"Look at him. Look at him, his shirt is torn."
The mocking voices echoed across the office as Kenji Sato stepped through the door. His white work shirt was wrinkled, the collar uneven, and the left sleeve had a small tear near the elbow. He held his worn-out bag close, trying not to let it slip off his shoulder.
Sitting near the entrance was Ryo Tanaka, tall and sharp-tongued, always the first to make fun of anyone weaker than him.
Next to him was Shinji Mori, shorter, broad-shouldered, with a cruel smirk on his face. The two of them grinned at each other like hyenas.
"Not even ironed," Ryo chuckled loudly.
"Pathetic," Shinji added.
Kenji walked past them quietly, but instead of lowering his head like usual, a faint smile lingered on his lips.
The two men blinked.
"…Did he just ignore us?" Ryo muttered.
"That little shit," Shinji hissed, pushing back his chair. "I'll teach him a lesson."
He started walking toward Kenji.
But before he could take more than a few steps, the glass door of the office swung open.
Emi Nakamura, the HR manager, entered. She was a woman in her late twenties, dressed in a fitted gray blouse and black skirt. Her hair was tied neatly, her sharp eyes hidden behind a pair of thin-framed glasses. Despite her calm look, everyone in the office knew she was strict.
The moment Ryo, Shinji, and the others saw her, their expressions shifted. Chairs screeched as they scrambled back to their desks, pretending to work. Fingers tapped on keyboards. Papers shuffled.
The entire room instantly grew quiet.
Kenji, still smiling faintly, walked toward his corner desk.
Inside the HR office, the walls felt closer than usual. Kenji sat stiffly in the chair across from Emi Nakamura as her sharp voice filled the room.
"Kenji, how many times do I have to remind you? This is not the first time you've delayed your work. Do you think reports write themselves? Do you understand how much trouble this causes the department?"
Her words fell one after another, heavy and unrelenting. Kenji bowed his head lower and lower, his fingers tightening around the fabric of his trousers. He murmured his apologies again and again, but the scolding continued for nearly five minutes.
Finally, Emi ended with a sigh.
"This is your last warning. Don't repeat this again."
Kenji nodded quickly, whispering, "Yes, ma'am."
He left the office quietly, his ears burning. Ryo and Shinji smirked from their desks, but he didn't look at them. He just returned to his corner and started typing, pushing himself into his reports.
Hours crawled by. The sun dipped, and the office lights grew harsh and artificial. When the clock hit 6 p.m., Kenji finally completed the work he should have finished yesterday. Exhausted, he printed the files, stacked them neatly, and walked to Emi Nakamura's office.
The room was empty. She had already left.
Kenji placed the files carefully on her table, straightened them once, and whispered to himself, "At least it's done."
Then he packed his bag, dragged his tired body home, and collapsed onto his bed without even changing clothes.
Sleep swallowed him instantly.
The clock read 9:00 p.m. when Kenji's eyes snapped open.
"Oh, shit," he muttered, stumbling out of bed. "I'll be late if I don't hurry."
He rushed into the washroom, splashing water on his face before brushing his teeth half-heartedly. As he peeled off his wrinkled clothes, he caught sight of himself in the mirror.
Kenji froze.
His body was covered in faint scars and small cuts—red lines etched across his chest, arms, and shoulders. Some looked old, others looked fresh, like he had been clawed at during his sleep.
"What… is this?" he whispered, leaning closer. "How is this even happening? Is there… an insect in my apartment?"
He shook his head quickly.
"No worries… I'll look into this later."
He dressed in fresh clothes, though his body felt heavy and sore, as if he had run a marathon. Every step was stiff. Still, he forced himself to head back to the office.
When he arrived, the fluorescent lights buzzed quietly above. His coworkers were still at their desks, tapping away. Kenji dragged himself to his seat, dropping into his chair with a weary sigh. His body ached, his eyes half-shut, but he tried to look normal.
Behind him, two employees whispered in low voices.
"Did you hear? Today the CEO is visiting the company."
"Damn… really? She's coming here?"
Kenji's mind stirred. The word echoed in his thoughts. CEO.
Ayaka Takahashi.
He remembered her name instantly—the woman who stood at the very top of the company. A beautiful, mature presence, untouchable and out of reach, like a goddess in a world far above his own.