Episode 57 So… can I look forward to Saturday night too?

“Good morning, President.”

The morning office. Hearing that greeting from the entrance, I gently lifted my gaze from the monitor. Yui-san appeared briskly, greeting employees with “Good morning” as she walked, holding a drink cup from the milk tea specialist shop near the station in her hand.

My desk is on the route to the president’s office.
Every morning, I watch Yui-san’s face as she passes by me and say, “Good morning.”

“Right, good morning.”

After watching Yui-san, who smiles warmly back at me, disappear into the president’s office, my day begins.

　It’s already been nearly three weeks since I joined the company. The intensive week-long induction training ended smoothly, and last week, Mitsuya-san, assigned to the same department as me, began taking on more and more work thanks to her innate skills, quickly becoming a valuable asset.

Meanwhile, being in my second year as a graduate recruit, I entered a six-month OJT training period last week. Currently, I’m starting work under the constant guidance of Manager Yamazato of the Budget Management Section within the Management Control Department, where I belong.

She’s in her late thirties, a working mother right in the thick of raising her child. She’s gentle and kind, working reduced hours from nine to four. It seems she only returned from a year’s childcare leave six months ago; photos of her husband and adorable baby adorned her desk.

　Besides myself and Mitsuya-san, there is one other member of the Budget Management Section. She is Seno-san, seated diagonally in front of me, with bright brown hair loosely tied back.

　She has full, plump lips and round eyes that are quite striking. She’s the same age as Mitsuya-san and Yui-san, twenty-six this year.
Despite her somewhat childlike features, her figure is curvaceous in all the right places, giving her an alluring air. The impression she gives is… slightly calculating, or perhaps a bit too cunning.

She seems incredibly popular with the male employees… but she didn’t get on well with Mitsuya-san.

　When we joined the company, the two employees who were transferred out of this department as a result apparently gained promotions and moved to other sections.

Regarding Seno-san being the only one left behind without promotion, Mitsuya-san dismissed it bluntly: “Well, that’s only to be expected. She has no motivation and her work is slow.”

After three weeks, I realised this company is incredibly easy to work for. Taking a light break once an hour is encouraged, and stepping away briefly is never frowned upon. It’s simply very free. Mitsuya-san, a smoker, was particularly pleased about this.

　Non-smokers benefit too, of course. The break room is always available, and there’s a cup-style vending machine where drinks cost just ten yen each. Since the system automatically deducts payments from your salary when you scan your ID card, there’s no need to carry cash.

Manager Yamazato explained that these changes were introduced after the president changed, to boost work efficiency.
Apparently, the previous president was a rather intimidating figure, seemingly stuck in the Shōwa era. Performance kept deteriorating, and the office atmosphere was always tense.

Initially, there was apparently mixed opinion about the appointment of the very young Yui-san as president, but now everyone unanimously says, “It’s good the president changed.”

The space here is packed with the results of Yui-san’s efforts during her presence. I thought to myself, I want to learn the job as quickly as possible so I can be of help to Yui-san.

　”You must be getting tired. Why not take a little break?” Manager Yamazato suggested. So, I took my empty teacup and a rather large pouch and headed for the kitchenette.

Perhaps because all the staff used the vending machine in the break room, the kitchenette was always empty. Well, it was only ten yen, and you could get coffee with the push of a button – naturally, that was easier and more convenient.

　I took out a small, single-serving tea set from the pouch. The kitchenette had a water dispenser, after all. If hot water was available, tea was my only choice over coffee.

I pressed the red button on the dispenser and poured hot water into the teapot to warm it. Just as I opened the tin of tea leaves I’d brought, a sound made me turn around.

“Oh, Kanata?”

　I bumped straight into Yui-san, who was holding a mug in one hand, and my heart leapt. When our eyes met, Yui-san smiled softly, looking pleased.

“Tea time already?”

Yui-san lined up beside me, set down her mug, tore open the tea bag wrapper, and peered at me.

“Yui-san, of all people… are you having tea? I thought you preferred coffee.”

If you go to the break room, you can easily get coffee. I remember that back in university, Yui-san preferred coffee over tea. She liked the coffee beans from my part-time job.

Come to think of it — there was something off this morning too. Because what Yui-san was holding wasn’t coffee, but milk tea.

After plopping the tea bag into the mug, Yui-san pressed the red button on the water dispenser and poured hot water.

“Ah, yes. That was the case… but Kanata, you left loads of tea at my place, didn’t you? I didn’t want it to go to waste, so I started drinking it, and before I knew it, I’d grown to like it.”

Hearing her say that, I vaguely recalled events from four years ago. In Yui’s kitchen, I always kept tea stocked for enjoying afternoon tea.

　The thought that she’d drunk the tea I’d left behind made me happy, yet at the same time, my heart twinged as I pictured her, alone in that house, brewing the tea I’d left behind.

“…Earl Grey?”

The scent of bergamot wafted from the mug. When I pointed it out, Yui laughed, “Impressive, recognising it by smell. That’s amazing.”

“Yui, the lid…?”

I too discarded the water I’d warmed in the pot once, then asked as I added the tea leaves.

“The lid?”

“The mug’s lid. It tastes better if you let it steep.”

To be more precise, it tastes better brewed in a teapot. After pouring the water, I gently closed the pot’s lid and pressed the timer.

　Yui-san blinked in surprise, murmuring, “Oh, really?” Honestly. You could look up how to brew tea properly in no time.
But I felt a little pleased. That something I liked, you’d come to like too, because of my influence. If that was the case, I wanted you to enjoy it even more, if possible.

Even tea sold in ordinary shops is delicious, but there are shops that stock even finer leaves.

“If you’ve come to like tea too, Yui… I know a lovely tea shop. Shall we go together sometime…?”

I asked casually, and Yui’s face lit up with a smile. She’s so poised and impressive at work, but when it’s just the two of us, she smiles like she did back in our student days. It makes my heart tighten.

“Is that alright? Wait, let me check my schedule.”

Yui-san promptly pulled her smartphone from her pocket. It suddenly occurred to me.

“Yui-san, do you manage your own schedule?”

Given how large the company is, it wouldn’t be unusual for her to have one or two secretaries.

“Yes. I’m starting to think I’m reaching my limit doing it myself though… Ah, this Saturday’s free. What about you, Kanata?”

Not after work on a weekday, but on a day off. That meant we could spend a long time together. I fought hard to keep the joy from showing on my face and replied, “I’m free.” Yui-san smiled happily again.

“…It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date with Kanata, hasn’t it?”

“A, a date?”

Yui-san is the sort of person who casually says things like that without meaning it, so I couldn’t tell if she was serious or joking.
Just as I was about to frantically deny any such intention, the timer beeped, pi-pi-pi, so I grabbed the kettle to cover my tracks.

“Ah… Yui-san, you should take the tea bag out soon or it’ll become bitter.”

“Oh, right. I forgot.”

I poured the tea into the cup. Yui-san also pinched the string of her tea bag and removed it from her mug. Just seeing the colour, I knew it would turn bitter.
I thought I should teach her how to brew tea properly next time I go to buy tea leaves.

“Kanata. At Friday’s welcome party, try not to drink too much so it doesn’t interfere with your date, alright?”

On Friday, a welcome party for us former WEB Production Division employees was scheduled at our company’s hotel. It seemed to be a buffet-style party, and apparently alcohol would be served. We’d been told we could wrap up work at 4 PM, so I was looking forward to it a little too.

“It’ll be fine. I can handle a bit of alcohol now…”

“Really?”

I was a bit more resilient than back then. Still weaker than most, though. Whether she knew I was putting on a brave face or not, Yui-san smiled and brought her lips close to my ear.

I caught the scent of a refreshing citrus perfume.

“So… can I look forward to Saturday night too?”

She whispered to me, I hastily scrambled back. Looking forward to what exactly? As for alcohol, I have a history.
Even that night I first lay with Yui-san — I haven’t forgotten that I was drunk and made the first move.

Seeing my face flush bright red, Yui-san chuckled heartily. Only then did I realise she was teasing me, and I shoved her shoulder hard.

“Honestly… Yui, you haven’t changed one bit!”

“Just kidding. I’m only inviting you to have a drink together. Nothing deeper than that.”

I felt a pang of irritation, but somehow I thought she might be telling the truth. Since we’d met again, I’d noticed Yui no longer kept her nails short and neat like she did in university. So I understood… she wasn’t involved with women now.

That was nice, but there was another difference from the old Yui that bothered me intensely.

“Um, Yui, come to think of it—”

“Hmm?”

She took a sip of her tea from the mug and looked at me.

“…You’ve changed your perfume. Why?”

　It’s different from university. It’s not that perfume, and I just can’t stop wondering about it.

“Perfume? Ah, yes. I am using a different one now.”

“Why?”

When I stared up into those dark eyes, Yui-san looked troubled. As if to say, “Why do you ask?” It was written all over her face.

“Kanata, do you dislike this scent?”

“I don’t dislike it… but it’s like you’re a different person.”

“Did you prefer the old one?”

I nodded honestly. I’d never admit it, but during the time apart, I’d endured nights of unbearable loneliness without seeing Yui-san, relying on that perfume to get me through. And now, the you I’ve reunited with is wearing a completely different scent. It’s not fair.

“…I told you I didn’t want you to change it.”

I think it was around the time I was agonising over what to get Yui-san for her birthday. When Yui mentioned changing her perfume, I tried to stop her. I definitely said I didn’t want her to change it back then.
I realise it’s incredibly selfish and unreasonable of me to expect her to stay the same while we’re apart, especially after I was the one who distanced myself.

Yui just smiled at me like that and gently stroked my cheek.

“Sorry, sorry. …If you say so, Kanata, maybe I’ll go back to it.”

I almost mistook it. Those eyes gazing at me so lovingly — I almost thought they hadn’t changed since back then. I almost thought she’d felt the same way about me all along.

Reluctantly, her hand slipped away, and then she grasped the mug.

“…Right, I really ought to be off now. Looking forward to Saturday.”

With that, she smiled brightly and left.

　I let out a sigh, then took a sip of the slightly cooled tea.

Today is only Monday. This week is going to feel like a very long week indeed.

And before Saturday arrives, I really must go and buy some new clothes somewhere. With that thought in mind, I too left the staff kitchen.