As soon as they got out of the office, they went out to guard the door as usual, Shiki sitting on the stairs and Akabayashi leaning against the wall, each one of them lightenning a cigarette.
Silence lingered in the alleyway, only disturbed by the sounds of breathes.
After a while the red head spoke up,
"Shiki, you were amazing"
Displaying a puzzled look he turned his head to his friend, not really understanding what he wanted to convey.
"In the office I mean, you were so calm, and so collected, and so cold and so scary! Amazing I tell you! The old man seemed pretty surprised too and the other men didn't know how to react either. Shiki you're awesome!"
Shyly looking at his feet the latter answered
"I-I didn't know it was like that. I was just trying to focus on what I should say and I really don't like this old man, I think it helped"
"Oh you don't? I don't either. Too bad we need the money"
"Yeah too bad, let's just hope he'll go away soon"
Leaning against his friend's leg Shiki's voiced raised up from below once again,
"Akabayashi I'm so tired and it was so scary"
"Such a crybaby, you're the one who said you'll clear this up with him"
"Don't like people looking down on you" he said in a yawn.
The red head chuckled and didn't answer
xxx
The two adults now had stop counting their drinks for long as they went through all their memories of high school, Akabayashi always smiling, Shiki frowning in annoyance.
"Stop telling nonsense, I was not such a crybaby"
"Oh yes you were"
"No way, you're imagining things" Shiki said turning his head away
"See your old habits come back to hit you, you always did this with me where you were embarassed by something I said, normally you should be blushing right now, let me see"
Akabayashi raised his head to try to have a better view but was surprised to see Shiki looking at him, like it was a challenge.
The red head giggled, "I'm glad you stopped this habit of blushing whenever I say something a little embarassing, it wouldn't be good for your reputation as an executive of Awakusu if you were to blush like a middle schooler in love would it?"
"Akabayashi, just shut up"