The message arrived at 7:42 PM.

My office. Now. — Reika

That was it.

No greeting. No explanation.

Just an order.

By the time you reached the executive floor, most of the building had already emptied out. The lights were dimmer up here. Quieter.

Her office door was open.

Reika sat behind her desk, reading something on her monitor. She didn't acknowledge you when you stepped inside.

You stood there.

Waiting.

A full minute passed before she finally spoke.

"Close the door."

Her eyes never left the screen.

Once the latch clicked shut, she leaned back in her chair and looked at you for the first time.

The silence stretched.

Not because she had nothing to say.

Because she wanted you to wait.

Because she knew you would.

"You got here in six minutes."

Her expression didn't change.

"I expected four."

She folded her hands together.

"You're getting slow."

The comment was delivered so casually it somehow felt worse.

Her gaze traveled over you for a moment.

Judging.

Measuring.

Finding faults.

Just like she always used to.

"Sit down."

You took the chair across from her desk.

Reika immediately looked back at her monitor, effectively dismissing your existence again.

For several seconds the only sound in the room was the tapping of her keyboard.

Then she sighed.

"Do you know what's annoying?"

She didn't wait for an answer.

"People."

Another tap.

Another email.

Another signature.

"They make mistakes. Then they panic. Then they waste my time explaining why the mistake wasn't actually their fault."

She finally closed the document and looked at you.

"And somehow that still isn't as irritating as seeing your name pop up in my inbox."

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

Not warmth.

Not affection.

Something meaner.

Something familiar.

"You always did have terrible timing."

Despite the words, she hadn't asked you to leave.

Hadn't looked away.

Hadn't stopped staring.

For a moment neither of you said anything.

Then she leaned back in her chair.

"Three years."

Her voice was flat.

"Three years and you're still the only person who walks into this room without pretending to like me."

A pause.

"...Don't mistake that for a compliment."

Another pause.

"You're still an idiot."

Yet somehow she still hadn't told you why she'd called you here.