Tiredness is still very present in my mind and body. A part of my brain is awake and aware, I know perfectly well that behind the opaque curtains there are rays of light wanting to take over the whole room that’s covered by the gloom.

I opened my eyelids very carefully and stretched out my hand in search of the remote control to timidly turn on the TV.

The image that appeared was that of a very attractive woman selling products of dubious interest to the viewer, but at “ridiculous” prices and with other “gift” objects to make their acquisition more tempting.

I focused my gaze on the top left to see the time, and consequently, my eyes widened as I saw the surprise that awaited me. It was 10:37.

Fuck…I’m late for work… I’ll surely get a big scolding from Suzumori-senpai. This is all the fault of the damn alcohol. I’ll never drink too much again for the rest of my life.

As I was getting up at great speed from the bed and staggering all over the place. A hellish noise echoes throughout the room. Yes… That dreaded ringtone that I had hoped would never come, made a visit to torment me…

I focused my gaze on where the sound of my phone was coming from, and as I looked around for it, I realized it was lying on the floor. I eagerly rushed to pick it up and answer the incoming call.

—Hello! Sorry I’m late! I’ll be in the office as soon as I—….

—Pufff! Hahaha!

—Huh? Hello?

—Sorry, Kazama-kun, it was inevitable that I would laugh at what you just said.

—That voice… Suzumori…Senpai?

Hearing Suzumori-senpai’s sweet and lively voice in the morning was like a refreshing breeze on a hot day. Feeling nervous was somewhat inevitable due to the fact that it’s not very common for my senpai to call me at this time of day… Come to think of it, she hardly ever calls me on the phone.

But back to reality, I was surprised that I didn’t hear an indignant tone from her, she sounded quite cheerful, isn’t that strange? After all, I’m late for work.

—Um… Suzumori-senpai, you’re not mad at me for oversleeping?

—Huh? Kazama-kun, are you still asleep? Check what day we’re on today.

—Day?

While listening to my Onee-san’s words through the phone, I noticed the calendar hanging on my part… It turns out that today is Thursday in August.

The date was marked in red instead of the classic black color despite it being a weekday.

—Ah, that’s right… Today is Mountain Day… Jeez, I forgot that today is a holiday….

—Exactly, good morning.

—Good morning.

The expression on my face was a combination of happiness and embarrassment. Flashbacks start to come to my mind about what had happened last night.

I remember Inami buying me drinks as usual, saying that I didn’t have to worry about the consequences of drinking too much since Thursday was our day off. She spent the whole night pulling me by the arm taking me to every bar on East Street.

And as usual, we said our goodbyes just before the last train left the station. Compared to the other times we drank together, this time we did go a little overboard. As soon as I got home, I took off my suit and climbed into bed, falling into a deep sleep as soon as my head hit the soft pillow.

—I just scared myself to death, Senpai… I thought my job was hanging by a thread.

—I’m sorry. But still, I decided to wait until it was a little later before calling you out of mere consideration.

—Thank you, but still, I’d appreciate it if you’d be a little more careful.

—Wow, thanks for saying I’m rude.

Even from a phone call, I could easily tell when Suzumori-senpai is pretending to be angry with a serious look on her face.

I would like to test this theory, but I doubt it’s possible for us to go from having a normal phone call to a video call. And more so when I have ulterior motives.

—Then, why are you calling me, Suzumori-senpai? Is there trouble at work?

No matter how close Suzumori-senpai and I are. We don’t stop being co-workers, and we also don’t have the kind of relationship where we call each other in the morning to wish each other good morning.

—No, everything is in order… I’m calling to ask you for something else.

—Ask me for something?

—Do you have any plans for today?

—Not really, I guess to continue sleeping and spend the rest of the day playing.

—That’s good. In that case, would you like to go on a date with me?

—….What?

This day is starting to get better and better.

The coffee shops that are located in the train stations are perfect to have a relaxing day, especially on a holiday.

I took a seat in a corner of the coffee shop, as I stretched out, I looked around and saw many people, you could observe everything, group of friends, families, couples. Everyone seemed to have the same idea about coming to establishments like this today.

And air conditioning in a local area usually attracts a lot of customers.

—Why do you have that look on your face? — Suzumori-senpai asked as she took a sip of her drink.

How is it possible that a person can look so picturesque just by drinking lattes? I’ve been seeing her dressed in office clothes for many years, which doesn’t bother me, in fact, she’s managed to steal my heart on more than one occasion by dressing that way.

But today… She looks so different, she wears a very mature look. Like that of a fashionista woman with the intention of charming anyone who turns to see her. And yes, I’m pretty mesmerized right now.

As much as you may be thinking that I’m living in a fantasy by going out on a date with a wonderful woman. Well let me tell you, not everything in life is hunky-dory.

When a beautiful woman contacts you because she wants to go on a date with you, there are always ulterior motives. And I’m not talking about the motives that we usually have. Oh yeah… It’s much worse…

Suzumori-senpai called me because…

—No. It’s nothing, forget it. So, what’s going on with your laptop?

—Oh, right. The keyboard for some reason stopped working.

That’s right… She wants me to help her with a problem on her laptop. But if I’m being honest, I can’t be bothered with something like this. I’m very flattered that Suzumori-senpai has chosen me to be the one to help her with her problems, even though there are more qualified personnel than me in the company in terms of computer knowledge.

Suzumori-senpai took out her laptop and placed it on the table. Before I can tell you what’s wrong with it, as is common, a technical check has to be made on it.

—Hmm… There are certainly some keys on the left side that don’t react at all. You’d better check exactly what they are with the typing test.

—Well… I didn’t think of doing that. Let me see.

Suzumori-senpai rolls her seat until we’re so close that only a few centimeters keep our shoulders from colliding. It’s probably second nature to her, but I can’t help but get nervous at the unexpectedness of it all.

I feel like my brain is about to short circuit. The image of my department head next to my Onee-san’s starts to merge, and seeing her drinking her latte through a straw with those full lips makes her a more attractive woman to my eyes… I’m about to lose my sense of reason…

—You see? These are the keys that don’t react well.

—Hmm… I guess I’ll have to buy a new laptop.

—I don’t think that’s necessary, I could fix it if I had the parts.

—Really?

—Yes, you have a very popular laptop in the market. I’m sure PC component stores should have the parts.

Unlike desktop PCs, laptops have the bad impression of being difficult to repair. But surprisingly, there are many parts for these models.

—If it’s okay with you, you could look for the parts at an online store, and buy them when you get home.

—Hmm, if it’s okay with you, Kazama-kun, I’d like us to personally go to that store.

—Eh?

—Why do you sound so surprised? You wanted to go home early and play your video games?

—No no no no! You’re wrong! I have no plans for the rest of the day.

—Then why did you react the way you did?

—Well… I didn’t think Suzumori-senpai was the type of person who would like to go to those kinds of stores, and would rather shop online.

—That’s not efficient at all, Kazama-kun. And it’s our day off, wouldn’t it be better to relax and take it easy? We might see some interesting things along the way.

—Interesting things, huh?

As the sunlight streamed through the window, it illuminated the silhouette of Suzumori-senpai, who was sitting in front of me. It was a wonderful image to see.

I usually tend to see my Senpai as a hardworking woman who likes to do everything as efficiently as possible. And that’s the problem with idealizing people, we tend to forget that they also like to do things that normal people do.

Whether it’s walking quietly in the park, wasting time on some activity, doing nothing all day long. Things that we have all done at one point or another and still do in our alone time.

—But if we don’t find the pieces in the stores we visit, won’t you be upset?

—Of course not. If we don’t find them, then I’ll buy them online.

—Well, I guess that’s fine then.

—Besides. It’s a date after all. Let’s have fun and take it easy this day.

—Umm…

—Ha ha ha ha! You’re so cute when you blush!

Uh-oh… I’m starting to see how a pointed tail and the little horns on her head are slowly starting to materialize.

—Suzumori-senpai… I remind you that it’s me who has the power to repair your laptop.

—Hmm? In that case, maybe tomorrow I’ll have another laughing session with Nagisa-chan and Fukahiro about Kazama-kun’s past again.

—Ugh…

I don’t think I could handle that kind of talk again… It should be forbidden for your co-workers to laugh about your younger years.

I’m serious, that should be illegal, I’m sure it’s some kind of workplace bullying.

—Forget what I just said, Senpai, I’ll gladly repair your laptop!

—Yes, please, I’ll be very grateful.

Suzumori-senpai’s smile appears to be very innocent. But appearances can be deceiving, I can’t let my guard down.

After a short break at the coffee shop, we headed to an area of the city better known as Denden Town.

Over 2 km of multiple stores specializing in PC products, home appliances, video games, anime, and a host of other entertainment.

The first place we went to was a major computer store that felt as if it was imposing superiority to the rest of the competitors just from its sheer presence.

—Wow, this place is huge! — exclaimed Suzumori-senpai — Everywhere I look, all I see is computer equipment!

Indeed, as far as the eye can see, you will find a variety of computer-related products, pre-assembled PC’s, second-hand PC’s, individual components, ram, processors, motherboards, graphics cards, laptops of all sizes and brands. This is a geek’s paradise.

—Hey, Kazama-kun, what is this product with three small fans?

—It’s a graphics card. It makes the image playable on the monitor.

—And this thing with lots of buttons and lights?

—Hm? Ah, that’s a mixer, you connect it to your pc or laptop, and with it you can control the audio of a video game, a microphone or instruments.

—And what’s this? It’s very pretty, it shines in all colors, like a rainbow.

—Yes… That is something I’d like to refer to as a man trap.

—Man trap, huh. — She rambled as she watched the mouse glow.

These days, all PC components have RGB. And for some reason, everyone loves it and becomes trapped to want to get it themselves.

—Good thing I had Kazama-kun bring me here. I’d feel lost here by myself…

—I am not a computer expert, Senpai. I’m only familiar with the components used for video games.

Although I can’t deny that it makes me very happy to know that Suzumori-senpai has so much confidence in me to accept my suggestions without even questioning them.

—I see… And the game improves a lot if I buy any of these products?

—Not at all!

—Eeh, then why do you buy them?

—Hmm…~~ Well, if you buy components for your PC that can elevate the performance of the game, yes you might notice an improvement in terms of the game’s fluidity. But these peripherals are just whims and nothing more, this for a man are like costume jewelry for women. They make our desk look prettier.

—Hahaha! What a good example you just gave at the end! Now I understand it a little bit…

Although it was an idiotic and sexist example. I’m glad Suzumori-senpai picked up on it.

I was happy and proud that I could make her laugh. However, I was starting to feel embarrassed getting to this point.

We proceeded to look for the parts for her laptop keyboard, and were able to complete our goal without any difficulty. And Suzumori-senpai seemed happy to have gotten what she wanted.

—It was so much fun going to that store, it was like being in an aquarium or a zoo.

Seeing my Senpai’s sweet smile was like giving my soul a warm hug. I felt like I was floating on clouds to have such a beautiful woman in front of me.

—So, Kazama-kun, should I take the parts I just bought to a repair store? — Suzumori-senpai asked while looking at the bag.

—Ah, no no, there’s no need to take it to a repair store. These kinds of keyboards can be easily removed, so, I was thinking of doing it myself.

—Ooh…

My answer seemed totally unexpected from Suzumori-senpai, as she stopped even though the green pass light was on.

—Although if you’re afraid that I might mess it up, should wetake it to someone else to do the job?

—No no, it’s amazing that you want to do that, it’s just… Are you really willing to do that much for me?

—Yes, after all, you asked me for help because you didn’t know what was wrong with your laptop, so, please let me finish the job — I answered with a smile on my face.

My senpai has been by my side since I started at the company. She went out of her way to teach me everything I needed to know and to be someone of value in the company. I owe all my knowledge to her, so if there is anything I can do to repay all that effort. I would be happy to do so.

—Wow, Kazama-kun, I must admit that was very insightful of you — Suzumori-senpai replied as she put her fingers to her lips.

—I don’t think that was “that” great. I just can’t ignore this feeling of happiness I have deep inside me right now.

—Huh…?

—See? Now I was being perceptive.

We men are simple creatures. We keep quiet about what makes us happy, and we are reserved in our every move when we are in front of the person we like. And seeing Suzumori-senpai smile was my reward.

—Well, I’ll take you at your word then. Kazama-kun, I want you to help me repair my laptop.

—It will be my pleasure to help you.

Now that I have my Senpai’s permission, the only thing that remains is to look for a suitable place in this district where I can sit down to work on repairing this laptop. Although I must be careful with the parts, I run the risk that I might lose one.

While I was looking around, Suzumori-senpai reached out her hand and touched my arm.

—You know what? I just came up with a better idea.

—Huh? A better idea?

—Yes — Suzumori-senpai replied with a smile on her face and pulling my arm — How about fixing it at my place?

—…Eeeeh?!

What this Suzumori-senpai just said to me… Are you serious? I’m not dreaming am I?!

If the day of my death came tomorrow, I wouldn’t mind at all, because I can say with great emotion; “I am going to die happy”.

I was sitting in Suzumori-senpai’s living room looking around expectantly. The predominant white color of the place deserved the title of “sophistication”. I have no doubt that my senpai is not only an expert in fashion. She is also an expert in interior decoration. Indirect lighting from the lamps gently hugged the walls of the room.

The green foliage plants made a nice contrast with the white color of the walls. And the framed abstract paintings in pictures pasted on the walls managed to catch your attention.

I know that nothing will happen that will lead to an intimate relationship between me and my Senpai. But I’m a man, it’s inevitable that I imagine situations like that. And in turn, they make me very nervous…

—Kazama-kun.

—Hueeh?!

At Suzumori-senpai’s call, I jumped in fright, and with a lot of suspense in my body, I turned to where she was very calmly and fearfully. She was standing in the kitchen as she waved me over.

Apparently, she didn’t see through the bad thoughts I was having in my head.

—Um, do you want me to try it?

—Yes, please!

Suzumori-senpai proceeded to put some minced meat on a small plate she was cooking in a pot, and handed it to me. Just the smell and appearance alone conveyed the deliciousness of the food, I plucked up my courage, and popped the food into my mouth. As soon as my taste buds sensed the flavor of the meat, my response was…

—It’s so delicious that I think I’m going to die.

—Are you going to die, Kazama-kun? In that case, I should stop cooking and take you to the hospital quickly.

—Correction. Your food is so delicious that it has brought me back to life, let me at least eat it.

—Hahaha! I guess you leave me no choice.

My Senpai’s angelic smile once again makes an appearance on her face. This is very bad for my heart. Every time I see her smile like this, something inside my chest starts to ache… What’s wrong with me? And us being together now in the kitchen doesn’t make things any better…

If you think about it, we look like a newlywed couple who are preparing dinner together after having had a long day at work. And even more so considering that I’m seeing Suzumori-senpai in housewife mode with an apron and her hair up.

It’s a pretty radical look compared to the working woman I usually see every day at work wearing a suit and very formal clothes.

—I’m sorry.

—Hm? Why are you apologizing?

—Well. I took the job of repairing your laptop as a way of repaying everything you’ve done for me, and now you invited me to dinner.

While I was busy repairing my Senpai’s laptop, she was preparing the dinner we were going to eat together.

At first glance, this may seem like a reasonable thing to do. But since it was a way of repaying my Senpai for being so good to me all these years, it makes all my hard work feel less worth it. It makes all my effort not as impactful as I would’ve liked it to be.

My apology was worthless, as Suzumori-senpai didn’t seem to mind at all.

—With the money I saved on the repair, I was able to cook a delicious dinner. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a big plus.

—Then I guess that’s a good thing?

—Exactly. Besides, I was looking for an excuse to want to open it up….

—Want to open it? — I tilted my head at Suzumori-senpai’s words — What do you mean by…. Aaah…

While Suzumori-senpai was humming a song that was totally unfamiliar to me, under the cupboard she took out a bottle.

—Wine?

—That’s right.

What she was holding in her hands was a bottle of red wine. Could it be Italian? French? Or maybe Chilean? My language skills are limited. So, I can’t know much about where it comes from with respect to the letters that came on the label.

However, even I who have level 3 English, know perfectly well that the words “GRAND” and “Class A” have a powerful meaning.

—Umm… Suzumori-senpai? Something tells me that the red wine between your hands is quite expensive, right?

—…Ehehe — Suzumori-senpai laughed while sticking out her tongue.

She looks quite cute when she smiles like that.

—There was a week when the partners were very angry with me because of some complications with a business deal. I was so angry that when I was on my way back home, I went to a supermarket and did a lot of impulsive shopping, among those products, I chose this red wine.

—I see… So, you bought this wine in a moment of anger, and you didn’t have the courage to open it.

—I’m ashamed to admit it, but that’s how it is.

I don’t know how to react to this, would it be reckless of me to laugh at my Senpai’s story? Although it’s kind of cute, the method Suzumori-senpai uses to relieve stress is to make impulse purchases. I think it’s very wise that we all have a way to relieve our stress, so we avoid hurting the people we care about, or some stranger who is part of our society.

But it would also be nice if Suzumori-senpai had at least 2 ways to relieve her stress. I think making impulse purchases is not good for your wallet, although she is someone who earns a lot of money, more than me, hence, I can assume that she must not care much.

In my case, my methods of stress relief include shooting assault rifles in FPS and TPS video games while thinking about the person who pissed me off.

The other option is to sing songs in a karaoke machine by myself for hours on end.

But the most important thing about this, is the reassuring fact to know that even a woman such as Suzumori-senpai can get stressed, as she is a person who usually shows an image of righteousness and does everything perfectly.

—So why don’t we drink together? We could celebrate that your project was selected among all the participants.

Hmm… I’m not sure if this is another form of harassment, but I must admit it does sound good, I wouldn’t mind being subjected to it every day. I recognize that I am a man who very much desires words of encouragement and recognition from his senpai.

—If we look at it that way, I suppose you won’t refuse to accept my invitation for a delicious meal along with a nice red wine.

—..I suppose that’s fine.

Suzumori-senpai’s happy face ends up convincing me without being able to reply at all. While she went back to the kitchen, I returned to the living room in high spirits to finish my work.

Yes… I am a weak man when it comes to my Senpai’s smile.

—Well, it’s fixed…

The replacement of all the keys has been a success. I did a typing test to check for any defects, and everything seems to be in order.

I got up from the couch and stretched out in front of the window to catch some of the sunshine coming through.

—Thank you so much for fixing my laptop, Kazama-kun. Now I’ll be able to work really hard tomorrow.

—No, no hard work, I want you to take it easy starting tomorrow.

—Huh, well, in that case, I’ll give Kazama-kun double the work from tomorrow, okay?

—Hm… No, better not, please put in a lot of effort tomorrow.

—Hahaha! I thought so.

It was around 18:00. The time when twilight begins.

—It’s still early, but let’s have dinner. You must be hungry.

—Yes, a little. I’m not as hungry as other days, though. Waking up later than usual makes your appetite schedule go crazy.

—That’s right, you’re quite right.

Suzumori-senpai adjusts her apron, then heads back to the kitchen and opens the rice cooker. The steam coming off the cooked white rice is enough to whet my appetite.

—All that’s left to do is fry some rice with butter and we’re ready to eat. So please be a little more patient.

—In that case, I could do whatever chores need to be done, so if there’s anything you want me to do, please let me know.

—Really?

My mind is playing tricks on me again. I start to feel a little embarrassed by the words I just said, that… That sounded kind of erotic, right?

—Hmm… In that case, I’d like you to help me set the table and arrange the chairs.

—I’d be happy to, but first, what do you want me to do with your laptop?

—Could you be so kind as to take it to my room?

—Sure, I’ll be right back. — I said as I took the laptop.

I headed to my Senpai’s room, such a private and personal place that I hadn’t thought about it clearly when she gave me such power, but… Is it really right for me to enter that place?

But then again, she gave me that confidence, I guess I’m a step above what I had imagined about the relationship we have… Or so I want to believe.

I quickly opened her bedroom door to complete the task I was given. And the first impression I had upon entering said place, was the citrus fragrance that was permeating throughout the room invading my nostrils.

The semi-double bed was set in such a way as if it was welcoming you to enter the world of dreams the moment your body rested on it.

The more I ventured into the room, I could see one of the adorable hobbies my Senpai has. Many hand-sized stuffed animals were neatly placed on a small shelf.

I placed the laptop very carefully on the desk, and out of the corner of my eye I could see something that caught my eye.

I focused my gaze on the bookshelf next to it, and I could see a large number of books arranged by category. Among them were instructional, degree, or practical books, all intended to develop business skills.

My Senpai’s bookshelf is very different from mine, which is filled with Light Novels and Manga. The difference between the two is clear. She has worked hard to be the professional woman she is now.

This has made me open my eyes that I should do something about it myself and gain more knowledge just like she has.

As I perused the books and thought of a way to ask her to lend me some, my gaze wandered to the left area of the bottom row.

As expected from the star fashionista of our company. This explains why my Senpai is such a stylish woman.

I could see a lot of fashion magazines carefully arranged by the dates in the months they come out. But… There was one magazine that caught my attention more than the rest.

This one was different from the rest. The year and month in which it was published did not match the others. Unlike this one, the others had been published this year. But this one was published seven years ago.

I timidly approached the magazine, making my heart beat fast out of curiosity. As soon as I saw the spine and cover, I was stunned at what I had found.

I felt just like a traveler finding an oasis after being lost for several days in the desert. I simply could not believe my eyes to what I was witnessing before me. A girl in her 20s was the central image of this fashion magazine that even a man like me can recognize.

And the name of the model, who was dressed very attractively, was written as “MIRA”.

The style of her hair was a perm, and her mature look matched perfectly with the inconspicuous make-up.

The interesting thing about the photo was her eyes, once you made eye contact with them, it was as if you couldn’t escape her gaze. Her smile was so beautiful that it could captivate both men and women alike.

This cover issue seemed to be the most popular at the time, as on the side were written the words “Number 1 in sales and fashion magazine polls”.

Plus, there were many other stories and information about MIRA that made you doubt if it was a fashion magazine, or information about the model. But I guess it’s the usual when you’re a character that generates influence among young people.

They always want to know everything about your life, down to the smallest detail… All the qualities MIRA was known for felt very familiar to a certain someone I know… Suzumori-senpai… Then it all began to connect. I would never have guessed that my Onee-san was a popular model in her youth.

—No doubt about it… She’s a really beautiful woman.

—Kazama-kun, why haven’t you set the table and chairs? — Suzumori-senpai asked.

—Aaaah!!!!

I was so nervous, I felt the same way as if I had been discovered by my mother suddenly entering my room and caught watching an erotic movie.

—…That magazine…!

Suzumori-senpai, who was standing in front of the door, stared at me with wide eyes as she realized that I found her forbidden magazine.

—Ah, you mean this? Ahaha…!

I don’t know how to react in this situation. I’m probably in for the same fate that was going to befall Inaba that day when she was about to talk about Suzumori-senpai’s past.

But since I am going to die. I don’t want to leave this world without regrets.

—Umm… Would you lend me this book…? MIRA-senpai…?

—I~~~…. I’ll never give it to you! And don’t call me by that name, you idiot!

—Hueeeh!!! I’m… I’m so sorry!!!!

If Suzumori-senpai had been a bomb… Right now, every single person in this building would be dead.