Monday Mornings
Yuki was completely unaware of anything during her train ride to work. Half awake and half asleep.
/I couldn’t get any sleep. I was way too over excited./
Rika was having the same problem.
Her usually being early was ruined by waking up barely on time.
A sweat broke on her forehead and she was short of breath walking up to the doors of the building.
/I’m going to be so gross at the office today./
She turned to see Yuki walk up the steps.
“Good morning!”
Yuki’s were barely opened, as she noticed Rika.
“Good morning...”
She yawned.
“Ready to go in?”
Yuki smiled.
“As I’ll ever be.”
They both hesitated for a moment before entering the building.
/Should I hug her?/
They both blushed and looked around.
Rika looked at Yuki.
“Maybe not at work?”
Yuki was blushing.
“Y-yeah it might be a little unprofessional... maybe.”
“Let’s go upstairs?”
Yuki nodded.
“Right...”
They made their way to the elevator, keeping an uncomfortable distance from one another.
Rika looked at Yuki’s hand swaying gently by her side.
/I feel so cold, but it’s probably not ok at the office./
She looked at Yuki’s face turned ahead towards the elevators. She had twin tails as usual again, the red ribbons she tied them with bobbed as she walked.
/I think she’s upset./
In truth Yuki was both extremely tired and had conflicted feelings.
/It’s not ok to have PDAs at the office, but it feels cold not to at least hug./
Yuki thought about how she’d said she spent years working her way to the top.
/Who am I to cause problems for her, she has a professional image to uphold./
Yuki found her eyes falling to the floor.
/It may be selfish, but still.../
Rika saw Yuki’s eyes on the ground.
/I need to say something./
“Hey... Yuki?”
Yuki looked up and smiled as she heard her voice.
“Let’s do our best today yes?”
Yuki’s smile fades to a more serious look.
“Right. Let’s do our best. We’ve got things to catch up on I assume.”
“Definitely, a lot usually happens over the weekends.”
Rika smiled and rubbed the back of her neck while responding.
/This is so dull. I can’t believe it’s all I could think of! Why not comment on her hair? Yes!/
“Ah... I love how you styled your hair today.”
Yuki’s heart skipped a beat as she heard the word love. She quickly realized it was only a compliment. Still, her cheeks turned red.
/Respond Futaba! Be humble yet accepting./
“Thank you.”
Rika smiled.
/Direct hit, it was a success./
Yuki continued her thought.
“It’s really just how I normally style it though.”
Rika’s heart now nearly stopped, and sunk.
/It didn’t work.../
Yuki was thinking as soon as she had said the humble line.
/That sounded like I shot her down! Come on Futaba, salvage the situation!/
“...But, if you like I can buy different ribbons and ties.”
Rika smiled, her heart rose again.
“I’d really like that, you’d look cute. Well, more cute.”
Rika saw Yuki blushing.
/She acts so differently in public./
Yuki spoke quietly, too quietly for Rika to hear.
“Um can you say it a little louder?”
Yuki hugged her brief case close.
“What’s you favorite color?”
/Cuteness to the maximum./
Rika smiled.
“Actually, it’s red.”
She reached out and poked one of Yuki’s ribbons so it swayed back and forth.
Yuki looked at Rika and smiled.
“You know you shouldn’t touch a girl’s hair.”
Rika’s hand recoiled.
“That was a joke. Dummy.”
Yuki winked and walked out the opened elevator doors.
Rika only watched, as she walked away.
“Hurry up so the doors don’t close.”
Rika snapped out of her confusion.
“R-right!”
“Good morniiiiing!”
Yuki was approaching the team’s office space.
“Good morning Yuki!”
“My, you are lively today!”
Yuki passed her by and Rika approached.
Kiko stuck up her pinky and winked.
“Nice weekend?”
Rika looked at her annoyed like, then leaned in to whisper.
“Let’s talk later.”
Kiko’s face became more serious, and she nodded.
/I knew it./
She giggled to herself.
Yuki sat at her chair waiting for the PC to boot up.
“So Kiko! What did you and Hidetake do this weekend?”
Kiko spun around.
“What we usually do, catch up on shows and game. We also draw and post it on the internet for fun!”
“Really? That’s amazing! Can I see some of them?”
Kiko unlocked her phone.
“They’re not that good, it’s just for fun.”
Yuki took her phone.
“I like your case by the way, it’s pretty cute!”
She then looked at the app that was opened.
“These are so good! You both could be professionals!”
“Oh no, It’s just for fun.”
Kiko put her hand in front of her mouth and giggled.
“You can download copies for your desktop and phone.”
“Anyway, how was your weekend?”
Yuki blushed and looked at Rika.
“Really... really nice.”
Rika was trying to act casual. Pretending to be reading emails, and peeking at Yuki.
Yuki smiled at her.
“She’s going to find out anyway.”
Kiko clapped excitedly and grabbed both of Yuki’s hands.
“The red string of fate! So your hearts are connected?”
Yuki nodded.
“Yes.”
She looked over to Rika, who couldn’t decide to be the embarrassed character or the significant other. But, she finally gathered herself.
“Yes, it definitely is.”
Kiko winked at Yuki and spoke softly so only she could hear.
“You must be special, she would be expected to play the tsundere right now.”
Yuki blushed and nodded.
“Also, you seem different, happier and more confident.”
She shook their hands gently, matching the rhythm to her words.
“I know you don’t know me too well. But, if you ever need advice you can talk to me. I’m good at these sort of things.”
Yuki quietly spoke back, waving their hands like Kiko did.
“You and Hidetake seem very happy. Thank you.”
Kiko smiled and winked.
“I’m rooting for both of you. I love your red ribbons, she does too.”
She rolled in her chair back to her desk, speaking so both of them could hear.
“You both are taking it at your own pace, so I will leave you to find your own way... Mostly.”
She giggled and spun around to go back to working on her computer.
Rika looked at Yuki and smiled. And spoke words silently to her. Yuki could only read her lips.
“See you at lunch.”
Yuki winked and made the OK sign with her hand.
They all silently began their work.
Kiko leaned back in her chair and exhaled dramatically.
“I’ve been staring at this screen for three hours. And, it’s ruining my eyes.”
“You stare at screens all the time for fun.”
Kiko spun to look at Rika with her arms crossed.
“It’s not the same, I play console games, the TV is farther away.”
Rika raised an eyebrow.
“I really don’t think that makes a difference.”
“Still. I need a break and lunch.”
Yuki’s stomach growled.
“Yeahhhh, I do too.”
Lunch time it is then.
They all sat at a table, and Kiko looked at them both.
“I’m going to eat somewhere else.”
Rika raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Really? If I have to say it... I don’t want to be a third wheel.”
She got up and took her lunch.
“You two are adorable.”
She walked off, leaving Yuki and Rika in uncomfortable silence.
Rika turned to Yuki.
“Office romance intro course I guess.”
Yuki unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite.
“Yef.”
“Object cuteness at all times.”
Yuki giggled.
“Yes, I didn’t know what to expect... Well, maybe awkwardness. Or more awkwardness.”
Rika looked away.
“Sorry.”
Yuki grabbed her hand.
“It’s fine, I don’t know how to act or what to expect. But, I do know you worked very hard for a long time to gain respect in the office.”
Rika smiled.
“Thanks, I want the same for you also.”
Yuki blushed.
/I hadn’t thought of that./
“I don’t mean to be cold or distant. Don’t feel like there’s a need to hide it or anything like that.”
Yuki blushed and looked away.
“I would never think of doing that.”
“Neither would I. I mean, we still work together. It would be kind of hard to avoid you.”
“And it’s hard to miss those red ribbons.”
Yuki fixes one of the ribbons in her hair.
“Red is actually my favorite color.”
“It’s a good look on you.”
Yuki smiled while straightening out one of her twin tails.
Rika stuck up her pinky, and wiggled it.
“Stoooop. That actually is kind of embarrassing.”
“Speaking of Kiko. I won’t ask what you talked about. But...”
“You will?”
“I actually have a pretty good idea of what she said. Or mostly. She’s a really good person, she’ll listen to your woes, and give you her honest opinion.”
“How?”
Rika laughed.
“I’ve worked and been friends with her for seven years. She actually has a knack for reading people, and romantic stuff. I might be all those games and books she reads...”
Yuki took a sip of her canned coffee.
“It’s sort of strange that you’re giving me advice about getting advice about dating you.”
Rika itched the side of her head.
“Yeahhh, I hope you’d just talk to me. But, sometimes it can’t be helped and we need advice. She’s sort of part of a packaged deal anyways, who made herself a part of the package.”
“I promise I’ll only ask Kiko about embarrassing stories she knows about you.”
Rika smiled.
“If you find any.”
Yuki looked at Rika suspiciously.
“I’m sure there’s something.”
Rika stood up.
“Good luck, in the meantime time I need to get back to work.”
As she walked by she poked one of Yuki’s ribbons.
“Don’t take too long, or I’ll have to write you up.”
Yuki put her hand over the ribbon indignantly blushing at the same time.
/She’s such a child sometimes./
“What happened to no PDA?”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about. Lol.”
/I’m never living that one down./
“Also, be careful about your forehead.”
/Or that one./
“...dummy.”
