Work Text:
The first time Xiao Zhan had heard of Wang Yibo was when the jiejies in the Marketing department suddenly got excited over one of their desktop computers crashed. There was a low happy buzz after the SPV announced that the IT department would send someone to their floor to fix it. One of the female staff walked back to her work station after seemingly confirming something with said SPV. Then she sent an OK signal along with a wink to the room in general, and the buzz was getting louder.
As the new intern in the agency, Xiao Zhan found it weird. So he decided to ask.
“Lu-jie, why does everyone look happy about a computer crash?” he whispered at Xuan Lu, a senior graphic designer in his team.
Smiling knowingly, she whispered back, “Because Wang Yibo is coming.”
Xiao Zhan frowned. Who?
A few minutes later, the glass door to the office on the 3rd floor opened and came in a bespectacled man. The buzz suddenly quieted down (though Xiao Zhan swore he could hear faint gasps in the background) as the man walked towards Zhang Yixing, the Marketing SPV. He was wearing a royal blue shirt under a black button-up cashmere cardigan. His long legs were wrapped in a pair of black trousers and simple but stylish white sneakers. The man looked neat and professional. As he walked further into the office, Xiao Zhan stole curious glances at him (along with everyone else in the room). He had very short black hair, with glowing alabaster skin pronounced by the contrasting color of his shirt. His nose perched beautifully above a pair of plump red lips. And his eyes were cold but very sharp, shielded by the black half-rimmed glasses that gave the impression of someone smart and important. His overall presence commanded attention.
Xiao Zhan went speechless. So this is Wang Yibo?
Wow. His trained artist eyes totally approved. Xiao Zhan couldn't help sympathizing with the Marketing jiejies who fell to the ground like dead flies. Wang Yibo was gorgeous. Though in his honest opinion, this man didn’t look like he belonged to the IT department. Standing next to the stylish Yixing-ge, he looked every inch the part of the Marketing team. If the man looked this good in simple office attire, Xiao Zhan would bet on his entire college savings that Wang Yibo would look hot walking the catwalk in fancy designer outfits.
Since then, Xiao Zhan started to notice Wang Yibo’s presence in the office. It was good to secure a 3-month internship in the most prestigious advertising agency in the city. It was even better to meet aesthetically pleasing figures in the office. Especially Wang Yibo's. The guy was 28, older than him by 5 years. A senior IT officer, very high in demand. Single, polite, and very smart. But he was extremely cold to people outside of office matters, and was only close to his team in the IT department. Wang Yibo had been asked out on a date almost on a daily basis, and there were only 130 employees in the agency so Xiao Zhan had gotta give it to their unwavering persistence. However, the dating offer always came in written format. No one had dared to ask him out directly after hearing one female staff resigning because he had reported her to the HR manager for disturbing his productive hours. Well, not that Xiao Zhan could really blame the poor girl. Wang Yibo was very handsome it hurt to be in the same room with him. Really, that guy should be in the entertainment industry, singing or acting or whatever. He would be very successful.
Out of curiosity, Xiao Zhan asked Xuan Lu if the Creative department had asked Wang Yibo to model for their clients. Not surprisingly, they did ask him and was flat out refused. Well, that was a pity. That face was a heart stopper. In the cafeteria, Xiao Zhan overheard a Purchasing jiejie lamenting over her poor heart barely able to survive after Wang Yibo’s piercing gaze (accidentally) fell on her. Not that Wang Yibo had ever cast a glance in his direction, but ridiculous as it sounded, Xiao Zhan somehow found it believable. As for himself, he wasn’t sure if the older man knew of his existence, being a new intern in the graphic design team. Besides, it wasn’t that Wang Yibo was into men. Mian Mian from the Social Media team had already confirmed this with her so-called trusted Wang Yibo sources. That was okay, Xiao Zhan would just enjoy the good view while his 3-month internship lasted.
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It was raining very hard in the morning, and Xiao Zhan’s bus came so late he arrived at the office building 18 minutes past 9 AM. He sprinted towards one of the elevators and managed to slip past the closing doors. Leaning on the metal wall, he closed his eyes, trying to regain his breathing. Only when he heard a quiet cough that Xiao Zhan realized he wasn’t alone in the elevator. Eyes snapped open and ready to apologize, he turned to his right and was greeted by the sight of Wang Yibo, standing next to him facing the doors.
Xiao Zhan froze, as his brain short-circuited right then and there.
If Wang Yibo looked very handsome from a far, even his side profile looked positively blinding from up-close. The man was almost as tall as him, only missing out by an inch. His eyebrows were thick and well defined. His nose was perfectly symmetrical, and those pouty red lips looked so inviting. His Adam apple looked more pronounced, and his eyes.. As the owner turned his head, the eagle eyes behind the black half-rimmed glasses were now directed at him.
Shit.
Xiao Zhan gulped, watching those eagle eyes coldly scan along his sodden state. From the wet hair plastered onto his forehead, the foggy lenses of his glasses, the blush on his yeekies that was no longer just from sprinting, his stupidly gaping mouth, and down to his drenched yellow hoodie and denim pants. Xiao Zhan instinctively clutched onto his backpack, so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Wang Yibo seemed to sense his nervousness, and when finally their eyes met his expression softened just a little.
“You okay?” he asked, raising one elegant eyebrow.
Tongue-tied, Xiao Zhan let out a tiny squeak. He blinked, willing his poor brain to start functioning and finally succeeded in closing his mouth.
“What floor are you on?”
“…F-five,” at least he managed to say something.
Wang Yibo raised his hand to push the floor button, and Xiao Zhan could map out the well-toned arm hidden under the long sleeve of his hunter green sweater. Again, he had heard those jiejies rave about their favorite IT guy’s big hands. But again, having them presented right in front of him was something else.
“Thank you,” Xiao Zhan softly said, looking down and clutching his bag closer to his chest. He bit his lower lip, trying not to think about his wet, pathetic self. When the elevator pinged and opened to his floor, he bowed slightly in thanks and scurried away. As the doors were sliding shut, he dared to take one last glance and caught the corner of Wang Yibo’s lips moving upward.
“Morning Zhan Zhan, you’re so late,” Xuan Lu greeted as Xiao Zhan made his way to his desk.
“Morning Lu-jie, I'm sorry,” he replied, seemingly back in autopilot.
“Oh my word, Zhan Zhan you’re soaking wet!” Xuan Lu gasped the moment she registered Xiao Zhan’s pitiful state. “Did you forget to bring your umbrella again? Did you bring a spare t-shirt? You’ll get sick, you know! Anyone has a spare t-shirt for Zhan Zhan?”
Letting the kind-hearted senior fuss over him, Xiao Zhan sat down and opened his laptop as usual. But his brain seemed to stop functioning again, this time almost completely. He absently registered the sound of someone playing Taiko drum nearby. No, wait. That was his heart, attempting to get out of his ribcage. His mind kept playing the last thing he saw in the elevator again and again. That was.. was that.. a smile? And, and there was no one else outside of the elevator, so.. did that mean.. he was smiling at...?
Holy Batman!
Purchasing jiejie, you were right. Xiao Zhan was positive now he was no longer breathing.
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