Gold Flower Legend

Chapter 12: Ended up on a Kiss

*WAVINA JAVIER*

With happy and positive morning vibes, I was humming on my way going to the secretaries department's quarter. Since it was still early, I thought no one was around the area yet. So, I hummed loudly. 

As I was a few meters away on the secretaries quarter's door, I spinned on my toes like a professional ballerina confidently performing on stage with a millions of audiences, and made an elegant pose as I reached the doorway.

With smiles on my lips brighter than sunrise, I raised my chin up and looked far ahead only to find out that many pairs of eyes were watching me. Stunned.

I realised that everyone was in the room except me which Murphy was facing straight on the door while the others looked back with their heads.

His gaze was different from them. It was deep and empty, making me unable to guess what he really was thinking.

With an embarrassed smile plastered on my lips, I turned my back on them in a bumbling manner.

Long after, a pair of hands clutched on my shoulders, making me flinch.

"Do you really intend to run away at this moment?" Whispered by a girl's hoarse-like voice in my ears from behind. Given with the voice, I didn't need to look back to see who she was. I knew it was Cheska.

"Are you aware how angry the Chairman is now?" Cheska added. She flipped me back and pushed me over without taking off her hands.

"No. Why? What's wrong with him?" I whispered back when we were getting closer to them.

"How could you don't know about it? Do you know why we are already here at this hour? Because we have a big problem."

"Is it serious?" 

"Very serious! Did you hear about the project operation plan with Mr. Chen?" 

Upon hearing the name, my heart raced terribly. "Yes. What is the problem about it?" 

"The most confidential file was missing."

"What?" I halted suddenly in dread. 

Now, I was screwed by the fact that it was me who organised the project files with Mr. Chen. 

"There's no time to daze off here. Come on! You know Chairman hates waiting so much." Cheska said as she grabbed my hand and towed me forward. 

As we were already managed to squeeze in front of the group, I suddenly felt the atmosphere become something a bit off as his inconceivable gaze travelled down on my hand where until now Cheska was holding.

Was he jealous?... 

To avoid awkward feelings, I instantly pulled Cheska's hand off from mine as I faked a smile on him.

"Chairman, now Wavina is here. You can ask her if what I said earlier is true or not." Guili, who was next to me, said.

"What about it Mr. Aderson?" I pretended not knowing anything. I played the strap of my bag to cover up my tense hands.

"How rude are you to call the Chairman by his name!" Guili snarled.

"Shut up!" Murphy huffed in. "Do I need to ask your permission to allow her to call me by my name?" 

My jaws dropped the moment Murphy's mouth opened to speak up for me.

No wonder I didn't hear anyone working in his company called him by his name. So it was because they considered it indecent.

Guili quieted down but he gave me a hateful sideways glance. His jaws were moving inside his mouth in anger.

I was wondering. Why was he mad at me? Was Murphy scolding him because of the missing files? 

Probably! Because that project with Mr. Chen was supposed to be done by him. I saw him so busy yesterday, so I offered him a hand but I screwed it.

Which should be impossible because I re-checked each file yesterday a couple of times before I clipped it inside the folder and gave those back to him, so he could personally send the files on Murphy's table.

"Wavina, follow me in my office." Murphy ordered plainly.

"Okay." I replied as I spare a glance on Guili.

As Murphy turned and began to saunter towards the direction of his office door, I also lifted my foot to tail him but just as my heel touched the ground, Guili sneakily tripped my leg.

So, I lost my balance as I let out a small whine and toppled forward. Gladly Murphy was faster than a blink of an eye. He swiftly turned back and spread his arms to catch me from the fall.

He did catch me but still we both fell down due to my sudden dashed on him. 

Adventitiously, just as his back and head landed on the floor with arms coiled sternly on my body, my lips fell straight into his.

Our eyes both widened and our hearts were palpitating in sync, thinking that we ended up on a kiss. 

-"Wow!!" 

-"So sweet!!" 

-Owwwwwwww!"

Thrilled by my colleagues randomly.

Aware of the eyes around us, I immediately pulled off my head and stared at his eyes.

"How long do you plan  to pin on me?" He said. His voice was cold but his eyes betrayed him. 

"I can't stand." I replied.

"Are you hurt?" He said, still our eyes were connected.

"No. I should be the one to ask that."

"I'm fine. But why did you say you can't stand?" He asked, colliding his brows. 

"Because - because your arms are tightly tied on me." I stammered.

He quickly unfastened his arms and got up like being burnt by a fire upon hearing what I said. 

"Follow me." He said then just walked away in haste.

****

Right after I came out from Murphy's office, I racked my head to come up with a reason why Guili was trying to harm me. Why he was jealous and mad of me.

Again, I and Murphy's conversation earlier replayed in my mind. 

"Wavina, next time don't work on a file that hasn't been assigned to you." He said directly as he sat on his chair.

"Why? I just wanted to help. I didn't mean to screw it." I answered, playing my thumbs to one another. 

"Don't worry. I already handled it well. But in the future, remember all these. First, don't entrust your works to your workmates. Second, don't work on their assignments and the most important one, don't left your work unsecured. Because in a workplace, it's unavoidable that someone will get jealous of you and so harm you."

"Are you saying that someone is trying to harm me?"

"Yes. And I assumed you could guess who he was." Murphy said as he moved forward and steepled his hands over his chin.

"Guili?"

I was in deep thought when a cute little voice echoed from my side, "Is brother playing in your mind, my pretty sister-in-law?"

-"Sister-in-law???" 

Exclaimed by my workmates simultaneously. 

"Muwin, what are you saying? Who is your sister-in-law?" I said as I reached Muwin's arm and brought him over to my side.

"Of course it's you!" He giggled. 

"I said it, she really can't be trusted. She was already married yet seducing her boss." Guili hinted in a taunting voice. 

"Excuse me? Are you referring to me?" I asked in a displeased tone with my brow curved in askew.

"Who else then?" He replied with a stern face and then referred to Muwin. "Tell your brother that his wife is a b***h!"

I should have gotten mad at Guili's sharp words but amusingly it only made me chuckle.

My eyes watered and my stomach hurt due to the intense laugh I did. 

"What's funny, you slut!" Guili snorted. 

I shook my head, holding my laugh. "Guili, you are so cute."

"You--" Guili was supposed to stand but stopped as Muwin sighed audibly. 

"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Envy can really kill people." Muwin uttered. 

Guili couldn't do anything except sat back clenching his jaws. While my  workmates only watched us. Their expression was relatively entertained.

"Here, for you." Muwin handed me a black bag. 

"What is this?" I asked as I received. 

"See it for yourself." Muwin winked.

"Shoes????" I exclaimed as I opened the box and found a pair of shiny black shoes. "Why are you giving me this? With so many choices, why give me flat shoes?" 

Muwin extended his hand in front of me. "Hep?? It's not me who is giving that to you. It's brother. He asked me to buy you shoes as I called him that I will come to see you. Do you like it?"

I was like a fool who just nodded as he asked if I liked it. Yes, I did like it. But why was Murphy giving me shoes? Seriously a flat one?

"Why is he giving me this?" I asked wonderingly. 

"He said you were too clumsy and  often slipped with your foot. He was afraid you would get hurt."

"Huh???"

"Sister-in-law, isn't my brother so thoughtful?" He grinned. 

"Muwin stopped it. Don't casually call me sister-in-law. If your brother hears you, we're doomed." I whispered. 

"Then you don't have to worry. Brother will surely like to hear it." He said as he chortled with his hand covered over his mouth.

"You are so naughty." I pinched him on his flank that made him laugh more.

"I heard brother carried you up here a few days ago. Is that true?" He asked as he stopped, blinking his eyes cutely in me.

"Where did you hear that?" I shyly said.

"Just say yes or no."

"Yes." I admitted awkwardly. 

And everyone was astonished when suddenly Muwin jumped, punching his fists up and whooped in joy. "Yeahey! Yeahey! My wish is granted." 

"What are you happy about?"

He ran back on me and smiled passionately with his two hands holding my hand. "Do you know the sacred custom of our clan?" 

I shook my head, "No."

"It was that, when we carried a girl in our arms we were acknowledging her as our--" Muwin paused to exaggerate the next words. "Wife!, right brother?"

Muwin turned his head in the direction of Murphy's door and I was like a scaredy rat that wanted to dig a hole to hide myself as I saw Murphy leaning sideways on the door with his hands inside his pockets. Watching and listening to us focusedly. 

"Brother!" Muwin exclaimed as he ran over to Murphy and hugged him.

Everyone was dumbfounded especially Guili as they knew that the husband Muwin was talking about was no other than Murphy.