Light, prolonged

春分 [18] / [33]

"Ed is pretty famous among female officers. You know, he is very handsome and behaves in an attractive way," Cynthia continued.

"Besides, he is a potent worker. But some don't like him, especially the ones who have the ability to see through him. Most of this involves being aware of the way people, especially women, are looking at him. I like him as a coworker, but not how he is."

"I don't think Anna might report him, even afterward what happened. She thinks it's her fault, and her mistakes are much bigger than what he did."

They both cleared their glasses away. The alcohol was more bitter than usual. Cynthia observed his face.

"And I don't think you should know this, but I want to tell you. She likes you."

"Who? Anna?"

"Yes, she does.”

Alexander wasn’t stunned this time, but he tried to appear so. Cynthia continued.

"She told me. Quite awhile ago. She came into my office, and told me she wanted my advice," responded Cynthia.

"And to get something off of her chest. You see, as you two are coworkers―"

"I see where you're going with this. You didn’t want there to be a conflict of interest, is that it?"

Alexander replied.

"Yeah,"

Cynthia glanced over to see if she could hear them talking, and, noting them to be far enough away and not paying attention, she explained.

"You guessed how I felt when Anna asked me for advice. I'd already had feelings for you then, but I couldn't reveal my mind to her. I didn't know how you felt towards me. Besides, I am her boss, who should serve as a good model for her. Of course loving somebody is not something shameful, but for some reason I felt ashamed that I had feelings for you. I told her to speak frankly to you, about how she felt for you, half-jokingly."

Their glasses refilled as quickly as they emptied. It got sweeter and sweeter from the first.

"You did? Why? Did you want to yield me to her?"

he asked, dumbfounded.

"At the time, I thought I probably should have. I am divorced, had a miscarriage, and was too exhausted. But Anna is not like me. That was how I thought,"

sadness flickered across her face.

"I'm not like when I was younger. Sometimes I feel a dreadful fear that nobody will want me again.“

Alexander put his arm around her shoulder, sitting next to her. She leaned on him.