"Pon, copy this for me, will you."

"Uh, yeah, sure".

I grab the sheet and head out back to the copier. Friday mornings are always the busiest at our office, especially at this time of year. The dim chatter of voices and clanging of tools surrounds me as I side step another part timer and stifle a yawn. I knew I should have stopped at Starbucks, even at the expense of being late. That white chocolate mocha with extra whipped cream is calling my name.

My eye catches the window in the far left corner and my gaze is filled with the fluffy white clouds so much like whip cream...I can almost taste it meling on my tongue...

"PON!"

With a blink I crash land to earth. With one more sorrowful glance in the direction of the window, I amble over to the copier. I insert the sheet, press the button, BEEP, off to work goes the machine. Same process, same place, same life, same yawn. Damn, I really should have gotten that mocha.

In a moment it's done and I return to the front desk. So wait, I need this sheet to go...

"I'm gay" a low magnetic voice sounds from a few feet ahead of me and I instinctively look up. I see his joggers and T-shirt first, it's rare that people come here dressed so casually. Then I see a slightly pointy nose, and nice jawline, medium to smallish lips, framed by casually styled mocha locks. Cool.

Our eyes meet and he flashes me a smile. I feel my face grow hot. Stop it, he's just being polite. Besides, it has nothing to do with you. I turn back to my sheets.

"Ok, not a girlfriend then. Do you have a boyfriend?" Asks one of the other assistants.

"No". Right that patient was the one with... "But I think your assistant is cute."

I freeze. Then I slowly look up not daring to-it's me. He's looking at me. He flashes me a quicksilver smile, then he's gone: whisked away to get his crown fixed...Oh god. I'm blushing, I'm definitely blushing. Han, stop it. This isn't a big deal. Seriously, he's a patient, a patient! Stop it-

"PON!"

Bam. All the peach blossoms are blown away and my spirit slams back into my body. My mistress, the she-devil, awaits. With another lengthy sign accompanied by, yet another, yawn, I'm off.

Within a few moments I arrive in front of her. As usual she's a fire breathing dragon, I can almost see the smoke coming out the top of her head. I'd like to say she's not a morning person but to be honest, she's not an anytime person. The only time I've seen her smiling was when she gave us those crappy gift cards. And I never even got to use mine because the store's like two freaking hours away.

Still I'm resigned to do her every bidding. I imagine myself as a servant bowing. Yes my lady, your humble servant awaits to get pummeled to a pulp by your razor sharp words and piercing screech until his self esteem has withered away into a dying ember.

"Yes Dr. Banazak?"

"Oh, Pon. Where on earth have you been! I called you ages ago!"

"Well I was-"

"This man needs an X-ray done for his crown. I need to check out that other patient..."

I only hear "man" and "crown", it can't be...

My eyes meet a familiar gaze and quicksilver smile. I feel my heart start to palpitate. Stop it Han, stop it. Just get this done.

"Um...I'll be doing your X-ray". My eyes are glued to the floor.

A soft chuckle, ugh that voice! "I know".

Five minutes in and it's tortuous. I can feel his gaze on the back of my head. I finally understand how teachers have eyes in the back of their heads. I can feel it-feel it-feelitfeelitfeelitfeelitfeelitfeelitfeelitfeelit-

"We should..."

"What?" I whip my head around to face him.

"We should get to know each other better."

CLaTtER!

The mandrel in my hand drops to the floor.

"Sorry, sorry I-I'll just, a new one" I make vague motions towards the door and I rush out, as if pursued by a predator.

Inside the office, I stand in front of the mirror and as if hypnotizing myself, recite "you're fine Pon. Stop it. He's just being nice, he just wants to be friends. Stop it! This is what you get for reading too much BL!!!"

"Um...Pon?"

Oh shit. I quickly make way for the other assistant while my face is lit by an even stronger fire. It's a tomato, I know it is.

Reluctantly, I slowly plod back and there he is, same smile, same gaze. Uuuuugggghhhh.

Stubbornly ignoring his gaze, I resume my movements. I'm just a machine that fixes crowns and does X-rays. I'm just a machine that fixes crowns and does X-rays. I'm just a-

"So what do you think?"

"Huh?" I look up. "About what?"

"About getting to know each other better."

"I-" The X-ray is out. "Your sinuses are adorable!"

Silence.

He looks puzzled for a moment, then starts lightly laughing in that magnetic voice, mortifying music to my ears.

"Thank you." He's smiling again, that same smile, except this time his eyes, if it's even possible, are even more focused on me. My gaze wanders as I try to escape his entrapping orbs, before my eyes retreat to the window. Except this time, it's not the clouds I see but the newly opened blossoms of spring.