Taking a deep breath, Haari dove beneath the surface, the water clear but faintly foggy, a muted world of blues and shadows. He kicked hard, eyes searching—then they widened in horror. Ashi's feet were disappearing into the dark depths, sinking fast. NICAWA-SAN! his mind screamed, terror fueling him as he rushed downward, thinking she was drowning.
But Ashi wasn't drowning—she'd dived to explore the sea's underwater world, her curiosity pulling her deeper, unaware of Haari's panic. Haari's hand shot out, grabbing hers, and he yanked her upward with all his strength, kicking toward the surface.
They broke through, gasping, Haari's arms wrapping around Ashi's waist, pulling her close against him, water streaming down their faces. "Are you okay? Take a deep breath!" he urged, his voice raw with worry, his grip tight, a instinct kicking in—echoing the steady care from their balm moment.
The sea churned gently around them, water glistening on their faces as Haari held Ashi close, his arms still wrapped around her waist, his breath ragged from the dive. "Are you okay? Take a deep breath!" he urged, his voice raw with worry, eyes wide with intensity. The shore shimmered far off, Rafta and Oki's surfing figures tiny in the distance, oblivious to the drama unfolding.
Ashi opened her mouth to speak, her hazel eyes flickering with surprise, but Haari didn't give her a chance, his protective instincts in overdrive. "Don't move too much—just keep breathing, okay? We need to get you steady first," he said, his tone urgent, one hand brushing water from her cheek as he scanned her face for any sign of distress. His messy black hair clung to his forehead, dripping, his average features taut with concern—a on high alert, echoing the steady care from their balm moment.
Ashi tried again, "Kichiro-san, I—" but Haari cut her off, his voice overlapping hers in a rush. "No, don't talk yet—save your energy. Can you move your arms? Try lifting them slowly, but don't push yourself!" His hands hovered, guiding her as if she might sink again, his grip on her waist tightening slightly, the water lapping at their chins.
Ashi's brows furrowed, a shoujo mix of frustration and warmth flickering across her face, but Haari kept going, his words tumbling out. "We'll swim back to the shallows—don't try to dive again, okay? Just follow my lead. If you feel dizzy, tell me right away—don't hold it in!" His eyes darted between her and the shore, calculating the distance, his voice firm.
The waves rocked them gently, the sun casting a golden sheen on the water, but Haari's focus was unshakable, his instructions a steady stream as he guided her through the sea, oblivious to her attempts to explain.
The sea shimmered around them, the sun's golden light dancing on the waves as Haari held Ashi tightly, his hands gripping her waist, his voice a steady stream of concern. "Stay calm—I'll get you to the shore," he said, his tone firm, his average features set with determination. He adjusted his grip, ready to swim them back, the distant shore a golden promise where Rafta and Oki still surfed, unaware.
But Ashi's frustration boiled over, her hazel eyes flashing with a fire. Haari's tight hold, his relentless instructions—it was too much. She squirmed in his grasp, her voice erupting in a sharp shout that sliced through the waves. "KICHIRO-SAN!" The look on her face was pure annoyance, her brows furrowed, her cheeks flushed with irritation, a pushed to her limit.
Haari froze, taken aback, his eyes widening in shock. The intensity of her shout hit him like a blow, and he immediately let go, his hands dropping as if burned. Ashi floated free, the water lapping at her shoulders, her navy swimsuit catching the sunlight. Haari looked down, his messy black hair dripping, his voice dropping to a low, guilty murmur. "I'm sorry," he said, barely audible over the waves, his face shadowed with regret.
Ashi's expression shifted instantly, annoyance melting into concern, her eyes softening as she registered his tone. She opened her mouth to speak, to reassure him, her hand reaching out—but before she could say a word, Haari turned and swam toward the shore, his strokes swift and deliberate, his head down, refusing to look back or say anything more. The water trailed behind him, a silent echo of his retreat, leaving Ashi alone in the deeper waves, her heart a tangle of emotions.
Did I… did I hurt him? The thought tightened her throat, her earlier irritation dissolving into a pang of regret. Haari had only been trying to help, his overprotective. She'd seen the panic in his eyes when he thought she was drowning, the raw relief when he'd pulled her to the surface—how could she have shouted at him like that?
Ashi's gaze dropped to the water, her reflection wavering, distorted by the gentle waves. She felt a flicker of shame—she hadn't meant to push him away, hadn't meant to make him feel like he'd done something wrong. Her mind replayed his quiet apology, I'm sorry, the way he'd looked down, the weight in his voice. He thinks I'm mad at him… but I'm not. Not really. Her fingers brushed the spot on her waist where his hands had gripped her, the memory of his warmth lingering, stirring a flush that battled her concern.
She glanced toward the shore, where Haari's figure was now a small silhouette against the golden sand, joining the distant shapes of Rafta and Oki. A hollow ache settled in her chest—she wanted to call out, to swim after him, to explain that she'd only been frustrated, not angry. But the words caught in her throat, heavy with the fear that she'd already damaged something fragile between them, something that had been growing for so long.
The sea felt colder now, the vastness around her amplifying her loneliness. Ashi took a shaky breath, her practical side urging her to swim back, to face him, to fix this—but her heart hesitated, tangled in the mess of her own emotions, unsure if Haari even wanted to hear her right now.
Ashi swam slowly toward the shore, the sea's cool embrace doing little to ease the storm in her chest. Her navy swimsuit caught the fading sunlight, her long dark hair trailing like ink in the water.
She glanced ahead, her hazel eyes narrowing as Haari reached the golden sands of beach. But what she saw next made her breath catch—Haari strode straight toward Rafta, his face a mask of frustration, and without warning, Rafta threw a punch. Haari stumbled back, then lunged, and the two started fighting, sand kicking up around them, a brawl erupting as Oki shouted in the distance, trying to break them apart.
Ashi's heart sank, her guilt from their earlier moment (the shout in the water) twisting tighter. Did I cause this? she wondered, her strokes quickening, the shore growing closer but her emotions more tangled than ever.
The Next Day
The city buzzed below the 8th floor of the sleek corporate building, a small balcony offering a view of the skyline as Haari's team prepared for their company representation. Oki adjusted her tie, her hands trembling slightly despite her composed facade, her sharp ponytail swaying. "Today's the day for our company representation," she said, her voice tight with nerves. "Remember, this is a big opportunity for us."
Rafta, sporting a faint bruise from yesterday's scuffle, grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Good luck, everyone. Let's not screw this up."
Haari raised an eyebrow, his tone dry. "Look who's talking. Remember, you nearly forgot the data sheets."
"Hey, that was one time!" Rafta protested, his chuckle masking his own nerves.
"If we screw this up, Bose will definitely fire us," Haari said seriously, his voice heavy, his average features shadowed with worry. The mention of their boss's wrath cast a pall over the group. "And I don't want to be the one explaining why we failed."
Oki nodded, her face a picture of concern. "Good point. Let's stay focused. Good luck, everyone. Now, it's time to head in."
But a sudden whirring sound caught Haari and Rafta's ears. They exchanged a quick glance, a flicker of their shared mischief resurfacing, and rushed to the balcony, craning their necks to the sky.
A helicopter roared overhead, its blades slicing through the air, a sleek piece of metal gleaming against the clouds. They stared, mesmerized, as did other men around them—some on the balcony, others on the ground below, all united in awe.
A sharp SMACK! echoed as Oki's file struck both Haari and Rafta's heads, her patience snapping. "Stop goggling around! We're not here to watch helicopters—are you kids, watching so desperately? It's just a piece of metal flying in the air—nothing special!" Her words cut through the moment, her ponytail bouncing with fury, a fire igniting.
The atmosphere shifted, a cold tension settling in. Haari and Rafta's expressions darkened, their eyes narrowing as they turned to glare at Oki. "Take it back," Rafta said, his voice low and icy, a edge to his tone.
"What?" Oki blinked, caught off-guard.
Haari stepped closer, his glare matching Rafta's, his voice steady but sharp. "Habi-san, I respect your hard work and dedication to the company, but there's a limit you shouldn't cross." His words carried the weight, now laced with a rare intensity.
"What are you talking about?" Oki asked, her confusion growing.
"Boys, let's tell her what we're talking about," Rafta said, his tone ominous. The other men around them—strangers united by the helicopter's allure—turned to stare at Oki, their gazes heavy.
"Hey, do you even know who they are?" Oki challenged, her hands on her hips.
"Yeah, we know each other very well," Haari said, his voice firm, a leader rallying his crew.
"Do you even know their names?" Oki shot back, her frustration mounting.
"There's no need to know their names when we're in the same boat," Rafta replied, his smirk cold. "A king never knows the names of all the people in his army, but they still follow him. You know why? Because they're all in the same boat."
Oki's eyes widened, then softened. "Okay, I'm sorry about what I said, okay?" she conceded, her tone relenting.
"You don't look so sorry to me," Rafta said, his glare lingering.
"HEY!" Oki barked, her voice a thunderclap, the surrounding air shifting as everyone flinched. "Stop wasting time—it's already our turn for the representation. Keep moving!"
"Okay," Haari and Rafta muttered in unison, their seriousness returning as they followed her lead.
After the Representation
The team emerged from the meeting room, the evening sun casting long shadows across the building's lobby. Rafta stretched his arms over his head, his suit slightly wrinkled. "It took longer than we expected," he said, rolling his shoulders.
"Yeah, but we got it done smoothly," Oki replied, a tired smile breaking through her earlier tension. "It's already evening—I didn't even track the time in there."
Ashi, standing quietly, noticed Haari spacing out, his gaze distant, not joining the conversation. Her hazel eyes softened with concern, the memory of their sea misunderstanding (her shout, his retreat) still heavy on her heart.
"Hey, didn't you notice that woman sitting in the center among the observers?" Rafta said, his tone shifting to intrigue.
"Yeah, I did," Oki replied, her ponytail bouncing as she nodded. "She kept staring at us non-stop—I even noticed her smiling at us sometimes during our presentation. Isn't that right, Kichiro-san?"
Haari snapped out of his daze, blinking. "Hah! What?"
"Are you alright, Kichiro-san?" Oki asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"Yeah, I am," Haari said, but his tone lacked conviction, his expression a mix of confusion.
"Even I found her way of looking a little strange," Ashi added, her practical warmth surfacing. "Isn't she the main head of this whole thing?"
Haari's face shifted, a flicker of unease crossing his features as they mention that women from inside, his sadness deepening.
"Yeah, I heard she's currently among the richest people in the world and owns so many companies," Rafta said, his voice awed. "It's surprising to even see her here."