The office space on the 48th floor was rather quiet, safe for the sound of ringing phones, fingers smacking keyboards, and the buzzing of the shredder machine. There were few people loitering on the hall, hushed whispers in the background.

 

Footsteps approaching in hurry, shoulders bumped in the hall between the cubicles. Sana bowed her apologize without even lifting her gaze, legs scurrying to catch up Mina who disappeared to the corner.

 

Brunette hair was spotted from the small window of the door to the copy room. Sana took a deep breath as the door clacking shut behind her. She knew her chances might be slim, but it was worth trying again.

 

“Sorry Sana, I already told you I have an appointment.”

 

Mina didn’t even turn or move from her position. Eyes glued to small touchscreen of the copy machine, her finger was busy pressing it with beeping sound here and there. Sana stepped forward, her hand landed on Mina’s. Now Sana had her attention.

 

“Pleaseeee?”

 

The word dragged, showing how desperate the blonde was. Mina clenched her jaw shut, sending her a disagreeing look. Sana dropped her knees on the carpeted floor, clinging on Mina’s forearm. She had been bugging her about a business trip to Seoul since the night before.

 

“Sana, I can’t replace you to this Seoul trip because I already have my own plan.”

 

Her tone was final, Sana could sense it. Sana pushed herself up from the floor and dusted her knee-length skirt. Mina walked outside, hugging the freshly copied papers.

 

Trailing behind Mina dropping the copied papers to one of their coworkers and back to her cubicle, Sana finally spoke, “Oh come on, my late night drama is having their final episode and I must watch it real time!”

 

Sana gulped down when Mina flashed her a menacing look, as if warning her that her patience was growing thin. Dropping to her seat with pout on her face, Sana began clicking and typing on the spreadsheet on her computer.

 

Blinking away from the screen, Mina pursed her lips as she watched blonde hair quietly. The blonde turned around and met eyes with dark brown irises. There was a beat of silence before Sana opened .

 

“Can’t you accompany me, please?” Sana begged, hands clasping together. “I’ll tell our team leader to include you in the business trip.”

 

If Sana couldn’t bail from the trip, then she could drag Mina to at least be with her. Mina almost wavered from the adorable card Sana pulled, but opted sticking with her decision.

 

At that moment, someone with black hair and high ponytail approached them, putting down a manila folder on Sana’s lap.

 

“Here’s the updated version of the file that you requested.”

 

Hearing Momo’s voice, Mina visibly jolted before turning her back on them. Sana caught her doing so, trying to suppress the mischievous smile threatening to appear on her lips.

 

“Thank you Momo. So nice of you." Sana blew her a wink, a cold stare watching her. "But don’t you work two floor above us? You can just email me the file.”

 

Momo wanted to run her hand and erase the teasing grin Sana had on her lips so badly. She retorted back, “I’m here because I want to personally say please don’t lose the file again, or I’ll tell your team leader you’ve been slacking, Sana.”

 

"Snitches." Earning a flick on her forehead, Sana swatted Momo’s hand away and stuck out a tongue in a playful manner. “Wanna join me for lunch?”

 

Momo seemed contemplating on the idea. Sana noted Momo stealing a glance at Mina who had stopped typing but wouldn’t budge on her chair.

 

“Fine, I guess.”

 

“Mina? What about you?”

 

“Uh, I still got tons of work to do. Y'all can go first if you want.”

 

Mina didn’t dare to lift her eyes from the computer screen. A frown slipped from Momo’s lips, but she replaced it with a tight smile immediately.

 

“Hurry up Sana, I’m starving!” Momo fell into steps toward the elevator first. “I feel like eating a soba today.”

 

Grabbing her small purse beside the screen, Sana chased behind her closely, “No, I don’t want soba or anything with noodle today. I want beef!”

 

“Okay, we eat hamburg steak first, then we go to that tiny soba place at the corner of the street, how’s that sound?”

 

They were already halfway to the elevator but Mina could still hear the faint voice of them bickering. Mina stretched her stiff neck before returning to the long list of spreadsheet on her screen.

 

-

 

“So how are things with Mina?”

 

Momo spilled some water from the pitcher onto her skirt when she was pouring it to her glass. Sana turned to Momo and rested her cheek on her palm, waiting for an answer.

 

“Am I that obvious?”

 

“Well, maybe not to strangers’ eyes.” Sana said, chewing the radish. “But I am Sana, both of you are my friends, so of course I caught on something between you two.”

 

Momo raised her glass and gulped one down. “It’s… complicated.”

 

“Don’t worry, I think the feeling’s mutual,” Sana said, squeezing Momo’s shoulder in reassuring manner.

 

“How about you?”

 

“I’m not in a rush to find love,” Sana shrugged, taking a big chunk of beef from the grill. “There are some who catch my attention, but not in a romantic way.”

 

Putting down her chopsticks, Momo turned to face Sana who was busy munching down her meal. “Sana, you are pretty. I’m sure it’ll be easy for you to get anyone you want.”

 

Staring at her plate forlornly while sighing, Sana replied, “I just haven’t met the right one yet.”

 

-

 

Sana was always looking out for Mina and vice versa—keeping each other sanity in check. Having only been friends since entering the company 3 years ago, they had relied on each other along the journey. Working in one of the biggest banking group in Japan, they had to endure going through endless stress from meetings with clients, conference calls, and business trips.

 

Sana didn’t entertain the idea of business trips, although she loved to travel. The sole reason was because business trip activities are complete opposite of traveling—wasting time in the hotel or conference hall all day without even stepping outside to sightseeing the city they were in.

 

On some rare cases, she had a day off to explore the city, but her body was already too drained from the swamped schedules before that it was almost impossible to indulge in anything.

 

Sana and Mina’s cubicle were on the opposite side. Sana was reclining against her seat comfortably with her back facing Mina. She was immersed on reading something on her phone that she didn’t realize Mina was watching her.

 

“Sorry I was kinda harsh on you.”

 

“It’s alright, I get it. We’ve also been very busy nowadays.” Sana tore her eyes away from her phone, spinning her chair to meet Mina. “By the way, want some coffee? I’m going to the pantry.”

 

“Thanks, but no.” Mina said, touching her stomach in circular pattern. “Been acting up since this morning.”

 

She couldn’t help but eyed the mysterious bag sitting beside Sana’s keyboard.

 

“What’s that?”

 

Running her fingers across her hair in frustration, Sana groaned, “I can’t believe I almost forgotten.”

 

Passing the bag to Mina, Sana motioned her to open it. Curious eyes studying the shape of it. With one quick move, Mina’s hand worked a small administration to pull out the food container from inside. She opened the lid and gasped.

 

“This is for me?”

 

Sana nodded, a grin spread wide on her face. The crease on Mina’s forehead disappeared as she took the first bite out of her lunch.

 

“Thank you, Sana.” Mina beamed wide, her voice laced with genuine gratitude.

 

“I think the one you should be thanking is Momo.”

 

Mina coughed, the damned sashimi was stuck on . She immediately reached for her water bottle, gulping it down vigorously. Dagger eyes sent threat in the direction of Sana who seemed amused by the scene.

 

“That’s not funny.”

 

“You should see your face when I mentioned her name.”

 

“Whatever. I almost died.”

 

Skipping away from a flying pen, Sana’s laughter echoed in the space between their cubicles and she headed to the pantry.