I’m Letting You Go

It happened in the break room.

Kenji had been teasing all day, toeing the line between playful and scandalous, like he was trying to claim back all the time he'd spent shrinking himself.

And maybe it was reckless. Maybe it was too much too soon. But in that moment—alone by the sink, eyes on Yuu like the rest of the world didn't exist—he leaned in and kissed him.

Not a peck.

Not shy.

Full. Slow. Wanting.

Yuu kissed him back before he had time to think about it.

And then the sound of a dropped mug shattered everything.

They pulled apart instantly, breath caught between them—only to see half the design team frozen in the doorway, mouths agape, eyes wide.

Someone muttered, "Holy shit."

Someone else whispered, "Were they—?"

And then the silence exploded into a thousand silent thoughts darting across every face in the room.

Kenji's lips parted, like he might explain.

But it was already too late.

The meeting was called an hour later.

No agenda. Just a summons. Aizawa's office. Both of them.

Yuu could barely meet Kenji's eyes on the walk there.

They sat in the small glass-walled room, blinds half-closed, as Ms. Aizawa herself sat across from them with her fingers steepled beneath her chin.

Her voice was calm. Controlled.

"I'm going to be direct," she said. "Kenji, you're in a senior position. Yuu, you are not. And while relationships between employees aren't outright forbidden, power imbalance is something this firm takes very seriously."

Kenji didn't flinch.

Yuu did.

"It wasn't—" Yuu started, but Aizawa raised a hand.

"I know neither of you intended to cross a line. But Kenji, you've been seen holding hands, whispering intimately, and today…" Her eyes flicked to the report in front of her. "You kissed a junior staff member in a shared space."

Kenji's jaw was tight. He nodded once. "I take responsibility."

"Good," she said, not unkindly. "Because this is the third incident in a week involving personal conduct, and frankly, the team is distracted. Discomfort has been reported."

Yuu's chest tightened.

Kenji sat straighter. "So what happens now?"

There was a pause.

Then: "Kenji, I'm letting you go."

Yuu's breath caught. "What?"

Aizawa turned to him. "Yuu, this doesn't reflect poorly on you. You haven't broken any policy yourself. But Kenji is in a leadership position. Standards are higher."

Kenji didn't argue. He didn't beg. He just closed his eyes for a moment… and nodded.

"Understood."

Aizawa sighed. "You're talented, Kenji. One of the best I've had. But this is about the environment we uphold. I hope you understand that."

"I do," he said quietly.

And that was it.

He was dismissed.

Back at his desk, Yuu helped pack stuff up, stunned. Kenji had already cleared most of his things—quietly, without fanfare—and was waiting by the elevators, coat over one arm.

Yuu caught up to him, breath shallow. "Why didn't you fight it?"

Kenji looked at him, expression unreadable. "Because she was right."

"But—"

"I knew better, Yuu. I got carried away. I let myself believe I could have you and still play by the rules."

"You can have me," Yuu said fiercely. "You do have me."

Kenji gave a sad little smile. "Not in that building, I don't."

The elevator doors opened. He stepped inside.

Yuu followed without hesitation.

"Where are we going?" Kenji asked.

Yuu looked at him. Steady. Unshaken. "Wherever you are."

And this time, Kenji didn't try to push him away.

He just reached out, took Yuu's hand, and held it.

Tightly.

Like something worth losing everything else for.