Chapter 58:

57

Flavors of the Heart


"Morning, Nicawa-san."

Ashi flinched slightly before turning to see Riku. Her eyes darted away from him instinctively.

"M...Morning," she replied, her voice hesitant.

"Did you get a good sleep last night?" Riku asked, his tone light, as if nothing had happened the previous night.

"Last night…" The words made her tense up. Memories of Riku's confession rushed back, making her uneasy. She still hadn't found a way to process or respond to the situation he had put her in. "Yeah," she finally said.

"So—" Just as Riku was about to continue, someone suddenly hugged Ashi from behind, making her jump.

"Morning, Nicawa-san!"

Ashi startled, quickly turning her head. "Huh? Ah? Yeah… morning."

It was Ane.

"So, how did the book fair go?" Ane asked cheerfully.

"It went very well," Ashi replied, regaining her composure.

"Really? So, could you lend me one of the books you bought?" Ane grinned.

"Huh? Yeah… but why don't you buy your own?" Ashi asked curiously.

"I don't know which books are good," Ane admitted, shrugging. "Since you're into them, I thought you'd be the right person to ask."

Riku, watching the conversation, silently stepped away, leaving them alone. Ane followed him with her gaze, her expression turning serious for a brief moment before she turned back to Ashi.

"Nicawa-san, I'll be working with you from now on," Ane suddenly announced.

"Huh? With me?" Ashi blinked.

"Yeah, Boss assigned me to lend a hand with your work."

"What about your previous shift?" Ashi asked.

"Don't worry about it. There are employees who can manage that," Ane assured her as she pulled out the chair at the desk next to Ashi's.

Break Time

Ashi made her way to the rooftop, holding two lunch boxes in her hands. The sky was covered in dark clouds, and the freezing wind whipped through the air.

As she stepped onto the rooftop, she was met with an unexpected sight.

It was empty.

Huh? Kichiro-san isn't here?

Come to think of it, I haven't seen Kichiro-san since this morning.

A small pang of unease settled in her chest. Turning on her heels, she hurried back downstairs, searching through the office. Yet, no matter where she looked—Haari was nowhere to be found.

Returning to her desk, she set the untouched lunch boxes down, her eyes flickering to Haari's desk again.

The entire office was quiet. Most employees were out for lunch.

But the one person she was looking for… was missing.

Then, movement caught her attention.

Ane was adjusting chairs at the far end of the office—strangely. Ashi watched as she placed two chairs close together, facing each other. Then, with surprising agility, she climbed onto them, balancing with both feet planted firmly on the seats.

Taking a deep breath, Ane suddenly roared, "LISTEN UP, EVERYONE! FROM NOW ON, I AM YOUR NEW COMPANY BOSS!"

Ashi blinked in surprise.

Ane then shifted her posture dramatically, mimicking an audience's response. In an exaggerated tone, she gasped, "What?! A new boss?"

She flipped back into her 'boss' role, raising her chin arrogantly. "YES! I PURCHASED THIS COMPANY!"

Again, she switched voices, playing the crowd. "What?! No way!"

Ane threw her arms wide, embracing the imaginary power she had just declared. "SO FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, YOU WILL ALL FOLLOW MY COMMANDS! AND IF ANYONE DARES TO DEFY ME…" She lowered her voice into an ominous growl, "I WILL CUT THEIR SALARY IN HALF FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES! YAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

She switched back to the crowd's reaction. "WHAT?! YES, AS YOU SAY, BOSS!"

"We'll do anything you command!"

"We are ready to dedicate our lives to you!"

Ane suddenly paused, frowning. "Wait… isn't that a bit too much?" she muttered to herself before jumping back into character. "NO NEED TO SACRIFICE YOUR LIVES! I DON"T NEED YOUR LIFES WHAT NEED IS—"

"Yane?"

Ane lost her balance instantly.

With a loud yelp, she tumbled off the chairs, crashing onto the floor with a heavy thud. "Ow, ow, ow!" she groaned, rubbing the back of her head.

Ashi stifled a chuckle. "That was quite the performance."

Ane shot up, her face turning red. "Wait—how long have been watching me?!"

"From the beginning," Ashi admitted, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

Ane buried her face in her hands. "That's so embarrassing!"

Still laughing softly, Ashi decided to change the subject. "Hey, Yane… by any chance, do you know where Kichiro-san is?"

"Huh? Bro? Why?" Ane asked, tilting her head.

"I was looking for him, but I haven't seen him anywhere in the building."

"Oh, that's because he's not here today," Ane replied casually.

Ashi's brow furrowed. "What? Why? Did something happen?"

"Nah," Ane shrugged. "Last night, I saw him working on some company report related to another firm. He said he had to submit it today no matter what, so I guess he went to do that."

Ashi stiffened. "Wait… handling reports for other companies is my job. Why was he doing it?"

Ane tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I think there was some kind of emergency, and since you weren't available, someone had to take care of it."

Ashi's mind reeled.

Then, she remembered—the coffee cup she had found on her desk this morning.

Without wasting another second, she rushed back to her desk and quickly checked her computer's activity log.

Her breath hitched as she stared at the screen.

Her PC had been active the entire night.

And the report… was newly made.

By Haari.

Ashi's hands slowly curled into fists, her chest tightening as realization hit her like a tidal wave.

He had been here.

All night… sitting at her desk, finishing her work for her.

For her.

Her heart ached as she stared at the screen, her mind racing with everything that had happened between them. He had always been there for her, quietly helping, silently supporting… even after she had distanced herself from him over something so trivial.

And now, while she was out at the book fair, enjoying her time… he had been here, working until morning.

A pang of guilt struck deep in her chest.

What had she done?

At evening, Ashi lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind clouded with thoughts. The sound of rain tapping against her window blended with the distant rumble of thunder. Her conversation with the boss from earlier echoed in her ears.

"The reporting time will over around 7 PM, so I guess he'll be back around 7:30," the boss had said.

Her fingers clenched the fabric of her blanket as she exhaled slowly. The weather outside had taken a turn for the worse. The thunder cracked violently, shaking the sky. It was getting late.

Meanwhile, at the metro station, Haari stepped out onto the platform. The rain poured relentlessly, drenching everything in sight. He looked exhausted—his shoulders slumped, dark circles visible under his eyes. The heavy burden on his heart reflected in his weary gaze.

Without much thought, he stepped out of the station and into the heavy rain. He wandered aimlessly before settling onto a bench near the road, his clothes getting completely soaked. The cold didn't bother him. Instead, his mind was consumed by the relentless thoughts clawing at him.

He had submitted the report, but there was no sense of relief. Instead, a voice from the past whispered through his mind.

You killed her. She was dead because of you. If it weren't for you, she would be alive today.

His breath hitched as the words sliced through him like a cold blade. His fingers curled into fists, his nails digging into his palms. A single tear escaped his eye, lost in the downpour. He sat down on a station bench, allowing the rain to drench him as if it could wash away his guilt.

Suddenly, the rain above him ceased. Haari blinked, realizing that an umbrella had been held over him. Slowly, he looked up.

Standing before him, Ashi frowned, her brows furrowed with concern.

"Nicawa-san... what are—"

"Could you please worry about yourself for once?" she snapped, her voice filled with frustration and something deeper—worry. "Why are you sitting here like this?"

Haari hesitated. "Why are you here?"

Ashi sighed, gripping the umbrella tighter. "I wouldn't be if the weather wasn't so bad. I knew you didn't bring an umbrella with you, and knowing you, you wouldn't even care. Kichiro-san… please, you have to take care of yourself."

Haari forced a weak smile, but it barely held. "Ah, I'm sorry… I forgot," he mumbled in a low voice.

"Let's go," Ashi said, turning away slightly.

Without another word, the two of them walked side by side through the rain, the silence between them heavy. The only sound was the raindrops hitting the ground and the distant rumble of thunder. But inside Haari's mind, the voices wouldn't stop.

You killed her.

His steps faltered slightly.

She died because of you.

His breathing became shallow.

If it weren't for you…

A sharp pain clenched in his chest.

"I'm sorry…" he barely whispered before his knees gave out. His vision blurred as the world spun around him.

"Kichiro-san!" Ashi's voice rang in his ears, filled with panic. He felt her hands grab him, trying to steady him, but his body refused to move.

He collapsed onto the wet pavement, the cold rain soaking into his skin. His vision was fading, but through the haze, he saw Ashi's terrified expression.

She dropped the umbrella, shaking him. "Kichiro-san! Kichiro-san! Kichiro-san!" Her voice was trembling, desperate.

His lips barely parted, his voice just a breath against the rain.

"I… I didn't kill… h-her…"

And then, the darkness consumed him.

A few moments later, Haari was lying on a comfortable bed, still unconscious, but his face seemed at ease now. Ashi sat outside the room, waiting anxiously. A man stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"Ma'am, I changed his clothes and gave him some medicine. He won't be waking up until morning," the man informed her.

"Thank you very much," Ashi said sincerely.

"Ma'am, you should change too. You'll catch a cold like that," the man added, noticing her damp clothes.

"Yeah… thanks for your help, sir," Ashi replied.

The man nodded and left. Ashi had brought Haari to a nearby hotel after he collapsed, unable to carry him home in the storm. She entered the room quietly, finding Haari sleeping peacefully in a bathrobe. For a moment, she just stood there, staring at him.

Then, she headed to the bathroom to take a shower. After washing away the cold rain, she let her clothes dry and stepped out, wrapped in a bathrobe.

Ashi moved closer to Haari, kneeling beside the bed. She wanted to say something—wanted to express everything she felt—but no words seemed right. Was it gratitude? Was it guilt? Or was it something else entirely?

She wasn't sure.

Her chest tightened as she looked at his peaceful face. The exhaustion on his features was still visible, even in sleep.

After a long silence, she finally whispered, "I'm sorry…"

Leaning forward, she pressed a gentle kiss to Haari's forehead, her heart heavy with emotions she couldn't yet name.

Morning came, and Haari stirred awake. His vision was hazy as he slowly blinked, trying to register his surroundings.

"Huh…? Where am I?" he murmured, looking around the unfamiliar room. The soft scent of clean sheets filled his senses. He sat up slightly, his body feeling unusually light.

Then, his gaze lowered to himself.

A bathrobe?

His mind scrambled to recall the events of last night, but everything was a blur. "What happened…? How did I get here?" he muttered, rubbing his temple.

Then, a realization struck him.

"Wait… Nicawa-san… Where is she?" He looked around, but the room was empty. There was no sign of her.

"Was it all just a dream?" he mumbled to himself, doubt creeping into his thoughts. But if it was a dream… how did he end up here?

Raju Singh
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