Ranu Inten screamed at the top of his lungs, in a dramatic, hysterical outburst. It was the loudest scream of his life, until the figure pounced on him.
All the employees emerged from their hiding spots---behind the tool cabinet, stacked boxes, and who knew where else.
"Happy Birthday, Mr. Ranu!" the employees cheered.
Saban, Dahayu, Dedeh Komariah, and Combatant Co.'s CEO were all there.
Dahayu laughed heartily. Her chest heaved under her tight white work shirt. No matter how confused and panicked Ranu Inten felt, his subconscious still noticed the outline of her bra pressing through her clothes.
"Incredible, Ranu Inten, known for his honesty, turns out to be quite the prankster. The entire office has been in on it for months," said the CEO, patting Ranu Inten's shoulder as he sat on the floor.
"Now it's your turn, Ran. The entire office pranked you," Saban proclaimed. His statement was met with hearty laughter from everyone gathered in that mysterious room.
Ranu Inten felt utterly humiliated. He didn't know where to hide his face. Saban's mocking laughter was bad enough, but Dahayu---the office's most attractive woman---seemed to sneer and mock him. And the CEO, whom he had just met face-to-face for twenty minutes in his office, shattered Ranu Inten's world the most.
It turned out that everyone knew he had been lying all this time. Being honest for too long had made it impossible for him to fabricate a convincing lie. Ranu Inten had become viral, but not because of his story, but because of his deception. "Ranu Inten Lies" should have been the headline.
Ranu Inten tried to laugh and thank everyone present. He attempted to lie one last time, pretending that being pranked like this made him happy and appreciated, just like anyone else given a surprise birthday celebration.
But his world had completely crumbled. He couldn't face tomorrow. To meet the contemptuous and mocking faces of Saban, Dahayu, Dedeh Komariah, and the CEO as if nothing had happened. He was certain that his future was over. The honesty he had maintained for so long was shattered. His colleagues, clients, even the company's leader would never trust him again.
