Chapter 113 - A New Challenge (1/2)

”So, how was it?”

Yanee lifted her head from her notes to see Tohru walking towards her. Since she decided to accept him, she started to dare look at him properly and see a human instead of a walking potato. He wore a simple blue yukata as he approached, and she couldn't help but how appreciate how good he looked.

As if reading her mind, a mischievous tilt formed on his lips and he shifted on his feet to let her take a better look at him. All the glimmer of admiration on Yanee's eyes vanished as she looked at the silly potato modeling in front of her.

”Boss, what are you doing?”

”Making sure you have more to admire,” he answered unabashedly that Yanee wanted to feel embarrassed on his behalf.

Shameless potato…

Ah, but she already knew this about him. Didn't he say that the party stopped due to his good looks before?

Urgh…

Tohru James took the place next to her along the wooden corridor facing the garden and sat. But he flicked her nose as he did so. ”What's with the boss? I told you to start calling me by name already.”

”But I'm working right now,”Yanee countered as she added some words on her notebook.

”Oh, you're working on Ria's story then?” he asked with a smile as he leaned sideward to check out her writing.

He already saw her notes before so Yanee didn't have any problem letting him check it. She even handed him her notes and he too switched on work mode and scanned her notebook seriously.

”You wrote this from the recordings?” he asked lightly and she nodded as she showed her the recorder.

”Thanks for telling me to use this,” she added.

If she did not record, she'd have a difficult time writing notes as she was too mesmerized with the story telling. It was a story that needed more details as it was unique in a way that one had to be knowledgeable or at least a bit knowledgeable about mental health.

”Well, I knew the story was complicated so I told you to use it. I don't want you to have difficulty afterwards,” he said softly.

He looked satisfied with her notes and Yanee felt a bit proud. But not for long…

”What's with that expression?”Tohru suddenly asked as he flicked her nose again. ”Don't look smug, you haven't started the real writing yet,” he told her which made her pout.

”Don't be such a kill joy boss,” she grumbled but let out a helpless sigh right after. ”Ah, you reminded me of writing again,” she said woefully as she slouched, her energy leaving her.

Tohru took this chance to place his arm over her shoulder and pull her close so she could lean against him. Yanee was surprised but she didn't fight. She tilted her head to look up at him as his cool, minty scent teased her nose.

”What's wrong with writing? You have good notes, you can just arrange them to a story, right?” he suggested teasingly.

Although Yanee pouted at him, she was not really mad. She's conscious he's not being serious. Tohru James was aware of how difficult it was to write. Stories weren't like pancakes one could dish out at a whim. If someone wanted to write something good, not only he needed meticulous research, but he also needed the correct state of mind and technical skills to be able to make sense of all those information and create something good out of them. This was why authors who were serializing had too much pressure since they had to do this cycle in a continuous phase.

Yanee hadn't even started yet and she already wanted to join the two runaway authors.

”Don't think about silly things,” he softly scolded her.

”How do you know I'm thinking about silly things?” Yanee was amazed. Could the potato read minds now?

”Because you have a silly expression on your face,” he answered matter-of-factly and Yanee hurriedly made her face blank, making him laugh.

”Come here,” he said as he pulled her into his arms.

The next thing Yanee knew, Tohru had his phone camera on and he took a picture of the two of them with her in his arms.

”Y-You…”

She tried to grab the phone, but before she's able to, he already had it at arm's length.

”Why are you trying to take my phone?” he asked before a mischievous glint lit his eyes. ”Or is this the 'jealous wife wants to check her hubby's phone' thing that the sisters were talking about?”

”Who is your jealous wife?” Yanee countered as she retracted her hands. She wouldn't dare touch his phone now as he knew it— the potato jerk.

Tohru laughed as he placed his phone down and gathered her in his arms again. It was the first time he had really touched her, but a hug like this was not that bad. Yanee was taking this moment to get used to him— well as long as it's just a hug.

She reckoned she'd hyperventilate with more stimuli.

But because she thought about this, her initial bravado suddenly left her and she started feeling nervous at how close they were. She felt like bolting out of his arms, but then he spoke again and she felt relieved.

”So, what do you think of Ria's story?” he asked softly.

”It's very interesting,” she said as she told him what she had told Ria.