“Somehow I knew you’d say something unnecessary,” Sang said with a not-so-pleasant smile.

“Am I wrong?” she asked.

“Do not call him that,” Aubyn said. “He is not a pet.”

“Well, technically…” Don started, earning himself a glare from Aubyn. He threw up hands of surrender.

“He’s simply under our care and guidance while he lives here,” explained Sang.

“So you’ve adopted another child, Yin-ah?” asked Af’fy.

I was starting to think Af’fy and I had no chance of becoming friends. I couldn’t tell which one I disliked being called the most; pretty, or pet. “It’s Zedikai. Not ‘pet’, not ‘child’, just Zedikai.”

“Ooh, he barks.”

“Too far,” Don scolded, nudging her.

“Stop being a brat, Af’fy,” Aubyn warned, using that tone he usually used with me whenever I was pushing my luck.

“Make me,” she said with a playful grin. When he didn’t seem amused, she rolled her eyes. “I was just kidding. Sheesh! Pleased to meet you, Just Zedikai.”

“I can’t say the same,” I said honestly.

“As if that matters,” she said. “Well, I’m going to get some food. I haven’t had anything all morning.”

“As usual,” Aubyn said with a tone I wasn’t used to hearing from him. Borderline annoyed.

“You know my stomach isn’t ready for food in the morning. Don-soh, buy me a snack? I need to speak to you about something.”

“Buy your own food,” he said, turning to follow her away. He gently patted my shoulder as he passed me.

“Wow, so mean.”

Once they were gone, Aubyn hugged me close to him from behind. “I apologise on her behalf. I could have sworn she was in a good mood.”

“As if she’d be on her best behaviour,” Sang said. “How unfortunate for you to meet Af’fy on your first day, Zedikai.”

“It’s fine. I met someone much more pleasant on my way here. Matis, if I remember correctly.”

“Matis Rigal?” Sang asked and I confirmed with a nod. “He started working here recently as far as new hires go. He seems nice.”

“Seems so. Embarrassingly enough, he remembered me from the party when I was dancing with you. I’d forgotten about it.”

“Half this department saw us dancing together. Unfortunately for you, since you get embarrassed easily, that is how you made your first impression.” Sang leaned against the desk behind him. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, everyone was curious to find out who you were. Some even mentioned how attractive you are.”

I shrunk back against Aubyn. I wasn’t used to compliments – at least not genuine ones – but it made me feel a familiar fluttering inside my stomach. Usually, it would please me in some way and it did. But then followed a feeling of guilt at liking that strangers had complimented me. I felt uneasy remembering the kind of people that used to call me pretty and sexy and fuckable.

“It was the alcohol,” I mumbled.

“Keep an eye on him, Aubyn. He can be very cute and compliant when he’s had a few drinks.”

“I will keep a close watch on him for company dinners.”

“I’ll be careful.” I turned my head to see Aubyn. “Did you think I was going to look over the fact that Af’fy was flirting with you?”

“Flirting?” Aubyn asked. “I do not know what you mean.”

“Aubyn was the last of us to realise that you have a thing for him, Zedikai. Understand that he can be very dense.”

“I am not!”

“Yes, you are,” Sang insisted. “Af’fy is always flirting with you. Do I have to start with the fact that she still calls you fondly?”

“You mean ‘Yin-ah’?” I asked.

“Usually, when you’re really close to someone, you can drop the formal speech with permission and call them by a nickname. It’s more common among family members and really close friends. Not exactly so for… whatever relationship these two have going on.”

“So she calls you ‘Yin-ah’ stemmed from your real name, Au Yin. Do I get to call you by your real name? And why does she call you that as if you’re close when it clearly bothers you?”

“Do not take this personally, Zedikai, but I’d prefer it if you continue to call me Aubyn instead. As for why she still calls me Yin-ah after we have broken up, I am not sure. Maybe she does it to annoy me.”

“Hold up a sec. We are not going to breeze past that like you didn’t just introduce me to your ex without telling me who she was first.” I twisted out of his hold. I knew he had exes but I never thought he worked with the most recent one. As rude as she had been, she was really pretty and looked to be the chatty, extroverted type.

“That is probably something you two should discuss at home, not work,” Sang said, finding a seat. “Zedikai, get something to eat and finish your hours for the day. Please remember you are on your own getting home.”

“Can’t I wait for you guys to finish working?”

Aubyn took hold of my hips and pulled me back to him, only this time we were facing each other. “We are heading out to start our interviews right now so we will not even be in the office for the rest of the day. When you leave, find Milan so you will not have to be alone.”

“Milan should be done with work in a few hours but he does have his own social life, so we cannot promise he will have time to entertain you.”

Everyone had their own personal lives before I got here. I didn’t want to be a burden or someone they had to worry about. “It’s fine. I’ll just head home when I’m done.”

Aubyn tapped his fingers on my hips. “Before you leave, I need to speak with you.”

“Okay. See you later, Sang,” I said.

“Later,” Sang said with a wave of his hand as he turned his attention to his work. “Please don’t get caught.”

I wasn’t sure what he was referring to until Aubyn started to lead me by the hand through the maze of cubicles in the opposite direction from the elevator. He opened a door and we entered a stairwell. It was so quiet that the closing of the door behind us sounded loud.

“Aubyn-”

“Quiet.” Aubyn closed his eyes for a few seconds, furrowing his brows as if he were concentrating. "Nobody is coming," he said finally, opening his eyes. He released his hold on my hand and backed me up against the wall.

“You’ve been really touchy today,” I said, my voice coming out as a whisper. My brain was getting fuzzy with that woody yet sweet smell of his dulling my senses. “Any reason why?”

“Trying to hold back is nearly painful to do.”

“One of us has to be the rational one. But…” I looked him over. He was so fine in his uniform and now that we were in a private-ish space... “Five seconds of irrationality will not hurt.”

He looked as if he had to mull it over first, but then his lips touching mine gave me the answer. It was one of those hungry kisses he rarely gave me. Those kisses made me feel as if I was standing too close to a starving beast and I was looking like dinner. I felt like I was being devoured, but just before I could give myself over to the heat it stirred up inside me, Aubyn stepped away, putting a good five feet between us.

I had to catch my breath and recover, only realising then that I had dropped my water bottle during our kiss. I stooped to pick it up, eyeing the pacing man in front of me. “You took five seconds too literally.”

“It had to be only five seconds. We are still at work and Sang told us not to get caught.”

Sang and Aubyn had clearly spent enough time around each other for Sang to correctly assume Aubyn’s intentions. “I’ve sure had an interesting first day so far. I didn’t think you were one to make out at work.”

“I am not.” Aubyn closed the distance between us and rested his hands on the wall on either side of my head. “I found out something interesting today. Do you want to know what?”

“Tell me.”

“I like seeing you in a uniform. I have been wanting to kiss you since you came down for breakfast but we were in public so I tried hard to restrain myself. But then you show up out of the blue now while I have my guard down. What amazing timing.”

Aubyn was always so put together that sometimes I forgot that there was something dangerous and animalistic hiding behind the good father and diligent agent door. However, whenever he used a no-nonsense tone, kissed me or let his thoughts out like he just did, I’d remember. This man could transform into a ferocious sabre-toothed animal, and could somehow make someone so scared that their knees would buckle under his glowing blue-eyed glare.

I had to also remind myself that this man found me worthy of his affection, even after seeing the worst parts of me. “Now I know I can seduce you at work.”

“Zedikai…”

“Don’t ‘Zedikai’ me.” I leaned my face closer to his. “I have to get back to Siele. I’ve been away for longer than planned and I still haven’t gotten anything to eat.”

“And I have to do my interviews today.” Aubyn gave me a quick peck on the lips. “Eat before you get back to work. Send me a picture.”

“Yes, sir.”

I walked him back to Sang, waving them both goodbye as they began packing up their things to leave. When they were gone, I tried to focus on the present, including my being on a break for much longer than I’d planned. I found the snack bar and got myself a pack of nutty cookies and what I assumed to be something akin to a fruit bar. I wasn’t interested in trying any new drinks, so I paid, took a picture to send to Aubyn, and sat by myself to eat, only moving to nod at those who came to get a snack of their own.

My first day at work sure had turned out eventful. At least the first half. The second half was calmer and I didn’t run into anyone else I knew or any new faces.