I Started Working As A Lover Agent, And For Some Reason, I’m Receiving Requests From Beauties V2: Chapter 2 part 3: Date night with an adult

I wonder how many minutes passed from there?

“Hoo, hoo…”

Hazuki was breathing regularly at the counter seat. Stress from work, fatigue and alcohol. There was no doubt that those three affected her.

“Has Kamishiro-san fallen asleep?”

At that timing, the bartender called out to him.

“…It seems so. Thanks for your earlier support. Without your guidance, I couldn’t have done anything.”

“Don’t worry about it. Although I have to say, you are the first ever one to carry out my instructions like that, Ryoma-san. Anyway, would you like to have something else to drink, Ryoma?”

Noticing that his glass was empty, the bartender kindly urged him.

“Um, can I have a ginger ale, please? If I drink any more alcohol, it will be difficult for me to take care of Hazuki… sorry.”

“That’s a wise decision. Understood.”

Ryoma, who was not yet used to drinking, had already had four glasses of alcohol. His body temperature had risen, and his pulse had increased to the point where it was noticeable. He had judged that if he drank any more alcohol, he wouldn’t be able to stay normal. 

If he were Hazuki’s lover, it would be one thing, but he was just a pretend lover. He couldn’t afford to make any mistakes because of alcohol.

“At any rate, I can see that Kamishiro-san trusts you very much, Ryoma-san. Since Kamishiro-san is sleeping, may I have a word with you?”

“Is that so? I’m not too sure myself…”

He took the opportunity to bring up the topic to the bartender who had served him ginger ale with ice. Why the bartender thought he was trusted was unclear to him.

“When Kamishiro-san comes to the bar with a male companion, she always limits herself to two drinks. And in addition to that, she leaves early, so I’m honestly surprised that she’s been here for so long.”

“Really? I think I drank about five glasses today…”

“It must be because she enjoyed talking to you Ryoma-san. Or it could also be more towards the fact that she trusted you enough for you to not do anything even if she got drunk? I’m guessing that Ryoma-san has some inkling about the latter?”

“…I-I’m not so sure. Haha…”

Despite the fact that it was a guess, Ryoma was completely defeated by the bartender’s apparent certainty. To speak ambiguously, although he tried to avoid the issue by hedging his words, the fact remained that he had indeed helped Hazuki when she was drunk.

The bartender’s good instincts are a testament to knowing Hazuki’s character, and the fact that he can see through the situation with just one aspect of not saving alcohol shows that he has a good sense of intuition.

“I’m relieved by your reaction, but I wouldn’t have made that gesture if I didn’t have some basis for judgement. If Kamishiro-san didn’t like it, I would also be responsible.”

“Now that you say that… You also had some risk in this bartender.”

“Of course. But it seems to have worked better than I thought.”

After sending a warm gaze towards Hazuki, as if looking at a child, he turned his eyes to Ryoma.

“…Whenever Kamishiro-san gets drunk, she always speaks of her failures or regrets at work. She wonders if she should have looked around more or changed the way she expresses her anger so as not to hurt others. At times like that, I understood that she wanted comfort in some way, but since I had a girlfriend, I couldn’t do that kind of thing…”

Taking advantage of the fact that Hazuki was asleep, the bartender continued to reveal private information one after another. However, he seemed to have firmly discerned what he should not reveal publicly.

“That being the case, it’s a good thing that it happened indirectly today. I was able to see Hazuki-san behaving like a spoiled child, so I have more material to tease her with next time.”

“A-Ah, I hope you can tease her in moderation…”

“If Ryoma-san says so, then I have no choice but to comply. Understood.”

Ryoma was calmly listening to the conversation, but just hearing the phrase Hazuki-san behaving like a spoiled child made his heart skip a beat.

The sensation of Hazuki’s soft hair that still lingered in his hand. With the scent of shampoo-like soap still lingering, it was a texture so pleasant like a stuffed animal that he wanted to touch it repeatedly. 

“Kamishro-san has a personality where she never lets her guard down, whether that be at work or in her private life, that being the case, she might feel happier if she’s lead.”

“It’s tough to lead Hazuki-san with my own abilities…”

For Ryoma, it was quite a daunting task to lead a partner with different experiences and a position, but making such an effort would be the thing that pleases Hazuki the most.

“…Nevertheless, I don’t think you need to be so anxious, Ryoma-san. You don’t have to push yourself too hard.”

“What do you mean?”

“To be honest, I’ve never seen Kamishiro-san so friendly with someone before. And that’s including the fact that she wasn’t just putting on a smile. I think you two really had a good time together.”

“R-Really!? It’s hard to tell with Hazuki-san because she’s so good at pretending…”

“It is indeed difficult because she’s good at it, but I’ve been working with her for a while, so I can sense it from her demeanour.”

“If that’s the case, then I’m relieved…”

“Have confidence. After all, you were able to say to Hazuki-san, thank you for your hard work as always. But, since you’re enjoying yourself now, please forget about the painful things in your life. I’ll do my best to lead you.” 

“W-Wah!? How did you remember it word for word..!”

“Maybe it’s because of my profession? I don’t mean to tease you, but you were honestly cool.”

“T-That’s…thank you very much.”

It’s not often that someone older, let alone an adult bartender, would praise him so honestly. To distract himself from the embarrassment, Ryoma looked at the clock installed in the shop.

It was 10:10. The request for today will end in 50 more minutes. He was about to reach for Hazuki to wake her up for payment.

“Um, Ryoma-san. If you have some extra time, could you let her sleep for about 10 more minutes? She looks so comfortable sleeping, you see.”

“Huh?”

“I won’t charge you for today’s bill for the drinks. How about it? For Kamishro-san’s sake.”

“I-Is that okay? In such a situation, shouldn’t I pay for it…”

“Please take advantage of the kindness of your elders. Although I am asking for your help.”

“….”

Ryoma works at a bookstore in addition to being a stand-in lover. Aside from knowing how hard it is to earn money, he also feels awkward when told it’s free after being taken care of. 

Seeming to have seen through Ryoma’s feelings, or rather, as if aiming for this sort of development, the bartender made a request.

“Well then. If you feel hesitant, would you be so kind as to grant me a request? I will consider that as payment for today’s bill.”

“Thank you. That would make me feel relieved…”

Ryoma agreed to the bartender’s request, but it was something he did not expect.

“Then please, send Kamishiro-san home without using a taxi today. Her house isn’t far away, so I would appreciate it if you could do that.”

“W-Without a taxi!? Why again…”

“Because Ryoma-san said so. Thank you for your hard work as always. But, since you’re enjoying yourself now, please forget about the painful things in your life. I’ll do my best to lead you. Didn’t you say that?”

“Eh, ah…”

The bartender’s face changes as if saying, “You said that, didn’t you?” He was determined not to let Ryoma-san talk his way out of it. He was on Hazuki’s side, in short.

“If you take a shortcut by taxi, you’ll only make Kamishiro-san sad. Since she brought you here, please make sure she enjoys it until the end.”

His words seemed to accurately understand Hazuki’s feelings.

“U-Um, Hazuki-san is so drunk that she might fall asleep, so I thought using a taxi would be easier on her body…”

“If that’s the case, you can rest assured about that. The alcohol we offer to Kamishiro-san has a lower alcohol content than usual. For caution’s sake, I’ll take the privilege of explaining this. Kamishiro-san is the one who requested this, so there is nothing illegal about it, and we adjusted it to prevent her from getting too drunk.”

“I-I didn’t know you could do that…”

“It’s a privilege for regulars. If we change the alcohol content, it could lead to complaints.”

He, who provided the alcohol, made this claim in this manner. And Hazuki is a regular customer of this bar. She would probably know how much alcohol she should consume. There was no room for argument on this point.

“She should have a clear sense of self when she wakes up, so please make sure to entertain Kamishiro-san until the end. If it becomes difficult, please consider calling a taxi. That will be your payment for today.”

“I understand. Thank you very much.”

“I’m sorry for burdening you with this kind of role.”

“No, not at all. Going out with Hazuki-san is really enjoyable, so I might be happy.”

“Might be happy…you say? What do you mean by might?”

“The bartender said that Hazuki-san is also enjoying herself, but I don’t feel that much of a response from her…Moreover, since Hazuki-san is so kind, I wonder if she was taking care of me because I’m inexperienced.”

“Oh?”

“Ultimately, I’m happy as long as Hazuki-san enjoys herself the most.”

This feeling was not born out of being a stand-in lover, but out of understanding Hazuki’s position as a struggling individual.

Hazuki, who had shown weakness due to drinking alcohol, was honestly in a state of agony that Ryoma couldn’t bear to watch. Ryoma wanted to somehow help her shake off that pain.

“Ahaha, I see… It looks like Kamishiro-san has caught a wonderful man.”

“N-No, um, I’m not trying to get a better evaluation or anything like that!? Oh, maybe the alcohol is affecting me. I don’t usually say things like this…”

“It’s been great meeting you today, Ryoma-san. I’ve learned some things that I, as a man, should learn from you.”

It was a conversation between two men. However, only the bartender momentarily shifted his gaze in a certain direction.

“Hmm.”

Then, he secretly smiled, careful not to let Ryoma notice. It was directed at a certain woman who had become unable to get up after hearing Ryoma’s true feelings.

Being under the influence of alcohol, that woman was breathing deeply, hiding her joy and embarrassment, as the words had struck a chord with her more than anything else.

“Thank you very much. We look forward to your next visit from the bottom of our hearts.”

As they were escorted to the door, Ryoma and Hazuki left the bar Shine while listening to the bartender’s calm voice.

“Hazuki, do you feel sick or anything? Sorry for being inconsiderate. If you’re feeling sick, I’ll call a taxi right away.”

“……Thank you. I’m fine, so don’t worry about it.”

Unaware that he was being overheard while talking to the bartender, Ryoma used the excuse of ‘being inconsiderate’ precisely because he didn’t know. It was a statement that would degrade his own evaluation, but for Hazuki, who knew Ryoma’s true feelings of wanting her to enjoy herself now, it was a heartwarming phrase.

“I’m good with alcohol. I’m a heavy drinker.”

“You don’t have to show off like that… Your credibility is pretty low since you were sleeping until just now, you know?”

“Really?”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“…I-I’m serious.”

“Well then, why were you so tired, if I may ask?”

“I-It’s just because of work. I-It’s not because it felt good when Shiba-kun was stroking my head or anything like that!”

Hazuki turned away with a pout to avoid further questioning.

Although her reaction was enough to be considered the opposite of what she truly felt, Ryoma couldn’t sense it. 

“Ahaha…I know, right? Sure enough, Hazuki-san understands. At least now you know I’m not used to stroking people on the head.”

“Huh?”

If Ryoma weren’t so dense and had any experience dealing with a tsundere, Hazuki’s answer would have been completely different. ──Of course, the next thing Hazuki said was just as significant.

“Shiba-kun. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re thinking of something extremely rude right now.”

“What…?”

“The nuance of what you just said. It felt like you were saying anyone could just touch my head.”

“….”

“Silence means agreement, right? That’s really impolite.”

“B-But… is it not?”

“Honestly speaking, I’ve never had my head touched by anyone of the opposite sex other than my father. Even at this age.”

“H-Huh!? I-Is that so!? B-But I thought you had dating experience…”

Hazuki had always been popular since she was little. That was the impression that Ryoma had of her. It was not unreasonable for him to think that she has had those kinds of experiences.

“Just because I’ve dated many doesn’t mean I’ve gone that far with them.”

“O-Oh…”

“Why are you so surprised? Honestly…”

In that instance, Hazuki pouted. Although there was no discomfort in the way she was walking or communicating, the effects of alcohol still seem to be functioning. She talked a lot about her private life.

Despite a low alcohol concentration, you can still get drunk. For someone as weak as Hazuki who usually takes it easy and drink two cups, today, she drank five cups.

“Then I’ll teach the rude Shiba-kun one important thing.”

Saying that, Hazuki brought her beautiful face closer. Opening her moist lips while reflecting Ryoma in her beautiful azure eyes like marbles.

“You see, I certainly do play around with the opposite sex, but I’m not a cheap woman. I don’t engage in adult activities nor do I allow myself to be easily touched by someone.”

With that preface, Hazuki stopped without staggering, looking up at the sky.

“That’s why I have to tell you Shiba-kun…you don’t realize that you’re making a terrible mistake against me.”

“A-A terrible mistake? D-Did I really do something like that?”

“Shiba-kun, you must know. The rules for the agent designated by the company.”

“…..”

As soon as he heard that, Ryoma shut his mouth. As his gaze shifted from left to right, his blinking increased abnormally. Upon hearing those words, he realized the gravity of his mistake.

“You completely ignored the moral section, Shiba-kun. When engaging in physical intimacies such as patting someone’s head, you should always get the client’s approval.”

“Yes… That’s right.”

“Even more, holding hands or linking arms is the safety line in the company. Anything beyond that should always require permission from the client. The reason why only my father has been the one to pat my head is that no other agent has ever done anything like that.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry……”

“Is saying sorry and just forgetting about it enough?”

“.…”

He couldn’t say it. There was no way he could. That he was instructed by the bartender to do it.

In the first place, Ryoma was responsible for all of it. Till just now, the rules of the agency had completely slipped his mind. Therefore, the responsibility lay with him.

“Care to explain?”

“I cannot.”

“Hmm…”

There was no way he could. There was nothing more unsightly than making excuses.

“There’s no way you can’t explain, right? After all, didn’t you say you would try your best to lead me today, Shiba-kun?”

“Huh, ah…”

Ryoma tried to open his mouth, but Hazuki beat him to it.

“Even though you said that Shiba-kun, did you only intend to play with me today?”

Hazuki said with a sad expression.

“I have no intention of blaming you for this at all. In the first place, I also made excessive contact with your thighs and so on… That’s not the point though. I’m just worried that Shiba-kun might fall into a trap set by other clients and quit. I understand that Shiba-kun was trying to comfort me by patting my head.”

She didn’t have any intention of blaming him. Ryoma could confidently say that. Hazuki didn’t seem angry in the slightest. Far from it, her face was sunken beyond repair.

“There are actually people out there. Clients that would take advantage of a kind heart like yours Shiba-kun. Deliberately trying to break the rules, for the sake of preparing evidence to file a strong claim. They aim to take advantage of a system where if there is evidence, the client will receive a full refund of their fees, as well as the company’s retaining fees. Shiba-kun, you probably heard of this, right?”

“Yes… From the company.”

“Those are traps that even the nicest agents fall into. I’ll say it now, but I’m going to appoint you as my agent next time, Shiba-kun, so I absolutely will not tolerate anything that would get you expelled by breaking the rules for another client.”

“H-Hazuki-san…”

With these words, Ryoma finally understood.

Hazuki wasn’t investigating the rule-breaking out of condemnation, but rather out of concern. She had been repeating herself to him out of worry.

“Okay? Promise me this. If you promise, then we can let bygones be bygones today.”

“Really, thank you. I understand this now.”

“Hehe, I’ll be counting on you. I’ll only give you the request fee today, but if you keep this promise next time, I’ll give you a lot of spending money.”

“Are you sure? I don’t even know if I can entertain you…”

“If you let your guard down, I’ll certainly complain to the company, but please rely on me a little. This is all I can do for Shiba-kun as a working adult.”

“Hahaha… in that case, I’ll take you up on your offer. In return, I’ll do my best to make the date more enjoyable…”

“Yes, please do your best to lead the way next time.”

When Hazuki turned off her scolding switch, the atmosphere immediately brightened, and they exchanged knowing smiles as if they understood each other.

“By the way, Shiba-kun. Where are you headed now? I haven’t been told the destination.”

“Isn’t it your house, Hazuki-san? The request time is almost up, and I think you might be a little tipsy, so let me make sure to escort you there safely. It’s dangerous for a woman to be out alone at this hour.”

Knowing that Hazuki lived high rise apartment building, he was able to send her home without being guided. Precisely because he was told about her whereabouts at the bar, he was able to create a situation where he could escort her home.

Following the natural flow of events, he self-destructs.

Ryoma had been saying all along that he wasn’t the one who helped her on Saturday.

“Hehe, it looks like your secrets finally been blown out Shiba-kun. When you relax after being in a tense situation, your guard goes down, doesn’t it? I can understand how you feel.”

“……Huh? Ah……”

All along, Hazuki was one, no, two, three steps ahead of him. He had thought from the bottom of his heart that he had completely outmanoeuvred her.

Hazuki had accomplished several goals by drawing attention to the breach of conduct of the agency.

One, to give Ryoma a sense of crisis so that he wouldn’t be fired in the future.

Two, to make sure she could request his services again.

Three, this was the main reason, to make him confess what happened when he helped her.

“Well now, why does Shiba-kun know where my home is? There can only be two reasons for this. Is it because he’s the man who helped me when I was drunk on Saturday, or is he a stalker? Or is it something else?”

“Oh, ah…T-That’s, what should I say…”

“Well, if you answer stalker, I’ll take you to the police station right away… so why don’t you just confess now?”

With a smirk, Hazuki delivered her strongest threat, her face breaking into a smile, showing her white teeth. She had been looking for this opportunity until now, and now that she had said this much, Ryoma knew he had lost.

“Phew… Okay, I give up. I was the one who called a taxi for you on Saturday, Hazuki-san…”

“Heheh, yes! I finally got you to confess. You’re so stubborn, Shiba-kun.”

“A-Ahaha… I can’t believe this is how it turned out…”

“You’re still inexperienced, Shiba-kun. I’ll train you properly from now on, so be prepared. And next time I request for you again, I’ll be sure to thank you for this.”

Hazuki had a bright smile on her face. 

She felt the satisfaction of having Ryoma confess to her, and she also realized how much she cared for him, standing on the side of the road like this.

“Shiba-kun, shall we hold hands on the way back for the last time? Also, if we go straight home, we’ll have some free time, so let’s take a detour.”

“Huh, Hazuki-san, have you really never done anything other than shake hands with an agent before──”

“──Is there something you have to complain about?”

She presented her hand while gazing at him with her azure eyes.

“A-Ah, no it’s not like that…sorry. Then, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Don’t be so humble. The request is still ongoing, so please lead me until the end. Hehe.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best.”

And so they walked like lovers at a distance along the moonlit night road.

Their shadows merge into one.

　＊＊＊＊

“Boy, we sure drank tons, Kaya-yan! My belly’s so bloated now. Class reunion sure is fun, huh?”

“Me too. I would be dead for sure if I didn’t drink any supplement.”

The time was 2:40 am.

Ryoma’s sister, Kaya, was on her way home with her friends from her class reunion.

“I think it’s fine since Sunday is in between, but if there’s still alcohol in our system, manager Hazuki will become extremely angry and it will be a real problem you know?”

“But it’s our fault for doing this, right? As working adults, it’s natural.”

“I’m really good at imitating manager Hazuki, you know? Hey, listen to this… Oh my, could it be that the alcohol hasn’t left your system yet? What’d do you think!?”

“It sounded kind of similar. But if Hazuki heard us talking like this, we’d get a good scolding…”

“Eek! Don’t say anything bad or something bad will happen!”

The two of them walked happily towards the T-junction 10 meters away while reciting a proverb. It was the corner where unexpected events could happen on their way home.

“Hey, Shiba-kun. Can you stroke my head one more time?”

“W-What are you talking about!?”

“Hehe, you’re so cold.”

Two people walked straight ahead without noticing them. They were holding hands and seemed to be close…

“Huh…? Ryoma…?”

“Manager Hazuki…?”

The two of them were illuminated by the streetlight, and their faces were revealed. The impossible scene and conversation were displayed for several seconds. They accidentally witnessed this scene.

“No way…right…?”

“Kaya, you saw that just now, right? Hazuki was with a guy! And he was a handsome one at that!”

“W-Well, wait a minute. That guy is actually my younger brother…”

“Haa!?”

“I can’t quite understand it for now… What does it mean? Manager Hazuki is ……eh? Ryoma and manager Hazuki are…”

The two of them looked at each other strangely.

“ “Are they dating?” “

 ──Their voices overlapped clearly.

　＊＊＊＊

“Hello-Chiaki-san? Are you free at the moment?”

“No, why are you calling me at this hour…Hazuki-chan? It’s already past 11 am. Didn’t we agree that contact regarding agent impressions after 9 pm would be postponed until tomorrow?”

Late at night.

The president and chief executive officer of the lover’s agency company, Chiaki, was mouthing her complaints to her smartphone. Her caller was Hazuki, who had just finished a request with Ryoma.

“I’m sorry, there was just something I really needed to tell you.”

“Well, I go to bed at around 1am, and I guess you knew so you decided to call me…”

“Hehe.”

As Chiaki had said, Hazuki knew when she would sleep and decided to call. It did not mean that she was doing whatever she wanted.

“But, hey Hazuki-chan. I wish you would stop complaining before I go to bed. Can you at least leave out the expletive words in you complaints this time?”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“Recently, I bought an udon bedcover called udon-chan for sleeping that has been letting me sleep well. If I were to hear a harsh complaint, it would ruin the mood.”

“That’s not something someone at the top should say to a single customer. It would cause a huge uproar online, wouldn’t it?”

“Excuse me for being rude back there. Since I was the one who chose your partner. …Now, getting to the point, what’s the complaint? What kind of disrespect did the newcomer show to Hazuki-chan?”

Chiaki, who knew this was nothing more than a rattling complaint, spoke up.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but why do you always assume I have a complaint, Chiaki-san?”

“Well, it seemed urgent, so I thought it might be related to that. This is a call to report how the agent did, right?”

“Yes, of course. But as I said earlier, there was something I really had to tell you.”

“Mmm, I see. Something you really had to say, huh…”

Hearing Hazuki’s persistent attitude, it’s natural to suspect that there might be more to it. Especially since Hazuki is known as the veteran killer queen within the substitute agency.

That nickname wasn’t an overstatement but rather based on fact.

“I guess Hazuki-chan was too much for the newcomer to deal with… It’s partly my responsibility for introducing a new person in order to avoid the mid-level staff being rejected by Hazuki-chan. I’m sorry, I’ll return all the intermediary fees and the money used during the agency work.”

“I’ll nominate him next time too.”

“Yeah, I thought he might be a promising newcomer because he got a rating of five for his services, but maybe that was too sweet… W-Wait, what…?!?”

Chiaki’s thoughts came to a halt at Hazuki’s unbelievable statement. Her voice of astonishment becomes like a megaphone, echoing loudly.

“What? Not like that, I mean I’ll nominate him again.”

“Aha-ha-ha! You don’t have to lie just because you’re in a late-night mood, Hazuki-chan! It’s easy to tell since you haven’t become anyone’s repeat customer so far.”

“I’m really serious. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have called you and risked being rude.”

“…Really serious? Is it the real deal?”

“It’s not really that strange, is it? As a woman myself, I can certainly take a liking to an agent.”

“T-That’s, yeah, but what happened with this request? I mean, seriously. This is the first time you’ve become a repeat customer, right?! And with a new guy, no less…”

Smack! Chiaki slapped her cheeks, bringing her back to reality. From Chiaki’s point of view, it felt like she was hearing an auditory hallucination. The reason why Hazuki was dubbed the “Queen of Veteran Killers” was that she had dropped one veteran after another without finding an agent who would make her a repeat customer.

There’s no way someone who keeps knocking veterans like her would become a repeat customer…

We’ve lost another valuable agent…

This is really bad! We need to find a new agent quickly!

And yet, to think that there would be an agent who could put a stop to the most famous person who caused a commotion in the company had appeared. In addition to that, he was a new recruit who had only worked for a month.

“…We had better limit the number of repeat customers he has. Before Shiba-kun gets busy and his health deteriorates. That person, he’s the type to overwork himself for money, and he’s still a student.”

“W-Wow, what really happened…?”

“I wouldn’t put my trust in something like those veterans. Even among new recruits, it’s a matter of hit-and-miss. That’s a given, but it was a good lesson for me.”

“S-So what happened!?”

What Chiaki knew for sure was that the new guy, Ryoma, secured Hazuki. He provided a level of excitement and satisfaction that surpassed that of previous agents.

“For that reason, I want to tell you as soon as possible, Chiaki-san. That guy, Shiba-kun, I’d like to give him similar restrictions to that of a popular agent… Although it’s not my place as an outsider to interfere with management decisions…”

“Huh? Limitations? It’s not that I don’t trust your eyes Hazuki, but that’s a pretty bad thing, you know? It means that we won’t be able to fulfil the client’s request to become a repeat client of the newcomer.”

“That’s why we need to limit the number of repeat customers. So far, I think there have only been two women, including myself, who have used his services. If we limit it to a few more people, that should be enough. And if one of those repeat customers drops out, we can match him with another client.”

There is, of course, a reason why Hazuki, who has nothing to do with the management of the agency, is able to express her opinions to the company president like this.

That was, during the company’s establishment, Hazuki gave an interest-free loan, for which she couldn’t thank enough. Without that advance payment, the company wouldn’t have made it this far.

“It’s easy for you to say ‘if a repeat customer drops out’, but the chances of becoming a repeat customer are really low, you know? It’s strange that the newcomer has been successful so far.”

“He’s an exception. He had a strong will to satisfy the client and was desperate to do so. That’s why it led to the current result, I suppose.”

“I see… Well, at least I understand the real reason behind Hazuki-chan’s actions for now.”

“What do you mean by ‘real reason’?”

Hazuki, who had been guessed at, replied after a pause, trying not to sound anxious.

As expected of someone in a superior position, even without meeting face-to-face, it was easy to see through her tactics.

“If we secure the position of the newcomer now, Hazuki-chan can go out without any inconvenience, right? If we just leave it alone and he becomes popular… Well, I’m sure you’re trying to nail it down like this because you’re confident that he will become popular through the agency, right?”

“Most popular escorts usually have another appointment with a different client on the day someone tries to book them. That’s the biggest blow to Hazuki-chan, whose schedule is random due to work. I understand your feelings, but is it worth hiding it using tactics like this? We still don’t know if the newcomer will become popular or not.”

“If he doesn’t become popular, it means the client had no eye for talent. That’s why the women who are already repeat customers have a good eye.”

“I can’t believe Hazuki-chan is saying it to that extent…”

Chiaki trusted Hazuki completely. 

This is not only because what she says is accurate but also because this is the first time she gave praise like this.

“If he begins to stop thinking about the client and only thinks about money, then my opinion will change. But it doesn’t seem like that’ll change anytime soon.”

“Hmm, so that’s where the newcomer’s strength lies, huh? He doesn’t see the client as a wallet, but rather he is there for them.”

“Yeah, it’s strange, but he doesn’t have any ulterior motives. He’s a really rare agent.”

“Well…hmm, but isn’t it kind of sad for the newcomer to have these arbitrary restrictions? I mean, he probably wants the job for the money, and if he’s restricted, he won’t be able to earn as much.”

Nevertheless, it was still Chiaki’s job to consider the agent. If she tried to stop Hazuki for the sake of acquiring stability, it’ll make her words come out like this.

“So I’ll pay for it.”

“Pay for it? “

“I’ll give him an allowance under the guise of a gift, separate from the fee, and I’ll pay the company extra as compensation for not being able to use Shiba-kun’s name. Is there any problem with this?”

“Huh? It’s true that if it’s Hazuki-chan, you would have the money to do that, but… isn’t that just like buying his favour? Did you fall for him?”

As she listened to Chiaki’s excited voice, Hazuki shook her head and denied it.

“I wouldn’t fall for someone after just one job, would I? I’m not that easy.”

“Then why?”

“Well… let me think…”

With her eyes closed in response to the question, Hazuki pondered──and came up with an answer like solving a mystery.

“To put it simply, it’s like finding a lost puppy, I guess.”

“L-Like finding a lost puppy? No, no, no, no, I have no idea what you mean at all…”

“Hehe, I’m purposely keeping it vague.”

Dogs are Hazuki’s favourite animals. They gently comfort their owners when they’re feeling down and try their best to console them. Ryoma Shiba was someone who certainly embodied these qualities.

As Hazuki was very busy, she couldn’t keep a pet dog because she couldn’t take care of it properly. Supposing she did have a dog, she would have used a different expression.

“You’re being mean. Hiding it like that.”

“I can’t reveal everything yet. I’m sorry.”

Hazuki has no intention of revealing everything that happened today. 

If she were to divulge it, there was a risk of letting her know that Ryoma had patted her on the head, a clear violation of the rules.

As the president and chief executive officer, Chiaki was especially strict about this. If she were to find out that the client was violated and overlooked it, it could lead to an issue of who was liable. This was the norm when it came to managing a company.

Because Hazuki was cautious, she gave Ryoma a tight warning on how to conduct himself.

“Understood. If that’s the case, then I’ll change the subject. However, could you tell me the evaluation score for the newcomer? Since we were already talking about it.”

“As a matter of fact, I’ve already settled on the score, and I’m going to give him a 4.9. Because I was so frustrated, I had to give him a minus point.”

“W-Wait, what’s with the frustrating part!? The previous client also said the same thing! Actually, that means the score is five, right…?”

“That’s right. Please set the company evaluation to five.”

That was the evaluation that Hazuki gave, meaning that Ryoma had filled in as an agent five times and received an evaluation score of five, which was equivalent to a perfect score.

“Oh, but I see now! That’s how much you liked it, huh? Nevertheless, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

“Why?”

“Remember how I said something similar about how company management was in jeopardy because you kept crushing veteran workers one after another? If this newcomer could make you his repeat customer, then we can train other agents as well.”

“Don’t talk to me like I’m such a nuisance…”

The veteran killer queen, Hazuki, who had a track record of charming and retiring proxy holders one after another, had an impact on the company’s management. From the company’s perspective, Ryoma, who stopped Hazuki from doing as she pleased, was like a saviour.

“It kind of reminds me about the past when I have experiences like this…really.”

“Huh? About the past?”

“That’s right, about the past.”

“If Chiaki-san has some time, may I ask you about it? It seems like a really interesting story.”

Hazuki, who was on the phone, naturally responded to the suggestive murmur. She was probably expected to properly take the hint and ask.

“I’m glad you asked! Actually, it was about a year after I started this dating agent company. It was during a time when the management wasn’t going smoothly at all, and I hired this one agent. She was later known as the goddess of domination, I think?”

“So, she unexpectedly had a strange nickname too… I wonder if it was because of Chiaki-san’s personality that the agent left such a strong impression.”

“Well, of course! I could never forget about this girl.”

Chiaki spoke with a nostalgic tone, expressing her gratitude in every word.

“She decided to quit after nine months because she found a job at a big company. However, she was a monster who achieved an 81% nomination rate at just 18 years old. I negotiated with her over and over again, begging her not to go, even bringing gifts.”

“Chiaki-san…did you really go that far? Besides, isn’t 81 per cent a miscalculation? It’s actually an impossible figure.”

Rarely did Chiaki, the company present, would meet with an agent and negotiate over the continuation of a contract.

It proved how much she had contributed to her lover’s agency service company, Farfalle. As a result, she didn’t want to let her go.

“That’s why I called her the goddess of domination. Coming up with tactics to win over a man’s heart and getting cheat-like numbers. I paid her to teach me so that the other agents could use me as a reference, but that was already in the world of psychology.”

“…At just 18 years old, she was truly a monster.”

“She’s approximately the same as you, Hazuki-chan. During the last month before she retired, she was filled with six requests per week, and I think she received a lot of money from her clients as a commemoration. Well, as a matter of fact, she could have been booked seven days a week, but I had to adjust her schedule because her health was suffering.”

“That’s no rest at all…”

Of course, the only one who could achieve such a great accomplishment was the “Goddess of domination.”

“However, at the time of her retirement, there were even clients who thanked her for introducing them to such a wonderful person and offered to pay the company’s commission fee multiple times over. It’s crazy, right?”

“…If she was at that level, it’s no wonder you would personally negotiate. There’s nothing more reassuring for the company.”

“That’s right, that’s right. I still think to this day that I should have invested all my savings at that time to stop her. But I was still young, and in the end, it would have been a huge plus. “

A sincere tone with no flattery.

There may never be another person who Chiaki feels was as precious as her.

“Hey, the more I hear about it, the more I feel like I’m not a match for that ambitious woman… “

“Why, what’s the person who caused the biggest loss of agents in the company saying? Only a client such as Hazuki-chan would be able to do something like this. O-Or rather, why don’t you try and have a go at being an agent, Hazuki-chan!? Having you on our side will be really assuring. If you did that, I’m pretty sure our company could take over the world.”

“Hehe, I’ll pass on that one. It’s not that sweet of a world, you know.”

“There’s no way we can’t use Hazuki-chan’s potential. After all, she’s been sinking veteran agents up until now.”

“It’s hard to respond to that…”

When Hazuki expressed her honest opinion, Chiaki spoke with a tone that seemed to come from the bottom of her heart.

“But, destiny is a strange thing, isn’t it? I’m deeply moved to have my company saved twice by that last name now.”

“Huh? Is that woman of domination’s last name also Shiba?”

“Whoops!! I’ll pass on that! That was d Confidentiality agreement!”

Chiaki made some pretty dangerous remarks, but she managed to stop just before she crossed the safety line. Even during her private time, she made sure to take safety precautions.

But still…what Chiaki had shared remained in Hazuki’s head.

“Phew…”

Dozen minutes later, Hazuki hung up the phone and gazed at the night view from her tower apartment, furrowing her well-regulated eyebrows.

“Goddess of Domination…”

──This person.

“A woman who retired to work for a big company… 18 years old with the rare last name Shiba. She also mentioned having a younger brother…”

Hazuki only had one person in mind.

“Kaya-san…there’s no way this could be a coincidence, right…”

She murmured to herself, her words dissipating in the room.

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Chapter 2 Part 2

ToC

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TL Notes: Finally done with this chapter. Anyway, after this chapter, you probably won’t see much of Hazuki anymore. For next chapter it’ll be wholly focused on Himeno, so ye

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