"you should really start writing down your passwords," statics through your headset.
from the other end, you hear low breathing and the soft clacking of the keyboard. you're leaned back in your chair, slightly swiveling from side to side thinking of what clever thing to say to make yourself seem a bit less pathetic.
"well, if you had let me use my middle school lunch ID again, i could have saved you this visit." you pout, fiddling with the button on your collar.
"and the last hundredth if you had remembered the special character you used with it the first time around," he chimes. "you know you get seven tries before the program locks you out? seven. second time this month too."
"hmm, well who's keeping track anyways?"
"i wouldn't be surprised if this could be considered abuse of company resources."
a scoff escapes your lips, "please, i bet i'm single handedly keeping you employed."
"you can at least let me waste my time with something more interesting. i do enough password resets with your brainless branch. "
you could hear the amusement in his voice. it almost makes you want to lean in and get a better listen, but all you can do is turn your volume up.
"yeah? i'll be sure to download some malware before i forget my password again next time. iโll forward it to the rest of the group too."
the sudden refresh of your screen snaps your attention back to your computer. you don't realize you've been twirling the cord of your headset in between your fingers like a teenager this entire time, almost making you look around your cubicle in embarrassment in case anyone saw.
the quickness is almost disappointing. youโre not sure how many more tech issues you can have before you start to feel too pathetic in your own attempts to make contact with tomura.
silence fills the line as you type in a new password. his faint steady breathing almost makes you want to hold your own breath as if heโs right behind your shoulder.
โgonna remember it this time?โ
โgonna miss me if i do?โ
your jaw clenches close as soon as the words leave your mouth.
โiโm sure something else will come up,โ he releases a breathy chuckle. "anything else i can do for you?"
naturally, your cheeks grow warm.
"hmm," you hum, "no i think that'll be it. if you have a computer virus on hand though, feel free to forward that to me.โ
he snorts out a laugh, making you do the same. you canโt imagine what you look like right now with a wide grin on your face hunched over your computer.
โuh, just let me know if you need me to take care of anything else. don't worry about submitting a request- it takes longer.โ
the line abruptly disconnects. you didn't even get to thank him or ask how to exactly reach him without submitting a request.
you stare at your screen for a moment, adjusting to the droning white noise of the office- the winding gears of the old printer. the clacks of keyboards. the whispered chatters.
once you straighten your spine and shift yourself up in your seat to continue on with your workday, you finally notice a tab in the corner of your screen.
