Chapter Text
At this time of night, long past clock-out, Akaashi Keiji's still at his desk, face exposed to the blue light, the glow draining the energy out of him. The workload has been piling up these days, because he's cleaning up his old secretary work and preparing for the new assistant role, a transission. In addition to his responsibilities, preparing an orientation for a COO whose name he doesn't even know. As if it wasn't stressful enough to have a new boss to work with, he wasn't even allowed to get a picture of the man.
The room that was nearly dark immediately lit up wholly in a second, it splits Akaashi's focus for a second. Though nothing is going to be scary or strange, nothing worth his attention.
"Oh somebody's still here!"
What is that loud voice from behind him, it makes the black haired think for a moment, but he doesn't intend to reply that speaker. He just assumes the person isn't sepaking to him.
"Hey there! You still working on that?"
Never in this second shift, has any employee, or anyone come and distrub him. "Uh yes, maybe–"
Akaashi is just about to subtly spin that office chair to meet the counterpart, but this stranger is now right behind him.
A second passes for each of them taking a first impression. One thing Akaashi notices is that this silver haired man has a build big enough to overshadow him sitting.
"I'm going to close the office."
Akaashi isn't a social type but he should know if there's a new face in the office. He's still mesmerised by the man, while processing an answer.
"Okay, give me a moment." Says Akaashi, easily agreeing right away.
As if it isn't intimidating enough already, the stranger leans an arm on Akaashi's desk, and their distance grows short. "Just save and close it okay?"
Akaashi isn't even making eye contact with this guy, but was that a command? That's uncommon to act, especially from a person he just met. The dark teal eyes flash toward the logging off screen, he wouldn’t be able to work with someone breathing down his neck anyway.
The next occurence even weirder, Akaashi proceeds to exit the room, the building, like said, but it's as if he's being escorted by this stranger tailing behind him. No words exchanged between them, and the worker's mind still lingers on the recent, forcibly shut down work. To the point that he doesn't even notice when the locksmith guy does his job.
When the two have completely left the building, arrived under the open night sky, on an appropriate spot and distance, Akaashi stops. "I'm sorry to made you wait." Saying as softens his expression.
The stranger, with both hands on his hips, "come home sooner tomorrow, 'kay!" Sounds subtle but firm.
Akaashi hums briefly, his hand sliding down to the strap of his backpack. "Are you by any chance, a new office helper?"
It strikes the counterpart for a moment, but that pair of bright eyes doesn't lose their spark. "Oh, yes! You can call me Bokuto."
Akaashi puts on a thin line of smile, staring to the man before him. "Alright Bokuto-san, thank you for today."
"You're Akashi right?"
Akashi furrows a little, questioning how his name was known. "It's Akaashi."
This is the moment for him to bid farewell, the conversation is dry and the atmosphere grows silent, he lets his mouth slightly ajar.
"Have you had dinner?"
Alas he's struck by another question, that he still has to elaborate. "... I'm going to buy some on the way home."
"Please eat with me, Akaashi-kun!"
That sudden firm proposal strikes him, and that pleading face kills the rejection in the pit of his heart. Akaashi-kun has no energy left for this unwanted events, but he also doesn't have the energy to show objection and lets the man take the lead. Eventually they stop at a nearby fast food restaurant, it isn't like they would get a particularly delicate dinner.
Akaashi feels the hollow in his energy gauge growing bigger, he can't even put on a smile he thinks, while in contrast the guy next to him is still beaming at this hour. His low voice only heard to inform his order that simply following Bokuto's, he even zones out and doesn't notice when this coworker pays for everything. And by the time the realization slaps him, the supposed office helper is already bringing over the tray with their meals.
They sit together facing each other, Akaashi pushes his remaining energy to start a conversation, "you'll come to the office tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, we'll meet again tomorrow." Bokuto unwraps the rice paper before munching its contents.
Akaashi almost stares blankly to no focus. "Let me treat you for lunch tomorrow, Bokuto-san."
"Looking forward to that!"
The air getting silent, unlike they succumb to the taste of their food, but more like a void, and they're not the only customers around. Akaashi swallows slowly.
"Actually, do you know there's a new boss coming tomorrow?"
"I know." The expression of the man across him shifts, it looks sharper. "Everything will be fine for you."
Akaashi continues to nibble the food, his brain really starting to disconnect from thinking. He perceives this as just small talk and nods briefly. Meanwhile Bokuto suddenly stops, wincing and says he bit the inside of his cheek.
The two are still together even after leaving the restaurant, walking side by side toward the train station. They exchange information that they will be taking different trains for different destinations, that is the only conversation they have.
And when the train Akaashi had been waiting for arrived first, he gives a decent goodbye. "Thank you Bokuto-san."
"Get home safely and rest well!"
...
And in a split second it's another day to grind for. Eventually Akaashi is informed that the mystery COO is ready in the room, and that he should follow the next procedure to bring himself to that very room. He doesn't feel nervous, or anything in particular, it's just like something that he has to do, and that alone grows into a weird feeling as a counter effect.
"Good morning, Akaashi."
Akaashi doesn't even appear fully yet, that half of his lower body still hidden behind the door, and his hand frezees on the doorknob. He dares to stare directly at the said COO in the room, only because he's in shock.
But he regains his composure quickly, preparing for a bow "... Good moring Bokuto-san." , "Please forgive me for what happened yesterday!"
The counterpart is on the last chair at the end of the room, sitting relaxed and casual, with the short sleeves of a plain shirt sticking on to his body. "It was such an icebreaker, I had fun yesterday!'"
He wants to move forward from that mishap. "Pleased to meet you, Bokuto-san, I'm Keiji Akaashi, the office secretary who will be working under you. Please bear with me."
Bokuto grins with full teeth, "Take it easy, Akaashi, I'm only a little older than you." , "And as for today, I'll be the one learning from you, so let's work together!"
And they just lock eyes. After that reassuring closure, Akaashi puts on an idle smile, easily moves past it and begins the session.
...
After the hour ends, and the closing statements are made, Bokuto heads to the exit door first, while Akaashi remains at the desk. Something has been stuck in his throat since the beginning, and the speaker is still waiting, thinking of the right moment. Though it will sound very stupid, the man with glasses thinks.
"Can I ask you something, Bokuto-san?" The sentence immediately stops the man, that is now turning to Akaashi.
Akaashi expression freezes in place, though his face looking as platonic as a plank. "Are you heading to lunch?"
"You're asking me only for thattt? Just ask immediately, okay!!"
He lines up that faint smile again, "sorry about it ..."
"I have a lunch with the directors today, and, enjoy your break!"
Akaashi then left alone after that door closed too hard, the man fixes his glasses and then leaves as well. After walking and thinking througout his walk, he arrives back at his desk, but immediately starts working on his computer again, for a particular reason.
"Hey...!" A voice called from behind, "What's with this sudden research..?!"
Akaashi is aware that Konoha is now hovering over his back and calling out his current action.
Being caught red handed doesn't shake Akaashi one bit. "I just, want to know more about him."
It piques Konoha's curiosity too, he was only about to ask how's this new boss to Akaashi based on their direct encounter, but now he wants to know the big man's background and all too.
It surprises Akaashi slightly that it's generally easy to find information about his new boss, even more surprising when he finds out the companies Bokuto has worked at, his background, and maybe a little about his personal life too. Akaashi unknowingly leaves his mouth agape, while something inside him starts to feel ticklish.
"Well what would you expect from a COO?" Konoha doesn't look satisfied or surprised either, he moves a step back.
Enough with the stalking, Akaashi leans back until the office chair bounces slightly under him. "Do you think he's too good to be working here?"
Konoha pulls his most unimpressed face, "yeah, he shouldn't be here. No one should."
.
.
.
Tbc.