Clock In

Part 1

Fourth blinked. There was a slight tilt in his brow, confusion flashing briefly, but Phuwin didn't explain. He just kept his eyes on the elevator door like that was all he had to say.

Before Fourth could even process it, the elevator dinged. The doors slid open and they walked out, headed toward the canteen. The hallway was busy with people walking, with coffee cups and food tray in hand, conversations in mid-flow. Fourth glanced around as they passed, some staff were laughing in little groups, some were scrolling on their phones while eating alone, a few looked just as lost as he felt. It was a whole rhythm, a whole world, and he was just stepping into it.

They reached the stall and joined the queue. It was a little slow. A couple people ahead were still figuring out their orders. Fourth noticed Phuwin shifting his weight slightly, arms crossing, eyes narrowing just a little.

"So slow," he mumbled under his breath, clearly impatient.

When it was finally his turn, Phuwin stepped forward quickly and pointed to one of the servers. "An Americano," he said, crisp and clipped. Then he stepped aside without waiting for acknowledgement.

Fourth moved up next, eyes still darting over the menu board as if it would rearrange itself to make the choice easier. "Uh... latte, with some syrup," he finally said.

The guy behind the counter, a young man with a friendly face and a "Trainee" tag on his shirt, nodded. "How many?"

Fourth blinked. "Sorry?"

"How many pumps of syrup?" the guy repeated, smiling gently like he was used to this question catching people off guard.

Fourth parted his lips, paused, then guessed, "Ummm...two."

Truth was, he didn't really know. He wasn't used to this kind of setup. Back in Chiang Mai, it was simpler. He'd mostly just had coffee at home or the small cart near campus. Even when he lived in Bangkok for university, he stayed on campus most of the time. The city always felt too big, too fast. People didn't smile the same. Everything moved like clockwork, but nobody looked like they were really living in it.

While he was lost in thought, the young man behind the counter signaled that the drinks were ready. Phuwin walked over, picked up one of the cups, and frowned almost immediately.

"I asked for an Americano," he said, voice slow and pointed, each word spaced out like he was talking to a child, "This isn't an Americano."

Fourth stepped up beside him, and it did look like the orders had gotten mixed up. The trainee's expression shifted into panic mode. "I'm really sorry," he said quickly, eyes darting between the two of them. "I'll fix it right away."

Fourth glanced at him and the poor guy looked flustered, sweat starting to form near his hairline.

Phuwin let out a soft exhale, sharp around the edges. "You know what," he said, stepping back, "forget it." His voice was flat, cold. And just like that, he walked off without the drink.

The trainee called out after him, "Sir, " but Phuwin was already halfway across the canteen, unmoved.

Fourth looked between them. Then he turned back to the counter.

"I'll take mine, thank you," he said softly, giving the young man a small nod before hurrying after Phuwin, the latte warming his hand, and something else, something unsettled, starting to simmer under his skin.

As Fourth sat at the table, he couldn't help but notice how worked up Phuwin was getting. The man's frustration was practically vibrating off him.

"Incompetent," Phuwin muttered, face twisted with disdain. "Why bother being a barista if you can't even get the coffee order right?"

He kept complaining, his tone sharp, words biting. Fourth wasn't exactly surprised. Phuwin had always been the kind of person who had zero tolerance for mistakes. Sloppiness, in his book, was almost a crime. But even so, watching him go off on someone who was clearly just trying, probably new, probably nervous, didn't sit well with Fourth.

"He's a trainee," Fourth said, keeping his voice calm, hoping that might ease the tension.

"That's even worse. What's he doing at the front counter?" Phuwin shot back immediately.

Fourth didn't say anything to that. He just blinked, a little thrown by how much energy Phuwin was putting into this. He turned his attention away, taking a slow sip of his coffee, letting the warmth distract him. His gaze wandered, then landed on Phuwin's wrist. A Rolex. Classic, clean, expensive. The kind of watch that didn't just tell time but told a story. It probably cost more than what the trainee earned in a year. Fourth found himself wondering what exactly Phuwin did to afford something like that. His eyes lingered for a beat too long.

Then Phuwin's voice brought him back.

"So, what's the plan for you today?"

Fourth dabbed at his mouth with a tissue and said, "I've got a few meetings lined up. Introduction stuff. Then I'll meet everyone on the team, get to know who's who."

Phuwin didn't hesitate. "You don't have to do that."

Fourth glanced up, surprised.

"There's no point in meeting them all separately," Phuwin continued. Then, a little quieter, "They're not that significant anyway."

Fourth heard that. The way he said it, offhanded but cutting. It made him pause. He didn't respond, just gave a small nod, letting the thought sit.

"Get to know the department heads instead," Phuwin said. "And we'll start training after lunch."

Fourth nodded again, more to himself this time, not fully in the moment. His thoughts were still swimming when Phuwin's eyes turned to him with a curious look.

"How did you apply?" Phuwin asked.

Fourth paused for a moment. He had stalked the company's careers page every day, waiting for a vacancy to open. "...LinkedIn," he finally said.

Phuwin nodded. "And who interviewed you?" he asked, a small smile beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth.

Fourth thought carefully. "The finance manager," he said slowly. "The treasurer... and..." he hesitated, searching his memory before it clicked, "...Gemini."

At that, something flickered across Phuwin's face. It wasn't obvious or dramatic, just the slightest shift, subtle, but noticeable enough to make Fourth wonder.