Haari shot up in his chair, sweat beading on his brow. "R-Rafta? Nope, haven't seen him," he stammered, forcing a laugh. "Probably slacking off in a corner somewhere, right?"
"I told Rafta to give me a report on Ashi's work," she said, her voice laced with irritation. "I can't believe I fell for his act this morning. How did I even convince myself that he was actually changing?"
"Yeah, what do you expect? Once a slacker, always a slacker," Haari said, trying to sound nonchalant. But his forced grin and trembling hands betrayed him.
Oki, too busy ranting, didn't notice. "I was hoping to get the report so I could check on Ashi myself. But now I'll have to do all the work again! Next time I see him, I swear I'll kill him!"
Haari gulped, throat dry. "Oh, totally—give him hell," he croaked, nodding too fast.
She spun on him, sharp. "Kichiro-san."
"Y-Yes?!" He stiffened, chair creaking under him.
"I'm swamped," Oki said, rubbing her temple. "Can you check on Ashi for me?"
He blinked, brain catching up. "Uh—yeah, sure! On it!"
As the office day fizzled out, Haari slung his bag over his shoulder, waving stiff goodbyes. His head buzzed. Rafta's still in the basement. Out cold. What the hell do I do with him? He shoved the thought down, beelining for the exit.
The doorbell's soft chime bounced off the peeling beige walls of Ashi's apartment hallway, a faint musty whiff clinging to the air. Haari rocked on his heels, nerves jangling. Oki told me to check on her, but… what do I even say?
He paced a tight circle, muttering. "Okay, rehearse it. Door opens, she's there—hair messy, chill as ever. 'Kichiro-san, what are you doing here?' she says. And I go, 'Oh, just swinging by to see how you're holding up.' Smooth, right?"
He winced, shaking his head. "No, that's garbage—sounds like I'm stalking her. Too weird." His finger hovered over the bell again, then froze. "Wait, why's she taking forever? Is she even home?"
In his mind, Ashi cracked the door, eyebrow quirked. "Kichiro-san? You lost or something?"
"Nah, just… Habi-san sent me," he'd fumble, scratching his neck.
"Ehh?" She'd tilt her head, half-smirking. "Since when are you her errand boy?"
Haari shook his head, snapping back to reality. "No, no, no, that won't work. It sounds way too suspicious." He frowned, his finger hesitating over the doorbell. "But why is she taking so long to answer?"
Haari's patience frayed. He jabbed the doorbell again, the harsh buzz slicing the hallway's hush. Once, twice—nothing. His stomach twisted tighter with each unanswered ring, a cold sweat prickling his neck.
A faint creak snapped him out of it. Across the hall, a door eased open, and a tiny old woman poked her head out. Her floral cardigan hung loose on her frail frame, glasses slipping down her nose as she squinted at him.
"Who're you?" she asked, voice a mix of nosy and wary, like she'd caught a stray cat sniffing around.
Haari spun, plastering on a quick smile. "Uh, I—I'm a friend of Nicawa-san's," he said, nodding at Ashi's door. "Came to check on her, but she's not answering. Figured she might've run out for shoping."
The aunt's frown carved deeper lines into her face. "Out? No, she's been in all day—I'd know. I'm her aunt, live right here." She tapped her doorframe, then paused, voice dipping. "She always pops over with leftovers—her cooking's too good to keep to herself—but not today. I rang her earlier, too. No answer."
"She hasn't left her apartment all day. "
Haari's gut sank, a chill crawling up his back. "That's… not a good news." he muttered, eyes flicking to Ashi's door.
He turned back to the aunt, words tumbling out. "Can I check from your balcony?"
She blinked, head tilting. "My balcony? For what?"
"To see hers," he said, pointing. "If I can peek over, maybe I'll spot something—make sure she's okay."
The aunt hesitated, sizing him up through those low-slung glasses. Then she sighed, stepping aside. "Fine, come on in. But don't touch my plants, in the balcony they are liek my family, If you did something to them I push you down from the balcony, got it."
Haari Shockingly looked at her " Ah_Ok , I keep that in mind."
Her apartment was modest and cozy, with worn-out furniture that radiated warmth. A small coffee table held a stack of newspapers, and the faint aroma of tea lingered in the air. Haari stepped onto the balcony, the cool breeze brushing against his face. Potted plants lined the railing, their leaves gently swaying.
Peering over the edge, he spotted Ashi's balcony directly across. His stomach twisted when he noticed a pale, unmoving foot visible through the sliding glass door.
"Ashi…" he whispered, his throat tightening.
"What's wrong?" the aunt asked, stepping onto the balcony, her hands trembling.
"Auntie, she's there… on the floor. I don't think she's okay," Haari said, his voice urgent. He pointed toward the other balcony.
The aunt gasped, her face draining of color. "What do we do? Should I call someone?"
"There's no time!" Haari snapped. His gaze locked onto the narrow ledge separating the two balconies. "The door's probably locked, so I'll have to get to her this way."
The aunt's eyes widened in fear. "Are you insane? It's dangerous! You could fall!"
"I don't have a choice," Haari said firmly. He rolled up his sleeves, his expression resolute.
The aunt grabbed his arm. "Be careful, please. Don't do anything reckless!"
"I'll be fine," Haari assured her, though his heart was pounding. He stepped onto the edge of her balcony, his shoes scraping against the rough concrete. The gap between the balconies wasn't large, but the thought of falling sent a shiver down his spine.
The distant hum of traffic from the streets below mixed with the rustling of leaves. Haari took a deep breath, steadying himself. He gripped the railing tightly and began his slow, deliberate journey across.
Each step felt like an eternity, the tension in his muscles growing with every inch he moved. The aunt watched with bated breath, her hands clasped together in silent prayer.
Halfway across, Haari's foot slipped slightly, and his heart leapt into his throat. He clung to the railing, his knuckles turning white.
"Careful!" the aunt called out, her voice shaking.
"I've got this," Haari muttered through gritted teeth, more to himself than anyone else.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached Ashi's balcony. He stepped onto the solid ground, his knees threatening to buckle from relief.
He approached the glass door cautiously. The faint hum of the air conditioner greeted him as he peered through the glass.
Ashi's room glowed dim through sheer curtains, the breeze nudging them aside. It was sparse but lived-in—a rumpled bed shoved in the corner, a low table strewn with dog-eared novel and chipped mugs, a clothesline sagging near the window with a few damp items. Photos dotted the walls, smiling faces frozen in frames, and a calendar hung crooked, today's date circled in bold red.
Haari pressed his face to the glass door, heart thudding. Ashi lay sprawled on the floor, still as death. "Nicawa-san!" he shouted, banging the glass with his fist. "Can you hear me?" No twitch, no sound. His jaw clenched—he needed in.
He scanned the balcony, spotting a rusty gardening spade by a potted fern. "Good enough," he muttered, snatching it up and smashing it against the glass. It cracked, then shattered, cool AC air rushing out to meet him. He stepped through, shards crunching underfoot.
The cool, conditioned air hit him as he stepped inside. His eyes scanned the room, landing on a pair of Ashi's undergarments hanging on the line. Haari froze, his face instantly heating up. "N-Nicawa-san's… u-underwear…?!" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
Shaking his head furiously, he muttered under his breath, "No, no, no, focus, Haari! This isn't the time for thoughts like these!"
Then he saw her fully—crumpled near the bed, a towel twisted around her, damp hair plastered to her face. His breath hitched. "Nicawa-san!" He bolted over, dropping to his knees beside her. Her skin was flushed scarlet, chest stuttering with shallow breaths. He pressed a hand to her forehead—scorching. "She's cold," he whispered, voice cracking.
He grabbed a blanket off the chair, draping it over her with shaky hands, tucking it gently around her shoulders. "Hang on, Nicawa-san, just a bit longer." He fumbled for his phone, dialing emergency with trembling fingers. The line rang—once, twice, too damn slow. His eyes flicked around—open drawer spilling lipsticks, a pill bottle tipped on the nightstand, yesterday's coffee gone cold.
The faint sound of sirens grew louder outside, snapping him out of his thoughts. Just then, Ashi's aunt appeared in the doorway Haari open the door, her face pale with worry. "Are they coming?" she asked, her voice tight with fear.
"They're on their way," Haari said, trying to sound calm despite the storm of anxiety in his chest. He stayed by Ashi's side, his hand lightly brushing her forehead in an attempt to provide comfort.
The ambulance screeched off, Ashi strapped in, leaving Haari and her aunt in its wake. Hours later, the hospital hummed with antiseptic sting and the faint beep-beep of monitors. The aunt perched by Ashi's bed, twisting a shredded tissue into knots, her floral cardigan drooping off one shoulder.
Ashi stirred, eyelids fluttering. "H-huh…" she rasped, voice a dry croak. "Where…?"
"Oh, you're up!" Her aunt leaned in, relief washing over her face like a wave. "Thank God."
Ashi blinked, squinting at the sterile white walls, the IV drip snaking into her arm. "Aunty? What're you doing here? And where am I?"
"Hospital," her aunt said, soft as a lullaby, patting her hand.
"Hospital?" Ashi's brow creased, fuzzy gears grinding. "How'd I—"
"Water first," her aunt cut in, pressing a glass into her shaky hands, tossing a pack of crackers onto the blanket. "Sip, nibble—get some strength back."
Ashi gulped the water, crumbs dusting her chin as she munched. She set the glass down, eyes sharpening. "Okay, Aunty—so. How'd I end up here?"
Her aunt smiled, small but warm. "A man from your work saved you. Showed up last night to check on you—"
"A man?" Ashi cut in, voice spiking, eyes widening as she propped herself up on her elbows.
Her aunt nodded, unfazed. "Yep. He was standing infront your door and rang and rang, when did get any respone, then he figured that something is wrong. So he—"
"Wait, wait," Ashi interrupted again, head spinning. "He just… showed up? At my place?"
"Mm-hmm," her aunt said, leaning back with a little shrug. "Said you did come to work and didn't say anything about today leave, so he came to check on you . Then he climbed your balcony like some action hero—"
"He what?" Ashi's jaw dropped, a flush creeping up her neck. "Climbed the balcony? That's insane—who does that?"
"I thought the same but he was so worried about you and he did what seems good to him," her aunt replied, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "He found you passed out with a fever on floor, then he quickly called the ambulance lickety-split. Got you here fast."
Ashi sank back into the pillow, stunned, her hands twisting the blanket. "Oh my God," she muttered, voice trembling between awe and horror. "That's… that's nuts."
Ashi's face ignited, a deep red blooming from her neck up. "Oh no…" Memories flickered—feeling woozy, popping pills, stepping into the bath—then black. Her fingers twisted the blanket, voice dropping to a mortified whisper. "I… I was in a towel, wasn't I?" She looked at her aunt with crimson face " Did he saw it "
Her aunt chuckled, patting her arm. "Relax, he was a gentleman—didn't gawk or anything. Just got you help, stayed till the pros took over."
"Do you know who he was?" Ashi asked, her heart pounding at the thought of someone from her workplace seeing her like that.
"No, I don't know his name, but he I'm sure that he was from your company. You can figure out who it was," her aunt suggested.
Ashi sank into the pillow, cheeks still blazing. "Great," she muttered, half to herself. "Just great." Someone from the work.