The After-Lunch Fight
The heat wasn't just from the food... It was a fully packed canteen. Elbows brushed, trays clattered, and the murmur of tired workers filled the humid air. We lunched anyway—not because it was pleasant, but because hunger and work pressure didn’t care for atmosphere. There was no time for patience, no room for comfort. The queue snaked like a dragon, and we weren’t about to bow to it. We didn’t wait. We didn’t ask. We grabbed each other’s fists. Right between the sticky tables and spilled chili sauce, we locked eyes and threw the first punch—not out of hatred, but because this was how we spoke. The only language we knew that wasn't dulled by meetings and deadlines. You ducked. I spun. You grinned. A tray hit the floor somewhere behind us. Someone gasped. Someone else cheered. Forks froze mid-air as we moved—like a dance without rhythm but full of intent. Your knee almost kissed my ribs. My elbow flirted with your shoulder. Each strike was a question: Are you still alive in ther...