How Should Lesbian Stories End?

Belle

Dearest Readers,

Hello everyone! This is a work of fiction. I don’t really have any idea how to run a publishing company, or how manga was published. I just assume that this is how a manga publishing company works. So excuse my playful mind here. Thank you so much and enjoy it!

Yours truly,

Iris (thehellusername)

--

“Guys, I have some good news to tell you.” Mr. Woods said and clapped his hands in an attempt to get the attention of her employees.

Mr. Henry Woods was a 55-year-old man who established the XX Manga Publishing Company 20 years ago. Even though he is already 55, he is still a very good looking man at his age. He looks only 45, what a magnificent genes.

Everyone look in Mr. Woods’ direction waiting for him to spit the good news.  

“Okay, thank you so much for lending me some of your precious time. I just want to congratulate Belle, Vince, and Ynah, and everyone who became a part of making Ctrl+Alt (the title of a manga, lol). It was now the current number 1 in the list of Top-Selling Manga for the first half this year!”

Everyone clapped their hands, celebrating and congratulating Belle, the story writer, Vince, the manga illustrator, and Ynah the editor of the manga. Ctrl+Alt has been published two volumes and the third one will be the last volume for the said manga, which is what Belle, Vince, and Ynah’s keeping busy. It was the second manga that Belle wrote which ranked as number 1 in the top-selling manga chart since she starts being a writer at the age of 20.

“Thank you so much.” Belle whispered to her colleagues.

“And because of that, we’ll celebrate tonight. Let’s eat somewhere, all on me!”

Everyone rejoices, excited at the upcoming feast later. Belle, Vince, and Ynah were overwhelmed at the news and the compliments from their colleagues. Especially, Belle, she was so overwhelmed since it was now her second time. She’s becoming more driven to do more and write excellent storylines because of the news.

“Okay, okay. Guys, let’s get back to normal. For now, let’s continue the work and save the celebration later.”

Everyone obeyed and enthusiastically came back to work, looking forward to the celebration later.

“I knew you’re going to nail that chart.”

Her best friend, Alexa whispered to her. Belle just smiled and mouthed her thanks to her best friend then continued what she’s doing.

I’m so grateful to God and to Mr. Woods who gave me this opportunity. My mind was now not yet absorbing the news. It was too much for me.

--

“Everyone cheers!”

Mr. Woods said as he raised her drink for a toast.

Everyone cheered, rejoiced, and celebrated. Eat and drink in a responsible manner.

The table was full of foods, there are grilled, fried, and more. They are regular here and even though they are pretty loud every time they come here, the owner is just letting them since they never cause chaos.

“All right everyone, I need to tell you something before the drink gets into your brains.”

Mr. Woods stood up and put down his drink on the table. He put his hands on his waist and wait for everyone to calm down and listen to him.

“I’m retiring.”

Mr. Woods said in a calm voice while exchanging looks at everyone. Groans were heard on the table. Obviously, they don’t want Mr. Woods to quit the company. Mr. Woods was loved by everyone, he’s a great old man and a boss. He’s considerate and very kind to his employees.

“But why Mr. Woods?”

“Yeah, why? You’re still young Sir. You can still nail the company.”

Mr. Woods raised her two hands and motion for everyone to calm down and listen to him.

“Thank you everyone for your so-called-compliments but those won’t trigger a raise if that’s what you want. Let’s get a little serious here. Everyone, you see, I’m now 55 years old and I want to spend my remaining time in this world with my wife. I want to travel around the world with my wife, now that we still have the strength to.”

Groans were continued being heard at the long table.

“Then who will be our new boss Sir?”

“My daughter.”

“You have a daughter Sir?”

Henry Woods laughed at Vince's question as if Vince ask the stupidest question in the world.

“Of course, I have a 30-year old daughter and a 33-year old son.”

“Oh. We never knew Sir. Then where are them? Mrs. George Woods is the only one who visits you at the company.”

Henry heaved a sigh, he sits down and clasped his hands then put it on the table.

“Well, my son was a carefree guy, he doesn’t have any interest in manga or at least managing a company. So I just let him do his thing. Anyways, he’s a painter and now traveling around the world.”

“Are you referring to the notable Emmanuel Woods, Sir?”

Alexa asked the excitement was can be heard in her voice.

“I never knew my son was famous as this.”

“Of course Sir, he really is a good painter and a very good looking guy. Very hot, may I add.”

“Sounds like you have your hots on him.”

Vince joked and everyone laughed out loud including Henry.

“Then should I introduce you?”

“That’s no fair Sir. You should introduce all of us, not only her.”

Ynah grumbled and Mr. Henry Woods just stifled a laugh.

“As much as I would like to do that but I barely see my son, only when it’s a holiday. So, it may be sad to turn down your request but I really can’t do anything about it.”

A couple of ‘Ooh’ was heard on the table but decided to just shrug off the topic.

“How about your daughter, Sir?”

“Well, my daughter. She’s in Japan. She’s living there since she was 10 years old and she’s also a manga artist since she was 16 but as time goes by, she lost her love for creating manga and suddenly stopped, now she’s just managing her uncle’s business there.”

Belle kept silent the whole evening. She’s just listening to her colleagues and Mr. Woods, talk about his family, the work, and such. Belle was never been good when it comes to alcoholic drinks, just one glass is enough for her to be tipsy and the second one will get her drunk but she can’t refuse the sudden cravings for alcoholic drinks tonight. After all, she wants to celebrate today’s achievement so she let herself get wasted.

“Guys, tomorrow my daughter will visit the company so I hope you all will be there at exactly 7:30 in the morning.”

It’s exactly 8:30 in the evening when they decided to end the celebration and go to their doing respective homes.

Belle’s home was 3 stations far from home so when she got hired to the company, she looks for an apartment and met Alexa, who is working at the same company as well. Their apartment was only a 7-minute walk from the resto-bar they went. But because Bell was wasted, it’s been hard for Alexa to support her best friend and felt like they are already walking for one whole hour.

“Jeez, how come you're this heavy Belle? You've barely eaten anything but you felt like you are twice heavier than me. You know that you’re not a very good drinker so why did you even drink too much?”

“That’s not too much, I only drank two glasses of beer.”

Belle, with her eyes, closed tipsy said. Alexa’s hand was around Belle’s waist and the other was holding Belle’s hand that was around Alexa’s shoulder to support her from walking home.

“Hey wait, let’s stop for a minute. The ties on my shoes were loosened. Let’s stop for a moment here.”

Alexa support Belle to sit at a stoned rectangle planter box on the sidewalk. Alexa raises her foot that has a loosen shoelace to the plant box to tie it back.

Belle, who immediately got out of patience, stood up without Alexa noticing it. She walked with her eyes barely open. She felt like throwing up and she really wants to lie on her bed already. Regrets of getting wasted tonight were starting to kick off her system.

Belle heard Alexa called her name but she didn’t stop, she’s only a few steps away from the building so she just kept walking and walking, practically dragging her feet. Then suddenly, she tripped on little speed humps and was about to fall on the ground.

Belle saw a girl walking towards her. Belle was certain, she was going to fall on the girl, not on the ground, assuming that the girl will catch her, but instead, she fell on the ground in a loud thud.

She groaned in pain caused by wounds and scratches on her knees and arms. 

Belle gathered all her remaining strength to look at the girl who didn’t even bother to catch falling. She’s pissed off. She opens her eyes widely to get a better view of the girl.

Even if her vision was slightly blurry and the place was slightly illuminated. She can see how beautiful the girl is with her straight hair completely black that barely reached down her ass.

God, she sure is beautiful but what the hell is that attitude?

“Why didn’t you even catch me?”

Belle in a high pitch voice ask. The girl just looks down at her like she’s the dumbest person she’s ever seen.

The girl stared at her coldly and also replied in a cold voice,

“Why would I? It’s not my fault why you got tripped.”

And just like that, the girl leaves her alone sitting on the ground and yelping in pain.

Belle wants to chase the girl. She’s very pissed off. She knows that she doesn’t have the right to be pissed, because clearly, it’s her own fault why she tripped but she expected the girl to at least catch her, because she’s in the position to catch Belle but instead avoided her like she's a germ and let her fall on the cold ground.

Belle groaned again and heard her best friend approach her.

“Oh my God Belle. Why did you walk on your own, now look at what happened to you? Jeez”

Belle wants to reply to what her friend just said but her vision was spinning. She can’t open her eyes anymore and she’s starting to lose her consciousness.

Belle fell her back on the ground that caused Alexa to squeal.

Finally, I’m now lying on my bed.

--

“You’re walking too slow Belle. We’ll be late if you continue walking like that.”

Belle ignored what her best friend said. She felt like dying now. Her head was aching too much, the two pills that she swallowed earlier didn’t do their job to get this hangover of her out of her system.

I swear I’m not going to drink again.

Belle tried to keep up with her friend’s pace but she’s really walking too fast. Can’t blame Alexa, it’s already 7:25 and they really need to get their asses on the office.

The XX Publishing Company was only a 5-minute walk away from their apartment. And they are now in the middle of the way, so in Alexa’s predictions they’ll arrive at the office at 2 – 3 minutes earlier, but Belle was not in very good shape, I wonder if Alexa’s prediction was accurate today.

Alexa and Belle tried to catch their breaths as they finally arrive at their floor, a minute earlier.

“Wow, buzzer-beater!”

Ynah teased at the two.

The two ignored Ynah and go to their respective desks to sit and rest before hell climb onto their floor.

And just when the two just got on their seats, Henry Woods showed up.

“Good morning everyone.”

Even if tired and was eager to rest down on her seats, Belle and Alexa stood up from their seats, as well as their colleagues, and return the greetings to Mr. Henry Woods.

“Looks like everyone’s here already. Then, may I have a few minutes of your precious time? I just want to introduce to you your new boss, my precious daughter.”

Everyone’s shifted their eyes to the girl who just got outside of Henry Woods’ office and came into their view.

The girl was wearing a pencil cut skirt and a white button-up shirt. She’s wearing a 2 inch pointed heels only but she sure is tall. Her long straight hair was left alone down to her ass. Her face was cold, it has no emotion. She looks like someone who doesn’t know how to smile. She was the kind of person that you will immediately get intimidated just because of her presence.

“Wow, she’s gorgeous.”

Belle heard her male colleague whispered to someone.

Belle blushes at the scene not only because she had never seen someone as beautiful and sexy as her but also because she was the girl that she argued last night.