As they were taling , a sudden weight crashed onto Haari back. Arms looped around his shoulders, and legs wrapped tightly around his waist.
The team froze in pure shock.
"Haari!"
The voice was unmistakable—soft yet full of playful warmth.
Haari stiffened as he felt the familiar weight pressing against him. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. His fingers twitched in silent frustration.
Ashi's mouth fell open. "Uh… what?"
Oki took a cautious step back. "Ah… g-good evening, ma'am?" he greeted hesitantly.
Aya Yami—one of the judges, the women they were just talking about—was clinging to Haari's back like a child getting a piggyback ride. Her arms wrapped snugly around his shoulders, and her legs locked securely at his sides.
If anything, she seemed to tighten her grip, pressing herself closer. Her chin rested lightly against him, and a small, satisfied hum escaped her lips, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
"You've gotten taller," she mused, her voice carrying a teasing lilt. "Or have I just gotten shorter?"
Haari let out a slow exhale, his jaw tightening. "Aya… get off."
Aya only laughed, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Nope."
The rest of the team was still trying to process what had just happened.
Aya finally peeked over Haari's shoulder, flashing the team a playful grin. "Oh, don't look so surprised! Haari and I go way back, You don't mind carrying me, do you?"
"I do mind." Haari's voice was flat, his patience clearly wearing thin.
Aya huffed. "Wow, you're just as grumpy as ever."
"Maybe because you're riding on my back in front of everyone."
She tilted her head. "And? You used to carry me around all the time back then."
Ashi, Rafta, and Oki all stared at Haari with wide eyes.
"Wait… whaaaat?!" Ashi exclaimed.
Haari closed his eyes, clearly regretting every life decision that had led to this moment.
The door to the conference room swung open as the rest of the team stepped out, discussing their performance—until they all froze mid-step.
When they see Aya ,was riding on Haari's back like a carefree child, arms wrapped around his shoulders, legs dangling at his sides. Haari, on the other hand, looked like he was barely holding himself together. His face was unreadable, but his grip on her thighs—keeping her from slipping—told an entirely different story.
Silence fell over the group.
"…Miss Yami, stop doing that," a voice finally broke through the awkward tension.
A young man, about the same age as Haari, stepped forward, adjusting his tie with visible irritation.
Aya tilted her head. "Oh? Why? Are you jealous, Kaeya?"
Kaeya scowled. "No. You're damaging the company's reputation acting like that."
Aya pouted dramatically, resting her chin on Haari's shoulder. "Oh no, am I?"
"Yes, you are. You shouldn't behave like that with strangers," Kaeya snapped.
Aya chuckled, her fingers lightly drumming against Haari's chest. " He's not stranger he's someone i know from way back , he's someone i share lot of memory with "
Rafta , Oki and Ashi eyes widend.
Kaeya narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Aya smirked. " Well truth be told___he's my ex-boyfriend."
Thunder struck.
The entire group reeled back, eyes wide, mouths slightly agape.
"BO_BOYFRIEND?!" Kaeya practically choked on the word.
Haari, who had been trying to ignore the situation, sighed—deeply. He shifted Aya's weight slightly, placing his hands under her thighs to adjust her more securely on his back. His expression remained unreadable as he muttered, "Got a problem with that?"
Rafta and Ashi's heads snapped toward Haari in unison, their faces a perfect mix of shock and disbelief.
Ashi's lips parted, but no words came out. Her mind was scrambling, trying to process what she just heard.
Rafta's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, trembling slightly with restrained emotion. He looked at Ashi, who was still frozen in shock.
Haari avoided looking at either of them.
Meanwhile, Aya stretched her arms above her head, completely unbothered by the tension around her. "And look at the time! Office hours are already over. From here on out, this has nothing to do with the company."
Kaeya's face twitched with frustration. "I never heard about you are being in a relationship before."
Aya raised an eyebrow. "Why would I go around announcing my personal life? It's personal." She waved him off. "Now, shu shu get lost, you're ruining our reunion."
Kaeya exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples before turning on his heel and walking away. "Unbelievable…"
The moment he disappeared around the corner, Ashi finally found her voice.
But it came out in a soft whisper.
"...Boyfriend?"
Her heart was racing so fast she could hear it in her ears.
Kichiro-san… had a ex-girlfriend? not only that it's miss Aya Yami on of the most riched person in the world.
Her fingers curled slightly, gripping the hem of her blazer. Why didn't he ever mention it?
A memory resurfaced.
"Thank you, Kichiro-san! And while we're at it, I'd like to visit your hometown too."
Haari's face had paled. "What…?"
"What's the matter? You can take me home, right? I'd love to meet your parents," she had said playfully.
Haari had suddenly stood up, almost too abruptly. "Nicawa-san, don't you think we've been here too long?"
Ashi blinked, the realization hitting her like a wave.
Come to think of it… I don't know anything about Kichiro-san. Just the state he's from and what he told me about his friend. That's it.
She clenched her fist slightly, her stomach twisting in an unfamiliar way.
Rafta, still staring at Haari, exhaled sharply through his nose and turned away. His jaw was still tight, but he forced his hands into his pockets, trying to suppress whatever emotions were clawing at his chest.
The once lighthearted atmosphere had shifted.
And Haari, despite his composed expression, could feel the weight of everyone's stares.
Aya, of course, just giggled.
"You haven't changed a bit," Haari said with a nostalgic smile, his voice carrying a rare softness.
Aya chuckled, resting her chin on his shoulder. "And you're not much different either." Her arms remained wrapped around him, as if she had no intention of letting go.
Oki cleared her throat, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Kichiro-san, you never told us you were in a relationship before."
Haari let out a small sigh, adjusting his grip under Aya's thighs. "Well, since we broke up, I can't really say I am in a relationship. Besides… nobody ever asked me before."
Aya smirked at his words. "We graduated from the same university," she added, her voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "Haari and I were in relationship from the beganing of our study in university, but we broke up after our graduation, I still call him and ask him to come with me I even offer him partner in my busness but arrogant as ever, he never take me seriously."
"Oh, how rude of me," Aya suddenly realized. "I haven't introduced myself properly. My name is Aya Yami. It's nice to meet you all."
Oki quickly took the lead. "I'm Oki Habi, and this is Rafta Densi and Ashi Nicawa. We're friends of Kichiro-san. It's nice to meet you too."
Aya smiled warmly, her eyes scanning each of them with genuine curiosity. "The pleasure is mine. I've heard a lot about your company. It's great to finally put faces to the names. But…" she tilted her head slightly, playfully adjusting her grip on Haari's shoulder, "how about we continue this conversation somewhere else? I know a good restaurant nearby."
The team exchanged glances. Oki nodded. "That sounds good. What do you guys think?"
Rafta shrugged, his arms crossed. "Fine by me."
Ashi, who had barely spoken, simply nodded, her mind still reeling from what she had just learned.
With that, they left the conference venue and walked a short distance to a nearby restaurant. The warm glow of paper lanterns flickered outside, and the faint aroma of grilled fish and miso soup filled the air. It was a cozy, traditional-style restaurant with wooden tables and soft instrumental music playing in the background.
The warm glow of the restaurant enveloped Haari's team as they settled into their seats, the scent of yakitori and tempura wafting through the air. Aya, poised and confident in a sleek blazer, took charge with a smile. "This place has great yakitori and tempura. You guys should try it," she said.
Haari, still quiet after the day's representation, leaned back in his seat, a faint sigh escaping him. "You still order for everyone, huh?" His tone was soft, a mix of nostalgia and resignation, his messy black hair catching the dim light.
Aya smirked, her sharp eyes glinting. "Old habits die hard."
The food arrived soon after—skewers of grilled chicken, golden tempura, steaming rice—each dish a vibrant canvas of flavors.
As they ate, Rafta, who'd been watching Haari and Aya with a keen eye, finally broke the silence. "So… why did you two break up? Did you get into a fight or something?" His tone was casual, but his gaze was sharp, a rogue sensing a story.
Aya paused mid-bite, her chopsticks hovering over a piece of tempura. She glanced at Haari, then answered, her voice steady but tinged with nostalgia. "No, we didn't fight. After graduation, I got an offer from my company, and Haari got placed locally. I had to move here for work, and… we couldn't make the long-distance thing work. So we decided to break up."
Oki raised an eyebrow, her ponytail swaying as she leaned forward. "Just like that?"
Aya's smile was bittersweet, a glimmer of past pain. "It wasn't easy. But we both knew it was the only option at the time."
Rafta leaned back, processing her words. "Huh. I see."
Haari, reaching across the table, plucked a slice of pyaaj (onion) from Aya's dish with a casual ease. Oki blinked, her chopsticks pausing. "Kichiro-san, what are you doing? You've got your own order, so why are you—"
"Oh, you're getting it wrong," Haari interrupted, his tone calm but familiar, "I'm not stealing her food—I'm just picking the pyaaj out of it."
"Why?" Oki asked, her brow furrowing.
"Because she doesn't like eating pyaaj but likes the taste of it," Haari explained, placing the onion on his own plate, his movements natural, as if he'd done this a hundred times before.
Aya smiled softly, her gaze warm. "Thanks. You're the same as I remember." Her words carried a gentle fondness, a echo of their shared past.
Ashi felt a sudden weight on her chest, heavy and suffocating, her breath catching in a ache. Haari's ease with Aya, his intimate knowledge of her habits—it struck her like a tidal wave, stirring memories of their own moments: the balm incident, the underwater rescue, the Holi chaos. Rafta glanced at her, his concern evident, but a flicker of anger toward Haari burned in his eyes, a protector sensing her hurt.
A moment of silence settled, the clink of chopsticks the only sound, until Oki tried to lighten the mood. "Well, at least there's no bad blood, right?"
Aya laughed softly, her tone easing. "No, not at all. Haari was a great boyfriend." She shot him a teasing glance, her eyes glinting. "A bit too serious at times, but still great."
Haari scoffed, a faint smirk breaking his quiet. "You say that like you weren't the one always dragging me into trouble."
Aya grinned, her confidence shining. "I made life more exciting for you. You should be thanking me."
Oki chuckled, the tension lifting slightly—but not for Ashi. She remained silent, stirring her dessert absentmindedly, her mind a whirlwind. Haari had a girlfriend this whole time… and he never mentioned it?
She replayed their past conversations—the underwater hand-lock, the sari lessons, the quiet moments—realizing how little she truly knew about him, her heart sinking deeper with each memory.