The next day, Hayk came to work in high spirits. He was eagerly looking forward to the end of the day, hoping to go back to the garden and work there with Arevik. Everyone noticed his good mood, but only Anna allowed herself to comment.

  “I like your mood,” she said with a smile.

  “I don’t understand what you mean,” Hayk replied, half-smiling with a mysterious expression.

  “Of course, you don’t,” Anna smirked. When he walked away, she quietly added to herself, “I hope it lasts.”

  At the end of the day, Hayk went to the garden with anticipation—but was deeply disappointed to find Grish there instead of Arevik.

  “Sir, you’re already back?” Grish asked with a warm smile.

  “Yes, yesterday,” Hayk replied, glancing around as if hoping to catch a glimpse of her until the very last moment.

  “Today my vacation is over,” Grish explained.

  “You okay, old man? Everything alright?” Hayk asked, suddenly realizing that in front of him wasn’t just an employee, but someone close.

  “All’s well, sir,” Grish replied, touched by the concern.

  “Well, I won’t keep you,” Hayk said, about to leave, but then turned and added, “We’ll see each other again.”

  Yet his gaze was not on Grish—it was fixed on the garden, as if those words were meant for it.

  The next day, Hayk’s enthusiasm noticeably waned. Towards the end of the workday, he and Anna were discussing current matters.

  “You look tired today,” Anna remarked cautiously.

  “A strange day… as if time stopped. The hours dragged on endlessly,” Hayk replied, unwilling to reveal the true reason for his mood.

  “Because you didn’t see the source of yesterday’s excitement?” Anna asked directly.

  Hayk smiled. For a moment, he forgot who he was speaking to—nothing could be hidden from her.

  “I’m at a dead end, Anna,” he admitted. “And I don’t know what to do.”

  “There’s no such thing as a complete dead end,” she said confidently. “What’s bothering you?”

  “I can’t find a connection with her. I hoped to see her in the garden, talk… but now it’s impossible.”

  “Invite her somewhere,” Anna suggested.

  “After how I behaved? I don’t think she’d agree to go somewhere with me alone,” Hayk replied desperately.

  “You’re not planning to invite the whole organization just to get her to come, are you?” Anna smirked.

  Suddenly, Hayk’s eyes lit up.

  “And if I invite everyone… she wouldn’t say no?”

  “Hayk, that was a joke,” Anna quickly clarified.

  “No, it’s an opportunity,” he said thoughtfully, already ignoring her objections.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “Hayk, this is madness.”

  “Do you think we can’t afford it?”

  “We can. And not just one project,” Anna replied calmly. “But is it worth turning the whole institution upside down for one person?”

  After a short pause, Hayk spoke quietly but firmly:

  “I think it is. She helped me organize the project with the Chinese partners properly. Every time I sent a new shipment from the warehouse, I thought of her. I am grateful to her. And the garden… it became a problem I couldn’t handle. She helped me overcome it.”

  Anna realized he was determined and decided to tread carefully.

  “Alright. And how do you imagine this?”

  “The weather’s warm. We could rent a beach resort for a week. Let everyone relax together.”

  Anna was silent for a moment.

  “Okay, I’ll organize your crazy idea. But on one condition.”

  “Of course. Anything.”

  “Use this time to sort yourself out. Before taking the next step, decide—are these feelings, or just gratitude?”

  Hayk leaned back in his chair.

  “Anna, you’re cruel.”

  — No. I’m your friend. And my duty is to speak the truth, even if it’s unpleasant.

  Hayk was silent.

  — I promise. I’ll think it through carefully.

  — Agreed, — Anna said, smiling warmly at him. — Let’s go home. Looks like I have quite a bit of work ahead to bring my boss’s crazy ideas to life, — she added with a touch of irony.

  — Let’s go, — Hayk agreed, and they headed out together.

  All the way to the car, Hayk kept up conversation and even smiled, but his thoughts were elsewhere. One question echoed in his mind, impossible to ignore:

  “What do I really feel for her?”

  Some time later, Arevik received wonderful news at work.

  — Did you hear the surprise our boss has prepared for us? — Asthik asked instead of a greeting when Arevik entered the office.

  — Ms. Gayane? — Arevik clarified.

  — No, the head of the whole institution, — Asthik corrected.

  — What exactly did he do? — Arevik asked impatiently.

  — Imagine this: in a month, we’re all going to a resort for a week, — Asthik said enthusiastically, adding, — we’ll be relaxing by the sea.

  — You mean just our department? — Arevik tried to clarify.

  — No, dear Arevik, the whole institution, — Ms. Gayane interjected.

  — The whole institution? — Arevik was surprised. — Such events may be common for your organization, but I’m pleasantly surprised, — he added.

  — I assure you, we’re pleasantly surprised too, — Gayane said, looking Arevik in the eye. — Nothing like this has ever happened in our institution before, — she continued.

  — Well, that’s great, — Arevik exclaimed, quickly averting his gaze and heading to his office to hide his emotions.

  She understood that the vacation was not accidental, but what Hayk intended remained unclear to Arevik. After their meeting in the garden, Arevik had calmed down and let the situation go somehow. She felt no anger toward Hayk but convinced herself not to indulge in naive fantasies and always remember who was who. Still, her heart skipped a beat—the news of the resort had touched her. Arevik paused at her desk for a moment, smiled softly, shook her head, and returned to work.

  Excitement swept through the entire institution: everyone eagerly awaited the weekend. Arevik heard conversations everywhere, and her thoughts involuntarily jumped between the upcoming vacation and her inner concerns. Days passed, and finally, the long-awaited day of departure arrived. Early in the morning, dressed in their own way, everyone waited for the buses at the main entrance. Anna had accounted for every detail of the trip.

  Hayk watched from the window above with a smile as Anna approached him.

  — You want to go by bus too? — she joked.

  — How did you manage to organize all of this? — Hayk asked enthusiastically. — I’m very grateful to you.

  — Save your gratitude for the moment I hand you the bill, — Anna replied with a half-smile. — I allowed myself a little freedom in spending.

  — I’m sure it’s fine, — Hayk said, looking at her expectantly. — You can do as you like.

  — I’ll go downstairs to see what’s going on, — Anna said. — Our car will soon arrive at the parking lot, so you can come down in ten minutes.

  — As you say, boss, — Hayk joked.

  Anna said nothing and left. Hayk continued to watch from the window, trying to spot Arevik. Though he was sure she was going—he had checked the list—he wanted to see with his own eyes that she was getting on the bus. Hayk wasn’t thinking about his feelings. When he was immersed in work, his mind was inaccessible to other thoughts, and being a person used to staying in control always kept him in that zone. But now, an irresistible desire to see Arevik had awakened in him, and he was certain that it had nothing to do with gratitude.

  Hayk checked the time and saw that the ten minutes Anna had mentioned had long passed. He quickly grabbed his suitcase and went out. Anna looked at him sharply by the car, but Hayk’s innocent smile softened her disapproval, and they got into the car, following the buses that had already taken the staff away.