One Day with Colleagues

“Kouta, how was your last Sunday? I heard that you had a date with Yamauchi-san!”

“Where did you heard about that?”

“Nami told me last night. I don’t know if you are so brave to make that move. As your best friend, I’m proud with you!”

“I just have a bit business with her that day.”

“What is it? You don’t need to hide it from me,” Kenji asked me while showing his smug face.

I feel lazy to explain to him. After all, he will twist my story as he pleases later.

“As long you are fine, Kouta. I don’t care what you want to do after this, but I will always support you! Just move forward my comrade!”

“I don’t know about that. I am still unsure about my own feelings.”

“Didn’t I said that you should have a bit confidence in yourself before? It’s easy for me say this many times though, but I want the best for you! I think you and Yamauchi-san is a nice pair. Or do you have a crush on someone else right now?”

“W-what are you talking about?”

“You like Ishida-san, right? I completely forgot about that!”

“Where d-did you heard about t-that?”

“Look, you are even stuttering right now! Both you had work together before and from there, without realizing, your mind full of her every day, right?”

I decided not to answer his question. I think whatever I answer, he will interpret it in his way. I can’t deny that I had thought about Ishida-san but not every day. It just from time to time. Cause she is so beautiful.

“You need to straight up your own feelings, Kouta! Fortunately, you are a quiet person. I can’t imagine what will be if you are an outgoing person and confess to any person do you like.”

“What’s wrong with like many people? I am not even going out with them and confessing my love. Also, I just keep in my heart only.”

“Maybe you are right. I think I have step out of line earlier. But, one day you will understand what I want to say. Kouta, can you pay for today’s lunch? I forgot my wallet on my desk at office!”

“Make sure to pay me double later.”

“Alright!”

After work, I go to supermarket to buy groceries. Then, I will have ramen for my dinner tonight. Perfect plan! As I was pondering what kind of ramen I will have later, I caught a glimpse of someone. She is so pretty! Is this destiny? No! No! I should stop thinking like this. Maybe this is what Kenji mean earlier. All of this happens because of my indecisiveness.

“Homura-san?”

“Ishida-san?”

Is that her I saw earlier? Coincidences are so scary sometimes.

“Are you buying groceries, Homura-san?”

“Yes, and you too?”

“Yes! I never expected to see you here, Homura-san.”

“Me too.”

“Right, do you want to have dinner with me tonight?"

Dinner?! Why is she inviting me to have dinner with her? What does she wants from me? I can’t stop having this kind of monologue in my mind.

“Don’t worry, Homura-san. I just have something to consult with you.”

“Alright then.”

“Ishida-san?”

“What is it Homura-san?”

“Is it fine to eat at this kind of place? It looks expensive and this is first time I come here.”

“I will pay for everything later. So, tonight’s dinner is on me.”

“But-“

“You can pay me later too if you want. Is that fine with you?”

“Okay.”

I don’t want to order anything weird so, I decided to order ramen. I don’t expect to find ramen in their menu and the price also is not too expensive. Meanwhile, Ishida-san is going to have lamb steak as her dinner. I feel there is imbalance in our choices of menu. The food is delivered to our table, and we start eating.

“Homura-san, the thing that I want to consult with you is about my crush.”

“Y-your crush?”

“Yes. Surely you have heard that I have someone in my heart already. It’s about him.”

“So, what is it that I can help you?”

“How to confess to him?”

I don’t know if she is serious or not. How can she expect me to have experience in confessing my love before? Maybe I had, only in my imagination.

“Are you seriously asking me about that?”

“I know that you don’t have that experience but at least, can you give your opinion about my confession?”

“For that, I can give you my own opinion.”

“Okay! So, I will assume you as my crush and give your own opinion about my confession speech.”

“You can start when you are ready.”

“I will start now.”

I can tell that Ishida-san’s face slowly turn red. She is serious about this.

“During the first time we met, I felt nothing about you. But, as we had been doing many works together, I started to realize my own feeling. I don’t want to lose this chance and decided to confess to you. I like you! Can you accept my feelings?”

Just now, I feel like my heart skips a beat. I can feel her true feelings as if she confessing to me. Wait, I don’t know who is her crush?

“I think your confession is good. As long you tell him your own true feelings, he will understand.”

“R-really? Thank you for your opinion.”

“I-ishida-san?”

“What is it, Homura-san? Is it about who is my crush?”

“Y-yes.”

“He is someone that you know. We have been doing work together before and I fall in love with him. Here is the picture.”

“Is this the picture that all staff took together during company dinner last month?”

“Yes, and my crush in this picture.”

“Amaki-san, right? He is standing next to you while smiling. I also heard that he is quite popular among women at our company and both you had work together for several times before.”

“Y-yes. Can you keep this as a secret?”

“Okay.”

While I look at the picture, I found myself in the picture, squatting in front of Ishida-san. There are so many employees work at the company and we tried to fit as much as possible for the picture. As I look at Amaki-san and Ishida-san standing next to each other, they really look like a couple.

“Homura-san, do you have crush on someone recently?”

“Not really. Why?”

The truth is I have many crushes on someone that make me hard to decide who I really like. I hate myself for being like this.

“Nothing. Homura-san, you can make another order if you still feel hungry!”

“I don’t think I can,” while shaking my head many times.

“Hahaha! Really, thank you for tonight, Homura-san! I can feel that my heart has become lighter than before.”

“You are welcome.”