Just Add Water [End]

006

Pon had barely settled into his desk when he overheard the excited whispers of his coworkers. Aon and Michael were already leaning over the partition, their eyes gleaming with gossip.

"Did you hear?" Aon whispered, barely able to contain his excitement.

Pon blinked, setting his bag down. "Hear what?"

Michael grinned. "The boss. Our boss. Mr. Kwanamphaiphan himself is coming to the office. Finally."

Pon's eyes widened. "Mr. Kwanamphaiphan? Here?"

Aon nodded vigorously. "The one and only. Can you imagine? We might finally see his face. He's like some kind of phantom around here."

Pon scratched his head, trying to remember the stories he'd heard about Mr. Kwanamphaiphan. "I've been here for two years, and I've never seen him. People say he's really... strict."

"Strict, intimidating, mysterious. The whole package," Michael added, crossing his arms. "Some say he doesn't like to interact with anyone outside of emails and memos. It's almost like he's hiding something."

Pon laughed, but there was a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Great. Just what I need, an intimidating boss visit. I hope he's not as scary as everyone says."

Aon snorted. "If he's as bad as they say, you might want to start looking for a new job, Pon."

"Stop scaring him," Michael said, elbowing Aon. "It's probably just an inspection or something. He won't bite."

"Easy for you to say," Pon muttered, sinking into his chair. "I've never even seen the guy. For all I know, he could have two heads."

Aon shrugged. "Guess we'll find out soon enough. He's supposed to come in next month. They're even cleaning up the office, so you know it's serious."

Pon let out a deep sigh, already feeling the pressure. "Next month... Alright. I've got time to mentally prepare myself."

Throughout the day, Pon found himself thinking about the mysterious boss more than he intended. He couldn't shake the curiosity, wondering what kind of person Hemmawich Kwanamphaiphan really was. Would he be cold and distant, or was he just a quiet guy who preferred to work behind the scenes?

When Pon finally got home that evening, he couldn't wait to share the news with Sailub. As he entered his tiny apartment, he found Sailub sitting on the couch, flipping through a magazine that Aon had left the other day.

"Hey, Sailub!" Pon greeted, setting his bag down. "Guess what?"

Sailub looked up, a gentle smile on his face. "What's up, Pon?"

"Our boss-our mysterious, faceless boss-is finally coming to the office!" Pon exclaimed, flopping down beside him. "His name's Hemmawich Kwanamphaiphan, and no one's ever seen him in person before. People say he's super intimidating."

Sailub's expression shifted ever so slightly, but he forced a small smile. "Mr. Kwanamphaiphan, huh? Sounds... interesting."

Pon didn't notice Sailub's pensive look as he continued. "Everyone says he's really strict and a bit scary. I don't know why he's been hiding all this time. I mean, it's kind of odd, right? I wonder what he's really like."

Sailub glanced away, his fingers playing with the corner of the magazine. "Maybe he just likes his privacy."

"Yeah, maybe," Pon said, scratching his head. "But it's been years, you know? No one even knows what he looks like. It's like he's some kind of myth."

Sailub chuckled softly, though there was a hint of tension in his laugh. "People can be mysterious, Pon. Sometimes, they have their reasons."

Pon paused, noticing Sailub's expression. "Are you alright? You look... I don't know, kind of tense."

Sailub quickly composed himself, flashing a reassuring smile. "Of course, I'm fine. Just... thinking, that's all."

Pon tilted his head, a bit puzzled. "Thinking? About what?"

"Just about... well, it's nothing important," Sailub replied, brushing off the question. "Tell me more about this boss of yours. Why is everyone so afraid of him?"

Pon shrugged, leaning back against the couch. "It's the mystery, I guess. No one's ever seen him. He keeps to himself, sends emails instead of meeting people in person, and he rarely leaves his office. It's like he's purposely hiding."

Sailub nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe he has a reason. Not everyone feels comfortable in crowds or around other people."

Pon laughed. "True. But it's his company! You'd think he'd at least show his face once in a while. And now he's finally coming next month. I don't know if I should be excited or terrified."

Sailub gave a small smile, though there was something unreadable in his eyes. "I'm sure everything will be fine, Pon. Maybe he's not as scary as everyone thinks."

Pon sighed, letting out a nervous laugh. "I hope you're right, Sailub. I really don't want to mess things up in front of him."

They sat together in silence for a moment, before Pon shook his head, as if trying to rid himself of his nerves. "Anyway, enough about him. How was your day?"

Sailub's face softened. "It was good. I cleaned up around here a bit and thought about you a lot."

Pon smiled, his heart fluttering at Sailub's words. "You know, it's nice coming home to someone like you. I've gotten so used to it."

Sailub reached over, placing a gentle hand on Pon's. "I'll always be here for you, Pon. You don't have to face anything alone."

Pon looked down at their joined hands, feeling a warmth spread through him. "Thanks, Sailub. You're... you're amazing."

Sailub gave him a soft smile. "Anything for you, Pon."

They stayed like that for a while, hands intertwined, both feeling a sense of calm that didn't need words.

As the days passed, the news about the boss's visit continued to be the main topic at work. Pon's nerves grew with each passing day, and he found himself talking about it to Sailub almost every night.

"What if he doesn't like me?" Pon fretted. "What if he's as intimidating as everyone says, and I make a fool of myself?"

Sailub reached out, gently patting Pon's shoulder. "Pon, you have nothing to worry about. You're hardworking and kind. Any boss would be lucky to have you as an employee."

Pon looked up, meeting Sailub's steady gaze. "You really think so?"

Sailub nodded. "I know so. Just be yourself. That's all you need to do."

Pon took a deep breath, feeling a little more at ease. "Thanks, Sailub. You always know how to make me feel better."

Sailub gave him a gentle smile. "That's what I'm here for."

As Pon finally relaxed, they sat together in the comfortable silence that had become so familiar. But every time Pon mentioned Mr. Kwanamphaiphan, he noticed that slight tension in Sailub's gaze, a brief flicker of something he couldn't quite place.

But Pon brushed it off, too focused on his own nerves to think much about it. For now, he was just grateful to have someone by his side who made him feel like he could face anything, even the most intimidating boss in the world.