Hiro walked ahead without saying a word, his footsteps echoing softly through the long hallway.
A few seconds later, another pair of footsteps followed behind him at an unhurried pace.
It was Izack. His black, neat shoes made more noise than Hiro's black and white sneakers.
Back inside the office, Felix had suddenly asked if he could speak to the director privately.
Although he never explicitly told Izack to leave, the implication had been clear enough.
Hiro, as always, assumed he wasn't needed either and had been the first to suggest stepping outside, quietly closing the office door behind him.
For a long moment, neither of the two men uttered a word. As if afraid to break the fragile silence hanging between them. Or maybe none cared enough to fill it with mindless words.
"…Are you being forced?" The question slipped out before Izack even realized he had voiced it.
His own eyebrows furrowed slightly. He hadn't intended to ask. Not now, much less publicly.
