LATE NIGHT CALLS AND UNEXPECTED CONVERSATIONS

Late Night Calls and Unexpected Conversations

Max lay sprawled out on his bed, the hum of the city faint through the slightly cracked window. Kota was already fast asleep in his room, and after such a long day, Max was ready to close his eyes and let exhaustion take over. Just as he was about to drift off, his phone buzzed softly on the nightstand.

Groggily, he reached for it, his eyes squinting at the bright screen. It was a call from Noriko.

Max smiled to himself, propping himself up against his pillows as he answered. "Hey, Noriko. Didn't expect a call this late."

On the other end, Noriko's voice came through, soft but playful. "Well, I didn't expect you to pick up. You're usually out cold by now."

Max chuckled, feeling a warmth spread through him just hearing her voice. "Yeah, Kota wears me out. But I'm still here, barely."

There was a light laugh from Noriko's end. "Well, don't fall asleep on me. I was just thinking about some things from earlier today… and about the bookstore. You've really stepped up, Max. You know that?"

Max felt his heart do a little flip. Compliments from Noriko always carried extra weight. "Thanks. I'm just trying to keep up. Honestly, I've been feeling pretty good about how things are going lately."

"Well, you're doing more than just keeping up. I think you're amazing at what you do," she said, her voice dropping just slightly, adding a hint of intimacy to her words.

Max couldn't help but grin. "Are you trying to butter me up, Noriko? Because if you are, it's working."

Noriko laughed, a genuine sound that made his chest tighten in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. "No, no! I'm serious! You've been doing such a good job, I'm thinking I might have to start giving you all my duties so I can sit back and relax."

Max laughed softly. "You're trying to make me run the place, aren't you?"

"Maybe…" Noriko teased. "But I trust you. More than anyone I've worked with in a long time."

There was a pause, a comfortable one, where neither of them spoke but the silence wasn't awkward. Max could almost picture her sitting at her place, maybe in her pajamas, hair down, glasses on, just as tired but unwilling to hang up.

"So, what else were you thinking about, other than how great I am?" Max asked, his voice low, almost flirtatious. He wasn't sure if it was just the late hour or how easy it was to talk to her, but he felt bolder than usual.

Noriko giggled softly. "Oh, just stuff. Like how it's been nice having you around. And how much Kota's grown on me."

Max's grin widened. "I think you're growing on me too."

There was a brief silence, then Noriko responded, her voice slightly quieter. "Oh? Is that so?"

"Yeah. You've got this way of making everything feel… easier. Like even when the world's throwing all kinds of crap at me, I know I can count on you to lighten things up. You're good at that, Noriko. Really good."

Her breath caught for a moment, and Max could almost imagine her blushing on the other side of the line. "You're sweet, Max. A bit of a charmer too, huh?"

"I try," Max replied, his grin never fading. "But I mean it. You've been really good to me."

"Well, you've been good to me too," she said softly, her voice almost tender now. "I was actually thinking… Maybe we could hang out outside of the bookstore? Like, do something fun. You know, when we're not chasing Kota around or stocking shelves."

Max's eyebrows shot up. "Oh yeah? What'd you have in mind?"

Noriko hesitated for a beat, then asked, "How do you feel about going to the cinema? There's this new movie coming out on Sunday. I've been meaning to go, but… well, I thought it'd be more fun if I had company."

Max's heart leapt at the thought. "Are you asking me out, Noriko?"

She laughed softly, her tone playful. "Maybe I am. What do you say?"

"Of course, I'm in," Max said immediately. "It sounds like a lot of fun. I could use a good movie—and some good company."

Noriko's voice had a smile in it. "Great! I'll text you the details. It'll be a good break from everything."

As they continued chatting, the conversation turned light, filled with small jokes and laughter. Max felt at ease, more relaxed than he had in a long time. It was as though with every word, they were pulling closer to each other without even trying.

"Hey, Noriko?" Max said after a pause.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say thanks… for everything. I don't say it enough, but you've been a big help. Not just with the job, but… with everything else."

Noriko's voice softened again. "You don't have to thank me, Max. I'm happy to help."

Max hesitated, feeling the need to say more, but before he could, Noriko yawned on the other end of the line.

"Wow, I'm really keeping you up, huh?" Max teased, his smile evident in his voice.

"No, no! I'm fine," Noriko insisted, though her voice was clearly sleepy. "But maybe I should let you get some rest too. Big day tomorrow."

"Yeah, we both need it," Max agreed. "Goodnight, Noriko."

"Goodnight, Max," she said softly before hanging up.

Max stared at the ceiling for a moment, his heart still racing from the conversation. He didn't know exactly what was happening between them, but whatever it was, he liked it. A lot.

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Just as he was about to put his phone down, it buzzed again. This time, it was Kenji. Max furrowed his brows, surprised to see Kenji calling him this late. He quickly answered.

"Kenji?" Max said cautiously. "You alright?"

There was a moment of silence, then a slurred voice came through. "Max... man, I'm so sorry…"

Max's heart dropped. Kenji sounded drunk. Really drunk. "Kenji? What's going on?"

Kenji let out a shaky breath, his voice full of emotion. "I screwed up… I screwed everything up. I… I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

Max sat up straight, his mind racing. "Kenji, where are you? Are you at home?"

"Yeah… yeah, I'm home," Kenji slurred. "I just… I just wanted to say sorry, Max. For everything."

"Sorry for what? What's going on?" Max asked, his voice filled with concern.

Kenji laughed bitterly. "I don't even know, man. I've just been thinking about… everything. And I feel like I let you down. I'm not a good friend. I'm not even a good person…"

Max's chest tightened. He had never heard Kenji talk like this before. "Kenji, listen to me. You're not a bad person, okay? You're just going through something. It's not too late to fix things."

There was a long pause, and Max could hear Kenji breathing heavily on the other end. Finally, Kenji spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry, Max. I really am."

Before Max could say anything more, the call ended abruptly. Max stared at his phone, worry gnawing at him. Something was seriously wrong, and he wasn't sure how to help.

Lying back down on his bed, Max tried to shake off the unease that had settled over him. The night had taken an unexpected turn, leaving him feeling both excited about Noriko and anxious about Kenji. As he closed his eyes, the thoughts swirled in his mind, making sleep difficult to come by.

Tomorrow, he would

have to figure out how to handle everything—but for now, he needed rest.

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*End of Chapter 19*

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