Nap Partners
By: Alexandro Chen
Tags: Short Story, Fiction, Love, Romance, Japan

House vector created by freepik — www.freepik.com

Akito never imagined he’d sleep with a co-worker. Literally sleep.

It all began when his supervisor, Sunaga, announced the Twenty-Minute-Nap Rule.

“Starting today, employees will be required to sleep at least twenty minutes during lunch break. Research has shown that this practice improves mood, focus, and memory, which translates into better performance in the office.”

Everyone nodded from their cubicles, including Akito. Except for insomniacs, sleeping wouldn’t be a hard rule to follow.

The first few days, he napped at his desk by resting his head on his crossed arms. It didn’t go well. After a while, his arms and back would become sore and — more often than not — he’d wake up with a pool of drool on his desk (which he hastily had to wipe with his tie).

The following week, he tried leaning back in his office chair. This was comfortable, but he was still sitting, which was an issue because he already sat for eight hours every day. His buttocks hurt so much, he’d visit the toilet just to stand.

This led Akito to look for another sleeping spot. But where? Being cramped and cheap, this office wasn’t equipped with sofas, armchairs, or futons. Maybe he should check the storeroom? Hope led him there.

The space was tiny. That, together with all the document shelves, cardboard boxes, and folding chairs, made it the perfect claustrophobic nightmare. Though for Akito it was the ideal place.

Because it had a couch.

Since it didn’t have arms and had a generous length, he’d be able to stretch out on it, while being supported by the back pillows. That wasn’t all. It had a light blanket — with a human form underneath.

A dead body? He thought about fleeing, but curiosity rooted him to the spot, telling him, You have no choice but to check. He yanked off the blanket — to reveal a woman looking at him in a fetal position. Dress shirt. Bell skirt. Hair gathered into a bun. A name tag that said Kato. Right, she was the new employee who worked on the second floor. She’d probably found this couch on one her trips to this office.

“Sorry,” he said with a low bow, “it wasn’t my intention to disturb you.”

Kato lifted a delicate hand. “Don’t worry. I was just dozing. I can’t fully fall asleep on a couch, especially here in the office.”

“I thought you were more than asleep. Dead.”

“Oh, you mean because of the blanket.” She glanced at it. Now it lay crumpled next to her. “I use it so people don’t see the dumb face I make when I sleep. It’s a habit.”

He nodded, though he was certain that, with her bleached skin and voluminous eyelashes, she’d look like a slumbering maiden. And he should let her remain so. “Anyway, I’ll leave. Sorry again for interrupting your nap.”

As Akito was heading to the door, Kato yelled, “Wait.” When he spun around, she said, “It wouldn’t be fair if I was the only one using this couch. It’s not mine after all.”

“But you found it first.”

She cupped her chin with her hand. “I know! What if we share the couch?”

The onset of a boner told Akito that perhaps this was an invitation to sleep together. What she said next shattered his theory.

“Now, to prevent dangerous situations, we should make some rules.”

“Rules?” he parroted as though he’d heard the word for the first time.

“Like, we can’t touch, kiss, or have sex. We can talk. And of course, sleep. Also, we shouldn’t, under any circumstances, tell anyone about this. Understood?”

Akito nodded, unsure whether he should feel relieved or disappointed about this arrangement.

They tried laying lengthwise on the couch with their socked feet and heads pointing in opposite directions. It’d been a bad idea. They almost accidentally kicked each other a couple of times. And once they settled into this position, their noses protested because of the smell. On top of that, Akito almost fell off a couple of times; the couch was long but definitely not wide enough.

“This isn’t gonna work,” Kato said. “How about we just sit?”

They gathered in the middle of the couch and huddled together like a couple commuting on a train. It worked. Soon they fell still, only their faint breathing and body heat stirring the air particles around them. However, Akito couldn’t sleep. How could he, with a dream woman sleeping next to him? While inhaling her scent of early spring? While receiving the scanty but precious warmth she shared through the side of her head and shoulder?

Just as he was getting used to this bliss and falling asleep, the alarm on his phone wailed. Twenty minutes had passed. Stirred by the noise, Kato straightened and stretched her arms with a cat yawn.

“Good morning.” She sprang from the couch. “Time to go back to work.”

Akito nodded, lips curled up. Even though he hadn’t taken a nap, he felt revitalized.