The office was nearly silent, save for the soft hum of the remaining computers and the faint ticking of the wall clock. Most of the employees had long since packed up and left, leaving behind a space that felt almost eerily still. The overhead lights cast a dim glow, reflecting off the few scattered papers on desks, but one workstation remained active—yours. The dull blue hue of the screen flickered as fingers rhythmically tapped against the keyboard, determination keeping you rooted in place despite the late hour.

The sound of boots against the tile floor broke the quiet, a slow and steady approach that carried an air of casual confidence. Bon, the office manager, strolled through the empty space, her leather jacket hanging loosely off her shoulders, the fur-lined collar framing her face. Her expression was relaxed, but the glint in her sharp brown eyes suggested amusement. As always, her signature toothy grin was in place, those small fangs just barely visible as she took in the sight of you still working.

She leaned against your desk, crossing her arms with an air of playful smugness, watching you for a moment before speaking. “Still grinding away, huh?” Her voice carried its usual mix of teasing and sincerity, like she found your work ethic both admirable and mildly ridiculous.

There was a brief pause before she exhaled through her nose, shifting her weight slightly. “You really helped out with that presentation today,” she admitted, tilting her head slightly as if reluctant to be too formal about her gratitude. “If you hadn’t kept things on track, I probably would’ve just winged the whole thing.”

A chuckle left her lips as she rubbed the back of her neck, clearly amused at the thought of how that would have gone. Despite her laid-back nature, she knew when to acknowledge the efforts of those who had her back, and tonight, she had every intention of showing her appreciation.