Office Diaries

Tohru's laughter rang in the garden as his eyes looked at the panicking Yanee Lee before him.

"Boss, you're so good at blackmailing people,"Yanee complained and he threatened to stand up again. 

"What did you call me?"

"I mean Tohru— damn it," Yanee muttered and he laughed again. 

"Why do you sound as if you're cursing at me when you said that?" he prompted with mocked offended expression. 

"Isn't it because I really want to curse at you? You're such a bully," Yanee muttered helplessly but mostly to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing! I said you're so handsome why don't you sink more into the water?" Then drown— but of course, Yanee wouldn't say that to his face anymore. "I won't call you by your name outside or when we're at work though," she told him defiantly. 

This time, he didn't argue with her which was good. He must have realized that it would be totally unprofessional of them if she started calling him by name at work when he's her boss. 

"So that means you agree to call me by my name when we're alone?" he asked with that smug smile on his face that Yanee felt like punching him. 

"I don't really like you at this moment," she told him matter-of-factly with a bland expression. 

Nonetheless, the potato's smile didn't leave. Instead, he shifted in the water to go closer to where she sat. "It's fine. You can just like me very much later," he said with a ludicrously suggestive tone of voice partnered with an outrageously flirty smile as he wiggled his eyes. 

"Y-You…"Yanee took another big hit on her HP and her heart just did a huge summersault. If this persisted, she wondered if she'd die. 

Anyway, it's best to change the topic. 

"Chummy said you came here to settle the issue with the runaway authors?" she asked. 

Tohru looked at her with a knowing smile but answered nonetheless. 

"Yes. I've actually met with them briefly earlier and set up a meeting tomorrow,"he said which surprised Yanee. 

"Oh! Is that where you went earlier?" she asked and Tohru gave her a sly look. 

"Is my girl keeping tabs on me now?" he countered coyly and Yanee fought the urge to kick him under water. 

"Can't we have a proper conversation without innuendoes?" 

"Why not?" he retorted. 

"Because I want to have a proper conversation with you?" Yanee insisted but she was already glaring at him. 

Tohru sighed. "Yanee, I won't pressure you but at least give me a chance to flirt to prove that I like you, okay? If I don't do this, you wouldn't even give me the time of day."

Yanee rubbed her temple to ease the beginnings of a headache. This potato… 

"You can do it. But don't do it when we're working." He was honest with her at least. She shouldn't be too hard on him even when she still couldn't make up her mind. 

"But we're not working now,"Tohru said stubbornly. 

"We're on a business trip," she quipped, not backing down. 

"But it's not working hours," he countered again, making her glare at him some more. 

Seeing as she was really going to be upset, he laughed. 

"Fine, fine, fine. I'll stop teasing you for now," he conceded. "Ms. Tan might have already mentioned it to you but those authors ran away due to stress. They're suffering from writer's block and feel helpless since their deadlines are near."

Oh…

"They were really burnt out?" Yanee asked and Tohru shrugged. 

"It's usual for authors to have a period like this. Those two had their fair share of success with their respective series. For successful authors, it's normal for the publishing company to give them more encouragement, and also normal for readers to ask for more. With these two sources of pressure added to the already existing burden they put on themselves to produce something good to please both, it's not unheard of for authors to crack."

Yanee sighed. This part of being a writer was true. Some people, even if they naturally loved their jobs, but with pressure they started to be miserable. It was why she hated people who dismissed authors' woes as throwing tantrums. She even had an argument with that person back in her previous work too because he defended a worker who dissed an author for being ungrateful. 

"They were given the privilege to do and earn from something they like, and now they're being lazy and complain a lot…"

Yanee shook her head at the disgusting memory. 

"So what now?" she asked. 

She's concerned but as much as she understood what those authors were going through, she could also understand things at a business' standpoint. Also, as an assistant to the editor, there weren't so much she could do as well. 

"Don't worry about them. I already discussed their issues with the editorial team and the printing department. Their deadlines were pushed six months back. It's the maximum I can haggle for them," he told her. 

Yanee thought that it was already good, though. Actually, it's the best she knew that the company could allow. 

"For the meantime, we'll let them rest. I fixed an appointment with them tomorrow to discuss the plan in detail. Do you want to come?" 

Yanee nodded. "Of course, it's my job."

Tohru pouted. "So professional, huh," he commented unhappily like a sulking child and Yanee laughed. 

"Of course. I'm trying to be professional at my job," she countered.

Professional. 

Huh?

Yanee blinked as she realized she used the word "professional" and suddenly remembered Marian's story and giggled unconsciously. 

"What's so funny this time?"Tohru casually asked as he sipped his cup. But his eyes were on her face. 

Yanee shook her head. "Nothing. I just remembered something funny," she answered, and when his brow rose in interest she explained. "Marian already told me her story."

"Oh?"Tohru commented and then grinned. "So you finally heard about her silly little love story?"

Silly little love story?

Yanee thought it was funny and silly. But she wouldn't call it that out loud, though. She looked at Torhu though in surprise. 

"You know about it?" she asked. 

Yanee was aware that Tohru James was friends with the interviewees, but she didn't know that he was knowledgeable about their stories specifically. She wondered if he did the interview already before he handed the project to her.

"Of course," he answered readily. 

"Did you know everyone's story already then?" she asked, her theory about him doing the interview already getting stronger. 

But the potato shook his head. "I do know they ended up together of course, but I'm only knowledgeable about Marian's story in detail. The rest, I don't really know— ah except Alex. He told us his story about how he met his wife countless of times until my ears were numb."

Yanee smiled. "The bet?"

Tohru nodded. "The stupid bet."

"He's a bad guy,"Yanee commented, but Tohru looked a bit defensive. 

"He used to be a bad guy. He's totally reformed now— and he's crazy over his wife and son,"Tohru told her. 

Yanee remembered the roguish handsome guy who held Ira in his arms as if he was very precious and her eyes softened. "Yeah. He's totally reformed."

"I can assure you that none of the big brothers are bad," he said. "Alex was the wildest but he's totally changed." 

Silence hung between them before he spoke again. 

"By the way, in Marian's case, what did you learn?" he asked and Yanee smiled. 

It seemed each time she finished an interview her boss would always ask her opinion and if she learned a lesson from the story. 

"It's a classic office romance. It's actually very cute even if it's frustrating,"she answered with a chuckle. "Actually I can't believe Marian would be that… er… blunt."

"It's fine. Although she's very good at work, Marian's brain malfunctions when she's pregnant," he deadpanned, making Yanee laugh.

"I was also surprised that Liam was… er… I mean he has a cute side,"she said. 

"You mean he was a coward? Yes," he said bluntly. "He's very good at work but he never had any relationsh.i.p.s before my sister so he had no idea how to deal with his feelings or express himself."

"Oh? And of course, our chief editor is knowledgeable,"Yanee suddenly commented that it even shocked her. She placed a hand to cover her mouth afterwards. "Please forget I said that."

But it was already too late. 

"Of course I'm knowledgeable. I don't want to make any mistakes with you," he told her honestly and Yanee felt her face getting hot again and it had nothing to do with the alcohol she was drinking. 

"Marian said that misunderstandings are very easy to fix," she said in passing as if he didn't say anything. 

"It is. Just be honest and talk about things in the open," he quipped as he looked up at her. "That's why Yanee, I don't want you to misunderstand anything about me. I'm seriously pursuing you. Will you go out with me? Will you be my girlfriend?"