Azur Lane: Under Development

Chapter 5: Narcissists

"Have you heard of the sunk-cost fallacy?"

"Have mercy."

"It's when someone keeps their course on a fruitless venture, thinking that jackpot is guaranteed with enough effort."

"I get paid to scout. Not to listen to your inane ramblings."

"Hear me out. Anyway, people say to work hard, and you'll be rewarded. Isn't that just sunk-cost as well?"

"If you get paid a wage, then it isn't fruitless."

"Do you think your job is sunk-cost?"

"No. It's a job. It's a job that pays money because it's unenjoyable. If it was enjoyable, people would pay money to do it, and call it entertainment."

"But isn't what you're ultimately looking for sunk-cost?"

"See, I don't particularly care about finding the candidate. That's your concern. I don't particularly care if I find this hypothetical candidate. If I do, great! Good for you."

"You know, I was hoping that you'd comfort me in this endeavor together in looking for this person. Since the search has been mostly fruitless."

"I don't get paid to comfort you. Call your therapist from HR. Besides, you don't search. Your job is to make searchers tired."

"You wound me."

"The truth hurts, eh?"

"You know, it's okay to lie every now and then."

"Are we about to discuss the morality of white lies?"

"No. I'm asking you to be more considerate instead of approaching every social interaction with a baseball bat in hand."

"This job has tired me out to my wit's end. Societal niceties will have to take a backseat for now."

"Until when?"

"When we're both retired and playing chess on a porch complaining about our weak knees and our insolent in-laws."

"I look forward to that day."

"You're too optimistic for this job, old man."

—

Word must've gotten out about the so-called tryst between him and Akagi. He noticed that he got quite a few extra looks from others. Not just from the Sakura Empire. At the canteen, Javelin opened the can of worms as soon as he sat down.

"Commander, we've been hearing from so-and-so that you rejected Akagi's confession..."

Z23 shushed her, but he heard everything he needed to.

He supposed that in the vaguest sense, it wasn't quite wrong, but the connotation was completely off. When did a naval base suddenly become high school? His head pulsed once, and he winced. He popped an aspirin.

"Well, maybe you should ask whoever spread that," he remarked, scathingly. "They clearly have a better idea of what happened than me and Akagi ourselves."

The power quad looked down, unable to make eye contact with him. The commander had no inclination of continuing that particular topic, so he let the moment fall into an uneasy silence. However, things couldn't lie where they were.

A mild commotion started to grow into a general riot. The canteen was always loud, but the usual brag, bluster, and banter was being drowned out by genuine anger coming from a certain portion of the room. Where the Sakura Empire tended to congregate.

A certain someone rose from the table and marched her way to the commander's side, despite multiple pleas and arms begging otherwise. He didn't even need to look up from his tray to guess who it was. "Ho, Kaga. What brings you here?"