The airport buzzed with low chatter and the occasional boarding call over the PA system. Noura stood near the boarding gate, blending in with the slow shuffle of passengers readying to board. She hated the rush, the awkward shuffle of standing in a slow-moving snake of tired people. Her focus stayed on her phone, scrolling mindlessly, knowing Danial standing behind her, and the voice she didn't want to hear cut through the crowd— Her suitcase handle felt warm under her grip as she carefully adjusted her position to stay as far from him as possible.
Dramatic as always, she thought.
"Well well, look at this seasoned-traveller"
She turned just in time to see Danial standing next to her, waving both their tickets. "Snatched yours while you were daydreaming," he said smugly. "Let's see... oh look—same row. What are the odds?"
She rolled her eyes. "You're insufferable."
But before she could grab her ticket back, another hand reached in, snatching it from Danial.
"Same row? Well, guess I'm in the middle then," the man said casually.
They both turned.
"Sir??" Noura blurted out. "Wait—you're coming with us?"
Danial groaned under his breath. "Of course."
Their supervisor grinned. Tall, slightly broad-shouldered with a clean-shaven face, short cropped hair, and soft laugh lines around his eyes. He looked younger than his 39 years, carrying that effortless big-brother vibe—confident without arrogance. This was Mr. Arai, General Manager of the Business Operations Division. He is origin from Japan and have been stationed almost 3 years in Singapore as the division Branch Manager.
"Well," Arai said with a smirk. "They didn't tell you I'd be joining? Saves budget. And I have some meetings lined up too, so it works out."
As they boarded and settled into their seats—Noura by the window, Arai in the middle, Danial on the aisle—Noura let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
Thank God. Buffer zone.
The plane took off smoothly. Once in the air, Mr. Arai briefed them both on the HQ schedule, the key people they'd be reporting to, and outlined expectations.
"You'll each have a senior manager assigned as your direct supervisor during the training period," he explained. "They're firm but fair. Just don't come in trying to change the system on day one."
Noura glanced sideways. "And mine? Are they really that scary?"
Arai chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Wouldn't you like to know."
Danial snorted. "You're not helping, sir."
With a shrug, Arai closed his eyes. "You'll find out soon enough. I plan to sleep now. Six hours of peace before the storm."
And just like that, he leaned his head back and dozed off. Within minutes, he was softly snoring.
Noura blinked. "He wasn't kidding."
Danial leaned closer, whispering, "Impressive. Power nap activated."
She chuckled, then turned to fiddle with the in-flight entertainment screen. "I can't sleep on flights. Never could."
"Need me to bore you into unconsciousness?"
"Please don't."
Still, after a small meal, some quiet music, and watching half channel show, her eyelids grew heavier. The hum of the engine, the warm lighting, and the drone of quiet conversations all blended into a calming lull.
Danial, surprisingly, had gone quiet too. He tilted his seat back, arms crossed, head leaned slightly toward the aisle. She noticed his breathing had evened out.
Peace at last, she thought.
Eventually, she drifted off.
A soft chime and the captain's voice stirred her awake.
They were descending.
Mr. Arai was already upright, tapping away on his tablet and reviewing what looked like schedules and maps. He looked refreshed, professional again.
"Alright," he said, glancing at the two sleepyheads. "We've got a small welcoming committee waiting. They'll take us to your staff apartments, let you freshen up. Then we're meeting for lunch. No slacking. This isn't a holiday."
Noura stretched and nodded. "Understood."
Danial rubbed his face and groaned. "Ugh. Feels like I got run over."
She smirked. "Mmm. Long journey hit you hard, huh? Suck it up."
Once off the plane, they moved smoothly through immigration and baggage claim.
After they walk out from the luggage area, Arai—ever the casual type—pulled out his phone. "C'mon, you two. First day arrival together. Let's get a photo."
She blinked. "Sir?"
But Danial leaned in, grinning. "Smile for the memories, Noura."
She did—awkwardly. Arai snapped a few. One with her shy smile, another where Danial flashed a peace sign behind her head. She turned and smacked his arm.
"Don't make me regret this," she muttered.
"Too late," he grinned.
A neatly dressed staff member waited at the arrival hall with a placard. They were welcomed warmly, with typical Japanese courtesy.
The company van was sleek, spacious. Mr. Arai sat up front, giving commentary like a friendly tour guide. Seeing a vast ocean scenery with lots of industrial area.
"Over there's the main commercial street," he pointed. "Good food, don't get lost." Noura quietly took mental notes. Danial, despite himself, paid attention.
"That building—is our Sheland Corporation Headquarter."
Danial whistled low, eyes scanning the towering shape ahead. "Damn… that's not just a building. That's a fortress."
Noura's eyes followed the sharp lines of the HQ. "It's real... we've only ever seen it in profile pictures."
The structure stood bold—shaped like an 'L' cradling its twin, yard stretching behind like a hidden engine.
Danial grinned. "And now we're part of it."
She smirked. "Welcome to HQ."
And they arrive at an apartment next to the HQ complex.
Mr. Arai even made them pause outside the apartment complex to snap a photo. "C'mon. First day memory. You'll thank me later."
They posed reluctantly, but smiled. It felt like a fresh start.
The apartments were modern and clean, with tall windows and minimalist design. Staff greeted them and handed out keys with bows and soft-spoken English.
Arai's room was on the top floor. Danial and Noura were relieved to find theirs on different levels—she on the 5th, he on the 4th.
"Guess we're spared the hallway showdowns," Noura muttered.
Danial grinned. "We'll see. What's your room number again?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Dream on."
She slipped into her room without another word, heart racing—not from Danial, but from the sheer shift of environment. She was really here.
Japan.
She looked around the clean space. Quiet. Personal. Just hers.
Dropping her luggage, she collapsed face-first onto the bed.
A deep sigh escaped her.
After a moment, she turned on her side and reached into her sling bag.
Her fingers closed around the smooth metal—a slim, timeworn fountain pen tucked in its soft leather case.
Her father's pen. The one he always carried in his chest pocket, even on ordinary days.
She pulled it out, held it gently with both hands.
Her chest tightened. The ink had long dried, but she never refilled it.
It wasn't for writing anymore.
It was to remember that someone once believed she could.
Eyes stinging, she rose and walked to the window.
Tokyo spread out before her—lit in soft afternoon hues.
Glass towers, clean roads, distant neon signs.
Her heart squeezed.
Dad... she thought.
If he were still alive, he'd be proud. Or maybe… confused. She'd left everything. The company he built, the future he'd shaped.
Because she wanted to learn it from the inside—not as inheritance, but as a student of her father's world.
She hadn't fought to keep the company. She wasn't ready.
They had entrusted it to his investor by mutual agreement. And with her only brother serving in the military, and their mother quietly managing an online home-based craft business...
Noura was the only one left to carry the ambition forward.
Not for pride. Not to restore a name.
But to shape herself into someone who could one day stand beside that legacy—on her own terms. She exhaled.
This wasn't about redemption.
It was about becoming.
She showered next, letting the hot water melt off the airport fatigue. She pulled on soft innerwear, slipped into a simple long blazer—one she hadn't worn in a while. Still fit. Still hers.
The air outside was crisp. Just chilly enough to need an extra layer.
She clipped her hair loosely, grabbed her sling bag, and took one last glance in the mirror.
Time to meet the boss and face the day.
Downstairs in the lobby, Mr. Arai was already waiting.
"Ready for lunch?" he asked as she joined him.
Noura nodded, a strange mix of nerves and excitement building in her chest.
The city outside waited.
So did the version of her she'd come to find.