The next day, I came to the office earlier than usual since I couldn't get enough sleep thanks to my unforgettable dinner with that mysterious guy I met again last night.
After what happened last night, I could not stop thinking about it at all, and as I said before, it almost made me unable to sleep well.
I even ended up wondering if I could see him again today or maybe in the near future.
If only I could see him again and he asked me out on a date, I would definitely not say no to his offer and take his offer in a flash.
My mind was busy thinking about that man while smiling as I remembered our precious time last night.
It was until I realized that at that moment I was passing in the hallway of my office with the figure of the curt man, who bought me bread a few days ago.
And the same person I was thinking about right now.
I was just thinking about him and he appeared out of nowhere!
Was it destiny that I was able to meet him again?
If so, then I couldn't waste my time and making sure to give him such a proper greeting!
Out of courtesy, I tried to greet him, slightly hoping that he would remember me and return my greeting.
But at a glance, he did not respond to my greeting at all, which strangely I made sure to greet him loud enough so he could hear it with his ears.
Instead of responding to it, he just walked past me like I was one of the ghosts whom he could just ignore my existence at all as if I never existed at first.
And to make my situation worse than before, he did not at all forget to put on the same stern expression he showed me when I first met him without even looking at me at all.
Even though I remember that last night he looked so relaxed when we talked about our favorite rock band, and now, his attitude has completely changed in a flash.
Just like a stranger that I wish I never met, even in my next life.
Was I the only one who felt that our relationship had improved from our first meeting and that he didn't feel the same way as I did right now?
Or perhaps there was another possibility that what I experienced yesterday was just some part of my illusion that hoped he would be the right person I was always looking for?
I was ready to throw my tote bag at him before I canceled my intention when I remembered the price of the tote bag I worked so hard to get from a flash sale at an e-commerce store some time ago.
While I was clutching my beige tote bag tightly, I walked back to my department room.
Although I was pretty annoyed at being ignored by that man, I just realized two things about him.
First, I did not even know anything about that guy, other than he liked Linkin Park, my favorite rock band.
And secondly, he works at the same company where I work now as I saw him by accident until a few seconds ago.
Wait a moment.
Did I say we work for the same company?
I looked behind me in a flash, watching his figure walking further and further away from me before, finally, the man's figure completely disappeared from in front of me.
If indeed he was the same man I met yesterday and a few days ago, it should not be difficult for me to find information about a man whose name I don't even know from the only resource I could trust at all cost.
As I armed with that belief, I continued my footsteps until I arrived in front of my desk.
I put my bag on the table and immediately walked over to Rebecca, one of my co-workers who is known to always have information (more precisely, gossip) circulating in the company where I work thanks to the very wide network of friends she has during her time here so far.
"Rebecca, can I ask you a favor?"
"Of course you can rely on me for any help. But first, what do you want to ask me for?"
She said, with her mouth busy chewing sandwiches that she seemed to have bought at the convenience store, which was only a few steps from the office.
"I believe you should better swallow the sandwich first before you answer my question for your own sake."
She just nodded her head and swallowed the rest of the sandwich that was in her mouth with difficulty. "So why did you suddenly come to my place?"
"Listen. There is something I want to ask you. But we can't talk here. How about we go outside?"
Her eyes were busy looking around us, making sure there was no Sandra around us, my manager as well as our superior, who always nagged us for hours if she found out we left the office before our break time.
"It looks like Sandra has something to do at this moment. Okay, we are safe now. Let's get out as soon as possible."
With careful steps, we exited our room to the office balcony, which was quite close to our department room.
We then stared at the scene in front of us, before turning our heads toward each other.
"What do you want to ask that needs both of us to sneak from our room?"
I tried to describe the figure of the man I met yesterday to Rebecca in as much detail as possible.
I mean more physically for the obvious reason that I did not really know the man that well apart from his manly figure (which, by my current estimation, is almost 190 cm tall), his stern face, and his always curt expression except when we talked about Linkin Park.
And of course, the muscles of his body that look so sexy even though they are wrapped in a formal suit that, from my point of view, seems to fail to hide his perfect body shape.
"Wait a minute. I think I know the person you are talking about. Let me check on my phone first." said Rebecca, pulling her cell phone from her coat pocket.
Her eyes then seemed to be busy tracing one by one the photos of the people she thought caught her attention and she kept secretly in her gallery, while I also stood looking at her photo gallery next to my colleague and close friend since I first entered this office.
Until finally, she found the figure of the same person I met earlier.
"Is this the person you meant from your description earlier, Hannah?"
"Yes! He is the person I was referring to! Do you know who he is?"
"Of course I know him. Richard Clark. The CEO of the company we work for. How could I not know him? Wait a moment. Don't tell me you do not know him. Do you?"
A full gaze of her eyes was probing at me, which inevitably forced me to agree with the question she asked me earlier.
"Hannah Summerfield. I know you are not the type to care about those around you. But this one?"
"Hehehe… It can't be helped, right?"
"Can't be helped, your ass! You do not even know the CEO of our own company. Isn't that outrageous? It's really sad to know you have no idea about basic things like this, my dear friend."
I just responded by turning my face away from her. It was true what she said earlier, that I am not a person who cares about my surroundings.
In fact, I am not at all close to any of my other co-workers, apart from Rebecca and, of course, Sandra, even though I had a gut feeling that she might not feel the same as I did.
"Oh, you two really impressed me! What the hell are you guys doing there? Huh!?"
Sandra's voice almost made us jump from the shock as we didn't expect our intruder to come to us this quick.
We then turned around behind us to see our manager, who was staring intently at us while folding her arms.
Speaking of the devil!
"Do you know it is still working hours? Remember the rules?"
"We are not allowed to leave the room during our work hours." Rebecca said in response to our manager's question, not daring to look her in the eyes that seemed to judge us both.
"That's good if you still remember it very well. Then why are you still sitting here? Hurry back to your room! Right now!"
Without many protests, we nodded our heads like a bat out of hell before we returned to our room.
The last thing I want from Sandra is to face her nags, which can almost make me fall asleep thanks to her tirades that can last for hours.
I then went back to my seat and did my work, which I had not even had a chance to touch once I got to the office.
Likewise, Rebecca, who was now busy with her computer screen with her left hand that was still holding her unfinished sandwich.
At least I already know the name of the curt man I met the other day. Richard Clark.
I will make sure to remember his name well.