At the Restaurant...
"What would you like to eat?" The waiter asked politely with a smile.
"What would you like to eat?" Dylan echoed back, turning to Kyla.
"Hm, anything is fine, sir," Kyla replied, glancing at him.
"Please, drop the honorifics," Dylan said with a warm smile. "We are outside the office, you can call me Dylan—just Dylan."
They were seated at Eatizen restaurant, It was one of Dylan's favorite spots in town.
Despite having a high ranking profile in the Company, Dylan always looked Jovial, Friendly and approachable, These were qualities his brother Lynn didn't possess. On the contrary, Lynn was cold and almost everyone in the company was scared of him.
After some minutes of contemplation, they chose their meals, and Dylan drew the waiter's attention, to place the order.
Within minutes, steaming plates of food were delivered to their table.
As they ate, conversation flowed naturally between them. From work-related stuffs to non-work related, The conversation kept going.
Kyla found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. She was really comfortable around him. Dylan was warm, had an effortless charm and a knack for storytelling, making any type of event sound colourful and exciting.
Dylan also enjoyed Kyla's company. Initially, he was just drawn to her beauty, but as he got to know more about her, he admired her intelligence, humor, and grounded nature. It amazed him that they even shared a lot of similarities---likes, dislikes, goals, aspirations.
"You're a really interesting person," Dylan said at one point, his tone genuine.
Kyla smiled. "I could say the same about you. You're very different from the kind of person I pictured you to be."
"Is that a compliment or an insult?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.
"Definitely a compliment," she assured him, laughing.
When their plates were cleared, they stood to settle the bill.
At the payment counter, Kyla opened her purse and reached for her card.
"I'll pay for mine," she said, extending her hand.
Dylan gently stopped her, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it. I invited you, let me take care of it."
"Thank you," Kyla said softly, appreciating the gesture and retrieved her card back to her purse.
After the bill was paid, they left the restaurant and walked back to the office, enjoying the calm and refreshing afternoon breeze.
---
Back at the Company...
"Thank you for lunch, Dylan," Kyla said as they entered the building.
"You're welcome," Dylan replied with a grin. "And remember---no more 'sir', When you see me outside this building."
Kyla chuckled. "I'll try to remember that."
She headed toward the elevator, while Dylan made his way to his office on the other side of the floor.
As the elevator doors closed, Kyla put a bright smile, reflecting on how fun and interesting the lunch with Dylan had been.
As soon as She was back in her office, she settled into her tasks.
While organizing files, she glanced at her boss's office---Lynn's office. It was empty. Checking his schedule, she noticed he wasn't supposed to be in any meetings at that time.
She wondered briefly where he had gone but quickly refocused on her work.
---
Lynn's Return...
At 4 p.m., the sound of the office door opening drew Kyla's attention. She looked up and saw Lynn walking in, his expression looked cold and distant.
"Good evening, Welcome back Sir," Kyla greeted him politely.
Lynn barely glanced at her. He briefly nodded and went into his office, shutting the door behind him.
Kyla didn't know what was wrong but what she was becoming familiar with, was his mood swings. She frowned slightly.
Lynn's coldness and mood swings weren't uncommon, but he seemed colder than usual. She thought back to her time with Dylan and wondered why they were so different, Despite being brothers.
Lynn and Dylan were known for their contrasting personalities. While Dylan had an easygoing and hospitable personality, Lynn on the other hand, was overly serious and demanding, though he showed glimpses of warmth, once in a blue moon.
"Is everything okay, sir?" Concerned Kyla asked from her desk.
Lynn heard but didn't give any response.
Kyla sighed, deciding not to press any further. She was becoming used to his unpredictable moods, but it didn't mean they didn't bother her.
---
The End of the Day...
Kyla turned her attention back to her work, steadily monitoring the time and waiting for it to get to 6 p.m. She couldn't wait to leave the office, freshen herself up with a warm bath, and let the day's events slowly fade away.
At exactly 6 p.m., she arranged her desk, put her bag on her right shoulder and prepared to leave.
As she stood up to leave, She walked towards Lynn's office; she hesitated briefly.
She knocked on the door and opened it slightly. She could see him seated on the sofa, with full concentration on his phone's screen.
"Goodnight, sir," she said softly, pausing at the doorway.
Lynn didn't look up. "Goodnight," he replied, his tone was still as cold as when he came in.
Kyla stepped back, feeling a mix of relief and unease. She left the office and walked into the elevator, descending to the ground floor.
Outside, the cool evening air enveloped her. As she made her way to the bus stop, thoughts of what had transpired during the day resurfaced. Lunch with Dylan was a really pleasant one, but Lynn's arrival and sudden mood swing left her feeling somewhat unsettled. She wondered what was going on with him.
There and then, she decided to put it out of her mind. Tomorrow was another day, and she had no doubt it would bring its own challenges.
When She got to the bus stop, She entered a bus, looked for an empty seat close to the window and sat down, ready to go home.