[Log] Be Careful What You Wish For [Complete]
Characters: Kuna Mashiro and Muguruma Kensei
Location: Coffee House
Date: July 22nd
Rating: PG-13 for Kensei's mouth
Summary: Mashiro makes a confession. Kensei may need therapy.
Kensei yawned broadly and stretched his stiff arms. He was feeling particularly drained for some reason; more likely than not due to this company stubbornly hiding all the juicy bits of information he needed. He gave his computer screen an irritated glare as his fingers ran back through his short hair. After a glance at his watch, he decided that it would be a good time to take lunch. Knocking on the wall that split his cubicle from Mashiro's, he called, "Yo, Mashiro. I'm takin' lunch. You want to go, too?"
There was a loud snap on the other side of the wall as Mashiro slammed closed the laptop, brown eyes wide as she looked down at it. Whew, that was close. She'd almost been caught playing another one of those silly online games. "You said lunch?" she replied brightly, however, getting up and appearing in the opening to his cube a moment later. A cute, yellow lunch box hung in her hand--she was ready to go.
Kensei had only just begun to stand the moment she appeared at the opening, so he gave her a suspicious look. "What the hell was that noise? You trying to kill your laptop?" He grabbed his cooler from where it sat beside his desk, then exited his cubicle once his assistant moved out of the way. "We'll go to the cafe. I've got a craving for a fresh cup of coffee with a bit of flavor."
"What noise?" asked Mashiro with a blank look on her face. This was a look she had perfected because she always managed to look innocent, even if she wasn't. "I didn't hear anything. But the cafe? Sounds good! Will you buy me a drink?" she smiled as she came to walk beside him, box swaying behind her thighs were it hung from her clasped hands. "I drank my tea already."
His eyes narrowed at her innocent act, knowing her well enough when she was up to something. Shaking his head, Kensei gave her a mildly irritated look at her question, but couldn't help a small chuckle. "Yeah, sure. I guess. But only if you promise to get me the information from that company I gave you before we leave for the day." Heading for the stair way, he opened the door and paused in his walking to make sure she was clear before releasing it and heading downwards.
"What company?" she asked as she followed along in her light hearted manner. Now she was just teasing him. Mashiro liked to think of her work as complete, because it was. She did it, but she knew full well if she turned it in early she'd get more work and more would be expected of her. In the end it was just easier for her to pretend it wasn't done, easier to hide while Kensei did all of the world. He was good at that.
"You know what I'm talking about," Kensei grumbled, trotting down the stairs. He swore that Mashiro made a sport out of aggravating him. She had to have a scorebook somewhere, he was sure of it. Once they made it to the cafe, the silver haired man went to a table by a window and set his cooler on the table. "Alright. What do you want?"
Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. He would never know. The young woman pulled up a seat across from him and sat her elbows on the tabletop. "I'll have a large caramel mocha latte with chocolate syrup and two shots. They'll know what you mean." Her pink lips moved so quickly as she spoke it was like she told Kensei her order in another language.
Kensei stared at her for a few moments, then simply shook his head and walked towards the counter. He returned a short while later with her latte, as well as his hazelnut flavoured coffee. "It's no wonder you're so wired all the time if you drink that," he muttered as he sat in his chair. Between all the caffiene and the sugar, he wondered if she ever even slept at night.
She slept quite well, thank you. Grinning from behind a lock of green hair that had fallen out of place, Mashiro took the drink in to her hands. "Thank you," she replied. "And I'm not wired. I think this is pretty calming!"
He merely grunted in return. It wasn't like he could argue back, after all, coffee was pretty relaxing for him as well. Kensei emptied his cooler, producing an apple; turkey, ham, and cheese sandwich, and a bag of small pretzel sticks. Unwapping his sandwich, he took a sizable bite.
A few minutes passed while the two ate, Mashiro making her meal disappear quickly. "Mmm," she sounded pleased with her lunch. She was. Sitting back in her chair, feeling full, the woman watched Kensei while holding up her arms. "So what have you done lately? Please tell me something besides work!"
Kensei was down to the last few pretzel sticks when the question came. After a one-shouldered shrug, he replied, "Not much. Took Lisa on a bike ride I promised to give her yesterday. Been restorin' a few old, rusty knives I bought online." He paused for a sip of coffee. "Why, you worried I go home and work more?"
"It wouldn't surprise me if you did," she replied flatly as she looked at him. However, her smile frowned a little bit before she began to whine. "Why don't you take me on bike rides?" Mashiro asked with another throw up of her hands. "That's not fair! I wanna go on one too! Why does Lisa get to go and I can't?"
"Because you never asked," Kensei replied with a matching flat tone, rolling his eyes. "If you want a ride, you just have to say so. I don't care." What was it with all the people wanting to ride his motorcycle? He'd had the thing for a number of years but now, suddenly, he was popular. With the people he'd been working with since owning it as well.
Mashiro made a face. "I shouldn't have to ask," she said through a pout. "You should offer!" He should have, really! Why couldn't he just offer?
"Why shouldn't you have to ask? Not like you have special privilages'r anything," he grumbled. Kensei munched on another pretzel. "I never offered because you never seemed to care I rode a motorcycle."
Looking away she muttered something that sounded distinctly like "yeah, well, motorcycles are hot" or something like that. It wasn't really intended for Kensei to hear. Not really. Mashiro wouldn't have a problem if he heard or questioned about it, in fact she might have answered. As much as she liked Lisa as a friend, she wasn't going to chase Kensei like this was a race. Hopefully she wouldn't have to confront her friend about it; it could have gotten ugly.
Kensei couldn't quite hear what his subordinate said, but narrowed his eyes and glared at the way she seemed to be sulking. "What the hell is up with you? You were all sparkles and sunshine a minute ago and now you're sulkin'." Honestly, he would never figure this woman out. Just when things seemed to be fine, she would go off on some emotional tangent.
Wide, brown eyes looked to Kensei and she took a sip of her drink. "Do you really want to know?" she asked, seeing a window of opportunity. This hadn't been her intent of the day, or of the week. Mashiro wanted to do this well and play it cool, but she'd never been that good. Her bubbly attitude and games threw everyone off, but apparently she'd have to change her game plan. It kind of worried her because she hated rejection. What if she told Kensei and he decided to fire her instead?
"Yes, for fuck's sake!" Kensei hissed quietly, letting the curse word slip. While outside of work he cussed like a sailor, when he was at the office he tried to keep his words in check. "I sure as hell can't figure it out on my own!" Some women should come with a manual on how to deal with them, even when it comes to simply working on the same team.
Looking at Kensei in shock, Mashiro sighed and looked down into her drink. He didn't have to yell. Meanie. "I-" There was a crash as a plate fell off of a table beside them. Her face turned to see the problem before snapping her gaze back at him. Well he wanted to know, and while she was brilliant at lying and covering up her goofs like this. . .why? If there were other pieces on the board now, Mashiro wanted to get to the other side first.
"I like you." Her cheeks, while usually pink from excitement or a dash of blush, were pink from embarrassment and nervousness.
The silver-haired man was still looking at the embarrassed patrons cleaning up the plate when Mashiro made her admission. His only reaction at first was to blink, like it was taking an exceptionally long time for those three simple words to process in his brain. Finally, he turned and looked at her, his deep brown eyes meeting her own. One eyebrow was slightly raised as he repeated the words, almost to help him understand exactly what she had said. "You... like me."
She was going to die here and now. Mashiro could feel her heart hammering away in her chest and she wasn't sure her heart could contain itself within her ribs. She felt sick and more nervous than before. "Yes!" she squeaked, feeling very unlike herself. This wasn't something she did often, seeing as she found it easier just to ignore it or let the guy walk away. Let him do the talking. This was all wrong. "You know, I should go to work! I have things to do!" cried Mashiro as she looked down at her lunch box. Her hands didn't move, though she tried very hard to force them to pack up and go.
Watching Mashiro practically melt down in front of him, Kensei finally looked away and rubbed his face, hands stopping at his mouth. How did he manage to get into this mess? Looking back to her, he removed his hands and replied quietly and calmly, "Mashiro. You know that even if I could return your... affections... As your superior I'm not legally able to, right? It's in the rules." He didn't mention whether or not that he actually did feel the same way for her. That was because he didn't know. He'd always looked at her as his assistant, at most a friend.
Nodding, she finally got herself to move and stood up. "I know," she was so quick to speak as she stuffed her things back in to her box. "I just-I can't help it. I'm sorry." Bright green hair falling down her face and in the way of his view, thank goodness, Mashiro focused on packing up her things. "I really should do that paperwork. You know how it goes. I'll behind again!"
"Mashiro. Sit down." There was at least ten mintues of lunch left and Kensei wanted to know exactly where he stood with her. "I want to know how long you've felt this way and how this will affect everything." Then, in a soft voice, as gently as he was able to say it, he murmured, "I don't want this to ruin our team because of awkwardness."
She sat slowly, as if every joint and bend in her body were old and rusty that needed some WD40 very badly. Was she supposed to just tell him? Looking down at her drink, which was still half finished, she had little else left to stare at aside from Kensei. "About two and a half years. . ." Mashiro spoke like a mouse. "But I'll keep working. I always do. It doesn't matter. I'm sorry!"
Kensei looked utterly shocked. She'd been attracted to him for that long? "You've only worked for me for..." he paused to recheck his math. "Two of those years." he looked back up at her and blinked, still visibly stunned. "..Right?"
Mashiro looked at the ceiling as she thought and sighed. "Two and a half last month," she corrected. Her hands wrapped around the cup and brought it to her mouth, hiding her face behind it as she sipped and sipped away. "Time flies. . ."
And he'd been completely blind to any potential hints that she had given him the entire time. Maybe he was indeed way too focused on his work. Kensei tried to think of a response, but could only come back with an intelligent, "Oh..."
"Can. . .I go back to work now?" She really felt like she might cry. Mashiro hadn't intended to let it all out like this, for while she felt better she also felt worse. What was she doing? This was stupid! Now she'd have to work with him, suffering because he knew how she felt. Quitting would be dumb, and she couldn't just pretend he didn't know now. Uggggh. I'm such a screw up.
Kensei nodded slowly, adding a small dismissive gesture to let her know she was free to go. "Yeah... I'll be back soon." He still didn't really know what to do or how he felt about the whole situation. Awkward was a good way to put it at the moment, however, considering how long Mashiro had been living with this.
In her opinion, Mashiro didn't feel like he should feel nearly as badly about this as she did. He hadn't had to live for his career in love with his boss. Nodding back at him, she collected her purse, lunch box, and drink before getting up to her feet. "Thanks for the mocha," she said as brightly as she usually did before starting away from the table with a shake of her head to toss her hair out of her face.
Kensei managed a small smile and a nod in response to her thanks. Though as she walked away the smile faded and his hand went to his eyes, rubbing them. He was more concerned as to how this was going to affect Mashiro than how he felt. If word got around that she liked him, rumors might start and their jobs might be on the line. After a few more minutes, he sighed, cleaned up, and then headed back to his cubicle.
Back at her desk, Mashiro was sitting on the desk with her laptop beside her. On her lap was a yellow notepad she was scribbling things down in from another piece of paper sitting on top of the closed computer. She didn't look particularly sad, though she didn't have that happy air about herself either. Mashiro would get over it, she always did. People could say what they liked, Kensei certainly did; in the end all of it never really bothered her much. Maybe a day would come and go where it would itch at her, but she'd scratch it real quick and that was all.
Kensei glanced in her cubicle as he passed, but didn't say anything. he merely walked into his own and sat in his chair. Shoving his cooler back in it's normal spot, he turned back to his computer and began to get back into his research. The scratching on Mashiro's writing could easily be heard. At least this seemed to have focused her on work, Kensei admitted dryly to himself.
Because she never got her work done before. Mashiro always got it done on time, even if she didn't look like the kind to do it. "Hey, Kensei?" she said over the cubicles as she continued to write. "I'm sorry." She was. It hadn't been her intention to go and screw up the entire day, the rest of their days, with her little confession.
Kensei knew she always got her work done. After all, he wouldn't have kept her for the past two and a half years if she hadn't. But still, he couldn't help but be irritated that she seemed to slack off so much but get all her work done. He didn't know how she did it. Lifting his head when he heard her voice, he was quiet for a moment before replying, "It's okay." He meant it as well. While he could never forget that admission, he would try not to let it hinder them.
Laughing, Mashiro shook her head and stopped writing for a moment. She'd never be able to get him to buy her lunch or snacks again. Now that he knew it would be weird, like him giving her gifts. Mashiro never thought of her lunch ventures as dates, because that was just pitiful, but she did enjoy getting free things! Now she'd have to go buy it all for herself. It was like she wasn't even working with Kensei anymore anyway!
"You know, this company isn't very smart," she said. "And you misspelled conference on page two of your report."
Kensei blinked and looked towards the wall that separated their cubicles. "I did?" Standing up, he looked over the wall and held out his arm, wanting to see the alleged misspelling. Sure, his spelling wasn't the greatest, but he had used spell-checker... Looking at the offending word, he swore under his breath. "I already turned this in to a few people."
Shaking her head again, Mashiro held out her hand to take it back. "It's okay, it's not really noticeable." It wasn't, she only noticed because, in theory, it was part of her job. In theory. "Maybe you should have me read them first next time?" She gave a cheeky little smile, looking a bit better already. Inside she was in pain, but Kensei didn't have to know that. He probably didn't want to know either, seeing as so much already happened. At least Mashiro could come to peace with her losing terms. Kind of.
Location: Coffee House
Date: July 22nd
Rating: PG-13 for Kensei's mouth
Summary: Mashiro makes a confession. Kensei may need therapy.
Kensei yawned broadly and stretched his stiff arms. He was feeling particularly drained for some reason; more likely than not due to this company stubbornly hiding all the juicy bits of information he needed. He gave his computer screen an irritated glare as his fingers ran back through his short hair. After a glance at his watch, he decided that it would be a good time to take lunch. Knocking on the wall that split his cubicle from Mashiro's, he called, "Yo, Mashiro. I'm takin' lunch. You want to go, too?"
There was a loud snap on the other side of the wall as Mashiro slammed closed the laptop, brown eyes wide as she looked down at it. Whew, that was close. She'd almost been caught playing another one of those silly online games. "You said lunch?" she replied brightly, however, getting up and appearing in the opening to his cube a moment later. A cute, yellow lunch box hung in her hand--she was ready to go.
Kensei had only just begun to stand the moment she appeared at the opening, so he gave her a suspicious look. "What the hell was that noise? You trying to kill your laptop?" He grabbed his cooler from where it sat beside his desk, then exited his cubicle once his assistant moved out of the way. "We'll go to the cafe. I've got a craving for a fresh cup of coffee with a bit of flavor."
"What noise?" asked Mashiro with a blank look on her face. This was a look she had perfected because she always managed to look innocent, even if she wasn't. "I didn't hear anything. But the cafe? Sounds good! Will you buy me a drink?" she smiled as she came to walk beside him, box swaying behind her thighs were it hung from her clasped hands. "I drank my tea already."
His eyes narrowed at her innocent act, knowing her well enough when she was up to something. Shaking his head, Kensei gave her a mildly irritated look at her question, but couldn't help a small chuckle. "Yeah, sure. I guess. But only if you promise to get me the information from that company I gave you before we leave for the day." Heading for the stair way, he opened the door and paused in his walking to make sure she was clear before releasing it and heading downwards.
"What company?" she asked as she followed along in her light hearted manner. Now she was just teasing him. Mashiro liked to think of her work as complete, because it was. She did it, but she knew full well if she turned it in early she'd get more work and more would be expected of her. In the end it was just easier for her to pretend it wasn't done, easier to hide while Kensei did all of the world. He was good at that.
"You know what I'm talking about," Kensei grumbled, trotting down the stairs. He swore that Mashiro made a sport out of aggravating him. She had to have a scorebook somewhere, he was sure of it. Once they made it to the cafe, the silver haired man went to a table by a window and set his cooler on the table. "Alright. What do you want?"
Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. He would never know. The young woman pulled up a seat across from him and sat her elbows on the tabletop. "I'll have a large caramel mocha latte with chocolate syrup and two shots. They'll know what you mean." Her pink lips moved so quickly as she spoke it was like she told Kensei her order in another language.
Kensei stared at her for a few moments, then simply shook his head and walked towards the counter. He returned a short while later with her latte, as well as his hazelnut flavoured coffee. "It's no wonder you're so wired all the time if you drink that," he muttered as he sat in his chair. Between all the caffiene and the sugar, he wondered if she ever even slept at night.
She slept quite well, thank you. Grinning from behind a lock of green hair that had fallen out of place, Mashiro took the drink in to her hands. "Thank you," she replied. "And I'm not wired. I think this is pretty calming!"
He merely grunted in return. It wasn't like he could argue back, after all, coffee was pretty relaxing for him as well. Kensei emptied his cooler, producing an apple; turkey, ham, and cheese sandwich, and a bag of small pretzel sticks. Unwapping his sandwich, he took a sizable bite.
A few minutes passed while the two ate, Mashiro making her meal disappear quickly. "Mmm," she sounded pleased with her lunch. She was. Sitting back in her chair, feeling full, the woman watched Kensei while holding up her arms. "So what have you done lately? Please tell me something besides work!"
Kensei was down to the last few pretzel sticks when the question came. After a one-shouldered shrug, he replied, "Not much. Took Lisa on a bike ride I promised to give her yesterday. Been restorin' a few old, rusty knives I bought online." He paused for a sip of coffee. "Why, you worried I go home and work more?"
"It wouldn't surprise me if you did," she replied flatly as she looked at him. However, her smile frowned a little bit before she began to whine. "Why don't you take me on bike rides?" Mashiro asked with another throw up of her hands. "That's not fair! I wanna go on one too! Why does Lisa get to go and I can't?"
"Because you never asked," Kensei replied with a matching flat tone, rolling his eyes. "If you want a ride, you just have to say so. I don't care." What was it with all the people wanting to ride his motorcycle? He'd had the thing for a number of years but now, suddenly, he was popular. With the people he'd been working with since owning it as well.
Mashiro made a face. "I shouldn't have to ask," she said through a pout. "You should offer!" He should have, really! Why couldn't he just offer?
"Why shouldn't you have to ask? Not like you have special privilages'r anything," he grumbled. Kensei munched on another pretzel. "I never offered because you never seemed to care I rode a motorcycle."
Looking away she muttered something that sounded distinctly like "yeah, well, motorcycles are hot" or something like that. It wasn't really intended for Kensei to hear. Not really. Mashiro wouldn't have a problem if he heard or questioned about it, in fact she might have answered. As much as she liked Lisa as a friend, she wasn't going to chase Kensei like this was a race. Hopefully she wouldn't have to confront her friend about it; it could have gotten ugly.
Kensei couldn't quite hear what his subordinate said, but narrowed his eyes and glared at the way she seemed to be sulking. "What the hell is up with you? You were all sparkles and sunshine a minute ago and now you're sulkin'." Honestly, he would never figure this woman out. Just when things seemed to be fine, she would go off on some emotional tangent.
Wide, brown eyes looked to Kensei and she took a sip of her drink. "Do you really want to know?" she asked, seeing a window of opportunity. This hadn't been her intent of the day, or of the week. Mashiro wanted to do this well and play it cool, but she'd never been that good. Her bubbly attitude and games threw everyone off, but apparently she'd have to change her game plan. It kind of worried her because she hated rejection. What if she told Kensei and he decided to fire her instead?
"Yes, for fuck's sake!" Kensei hissed quietly, letting the curse word slip. While outside of work he cussed like a sailor, when he was at the office he tried to keep his words in check. "I sure as hell can't figure it out on my own!" Some women should come with a manual on how to deal with them, even when it comes to simply working on the same team.
Looking at Kensei in shock, Mashiro sighed and looked down into her drink. He didn't have to yell. Meanie. "I-" There was a crash as a plate fell off of a table beside them. Her face turned to see the problem before snapping her gaze back at him. Well he wanted to know, and while she was brilliant at lying and covering up her goofs like this. . .why? If there were other pieces on the board now, Mashiro wanted to get to the other side first.
"I like you." Her cheeks, while usually pink from excitement or a dash of blush, were pink from embarrassment and nervousness.
The silver-haired man was still looking at the embarrassed patrons cleaning up the plate when Mashiro made her admission. His only reaction at first was to blink, like it was taking an exceptionally long time for those three simple words to process in his brain. Finally, he turned and looked at her, his deep brown eyes meeting her own. One eyebrow was slightly raised as he repeated the words, almost to help him understand exactly what she had said. "You... like me."
She was going to die here and now. Mashiro could feel her heart hammering away in her chest and she wasn't sure her heart could contain itself within her ribs. She felt sick and more nervous than before. "Yes!" she squeaked, feeling very unlike herself. This wasn't something she did often, seeing as she found it easier just to ignore it or let the guy walk away. Let him do the talking. This was all wrong. "You know, I should go to work! I have things to do!" cried Mashiro as she looked down at her lunch box. Her hands didn't move, though she tried very hard to force them to pack up and go.
Watching Mashiro practically melt down in front of him, Kensei finally looked away and rubbed his face, hands stopping at his mouth. How did he manage to get into this mess? Looking back to her, he removed his hands and replied quietly and calmly, "Mashiro. You know that even if I could return your... affections... As your superior I'm not legally able to, right? It's in the rules." He didn't mention whether or not that he actually did feel the same way for her. That was because he didn't know. He'd always looked at her as his assistant, at most a friend.
Nodding, she finally got herself to move and stood up. "I know," she was so quick to speak as she stuffed her things back in to her box. "I just-I can't help it. I'm sorry." Bright green hair falling down her face and in the way of his view, thank goodness, Mashiro focused on packing up her things. "I really should do that paperwork. You know how it goes. I'll behind again!"
"Mashiro. Sit down." There was at least ten mintues of lunch left and Kensei wanted to know exactly where he stood with her. "I want to know how long you've felt this way and how this will affect everything." Then, in a soft voice, as gently as he was able to say it, he murmured, "I don't want this to ruin our team because of awkwardness."
She sat slowly, as if every joint and bend in her body were old and rusty that needed some WD40 very badly. Was she supposed to just tell him? Looking down at her drink, which was still half finished, she had little else left to stare at aside from Kensei. "About two and a half years. . ." Mashiro spoke like a mouse. "But I'll keep working. I always do. It doesn't matter. I'm sorry!"
Kensei looked utterly shocked. She'd been attracted to him for that long? "You've only worked for me for..." he paused to recheck his math. "Two of those years." he looked back up at her and blinked, still visibly stunned. "..Right?"
Mashiro looked at the ceiling as she thought and sighed. "Two and a half last month," she corrected. Her hands wrapped around the cup and brought it to her mouth, hiding her face behind it as she sipped and sipped away. "Time flies. . ."
And he'd been completely blind to any potential hints that she had given him the entire time. Maybe he was indeed way too focused on his work. Kensei tried to think of a response, but could only come back with an intelligent, "Oh..."
"Can. . .I go back to work now?" She really felt like she might cry. Mashiro hadn't intended to let it all out like this, for while she felt better she also felt worse. What was she doing? This was stupid! Now she'd have to work with him, suffering because he knew how she felt. Quitting would be dumb, and she couldn't just pretend he didn't know now. Uggggh. I'm such a screw up.
Kensei nodded slowly, adding a small dismissive gesture to let her know she was free to go. "Yeah... I'll be back soon." He still didn't really know what to do or how he felt about the whole situation. Awkward was a good way to put it at the moment, however, considering how long Mashiro had been living with this.
In her opinion, Mashiro didn't feel like he should feel nearly as badly about this as she did. He hadn't had to live for his career in love with his boss. Nodding back at him, she collected her purse, lunch box, and drink before getting up to her feet. "Thanks for the mocha," she said as brightly as she usually did before starting away from the table with a shake of her head to toss her hair out of her face.
Kensei managed a small smile and a nod in response to her thanks. Though as she walked away the smile faded and his hand went to his eyes, rubbing them. He was more concerned as to how this was going to affect Mashiro than how he felt. If word got around that she liked him, rumors might start and their jobs might be on the line. After a few more minutes, he sighed, cleaned up, and then headed back to his cubicle.
Back at her desk, Mashiro was sitting on the desk with her laptop beside her. On her lap was a yellow notepad she was scribbling things down in from another piece of paper sitting on top of the closed computer. She didn't look particularly sad, though she didn't have that happy air about herself either. Mashiro would get over it, she always did. People could say what they liked, Kensei certainly did; in the end all of it never really bothered her much. Maybe a day would come and go where it would itch at her, but she'd scratch it real quick and that was all.
Kensei glanced in her cubicle as he passed, but didn't say anything. he merely walked into his own and sat in his chair. Shoving his cooler back in it's normal spot, he turned back to his computer and began to get back into his research. The scratching on Mashiro's writing could easily be heard. At least this seemed to have focused her on work, Kensei admitted dryly to himself.
Because she never got her work done before. Mashiro always got it done on time, even if she didn't look like the kind to do it. "Hey, Kensei?" she said over the cubicles as she continued to write. "I'm sorry." She was. It hadn't been her intention to go and screw up the entire day, the rest of their days, with her little confession.
Kensei knew she always got her work done. After all, he wouldn't have kept her for the past two and a half years if she hadn't. But still, he couldn't help but be irritated that she seemed to slack off so much but get all her work done. He didn't know how she did it. Lifting his head when he heard her voice, he was quiet for a moment before replying, "It's okay." He meant it as well. While he could never forget that admission, he would try not to let it hinder them.
Laughing, Mashiro shook her head and stopped writing for a moment. She'd never be able to get him to buy her lunch or snacks again. Now that he knew it would be weird, like him giving her gifts. Mashiro never thought of her lunch ventures as dates, because that was just pitiful, but she did enjoy getting free things! Now she'd have to go buy it all for herself. It was like she wasn't even working with Kensei anymore anyway!
"You know, this company isn't very smart," she said. "And you misspelled conference on page two of your report."
Kensei blinked and looked towards the wall that separated their cubicles. "I did?" Standing up, he looked over the wall and held out his arm, wanting to see the alleged misspelling. Sure, his spelling wasn't the greatest, but he had used spell-checker... Looking at the offending word, he swore under his breath. "I already turned this in to a few people."
Shaking her head again, Mashiro held out her hand to take it back. "It's okay, it's not really noticeable." It wasn't, she only noticed because, in theory, it was part of her job. In theory. "Maybe you should have me read them first next time?" She gave a cheeky little smile, looking a bit better already. Inside she was in pain, but Kensei didn't have to know that. He probably didn't want to know either, seeing as so much already happened. At least Mashiro could come to peace with her losing terms. Kind of.