"Bruh, you still eating boiled rice and pickles? Are you an old sage or something?"
Sam stared at Cyan, eyebrows raised as he unwrapped his own lunch.
Cyan glanced at him and replied calmly,
"I've eaten this since I was a kid. It's my favorite."
Sam blinked, then laughed, poking at Cyan's plate with his chopsticks.
"What kind of life were you living, Cyan, to actually get used to this?"
Cyan gave a small smile — not the cheerful kind. A quiet one.
The kind that said, Yeah... I really did live a hard life.
But Sam didn't catch it. He was already busy chewing on his lunch.
"You should try a proper bento sometime," he mumbled between bites.
"Tastes amazing and it's healthy too. If you're into rice, you'd love chahan.
Seriously, it's like next-level fried rice."
Cyan leaned back slightly and said with a small grin,
"Don't be a sloth like always. Eat fast — we've got work to finish. And you have that extra task,
remember?"
It wasn't loud or mean.
But the grin said it all — Cyan was enjoying this little revenge.
Sam groaned, his mouth full of rice.
"Bruh, are you serious right now? Don't bring that up when I'm trying to have a peaceful lunch!"
He waved his chopsticks dramatically.
"Let me eat in peace, man!"
Sam finally stopped talking long enough to finish his last bite.
Cyan had already cleaned his tray, sipping the last of his tea with that calm, unreadable look.
"Took you long enough," Cyan muttered.
"Some of us savor food, not inhale it,"
Sam shot back, wiping his mouth.
After washing their hands, they walked through the hallway back to the workroom.
As they strolled, Sam asked casually,
"Cyan, you once told me about your father… but you never mention your mom. Is she
with you? Or does she live somewhere else?"
Cyan's face tightened—his expression crunched like the very name brought weight he didn't
want to carry. Without a word, he picked up his pace.
Sam noticed the shift.
He muttered to himself,
"Guess I shouldn't have brought up his mom… alright, leave it for now."
Catching up, Sam said softly,
"Hey, sorry. I guess I shouldn't have asked about your mom. Forget it, alright?"
Then, with a grin to change the mood,
"Anyway, why're you walking so fast? Let's take it slow and enjoy the view. You know,
Team 2 has some pretty cute girls. Come on, let's go say hi!"
He said it with his usual triumphant tone, trying to lighten the moment.
But Cyan just looked at him — a hollow, blank stare — before walking off again without a word.
Still, Sam kept chatting, thinking Cyan was right beside him.
He kept talking about girls, cracking jokes, assuming Cyan was keeping pace...
Until he paused mid-sentence.
"...Huh? Where'd he go?"
Sam looked around, realizing he was alone.
"Oi! Cyan!" he shouted, then sighed and ran forward, trying to catch up.
Cyan entered the room, and the moment he saw Yuna, she looked up.
"Oh, Cyan, you're back from lunch?" she said with a small smile.
Cyan just nodded slightly.
"Hmph," he muttered, not looking at her as he walked straight to his seat and sat down without
another word.
A few seconds later, Sam burst into the room.
His eyes lit up the moment he spotted Yuna.
"Hey, Yuna! Back from lunch? Where'd you eat? Did you bring food from home?"
Yuna nodded, brushing her hair behind her ear.
"Yeah, I brought lunch from home. You and Cyan just got back too, right?"
Sam's eyes widened.
"Wow… home-cooked food. It's been years since I last had that..."
His voice trailed off, and a small tear shimmered in his eye.
"Man, that hits deep."
Yuna let out a polite laugh.
"Haha… nice."
She gave him a faint smile — the kind that felt a little forced — then turned back to her screen.
But for Sam, that smile wasn't just a smile.
To him, it felt like a love arrow had pierced his heart.
He stared for a second, eyes tearing up again.
"She smiled at me… finally, she saw my love," he whispered dramatically.
It had only been a few hours since they'd met.
But in Sam's mind, it was already a love story that had lasted years.
Sam slowly leaned toward Cyan and whispered,
"Cyan… did you see? Yuna just smiled at me. Haha! I'm telling you — she's totally got a crush
on me. Just you wait… within a week, she'll ask me to be her boyfriend."
Then he smugly rolled his imaginary moustache.
Cyan didn't even look up.
"Just for a smile? Boss also smiles at you. Does that mean she likes you too?" he said, eyes still
on his screen.
Sam froze for a moment.
His brain instantly conjured up the haunting image of Boss Mai's rare smile.
He saw the cold, calculated curl of her lips — the kind that made even air conditioners shiver.
"…Bruh," he muttered. "Boss's smile? That's not a smile — that's a devil's grin."
His face twisted like he'd just bitten into spoiled milk.
Cyan gave a tiny smirk.
Sam shook his head furiously.
"No, no. Yuna's smile is like… like an affectionate angel from heaven. Pure, gentle, divine light.
Boss Mai? Tsk tsk, Cyan… you really need to learn more about girls."
A dark black smoke began rising from Sam's back — the kind you see in dramatic anime
scenes, like death had arrived.
"Cyan… can you feel that?" Sam whispered. "Why does it feel like a death aura just showed up
behind me?"
Cyan calmly replied,
"Look behind you. The devil you mentioned earlier… she accepted your summon and has
arrived."
Sam blinked. "What devil? What summon? Are you watching too much fantasy anime or
something?"
Still half-laughing, he slowly turned around.
And froze.
Behind him stood a woman with glowing red eyes and an aura that could shatter steel.
"C-Cyan… you weren't joking. Or am I seeing things? What is that?"
Sam's voice trembled as he instinctively backed up — bumping right into his chair.
The figure stepped forward.
"Oh? Something about a devil's smile?"
That voice.
That aura.
It was unmistakable.
Sam's entire body jolted in panic.
"H-Hoo! It's you, Boss! Haha… when did you get here?"
He forced a smile, but his hands were trembling.
Boss Mai narrowed her eyes.
"I've been standing here for three minutes, and you… not working, and talking behind people's
backs?"
Sam's body started shaking like a leaf. Sweat streamed down his forehead.
But then — a tiny sparkle caught his eye.
He zoomed in like a hawk.
"W-Wait! Boss… those earrings! They're so shiny and cute!"
Mai blinked, caught off-guard.
In an instant, her demonic aura disappeared. She turned slightly, fingers brushing her earlobe,
and spoke with a shy smile.
"You noticed? I just bought them last week. Pretty, aren't they?"
She looked genuinely pleased — like a teen girl showing off a new look.
Sam nodded eagerly.
"Y-Yes, Boss! They're beautiful! And they suit you. Really match your… uh… pretty ears."
Boss Mai blushed.
Behind Sam, Cyan chuckled under his breath.
That chuckle echoed.
Boss Mai snapped back to reality.
Her eyes turned red again.
"SAMMMMM!!!"
SMACK!!
A loud explosion echoed through the office.
Sam lay at his desk, a giant bump growing on his head, eyes watering.
Boss Mai dusted off her sleeves.
"If you start talking again, next time that mouth won't be there. Hmph!"
And she walked away, leaving a trembling Sam and a quietly amused Cyan in her wake
As time flew by, everyone began shutting down their computers.
Some waved goodbye, others rushed out, trying not to miss their buses.
Meanwhile, Sam and Cyan were already outside, walking side by side.
Sam gently patted the big bump on his head and sniffled.
"Cyan… it still hurts, man…"
Cyan let out a small "pffft", amused.
"Oh, you're enjoying this, huh?" Sam groaned. "Seriously, it hurts! See? Girls aren't that sweet..
they're all the same. That bi— ahem, Miss Boss Mai…"
He looked around cautiously to make sure she wasn't nearby.
Then he glanced sideways.
"Anyway… what kind of girls do you like? Ever see someone and think, 'Wow, she's really
pretty,' or whatever?"
He waved dramatically.
"Wait, who am I even asking? You're basically a rock. Girls can't move rocks."
Cyan stopped walking.
For a moment, he was still — but there was a shift.
His expression softened.
Just a little.
A faint smile appeared.
He was thinking about the girl he saw that morning.
Just remembering her…
It made something inside him lighten — if only for a second.
Sam noticed.
His eyes narrowed.
A smirk spread across his face.
"Hmmm… Cyaaaan~" he said playfully. "Did a girl actually move you?"
Cyan didn't answer.
He just smiled to himself and stepped forward.
"Well… see you tomorrow," he said simply, then boarded his bus.
Cyan was still thinking about that girl, even as he sat on the bus.
Why do I keep thinking about her?
I don't even know who she is… or where she came from…
Then why…?
He stared blankly out the window, lost in thought.
Suddenly, a small burst of laughter broke through the quiet.
He turned his head.
A child was laughing joyfully, seated beside a man.
They were smiling at each other — the kind of pure, simple happiness only a father and son
could share.
Cyan gazed at them, and a peaceful smile formed on his face.
But then… something shifted.
Their faces began to blur — not physically, but in Cyan's mind.
He wasn't seeing them anymore.
He was seeing someone else.
The peaceful smile faded.
Slowly, his expression grew pale.
Like a cold memory had pushed its way into the warmth.
Sigh… still can't forget…
The bus came to a stop.
Cyan quietly stood and stepped off.
He began walking back toward his apartment.
The sky had darkened now — dusk settling into night.
Streetlights blinked on, one by one.
A faint shadow trailed behind him as he walked.
The hum of crickets, the distant sound of water dripping from pipes… the city was growing quiet,
but not silent.
He reached his apartment — small, dark, and silent.
No voices.
No footsteps.
No warmth.
He flipped the light switch. A dim glow filled the room, but it didn't chase away the loneliness.
Dragging his tired body, he dropped onto the bed without changing.
His eyes wandered to the photo frame beside him.
He reached for it, fingers brushing over the glass.
"Dad… I miss you," he whispered.
"It's too lonely without you."
His hand relaxed.
The photo stayed in his fingers.
And slowly… his eyes closed.