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The skyscraper standing before Enji was menacing, casting a looming shadow down the street and towering over the nearby buildings. The sun was still rising over the skyline, painting the crisp blue with streaks of morning gold. It was quiet, with only the faint chirping of birds nestled in the trees planted along the sidewalk. There weren’t many people on the street so Enji was free to steel his nerves in solitude before finally walking through the double doors.
“Welcome in,” the person behind the front desk greeted him warmly as he approached.
“Hello, I’m Enji Todoroki,” he introduced himself kindly. The woman smiled, “Today is my first day. I was told to notify the front desk so they could page– um, I’m sorry, I can’t quite remember his name, but I believe he’s the manager for the 25th floor?”
“Yes, that would be Mr. Hakamada,” she replied, “I’ll call him down. Feel free to wait in the lobby.”
“Thank you,” Enji said, bowing his head. He walked over to the seating area and sat in a plush chair. He stared at the coffee table in front of him, littered with magazines for various tech companies and news outlets.
“Hi, Mr. Todoroki, right?” a smooth voice called from behind Enji. He stood and turned, facing a tall man with side-swept blond hair and a navy blue business suit with an excessively tall collar. “I’m Tsunagu Hakamada. If you’ll follow me I’ll show you to your desk.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Enji said politely.
“Have you already picked up your temporary ID?”
“No.”
“We’ll stop by the front desk then,” Hakamada said. He turned and began walking away, expecting Enji to follow. “You should get your permanent ID by the end of the week, but this temporary one will allow you to access most floors.” He exchanged a few words with the lady at the front desk and produced a small laminated badge for Enji. “Wear it in a visible location, such as your front pocket or belt.”
Enji attached it to his shirt pocket. Hakamada smiled.
“Now, up we go,” the blond said, leading the way to the elevator. They waited momentarily as it came down to their floor and found it empty when it arrived. They boarded and Hakamada pressed the button for floor 25. As the sliding doors closed, Hakamada began to ask, “So, what brought you to our company?”
Enji looked down, hands fidgeting with his briefcase. He tried to voice the words he had practiced in the mirror of his empty one-bedroom apartment that morning.
“I needed a fresh start.”
Hakamada nodded.
“Hopefully this company will be a good place for you to start anew.”
“Hopefully,” Enji echoed. The elevator dinged.
“Here we are,” Hakamada commented. He led Enji out of the elevator and onto the main floor. It was about what Enji had been expecting, cubicle after cubicle of workers shuffling papers and typing up reports. The side of business he had the least experience with. “Your desk is right over here,” Hakamada continued leading him around a few corners and over to a cubicle in the back corner near the window. “And it even comes with a view, lucky you,” Hakamada joked.
Enji stared at the blank white space that he would be spending the majority of his time in.
“Most people hang up pictures of their kids or pets,” Hakamada suggested. Enji’s body went tense, his heart rate picking up slightly. Hakamada didn’t seem to notice as he continued, “You’ll probably get a few welcoming gifts that should brighten up the space a bit.”
“That’s unnecessary,” Enji said, voice hollow. Hakamada glanced at him.
“You’ll find out soon enough, but most of your coworkers aren’t the quiet keep-to-yourself types. You’ll be wrangled into quite a few office parties, and when they find out when your birthday is, you’re in for a real treat,” Hakamada added with a kind smile. His sincerity was beginning to get under Enji’s skin. It felt like he was being coddled, all false niceties and empty pretenses.
“I don’t like drawing attention to myself,” Enji replied honestly. Suddenly a hand clapped down on his shoulder.
“Well of course you don’t,” came a chipper voice from behind him, “Wouldn’t want the whole office learning that you’re a disgraced CEO who was kicked out of the family business by his own family.”
Enji’s blood ran cold, all of his muscles tensing and panic swirling in his gut. He held perfectly still as the grip on his shoulder tightened ever so slightly.
“Way to make it awkward, Keigo,” Hakamada exhaled disapprovingly. He turned to face Enji with a pained expression on his face. “This would be our boss, Keigo Takami.”
“I’m just messing with the new guy,” Keigo said with a dry laugh. He released his hold on Enji’s shoulder and waited as the large man hesitated to face him. “Our office is like one big family, and we welcome everyone. Especially those looking to start fresh.”
Enji turned and faced him and stopped short. Keigo Takami was nothing like Enji had been expecting. His voice was sharp and commanding, similar to his golden eyes that seemed to be sizing Enji up with every small movement. He was dressed in black slacks, glossy wing-tipped shoes, a crisp black button-down with a bolo tie that had a bezel set ruby, and a black blazer with gold embroidery around the cuffs and collar. His ash blond hair was pushed back and styled to look work-appropriate while still being fluffy.
“I would introduce myself, but it seems my reputation precedes me,” Enji said tightly.
“I still like a gold old-fashioned handshake,” Keigo said with a smile that crinkled his eyes at the corners as he extended a hand. Enji took it, shaking firmly. “As our lovely Tsunagu has informed you, I’m Keigo Takama, your big boss,” he added the last bit with an air of unenthusiasm. “You can just call me Keigo. I don’t mind overly formal titles though, if that’s what you’re into.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Keigo,” Enji said, “I’m Enji Todoroki. I’m happy to be working under you.” Keigo smirked and took a step closer to slide his hand up Enji’s arm.
“I do like the idea of you under me,” he said smoothly. Hakamada slapped his hand away.
“Stop making advances on our new hires! It’s a miracle you haven’t been written up by HR for sexual harassment,” Hakamada complained flatly. Enji’s face flushed and his throat went suspiciously dry. Keigo was quite close to him, close enough that Enji could smell his aftershave– like the heavy ocean air, pulling him closer with whispered promises. He couldn’t look away from the golden gaze locked onto his timid eyes.
“Not my fault I’m everyone’s office crush,” Keigo joked, glancing over at Hakamada who rolled his eyes in annoyance. Keigo smirked and grabbed Enji’s tie, trailing his hand down the fabric and over his broad chest. “Besides, I stop if it makes them uncomfortable.” His eyes flicked back up to Enji’s, an indecipherable look in them. “Something tells me Mr. Todoroki won’t mind.”
Enji tried to say something, but all that came out was a shaky exhale. Keigo’s smirk widened and he patted Enji on the chest once before extracting himself and standing a respectable distance away.
“I’ll let Tsunagu finish showing you around the office. Once you’re finished report back to my desk to receive your first assignment,” he said, waving his hand nonchalantly before leisurely walking away. When he had disappeared from view Enji whipped his head around to Hakamada.
“Is he–”
“Always like that? Yes. And believe me, his charm gets old,” Hakamada agreed with a sigh. “Feel free to file as many complaints about him as you’d like.”
“I don’t think–”
“What, already taken a liking to him?” Hakamada said with a sly smile.
“N-no it’s not that–”
“Sure,” Hakamada said. Enji bit his tongue and looked away. “Let’s continue to tour so I can fully hand you over to Keigo. He’s probably scheming in his office now.” Hakamada shook his head and sighed. “Well, everyone else is much more pleasant than Keigo, so it shouldn’t be that bad,” he reassured Enji.
Enji nodded and followed as Hakamada led him around the office, introducing him to people as they went and instigating a few pleasant conversations. Overall, it was indeed much more tame than the interaction with Keigo. They rounded back to the hall that led to the elevator.
“This is where I leave you, Mr. Todoroki. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything or if our lovely boss is giving you a hard time,” he gave Enji a pointed look that caused the larger man to blush. “My office is the first door on the left when you exit the elevator. Keigo’s office is on the 29th floor, so don’t waste any time heading up there. He hates to be kept waiting.”
Enji nodded and it seemed to satisfy Hakamada enough. He gave a small nod in return and disappeared down the hall to his office. Enji stared after him for a moment as the gears in his brain turned slowly.
He needed to go to the 29th floor.
He needed to see Keigo.
Alone.
He scrubbed a hand across his well-groomed stubble and took a deep breath before finally heading to the elevator. He pressed the button and waited. His mind was racing, trying to dissuade his fears. Keigo was already aware of his past. That was good. He wouldn’t have to drop that bomb on his boss. He was trying to grapple with Keigo’s presence being so intimidating despite his height when the elevator dinged and the doors opened.
Revealing Keigo, who had taken off his blazer and had it slung over his arm.
“Mr. Todoroki! Headed up to my office, I assume?” he greeted Enji warmly.
“U-um, yes, I am– that’s correct,” Enji stammered, successfully tripping over each word. Keigo made no motion to step to the side and was standing in the center of the elevator. Enji awkwardly squeezed himself into the cramped space, standing pressed against the wall in an effort to not brush shoulders with the shorter man. The doors closed and the elevator began to ascend.
“You know,” Keigo began slowly, rolling each word around in his mouth before voicing it, “You’re a lot different than I expected, Mr. Todoroki.”
“I am?” Enji asked, surprised. Keigo turned to face him and fully invaded Enji’s space with barely a foot between them
“I saw the news coverage on your divorce,” Keigo said plainly. His eyes raked up Enji’s body, coming to rest easily on his nervous red gaze with an intense feeling captivating Enji. “You had quite the presence on the screen, I mean every shot made you look like a rugged badass who always got his way.” He tapped Enji’s tie with his index finger, “I guess I thought I’d be getting a hardass take-no-shit employee. So divorce really does change people.”
“Sorry to disappoint?” Enji apologized but it came out as more of a question.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Keigo continued, trailing his finger up Enji’s tie until it rested on the edge of his collar just below his bare skin, “I don’t mind this submissive bumbling fool persona. It’s quite endearing.” Keigo smirked and added, “After all, I like being the one in charge.”
Enji swallowed roughly, his face growing warmer.
The elevator came to a stop. Keigo stepped back and waited for the doors to open.
“My office is just down the hall,” he commented before stepping out and leading the way. Enji followed, turning a few corners before stopping in front of a menacing oak door. “And here we are!”
Keigo shouldered inside and held the door open for Enji. The larger man stepped into the office, surprised to find the ceiling much higher than it had been in the hallway. The room was lined with shelves displaying books and odd trinkets, all surrounding a desk that sat against the back wall made entirely of windows. There were two plush armchairs in front of the massive oak desk covered in papers, paperweights, and various other office supplies. It looked like a whirlwind had swept through the entire room.
“Make yourself at home,” Keigo called back as he walked over to the desk and began shuffling some papers around. Enji hesitantly walked over to one of the chairs and perched on the edge of it. The cushion sank in and he could tell it would be a pain in the ass to get out of if he leaned back fully.
“Since this is your first assignment I’ll go easy on you,” Keigo offered, “Just some run-of-the-mill administrative tasks. Nothing too crazy.”
“That sounds perfect,” Enji said, voice heavy with relief.
“Don’t worry, your second job assignment will be much more involved,” he added with a sly smile.
“I’ll gladly handle whatever task you request of me,” Enji replied firmly. Keigo grabbed a file folder and rounded the desk, standing in front of Enji and towering over his seated form.
“I like the sound of that,” Keigo practically purred. Enji could feel his face growing warmer and willed himself not to shy away. Keigo offered him the folder. “You’ll find all the information you need inside of this folder. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to bring them up to Tsunagu.”
“So the floor manager oversees my assignments, not you?” Enji asked for clarification.
“Why, were you hoping to get more face time with me?” Keigo teased. “I’m a pretty busy guy, but I wouldn’t mind having a few one-on-one meetings every week if that’s what you’re after.”
“N-no, I wasn’t trying to– I just wasn’t sure who would approve them, a-and I–”
“At the end of the day you’ll let Tsunagu know of any updates on your work and you’ll report directly to my office once it is complete,” Keigo explained. “We’re pretty lax on deadlines as long as you complete it in a reasonable duration of time.”
“How will I know what amount of time is reasonable?”
“Use your best judgment,” Keigo said with a shrug, “If it’s easy it shouldn’t take that long, maybe a day or two. You’ll be assigned a few that take multiple weeks. You’ll know when you see them.” He leaned back against his desk and fixed Enji with a hard stare. “Any other questions?”
Enji sat there, debating voicing his concern. He didn’t know how exactly to phrase it.
“Is there… any way to prevent rumors about me from circulating in the office?” he decided. Keigo crossed his arms and offered a wry smile.
“The news coverage was on our break room TV for weeks. It would be a miracle if you met anyone in the whole city who didn’t know who you were.” Enji hung his head, letting out a long sigh. It was a long shot, he knew it, but it still hurt to hear. His past would always taint his future, ensuring suffering equal to or greater than he had inflicted. He couldn’t find it in him to be angry about it.
After all, he knew he deserved it.
He felt a hand rest warmly on his shoulder and looked up.
“Don’t beat yourself up too bad,” Keigo said with a small squeeze to Enji’s shoulder, “Once the office crew gets to know you I’m sure you’ll fit right in. They’re quite the ragtag team themselves, and they have shown fierce loyalty to one another in the past.”
Enji could picture his perfect nightmare of being shunned by his coworkers who were already such a tight-knit community. He would never truly be welcome among them.
“And before you go spiraling down a self-worth hell hole,” Keigo interrupted his thoughts and shifted his hand from Enji’s shoulder to his tie, skating his fingertips along Enji’s shirt collar as he did, “Know that I have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and harassment in the workplace, so if anyone does try to give you a hard time then you will immediately report back to me so it can be dealt with.” He smoothed the fabric of the tie between his thumb and forefinger. “I want all of my employees to know how much I value them and their work.”
“Understood, um–” Enji started, trying to sound firm but faltering.
“You can call me Keigo,” he reminded Enji, fiddling with the tie for a moment before pulling it slightly and bringing Enji’s face closer to his own, “But if that makes you uncomfortable, Mr. Takami or Sir will suffice.” Enji swallowed roughly, eyes locked on the swirling golden gaze that seemed to pull him in deeper and deeper with every passing second.
“U-understood, Mr. Takami.”
Keigo smiled and released him, leaning back against the desk once more.
“Alright, you’re dismissed. Look over that file and get straight to work,” he ordered. Enji nodded firmly and stood from his chair.
“Thank you, I’ll get started immediately.” Keigo nodded and watched as the larger man made his way to the door. Enji gripped the handle but was cut short before he could open it.
“Oh, and our first one-on-one meeting will be on Wednesday.” His voice was light and conversational, but Enji felt like each word was digging him into a deeper hole. “Report to my office after lunch.” He looked back over his shoulder and saw Keigo fixing him with an intense look. He wasn’t sure what the other man was trying to tell him. “I’ll see you then, Mr. Todoroki.”
Enji nodded and left without saying another word.
When he arrived back at his desk he found five small gift bags waiting for him and Hakamada loitering nearby. When Hakamada saw Enji he perked up and approached him.
“As I’m sure you’ve noticed, a few of our colleagues have left some welcoming gifts for you,” he stated, gesturing to the gifts. “I find it customary to write thank you cards in response, but there’s no requirement for it.”
“That’s very… kind of them,” Enji noted, still a bit lost in thought.
“One-on-one with Keigo left you a bit rattled?”
“What?” Enji said, snapping back to the present. “No, I’m just–”
“It’s alright, he can be a lot sometimes, but he really does mean well.”
“He seems like a respectable man,” Enji agreed. Hakamada snorted.
“Respectable isn’t a word I would use to describe Keigo Takami, but he is a damn good boss.”
“I feel lucky to be working under him,” Enji replied stiffly. Hakamada sighed tiredly and turned to leave, hesitating for just a moment.
“I think you’ll fit in well here, Mr. Todoroki,” he stated.
“Please, call me Enji,” he insisted. Hakamada smiled and nodded.
“I’ll let you get settled in, Enji. Come grab me when it’s time to go and I’ll help you clock out.” He turned to leave, taking a few steps before remembering something and calling back over his shoulder to Enji, “Oh, and Welcome to the Make a Wish Foundation.”