“Ya ya ya, hello hello hello~!” Hata made an appearance with a lively greeting. 

Since it was Mukai’s first day at work, all the young people in the Product Development Department went out for lunch to a cafe. Upon returning, they immediately headed to the meeting room. 

It was not long before the door opened, and Mukai stood up to greet the manager of the Promotional Company. 

“Hello, pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m Mukai  from Sales Promotion.” Mukai’s smooth greeting was one tone lighter. It seemed that depending on who the other party was, Mukai subtly adjusted his temperament. 

“I’ve heard about you~~” Dragging out the end of his sentences was Hata’s habit. 

After they exchanged names, Hata sat down in his usual seat. His exact age was uncertain, but he was probably around 42 or 43 years old. His bright hair, no tie, and striped shirt style was truly that of a person in the advertisement business. “Mukai-san’s name, I know it well.” 

Grabbing two cans of the self-serve coffee laid out in the meeting room, Mukai handed one to Hata, who accepted it with a thanks and promptly tore off the pull tab. 

“My name?” Similarly opening his canned coffee, Mukai stared in wonder. 

This was news to Chihiro, too. 

“When I heard from Minami-san that there’s a new person coming, I kept thinking that your name sounded familiar. At the time it didn’t ring a bell though. You’re Mukai Shinya from R University, correct? Nowadays it’s common, but seven years ago it was unparalleled in the SNS marketing circle. A student from R University launching a business became the talk of the town, didn’t it?” 

“Ah, that story?” Mukai laughed awkwardly. 

“Wasn’t it the forerunner of student-run business entrepreneurships?” 

“I wonder.” 

“Is this about the company that Mukai-kun launched? Amazing.” Surprised, Chihiro unconsciously remarked. 

To Mukai’s modest ‘Not at all,’ Hata glibly praised him, “It is amazing!”

“I remembered just from your name. But that company got sold off to E&F as soon as it started making money, didn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right. I was surprised that such a big agency reached out to me, but their conditions were good and my friend was also enthusiastic about it. I was also considering studying abroad at that time so the timing was just right.” 

“Where did you study abroad?” Hata eagerly questioned him. 

“The United States. I went there intending to study Information Science but it turned out I did not have the talent for engineering. So instead I dabbled a little in Marketing Analytics and then came back.” 

Finally learning about Mukai’s career history that had made him so curious, Chihiro could see why the agency had regarded him as an S-rank personnel. Although, Mukai did not have even an ounce of arrogance in his manner of speech. Was that also a factor of being S-rank? 

“Minami-kun is also pretty good, you know.” As Chihiro was listening to Mukai’s story and feeling discouraged, Hata subtly praised him, too. 

“What do you mean by pretty good? That’s quite a deceptive way to say it.” Having known each other for many years, they tended to make lighthearted jokes with each other. 

“Something like snatching up only the favorable opportunities and everything is a piece of cake afterwards~?” Hata teased half-jokingly. 

I’m aware that I’m superficial.

“But actually he’s quite earnest, you know. We’ve been working together for three years now. He’s quick-witted and can handle anything skillfully. If he joined my company as a planner, he could easily become a project leader.” 

“You’re a smooth-talker, Hata-san.” 

“No no, I really mean it~” 

“It might seem like we’re complementing each other, but the one who taught me the basics of Sales Promotions is Hata-san.” 

“Well, that’s true.” Hata retorted, deliberately smug. 

Mukai laughed discreetly. “You two have a great relationship.” 

“That’s because it was just us two doing everything. Now that Mukai-san is here, it’s very reassuring.~”  

“I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations.” Mukai gave the smooth-talking Hata a diplomatic smile. 

Today was mostly an introductory meeting. They chatted for a while and after confirming the future schedule, the meeting ended. 

♢♦♢♦ 

“That Mukai-kun, he seems amicable, but if you make him your enemy, he’s the troublesome type.” While watching the elevator floor display, Hata whispered in Chihiro’s ear. 

Mukai was once again called down to the General Affairs Office, so it was just Chihiro sending off Hata in the elevator hall. 

“Is that so?” 

There was their age difference, and in many ways, Hata was like a relative to Chihiro, giving him advice. “This is just a rumor I heard, but there’s a story that some people tried to get in Mukai’s way. However the tables were turned on them and Mukai’s retaliation was so brutal, they were all spooked. Don’t be fooled by that gentle demeanor and don’t underestimate him.~”

His advice was directed at Chihiro’s competitive personality. Knowing that, Chihiro obediently nodded, “Understood.” 

“Well, he’s a reliable person if you get on his good side.” Hata laughed and tapped Chihiro on the shoulder. “Besides, since it’s Mukai-kun, he’s gonna get some company experience here and soon after get a job somewhere else. At most, probably three years?” 

Chihiro had heard that in Hata’s business world, exceptional people didn’t stay in one place for too long. It seems that even for Hata, his current company was his fourth one. 

Is that so? He won’t be here for that long then. Chihiro suddenly felt at ease. 

“Well then, see you later! Good work today~” The elevator doors opened with a soft sound, and Hata, returning to his good mood, said his goodbyes. 

“Thank you for your hard work.” The elevator doors closed. While sorting through all the information he just heard, Chihiro returned to the office floor. 

Working in a position where he’s compared to a capable man was depressing. Nevertheless, it was more sensible to not stir up any trouble. Fortunately, Mukai didn’t seem to have any annoying habits. As long as they got along well, it wouldn’t be exhausting to work together.

“Minami-san” 

Walking while in deep thought, he heard his name being called from the front of the Product Development Floor. Looking over, he saw one of his fellow colleagues from HR approaching. Nanase was wearing a pantsuit and holding a paper gift bag. 

“Are you going out now?” 

“Yeah. I’ve constantly been running errands.” Nanase pouted in dissatisfaction. She was the one who had initially told Chihiro about Mukai. They were friends that met up outside of work now and then. 

“Do you wanna grab a meal the day after tomorrow?” Chihiro lowered his voice a little and at his invitation, the ends of her beautifully painted lips lifted up. 

“Message me later.” 

“Okay.” 

They talked a little in whispers and before drawing any attention to themselves, they said their goodbyes and casually separated. Nanase headed towards the elevator hall, and Chihiro found himself watching her retreating figure. Because her limbs were slender and long, Nanase looked really good in a pantsuit. Her bust and hips were somewhat on the smaller side but she had a nice shape— not that he knew yet what it would feel like. 

Nanase was by far the most beautiful out of all her colleagues. She had also attended a first-rate university. If he dated her, he would definitely have something to boast about. 

It was about half a year ago that they started hanging out- going to movies and drinking at wine bars- just the two of them. 

On the way back from a class reunion, it just so happened that out of all the members, they were the only two that had the same route home. They decide to go out for some tea before returning home. From then on, they’d take turns inviting each other out. Both sides were probably thinking that it was fortunate they ended up at the same company, otherwise, who knows if they would be meeting like this.

After finding a job, Chihiro had gotten too busy and broke it off with the girl he had been dating since university. Having gotten tired of her complaints of ‘Why don’t you call me?’ and ‘I’m lonely,’ Chihiro ended up asking her to break it off. Since then, he had been flying solo the whole time. 

During his student days, he had almost always had a girlfriend. After getting a job, the number of encounters decreased sharply. Becoming a working member of society meant that his days off were precious. Spending those days with a long-time girlfriend was one thing, but having to build a relationship with a new person took too much energy. So, by the time he realized, he’d been single for quite a long time, and he’d completely gotten used to the working life. 

Whenever Chihiro would find himself thinking that having a girlfriend would be fun, Nanase was always the first person that came to mind. 

Working at the same company was also not really a problem. But even so, it was still troublesome. 

Meeting occasionally and enjoying the not-quite-lovers-relationship was just right. Nanase probably thought the same way. 

“Minami-san” 

“Ah, did you take care of everything?” Upon returning to his desk while absorbed in his thoughts, Mukai had also come back from the General Affairs Office. 

“I had prepared myself, but the pile of documents is no joke.” Mukai’s desk was piled high with various company documents and forms- Employee’s Manual, Bookkeeping Guide, Company Rules, and other such things. 

“It feels like I did a whole year’s worth of writing in just one day.” 

Finding Mukai’s fed-up grumbling unusual, Chihiro let out a laugh. “Culture shock? Our company is somewhat old-fashioned.” 

“It’s good experience. This is the first time I saw a letter of appointment so I felt oddly moved. Ah, so this is the famous letter of appointment, it’s printed out and handed over.” 

“For staff changes, too, they’ll hand out a notice of personnel change at the morning assembly.” 

“Really?” Mukai’s eyes went wide. 

“Then, you’ll be presented with a formal letter and receive it formally with both hands.” 

“Haa…” 

Chihiro laughed out loud at Mukai’s lifeless response. 

“In the spirit of ‘old-fashioned,’ wanna grab a drink after work?” Taking Hata’s advice about not making an enemy out of Mukai, Chihiro, thinking he’d be turned down, invited him out for drinks. He used a manner of speech and gesture like the businessmen used in old dramas on TV. 

“That sounds good.” Unexpectedly, Mukai readily agreed. “Do you like sake? If you’re interested, I’ll introduce you to my usual spot.” Moreover, he was rather assertive. 

Although he hesitated, Chihiro decided that getting along well with Mukai was more of an advantage. 

That night, Chihiro joined Mukai at his favorite restaurant.  

Chihiro guessed that Mukai’s favorite spot would be an elegant bar or something like a sushi bar. 

“Sorry it’s so cramped.” 

“It’s fine, it’s really lively, huh.” 

Surprisingly, the place Mukai brought him to was an oden shop located in the underground passage.  

“It’s because the octopus and saezuri here are superb.”

Chihiro could just about make out a man in a brownish-suit crowding the counter, a young girl, and a couple that looked like they were students. It seemed like the restaurant was affordable and delicious. 

In the middle of the counter was a big partition that had different kinds of oden submerged neatly in a broth. There were a la carte skewered dishes, and the fragrant scents of roasting squid and yakitori tempted your appetite. 

“What was saezuri again?” 

“Whale tongue. It’s springy and tasty.”

“Ah! It’s delicious!”  

The tender octopus was garnished with miso and mustard- this too was a masterpiece. The piercing taste of the oden and daikon was divine. Contrary to the shabbiness of the restaurant, the dashi used in the broth was of the highest quality and made from several kinds of seafood. 

“You make it look so appetizing, Minami-san.”

“That’s cuz it’s so good.” 

Mukai’s sake cup was filled to the brim. It seemed like he was quite the drinker.  

“You can really hold your alcohol, huh.” 

“It’s genetic. My relatives run a winery and my parents are both heavy drinkers. How about you, Minami-san? Are you the kind that shows it on their face?” 

“Ah, am I red?” 

“Just a little. It’s cute.” 

“…cute he says.” Chihiro could sense that Mukai was casually trying to shorten the distance between them as colleagues of the same age. Well he’s not a bad guy, Chihiro thought to himself while rubbing his cheeks. 

“About the Sales Department meeting the day after tomorrow…” After having his fill of the mochi kinchaku and saezuri that Mukai had recommended, it was time to talk business. 

“This is about the regular meetings?” 

“Uh huh. The Sales Department meets once a month and basically each department presents their business reports. The Section Chief is in charge of compiling the data on the goods produced in-house, so it’s mostly just about being present at the meeting.” Honestly, it made no sense to have the meetings when you could just read the reports. “You think it’s pointless, right?” 

“No, since I haven’t attended one yet, I don’t know.” Anticipating his question, Mukai gave a wry smile. “So then, our task at hand is the exhibition for the month after next?” 

“Mhm. Crime Prevention Fair.” 

Focusing on the growing demand for home security cameras and alarm devices, NITTA has been developing products mostly targeted at young women living on their own. The products are lightweight and easy to install. Thanks to their stylish design, they had received more orders at last year’s fair than they had expected. 

“Hata-san is in charge of setting up the exhibition, so it’s not particularly difficult.” 

At Chihiro’s casual remark, Mukai paused for a moment and then replied, “I see.” 

Chihiro felt a chill for a moment, wondering if it was appropriate to be so passive about their work. 

“This year the company added color variations, right? I thought they were good choices.” 

“Yeah, the natural color is especially popular.” Chihiro was relieved the conversation changed course. 

“The accent color, too. The designer has really good taste. I kind of want it in my home as well. Speaking of which, Minami-san, do you live alone?” 

“In an extremely small apartment.” 

“Same as me.” 

Hearing Mukai referring to himself in a less formal way felt somewhat fresh.1 The conversation naturally shifted to talk about their personal lives. They even found a common interest: they were both fans of the same international SF movie. 

The conversation got livelier as they talked about the completion of a trilogy series. 

“I’ve been wondering nonstop why did it have to end like that, you know.” 

“I was really looking forward to 7,” at Chihiro’s grumbling, Mukai also had a faraway look in his eyes. 

The inside of the restaurant was hot and they were both wearing dress shirts. He’d assumed that Mukai worked out, but his body was even more fit than he’d imagined. As the night went on, the number of customers increased, and Mukai, asked by a customer to make some room, had squeezed in closer to Chihiro. 

By the time they decided to call it a night and leave the restaurant, the distance between them had shrunk considerably. 

“Next time, please let me know your favorite spot, Minami-san.” 

“Roger that~” While Mukai was perfectly sober, Chihiro was tipsy and in a good mood. 

“Truly adorable.” Mukai absentmindedly muttered as he left the restaurant. 

“Hm?” Chihiro hadn’t heard clearly, but since Mukai was smiling pleasantly at him, he returned a smile. 

“Minami-san…ah Chihiro, was it?” 

“Hm? Mhm, Minami Chihiro. What’s up?” 

“It’s nothing, I just thought your name suits you well.” 

“Haha, what da heck.” 

Mukai had taken care of the bill. In response to Chihiro’s ‘Is it enough?’ Mukai had accepted only two bills from him.

“Well then, have a good night.”

“See you tomorrow.” 

Since they were going in different directions, they parted in front of the restaurant. Chihiro headed towards the stairs that led up and out of the underground center. As he walked up the stairs, for some reason, he looked over and saw that Mukai was watching him leave as if seeing him off. 

He raised his hand lightly, nodded, and started walking towards the metro ticket gate. He was courteous in all situations, or rather, he was an upright man. 

Of course, he probably does his job perfectly, too. 

Chihiro’s disheartening feelings towards having to get along with a talented colleague that appeared out of nowhere did not dissipate. 

Nevertheless, feeling that he could make it work somehow, Chihiro enthusiastically went up the stairs.