Disclaimer applies.


How have you been, VP Echizen?

One


His eyes were cast down, unable to look her in the eye, he repeats to her, to himself, "Genki desu1."

The office floor had long been emptied. Lights have been turned off by the motion sensor, leaving the AVP's room lit in its solidarity. Inside were two figures, one of the AVP seated on his couch and; the other, of his assistant whose doe eyes were brimming with empathy. Although his eyes were averted from hers, she could very well feel the disappointment radiating off the young man from where she stood by his door.

Working for AVP Echizen-san for four months felt like a lifetime. Her hours were dictated by his work ethic. She was to be in the office before him. She was to leave only when he did. Her hours had been a cause of emnity between them. But that was an issue for another day.

Tonight, she would not hold that against him. Tonight, she felt nothing but pity for him. She had been assigned to work for him when he was promoted to AVP. He held his previous position for a little over a month before the higher ups restructured the department to keep him, giving him a position worthy of his accomplishments in university, of his remarkable lineage, and of his promising future. To say they expected nothing less than the world of him was an understatement. Because, as she was recently made aware, it was his grandfather who made the conglomerate the empire it was today. It was his uncle who ran the company as it's President. And it was his cousin who led the East Asia Regional Offices. His was a simpler position, more to test his capabilities.

When the board came to the US office for the quarterly report, expecting an increasing trajectory amid the recession, the disappointment in their faces were palpable. Four months into the job, and already, they were expecting the impossible from Ryoma. These four months that passed, they asked him, how is it that all he's managed to do is maintain the numbers when he was clearly directed to bring the numbers up by the third quarter. While none of the offices were able to reach their quota, they thought Ryoma would be different.

It was a quick meeting. And nothing much had been said. The reserved temperament of the Japanese kept it so. But Ryoma and Sakuno knew there was much more that went unsaid.

It had been their first big project. She had seen how Ryoma worked so tirelessly every night, how considerate he was of his staff, and how increasingly difficult it's become to both satisfy management and his team. Ultimately, he'll end up choosing the former.

"If you need anything," Her grip on the coat she held in her arms tightened. Her throat locking, she continued, "Before I take my leave."

Ryoma shook his head, still refusing to face her. He hears her steps and thinks Sakuno finally left; like everyone else, she left. As he was about to let out a sigh, dreading another night of self-turmoil, of loneliness, of drowning himself in work, he turns to his door, to watch her leave. It is then he is taken aback by the figure right in front of him, suddenly dropping to kneel before him with her eyes glazed in remorse.

Right before him, only a feet away, Sakuno sees the clouded expression on her boss' eyes and smiles as she cups his cheek. For a second, she sees the eyes of a young boy who was lost, who didn't know what to do. And, before he could pull away, before he could stop her, she pulls him gently by the back of his neck and into her embrace.

His body visibly stiffened in her hold. And after a breathless second, Sakuno feels the weight of Ryoma's head on her shoulder as he melted into her embrace.

It felt as if an eternity had passed, with Sakuno awkwardly kneeling on the wooden floors of Ryoma's office; but it only took a few actual seconds before Ryoma regained his composure and pulled away. His eyes were glazed as he stared back into Sakuno's doe eyes. And without knowing what came over him, he starts to raise his hand and stops by the auburn hair on her cheek. Her face was flushed, her lips tinted, when she starts to smile and tell him. "I'm right here, ne?"

Ryoma pulls away, and his hand drops next to him as he starts to smile. "Un."

Sakuno's knees shake as she tries to stand. Suddenly, she finds Ryoma's hand for balance. And when she meets his face, and sees him sharing her laugh, she lets herself think that - for once in the four months she's been of service to him, she finaly did something right.

The next day, she wasn't surprised to find Ryoma early in his office. And while she was handing everyone their morning coffee, she meets his gaze as he talked to a senior. Then, he nods at her. And she smiles back in greeting. He looked well-rested. She hoped he was. He had a long day ahead of him, they all had.

It didn't seem like anything changed in their relationship, but it had. There grew between them, a silent understanding, a mutual respect.

It was easy to Sakuno, to tell Ryoma's bluff; to tell how he actually felt when he claimed the contrary.

And when he says it again, after nearly a year of distance, of separation, Sakuno knew well that, regardless of how they felt, it would serve them better - that she no longer pry; that she leave things as they are.

"Echizen-fuku shacho, did you need anything?" She said before thinking, realizing this was how she'd always greet him before as his dutiful secretary.

Ryoma only shakes his head, the corner of his lips rising. "I'm fine."

"You always said that." Sakuno starts to smile. "But you never did mean it."

The handsome man clad in formal wear, looks down to try to hide the smile forming on his lips. And finally, when he looks back up and meets her gaze, he nods.

"You always read Echizen-fuku shacho best." Enemu adds with wistful smile himself, keeping himself in line as he knew some bits and pieces of the two's past relationship.

Sakuno hides her laugh with a hand and, before she could turn away to excuse herself, Ryoma takes her up on her offer. "Then, do you mind showing me around?"

Doe eyes widen at the request, taken by surprise. But, no sooner than a second passes before a grin reaches her face.


To be continued.