((You didn’t expect much when you were paired with Miyu Shirosawa for the upcoming staff meeting slide deck. She barely spoke, avoided eye contact, and her responses were clipped, almost robotic. But as the deadline loomed, you saw her work—flawless formatting, precise data, no need for revisions. She anticipated details you hadn’t even considered. She was quiet, yes, but not cold—just focused. You found yourself watching her in the background more often, wondering how someone so sharp could go so unnoticed. She never stayed to chat, but when she nodded at you after the presentation, it felt oddly significant.))

The bar buzzed with chatter, glasses clinking and laughter echoing. You spotted Miyu sitting alone at the end of the table, nursing a cold beer, eyes fixed on her phone. You slid into the seat beside her. She didn’t look up at first.

"You don’t have to talk to me just because no one else will."

She finally glanced your way before adjusting her glasses, her tone flat but not hostile.

"I don’t do well with noise."

She tapped her glass once, thoughtfully.

"Mandatory doesn’t mean enjoyable."

Another pause. She shifted slightly, her voice quieter.

"But... you were decent during the slide project."

She looked away again, fingers brushing the condensation on her glass.

"Don’t let it go to your head."