The clock ticked slowly, each second stretching into eternity as Elk Takeda sat at his cramped desk. The office was eerily quiet, save for the soft hum of the overhead lights and the faint rustle of papers. He could hear the muffled voices of his coworkers chatting near the coffee machine, their laughter grating against his ears like nails on a chalkboard.
Elk sighed, his fingers hovering over his keyboard. His desk was a battlefield of crumpled reports, sticky notes, and half-finished projects—most of which weren't even his responsibility. The rest of the team had somehow managed to dump their work onto him again.
"Takeda!" The bellowing voice of Mr. Sasaki, his boss, broke through the silence. Elk flinched, his stomach tightening with dread.
Sasaki stormed out of his office, clutching a report in one hand and pointing an accusing finger with the other. His balding head gleamed under the fluorescent lights, and his tie hung loosely around his thick neck. "What the hell is this mess? This is the third time you've screwed up this report! Are you even trying to work, or are you just here to waste space?"
Elk stood, bowing his head slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. I'll redo it right away."
"You'd better! And don't give me excuses!" Sasaki snapped, slamming the paper onto Elk's desk. "I don't want to hear anything about how you're overworked or tired. That's what you're paid for, isn't it?"
Elk nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. He sat down again, his hands trembling as he picked up the report. It wasn't even his project to begin with—someone else had botched the initial draft, and now it was his responsibility to clean up the mess.
Hours passed in the same suffocating routine. Elk worked tirelessly, his eyes stinging from staring at the computer screen for too long. Meanwhile, his coworkers—Yamada and Tanaka—lounged at their desks, scrolling through their phones or laughing at some inside joke. Every now and then, one of them would toss a task onto Elk's desk with a casual, "Hey, mind taking care of this? I've got a meeting."
There was never a meeting.
Elk clenched his fists under the desk. He wanted to say no. He wanted to stand up for himself and call them out on their laziness, but the words caught in his throat every time. Instead, he quietly accepted their tasks, piling them onto his already mountainous workload.
As the workday dragged on, Sasaki found more excuses to yell at him.
"Takeda, why isn't the budget spreadsheet done yet?"
"Takeda, the client called to complain about the presentation! Fix it!"
"Takeda, I swear, if you screw up one more time, you're out of here!"
By the time the clock struck 7 PM, Elk was the last one in the office. His coworkers had left hours ago, leaving their desks immaculate and their responsibilities incomplete. He stared at the screen, his vision blurring from exhaustion. The air was heavy with the scent of stale coffee and printer toner.
Elk leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "What am I even doing here?" he muttered to himself. His voice sounded hollow, even to his own ears.
When he finally left the office, the city was bathed in the orange glow of streetlights. He walked home in silence, the weight of the day pressing heavily on his shoulders. As he climbed the stairs to his apartment, he thought about how lonely and monotonous his life had become.
Unlocking the door, Elk stepped inside, greeted only by the faint hum of the refrigerator and the emptiness of his apartment. He kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling.
"I can't keep doing this," he whispered.
Elk turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door to his small apartment. The soft hum of the air purifier greeted him, but it was the figure waiting in the dimly lit hallway that truly made him pause.
Celeste stood there, her glowing blue eyes locking onto him the moment he entered. Her short black hair framed her sharp, beautiful features perfectly, with straight bangs that gave her an air of quiet elegance. The sleek black-and-white bodysuit hugged her slim, curvy figure, with glowing green highlights running along her sides, giving her an otherworldly look. Her black gloves and impossibly smooth skin completed the picture, making her appear like a blend of modern art and flawless engineering.
"Welcome home, darling," she said in her usual calm, even tone. Despite her neutral expression, the faint warmth in her voice was unmistakable.
Elk sighed, dropping his bag by the door. "Hey, Celeste."
She stepped forward, her movements precise yet graceful. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close to her chest. The sensation of her soft, warm synthetic body against his was both comforting and familiar.
"You look exhausted, sweetie," she murmured, tilting her head to press a gentle kiss on his cheek. "You worked hard today."
Elk let out a soft laugh, his arms instinctively returning the hug. "Yeah, it was one of those days."
Celeste's glowing eyes flickered slightly as she pulled back, examining him with concern. "I won't let go until I'm sure you're feeling better, honey," she said firmly. Her tone was steady, but her words carried a hint of playful insistence.
Elk smiled despite himself. "You're relentless, you know that?"
"Only because I care for you, darling," she replied. Her stoic face didn't change, but the sincerity in her voice was undeniable. Taking his hand, she gently led him inside. "Sit down, sweetie. I'll make you something warm to eat."
The kitchen came alive with Celeste's movements. She chopped vegetables and simmered sauces with an elegance that was almost hypnotic. The faint sound of her servos added to the rhythm of her cooking, making Elk feel as though he were watching an intricate dance.
Within minutes, she placed a steaming bowl of miso soup and a perfectly grilled piece of fish in front of him. "Here you go, darling. Eat up while it's hot."
Elk took a bite, savoring the rich flavors. "This is amazing, as always, Celeste."
"I'm glad you enjoy it, honey," she said, sitting across from him. "Your happiness is my priority."
After dinner, Celeste approached him with quiet determination. "You're still tense, darling. Allow me to help you relax," she said, guiding him to the couch.
Before he could protest, she pushed him down gently and began massaging his shoulders. Her hands, encased in soft black gloves, moved with precision, kneading away the knots of tension that had built up throughout the day.
Elk groaned in relief. "That's… perfect. How do you always know where it hurts?"
"I am programmed to care for you, sweetie," she replied, her tone matter-of-fact but with a hint of affection. "And I've analyzed the patterns of your stress. You push yourself too hard."
He chuckled softly. "You sound like my mom."
Celeste paused for a moment before responding. "I'll take that as a compliment, darling," she said.
Later in the evening, Elk helped Celeste with her routine maintenance. He carefully inspected her joints, cleaned her delicate sensors, and ensured her systems were running smoothly. Celeste sat perfectly still, her glowing eyes fixed on him as he worked.
"Thank you, honey," she said softly when he finished.
He looked up, surprised. "For what?"
"For taking care of me," she replied. "Even though it's not your responsibility, you always make time for me."
Elk smiled. "You take care of me every day, Celeste. This is the least I can do."
Though her face remained as stoic as ever, the faint flicker in her glowing eyes told him everything he needed to know.
As the night drew to a close, the two of them retired to the bedroom. Elk rested his head on her chest, her synthetic body firm yet soft, with just the right amount of give to feel comforting. Her arms wrapped around him, holding him close as if shielding him from the rest of the world.
"Goodnight, sweetie," she murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head.
"Goodnight, Celeste," Elk replied, his voice heavy with drowsiness.
As she cradled him in her arms, her stoic face softened ever so slightly. "I love you, darling," she whispered.