Nara knew everyone was looking at her. She knew because the red stain on her white blouse was far too obvious to go unnoticed. At least, according to Nara. “Ran.” Maya stared at her from across the table. “Hmm?” Nara replied listlessly. “You’ve been staring at that stain for five minutes.” Nara quickly covered the front of her blouse with her hand. “I don’t know what to do.” “Well... clean it?” “I already did.” “Change clothes?” “I didn’t bring any.” “Wear a jacket?” “Then it’ll look even weirder.” Maya raised an eyebrow and let out a heavy sigh, feeling like none of her suggestions were any use. “So?” Nara let out a long sigh, her eyes still fixed on the spot on her blouse. “Go home.” “Because of a sauce stain?” Maya’s eyes widened as she stared at Nara in disbelief. “Because of my dignity,” Nara replied shortly, their eyes meeting for a moment. Maya laughed, but Nara didn’t. At least not for three seconds. Then she started laughing too. “Seriously, it’s tiny. The color’s already faded,” Maya said, trying to reassure her. Nara looked at her blouse again. “Tiny to you.” “According to normal human eyes,” Maya said firmly. “What if other people see it?” “Then they see a stain.” “And then?” “And then it’s over.” Maya looked exasperated by Nara’s stubbornness. “You don’t get it, May.” Nara shook her head, glancing at Maya. Maya smiled. “I get it exactly.”
That morning should have been ordinary. Nara arrived at the office at 8:07 a.m., made coffee in the break room, turned on her laptop, opened her email, and spent the first twenty minutes pretending to work while reading the news. Everything was normal, just like any other workday morning, until someone spilled hot sauce on the break room table. Somehow, it ended up on her blouse. Had it splashed? Or had Nara accidentally touched the sauce with her finger and then touched her blouse without realizing it? She had no idea. There wasn’t much of the sauce stain. Just one red spot, about the size of a small coin, and even that had faded because Nara had already tried to clean it. But from that moment on, Nara’s brain decided the stain was the biggest problem in her life that day, even that early in the morning. As she walked toward the work area, a man looked at her, and a voice inside her whispered, ‘He saw it.’ A woman smiled. ‘She saw it too.’ Two people stopped talking when Nara walked past. ‘Okay. They’re talking about me.’ Nara quickened her pace. Maya, walking beside her, furrowed her brow. “What’s wrong?” Maya asked anxiously. “They know.” “Who?” “They do.” Nara looked in a bad mood as she gestured toward them by turning her head slightly. Maya looked behind them, but no one was paying attention. “Which people?” Nara snorted. “Everyone.” Maya stared at her for a few seconds. “Ran.” “...” “People in this office can’t even remember the Wi-Fi password. They won’t remember the faces of everyone they pass in the elevator, either.” “Yeah, I guess.” Nara laughed. “Trust me, their lives are too busy for them to think about that stain on your blouse.” Nara nodded, but deep down, she still wasn’t convinced.
At nine, the weekly meeting began. Nara sat at the end of the table. She had already found the best position: her laptop slightly raised, her bag on her lap, her arms crossed. With that strategy, the stain was only visible if someone was deliberately looking for it. At least, that’s what she thought. Then her boss said, “Nara, can you present this month’s report?” “Now, sir?” Nara was startled. “Yes.” She stood, even though she didn’t feel confident. Just last night, she had been sure of her data and ready to give an impromptu presentation if necessary. On the way to the screen, she felt like she was walking onto a stage. Every eye followed her. She set down her laptop, took a breath, and the first slide appeared. “Good morning. I’ll be explaining the results of the evaluation—” Someone laughed. Nara immediately stopped and looked at Dani. He was whispering something to the coworker beside him. He’s laughing at me. Nara reflexively sought confirmation. “Sorry?” Dani turned toward her at once. “Oh, no—” Nara hurriedly looked at the screen. Her concentration scattered, her hands turned cold, and her tongue felt numb, but she continued the presentation.
Ten minutes later, it was over. No one mentioned her blouse. No one laughed at anything or anyone. No one even seemed to care. Yet when Nara returned to her seat, she still felt as if everyone was watching her. Until Maya whispered, “Dani laughed because I sent him a meme.” “Oh.” Nara looked at her. “Not because of your blouse.” “Oh.” Nara’s short reply made Maya hold back a laugh. “And even if he did see your blouse, he’s probably forgotten by now.” Nara looked at the stain. For the first time that day, she began to feel a little ridiculous. At lunch, Maya asked, “You do realize you often assume things have something to do with you, right?” “Like what?” “People whispering.” Maya held up her thumb as if counting. “Maybe they’re talking about me.” “People laughing.” Now Maya’s index finger joined the others. “Maybe it’s because of me.” Maya stopped eating. “Exactly!” Nara laughed. “Okay, maybe I’m overthinking things a little.” “A little?” “Don’t push it, May.” They laughed together. That should have been where the day ended. A sauce stain, a presentation, a little embarrassment. One small lesson about caring too much about what other people think. That’s how it should have ended.
But at 5:44 p.m., while Nara was tidying her work area, her phone vibrated. A message from an unknown number. “Do you still go to that house?” Nara furrowed her brow. She read the message twice, then typed: “Who is this?” Five minutes. Ten minutes. No answer. Nara had almost dismissed it as spam when a second message came in: “Your grandmother’s house.” Nara’s finger stopped above the screen. Something inside her head shifted. A hallway, cream-colored walls, wooden floors, and a blue door. Nara furrowed her brow. She didn’t know where the image had come from. She closed her eyes, and the image disappeared. “Ran?” Nara flinched. Maya was standing beside her desk. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” “You look pale. Are you sick?” Maya asked anxiously. “I’m just tired.” Nara gave a faint smile and turned off her phone’s screen. Maya looked at her. “Are you sure?” “I’m sure.” Nara nodded, trying to reassure her friend. That night, Nara couldn’t sleep. She kept thinking about the message.