Looking up, he had to bend his neck all the way back just to take in its towering height.

  The company towered above like a skyscraper, sunlight reflecting off the glass windows that covered its entire facade.

  Everyone entering or exiting the building was dressed in formal attire.

  Nagisa took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp morning air.

  He braced himself for what was ahead, hoping it would be a new beginning, one far better than what his life had been so far.

  He took a step forward, but before he could lift his spirits any higher, a man bumped into him.

  The impact knocked his wristwatch to the ground, and the glass shattered the hands of the clock, coming to a complete stop.

  The man gave him a careless glance and walked away as if nothing had happened.

  Nagisa bent down to pick up his broken watch, straightened up, and brushed the dust off its surface.

  "Ugh… That was my favorite watch! This day is awful from the start… I hate this day!"

  He muttered to himself in frustration.

  He was already sick of everything all he wanted was for the day to end so he could go home.

  Nagisa stepped inside the company building.

  The place was bustling, filled with employees, clients, and hopeful applicants like himself.

  He looked around; the ceiling soared high above, and the desks were lined up in long, straight rows. The staircase seemed endless yet the beauty of the place wasn't lost.

  Plants were arranged throughout the massive office space, bringing a touch of life to the dark brown wooden desks.

  He made his way to the waiting room, which was packed with men and women all vying for the same job.

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  The company was newly established in the area, and many recent university graduates were eager to secure a spot to build a future and earn a living.

  Nagisa cleared his throat nervously and walked toward one of the chairs.

  He sat down with his knees together, hands folded tightly in his lap, fingers interlocked from sheer tension.

  He kept glancing between the dark brown office door and the receptionist, who sat behind her desk with an indifferent expression and an aura that dominated the room.

  The only sounds filling the space were the loud pops of her chewing gum and the occasional murmurs of small conversations between the applicants.

  "Nyoko, it's your turn."

  The receptionist called out.

  A woman stood up.

  Nagisa looked at her, driven purely by curiosity , but he didn't expect to see an angel in human form.

  Her cheerful face, flawless pale skin, and that radiant smile made his world pause, just so he could appreciate her presence ,the woman who, with a single glance, stole his heart.

  He felt his heart pounding inside his chest, beating faster than it had the time he performed Little Red Riding Hood in front of all the parents back in elementary school.

  She had light brown hair and brown eyes, which contrasted softly with her fair complexion.

  And that figure... every small detail etched itself into his mind, as if his brain had photocopied her directly into his subconscious.

  He was lost in her eyes , like someone drowning in a sea that dragged souls into its depths.

  Nyoko walked off and entered the interview room, leaving behind a poor heart that had just started beating for her.

  Nagisa sat there like a fool, replaying those few seconds over and over in his head, as if there was nothing else in the world worth thinking about except the memory of her eyes.

  He stared at the door, waiting for her to return, like a child sitting at the doorstep, waiting for his father to come home.

  ***

  Half an hour later , or maybe less, Nagisa couldn't tell anymore.

  He had lost all sense of time, lost in his own thoughts.

  Nyoko finally stepped out of the room, and joy was clearly painted across her face , her cheeks lifted in a wide, radiant smile.

  There was no doubt about it; that smile, that light in her eyes , she had been accepted for the job.

  Those glittering eyes, like stars in a dark night sky...

  Those tiny details no one else seemed to notice , they lit up Nagisa's gloomy day and filled it with brightness.

  He found himself silently praying that he, too, would be accepted... just so he could see her every day.

  She looked like a princess stepped out of a fairytale.

  Nagisa was completely lost in his head, his eyes trailing her every movement, unaware of the receptionist calling his name.

  "Nagisa... Nagisa... Nagisa!"

  The sharp voice of the receptionist snapped him out of his daydream , dragging him back to reality and breaking the fantasy.

  Only then did he realize he hadn't heard a thing ,too caught up in the woman who had stolen his sanity from the very first glance.

  He stood up awkwardly from his chair, his hands and feet cold from the wave of nerves that flooded his body the moment his name was spoken aloud.

  "Here!"