Thirty minutes passed in uncomfortable silence. The heat in the small staff room was unbearable, and my clothes felt like they were sticking to my skin.
I was sweating profusely, the stuffy air making everything feel even worse. There was no air conditioning in this room—just the thick, heavy air pressing down on me.
I felt like I was going to pass out. My tank top wasn’t cutting it anymore, so I decided to unbutton my shirt and let the coolness of the air help me out.
It was a casual thing, right? Boys sometimes went around shirtless, so I figured it would be fine. I forgot for a moment that I wasn’t a boy anymore.
As I reached for my tank top, I heard a sharp gasp. My head snapped up, and I froze. Standing in front of me, her wide eyes locked on mine, was Keiko. “What are you doing, Ryuko? W-why are you going naked?” she stammered, clearly shocked.
I tilted my head. “Keiko, we’re both girls here, what’s the big deal?”
I blinked at her, not understanding why she was making such a fuss. "It’s too hot in here. If I’m going to survive, I need to cool down." I shrugged casually, pulling off my tank top and revealing my bra.
"I think you should give feedback to the boss and suggest they at least get a fan in here," I suggested to Keiko.
I was fanning myself with my hand, trying to bring some air to my face, but Keiko seemed… a little too flustered. Her face turned bright red, and she started looking away awkwardly.
“I-I agree, it’s really hot in here," Keiko stammered, her voice quiet. She was sweating too, but instead of unbuttoning her own shirt like I had, she was trying her best to look anywhere but at me.
I couldn’t resist teasing her. “Well, if it’s so hot, want me to help you take off your shirt too?” I winked, my voice playful.
Keiko’s eyes widened, and before I knew it, her fingers flicked my forehead with precision.
“Ouch! I’m bleeding! Someone, help!” I shouted, holding my forehead dramatically. My eyes watered in exaggerated pain, though I was clearly faking it.
“Stop being ridiculous!” she scolded me, but I could see the tiny laugh that escaped her lips despite her best efforts to hide it.
I smirked, still holding my forehead as if I were truly in pain. “But seriously, Keiko, it hurts. You’ve wounded me deeply.”
She shook her head, trying to suppress a smile but failing. “You’re impossible.”
At that moment, Keiko leaned in closer, her face softening in guilt for hurting me. My heart began to race. Was it the heat making my face flush, or was it the way Keiko’s face was only inches from mine?
The proximity felt… too intimate. She was close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off her, and I could see her face softening with concern. My thoughts were spinning, my breath catching in my throat.
Just as I was about to respond, the door creaked open, and Aki stepped inside. Her eyes immediately darted to the two of us, sweat-slick and awkwardly close, and she froze, her face turning bright red. “Oh my god… what are you two doing?” she stammered, backing up with wide eyes. “I swear this is the second time! Can you guys get a proper room? This is even more suspicious than the last time!”
Keiko and I both turned toward her, and I couldn't help but grin. It was the perfect opportunity to play it off. “Bonding,” I said, my voice light and teasing. Panic crept into my chest, but I decided to make a joke out of the situation.
Keiko immediately smacked my shoulder, her face as red as a tomato. “Ryuko!” she scolded, panicking, trying to explain everything. “We got locked in here! See? The handle’s broken!” She pointed to the door, which was, in fact, clearly malfunctioning.
I added, “Yeah, we were just… uh… locked in here. It’s all an accident, Aki. Nothing to suspicious about!
"And it was too hot here, so I took off my shirt and tank top to cool down. You could try being here for an hour, then you'll believe me," I added, offering Aki an excuse.
But Aki didn’t seem to buy our explanation. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she didn’t have the time to press further. “Arghhh, okay, whatever. Just get to work, you two. We’re busy. Ryuko, can you please get dressed?”
I gave her a quick salute, trying my best to look serious despite the situation. “Aye aye, Captain!”
Keiko let out a heavy sigh and muttered, “I’ll call the repairman for this.”
With that, we both stepped out of the staff room. The other employees looked at us with confused expressions, though we were too embarrassed to meet their gazes. I could practically feel the tension radiating from Keiko as we walked toward our stations.
I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. Well, at least I hadn’t gotten fired.
As I passed by Keiko, she leaned in and whispered under her breath, “Next time you’re late, don’t expect me to go easy on you.”
My heart skipped a beat at her words. I gulped.
"Understood," I muttered, my voice just above a whisper. I really didn’t want to push her patience any further.
Keiko shot me a quick glance. She was still a little upset about the whole situation.
Well, I thought as I settled into my work, I guess I really need to stop being late. For Keiko’s sake, and for mine.