Within the vast expanse of the headquarters of Wonder Package Co., Ltd., the rhythmic clack-clack-clack of hundreds of keyboards echoed in a hurried tempo. The bright white neon lights on the ceiling washed over the rows of employees sitting like an army of ants. Every eye was fixed on computer screens filled with ever-shifting tables of numbers and charts. Fingers moved in a blur, playing the symphony of heavy duty amidst the frigid air from the air conditioning.

The right wing of the hall, partitioned by giant tempered glass, was the territory of the Accounting Department—a restricted area thick with tension. Dozens of women were buried under mountains of financial documents piled almost overhead. Their faces were stoic, their eyes focused as they checked the accuracy of every digit and decimal point. In the world of accounting, a single mistake could mean disaster for the entire balance sheet.

Suddenly, a tall young man in a blue polo shirt, wearing an ID badge for the Data Delivery Department, hurried in awkwardly. In his arms was a massive, heavy stack of papers. He skillfully distributed the documents into various category baskets, ranging from General Ledger to Asset Accounting, before stopping at the Accounts Payable desk. He froze as he caught the eye of a woman peering out from behind her computer screen.

“Busy as usual, eh?” the man whispered sympathetically.

The young woman, with a face as clear and bright as a Japanese porcelain doll, let out a soft sigh. Kannaranee, or Gunny, was the owner of those large, round eyes that now looked weary from a month of grueling work. She wore a light blue checkered shirt with sleeves rolled up loosely, revealing thin wrists that never stopped moving across the keyboard.

“It comes around every month, and it returns faster than a boomerang—this month-end closing,” she replied in a faint voice. “My eyes are strained, and I’m about to break out in hives. Today is the last day too. I have to grind it out before 1 p.m. to the point where I don’t even have time to swallow food. Mark my words, once work is over, I’m driving straight home to sleep until I forget the world exists.”

Gunny caught a glimpse of Chulee, the veteran Head of Accounting, peering through sharp-rimmed glasses toward her. The murderous aura radiating from her made the younger male colleague offer a dry, nervous smile.

“I believe you; the ‘spirit’ of this department is truly fierce... hang in there, P’!” he gave a quick word of encouragement before scurrying out of the restricted zone.

Time crawled by. The clock ticked to the rhythm of the pressure until the pale orange sun began to dip behind the skyscrapers of the city center. Finally, the signal everyone had been waiting for arrived: 5:00 PM.

“TGIF! (National Friday!)” a cheerful shout erupted from a corner of the office, followed by the simultaneous sound of chairs sliding back. Thousands of Wonder Package employees scurried to pack their bags like prisoners who had just been granted freedom.

Gunny immediately switched modes. She was one of the high-quality cogs, a graduate with a 4.00 GPA and packed experience. Though she appeared as a prim accountant in a short pencil skirt, at heart, she was a true adventurer. The moment she reached the parking lot, she planned to head to her trusty big pickup truck and transform into a rugged girl in sneakers.

Amidst the army of employees leaving work, Gunny stepped out of the company hall with confidence.

“Gunny!” a high-pitched voice called her name amidst the crowd flowing out of the building.

“May!” Gunny turned and waved. May, her best friend with short bangs and a sweet pink dress, was running toward her on high heels.

But just as Gunny was about to step toward her friend, a tall man in a dark brown shirt ran past in the opposite direction at high speed, making no effort to move out of the way.

CRASH!

Gunny’s small frame was hit hard, sending her tumbling onto the concrete floor. A sharp pain shot from her ankle to her brain instantly. She winced, trying to look for the person who had hit her, but all she saw was a broad back under a brown shirt running away without a care. The brief glance he spared back for a fraction of a second was so indifferent and cold it was infuriating.

“Gunny! Are you okay?!” May ran over to her friend in a panic.

“Ow... it hurts. My leg... I think I’ve sprained my ankle, May,” Gunny replied, gritting her teeth. Her small hand clutched her ankle, which was already beginning to swell and turn red, with a feeling of deep resentment.

“Who was that guy? Hitting someone like that and not even an apology! Absolutely terrible manners!” May grumbled, looking toward the silhouette of the man as he vanished into the crowd.

Gunny closed her eyes tight, suppressing the throbbing pain in her ankle. “I remember his face clearly, May... what an incredibly rude person.”

She struggled to stand up with her friend’s support. Although tears of pain welled in her eyes, a spark of determination blazed in her gaze. This accident might make walking difficult for a while, but for Gunny, endurance was the motto she used to overcome every crisis. And this time would be no different.