The Analyst

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙽𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚢-𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎: 𝙹𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚛

"Hey feather, it's Takami. I called to talk to you about going on that second date you keep teasing me with, but I guess you had other things to do. It's cool, call me back when you can."

I rolled my eyes and smiled as I pulled my phone down from my head and pressed call on Takami's contact. Putting my phone back near my ear, I reached out to adjust a pen on my desk. The phone had barely rung when Takami answered.

"Hey feather!"

"Hey Takami, I wanted to return your call from earlier. How are you doing?" I was attempting to be casual, but my heart was pounding out of my chest.

"I feel this, like... static in the air when I'm around you, and it's so addicting."

Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up. Just focus on talking to Takami. You can think about him later.

"I'm doing better now that I'm talking to you." He flirted so easily it was alarming, and I knew in my gut that he'd used that line on tons of people before I came along, and even after the first time we met, which shouldn't bother me at all.

But it made me think, did he use that line the year after we met? He mentioned that he was head over heels from the minute we met, was that true? Or was that a lie? Flattery or fib?

Or was it just an over exaggeration of the truth?

"Ever the charmer," I replied, smiling lightly as I twisted a pen in my hands.

"Of course m'lady, I can't let you think I don't appreciate you."

"God forbid!" I exclaimed, gasping and putting my hand to my chest. He laughed and I heard a chair creak, followed by two thuds. I imagined Takami leaning back in his chair and throwing his feet on his desk.

"Say, are your legs sore?" He asked randomly. When I was about to answer, Takami answered for me. "Because you've been through my head all week."

"Ha ha Takami, you can stop flirting now, I've already agreed to a second date." I laughed and started twisting the pen again.

"I am being completely serious feather, you're very, very distracting. I was sitting in a meeting the other day and I started thinking about the very heartfelt message you left me the night before and next thing I know I wasn't paying attention to my meeting at all!" I heard Takami sigh. "So very distracting."

"Forgive me for saying this, but that sounds like a you problem to me Takami, I don't see how I can help with your predicament."

"Well I suppose that it's like having a song stuck in your head, right? A really beautiful, catchy, heart-touching song." His voice trailed off into a sigh, making me give a strange look. Not that he could see it.

"Alright lover boy, I'm like a song and I'm stuck in your head, how do you get me out?"

"Right. Well when I have a song stuck in my head, if I listen to it it'll usually go away. So I was thinking if we had this second date of ours, maybe I'd stop thinking about you so much and I would be able to pay attention in my meetings," he explained, and I could hear his smirk through the phone.

How many women have you said this to Takami?

"Well Takami, I stand by my conclusion that this is in fact a you problem, but what kind of detective would I be if I didn't help the public right?"

"My feelings exactly."

"So, when exactly is the best time to do this? When we won't be seen that is?" I asked as I lifted a stack of papers to reveal my desk calendar.