Secret Admirer

28. Absurd gossip

Kayu stretched his arms above his head, releasing a soft sigh as the tension in his back eased slightly. 

It had been another long day, and though the satisfaction of finishing his tasks used to fill him with pride, now it left him feeling drained. The work that once excited him had turned into a chore he could barely muster the enthusiasm for.

The approaching end of his tenure at the company didn't make things any easier. With just weeks left until his resignation took effect, Kayu found himself juggling a heavier workload than ever. 

Between wrapping up his own responsibilities and mentoring the two interns competing for his position, he barely had time to think.

But what wore him down the most wasn't the work—it was the gossip.

After news of his resignation had spread through the office, the rumors started almost immediately. 

Kayu had tried to maintain professionalism, casually mentioning that he was leaving to explore new career opportunities, but no one seemed to believe it.

"They always need a scandal," Kayu muttered to himself as he packed his bag.

The whispers were relentless. Stories spread like wildfire, each one more outlandish than the last. He had overheard some of them during coffee breaks or passing by conversations. 

One of the more ridiculous rumors suggested that Kayu had been involved in a long-standing affair with Ciro, and that Aya—Ciro's ex-girlfriend—had caught them red-handed.

"That's why Khun Ciro and Khun Aya broke up," a colleague had said, wide-eyed, just loud enough for Kayu to overhear. "And now Khun Kayu is leaving to protect Khun Ciro's reputation!"

Another rumor painted Kayu as a manipulative partner who had juggled both June and Ciro, leaving chaos in his wake.

Kayu rolled his eyes just thinking about it. 

The absurdity of it all was laughable—if it weren't so exhausting. He had no intention of wasting his time or energy refuting such baseless accusations. Let them talk, he thought. 

In a couple of months, none of this would matter.

He shut down his computer, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed downstairs. 

The thought of finally stepping out of the office and into the cool evening air was a small comfort, even if he had no plans for the night. As he reached the main exit, his eyes caught a figure standing just outside the glass doors, chatting animatedly with a group of his co-workers.

Kayu froze.

It was June.

The sight of him stopped Kayu in his tracks. He hadn't expected to see June again—not here, not now. His stomach twisted as memories of their time together flooded back, along with the bitter taste of how it had all ended.

Before Kayu could compose himself or decide whether to turn around and slip away unnoticed, June spotted him.

June's face lit up with a wide smile, and he waved enthusiastically. "Kayu!"

Kayu stiffened, feeling the weight of his colleagues' curious gazes already turning toward him.

 June excused himself from the group he had been talking to and jogged over, closing the distance between them in seconds.

Without warning, June pulled Kayu into a hug.

Kayu's body went rigid as the familiar scent of June's cologne filled his senses. He was acutely aware of the eyes on them—colleagues watching from the sidelines, their whispers no longer subtle.

He knew that pushing June away would only lead to another round of rumors that were nowhere near reality. Thus, he stood there, letting June hug him in front of everyone.

"June," Kayu said, forcing an awkward smile as he gently pulled away from the embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, of course!" June replied brightly, his expression as open and cheerful as ever.

June's face was glowing, showing off his happiness as all things in his life was finally starting to fall into place, unlike Kayu, who world was falling apart slowly.

Kayu's eyes darted around nervously, catching snippets of hushed murmurs from nearby. He could already imagine how this would add fuel to the fire of office gossip. 

Clearing his throat, he asked, "Why now? Is something wrong?"

June shook his head. "Nothing is wrong. I just... I wanted to see you."

Kayu raised an eyebrow, skeptical. The last time they had spoken, June had left him behind without a second thought. What could he possibly want now?

"Do you have plans tonight?" June asked, his tone hopeful. "I would like to take you out to dinner. My treat."

Kayu hesitated. He could feel the weight of his coworkers' stares pressing down on him like a physical force. The rumors were already unbearable—he could only imagine what they would say after this. But then again, what difference did it make? He was leaving soon, and nothing he did would stop them from talking.

"Alright," Kayu said, nodding reluctantly. "I am free."

June's face broke into a relieved smile, and for a brief moment, Kayu saw a glimmer of the person he had once cared about.

He had been worried that Kayu wouldn't be willing to have dinner with him, after all that had happened in between them. 

Kayu had been the innocent victim who got dragged into the plot because of his selfishness and he felt extremely guilty toward Kayu.

If he hadn't rushed into proposing to Kayu, that too in front of all of Kayu's colleagues, may be Kayu wouldn't have been so affected.

June was aware that Kayu was a sweetheart, the kind of person who wished others happiness even if it hurt Kayu himself. It was a quality that he loved about Kayu. 

But in the end, he had been the one who took advantage of Kayu's kind heartedness and left Kayu to fend all by himself. 

He knew that giving Kayu a sincere apology was the least he could do, after how things went down for both of them.

"Great!" June said, practically beaming. He reached out and took Kayu's hand, his grip firm and warm.

Kayu stiffened again, glancing around as the murmurs among their colleagues grew louder. The scene must have looked intimate—too intimate. 

Kayu wanted to pull his hand away, but June was already leading him toward the exit.

As they walked out of the building together, June's enthusiasm seemed to radiate with every step. 

Kayu, on the other hand, felt like he was walking through a minefield, each whispered comment from the lounging area behind them another potential explosion.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Ciro had been watching the entire scene from the shadows of the office's mezzanine level. His sharp eyes followed every movement—June's smile, the hug, the way he held Kayu's hand.

Ciro's jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. From his vantage point, it was impossible to hear what was being said, but he didn't need to. The sight alone was enough to set his mind racing.

As Kayu and June disappeared through the glass doors, Ciro remained rooted in place, his gaze fixed on the spot where they had just been. His expression was unreadable, but the storm brewing in his chest was undeniable.