" Ok" His eyes were squeezed shut, and he looked increasingly uneasy. He shifted his weight, attempting to find a more comfortable stance.
"Kichiro-san, stop moving! I can't keep my balance if you keep shifting," Ashi's voice cracked slightly with frustration.
"Just a little more," she added, trying to sound encouraging despite her visible struggle.
"Nicawa-san, is this enough? Did you reach the file?" Haari asked, his voice quivering with a mix of worry and impatience.
"Yeah, but it seems like the file is stuck. Just hold on, I'm going to try and pull it out," Ashi replied, her voice straining as she wrestled with the stubborn file.
Haari, standing near the bookshelf, braced himself against it, his face etched with concentration and anxiety.
What if I open my eyes? No, no, I promised her I wouldn't open them until she says so. But she's taking forever.Haari shifted nervously, eyes still tightly shut. Okay, I'm opening my eyes just to see if I can help Nicawa-san.
Haari cracked open his eyes and glanced upward. His face paled and turn red.
I can't see anything above except_ two_ Mount Everests. I must be the first person to witness two Mount Everests in the whole world. Haari jiggle his head , No,no, what am I even thinking_but.
"Kichiro-san, you're moving too much. Please try to stay still," Ashi's voice strained as she adjusted her position to maintain balance.
"Nicawa-san, you're squeezing me too hard. I can't breathe," Haari gasped, feeling the pressure building.
Haari's balance buckled, and down they went—Ashi hitting the floor with a yelp, Haari crashing atop her. Papers fluttered like confetti, settling around them in the dim storeroom light. Their faces hovered inches apart, breaths mingling, too stunned to move. Her eyes locked on his, wide and unblinking; his cheeks flared pink.
"Shit—Nicawa-san!" Haari jolted back to reality, scrambling up but hovering close. "You okay? Did I hurt you?"
Ashi propped herself on her elbows, hair a mess, face warm. "No, I'm fine—really."
"I'm so sorry," he blurted, rubbing his neck, still half over her. "You could've gotten crushed because of me."
"No, it was my fault. I took too long to get the file. You don't need to apologize," Ashi said, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Haari bowed deeply, mortified. "No, it was my fault. I was the one moving around too much."
"Kichiro-san, you don't need to be so hard on yourself. We got the file, so let's just finish our work," Ashi said, offering a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, let's do that," Haari agreed, though he still looked unsettled.
Back at the table, Haari and Ashi sat in thick, prickly silence. Papers rustled as they worked, but neither dared speak—their earlier crash lingered like static between them. Haari's jaw tightened; Ashi's fingers tapped too fast.
"There you are," Oki's voice broke in, sharp and oblivious. "Ashi, I need you on this—now."
"Yeah, coming," Ashi said, standing quick. She glanced at Haari, softer. "Kichiro-san, if you need me later, just shout. I'll do what I can."
He nodded, a faint smile flickering. "Thanks. You've already saved me once today."
She paused, then ducked away, cheeks warm.
Evening shadows stretched across the quiet street as Haari and Rafta trudged home, footsteps scuffing the pavement. Haari's shoulders sagged like he was carrying the whole office on his back, his tie loose and lopsided.
"Oh man, you look wiped," Rafta said, tossing him a sideways glance. "What'd they do, run you through a shredder?"
Haari groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Pretty much. Even with Nicawa-san bailing me out, today was a marathon I didn't sign up for. You? Those bills didn't bore you into a coma?"
"Bore me?" Rafta barked a laugh, sharp and bitter. "Nah, they tried to end me. I was this close to keeling over—desk, floor, done. I even pulled a genius move to speed it up."
Haari perked up, just a fraction. "Oh yeah? What's the trick?"
"Simple," Rafta said, puffing his chest a bit. "I flipped through the old calcs, hunting for someone else's screw-up. Figured I'd catch a typo, call it a day."
"And?" Haari asked, eyebrow quirking.
Rafta's face flushed, a slow burn of red creeping up his neck. "Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Hours of squinting, and it's all clean. So I'm like, fine, I'll dig through the files myself—full detective mode."
Haari smirked faintly. "Big hero moment. What'd you find?"
"You won't believe this," Rafta said, voice rising, fists clenching like he was about to punch the air. "After two hours—two hours of my life gone—I flip to the last page, and there's a freaking mosquito."
Haari blinked. "A… mosquito?"
"Yeah!" Rafta exploded, arms flailing. "Smashed right on the numbers! Made a nineteen lakh look like ten—like some tiny jerk smeared ink just to mess with me. I'm sitting there, staring at this dead bug, ready to lose it."
Haari snorted, a tired laugh bubbling up. "Calm down, Rafta. You're gonna pop a vein."
"You have no idea how infuriating that was," Rafta muttered, still seething. "I'm going to kill that mosquito."
"Huh? But he's already dead" Haari said, voice low but amused. "He paid the price with his life for what it did, Haari said quietly."
"It's already dead," Haari said, voice low but amused. "Took itself out for you."
"Yeah, well, it's not enough," Rafta muttered, kicking a pebble down the street. "I want revenge. I want its ghost to know I won."
Haari shook his head, a grin tugging at his lips. "You're unhinged. What's next—filing a complaint against bugs?"
"Maybe!" Rafta shot back, half-serious. "HR's gotta hear about this. 'Hostile work environment—infested with sabotage mosquitos.' I'd win that case."
"You'd lose," Haari said, chuckling. "But I'd pay to see you try. Look, we survived. That's the win."
"Barely," Rafta grumbled, deflating. "Next time, I'm calling in sick. Let the mosquito handle the bills."
Haari laugh as well as Rafta.
"Morning, Nicawa-san!" Haari chirped, striding into the office with a bounce in his step, tie still crooked from the rush.
Ashi glanced up from her desk, her pen pausing mid-scribble. "Morning, Kichiro-san," she said, a warm smile breaking through her focus. "You're early—coffee kick in already?"
"Hey, Haari!" Rafta sauntered in, bag slung over one shoulder like he'd just rolled out of bed. It hit the floor with a lazy thud as he grinned. "What's this? You beating me here? Did pigs sprout wings overnight?"
Haari crossed his arms, smirking. "Nah, you're just late—again. Clock's not your friend, Rafta."
Rafta blinked, then scratched his neck, feigning shock. "Late? Me? Nah, I'm fashionably on time. You're the anomaly here, Mr. Sunshine."
"Sunshine?" Ashi snorted, leaning back. "He's got a point, Kichiro-san. You're practically glowing today."
Haari laughed, shrugging it off. "What can I say? I slept like a rock. You two should try it sometime."
The room hummed with their easy chatter—another Monday, same old rhythm—until Haari's eyes flicked to Oki's empty desk. He frowned. "Hang on… where's Habi-san? She's always here first, barking orders."
Ashi followed his gaze, her smile fading. "Yeah," she said. "But… you're right. She's never late."
Rafta's grin slipped, his shoulders stiffening. He looked away, and the shift hit Haari and Ashi like a cold breeze.
"Densi-san…" Ashi leaned forward, voice tight. "What's up? You know something, don't you? Is Habi-san okay?"
Haari stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "Yeah, Rafta, spill it. You're acting weird."
Rafta swallowed, his usual swagger gone. "Last night…" he started, voice low, cracking at the edges.
"Last night what?" Ashi pressed, her hands gripping the desk. "Is she hurt? Sick? What happened?"
"Come on, man," Haari snapped, patience thinning. "Don't drag this out—just tell us!"
Rafta's fists balled up, his eyes shimmering as he forced it out. "Her Cocru… it died."
Haari and Ashi's breath hitched. "Her… Cocru? Oh no…"
Then both of them snaped out " Wait, who's Cocru?"
Rafta swiped at his eyes, voice splintering as he spoke. "Cocru wasn't some random thing. He was her dog—her best bud since she was a kid, you know? Like, her shadow."
Ashi's face softened, a quiet "oh" slipping out. She leaned forward, elbows on her desk. "How'd it happen? Was he old?"
"Nah," Rafta said, shaking his head with a shaky breath. "Fever hit him out of nowhere—spiked high, fast. She tried everything—vet, meds, ice packs—but he just… didn't make it past midnight." He paused, jaw tight. "That dog was her world. Especially with all the crap she's been through."
Haari tilted his head, voice low. "What do you mean?"
Rafta's hands fidgeted, then balled up. ". Her father died in a car accident four years ago, and her mother..." He paused, struggling to continue. "Her mother's in the final stages of cancer. Cocru was the only constant in her life... and now he's gone too. Soon, her mother will leave her as well."
Tears spilled down Rafta's cheeks, and he scrubbed them away with his sleeve, rough and quick, like he was mad at them.
Ashi's eyes shimmered, and she shot up, chair scraping the floor. "We've gotta go to her—now. She can't be alone with all that!" She snatched her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, but Rafta's hand flew up, stopping her mid-step.
"I tried," he said, voice thick with frustration. "Last night, I told her we'd come, be there for her. She shot me down flat. Said. She said, 'You have work to do. Don't let my personal problems hold back the company.' That's what she said."
Ashi froze, bag dangling from her grip. "But… she shouldn't have to—"
"She's right, though," Haari cut in, his tone steady but heavy. He leaned against the desk, arms crossed, staring at the floor. "If Habi-san wants us to keep things running here, that's what we do. It's how we respect her right now."
Ashi's shoulders slumped, and she sank back into her chair, conflicted. "I just… I didn't know she was carrying all that. She's so tough—putting us first even when she's breaking."
"Yeah," Haari murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "Doesn't mean we're helpless, though. She won't let us in her door, but we can still show up for her—our way."
"Like what?" Ashi asked, glancing between them, eyes still wet.
" We will manage all the work here all by ourselves untill she recover " Haari said.
The break room was a pocket of calm amid the office storm, the vending machine humming faintly as the wall clock ticked away. Rafta sprawled across the sagging sofa like a deflated balloon, arm flung over his face, chest rising slow and heavy. The blinds, half-shut, let in slivers of dull light that dappled the worn carpet.
"Are you okay? You look pretty worn out today," Haari asked, leaning casually against the door frame. His brow furrowed with concern as he observed Rafta's slumped figure.
Rafta shifted slightly, his voice muffled as he replied, "Yeah, just a bit tired from this morning. Without Oki around, it's a lot harder to handle everything."
"Huh, I've never seen you work this hard since I joined," Haari said, crossing his arms and smirking faintly. "Are you done already?"
"Almost," Rafta muttered, not budging. "Gimme a sec to breathe, will you?"
"If you need help, just let me know. I'll do my best to help you," Haari offered earnestly, his voice carrying a note of sincerity.
Rafta sighed and waved him off weakly. "No, you're helping enough. Just give me a moment to catch my breath." His eyes remained closed as his breathing evened out.
The door creaked open, and Ashi entered, balancing a stack of files that teetered precariously in her hands. "Densi-san, could you help me move these files to the storeroom?" she asked, her tone polite but firm.
She paused, noticing Rafta sprawled on the sofa, his chest rising and falling in the rhythm of sleep. A small frown crossed her face. "What's up with him?"
"He's just a bit worn out from the morning work," Haari said quickly, as if defending his colleague's dignity.
Ashi raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh, so a lazy person can get exhausted too," she quipped, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
"Don't be like that," Haari said, his tone tinged with awkwardness.
"But it is surprising to see him actually working," Ashi added, her eyes narrowing slightly as if questioning the authenticity of Rafta's effort.