Chapter Text
It was 4:38 AM in the morning, and Yi Sang awoke from a faint dream. He moves himself on the uncomfortable side of the bed, but realizes he has to get ready for work. “Ah… I mustn’t forget.”, he scratches his eyes and reaches to his own phone, it switches on.
4:40 AM
November XX, 20XX
LCB Workplace GC
99+ New messages
X
CamelliaBlooms posted: “Just brought some sparklers today.” .....
T Corp. Nest Official
Stay safe from phishing time scams! Avoid dealing …….
“... Mn.” Yi Sang yawned to himself as he opened that notification that directed him to the Workplace group chat that he’s in, which his screen brightened a bit too much. He closes his eyes for a second after getting his eyes flashed from the white screen and lowered the brightness.
It automatically directed him to some message from yesterday, 8:49 PM of November.
8:48 PM
Rodya: “Did you hear about the news? There’s gonna be a new colleague, and I heard he is born as a silver spoon.. isn’t it interesting? Fuhu~”
8:51 PM
Gregor: “A newbie and a silverspoon..? Well that’s unexpected.”
8:53 PM
Ishmael: “You guys better be serious… we can’t have another nutjob this time..”
Yi Sang has been scrolling for the past 2 minutes, reading the messages of his colleagues. But he didn’t understand what they meant about having a ‘newbie’ at their workplace despite their shortcomings. All he knows is that the company he works in just provides all the necessary information which most wings keep on trying to partner with them in order to get some type of valuable information.
8:57 PM
Rodya: “C’mon guys, wouldn’t it be nice to get to know him at least once?~ He’s a newbie after all.”
Gregor: “You got a point, Rodya, but I don’t think any of us have the time to do that in this place like this...”
8:58 PM
Don Quixote: “Prithee! If you need any volunteers, I am glad to be a helping hand!”
Sinclair: “um.. what’s going on? what are we talking about?”
Rodya: “No worries, it’s just some interesting rumor I heard hehe~”
8:59 PM
R.S: “Heh. Interesting.”
Ishmael: “?”
Ishmael: “Why are there more of us chatting all of the sudden? I thought it’s a work group chat or something..”
Rodya: “Come on Ishy~ don’t be such a buzzkill..”
Heathcliff: “Can you lot stop chatting? it's annoyin’ the shite out of me right now.”
9:00 PM
Ishmael: “Then turn off your notifications.. It’s not that hard.”
There were too many things for Yi Sang to scroll on, of which half of the conversation was simply about Heathcliff and Ishmael fighting over not turning off notifications that could explain why he has too many notifications from this group chat specifically. Although he decided to turn off his phone first and focus on the task at hand, his goal is simply to get ready and commute to work.
He wore his shoes, brought his bag and packed necessary items. He decided not to cook any food since he isn’t much of a cooking type of person, so he’d rather buy from the canteen. He made sure he brought his laptop, thus the charger which he always forgets about but sometimes he ended up borrowing the laptop charger from Meursault.
9:51 PM
Outis: “Please refrain from fighting here, this is a group chat meant for work only.”
Ishmael: “We are just having a TALK… not really much of an argument.”
Sinclair: “yeah uhh.. might have to agree to outis on that one.. sorry..”
R.S: “It took you a long time to G.O.T.”
Ishmael:”What do you mean about ‘G.O.T’?”
9:52 PM
Sinclair: “i think she meant ‘get over this’.”
Ishmael: “Oh. Okay. Thanks.”
The chats were already getting out of the topic as Yi Sang waited patiently for the company bus. To buy some time, he was taking a bite of a sandwich that he bought a few days ago in a convenience store.
And moments later the bus arrived, so he entered and sat at the usual corner while everyone chatted over something unnecessary or probably work-talks. Except 25 minutes after moving to his apartments, it stopped at an unfamiliar home that is draped in luxury. It opens its large red gates embedded with golden accents with the help of servants and some relatives wishing this person some ‘good luck’ on their first day.
“Hey.. isn’t that the newbie?” Ishmael whispered to Meursault with awe because of its large gates, and Meursault took some time to analyze the new location. “Yes, it seems so.” Meursault replied monotonously.
But finally a silhouette of a new person appeared.
Yi Sang stared at the window trying to look at the features of this so-called ‘new colleague’ that he is rumored to be… from what he reads in his chats.
Later on, he actually appeared without any shadows. When Yi Sang stared, his features were clearer from the foggy cold windows of the bus. His hair is in dark hues of violet, long and tied beautifully as a pony-tail, a portion of his hair is out for some style, nevertheless his facial structure seems to be soft.
His skin looks very smooth just like porcelain, he is pale yet you can see softness to his skin. Yi Sang gazed into his eyes, it has a brilliant mismatched hue; it shows how unique he seems, and it reminds Yi Sang fondly about a jade that he always encounters in his old home.
Yi Sang peered over the lips of this person. They are soft, subtle, and he wears a gentle gleeful smile on his face. He is truly a tall and somehow handsome individual, it also adds up with how this person is also a well-dressed individual. It takes him a while to verify this person, but he is sensibly staring at a foggy window.
“You alright bud? You have been staring at the window for quite some time now.” Gregor tapped Yi Sang’s shoulder as he finally snapped out of it. Yi Sang kind of felt groggy after staring into the window and apparently the bus wasn’t still since Faust came out and talked to Hong Lu about his new workplace.
Yi Sang coughed a little, and uttered “There is nothing to worry about.” He can’t help it but feel engrossed about this new individual he is yet to meet. Who is he? Well, he isn’t so certain who he is, but he’d like to know him personally.
And finally he entered the bus. Faust walked alongside with him, and she stared at everyone with an expected gaze. “Faust would like you to meet our new fellow co-worker, kindly introduce yourselves to him.”
The new person looked around with curiosity, although despite the fact that it’s his first time, he waved. “Hello~ my name’s Hong Lu, and I hope we get along very well.” When he introduced himself, he was sparkling with graceful confidence, he hummed to himself with a simple tune. But Yi Sang was tempted to at least talk to him since he seems to be nice.
Except everybody was looking at Hong Lu for a while. They were eyeing their own peers whether they’ll do it first or last, although the order of each employee is still undecided until now. Until someone recollected their thoughts and it’s..
Yi Sang out of everyone.
He wanted to change at least a little.
Yi Sang walked in front of Hong Lu and pulled out a hand. “I am Yi Sang..” having his full attention to Hong Lu. The other also reached out for a handshake, “Oh! It’s nice to meet you, Yi Sang!” He cheerfully handshaked back, yet the aftermath of the handshake startled Yi Sang himself. Now apparently everyone realized that their colleague who hasn’t talked much in their office would be the first one to introduce himself?
Most of the time it will take a long time to know Yi Sang, he barely speaks but he’d only talk if he is being talked to. He is just meant to be a listener and that’s it to him. All of the sudden, he aspired to at least have small changes and try to at least leave the rumored Hong Lu a good impression. And that reason felt familiar to him, he never practiced it as much anymore.
“Ohh?~ I didn’t know you had it in you, Yi Sang!” Rodya teased him but he retracted his hands and looked away with slight shame, “My name is Rodion by the way, but call me Rodya instead~ I am sorta like a handy person in managing money~ Oh! And this person beside me is Gregor.” She tugged Gregor’s shoulder,
Gregor stumbled back after getting tugged, which he ended up sighing. “Oh uh.. hey bud. Yeah, I am Gregor. Um.. if you need help with anything, I guess.. I can help you?” Gregor scratches his neck with a sense of awkwardness,
“Ishmael if you please… I’d be glad to be a helping hand as well.” Ishmael shrugs, but she smiles at him,
“Hi.. uh.. my name is Sinclair.. and I uhm.. do paperworks for the office.” Sinclair’s lips trembled a little, but he made sure to keep his hands in his pockets to make himself look impressive to someone new, although he has the intention to be friendly of course,
Hong Lu nodded acknowledging everyone’s names and the roles they play, but then he looked to the other side who hadn't introduced themselves just yet.
“I am Meursault. I do not need any formal honorifics; I am merely an account manager.” Meursault simply said with little to no emotion.
“Ah, you are new here! It’s really nice to meet thee, I am Don Quixote!” Don Quixote grinned ear to ear alongside her eyes sparkling with gleams of joy, “Fret not, I am willing to help, show you around, and and and…!” She ended up forgetting her last line, which she creased into a frown. “I forgot the last word..!” Her words trailed off until Ryōshū got the limelight,
“Ryōshū’s the name, heh. Expertise: IT, shūre’s nice to meet ya.” Ryōshū was holding her cigarette, but she hasn’t lighted it up yet since she is aware that everyone should be in their best behaviors for this week because of a newbie,
Heathcliff awkwardly slouched with his face frowning in confusion, “Huh?” Everyone in the bus stared at him since he’s the only one who didn’t introduce himself.
“Oh uh.. sorry mate. You can call me Heathcliff.” Ishmael chuckled along with Hong Lu and Rodya, which Heathcliff got annoyed and crossed his arms. After a brief conversation, everyone returned to their seats.
“The seat over there is vacant,” Faust said to Hong Lu, who seemed to be excited to start his first day. And that was next to Yi Sang, which Yi Sang ended up sighing since he isn’t a sociable type of person. Just as Faust pointed to a vacant seat, Hong Lu willingly sat next to Yi Sang.
Silence followed, but then Hong Lu decided to warm up to a silent companion. “Your name is Yi Sang right?”, he uttered a few words of curiosity. Yi Sang himself cowers in silence, and it took him a while to think of a proper reply; “Yes, I am Yi Sang.” with a simple reply, Hong Lu has gotten a little more curious.
“You have a nice name, it has some ring to it!” Hong Lu gently smiled at Yi Sang yet he couldn’t help but ask another question, “I’d like to ask, how is it like working here? Is it difficult?” That reply just made Yi Sang end up being in a corner. He doesn’t know what to reply with that type of question.
Slowly after that question, it quickly turned into some type of awkward silence. They briefly stopped talking after that question, but Hong Lu thought to himself that it may be a question that Yi Sang couldn’t answer. “Don’t worry, hehe. You don’t have to tell me.” Hong Lu ended up giving up that question, and Yi Sang sighed in relief.