Did we just become best friends?!?!

"Oh... I don't know. What about you? Is there anything you want to talk about?"

She laughs, which echoes throughout the locker room, and says, "Nothing immediately comes to mind, Frank."

Remembering what you are there for, you begin undressing. It's exhilarating knowing that you and Hana are both naked and only a few feet away from each other. As you begin washing, Hana is the one to break the silence.

"Frank, do you think it's weird how we've gotten so close in like two days?"

"It feels like I've known you for much longer, so yeah, definitely a little weird."

You know exactly why this has happened but know that it must be confusing from her perspective.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm glad that it's happened. It's just so strange... We hardly talk for two years and now I feel like you're one of my closest friends."

Hopefully more than friends soon.

"We just get along so well."

Her voice perks up, "I know! Right? I've never clicked with someone so quickly."

"You not have many close friends?"

"Eh... not really. I'm definitely more of a shut in. Ayame and I talk a lot but she's my sister so... I guess that doesn't really count."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone's close with their sister."

You laugh, "Not everyone, Hana."

"What about you and your sister? The one you were texting at lunch."

"Grace and I have never been super close. It's a bit complicated."

"Complicated is better than no relationship at all."

"I mean... I suppose so... I don't know..."

"What about you? Am I your best friend yet?"

In truth, she probably is.

Smirking to yourself, you answer, "Nothing's official yet, Hana."

She laughs, "How does it become official?"

"Well, we don't even have a secret handshake. All best friends have a secret handshake."

You can practically hear her smiling, "We'll have to work on that, Frank."

You finish washing yourself but you have no intention of ending your shower now. You decide to steer the conversation into a more interesting direction.

"Last night I told my daughter about you. I was all happy that I had made a friend at work. She got a huge kick out of that and asked if you were my work wife."

Sounding sarcastic, Hana replies, "Your work wife? You didn't even propose yet!"

"Hey! I'm working on it! Don't be so impatient."

You hear Hana giggle but she doesn't say anything.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Oh I was just thinking that you're more like my work dad since you're so old."

Trying to calculate where she is, you toss your little bottle of shampoo over the stall.

"Ow!"

Sounds like you hit your target. Laughing, you look above the wall separating you and see Hana's hand appear, clutching the bottle. You dodge out of the way as she chucks it at you with quite a bit of ****. It hits the opposite wall of your stall, making a loud noise that reverberates throughout the locker room.

"Missed me."

"Yeah because I can't see you, DAD! You got lucky."

An evil grin forming on your face, you reply, "Oh? Then come over here and try again."

She snorts back laughter, "You wish!"

Suddenly, you hear a sound that definitely didn't come from either occupied shower stall. It takes a second for you to recognize it as the locker room door opening.

A voice, Jan's by the sound of it, calls out, "Hana is that you? Who are you talking to?"

Footsteps echo as your boss walks across the tile floor. You freeze in place.

Clearly able to think quicker than you, Hana calls out, "Just myself. Sorry... I'm so embarrassed!"

You hear Jan laugh and the sound of a stall door closing. Risking it, you crack open your shower stall door and peer out. Across the room, one of the toilet stalls is occupied. You could just make a dash for it but that would be risky. She might hear you. What if she comes out at exactly the wrong time and busts you? Jan didn't seem to notice that two shower stalls are in use. Do you just say nothing and hide? Surely she'd wonder who else was in the bathroom. You know that Jan and Hana are really the only ones that use the locker room.

You look around frantically and another option presents itself in the form of a small gap under the wall separating you and Hana. Oh... well that's interesting...

So, you're in a bit of a pickle. How will you proceed? Think quickly, Frank!