My Coworker Is A Cat [HIATUS]

Chapter 5: Coffee Order

Jasmine
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"You look dejected. It's only a Monday. What happened?" Maya asked. The elevator door started closing, but an arm stuck through to keep it open. Andy and Yoongi walked in. Yoongi glanced around uncomfortably and I barely afforded them a smile.

"It's nothing," I mumbled back to her.
"You look a little sick, actually." She continued. I shook my head.
"It's just my sinuses. I kept my window open for the past couple of days."
"Really? It's so cold though! But," she smirked, "I did notice you had a nighttime visitor on Friday night."

Yoongi and Andy both turned to look at us, Yoongi looking a little more scandalized by Maya's wording. I sighed. "You saw me bring the cat in?"

"Huh?"
"Yeah, I found a cat at the bar. It was really cute. Really quiet and compliant too. I just hope it's okay."

Andy asked, "What happened to it?"
I sniffled. Maybe I was catching a cold. "It went out a window I left open. I usually never leave my window open. It was so surprising. Which is why... never mind."
We stepped off the elevator and Yoongi turned to me. "Which is why what?"
I sighed, "...which is why I'm keeping the window open. In case it comes back. Though it probably won't, I don't know."

Yoongi
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What?!

This girl looked so upset! I think she was tearing up about the cat in the elevator. And now she tells me she's trying to catch a cold in this weather for a cat she barely interacted with? Is she crazy? Guilt started eating me up from the inside and I scurried to my desk as fast as I could.

But why the hell should you feel so guilty, Yoongi? She's the one that kissed you and activated the curse. Remember how much your sister laughed at you when she found out?

But I'd kissed her back! Come to think of it... why on earth did I ever do that?!

Just when I settled down and focused, a face peeked at me over the cubicle wall. I groaned internally.

"Mr. Min, I needed you to sign off on something here," Jasmine mumbled.
I took the document and looked through it.

"Also... could I ask you a question, Mr. Min?"
"What is it?"
"Last Friday..." I froze. "Did I do anything crazy at the bar?"
I turned the page, not paying attention to the document anymore. "No... you got very drunk and went home last, I believe."
"Oh thank god. Must've been a nightmare," she whispered. It almost irritated me. Was kissing me a nightmare to her?

"Wait. You left me alone at night over there? I was the last one to leave?"
I scrunched my eyebrows, "What's the problem?"
She scoffed, "I'm just saying... What kind of a man leaves a drunk girl all alone outside a bar? Shouldn't you have waited?"
"I called you a cab!"
"What if the cab driver was sketchy?"
"You got home, right?"

One of my coworkers, Chloe, butted in. "You two are back at it again? Why would Yoongi be obligated to get you home safe? Why don't you go bug Andy?"
"Because I trust– I, uh, because he seems like he probably drank the least."
"I did drink! I was forced to because all the other guys wanted to and you couldn't— because..."
Jasmine eyed me suspiciously, grabbed her signed papers and dashed away awkwardly. Nobody in my office batted an eye anymore, these antics happened regularly.

Except Chloe.

"Why does she always come by here. Doesn't she bother you?" She whined, easily sidling up to me, uninvited.
"It's her job."
"Feisty bitch, if you ask me. Constantly looking for male attention. If the finance documents were directed to me I would really put her in her place."
"I think she's doing fine."

Seriously, this woman was the most uncomfortable to be around. I ignored her and continued working until she tired of her nonsense chatter.

Once lunch time rolled around, the mentors and mentees tended to sit together at the cafeteria. Andy, Kashi, Jasmine, Maya and I took up one corner of the table.
One of the other mentors piped up, "Jasmine, would you get us all some coffee?" Maya glanced at Jasmine with meaning. I pursed my lips. Working at a company dominated by men meant dealing with some assholes.
Jasmine smiled and stood up after a moment, and I did the same.
"I'll help, of course. Carrying that much coffee is difficult."

Jasmine looked down and wordlessly walked to the kitchen, and I followed.

"You really do seem unwell, Ms. Basara." I said, after a bit of silence.
"I can handle my work just fine. This is because of something else."
"That's not what I meant. I'm just saying you should take a break. And take better care of yourself. Don't keep a window open all weekend for some cat."

She looked at me with wide eyes for a moment, and then stepped to stand next to me.
"I just thought it'd be nice to not be so lonely sometimes... for both me and the cat."

I looked at her, a little surprised, and she held my gaze sadly. I couldn't help but feel guilty again. A loud ahem! interrupted my thoughts and I turned to see my mentee, Kashi, standing right behind us.

"I'll help you carry these coffees, Jasmine." He reached for the cups in her hand, but she held them back.
"Grab those for the others, then."

We walked back to the tables together, and Jasmine set the two cups she was holding down in front of me and herself, with a small smile on her face. I took a sip and realized it was perfectly how I liked it.

I sat there quietly for a bit. For whatever reason, it made me a little happy that she'd paid attention to something as simple as how I liked my coffee. Kissing her didn't break the curse. I had guessed earlier in the weekend that it was possibly because of the fact that she was asleep. But I guess I was too scared to go to her house. And it wasn't necessarily because I could've gotten stuck in her house somehow. Maybe it was because I was scared of her finding out that I was... well, a freak. I didn't want to see the same disgust on her face that I'd seen on the last girl that'd kissed me. Maybe I was scared of whatever I felt when I looked at her, just a little. But... maybe it was time to try again.