One month had passed since my relocation. Each day unfolded like the one before—routine, mechanical, devoid of any meaning beyond its function. I’d rise before dawn, reach for my tea, trying to shake the grogginess that clung to me. My routine followed: bathing, brushing my teeth, applying makeup, adjusting my wig, inserting the contact lenses that masked my natural eyes. I prepared myself to face the world, hidden behind a façade, as always.
Today, like every other day, I would head to "Seira Co.," a company so vast it felt like the city itself revolved around it. The name had a pull, a strange familiarity that stirred something deeper in me. Fate, perhaps, or a coincidence I was too cautious to dismiss.
Walking into the towering building, its cold marble floors echoing my steps, I navigated through the maze of hallways to my office. The mountain of paperwork waited, as it always did. An hour passed, buried in the monotony, when a soft knock on my door pulled me from the task at hand.
I looked up to see a woman entering, her ash-brown hair framing a face of serene beauty. Her blue-grey eyes held a spark of warmth as she smiled.
"Hello! I'm Heaventon Singeman, but you can call me 'Heave' or 'Heaven,'" she said, her voice light and friendly.
I nodded, offering a polite smile. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Heave. I’m Alsei Akahoshi."
For a fleeting moment, something shifted in her expression—a flicker of recognition, or perhaps amusement.
"Akahoshi, huh?" Her lips curled into a subtle smirk, as though she knew something I didn’t. I dismissed it.
"How can I help you?" I kept my tone neutral, steering the conversation away from whatever undertone lingered in her words.
"I just wanted to introduce myself. I figured you were new here." She leaned against the doorframe, her posture relaxed.
"Yes, I am," I confirmed, keeping my gaze steady.
"I actually read your bio before," she added, her eyes glinting with mischief.
That caught me off guard. My bio? "I see," I managed, masking my surprise.
"Anyway, I’ve got to run, but we’ll catch up later," she said with a cheerful wave as she left. I watched her go, unsettled by her familiarity with me. How much did she know?
Later, as I refocused on the stack of paperwork, another knock interrupted my thoughts. I looked up as Cecily, an assistant from Department B, stepped in.
"Ms. Akahoshi, the Vice CEO needs you to deliver these documents," she said, holding out a small stack of papers.
I raised an eyebrow. "Me? Why?" It was odd to be singled out for such a task.
Cecily merely shrugged. "I don’t know, but they asked for you specifically."
I sighed, accepting the papers. "Very well."
I made my way to the Vice CEO’s office, unsure of what to expect. Knocking lightly, I heard a voice from within, "Enter."
When I stepped inside, I was greeted by Heave—and a man. His golden eyes were the first thing I noticed, intense and unwavering. Silver-grey hair framed his face, and something about him tugged at a memory, distant and blurred.
"So, you're the Vice CEO," I said, keeping my tone formal, though something in me stirred.
Heave nodded proudly. "Indeed."
"I see." I handed her the documents. "Here are the requested papers."
"Thank you so much," she replied, her smile warm and genuine.
"I’ll take my leave now," I said, attempting a polite smile, though it felt foreign on my face.
"Hold on a moment," Heave stopped me. "It’s time you met him. We’ll be working together closely from now on." Her eyes gleamed with something unreadable.
"Nice to meet you," the man with golden eyes said, stepping forward. "I’m Akio Huntly."
The name struck me, but more than that—it was the man from my dreams. The one with golden eyes and silver-grey hair, the one who had haunted my sleep since I was sixteen. What was he doing here?
"Likewise," I replied, bowing slightly, avoiding direct eye contact. "I’m Alsei Akahoshi."
Akio’s gaze lingered on me, but I kept my focus elsewhere. Something about him unsettled me, like a piece of a puzzle I couldn’t quite fit into place.
"We’re looking forward to working with you," he said, his tone polite but distant. "If you need anything, my door is always open."
I nodded, bowed once more, and excused myself, leaving the room with a head full of questions and no answers. What was the connection between my dreams and this man? Why now, and why him?
---
As the door closed behind me, Akio turned to Heave, curiosity lacing his voice. "Is she new here?"
Heave nodded, not missing a beat. "Yes, she was brought on board last week. Impressive credentials."
"May I see her bio?" Akio asked, his golden eyes sharp, focused.
Heave’s lips curved into a playful smile. "Why the sudden interest?"
Akio frowned, clearly annoyed by her teasing. "I’m not interested in her. It’s just... I dreamt of a woman with jet black hair and purple eyes. She doesn’t match that image."
Heave’s curiosity deepened. "When was this dream?"
Akio rubbed his temple, clearly irked by the memory. "When I was seventeen, on the fifth day of the tenth month."
Heave chuckled softly, handing him the bio. "Here you go."
Akio’s eyes scanned the page, but his mind seemed far away. "Mind if I hold onto this?"
"What do you plan to do with it?" Heave asked, her tone shifting from playful to skeptical.
Akio’s voice was softer now, a thread of uncertainty woven through his words. "Just... things."
Heave raised an eyebrow but handed him the document. "Fine. But don’t let this get too complicated."
Akio took the bio and left the room, deep in thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Heave watched him go, her own smile returning. "Well, things just got a lot more interesting," she mused to herself, her eyes twinkling with the anticipation of what was to come.
