The next day at Pri Group...
"Say... are we all competing to see who gets here the earliest?" Patricia’s face soured as she set down her things at her station. Although she usually stayed in the spot right outside Penny’s office, this was where most of her stuff went.
Her eyes darted between the three people who had just arrived in the office.
"We go ho early, so might as well co in early," Teddy remarked coolly, not giving her a glance. He then cast Shawn a look. "Coffee?"
Shawn smiled and nodded. "I’ll just put these down first."
"Patricia, we are competing," Hayley whispered, ignoring the two guys as she fixed her things on the table. "Also, I kind of like the breakfast in the cafeteria. Should we get so coffee?"
Patricia smacked her lips and nodded, dragging her feet as Hayley finished her brief morning rituals.
The four of them didn’t walk together, with the ladies a few steps behind. However, their destination was the sa, so they headed toward the elevator.
No one had said it, but none of them knew exactly when this had started. It just so happened that every day, they seed to arrive earlier than the last. Initially, they would co in a few minutes before their scheduled clock-in. Then it turned into thirty minutes early, and now, they were here an hour before their supposed office hours.
"Teddy, do you have plans this weekend?" Getting more comfortable with Teddy, Shawn offered him a smile. "I saw there’s a good movie coming out this weekend. My little sister kept asking if we could go, but I don’t want to be stuck with her alone."
Teddy narrowed his eyes at Shawn. "Don’t you have friends?"
"..." Shawn returned a nervous laugh. "I don’t."
This ti, it was Teddy who was rendered speechless, realizing how his question must have stung.
anwhile, the ladies, standing behind them, casually chatted. Unlike the guys, who still had this wall — mainly because of Teddy’s aloof personality — Patricia and Hayley had been getting along well.
"Also —"
DING!
Hayley stopped talking as the elevator chid. She and the others instinctively looked at the door as it slowly parted.
However, just before the door fully opened, their brows furrowed. They imdiately noticed a figure standing inside. When the door finally opened, they held their breath and widened their eyes in surprise.
There, standing inside the elevator, was Zoren.
Despite Zoren’s casual clothes — still in his pajamas — and his unkempt hair, they imdiately recognized him.
Zoren blinked. "Are you getting on?" His voice was cold and a little hoarse.
"Uh..." Teddy forced himself to speak. "No, sir. We’ll wait for the next one."
Zoren nodded, about to press a button, when he stopped. He then pressed the "open" button, keeping the door open as he slowly scanned the four people standing outside. The second he did, the group tensed up.
Why is he looking at us? Shawn ntally panicked. Did he not like what Teddy said?!
Patricia... Hayley thought, poking her with her elbow. What’s going on? Why isn’t he leaving?
Patricia, on the other hand, was too busy thinking of ways to survive the situation. It was better to think ahead, as she knew she’d just freak out in the mont.
Teddy gulped, not moving an inch. He was at the front, and he felt like if he moved even a little, Zoren might shoot him with a look.
Much to their dismay, Zoren suddenly smiled. His smile looked a little unnatural, as if he wasn’t used to it.
"The next elevator will take a while. Co in," he urged gently.
The four of them didn’t respond, still wide-eyed.
"Co on," Zoren repeated. "Don’t be shy."
Still, they didn’t move. Only when Zoren’s smile faltered did they snap out of their trance.
"Thank you, CEO Pierson!" Teddy almost jumped as he walked in, followed by Shawn. "Thank you, CEO Pierson."
Hayley clasped Patricia’s arm, but the latter shook her head.
"Just... co on!" she hissed, dragging Patricia into the elevator. "Thank you, Mr. Pierson."
As for Patricia, she lowered her head and spoke in a tiny voice. "Thanks."
Pleased, Zoren nodded. "You’re welco."
DING!
Silence — suffocating silence — quickly filled the elevator as no one spoke a word. Even their breathing was controlled. Their usual casual conversations were gone, and their previous lack of fear seed to have evaporated.
All they could do was stand still while Zoren stood behind them.
What is he doing here? Patricia hung her head low, wide-eyed. And why did he ask us to join him?! Is he planning sothing diabolical?!’
How could he be here so early in the morning? Hayley ntally freaked out. Also, is this normal? How can Zoren Pierson — ZOREN PIERSON — just walk around here in his pajamas?! Is he lost or sothing?
Was there an ergency? Shawn thought, keeping his breathing short, afraid Zoren would find it annoying. What kind of ergency could it be that he ended up rushing here in his PJs?
Teddy just stared blankly at his feet, his mind completely empty. He couldn’t think of any reasonable explanation for why Zoren would be in Pri Group in his pajamas.
anwhile, Zoren — the cause of their horror — smiled proudly to himself.
I think they’re starting to like .
---
eting Zoren in person wasn’t sothing they expected to happen so soon. But eting him in his pajamas?
That took an out-of-this-world imagination to even expect.
No matter how crazy this place could get, that was on a whole new level of absurd. So, the four of them (Hayley, Patricia, Shawn, and Teddy) could barely enjoy their breakfast. They ended up just staring at their plates, operating on autopilot.
No words were exchanged between them, even after the al.
It was as if they were drifting, unsure of how they’d even returned to their floor. But the surprise wasn’t over yet.
The second they got back to their office, they stopped at the entrance.
There, standing at the desk, putting papers on top of it, was... Penny — also in her pajamas.
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