Office Diaries

"There's no rush. But do give the little brother a chance that he's worthy of your love."

It's been a while since Marian had left, yet her words to her still rang in Yanee's ears. She lay in her bedroll looking at the ceiling. She had no idea what time it was now, but it seemed it was already late. Lifting her phone, she checked the time. 

Midnight. 

"Woah!" 

She thought it's only been an hour since Marian left but no. Yanee shifted on the bed and pulled her blanket up to her chin. She thought she ought to take a rest, but sleep wouldn't come. With a sigh, she shifted on the bed again and reached for the small notebook and pen on the side. She had already finished jotting down notes from Marian's story earlier and she opened the notebook to check. 

Sure enough, her impression of Marian's story was the same as it was initially. She really didn't lie when she said that her story was a pure Office Romance. Yanee was sure that her story was also cute and good for the readers. She could totally do a rom-com out of it without much effort. 

Remembering the details, Yanee giggled again. While Marian was telling her story, Yanee had fought too hard not to laugh out loud. In addition to the already funny story, the way Marian told the tale was so comical as well that it was hard to keep a straight face. 

Since her funny bones had been tickled again, Yanee gave up on sleeping at the moment and decided to go out to the zen garden once more. As soon as she opened the screen door, fresh midnight breeze came in. It blew against Yanee's skin and it felt nice. 

"It's amazing here," she announced to no one in particular as she stepped out on the wooden balcony while stretching her arms. 

"Glad that you like this place," a familiar baritone suddenly said, making her jump. 

Yanee quickly turned to where the voice came from and let out a yelp upon sighting a potato soaking in the very same hot spring she used earlier. 

EH?

Tohru James lounged at a shallow part of the spring with his back leaning against the rocks. In his hand was a small porcelain cup and beside him on the rocks was a tray of ceramic flasks containing sake. Since the water reached only up to his waist so it's easier for him to drink, his well-chiseled upper torso was exposed for Yanee's eyes to east on. 

"W-W-What are you doing there?" she stammered but her eyes scanned his body automatically making the man laugh. 

"Why can't I be here? I'm staying here," he answered lazily making Yanee panic. 

"What? Here? But?"Yanee glanced behind at her room then back to the man who shook his head. 

"I'm staying there," Tohru said as he pointed at the room next to Yanee's. 

Sure enough, there was another room there in the same garden. She just didn't realize it earlier since no one was there and the lights were off. 

"B-B-But…"Yanee stammered. 

She really wanted to protest about something but she was not sure what exactly. This made the man so amused. 

"Are you uncomfortable? I can leave if you want," he offered as he tried to stand, the exposed part reaching up to his h.i.p.s and Yanee panicked more. 

Why? Because normally people soak in the hot spring buck n.a.k.e.d so she was not ready to see his body, okay? 

"No, no, no p-please sit back down. Don't move," she stammered again and Tohru laughed. 

"What do I do then? Should I not move or should I sit back down?" he asked her teasingly and Yanee closed her eyes and prayed for sanity and more patience. 

"Sit back down, please. Deeper into the water," Yanee croaked and again, laughter rang followed by sounds of water splashing. 

"It's safe now," he called out, and only then Yanee opened her eyes. 

The sight of Tohru James soaked in the water up to his c.h.e.s.t made her let out a relieved sigh. The heart that had been racing like a demon was chasing it started to calm down a little— well literally a little. The sight of him sitting there looking like a Greek god with his shoulders exposed still gave her palpitations. 

Yanee started to chant in her head. 

"Hot spring plus potato is equal to boiled potato…"

She repeated this in her mind several times until the hot spring in front of her turned into a large boiling pot, and the handsome man in front of her turned into a huge potato. 

Ah, that's better…

"It looks good on you," the sultry voice came out from the potato, and as soon as the words were spoken, the image she worked hard to overlap reality broke into pieces. 

The world returned to what it was supposed to be. Tohru James' handsome countenance jumped right back at her, dealing huge damage to her HP… and her sanity. She had no choice but face that smiling face heads on. She at least thanked heavens she was not that crazy enough to be completely out of it. She was still able to understand what he was talking about. 

Yanee glanced at the gold yukata she was wearing. "I heard you chose it for me. Thank you," she said. 

In spite of her reservations towards romance, she was not an ingrate to take things for granted. She knew how to apologize and to thank people when it's due. However, by doing this— by accepting his gift, she realized she had also finally acknowledged the fact that this man in front of her liked her. 

Tohru James liked Yanee Lee…

"Join me?" he suddenly invited, making Yanee raise her brow at him. 

He looked at her innocently. "I promise I will behave, okay? You won't see anything either. It's too dark in here. I just want to talk and drink. You're not sleepy anyway."

Yanee looked at him for a while before letting out another sigh. "Oh well," she murmured as she stepped off the wooden balcony to walk towards the hot spring. 

She went near Tohru, but not near enough to see within the water. She grabbed Marian's chair and sat. Seeing as she'd settled down, Tohru shifted so he could pour sake on another ceramic cup, and Yanee raised her brow when he lifted it towards her. 

"Drink with me?" he said with a charming smile, and Yanee took it without thinking much. 

She had already resigned to facing him properly anyway. Still, she looked at the tray and the ready flasks of sake and the cups he and she were holding. 

"You looked like you were prepared to have company," she commented and he smiled shyly, turning a bit red even in the dim light which surprised Yanee.

She was not expecting him to be bashful. It was as if she had caught him doing something sneaky and he felt embarrassed about it towards her. 

"Well, not really since it's already late," he answered before looking straight into her eyes. "But I was hoping. In case you're still not sleeping and would love to have a drink with me." 

Huh?

"Y-You…" Ah, Yanee gave up. This man was just too charming. She just kept getting K.Oed by his sudden attacks. "Whatever," she muttered as she took a sip from the cup. 

The cool liquid was surprisingly sweet and sour in taste but it trailed down her throat smoothly. Yanee was not a drinker. But she could recognize good quality alcohol and type of alcohol due to her family background. Her eyes wide, she turned to Tohru who was grinning at her as if he already had an idea that she would be surprised. 

"It's good, huh?" he asked. 

"It's not sake…" she said in wonder. "Umeshu?" she asked and Tohru nodded. 

Umeshu was a type of wine made of sugar and plums. Yanee was surprised because it's normally a drink favored by women. Also… 

Someone had told her at an interview before that he's not fond of sweets. At the same time, she recalled she had mentioned liking this type of drink in passing. 

Yanee blushed again. Tohru James remembered! He prepared umeshu instead of the normal sake for her. 

"What were you planning to do if I was sleeping then, boss?" she asked with a helpless look. 

Tohru grinned. "Then I will be making enough ruckus to wake you up and make you come here."

"You…"Yanee started but stopped. 

She should have known how shameless this potato could be. Already back at the party in South Korea didn't he unabashedly flaunted how good he looked he stunned everyone at the place? 

"Boss, you're a cheat."

"Ha? In what way?" Tohru asked. 

The smug look had already faded from his face replaced by a worried look. He was aware that Yanee hated cheaters. 

"Yanee Lee, I have no other women and never had anyone before either. I only have you, okay?"

HA? 

Yanee had no idea how the conversation ended up like this. But then she realized she used the wrong words and the potato misunderstood. She shook her head. 

"Boss, I— "

"Tohru," the potato interrupted with a stubborn expression that Yanee sighed but she's more stubborn than him. 

"Boss, I don't mean cheat like cheating with other women, okay?" she said, refusing to call him by his name. 

"Tohru," he insisted stubbornly again. "And what do you mean by cheat then?"

"I mean you appear very quiet and strict but you really aren't, boss," Yanee retorted totally not giving in. 

"It's because I'm quiet and strict. I'm just not like that with you because you're special," he answered with a voice laced with frustration. "And if you don't call me by my name I will stand up," he threatened just as he placed the cup down on the rock and proceeded to stand up. 

Yanee panicked. She's not ready to see him n.a.k.e.d! 

"Tohru! Tohru! Tohru! Happy?" Yanee hurriedly complied making the potato put on a triumphant smile as he settled back down in the water.