If her eyes brought courage, then her lips brought happiness. In the head of her's, everyone knew there was something bringing the moments to what they all had together. The numbers grew from days to weeks, and to the months that brought them to the year.

And that was her day where she had felt she had almost lost her years.

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4:38 PM, the sun has already set.

Most managers have already left by sundown. Some are known to go to the bars. Some are known to go back to their wives or husbands, and their children.

And some don't go home to meet their loneliness.

'Going home to a lonely house is lonely enough,' he thought.

Manager sighs, entering and finalizing the email to his client. Rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes, he sighs once more.

"Oh."

Manager opens his eyes slightly and looks up at the voice. "What is it?" he asks tiredly.

It wasn't no other than Manager Tae, as usual, who makes comments at Manager. Tae straightens his light brown pattern coat and dusts it off.

Smiling, he leans over his cubicle over to Manager. "You're not leaving again tonight?"

"No, my clients-"

"Yeah, I know," Tae chuckles and leans back, stretching his arms and legs. "Well, I'm off on a date. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Date?" Manager's eyes follow Tae as he exits out of the cubicle rows. "What about...?"

He smiles back at Manager, waving goodbye. "I don't think it'll work between her and me!"

As soon as Tae left the office, Manager's eyes flew back to his desk. He sighs once again and leaned back on his chair. Another night, almost alone in the office although it was sundown, he couldn't help but feel any lonelier.

"Excuse me," a voice called from behind.

He turned around, meeting the eyes of Manager Wajishu. "Ah," he cleared his voice, transitioning to Chinese. "Did you need something?"

Wajishu, a manager who recently transferred a month ago from the company in Hong Kong. She has been fluent in Japanese but...

"Are you trying to practice your Chinese with me?" she caught on what Manager has been trying to do. "Please stop and let me practice my Japanese..."

Manager chuckled slightly, quickly going away as soon as he composed himself. "So," he transitioned back to Japanese, "did something happen with the printer?"

"No, actually," she tapped her clock, "I have to get going. I just wanted to say good night."

"Ah," Manager turned back to his computer, looking for the time.

4:40 PM, only two minutes passed since the email was sent.

Turning back, he looked at Wajishu. She cocks her head to the left in confusion.

Manager shakes his head and hits his head gently, "nothing. Have a good night, Wajishu."

She smiles gently and bows, "you as well. Please don't overwork yourself."

It was the simple nights like these, he realized he was still alone and always running the same business in his life. Manager eyes Wajishu as she exits into the hallway to the elevator.

Sighing once more, he looked around the office cubicle. Only a few colleagues who were far away from his desk. Not wanting to bother, he looked back at his clock on the computer.

4:40 PM, not a minute has passed.

'What's next?' he thought. He reached out for a pen in the black decorated cup. Pausing and eyeing for his favorite, Manager glides his fingers through, tapping each pens' head and moving them behind his fingers.

He stops in place, looking back at the clock.

4:40 PM, not a second has passed.

Manager's eyes walk back to the pens with his fingers at the end of the cup. All of the pens were behind his fingers with no sign of his favorite. He sighs, leaning back against his chair almost wanting to bite his nails.

His eyes went back to the clock.

4:41 PM, finally.

'...should I go home?'

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"Pick up...pick up..." she whispered, scrunching the hem of her clothing as she waited for the phone to continue ring through.

"The person who you're trying to reach for is unavailable. Please leave a message after the-"

"Shut up," she ends the call, "fuck...are you fucking kidding me?" Pressing her back against the wall, water droplets began to strike down to the ground and bouncing up to splatter.

Fixing her hair and composing herself, she leaned forward. Looking up at the company building, her fears grew slightly worse.

'He told me to call him once I get here so I wouldn't be scared. Then why the hell didn't he pick up? Hidemo is so stupid...'

Her eyes looked around, people passing by were beginning to open their umbrellas while some dealt with the cloud's droplets.

Exhaling, she pushed back her hair and tried to remain calm. 'Okay, it's just another meeting with the Management Director. It doesn't matter if Hidemo didn't answer my call. Fuck him. Ugh, I'm just gonna meet with the Director and finally meet with my manager who's going to help me with my career. Just get into the building...'

Her eyes wandered the ground. 'Fuck, can I even do this?'

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It was raining, surprising Manager just as he was about to head out to the convenience store. Raining down on the busy city of Tokyo, the city was bright yet dark within the people passing by.

Another sigh from his mouth as if a part of his soul has once again left his body. Manager's eyes wandered as he looked out the window of the entrance.

'Again?' he pondered about the rain and turned himself around to the elevator door. Spotting an odd one. Her.

A girl, short and with a black umbrella in hand, a purse and her black hat with rings hooked on the rim. Waiting for the doors of the elevator to open, her eyes paid attention to herself and her feet rocking back and forth as entertainment.

Manager cocks his head to the side, keeping his eyes to himself, he turned back to the rain which unexpectedly...took a turn.

RUMBLE!

No, not an earthquake. Thankfully...

Thunder roared through the clouds and the tears of the clouds grew heavier. Manager, again, sighed. He looked back at the girl...who...surprising was looking at the windows near the entrance where he was.

No sudden movements from her, just her rocking her feet back and forth as entertainment. No shock nor...fear.

And...their eyes met. Although far, Manager and the girl...stared at each other...before she looked away.

Her eyes flew quickly to where her feet stopped her entertainment of waiting. She raised her head up, watching the elevator floor indicator clock down to level 1.

Manager exhales softly, not a sigh this time. After catching himself staring at her, he also flew his eyes back at the dangerous outdoors of the company building.

'...I have a meeting with her soon.'

DING!

The doors open. A few businessmen came out with businesswomen, laughing and giggling.

"Drinks will be on me if you come," one man says.

The woman scoffs and nudges his shoulder, "bring that cute friend of yours, then I will."

As Manager watches the men and women walk out, he spots the girl again.

"Are they all out...?" she spoke softly in Japanese, peeking in the elevator.

No one.

She exhales and smiles calmly, "mhmm hmm..." humming to herself.

Manager looks back outside. The businessmen and women laughing with their umbrellas as they exited shouting at the sky.

"What are they doing..." he shakes his head and turns back at the elevator. "Ah..."

'Is she waiting for me to get on?'

The girl was holding the elevator door with her hand, leaning her head to the side as she peered out staring at him. "Um, do you want to use my umbrella?"

'Ah...'

Manager shakes his head, "no, actually..." he quickly walked to her and enters the elevator. "I'm sorry."

The girl shrugs, "it's okay," smiling awkwardly and entering back in the elevator. "What department level are you going to?"

"Ah, um," Manager stuttered. 'Crap, why am I stuttering....'

"I'm going to department level three. That's the OCU, correct...?" she looks at Manager for reassurance.

"Yeah."

She nods, exhaling softly and presses level three. "Okay, and where are you going?"

He stumbles again with his words, "uh, um, department level three, yeah..."

"Ah, so I guess we're going to the same place."

DING!

The doors close and the elevator begins to move up.

Cold and awkward silence. Manager leans his head back and sighs at the 8-bit elevator music. He closes his eyes as he takes off his coat, placing it on top of his shoulder.

The girl takes a slight step to her right away from him. 'He sighs a lot. Isn't he the one who kept sighing when I went inside of the building...?'

Her eyes swing to the left to take a quick look at him. 'He seems nice...'

Manager opens his eyes, dead and cold once opened. He cracks his neck and began to roll his shoulders slightly in an annoyance. 'I need to stretch more...I shouldn't be sitting all day.'

Quickly averting her eyes from the man's resting bitch face, she pinched her thigh before making a face. 'Okay, nevermind. Abort, abort, abort! '

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DING!

Manager walks out as soon as the doors open. 'I should probably put my coat and bag away before I meet up with Sofia...'

"Excuse me, do you know where the Management Director is? I didn't know they were redesigning the comic department..." the girl nervously explained, walking out and looking around the department. "Is she still using her office in this area?"

It clicked.

"You're looking for Sofia, right?" he asks.

The girl nodded. "Yes, um, she gave me instructions but I didn't quite understand..."

Manager sighs, 'sounds like Sofia...'

'...he seems annoyed of me...'

"Stay here, I'll be back with you."

The girl nods. "Ah...okay..."

Manager quickly walked through the hallway, passing the corner and to the cubicle office. It finally clicked him. Her face seemed so familiar. 'Maybe that's why I kept staring...'

He puts his coat and bag underneath his desk, grabbing his new client's file.

"Hidemi Jinki"