Office Diaries - Chapter 167

“I’ll let Ami pummel him if he quarreled with our baby.”

Tohru James was lucky enough that he hadn’t sipped that tea yet. If not he’d surely make a mess. How to respond to that? He had no idea so he just looked at Yanee’s parents innocently and smiled.

“Ah, uncle, auntie, there won’t be any problems,” chummy hurriedly said.

“really?”Mrs. Lee asked dubiously.

Tohru then took this chance to say something.

“Yanee’s boyfriend is totally whipped,” he offered but instead of appeasing the couple, they looked more concerned now.

“Whipped? By Yanee?”Mr. Lee asked, and when he nodded, the couple exchanged looks.

“What’s wrong?”Tohru asked and for the first time, he thought he said something not only unnecessary but also wrong.

“Is her boyfriend really alright?” Mr. Lee asked with a frown and Tohru became a bit nervous.

“Alright?” he prompted.

“I mean, Yanee’s already very timid in our opinion. If he’s whipped then there must be something wrong. He’s not a closet gay, isn’t he?” Mrs. Lee asked innocently rendering Tohru speechless while Chummy roared in laughter.

In the office room, Anjee and Yanee paused upon hearing Chummy’s laughter.

“What do you think is happening?” Anjee asked with a smile.

“I’m not sure, but if it’s my parents, I think they asked something weird and Tohru couldn’t answer,” Yanee answered not knowing that she was totally correct.

“Well, let’s get on with business then so we can go out and rescue your lover boy. Knowing the little brother, he wouldn’t tell your parents that he’s your boyfriend without you there.”

Yanee looked thoughtful before nodding.

“Will this be alright? I mean won’t you feel so rushed?”Yanee asked worriedly and Anjee shook her head.

“Of course not. My story’s not that long anyway. Besides I’m the one who suddenly came unannounced. If ever I’m the one who’s bothering you when you’re parents are here,” Anjee said and Yanee quickly shook her head.

“It’s okay with me. It’s actually awesome since I think it’s important for me to finish all the interviews as soon as I can so I can work on the book. I was surprised about the AI Awards and I don’t want to rush the book so I can meet the deadline.”

Anjee nodded. “That’s why I came here immediately when my tour’s canceled,” she said.

Anjee was actually a famous singer, and her husband, Peter was an award-winning writer of mystery novels. As a singer, she was almost mostly booked but surprisingly, due to typhoons in some area, her tour was canceled and rescheduled so she had time to sneak to Tokyo to have the interview she promised to give. Yanee was very grateful for this.

“That’s why thank you so much for coming here,” Yanee said. “I should be the one to go to your hotel to do the interview but you’re the one who came to see me instead.”

“It’s fine! I was actually thinking of meeting your sister as well as my cousin will get married soon and I wonder if Ami has spare time for her,” Anjee told her honestly and Yanee nodded.

“She’s still at the expo venue preparing things for tomorrow. But she will come home in around two hours,” Yanee said.

“Let’s start then,” Anjee suggested and Yanee was more than ready.

She placed the recorder on the table, ready to click it.

“Actually, since Tohru said you just need the lessons and the ideas, I won’t make it long. My and Peter’s story is just very simple actually. Unlike the others, our setting was not in a proper office per se, and I was not his secretary or something.”

“Oh?” Yanee was surprised. But of course, Peter’s a writer and didn’t work at a company.

“Yeah. We’re actually childhood friends— best friends who grew up together like Jisoo and Yushin. But unlike those two, Peter and I, we were not as open about our feelings as them. We were both reluctant to let each other know what we felt back then because we both foolishly thought that our friendship would be ruined by romance.”

“Then, did you work with him or for him?”Yanee prompted.

If Tohru included Anjee and Peter in the roster, it meant that they did work together at some point although not in a formal setting.

“Yes,” Anjee answered with a fond smile. “Outsiders didn’t know this, but before I became a singer, I worked and stayed with Peter as an ȧssistant.”

“You helped him with work?” Yanee asked and Anjee shook her head.

“Not with his work, but I basically take care of his needs. When he’s working, Peter forgets the world and sometimes skips meals and sleep. I function as his life manager. He’ll collapse without someone reminding him,” she said and then grinned. “He paid me as well so it’s like an official work for me for a while.”

“I see,” Yanee commented as she bobbed her head.

The picture was now clear in her mind and she couldn’t wait to hear the whole story. Anjee and Peter’s story would be different from the others just with this aspect of the setting. How else it would differ from the rest? She would find out soon.

“Yanee, do you have male friends?” Anjee asked and she shook her head.

“I think I have male acquaintances that I’m friendly with at work, and back in my hometown. But I don’t have anyone I can call a close friend.” Yanee tried remembering more, but no matter how much she looked back, there was no one like that— well, except for her ex.

She had never been close to any guy until she met her ex, and he didn’t count anymore. To sum it up, she had no male friends.

“Hmmmmn,” Anjee murmured and then sighed. “Well, it’s okay. I think it’s not that totally different from having a female best friend. The only difference is that they are more protective— literally. They’d punch anyone who tried to bully you. Because of that, you develop a different sense of security, and when you got used to that, it’s scary to think of losing it just because you wanted more…”