Clock In

Part 3

"True," he said, his voice casual but edged. "But some of you should consider investing more time into your work too."

His eyes didn't move, but the tone sharpened just a fraction.

"You can't rely on your junior to clean up your mess," he added, with that same calmness that somehow carried weight.

Then, almost like it was part of a conversation already happening, he turned slightly to his right and smiled. "Right, Mark?"

Mark blinked, caught completely off guard. His smug expression vanished like a light switching off.

He let out an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Of course," he muttered.

Phuwin smiled, the same polite expression on his face. "Let's eat fast," he said, casually checking his watch. "We've got that meeting at two."

And just like that, the atmosphere shifted again. But Fourth didn't miss it. He didn't miss how Phuwin had deflected the spotlight from him, clean, effortless, and sharp.

//

The lunch wrapped up, and the group began to disperse, some heading back to the floor, others lingering in small groups. Fourth stayed back a beat, gathering his tray and mentally replaying the moment when Phuwin had cut in, clean and sharp, like a blade smoothing over a fray.

As they walked toward the elevators, Fourth felt Phuwin fall into step beside him. They didn't speak at first, the low hum of the office filling the quiet between them. Fourth adjusted his sleeve self-consciously, the fabric suddenly feeling too thin, too cheap, like it couldn't quite hold up under the weight of the day.

Then, just as they reached the elevator doors, Phuwin spoke, quiet, casual, like it was an afterthought.

"Mark was right. Invest in your wardrobe. Appearances matter."

It wasn't harsh, but it wasn't exactly gentle either. It was just... matter-of-fact. Like he was commenting on the weather.

Fourth's steps faltered for a fraction of a second, his brows lifting in a tiny flicker of surprise. He glanced at Phuwin, expecting maybe a smirk, a nudge, something to say just kidding, but Phuwin just kept walking, eyes forward, already scanning his phone like the comment was already behind them.

//

After the meeting wrapped up, Fourth felt completely wiped. His brain was foggy, his shoulders were stiff, and all he really wanted was to breathe air that didn't taste like recycled AC and fluorescent lighting. Without saying anything to anyone, he quietly made his way to the rooftop. It had become a bit of an escape for him lately, a quiet spot above the chaos where he could regroup for a few minutes before diving back into work mode.

As he stepped out into the open air, the breeze hit him gently, cooling the back of his neck. But he wasn't alone. There was already someone standing near the edge, looking out over the city. Tall frame, relaxed posture, familiar presence. It took only a few more steps for Fourth to recognize him, Gemini.

He hesitated. Part of him wanted to turn back, not wanting to interrupt, but instead he approached slowly, hands in his pockets.

"Hey," Fourth greeted casually.

Gemini turned to him with a tired smile. "Hi, Fourth."

Something about his expression struck Fourth as different. Gemini always carried himself with this calm, collected demeanor, like he had the world figured out. But today, there was a heaviness in his eyes. A tension in his shoulders. He looked... off.

"Is everything alright?" Fourth asked, careful not to sound too nosy.

Gemini didn't answer right away. He just kept his eyes on the skyline, the city stretching endlessly in front of them. Then, after a moment, he said softly, "Just a bad day."