Chapter Text
Shōhei was getting a coffee at his new job when a meek, female voice said behind him, “Hi, um… Hello. Welcome. I know you’ve been here for some time now but I haven’t said it yet so, hi. And sorry for not saying it earlier.” She gave him an awkward smile.
He smiled at her. “Thank you. It’s alright. There were a lot of people saying it so it was a nice break.”
She chuckled and her eyes turned to the ground. “Yeah. Guess it would be quite overwhelming.” She said in a quieter voice, “It made my first week hell.”
“Have you been working here for long?”
“A few years, yeah.” She moved her eyes around in thought. “Almost four years.” She gave him a kind smile. “So if you need help with anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”
“Thank you, um… What’s your name?”
“Oh, um … Suzuki Aiko.” She looked at his face. “And you’re Akagi, right?”
“Yeah. Akagi Shōhei. Pleased to meet you.”
Her smile broadened slightly. “Pleased to meet you.”