"Oh, that’s the ceiling" the good old gray tapestry with three lights of which two were not functioning, the vibrant green moss spreading from the angles, and a stain of unknown origins impossible to clean, a familiar view!
Ina was spread on the floor with a blanket of cola cans and half-eaten takeouts, another rough all-nighter at the office. Unable to find her phone she just guessed it wasn’t that late, basing her assumption from the ray of lights through the window.
Another bit of sleep wouldn’t hurt!
Sadly for Ina, that was a cloudy day and the moment she closed her eyes again her boss entered the room.
“Good morn-” She watched in shock the mess of the room until her eyes landed on the tired girl,
“OH MY GOD INA ARE YOU OKAY?!” She screamed while hugging her crying.
“What have I done? I knew- I knew it I should have come back last night!”
Ina being held too much to even move, muffled:
“M- Mel? I- I’m fine, I’m fine!”
“You are alive? It’s a miracle”
Mel cried again while squeezing her even more.
Cleaned up the office work came back to normalcy, another day, another paper to fill, another meeting Mel has to run to, and another Dr. Opsie from the vending machine, this has been the situation for months now, Ina was fine with it being able to not deal with people all day for her was a bliss, thought her boss Mel had other plans~
.
.
.
The new day started a little better for Ina! Well at least by her standards, she could sleep for a whole total of 3 hours! Even in her bed! Ready for a good day of work by herself! She sat, booted up the pc, and asked the new girl if she could pass her the pen drive, she controlled if the files matched on then cracked her knuckles, turned around again, and finally *seen* the new girl.
“...Oya oya?” She muttered locking eyes with the girl.
Mel entered at the awkward moment ‘Thank goodness!’ thought Ina, maybe they have just met here and are going to move outside? But sadly the boss was in her usual rush for work.
“InaIseeyoumetAmesheisdoinganinternshiplookafterherBYE!”
And so she slammed the door, running away for God knows how long, facing each other again, the new girl had blonde hair tied in a tight bum and blue aquamarine eyes.
She was overly dressed in a tight black suit, or maybe Ina herself was underdressed with a hoodie and jeans.
“My name is Amelia Watson I will be in your care!”
SO POLITE! Her posture was perfect while bowing, making Ina's whole face red.
“I… I’m pleased to meet you! I’m Ninomae Ina’nis!”
The panic faded after just an hour, thanks to the sheer commitment of Amelia, even if the actual compilation of papers was all done by Ina having someone cleaning, passing papers, and scolds you for your cola addiction boosted the productivity and mood a whole lot!
For the first time in a long while everything was finished by 7 pm.!
“Thanks for your guidance today!”
Ina didn't guide her at all! Amelia was incredible on her own, there was only one thing she could do like Mel taught her:
“You… were amazing today! Come with me!”
Ina runned out of the office going into the streets of the city.
Amelia gathered her stuff and tagged along hastily following through old paths she had no idea were there, she almost got lost until Ina took her hand showing a bright truck hidden between the city houses.
“INA! I see you brought a friend today! Come get a seat, you want the usual?”
Said a man voice behind the curtains,
Both of them sat on a little table in the front. It was just them and the owner and the boiling sounds of the water it seems a little lonely but Ame felt incredibly warm for some reason, was it the place? No… it was the wide smile of Ina.
“Take whatever you want Ame! My treat!”
Ame had to contain her laugh.
“Sorry! Sorry, I will be fair with you, I felt really scared today! Your boss has a way with words, she makes it so hard to say no, and when I entered… I didn’t have a good impression! I’m happy to see you are much sweeter than I thought!”
Ina drank a cola down fast trying to swallow her embarrassment with it, while Ame's laugh kept going.
Luckily, the rest of the night was going fine they took both a good cup of ramen and just chatted about the place itself how Ina found it, talked about Mel and how she used to work at a maid cafe, how a senior university student ended there.
“... Yeah I’m glad your boss could take me in I couldn’t find anyplace for an internship! Do you know how many credits it gives!?”
She said drinking her fourth beer.
“So were we just the only choice?”
“Oh don’t say it like it! This first day is been great! Please another beer!”
“Oy oy we have to work tomorrow too!”
“Do not worry! I have a friend passionate about wines and now I got quite the resistance! Until it’s gluten-free!”
Ina fell immediately silent.
She looked at the beer.
She looked at the ramen.
“Ame… that isn’t gluten-free.”
“Oh.”
“I’m pretty sure even the ramen isn’t.”
“I CAN CONFIRM THAT INA!” said the owner
“OH.”
The first night wasn’t enthroned with the best ending, but at least Ina now knew her new coworker's house! Helped Ame take the gluten out and give her goodnight, luckily they lived close to each other! So the next morning they met together at the station.
“I’m so sorry for yesterday I brought you there!” said Ina
“Why are you saying sorry don’t you see? I’m fine! I was just an idiot yesterday, next time I will just take my pills”
They got to work with a feisty mood and the following weeks were the most fun Ina had with her job, Ame brought not only a change of pace but something else to look forward for the day! But sometimes the best things do end.
Both of them were on the office rooftop watching the sunset.
“So the internship ends tomorrow?” said Ina while looking at the horizon
“It does.” said Ame taking a sip of tea.
“I will miss you at work.”
“I will miss getting drunk with you holding me!”
They broke in a laugh.
“Ame! This should be a tearful goodbye!”
“I will miss you too.”
. . . Ame had lightened up a smirk on her face.
“Now that I think of it we won't be coworkers anymore right?”
“Yeah… right”
“But we can still go out together! What do you think this Saturday?”
“It’s a wonderful idea! You know I wanted to try a new place the made octo-”
Ame suddenly took Ina’s hand kissing it.
“It’s a date then!”
She said becoming redder than the sky.
Do you know? When a good thing ends, something better can take it’s place.