"And I am ready to play the game, Sir!"
Ethan's body movements freezes momentarily— "You sure do have a foul mouth, don't you?"Shifting the weights between his feet, Ryan nurses to his consternation. Necessarily, a discomfiture keeps up pace; if he is to ask for pardon, or pretend that he never said such things, he is not sure.By the grace of Almighty, however, Ethan swerves, forbidding impractical gossips, "Anyway, take a look here!" He turns the electronic device for Ryan to be commanding a view upon it."What is this?" Ryan squints the pair of his eyes— before him now sits a fulgent white screen, and several bars embellished through in different colors, "Oh! Statistics?""Thank Heavens, you at least know what a statistic is," Ethan derides, "Of the past few years of LOVESICK'S services. Also, in that next slide, you can see the statistic for the past few months. In the next, of the past few weeks.""And in the next, of the past few days. Then the past few hours. Then the past few minutes and seconds too, right?" Ryan hardly credits, but a man needs to have a fiendish firmness of purpose if they wishes to be like 'The Ethan Smith'."You are talking to your boss, Mr. Miller," that is only a friendly reminder— friendly it is, right?"I apologize for being so rash," the younger brunette returns the electronic to whom it belongs, its original possessor, "But I really don't know what are you expecting me to do. And I am excessively hungry to think straight."Ethan, with his left elbow sagging against the backrest, he descends to aquire more bodily comfort, "For now, only tell me what do you think of those datas?"Is it another devious stratagem of Ethan's? Ryan indeed needs to be extremely vigilant, "Huh?" Unsure, he questions."Why? It's probably the simplest question I have asked you so far," Ethan chuckles, "Losen up.""Well…what is there for me to say?" Ryan ponders, brooding quite a few times over what his response should be, before he prepares an answer, on top of that, a suitable one, "The statistics speak for themselves, I mean.""I want to hear it from you," Ethan speaks inscrutable."Well, I'm not going to say anything new, since the datas, that bars and the pie chart, all reflects the stable progress and with success in itself. My opinion is very same. LOVESICK, just as the datas state, had been very successful in the past few years, since its inauguration and I believe it will continue to be so," Ryan answers— undeterred by Ryan's spared attempts to give a technical answer, he winds up again following the tracks of his purest heart."That is all?" Ethan raises an eyebrow."Apparently yes. In case you are wanting to hear particularly about something, please specify it," before his superior can attack with his stupid 'ethics' again, Ryan justifies himself, "You asked me to losen up."Ethan nods, "The statistics do tell a lot about LOVESICK. But they of course don't tell everything," he then straightens himself, "How much do you know about the app, if I may ask?""I have surfed a number of browsers, including LOVESICK'S own, of course, and to my disappointment, nowhere I can find a suitable article on it," Ryan begins to fidget with his diffident fingers, "So if you are asking me about its history or anything similar, I'm afraid I won't be able to say much.""Why the hell would I ask about my own dating app's history from a stranger?" Ethan dissolves, "I am asking your thoughts about LOVESICK.""Oh," Ryan exclaims, "Then I must say that I am madly in love with your dating app's motto," the boy puts his forefingers up in the hollowness, and curls them to finger quote his words, "LOVESICK: 'Where sick souls are healed'"A spiteful simper seeps from Ethan, "Do you know what that means?"Ryan has his own explanation, but he is convinced that is not corresponding to Ethan's ideologies whatsoever— "I don't know. You tell me."Ethan scornfully begins, "Every person who falls in love, or is in love, or finds themselves in a ravaged thing like love, are all sick! Completely sick. Their souls are sick. Their minds are sick. They are sick," the ravenette glares at Ryan, "And LOVESICK heals them. LOVESICK reinstates the long forgotten conscience in them.""Conscience?""Conscience towards themselves. It kindles a self consciousness that an individual is always and shall be one's first and one's last priority," Ethan asserts, paramount, "It reminds every user that they are worthy, and not to be trampled by anyone else, even if emotionally.""That is what you call a conscience?" Ryan reiterates, "Let me ask you from your business perspective, then. If you abhor the idea of love so much, who asks or complies you to run a dating app, of everything? Your qualifications are one of a kind. You have done your MBA from a renowned institution. You can easily do anything else if you wish to. Then why do you have to look after an app you don't understand the genuine feelings about?"Ethan stands from his place— soon guaranteeing Ryan about his doom, or so what Ryan thinks."You think I want to?"Ryan stares agape, "I don't think anything.""This will sound like I am nagging," Ethan fishes for the lighter in his denim jacket, "Please pass me that cigeratte packet in front of you, Mr. Miller."Obeying, Ryan provides the mediocre box of menthol cancer sticks, "Here."Ethan, carefully films around his packet of cigarettes, and smacks the pack filter-side down on the heel of his palm rapidly, roughly about a minute, "Thank you," he greets, then pulling a cigeratte out and bearing it in between his teeth."Well, so?" Ryan can not help but yearn to dive deeper into Ethan's mind, "Why do you do it if you don’t desire to?""You see Mr. Miller, being born as the only child does put a lot of pressure on you," the elder bloke holds the filter end of his cigeratte to the lips, and puffs it by inhaling gently into his own mouth, "And to top it all off, when you're a cut-throat one."Ryan sneaks a glance, features twisting, "I…don't get you.""In simpler words, I am very obsessed with the thought of winning. And I will do anything it takes to defeat the person who dares to challenge me, the Ethan Smith!" He inhales deeply, allowing the smoke to 'purify' his thoughts."You don't mean to say you are solely looking after LOVESICK, because it was a bet or something?" Ryan catches on fast."That is exactly what I am meaning to say. Someone blatantly humiliated me infront of a hall filled of people saying I am incompatible! I need to get back to him, don't I?" Ethan then exhales a huge cloud of smoke in the air, upwards, "I hope you do not mind me smoking. If you do, please excuse yourself for a while.""I don't mind," Ryan interjects, "But you sure are not very docile. I don't know who challenged you or what this whole thing is about but I only want to say that, even if it is only a business or a bet to you, please don’t demean others' incorruptible emotions or feelings."Another extensive drag from his cigeratte— and silence scatters."Sir?" Ryan's heart thumps."Hm?""Did I say something…wrong?""Did I say something…wrong?"Ryan nervously shuffles the weight from his feet to feet. Right now he feels like crawling into a hole and disappearing completely without a trace— when will he learn to check his phrases before babbling them?Ethan holds his cigarette over the ashtray, gently tapping the ashes into it, "Mr. Miller, it is indeed not going to be easy working with you," he lets a toned down chuckle follow, "But don't worry, I am not the kind to be offended over anything and everything.""Is that so?" Ryan's fluttering eyes shift away, with the indistinct chatter attending his lips, "Did not seem like, although.""Did you say something?" Ethan asks, walking over to his desk. "No, no," Ryan immediately shakes his head a 'no', denying breathing a word, "I was just talking to myself about some very insignificant things. Don't worry about it.""Okay. So, shall we get back to work now?" As the ravenette finishes smoking, he checks if the cigarette ember is completely out and dispo
Ryan had only tossed and turned the previous night, mind racing with the anticipation of what lay ahead— barely getting any sleep at all.By the time he had returned, Ryan had lost his appetite, thus neither did he bother nor was he keen on treating himself to any proper meal; Lillian's skillful preparations were long forgotten, forsaken even. Ryan retired to his bed as soon as he had got shut off of his mocha hued blazer, and its complimentary trousers— everyone other than his step father had gone to bed, the clock said 7.30 p.m. When Mr. Miller had tried to approach his son, Ryan dissolved all of the inquiries of his elder, putting it away to be dealt with some other time, when Ryan would feel the need to participate, actively, in their conversation— and with an empty stomach he headed to bed, curling into a ball beside his passed out brother Lilian, trying to catch some sleep…to no avail. Now, the dreadful day had arrived— Ryan blinks his eyes at the blaring alarm clock that inc
"Who said you can leave?" Ethan slams over his desk. Ryan knows he can take some time to process, but before that, he needs to panic first. "Can't you hear me, you fool?"Ryan grumbles, there is no good business in trying to get his boss mad and suffer the consequences following, that too resulting from Ryan's purest of intentions, "I-""Shut up," Ethan is clearly pissed off, "Stop giving nonsense explanations now and come over here! I have a task for you. Right now," he hisses, "And please do keep in mind that you can come here sometimes by your own choice and as per efficiency, but can never leave by your own choice. Is that clear?"Ryan strays from the direction he was heading towards, turning around, submitting himself to the overseer, waltzing his way back to where he had been when he first entered inside through those monstrous glass panels, "Okay, okay. I am Sorry," he yields. "I have to go examine a location. It is just within a walking distance," Ethan trails off, "And you
"Ryan, I am sorry! Please open your eyes. Please. . ."Ethan's heart drops, seeing Ryan slump to the floor in a heap. With quick reflexes, Ethan catches him before he hits the ground, and lays him carefully against the wall of the elevator. Ryan's face is utterly wishy-washy."What should I do now?" Ethan's lips move silently as his mind races, lost in the inner turmoil of his thoughts. Mr. Haughty, deviates, runs his fingers through Ryan's hair. "Ryan, can you hear me? Ryan?"There is no response from Ryan."Ryan, can you hear me?" Ethan asks, leaning over him— his own breathing slightly deepens. "Ryan, stop this joke already!!" The adult's pursuit in reviving his personal assistant are all held to be ineffective. Ethan's breath quickly escalates, shallow and taxing, "Ryan…I…" he huffs, "...can't breathe too," his elbow serpents, coiling Ryan's stagnant neck, "What the hell is this net…" words are pulped into Ethan's inevitable wheezes. The smoke is growing stronger per passing min
"...but you also have the audacity to lie to your temporary boss?"Ryan is left to contemplate Ethan's earlier words, he finds himself speechless, unable to conjure up even a word of defence. Ethan, seizing upon the opportunity, presses him further, "Yes?" Asking for an explanation. "I am not entirely sure I am comprehending your accusations too well," bewildered, Ryan appears, responding with an air of uncertainty, "Of course I lie, just like any other human being does. But, I have yet to recall a moment when I have lied to you especially."Ethan, unsatisfied, pivots his laptop around to face Ryan, pressing him on the evidence, "Then what are these, Mr. Miller? These ideas…are you suggesting that you did not send them?"Squinting at the screen with fierce intensity, Ryan leans in— his heart sinks with the realisation that Ethan is right. His very own e-mail, with the subject line, 'Few Brainstormed Ideas' is staring back at him, a damning piece of evidence against what he is claimin
"What are you suggesting?"Ryan stands his ground, and he stands tall, his voice erupting with conviction. He brings his truth to the room, "Profile pictures should not be a necessity. Instead, we should conduct confidential background checks on users, just of their relevant information, to verify their real identities. Only the most trustworthy LOVESICK employees should handle this process to ensure proper verification."The older man arches his brow, intrigued, "And how exactly will this benefit us?""Pardon me, but this is not about us, it has never been," Ryan inhales deeply, his heart racing…from the depths of his soul, "It is about love. It has always been about love. Love is too sacred to be reduced to a mere physical appearance. We cannot compromise on love. Not now, not ever.""Hmm," the ravenette gentleman scoots forward, eyes flashing with curiosity, "Without profile pictures, how will they match, though?"The brunette youth looks thoughtful, his gaze distant— he had always,
Dark. Whether it had always been scary, or had always been soothing…depended. Ryan, however, was more into the amalgamation of dark and strands of scattered light. He says it is calming. Ryan, stationed by a wide open window, with a desk placed directly in front, finds himself seated in a chaotic display of scattered papers. In the aftermath of the chaos that unfolded at The Raven's Meal, Ethan's security personnel proved their reliability, resulting in the CEO granting the brunette a well deserved break.Ever since that fateful first day as Ethan Smith's assistant, Ryan has been tirelessly toiling away, devising strategies to compensate for the losses incurred. If Ryan were to be completely honest, he views LOVESICK as an application designed to mend broken souls— as per its name claims; it is supposed to heal sick souls with…love, albeit in a manner distinct from his boss's explanation…"those who are in love, are sick," the brunette remembers word for word oh so well!In Ryan's perc
In certain instances, Ryan's superior can display a great deal of true unpredictability, causing Ryan to question, stammering, "Wh- what's the matter?""Please excuse me," the older individual retrieves his device, indicating, "I must take care of something immediately first."Ryan takes a few steps backwards, distancing from the chairs, "Calm down," Ethan appears to be guarding a secret, not wanting anyone else to discover it, whatever it may be, but concealing it nonetheless. Further, Ryan adds, "I've learned how to operate desktops and laptops while in school, so rest assured that I won't accidentally delete any of your important files. In any case, I believe that you have backups.""That's not the real issue…" Ethan hastily clicks away at the keyboard, keeping whatever he is working on out of sight from the another pair of eyes towering. "I also don't have the habit of snooping around," Ryan's face breaks into an embarrassed pulp, "Just thought I would mention it.""Can you pleas