Episode Forty-Nine

Another step closer to Ibara.
Specifically, she’d started hugging me when we passed each other in the house. Like this, tight.
Honestly, she’s utterly adorable, like a clingy little sister.
The thought that this girl might be looking at me with lustful eyes… well, it gives me a rather peculiar feeling, but I usually try not to dwell on it.

　And so, in the blink of an eye, a week passed, bringing us to the last Friday of January.
Morning.
Seeing me emerge from behind the partition curtain, freshly changed, Ibara’s eyes widened.

“Oh, Shigure-san’s wearing a suit. That’s unusual.”

“Just a meeting with someone outside the office.”

I usually wear relaxed office casuals, but today, for once, I’d slipped into a suit. A sharp-lined trouser suit.

“Wow, you look like a proper grown-up.”

“Hmph, because I am a grown-up. Suits me rather well, doesn’t it? What do you think?”

I gave Ibara, still eating breakfast, my best look.
Ibara hummed, gave a single thoughtful nod, and said.

“Seductive. Makes me want to touch your bum.”

“Are you a sexually harassing boss⁉︎”

“Can I touch it?”

“No, you can’t. Why did you think I’d let you?”

I did say you could look at me funny, but that doesn’t mean I condone harassment.

“You’re stingy, Shigure-san.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Nibbling on her toast, I finished getting ready, glancing sideways at Ibara who was skilfully pouting her lips.
　Our company has a flexitime system, but I usually leave home at the same time as Ibara, or slightly earlier.
Today especially, being late is not an option. I wanted to leave with plenty of time to spare, just in case.

“What sort of work?”

“Ah, shampoo bottle design.”

I couldn’t mention it was a project involving Haibara Hiname, so I kept it vague.

“Hmm. Shampoo.”

Ibara took a sip of milk. She drinks it quite frequently. Perhaps she hasn’t finished growing yet.

“…Hmm, no, surely not…”

“Ibara, did you say something?”

“N-no, nothing. Good luck with work.”

“Right then. Off I go.”

I grabbed my handbag and left the house.
　After arriving at the office, I checked my emails. When the time seemed right, I headed towards Shindo-san’s desk.

“Shindo-san, it’s nearly time.”

“Ah, is it that time already? Right, let’s go then.”

Shindo-san and I left the office together. These days, remote meetings are the norm, but this time, due to the other party’s preference, it was face-to-face.
After boarding the subway, I asked Shindo-san casually as we chatted.

“I don’t have much experience with collaborative projects, but is this sort of thing common?”

“This sort of thing?”

“The collaborating party meeting directly with the design company… I suppose?”

“Hmm, well, it depends on the case, but it’s not that unusual.”

Shindo stroked his chin.

“Ultimately, our client is the manufacturer, so their wishes take precedence. That said, we can’t proceed without the agency’s approval.”

“Well, that makes sense.”

“Still, agency checks usually only come after the rough sketches stage.”

“Honestly… getting feedback at this stage makes things tricky…”

　If Haibara-san herself or her agency were to offer design feedback, it would be difficult to ignore entirely.
While the manufacturer makes the final decision, we’ll probably need to incorporate it somehow. Worst case, it could mean starting from scratch.

“Well, I reckon that part should be fine. The manufacturer’s representative will be present too, and I’ve heard it’s not that kind of meeting.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh, hadn’t I mentioned? My apologies. This time, it’s more of a meeting at Haibara-san’s request. She wants to meet in person and say hello.”

“To whom?”

Shindo-san looked at me silently.

“…Eh, me⁉︎”

“I did mention that the client specifically requested you for this project, didn’t I?”

“Ah, yes. I heard that.”

It had been told to me discreetly the day after the assignment.
The manufacturer had specifically requested designer Shigure Amami.

“It was because the newly unveiled Rêve packaging went viral, wasn’t it?”

The new packaging for the chocolate confectionery “Rêve”, which I had designed, was unveiled online just after last Christmas.
　The social media reaction was largely positive, and the information spread quite widely. The client even went out of their way to send a thank-you message.
I heard that recommendation was the trigger for this assignment.

“Yeah, that’s right. But apparently, it was Haibara Hiname who recommended Amami-san.”

“Eh? Is that true?”

“Well, I don’t know. Either way, the manufacturer made the final decision. But apparently, Haibara Hiname told the manufacturer’s representative, ‘I think this kind of packaging would be lovely.’”

“…If that’s the case, I really ought to thank her…”

“Well, ‘Rêve’ is the result of your hard work, Amami-san, so there’s no need to feel awkward about it.”

“Even so, the base design was Yamauchi-san’s idea…”

　I felt reluctant to celebrate wholeheartedly.
In any case, it essentially meant I got the job thanks to Haibara-san’s whim (?).
It was certainly a blessing that she’d chosen me, someone neither a veteran nor a famous designer.
But a member of the idol group Ibara belonged to had nominated me.
Was this just coincidence?

†

The talent agency I visited for the first time was, at least outwardly, a standard office building.
　F.T. Productions. The letters apparently stand for ‘Fairy Tale’. It had a fair bit of history, placing it somewhere mid-tier in the industry, I’d guess.
I announced my visit at reception, received an access card, and headed for the floor with the meeting rooms.
A woman in a suit was waiting where the lift doors opened.
She glanced at the ID badge around my neck and gave a slight nod.

“Shindo from Forma Design. This is our designer—”

“Amami.”

After our introductions, the woman bowed politely.

“I’m Motomura from F.T. Productions. I manage ‘Charles’.”

This person was Ibara’s former manager with ‘Charles’.
Motomura Tsumugi.

“The manufacturer representative is already here. Please, this way.”

My first impression of Motomura-san was, ‘This person looks incredibly capable at her job.’
Her back was perfectly straight. A natural-coloured short bob. A sharply tailored trouser suit. Small, rimless glasses.
Honestly, standing next to her made me fear my suit might look like a graduate recruitment outfit. The sense of being perfectly at ease in it was worlds apart.
　Haaah, so cool, I thought, gazing admiringly as we entered the meeting room. Two manufacturer representatives, whom I’d already met via web conference, stood up.
And so, we plunged straight into the business card exchange. Contact details had already been swapped via email, but this was a kind of icebreaker.
Once the formalities were over, Motomura-san said.

“Apologies, Haibara was held up at her previous shoot. She should be here any moment.”

This meeting was apparently her request to begin with, so things couldn’t progress without her.
While sipping the bottled tea provided and making small talk about work, the sound of footsteps pattering down the corridor drew nearer.
Bang! The meeting room door swung open with force.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”

Was it just my imagination?

“I’m Haibara Hiname from ‘Charles’! Pleased to meet you all today!”

Still panting, she gave a quick bow. When Haibara-san lifted her face, just for an instant—
I felt our eyes meet.