After leaving the building, I didn't go home immediately.
Instead, I took a train.
I got off two stations later, transferred to another line, and then walked through several streets, pausing occasionally to check reflections in glass windows.
Standard procedure.
Making sure no one was following me.
Only after confirming that I was alone did I finally head home.
When I reached the door and unlocked it—
It opened immediately.
Viola was already there.
The moment she saw me, her eyes brightened.
"You're back."
Her voice was warm, tinged with relief.
"Yes."
She scanned my face carefully, as if checking that nothing had gone wrong.
"How was it?"
"It went well," I answered. "They didn't seem suspicious."
Her shoulders relaxed noticeably.
"That's good. That's really good."
She stepped aside so I could enter.
"But still, keep being careful," she added. "Don't let your guard down."
"I won't."
"And—"
Her expression suddenly brightened.
"I thought you'd definitely be tired and hungry when you got back, so I made a lot of food. Snacks, soup, dessert…"
I paused.
"…A lot?"
"Just try some," she said quickly.
I walked toward the dining table—and stopped.
The table was full. Far too full.
Snacks arranged neatly.
Soup still steaming.
Elizabeth peeked from the couch.
"She's been cooking since the afternoon."
"I did not," Viola replied immediately.
"You did."
"I was just… passing time."
I stood there quietly.
Something stirred inside my chest.
A strange feeling.
Unfamiliar, yet warm.
Like someone being welcomed home after a long day.
Like family.
It reminded me of my past, of a time when the home felt warm like this.
I slowly removed my coat.
"…Thank you."
Viola's smile returned instantly.
"Go wash up first. Dinner's ready."
As I walked toward the sink, a quiet thought crossed my mind:
I hoped this moment could last a little longer.
But deep down, I knew it wouldn't.
---
I finally returned to the dining table, and the three of us ate together.
For a brief moment, it felt peaceful.
I took a spoonful of chicken curry and chewed slowly, savoring it.
Viola leaned forward slightly.
"How is it?" she asked, trying to sound casual, though her nervousness betrayed her.
"It's good."
"Really? You're not just saying that to flatter me?"
"No. The potatoes are cooked perfectly—not too hard, not too soft. The seasoning is balanced, and the spices blend well."
I paused, then added, "It's really good."
Her face lit up with a bright smile.
"I'm glad you liked it."
Little did Ezekiel know that to Viola his compliment meant more than he realized. She had spent the entire morning worrying about him the she had even taken leave from her own work and though of various food that he will like.
"Pass me the nachos, please," Elizabeth's voice cut in suddenly, breaking the soft atmosphere.
She narrowed her eyes slightly at the two.
Flirting in front of me is not allowed, she thought.
...
I saw Viola quickly passed her the bowl.
"Here."
We continued eating, and after a few more bites, Viola glanced at me again.
"Ezekiel… did you find anything today? I know it was only your first day, so it's fine if you didn't—"
"I found something."
Both Viola and Elizabeth immediately stopped.
"It was a good decision to enter the finance department," I continued calmly. "I discovered some clues."
Viola's eyes widened.
"Eh? What is it?"
"Even though the discrepancies are recent, some profits are missing from the logs."
Elizabeth blinked in surprise.
"Wait. They let you handle those files even though it was only your first day?"
"That," I said, "means they're confident."
"Confident?" Viola repeated.
"Yes. Confident that if anyone notices and speaks up, they'll be silenced."
The room grew quieter.
"When I attempted to point out the problems in the ledger, I was threatened."
Viola's hand tightened slightly around her spoon.
"They threatened you?"
"Indirectly," I corrected. "But clearly enough."
Elizabeth frowned.
"So what? The people who noticed before just stayed quiet?"
"Most likely," I said. "Those who couldn't tolerate it probably resigned. The ones still working there are either being threatened… or they simply don't care."
"For money," Viola muttered.
"Yes." I nodded. "They're confident in their influence. Confident they can hide everything. Confident no one will dare question them."
"How shady," Viola said coldly.
The warm atmosphere from earlier evaporated.
The air felt heavier.
"I'll keep digging," I continued. "If I can access older ledgers, I might find a pattern. But it will take time."
Viola lowered her gaze. She wasn't thinking about the company —she was thinking about Ezekeil.
About the threats. About how easily things could escalate. About what might happen to him.
For a moment, she forgot he was a top Ranker for a reason, someone feared by people.
In her mind, he was just someone who had gone to work that day.
Someone who had come home tired.
Her fingers tightened unconsciously against her lap.
A quiet worry settled in her chest.
And she didn't even realize it.
---Extra---
Earlier that morning, Viola and Ezekiel stood by the doorway, waving at each other until he finally stepped outside.
She remained there even after the door closed.
For a moment, Viola didn't move.
It felt… strange.
Watching Ezekiel walk away like that left an odd feeling in her chest.
These days, she was usually the one leaving for work while Ezekiel stayed behind to see her off. The roles had quietly reversed without her noticing.
But that wasn't the only reason the moment felt unsettling.
As she watched his figure eventually disappear from view, an uncomfortable thought surfaced in her mind.
It felt as if he had gone ahead of her again.
Just like before.
Viola slowly lowered her hand.
The hallway was silent now, yet the faint uneasiness in her chest refused to fade.
---