Day passed at their usual speed.
"Wow, finally it's done. Oh, it's almost break time too," Oki said, stretching and glancing at the clock on the wall. Her shoulders relaxed as she completed her task, ready for a moment of rest.
"Wanna eat lunch together, Habi-san?" Ashi asked, her voice bright and hopeful as she turned towards Oki, who was still engrossed in her paperwork.
Without lifting her gaze, Oki shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm heading to the cafeteria."
Ashi's hopeful smile faltered slightly. "We can share my tiffin if you want. I brought enough food with me."
" Thanks but, I'm not hungry today so I just go to cafeteria and grab some drink," Oki replied, her voice muffled by the rhythmic clacking of keys.
"Okay, if that's what you want," Ashi said, her shoulders drooping slightly as she gathered her things.
The office was a cacophony of activity, with phones ringing and keyboards clattering. Ashi made her way to the rooftop, escaping the harsh fluorescent lights for the crisp, refreshing air outside.
"Eh? I didn't expect you to be here, Kichiro-san," Ashi said in surprise as she spotted Haari standing by the railing, his gaze lost in the cityscape.
"Oh! Nicawa-san," Haari responded, turning with a look of surprise.
"Where is your lunchbox?" Ashi asked, noticing Haari's empty hands as she took a seat on a nearby bench, placing her lunchbox on her lap.
"Lunch?" Haari looked puzzled. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his eyes drifting back to the horizon.
"Aren't you here to eat your lunch?" Ashi asked, her eyes darting between Haari and the lunchbox.
"No," Haari said, shaking his head. "I usually come here for the fresh air. The rooftop has such a nice breeze compared to the ground level." He inhaled deeply, the cool air visibly easing his tension as he glanced over at Ashi.
"Yes, the air is so cold and fresh up here. It feels like we're in a completely in a different place," Ashi agreed, setting her lunchbox beside her on the bench.
"Are you here to eat your lunch?" Haari asked, curiosity evident as he turned to face Ashi more fully.
"Yeah, Habi-san said she's going to the cafeteria today, so I came up here to eat my lunch," Ashi said, gesturing towards her lunchbox with a hopeful expression.
"Then I should go. Eat your lunch before the break time is over," Haari said, starting to turn towards the door, concern etched in his features.
"What about you?" Ashi asked, a frown creasing her forehead.
"Eh, about me?" Haari replied, glancing back at Ashi.
"Aren't you going to eat your lunch?" Ashi asked, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"Oh! I don't have one," Haari admitted, his shoulders slumping slightly as he looked away, the cool wind ruffling his hair.
"Why? Don't you know how to cook?" Ashi asked, her voice tinged with concern.
"I know how," Haari said, his gaze fixed on the distant skyline, "but it's kind of boring to cook when you live alone."
"Then you always eat outside?" Ashi inquired, leaning forward slightly, her lunchbox momentarily forgotten.
"Yeah, there's an uncle's shop in front of my apartment building. He makes really good food, so I eat there every day," Haari said, a hint of fondness in his voice as he looked back at Ashi.
"But doesn't that get expensive to buy your food every day?" Ashi asked, her brow furrowing with concern.
"Hm, kind of, but it's alright. I don't have any special hobbies to spend my money on, so it's fine," Haari shrugged, his gaze drifting to the city below.
Ashi's shoulders drooped, disappointment flickering across her face.
"Oh, the time is running out. I'll go first. Make sure you come down before the break time is over," Haari said.
"Wanna share with me?" Ashi asked suddenly, her face brightening with the offer.
"Ehh, what?" Haari's eyes widened in surprise.
"I said, wanna eat lunch with me?" Ashi repeated, her tone eager as she motioned towards her lunchbox.
Haari hesitated, confusion crossing his face. Is she offering or just being polite? he wondered, glancing at Ashi's lunchbox with a skeptical look.
"But it's yours. Don't you want to eat?" Haari asked, his voice softening with concern.
"Don't worry about it. I have plenty to share," Ashi said with a reassuring smile.
"But!"
No, she's probably lying to me to have extra lunch. Who makes extra lunch? She must be hungry too. I can't share lunch with her, Haari thought, feeling conflicted.
"Thanks for asking me, Nicawa-san," Haari said, picking up his water bottle and offering a weak smile. "But to be honest, I'm not hungry at all. You can eat your lunch."
The sound of Haari's empty stomach growling echoed in the stillness of the rooftop. Ashi's eyes widened in surprise. "Don't you think your stomach is being more honest than you are?"
Haari's face flushed with embarrassment he punched his stomach.
Ashi looked shocked. "Why did you do that?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. Sometimes my stomach needs that," Haari said with a forced chuckle, trying to mask his discomfort.
"Then I'll be going now. Make sure you come down on time," Haari said, gathering his things and heading towards the stairs.
"Same as always, nothing has changed," Ashi muttered to herself, watching Haari's figure disappear down the stairs. She turned to look out over the city, her face a mix of concern and resignation.
"Where are you coming from, Haari?" Rafta asked as he approached Haari, who had just stepped back into the office.
"I was on the rooftop for some fresh air. Then Nicawa-san came up there to eat her lunch, so I didn't want to bother her," Haari explained, glancing around the now quieter office, where the usual noise had dwindled.
"You didn't have your lunch yet?" Rafta asked, noticing Haari's empty hands.
"I didn't have one," Haari confirmed with a nod.
"I was planning to go to the cafeteria. Want to join me?" Rafta offered, his eyes bright with the prospect of a break.
"Okay," Haari agreed, his expression brightening at the thought of a meal.
The cafeteria was lively, filled with animated conversations and the enticing aroma of various foods. Haari and Rafta found a table by the window, sunlight streaming in and casting a warm glow over their meal.
"Wow, this ice cream is good. How did you know so much about these kinds of things, Haari?" Rafta asked, taking a spoonful of his dessert, his eyes widening with pleasure.
"I just know," Haari replied with a shrug, savoring his own ice cream. He leaned back in his chair, his demeanor relaxed.
"What do you mean you just know? Are you hiding something?" Rafta asked, leaning forward with curiosity, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"No, I'm not hiding anything. There's nothing to hide. We all used to eat a lot of ice cream when we were kids, so that's why I know about them so well," Haari explained, a nostalgic tone in his voice as he looked down at his dessert.
"I always forget what I ate last time, and you remember ice cream tastes by their names even though you ate them years ago. That's amazing," Rafta said, clearly impressed.
"There's nothing amazing about it," Haari said, shaking his head, though a pleased smile tugged at his lips.
"Um, Oki, what is she doing here?" Rafta said suddenly, his gaze shifting towards Oki entering the cafeteria.
Rafta grinned playfully.
"Hm, what's the matter, Rafta? Why are you—" Haari began, but Rafta had already headed towards Oki with a bottle of cold water in hand.
"Wait, it's Habi-san. Why is Rafta going there? I have a bad feeling about this," Haari thought, watching with growing concern as Rafta approached Oki, who was standing near the vending machine.
"Rafta, what are you going to do with this?" Haari's voice was sharp, his eyes narrowing.
"Just you watch," Rafta replied with a mischievous grin, his dark eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Rafta, don't do anything weird; she might get angry with that," Haari cautioned, his expression troubled as he observed from a distance.
Rafta moved closer to Oki, his footsteps silent on the marble floor. With a swift motion, he let a few drops of water fall onto the back of Oki's neck.
Oki's reaction was instant. She gasped, her shoulders tensing and her eyes widening in surprise. Her mouth opened in a startled scream. Rafta's laughter erupted, shaking his shoulders as he reveled in the prank.
"See, didn't I tell you not to do that?" Haari said, frustration clear in his voice. He stood in the corner of the cafeteria, his frown deepening.
"But it was fun! Just look at her," Rafta laughed, still chuckling as he observed Oki's furious reaction.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing, Rafta?" Oki's voice thundered, her face flushed and her anger palpable. She glared at Rafta, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
Rafta turned and sprinted towards the exit, his laughter fading as he ran."Thanks, Haari. You're one great friend. Don't worry, I won't forget you until I die. May God rest your soul in peace,".
Oki tinged with frustration. She shot a piercing look at Haari as she stormed toward him.
"What?" Haari's confusion was evident, his brows knitting together. He glanced nervously at Oki, who was closing in with an intimidating presence.
"What is this aura? It feels like a demon king has appeared in this company itself. I have to get out before she kills me," Haari muttered, his gaze darting around the cafeteria as he made a hasty exit.
On the rooftop, the evening breeze ruffled Haari's hair as he and Rafta stood by the railing. The city lights below twinkled in the distance.
"Did you want to slaughter me there like a goat?" Haari's voice was sharp, his eyes flashing with irritation.
"Sorry, man," Rafta said, his tone apologetic but with a hint of amusement as he leaned casually against the railing.
"Why did you do that in the first place?" Haari asked, his frustration evident. He stared out over the city, trying to regain his composure.
"I just wanted her to relax a little bit," Rafta explained with a shrug. "She's always so focused on her work that she forgets to take breaks. She needed a little distraction to get her mind off it."
"Relax? You call that relaxing? You made her furious," Haari said, disbelief evident in his tone.
"This is how she relaxes. She always gets so caught up in her work that she needs a jolt to snap her out of it. Now she's out looking for me and forgetting about her work," Rafta said, a knowing smile tugging at his lips.
"You know a lot about Habi-san," Haari said, his tone softening slightly as he leaned against the railing beside Rafta.
"Of course, I know a lot about her. It's been five years since we've been working together, after all," Rafta said, his eyes reflecting a hint of pride.
"Kichiro-san, could you take a look at these files for me?" Oki asked, walking over to Haari's desk. She looked composed.
Haari glanced up from his computer. "Sure, but where's the supporting data for these?" he asked, flipping through the documents.
"Oh, that. I gave it to Nicawa-san earlier," Oki replied, nodding toward Ashi's desk, which was practically drowning in paperwork.
Haari sighed and stood, carrying the files over. "Nicawa-san, do you have the data for these files?"
Ashi didn't even look up. She was hunched over her desk, her eyes glued to her monitor. "Just leave them there. I'll handle it later," she said curtly, her voice lacking its usual warmth.
"But Habi-san asked me to work on them," Haari insisted, frowning.
"I said I'll take care of it," Ashi replied, her tone firm but tired.
Haari hesitated but eventually relented. "Alright. Let me know if you need help. I'm free right now."
"No, I'm fine," Ashi muttered, her fingers never leaving the keyboard.
Hours later, Oki approached Haari, her face filled with concern. "Did you finish those files?"
"No," Haari replied, shrugging helplessly. "Nicawa-san said she'd handle them later."
Oki frowned, her frustration clear. "She's already swamped with work. You were supposed to do it. Why would you let her take on more?"
"I tried to help her, but she insisted," Haari said, shaking his head. "She's been like this for days."