𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙚 | 𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘩. ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

˚⊱ 13. | ʀᴀᴅɪᴀɴᴄᴇ ⊰˚

With a final grounding breath, Touko steadied herself and rose from her desk. She pushed away the remnants of her paperwork and gathered her belongings, mentally preparing for the night ahead.

She took a moment to compose herself, smoothing out any wrinkles in her clothes and checking her reflection in a nearby mirror. Despite her nervousness, she knew that she had made a commitment to attend this night out, and she wasn't one to break a promise.

As she made her way to the door, Touko steeled herself for the noise and laughter that awaited her just beyond the threshold. She had no idea what the night held in store, but she was determined to face it head-on.

Touko navigated the now dimly lit halls of the building, following Himeno's instructions to meet up with the group at the main entrance.

As she walked, she noticed how different the building felt after hours. Gone were the constant sounds of machinery and chatter, replaced instead by an almost eerie silence. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting long, ominous shadows along the hallway.

The entrance was just up ahead, and she could faintly hear the distant chatter of her colleagues already gathering there.

Touko rounded the corner and there, waiting near the entrance to the building, was Himeno, Aki, and a few other familiar-looking faces. These were the colleagues she saw in passing but had never been formally introduced to.

Himeno spotted Touko first and gave her a friendly wave. "Hey, you made it!" she called out, a smile on her face.

Aki's eyes met Touko's as he turned to look over at her. A momentary flicker of surprise crossed his face before he quickly masking it with a neutral expression.

The other colleagues gave Touko polite nods in greeting, their faces hinting at varying levels of curiosity and familiarity.

Himeno gestured for Touko to join the group. "Come on over, we were just about to head out to the bar," she said.

Touko felt a jolt of nervousness as she approached the group, all eyes on her. This was going to be a long night.

Himeno broke the silence, her cheerful smile never faltering. "I'm glad you could make it," she said, sidling up to Touko and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "I was starting to think you'd bail on us," Himeno continued, leading Touko towards the exit. "But here you are, ready to let loose and have some fun!"

One of the male colleagues, a tall, sturdy man, chimed in, a friendly grin on his face. "Don't worry though, this is a tradition we always do," he explained, adjusting his glasses. "Whenever we welcome a new hunter to our team, we invite them out for some drinks. Tonight, that honor falls on you." He chuckled, giving Touko a playful nudge. "So buckle up, newbie. You're in for quite the night."

Touko forced a small smile, feeling a bit sheepish under all the attention. "Oh, wow," she stammered. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "And I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a drink or two for the first time, right?

The rest of the colleagues exchanged surprised glances, their eyes widening at Touko's admission that she had never had a drink before.

Aki, who had been quiet up until now, raised an eyebrow and spoke up. "Wait, you've never had a drink before?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.

Himeno, her arm still wrapped around Touko's shoulders, let out a chuckle. "Yep!" she exclaimed. "Little Touko here hasn't had a taste of it yet!"

Touko felt her cheeks flush at Himeno's enthusiastic declaration. She tried to downplay her inexperience, giving a sheepish smile. "Ah, well, I guess I've just never really had the chance to try it before," she admitted, her voice tinged with embarrassment. "I've always been too focused on other things to really consider it."