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hot and uncomfortable.
it was all riki could remember feeling as soon as he opened his pair of eyes, slowly blinking it on unison to adjust his vision to his surrounding. the sunlight passing through his apartment's window softly caresses his youthful face, and riki has to groan in mild discomfort and annoyance, body taut and heavy. drops of sweat continued to roll out from his glands, even if he laid there shirtless on a fully airconditioned room, which only worsen his feeling further.
great. his temperature isn't seem to be dropping anytime soon, and his phone situated beside his left has been constantly receiving notifications for some minute now that riki's plan of ignoring everything today is obviously not going to take place.
the young man blew out a heavy sigh, breath sharp and body visibly aching. forcing his torso to seperate itself from his bed with an irritated frown on his reddish and notably sick face, riki took his phone, opening the power on to witness a hundred message from his elder step brother, heeseung.
bossy: r u ok
bossy: ur friend sunoo said u werent at work today
bossy: heyyyy
bossy: riki ??? r u alive ???
bossy: pls don't tell me ur binge watching harry potter and forgot to check up on ur phone again
bossy: pls text me back asap as soon as u received this
riki mentally facepalmed himself. he forgot to update his brother who is currently taking his master's degree in medicine, and he forgot to tell sunoo, his friend and co worker, that he wasn't feeling very well today too. mind foggy and body genuinely heavy, riki did his best to type a response, although realizing soon enough that he wouldn't be able to considering how his eyes couldn't seem to focus as they were half lidded, hot body temperature making him want to sleep forever and making his skin unnaturally red that he had to result into taking off his shirt beforehand.
eyes still lidded and mind delirious, riki decided to just snap a picture of himself, raising his phone to look at the camera with unfocused eyes, cheeks reddening, and hair still messy after just waking up awhile ago.
quickly taking the picture before finding his elder brother's contact and sending it to update him with his condition without much of a second thought, riki put his phone on silent mode, before opting to lay down on his bed again and sleep the entire day away in hopes of his fever going down with it as he peacefully yawned.
he was awoken later on by a gentle shake on his shoulder, before a hand was placed on his temple. riki didn't fought the groan from escaping his lips, a little annoyed to be disrupted from his peaceful slumber, before the image of heeseung's concerned face came into view.
“hyung?" squinting his eyes, the younger male questioningly muttered, “why are you here? didn't you have an exam?” heeseung hummed affirmatively, before arranging riki's table and putting his takeouts.
“well, yeah. i still have one later. but then i can't risk the chance of my brother probably dying alone in his apartment because he's a stubborn prick who won't update his brother.” the elder supplied for him, before putting some water and medicine at his bedside table after. “i brought foods and medicine. make sure to take them, okay? i'm afraid i can't stay any longer for i only have a short break before another exam is waiting for me back there.” heeseung supplied with a caring look, softly petting riki's hair like a child to which the latter only nodded at, mind too tired to function properly like an adult that he was, before heeseung was dashing out to go back at the venue.
riki could only thank the heavens above for giving him a wonderful step brother who would do such lengths just for him. but then a sudden realization caught his interest. did heeseung said he didn't updated him? he was pretty delirious awhile ago, yeah, but he was sure he took a picture of himself and sent it to him. so, eating the chinese food which his brother bought for him thankfully, riki took his phone while munching on the takeout, opening it to scroll at his messages, before he spat out the food he was not so gracefully chewing, a sudden dread taking over his entire being, courtesy of the thing staring at him on his screen, as if mocking his whole existence.
it was a picture of him, naked and reddening, with his eyes almost closed and lips parted, like he just finished doing an ungodly business, sent to another contact. specifically, mr. park, the company's he's working at, ceo.
: *attached picture*
riki could've died not from the fever but from seeing the word read 2:17 PM on his phone, and the replied he got.
boss: please come and see me at my office tomorrow, mr. nishimura. i'll be expecting your presence by the morning.
who thought it was a good idea to name his brother's contact as bossy and mr. park as boss? apparently, him, riki.
fuck. he is utterly, genuinely, affirmatively, sincerely, massively fucked.
“you look like you have a murderer coming to you any second away from now.” riki heard sunoo, his friend and co worker, commented as he continuously tap his foot and bit his lip in nervousness. halting, he glanced at his direction, before forcing out an awkward laugh, only making sunoo furrow his brows more at the uncharacteristic behavior of his friend. sure, riki could be restless sometimes, but he really does look like he's extremely agitated today, and it's only early in the morning. before he could inquire any further though, a voice behind the speakers announced something, interrupting their conversation.
“paging mr. nishimura from the design department. please come at the 20th floor asap.”
sunoo glanced at his friend in concern and curiosity. riki just shot him in what he think is a reassuring smile, although it looks fake and forced, before making his way in the elevator.
inside, riki could feel his nerves going haywire, already thinking of the worst case scenarios that may occur inside his head. worst would be his boss firing him, and then he would need to find a new well paying job to pay for his apartment and necessities. maybe mr. park would feel a little lenient? after all, riki had been an employee of the year for several times! he's a catch too, okay? hopefully, mr. park wouldn't just directly insult him and kick him out of his company. riki love his job, and he really does enjoy working here.
riki sighed deeply. who was he kidding, really? he was the wrong one for being dumb enough to confuse the contact and accidentally sending that picture to his boss, and if the ground could only swallow him alive right now and never bring him back, riki could be eternally thankful. anything to prevent him from meeting the ceo, who may already been signing his resignation form as he internally shivered in fear.
filled with unreasonable and questionable scenarios, riki flinched as the sudden bell of the elevator signalling that he already reached his desired floor interrupted his train of thoughts, heart beating erratically at the thought of finally being alone in the room of his boss as he scold him shitless.
a few steps seemed like a hundred one for riki as he abruptly saw himself standing in front of the ceo's door, stupidly staring at it, before a voice muttered, loud enough for him to hear outside.
“you may come in.” and for what seemed like forever, riki held the doorknob, hesitantly twisting it, before apprehensively welcoming himself inside, head bowed down in shame. “take a seat, please.”
silently obeying, riki sat near his boss' table, the words park sunghoon, ceo, mocking him insistently. the employee continued to sit silently, doing his best to avoid the ceo's gaze as the latter cleared his throat, snapping riki out of his reverie.
“i'm sure you know the reason as to why you're here today, mr. nishimura?” mr. park asked, calm and collected as he was while looking at riki in contemplation. riki can feel his arms and feet going cold, but he managed to give a silent nod in return. mr. park continued, “i must say that it surprised me.”
yeah, riki is sure receiving a half naked picture of your employee at the afternoon after you just probably finished your lunch or when you're currently enjoying a peaceful day watching your favorite tv show is a sight to see, alright. he's not even sure if mr. park is already a married man! what will his wife say if ever? riki doesn't really wanna wake up to the news in the internet regarding him being a mistress of a billionaire.
finding his voice to speak, riki was about to mutter “with all due respect, sir. i am genuinely sorry for what i did. i know i was in the wrong, and i am ready to accept the consequences.” before mr. park interrupted him.
“as much as it left me shocked, i must say that i am a traditional type of man. don't you think that we skipped the flowers and chocolates part before jumping into that level? i-i mean, i would've love to take you out on a date first, after all.” the ceo continued, stammering in the process with the tip of his ears going red as he tried his best to appear nonchalant and cold like he usually was.
riki furrowed his brows in confusion, mouth gaping in response. did he heard that right or...?
“uh...” the employee mumbled, heart racing and mind on a haywire of thoughts.
mr. park coughed a little bit forcefully, loosening the tie he was wearing in the process as riki saw the redness of his ears going further down his neck. “i appreciate the bold gesture, mr. nishimura. it must've taken a lot lf courage to do that. i wanted to do the first move but i'm afraid the other employees may come at you. s-still, i believe that we should have a proper date first before engaging in those kind of things, a-alright?”
dumbstruck, riki could only stare at his ceo. it seemed like mr. park thought he purposely sent it to him in hopes of getting into his pants?
ears reddening as well and throat dry, the employee could only sit there, motionlessly, as his boss continued to speak in front of him while trying but failing miserably to appear casual.
“so, uh, t-tomorrow at 5 pm t-then? i'll make sure your schedule is clear by that, so.. uhm.. don't worry! haha” the elder stated, laughing forcefully to lighten the atmosphere which only seemed to make it more awkward and tense that riki is really having second thoughts about his whole existence right now. he's not completely delirious from his fever yesterday, is he?
nodding absentmindedly, the younger finally stood up, walking outside the room with a blank mind, and before he knew it, he was sitting at his office chair again, sunoo at his side.
“what happened?” the clueless guy asked, looking at his friend in worry and concern. riki looked lost, like he isn't even living in the reality right now that sunoo has to check for his pulse for a moment before the younger snapped out of daze. looking at him, riki blinked several times, before realization and the whole ordeal came crashing into him that he had to take a moment to absorb everything in one sitting.
“i seriously have no idea, sun.” he answered truthfully, whole system still lost and feeling like everything is just a part of his imagination, if not for the email he suddenly received in his computer.
to: mr. nishimura riki
from: ceo park sunghoon
“i'll be waiting in the parking lot by 5 pm tomorrow. i hope the restaurant downtown is not such a bad place for a first date?”
riki could only stare at the screen in horror, slumping on his desk completely while mentally face palming himself.
great, he just scored a date with his ceo after accidentally sending him his half naked picture that was meant for his elder brother because he thought he has the hots for him (which he may or may not have. but that's not the point here, really!).
how much of a joke can nishimura riki's life be?