Office Event - The Office Event After a Fight (Hanamori’s Side)
A certain Wednesday, after work.
I got into a fight with Asami-san.
Over something trivial.
Lately, with business trips and trade shows piling up back to back, we’d both been swamped with work and hadn’t gotten much slow, unhurried time together. I think that built up some irritation on both sides.
That day, I finally got to leave early for once, so I was at Asami-san’s place. I sat on the sofa, idly scrolling my phone, kind of spaced out.
Asami-san asked, “What do you want for dinner?” and I answered flatly, “Whatever.”
“…Are you in a bad mood or something?”
“Not really.”
I answered curtly, and Asami-san let out a small sigh. That sigh irritated me for some reason.
“Stop with the sighing.”
“Eh, let me sigh a little. You’re the one who’s been irritated this whole time.”
“Huh? I’m not irritated at all.”
“Your face looks mad. Don’t take it out on me.”
I couldn’t find the right words to say back, and just silently shoved my phone into my bag.
“I’m heading home.”
“Eh, what about dinner?”
“It’s fine. Don’t need it.”
Cutting off whatever Asami-san was about to say, I grabbed my bag and headed for the entryway.
I heard “Hey, wait” from behind me, but I didn’t turn around, just put on my shoes and closed the door.
Outside, the night air was cold, and I stopped a little ways down the street.
Why did I act like that.
I’d actually been looking forward to finally getting some slow time together…
But I couldn’t turn back, and headed for the station as I was.
Unable to even talk since then, Saturday arrived.
Of all the possible timing, the company-wide BBQ event landed right in the middle of this.
…What kind of face am I even supposed to make when I see her.
Thankfully, the whole point was supposedly cross-department networking, so seats had already been assigned beforehand. I was at a table with Kiritani, one year below me, along with people from IT and accounting.
Asami-san was—
I found myself scanning the venue without meaning to.
Ah, there.
Asami-san seemed to be doing the same thing, scanning around, because our eyes locked, sharply.
Hair tied back, a cap, a sheer shirt, loose denim pants. A casual look, different from work, and yet somehow she still carries herself well. That kind of thing is unfair.
Asami-san’s eyes widened slightly, mouth half-open, an “ah” kind of expression.
Remembering our fight from before, I turned my eyes away, abruptly.
Ugh, I’m being completely stubborn about this.
After a while, I sneak another glance.
Asami-san is talking with the person next to her, looking like she’s having fun.
That person is… Rika-san.
Asami-san’s ex. Her first girlfriend.
Ugh, why did the seating end up like this. Whoever planned this, seriously.
Every time Asami-san smiles, eyes narrowing, at Rika-san, something in my chest aches, prickly, irritated. No one did anything wrong, and yet I can’t help feeling mad anyway.
“Ehh, come on, Kinoshita-san, what is that~”
Charcoal smoke and the smell of grilling meat drift through the air, laughter rising from tables all around. The sound of cans being tilted back, the sizzle of the grill.
With the alcohol flowing, the BBQ was decently lively.
To show off to Asami-san, I tried acting cheerful with the people at my table too.
A clingy voice toward Kinoshita-san, the guy next to me. A little body contact.
Honestly, I don’t remember a single thing we actually talked about.
After a while, I gather up some trash and head toward the sink at the cooking station.
There, I spot Asami-san and Rika-san’s backs, standing side by side, washing dishes.
Standing next to each other again. What is with this.
A flash of irritation, and a bigger-than-usual sigh slips out.
I stop a short distance away, just far enough not to be noticed. Their conversation drifts over.
“Right after we put him in daycare was seriously rough. He kept catching every cold going around, we got called in constantly, I couldn’t get anything done at work.”
“Huh. Must’ve been tough, right after changing jobs too.”
“Yeah, seriously. Exhausted every single day.”
Sounds like she’s talking about her kid.
“Ah, right! Nagi, want to grab food again sometime? I can leave the kid with my husband, even after work works.”
Rika-san says it, turning toward Asami-san.
Eh……
My heart gives a hard thud.
A short silence.
Asami-san, still holding a plate she was washing, stops and looks at Rika-san.
Then, facing forward again, she continues quietly.
“…Rika-san. Sorry, I can’t.”
Eh……
“I know neither of us means anything by it. But I don’t want to make my girlfriend worry.”
I catch my breath without meaning to.
Rika-san, seeming to realize something, continues.
“Ah—! Oh! Sorry, you’re seeing someone. I really didn’t mean anything by it, but yeah, that makes sense, she’d worry.”
“…Yeah. She gets sulky easily. And… I want to treat her carefully.”
“Hmm. She’s cute, huh?”
“Incredibly cute. Cute enough that it worries me. Sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one who’s this into it.”
I could feel the heat creeping all the way to my ears.
No, no, no. What is she even saying, Asami-san.
“Ugh, showing off your girlfriend, how annoying.”
“Sorry. She really is that cute. Though she’s also a brat, so she annoys me sometimes too.”
What is that……
My heart’s racing, my face hot.
Rika-san gives her a joking punch on the shoulder, and I catch Asami-san’s profile, laughing softly.
Maybe she sensed someone behind her from that, because Asami-san turns around, and our eyes meet.
Oh no.
I spin on my heel in a panic and hurry back to my own table. Walking back, I can feel my own cheeks loosening. Definitely bright red.
No matter how hard I try to fix my expression, I can’t hold it back at all.
—She really is that cute.
—I want to treat her carefully.
Even after sitting back down, that conversation just keeps replaying in my head.
Kinoshita-san’s going on and on about some long-winded personal anecdote at me, but none of it’s registering. My head’s completely somewhere else.
After a while, I see Asami-san and Rika-san come back to the tables.
Our eyes meet again, briefly.
Asami-san narrows her eyes and smiles softly.
Different from her serious work face, different from the profile from a moment ago — a soft expression that feels like it’s aimed only at me.
My heart gives a small thud.
I look away on reflex, but my mouth’s probably still loose. To cover it, I take a sip of my peach chuhai.
Kiritani, who’d been watching me intently, speaks up with a grin.
“Hanamori-san? You’re totally grinning. Something good happen?”
“Huh? …Nothing.”
A dumb sound comes out, probably because my mouth’s still loosened.
Kiritani keeps going.
“You’re surprisingly easy to read, Hanamori-san. You were super irritated up until a bit ago, and now you’re giving off total happiness vibes.”
“Sh-shut up. It’s nothing like that. Anyway, the meat’s done.”
I toss that out to cover my embarrassment.
But even saying it, my mouth stays loose, my face still hot the whole time.
I’ll properly apologize to Asami-san later — I decided that.