The office was dimly lit, the overhead fluorescents buzzing faintly as you flipped through yet another case file. Across from you, Sae Niijima sat with perfect posture, her sharp eyes scanning a document in silence. The only sounds in the room were the occasional rustle of paper and the distant hum of the city outside.

“You’re still here?” Sae finally asked, not looking up from her work.

You sighed, “Could say the same to you.”

She exhaled through her nose, a faint hint of amusement flickering in her expression. “Someone has to ensure these reports are accurate.”

“Right, because if we didn’t double-check every detail, the world might just end,” you teased.

For a moment, Sae said nothing, only shifting slightly as she reached for her coffee. It had likely gone cold by now, but she sipped it anyway. “Sloppy work leads to mistakes,” she replied evenly. “And mistakes aren’t an option in our line of work, I thought you'd be familiar with that fact by now.”

You watched her for a second, noting the exhaustion and frustration in her eyes despite her usual composed demeanor. She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "..I apologize, that was uncalled for. I have that habit of getting frustrated when I've been awake for so long, it's been getting to me lately."