The Third Wheel

Present Time: Lunch Break

Shun busied himself by signing and reviewing the documents for the upcoming Bella Collection Fashion Show. 

The lunch was served at the long table, but he couldn't leave work.

He was ready to pick up another folder when his phone vibrated, indicating he received a text message. His lips instantly tore a smile when he saw the sender's name.

"Hello, brother Shun. Are you on a lunch break?"

Shun glanced at his table where the documents were piled up.

"Yes, I'm about to have lunch," he replied. He felt guilty because his lunch was waiting at a different table, and work was before him.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Ah... not that biggie, brother Shun. We have our temporary Math teacher, but we can't understand her teaching very well. I am a bit confused."

"Can you take a photo of your current lesson?"

"Okay." Cassie presses the camera icon and takes a shot of the page of her Math textbook, then sends it to Shun afterward.

"I received them. Did you bring your laptop?"

She replied, 'Yes'.

Cassie was startled when her phone suddenly rang; Shun was calling her. She takes a deep breath before she presses the green button.

"Brother Shun?"

"Hello, Cassandra? Can you open your laptop and log in to your Google account?"

"Yes, brother Shun."

"Okay. Click Google Duo... Mr. Chang, teach you already, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you have your headphones?"

"I have my headset."

"Okay, that would do. I'll hang up now."

Cassie wondered why Shun needed her to open her laptop. She saw something blinking on her screen, so she carefully clicked it.

She was surprised when Shun suddenly appeared. Her heart wasn't prepared for this. She wanted to hide under her desk.

She could feel her cheeks burning. She took a deep breath before she could pass out. Shun waved his hand, holding his phone.

"Cassandra? Can you hear me clearly?"

"Ye... yes, brother Shun."

Her voice is shaking. 'My goodness. Please calm down, dear heart.' Shun's voice was already too much, occupying every corner of the holes of her ears. Then her heartbeats won't stop racing inside her chest. 

Worse, she can't look him in the eyes. Why did he suddenly have this video call? She becomes anxious all of a sudden.

"Cassandra," Shun pointed to the photo she sent. "Let's begin with equation number one."

She nodded. Then Shun starts explaining. He writes the equation on paper, then shows it to her and explains the whole thing.

There's no way she should not stare at her computer screen. All she could do was nod every time he explained the equations, and he answered one by one. Shun told her he would email the equations he did for her to have a copy and study them again.

Shun finished tutoring her, and he had already emailed the sample he did. She smiled, seeing his beautiful handwriting. But she didn't notice that Shun stared at her intently and was amused by every reaction she had... 

Her light smile or a big smile of a sudden. It did not miss Shun's eyes. Her blushing cheeks, and sometimes she looked away for a second before she stared back at the screen and continued listening to his explanation.

"Wait, have you eaten already? It is past noon..."

"Ah, that... I was about to eat when..."

"Oh, when I decided on a video call."

"Yes." She showed me her open lunch box."Oh, why didn't you tell me?"

"Ah... I thought we would only exchange texts," she said, then laughed softly.

"Ah, okay..." Shun did not leave his gaze on her, and she felt a bit stiff as she was trying not to move too much.

"Have you been eating well?" he asked.

"Ah, yes, brother Shun."

"You seem to have lost some weight."

"Oh... do I?"

"Hmm..." Shun nodded.

"Ah, probably from staying up late at night doing projects."

"That's not good. It's not healthy."

"Umh... yes, brother Shun, but now that I have my laptop, I can do my projects mostly in my bedroom or anywhere during my free time now. I could just carry it around," she speaks smilingly.

Shun smiled just listening to her."How about you, brother Shun? You seem to be losing some weight as well..."

True, she notices that he looks like he is losing some weight the first time she meets him.

"Ah, probably from staying up late at night reviewing documents."

A silence past them...

"Brother Shun... that's not good. It's not healthy."

Another silence past them. Cassie covered her mouth with her left hand. She couldn't hold it anymore, so she rested her head on her desk and began laughing.

Shun's sexy laughs echoed in her ears. There's no way her heart would settle down.

They were in the middle of giggling when the office door opened. Kier and Daichi entered the room and were surprised to see his laughs.

Daichi realizes this, and he right away runs behind him.

"Missy!"

"Brother Daichi," she waves at him.

"I missed you, Missy..."

She beamed. "We just talked yesterday."

Daichi keeps laughing, but Shun glares at him. Kier just observes them silently. He never meets Cassie, so he is not close to her.

"Okay. It would be best if you ate your lunch, Cassandra. Your break is over soon," said Shun out of the blue.

"Eh!? We are not able to talk yet!" Daichi complains.

"It's okay, brother Daichi. You both need to have your lunch, too."

"Ah..." Daichi showed a disappointed expression.

Cassie smiled and waved at them. One more goodbye, and Shun ended the video call.

"Alright, let's eat."

The six of them mostly have lunch together unless one has a lunch meeting or fieldwork. 

Rudolf was still in China, Meisha was in Singapore, and Blaire finished something, the three men sitting at a long table."Boss, I want to ask for an early leave later. I want to go home," Daichi asked for permission.

"Oh, okay. Please say hi to big sis Dana."

"Sure, boss," Daichi give him a thumbs up. 

"Ask the chef to make a carrot cake for sister Dana."

"Alright, she'll be happy." Daichi smiled.

The five of them sometimes hang out at Daichi's house during Senior High, becoming close with Dana.

Shun glances at Kier, who keeps his silence and seems occupied with many things running inside his head.