Second Ave Offices: The Time In Between (WLW)

Chapter Four

"And she just left after that?" Mark asked as he handed Kanda her latest assignment from Sheila and she took it, glancing over the sheets of paper.

"Yup. I have a plan though." Kanda grinned as she brought the papers to her face and covered her mouth with them, finding Mark snickering as he visibly anticipated further explanation. "So, she agreed to have dinner with me every night. It has to be after her niece goes home, which I still have to ask about. I'm thinking I eat slowly and bring up hobbies. That could lead us to doing things outside of her house someday, right?"

"You scheming devil." He wiggled his eyebrows as he sat down at his cubicle beside Ju who was completely ignoring their conversation and entirely immersed in her work as per usual. The only time that really ever changed was if her girlfriend came to the office for a meeting. "Hell yeah, that's a good plan. It's basically what this dork needed." He pointed at Ju with the shake of his head. "I bet she also just needs help coming out of her shell. So, do you think she'll cook or get take-out?"

"Right, 'cause that's what's most important." Ju uncharacteristically chimed in with a smug expression directed at him over her shoulder. "Not getting to know the doctor, but if she's a good cook or not."

Kanda snorted as Mark's face twisted, and then he stood. Grumbling under his breath as he moved away, he journeyed to the break room and disappeared beyond its arch. Kanda turned back around and lifted an eyebrow toward Ju.

"What? He's constantly teasing me. Am I not allowed to give him a taste of his own medicine?"

"No, I'm just surprised you stopped working." Kanda leaned down along Ju's cubicle from the opposing side with a lofty sigh as she felt her face fall. "Got any advice?"

Ju bit the inside of her cheek as she looked into her eyes for several silent moments before replying, "This is a one time deal. I prefer to discuss this type of thing during breaks or after work, but for you I'll make an exception." She sat back as she crossed her arms and bounced atop her exercise ball as she spoke, nearly making Kanda laugh at the serious expression she bore. "It's the doctor on the next floor up, right?"

"Yup. Doctor Fiona Kokkinos."

"Kokkinos... Sounds Eurasian... Perhaps Greek?" Kanda felt her eyebrows hit her hairline and watched a proud grin flood Ju's features. "So her family was once like yourself, beginning a new life in a foreign country and adjusting to it. You could possibly bond over that actually. Ask her about her family and talk to her about yourself. A mistake Hayden and I made in the beginning was terrible communication and if you want to be with this woman, you have to just talk. You have to be open and I don't see that being an issue for you. So, is there maybe something else that's bothering you about all of this? Something, or rather someone called Maya?"

Kanda let her arms hang loosely from the cubicle walls and grunted, resting her chin along its cool metal border. "Maybe a bit, but to be honest that's not really what's got me so frazzled anymore. I mean, it was last night... Hell, it was from the moment I first saw Fiona walking toward the elevators a few weeks back, but my reservations about being a part of a new relationship have been practically shoved away the more I've spoken with her. Now it's more like an afterthought and I'm more afraid of her pulling away than me running scared."

"Ahh, so you want to get closer so that she can see you as more of a steady rock?"

"Pretty much. I haven't been interested in anyone since what happened with Maya and I just want to have something real. Something that...is worth staying here." As soon as the words left Kanda's lips, Ju slowly nodded with a face full of compassion. She stood and rounded the corner of her cubicle to stand beside her. After they'd both settled their backs against the partition wall, she added, "Yeah, I'll be here a while yet on my visa, but I just...need something more to keep me here than just this job. I came here to have the whole package, only for the opportunity to slip right through my fingers. I don't want that to happen again. This time, I want things to work out the way they should."