At the side of the door, there's a see through glass window that you could see the inside of the room from a far.
I pointed out to Maya that I could see Athena. Athena looks focused on her work. So this is how Athena works, she also looked diligent on her desk area.
"Where's the guy?" Maya asked. Ok
I scanned the area with my eyes but I can't see him anywhere inside the office.
"Where's the dirty blonde dude guy?" I desperately said.
"Ohhh so he's blonde." She replied.
I kept searching the area but I suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"Do you need something?"
I turned to my back and I was surprised that it was Charles who spoke to me.
"Oh, you're Ms. Maria Kanbe. What brings you here?"
His presence is indeed incredible when you interact with this guy. I never had an actual talk with this guy, only greetings.
I still remained composed. "No. We just came from the advertising department."
Charles looked at Maya. I noticed that she became awestrucked with Charles.
"M-my name's Maya. Maya Imonoyam-ma. We're here to see C-Charles..."
My gosh Maya! You idiot! You blew up our cover! Why did you mention him?!
Maya suddenly covered her mouth that she realized she shouldn't have said that.
"I'm Charles. Are you looking for me?" He asked.
"Uhmm... Yes, yes we are." Gosh, I have no choice! I can't say that I am finding a Charles with a different surname because that person might not exist here!
"No one contacted me that you wanted to see me. Anyways, why do you want to see me, Ms. Kanbe?"
I can't think of any excuse! What should I say?! Oh well, here comes nothing!
"I wanted to have lunch with you."
Charles was puzzled with my sudden invitation.
"I'm sorry. I didn't do anything that's worthy for inviting me for lunch." He said.
"Well, uhm..." Gosh! I don't know what to say next! I don't want to eat with him either!
"I wanted to give me gratitude for treating me well last time." I added.
What a lame excuse! If only we didn't encounter him here! We only wanted to observe him with Athena!
"It seems you're inviting me for personal reasons. I'm sorry but I'll respectfully decline your offer. It might cause misunderstandings if it's not work related."
He flatly rejected my offer. He's so strict with his work. This dude might be a workaholic.
Thank goodness he rejected me. It will be awkward if he agreed to eat lunch with us.
"Maria? Maya?"
I heard Athena's voice from a distance. I saw her pushing the door to go out of the office and she went towards us.
"What are you guys doing here?" She asked. "How surprising Maya is also here."
Maya suddenly said something great that made our agenda for today attainable.
"Athena, we were about to invite you for lunch. We invited Charles too but he declined."
Athena looked at me then Maya and asked what's the occassion. I told her that I just wanted to express my gratitude to him for treating me well during the my time with their ad campaign.
"Oh really? Then I'll join you guys." She replied.
"On the second thought, I'll accept your invitation too."
He immediately changed his mind.
That's it! Maya's so smart! We can know more about Conrad's impression with Charles if we eat with him. Maya used and improved my lame excuse to get a better look at him. Eating with both him and Athena is better than just observing them from afar.
Athena looked reluctant when she heard Charles changed his mind.
"I thought you don't want to join us for lunch since it's not related to work." I said.
"I just realized that it was rude of me to reject your offer since you're one of our company's endorsers. I apologize for rejecting your offer. "
How smooth. He immediately changed his mind because Athena is joining us.
It's true that Athena does not like him. She looks uncomfortable with him.
"Well that settles it. See you in a short while." Charles walked away then entered to their office.
I looked at Maya and she still looked dazzled with Charles's presence.
"Don't tell me you're infatuated with him like other ladies here." I said.
"He's one handsome man. He's tall, sexy, beautiful eyes and hair, and manly! He's a nice catch!" Maya said this with an excited tone.
Athena looks like she really doesn't want to join us for lunch. I asked her if she still wants to join us. It would be bad if I force her to.
"I'm happy to join with both of you for lunch but... Sir Charles is coming..." She said.
I reassured her that if he gets rude to her during lunch, I will kick his ass for her.
She chuckled at me and said that I don't have to do that because he's not that rude anymore to her.
"Then what makes you worry then?" Maya asked.
"I-it's nothing. It's just awkward." She said.
"You never ate lunch or dinner with him?" I asked.
"I do eat with him with my colleagues during lunch and I ate dinner with him before... "
She looked at her watch and panicked. She said that she should go and give the envelope she's holding to the legal department.
"I'll see you later after I just give this envelope. There's still 10 minutes before 12PM." She added.
She walked away with a fast pace. Maya and I are left alone.
"You're a genius kid! We have a chance to see how Charles sees Athena!" I excitedly praised Maya.
She boasted and joked that she's really genius in making ways.
"Athena's so lucky! She is being liked by a hot guy! I want to have a guy just like him!" Maya added.
"She's indeed lucky but hey, did you notice Athena's reaction when she said it was awkward to eat with him?"
She nodded.
"She blushed!" Both of us was in sync.
"I've got a bad feeling." I said.
Maya shook her head slowly as if she's disappointed and said "What will my brother say if we told him this."
"Let's not assume. She must have been flustered." I said.
"Yeah, you might be right."
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We went to a nearby restaurant. We went to the restaurant were Conrad, Athena and I first met. I like this restaurant because there's variety of viands with different origins.
Athena and Charles are seated in front of us. What a perfect view to know more about this guy.
We're now eating our ordered food. I started the conversation by thanking Charles and Athena for treating well then a little bit about work. I'm currently giving lip service to them but in reality, I'm itching to put our main agenda into place!
I changed the topic and I placed Charles in a hot seat.
"When I worked with the advertising, the ladies there are so into you. You're such a lady killer! I said.
"Yes, I'm quite aware of that but I'm not that ot a lady killer." He said.
"A popular man like yourself must have a girlfriend. Do you have one?" Maya asked.
Maya is so direct.
He just politely smiled then took a bite of his food.
I glanced at Athena and she suddenly stopped chewing her food when she heard it from him but resumed after a few seconds.
"Hmm? Who is that person? Is she your coworker or something?" Maya playfully asked.
I glanced at Athena and she stopped again chewing her food and took a sip of water from her glass. She looks like panicking.
"You both are friends with Athena, right? Tell me how did you first got acquainted with her." He said.
Ooof~ he just dodged the question. He shot down Maya's question by that polite smile of his and it's quite cold.
"We got acquainted here in this restaurant. We pretty clicked right away because she appreciated voice actors so we became close. She also helped me to clean the soy sauce stain on my sleeves."
I chuckled and said "Athena, I remember you spilled some soy sauce around Conrad's crotch!"
"You mentioned that story to me. That's how my brother and Athena got first acquainted." Maya said.
Athena looked at us and chuckled. "I remember that! I was in a hurry to go back at the office and when I stood up from the chair, the soy sauce fell down and spilled into his crotch."
"After that, I became friends with him. He's a nice guy, the brother of yours." She added.
"You're his sister?" Charles asked.
"Yes. I'm the younger sister of Conrad Imonoyama." Maya replied.
"Conrad and Athena is closer than ever ever since. They rely on each other, right Maya?" I said.
Maya nodded and said "They enjoy each other's company. I like Athena's presence in our house. It makes me happy that Athena gives my brother some positive influences."
"Oh really? Do I make an impression like that? Oh no, you think highly of me." Athena suddenly acting like a bashful girl.
We heard a loud bang sound and we looked all looked from the direction of the sound. The sound came from Charles's direction. His hand is placed on the table with his palm faced down. His fingers curled up and got a hold on the dinner knife beneath his hand the he relaxed his fingers immediately.
He smiled very politely and said "Oh, I'm sorry. This knife slipped from my hand."
That surprised me! I think we pushed his buttons. I don't think the knife slipped through his hand.
"A-are you close acquaintances with Athena, Charles?" I nervously asked.
He grinned and said "Yes, we are. We have a long history together, right Athena?"
Athena looked at him then she got nervous all of the sudden. She's not scared but it looks like she's flustered and a little panicky.
"R-right. We've been colleagues for three years." She said.
He chuckled at Athena. "That's all? I've known you more than that"
"The both of you were acquainted way back before you became colleagues?" Maya curiously asked.
This is news! Athena and Conrad didn't say anything like this!
Athena heavily denied it and she said they really met for the first time at work.
"I was joking. We really met three years ago when she started working at the company though we've built a relationship more than just a colleague." He said.
"As a friend!"
Athena said this in loud voice but suddenly she knocked over her glass water by her arm when she tried to extend her arm towards us. I think she's trying to gesture that it's not true.
The glass broke on the table and the water spilled towards her. Her white blouse was wet near her belly and some of it also spilled on her crotch area.
We were shocked and Athena frantically gathered the broken pieces of the glass to one place. However, she cut her left index finger from the broken glass.
"You cut your finger! Leave it!" Charles grabbed both of her hands and examined her hands if there are other cuts aside from her index finger.
The waiter came to us and calmly asked what happened. I told him the reason but I didn't pinpoint Athena was the one who knocked over her glass but suddenly Athena frantically apologized that she was the one who broke the glass.
Charles asked the waiter if they have any first aid kit. The waiter said they have a first aid kit and Charles said to him that he should hurry.
The waiter hurriedly left to get the first aid kit.
Maya stood up and and went to Athena to pat dry her wet clothes with the use of Maya's pocket tissue.
"I'm sorry, Athena! I made you react that way!" Maya worriedly apologized.
"No, it's okay. I wasn't careful with my surroundings." Athena replied.
The waiter arrived with a first aid kit and gave it to Charles.
"I don't need treatment for this tiny wound. It's just a simple cut." Athena tries to remover her hand from Charles but he still continued to hold her hand.
"No. Can't you see your finger is bleeding? We have to treat this." He started putting some wound cleaning solution on her wound.
She didn't protest anymore and she let him do his thing.
What is this I'm seeing? She's blushing and acting so shy. Don't tell me she has feelings for him? Conrad said she hates Charles.
Maya went back to her seat. She grabbed her phone from her bag and was typing on her phone.
I suddenly felt something placed on my lap. I looked at it and it was her phone on my lap then I saw what Maya typed on her phone.
Nii-chan is wrong. It doesn't look like she hates him. Her reactions doesn't show any signs of hatred. She looks nervous right now.
I replied her back by typing in "That's what I think too." I gave her phone back through under the table.
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Are they hitting on me? How annoying.
I'm having lunch with Maria Kanbe and a girl named Maya. I only agreed because Athena wanted to eat with them.
Maria Kanbe claims she wanted to give her appreciation for treating her well all of the sudden but I think otherwise. Well, I don't give a damn anyways as long as I'm with Athena eating lunch with her.
However, due to my half-baked joke earlier about my relationship with Athena, she injured herself and got a cut on her index finger when she knocked and broke the glass.
We've returned at the office and I grabbed her hand, the one that had a a cut to see again if her hand is alright.
She suddenly retracted her hand harshly and said it's no big deal.
"What did I just saw?"
I looked from my behind and it was Heathrow. She went closer to us and teasing us that she saw me holding Athena's hand.
"I hope I'm not disturbing something." She raised both of her eyebrows twice and smiled at me slyly.
"I'm just showing concern. She accidentally cut her finger with a broken glass."
Heathrow was surprised and grabbed Athena's hand to take a good look on it.
"Good thing it's not a big wound." Heathrow said this in relief.
Athena eventually explained what happened to Heathrow.
"Go back to your desks. Break time will be over." I said.
All of us returned to their work area and I sat on my chair. I began to think if she's mad again.
It looks like it...
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We finished our lunch and both of them went back to their office. Maya and I went to the local park and sat on the bench to talk about we have observed.
"Charles really insisted that he'll be paying for the glass that Athena broke. Athena protested but gave in." Maya said.
"I should be the one who must pay for that glass because we impulsively dragged Athena into our plan but I was rejected. He said that he's responsible too for making Athena react that made her knock over the glass. Man, he was so persistent."
Maya was complimenting how manly Charles looked and the way he really cared for Athena.
"You've been captured by his emission of amorousness. He's kind of scary, don't you think?"
Maya shook her head. "Nuh-uh. It's kinda hot. That guy is 100x better than my good-for-nothing ex boyfriend."
"So you've moved on with your ex boyfriend now?" I asked.
"A lot but not fully. Kind of wanted to make moves with Charles now."
I snickered and joked that she's just wanted to use him to forget her ex.
"In all honesty, he's one hot damn dude alright. How did Athena managed to score him?" I added.
"Hey, he said that they knew each other way before Athena started working at the company. Is he joking or it's real?" Maya curiously asked.
I shrugged my shoulders and I said that I will dig more some info if they really knew each other way back.
"I don't think we should tell my brother about what we observed today. He's going to flip out if we say that Athena might have a thing with Charles. Let's just say he's right about being tenacious."
"I think so too. I don't want to see him go back the way he used to before he met Athena and we're still not sure if she likes him or not."
We both agreed to tell Conrad that he's right about what he said about Charles. We don't want to suddenly destroy Conrad's happiness so we will leave it to him about what will he do when the truth about Athena and Charles comes to light.
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I'm so proud that I talked back at Charles in wanting to have a coffee with Conrad. How dare he dictates my free time.
I just returned to the office from my coffee session with Conrad.
There's twenty minutes left before the meeting starts. I was planning to go to the restroom but I suddenly saw Charles walking towards my direction. We both made eye contact and he suddenly called me out.
I stopped walking and he went near me.
OMG. What will he say to me? Is he going to bring up the the topic that I went with Conrad instead of him.
"Want to go again to the bookstore again later?"
Phew. I thought he will ask me about Conra-. Wait. What?
"I want to buy another book title. I've read all the mangas you've recommended for me."
Huh?
"We went there the other day. I already recommended the titles that suit you." I said.
"I don't think so. There's tons of titles that I don't know. I pretty enjoyed the titles you recommended me. Come on, you're the expert." He's begging me to go with him.
Really? He finished it already? That makes me glad though.
Should I recommend him some titles again? Is he making a move at me since he declared that he'll not give up on me?
"Don't worry. We'll be only going to the bookstore." He said.
I'm kind of reluctant.
"I'll go home straight after shopping for the titles, okay?"
He gave me a thumbs up.
In the end, I still agreed. He genuinely looked like he is enjoying the mangas I recommended. It's rare for me to meet someone who immediately took interest the same hobby as me but I know he's acting like that because he likes me.
In fairness, I can see a change in him. I thought he's going to act like he's jealous earlier at Conrad but he did not, knowing his temper. I kind of wanted to have a colleague that has the same interests as mine and be friends with them.
Of course, I wouldn't fall from his actions. I will still keep some boundaries.
It will not hurt if I will just accompany him to the bookstore.
Meetings has ended, work for the day will be almost done, and I am walking towards the pantry with my water bottle to refill it. I felt thirsty, that's why.
When I was about to enter the pantry, only Zilly and Charles are the only ones in the pantry. I stopped from entering because I heard Zilly getting mad at Charles.
I just stood and hid by the entrance door and eavesdropped to their conversation.
"You agreed that you'll be going to the movies with me after work!" Zilly angrily said.
"I never promised anything. You just told me that you wanted to go with me and didn't wait for my reply if I will go with you or not." I peeked and saw Charles is seated on one of the chairs and casually drinking an orange juice drink in a juice carton with a straw.
Zilly is standing in front of Charles. She keeps insisting that she wanted to go with him regardless if Charles didn't promised anything.
"Sorry, not today. I'm going somewhere later."
"Where will you go? Are you meeting with someone?" She asked.
"Yep. Somewhere there that I find it special."
"Hey! Why you're grinning?! Where's that place?"
"Do I?" He giggled and said "Don't want to tell you. You might ruin the mood if you'll actually go there with me."
She paused for a few seconds and said "Are you meeting with Athena?"
I got nervous when she mentioned my name all of the sudden.
"We're actually going together. I'm actually euphoric right now."
"What the hell? You're still not over her?! She rejected you months ago!"
She knew?! How did she know that I rejected him? I'm getting paranoid if other people aside from Reese and Zilly knew that Charles and I have something going on between us.
"I told you before to give up on me. No matter what you do, I won't budge."
She sighed and said "This is so annoying. Go ahead. You're onesided too. How sure are you that you'll be able to grab a hold on her? Will you able to last long?"
"My feelings are too strong to give up now. If that's the case then, I will not give up and most likely I can hold on to her no matter how long it takes." He confidently said.
So he's really serious about me? I can't believe he is saying this to Zilly.
Zilly scoffed and taunted at him. "Really? You're that confident? Let's see how long you will hold on to her."
"I love her. That's why I'm confident. Same goes to you, how long will you keep up to me?"
"She doesn't even like you anyways, it's obvious to me. It doesn't seem you're progressing. I still have the chance to grab you away."
"I'm an ass for making her hate me and that's my fault. However, I'm making small steps to renew my relationship with her and I know I've got a long way to improve it but I don't lose hope." He seriously said this.
"Have it your way. Enjoy your date with that boring girl." She sarcastically said this to him and started walking angrily towards the exit of the pantry.
I dashed and hid behind a tall plant on the other side of an intersecting hallway. I saw Zilly walking outside the pantry with anger and she went on.
Oh god. My cheeks feels hot. I'm like having a fever. This is so new to me. No one has ever liked me to that degree. Well, in the first place, no guy has ever liked me before up so I'm all mixed up. This is really my first time knowing that a guy likes me.
I'm getting mesmerized to what he said about me to Zilly. I can't believe this.
I have to protect this innocent heart of mine. I shouldn't fall for that guy for the reason of the things he did to me. Lucas will be only in my heart!
»»»»»End of Chapter 41«««««