The office [Complete]

Chapter 1

Kong's POV

I think I have mastered the art of staring at him through hooded eyes. Keeping my lashes lowered to discretely take in every single move he made all day. I don't even know why I did that. Not that people around our office didn't blatantly stare at Arthit every single time he decided it was time for another prank on some unsuspecting victim or that the atmosphere in our large office floor was getting too dour and needed some sprucing up. I wonder how he pulls it off. Pulling prank after prank on our colleagues, having the rest of us in splits, and yet after all these years still being universally beloved. Surely the never ending charm has to run out as some point right?

Apparently, he still seems to have an abundance of it as I saw him saunter to Pern's desk, perched against it nonchalantly, his lean legs clad in perfect fitting khakhis stretched out in front of him, getting her to devolve into chuckles almost instantly. Only a couple of minutes later a few more people strolled towards them surrounding him in a manner I have seen hundreds of times before. Listening to him almost with bated breath, showering him with their undivided attention, rapt with excitement as he spun tales of adventures around them.

It's been four years now since Arthit joined our company as a project manager and as the primary coordinator I get to work closely with him several times a week. In fact I doubt there has been a day that has gone by that I haven't exchanged atleast a few words with him. And still somehow I have never ever experienced this weirdly fascinating scene playing out in front of me first hand.

Well, obviously nothing about my personality would actually allow me to stand up from my chair and walk up to a group of people and participate in such a jovial conversation. I wouldn't even know what to say. The jokes in my head never finding a way to convert themselves into words I could speak aloud. And after more than a few awkward attempts at socializing with my work colleagues I have learnt to keep my butt rather firmly on my chair while folks around me seemed to go about enjoying their breaks.

I pushed my glasses up my nose in this annoying habit that I have been desperately trying to break away from, but at times like these, it kind of came in handy as it allowed me to raise my head for a split second to steal an unobstructed view of the slowly growing group only a few feet away from my table.

I am yet to figure out why I find that man so fascinating. Why do I keep staring at him every chance I get. Perhaps I was a bit jealous about how amazingly personable Arthit was, and if I was to believe Sam, I wouldn't even come close to faking his personality for a day. Or maybe I was secretly upset that none of the attention had ever been directed towards me.

To be very honest, though, why would it. I wasn't particularly known for my sparkling personality. Helpful? Sure. Nice? Definitely. But turns out being 'nice' hadn't really gotten me too far. Infact it had pretty much crashed my life into a discombobulated mess and now I had to figure out how to pick up the pieces. My jaw clenching almost involuntarily as I thought back to the debacle of the last few days. For once in life, cursing the fact that I wasn't a violent type of a person. Cause throwing one, strong, painful punch sounded like a spectacular idea right now. With every single passing second as I relived the events that had been transpiring at home my anger only managing to rise.

"Woah, easy there. I'm sure the pen regrets whatever it has done to get punished so brutally."

I snapped my head up to see Arthit staring straight down at me. My throat instantly drying up just at the sight of those dimples unexpectedly being flashed in my direction. The words dancing around my parched lips simply refusing to make their way out when I saw him reach down and deftly pluck out the pen I had been strangling between my fingers.

"What dastardly deed did it do anyway?"

"Uh...no...no. I was...umm...just thinking..."

"Was it me you were thinking about?"

He grinned down at me flirtatiously, my response getting hitched right in my throat as the only thought running through my head was as if I could ever hurt his near perfect face by my current very violent desires to punch a hole in the wall. Will I ever find the guts to actually say those words aloud? Maybe.

As it turns out today was definitely not going to be the day with any life altering changes since along with blushing in my patently awkward manner I quickly  diverted my gaze from him and began asking mind numbingly boring questions about his current project.

I think we just demonstrated exhibit A as to why Arthit wouldn't spend a second more than necessary hanging around my desk. Even when he attempts to have a non-work related conversation I find a way to turn the awkwardness dial to the max. Atleast he was patient enough with me when I kept trying to prolong any interaction with him with downright stupid questions. I swear he must think I am an idiot with the amount of times I have asked him to go over the details of his last site visit. I can't really help it though, he has this hypnotizingly sweet voice that always manages to put me in a trance.

I think I was still looking up at him with the same dumb expression that annoys Sam so much, when I felt Arthit lightly tap my forehead with his finger.

"Kong? Hello? Someone in there?"

"Yeah...yeah...I'm here."

"So?"

"So...what?"

"So, did you get everything you need? I can go over the numbers again if you want."

"No, no, no. I'm good. Thanks."

Thankfully, he didn't comment on my natural habit of slipping into random daydreams before he collected all his files and began making his way back to his desk. Catching me completely off guard when I suddenly felt a burst of warm air tickling right by my ear.

"I know how much you love chocolates, so I stole a few from Pern's desk. Now you can think of me when you are biting into them."

He dropped a couple of those decadent foreign chocolates in my palm that Pern is so strangely protective about. Infact other than Arthit I doubt she has ever even shared them with anyone. A smile automatically finding a way to my face as I silently watched him walk away towards his desk. Giving Pern another friendly wave on his way back.

I caressed the wrapped chocolates with my fingertips, debating between indulging in the exotic goodness right away or perhaps saving Arthit's first ever gift to me as a fond memory. My musings cruelly cut short when my vibrating phone displayed the name of my boyfriend. The man I have been dating for six years.

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Y'all today has been a really strangely awesome day!

I dyed my hair blue.

I am officially off all my meds.

I get to go on a small vacation soon.

And I actually struck up a conversation with a stranger.

For everyone feeling down currently I hope you come by your perfect day really soon!!!

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