Boss

Being at a playground with your four year old niece and your boss is something you never thought would ever happen. Yet, here you are, currently sitting on a bench as you watch your boss chase your niece around the jungle gym.

The lingering looks that the mothers are giving him don’t go unnoticed. Zhang Yixing is an extraordinarily handsome man, something you are fully aware of. The fact that he even went out of his way to help you take care of your niece is beyond you. Someone like him is way out of your league.

He runs back to where you currently sit, leaving your niece to explore the swings as he joins you, slightly winded with a content smile on his face. The stretch of his lips causes his dimple to dip deeply and you can’t help but sigh longingly whenever it graced you with its presence.

“Your niece is a ball of energy,” he says. “She about wore me out!”

“Yeah, she can be overwhelming at times,” you add. “And it seems that the women here enjoyed the little show the two of you put on.”

He laughs good heartedly at your statement and you hate how perfect it sounds. Does the man have any flaws?

“Oh, well, the ladies love a guy who’s good with kids,” he states, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

For some reason, the idea of having any of these women approach and flirt with him leaves an odd feeling in your chest and you pout. Wondering briefly why the idea makes you so disappointed. Yixing is your boss, nothing more.

“There are a lot of beautiful women here,” you acknowledge bitterly.

He agrees with a nod. “Sure there are.”

“You’re not interested, are you?” You ask quietly, frowning at the sand on top of your sneaker.

He’s silent for a moment. You want to take that as an answer so you lift your head to see his expression. He’s already gazing at you, face soft, although his eyes are intense, boring into your soul.

“There might be one or two who have caught my eye,” he admits, not even blinking as he drinks you in.

You gasp silently at his implication, feeling heat rush to your cheeks as you finally break the eye contact, instead scouting the playground to check up on your niece.

You hear him chuckle under his breath as he scoots closer to you on the small bench until your shoulders press firmly together.

“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” he says teasingly. You groan, covering your red face in your hands, but can’t help but smile as his melodic laugh rings through the air again. Now, you’re glad that all the women are watching, cause now they know he’s with you.

~*~

“You called for me?” You ask as you stand in the doorway of your boss’ high scale office.

“I did,” he admits. Silence envelopes the room as you stand anxiously at the doorway, refusing to make eye contact with him.

Finally, you succumb to your urge, raising your head to meet his gaze and he smiles cheekily at the action. “There you are. Please, have a seat.”

You do as he orders, closing the door securely behind you as you sit down across from him. As soon as you are level, you can’t help but stare. Zhang Yixing is the most handsome man you have ever been blessed to see. He is just as captivated by you, drinking you in as if it would be his last, and it leaves you rather flustered.

“Is there a reason why you needed me, Sir?” You ask, keeping it professional. You are at work, after all.

He shakes his head. “I just wanted to see you.”

You sigh. “Mr. Zhang….”

“Yixing,” he is quick to correct. For the past week and a half, he has been adamant on you calling him by his first name at work, but it makes you uncomfortable to be so casual at such a setting.

You place your hands solidly on his red oak desk. “Yixing. I have told you numerous times that I should only be summoned if you need something. If you only want to see me, well, you have. I need to get back to work.”

You rise from your chair and leave without turning back, despite the need to.

Yixing has made his affections towards you no secret. He’s asked you out at least seven times now and tries to spend as much time with you as possible. But, as much joy it as brought you, you just can’t succumb to his advances.

It’s incredibly unprofessional. You’re Yixing’s secretary, how much of a cliché can you possibly be?

All the same, you can feel your resolve crumble with every interaction with him.

A month passes since the fateful day that started this whole thing in the first place—the day Yixing helped you babysit your niece, Jinah—and nothing has happened despite his persistence. If there is one thing you have learned about the man, it’s that he didn’t get deterred easily. He has a one-track mind, and once it is made up, there is no telling him otherwise. He is aware of your feelings, aware that you want him just as badly as he does you, and it is that knowing that keeps him patient.

It is only a matter of time before you finally give in and say yes.

One Friday evening, he makes his way by to his office, having to walk past your desk to enter, it is one of his favorite trips to make. Stealing a glance of his lovely and resilient secretary was the highlight of his days, but today your haphazard appearance caused him to stop. An inner fight ignited inside him. You have told him countless times to not approach you unless it is for work purposes, the most recent one being this morning, so he knew you would prefer him to just continue on ignorantly to his office. He wants to respect your wishes, but as he goes to do that, you groan and bury your face in your hands, rubbing it stressfully.

He’s at your desk before his mind even registers.

“Is there something wrong?” he asks hesitantly. You peek through your fingers up at your boss, who is watching you wearily and for some odd reason want to cry.

“It’s my niece,” you reveal. “She’s staying at my place for the week while her parents are on vacation and is being more of a handful than I can handle at the moment. I haven’t slept in probably two days and am so tired. I….” Your sentence carries as you realize you’re complaining to your boss.

“Oh! Jinah?” He asks. You nod miserably.

“I can help,” he volunteers and you must have given him a look because he deflates. “She seemed to like me last time and you need your rest. Don’t want you messing up work because of exhaustion.”

He waits with baited breath as you ponder over his suggestion. After what feels forever, you nod, consenting.

“Good,” he grins. “If you had said no, I would have pulled out the boss card. I’ll drive you home after work, okay?”

He’s off before you can agree and you wonder briefly what you just got yourself into.

“Please excuse the mess,” you warn as you enter your apartment. Jinah comes barreling in as soon as she hears you, but comes to a screeching halt once she sees who you brought along.

“XING!!” She cheers, rushing him. He meets her halfway, squatting to her level to wrap her in his arms without any hesitation. Instantly, she’s talking, catching him up on all he’s missed. While the two are distracted, you pay the babysitter and send her home.

“I’ll order some pizza and then we can play, okay?” Yixing tells Jinah, who agrees excitedly before he places her back down. She then remembers your presence and greets you.

“Uncle Xing is here! I’ve missed him so much!”

“I know,” you say, ignoring the uncle part. “You’ve only mentioned him fifty times in the five days you’ve been here.” You glace up at Yixing, who is on the phone ordering the food, but still catch his cocky grin.

The night goes on without a hitch. The three of you consume way too much pizza and Yixing keeps Jinah busy while you take a cat nap in your room. Once you wake, you head back to the living room where the two are settled down on the couch, a movie playing on the television. The two are cuddling, Jinah laying on top of him, her head resting in the crook of his neck, arms wrapped around his torso. They both seem to be dozing off and you chuckle as you sit next to Yixing.

He stirs at the sound of your laugh, blindly reaching out to grab your hand. The action causes your heart to leap. It’s so natural, as if it’s something he’s done multiple times.

“Thank you,” you whisper, trying not to wake Jinah.

Yixing peers at you through his lashes, the small content smile on his face warm with affection. “Of course. I’d do anything for you.”

You let his words sink in as he rubs small circles on the skin between your thumb and index finger. He has shown a great effort in being there for you. If you ever need help of any kind, he is the first person to assist, without asking for anything in return, and most importantly, without wanting anything in return. Of course, your feelings, but that seems to be a separate aspect of it all. He just wants you to know how committed he is to you. Your eyes water at the realization and you nod, tightening your grip on his hand. “I know.”

He lifts your intertwined hands to his lips, giving the back of yours a long lingering kiss. You sigh contently, wishing for this night to stretch forever, hoping that maybe, just maybe, this could be a normal part of your life. You wonder briefly how many times he has wished for that as well, wonder how much you have hurt him from your constant rejections, but before you could ask, Jinah rustles on top of Yixing and mumbles softly. “Uncle Xing? Are you Auntie’s boyfriend?”

You both laugh breathlessly and Yixing uses his other hand to rub the top of Jinah’s head. “Not yet.”

You find yourself getting called into Yixing’s office again the following Monday.

“Mr. Zhang?” You stand just outside the doors, as you always do when he asks for you, but this time, you just can’t look at him. Friday had been too intimate, his words making your heart feel things you have been forcing it not to for weeks.

“Come in,” he orders politely, attention given solely to his laptop as he taps away at it. You pout, but shuffle in, taking a seat and waiting while he finishes up his paperwork.

Finally, he turns to you, scanning your face as always, that small sliver of longing ever prominent.

“You, uh, wanted to see me?” You ask, trying hard not to jump over the table and give him exactly what he wants. The past two days without him left you missing him desperately. But, you are still at work, you are still his employee, and you still aren’t his—due to your request.

“Yes.” He folds his hands over his desk, staring at them briefly before making eye contact with you. “I meant what I said on Friday. About doing anything for you.”

You wait for him to continue with anticipation fluttering in your gut. He appears nervous, which is a first.

“I have made it very obvious how I feel about you. From the first moment I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful person I have ever met. You grow more beautiful with every conversation. I know that you like me too, but the fact that I’m your boss scares you off. Am I right about this?”

You nod slowly, wondering where he is going with this.

“What if I wasn’t your boss?”

“If you weren’t…I’d date you in a heartbeat. You’re everything I have ever wanted. But, Yixing, we are in an office. There will be paperwork and gossip and that strange line of professionalism. Not to mention, we would be that stereotypical office couple.” You roll your eyes at the idea and he chuckles.

“That’s what I thought. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and we really can’t let Jinah down, can we? I’ve decided to transfer firms.”

“What?” You ask, jaw dropping at his statement.

“If that’s what it takes for you to go out with me, then I’ll leave this firm. I can get hired anywhere and you will keep this job. Although, you will be under somebody else’s supervision. The best part is we wouldn’t have to worry about what other people think about it.”

You cover your face to hide your excitement and glance around the windows, making sure nobody is watching before you stand up and rush towards Yixing, sitting on his lap before planting a wet kiss onto his lips.

He sits back, shocked as you beam down at him.

“What was that for?” He asks, a corner of his mouth upturning from the action.

“That is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” you reveal. “But, as much as I appreciate the offer, there is no need for it. I’ll go out with you, Mr. Zhang. You don’t have to transfer for me.”

“But, what about being professional?” He stutters.

“We don’t seem that professional right now, do we?” You smirk. He glances down at his lap, where you are perched comfortably, your arms now rest on his shoulders and his hands grip your hips tightly, holding you close to him.

“I guess we don’t.” He locks eyes with you again and his happiness is blinding. “Go out with me.”

“Yes, Sir,” you answer immediately.

Overjoyed by your answer, he grabs your neck, pulling you in for another kiss that’s longer and deeper than your first.

“I guess I’m a real uncle now,” he murmurs on your lips.

“I’ll thank Jinah later,” you say, closing the thin gap between you both. Work forgotten for the time being.

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