47

That night, the entire company gathered at an upscale banquet hall, its grand chandeliers casting a warm golden glow over the elegantly decorated space. Tables were lined with gourmet dishes, and a live band played soft background music, setting the perfect atmosphere.

Employees, usually seen buried under work, were now dressed in their best, chatting, laughing, and enjoying the rare moment of relaxation.

Haari adjusted his blazer, looking around in mild surprise. "Wow… they really went all out, huh?"

Rafta , already stuffing his face with sushi, nodded. "Man, this is insane. Free food, fancy drinks—I could get used to this."

Ashi, standing beside them, giggled. "You look like you haven't eaten in days."

The party was lively, with laughter echoing through the hall as company members celebrated their success. Tables were lined with food, and a few groups had gathered to play party games. The atmosphere was light, almost buzzing with excitement.

"Alright, let's play a game!" someone shouted enthusiastically.

"Yeah, something fun!" Haari chimed in, glancing around for approval.

"How about 'Blow the Cotton Ball'?" Rafta suggested with a grin, already setting the stage.

Haari's eyes lit up. "Perfect! We'll have a blast. C'mon, let's do this!"

The game began with Haari and Rafta facing off. A small, fluffy cotton ball was placed in the center of the table. Both of them leaned in close, gripping straws in their mouths. A quiet tension hung in the air as they took a deep breath, preparing for the match.

Oki, who had been watching from the sidelines, leaned back in her chair, not even bothering to hide her amusement. "Ready, steady, GO!" she shouted, setting them off.

Both Haari and Rafta blew hard into their straws, their eyes fixed on the cotton ball as it wobbled toward Haari's side. Rafta, however, was quick, managing to get a little more air out than Haari. The ball rolled dangerously close to his side, but Haari wasn't about to give up.

His face was turning red as he huffed, his breath growing heavier, yet he refused to let Rafta win. His eyes narrowed, and with a final surge, he blew harder than before, nearly knocking the cotton ball off the table.

It was a victory.

Haari straightened up with a triumphant grin, but before he could even celebrate, he began coughing violently, clutching his chest to catch his breath.

Rafta, still out of breath but smirking, wiped his forehead. "Let's make it more interesting."

Haari shot him a wary look. "How?"

"We were playing one-on-one. But what if we made it two-on-two?" Rafta suggested with a wink, already scheming.

Oki raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Two-on-two sounds more fun. Let's do it!"

With that, teams were quickly decided. Haari and Ashi, the reluctant duo, stood on one side of the table, while Rafta and Oki positioned themselves on the other.

The new match began, but something felt off. Despite their initial excitement, it quickly became clear that the game wasn't as fun as they'd hoped. Whenever one of the players grew tired, the other would step in—Haari and Ashi, Oki and Rafta, switching in and out. The cotton ball hardly moved, and the energy began to fizzle.

"This is no fun," Oki said, her voice flat, as she wiped her brow. "The ball isn't even going anywhere."

"Yeah, this isn't working," Ashi agreed, looking at the others with a disappointed expression. "We need to change it up."

Rafta seemed deep in thought, his eyes narrowing as he mulled over the problem. Then, without warning, a mischievous gleam sparked in his eyes. "Wait here." He darted off, leaving everyone a bit confused.

A few moments later, Rafta returned, holding two Y-shaped straws in his hands. He handed one to Haari and kept the other for himself.

"What's this?" Haari asked, eyeing the new straws curiously.

"This will make it more interesting," Rafta replied, his grin widening. "We'll use these. And here's the new rule: both partners have to blow air at the same time. If one of you doesn't, you lose. Sound good?"

Ashi and Haari exchanged uncertain glances. It was a little odd, but they didn't have much choice. They both sighed and took their positions at the table. Oki and Rafta were already set, holding their straws with confidence.

The tension built again as Haari and Ashi leaned forward, their faces inches apart. Haari could feel his heart racing a bit as his cheeks brushed against Ashi's. The sudden closeness made them both freeze for a moment.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Rafta teased, watching them with a sly grin.

Ashi flushed but quickly leaned in again, her hand gripping the one edge Y straw as she tried to steady her breath. She closed her eyes for a moment, and Haari followed suit. They took a deep breath, their cheeks were brusing against eachother, and in perfect unison, they exhaled hard.

The cotton ball shot forward, but as soon as it left the table, Haari and Ashi straightened up, stumbling back slightly as if relieved to have the moment over with. Their cheeks burned, and they avoided each other's gaze.

Rafta let out a frustrated groan. "Man, you two are hopeless."

Ashi quickly turned her head away, trying to hide the awkwardness she felt. "This is harder than it looks."

Haari scratched the back of his head, a little sheepish. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting it to be so… weird."

The rest of the evening continued, filled with laughter and more games.

The night was calm and cool as the party wound down, it's lively energy slowly fading into the quiet hum of the city.

Haari and Ashi walked side by side, the dim glow of streetlights casting long shadows over the pavement. Their footsteps echoed lightly in the empty streets, and the air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of the night.

Ashi, glanced up at the sky. The stars were barely visible, swallowed up by the city's lights, but the moon hung low, its pale glow reflecting in her eyes.

"I had fun today," Ashi said quietly, her voice almost lost in the night.

Haari, walking a few steps ahead, turned back to glance at her with a smile. "Me too," he replied, his tone warm but casual, as though the night had been just another part of the routine.

But Ashi's expression was softer now, her gaze distant as she watched the stars flicker weakly in the sky. She hesitated, her voice growing quieter, tinged with something deeper. "After my grandma died, I lost hope for my life. I lost all interest in anything... but thanks to you and and others all, I feel like I can like life again."

Haari's steps slowed, and for a moment, the usual teasing spark in his eyes faded. He stopped walking altogether, his hands in his pockets, and turned to look at her more closely. There was a heaviness in her words that he hadn't expected. It caught him off guard, pulling him out of the easygoing mood he'd been in.

"What about your mom and dad?" Haari asked, his voice tentative, wanting to understand, but unsure if he should push.

Ashi's eyes flickered to the ground, and the moment the question left Haari's lips, her entire demeanor changed. It was as if the weight of a thousand unspoken thoughts pressed down on her, and she couldn't hide it anymore.

"I lost contact with them after my grandma died," she said, her voice small, almost distant. The words hung heavy between them, and she felt a lump form in her throat. "I was so little when they left me with her… I don't even remember their faces anymore, I seen no picture of them they just sent money nothing more. And I'm not even sure if they're alive or not."

A tear slipped down Ashi's cheek, and she quickly wiped it away, but the damage was done. The crack in her composure was too real to ignore. Haari, feeling the shift in the air, took a step closer, his voice softer now. "I'm sorry…" he murmured, unsure of what else to say.

Ashi turned her head slightly, giving him a sharp look. Her gaze was intense, but there was no anger in it—just a kind of quiet pain. "Why are you apologizing?" she asked, almost surprised. "It's not like you know anything about it. And… it's alright."

But Haari didn't know how to make sense of what she had just said. The moment felt so delicate, and it tugged at something in his chest, something that made him want to reach out and offer comfort, but he didn't know if he was the one who could do that.

Ashi glanced at him, noticing the conflicted look on his face. She gave a small, dismissive shake of her head.

"Are you going to find them?" Haari asked, his voice unsure, almost afraid of the answer.

Ashi's footsteps faltered for a second, her heart tightening at the thought. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. The wind picked up slightly, rustling the leaves in the trees above. Ashi's eyes were focused ahead of her, but it was clear her mind had already drifted far away from the present moment.

"No," she said, the words heavy with finality. "If they cared about me, they wouldn't have abandoned me like that." She paused, her shoulders sagging for just a second, then she continued, her voice quieter now, almost like she was talking to herself. "I think I'm an orphan now haha fummy right."

Haari's eyes widened in shock. He stared at her for a moment, feeling a wave of discomfort surge through him. He took a step forward, his hand slightly outstretched as though to stop her from saying more.

"No," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "Don't call yourself that."

Ashi froze in place, her breath catching as she looked back at him. She blinked, her chest tightening as the emotion she had been holding back suddenly broke free. "But it's true," she snapped, her voice shaking with a quiet fury. "It's true, Kichiro-san. I can't just neglect it. I am an orphan." Tears welled up in her eyes again, and this time, they didn't stop.

She squeezed her eyes shut, as if to block out the reality of it, but the tears still slipped down her face, betraying her.

Haari felt the words hit him like a punch to the gut. He wasn't prepared for this moment—the vulnerability, the rawness of it. He stepped forward, his instincts pulling him toward her as if to say something, anything that could make this moment better, but nothing seemed right.

Ashi wiped her tears away hastily, frustrated by her own weakness, but Haari wasn't about to let her go through it alone. Without thinking, he reached out, placing a hand gently on her shoulder, a simple gesture but one that carried all the sincerity he could offer in that moment.

"You're not alone," he said quietly, his voice unwavering. "You're not an orphan. You have us. You have me."

Ashi stiffened at first, unsure of how to respond to his sudden closeness. But as she stood there, feeling his warmth and the sincerity in his voice, something in her chest loosened. It was a small thing, but it felt like the first time in a long while that she could breathe without that heavy weight of abandonment pressing down on her.

"Thanks, KIchiro-san," she whispered, not fully trusting herself to say more, but appreciating the quiet support nonetheless.

They stood in silence for a moment, the quiet night wrapping around them like a blanket, each lost in their own thoughts. The city hummed faintly in the background, distant and calm, but for Ashi and Haari, the moment felt timeless, like everything had changed in the space of just a few words.