It was one of those days that I had never expected

There I was, in a lift, after a smoke (and after spending quite some time brushing my teeth n gargling to get rid of the smell), smiling my thanks to the lady who pressed the "Door open" lift button.

"Are you from the IT department?"

I would assume she would be a manager, from the way she dressed: jacket and skirt in one colour. She could pass off as average-looking but her dominance surpassed that, not mention her height.

We were made famous at the company's Sports Day. Our manager and I were forced in a singles' tennis matches against rivals who were jealous of the success of our company. They hired professionals who incidentally had a grudge or two against our manager to which one of them just took me on, saying that I looked weak enough. I had no choice but to shock the opponent with a trick or two - aniki would know I would not like executing special techniques but with his approval I was allowed to. Our manager..well, as usual, he had not lost his touch.

Famous but I found myself stammering my answer at the lady's sudden question. She was looking through a small stack of huge envelopes and handed me one of them. Still looking through her pile she handed an envelope to me. "Pass this to Mr Tezuka and get his signature."

"Hai!" I bowed. "Wakari -" I blushed, realising what I had done - she was not speaking Japanese but she sounded so dictative that I could not help it (our manager - to blame). I guess she knew about our manager as well - because we ended up laughing.

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I remembered sitting down at my workplace and staring at the envelope for ages - and there was Ian, almost raving in frustration about not me being responsible. Ian would know - I would not dare to step into the office of my manager - my ex-high-school-senior of whom..

"I'll bet ten he'd talk to you."

I hated it. Ian's slinging his arm around my shoulder, teasing me. "Twenty he wouldn't."

"Fourty he will."

"Te me." Stupid money issues.

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The secretary ought to be sacked. There was my manager working his life off and there she was filing her nails. May I suggest: spike her drink and paste some Wolverine-like claws on her nails just to freak her out on Halloween.

"What is it."

May I throttle your neck? It looks thin like a rubber chicken. "I was asked to pass this to Mr Tezuka."

It was rare of her to take a second look at the envelope - and the urgency in her voice, "Go."

So youre not taking this document? Damn, I really wanna see you get into trouble and get sacked, not me, you f*king b-

and there was Ian, standing quite far from a distance, with his infamous disapproving scowl but mouthing just one word -

"Fourty."

and that was more than enough.

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I though I would faint.

There he was, standing by the window.

Things had not been good between him and aniki.

"Buchou.." ..how I want to be in your warm embrace..to hide..and weep..in your embrace..

"'If you love someone, let go', so it is said?"

No..don't turn around..Kunimitsu..

He caught sight of the envelope.

"A-a. Suman."

Has he been waiting for someone familiar to be informal with?

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I hated the door. I never wanted to leave.

"Buchou."

I would not wait for a response.

"Zette hanasehen de."

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I had realised I did not ask aniki about the both of them, nor tell him about me entering buchou's office for the first time in so many months. We were just talking about - I couldn't remember - during our steamboat dinner before we left for the night.

Ma ii, I guess that would be how aniki would want to pass the night.

Alone.