An office story//Karmagisa

Chapter 1.

If someone told me to pick a moment in time where my life took this strange turn, I would pick the moment I decided to step in that elevator. On usual days I would take the stairs to my boss' office but on that particular day I had about 60 times the usual amount of paperwork to bring to the 16th floor.

When I stepped into the elevator it had been completely empty. It only took a few seconds for another person to enter. Of course I had heard him when he asked me if I needed help, referring to the enormous pile of papers I was holding that was bigger than at least half of my body, but for some reason I always believe I'm so funny. I dreamingly stared at him on purpose as if I had not heard his helpful offer. I studied his, probably fake, red hair.

"Oh uhm...S-sorry what?" I pretended a stutter. "Just if you needed any help." He said, smirking as if my staring was a compliment. I nodded my head and decided not to tell him I was joking. "Hey just pretending like you are the hottest entity ever, LOL!" is a lot worse than seeming like a shy, short nerd.

He took half of the stack of papers from me and pinched my butt. "What The Fuck do you think you are doing you cocksucker bitch?!"I swore. "Not THAT shy, I guess." He said surprised, yet he also seemed intrigued.

I frowned in his direction and decided to stay quiet. "Come on, are you being really pissed at someone who is helping you?" He questioned. There was a silence as I looked him dead in the eye. "Pinching my butt is not helping me." I simply stated and I looked away from him. The elevator doors had closed, there was no means of escape for the next 16 floors.

He probably realised that I wasn't going to break the silence and decided to balance the papers he balanced on one arm, making me jealous of his strength, and put his other arm around me. "Come on, it's not everyday you meet a possible friend in the elevator." He said. I snorted and he looked at me in surprise. "What? You don't see me as a possible friend?" He asked me. "More like a possible nuisance."

The doors opened and I turned to him. "You can give me the papers back." I said apathetic. His face turned into a smirk and he left the elevator to stand next to me. Even though I was not religious, I prayed he didn't actually have to be on the same floor as me. "I can go to my floor a little later you know?" He said and I thanked whatever kind of god i could think of. "Maybe you should just give me my papers and go to your workplace, and I'll go to mine." I said nodding at the papers. "Nah"

My brain tried to comprehend the meaning of his words. Well, word. "Nah?" I repeated doubtfully. "Nah, I don't feel like going to my floor so I'll just help you drop off these papers." He answered. For some reason that sentence made me want to punch him in the face. There was a little silence before I said: "Can you just leave?"

He laughed, I was confused. "Where do you have to go?" He asked me. I was completely ready to just give up. The little pride I had in this conversation had left and the regret of trying to be funny welled up. "End of that hall." I said, pointing to the where I had to go. "Mrs. Jelavic's office." And with that he started walking in front of me. The glass walls through which you could see the offices all of a sudden were a pain in my neck, especially when people looked to see what was going on.

So there I was, a little guy with with his hair tied in twintails, following a incredibly tall guy with bright red hair. I imagined my face was probably as red as his hair. I could still barely look over the stack of papers I was holding, while he seemed to carry it like it was nothing. Boy, was I embarrassed.

As soon as we arrived to the office he put the stack of papers he carried back on my stack. It's no exaggeration when I say I almost fell over. He helped me balance and smiled at me as he waved and said: "Now I should go." I wanted to let out a sigh of relief but secretly knew I was thankful he helped me.

"Am I allowed to ask your name?" He asked me. At first I said nothing, still wondering why he had helped me, the realised that I was being rude by ignoring him. "Oh uhm, it's Nagisa Shiota." I said. He smiled at me and stuck out his hand to me. "Karma Akabane." He said with his hand ready to shake mine. I looked at his hand judgementally. It took a few seconds for him to realise his mistake. "Papers...right." He said as he laughed it off.

"Goodbye Karma." I said as I managed to open the door to the office and went in. "Goodbye Nagisa." I heard him say as the door closed itself and through the glass wall I saw him walk away with a smile on his face.