Office Talk

Her expression was hardened as she heard my words and her tone felt… off, but not in a good way.

"What's with the sudden honorifics?"

'Huh? What's happening? Why is she like this today? Did something happen over that Friday night? She was a little angry at Hannah too, I think. Maybe she isn't just angry at me then, perhaps is it because it's a monday mood thing?'

She's angry at my honorifics, but to be honest the only reason why I was using them was because I was getting a little scared of her. Isn't it usually normal for people to de-escalate if others are being respectful to them?

Now I had to face the problem of whether I was going to tell her the truth about why I said Mrs or make something up. Or maybe just think about a third method, simply distract her with another topic!

She can't possibly just go back to a topic we had already passed, right? It would simply be too awkward, or well at least it is when people are in a group. When it's just us two there really isn't much pressure to stop her from asking, such as the group already moving onto another topic when you never even got to say your piece.

"So uh, Emma what do you have for me today? You said I would be here with you all day right?"

I walked in closing the doors while trying to act as nonchalant as possible. I looked towards her hoping for a good change or reaction and just barely I saw something.

I saw the corner of her mouth curve up into a smile before she defaulted into a more passive face. Her face even seemed to lighten up just a bit as she sat down in her chair.

"That's better, now come over here."

I thought for a moment whether or not I should ask if anything was wrong today, but to be honest I didn't really know our level of friendship. Really the only times I remember us being together is when we're drinking so I don't really know if I could call her a real friend.

But since the atmosphere felt so weird I felt like this might be a time to find out her stance with me. The worst that I believed would happen was that she would tell me off when asking about her private life.

I don't think I will really be drinking with her much in the future anyways since I have Racheal now. If I find out here and now that her personality really isn't compatible with me I guess there really isn't any reason to have anything more than a professional relationship with her.

After overly thinking about the situation I finally asked her.

"Emma, is there something bothering you?"

By the time I finally asked I reached her side. Her gaze slowly trailed up my body to meet my eyes and I could see it soften.

"Yes…"

I felt like her gaze was out of focus and looked far out for a moment. But that wasn't all I noticed, since I peered down on her from above I could also notice her neglect to button her blouse all the way up. Just a button or two was exposed, but that seemed to be all that was needed to expose some cleavage.I tried my best not to look, but inevitably my eyes just happened to wander down there and my eyes felt sucked into it like some kind of void. I was able to reclaim my sanity though before she was able to notice and forcibly change the mood into an entirely different one, much more biased against me.

"Emma, I'm here to hear you out if you need someone. Hey, I still remember how you tried to cheer me up and take care of me after my girlfriend had passed. It's my turn now right?"

I took a step towards her and placed a hand over her shoulder. Slowly, she raised a hand and placed it over the hand I extended out to her.

Her eyes seemed to regain their clarity with a peaceful atmosphere and a gentle smile seemed to adorn her face as she met my eyes.

I was surprised for a moment at the current look she had. Those gray eyes of hers seemed so full of emotion as she looked at me. For some reason I could feel a warm gaze from her which only intoxicated me that little bit more.

'Emma… You're tempting me! I literally just got a girlfriend, I'm not going for some kind of world record cheating speedrun!'

"Thank you Ethan, alright I'll tell you, but first why don't you go and take a seat on one of those sofas first?"

She released my hand and I walked toward one of the two couches positioned perpendicular to her desk, but I heard her stand up from her chair as well. When I sat down I was expecting her to sit opposite me so that we would be more face to face, but instead she came and sat down on my sofa.

In fact she didn't even seem bothered by how close she got to me and even started to lean in on my arm some. For a moment I thought about pushing her away and declaring that I had a girlfriend, but aftering thinking about her simply being someone who was probably going through something I just let it be. 

It would be kind of a shit thing to tell someone currently relying on you for support and comfort to keep away.

'Well as long as it doesn't cross the line it should be fine, right?'

That line I just thought about wasn't really anything I had defined at the moment, but I felt when it came close I would probably know it and stop her.

"So what's the problem Emma? It's pretty clear you're irritated."

"Actually, it's just that I've been particularly lonely as of late. I'm sorry for my outburst in the elevator, but to be honest I am just a tad bit jealous of the relationship between you two."

"Oh is that all?"

"Hey! Are you making fun of me?"

"N-no, not at all, it's just that I didn't expect it to be so simple of a problem."

"You think it's simple? That's easy for you to say!"

"Hey, don't we go out together occasionally? Or do you not count those?"

"Of course I do, but what about the rest of those times? What about at work?"

"At work? If you really feel so lonely I could stay in the office with you. It's much better than sending me off to the far reaches of this building to work, right? It's really kind of bleak over there."

"Alright, since you're offering yourself as tribute then I'll gratefully accept. Now it seems redundant that I even told you that you'll be working here all day after you didn't even put up an ounce of resistance after all."

"Hey, anything's better than what I had before to be honest. It felt so depressing being somewhere with both almost no people and barely any color to brighten up the area."

"Thank you, Ethan, for listening to the plight of an old woman."

"Come on Emma, you're not old! You look like you're in your prime."

"Oh, stop it! Teasing an old woman like me is wrong, you know?" 

"Actually, aren't you married? How could you still feel lonely when you already have someone like that? With how you look you must get plenty of action at night too won't you?~"

I tried to lighten up our conversation even further, but it only seemed to have the opposite effect at this remark.

"..."

Her facial expressions which were starting to become lively again seemed to fade in an instant the moment I mentioned that she was married. A frown was slowly starting to crest upon her mouth.

I felt like I had failed her when I accidentally touched a supposed sore spot. She spent months, though only occasionally within, trying to cheer me up, yet here I was already regressing and making her sad.

I tried thinking of anything that could cheer her up, but in the end decided to just ask her instead or else an awkward silence would envelop us.

"E-emma, I'm sorry for bringing that up. Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?"

"I have something you could help with, but you really don't have to if you don't want to."

"It's alright, I'll do it! What is it?"

"My shoulders are feeling pretty stiff, do you think you could give them a little massage?"

"Is that all? Don't worry, I'll do it and I'll even do it quite well! I'm pretty good at giving massages if I do say so myself! Just sit still, alright?"

I got up and after getting behind her she took off her jacket so that she would feel it more. My hands gripped onto her stiff shoulders and after placing my thumbs just below the back of her neck I started to apply a steady pressure while kneading the flesh I had to work with, through her clothing.

I could see she was thoroughly enjoying it as she was smiling the entire time. Occasionally I could hear a low moan or groan sounding out. If I had to think of our relationship before today I would have thought it to be 100% platonic, but now I felt it was a little more ambiguous.

Trying to change the odd atmosphere I decided to tell her the good news I had obtained over the weekend.

"Hey Emma, I got some great news! Over the weekend I finally got myself a girlfriend."

At that moment, I felt like all the work I had put in to soothe her mood had vanished. Her shoulders even stiffened too, but it all lasted barely even a blink for a second I didn't know if it really even happened.

I contemplated both whether or not it really happened for just a second and also mainly whether or not I should ask her about it.

***

(Emma Anderson POV)

'Girlfriend?! Girlfriend?! Girlfriend?! Girlfriend?! Girlfriend?! Girlfriend?! Girlfriend?! Girlfriend?!'

For just a split second I couldn't control myself which may have scared Ethan behind me.

'Over the weekend?! Over the weekend?! He was just talking about Hannah as girlfriend material to him on friday! Is it her? Could it be her!?

I knew I had to act today! They've definitely gotten too close to one another! It was simply a mistake to think that putting him as far away from that girl would do the trick! Of course I must keep him in my office here, with me, all… alone together!'

"Ugh~"

My train of thought was interrupted a little at Ethan's hands. He really was good at massages, to be honest I merely thought he was boasting too much, but he may have been right as I felt tingles of electricity running through my spine from his thumbs.

'W-where was I? Well, it seems I may have to stop being so passive about my intentions. I'll have to be more direct, there's no way a naive young girl would be able to beat me right?'

I thought back to all my carefully chosen words to slowly guide and lead him into this situation.

It wasn't like I was lying, at least entirely. I merely replaced a few things here and there and also said a few truths in their entirety.

Everything was going well until those words he just spouted out. It created a massive hole in my plans to slowly win him over, now I had some competition and yet I wasn't even an official contestant in the race, I had to somehow sneak in and create that opportunity for myself. 

I turned my head a little and looked in the corner of my eye to see Ethan diligently massaging me. I smiled at the moment as I also realized how simple, or deceptively so, it may be. I wasn't ignorant of his gazes from earlier after all.