Chapter Text
“Oh, Newbie!”
It’s the same call, every single time. Whether it’s from the mouth of any of those four, it’s always the same tone. Mocking, vicious, disapproving, and sardonic. But those words felt different coming from her. It sounded almost teasing, playful, but still with a cruel bite. “Newbie” was never going to be an endearing word, not now and not ever.
“Didn’t you hear me the first three times, Newbie?”
Teto looked up from her cubicle, her rectangular glasses reflecting off of the harsh lights of the ceiling above. A pillar of shadow loomed over her, casting a deep reflection in the lenses. Twin tails, long as herself, reached almost to the floor behind her.
Miku frowned with her arms across her large chest. The suit creased in all the right places. It annoyed Teto that she wore it so well.
“Sorry, I was busy.”
“You’re always busy. Now get me my order.”
Ever since she spilled that cup all over Miku, she’s never gotten a single break from the constant nagging. After a while, it would be that the rest of her coworkers backed off and went back to their own cubicles, but Miku made it a personal goal to annoy the living shit out of her every chance she got. Even Luka, who was comparatively civil when placed with some of the others, pointed this out over a lunch break. Teto knew her life was doomed when that cup broke. But she wasn’t ever going to sit there and take their abuse again, especially not with her.
“Give me one second, please and thank you,” Teto muttered, typing fast on her keyboard. Miku placed a hand on the back of her seat and pulled her away from her cubicle. The woman turned back and glared at her with hate.
“I said now. Don’t make me repeat myself again,” Miku growled. Teto scowled back equally as fierce.
“Don’t pull on my chair.”
“I’ll do what I want, Newbie, so hurry up. You’re chipping away precious time.”
She cursed under her breath, got up, and walked away, heading towards the coffee station near the back of the floor. She always knew how to push her buttons. The whole point of office work was to work, and she can’t even do that. Having to do so many coffee runs she practically memorized everyone’s preferences in this whole building, she became their personal errand girl instead of just another office worker. Standing at the coffee station, she grumbled under her breath as the machine whined and spat out brewed coffee. Miku liked hers pure black. It was exactly what Teto thought a sociopath would drink.
She took the steaming cup in her gloved hand and turned to walk back to her desk. Teto paused and stared at Miku, who was sitting in her seat with her legs crossed and busy typing something on her keyboard. She rushed forward, panicked. Miku was probably sabotaging her work. Noticing the shadow overhead, Miku tilted her head back with a smug grin. Teto looked at the screen. The spreadsheet looked somewhat more organized than before.
“Really, Newbie, you couldn’t get this right? This sheet has more holes than a block of cheese. If I hadn’t stepped in, your report would’ve been a disaster. Where’s my coffee, hm?”
“...Here.”
She gave the mug to Miku and stared at her in bafflement. The latter sipped her drink with a satisfied smile. She swiveled around in the chair and stood up gracefully, towering over Teto again.
“Pay attention next time. Don’t let me catch you slacking off with some stupid mistakes.”
“R…Right.”
Teto turned and watched her leave, scratching the back of her head. What the hell was that for? She sat back in her chair, frowning at the still warm seat, and went back to work.
She was early, for once. The only person even earlier than her was Luka, who was already at her station. Miku and Luka were closer acquaintances than the others, since they’ve both been working at the company for a while and knew each other before their jobs. The pink haired woman was busy doing nothing in her chair with a flask in her hand which she occasionally sipped out of.
“You’re early,” she noted, smiling at Miku. The twin tailed woman took a seat at her own cubicle, organizing the papers on her desk leftover from yesterday. “Got itchy fingers to get started?”
“No, there was a roadblock and I had to actually take a detour, but I was driving fast so I wouldn’t be late.”
“Lucky. Hope you didn’t run some poor sob over, though I’d imagine you’d just run off from the scene.”
Miku scoffed, clicking with her mouse. Her inbox was already flooded again. Wonderful. And there’s that project that’s due in a week too.
“If I did run anyone over, they probably deserved it. Nobody looks at the damn road these days.”
“That’s somewhat cruel, wouldn’t you say?”
“You get what you deserve if you’re dumb enough to do that.”
They exchanged looks over the top of their barriers. Luka laid back in her chair and spun on her chair wheels.
“Speaking of, you’re oddly easy going with our new hire lately. Normally you’d join us and splash her with the wrong order, mh?” Luka said with a teasing tone. “Developed a soft spot for her?”
At the mention of Teto, Miku gritted her teeth and pecked aggressively at the keyboard as if she might pound the keys permanently into the plastic frame.
“You know, it gets boring after a while doing the same crap to her. You guys really just get off on it, but honestly, watching her look so pitiful is tiring.”
“Ohh. I see, I see,” Luka nodded, rubbing her chin sophistically like a professor. “I see what’s going on. Ol’ Hatsune’s cooking up something in that big brain of hers, is that right? Well, I’m not the one to stop you from having fun. Though you’re right, she does look like a kicked puppy all the time. It almost makes me feel bad for her, hehe.”
You and your fake sympathies. All of you are just the same in the end. Don’t think I haven’t forgotten you joining in with the rest of them, laughing. It’s all fun and games until you’re the one with a mess on your hands. But I’m better than that. I know when to take it too far and when to stop. Mindless, all of you. I’ll climb above you and put you in your place… a taste of your own medicine after what you’ve done to me.
“Doesn’t she? It’s nice to get a rise out of her. That green-hand’s pretty funny,” Gumi said, walking into the office with Meiko and Rin in tow just behind her. “You guys gonna get drinks with us after today?”
“Sure. But since you’re the one who asked, you’d better pay,” Luka pipped up.
“Come on, we all know you’re such a heavyweight you’d drink my wallet empty.”
The group burst out in laughter. Miku chuckled. It sounded false. She’s never liked drinking parties. Getting blasted in front of all your coworkers and embarrassing yourself was a nightmare she’d never risk. But she’d have to go anyway. For the sake of getting along.
Time passed by. Everyone quieted down and started on their assignments, but Miku couldn’t help but sneak glances at the empty cubicle a few rows away. She was late, very late. And the absence of her presence was like an annoying fly that kept circling over her consciousness, unable to let her focus on her work. The silence that would occasionally be broken by a call for coffee was stifling. Miku really looked forward to teasing Teto today.
“Hey, you heard anything about that new kid?” Miku said in a low whisper. Luka scooted back in her chair to properly give Miku an once over, slight amusement on her face.
“Nope. I have no clue. You worried about her?”
“Of course not.”
“Whatever you say.”
Yet the hours passed and the nagging feeling inside her stomach grew like an invasive weed. Unable to bear it, she stood up and headed towards the manager’s office. Everyone glanced up from their work, their eyes following her down the hallway. She ignored them. They were insignificant.
She knocked three times on the door with the silver name plate. A cheerful voice called back from beyond the door.
“Come on in~!”
Miku rolled her eyes and set her face into a friendly smile before turning the knob and stepping into Una’s office. Her boss, who was sitting behind a classic oak desk with a sleek laptop on top, popped her short head up from behind the screen. Miku still can’t believe that this girl, who was at least five years younger than her and acted like she’s back in elementary school, was head of the entire Administrative department. Sadly, to get ahead in life, you often have to play the part of the sycophant, always kissing up to your superiors and flattering others. Miku was already an expert in that, though.
“Hey Una. How’re you doing?” Miku smiled, putting her charm on at full power. The girl’s eyes glittered with excitement at seeing her, and she quickly scooted back in her chair.
“Miku! You’re dropping by to visit me? I feel so happy! I rarely see you come here anymore! Is there something you need? You know you can ask me for anything, being one of our most productive and outstanding assets, right?” Una chattered, barely giving Miku any time to reply. “You know, just yesterday I was talking with our department leaders and I was suggesting they promote you! You’ve been our best performing employee for six consecutive years for a reason.”
“Haha. Thank you, I’m truly honored. I’ll be sure to keep doing my best,” Miku bowed slightly before adjusting her blue tie. “I just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing. I’m glad you’re well. Though, there is something I want to mention. It seems like Kasane hasn’t clocked in today. She’s been late for quite a few hours now, so I only wanted to know if anything happened to her.”
“Kasane…?” Una’s face scrunched up in concentration as she tried to remember. Her eyes lit up as recognition came to her. “Oh! You mean Teto? Lucky you, I got a call less than an hour ago about her. She’s in the hospital right now, unfortunately. They said she got into a car accident near here and got really badly injured! Poor girl, I feel really bad for her… The doctors said she’ll be there for a while, so I’m putting her on temporary leave until she gets better. It should take about a few weeks for her to be good enough to come back, so I’ll get you guys an intern for your coffee runs if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Miku felt her heart drop into her stomach, but she desperately tried to control her own face to look like she was calm and indifferent about the news. She clenched her hands into fists at her sides and breathed deeply.
“That’s terrible. I really hope she’s okay. Do you know which hospital she’s staying at?”
“The one that’s not far from the downtown street! I forgot the name of it, but it’s really busy over there ‘cause it’s right next to a big intersection, so I hear they get a lot of cases like that. I can give you the address. Are you planning to drop by to see her?”
“Something like that. I want to make sure everyone, even new hires, knows that we’re a team and that we support each other, no matter what happens,” Miku said with a small smile. Una clapped her hands together and beamed.
“Awww! That’s so sweet of you, Miku! Let me write the address down for you!” The girl took a pen from her cupholder, scribbled something on a purple sticky note, and handed it over to Miku, who took it with a grateful nod.
“Thank you. I won’t bother you anymore since I still have to get back to my work.”
“Aw, it’s nothing! Come visit again when you’re free, okay?”
“Of course, Una,” Miku gave her a fleeting smile and stepped out of the manager’s office, the good natured grin wiped from her face in an instant the second the door closed behind her. She clenched the note in her hands until it crushed into a ball in her gloved palm. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her racing heart. It’s a shock, but she felt relieved that Teto wasn’t permanently gone. It would drive her over the edge, and she hated to even imagine it. Still, she’s hurt, and something like this would be life changing for her. Miku wanted to be there, to do something for her instead of being a bystander.. Visiting only seemed right, even if she felt like she was admitting that she really did care after all.
She brushed past nurses and doctors through the sterile hallway, peeking into the small slits of windows in each room’s door as she went by. Sounds of murmuring, sounds of conversations, sounds of pain and sounds of machines. Hospitals are never a happy place, she thought to herself. You were admitted because you suffered, and then you waited to die or to recover, that’s all. She was allowed to visit after she intimidated the front desk with her abnormal height and menacing aura. She doubted the receptionist actually believed she was a friend of Teto’s, but the voice crack Miku accidentally let out probably gave her away, along with the bouquet of flowers she had in her hands. She can’t believe she took time out of her own busy day to buy that for her.
Miku paused at a door identical to others she’s seen and glanced at the plate number beside it. 439. This is it. She looked through the small window. She could see the numerous IVs and pumps surrounding her beside, the lines connecting from the top of the bags down to her arms and wrist. A heart monitor nearby displayed her vitals. Her head was turned away from the door towards the window at the other end of the room. She’s supposedly still sleeping off the aftereffects of anesthesia after open reduction surgery, it’ll be a while before she wakes up again. Miku felt her palms sweat. If she was awake, she’ll have to confront her and it would be painfully awkward. She hoped Teto would still be asleep. It would save her a lot of trouble.
She knocked quietly as courtesy. She didn’t hear anything. Slowly, she opened the unlocked door and stepped silently inside. Miku watched Teto, seeing the slow rise and fall of her chest beneath the quilt she had covered over herself. So different from the Teto she usually knew. Angry, annoyed, stifled. This one looked peaceful, almost childlike. Miku supposed everyone looked younger when they were asleep.
Turning, she stepped over to the desk beside the bed and placed the flowers on it. Miku glanced back at Teto, nervous. She was still sleeping. The woman sighed in relief. She approached the bed, leaning down and hovering over her face.
“You little dumbass,” she muttered, but there was no real anger in her words. Her pale hand reached up, hesitating for just a second, before it brushed some strands of loose hair from her sleeping face. The glasses did add a certain geeky charm to her, but without it she looked beautiful as well. Miku frowned to herself, resisting the urge to caress Teto’s face. She’d creep her out if she ever knew about this. Her back stiffened, and she glanced up at the door. Nobody there.
She bent down and pressed a kiss to Teto’s forehead, pulling back quickly as if she got burned by the contact. Nope. That idiot was out like a light. She huffed. What was she doing, getting worked up all over nothing?
She stepped back, gazed one last time at Teto, and her face softened. Really, it was for her own good. Everything she did. She hoped Teto saw through and understood that.
Miku turned away, opened the door, and walked out of the room, the door clicking softly shut behind her.
***
Teto opened her eyes, staring at the white ceiling. Her leg at first had been numb, but now the pain is slowly coming back in increasing throbs that made it difficult to focus on anything else. It was good the surgery was successful, though she still couldn’t imagine having to live the rest of her life with basically metal bolts inside her bones. Her insurance covered everything, thank goodness. She won’t be forgetting that accident anytime soon. That guy in the car, running over the red light and practically aiming for her on the pedestrian walkway. She threw herself down at the last second, and somehow he still managed to clip and run over her leg.
Teto blinked the haze of sleep away. From the warm gold glow of the lights outside the hospital window, it was afternoon. The call button hung by a string near the side of her raised bed. She didn’t want to talk to anyone yet, even if they’re going to just barge into the room anyway because privacy in hospitals is a myth.
Slowly, painfully, she moved her back and used her elbows to raise herself up on the bed and managed to sit up. The blood rushed down from her head and made her feel dizzy. She took several deep breaths and sighed. Her eyes drifted around the room and landed on the colorful explosion to her left. A whole bouquet stood in a plastic vase beside her, full of orchids and carnations and even a dyed blue rose, and she noticed something rectangular stuffed into the flowers. Nobody’s ever gotten her anything like that. She tried to think who the sender was, but came up blank. Her friends aren’t exactly too close with her, and her parents are already out of the country, so they would’ve heard about this much later. Was it someone she’s known before?
Straining, she grimaced in pain as she bent over the bed and reached for the card, trying not to tangle her drip lines or pull her IVs out. Her fingers brushed against the edge of the paper and she pinched the corner, tugging the card out of the flowers. She pulled back and rested herself for a few minutes before looking down. A generic cover of some flower flourishes. She flipped it open. Inside, written in indelible ink, were two words. Get better.
“The heck?” she said to herself, before breaking out into a cough that rattled her lungs. Only now she realized her throat was as dry as cinnamon. She leaned back against the pillows and scratched the underside of her chin with a finger. Something was seriously off. She thought she misread it with her blurry eyes and maybe the sender forgot to write “soon,” but the period at the end only confirmed her suspicion. It was such a passive aggressive way, like they were commanding her to—
“You’re kidding.”
She looked back at the bouquet, at the only blue rose in the field of purple orchids and yellow carnations. She wasn’t even trying to be discreet. Why the hell would Hatsune freaking Miku give two flying fucks about her, enough to send over a entire custom-made bouquet and a get well card? Was it actually her? Or was it someone else, maybe one of her coworkers, making a fool out of her with it? Did it matter? It felt nice, even if they were going to laugh behind her back again, to just feel cared for. She gripped the card tightly in her hand, frowning. She hoped it was Miku, not Luka or Gumi or any of the others. Why did she hope it was Miku? Her chest felt hot.
She reached over, ignoring the complaint of her muscles, and pressed the call button repeatedly. She wanted water.
The printer coughed and screeched as it spat out page after page of reports. Flashes of summaries and charts flew by and piled onto each other, the sharp smell of printer ink hitting her in the nostrils. Teto stood by the side, watching the progress bar on the display screen slowly make its way towards 100%. The team presentation was due tomorrow, and she would have to turn in her report along with a powerpoint, which she already sent earlier and was waiting for feedback. Everyone was more on edge than usual because of their racing to finish before the deadline, so recently they’ve been taking their stress out on Teto, their personal punching bag. She was beginning to get really fed up with their plots, and she hoped after the presentation things would go back to normal. Sighing, she shifted her weight onto her healthy leg, uncomfortable with the leg brace she was wearing beneath the layer of her slacks. Her doctor had finally discharged her after an entire painful month of laying in the hospital bed and pushing through her rehabilitation program. It would take another six weeks of wearing the brace for her to recover fully, and he advised her not to do any too strenuous activities like running or intense workouts. She still got some recurring pains on the other one, and sometimes she felt an itch inside her leg that made her want to rip her skin off to scratch it. It wasn’t hurting for now, to Teto’s relief. All her coworkers complained to her about how slow she’s been walking. Miku was still acting her usual annoying self, if not even worse than before, after getting promoted to the Human Resources department. As for Una, she thankfully hasn’t told everyone the details, only that Teto had been in a car accident. They all talked about the temporary intern Una hired to fill Teto’s spot, and she felt somewhat proud, in a twisted way, that they still preferred her over the even newer newbie.
“Oh, Newbie! Coffee for two, won’t you? And hurry it up!” Gumi called out while Rin raised a hand to catch her attention. Teto’s back slumped as she sighed and turned away from the printer to shuffle over to the coffee station. She took two paper cups, since after that broken mug incident Una mandated all coffee must be dispensed in unbreakable material, and started filling their orders when someone placed their hand on her shoulder. She froze and turned around to meet a face full of darkness.
“Hello… Newbie,” Miku breathed down next to her ear, a full Cheshire cat grin plastered on her face. Teto stared up and swallowed nervously. It looked like Miku was in an especially bad mood today, because Teto knew the more she smiled the more pissed off she was. “Making coffee again, are we? Why didn’t you put my usual in too? Or perhaps you’re playing favorites?”
“I’m not. I can do it right now—” Teto tried to turn back to the station, feeling her face burn, when Miku’s grip on her shoulder tightened past uncomfortable to painful. Teto winced and glanced back.
“What are you trying to do?”
“Do? Nothing, of course. I’m merely only checking up on my favorite intern. You certainly need a lot of guidance, and as HR Director it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone is cared for,” Miku waved her free hand dismissively. “It’s fine to give encouragement, right?”
“Uh… I… guess,” Teto muttered, busy trying to pour some creamer into Rin’s coffee. She liked hers with two sugars and one cream and a stirrer which she kept to bite on after finishing. Teto was probably the only tea drinker in this place full of coffee addicts.
“Good, good. Let’s keep up the good work, or, well, as good as you can get,” Miku smirked, turned her body, and moved her elbow just a little too far over the edge and knocked the entire cup off the counter and onto the floor. It splashed the corners of Teto’s shoes. The red haired woman froze, staring down at the mess on the floor. Miku tsked twice with fake disappointment.
“How clumsy! You should’ve been more careful with that cup, Newbie. You could’ve burned someone with that heat.”
“You’re the one—!”
But Teto’s protest was cut off with a bunch of snickers and giggles from behind her. She glared back, seeing Gumi and Meiko smirk at her. Luka sat back in her chair with a bored expression on her face, and Rin looked devastated. Was this payback for when she spilled coffee on her? It’s already been more than six months. How petty does she have to be to hold a grudge against her for something that was an accident anyway?
“Really, if you’re acting like this, I can't even imagine how your part of the report will turn out. You’re always making mistakes, and others have to take time out of their busy day to correct them for you,” Miku shook her head, smiling down at Teto. The woman with glasses clenched her hands into fists, gritting her teeth. Why does it always have to turn out like this? “Try not to be so useless, okay? We’re a team, after all, and nobody likes a burden.”
She hung her head, rage and embarrassment and shame all piling up and building on each other. It had already been an exhausting week, and here she was, rubbing salt on her wounds.
Miku shifted her foot away, her black shoes smooth and glistening under the bright lights. She turned her back against Teto and began to walk away, but paused and looked back. The sight of her, beaten down and pathetic, made her feel a surge of wild confidence and power. She couldn’t help the words that came out next.
“Oh, by the way, I heard they have high expectations for you for your report. I’d say break a leg, but I think you’ve got that covered already.”
Teto’s heavy breath caught in her throat as she looked up with wide eyes. The peanut gallery exploded with laughter, but Teto didn’t even care about that. She knew. She knew everything.
“It was you,” she breathed out, staring at her. Miku paused and turned her body around, surprise mixed with confusion on her face before realization clicked in and set her visage into a mask of neutral indifference. “You… you’re the one who sent those flowers, didn’t you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are you that self-centered that you’d think I’d do something like that? Grow up.”
So she wouldn’t even acknowledge it. Teto felt her insides churn with unbridled, insane rage. Always the butt of the joke, always put down. Played with and laughed at. Today was one more drop in the endless bucket of the misery she’s experienced here at this company. Now she had let her feelings get hurt just because someone gave her a little crumb of kindness, but even that was just a ploy. She tried her best, she did what she was told, but it was never enough. Never enough. Enough.
“I’ve had ENOUGH!” She yelled, veins bulging on her forehead. The office suddenly became dead silent. Miku stared at her in astonishment. “I’ve had enough of you, all of you!”
She turned to the group sitting at their cubicles with their eyes wide, jaw open.
“Is it fun? Is it fucking fun doing the same shit over and over again? How empty and sad do your lives have to be to get off on something as pathetic as this? I’ve worked in this place for almost two years, but I’m still treated like some goddamn dog! You think I’m pitiful? Well I think you all are! I’ve worked my way in just like the rest of you, so don’t you dare think I’m going to sit there and take what you throw at me. Unlike you all, I can be productive in a workplace and still be respectable! But you can’t even do that. You just like to see how amusing it is to harass someone who’s less experienced than you.”
She turned herself around and glared upon Miku. The woman in the blue tie had her mouth set into a completely emotionless line. Her eyes glimmered with some intense emotion, and her chest was heaving in and out.
“And you. You…” she couldn’t even find the control to utter a comprehensible sentence, the rage and disappointment was so intense her fingers twitched, wanting to ignore all civility and just grab her and slam her onto the ground. “...I thought you really did care. But you don’t. All you care about is your reputation, your image. I thought you were different, but you’re really just like the rest of them. You hate me? That’s fine. I don’t care what you feel about me. You can climb the ranks all you want, but let me tell you something. You will never be above me. I know myself. I know that I can be selfish, that I can be insensitive, but I also know that I’m a hard worker and that I’m resilient. But you lie to yourself. You put on this… fucking mask and play this theater act and for what? What the fuck is it for? Because you’re scared, isn’t that it? You do this, all of this, because you don’t want to admit to yourself that you just can’t be vulnerable for ONE GODDAMN SECOND.”
Teto breathed, staring at her. Miku’s face was a chiseled statue. The office was as quiet as the vacuum of space. She felt the doom of her words before she felt the room chill at least twenty degrees. Slowly, the twin tailed woman raised her gloved hands up and golf clapped, the sound muffled by the warm layers.
“What a compelling speech. I was quite moved by your… passion. But let me tell you something,” she took a stride towards Teto and suddenly shoved her violently against the edge of the counter. Teto’s hiss of pain died in her throat as Miku grabbed both of her shoulders and bent so low that their noses were nearly touching. A flash of desperate ire glowed in her eyes. Her words came spitting out with strained emphasis and control.
“You. Are here to work. You are here to follow orders, no matter how peculiar or aggravating they are. You stand at the bottom of the hierarchy in this system, so your opinions. Do. Not. Matter. We pay you for your productivity. In return, you provide your labor. You are only a cog in this machine, nothing more. Your only purpose is to listen, not speak, and that’s all you’ll ever be. To step out of line and forget your place is your fatal flaw. This is business, not a therapy session. If you have any complaints, file them accordingly instead of creating an outburst, because I can assure you whatever kind of stunt you think up in that little brain of yours, I can easily counter it with a word. In fact, I have complete authority to get you dismissed from what you’ve done here today, but I’m a very generous person, so I’ll let this slide for now. But don’t you ever forget, I’m the one in charge here. If you don’t like this place, there’s always the front door.”
The hand that was trapped between Miku’s waist and her own body finally slipped free. Teto grabbed one of her arms and pulled her off of her with surprising newfound strength. Miku staggered back but straightened herself, her eyes narrowing, on the defensive and waiting for her next move. But to both of their surprise, splashes of tears fell from Teto’s face and mixed into the cold coffee on the floor. She quickly wiped her eyes, looking away. Miku’s scowl finally dropped. That wasn’t what she meant to do.
“Yeah, you’re right. I will,” Teto said quietly before marching over to her cubicle to snatch up her bag. “It doesn’t matter to me if you get me fired or not. I don’t care anymore.”
The woman slammed her desk drawer shut and walked out of the room. Another drag of silence permeated the air. Miku stood there by the coffee station, her eyes locked onto the doors of the elevator down the hallway. Her heart was racing? Why? Was it because of the confrontation? Even so, she had complete control over the situation, so why did it feel like she just did something irreversible? She ground her teeth. Finally, someone coughed and pipped up.
“She’s so dramatic. Couldn’t even handle a little bit of professionalism.”
“Gumi?” Miku turned her head to her. The woman with short green hair and glasses raised an eyebrow, smirking.
“Yeah?”
“Shut the fuck up.”
Her grin disappeared and she swallowed loudly, ducking her head back down into her own space. Everyone else took that as a cue to hide back in their cubicles. Miku glanced at the elevator.
“Ahh. Damn it,” she muttered in a low tone to herself, massaging the space between her eyes. She didn’t want to have to run today. Oh well.
She dropped her hand and sprinted down the hallway, leaving the others sitting in baffled confusion. Rin nudged Meiko.
“What the heck’s gotten into her?”
“A conscience,” Luka said two desks away and snorted, planting her face back into the flask she constantly drank out of. Rin and Meiko both looked at each other and shrugged. It wasn’t their problem anyway.
It was already raining when she stepped outside, the rain already soaking through her thin shirt. Damn it, the weather forecast said it was sunny today. She cursed and covered her head with her bag, running for the multistoried parking deck. She stopped at the door of her car and fumbled in her pocket for her car key. Quickly, she unlocked the door and flung herself into the driver’s seat, slamming it closed behind her. Great, she was absolutely soaked. She stuck her key into the ignition and sighed, gripping the steering wheel with two hands, staring ahead at the rows of parked cars with a blank look on her face. The tears from before were already washed away by the rain.
“I’m so fucking screwed,” she groaned loudly and slammed her head on the wheel. Why the hell couldn’t she hold her damn tongue? If they only had an excuse before, now they definitely have a reason to fire her. And she would have to take more time to look for another job with the pain of sending out resumes and preparing for interviews. They’d ask her why she was fired from her last job and it’d mark her credentials for the rest of her life. Pathetic. Useless. Stupid. Clueless. Maybe she should just resign to save herself the embarrassment of packing up in front of all her coworkers who hate her anyway. Even though she’s only in her late twenties, it already felt like her life was stuck in a dead end.
A muffled double rap broke through the noise of rain. Teto sniffled and slowly raised her head to glance at the window. Hatsune Miku’s pissed face greeted her in return on the other side, her whole body bent to almost ninety degrees to peer through the window. Even her hair and suit was soaked too. Did she seriously run all the way over here just to chew her out some more?
She automatically clicked the button and locked all the doors. Miku saw and gritted her teeth, rapping even harder on the window.
“Why can’t you just leave me alone!” Teto shouted. Miku scowled. Roll your window down, she mouthed. Teto scoffed and turned her ignition key, the car roaring to life. Miku’s eyes widened, and she looked as if she would punch through the glass and grab her, but she only stepped back slightly. Teto stared at her. She dropped her hands, and her face relaxed to one of only despondent guilt.
“I just want to talk,” she said, her voice muted through the door separating them. Teto looked away and down at the pedals on the floor. Her hand had slipped from the wheel and was clutching the gear shift, wondering if she should give her another chance or just leave. What was there to say anyway? Though, it must’ve been important if Miku ran all the way out here in the rain and got herself wet enough to get hypothermia. Teto glanced at her. Miku only stood there, expectant, even slightly desperate. She let out the longest sigh she’s ever breathed and pushed the button to roll down the window. Miku immediately placed an arm into the car and shoved her head inside.
“What do you want,” Teto said coldly. Miku refrained from rolling her eyes and tried to focus.
“You were out of line back there. You openly challenged my authority and revolted. Do you have any idea of what you did?”
“I’m not going to sit here and listen to you if you’re just going to tell me the same shit again.”
“No, it’s different. I have to act that way, don’t you understand? If I let you walk all over me, the whole damn office would start a rebellion and bring our productivity down.”
“Your office your team your goddamn productivity! Even off work you’re still such an obsequious asshole! This conversation is about us, so why the hell are you actively trying to avoid this? You sent me the flowers, any idiot would figure it out.”
“Yeah, yeah I did, okay?” Miku threw a hand up and slapped her leg. “Are you happy?”
“Hell no. Why did you tell everyone what happened to me? Even Una was smart enough to keep that private because it’s my own fucking business!”
“Everyone could figure out that you broke your leg with the way you’ve been limping since you came back. And besides, it was just a joke. I don’t know why you have to take it so seriously.”
“Would you stop fucking making excuses for yourself? You’ve been progressively getting more bitchy ever since you got promoted and got your power trip.”
A vein bulged on Miku’s forehead and she inhaled through her nose. Getting angry again won’t help at all.
“Look, I’m not going to get you fired, so come back to the office already.”
“Are you deaf? I don’t care if I get fired or not, I’ve already made up my mind. I’m tired of you and your lackeys trying to make my life miserable. And that’s not even what really pissed me off.”
“Then what the hell is? How am I supposed to help you if I don’t know how you feel?”
“Help me?” Teto burst into laughter. Miku stared at her with furrowed eyebrows. “If that’s your definition of help I’d hate to see how you hurt.”
The tears involuntarily came back to her eyes, and Teto looked away from her to glare at the steering wheel.
“I thought maybe you did care, maybe you were just performing because that’s the way it’s always been here, so you had to fit in. But it fucking hurt because you played with my feelings. You’re like the rest of them.”
She swallowed, gripping the clutch harder.
“And I’m not stupid either. I noticed the little things you do. I can’t tell if you like me or hate me, and it bothered me. But I honestly don’t care anymore. I’m mad at myself for letting it get this far in the first place.”
She clenched the gear and shifted it from parking to drive. Miku lunged and unlocked her car door from the inside before flinging it open. Teto looked up in shock, barely able to register the sheer audacity of what she just did. Her wide build blocked out the entire space of the door.
“I do care,” she growled, hands gripping the frame of the car. “You have no goddamn clue how much I care. Did you even know about how I felt when I heard you got into that accident?”
“Clearly I don’t, because you just acted the same way!”
“Would you just listen to me?” she roared, and Teto recoiled back in her seat in terror. Her voice echoed throughout the silent parking deck. Miku’s face nearly crumbled, she looked so ashamed and enraged at the same time. “I…I know I’m not a good person. And I admit that I went too far myself, sometimes. But you have to understand. I do care about you, even if I didn’t show it in a way that made sense. I tried my best to toughen you. It’s a dog eat dog world out there. If you don’t climb the ranks you get crushed. That’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to help you. But I pushed too far. And… I’m sorry that I hurt you. I didn’t mean to make you cry. So just…”
She lowered her head, her eyes on the ground. Teto watched her, frozen, awed. Who was this anymore?
“Please. Don’t leave,” she whispered. Was it too much to ask? She bared herself for her, threw her gauntlet into the ring for her, and now she literally was asking her to stay. It was the rock bottom of her life, having to put herself into Teto’s palm, but then again it was Teto, and she’d do anything for her, even if it meant she’ll have to reveal every hidden insecurity and secret she had.
“...Really?”
Miku looked up into Teto’s face, seeing the tears glistening in her eyes behind her glasses. Ah, even if she is crying, she still truly is beautiful.
“Yes,” Miku breathed, wanting to reach out and holding herself back. She doesn’t know. How could she know? And even if she did, she doubted Teto deserved her. She wanted to try, at least.
“Why? Why me? I haven’t done anything for you.”
“I just do. And maybe it’s because you remind me of my younger self, in a way,” Miku lowered her eyes, a small laugh escaped from her mouth. “But you’re stronger than me for not giving in. You’re pretty bold, you know. And also reckless.”
Teto looked at her and slowly shook her head, a smile she couldn’t help growing on her face. She pushed her glasses up and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Yeah, I guess. You’re a lot more confident than I am.”
Miku gave a bittersweet smile.
“I’ve had a lot of practice.”
Teto tapped her on the wheel and blinked twice, looking at Miku again.
“You should get in the car. You might get sick standing out there all wet.”
“Oh, is the Newbie worried about her superior?”
“...Don’t get cocky about it.”
Miku closed her door, went around to the other side, and Teto unlocked it for her. She squeezed her freakishly tall body into her tiny passenger seat. Teto turned on the heating, watching the warm air blow teal strands of hair back from Miku’s face. The twin tailed woman glanced at her, her gloved hands clasped together in her lap, looking meek. Teto tilted her head. Miku really had a fine figure, even if others found her appearance offputting. And the way she’s oddly quiet… it’s quite endearing.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“I liked the flowers you sent me. Especially the rose.”
“...Oh. Yeah. Thanks.”
Teto’s eyes darted to her face. To her surprise, the woman’s face was slightly flushed. She looked away and bit her lip.
“You know, I’ve never really had any friends after I graduated. I was always a bit of a loner.”
Miku listened attentively to her, her fingers interlocked with each other.
“So, uh. It’s nice to have someone who really cares. None of my friends live close enough to where I work, and my family’s always out of the country.”
“...Teto.”
She turned her head. It was the first time she’s said her name. But her words were swallowed back down when Miku leaned forward and held her face, pressing a kiss to her lips. Teto’s mouth remained parted as she pulled back, smiling sadly.
“Is it okay if I want to be more than just friends?”
“I…” Teto raised a hand to her mouth, the lingering feeling of warmth etched into her mind now for eternity. It was surreal. “I… if you’re… fine with it. I guess I am too.”
She tried to laugh, but her nervous tone gave away to her disbelief. She covered her mouth as her entire upper chest and face turned a bright red. Oh God. This was not good. Too fast, way too fast for her!
“Y-You know what? I should probably get back to work, huh?” Teto grabbed her key and bag and nearly tumbled out of her car. Miku crossed her arm with a smirk on her face.
“So that’s what did it, huh? Guess I’ll have to do that more often, if it motivates you this much.”
“Screw you!” she gave her the middle finger and ran back out of the parking deck. Miku looked at herself in the rearview mirror. Nope, that blush hasn’t gone away.
“Hah, what a pain.”