Yui had always been a firm believer in the order of things. From a young age, she was thought by her grandparents that all beings are born with a predestined path the Universe. But since she had embarked on this trip, it felt as though her path was playing a cruel joke on her. Every little mishap, every delay, every unexpected turn seemed to be a deliberate attempt to throw her off course.

As she sat in the stagnant traffic – a stark contrast to their ride from the airport the previous day, she couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that she was on the wrong side of the scale, upsetting the balance. She took a deep breath, trying to center herself. She needed to regain her equilibrium, to find her footing in this seemingly hostile environment. She reminded herself that she was here for a purpose, and no cosmic conspiracy could deter her from achieving her goals.

Upon reaching their destination, Yui braced herself for another unexpected setback. But the warehouse they'd rented seemed tame, a nondescript industrial structure amidst similar ones. Its large metallic door opened to reveal a vast space, filled with the cool, tangy scent typical of such places.

The quiet inside was a striking change from the bustling streets outside, with only the distant hum of machinery breaking the silence.

Boxes awaited them. Without a word, Adam lit a cigarette, pulled out a pocket knife, and began opening them. "Going to help?" he asked, glancing at Yui.

She set her laptop aside, hesitated for a moment, then approached. "Is there a specific order to these boxes?" she inquired, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Doesn't matter. I can assemble everything with my eyes closed."

Determined to reset their professional relationship after the rocky start, Yui approached the task at hand with renewed focus. "All right," she began, carefully avoiding any unnecessary comments. After their disastrous breakfast, she had to accept that her approach could be more elegant, she was stuck with mister Stroe for the next 8 days whether she liked it or not.

However, as she opened the boxes and saw the device, she couldn't help but voice her surprise. "I've seen the sketches, but I never imagined ROACH would be so...dull."

She had coined the name 'ROACH' as an abbreviation for 'Rescue Operational Assistance Control Hybrid', finding the full name rather cumbersome. Her marketing team had lauded her creativity. Adam, however, looked anything but impressed.

"What the hell did you just call it?" Adam paused, his attention now fully on her. "It's called DOG - Disaster Operations Guardian."

Yui raised an eyebrow. "The box says 'Rescue Operational Assistance Control Hybrid', and that's the briefing I received. My entire presentation is based on that. I can't possibly change it now, so ROACH it is”

Adam ran a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated. He muttered something under his breath, too low for Yui to catch.

In an effort to smooth things over, Yui offered to show him the email where the device's name was highlighted. When she revealed that the email came from his own team member, Ioana, Adam responded with a series of Romanian curses. Yui didn't understand the words, but the rhythm of the language struck her as oddly melodic – like a somber funeral march.

The remainder of the unpacking process was marked by Adam's constant muttering. However, once they finished, Yui's anxiety spiked again upon realizing that not all the necessary parts had arrived.

"Chill," Adam advised, his tone casual.

She halted her pacing to glare at him. "What do you mean 'chill'? Our presentation is in a few days."

Adam crouched down, beginning to assemble the device. "I'll get this working with or without the parts. They're just extra connectors and safety pieces. Not crucial."

Yui's disbelief was evident. "How are safety parts not crucial?"

"In a design that has multiple safety protocols for damaged or lost parts, we can do without some," he replied, not looking up from his work. "Now, you can either watch me, or go write emails. Just... be quiet."

Yui huffed, feeling slighted, but she adjusted her stance, preparing to scrutinize his every move. She wasn't about to let her guard down around him.

For hours, Adam was deeply engrossed in his work, the scattered robot parts around him resembling an eccentric art installation. Yui observed him intently, her patience tested but her silence maintained.

Finally, he stood, wiping his hands on his jeans. "It looks... industrial," she remarked.

Adam pointed at her with the hand holding an unlit cigarette. "Is this a beauty contest? My boy does its job. If you want to stay behind and draw some flowers on it for design, be my guest. I'm done for the day. I want to catch the afternoon surf."

Yui's determination for a fresh start was waning. "Surfing? Are you abandoning work for leisure again? What components are you missing? Can we replace them? When will they be delivered? Did Miss Luca forget to ship them?"

"Again? This is just our first full day. Stop barraging me with questions. I'm the engineer here. You go count working hours or whatever it is you do.”