Work Text:
“Kaname-san!” Hitomi's whisper from her desk behind Madoka’s was harsh and almost scared her out of her wits. Madoka took one last glance at the proposal draft on her screen before turning around.
She smiled gently at her friend. “What’s wrong, Shizuki-san? Do you need my help with anything?” Hitomi was a competent woman. She was the only member of their onboarding cohort besides Madoka to retain her position at the company. And in Madoka’s opinion, she was far more deserving of it than someone as clumsy as her. Freshly recruited Madoka had needed much more tutoring and assistance to get on the same level. To this end, Hitomi herself had been a valuable support and dear friend.
Madoka never forgot this even now, and was prepared to repay her in any small way she could. Hitomi sighed. “I’m fine Kaname-san, but thank you. Though I do wish you could share some of that carefree nature of yours with me.” Madoka tilted her head in confusion. “Have you forgotten? The department’s new boss is supposed to start working today.”
“That’s right! Akemi Homura-san was her name, right?” Madoka bit the end of her pen as she recalled. The handover of work was always a nerve-wracking deal for employees so far down the ladder as they were. She heard stories of bosses who took their time learning about their predecessors’ work, while others scrapped everything entirely. Madoka had been working on her proposal for the better part of this quarter, so she certainly hoped the new boss tended towards the former. It was never a good feeling to have your efforts denied.
When she told her friend as much, Hitomi shook her head. “I thought the same thing, but that was before the induction ceremony we had last week; the one you were sick for.” Madoka laughed weakly. She hadn’t been entirely truthful about taking the previous Friday off. She couldn’t say her favorite game streamer was going to hold their first live stream after a long hiatus, so she simply said she wasn’t feeling well. It was true to a certain extent. After all, if she had missed the stream, she would be far too depressed to get any work done.
“What happened at the ceremony?” she asked, hoping to distract her friend. From the way Hitomi’s eyebrows scrunched up, she knew she had succeeded.
“The new boss is beautiful, but her demeanor… I could feel chills from across the room! I wanted to go over and give my congratulations, but she spent most of the meal speaking with upper management. Not to mention she didn’t crack a single smile the whole time. I didn’t want to intrude.”
“Maybe that’s just her work persona?”
“You would think, but I spoke with some friends from the main branch, and she’s notorious over there. They call her ‘Walpurgis’, which is just a fancy way to call her an evil witch. Cause whenever she appears, someone’s gonna get fired. Apparently she’s related to someone really high up too, so no one dares to offend her.”
“She can’t be that bad… right?”
“You’re just too nice, Kaname-san. And some people aren't.” Bitterness seeped into her tone. Madoka wondered if she had gotten into another fight with her boyfriend. Unfortunately, the conversation was cut short when their manager passed by.
With the way Hitomi was talking, Madoka half-expected major upheaval to her daily routine. The truth was exactly the opposite. The rest of the work day passed by uneventfully, without Madoka seeing even a strand of the new boss’s hair.
By the time she finished pondering this, she was already walking down the familiar street to her apartment.
This was the time of day Madoka felt most clearly her role in society as an office worker going home for the evening. Outside, children ran about using the energy they had stored up from a full day of school, pretending not to hear their parents calling them home for dinner. As the sun began its descent beyond the horizon, the elderly walked slowly and savored every second of their remaining time.
And Madoka? She was rushing back home to catch another of her favorite gamer’s livestream.
Her life changed in college. Average in every way for most of her life, a turn of fate had led to Madoka winning a raffle. The prize was a personal chat session with a video game streamer. Lonely freshman she was, Madoka hit it off with them much better than she had expected. The both of them then decided to keep in contact, and accompanied each other throughout the worst and best moments of the next five years. Now, half a decade later, Madoka considered this friend the one person in her life who understood her best.
Madoka dropped her bag at the doorway and slid into her comfy fuschia gaming chair. It was sold as a matching set with her online friend’s lavender one. They bought the whole set for Madoka’s birthday last year. At first, Madoka was apprehensive at receiving such an expensive gift, but the temptation of matching with her friend was too great.
It was a secret only the two of them shared, and it made her feel closer to them, even when they were separated by the computer screen.
Madoka quickly typed a few messages to her friend.
xXPastelSeraphXx: Clock, I just got off work!! Did you start the stream yet?
ClockDemon0001: not yet (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) delayed it for 30 min by talking to chat
xXPastelSeraphXx: Joining now!! ;-;
ClockDemon0001: ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Plugging in her headphones with one hand, Madoka clicked into the stream with the other.
Clock claimed she was quite shy in person, so instead of showing her face on camera she set up a vtuber rig of herself. The model was of a cute, dark-haired girl in braids wearing red glasses and cat ears. Over the years, her small following had grown into a much bigger size. Madoka felt only pride at being one of the fans that followed her from near obscurity to the fame she had now.
“And there’s my chat mod! We can start playing now. As always, please no backseat gaming,” Clock said. Her voice was gentle and soothing. The model smiled as the screen switched from her bedroom to the window on her PC. Clock didn’t actually speak much on stream, despite having such a nice voice and rig. She was better known for her precision and skills. Her speedruns had hundreds of thousands of views.
As the game booted up, Madoka kept an eye on the chat while sending out free subscriptions to the day’s first three viewers. It was her way of giving back to the community. As a moderator she could only volunteer in her free time after work, so this was her way of compensation. Though Clock assured her she didn’t have to.
Clock typically streamed first-person shooting games. This month’s featured game was newly released, called Magia Unlimited. The player started a new magical girl who used guns as weapons.
The chat went crazy when the title screen popped up. Some shared their own experiences, while others spoke about the game’s alleged difficulty. Still others reveled in and added to the chaos. Madoka scrolled quickly, banning the misbehaving ones.
A few hours later, the stream ended. There was just enough time for a quick shower and dinner.
Then, it was already time to head to sleep.
Feeling somewhat rebellious, Madoka lay down and scrolled through social media. The world of game news was fast, and there was much that was easily missed. Or so she told herself, until a message from Clock popped up on her screen and she tapped it before it disappeared.
ClockDemon0001: ty for everything ♥‿♥ could never do all this without your help
xXPastelSeraphXx: You know I’ll always be there to support you, Clock! I know you’d do the same for me. :D
ClockDemon0001: hehe ofc (,,> ᴗ <,,) now off to bed you go so you don’t oversleep
xXPastelSeraphXx: But Clock… :’(
ClockDemon0001: clock is already asleep and can no longer respond ꒰｡- ᴗ - ｡꒱ ᶻzᶻzᶻz good night
xXPastelSeraphXx: Good night, Clock.^^
With a lingering smile on her face, Madoka drifted off to dreamland.
The next morning, Madoka woke up with several locks of her hair sticking out to the side. Almost half an hour was wasted combing it back down, making her just miss her usual train to work. She ended up clocking in late, and that’s how she knew it was about to be a rough day.
As if to double down on her hypothesis, the office was eerily quiet.
Hitomi leaned her head on one hand while her other hand clutched her stomach. She looked utterly nauseous.
“Good morning, Shizuki-san,” Madoka greeted, but the other woman merely blinked despondently at her. Many of her other coworkers were in similar states of disarray, as if a storm had swept through. Madoka fiddled with the straps of her bag. Whatever had happened, it wasn’t a good sign.
“Kaname-san, I presume?” A voice so cold it could freeze the Earth’s core instead called out her name.
Madoka turned around, and was taken aback. Before her stood a very beautiful woman. Instead of twisting her features in an unseemly manner, her anger only accentuated her blazing violet irises and the shape of her lips.
It was as if a vengeful goddess had arrived to take her due. But it was only for a single moment. The next, fear washed over Madoka, cooling her head and bringing her back to reality.
“You’re late. I don’t know who was running this farce of a department before, but that kind of behavior won’t be without consequences anymore.” Her eyelids lowered, and it only made her all the more intidmidating. “Put your things down and come see me in my office.”
In the face of such blatant vitriol, it was all Madoka could do to mechanically walk to her desk and put down her bag as ordered.
Shizuki-san came up behind her and patted her back gently.
“It’ll be alright,” she said with a hint of unease. “Her bark is worse than her bite. Probably.” When Madoka glanced back at her, she winced. “No, it definitely will,” she amended.
Madoka silently took out her laptop and caressed its cover. Before she went to face her fate, Hitomi called out to her again. She had placed a can of soda on her desk. “I was saving that for later, but you should keep it. Just in case. Shut her up with the results of your hard work! You’ve got this, Kaname-san.” Madoka squeezed out a smile for her, even though she was feeling less than confident.
It didn’t matter that her first impression in front of the boss had been terrible. There was still time to prove herself. There had to be.
Madoka knocked on the door of the closed office.
“Come in,” said Akemi-san. She sounded much calmer than before, so Madoka steeled herself and went inside. Before the boss could say anything, she knelt down at a 90-degree bow.
“I’m so sorry for being late! I promise it won’t happen again.” There was silence. Madoka straightened up to see her boss staring at her.
“See that it doesn’t,” she muttered. She beckoned her with a finger, and Madoka quickly walked over. There was more silence as Akemi-san looked through her work materials, and it felt like an eternity. Just when Madoka was considering the possibility of having to grovel again, her boss spoke.
“This is a good report. It’s concise, detailed, and the footnotes were a good touch.” Madoka’s eyes widened. “That said, the subject matter is completely worthless.” Madoka lowered her head. Akemi-san tapped a pale finger on her the hard wood of her new desk. “But that’s not entirely your fault. Whoever was directing you—that is, your previous boss—could have checked your progress at any point to figure that out. They just didn’t.”
Madoka looked into Akemi-san’s eyes and saw a steady determination. Like flames burning throughout rainstorms, she would never give up. Something about that spark, despite her unfriendly demeanor, lit Madoka up from the inside.
“Now that I’m here, that’ll all change. From today on, I’ll be expecting great things from you Kaname-san.”
Madoka felt like she was being burned alive. She thanked her boss and left, collapsing at her desk.
Her new boss… was incredibly intense.
A few months later, Madoka lounged lazily on her bed. Her laptop had abandoned its post at her desk and taken up root on her stomach, where it lay displaying Clock’s latest livestream.
Clock was just finishing up, and just when Madoka was about to fall asleep, it ended with a jingle that jolted her awake.
Madoka’s eyes drifted up to the corner of her screen where they battery level glared a flashing red. She dragged her half-awake body over to her desk and plugged in the dying device. It took a few tries.
When her phone buzzed with the sound effect she set for Clock’s messages, she woke up fully. She plugged in her laptop, poured herself a glass of water, and opened Clock’s message.
ClockDemon0001: i’ve been so burned out recently… (⊃ ˃̣̣̥ ᴖ ˂̣̣̥ ⊂)
xXPastelSeraphXx: Me too…
ClockDemon0001: oh no! work treating you badly again?
xXPastelSeraphXx: It’s been fine for the most part, it’s just that my boss has been on the warpath this week.
ClockDemon0001: bad boss!! stop making seraph sad or get tossed!! (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
xXPastelSeraphXx: Ahaha, it’s not just her. The whole office has been swamped with work!
ClockDemon0001: ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა maybe you should go to indie gamecon with me next week! get away from everything and relax for a bit
Madoka paused before responding. Although they had been friends for several years, they had yet to meet in person. They had discussed it before and decided to meet up when they both had money and the opportunity. Even just a year ago, Madoka refused, but now… maybe it was exactly what she needed.
xXPastelSeraphXx: That would be fun! ^^ I’ll ask my boss for time off.
ClockDemon0001: WAIT FOR REAL??? aaa i’m so hype!!! ♪⁽⁽٩( ᐖ )۶⁾⁾ ₍₍٩( ᐛ )۶₎₎♪
xXPastelSeraphXx: xD Does it really make you that happy?
ClockDemon0001: ofc ofc! i’ll finally be meeting up with my bestest friend EVER and we’re gonna have a great time!
Madoka couldn’t stop smiling. Her gloomy mood had completely been cleared away. It had been so long since she had something like this to look forward to.
The next day Madoka marched into the office with an extra pep in her step.
“What’s got you so energetic?” Hitomi grumbled, but even her friend’s negativity couldn’t put a damper on Madoka’s spirit.
“Nothing!” she giggled. She took her chair for a quick spin. When she opened her laptop, the loud crash of a slammed door got her attention. Madoka looked up only to see her boss’s back rapidly moving away.
Hitomi sighed. “It’s been hard for Boss too this week. I heard the higher-ups are pressuring her for results within the year.”
The corporate drama had extended its claws all to way to Madoka and her coworkers. It was all Madoka could do to keep her head above water every day. At least this morning she had promise of light at the end of the tunnel.
She worked through the afternoon. After a quick lunch, Madoka gathered her materials for a meeting with her boss. This was the biggest event of her day. Afterwards, the rest of her day would be relatively worry-free and she could go back to fantasizing about meeting Clock in person.
What kind of person would they be, she mused as she walked down the hall. She knew they were a woman around her age. Would they look similar to their vtuber model, with long, flowing hair and gentle eyes? Or maybe they looked like someone whose lively personality shone through their fashionably unique clothes.
Akemi-san clicked her tongue, and Madoka came face to face with the wooden door. Sound insulation wasn’t their office’s strong suit. But if she had learned anything from the months of working with her new boss, it was that delaying the inevitable only frustrated her.
Madoka took a deep breath and entered.
Akemi-san didn’t look at her as she sat down. “Put that aside for now,” she said when Madoka placed her report on the desk.
Confused, Madoka followed her instructions. She met Akemi-san’s eyes, which were filled with hesitation and an emotion Madoka couldn’t name.
“Headquarters is sending me to Canada next week. There’s a deal that would be beneficial to both us and the company that’s offering, and I need to be there in person to verify the terms of the contract. If it looks good, I’ll sign.” She paused. “I want you to come with me.”
“Huh?!” Madoka gawked. “Surely there are better options?” And she had wanted to ask for time off. A business trip would ruin her plans completely.
Akemi-san’s gaze narrowed. “I wasn’t asking, Kaname-san. You’re the only one whose project has a long-term deadline. Thus, you are coming.”
Madoka was beginning to panic. “But, I was going to ask for time off next week!”
“Denied. That will be all.”
Her boss hadn’t even looked at her weekly report. Madoka wanted to scream her frustration out. Instead she picked up her report and sullenly left the office.
Her cluttered desk, once familiar, now mocked her with its unchanging nature.
Madoka tried incredibly hard to get hired. And so she would go on that trip as requested. But if this job continued to eat away at her life and the things that brought her the most joy, then maybe it was time to begin considering other options.
And the worst was yet to come. How was she supposed to break the news to Clock?
Clock took the news better than expected, all things considered. They assured her that her work trip was more important, and that the future was long. There would always be another opportunity to meet up. After hearing these words, Madoka finally saw small silver linings in the huge cloud of her gloom.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get her out of bed and finally begin packing.
The airport was cold and windy, but somehow still less frigid than her boss’s gaze. Madoka wondered briefly if perhaps she didn’t want to go on this trip either, but that was unlikely. She had come to their department for the express purpose of improvement; now that such a beneficial deal had presented itself, Akemi-san should be over the moon.
She must have a strange way of expressing her happiness. Madoka observed her as they flew across the ocean, checked into the hotel, and checked into their room to prepare for the banquet. The entire time, her boss’s face remained unchanged. When Madoka was nervous, she would unconsciously fidget with whatever she was holding. Akemi-san had no such habit. She was like a block of eternally unmelting ice. On a good day, her anger animated her. But indifference, as loathe Madoka was to admit it, was somehow even scarier.
Madoka stopped thinking about it. Her boss’s mood was the least of her concerns. She had to try her best at the banquet, even if it was just handing Akemi-san a pen to sign with.
Akemi-san opened the door to their room and immediately frowed. Madoka peeked over her shoulder, but found nothing of note.
“There must have been a mistake,” said her boss. “I specifically requested a double. I’ll speak with the front desk.” Before Madoka could respond, she left.
Madoka walked in and glanced at the bed. It was quite large, enough for even 2 girls their size. But she could understand if someone of Akemi-san’s social class was unused to sharing.
While her boss was gone, Madoka changed into the dress she had brought. She had specifically chosen her best one. It was an elegant evening gown that draped snugly around her hips and slid down like flowing water. She had only worn it once before, at her college graduation. The pastel fabric draped a little lower down her chest than Madoka was comfortable with, but the pink ribbon around her neck was angled to alleviate it.
Her boss returned with her suitcase, expression stormy. “They didn’t have any other free rooms. I’ll call headquarters to–” she abruptly stopped at the sight of Madoka.
“It’s okay, I don’t mind sharing!” Madoka said before she could pull out her phone. She was met with silence, and when she looked up, yet another expression she couldn’t read. “Boss?”
Akemi-san coughed. “If it’s alright with you, Kaname-san. That would be very helpful.” Madoka exhaled a breath of relief. “You should head over to the banquet without me. We’re cutting it close, so I’ll arrive once I get changed.” She waited for Madoka’s verbal agreement before beginning her preparations.
Madoka took one last glance before heading out.
The banquet was held on an upper floor of the very same hotel. It was for that very reason they were so booked and changing rooms would be a hassle. Madoka was absentminded as she sipped on a glass of fruit juice. It was her first time attending such an event. It was early, but many had already formed cliques. Did they know each other beforehand, or was there some secret to making acquaintances here that she wasn’t privy to?
She felt horribly out of her element. There wasn’t even any food. So when Akemi-san finally arrived clad in a black dress that sparkled brighter than the night sky, it took her breath away in more ways than one.
Her boss knew what to do more than Madoka did, as she headed straight towards a group of men. Madoka trotted over as best she could in her heels.
One of the men stopped talking and took a glance at her. Instinctually, Madoka tilted her body slightly behind her boss. Alarm bells rang in her head when he looked her up and down.
“Hello there,” he said. Madoka pulled out a smile. He held out a room card. “This is for later tonight, if you’re interested.” A pale arm blocked him.
“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t hit on my subordinate,” said Akemi-san, more stern than Madoka had ever seen her. The man scoffed.
“Well, if you wanted to take her place, I’d be fine with that. You look like you’d be better in bed anyways.”
“Does your company always allow such rotten behavior?” Madoka’s boss turned to the older man she had been speaking with.
“That’s my son. He doesn’t mean any harm.” Akemi-san laughed, and it was not a happy laugh.
“With all due respect sir, he’s a human, not a dog. But he’s certainly acting like one.” She turned on her heel. “We’re leaving, Kaname-san. There’s no point in signing a deal with a bunch of dogs.” The men sputtered in outrage as her boss took her hand and promptly left the vicinity.
As they walked through the corridor, all Madoka could think about was how powerful Akemi-san small, warm hand felt against hers.
They soon arrived back at their room. Madoka was surprised to see a set of sheets on the floor.
“It was my fault for not double checking with the hotel, so I’ll sleep on the floor,” said Akemi-san.
Madoka waved her hands. “I really don’t mind sharing the bed!”
“Even so, I must take responsibility. And don’t worry about the deal. It wouldn’t have lasted long with people like that running their company.” Madoka felt warm. With these words and what had happened at the banquet, she had realized there was far more kindness to her boss than she usually showed.
When they were both changed and tucked in, Madoka whispered, “Good night, Akemi-san.”
So quietly that she almost couldn’t hear it, her boss responded, “Good night, Kaname-san.”
Madoka fell asleep with the smallest of smiles on her face.
The morning after the disastrous banquet was awkward. Well, it was awkward for Madoka. Akemi-san seemed as unfazed as ever, waking up early and tapping away on her phone. She tapped with more force than most people, and it had a very pronounced sound. It was what eventually woke up Madoka along with the bright sun peeking through the blinds.
“Akemi-san,” she murmered. Her boss looked over, and her soft laugh made her seem gentler than usual.
“You’re drooling, Kaname-san.” Madoka shot up in mortification.
“I-I’m sorry!” She rushed into the bathroom before she could continue to make a fool of herself.
When she was tidied up, she came back outside, avoiding eye contact. Her boss informed her of a meeting she had set up with a different company at a nearby golfing range. Madoka marveled at her efficiency. Despite her temper, she was definitely an extremely competent woman. Although she privately wondered why wealthy bosses never chose a normal location for what was essentially a buisness transaction.
Since she still had to do her job, she headed out with Akemi-san after lunch. The first thing she noticed when they arrived at the club was neither the expensive-looking facilties nor the tidy grassland, but the blazing sun that seemed to scorch the very hair off her arms.
Luckily, her boss had brought sunscreen. She did the majority of the golfing, chatting along with another boss who looked much nicer than last night’s. Madoka mainly helped by carrying around some extra clubs and picking up balls that had gone astray.
It wasn’t entirely what she had expected, nor was it entirely terrible. By the time the sun had almost reached the horizon, her boss had signed the deal.
Sweaty and exhausted, Madoka was just about ready to head back to a lovely, air-conditioned room. She smiled harder than Akemi-san when they were heading back across the lawn.
Their good cheer was interrupted by the unpleasant man from last night. Unlike the previous night however, he looked far more inebriated. Madoka tensed up.
“Well, if it isn’t those two ladies,” he drawled. “You know, I thought about it, and maybe I should have just offered for you both to come to my room. Maybe then you wouldn’t have refused our generous offer.” Madoka glanced at her boss, who seemed to be trying to shoot him up into flames with her stare.
This only riled up the man more. “I saw y’all trying to replace us over there. You know, I’m actually quite close with that family. All it would take is one setence to make it all come crashing down.”
Madoka was angry, angrier than she’d ever been. She had seen firsthand how hard Akemi-san had been working this whole time. To protect her, to protect their company, she had been giving it her all. And it wasn’t up to the whims of some random man to ruin it.
“I think you should leave, sir,” she said with such grit in her voice it shocked herself.
“Really? Then I think your boss should go over and pick up my golf balls for however long I want to play,” scoffed the man. Madoka was about to do something she would really regret when Akemi-san stopped her. Madoka met her eyes in confusion, and saw the same determination in them as the day she met her. It was that determination that drew Madoka in, and it was the very same that told her she would do anything to acheive her goals. Even if it meant obeying the whims of this man.
“He won’t go too far,” Akemi-san whispered, and that was all it took for Madoka to know no amount of persuasion would change her mind.
Madoka hated how stubborn her boss could be. Because it made her feel utterly helpless as she watched Akemi-san chase after balls in the swealtering heat. Her skin tinted an unhealthy pale white, clutching the golf balls. It wasn’t until the sky was dark that the man let them leave.
Madoka kept peeking at her boss on their way back, but couldn’t read anything from the firm set of her shoulders. When they entered their hotel room, Akemi-san collapsed. She clutched at her chest and moaned in pain.
“What’s wrong, Akemi-san? Should we get you to a hospital?” Madoka was alarmed.
“Don’t,” said her boss. “It’s just an old disease. It’s incurable.” Madoka filtted about the room, fetching her water and wrapping blankets around her. Nothing seemed to help.
“You’re scaring me,” cried Madoka.
“I’ll be fine. I just need to rest,” Akemi-san insisted.
“You need to sleep on the bed tonight.” Her boss shook her head weakly. Madoka adopted a stern glare, similar to the posture her boss had used to intimidate others.
“You will,” she stated, “and I wasn’t asking you!” Perhaps the change in demeanor had shocked her boss, and paired with her sickness, she listened to Madoka.
Through the night, Madoka did her best to take care of her stubbornly kind boss. When so much time had passed that Madoka couldn’t keep track, Akemi-san finally showed signs of improving. Madoka fell asleep beside her with a wet towel clutched tightly in her hand.
An unknown amount of time later, when it was far too late in the morning, she woke up. With a yawn, she met her boss’s purple eyes. Sleep had relaxed them into a rounder shape, and it almost looked… cute.
Before thinking better of it , Madoka reached out a hand to pat her on the head. “You did so good, Akemi-san. You concluded the deal and stopped that idiot from harassing me at the party. You’re the best boss a worthless employee like me could ask for.” When a suspicious flush arose on her boss’s cheeks, Madoka realized what she was doing and yanked her hand back.
She was half-expecting to get yelled at, so the silence surprised her.
“That’s not true,” her boss whispered. “You’re really good at your job. I knew it when I read that first report of yours. It might not seem like you’re doing much right now, butt you have a lot of potential. That’s why I wanted you to come on this trip.”
Madoka forgot to breathe. She had never thought there was such a hidden reason for being chosen by her boss. She hadn’t thought much at all, beyond thinking there were more senior coworkers that could have done better. In hindsight, perhaps they were all misled by Akemi-san’s less than positive first impressions.
“I never knew that,” said Madoka. “Thank you.”
Her boss’s stomach let out a rumble, and she hid under the covers. Madoka found her unbearably adorable.
“I’ll get you some food from downstairs,” she said amidst laughter. Her boss peeked out from under the covers long enough to hold out two fingers.
“And some for yourself,” she said before diving back in.
“Of course!”
Madoka was hoping her boss would feel better after getting some food in, but she had barely taken a few bites when her condition took a turn for the worse.
Even more than last night, her boss’s temperature spiked.
“Fuck,” Akemi-san said, but her voice was so weak it did not sound initimidating. “Sometimes I get a fever afterwards.I have medicine…. in my bag…”
Madoka quickly fetched the black backpack and rifled through it. There was abottle of pills there, which she handed over with a glass of water. Her boss took one and her face immediately relaxed. Perhaps it the sudden sickness had tired her out, because her breath quickly evened out. Madoka gently felt her forehead with the back of her hand, and was relieved to see the temperature had once again fallen.
While her boss slept, Madoka took the opportunity to catch up on some of her work. They had left on a Friday, and there was still much to do where she had left off. The minutes ticked by. Madoka was struggling to focus, her eyes drawn by the sight of her sleeping boss.
Perhaps it was time for a break. Madoka opened her messages.
xXPastelSeraphXx: How’s the con going, Clock? :D
No response. Her boss’s phone buzzed.
xXPastelSeraphXx: Hope it’s a lot of fun! My trip has been very eventful.
Her boss’s phone buzzed.
xXPastelSeraphXx: I’m so ready for it all to be over, though. I’ll tell you everything when I get back.
Her boss’s phone buzzed.
Madoka frowned. Was there an urgent issue that needed her boss? Looking at her serene face, Madoka couldn’t bear to wake her up.
So instead, she did something very unprofessional: checked her boss’s phone.
At first, she was caught up in the anxiety of yet again being embroiled in corporate drama, but when she registered what was on the screen, her blood went cold.
It was her own messages in familiar vernacular displayed on the screen. Which could only mean one thing: her online friend this whole time had been her boss.
Her amazingly beautiful and competent boss was wonderful, and Madoka was…. Madoka. The incompetent rookie who had to be protected by her at every turn. And even made her collapse from the exertion of it.
Thinking back on the events that had led up to this moment, Madoka felt a deep sense of shame and guilt.
Would Akemi-san be better off had she not met her at all? Just the thought of it was excruciating.
Her boss woke up a few hours later feeling much better, and they flew back together. The whole time, Madoka was quiet, agreeing with everything Akemi-san said. Before they parted at the airport, her boss looked back at her one last time. Madoka couldn’t bring herself to meet her eyes.
The first thing she did when she got home was delete her streamer account and block her friend on messaging.
It wasn’t too late to make up for her regrets. From now on, they would just be a normal pair of boss and employee. Akemi-san would fix their department, transfer back to headquarters, and live an accomplished life.
It would be fine. Madoka would just go back to being the average, nothing special girl she was before they had met.
As Madoka brushed her hair back, she realized she was crying.
Akemi-san was absent the next few days at work. Madoka supposed it was for the best, both for her own peace of mind as well as her boss’s precarious state of health.
The people at work gossiped, however. She heard them talking about how it turned out Akemi-san was just like other bosses, satisfied with leaving the brunt of the work to them. The spoke so well of her at headquarters, they said, but she’s nothing more than that.
Madoka had gripped her empty paper cup so hard it crinkled and became unusable. She should just ignore them, she knew, but how could they speak of Akemi-san like that? None of them knew her, not like Madoka did. None of them knew the struggles she faced nor the deep strength she held within.
Madoka seethed so hard she barely got any work done for the rest of the day. When the week was almost over and her boss still hadn’t returned, Madoka began to worry. Had another complication arisen with Akemi-san’s body? Out of responsibility and a secret selfishness, Madoka volunteered to drop off the department’s weekly reports at Akemi-san’s apartment.
Akemi-san lived in a community typical of people who were born into wealth; you couldn’t get in without proving you were related to a resident there. Madoka hesitated, but called Akemi-san through her work phone number. She vouched for her, and didn’t sound too ailed; Madoka couldn’t rest easy until she laid eyes on her though.
Madoka took the elevator, and grew more nervous the closer she got to the apartment. In truth, she truly did not know how to face her boss and ex-friend. By now, Clock would have realized that she had been blocked. She might be sad for the moment, but later would come to realize it was the best decision. Never mind that she never knew it was Madoka behind the screen. Knowing meant being disappointed, and Madoka didn’t know if she could bear the weight of such a gaze.
Madoka reached the front door, and once again hesitated before knocking. Lightly, at first, and then harder when there was no response.
Longer than it should have taken, Madoka heard the latch unlock, and with it, her heart jumped.
It promptly fell to the floor when she saw the state Akemi-san was in. She was, for lack of a better term, utterly disheveled. Madoka hadn’t seen her this messed up even when she was too ill to get up.
“Akemi-san…” she said. Her boss gave her a weak smile, and it almost broke Madoka’s heart.
“Here to drop off documents? Come in,” said her boss, and disappeared inside before Madoka could refuse.
Emotionally and rationally, Madoka couldn’t bring herself to walk away. So she once again did the unprofessional thing, and walked inside.
Her boss’s apartment was nothing like Madoka expected it to be.
Someone as put together and wealthy as her must lead a minimalist lifestyle. That way, it would be easier to center her life around work. Madoka had speculated on similar opinions. Admittedly, most of her theories were based on how clean and minimalist Akemi-san’s office was.
Madoka now realized that Akemi-san was instead the type of person to have a clear distinction between her work and personal lives.
The apartment was very dark, even with all the lights turned on. The walls painted a deep purple, accented the unique hangings on the wall. It should have been strange and uncomfortable, but instead came together as a cozy and familiar abode.
She didn’t have too much time to analyze it before her boss flopped miserably onto the couch.
“Akemi-san…. are you alright?” Madoka set the files down on the coffee table and reached out to take her temperature as she had in the hotel room. “You were feeling much better on the flight back. I thought… that perhaps your illness was gone for the time being. Did it flare up again?”
Her boss shook her head. “That’s not it,” she whispered. “I have a friend. Or, I guess had one.” Madoka froze. She wanted to cover Akemi-san’s mouth and run away that instant.
“A few years ago, my health was much worse than it is now. I spent most of my days in the hospital, on my laptop. Every day felt more miserable than the last. Then by chance, I met someone online. She was a girl my age, but she was so different from me. She was convinced she was a normal girl, but that simply wasn’t true. She was so, so special to me. Like a star lighting up my darkness, she brought me joy and purpose.”
Madoka’s eyes burned.
“And then, I agreed to undergo heart surgery. Because more than anything else, I wanted to meet her in person, to live a life by her side. That’s why I joined the company my dad was a shareholder of, and why I worked so hard. It was all for the time I could meet her on an even wavelength. But for some reason, she stopped responding to my messages and I felt terrible again.”
“Stop it!” Madoka shouted. Half-sobbing, she cried out, “I’m not that amazing. Not at all! I’m just a coward who couldn’t face the truth when it was right in my face.” She felt like collapsing. No, she had to leave. She got up and quickly headed to the door.
Akemi-san started to cough. “Wait, don’t go! Madoka!” she called out, gasping. Madoka stopped in her tracks. What was she doing, all this time? If she left, her boss would get worse, Madoka would quit her job, and they would both be worse off for it. She went back to her boss. Madoka gently patted her back.
“I’m sorry for hiding it from you,” she said. “Just focus on getting better now. We’ll talk after that, okay?” Akemi-san nodded, and wouldn’t stop holding onto Madoka’s sleeve.
To make up for the enormous guilt she felt, Madoka took time off and spent the next few days taking care of Akemi-san. While she slept, Madoka cleaned the apartment from top to bottom, including her streaming equipment. She felt a sense of unreality finally seeing the purple chair in person.
By Saturday, Akemi-san was back in top form. Before starting what might be their final conversation, her boss handed Madoka a small box, wrapped in cute pink wrapping paper.
“I was going to give you this at the convention,” she said. “But we both didn’t get a chance to go.”
Madoka silently unwrapped it, despite feeling like she didn’t deserve it. Inside was a necklace with a pendant of angel wings, dotted in shiny pick diamonds. “It’s a matching set I customized for us.” She pulled out a similar pendant from her collar, a pair of purple devil wings.
“Madoka,” her boss said, and took her hands into her own. “You’ve always been my hero, someone who is irreplaceable to me. If you can’t see it yourself, then I’ll be there to tell you every day. You don’t have to be scared anymore.”
Madoka started to cry again. “I’m sorry…. I’m sorry!” She threw herself into her friend’s arms.
“It’s okay. I understand exactly how you feel. I should have tried to meet you sooner, but I was also scared,” Akemi-san said. “But I’m glad it was you.”
Madoka wiped her face and looked into her eyes. “I’m also glad it was you, Homura.” They smiled at each other. “So… are we dating now?”
“Huh?!” Homura blushed. After a short silence, she admitted, “I mean, I wouldn’t be opposed to it…”
Madoka smiled at her and leaned in for a kiss. There was still much to work out, but neither of them would be scared to face it anymore.
Because together, they were unstoppable.