WHAT A SHAME (01) . . . in which your office crush turns you down⊠or at least you think he did?
đ â f! reader x salaryman! nanami. just pure fluff. reader gets drunk at one point. unedited as always :3 reader is down bad for nanamin
part two
âIâm telling you, itâs so much worse,â you said, dramatically hissing across the table. The lunch rush at the office was in full swing, you and your friends huddled over as they demanded for updates. âGetting rejected by an awful guy is easy. You know youâve dodged a bullet with that one. You can just tell yourself heâs a jerk, and heâd probably just be a headache.â
Your friend, Aya, who was nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee, nodded. âI agree. But a good man? Now thatâs gonna hit different.â
âExactly!â you exclaimed through a mouthful of sandwich. âWhen a good guy turns you down, you canât be mad at him. You canât say heâs a bad person because you know heâs a wonderful human being, and heâs probably rejecting you because heâs emotionally unavailable, but⊠It does make you wonder, you know,â you paused, setting down the sandwich. âWhy he doesnât want you, and what could you possibly lack.â
Chieko let out a dramatic sigh. âAnd that, my friends, is infinitely more painful. Seriously, though, thereâs nothing wrong with you. Nanamiâs just⊠too busy for that.â
Just the mere mention of his name made your stomach churn. Since the first day youâd met Nanami, back when you were still a new hire, everyone had teased you for your painfully obvious crush. Could you be blamed, though? He was handsome, smelled good, great at his job, and was the definition of a Gentleman. It may not have been his intention to win your affection with his rare smiles and kind words, but your heart was all his, anyway.
And of course, you being you, being optimistic was your greatest flaw and strength. Just because Nanami spoke three more words to you than he did everyone else, you grew the courage to ask him out. Yesterday afternoon, you made sure to put on your favorite perfume, brushed your teeth twice, and asked if he wanted to get a drink sometime.
It doesnât have to be romantic, youâd immediately reassured him, watching as the tired lines on his face grew deeper. Just a casual drink between friends!
It turned out that Nanami Kento, did not, in fact, do casual.
Kento. Tall and blonde, with perpetual shadows constantly cast on the sharp angles of his face, and deep, dark circles under his eyes that made him look like an irresistible exhausted poet. It wouldnât be an exaggeration to say he was the quietest person in your department: stoic, serious, and kept to himself. He didnât even have social media! You had nothing to stalk or find out about this man.
But youâd seen the small things â the way he held the door open for you even without a glance, the steady patience he showed to the new interns, the soft smile youâd once seen him give a stray cat in the parking lot. He was the quintessential good guy. The man of your dreams.
âŠAnd heâd rejected you.
He did with a gentle apology, his words spoken softly like he was afraid itâd turn you into dust (it nearly did.) Heâd given an honest explanation as to why â how it wasnât you, it was him. Heâd never dated, never had a girlfriend, and he didnât feel that now was the right time to start anything with anyone. Youâd mumbled something stupid about understanding, somewhere along the lines of youâre worth the wait, I wouldnât mind.
The grimace on Nanamiâs face told you enough.
âI mean, he was so nice about it,â you continued, trailing off. âHe said he was flattered. He didnât think that, er, someone in the office would think that highly of him. He even sounded sorry â like he was somehow the wrong choice for a person to like.â
âThatâs just a classic good guy move,â Aya reached over to pat your head. âIâm sure he just didnât wanna embarrass you.â
âThat just makes it worse!â you groaned, dropping your head into your hands. âWhy couldnât he have been a jerk? Moving on wouldâve been so much easier! Or, I donât know, he couldâve said he was married and already had three kids or something! I would totally stop mooning over him after that.â
Chieko tapped on her chin. âI think I did hear him talking to the guys the other day about that.â
âWhat?!â your eyes widened, âHeâs married?!â
âNo!â Chieko snorted, âBut he said something about wanting to settle down someday. He said he didnât do casual, and that he only wants to have something serious with the right person.â
âThat could have totally been you,â Aya teased under her breath, her brows wriggling.
âIt would be me if he gave me the chance.â
Just then, your eyes caught on a figure rounding the corner of the break room. It was him. Kento. He was holding a coffee cup, the grim expression on his face seemingly permanent. Your eyes met for a fleeting second before you instinctively ducked your head, pretending to be utterly fascinated by the cracks in the table. He was going to the coffee bar, which was, of course, right behind you and your friends.
You felt his presence before you heard him. The subtle scent of his spicy cologne, the quiet rustle of his coat. You held your breath â hoping he would just pass by, or that the ground would open up and eat you up. Any of those sounded good right now. But none of those happened. He stopped directly behind you.
âHello,â he said, his voice a smooth, delectable timber. Aya kicked you under the table, making you lift your head, your face burning.
âOh, hi⊠Nanami.â You tried to sound casual, but your voice came out as a strangled squeak.
Nanami just stood there, as still as a statue. The awkwardness was so thick it felt suffocating. Hell, even your friends were now staring intently at their phones, doing a not-so great job of pretending they werenât remotely interested in the scene.
âAre you okay?â he finally asked, his hazel eyes studying your face.
You wanted to scream, fighting the urge to bury your face in your hands. âYeah! Iâm great. Perfect, really,â you plastered on a fake smile, âJust, you know, enjoying my lunch.â
Chieko fought back a laugh, immediately covering it up as a cough.
He gave a small, slow nod. Then, he turned to the coffee station to prepare himself a black coffee. When he was gone, you felt a rush of relief so intense it was almost dizzying. The conversation was over. Youâd survived. Youâd asked him out, gotten rejected, and still managed to look him in the eye like you hadnât cried about it last night. You were doing a spectacular job, you could say.
Taking a long, shaky breath, you picked up your sandwich again. But it didnât look appealing anymore, your appetite gone now that it was distracted by other things. To make it worse?
You found Nanami still there, standing outside the break room, cup of coffee in hand. He looked to be waiting for something, or someone. When your gaze met his, heâd promptly looked away, and headed back to his cubicle.
That was enough to remind you the harsh truth: he was a good man. He just wasnât interested.
You were hunched over your desk, the rapid-fire of your clicking against your keyboard a satisfying sound. Youâd been staring at your spreadsheet for what felt like forever now. A crucial formula wasnât working, and the deadline for the quarterly report was looming.
Running a hand through your face, you sighed. The numbers just wouldnât add up. Misfortune upon misfortune was now piling. First, Nanamiâs rejection, and now, this stupid thing you couldnât figure out.
A shadow fell over your desk, and you looked up to see Nanami hovering, a few folders tucked under his arm. He didnât say anything at first, just watched your screen (yes, your screen, not you) with that same grim, unreadable expression. âEverything alright?â he finally asked, his lips forming a thin line at the jumble of data you were currently trying to solve.
âOh, yeah. Just⊠I canât get around this one,â you admitted, hoping you didnât sound incompetent. Not only was Nanami your senior, he also constantly receive the Employee of the Month award. So, handsome, intelligent, kind, and soft-spoken â what wasnât this man made of?
Oh, right! Emotional availability! Maybe the capacity to feel romantic love!
Nanami took a step closer, leaning over your shoulder to look at the screen. The scent of his perfume wafted your senses, familiar and an unwelcome distraction all at once. âDid you check the cell references?â he asked, hand coming up to rub at his jaw.
âI think so?â
He pointed a finger, hovering above a specific cell. âYou have an extra parentheis here. Itâs messing up the entire calculation.â
You squinted. He was right. How had you missed that? Embarrassed, you quickly deleted the extra character, and a moment later, the numbers shifted, correcting themselves perfectly. A huge weight lifted from your shoulders, and you let out a relieved sigh. âOh my God,â you smiled up at him, âYouâre a genius, Nanami. Thank you so much.â
A faint, almost ghost of a smile curved his lips. It was gone in an instant, but youâd seen it.
âItâs a common mistake,â he said, surprising you by pulling up a chair and sitting down beside you. He didnât seem to be in a rush to leave. âWorking on the Q3 report?â
âYeah,â you replied, suddenly feeling less awkward. He didnât bring up your being rejected, or nearly being caught red-handed talking about him earlier this lunch. He was just⊠talking. Like nothing was wrong at all, like he wasnât completely aware that you were breathing just a little bit hard each time he came close. âItâs my first one,â you blurted out, pointing to the screen when his brow went up. âThe report, I mean. Iâm a little overwhelmed.â
Nanami nodded, his eyes on your screen. âJust take it one section at a time. The numbers are the easy part. The narrative is where you have to be careful.â
You worked in comfortable silence for a while. He pointed out a few more minor corrections, and you asked him questions about the companyâs internal metrics. He was happy to answer each one of them, and before you knew it, whatever awkwardness that had been there dissipated. Once you were done, and Nanami was satisfied enough with your output, he leaned back in his chair. âLooks good. Your boss will be happy.â
âThanks again, Nanami,â you gushed, âI really appreciate it.â
âNo problem,â he mumbled, getting up to leave just as the tips of his ears began to turn pink. âYou should get some rest. Looks like you need it,â he gestured vaguely at the dark circles under your own, a mirror to his own. You couldnât help but snicker. The reason you and him lost sleep were two completely different things. Nanami was a workaholic who didnât even take vacations. You were just heartbroken.
You watched as Nanami walked away, admiring the broad shoulders and his perfect posture that you envied. Stopping at the door, he turned to give you a small smile, and disappeared into the hallway.
The door clicked shut behind him, and you were alone again. It felt comfortable, knowing he didnât treat you differently. But if heâd said yes⊠you couldnât help but wonder, would I be more jitterish than I am now? Truthfully speaking? Probably yes.
The air in the izakaya was thick with the scent of fried chicken and grilled fish, mingling with the sweet aroma of sake. Laughter from a dozen tables bounced off the walls, but no one could be a louder than your drunk friends â and a heartbroken drunk that was mainly you.
The free-flowing sake from your generous boss had done its job, and you let the warmth of it spread from your toes to the top of your head. Nothing like a good drink after being rejected. Coffee with Nanami would be better, of course, but beggars couldnât be choosers. It didnât help that heâd reluctantly joined the dinner, and sat down next to her. You forgot what her name was, only that she was the most popular around the office. Hell, maybe Nanami would say yes if she did the asking. Just the thought had you downing another round, the liquid burning down your throat.
âKaraoke!â Chieko yelled, her face flushed a vibrant red. âWe need to sing some really good brokenhearted songs right now!â Aya nodded in agreement, hooting as she and Chieko picked up their coats. Your other co-workers promptly followed them, this night far from being over.
They swayed as they stood, your head swimming with a pleasant haze. âGuys, I donât know,â you gurgled, gesturing vaguely at the bustling street outside. âI think Iâm gonna have to skip this one.â
âOh, come on!â complained Aya, âWeâre doing this for you! Cry your heart out!â
You waved a hand in dismissal, and your friends grumbled. âWell, youâre on your own. Weâve got a mission!â pulled along by your co-workers, they disappeared into the night, swallowed by the glittering neon of the Tokyo street.
It occurred to you then that your bubble of drunkenness felt a little too big just for you. How you were going to get him in this state was beyond you. Youâll probably just call for a cab, or⊠stumble home. Either way, you were alone now. You had to figure it out before you passed out, still seething with jealousy when Little Miss Pretty pouted upon watching Nanami excuse himself.
A shadow suddenly fell over you, and you looked up, Nanami appearing in front of you with his hands in his pockets. He looked just as he always did â stoic, if a little weary, annoyingly handsome. But the corners of his lips were turned up in what looked suspiciously like an amused smile.
âYour friends left you?â he asked, his head tilting to the side.
âYeah,â you nodded, giggling when his perfectly slicked back hair had a rebel fringe that slipped away. God, he was just so handsome. You could stare at his face forever and not get tired. âThey had, uh, a singing emergency.â
âAlright. Letâs get you home.â
The cool night air shocked you. The crowds of people blurred before your eyes, the blaring signs of karaoke and ramen shops flashing in time with the pounding of your head. Neil, silent and steady beside you, lifted his hand to hail a cab. But in a city this alive, it was a near-impossible task. After minutes of watching cabs whiz by, Nanami sighed, putting his arm on your back. That single, light touch was enough to send a jolt through your system.
âLooks like weâre walking a bit,â he said, leaning down for you to hear. When his lips grazed the outer shell of your ear, you physically shivered. Thankfully, he was too distracted on keeping the other passerbyâs from bumping into you, and didnât notice. âSorry about this. Itâs probably unprofessional, but I need to make sure you get home safely.â
âHmm,â you mumbled, your footsteps heavier than the last. âYou could take me home and I wouldnât find that unprofessional at all.â
âIâm going to pretend I didnât hear that.â
The walk was just what you needed. It helped burn off the frantic, rambunctious energy from the company dinner. The side streets were quiet, lit only by the soft glow of old-fashioned lanterns and the dim light from apartment windows. You stumbled a few times, and each time, Nanamiâs hand would be there â firm and rock solid wrapped around you, or placed on the small of your back. He didnât complain, didnât make a fuss. Just followed you as you led him back to your place, drunkenly babbling now and then.
You were beyond comprehension now, your words slurring together as you tried to make sense of your thoughts. âItâs really a shame, you know,â you began. Nanami glanced at you, never losing his stride. âI mean, about you and me. You⊠youâre a really good guy, Nanami. And it really, really sucks to be rejected by you.â
Nanami stopped walking. Facing you, his expression was still unreadable, but his eyes⊠In the dim light, they seemed to soften at the way your lips trembled, fighting back tears.
âI just,â you continued, voice thick with emotion. âI havenât felt this bummed out in a long time. I was so excited to finally ask you out, and when you said no â even when you said no, you were still so good to me. Itâs not fair. How hard you make it to fall out of love for you. How⊠how easy you just make me want you again.â
Nanami kept silent.
Overwhelmed by your honesty, you felt the burn of tears in your eyes. Youâd been so humiliated asking him, and now you were pouring your heart out to him on a random Tokyo street. You really just wanted the ground to swallow you whole.
And then, he did something you never would have seen coming.
He smiled. An actual smile. A real, genuine, and impossibly sweet smile that reached his tired eyes, made them crinkle at the corners and made him look impossibly young. Reaching out, he brushed a stray tear with a calloused thumb.
âYouâre right,â he said, his voice warm despite the freezing cold. âIt is a shame.â Letting his hand drop, Nanami took a step back, looked up at the sky and chuckled. âI should have just waited until the break was over.â
âBreak? You mean⊠you were planning to break up with someone?â
âNo,â he paused, looking at you with a sincerity that made your fuzzy mind go completely still. âIâd love to go out with you,â he began, his words feeling as solid as the ground beneath your feet, âif only you didnât beat me to it.â
The night air suddenly felt impossibly warm. You knew Nanami wasnât saying it to be nice. He wasnât trying to be the good guy. He was offering a glimmer of hope that had been there all along, hidden behind his quiet demeanor. âWait!â you scrambled backwards, feeling sober all of a sudden. âI â wait, are you trying to sayâŠâ
âThe reason I turned you down, sweetheart, was because I was ashamed you asked me out first. Iâd been planning to ask you out for a while now. I just⊠wasnât sure youâd feel the same.â
Jaw dropping, Nanami nudged it close with his palm. âCome on,â he said, slipping his fingers to intertwine with yours. âLetâs get you home.â












