Brenda looked a little awkward. Another senior subtly gave her a look, and her “Why?” was swallowed whole.
She grabbed a handful of pistachios for me, trying to comfort me.
I fumbled, and they scattered across the floor.
My eyes fell on a pair of gleaming bear paws. I looked up in confusion, meeting a pair of light brown eyes.
Above those eyes, a pair of fluffy ears twitched unconsciously.
Before I could even process how a shifter had suddenly appeared in the company, I heard one of the seniors quietly whisper, “Boss,”
The bear softly grunted in response,
I quickly pulled the nearest senior colleague
and whi
I whispered, “Why didn’t I know our boss was a bear?
“Will he fire me for slacking off and eating snacks?”
The thought that this job, where for once no one seemed to hate me for being a freak, might be gone, made my heart ache.
The entire room fell silent. It was the bear boss who broke the silence first. He bent down, picked up the scattered pistachios, and steadily placed them on my desk.
“I won’t fire you.”
Then he extended his bear paw.
“I was in hibernation when you started. Let’s reintroduce ourselves. My name is Arthur.”
After shaking his paw, my cubicle was surrounded by a crowd of curious faces.
One senior, her face full of curiosity, asked, “Audrey, what did the boss’s hand feel like?”
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I tried to recall that gentle squeeze–it was soft, warm, and fuzzy.
Another senior pushed her aside, then looked at me seriously and said, “Audrey, the boss doesn’t have a human partner, and you just ended things with your shifter. Honestly, I shouldn’t be saying this, but as your senior, I want to give you a heads–up.”
I nodded, gesturing for her to continue.
“The boss isn’t from around here, you know. I heard he was considered a freak among his own shifter kind, outcast and forced to leave his home. That’s why he came here, working odd jobs to save up and eventually start this company.”
Her words made me feel a little disoriented. For a moment, I couldn’t tell if she was talking about Arthur or me.
The word “freak” landed in my ears, and I frowned involuntarily.
Seeing my silence, the senior cut straight to the point.
“You two, one without a partner, the other without a shifter–it’s like dry tinder and a spark, ready to ignite. I’m just worried you’ll ruin your life. Who would ever like a freak?”
Damian’s words instantly flooded my mind:
“Who would ever like that short little freak?”
I shook my head, disagreeing with her.
“Brends, even though I haven’t been here long and don’t know much about the boss, besides him being outcast, we know nothing about his
past
“I appreciate your good intentions, Brenda, but without knowing the full story, it’s not right to pass judgment.
“Compared to gossip, I believe what I just saw. I think he’s no different from us. He’s not a freak.”
On the way home
way home after work, I noticed Arthur walking quietly behind me, his head slightly bowed.
I couldn’t help but think of his flutty ears. If he could hear my quiet words, he must have heard plenty of the office gossip today.
I turned my head, wondering whether to tell him, “Don’t mind what they said,” or “You don’t need to thank me, which might comfort him more.
Just then, he pulled out a key and opened the door to the apartment across the hall.
Jasked, “Boss, you live here?”
He nodded, looking a little dazed. “Mmm” he hummed.
Then added, “Close”
And again, “Good for hibernation.”
I nodded, wanting to end the conversation with this man of few words. He was so tall, my neck was already starting to ache from looking up at him.
He pulled his door open and stepped aside.
Want to come in for a bit? he mumbled softly.
3:00 PM ₫
“Want to come in for a bit?” he mumbled softly.
A faint blush spread across his tanned face.
He explained, “I made too much soup this morning. Can’t finish it.”
1 sniffed, and sure enough, caught a delicious aroma.
Perhaps afraid I’d refuse, he looked a little flustered. “My cooking isn’t bad. And I have no ill intentions.
“I just wanted to thank you.”
I looked up at him, and I actually saw a hint of careful uncertainty on his face.
I felt a little touched and quietly asked, “Am I intruding then?”
He hummed in response, his tone unreadable.
I pretended not to see his bear ears wiggling back and forth.
I had only intended to join him for dinner so he wouldn’t worry, but Arthur wasn’t lying.
His cooking was truly delicious.
Besides the soup, he picked up a spatula and got to work, clanking around and whipping up two more dishes.
I’d heard that bears are omnivores. Some bear–shifters from my region are even said to consume human blood or flesh to grow stronger and attract a bonded partner. Even the less ferocious ones typically eat pork or beef.
But there wasn’t a single meat dish on the table.
Catching my slightly questioning gaze, Arthur spoke first.
“I don’t eat meat.
He said it muffled, a flicker of sadness in his eyes.
I sharply realized–could this be the reason he was considered a freak?
I picked up my forks and started eating.
“Not eating meat is perfectly fine! I don’t really care for it either. Vegetarian food can be incredibly delicious!”
Only then did he look up at me, his eyes sparkling slightly.
He asked hesitantly, “Do you really like vegetarian food?”
I nodded. “I do!”
I wasn’t lying. I wasn’t particular about food. Before, I was always so focused on taking care of Damian, cooking whatever he liked, eating whatever he ate.
Now that I had a shifter to share meals with, I certainly wouldn’t dislike it.
His bear cars twitched again, and he pushed the dishes closer to me.
“Then eat more.
After that, Arthur often “accidentally cooked too much food.
I never called him out on it. We had a silent understanding, and I’d just show up for dinner, afraid that the tiny spark of hope in his eyes would
