Secret Admirer

19. Flowers

Kayu walked into his office and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight on his desk—a fresh bouquet of purple lilies, just like the one he'd received yesterday and the day before. He exhaled slowly, bracing himself for the inevitable teasing from his colleagues that would come his way.

There was already a small, knowing grin from Ali, who sat across from him and had made it a habit of flashing Kayu a wink each time he glanced at the flowers.

Purple lilies were indeed Kayu's favorite, and in any other situation, he would have been touched by the attention. But at this point, with the flowers showing up every day without fail, the attention was beginning to feel stifling. 

Everyone assumed, of course, that the bouquets were gifts from June. It would only make sense, given their recent engagement. 

No one suspected that they were actually from Ciro—their boss. The same Ciro who had barely glanced his way in all the seven years Kayu had been working under him, until recently.

A colleague walked by, grinning. "Another one today, Kayu? June must be really smitten with you."

Kayu mustered a small smile, shrugging off the comment. "Yeah, he is," he replied simply, turning his attention back to the flowers as his mind raced. 

June didn't even know that purple lilies were his favorite. Ciro, on the other hand, somehow seemed to have memorized his every preference as if it were part of his job description. 

Ciro's attention had gone beyond the flowers; he had taken to ordering Kayu's favorite snacks, even predicting exactly what he wanted to eat for lunch each day. It was uncanny, and, if he was honest, a bit unnerving.

Kayu shook his head, determined to refocus. There was no point dwelling on it. Just a few more weeks, he reminded himself. His resignation had already been drafted, his plans with June already in place. Kayu loved his job, but he needed distance from Ciro, from everything this place represented.

Taking a deep breath, he picked up his tablet, rehearsing the day's schedule in his mind as he made his way down the hall to Ciro's office.

As he reached the door, he tapped on it in his usual, familiar rhythm before opening it. 

Ciro looked up from his desk, greeting him with a warm smile. 

Kayu had seen that very smile for years, but it used to be reserved exclusively for Aya, Ciro's ex-girlfriend. Back then, Kayu had been the invisible, efficient assistant in the background, meticulously organizing schedules, arranging meetings, and ordering the exact foods Ciro wanted.

But now, that warm smile was directed at him, and Kayu felt his stomach twist with discomfort.

"Swadee, Kayu," Ciro said, his gaze lingering.

"Swadee Khrab, Khun Ciro," Kayu replied formally, keeping his tone steady. 

He quickly shifted into work mode, his voice taking on its usual businesslike cadence as he began reading off the schedule. "You have a meeting scheduled with the Department of Design and the Department of Production at 11 o'clock. After that, you're free for the rest of the day."

As he looked up from his tablet, he noticed that Ciro's gaze hadn't moved from his face. Instead, Ciro was watching him with an intensity that made him feel strangely self-conscious. 

Feeling the air grow thick, Kayu adjusted his grip on the tablet and forced himself to meet Ciro's gaze. "Khun Ciro, is there something else I can help you with?"

Ciro's expression softened, a curious glint in his eyes. "Did you change your lipstick shade?"

Kayu's cheeks warmed as he shifted uncomfortably. "Ah... Khrab. I did."

He hadn't thought anyone would notice; after all, he had only switched to a shade that was a touch deeper than the one he usually wore. But here was Ciro, of all people, picking up on such a minor change. His skin prickled as he wondered just how closely Ciro had been observing him lately.

Ciro's eyes sparkled with a hint of approval. "It suits you," he said. "Brightens your face, makes your lips look more... kissable."

The compliment hung in the air, heavy with implication. Kayu felt his cheeks burn even hotter, his hand tightening on the edge of the tablet. "Thank you," he replied carefully, clearing his throat. "June got it for me as a gift."

The smile on Ciro's face disappeared instantly, his expression shifting to one of subtle disdain. "June got it for you?" he repeated, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Now he is manipulating your tastes? That's impressive, I will give him that."

Kayu drew in a sharp breath, his spine straightening as he met Ciro's gaze squarely. "June wasn't manipulating me, Khun Ciro," he said, choosing his words with a calm but pointed politeness. "It was just a gift, nothing more."

Ciro snorted softly, looking away as if unimpressed. "If you say so."

Kayu bit back his irritation, feeling the frustration bubbling up under his calm exterior. He was here to do his job, not to be scrutinized or analyzed by his boss. He knew Ciro had strong opinions, but his words were verging on disrespect. 

Keeping his composure, he nodded curtly. "Is there anything else you would like me to prepare for today, Khrab?"

Ciro tilted his head, his lips curving up in a faint smirk. "Yes, actually. Clear your schedule for this evening. We are meeting some people."

Kayu paused, taken aback. "Shall I make arrangements for the meeting? Any specifics I should prepare?" he asked, defaulting to his usual organized mode.

Ciro chuckled, shaking his head. "No need. All I need is for you to keep your evening free."

It was uncharacteristic of Ciro to be so vague, and Kayu's confusion only grew. But his professionalism won out, and he nodded, making a quick note on his tablet to cancel any other engagements for the evening.

"Khrab, understood. I will make sure my schedule is clear," Kayu replied, trying to maintain his usual calm.

"Perfect," Ciro murmured, his gaze shifting back to Kayu with that same unsettling warmth that had lingered in every interaction recently. "And Kayu?"

Kayu stopped, glancing back at him expectantly. "Khrab, Khun Ciro?"

Ciro's voice softened, almost gentle. "You don't need to call me 'Khun Ciro' We have known each other for years, haven't we? Call me P' Ciro."

Kayu's heart thudded in his chest as he tried to process the request. For seven years, he had called him 'Khun Ciro' or 'Khun Thewan,' only ever using his first name when speaking to others about him. 

The idea of addressing him as anything else felt foreign. His mind churned with unasked questions, but he nodded, forcing a neutral smile.

"Khrab... P' Ciro."

Ciro's expression softened further, as if he had achieved some small victory. "Good. I would like that."

Kayu excused himself as gracefully as he could, his fingers clenching around the tablet as he made his way back to his desk, thoughts racing. The air around him felt charged, heavy with the implications of Ciro's behavior. For a brief, irrational moment, he wondered if Ciro could sense the lingering remnants of his old crush—the secret he had buried so deeply that even he rarely acknowledged it.

Sighing, he sat down and looked at the bouquet of purple lilies on his desk, their petals soft and vivid against the neutral office background. 

Ciro had transformed over the past few weeks, slipping out of his usual detached demeanor and becoming someone almost unrecognizable. He seemed to know Kayu's tastes and habits with startling accuracy, even anticipating his lunch preferences without a single slip-up. 

The attention, which might have once thrilled him, now weighed on him like a burden he hadn't asked to carry.

As he stared at the bouquet, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something far more complicated lurking beneath the surface.