Our Company Is Back in Business
...
Sorry... I just can't go in yet...
For days now, Petra kept coming all the way to the Petra Construction office, only to turn back without entering.
Tanya got hurt because of me, and the office is wrecked...
How could I even face them like this...?
It wasn't intentional. If you apologize, I'm sure—
...I can't act shameless like before anymore...
I've even started to hate the facade I used to put on...
The... facade?
...
The truth is... the me you know is all an act, Captain.
This whole time, I've just been pretending to be the kind of person I wanted to be in front of you.
The real me... is the complete opposite of who you think I am.
I used to work for Kemet Industries—the very company I always bragged I'd surpass.
I rose fast and made it to the core development team in no time. I really did have a knack for magitech.
But I guess my boss saw my promotion as a threat... because he started trying to keeping me down.
What's this supposed to be?!
You call this a report?!
I-I'm sorry... I'll redo it right away...
Ugh, forget it. How many times has this happened now?
You can't even handle this, and you call yourself an engineer? From now on, stick to errands.
P-pardon...?
B-but I can really handle the design wor—
Are you talking back to me?!
!!
N-no...! I-I'm sorry!!
Tsk. Useless brat.
...After that, I somehow couldn't bring myself to do the things I was good at anymore.
Every day became an endless series of errands and nitpicking.
Everyone avoided me to stay on the boss's good side.
I grew quieter... smaller... until I could barely speak at all.
One day, I looked in the mirror and hated the pathetic, pitiful me I saw.
I couldn't stand the sight of me like that... So I quit.
But even then, I still wanted to do this kind of work. So I spent everything I'd saved to start Petra Construction.
I swore I'd never become that pathetic version of myself again.
That's why I started acting. Pretending to be who I wanted to become.
I wanted to be someone strong and confident. Someone admirable.
But clinging to the idea of doing the exact opposite of what I used to do is what made me fail.
The moment I yelled at Marcille and Tanya...
I realized I'd become exactly like the person I never wanted to be.
This isn't the me... I wanted to become...
...
No matter how hard I try to hide the parts of me I hate or pretend I've changed...
I'm still the same despicable me.
Petra buried her face between her knees.
I... still hate myself...
Petra...
Listening to her, I finally understood why Petra had been so desperate back then.
But...
...But I also wanted to show her that there was more to her than just the parts she hated about herself.
She went through all that pain, yet still had the resolve to start up Petra Construction so she could do what she loves the right way.
Spending her own living expenses to buy snacks for her employees...
Putting on that cheeky grin to overcome her past and keep going... Everything about her...
I like that about you.
Captain... thank y—
...
H-huh?!
W-wait, wait, hold on just a sec!!
Captain, did you just say that for real?!
Th-that's so sudden, but fine! I won't let you take it back!
Yeah, I meant it.
And I'm sure the rest of them feels the same.
H-huh...?
It's clear that everyone already knows how kind and genuine Petra is, no matter what she thinks of herself.
So whenever you start hating yourself again...
I'll tell you over and over again.
That we all like everything about you, Petra. Even the silly parts.
...
Ngh... Captain, you really are...
...are a heartbreaker...
...
Petra fell silent for a moment, then dusted herself off and stood up.
...All right.
Since you said all that, Captain, I'll be brave too ♡
So... I'm sorry.
Sorry for all the acting, for getting everyone hurt... all of it...
...And as the boss, I'll take responsibility for wrecking the office and hurting my emplyees.
I know it's selfish... but please, let me ask for your forgiveness!
Too late.
!
Yeah, waaay too late.
Yeah... You're right. I came back too late...
I'm sorry... Even if you can't forgive me, that's fine.
Just let me take responsibility, at least...!
That's not what we meant. The job. It was due today.
...Huh?
We're supposed to finish it today, but we're overdue.
But if you want to take all the blame as the boss, I won't stop you.
Just act like you didn't know, Petra. It'll be fine. Yeah.
B-but Tanya got hurt because of me...!
It wasn't because of Petra.
You dummy. Mm.
Look... Accidents happen on site all the time.
We should've paid more attention to safety, but we got a little careless since your bombs are usually so safe.
The important thing is no one got seriously hurt. Next time, we'll just focus more on safety.
...!
And apologies shouldn't come empty-handed. Petra said that.
I'll take mine in fried food. Pay me back with that.
...Y-you guys...
Anyway, we'll have to ask for an extension on the project. We should've done that earlier, but you kept pulling that vanishing act on us.
...
Got it! Don't worry! Your cute ♡ Petra will handle it as the boss!
Ohh! Now you're finally starting to sound like a proper boss!
We're sorry! We're so, so, soooo sooorry!!
There's no way to finish it by today, but we'll get it done by next week no matter what!
Wow... groveling much?
Tanya! Employ the second emergency crisis measure!
!
O-ow ow ow... It hurts...
I might collapse soon... Mm.
She's faking an illness...?
As you can see, our employee's been sick! Please, just this once!
Oh... well, if she's been sick, I guess there's no helping it... I guess you don't offer refunds?
Just... Just finish it as soon as you can, please. The bombs make me nervous...
We will! Thank you so much!!
Wait, what happened to you?
I thought you we're going back to being pathetic ever again!
Nyahaha... Yeah, but Petra learned something important.
To protect what matters, sometimes you've got to swallow your pride.
So I'm not being pathetic. I'm just groveling.
Well, at least you're aware of that much.
Nyahaha, it's fine, it's fine ♪ We just bought ourselves another week!
And since apologies shouldn't come empty-handed...
Petra Construction is treating everyone to fried food tonight! How's that sound?
Well, I guess Tanya will be happy about that.
Okay. Mm.
Great ♡ Then let's go stuff ourselves till we pop!
The client's odd behavior lingered in the back of my mind...
But I pushed that thought aside for the moment and filled up on fried food with Petra and the rest.