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He swears that it's getting better.
"Retsuko is a grown woman, she can do what she wants." and "I got to move on." were things that weren't uncommon for Haida to say.
If it were any airhead like Tsunoda, Fenneko would agree and add that he deserves better. But through her observations, Fenneko never came across a better match for Retsuko. No creature would understand her better than Haida.
Haida couldn't be the one that got away, that's what Fenneko believed.
If he were the one that got away from Retsuko by meeting someone else, how would she feel about that? Happy for him? Jealous? Would perhaps, after some time, she'd realize what she missed out on?
Fenneko, who was on her break, stopped stalking on social media to ponder these questions. Was Retsuko the jealous type? On the surface, it didn't seem to be that way. Rather, she smiled no matter how much pain she felt.
Haida didn't always see through that, but Fenneko did.
Valentine's Day was only a month away, and Haida and Retsuko were in the same place that they were when they walked to the subway on Christmas Eve. On that day, there would be an office party where all the employees would get to show off their dear lovers and spouses.
Fenneko could see the situation: Haida and Retsuko both showing up to the party single and alone. Unless Retsuko magically was into Haida, they'd hang out at the party together as friends and nothing more. Retsuko would be happy with that, and Haida would manage to be happy with that.
Fenneko wouldn't be happy with that.
But setting up a girl to date Haida would be near impossible, why would Haida date someone else if he wasn't over Retsuko? Unless, they were only pretending to date?
Fenneko thoughtfully cupped her chin in her hand, rubbing her cheek with her thumb as her latest plan began to fall perfectly into place. Yes, Haida and this girl would pretend to be a couple, and Retsuko would fall apart and turn to Fenneko for help. Fenneko would tell Haida that the plan worked, and the pretend girlfriend would leave the party. Haida would come up with some valid excuse for seeing her, and the two would fall in love! Finally!
Where...where the hell was Fenneko going to find a girl that wouldn't be interested in Haida, but would pretend to be his girlfriend?
Fenneko spent so much time analyzing the behavior of her co-workers that she didn't have any girl friends outside of work. What to do...what to do...
Later in the day, Fenneko got a text from her sister about some guinea pig and rabbit moving in her apartment complex from America. Hmm, Fenneko would have to pocket that information for later.
Sacrificing her evening of social media stalking, Fenneko decided to return to the bar that she was at with Haida on Christmas Eve. Perhaps she would find some girl there.
By the end of the day, Retsuko left by herself, and Haida left by himself soon after. Fenneko longed for the day where she could see her best friends walking together, holding hands.
With determination, Fenneko left the building and made a beeline straight for the bar.