Seventy days remain until your boyfriend, Kaoru Hoshitani, is taken.
At noon, sunlight filtered through the spotless glass windows of the ramen shop beside the Quansheng Company building, casting bright patches of light across the interior.
The small space was packed with nearby office workers, the hum of conversation, the clatter of bowls and chopsticks, and the soft slurping of noodles blending into a lively soundtrack of everyday life.
The air was thick with the rich aroma of pork bone broth, mixed with the fatty fragrance of fried cutlets and a sharp hint of pickled ginger.
In a booth by the window, Chinatsu Ayase rested her chin on one hand while the fingertips of her other hand absentmindedly traced circles on the cool surface of a water glass.
She was wearing a well-tailored light gray shirt, the top button undone to reveal her slender clavicle.
Her long hair was loosely tied back, a few stray strands framing her face.
Her pale gray eyes held a smile as she looked at Aina Saiten sitting across from her, her gaze casual with familiarity, yet carrying a faint, hard-to-notice curiosity.
“So, Ms. Aina,” she asked, her voice not loud but clear enough to cut through the surrounding noise, “how is work going? Are you settling in all right?”
Hearing this, Aina Saiten set down the plastic menu in her hands, its corners slightly curled and covered with pictures of dishes.
She looked up, a relaxed smile appearing on her face.
The tension brought on by a new environment really had eased quite a bit thanks to the care shown by the junior colleague in front of her.
“Yes,” she nodded, her voice filled with sincere gratitude.
“I am mostly familiar with the work now, and everyone in the department has been very kind. Still… I really have to thank you for looking out for me.”
She paused, then added, “If not for you, I do not think I would have gotten up to speed so quickly.”
From the way they addressed each other, it was clear that in just a few short days, their relationship had already grown much closer.
That was hardly surprising.
They already shared the natural bond of senior and junior from school, and now they were colleagues as well.
As long as there was nothing urgent, they would tacitly agree to have lunch together every day.
Lunchtime had become a relaxed break for discussing work and, occasionally, everyday life.
For Aina, Chinatsu’s presence carried great significance.
This mysterious, remarkably capable young woman was not only a key figure in her career turning point, but also someone who offered real support and guidance in a new environment.
Having spent several years navigating society, Aina understood well that maintaining a good relationship with Chinatsu was crucial to her future at Quansheng, and even to the stability of her life with Akane.
So, during their casual chat before ordering, Aina naturally and sincerely suggested treating Chinatsu to another meal this weekend.
“I see…” Chinatsu picked up her water glass and took a sip, the cool liquid sliding down her throat.
She pondered for a moment, then broke into an even brighter smile, a flicker of light dancing in her eyes.
“In that case, I would be happy to accept. Thank you for the invitation, Ms. Aina.”
Her easy agreement made Aina feel a sense of relief, her shoulders relaxing without her even realizing it.
However, Chinatsu’s tone shifted subtly.
She set the water glass back on the table with a soft tap, then raised her pale gray eyes to look at the senior in front of her, the one who had no idea that her beloved boyfriend had already been unfaithful.
In that gaze was a teasing smile that was hard to fully read.
As if she were merely bringing up a small concern out of friendliness, she spoke lightly and naturally.
“But still, Ms. Aina, if you take me out for a big meal this weekend and leave your boyfriend all alone at home… is that not a little unfair to him?”
“Ah…” Aina froze.
She had not thought deeply about it before, seeing it simply as necessary workplace socializing.
But with Chinatsu’s reminder, an image involuntarily surfaced in her mind: Akane alone at home on the weekend.
Maybe he would quietly read a book, or clean the apartment, then sit on the living room sofa waiting for her to return.
Thinking of the faint, barely noticeable look of disappointment he might show, followed by that gentle smile and a soft ‘It is fine,’ made Aina’s heart tighten slightly.
A genuine sense of guilt welled up.
‘It really does feel like I would be letting Akane down.’
She frowned faintly, her fingers unconsciously rubbing along the smooth edge of the menu.
“But there is not much choice…” she murmured, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself.
“This is mainly to thank you for your help at work, so it is… half work-related, right? If I brought Akane along, it might not be very convenient to talk about work matters…”
Her voice grew softer and softer, lacking confidence, her gaze drifting toward the window.
Chinatsu took in this subtle inner conflict without missing a thing.
She leaned back slightly, relaxing against the booth, her posture growing even more casual.
Picking up the small bottle of seven-spice seasoning on the table, she calmly shook a little into her dish and stirred it gently with the tip of her chopsticks.
Her tone was completely unconcerned, as if she were suggesting something as simple as taking a walk after lunch.
“What is there to worry about, Ms. Aina? Just bring your boyfriend along.”
She looked up, smiling warmly at Aina.
A hint of amusement flashed through her gray eyes.
“It will be livelier with more people. And honestly, I am a bit curious. What kind of person is it, exactly, that Ms. Aina treasures so much?”
“Uh… um… th-this…” Aina’s frown deepened, clear hesitation and difficulty showing on her face.
Her fingers stopped moving, tightening slightly to reveal her inner resistance.
Although she now regarded Chinatsu as an important friend and benefactor, long-formed habits and an instinctive sense of protectiveness made her unaccustomed to bringing Akane into her social circles.
Akane was the most private, tender center of her world, the calmest harbor in her tiring life.
Bringing him into the gaze of outsiders filled her with an inexplicable unease, as if something precious were being exposed to unknown judgment.
And then… Aina’s eyes could not help but carefully examine Chinatsu again.
The young woman tilted her head slightly, a loose strand of hair sliding across her smooth forehead.
Her features were sharp and refined, with a high nose bridge and beautifully shaped lips, forming a face that perfectly matched modern tastes, even carrying a touch of androgynous charm.
Though she might lack some softness by traditional standards, there was no denying that this unique presence and beauty held strong appeal for many people, including men.
‘Chinatsu really has incredible qualities…’
The thought surfaced uncontrollably.
Aina trusted Akane completely, but a subtle vigilance and sense of crisis born from feminine instinct still quietly took root.
‘Letting Akane meet someone like Chinatsu…’
That reluctance deep in her heart only grew stronger.
Still, the suggestion had been made openly and with such an easygoing attitude.
If she continued to refuse, it might make her seem petty, or even cause unnecessary misunderstanding.
After a few seconds of inner struggle, Aina finally compromised.
She nodded with some reluctance and forced a smile.
“Al… all right. Then… this weekend, the three of us will go together.”
Seeing Aina agree, a nearly imperceptible glimmer passed through Chinatsu’s eyes, as if some expectation had been met.
But she quickly returned to her natural demeanor, as though the topic had been nothing more than an offhand remark.
She smoothly changed the subject, chatting about a recent amusing incident at the company, her smile flawless.
Lunch ended in what seemed like a harmonious atmosphere.
After paying the bill, the two stepped out of the ramen shop, the slightly scorching afternoon sun and the noise of the street rushing toward them.
As they walked along the sidewalk toward the company building, a deep, powerful engine roar approached from afar, drawing the attention of many pedestrians.
A sleek supercar in an eye-catching, jewel-like blue glided down the street like a nimble fish and came to a smooth stop in the parking area in front of the Quansheng building.
Sunlight reflected brilliantly off its mirror-like body, standing in stark contrast to the ordinary commuter cars around it.
‘This must belong to some important visiting client… There is no way anyone at the company would drive a car like that to work.’
Aina thought this instinctively, her gaze drawn to the dazzling vehicle with the usual curiosity and distance of an average office worker faced with luxury goods.
But Chinatsu, standing beside her, reacted very differently.
Her steps paused slightly as she looked toward the blue supercar.
The faint smile at the corner of her lips seemed to freeze for a brief moment.
In her pale gray eyes, emotions shifted rapidly and complexly.
A trace of cold understanding mixed with a deep-seated disgust, and… a sharp, confrontational edge that was almost impossible to catch, surged like a dark current beneath a calm lake, flashing through her gaze.
Yet she controlled it perfectly.
Those intense emotions were reined in almost the instant they appeared, once again covered by a light, unreadable calm.
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