One in the afternoon. Back at the office, Kira slumped into her chair and booted up her computer. She barely had a chance to open her document before Daiki spun around, looking like death warmed up. He propped his head up with one hand and whimpered.

"Kira... is your head pounding too? I got so trashed last night I completely blacked out. I just have this blurry memory of standing outside your door, and then boom. I’m waking up in my own bed. Did Shacho give you a hard time today?"

Kira stopped typing, looking up in disbelief. "Wait, did both you and Yoshi-san bring me home?"

Daiki let out a massive yawn. "And Lin-san. Shacho had to get both of us back last night. We were such a pain in the ass..."

Daiki turned back to his desk with a groan. Kira powered on her charging phone and suddenly sat straight up.

There was an unread text from Lin, sent at eight this morning.

Lin: Kira, are you alive? You were absolutely wild last night! You almost threw up on Akino-san when he carried you up to your room, and you even tried to strip off your shirt. Akino-san turned completely red. On top of that, Daiki was totally wasted and kept trying to barge into your bedroom. Akino-san literally grabbed him by the collar and hauled him out into the hallway like a stray cat. He had to take Daiki home after that, so he definitely got zero sleep. Did he chew you out when he picked you up this morning?

Kira's face burnt with embarrassment. But if only that were the end of it. Her heart practically stopped as she kept scrolling.

Outgoing call to Yoshi: 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Oh goodness. What was she thinking, calling Yoshi for a whopping two and a half hours last night while drunk? Who would ever believe she had dialed his number by mistake? Kira groaned and hit her forehead against the desk.

Kira, oh Kira. She was never, ever drinking again.

❀

The long day finally ended as Kira stepped out of the bathroom. The gentle scent of body wash washed away some of the exhaustion after a busy day. She threw herself onto the cozy bed, exhaling a soft sigh of relief. Kira rolled over and grabbed her phone on the nightstand. All day today, she still had not had enough courage to reply to Hide's message, or check his new chapter. No matter how coincidental it might be, she could never bring herself to believe that a despicable old man like Watanabe could write such gentle, pure stories. She wondered if Hide had posted anything today. If he were writing about his own life, maybe she could find some clues.

Let's see. Well, Hide had posted a new chapter in the middle of the night. Fireflies in the Blossom Apple Orchard. Just reading the title made her feel lighter. Kira scrolled down.

The 24th year of Heisei. The spring of my tenth-grade year. At sixteen, everyone held so many dreams and ambitions. I remembered carrying my drawing board into the apple orchard behind the house just as dusk fell. Outside, the sunlight vanished, leaving only dim lamps along the pathway leading to the back garden.

That was the first time I gathered enough courage to enter a competition. The painting depicted a firefly perched precariously on an apple blossom in a late spring afternoon. Isolated and alone. Wondering why it shone in a foreign place, at a misplaced time. A fragile light destined to fade quickly. After finishing tenth grade, I left my hometown, like a small firefly amidst the boundless world, unsure of its true destination, wandering relentlessly until that pure light eventually faded away. After years of ups and downs, the little firefly of the past finally returned home, bereft of light and stripped of dreams.

"Bereft of light and stripped of dreams."

Those words felt like a soft whisper that kept echoing in her ears. A sudden warmth welled up in Kira's eyes, and tears began to blur her vision. She looked at the screen, thinking of herself in this bustling Tokyo. In a way, she was no different from that little firefly.

But wait. Hide was in tenth grade in the 24th year of Heisei. What year was that in the standard calendar? Her heart fluttering with anticipation, Kira quickly looked it up. Heisei 24 corresponded to the year 2012. He was in tenth grade back then. She mumbled the numbers to herself, doing the math. That meant he was exactly thirty years old this year. Thirty...

Thirty!

Kira sat straight up and wiped her nose, her eyes lighting up. That was it! That old man Watanabe was already well over fifty. Kira jumped up and down, squirming with sheer joy on the bed. Thank goodness. What a relief. She had been absolutely ridiculous. How could she have made such an absurd connection and wasted a whole day being miserable?

Elated, she began drafting a message to Hide.

Kira: Konbanwa, Hide. Sorry, I was too busy yesterday. We had a company party, and I drank so much that I just fell asleep. Are you doing okay?

Oh, he replied instantly today. He must have finished work and gotten home.

Hide: Ah, it's fine. I was busy yesterday, too.

Kira: Thank you, Hide. Thanks to you, my project yesterday went pretty well and got approved. This weekend, I'll be going to Nagano with my company for work. Is your apple orchard in Nagano too, Hide?

Hide: Ah, yes. Nagano is famous as Japan's apple country, after all. Have a great trip.

Kira hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should tell Hide the truth.

Kira: To be honest, I actually mistook you for someone else yesterday.

Hide: Really? What did he look like?

Kira: Ah, well. Promise to forgive me? He was over fifty, had a bit of a beer belly, with thinning hair, and his name was Hide too.

Hide: Oh. Do I seem like an old guy to you? I am only thirty. I don't drink or smoke, and I exercise regularly, so I am in pretty good shape. And my real name isn't Hide.

Kira: We have yet to meet! How was I supposed to know?

Kira: Hey, Hide. Is it normal to get drunk at an after-work company party in Japan? Like, completely wasted... will everyone think badly of me?

(Hide sends a photo of a few salarymen in suits, completely passed out on the train station floor, using their briefcases as pillows.)

Hide: It's completely normal here. In Japan, we practically have a free pass to get wasted at company parties. No one will judge you or think badly of you tomorrow.

Kira: No waaaaaayyyyy???? Passing out on the street like that is crazyyyyyyy.

Hide: But still, since you're a woman, please be careful. Try not to drink too much next time, okay?

Kira: Actually... what if you got so wasted that you ended up calling a coworker, but now you have absolutely no memory of what you said? Should I ask them about it, or... just pretend it never happened?

Hide: Though... what if that coworker of yours didn't mind at all? Maybe they just held the phone, waiting for you to wake up, and ended up listening to you sleep.

Hide: If it were me, I think I would have found it quite endearing.

Kira: What if that coworker... was actually my boss?

Hide: ... If your boss is single, then I think it should be fine.

Kira: Ughhhhh.

Kira: He lectured me big time this morning, but keeping completely silent about last night.

Hide: Maybe he was just worried about you.

Hide: Though, it sounds like you don't really like your boss.

Kira: Uhmmm. At first, maybe a little. But I have to admit he is really capable, which is probably why he is the boss. Aside from the lectures, he is actually... quite a gentleman. Everyone seems to respect him.

Hide: I guess it is hard for any boss to make you like them?

Kira: That is so unfair! I am actually very easygoing. My heart softens easily, too.

Hide: Should I let your boss know about this?

Kira: Oh. No, there is no need. haha. By the way, what field are you working in, Hide? A designer? Or still an artist?

Hide: Ah, the work I do now actually has nothing to do with art.

Kira had no idea how to reply. Her fingertips hesitated over the keyboard. Should she ask why Hide was not doing the job he loved? Would that be too nosy or intrusive? Every time he wrote about his artistic journey, she could sense a subtle sadness, like an unfinished story. She typed each word with the utmost care, then hit send:

Kira: Is it okay if I ask why? I always thought you loved art. Did something happen?

Hide: It happened a long time ago. I don't want to trouble you with my stories either.

Kira: That's... totally fine. Anyway, you can always talk to me whenever you want. I might not be of much help, but sharing with someone is still better than keeping it all to yourself.

Hide: Thank you, Kira.

Kira: By the way, is your office near Shinjuku? What if we actually work close to each other?

Hide: What if we do?

Kira: If so, I would love to drop by and say hello at least once.

Hide: Aren't you afraid I might turn out just like that grumpy boss of yours?

Kira: Stop kidding meeeeeeeeeee!!!

Hide: I am serious.

Kira: That is not funny at all.

Hide: Haha. You should go to sleep, Kira. It is almost midnight.

Kira: Mkay. Good night, Hide.

Hide: Night.

Kira: Should I text my boss now to apologize for last night?

Hide: Are you still worrying about that? You saw him at work all day today, didn't you? I am sure it is fine. Stop overthinking.

Kira: Uhmmm. Right. Night, Hide.

Kira flopped onto her bed and stared wide-eyed at the ceiling. Ten minutes passed, and she was still clutching her phone, reading over the long message she had sent. This should be fine, she thought. She set her phone aside, but the screen stayed lit, as if someone on the other end were still awake, reading the words she had just sent.

Dear Yoshi-san. Thank you so much for taking the trouble to get me home last night. I am truly sorry for letting you see me in such a terrible state when I was drunk. I promise it won't happen again. I am also very grateful that you stood up for me regarding the project at work. I noticed there was a two-hour call to you in the middle of the night, and I am deeply sorry for bothering you. Did I say anything rude or inappropriate? Please let me know; otherwise, I won't be able to sleep at all. Again, I apologize and thank you so much.

Her phone vibrated with an incoming message.

Annoying Pufferfish: Don't get that drunk again. You are doing great with the project, so keep it up. As for the call, I fell asleep too and don't even remember answering, so I didn't hear anything. No need to worry. Get some sleep. We have an important guest tomorrow. Don't be late.

Kira smiled happily and pulled the blanket over her head. At last, she could sleep in peace.

❀