He leaned back on his hands, gazing skyward, the blue vastness swallowing his thoughts. "Not really. My family didn't do festivals big. I'd see folks going wild—colors, water, the works—but I just… watched from the sidelines." His tone dipped, a lead admitting a quiet gap.
Ashi blinked, then a grin tugged her lips, bright and conspiratorial. "Guess we've got that in common."
Her fingers traced the railing's edge, slow and deliberate, her gaze dropping as the wind tugged at her hair. "I didn't really celebrate either," she confessed, voice softening, a fragile thread unraveling. "Back then, I didn't have friends… none, actually. My parents were always off on business trips, so it was just me and Grandma."
Haari turned, his head swiveling slow, eyes softening—curiosity fading into something deeper, a flicker of recognition. "That… sounds lonely," he said, voice a gentle murmur, like he'd stepped into her shadow.
Ashi let out a laugh—small, hollow, a note without its song. "It was. I'd perch by the window, watching kids hurl colors, dodge water balloons, chase each other 'til they collapsed laughing. Grandma'd whip up sweets—gulab jamun, jalebi—and spin Holi tales, but…" She trailed off, shaking her head, her smile bittersweet. "It wasn't the same."
Haari tilted his head back, eyes tracing the sky's edge. "So… you never jumped in? Not once?"
"Nope," she said, a single shake of her head, her voice a whisper against the breeze. "Not once."
The wind swirled between them, carrying the distant splash of water and the echo of laughter, a quiet bridge linking their unspoken pasts.
The rooftop hummed with a fragile quiet, the distant splat of water balloons and kids' shrieks weaving through the breeze. Haari and Ashi lingered in the stillness, their shared pasts hanging soft between them like a thread waiting to be tugged.
"Well," Haari said, snapping upright, his voice cutting the silence with a spark of resolve. He swung his legs off the wall, planting his feet firm. "There's a first time for everything, right?"
Ashi blinked, head tilting, her ponytail swaying like a curious fox's tail. "Hm?"
He smirked, a glint of mischief dancing in his dark eyes, the wind ruffling his hair into a wilder mess. "Holi's just days away. If you've never really celebrated—and I haven't either—maybe this year's the one. Let's change it up."
Her gaze locked on him, wide and searching, words sinking in slow. A flicker of doubt flared—Celebrate? Me? How?—but beneath it, a deeper ember glowed, the little girl by the window yearning to leap into the colors, the chaos, the joy. Her lips curved, small but real, a smile breaking through. "Let's do it. Together—our first Holi."
Haari's smirk widened, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. "You're sounding way too into this already."
"I am!" Ashi shot back, grin blooming full, her eyes blazing with sudden fire. "No backing out—we're celebrating this time. No excuses, Kichiro-san!"
The rooftop breeze danced between them, tugging at Ashi's ponytail as she stood firm, arms crossed, her stance puffed up with mock severity. Haari arched a brow, feigning doubt, his smirk a flimsy shield—though the gleam in his dark eyes gave him away, a flicker of amusement he couldn't quite hide. "Oh? And if I try to dodge?" he teased, voice light, testing her.
Ashi's chin lifted, her voice dropping low and dramatic, a issuing her ultimatum. "Then I'll make you join in—personally." Her hazel eyes pierced through him, sharp and unyielding, a challenge blazing like a sparkler against the sky.
A beat—silence crashed over him, her words slamming into his chest like a rogue water balloon. "Then I'll make you join in—personally…" The echo ricocheted in his mind, loud, relentless, and his heart skipped—a wild ba-dump that jolted him, heat prickling up his neck. His breath hitched, eyes widening a fraction, caught off-guard by the sudden weight of her stare, her resolve, her. For a split second, he was a lead frozen mid-battle, mind racing—She's serious. She'd do it. She'd—
Then, like a dam breaking, a chuckle bubbled up, soft and warm, spilling out as he shook his head, surrendering to her victory without a fight. "Hmm," he hummed, the sound rolling low, his smile stretching wide—a rare, unguarded glow lighting his face, boyish and bright, the wind tousling his messy hair into a chaotic crown. Her words had won, and he didn't even mind.
Her eyes flashed, mischief igniting like a sparkler. "Trust me, Kichiro-san—I'll hunt you down on Holi. Be ready."
He leaned back, exhaling with theatrical flair, hands flung wide. "Guess I'm ordering a full-body raincoat—industrial strength!"
Ashi burst out laughing, nudging his shoulder hard enough to jostle him. "Won't save you!" she teased, her voice ringing bright, the breeze carrying it high.
The sky stretched endless above, the city below pulsing with pre-Holi life, and in that moment, a promise sealed—this year's Holi would be theirs, wild and special.
A few days later, the office buzzed with its usual hum, but something felt off as Haari stepped in, his raincoat still slung over one arm from dodging pre-Holi water ambushes. He scanned the room—Rafta's desk sat empty, Oki's chair untouched. His brow creased, a detective's suspicion flickering.
"Nicawa-san," he called, striding to Ashi's desk where she rifled through a chaotic stack of papers, her ponytail bouncing with each frantic flip. "You seen Rafta anywhere?"
"No," Ashi shot back, her voice tight, brow furrowed deep. "I'm also looking for Habi-san myself—where'd she vanish to?"
Haari's mind kicked into overdrive, gears spinning wild. "Where'd they go this early?" he muttered, eyes narrowing. Wait—don't tell me… they're off somewhere in the building, sneaking around together? They're a couple, right? Maybe they're— His imagination flared—a montage of Rafta and Oki giggling in a shadowy corner, hands brushing, whispers floating. No way, not here, not in the office—!
SLAP! His hands flew up, smacking his own cheeks with a loud whack, cheeks blooming red as he jolted himself back to reality. They'd never! Get a grip, Haari!
Ashi flinched, papers fluttering, her head whipping up. "Kichiro-san?!" Her eyes ballooned, puzzled and wide, a startled mid-quest. "What's wrong? Why'd you slap yourself?!"
"Uh—just distracted!" Haari blurted, hands dropping fast, rubbing his neck as heat crept up his face. He waved it off, too quick, too shaky, a lead caught in a lie.
"Distracted by what?" Ashi pressed, leaning forward, her curiosity sparking like a cat eyeing a mystery.
"Oh, don't sweat it—" Haari started, voice pitching high, when his phone erupted—brrrring!—a shrill lifeline cutting the tension. He fumbled it out, answering loud, almost barking. "Hello?!"
"Hey, Ashi, what took you so long to pick up?" Oki's voice chirped through, bright and oblivious.
Haari blinked, brain stalling. Habi-san? How'd she get my number? "Uh—it's Haari speaking," he said, voice flat, confusion creasing his forehead.
"Oh—Kichiro-san?!" Oki's tone jumped, surprise crackling through the line. "I thought this was Ashi's number—oops!"
Haari gripped his phone, brow twitching as Oki's voice chirped through. "No, you've got the wrong person," he said, voice flat, a correcting a blunder.
"You need to change your number, Kichiro-san," Oki shot back, her tone bright but firm, like a senpai doling out wisdom.
"Why?!" Haari's pitch spiked, confusion bubbling up.
"Because your number is very similar to Ashi's!" Oki explained, a grin audible in her words.
"Similar?" Haari echoed, head tilting, gears grinding. " So which digit isn't matching with my number?"
Oki laughed, breezy and teasing. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"
"Hold up—where are you?!" Haari pressed, voice rising, chasing her dodge.
"Oh, right—forgot!" Oki yelped, a sudden burst of urgency. "Get downstairs—back of the building, by the pool—and drag Ashi with you!" Click. The line went dead, a guillotine drop.
"WHY?! What the—?!" Haari yanked the phone from his ear, staring at it like it'd betrayed him. "How does she just hang up like that?!" His voice cracked, arms flailing, lead losing it mid-rant.
Ashi leaned over, papers forgotten, her hazel eyes glinting with curiosity. "What'd she say, Kichiro-san?" she asked, head tilting like a fox sniffing a trail.
"She said… come downstairs, back of the building," Haari muttered, brow furrowing deep, his confusion a storm cloud. "By the pool, I guess?"
"Why?" Ashi's voice sharpened, intrigue sparking.
"No clue!" Haari threw his hands up, already turning. "She didn't say squat—just hung up like a ninja vanishing!" He huffed, marching off, Ashi falling into step beside him, their footsteps echoing with purpose.
They wound through the office, past humming printers and chattering desks, down the stairs to the building's rear. The pool area waited—a hidden oasis tucked behind concrete walls, usually a serene escape with its shimmering water and sun-dappled tiles. But today? It loomed eerily still, the air thick with silence, no ripple, no splash—just an empty stretch of blue under a too-quiet sky. Haari and Ashi slowed, eyes darting, the calm before an anime storm.
The pool area stretched eerily quiet, the water a glassy mirror under the morning sun. Ashi spun slow, hands on hips, her ponytail dripping with suspicion.
"Where are they?" she muttered, eyes darting.
"Yeah, I don't see a soul," Haari agreed, stepping closer to the edge—when a sudden whoosh broke the silence. Ashi yelped, arms flailing like a windmill, and SPLASH!—she tumbled into the pool, water exploding in a glittering arc.
"N-Nicawa-san!" Haari shouted, lunging forward, his voice cracking high, in mid-rescue. He skidded to the edge, peering down as Ashi surfaced, sputtering, hair plastered to her face like a soggy crown.
"Who pushed me?!" she gasped, swiping water from her eyes, her glare sharp enough to cut glass.
"Pushed you?" Haari echoed, scanning the empty tiles—until a shadow loomed. Rafta stepped out, hands in pockets, his smirk gleaming like a villain's taunt.
Before Haari could blink, Oki darted from the side, her sleek ponytail whipping, aiming to shove him in. "Gotcha!" she cried—but Haari twisted, reflexes kicking in, dodging her with a stumble. Oki's momentum betrayed her—SPLASH!—she toppled into the pool, a flailing splashdown beside Ashi.
"What the—?!" Oki surfaced, spitting water, her eyes blazing with mock outrage. "Am I really that easy to dodge?! Rafta's one thing, but now Kichiro-san outruns me too?! Why'd you dodge, huh?!"
"Why do you ask? I dodged you in self-defense," Haari snapped, fists clenching, anger bubbling as water lapped at his shoes. "Why're you trying to dunk me?!"
Rafta sauntered closer, smirk widening, a prankster king reveling in chaos. "Wanna know why? Jump in and find out!"
"Eh?!" Haari's jaw dropped, bewilderment painting his face—until Rafta's hands shot out, giving a playful shove. "Sorry, buddy!"
"Wha—?!" Haari flailed, arms pinwheeling, and SPLASH!—he crashed into the pool, water erupting like a geyser. He bobbed up, coughing, hair a sopping mess, glaring daggers.
Oki floated nearby, grinning wide, her voice bubbling with glee. "Didn't you check the calendar today, did ya?"
"Calendar?!" Haari sputtered, treading water, confusion swirling like the ripples around him.
"Today's special," Oki sang, eyes glinting like festival lights. " Today is my favorite day—Holi!"
"Holi?!" Haari's brain clicked, realization dawning as water dripped down his face.
"Yeah, I knew that!" Ashi called, swimming to the edge, her grin breaking through the wet chaos. "But I didn't expect this for a celebration!"
Haari spun to her, splashing mid-turn. "Wait—you knew?! Why didn't you—?!" His words froze as his gaze landed—BOOM—Ashi's soaked shirt clung tight, curves popping in a slow-mo moment. His face flared red, eyes bulging, heart slamming ba-dump-ba-dump like a drumroll gone rogue.
"Oh—sorry!" Ashi yelped, arms crossing fast, cheeks pink as she splashed back. "I didn't mean to—Habi-san said she had a Holi surprise, so I—sorry!"