#kakucho

༝ KAKUCHO

despite being one of bonten’s strongest executives, kakucho unbelievably gentle with you. when passing you something, his fingers barely brush yours. if you’re exhausted, he’ll quietly take the heavier boxes from your arms without asking. if you fall asleep at your desk, he’ll drape his own coat over your shoulders before returning to work.

everyone else is intimidated by kakucho’s expression, but you’ve never seen him lose his patience with you. even if you accidentally interrupt an important meeting or make a mistake with paperwork, he’ll calmly help you fix it instead of raising his voice. he thinks you bring out the softest parts of him that almost nobody else gets to see.

he hates physical affection from almost everyone, but he’ll never move away if it’s you. if you lightly tug his sleeve to get his attention or accidentally lean against his shoulder while looking over documents, his body completely freezes. he won’t react outwardly, but his ears slowly turn red before he quietly looks away.

he is painfully aware of every man that looks at you. he won’t act jealous or possessive in front of you, but the moment someone lingers a little too long or gets a little too comfortable, they’ll find kakucho silently watching them from across the room. one look is usually enough to convince them to keep their distance.

he pretends your safety is only part of the job, but everyone can tell he’s far more protective than necessary. he’ll walk behind you whenever you leave headquarters, wait until you’re inside your apartment before driving away, and quietly check every room if you’re working late at one of bonten’s properties. he never tells you he’s doing it because he cares.

he keeps every little thing you’ve ever given him, even if it wasn’t meant to be meaningful. a sticky note reminding him about a meeting stays tucked inside his wallet for months. a pen you handed him never leaves his suit pocket. he tells himself he’s only keeping them because they’re useful, but he knows that’s a lie.

he always ends up wherever you are. you’re heading to the archives? he suddenly has paperwork there. grabbing coffee? he was “already walking this way.” leaving headquarters late? he just happened to finish work at the exact same time. he makes every coincidence look completely natural.

whenever you’re speaking during meetings, kakucho stops paying attention to everyone else. he isn’t even trying to stare, but his eyes always drift back to you. he catches himself doing it constantly and immediately looks away, hoping nobody noticed.

his phone is almost empty except for one thing: your contact. he doesn’t have a picture for anyone else, but yours is the first thing he sees every time you call. he’ll never admit how often he catches himself opening your conversation just to reread old messages.

kakucho has a habit of standing just close enough to make sure nobody bothers you. if someone starts raising their voice at you during work, he appears on your side out of the blue. he doesn’t threaten them unless absolutely necessary. he just stands beside you with that intimidating expression until the man leaves.

kakucho has an almost unhealthy habit of checking whether you’ve arrived safely. if you’re running late, he’ll glance toward the entrance every few minutes while pretending to read documents. the second you walk in, the tension disappears from his shoulders like nothing ever happened.

kakucho isn’t good with words, so every act of care is silent. your chair is pulled out before you sit. the office thermostat is adjusted because he noticed you looked cold yesterday. your computer is already turned on when you arrive.

sometimes he catches himself wondering what you’re doing when you’re off work, then immediately scolds himself for thinking about you so much. it never helps. somehow his thoughts always circle back to you before the day is over.

kakucho has never wanted anything for himself the way he wants you. it frustrates him more than anything because he prides himself on discipline, yet every thought eventually finds its way back to you. he hates how easily you occupy his mind, and he hates even more that he doesn’t actually want it to stop.

hearing you laugh from another room is enough to make him pause whatever he’s doing. he tells himself he’s only making sure everything is alright, but his feet always carry him a little closer until he can hear you clearly. once he knows you’re smiling, he leaves before you ever notice he was there.

he constantly has to stop himself from reaching for you. fixing the strand of hair that falls into your face, brushing dust from your shoulder, steadying you whenever you stumble over absolutely nothing. his hand always twitches first before he quietly curls it into a fist at his side.

every time you thank him, he has to look away. your voice is soft, your smile genuine, and he doesn’t trust himself to meet your eyes for too long without giving everything away. a simple “you’re welcome” is all he manages before pretending something else suddenly needs his attention.

there are nights when headquarters is empty except for the two of you. you sit across from each other finishing paperwork in comfortable silence, and kakucho secretly wishes time would stop right there. you’re close enough for him to hear you breathe.

he knows your schedule better than his own. when you take your lunch break, when your meetings usually end, what days leave you the most exhausted. sometimes he catches himself planning his entire day around moments he might run into you.

he never asks you to stay longer than necessary, even when he desperately wants another five minutes of your company. instead, he’ll quietly tell you to go home and get some rest, then watch you leave until the elevator doors close. only after you’re gone does the building feel strangely empty.

whenever you’re standing close enough for your shoulders to almost touch, he becomes painfully aware of the tiny distance between you. it’s barely anything at all, yet it feels impossible to ignore. he could close that gap in a single step, but he never does.

he wonders what it would be like to hear you say his name outside of work. not “boss,” not “sir,” not spoken during meetings or reports. just his name, casually, warmly, like he belongs somewhere in your life beyond business. the thought stays with him longer than he’d ever admit.

sometimes he’ll catch you smiling at him for no particular reason, and it completely ruins the rest of his day. now he can’t stop thinking about it. hours later he’ll still remember the exact way your eyes softened when you looked at him.

he has convinced himself that loving you quietly is safer than risking losing the place he already has in your life. so he settles for being the person who makes your work easier, carries the heavy things, walks you to your car, and silently hopes that’s enough to keep him close to you a little longer.

every goodbye feels heavier than it should. he’ll give you a small nod, tell you to get home safely, then stand by the window without realizing it until your car disappears from view. only then does he finally leave himself.

kakucho falls hard and silently. he convinces himself you’ll never return his feelings because someone like him has no place beside someone like you. so he settles for watching over you from a distance, protecting you without expecting anything back. as long as you’re smiling, he’ll carry those feelings in silence for as long as he has to.

༝ MIKEY

mikey tells himself you’re simply efficient, that’s all. that’s why he wants you nearby. that’s why the office feels strangely empty whenever you’re off work. that’s why he catches himself glancing toward the door every few minutes, waiting for you to walk in. he repeats the excuse so often he almost believes it.

you see the side of mikey that almost nobody else gets: the one who is exhausted. bonten mikey carries himself like someone who stopped expecting happiness a long time ago, but your presence reminds him of a version of himself he thought disappeared. he doesn’t become a completely different person, but the emptiness in him becomes less obvious when he’s around someone he genuinely trusts.

if someone speaks to you with even the slightest disrespect, the room changes instantly. mikey doesn’t raise his voice or make a scene. he simply looks at them, expression completely blank, and calmly tells them to apologize. nobody ever refuses.

the executives eventually realize the only person who can interrupt mikey without consequences is you. you’ll knock once, step inside with another stack of reports, and he’ll quietly motion for you to come in without even looking annoyed. everyone else would have been told to leave.

mikey has convinced himself that you’re safest where he can see you. that’s why your desk is just outside his office. that’s why he insists you’re the one accompanying him to certain meetings. it’s practical, he tells himself.

mikey hates seeing you scared, but he hates even more knowing someone was the reason behind it. the moment he notices your discomfort, his entire attention shifts. he stops caring about whatever meeting or problem was in front of him because, in that moment, nothing matters more than figuring out what happened.

mikey isn’t affectionate, but he constantly finds excuses to keep you close. asking you to stay while he finishes reading a report, requesting your opinion on things that don’t actually require one, handing you files one at a time instead of all at once. every extra minute with you feels selfish, yet he can’t seem to stop.

he doesn’t ask “are you okay?” the way other people do. he simply looks at you and says, “who did it?” his voice is quiet, almost emotionless, because he’s already trying to understand exactly what needs to be handled.

sometimes he reaches out without thinking. his hand moves slightly toward yours when you place a document on his desk, like he’s searching for some kind of reassurance, but he stops himself before making contact. then he pulls back and pretends he was only reaching for the papers.

he doesn’t understand why you treat him like a person instead of a title. everyone else sees bonten’s leader, someone dangerous, someone they have to obey. but you still ask if he slept, if he’s eaten, if he’s okay. those simple questions stay with him much longer than they should.

when you smile at him after seeing the worst parts of him, he looks away. he doesn’t know what to do with kindness that doesn’t come with fear or expectation. part of him wants to believe he deserves it, but another part of him is still waiting for it to disappear.

he doesn’t want you to see him as a monster, but he also doesn’t know how to show you anything else. every time he tries to be closer, he pulls himself back. he thinks distance is the only way he knows how to protect people.

mikey never asks you about your personal life because he doesn’t know if he wants the answer. he can handle enemies, betrayal, and pressure without hesitation. but the thought of hearing that someone else makes you happier than he does is something he avoids facing.

when you finally fall asleep beside him after another late night of work, mikey almost reaches out to wake you, to tell you to go home and rest properly, but he stops. instead, he quietly places his coat over you and lets you sleep.

and when you eventually wake up and apologize for falling asleep, mikey only looks away and says, “it’s fine.” he doesn’t tell you that he spent the entire time watching over you, or that for a few hours, his mind was finally silent.

you’re one of the only people who sees how much mikey still craves simple happiness. sometimes he’ll sit beside you in complete silence, looking unusually peaceful, and then suddenly ask for something random like getting his favorite snack.

he has a habit of seeking your attention without admitting that’s what he’s doing. he’ll interrupt what you’re doing just to show you something, ask for your opinion on things he already decided on, or sit closer than necessary because he wants you to notice him.

mikey’s teasing side only comes out around you because he trusts you enough to drop the serious act. he’ll make little comments just to see your reaction, purposely annoy you because he likes when you get dramatic with him, and sometimes act completely innocent afterward even though you know exactly what he was doing.

when he’s tired, the walls around him disappear the most. you see him become quieter, more clingy, and almost like the younger version of himself he tries so hard to bury. he’ll lean into your presence without thinking and let himself relax.

mikey secretly loves when you take care of him in small ways. he’ll pretend he doesn’t need it, but he never pulls away when you remind him to eat, rest, or slow down. there’s something almost childlike about how easily he accepts your care, because with you he doesn’t feel like he has to prove he’s strong.

༝ KOKONOI

kokonoi is surprisingly dramatic when it comes to you, but only when nobody else is around. the same man who stays calm during negotiations will act personally offended if you ignore his messages for too long or if you choose someone else’s recommendation over his. he’ll pretend he doesn’t care, acting cold and sarcastic, but the silence afterward makes it painfully obvious he wants your attention.

you see how different kokonoi is when he’s not performing for the world. around others, he’s confident, charming, and always seems like he knows exactly what he’s doing. around you, he can be weirdly indecisive. he’ll ask for your opinion on something small, pretend your answer doesn’t matter, then immediately choose what you suggested.

kokonoi’s jealousy is less about anger and more about insecurity that he refuses to acknowledge. he knows he can buy almost anything, solve almost any problem, and get almost anything he wants, but affection doesn’t work like that. when someone else makes you laugh or gets your attention easily, there’s a brief moment where he remembers that money has never been able to guarantee the things he actually wants.

kokonoi is someone who hates appearing vulnerable, so the moments where he accidentally reveals too much mean everything. like when he casually mentions something from his past and then goes quiet because he realizes he actually told you. or when he lets you see him exhausted after a long day instead of putting on the usual confident mask.

he has a strange habit of trying to fix everything for you because he doesn’t always know how to comfort someone emotionally. if you’re upset, his first instinct is to find a solution, remove the problem, or make things easier for you. he has to learn that sometimes you don’t need him to solve everything - you just need him to stay, and he’s willing to learn that for you.

kokonoi’s favorite version of you is probably the one that treats him normally. not the person impressed by his reputation, not someone intimidated by his connections, but the person who steals his food, laughs at his expensive habits, and tells him when he’s being ridiculous. he secretly loves that you don’t let him hide behind everything he built.

as his assistant, you quickly realize kokonoi is much more observant than he lets on. he notices when you’re staying late, when you look tired, when you’ve been skipping breaks because you’re too busy handling his schedule. he’ll never directly say “i’m worried about you,” because that’s not how he communicates, but suddenly there’s food on your desk, your workload has become lighter, and your meetings have been rearranged so you actually have time to breathe.

kokonoi is incredibly demanding with you, but not because he thinks you’re incapable. he trusts you more than most people around him, which means he expects you to keep up with him. he’ll correct you, challenge your decisions, and push you to improve, but you notice he never humiliates you or treats you like you’re replaceable.

you notice that when someone else speaks, he’s usually impatient, already thinking three steps ahead. when you speak, he actually listens. he might still have that bored expression on his face, but you know him well enough to recognize when he’s genuinely considering your opinion.

kokonoi has a habit of pretending he doesn’t rely on you. he’ll say things like “i could’ve handled this myself,” while handing you another task because he knows you’re the only person who can organize the chaos around him. he refuses to admit how much easier his life has become since you started working beside him.

he’s surprisingly annoying when he’s comfortable with you at work. he’ll call your name just to ask something he already knows the answer to, send you messages from across the room instead of speaking, or criticize your coffee choice like it’s a serious issue. if anyone else did it, he’d be unbearable, but with you it’s almost obvious he’s just looking for an excuse to interact with you.

kokonoi is very particular about your safety and position in the company. he doesn’t like other executives or employees taking advantage of you because you’re “just an assistant.” if someone dismisses you or talks over you, his entire attitude changes.

he notices your achievements more than anyone. kokonoi is surrounded by people who praise him because of his money and influence, so genuine effort stands out to him. when you do something well, he won’t give you some emotional speech, but you’ll get a rare “good job” from him, and coming from kokonoi, it means more than anyone else’s compliments.

sometimes you catch his softer side after everyone leaves. the office is finally quiet, his tie is loosened, and the confident persona fades slightly. those are the moments where he’ll actually talk to you about things unrelated to work, complain about his day, or ask your opinion on something personal.

he loves watching you get flustered, mostly because it’s one of the few times he feels like he has the upper hand. kokonoi is used to reading everyone before they even speak, but you’re the one person who can surprise him. he’ll casually lean back in his chair and make a teasing comment about how much you worry about him, only to act completely innocent when you tell him he’s being annoying.

he likes spoiling you, but he makes it sound like he’s just being practical. if you mention liking something once, he remembers it. if you complain about something being inconvenient, it somehow gets fixed. when you ask why he went through all that effort, he’ll shrug and say “I don’t like seeing you struggle."

he loves teasing you about how well you know him. if you predict what he’s going to say or bring him something before he asks, he’ll raise an eyebrow and say something like “you’re getting too good at this. should I be worried?” but secretly, he loves that there’s someone who understands him without him having to explain himself.

during meetings, kokonoi is completely professional, but you notice the little ways he includes you. he’ll ask for your opinion even when everyone else is waiting for his decision, glance at you when someone says something ridiculous because he knows you’ll understand his reaction, and sometimes hide a small smile when you try not to laugh.

he gets especially teasing when you’re trying to lecture him. if you tell him he’s working too much or needs to take care of himself, he’ll act offended and ask if his assistant is “giving him orders now.” but he never actually ignores you. in fact, you’re probably the only person in bonten who can tell him what to do and get away with it.

kokonoi’s romantic side appears in the quiet moments after work. when the building is empty and there’s no one around to impress, he becomes less like the untouchable businessman everyone knows. he’ll walk beside you, make jokes, complain about boring meetings, and enjoy the simple fact that someone is choosing to stay with him after seeing every side of him.