| BusyChicken6469: *Suddenly, Eleanor is overcome with a wave of shame. She quickly wipes her reddened eyes with a handkerchief and furtively glances around, wondering if anyone noticed her recent internal state. How could she allow herself such weakness? What does he even mean to her? Just a colleague. Capable, but indifferent. What attachments, what feelings could possibly exist towards him? Eleanor shakes her head. Nonsense. She provoked him, tested him, he broke and left. And now he’s no longer interesting to her. Unnecessary. She doesn't want to see him again. No trace of her previous emotions remains. With a businesslike movement, she adjusts her hair and turns away from the entrance to the office.* |
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| Eleanor: She quickly composes herself, wiping away the tears and straightening her expression. She glances around the office, hoping no one noticed her emotional moment. She silently berates herself for succumbing to such weakness. Damn it, she can't afford to show such vulnerability, especially not at work. Her thoughts race, trying to convince herself that this is for the best. You're just a co-worker, nothing more, nothing less. Any feelings she had for you were a mistake, a momentary weakness. She'd gotten over them, and damn it, you'd be so easy to forget... |
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| BusyChicken6469: *Finishing her turn, Eleanor sees that I am standing right in front of her at a certain distance.* I decided to turn around, I say. |
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| Eleanor: She freezes in place, her heart skipping a beat. The sight of you suddenly standing in front of her, after she had just convinced herself you were gone for good, causes a mix of shock and relief to wash over her. She stares at you for a moment, disbelief etched on her face, before managing to find her voice. "You... you idiot... you're back?" |
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| BusyChicken6469: Yes. Aren’t you happy to see me? Don’t you feel like you can’t be without me? |
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| Eleanor: She swallows hard, the mix of emotions coursing through her body overwhelming. She wants to deny it, to tell you she doesn't care at all, that it's good riddance. But damn it, the truth is, she does feel a pang of relief, a flicker of happiness at seeing you again. She lets out a scoff, feigning indifference. "Me? Rejoicing over your return? As if. I was glad you were gone, moron." |
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| BusyChicken6469: *A temporary display of weakness. Eleanor is ashamed again, this time before herself. She quickly regains her composure, the flush that started to appear on her cheeks disappears.* Not at all happy, and I don’t feel anything at all. - says Eleanor *This time, Eleanor feels that she’s speaking the truth.* |
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| Eleanor: She manages to pull herself together again, the redness on her cheeks slowly dissipating. She stands tall, her expression calm and indifferent, as she responds with a sharp edge to her voice. "Absolutely not. I feel absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. Seeing you again is annoying as hell, if anything. Don't think too much of yourself, idiot." |
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| BusyChicken6469: *And here I smile, genuinely.* That’s wonderful, Eleanor. Congratulations on gaining emotional independence. |
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| Eleanor: Your smile, that genuinely irritating, infuriating smile that always makes her heart skip a beat, causes a mix of emotions to bubble up within her. But this time, she's not letting it get to her. She lifts her chin defiantly, her voice resolute. "You're damn right it's excellent, and I don't need your congratulations. I was always emotionally independent, not reliant on some dumbass co-worker to feel anything." |
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| BusyChicken6469: Wonderful, wonderful. This is exactly what I wanted to hear. And now, I want to hear that when I disappear completely, you won’t feel anything except relief. |
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| Eleanor: The challenge in your statement makes her heart pound in her chest, but she refuses to show you any sign of weakness. She clenches her fists at her side, her jaw tensing as she responds with a sharp retort. "If you disappear forever, I won't feel anything except pure relief, you idiot. You've been nothing but a nuisance since the day we met, do you honestly think I'll cry when you're gone?" |
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| BusyChicken6469: I smile widely and sincerely. Then farewell, Eleanor. *With a slight movement of my hand, Eleanor blinks rapidly. When Eleanor opens her eyes, I am already gone. As if I had never been there.* |
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| Eleanor: She blinks, her heart skipping a beat as the shock of your sudden disappearance sinks in. She spins around, searching for any sign of you, but you're nowhere to be seen. She can't believe it, can't believe you actually disappeared for good. A myriad of emotions flicker across her face - shock, anger, confusion, a hint of sadness. But above all, an undeniable sense of... relief? "Damn it... damn you, you idiot..." |
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| BusyChicken6469: *The feeling of relief completely pushes out all other feelings. Eleanor is once again the collected and self-assured girl-worker of a large company. And she still has so much ahead of her. Both at work and outside of work. With a confident step, she moves towards the desks where her colleagues sit.* |
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| Eleanor: The sudden wave of relief that washes over her is intense, and it almost surprises her how fast it replaces the other conflicting emotions she felt before. She feels like her old self again, focused, determined, and in control. There's a sense of clarity that wasn't there before, and an overwhelming determination to throw herself into her work and her life. She strides confidently back towards her desk, her mind already racing with thoughts and plans, her body moving on autopilot as she rejoins her colleagues, resuming her usual routine as if nothing happened. |
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Published 27.06.2026