How to approach a colleague?

[damyoungji]

To start things off, we both work in the same department, but our positions are completely different.

We never talked to each other before until I had to call his line for assistance. I had no clue it was even him on the other end, especially when he sounded like someone whose voice does not match his face. I found out in the end when he showed up in a matter of seconds and announced his arrival. I was shocked, but I tried to keep myself together by pretending that I was busy with my work. He comes up to me and asked me about the details about the phone call. Unfortunately, I did not know much about the situation for it was another co-worker who told me to call for help. I must have looked like a moron, especially when he kept on asking me questions after my co-worker gave him some information. A few minutes later, his friend arrives and tells him to go back to their station. He tells him that he would leave after he hangs around me for awhile. We did not talk at all.

The second time we talked, it was completely out of the blue. He was hanging around one of the other sections of the department because it is his role to keep things under control. I dropped by not only because he was around, but the doctor in my section was called away to a protocol. At that time, the person working there with the same position as me is often lost and confused as to what has to be done. She kept on asking me questions, so it was not like I could leave even if I wanted to. When I turned my back towards the room to go through some files, he comes up and asked me if I could help him. I was rather puzzled since I was not the one working in that section that day, but I tried my best. He kept on asking me questions that I had no answer to, despite the fact that the other lady was sitting there doing nothing. In the end, I left because I had to get back to work and I felt rather dumb for not answering him properly.. even though it was not my fault at all.

We often run into each other, whether it be two times or more. Sometimes he will walk through the section I am in and check the computer about the current situation at our workplace. One of the nurses once even asked him why he was walking through there (a section where he and his co-workers barely go through) and he said that he liked to do that. Mind you, the nurse who said that is often working in that section, so it seems like it is not common for him to be in there. We have had our share of eye contact before in the halls, which always result in me looking away first. I try to stay calm and act natural, but I think I am coming off as someone who is full of herself. I once walked around smiling after hearing a funny story and as I turned the corner, he was right there. He smiled back, but I swore I stopped smiling from the shock.

So my question is, how do you approach a colleague without coming off as someone who is interested in them? I am the type of person who hides my feelings and I often kick myself when I become paranoid about others misreading my behavior. It is not like I could just go up to him (I would not be able to do it even if I was not shy) since our positions are different. I do not know anyone from his position except for one who I am starting to know a bit after he joked around. But I doubt that will happen with him for he seems like the quiet type, too.