Yusuf waited for about an hour. As soon as Kirana arrived, the HR manager relayed his message. Following the instruction, she made her way to his office. She knocked, heard his prompt "Come in," and entered.đŁ
Seeing her, Yusuf felt an immediate, unwelcome rush of relief, which he quickly suppressed. He adopted a strictly professional tone. "Why did you take leave yesterday? I'm asking because you're usually so consistent."
"Yes, sir. I took a day of personal leave. I applied for it in advance," Kirana replied, her voice respectful but guarded. đ
"Alright, it's not the leave itself," Yusuf continued, his curiosity overriding his better judgment. "I just wanted to know the reason. Was it an illness? A family issue? If you're comfortable sharing, that is."
"No, sir. No one is sick or in trouble," she explained. "Yesterday, we had to go to the airport to receive a relative who was visiting. That's all." đŁ
"Oh, I see. That's fine then," Yusuf said, a slight deflation in his voice masked by formality. "I was just asking in my capacity as head of the office. I need to be aware of my staff's situations. You may go and resume your work now."
"Alright, sir. Thank you for your concern. Have a good day," she said, offering a polite nod before leaving his office and returning to her desk to begin her daily tasks. The brief encounter left Yusuf with an answer but also a new, faint annoyance,the realization that his concern had been for something as ordinary as a family visitor, and the unsettling depth of his own preoccupation with her. đ¤
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Meanwhile, at the Manalo residence, feeling restless at home, Stephan finished his breakfast and informed Mr. and Mrs. Manalo of his plans. He intended to explore the area. His first stop was a car rental agency, where he paid for a vehicle for several days. Securing his independence, he got behind the wheel and began his journey, eager to rediscover the city of his early childhood and carve out his own adventures during his stay. đ