Liverpool
It was mid-morning before James was called into his manager’s office. He stood, impatiently, while the man finished another call. James shifted on his feet, hands folded, keeping his expression in.
When the call was over, his manager waved him in, smiling, gesturing with a stylus.
Yokohama
“Kawasaki-san.”
Daichi heard his name across the aisle. His manager beckoned him, curt. It was clear and sunny, the skies rained out. He closed his screen, wondered why he’d been summoned.
Liverpool
He could still smell the furniture polish on the desk. James sat across while his manager talked about diligence, vigilance, “setting high standards”. Someone up the chain had noticed his report.
“Quick action, mate,” the manager said, his usual one of the lads charade. “Just what we need. Especially you. Sets a standard, example for others. Makes us look sharp.”
James nodded. His file was opened, new line added. Promotion, he’d be a junior team lead. Pay rise, different colored badge. He said all the right things, all the right thank yous, kept it calm and on the level.
The praise felt detached, though. It was like being congratulated for breathing. It’d been a moment, no more, and the system took his report and left him empty. He thought about Skye, distracted, keeping it hidden behind a mask of efficiency.
Yokohama
It was one of the big meeting rooms. Much too large for the two of them. His manager was stiff, looked tense, pinched. Like he’d already had one too many arguments for the day.
A tough morning, he explained. A failure of oversight. His own superior disciplined for the mistake. A vacancy, and an upward shuffle.
“You, though,” he said, fixing Daichi with a stern look, “have shown steadiness. Always reliable. Always consistent. We value that.”
Daichi bowed, the standard polite thanks. The manager tapped his console, pulled his employment profile. A new assignment, uplift in his title. A desk a little closer to the window. Different color badge.
He hadn’t expected it. Was it just silence that brought this? Someone else blamed because he hadn’t flagged the anomaly? He hadn’t tried to draw attention.
As he left, he bowed again. Kept it measured, humble, calm. Even though the weight of the secret pressed against him.
James sat at his desk, his new badge clipped against his chest.
Daichi sat at his, looking out at the bright skies through the glass.
More cargo still flowed across James’ screen. It was endless, indifferent to his day.
Daichi’s numbers were steady as the tide.
James felt…light, but hollow. He’d been decisive, it took him further from the boy who once ran.
Daichi felt heavy, recognizing that his silence had brought him a favor he hadn’t intended.
Promotions logged, filed, now history.
Part 3 of a four-part story from the Static Drift universe.
Part 4: Merit will be published next Friday (Nov 7).