Chapter 4 – The Company Lobby
Before Friday, I received a message from Aoi.
“I’m thinking of preparing dessert for Friday. Which do you prefer, tart or pudding?”
Excitedly, I requested the tart.
Well, I’m sorry for being greedy. But, the mille-feuille he made last time was insanely delicious…
And then, Friday came.
Thirty minutes before our agreed time of 7 o’clock, I should have plenty of time to get to the station if I left the office now.
Even though we agreed to meet at the station, I’m still not done with work.
Of course, it’s not because of my work.
I’m stuck cleaning up the mess left behind by my annoying junior and my senior, whom I hate for being too familiar.
“I’m taking a break.”
“What? Now?”
“This is not my work; it’s their mess.”
“…I love you, Iwabuchi-senpai.”
“I don’t need the love of an incompetent idiot!”
I called Aoi from the break room, in front of the vending machines.
After a short ringing, he picked up the phone.
“Aoi-san?”
“Yeah. What’s up? Did you already arrive?”
“No, I’m sorry, but my work isn’t finished yet, and I might be late.”
“I see. I don’t mind waiting, and I don’t hate it either.”
Hey, handsome, you’re too understanding! Shouldn’t you be angry or something?
Usually, men would say something like, “Which is more important, me or your work?” at times like this.
Well, it’s not like I’m dating Aoi or anything.
“Aoi, you’re too handsome and suspicious.”
“Haha, don’t worry about me. Just focus on your work. You love your work, right?”
“I do love my work. But I can’t wait to have that tai-meshi.”
“Hahaha, tai-meshi isn’t going anywhere. Well then, call me when you’re done.”
When the call ended, I thought to myself.
Among handsome men, Aoi has an attractive personality as well.
While thinking about tai-meshi, I went back to work.
“Iwabuchi, thanks for your help! Let’s go for a drink! I’ll treat you!”
“Iwabuchi-senpai, let me treat you!”
Honestly, I can’t stand looking at you guys anymore. Can I just say that plainly? No, maybe not, since it might make things uncomfortable at work.
“Sorry, but I already have plans.”
“What? Are your plans more important than going out for drinks with me?”
This guy, even though he’s my senior, does he think he can say anything he wants?
I want to punch him.
In my mind, I beat him up.
I walked towards the lobby without minding those two.
As I reached the lobby, I realized it was quite noisy.
What’s going on?
Curious, I approached the secretarial section, where my colleagues were making a lot of noise, giggling and chattering.
In the midst of them, Aoi-san, who had an oddly strained expression on his face, stood out, and I froze.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“What’s your income like?”
“Why did you come here?”
Uh-oh. I need to step in.
But it takes courage to interrupt them…
At that moment, Aoi and I made eye contact.
“Mikoto.”
“Aoi-san… Are you okay?”
Aoi-san quickly escaped from the secretaries and hugged me.
“I’m scared of carnivorous women.”
“Ah!”
Aoi-san’s deep and cool voice, which was oddly sexy, sounded right next to my ear, causing me to let out a strange sound.
After distancing himself from me, Aoi looked at me and chuckled.
“Sorry, it’s my fault.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Does he really think he’s at fault?
“…Wait a minute, Aoi-san, how did you know I work here? Wait, more importantly, where’s the souvenir? Why are you empty-handed?”
Seeing Aoi empty-handed, I realized something.
Where’s my tart?
“I left it at the shop because it’s a hassle to carry around.”
“Oh, I see! Let’s go eat now!”
“Yeah.”
We were about to leave when my senior and junior blocked our way.
“Who are you?”
“Iwabuchi-senpai, who is this person?”
Aoi-san looked puzzled for a moment before answering.
“I’m always grateful for Mikoto’s help. I am Aoi Kawakami, Mikoto’s fiancé. I’ll be counting on you from now on.”
Aoi-san’s words stunned me. I looked up at him.
“Is there a problem?”
“Uh, no, I mean… Fiancé?”
“If things go well after a matchmaking, that’s what it means, right?”
So, that’s how it is?
Is it okay to skip dating and go straight to being fiancés?
Huh? What does that mean?
“Well, we won’t get married right away, but we’ll eventually, so please take care of me!”
Aoi smiled mischievously and put his arm around my shoulder, and I couldn’t make sense of anything, so I gave up thinking.
What’s important now is tai-meshi with tart, right?
Can someone please tell me that?