Entanglement Management

Brayce Espinosa

Brayce's POV

Brayce sat behind his sleek, mahogany desk, leaning back slightly in his chair. His sharp eyes were fixed on the photograph in his hand—a woman with soft features and a warm smile, strikingly similar to Muji. His fingers grazed the edge of the picture, his expression unreadable.

Without looking away from the photo, he addressed his assistant.

Brayce: (Calmly, but with subtle curiosity.)

"Is Muji already starting?"

His assistant, Teki, glanced down at the tablet in her hand, scanning the employee logs.

Teki: (Nodding slightly.)

"Yeah, I think she's already in the office."

She hesitated for a moment before glancing at the photo in Brayce's hand. The resemblance was too uncanny not to notice.

Teki: (Curiously.)

"Umm... may I ask you something?"

(Tilting her head slightly.)

"You said you know her... but she kind of resembles the woman in that photo. Is there a connection?"

At her question, Brayce's eyes slowly shifted from the photo to Teki. His expression hardened slightly, and his voice turned cool and commanding.

Brayce: (Flatly.)

"Last time I checked, you were my assistant, not an investigator."

Teki's eyes widened slightly at the subtle warning in his tone. She immediately lowered her head, regretting her question.

Without missing a beat, Brayce placed the photo down on his desk and straightened his posture. His voice was calm but firm.

Brayce: (Smoothly.)

"Now, tell me—what time is she scheduled to leave today?"

(A slight smirk tugged at his lips.)

"I'll be going to her quarters."

⸻

Muji's POV

At the Office...

Muji stood awkwardly by the entrance of the graphic design department, clutching her bag nervously. She put on her brightest smile and waved at her new coworkers.

Muji: (Cheerfully, but a little too eager.)

"Hi! I'm Muji Ferrer, but you can call me Mochi!"

(Letting out a forced chuckle.)

"Haha... get it? Mochi?"

An awkward silence filled the room. The employees barely glanced at her, too absorbed in their screens and tasks to acknowledge her lame joke.

Muji's Thoughts:

Damn... so corny. What was I thinking?

Her face flushed slightly from embarrassment as she awkwardly scratched the back of her neck.

Just then, Dani, the head graphic designer, walked over with a friendly smile.

Dani: (Casually, but kindly.)

"Hey, Muji. Here's your cubicle."

(Gestures toward a neat but plain workstation.)

"Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Relieved by Dani's kindness, Muji beamed.

Muji: (Gratefully.)

"Thank you so much!"

She settled into her cubicle, organizing her workspace and eagerly starting her first official task.

⸻

An Hour Later...

After an hour of working, the excitement started to wear off. Her eyes drooped slightly, and she stifled a yawn.

Her stomach grumbled.

Muji's Thoughts:

Ugh... I need coffee.

(Glances around.)

Where's the pantry?

She pushed her chair back and walked over to Dani, who was typing away at her station.

Muji: (Politely.)

"Hey, Dani? Where's the pantry?"

Dani glanced up from her screen and pointed toward the back hallway.

Dani: (Casually.)

"The pantry's through the second door on the left... but I wouldn't go there right now."

(Frowns slightly.)

"There's been a malfunction. Something about a toxic gas leak from one of the other offices. They're still fixing it."

Muji's eyes widened slightly, but her growling stomach quickly overpowered her common sense.

Muji's Thoughts:

Malfunction, schmalfunction.

(Shrugging.)

I'm starving. This building is so massive—I don't have time to go all the way downstairs for a coffee.

Ignoring Dani's warning, Muji made her way toward the back hallway.

She hesitated briefly in front of the pantry door, but her hunger urged her forward. She slowly opened the door and slipped inside, carefully closing it behind her.

The pantry was dimly lit, and the faint smell of chemicals lingered in the air. She wrinkled her nose slightly but pressed on toward the coffee machine.

Just as she reached for a mug—

BOOM!

A sudden loud noise echoed through the room, making Muji jolt. She spun around, her heart racing.

Muji: (Eyes wide.)

"What the—?!"

She rushed back to the door, but to her horror, the handle wouldn't budge. She yanked at it again—nothing.

It was locked.

Her chest tightened with panic as she slammed her fists against the door.

Muji: (Banging on the door, her voice cracking with fear.)

"Hey! HELP! Please, somebody!"

She frantically patted her pockets, only to realize the worst.

Muji's Thoughts:

Oh no... oh no no no...

(Eyes widening.)

Dammit! I forgot my phone!

Her hands trembled slightly as she banged harder against the door, her voice growing louder.

Muji: (Frustrated.)

"HELPPPP! Please, I'm stuck in here!"

Her voice echoed through the empty hallway, but no one came.

She pressed her forehead against the cold door, cursing under her breath.

Muji: (Defeatedly.)

"Ugh... it's only my first day... and I already screwed up."

(Groans.)

"Nice one, Muji. Real smooth."

Muji’s POV

Muji sat slumped against the cold metal door, her fists sore from pounding on it. Her throat was dry from calling for help, her voice now reduced to a weak rasp. She glanced at her watch—she had been trapped for almost an hour.

Her stomach churned with hunger, but it was quickly replaced by a growing sense of fear.

Muji’s Thoughts:

Where is everyone?

(Swallowing hard.)

Why hasn’t anyone come looking for me?

She banged on the door again, but her knocks were weaker now. Her limbs were growing tired.

Muji: (Voice trembling.)

“H-hello? Anyone? Please…”

The silence was deafening.

Just as she was about to give up, a faint sound caught her attention.

Swwooshhhhhhhh

Her eyes widened as she turned toward the far side of the pantry. A metallic tube connected to the wall gave a loud hiss, and then, without warning, a sickly yellowish-green gas began to spew out in bursts.

Muji’s eyes stung, and she immediately covered her mouth with her sleeve.

Muji’s Thoughts:

Oh no… what is that?!

The pungent, chemical odor made her eyes water, and her chest tightened with each breath. She coughed violently, stumbling backward. Her legs wobbled as the room began to spin.

Her vision blurred. Her breaths became shallow.

Muji: (Weakly, barely above a whisper.)

“H-help… please…”

Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the cold tile floor. The world around her faded into darkness.

⸻

Brayce’s POV

Brayce sat behind his desk, casually scrolling through reports, but his mind wasn’t on the paperwork. His eyes kept shifting toward the clock on the wall.

Brayce’s Thoughts:

Why hasn’t she left yet?

(Frowning.)

She should’ve clocked out by now.

Just then, Teki entered his office, holding a tablet.

Teki: (Calmly.)

“Sir, according to Dani, Muji left early.”

Brayce’s hand, which had been casually flipping through a document, suddenly froze. His brows furrowed sharply, and he slowly lifted his gaze to Teki.

Brayce: (Coldly, his tone laced with disbelief.)

“Can’t be.”

His voice was low but firm, and a chill ran down Teki’s spine. She shifted uncomfortably, unsure of why her boss suddenly seemed so agitated.

Without another word, Brayce stood, buttoning his jacket with swift, precise movements. His expression darkened, and he stormed out of the office, heading straight to Muji’s department.

⸻

At the Graphic Design Department…

Brayce walked briskly down the hallway, his sharp eyes scanning the rows of empty cubicles. The once-busy floor was now deserted.

His jaw tightened.

Brayce’s Thoughts:

She left early, huh?

(Narrowing his eyes.)

Then why do I feel like she’s still here?

His sharp gaze swept the floor like a predator hunting its prey, searching for any trace of her.

As he passed by the back hallway, a faint wisp of smoke caught his attention.

He slowed his steps, his eyes narrowing as he moved toward the source. The closer he got, the heavier the chemical smell became.

Then he saw it—the faint haze of yellowish smoke seeping out from under the pantry door.

His stomach clenched.

Without a second thought, he rushed to the door and grabbed the handle. It was locked. He yanked at it, but it wouldn’t budge.

Brayce: (Gritting his teeth.)

“Dammit!”

Without hesitation, he braced himself and slammed his shoulder against the door. The frame shook, but it didn’t give.

He stepped back, took a deep breath, and drove his body into the door with full force. With a loud crack, the wood splintered, and the door flew open.

A wave of noxious gas hit him, making his eyes water. But the moment he saw her, his heart clenched.

There, lying on the cold tile floor, was Muji—unconscious and barely breathing.

Her slender frame was curled up slightly, her face pale and damp with sweat. Strands of hair clung to her forehead. Her lips were parted slightly, and her breathing was shallow and uneven.

For the first time in a long while, Brayce felt a pang of fear surge through him.

Brayce: (Rushing toward her.)

“Muji!”

He crouched beside her, his hands trembling slightly as he gently turned her over. Her skin was cool and clammy against his fingertips.

Brayce: (Voice low, but filled with urgency.)

“Hey… wake up. Come on, open your eyes.”

Her eyelids fluttered slightly but remained shut. Without wasting another second, Brayce slipped his arms beneath her, carefully but firmly lifting her into his arms.

Her head lolled weakly against his chest, her breaths faint.

Brayce’s Thoughts:

She’s so light…

(His jaw clenched.)

Too light.

Without a word, he carried her out of the pantry, his hold on her protective and secure. As he walked down the hallway, the yellow smoke trailed behind him, but he barely noticed.

His focus was entirely on the woman in his arms—the woman who only moments ago had been so full of life and clumsily making corny jokes.

His grip on her tightened slightly.

Brayce’s Thoughts:

You’re not slipping away that easily.