"Good afternoon, Uncle Kenzo. Good afternoon, Sora, Uncle Taka, and Hiro. Sorry I'm a bit late," Arata greeted as he removed his helmet and bag, tucking them neatly into his locker.

  "Good afternoon," they replied in unison. Arata's presence was like a candle flickering in the middle of a dark night, bringing a sliver of light to the chaotic atmosphere of the workshop.

  "You're back?" a soft voice greeted him. The stiff air around the cashier's desk suddenly turned cool. Sora's hidden smile finally emerged, as if she had been waiting for the teenager's arrival for a long time.

  However, in another corner, Hiro whispered with a dead-serious tone, "Hey, kid, you're finally here. The atmosphere has been terrifying. Sora isn't her usual cheerful self."

  "Yeah, exactly. It was freezing, but it seems to be getting better now," Taka added, glancing warily toward the cashier's desk.

  Arata frowned, curious. "Really? What happened?"

  "Sora... that girl has been short-fused since this morning. Everything is wrong in her eyes. Even Kenzo doesn't dare look his own daughter in the eye," they both whispered, pulling Arata away toward the tool area. The gossip session began.

  "What actually happened? Did you guys make a mistake?" Arata asked anxiously.

  "No idea! She's been sulking and grumbling all day," Hiro answered.

  "Why didn't you joke with her like usual?"

  Taka shook his head quickly. "I tried, but she just stayed silent. No response at all. The mood was completely frozen."

  Arata began to panic. He was terrified of becoming Sora's next target, especially since the issue of the spoiled lunch was still a dead end. He didn't want to add more trouble to the house. "Come on, tell me, I'm afraid I'll be the next victim!"

  "We're stumped too. Just be careful, don't make her explode," Hiro whispered, eyeing Sora cautiously.

  "Is Uncle Kenzo in a bad mood too?" Arata asked again.

  "Oh, no. Kenzo was actually the first victim. Sora scolded her father just because he made a few mistakes writing down the inventory count."

  "Good grief, why is it so intense?" Arata shuddered.

  Suddenly, Hiro's eyes narrowed, focusing on Arata's face. "Hey... what happened to your cheeks?"

  Taka leaned in. "You're right, both of them are red. Does it hurt?" He reached out to touch Arata's cheek.

  "Ouch! That hurts, Uncle!" Arata dodged. "I... I was out in the sun too long earlier."

  "Hey, don't lie. Those are clearly handprints!" Taka exclaimed skeptically. Arata tried to turn his face away, hiding the red patterns.

  "Let me see," Hiro pulled Arata's shoulder. "Ah, confirmed! These are slap marks!" his voice rose in shock.

  "Who dared to do this to you?!" Taka chimed in with the same volume.

  "Hey, not so loud! Others will hear," Arata hissed in a panic. "Calm down, it's nothing. Not a big deal."

  Hiro began to smirk, trying to guess. "This must be the hand of a disappointed girl..."

  "Exactly! She slapped you twice, left and right. She must be very upset with you. Did you meet a girl out there, Arata?" Taka teased.

  "Hey! Why are we suddenly talking about girls? Forget it, let's get back to work. I'll tell you after we close," Arata evaded.

  "Fine, but you're treating us, okay?" Hiro cut in quickly.

  "Agreed!" Taka shouted.

  Arata gaped. "Hey, why do I always have to treat you guys?"

  "You're young, you have fewer expenses. We're old men, we have many needs!" Hiro's reasoning made absolutely no sense.

  "Hmm... typical. I always get the short end. Fine, fine..." Arata surrendered.

  "That's the spirit!" Taka patted Arata's shoulder proudly.

  Their discussion wasn't quite finished when it was cut short by a brief question from behind—cold, sharp, and piercing.

  "Who slapped you?!"

  The voice thundered through the workshop like a bolt of lightning on a clear day. Sora was already standing right behind them, hands on her hips. Her other hand still gripped a notepad and a pen.

  "Who? Answer me!" Sora yelled again. Her eyes began to glisten, holding back a surge of emotion.

  Hiro, Taka, and Arata were stunned. They froze in place, turned to stone as if by a curse. Cold sweat began to pour from their foreheads. The atmosphere turned menacing; Sora stood there like a robber intimidating her victims.

  Kenzo, who had been sitting relaxed reading the newspaper, jumped. He stood up so abruptly that the coffee on his desk nearly spilled. Seeing the unfavorable situation, he slowly crept toward the second floor with very soft steps, exactly like a thief. Halfway up the stairs, he bumped into his wife.

  "What's going on?" Mrs. Mina asked her husband in a near-whisper. Kenzo just shook his head, signaling he wanted no part in the storm.

  "What happened, Dear? Why can I hear Sora's voice all the way upstairs?" Mrs. Mina asked curiously. She peeked down and saw Sora facing the three unlucky men. Instantly, the mother understood the situation.

  "Come on, let's go up... Come on... let's not get involved," Kenzo whispered, pulling his wife's hand to return to the second floor.

  "Hurry, no choice. I don't want to get involved either," Mrs. Mina agreed. They both stepped very carefully so the sound of their footsteps wouldn't be heard.

  However, their escape did not escape Hiro and Taka's sight. They felt betrayed, being abandoned by the owners of the house in the middle of such a terrifying atmosphere—as if sacrificed for their boss's safety. With a swift movement, Hiro and Taka pushed Arata's body closer to Sora, making him a human shield. They hid behind Arata's back, worried about a sudden attack from the raging daughter.

  "Ah... that... it's... it's nothing," Arata answered stuttering.

  Sora stepped closer. She stared at Arata's cheeks, left and right. Her face was full of emotion, looking as if she were ready to swallow Arata alive if he dared to speak again. Sora held Arata's face, tilting it left and right to inspect the slap marks. The red handprints were painfully clear on Arata's skin. Arata could only obey without resistance, helpless like prey caught by a predator, ready to be devoured.

  "You better tell me, or I'll find out myself!" Sora threatened.

  Arata stood frozen, looking at Sora's face which had turned terrifying. Sora went silent for a moment, then without another word, she left them. The girl marched up to the second floor after slamming the notepad and pen onto the workbench.

  The three men remained frozen in the same position, while Arata still stood like a statue, unable to move. Hiro shook his shoulder.

  "Arata, wake up," Hiro said.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "It's over..." Arata muttered weakly.

  In the midst of the confusion, Uncle Kenzo and his wife came back down to the workshop to meet Arata.

  "What actually happened, Arata?" Mrs. Mina asked softly.

  "Yeah, our hearts almost stopped hearing Sora scream like that," Uncle Kenzo added anxiously.

  "Ah... it was... just a slight misunderstanding. My apologies for the situation," Arata said awkwardly.

  "Yes, I understand. But his aunt and I have never seen her that angry. We were scared too," Uncle Kenzo admitted.

  "Tell us, so we can calm Sora down," Aunt Mina coaxed in a soothing tone.

  "Hey, you two! Back to work. Take care of Arata's tasks, we want to talk to him for a bit!" Kenzo shouted to Hiro and Taka.

  "Yes, Sir!" they answered in unison.

  Sora's parents then took Arata to the front of the workshop to discuss the day's events. Arata explained everything honestly. Hearing the explanation, the parents finally understood the situation.

  "Alright, let me be the one to explain it to Sora," Uncle Kenzo said firmly. However, as he was about to turn to find his daughter, his steps were blocked by his wife.

  "No. You two go back to work in the workshop. This is a woman's matter; men don't need to get involved," Aunt Mina interrupted.

  They nodded in agreement and immediately returned to the workshop, while Mina hurried upstairs to see Sora.

  The atmosphere in the workshop remained cold until the afternoon, even until closing time.

  "We're heading home first, Arata," Hiro and Taka bid farewell.

  "You're leaving me alone? This case isn't closed yet, help me!" Arata pleaded pitifully.

  "Hey, this is a teenage problem. Old men shouldn't meddle. But our eating plans aren't canceled, okay? We'll postpone until things calm down," Hiro said with a wide grin. They left, leaving Arata packing his things alone.

  "You haven't gone home yet, Arata?" asked Kenzo, who was still there.

  "Not yet, Uncle. There's something I want to give to Sora," Arata replied while tidying his belongings.

  "Oh, I see. Alright, I'll try to persuade her to see you."

  Kenzo stood up from his seat, took a long breath to steady his heart, and marched firmly toward the second floor to meet Sora.

  A Cold Night at the Workshop

  On the second floor, Kenzo crossed paths with Mina, who had just come out of Sora's room. "How's the situation?" Kenzo asked with a worried look he couldn't hide.

  "I've already explained it. But she still seems very upset. Do you want to see her?" Mina asked back.

  Kenzo shook his head quickly. "Better not. She's been mad at me since morning, though I don't even know what I did wrong. I just want to tell her that Arata is waiting for her downstairs," Kenzo whispered. He stepped hesitantly toward his only daughter's room.

  "Sora, Arata is waiting for you downstairs. He has something to tell you," Kenzo called out softly.

  No answer. A heavy silence enveloped the corridor for several seconds.

  "Never mind, let's go to the kitchen. It's just a misunderstanding, let them settle it themselves," Mina invited.

  "Alright, I'm hungry too," Kenzo replied. The husband and wife walked toward the kitchen, leaving Sora's door tightly shut.

  Meanwhile, Arata waited in front of the workshop. After tidying the tools and closing the large door, he left one small door open as a way for Sora to meet him.

  Suddenly, footsteps were heard on the stairs. The old wood groaned softly, indicating someone was coming down. Arata immediately composed himself; he went back inside the workshop and stood right in front of the last step. He looked up. With slow but steady steps, Sora descended the stairs one by one. However, the girl's steps stopped right in the middle of the staircase.

  "What is it you want to say?" Sora asked without deigning to look at Arata's face.

  "Ehh... about the lunch bag you made for me," Arata started nervously. "I want to return it. Thank you, the food was delicious. Here is the container, I've cleaned it," Arata said, holding out the cloth bundle, trying his best to break the ice.

  "Just leave it there," Sora answered coldly. Her eyes flicked sharply toward the cashier's desk, signaling Arata to stay away.

  "Eee... alright. In that case, I'll be going home," Arata said weakly. He realized the storm hadn't passed and wanted to escape the suffocating situation.

  Arata placed the bundle on the cashier's desk, then bowed politely. "I'm leaving, Sora."

  "Yeah," Sora replied briefly, cold as ice.

  After Arata's figure disappeared behind the door, Sora walked down to the cashier's desk. With slow movements, she untied the cloth bundle. Inside, the food containers were stacked very neatly. However, her sense of smell caught something odd. A pungent, rotten stench suddenly wafted from inside the boxes.

  CRASH!

  The sound of a loud impact thundered up to the second floor. Sora slammed the food container onto the table in an explosion of rage.

  Upstairs, Kenzo and his wife, who were enjoying dinner, jumped in fright. Their hearts felt like they nearly stopped hearing the bang.

  "What happened?!" Kenzo cried out worriedly. He immediately got up from his chair and ran toward the stairs.

  Mina was just as panicked. She ran toward the window, saw Arata already far from the workshop, then immediately turned to follow her husband. They met right at the top of the stairs.

  "Is everything okay?" Mina asked, breathless.

  "Shh!" Kenzo immediately put a finger to his lips, signaling his wife to be quiet. With a quick motion, he pulled Mina back toward the kitchen.

  "What happened?" Mina whispered once more, her eyes wide, demanding an explanation.

  Echoes on the Wooden Floor

  "Nothing to worry about, just teenage romance problems. Forget it..."

  Kenzo's words stopped instantly as his ears caught heavy footsteps on the stairs. The sound of the pressed wood rose with a rhythm full of emotion. It continued into firm steps across the wooden floor of the second story, creating an echo in the narrow corridor.

  It all ended with a loud door slam.

  SLAM!

  After that, silence fell again. Kenzo and Mina continued their dinner in a stifling hush. It was as if a single small laugh or even a spoon clinking too loudly could trigger an even bigger explosion.

  After eating, Kenzo signaled his wife to follow him down to the workshop.

  "What is it?" Mina asked, puzzled.

  "Don't ask too many questions. Just follow me," Kenzo urged quietly.

  They both descended the stairs very carefully, ensuring every step didn't make a creaking sound that might catch Sora's attention. Arriving at the cashier's desk, Mina gasped. Her eyes were fixed on the sight on the desk; the food containers were scattered as if they had just been slammed down in anger.

  "What happened?" Mina whispered curiously. She began to turn the containers over, intending to tidy them up. However, her fingers accidentally touched a red ribbon tucked under one of the plastic containers.

  Mina picked it up slowly and was a bit surprised. It turned out to be a box about the size of a pencil case, decorated with a beautiful red ribbon—a gift. Behind the ribbon's wrap, a neatly folded piece of paper was tucked in.

  "What's that?" Kenzo leaned in out of curiosity. He was just about to reach for the box when Mina slapped his hand away sharply.

  "What are you doing?!" Mina hissed suddenly.

  "I just want to see it," Kenzo protested in self-defense.

  "You'll ruin it!" Mina said firmly, her eyes giving a stern warning.

  They finally took the food containers and the mysterious gift back upstairs. Mina placed the gift on the dining table while she prepared a dinner portion for Sora, who had been locking herself away.

  "Sora, Sweetheart..." Mina called softly in front of her daughter's door.

  "Yes, Mom..." Sora replied from inside, her voice sounding weak and tired.

  "I've made dinner. Eat first," Mina continued.

  There was no verbal response, but Mina clearly heard the sound of the bed creaking as the weight on it shifted, followed by the sound of dragging footsteps on the wooden floor.

  Creak...

  The bedroom door opened. Sora appeared with a face that was still gloomy. She crossed paths with her mother standing in front of the door, glanced briefly, then walked toward the dining room in silence.

  Sora sat down and began to eat her food. The silence in the room was so thick that only the sound of the spoon clinking against the plate was heard periodically. Arata might have been gone, but the tension he left behind was still clearly felt at that dining table.

  Chocolate and Apologies

  Sora stood up from her seat and walked to the kitchen to clean the eating utensils. However, her movements stopped as her gaze shifted to the stack of lunch boxes on the kitchen counter, right next to the sink. She stared at the containers, which were now clean and neatly arranged. The rotten smell that had triggered her anger earlier was completely gone.

  Her eyes began to water. Although the remnants of her annoyance still encrusted the corners of her heart, curiosity began to grow when she saw a red box decorated with a ribbon tucked on top of the stack. Slowly but surely, Sora reached for the beautiful package.

  "Mom, what's this?" Sora asked, her voice still flat.

  "Oh, that beautiful red box?" Mina replied while smiling from behind the dining table. "I found it downstairs while tidying the cashier's desk earlier. It seems someone left it specifically for you."

  "Really?" Sora turned the gift-wrapped package over carefully. Her eyes locked onto the piece of paper neatly tucked behind the ribbon. With fingers that trembled slightly, she pulled out the paper, opened it, and began to read its contents.

  The handwriting on the paper looked rushed and—of course—very messy.

  "Thank you for the lunch you made for me, I'm sure it must have been very delicious. However, I apologize because I didn't have a chance to eat it. Something happened to me on the way (I'll tell you later). Please don't be mad. I only found it on the second day, buried inside my bag. Believe me, I tried to clean it, but the smell wouldn't go away. I didn't want to lie to you. Once again, I'm truly sorry, I also forgot to take a good photo. To make up for my mistake, I wrapped this chocolate. Hopefully, you like it. Once again, forgive me. — Arata."

  Sora began to smile to herself reading that "chicken scratch" handwriting. Her face instantly flushed red. It was as if the lioness who had been raging all day without mercy had returned to being a graceful princess. Quickly, she refolded the letter and gripped the chocolate gift tightly.

  She immediately ran toward her room with light steps. "Thank you for dinner, Mom! Good night, Dad! Good night, Mom!" she called out while dashing away.

  Click!

  The sound of the bedroom door locking was firm.

  Kenzo could finally breathe a sigh of relief; his daughter had returned to her old self. He immediately went to his wife, and they spent the rest of the night discussing the afternoon's events until late.

  Meanwhile, inside her room, Sora was busy tucking the letter from Arata into her diary. She then took her phone, searched for Arata's name in her contacts, and her fingers danced across the screen.

  Tring!

  The message was sent.

  "Thank you, the chocolate is delicious."