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Haari’s smile faltered. Which part?! He scrambled to think of something.

Ashi decided to push further. "I really loved the part when the prince told the sparrow to take the gold from his statue and give it to those in need, because he thought the gold was wasted on him."

Haari immediately jumped in. "Oh, yeah! That part was great."

"And in the end," Ashi continued, watching him carefully, "the sparrow died after fulfilling all his wishes."

Haari nodded enthusiastically, trying to play along. “Yeah, that part was so sad. I almost cried.”

Ashi closed her eyes, a strange smile on her face. “Oh, did you? But didn’t you just say you only read half of the story? So how do you know about the ending?”

Haari’s heart skipped a beat. Crap, I messed up. He laughed nervously, his mind racing for an excuse. “Oh, that? One day, I accidentally read the ending. That’s why I know about the sparrow’s death. Hehe.”

Ashi gave him a blank stare. "Oh? Is that so?"

"Yeah! That’s exactly what happened!" Haari let out a relieved sigh, feeling like he’d barely dodged a bullet.

Then—

Ashi’s smile turned cold. “But the book I gave you didn’t have that story.”

Haari’s breath caught in his throat. “Huh?!”

“That book was about two warriors who met each other in battle and became best friends,” Ashi said, her tone sharp.

Haari’s mind went into overdrive. Think, think, think! “Ohhh, I remember now! I must’ve mixed it up with another story for a second. How unfortunate, isn’t it? We both know about the prince story. I’ve read that book too. It has a lot of adventure in it.”

Ashi’s expression didn’t change. “That was a short story in the tenth-grade English textbook.”

Haari’s face fell. “Hah?!”

“You didn’t read it, did you?” Ashi asked, her voice soft but laced with disappointment.

Haari avoided her gaze, his cheeks burning. “No, I did! The battle between those two warriors was insane.”

“That wasn’t about warriors either,” Ashi said, her expression shifting to one of sadness. “Where is the book?”

Haari hesitated. “Well…”

Ashi didn’t wait for an explanation. She walked past him and into his room. Haari followed her, his heart pounding. “Nicawa-san, listen—”

Ashi found the book, still wrapped in its original packaging. Her eyes widened, and she picked it up, holding it tightly. Without a word, she put it in her purse and headed for the door.

Before leaving, she stopped for a moment, her back to him. “Thanks for having me,” she said quietly, her voice tinged with hurt. Without looking back, she walked out, closing the door softly behind her.

Haari stood frozen, watching her go. His chest felt heavy, a mix of guilt and regret swirling inside him.

In office. Haari stood up from his desk, stretching slightly as he glanced across the room. His eyes landed on Ashi’s desk, where Riku was, as usual, hovering around her like a moth to a flame.
Haari sighed, running a hand through his hair. Same old routine, he thought. Without a word, he grabbed his lunch box and headed for the rooftop, his usual escape during breaks.

As he walked away, Riku leaned casually against Ashi’s desk, a confident grin plastered on his face. “Nicawa-san, wanna join me for lunch?” he asked, though he already expected her usual polite rejection.
She’ll probably say no and go to him again, Riku thought, his determination unwavering. But no matter what, I’ll_.

To his surprise, Ashi looked up from her work, her expression calm but unreadable. “Yeah, let’s go,” she said simply.

Riku blinked, caught off guard. “Huh?” he stammered, his grin faltering for a moment. Did she just agree?

A slow grin spread across Riku’s face. Is this for real? Did I finally win against him?

"Heh, well then—since it's a special occasion, it's my treat today."

The two headed toward the cafeteria. Riku couldn’t help but feel a surge of triumph as they walked side by side. This is my chance, he thought, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

The cafeteria was bustling with employees enjoying their lunch break. Rafta and Oki sat at their usual table, chatting and eating when Rafta’s eyes caught sight of a familiar figure..
He paused mid-bite, his fork hovering in the air. Huh? Nicawa-san? he muttered, squinting. Isn’t she usually on the rooftop with Haari?

Before he could process the situation, Riku appeared, carrying two plates of pasta, and sat down across from Ashi at a nearby table.

Rafta’s widend in shock . Wait… Riku? What’s he doing with her? Don’t tell me… His eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. Without thinking, he pulled out his phone and dialed Haari’s number.

Haari stood by the railing, his lunch box untouched on the bench behind him. He checked his phone, noticing that halftime had already passed. She’s late, he thought, his gaze drifting back to the stairs. He let out a long, quiet breath, his thoughts a tangled mess.

Just then, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen—Rafta? Why’s he calling me? He answered the call. “Hello?”

“Where are you?” Rafta’s voice came through immediately, urgent and slightly panicked.

Haari raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Just tell me where you are!” Rafta insisted.

“On the usual spot. The rooftop,” Haari replied, his tone calm but curious.

The line went dead. Haari stared at his phone, puzzled. “Huh? What was that all about?”

The door to the rooftop creaked open, and Rafta stepped out, his footsteps echoing softly as he approached.

Rafta stopped beside Haari, leaning against the railing. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The breeze carried the faint scent of the city, mingling with the tension in the air.

“Did something happen?” Rafta finally broke the silence, his tone casual but probing.

Haari glanced at him, his expression unreadable. “Hmm? What do you mean?”

Rafta raised an eyebrow. “Between you and Nicawa-san. You know where she is right now?”

Haari’s gaze returned to the horizon. “No,” he said simply.

Rafta sighed, crossing his arms. “I saw her in the cafeteria. With Riku.”

Haari’s eyes widened slightly, but he quickly masked his reaction, his face returning to its usual calm demeanor. He didn’t respond, letting the words hang in the air.

Rafta studied him for a moment before continuing. “Did you two get into a fight or something?”

“No,” Haari replied, his voice steady. “Why do you think that?”

“So why is she with him and not here?” Rafta pressed, his tone growing more insistent.

Haari shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. “How should I know? Maybe she just felt like eating in the cafeteria today.”

Rafta let out a short laugh, shaking his head. “There’s no use lying to me, Haari.”

“Lying?” Haari turned to face him, his brow furrowed.

“I know very well that she enjoys sharing her lunch with you,” Rafta said, his voice softening. “It’s not like her to just… change her routine like that.”

Haari looked away, his jaw tightening. “Nah, nah, you’ve got it wrong.”

Rafta wasn’t convinced. “So, what happened?”

Haari hesitated, his silence stretching for a moment before he finally spoke. “We can’t call it a fight, but… yeah, something unusual happened this morning.”

Rafta’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

Haari let out a slow breath, his gaze dropping to the ground. “She lent me a book a while ago. This morning, she asked me if I’d read it. I… hadn’t. I forgot about it. She seemed upset, and then she just… left.”

Rafta blinked, processing the information. “Oh, I see. Why didn’t you read the book?”

“I was exhausted that day, and after that, I just… forgot,” Haari admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

Rafta sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So, aren’t you going to settle this?”

Haari looked at him, confused. “Hmm? How should I?”

“Go and apologize to her,” Rafta said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Haari frowned. “You think that would be enough?”

"More than enough. Just invite her out for a drink and apologize to her."

Haari blinked.

"A drink?"

"Yeah. Sometimes, just saying ‘sorry’ at the right time is all it takes. But if you wait too long, you’re gonna lose your chance."

Haari fell silent, his gaze drifting back to the city. Rafta’s words echoed in his mind, stirring something deep within him. He clenched his fists, then relaxed them, his thoughts a whirlwind of doubt and determination.

“You’re right,” Haari said finally, his voice quiet but resolute. “I’ll talk to her.”

Rafta grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit. Don’t overthink it, just be honest with her.”

Haari’s heart skipped a beat. He turned to Rafta, his voice tinged with unease. “What do you mean… lose?”

Rafta sighed, leaning against the railing. “Can’t you see? Riku’s giving it his all to win her heart. If you wait too long, you’ll lose both your chance to apologize and her. So, be quick about it.”

Haari frowned, his gaze dropping to the ground. “Despite your laziness, you know quite a lot about this stuff.”

Rafta laughed, the sound light and carefree. “Well, that’s the result of being in a relationship for years. You pick up a thing or two.”

Haari rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help grinning a little.

Rafta laughed, and after a moment, Haari found himself laughing too.

The rooftop, which had felt so suffocating just moments ago, felt a little lighter.

Haari chuckled softly, following him. As they walked toward the door, he glanced back at the railing one last time, his mind already racing with what he would say to Ashi. Not again, he thought.

When the break ended, Haari returned to his desk, his mind racing. His eyes were sharp, focused, and filled with determination. As Rafta said, I’m going to invite Nicawa-san out for a drink and apologize to her, he thought, his resolve solidifying.

But as the idea settled in, his cheeks flushed slightly, and his heart began to race. Wait, why does this feel so… different? he wondered, pressing a hand to his chest. It’s not like it’s my first time sharing a drink with her. We’ve gone out for drinks plenty of times before. So why does this feel… so nerve-wracking?

He glanced across the office, his eyes landing on Ashi’s desk. She was focused on her work, her expression calm and composed. The sight of her made his heart beat even faster. What’s wrong with me? he thought, shaking his head slightly. It’s just an apology. Just a drink. Why am I overthinking this?

But deep down, he knew why. This wasn’t just about the book or the apology. It was about her. About the way she made him feel, the way her smile could light up a room, the way her presence had become such a constant in his life that he hadn’t even realized how much he relied on it until now.

As the workday came to a close, Ashi was packing her things at her desk,

Ashi zipped up her bag, carefully placing a book inside her purse when a voice interrupted her.

"Hmm? 'The Silent Echo' ?"

She turned to see Riku, who had stopped near her desk, his gaze fixed on the book’s cover.

"Nicawa-san, did you read that?" he asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

"Yeah, I did. Why?" she replied, tilting her head.

Riku’s expression brightened.

"That’s one of my favorite books! The concept was so unique. I really liked the part where the protagonist loses his voice but still manages to communicate through music. It was such a brilliant way to show emotions without words."

Ashi’s eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?! I loved that part too! And also, the way the story hinted at his past trauma through the lyrics he wrote—it was heartbreaking yet beautiful."