The government office was quiet.Serious.Gray.With an energy that screamed:"Emotionally retire before entering."
And then……Harumi walked in.
"GOOD MOOORNING, WOOORKERS!!!" she shouted, accidentally kicking the door as she entered.
The echo bounced down the hallway.The little office plants shook.The receptionist, a 67-year-old lady, almost spilled her tea.
Kei looked up from his desk.
And smiled.
But way too quickly.
From the back, Aoi just muttered:
"Uh-oh. The sun has risen."
Harumi, the social hurricane:
Barely setting her bag down, she started her morning tour of the office:
"WOW, Tanaka-san!! Your hair looks AMAZING today! It's like a fancy shampoo commercial!"
78-year-old Mr. Tanaka blushed."Ah… th-thank you…"
"Otsuka-san!! I LOVE your scarf!! It looks so cozy, oh my gosh, hug me!!"
Otsuka-san immediately opened his arms."Of course, dear!"
Harumi went around complimenting everyone.Employees.File clerks.Even an intern she'd never seen before.
"You're new?""Y-yes…""WELCOME!!! You're handsome, talented, and I know you're going to crush it today!!"
The poor intern nearly cried.
She kept handing out compliments like they were flyers:
"Miki-san, your nail polish is gorgeous!""Mr. Daisuke, love that ocean-blue tie!""Whoa, Umehara, did you even sleep?? You look amazing!""Mr. Kaneyama!! Your mustache is SIMPLY magnificent!!"
People laughed.Some thanked her shyly.Others were overjoyed for the entire day just from ONE sentence.
The normally quiet and gray office suddenly seemed full of color.
Even the janitor commented:
"When Harumi walks in, even the lights seem brighter."
Kei overheard it from afar.
And tried NOT to smile.
Failed.
The smile slipped out so naturally, so automatically, that he immediately froze and tried to fix his face:
"Harumi," he cleared his throat. "Good morning."
His attempt at seriousness lasted 0.3 seconds because she dropped her bag, papers flew everywhere, her ID badge hit her in the eye, and she screamed:
"OOOOW MY EYE!!! THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!!!"
Kei let out a small laugh.
A quiet laugh.
A laugh he tried to hide with a cough.
But Aoi, the only coworker who actually talked to them, walked by and saw everything.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Hmmm… boss is already looking lovesick… interesting."
Kei instantly turned into a block of ice.
"Aoi.""Boss.""Don't start."
Aoi smirked, venomous.
"Sure, sure. I would never say you smile like a love-struck high schooler every time Harumi walks in—"
"AOI." Kei repeated, pen in hand like a weapon.
Harumi stood up from the floor, a paper stuck to her forehead.
"Guys… am I bleeding?""No," Kei replied. "You just… look ridiculous."
"THANKS FOR THE KINDNESS!" she said, ripping the paper off her face.
Aoi laughed and walked away before Kei could kill him.
Harumi at Work — Part 1: Deluxe Incompetence
Harumi flopped into her chair and turned on the computer.
It froze.
She looked at the ceiling.
"…I want to freeze too."
Kei approached with a clipboard.
"Harumi, you need to review last week's ID documents.""Yes, boss!!""And… please… no spilled coffee, no torn papers, and don't stamp your own hand again.""That was ONE TIME!!""That was this morning.""…oh."
Kei took a deep breath.
But there was a hidden smile.
He handed her a pile of documents.
"Just organize these.""You got it!"
Fifteen minutes later…
"KEIIIIIIII!!!""What is it?""I ACCIDENTALLY CUT A DOCUMENT IN HALF!!"
Kei closed his eyes.
Counted to seven.
Opened them.
And instead of scolding……he smiled.
"Of course you cut it…""It's not my fault! The scissors betrayed me!""Harumi, you don't use scissors to ORGANIZE papers!""I WAS TRYING TO HELP!"
Kei sighed, took the torn paper, lined it up, and clipped it together.
"There. Fixed.""You're an angel, Kei.""I'm your boss.""An angel-boss."
Kei looked away so fast he almost dropped his own clipboard.
Harumi at Work — Part 2: The Printer War
Harumi approached the printer with the same caution you'd have for a wild animal.
"Alright… just print… just print… don't explode…"
She pressed the button.
The machine choked.
Squeaked.
Whistled.
Then shot a HOT sheet of paper at her face.
"AAAAAH!!""What did you do to it?!" Kei asked, running over."NOTHING!! I JUST EXISTED NEAR IT!!"
Kei examined the machine.
"Harumi… there are FIVE crumpled sheets inside.""I DIDN'T DO THAT!!""Then who…?"
Quick pause for the terrified new employee—obviously, it was him.
"Oh right, that was me… silly me! HAHAHA," said Harumi, saving the poor intern for another day.
Aoi appeared again.
"Look, Kei, if you need help dealing with your wife, I can—""NOT MY WIFE.""—for now.""Aoi, FOR GOD'S SAKE."
Kei exhaled.But he couldn't help smiling.
Again.
Harumi at Work — Part 3: Break Time
Harumi leaned back in her chair, head thrown back, looking like a fancy corpse.
Kei walked by and froze.
Then gently touched her hair.
Just for a second.
Just to fix the bangs covering her eyes.
But…She opened them.
Kei froze instantly.
"AH! Harumi! I— um— there was a… mosquito!""In my hair?""Yes! A huge… mutant… mosquito.""Kei… I can tell when you lie.""I'm not—""Your nose moves when you lie.""…."
She laughed.
He tried not to smile.
Failed.
End of Workday: Harumi Alive, But Barely
Kei called out:
"Harumi, want a ride home?""No need! I have legs!""That doesn't make me feel better.""HEY!!"
She waved goodbye.
Kei stood there, watching her leave.
Aoi passed by, chewing gum.
"You know, boss…""Don't even start.""You look at her like she's a rare, expensive anime figure.""AOI."
Aoi raised his hands.
"Okay, okay. But… do something.""Do what?""Stop smiling like a fool every time she breathes."
Kei turned red.
Very red.
And Aoi walked off, laughing.