Neville reflected during his fifth consecutive day of working late that the problem was that he no longer had the heart for this.

He stood at the kitchenette, preparing Grayson’s afternoon tea as he had learn. His hands knew the motions by now, so he could do it even though his mind was elsewhere.

To the silver eyes going dark with something that might have been desire. To the warmth of lips pressed against his own. To the whispered words that lingered in his memory.

None of it was real. Not anymore. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Neville carried the finished cup to Grayson’s desk, set it down at the precise spot that allowed for easy reaching without disturbing Grayson, and retreated to his own workstation.

He pulled up the next item on his task list and forced himself to focus on the dense legal language.

"You’ve been distracted."

Neville’s fingers paused, and he looked up to find Grayson watching him. He held the teacup loosely in one hand.

"My apologies, Mr. Maxwell. Did I miss something?"

"Your work is impeccable as always." Grayson set down the cup. "But something is different."

Of course, this bastard would notice.

Neville carefully maintained a blank expression. "Does it bother, sir?"

Grayson’s gaze pinned him in place, but he didn’t answer directly.

"Efficient, yes. Professional, absolutely. But there’s no..." He paused, seemingly searching for the right word. "Your mind seems to be elsewhere. Why?"

What was he supposed to say?

That he had been pretending that everything was normal while his heart felt like it had been through a meat grinder and was slowly driving him insane?

"Personal matters," Neville said, shrugging lightly, "Nothing that affects my work."

Grayson stared at him for a long moment. Then he nodded, before turning back to his own console.

"If that changes, tell me."

As if he could ever explain the truth.

He returned to the contract, but the words blurred before his eyes.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

Walking around the gardens of the Maxwell Corporation to cool himself down, Neville began to talk with Shelly.

’The favorability is not budging even though I’m with Grayson twenty-four seven.’

[Perhaps Host needs to take more dramatic action.] Shelly advised.

’What do you suggest?’ He said while looking lost in the blue sky.

[The novels always have a catalytic event that breaks through the emotional barriers. ♡〜٩( ╹▿╹ )۶〜♡] Shelly’s pixie form materialized in his peripheral vision, her shell-decorated twin tails bouncing as she floated. [Something that forces the leads to confront their true feelings! (/∇＼*)｡o○♡]

’Like what? Staged danger? Fake amnesia?’ Neville snorted. ’Accidental confession during a company drinking party?’

[Host has been reading too many cliché plots. (っ˘ڡ˘ς)]

’I died reading BL novels. Of course, I’ve absorbed too many cliché plots.’

[That’s fair. ( ╹▿╹ )] Shelly tapped her chin thoughtfully. [But Host, you’re approaching this wrong. You’re trying to create moments instead of letting it develop naturally. The favorability system responds to genuine emotional connection, not performative gestures. ヾ(･ω･`｡);]

’Genuine emotional connection. With a man who doesn’t remember even half of what happened between us. How exactly am I supposed to build something real when the foundation keeps getting erased?’ Neville sat up, rubbing his temples. ’Just suggest something that would build trust, not love.’

Shelly was quiet for a moment. Then said, [Maybe Host needs to stop treating this like a mission and start treating it like a relationship. ★~(◠‿◕✿)]

’Not going to happen.’

[Is that really what Host thinks? (˘･_･˘)]

He didn’t have an answer for that.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

Neville walked back into the secretarial department and found Sarah already at her workstation. She was practically vibrating with suppressed excitement, her usual bubbly energy amplified to concerning levels.

"Hope!" She waved him over frantically. "You won’t believe what I heard!"

He approached with caution. Sarah’s gossip was legendary within the department, sometimes useful, often exaggerated, but always entertaining.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Okay, so, you know how Bryan was hospitalized a while back, right? And Iris was acting weird, taking over remotely instead of being here in person?"

Neville nodded. He remembered that period well. The chaos of Bryan’s absence put a strain on the company, given that even Grayson wasn’t there. Iris Ackley had to coordinate operations from a distance with terrifying efficiency.

"Well." Sarah leaned in conspiratorially, lowering her voice even though they were alone. "Guess where she was the whole time?"

"Where?"

"She was at the hospital! With Bryan! She sneaked out from work—even though it docked her pay—and stayed by his side the entire time!" Sarah’s eyes sparkled. "She asked someone else to cover for her, not even me, which honestly I was a little upset about at first, but then I realized—"

"What?"

"They were together!" Sarah confirmed gleefully.

"Really?" Neville saw her nodding excitedly.

"And here’s the thing: when you were out on leave—" She gave him a gossiping look. "—the department was still a mess. BUT! Iris was practically glued to Bryan’s side, helping him manage everything. She had us running around doing every single task she assigned, but like, distributed fairly so no one could complain."

Neville processed this information.

Bryan Stewart and Iris Ackley.

The Chief Secretary with his poker-face smile and the Head of Departmental Operations with her no-nonsense violet bob.

In another perspective, there had been signs in the way they communicated and a tacit understanding. The comfortable familiarity was not something built by just being colleagues.

"So, did they admit it?" he asked.

"Oh, that’s the best part." Sarah practically bounced on her heels. "Someone finally got brave enough to ask straight out what was going on between them, and Iris just said, ’We’re dating.’ Cool as you please, like it was the most obvious thing in the world."

"And Bryan?"

"Someone asked him separately, without Iris around, and he said the exact same thing! Amazing, right?!" Sarah clutched her chest dramatically. "Goals, honestly."

Neville couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. "What about the company policy? I thought office romance was not allowed."

"That’s what everyone asked! But Iris just said, ’As long as work gets done on time, it should be fine.’ And Bryan agreed." Sarah sighed. "Now half of the company is trying to figure out how to shoot their shot with their work crushes without getting in trouble."

"I imagine that’s causing some problems."

"You have no idea."