Chapter 2

They called it a team dinner, but only five or six people actually showed up.

Five grown men, all circling one little girl, flustered and at a loss.

"So this is Second Sister?"

Silas looked over. "What do you mean, Second Sister?"

"One step short of Third."

Silas flushed red instantly. "You're here to eat."

"Well, I didn't know what to call her. Capy? Bara?"

Silas swallowed. "Gail. Gail Finch."

Oh. Second Sister still suits her better.

Once we went in, everyone looked over.

I gave them a casual glance. Among this bunch, some were old, some were balding, and one had a big belly.

Put like that, Silas looked downright refined by comparison.

When they looked at me, their eyes were full of mockery, but their hands never stopped fussing.

In a few quick moves, they'd shoved Silas right next to Gail Finch.

He glanced back at me, then sat down.

It wasn't that I hadn't noticed. I just couldn't be bothered to make an issue of it.

"Silas, how did you upset Capybara? It's this late at night and she's cried her eyes swollen. If she can't come to work tomorrow, that's on you."

"Whoever caused it should apologize, right?"

They were all watching me out of the corners of their eyes, but I paid them no attention and just started ordering off the menu.

"This is a company dinner, right? Then I won't just order what I like." I pointed at the most expensive page. "These—two of each."

The group traded glances. "Oh my, ma'am, you're ordering an awful lot there."

I nonchalantly closed the menu. "It's fine, I can eat."

When I turned back, I hadn't noticed that Silas's face had already gone quite ugly.

"Didn't you see she's been crying this whole time?"

I said "Oh," leaned back in my seat, and tilted my head to look at the little girl.

Soft and frail, and she'd come out in full makeup too. With her eyes gone red, she looked even more pitiful.

"I saw. She's been crying since she walked in. What happened? Did her mom die? Or did her dad kick the bucket?"

Everyone's heads swung toward me at once, like searchlights.

I generously lifted my chin toward Silas. "I already told you, you're bad luck, so stay away from her—don't jinx her to death too."

The private room went so quiet you could hear a pin drop. They all kept up their damnable composure.

Nobody said a word—not even Gail Finch, who was gracious enough to hold her tongue.

Hm... good.

I picked up my chopsticks first. "Everyone eat."

It stayed dead silent the whole time, but none of their faces looked good.

On the way back, Silas blew up in a big way.

"Don't you think you went too far? What was that supposed to mean? How am I supposed to face work after this? Do you have any idea what everyone thinks of me now? Gail's just a foolish girl. You had to have it out with her—was that fun?"

I let it go in one ear and out the other. Silas didn't come home all night.

He said I didn't understand the workplace, didn't understand the bonds between coworkers.

So, obedient as could be, I went in to work.

The next time I got a call from Silas was half a month later.

His tone was full of impatience. "Panicking?"

I was silent for a moment, then answered, "Pretty panicked, yeah."

The voice on the phone got noticeably better. "Good that you know you were wrong. It's not like I'm dumping you. Fine, let's have dinner together tonight. I'll send you the address."

After I hung up, I panicked even more.

I didn't even dare glance at the driver's seat. My male coworker had begged me for so long to get me to this dinner, and just now I'd finally said yes.

If I stood him up now, he'd be unhappy.