Work Text:
Everyone in the company knew about the espresso machine in the boss Aleksander Morozova’s personal office. The machine’s arrival certainly turned heads when it was delivered straight to his door and through it. At first, no one had the faintest idea what could possibly be contained in that fairly noticeable box being rolled in by trolley. But given that his office had one transparent glass door set in an equally transparent glass wall, his employees didn’t have to wonder long.
State of the art.
High end.
Very expensive.
Mr Morozova’s espresso machine definitely looked like all of the above. Thereafter, anyone that happened to pass by his open door as his coffee was brewing could attest to the rich aroma, that almost-heavenly scent that made his espresso machine-produced beverage seem akin to ambrosia, the mythical food of the gods.
In short, its presence certainly caused a stir in the normally tranquil office. Everyone who happened to be a coffee aficionado were affected. In fact, even the non-coffee drinkers developed a longing to taste the coffee from the boss’ espresso machine.
It was just unfortunate that Aleksander Morozova bought it with his own money. The accounts team and his personal assistant confirmed that no company card or expense account was used to pay for it. And by virtue of having the machine installed directly in his room instead of the office pantry, Aleksander Morozova was pretty much stating (without words) that it was for a single person’s use only.
His use.
To everyone else, the espresso machine was off limits.
Perhaps in Ravka where the relationship between superior and subordinate were not as formal or rigid, where employees could actually call their employers by their given name, where one’s relationship to a direct supervisor could blur into friendship, there might have been a chance that someone from the staff would be brave enough to request its use.
But this was Shu Han. Such a thing was out of the question. Aleksander Morozova may be Ravkan by nationality. However, everyone else in the office was Shu-born and bred. To them, it was the way of things that relationships between employer and employee remain formal and professional. To treat one’s supervisor otherwise would be a great disrespect.
Long story short, no one dared to broach the subject of trying out the boss’ espresso machine.
Whatever its coffee tasted like, they would have to be content with leaving it up to their imagination. As things were, their best chance of tasting that delicious smelling beverage was to wait for Mr Morozova to offer the use of his machine.
However, that was about as likely to happen as pots of gold landing directly onto their laps. In other words, impossible.
This was not to say that it was unpleasant to work for Aleksander Morozova. It also did not meant that he was a difficult person to talk to.
Personality wise, he was always civil and polite, though not given to talk much about himself. Which made him come across as aloof and impersonal.
As long as it was regarding the subject of work, his subordinates knew that they could come to him for anything. Mr Morozova had a knack for remembering all past and active projects, as well as who was assigned to what task and to which customer. Weekly progress meetings went by relatively quickly because he could recall the reports from the week before without consulting meeting minutes or any other documents.
He also had a fairly good idea of each employee’s contribution to the company. And could easily recall each of their names.
And whenever anyone found themselves stuck in a project, having run out of ideas on how to complete it, Mr Morozova would always be available to either provide a solution or guide an employee to one.
Unfortunately such situations only extended to the confines of work.
Aleksander Morozova did not volunteer personal information. As far as anyone could tell, he had never once taken personal calls in all the years he had founded the company. No partner or spouse had ever visited the office. There had never been a (non-work related) special occasion he was in a rush to get to. And as far as anyone knew, there had never been plans made with close friends, to the point that some even wonder if he had actual friends at all.
The only thing that ever annoyed him was when he found his time being wasted by non-work related topics. One can easily talk to him about the rival company that took a project away. But try talking about what one did over the weekend and the employee will find the conversation halted swiftly.
As the boss, he did attend the were yearly company parties. But he only stayed long enough for a speech to wish everyone well. And on a very good year, he would announce the upcoming bonuses and even hand out gifts and prizes. Those always happened at the start of the party. Because afterwards, he would make his exit, leaving his employees to enjoy the food and each other’s company without him.
Even before his espresso machine arrived, he rarely lingered in the office pantry to make any form of small talk. If he ever decided to eat his lunch at the office, he would do so at his desk. All by himself.
No one dared to interrupt him. Because it seemed pretty clear that he preferred his solitude. Just as he liked to enjoy his aromatic coffee alone.
Eventually, the espresso machine (as well as his solo use of it) was treated as simply just another facet of the boss’ eccentricity. His employees’ mingled respect and fear of him ensured that, no matter how much time had passed, they would never dare to touch his personal property.
In their minds, it was an object forever out of reach.
And it remained so even when the old coffee machine at the pantry broke down. In hindsight, such a thing was inevitable. Some said that the old communal coffee machine had been as old as the day the company moved to the building.
As Human Resources found out, it was old enough that the exact model was no longer being produced. Finding a technician willing and able to fix it would take more time and expense than buying a new coffee machine altogether.
Of course, even while everyone thought about the espresso machine inside the boss’s glass door, no one dared suggest going up to Mr Morozova to request use of it. It was his espresso machine. Bought with his own money. Not the company’s. And no one really wanted to bother him over what could be seen as a minor inconvenience.
The problem was that everyone was used to the old coffee machine’s beverage. Before committing to buying a new machine for the whole office, it seemed only right to taste test coffee from potential machines. Such things weren’t cheap, after all. And if the majority didn’t like the coffee, it would have been a waste of company money.
Unfortunately, most did not like the coffee from the first machine. Nor did the like the coffee from the one after that. Hunting for the new communal coffee machine was proving to be more challenging than everyone initially thought.
In the mean time, it was clear to the company employees that they had to get their caffeine fix elsewhere.
That turned out to be. a problem easily remedied. Their building was situated in the business district, which meant that there were many tea and coffee shops opened just around every corner catering specifically to office workers.
Ordering from Keramzin Coffee, a Ravkan-Shu Han fusion coffee and cake shop, was supposed to be a temporary fix. One of the things that made selecting this shop among the others scattered across the Shu business district was its affordable price. It also didn’t hurt that customer service was top notch. Given the amount of orders, the shop was more than willing to deliver straight to their office.
It especially didn’t hurt that the person delivering their coffee happened to be a bright and bubbly young, half Ravkan woman named Alina. As per company policy, she was supposed to pass the orders to the receptionist who would be tasked with distributing the orders. But seeing how the company receptionist was having a hard time tracking everyone’s coffee and passing each beverage to the right person, Alina decided to stay and help.
Somehow, Alina ended up learning each and every employee’s names, even the ones that didn’t order from her shop. And each working day afterward, she would be let in to the office to pass each coffee directly to each employee’s desk.
It was akin to a breath of fresh air to have Alina greet each and every one of them with their drink in hand. There was something nice about a girl who seemed genuinely interested in what they had to say. Someone who listened to them and sympathise. Someone who always had kind words to shower them with. It was like having a moment of peace in a place that required each worker to do their job at a fast and demanding pace.
That was how Alina still kept delivering to them even when the employees finally decided on a new coffee machine. Well, that and Keramzin Coffee’s affordable and delicious food and drinks. Some just genuinely liked the coffee from Alina’s shop and didn’t mind spending a little extra for it.
Best of all, even Mr Morozova wasn’t against Alina’s presence despite the initial shock of seeing her that first time. After all, it was Aleksander Morozova who wrote the company policy of not allowing outsiders to come in the office without good reason (no one thought he actually considered passing coffee orders as good reason). That first day of Alina’s arrival, he had been so surprised to see Alina that he actually spilled his wonderfully-scented coffee all over his suit.
Of course, no one dared to laugh. No matter how comical it looked to see their previously poised and unperturbed boss being so unlike his usual self. On the other hand, they wouldn’t have been able to even if they wanted to. Because they were worried he might finally lose his temper over the blatant violation of his strictly regulated policies.
Mr Morozova rarely if ever raised his voice. But when he did, no one wanted to be in the vicinity.
The thought of having it directed at them was enough for collective knees to shake and bodies to perspire (even in an air conditioned environment). And for what? Because they wanted coffee delivered to them instead of getting it themselves?
To their relief, the boss made no complaint in regards to Alina’s presence. He did not object to Alina’s return the day after. Or the day after that.
In fact, Mr Morozova had eventually asked to be included in the orders for Keramzin Coffee.
Strangely enough, he had told his assistant that the espresso machine was broken. But because he didn’t have time to get someone to come over to repair the machine, he figured that he would just join in when some of the employees ordered from the coffee shop.
Even stranger was the fact that he refused his assistant’s offer to call the repairman for him. All Mr Morozova said was that he didn’t want anyone else’s time getting wasted over the espresso machine. Besides, he couldn’t stand having someone tinkering in his office while he worked.
Or so he said.
But truth be told, his espresso machine looked fine. It was still fairly brand new, bought from a brand well-known for quality and efficiency. If Mr Morozova called the company that manufactured the machine, it was sure to send someone to repair the machine right away. Maybe even have someone deliver a replacement if it wanted to get a great endorsement on its customer service.
But days turned into weeks and then turned into months. The espresso machine remained unused in his office. Still out of order, according to Mr Morozova. But with no one else using it, there was no way to know what exactly was wrong with it.
In any case, no one in the company was willing to challenge the boss’ assertions in regards to his own personal property.
And if in place of high quality coffee from a high quality espresso machine, there starts to appear a smile on the boss’ face, especially after a certain pretty young woman from a certain coffee shop delivered his order straight to his desk, no one would dare comment on it.
At least not in his presence.
There was certainly talk after office hours. Outside the office.
But when the espresso machine suddenly appeared in the office pantry, mysteriously fixed over the weekend, all everyone in the office could talk about was how good the coffee was. Even though it was overpriced and not as good as the one from Keramzin Coffee.