Salutations

10 Days After

"Architect G," the knocking of G's apprentice woke him up from his daze at his office table. "Yes?" he answered.

"Someone's looking for you, they're at the lobby," he is confused with the other's answer because; first, no one notified him about visiting him at his office; second, he doesn't have anybody who would visit him on a friday wherein doing over time is much usual than any other days; third, no one notified him from the lobby. "The front desk didn't ca—"

"I saw them there," the apprentice cut him off, "actually, I overheard that they're looking for you so I volunteered to call you." G opened his mouth in disbelief.

"Nosy as ever," he retorted back to his nosy subordinate, he sighed then continued "Alright, thank you. Leave those papers here, I'll check them when I get back."

"I don't think you'll get back soon, though. You should clock out on time for today, then please check them by Monday," he just looked at his subordinate with a questioning look but then she continued, "Goodluck!" which made him more confused. He shook his head, thinking how the hell did his relationship with his subordinates become this casual, he has a guess but he doesn't want to think about it.

Thinking about the matter at hand, who the hell would visit him on this critical day that would make his subordinate give him a knowing look and a goodluck? Nonetheless, he did clock out on time before going down to the lobby. And there he met the reason for his subordinate's reaction.

"Baby G!" B called for him from the lounge, who seemed to be enjoying her tea and cake the clerk gave her.

The moment he approached the jolly woman, he asked "What are you doing here?" B didn't answer her but gave a tight hug instead, a hug warm enough to make him realise how he misses being hugged.

"I visit cuz I missed you—"

"Where is the little guy?" G diverted his mind, asking for his godchild.

"He's with his father. I took advantage of my free time, that's why I'm here." 

"Yeah, you should have at least call before hand, what if—"

"I'm already here, stop with your what ifs," she then clung to G's arms and pulled him towards the exit door, "You already clocked out, right? Let's go." He just lets B take him wherever she pleases.

They're in a private room of B's favourite restaurant, enjoying the food, catching up about B's family and G's work, when B blurted out something, "Oh, no. I forgot to borrow you from your not-so-little-lover." 

G almost choked on his drink when he heard what she said. "Should I message him? I remember that on Friday nights you go to your shared house, right?" 

He put down his drink before answering, "No need."

B stopped from eating then looked at G with wide eyes, thinking if what she understood from his best friend's words was true or not, or if G was just joking. But the look on G's face confirms her hunch, "No way," she blurted out. Still couldn't believe what G is implying.

A couple of seconds passed before B was able to compose herself, "Why?" she asked, which sounded like pleading. 

"Good question — why," he repeated, "I'm not sure why." G answered, trying to act nonchalant, but his pale complexion says the opposite. B thinks that that could be the reason why G's body, which used to stand tall and confident, looks soulless, with his shoulders slumped. She assumed that her best friend is just stressed from work, but this is much worse.

"You didn't ask?" 

"No, I did not. Even if he explained, I know I wouldn't understand a thing." An obvious reaction on G's part, B thought.