Work Text:
It was morning, 10 am. Daichi was reviewing the latest news in his computer, his work was being informed of what happened in the city. He actually liked that. He looked out the window to the city. Man, he was never gonna get used to seeing it so small. He daydreamed a little, looking at ant-size cars, this year has been a hell of a ride. This was his first job out of school, after 4 years studying journalism he was doing social media jobs, keeping the news facebook page updated, helping with the twitter account, responding comments on the site. It didn’t feel like journalism at all. He wanted the action, the real job, the interviewing people, the rush of being woken up in the night to cover a story, to write about it. Not this.
But he knew that it actually isn't that bad. He knew that in this industry, getting a job fresh out of college was not that usual, and a job in this network was also a good place to start. He just needed to make a name for himself, so he could someday do what he dreamed when he started college..
Hard work, Daichi, that’s what's gonna get you far.
He selected a couple of news that he found more relevant and posted them on Facebook, copying the link to the entire piece that someone else wrote on an investigation that someone else did. Never mind, they have more experience, I’ll get there.
A bing interrupted his thoughts. The elevator opened and a person walked out. He was looking around like he was waiting for someone to kick him out, but at the same time looking amazed by where he was. Daichi found himself smiling fondly at the stranger. What a beautiful stranger, he was tall but not that tall, his skin was pale and luminous, his ash-blonde hair looked so soft that he really, really wanted to run his fingers through it. His eyes, gods, his eyes, they were so expressive, like they were telling stories, they were excited, they were amazed, they were a little frightened, but most of all they were alive. They were beautiful.
Daichi notice he was staring, like, shamelessly staring. He looked around as if waiting for someone else to notice the stranger, but everyone were caught up in their own things. The stranger seemed to notice that too and even if he was walking cautiously, he looked a little more confident that he wasn’t going to be kicked out.
He obviously didn’t notice Sawamura.
The stranger walked to the nearest unoccupied window and stood there, looking down. Daichi kept on shamelessly staring, his work forgotten. The beautiful stranger was also a well-dressed stranger, modeling a plain white T-shirt under a military-green stylish jacket, a dark blue pants folded on the end, revealing his ankles before a pair of light brown loafers that were the same color as the bag he was carrying. Daichi felt underdressed (even though he was wearing his usual work clothes – a black dress shirt and grey pants).
Almost unintentionally, Sawamura stood up and went to where the stranger was standing, now with a hand in the window, still with those amazed eyes. When Daichi found himself a few steps from him, he panicked. What am I doing? He thought of turning back but the stranger noticed him, a little panic in his very alive eyes. Daichi opened his mouth. “Can I help you with something? Are you looking for someone?”
“Oh, no, I, uh, just came to see the view from up here”, the stranger seemed a little intimidated by Daichi, but really was just panicking OMG he’s gorgeous, act natural Suga. “Sorry I kinda knew I can’t be here but came anyway”. Daichi combusted a little inside, what an interesting stranger. He smiled.
“I, uh, yes, you actually can’t, but, well, if someone tells you something you could say you came to see me and uh, maybe, they won’t kick you out. Maybe. I don’t know I’m new anyway, just, uh, I’m Sawamura Daichi”. So smooth, Daichi, how old are you?
“Daichi”, Suga murmured, hoping the other wouldn’t hear. But he did. And his heart made a roundoff back handspring. “Uh, wow, thanks, I, I’m Sugawara Kouchi, I, OK, I’ll do that, I hope I don’t get you in trouble, but I doubt anyone asks, they seem very engrossed in work.”
Daichi looked around and agreed with a smile. “Yeah, you might be right. I, uh, should get to work too. I leave you to investigate the mysteries of the 64th floor”. Suga chuckled and looked at Sawamura’s eyes, making Daichi feel weak on the knees. “Right, uh, work. Nice to meet you Sugawara”.
“Nice to meet you too, thanks again”.
Daichi tried, really tried to work. He should be doing a little column for the site (that was only gonna be on the site, it’s something) about a record that some girl broke somewhere. But every two minutes, he looked around searching for Suga. He watched the way he moved around, how he accommodated his hair, how he was taking a few pictures. More than once their eyes met, making Daichi’s heart beat faster. Little did he knew that Suga’s was skipping beats too.
About 20 minutes later, Suga decided (after a session of self-encouraging) to go to Daichi’s desk to thank him and say goodbye. Nobody even paid attention to him in all this time, which made him be a little discouraged because for some reason he wanted to say that indeed he was there to see Daichi. It was kinda silly, but he didn’t mind. He couldn’t deny that he felt drawn to Daichi and wanted to see him again. He was going to ask for his number, or give him his, or ask him out. He really hoped that he wasn’t making everything up in his mind.
“Uh, Da- Sawamura?”
“Huh?” Daichi looked up from his computer, and seeing Suga so close made him click on publish in a Facebook’s post that wasn’t finished. “Shit, uh, wait, argh”, Daichi murmured while copying the incomplete text and deleting the bad post.
“What happened? Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, yeah, just, uh, silly mistake. Sorry. Hi, again”
“Hi” Suga laughed a little nervous. You can do it, Suga, come on!
“Did you finished the tour?”
“Oh, yes, yes. I wanted to thank you again, even if everyone just ignored me, thanks for offering.”
“It was nothing, quite literally”
“None of that, it was something” Suga said with a smile, then he looked out. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? It’s a great view to watch while working, how can you even get accustomed to this?”
“Well, I haven’t. I actually ask myself that question every day. I don’t think I’ll ever get use to this”
“Don’t” Suga said, his eyes on Daichi’s. “That way you’ll be amazed every day”. Daichi smiled fondly.
“Deal. That I’ll be”
They keep their eyes locked, saying no more. Daichi was about to explode, liberating all the butterflies inside him. He was getting more and more nervous and anxious to just ask Suga out. But it was too sudden. And he had been so awkward today. Gods, this is no good. I can’t do this.
“I should, uh, go.” Suga murmured.
Daichi stood, “I’ll walk you to the elevator”
“Uh, oh, OK”.
Is he blushing? I’m not imagining, am I? Gods, he looks so beautiful. Is that a mole under his eye? Am I walking funny? Walk normally, damn it Daichi, be cool. You probably won’t see him again.
But I want to.
“So, now enjoy the mysteries of going down 64 floors” Daichi said trying to sound casual.
“I doubt they are as good as the mysteries of the 64th floor itself”
“I doubt it, too” The bing sounded and the doors opened. Suga looked at it like he really didn’t want to go in.
“Goodbye, Sawamura”
“Goodbye, Sugawara”
Suga went in, pushing the “1” button. He looked at Daichi with longing in those expressive eyes. There was a little sadness, a bit of disappointment.
The doors started to close.
Daichi stood there. Watching the doors close.
Until they were opening again.
They surprised each other by watching how they both did something to avoid that those doors closed entirely. Suga had pushed the ◄► button, while Daichi had placed his hand in-between the doors, right where the sensor was.
A double “can I see you again?”.
A double smile.
A double, I wasn’t imagining things.