Color Me Surprised

* X x * x * x * Chapter 18 * x * x * x X*

They took their break in the pantry behind the reception which is divided by a wall. The interior of the company is so cozy that one might just give it up and slouch onto one of the comfortable couches dispersed effectively around

Together with Arthur, they went back to the conference room, but not before they went past the lounge, where they saw someone that Kaye is familiar with. Jeremy was waiting for Zach, as they planned to visit the orientation together.

Her eyes widened as she saw J sitting with his legs manspreading open, covering a lot of space on one of the couches. She went from being curious about what J was doing here to being stunned when she heard Arthur speak to him, and then from stunned to speechless because she wasn't expecting this and the realization that Z must be working here as well.

"Good morning, your majesty," Arthur said, acknowledging J's existence. "Might you please straighten yourself and look presentable enough in front of our newcomers?"

"Morning, Arty. Sorry about that. It was kind of an exhausting morning." J sighed and straightened up.

Jeremy's eyes trailed over the new faces and eventually found their way to Kaye's gorgeous but confused green eyes. Curiosity is one of them.

Kaye saw his eyes jolt in surprise, and she can see that the guy is really taken aback.

He was about to raise his hand to point at her, and she quickly shot him a small smile, discreetly implying that she didn't want any commotion or unnecessary attention.

'Oh sh*t, this is bad. Really bad'. He thought as he gathered himself'

He quickly put his hand down and welcomed them to their company. However, it didn't go unnoticed by Arthur and Felicity. Both had suspicious looks and eyed Jeremy but stayed silent.

"Color me surprised." As an introduction, Jeremy said.

"Hey! Welcome to this humble office that houses diverse and multi-talented people. You can call me J. I'm one of your colleagues and will do my formal introduction later on in the meeting." He went back to his usual jolly self and spoke aloud.

"Have you done your tour around the office?" He asked everyone, and someone answered, "Not yet."

"Well, you can do that later, but let me give you a quick tour of my kingdom." He said.

Kaye just smiled at his cringe attitude, while Arthur shook his head and playfully scoffed.

"Over there is where you will see the intelligent planning department and whatever other department I have no idea what they may be." He said this while motioning to the corner beyond the pantry.

He guided everyone and walked a little bit more, saying, "Here in this area is my turf; this is where the awesome and out-of-this-world team of programmers and amazing developers hang out." Now he's just saying whatever comes to his mind.

Kaye looked around the cozy area. The room he mentioned has glass walls all the way up to its high ceiling and some wooden shelves carefully placed aesthetically with random items and plants on them.

He encouraged us to follow him, saying, "..and there over that lonely corner is where you can track all the reserved and quiet people in this company. That's where the introverts are located." He bantered and looked at Arthur. "Well, except for this guy right here. He's an exemption." He laughed heartily.

"Yeah, yeah, talk all you want." Arthur just sighed and was about to go face the newbies when J talked once more.

"Well, take, for example, one of their team leaders." He indicated a space in the corner of the building inside yet another group of glass walls, which was a room.

"Look at how her office is covered with some sort of wallpaper and posters trying to keep other people out." He still went on and on even when he knew what those posters were for. He looked past the new hires and smirked.

"Yea? What was that about my office?" A voice spoke from behind them, making everyone jolt in surprise.

Kaye will never mistake that majestic voice for someone else. Despite the fact that she was expecting to see her because J was here and she knew they worked together, she couldn't hide her surprise.

J looked at her and then back at Z. He tittered, "Oops, busted. I mean, they may be introverts, but all of them look gorgeous." J shrugged in an attempt to save himself.

Felicity narrowed her eyes as she studied the face of the gorgeous lady, trying to find where she had seen the face. She could swear that that was not the first time she had seen such a gorgeous face.

Zach went past the newbies to get beside Jeremy, who had been waiting for her, but she never got to walk any further when she smelled something familiar. The scent of fresh lilies lingered, and she had never smelled anyone better than the woman in her mind.

She turned sideways to find where the smell was coming from, and she let out the same expression that J did as soon as their eyes met, but it only lasted there for a second. It vanished just as quickly as it appeared.

"K-Kaye?" She blinked and composed herself. not forgetting that she's at work.

"Uh, fancy meeting you here!" Zach struggled to find words. Her gaze was drawn to the temporary pass that hung around the strawberry blonde's neck and rested on her chest.

She swallowed and confirmed, "Color me surprised. You're one of the newbies?"

Kaye smiled and nodded in response. Amused by the fact that they said the same thing. They really are good friends.

"Yes, I am. I didn't know you worked here. I am quite surprised as well." Kaye replied in a low voice. Feeling slightly uneasy about the situation, but also at ease because it was Z she was speaking to.

She noticed Arthur and the girl beside Kaye. Arthur's eyes were filled with doubt and questioning, as well as excitement.

"A-anyway! It was nice seeing you here and learning …that we are going to be working together soon. I'll see you guys later. I just have something to talk about with J here." Z quickly dismissed herself and grabbed J away from everyone.

J waved goodbye at them and said, "See? Introvert." He whispers at them and laughs. "Talk to you later, people!" He turned his back on them and walked behind Z, who was treading fast.

After the two were gone, Arthur faced her and asked, "Hm, that was something, I guess. You know those two?"

So much for not causing trouble and unnecessary attention, but it wasn't that bad, she thought. "I guess you could say that. We met at a café called Café Dream, which is a few blocks away."

"Café Dream? I'm familiar with that. I go there from time to time." He stopped but continued in his thoughts, 'And here I am wondering what the hell happened with those two. Them going out to a café is something. So I guess this girl is the reason for their daily coffee venture.'

Kaye felt uneasy with the look Arthur has been giving her like he was contemplating something but she just simply averted her eyes. Her gaze followed Zach and Jeremy as they entered the secluded room of the "introvert boss," and she smiled at the thought.

"Anyway, let's pick up where we left off. As J mentioned, this is the area where some of you will spend the majority of your time working with J while Catherine and Felicity work with me, as well as the tall woman who I mentioned earlier who is actually my boss." Everyone was impressed by Arthur's ability to talk incessantly. He'd go from explaining everything they came across the floor to say completely random things.

Kaye couldn't believe what she heard. She couldn't believe that a 24-year-old woman was already a boss at a company based on skills and talent, such as the one she had just joined.

As they went and walked towards the conference room, Arthur called their attention, saying, "Let me just put in some words regarding my boss. Well, for starters, that is not actually the main reason why that room is covered with lots of posters. She may be a bit reserved, but that's not entirely the case."

"What is it then?" Felicity asked.

"That's for us to know and for you to find out." He said it bluntly with a wink as he opened the door to the conference room.

They settled down in the chairs they were sitting in before they were given their quick break.

She felt Felicity nudge her sides, which prompted her to look at her friend.

"Biiiitch, I was wondering where I had seen that tall boss, but now I remember. You posted a picture of you two together on this trip!" Felicity whispered in excitement.

"Oh, my god, Letty! Shut your goddamn trap! This is not the right time!" Kaye yelled in the quietest whisper she could muster. She looked around with worry, hoping someone had not heard what her friend had just said, which thankfully was not the case.

"I'll tell you later!" She glared at her friend who just shrugged and wore an annoying smile throughout the rest of the day.