have thought it through better on who was going to become the editor! It¡¯s not like the editor is totally useless, nor completely irresponsible. Just that he doesn¡¯t seem to be at the office for long stretches of time, that¡¯s all! A vein was ready to pop as I thought about what trip he may be going to under company expenses, which was my own pocket money. It is necessary for company trips, but it still made me bitter to no end. I better not hear where he¡¯s gone now is all that I had in mind. It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t fire him; it¡¯s just that he¡¯s actually not a terrible person. I know it¡¯s just my personal feelings of pains that have deluded my ideas of his good intentions for the company. Of course the jealousy that it feels like he had the better cut of the deal in the end, while I get all the breaks has left me in a dark mood for a while that it has been a part of my character to have a permanent grimace on my face. Now then it¡¯s about time for my meeting; in fact it should be one of the last meetings. Since I am filing bankruptcy, it should be no surprise to the employees, but as official business it must be spoken instead of letting rumors circulate anymore. Yep, no going back once I file the bankruptcy, I would have avoided this if I could. I failed again, this time is it my fault that another part of the town¡¯s history will be gone? Was it inevitable, or was there a way that I missed too keep this business afloat? No, I overworked myself too much; I should rest for a while after claiming bankruptcy. I could live with a friend for a little bit until I could get back on my feet again, it¡¯s not like I am too old to get another job. At least I don¡¯t feel old, but then again I don¡¯t think much of my age anymore. Yet, if I had a chance to save this business, I know I would take it! I gave my life and love to this business, might as well go in and give my soul for it too? I half-heartedly laugh thinking that such thought was stupid and was only joking, yet. Nah, I shouldn¡¯t have such thoughts or it might summon worse luck! I heard a knock at the office door causing me to be disturbed, maybe it¡¯s too late and bad luck has already come? Chapter 2: Another Ordinary Stranger? Chapter 2: I hear knock on the door again. I heard a sudden loud slam of the door, but I didn¡¯t look up from my paperwork to see who walked in. That¡¯s the last thing I remember, or so I thought when I woke up. I looked around the room, to find that I am on a bed in an unfamiliar and rather plain bedroom. Why am I here? How did I get here? My thoughts feel like they were jumbled like I was waking up in a middle of a dream. The meeting! I was doing paperwork before the meeting, how did I end up here then! I didn¡¯t realize someone else was in the room, until a girl surprised me by leaning over the bed into my face. Wait! I recognize that face, the last thing I remember was being in the office and her! ¡°You!¡± I said in a slightly angered voice, ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Ah! So you recognize this pretty face that you haven¡¯t seen in two weeks! I am so happy, since you only saw this face for a few minutes! Don¡¯t you love the fact that a sweet little girl was waiting for you to wake up?¡± she responded in slightly teasing and innocent manner. Two weeks? It feels like I saw her just a few moments, did I lose two weeks of memory? Or was I out for two whole weeks, that would be surprising yet, if it¡¯s true a slight fear settles in feeling that the cause was her. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get angry about losing two weeks! I am sorry, it should have been less than an hour,¡± she mumbled quickly and apologetically adding, ¡°It was supposed to be less than an hour, if it wasn¡¯t some meddlesome plots here and there that were added last minute which caused me some problems.¡± Plots? What are you mumbling about? I gave a blank stare, trying to wonder if she secretly drugged me that was only supposed to knock me out an hour that ended up being out for a few weeks by accident. ¡°Oh come on, you can¡¯t possibly forget what happened before coming here,¡± she asked worriedly, ¡°Did you really not comprehend the situation that you have readily accepted! If you were ignorant, why did you accept on your own volition?¡± I accepted being drugged, but I don¡¯t think I was drugged? I don¡¯t remember anything before waking up! No, wait I slowly organized my thoughts remembering what happened that almost seemed like a dream from long ago. It all started when there was a knock on the door! ----------------------------------- two weeks ago--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I heard a knock on the door again, then a sudden slam of the door. I didn¡¯t look up from my paperwork to see who it is. I was surprised and slightly annoyed by the sudden intrusion. I was peeved since the person came in before I gave the invitation to come in, which my opinion was beyond rude. I ignored the person who came in as I continue working on the paperwork trying to get ready for the meeting to tell the staff that the newspaper is filing bankruptcy. It was inevitable, so I might as well prepare the employees at today¡¯s meeting to expect the worse. I look up to check the time, but instead of looking at the clock on the wall my eyes strayed to the forgotten person sitting in front of me. Ha, I guess she isn¡¯t a vampire or fairy if she came in without invitation, but doesn¡¯t rule out demon I joked as I thought who inhuman the silence was. She didn¡¯t say a word since coming in, and since she was so quiet and motionless as she sat in the chair in front of the desk I even forgot she existed! Rather isn¡¯t it too quiet! She didn¡¯t even seem annoyed that she was ignored, rather is she used to being forgotten?! Needless to say I was surprised that it was a stranger in my office, as I know that U had no appointment for today. My secretary is rather good at setting appointments. She is quite the strict by the book personality, which I find it okay even if it was extreme enough to be considered a fault. She is the kind that would make even the president set up an appointment three days in advance as it was company policy for no walk ins which the secretary upholds like it was a divine mission. I wanted to ask how she got in here, especially since she looked a little too young to look for employment, appearance wise she must be still in high school. Before I could, she finally spoke, ¡°You are probably wondering how I got here. The secretary was sick, and so was her replacement that is her daughter. So, it was easy to get in here.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.I raised an eyebrow, I went right to the office so I didn¡¯t notice that the secretary wasn¡¯t here, and no wonder the replacement had such a similar personality! I don¡¯t know if it is more surprising that a personality like the secretary had a daughter! Ugh and that makes myself feel even more lonely! Never mind, I don¡¯t care anymore. I let out a sigh. I was going to tell her that I didn¡¯t have time to ¡®play¡¯ with her as I have a meeting that I have set up. When, again she spoke interrupting my thoughts. ¡°I am sure you are busy. But, hear me out for fifteen minutes!¡± she asked in a rather hurried tone, ¡°I know that you have some financial problems, and I am sure I can get some help from an ¡®author¡¯ who will be willing (maybe) to write you a happy ending. I don¡¯t know what kind of the ending be though, usually something half-assed plot. Maybe aliens or earth magnetic waves that will cause all electronics to work so printing will be the main source of news!¡± I was going to respond how does that having an author writing fiction help, and the fact that electronics is used in the newspaper process so the last choice would be definitely bad and would be against the idea of aliens as it sounds horrifying! She rushed talking faster, ¡°Look, I was chosen as a narrator for your story. As the ¡®author¡¯ is a lazy one, the position of ¡®co-author¡¯ was conferred with me to finish the story how I please. With that, I can help you have the means to have your business back and running, as money isn¡¯t a problem for me unlike most authors. However, if you want help with your business it obviously needs more than just money to keep it running.¡± I was not getting anything that she was saying as she talked too fast, but from what I got was that she was a wealthy author and narrator. So I quickly tried to stop her from saying anymore by raising my hands in defeat. ¡°Look, what are you saying? I know that this business is going bankrupt? Why would you want to help, and what price for your help since obviously you were saying money isn¡¯t it. Even more obviously, as I can¡¯t offer money with the bankruptcy looming,¡± I questioned quite crossly as I felt that there was going to be catch. It would too good to be true for me to have enough funds to run the business, especially when even banks have started to refused in accepting loans! I didn¡¯t want to hear a fairy tale story from some high schooler, not even as a prank. If I could save this business, I would¡¯ve already! ¡°Hmm. So you are listening now?¡± She asked calmly smiling quite devilishly, ¡°Then here¡¯s the deal I will tell you what, if what you truly wish is to save your company it can be done. I say it can be done only if you are willing to be of use to me, as you are (unfortunately) the main character left to me by the lazy author. I can¡¯t stand this stupid boring office life of yours that the lazy author left off with! Really, bankrupt the business already, who cares! Ah, I mean. I will help with a happy ending to your boring life, if you are willing to help me make an interesting story!¡± I wondered if the girl was crazy, but if she really was really rich. No, can I really accept such I good offer? If it¡¯s just trying to help an author with writer¡¯s block, then I guess who else to go then a newspaper publisher? Hmmm, maybe she really was really smart to come to a newspaper for inspiration. Ah, now I get! That¡¯s what it must be. Even the greatest writer¡¯s needs inspiration when writer¡¯s block is at its worst. ¡°So I help you with making an interesting story, you will save the company?¡± I asked with a wide smile at the thought that this may still be too good to be true. But, even if it¡¯s the slimmest of hope, why not at least take the unexpected chance? ¡°So you accept then? This will be so much fun. Then there¡¯s no problem if we start now?¡± She asked happily with a smile that could have swallowed my heart as she clapped happily. I barely heard a voice, that I think was hers. It was low, but it sounded like she said that my safety was not guaranteed. ------------------------------------- Present ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°Done with your flashback already? Thought it would be longer!¡± she responded with a wide smile that I saw once before. I sighed as I put my hand to my head, I still don¡¯t get what¡¯s going on though! How was that flash back even supposed to help! Sigh. Sigh anymore and my soul will escape if the legend is true. Maybe she is a demon after all! Ch 3: Another Ordinary Body? Chapter 3: Another Ordinary Body? ¡°So after the whole flash back thing, guess as the narrator I should at least say some stuff about myself,¡± she said to me. Who cares about you, what about my situation right now? ¡°Well as you could tell, I am a normal high schooler,¡± she continued ignoring my glare, ¡°Sigh, fine my name is unnecessary, but you should know that I will be invisible to this new world as a narrator. But, I am allowed to show myself to you (the main character) as well as explain situations. However, I don¡¯t feel like talking to you at all. Just a little warning, I am v-e-r-y sorry that I could not find a suitable body for you in this new world. The body should be okay, maybe? Of course, you will realize more about that, but you are too groggy to understand anyways. So bye~ bye~!¡± The girl disappeared in thin air suddenly, leaving what she said to sink in. What do you mean by new world? No wait, you couldn¡¯t find a suitable body? Does that mean it¡¯s not even human? I dismissed that thought as I was about to get up, looking as the hands and body were normal. No wait, am I a guy? I am pretty sure, that is there! That devilish girl made me worried that I wasn¡¯t human! This must mean that she was hinting this! The problems of the toilet, I didn¡¯t want to think of that. I leaned back into the bed thinking of all the gender bender stories I love reading, but is it really wasn¡¯t fair to the character at all! Then a loud bang of the door disturbed me, it scared me thinking of the last time I heard the slam of the door. Three girls were hanging in front of the door quarreling with each other when an older girl stepped in saying, ¡°Brother! Get up already, you will be late for school! Also, did you forget that you have to help make your siblings breakfast as parents are overseas!¡± I sighed wondering the situation I got into. The older sister gathered the siblings out to shut the door. Alone again, however I had a feeling that the annoying narrator is around. I decided to drop the idea of asking anything aloud as it may sound a tad crazy if I was talking to myself. Of course I wanted to at least access my current situation; luckily there was a full body mirror. I looked at myself, but didn¡¯t recognize anything as being a part of my old self. It was too different, I looked much younger. Obviously if I am going to school that I am younger, but I really didn¡¯t like the thought of going to school again. That seems to be too much, even if it was easy courses! No, that demonic girl probably would not find it ¡®entertaining enough¡¯ if it was a normal school. I didn¡¯t want to think of it especially if gender bender was possible! This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.Even though the body was that of a younger male, the height was the same as the previous body. The hands and feet were bigger; the face was wider and sharper. The eyes were narrow, almost squinty looking. Honestly in my opinion even if it was a little vain, I looked like a tough, tall, cool looking guy. Since this body was good looking and stronger than my previous body it almost made me excited at the thought that this was my body. ¡°I would get to see this body every morning ~ehehe <3. ¡± No, that wasn¡¯t my thought! I looked around thinking I heard the narrator say something strange. No, must be my imagination. Before I could discard the thought, I realized of course it¡¯s not my imagination! I heard weird giggling noises and ¡°ehehe~ <3¡±. When doesn¡¯t the narrator say something strange! ¡°Brother, hurry up already! You shouldn¡¯t be late for the entrance exam tests!¡± the elder sister shouted up at the door. I couldn¡¯t help but shiver not knowing what was going to be beyond the door, it was the first time that I really was facing the unknown. The first time I was scared of what school exams would be, fearing that it may not jut be knowledge tests. No, it could still be a normal world. It¡¯s not like I saw magic yet, nope it could be normal. I couldn¡¯t shake the nervousness when I hear the ominous laughter of the narrator in my ear as she softly whisper ¡°Have fun~ ehehe~! There is plenty of f~u~n at school~. Don¡¯t forget you promised to make an i-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-i-n-g story, I will make sure you will keep that promise~.¡± Ch 4 Another World School Exams So before I knew it I was at the school auditorium with hundred students... As if! I kept getting lost and ended up somehow at the school well past three hours late. Only good thing was that after the first hour of getting lost the narrator seemed to vanish in the mean time, which barely saved my sanity from the giggling noise. I ended up safely finding the school gym where the exams wereoccuring, as I already missed out on the introductions in the auditorium. I found that there were still some people in the gym. As soon as I walked into the gym I was called out by the teacher to come to the center of the gym as the last student left. Before I could completely cross the gym a loud yell startled me as I turn around to see a young girl was come flying at me. "What the?" I cried out in shock by having someone coming at me. Cracks seemed to break across the floor as she seemingly sent flames and lava from the ground at me. "You devil king, I won''t let you live as long as I am alive! As part angel I wield holy flames, so fall before my strength!" shouted the silver haired girl with yellow eyes. I felt like I could have dodged the spiraling flames and spreading cracks, but felt that she was going out of control with her attacks. I quickly put up a magical barrier and cancelled the growing magic attacks as if they never happened. "what the heck..." I muttered, not knowing how I just reverted the gym back to normal. I also felt like I knew that the girl was not half angel, but in fact half demon as she summoned a hell fire attack. "You wouldn''t be able to do that magic again unconsciously, it would probably take a lifetime to learn how to do that... I had to help out a little so my new character doesn''t die so quickly," the narrator cautioned suddenly in my ear,"But hey, as a bonus for such an excellent performance of magic that you have passed the exam. As a person who doesn''t know magic, you probably would have failed without help." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.I nodded slightly acknowledging the narrator''s words as I watch a teacher who took control of the situation by leading the girl out of the gym along with the others as another teacher came up to me. I notice that it''s just me and the teacher, as well as an annoying narrator somewhere around. "I guess you wouldn''t have needed a practical exam, after all you have lots of skills and experience. No worries, people probably would think she is crazy as she is always loud anyways. So your secret would be safe, most likely... After all how many years since you last appeared anyways?" the teacher smoothly responded as he bumped the shoulder playfully and walking away. I looked around trying to find the narrator, to my dismay to not see nor hear a single giggle. As I was the last in the gym I ended up being alone. "What do people think I am? How old do they think I am?" I asked aloud ready to cry at the thought that someone thinks I may be "possibly" old. And why the heck does the narrator disappears when I need answers? I thought I heard an ehehe* so thinking it was the narrator to swivel my head to see a short girl behind me. My younger sister who must have came over out of worry I guess. Well, that saves me from getting lost on my home.