pairing: BaekLay
length: 1024 words

“Today, you have a meeting from ten in the morning to noon and then you’ll be having lunch with the new shareholders from JD Group for about an hour. And then, there are several files from our marketing team that need to be reviewed and processed. After that, you have another meeting in the afternoon from three to five that I’ll be acting as translator for before your dinner party begins at seven tonight,” Yixing listed off hurriedly as he struggled to juggle several binders stuffed with papers while trying to keep up with the company president’s brisk walk. “Your appointment with the hairstylist is set for six in the evening and your outfit will be waiting for you there so you can change before your chauffeur brings you to the party.”

“Is that it?”

“Um, let me check once more,” Yixing answered nervously while precariously flipping through the agenda.

“Watch your step.”

The warning came right in the nick of time as Yixing swerved before he was about to crash headfirst into a wall. “Thank you, President Byun.”

“Just be more aware of your surroundings.”

“Yes sir,” Yixing replied, feeling slightly embarrassed that he was still so ditzy, even after being the head secretary for the president of BH Corporation for more than a year now. He definitely wasn’t as jittery as he had been when he had first entered the company, but then again, those days had been utterly disastrous, to say the least. Yixing checked the agenda once more before saying, “Nothing else should be scheduled, according to the planner.”

“Good.” They arrived at President Byun’s office, where the company president leisurely took a seat at his desk before side-eyeing the clock on his wall. “You know what to do, Secretary Zhang.”

Yixing looked at the clock as well and then hastily dumped the handful of binders onto President Byun’s desk. “I’ll be back right away, sir!” he said before quickly bowing and running out of the office in panic.

Baekhyun smiled in amusement as he neatly stacked the mess of binders that Yixing had left on his desk while keeping an eye on the clock. As the hands on the clock slowly ticked, he began organizing the proposals and files he would be working on throughout the day. He patiently waited for his secretary’s return while his grin grew wider with every second that passed.

“I…I made it,” Yixing panted as he threw Baekhyun’s office door open, carrying a tray with a mocha latte and a strawberry cronut on top.

“Hm, not bad. You were cutting it a little close though. Five more seconds and you would’ve been overtime,” Baekhyun commented lightly as he watched the remaining five seconds tick away before the clock chimed nine times in succession.

“You only…gave me…ten minutes.” Yixing set the tray on the company president’s desk before falling onto the couch in Baekhyun’s office, catching his breath. “If there had been a line at the café, I probably wouldn’t have made it.”

Baekhyun picked up the pastry and took a small bite before saying with a chuckle, “Then you’ll just have to get there earlier next time.”

The secretary threw up his hands in exasperation, knowing that he couldn’t win against his boss.

Yixing had been buying the company president’s morning snack every day since being hired and it used to be a no-stress task. Although Baekhyun was particular about what he ate, he didn’t really care when his secretary delivered his snack. However, this past month, Baekhyun had decided to make a game out of it and ordered Yixing to have the food tray on his desk no later than nine o'clock each morning. Because the secretary was so diligent and made sure everything about Baekhyun’s work life was perfect, he had passed with flying colors.

Baekhyun had decided to up the ante by adding that he would cut Yixing’s pay if he happened to be late just once during this week. Knowing that Yixing would be even more attentive than he was before, Baekhyun had purposely kept the secretary near him as they walked around the company, discussing meetings and schedules that the president had to attend. For Baekhyun, it was hilarious to see Yixing look so alarmed every morning whenever he’d realize that he’d have to sprint to the café and back to the company building if he wanted to save his salary.

“Secretary Zhang, are you busy tonight?”

Yixing sat up, shaking his head. “Today, I finish after dropping you off at the hairstylist.”

“Well, change of plans.”

“Huh?”

Baekhyun smiled as he placed his fingertips together and looked over to the puzzled secretary. “You’re going to be my plus-one tonight at the party.”

“But sir—”

Baekhyun held up a hand, causing Yixing to stop mid-sentence. “You’ve been a wonderful secretary this past year. Not to mention, you've managed to keep up with all of my slightly unreasonable demands, especially throughout this past week.”

“That doesn’t mean—”

“Let me finish.” Yixing obediently closed his mouth and motioned for his boss to continue speaking. “You know that tonight’s party is to celebrate our new partnership with JD Group. It couldn’t have happened without you, so I want you to attend the party and take part in our celebration,” Baekhyun explained, his chin nestled between his hands while propping his elbows on his desk.

Yixing couldn’t believe his luck. He’d always wanted to go to one of these extravagant company parties that BH Corporation threw and tonight, he would finally be at one. “I’m very flattered that you think I’m worthy to be your plus-one, President Byun. I can’t ever thank you enough for this opportunity,” the secretary said excitedly as he jumped up to vigorously shake Baekhyun’s hands.

“You’re lucky you weren’t late today. I was going to give your spot to Director Kim if you walked in even one second past nine.” Baekhyun grinned as he saw Yixing grimace in response.

“Please don’t make me do this again, President Byun.”

“We’ll see,” Baekhyun playfully sang as he opened up the first binder on his desk to begin reviewing.

♈♈♈