9-5 grind

Vi takes a quick look around her, the coast is clear, she pushes her chair back slightly, the area of the office that she’s sitting in, she hits her head onto the desk and groans.

“Why am I heeeeeeeeeeeeereeeeeee?…” She asks the carpeted floor.

She its back up, looks around, no one saw her, she pulls the chair back in and her eyes almost instantly glaze over as she stares at yet another onboarding module.

“So many modules… For what? This is real estate! What do I care about any of this stuff!?” She groans again, slipping her flats off and rubbing her stockings covered foot on the carpet, generating static, just to feel something.

Once again, Vi finds herself asking why is she at this god forsaken job. The kindly old man supervising her obviously sympathises, smiling apologetically every time he brings her a coffee, she’s so not needed here, he doesn’t even need her to get HIM a coffee.

But she knows, as confirmed by her father, that he pulled these strings, she’s only here, of course, because of him.

She sighs and sinks into the chair, her legs crossing at the ankle as she almost lounges, opening her teams DM’s with Taro , she scrolls up to the memes they’ve sent each other, she envies Taro. Clearly, he’s got a bit more responsibility here, judging by the red ‘busy’ indicator on his profile.

She feels her eyes fluttering with boredom and mental exhaustion, the learning module taunting her, “I wonder if I should just, not show up, surely he’ll cover for me.” She says aloud, looking towards her supervisors office.

—

Ding.

Taro: Want some lunch?

Vi: PLEASE!

—

“Why do you have an office?” She asks as she follows Taro, meeting in the kitchen t heat up their Tupperware protected food.

Taro snorts, “I’ve been here for a bit to be fair, John - My supervisor, really fought for me to have my own office, even if it’s smaller.” He opens the door and waves Vi through.

“Lucky. I wish I had an office.” She points a finger up, pausing herself, “No. I wish I could be home.”

Taro laughs again, pulling a chair up for her and swinging his away from the wall side, pulling it so he’s 90 degrees from Vi, sitting on the short edge of the desk, Vi sitting on the long side, facing the door.

“Wait,” Vi takes a bit of her burrito bowl, “have you sold any houses yet?”

Taro shakes his head, “Nah, just some small properties, small businesses and stuff, houses are a bit more of a challenge, and John is more in the business / office space area of realty.”

“Is it hard?”

Taro nods, “Yes. But you get used to it, and you know who to put the time and effort into pretty much as soo as you see them.”

Vi tsks and shakes her head, “Didn’t take you for a racist.”

Taro is indignant, “What!? I’m Asian!”

Vi shakes her head, taking another bite, “I thought you were one of the good ones.”

Taro snorts, “You’re so funny, huh?”

She nods, “Yeah. Thank you for noticing.”

Taro smiles flatly, rolling his eyes as Vi snickers, glancing up from her tupperware.

“How’s college?” He asks between bites, “Place still a party uni more than a real one?”

It’s Vi’s turn to laugh, “It’s got good teachers, but, yeah. It’s pretty loose with the rules if you’re not the one trying.”

She looks up, “Oh I’m gonna try and join the cheerleading team!” She grins, “I already tried on the uniform ahead of my proper try out, let me show you.”

Vi doesn’t consider the implication of showing a male friend her in a cheerleading outfit, because Taro, like every other male, finds a cheerleading outfit, incredibly sexy.

He looks respectfully as she shows him the outfit, grinning, “Looks good on me, huh?” Vi almost seems to see Taro like just another normal friend, not a man, that would potentially, want to hook up with her.

Taro gives her a thumbs up, a slight blush on his cheeks, “Yeah! Looks real good! Respectfully, your’e really fit, do you go to the gym?”

Brandon flashes across the inside of her eyes and she nods, trying to not look to sheepish, “Yeah, I do, but I’ve always been a bit fit. Good genetics, which my boyfriend is very jealous of.”

Taro laughs and nods, “Fair enough. I used to be a chubby little thing.” He looks up as Vi goes silence, biting her bottom lip in anticipation, her eyes narrowring cheekily, he sighs, “Fine. Give me a second.”

Taro pulls out his phone and scrolls, finding a good photo he shows her.

“NAAAAAAW YOU WERE SUCH A CUTIE!!!” She reaches up and pinches his cheek playfully, “Look at you! Oh my gooooood! You’re soooo cute!!!”

Taro can only laugh, Vi’s perfume seeping into his nose, “Thanks, I would like to say, I’m still cute,” he crosses his arms, “just a more manly cute.”

“Oh yes you aaaaareeee.” Vi says in a sing songy voice, grinning as she leans back.

“I’m never inviting you to my office again.”

Vi cackles almost evilly, they chat a bit more afterwards, Taro feeling a bit stuffy, his eyes dropping to her legs often, she’s really made herself comfortable, crossing and uncrossing her skirt covered legs, stretching her arms above her head, pulling he blouse tight across her chest, Vi, has no idea the subtle affect she has on this man.