Office Diaries

"Ms. Lee, I like you too."

Ha?

Yanee's jaws dropped. She didn't care if she looked so ugly and weird but she was too shocked. Chummy on the other hand was squealing like a happy piglet on the background, but Yanee didn't pay any attention to her. Her eyes and mind were focused on the handsome potato standing before her who just declared that he liked her.

"E-Excuse me?" she stuttered.

On the other hand, the potato looked so chill that Yanee began to question if she heard correctly. Tohru adjusted the glasses on his face as he held out some doc.u.ments towards her.

"Ms. Lee, we have some schedule changes," he said out of the blue making Yanee blank out.

What?

Tohru James shifted on his feet and started walking towards his inner office. "Follow me," he ordered.

Yanee remained rooted on the spot and Chummy needed to shake her back into reality before she was able to move and follow their boss inside his office. She was used to pretending she was okay on the outer appearance but she was continuously screaming inside her head.

What the hell did just happen?

The potato just confessed to her earlier, right? Then how come he suddenly changed topics so easily as if he just talked about the weather?

Yanee felt frustrated and helpless, but she couldn't utter anything to clarify – she didn't dare to. First, she thought she just misheard or the potato was just joking and she misunderstood. Second, she really didn't have any energy at the moment.

Agreeing with all her might to the second reason, Yanee was finally able to put her mind back on track. Back to business!

"What changes are you talking about, boss?" she asked.

Her voice came out cool and professional that Yanee almost gave herself applause for a job well done. She thanked heavens for those painful months that she had to stay in her old company after catching her cheating ex-boyfriend. She became an expert on pretending and maintaining her calm look regardless of what she's truly feeling inside. It was the greatest armor – the only redeeming thing she was able to gain from that very dark time of her past.

She was so happy about how she was able to take back control that she didn't notice how her boss faltered in his footsteps as he walked to his table. Tohru James looked at Yanee with a blank expression before sitting down behind his desk.

"What boss?" Yanee asked the potato who suddenly sighed and pouted. She then wondered what's wrong now. The boss seemed to have mood swings today.

Ah, but remembering what Chummy said about the missing authors, she just chalked up Tohru James' irritability to stress.

 "The interview with Ria and Michael are canceled for today," he said casually.

"Eh? So…" Yanee glanced to her right where her small suitcase was resting against the wall. "Are we canceling Kyoto as well, boss?"

Ria and Michael were not from Japan. They just came for business. If they canceled because of something important but could make time the day after or even the day after that, they should prioritize them. Marian Kang lived in Japan, and because of her pregnancy was not allowed to work. She had a more flexible schedule than the Chen couple.

"No," Tohru answered readily. "Actually, we are going there earlier. I already rebooked our tickets and we're leaving in an hour."

Eh?

EH?

EEEEEEEH?

"Why are you shocked, Ms. Lee?"Tohru asked her teasingly.

Yanee was a hundred percent sure she just made a funny face. But why wouldn't she? It's only around three in the afternoon. Their initial bullet train ticket for Kyoto was at nine in the evening. Couldn't they just wait a few hours instead of canceling and buying new tickets?

"I… I was thinking that the interview with Marian Kang was tomorrow afternoon. I… I find it wasteful to cancel the train just to arrive earlier."

Yanee held her breath as Torhu seemed unhappy with her words. He looked at her so intensely before letting out a sigh.

"We're going there early because the missing authors seemed to be there. I'm going to negotiate," he said afterwards and Yanee finally understood.

"I see. Then I'll just work on my notes sir while we wait for departure," she said but the boss shook his head. "Er… why boss?"

She couldn't understand. There's still an hour before they had to leave. Their office was in Shinjuku. It's only about thirteen minutes by car to Shinagawa Station where they would take the bullet train to Kyoto so there's still time for her to work a bit.

"Go out and have a meal first," Tohru James ordered her. "You still didn't have lunch, right?"

Oh…

Yanee was surprised yet again. She had totally forgotten about that. As if on cue, her stomach suddenly gave out a groan akin so someone dying and her face became red. She quickly stood up straight and placed a hand on her stomach.

"Er… sorry. I guess I'll have food just like you said, boss," she said sheepishly and was thankful that Tohru didn't laugh at her.

She quickly excused herself and escaped the room to get food and to gather her brain cells. She had too much potato exposure again! KYAAAAAA!

On the other hand, Tohru James finally let out some air and slumped in his chair as soon as she was out. He was fighting with all his might not to laugh. Yanee was just too cute! But he knew he had teased her enough for the day so refrained from commenting on her stomach.

Earlier when he told her he liked her, he was actually gauging her reaction. Based on what he saw, she was not completely oblivious to him as what Chummy said. She might even have a bit of a crush on him already. Maybe, just maybe he still had a good chance if he struck now. If he waited too long, Yanee would have put up a barrier against him and it's harder to get closer to her.

He fished his phone and called his sister. "Big Sis, Yanee and I will arrive earlier than scheduled," he said as soon as Marian picked up his call.

"Oh. My. God. Waaaaaa! Little brother, I'm so happy! I'm so bored here. What time will you arrive?"

"Our train will leave at forty minutes past four in the afternoon, so we'll be in Kyoto around twelve past seven in the evening," he said.

They would be taking the Hikari bullet train so it would take two hours and thirty-two minutes travel.

"Great! I'll pick you up at the station!" Marian was obviously excited but Tohru shook his head as he listened to her. His sister was totally hyper.

"No way. Pregnant women should behave and stay at home," he told her.  

"But –"

"If you stay at home, I will let you have Yanee the whole evening as long as you won't stay up late. Yanee's tired from her travel too – and you're not allowed to sleep late," Tohru compromised.

Marian was having her third baby. But she had always had a delicate pregnancy and was on semi-bed rest in her previous ones due to placenta previa. She had to be stress-free else she'd start bleeding.

"Alright… But you promise you'll let me spend time with her later?" she asked and Tohru laughed at his child-like elder sister but promised nonetheless.

"Yes. So you should behave and wait for us at home." Tohru and Yanee would be staying in their family house for three days to one week, depending on whether the Chens could go there too and have the interview.

"I will prepare a huge feast tonight then," she conceded. "Take care, little brother. Your clothes are all still in your old bedroom but I asked Nura to move your things to the master bedroom on the east wing. I already asked them to clean it and the adjoining room as well for Yanee."

Tohru grinned. The rooms mentioned were meant for couples. Not only were they adjoining, but the rooms also shared an outside hot spring and bath. Even without his sister seeing him, he raised his thumb in approval.

"Good job," he praised Marian who laughed before hanging up.   

 After his call, he received a message from the detective he dispatched to locate the missing authors. It was the same person who said that the two were together and were currently chilling in one of the hotels in Kyoto. It seemed the two were suffering from a total burnout and so Tohru would meet with them tonight to inform them of some adjustments to their schedule. He was an expert at coaxing stubborn authors and it's a good way to show Yanee that he really worked. It would make their stay in Kyoto more reasonable.

In thirty minutes time, Yanee returned to the office, surprising him. "Did you eat well?"

"I did, boss," she answered.

Tohru kept quiet. He really thought that she probably just grabbed something light like a sandwich or biscuit. But it didn't matter. When they reached his house, he'd make sure she ate well.

Soon, it was already time for them to go. Tohru casually picked up Yanee's luggage much to her chagrin.

"Boss, I'll carry my own stuff. Just bring yours," she protested.

"I'm not bringing anything. I'll carry this and you go hold the doc.u.ments," he ordered, winning their battle.

They took a cab to the train station and arrived just at boarding time. The two of them sat on a two-seater row. Yanee sat next to the window and Tohru sat next to the isle.

Tohru noticed that Yanee had been giving him curious glances, and he was sure she was dying to ask him something. He wondered if it had anything to do with his confession, but as soon as the train started moving, he found out what it was.

"Boss?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you have luggage with you? I thought we will be staying there for three days or a week if the Chens can come," she asked.

 Although he was a bit disappointed since she didn't ask about his confession, Tohru still ginned as he answered. "I live in Kyoto. I have clothes in my house."