The bright afternoon sunlight streamed through the blinds of the Human Resources Department Head’s office in the Quansheng Headquarters, slicing neat stripes of light and shadow across the floor.
The air was laced with the mixed scents of paper, coffee, and a faint trace of wood polish from the furniture.
In the quiet room, only the low hum of the air conditioner and the occasional rustle of papers turning could be heard.
Miss Kimura, Head of the Human Resources Department, was a capable woman of about fifty, dressed in a perfectly tailored dark gray suit, her hair impeccably styled.
She sat upright behind her spacious rosewood desk, fully focused on reviewing a Personnel Promotion Evaluation Report.
“Knock, knock knock.”
A few polite, clear knocks sounded at the door. Miss Kimura didn’t even look up, responding out of habit, “Come in.”
The door was gently pushed open, and a slender figure walked in. Only then did Kimura lift her gaze from the documents.
When she saw who had come, the stern, businesslike look on her face melted away in an instant, like ice thawing in spring, quickly replaced by a smile that was both attentive and cautious—a smile that could only be described as warm.
She even instinctively adjusted her posture, gently setting her pen on the holder. “Ah… Ayase Miss, please have a seat.”
Kimura stood up and pointed to the comfortable visitor chair opposite her desk, her tone far softer than usual.
As one of the core members of the company’s management, she naturally knew the identity of this seemingly naive young girl—she was the Chairman’s newly acknowledged, much-talked-about illegitimate daughter.
This knowledge made her attitude, aside from the guidance due to an Intern, all the more cautious and deliberate.
Chinatsu Ayase wore a perfect, impeccable sweet smile as she walked lightly to the chair, though she didn’t sit down immediately.
She tilted her head slightly, speaking in a tone that was half-playful but never impolite, “Miss Kimura, didn’t we agree from the beginning? At the company, just call me ‘Ayase.’ Adding ‘Miss’ always feels so distant.”
Saying this, she then sat down gracefully, her hands folded naturally on her knees, her posture so proper that she seemed to be at an important tea party.
“Alright, alright, Ayase, that was my mistake.” Kimura nodded readily and sat back in her high-backed chair, leaning forward slightly in a listening posture.
“So, how are you adjusting these days in the Human Resources Department? Are you familiar with most of your work? Did you come to me today because you need help with something?”
Her questions flowed smoothly, carrying the concern of a superior but also an extra layer of attentiveness reserved for Ayase’s special status.
Chinatsu Ayase nodded, her smile unchanged, though her eyes shone with a more serious light.
“Thank you for your concern, Department Head. The seniors have taken good care of me, and I’ve learned a lot.”
She paused briefly before getting straight to the point, her tone clear and direct, making it obvious she didn’t plan to engage in unnecessary pleasantries.
“It’s like this, Department Head. I remember about a week ago, our department held interviews for the Deputy Chief Accountant position, didn’t we? I wanted to ask if the final results… have been decided?”
“Oh, oh! You’re asking about that.” Miss Kimura’s expression brightened with sudden understanding, her smile deepening knowingly. She leaned back, her fingers tapping lightly on the desk.
“Ayase, you seem particularly interested in this round of recruitment. After the interviews, you made a point to mention to me… hmm…”
She paused, brows furrowing slightly, searching her memory for the not-so-prominent name. “Sai… Saita, what was it again? My memory, honestly.”
“Aina Saiten, Department Head.” Chinatsu Ayase supplied the name at just the right moment, her tone clear and steady, her smile undimmed though a fleeting, hard-to-catch glint flashed deep in her eyes.
“Right, right, right! Aina Saiten! Look at me.” Kimura tapped her forehead lightly, speaking in a relaxed tone.
“That’s right, you recommended her to me after the interview last time. I took another careful look at her resume and the interview feedback—while she might not have stood out as the absolute best among all candidates, her overall qualifications are indeed very solid. Her work experience matches well, her interview was calm and steady, and she’s a good fit for the job.”
“The other colleagues involved in the interview didn’t have any objections either. Originally, we were going to send out the official email notifications to all those hired tomorrow.”
Her words made it clear: when all else was equal, Chinatsu Ayase’s “recommendation” had played a decisive role. It was both a favor to the Chairman’s daughter and a familiar kind of grease in the wheels of office politics.
“That’s wonderful!” Chinatsu Ayase showed just the right amount of delight, her eyes curving in genuine-seeming joy for her “senior.” “Saiten-senpai will definitely be thrilled to hear this. Thank you for all your efforts, Department Head Kimura.”
“No trouble at all, no trouble at all. Selecting the right talent for the company is the responsibility of the Human Resources Department,” Kimura replied, waving her hand with a pleasant smile.
After a few more polite exchanges, Chinatsu Ayase excused herself and left the department head’s office. The heavy solid wood door closed softly behind her, sealing off the sound from within.
The corridor was bright and laid with soft carpet, absorbing footsteps to near silence. Chinatsu Ayase didn’t return to her desk immediately, instead walking to a window-side rest area for employees.
The perfect, slightly naive and earnest mask of an Intern she wore on her face slowly faded, her gaze turning calm and deep.
She took out her phone from her exquisite handbag.
The screen lit up as she prepared to open her contacts to find Aina Saiten’s number—this “good news” would make the perfect token to draw them closer.
However, a few new message notifications popped up at the top of the screen, instantly drawing all her attention.
The sender’s label was a simple “D”—the Private Investigator she had hired.
Chinatsu Ayase’s fingertip hovered on the screen for a moment before she decisively unlocked her phone and tapped into the messaging app.
At the top were a few brief lines of report, followed by several photos—obviously shot from a distance, slightly blurry, but with the key details unmistakably clear.
Her breath hitched imperceptibly for a moment. Without hesitation, she opened the first photo. The angle appeared to be from a window of a building across the street, snapped with a long lens.
In the center of the shot were two people. The tall woman with striking yellow hair, dressed in a black biker jacket and exuding an unmistakable rebellious aura even through the pixels, was clearly her elder sister, Rika Kawasaki.
And at this moment, Rika Kawasaki’s arm was draped possessively around a man’s shoulders, nearly pulling him halfway into her embrace.
That man… Chinatsu Ayase’s pupils contracted slightly. The man wore a black mask and a sun hat pulled low, obscuring most of his face—there was no way to see what he looked like.
Dressed in a loose pale sweatshirt and dark trousers, his figure seemed all the more slender and frail beside Rika Kawasaki.
His head was bowed, as if he was trying to avoid the camera—or perhaps, he simply didn’t want to be seen at all.
She really is keeping a man! The realization shot through Chinatsu Ayase’s nerves like a current.
All her suspicions, and the Private Investigator’s previous report about the apartment building, were now almost definitively confirmed.
A surge of excitement, curiosity, and a certain twisted pleasure welled up inside her.
But then, a question arose: Why would Rika Kawasaki be so secretive? And why was the man also masked and hatted, as if concealing his identity?
[Could he be some kind of… minor idol? Or maybe he’s a somewhat famous male celebrity having a secret affair?]
Chinatsu Ayase’s thoughts spun rapidly, her gray eyes fixed intently on the man’s beautiful neckline and slender wrist—details still visible even through his loose clothes.
Even though his face was hidden, his physique and the faint aura he gave off made it clear—he was no ordinary person. Her long fingers slid quickly over the cold phone screen, tapping open the subsequent photos.
In the next shots, the two had moved apart, no longer pressed together. Instead, they were walking one after the other along what looked like a quiet street inside a residential district.
Rika Kawasaki was in the lead, her steps casual and in control, glancing back now and then to say something to the man behind her.
He kept his head slightly bowed, following a few paces back, his posture… submissive? Or perhaps, simply passive?
The final photo was clearly taken in a parking lot by the road. The lens had captured a scene inside a bright blue sports car through the windshield.
Though the photo was a bit blurred from distance and glare, the contents were unmistakable—Rika Kawasaki was in the driver’s seat, body angled sideways, one hand on the steering wheel, the other hooked around the man’s neck, kissing him.
This time, the man’s mask had been pulled down to his chin.
Although the angle and lighting only allowed a glimpse of a delicate, beautifully curved side profile, a slender white neck, and eyelashes trembling slightly, it was enough to convince anyone that this was an exceptionally attractive face.
“Ayase Miss, the target arrived at the previously monitored apartment building at around 8:40 a.m. today. At about 9:15, she came downstairs with the unidentified male in the photos. The two have left the apartment by car, heading toward the city center. We are following and will report as soon as there’s an update.”
The Private Investigator’s text followed the photos. Chinatsu Ayase quickly scanned the words, her heartbeat thudding uncontrollably in her chest.
She looked around, confirming there was no one in the corridor at that moment, then quickly turned, pushing open the heavy fire door marked “Emergency Exit” and slipping into the dimly lit stairwell where only the green emergency lights provided any illumination.
Here, it was quiet and shut away from everything outside. She didn’t hesitate as she dialed the Private Investigator’s number.
“Hello.”
The call was answered almost instantly. Chinatsu Ayase’s voice was low, every word clear and icy, carrying the command of someone who would not be refused.