Actually, There’s Someone at Your Workplace Who Likes You ~ I’m Being Transferred to a Sales Office Filled With Only Beautiful Women!? - Chapter 25: Don’t Accept That Executive’s Invitation

I told Jinguji-shochou, “As your team, we have a responsibility to protect you—to make sure you’re not put in that kind of situation.” I truly meant it.

I didn’t want her to go to dinner with someone she didn’t want to, just for the sake of the branch’s performance.

She narrowed her elegant, double-lidded eyes slightly, her gaze glistening as she looked at me.

“H-Hirabayashi-kun… You… Ah, sorry. Calling you a ‘kid’ would be rude. But really, you say the most wonderful things.”

She quickly composed herself and gave me a teasing smile. Damn, maybe I’d sounded a little too self-important.

“Ah, no… It’s nothing special… I just said what I was thinking. Sorry if I sounded arrogant.”

“No, not at all. You’re absolutely right, Hirabayashi-kun. Accepting a dinner just to secure a deal is wrong. I nearly made the wrong decision—I wasn’t thinking clearly. Instead, I’ll work harder on other accounts to make up for it!”

As the car started moving again, she looked forward, speaking with newfound energy.

From the side, she was every bit the sophisticated woman, but the way she spoke, with that bright smile, had a youthful charm. I couldn’t help but find it cute.

Even a mature woman like her could have such an adorable expression and way of speaking…

Wait, no—thinking like that would be inappropriate.

“No worries. Honoka and I will make up the difference.”

We’d figure out another way to make that executive agree to a deal and get a job offer with Kagaya Manufacturing later…

When closing one deal proved difficult, securing another was the standard approach in sales. That’s why I said what I did.

“Oh? To meet our Q3 sales target, we need three confirmed hires within the next two months. Are you sure you can handle that?”

She shot me a sidelong glance with a mischievous smirk—almost devilish. I never expected someone as composed as her to make a face like that.

“A-Absolutely! I-I’ll do my best!”

I stuttered, but seeing my determination, she gave me a fresh, bright smile.

“Thank you, Hirabayashi-kun. But I can’t just rely on my team—I’ll do my best, too.”

“No, we’ll do our best together!”

“Hirabayashi-kun, you’re surprisingly stubborn… Hehe.”

“Ah, um…”

“Alright then, I’ll trust you and let you handle it.”

“Yes! Understood!”

When I saw Jinguji-shochou’s sharp expression, it was clear—she had no intention of leaving everything to me and Honoka.

She might have said she’d rely on us, but deep down, she was definitely planning to handle things herself.

Still, knowing she trusted me enough to say that was a huge deal for me.

“Alright, Hirabayashi-kun. Can you fill me in on what you and Hono-chan discussed this morning?”

“Ah, yes.”

I explained the contract acquisition strategy Honoka and I had gone over earlier.

“I see. This is pretty solid. Overall, it looks good. But how about we tweak it like this?…”

She reviewed our plan and gave us detailed feedback, refining it further.

The way she took responsibility instead of just dumping it on us—it really showed her dedication as a leader.

This was one of the many reasons I respected and trusted Jinguji-shochou.

While discussing our plans, we arrived back at the office.

The director had another place to visit, so she drove off again.

But I was eager to get started on my own work, so I had her drop me off at the branch.

Inside, Honoka was working alone at her computer.

“I’m back. Huh? Where’s Ruka?”

“Oh, welcome back. She went out to do some shopping.”

“Got a minute?”

“What’s up?”

Honoka looked up from her screen, pausing her work.

“I told shochou about our plan from this morning. She approved it.”

“Okay, got it.”

“And… I promised her that you and I would secure three additional hires within the next two months.”

“…Haah?! Why?! Why would you make a promise like that on your own?!”

Honoka furrowed her brows and glared at me. Yeah, I figured she’d be annoyed.

“Uh, well… I mean… Shochou said we wouldn’t meet our Q3 target otherwise.”

“Uh-huh… So this is about the director, huh? Hirarin, you just wanted to suck up to her, didn’t you?”

“No! I’m not sucking up to anyone.”

I answered honestly. I had no intention of currying favor with the director or trying to impress her.

She had been willing to sacrifice her personal time for us. That alone made me want to support her with everything I had.

But Honoka turned to the side, grumbling in frustration.

“I was just starting to trust you a little… but in the end, you’re just another guy who sucks up to his boss. Or is it just because the director is beautiful?”

She had completely misunderstood me. I needed to explain properly.

“That’s not it, Honoka.”

“Hah? What isn’t? It’s exactly that, isn’t it?”

Whoa. She was glaring daggers at me.

Honoka was gorgeous, but when she was angry, she was downright terrifying.

Her voice was dripping with irritation.

“No, listen. Actually…”

I told her everything about the executive from Kagaya Manufacturing.

How Jinguji-shochou had said she wanted to protect us.

How I didn’t want her to do something like that for us.

How I wanted to prove that we could achieve results on our own.

I laid it all out for her.

“What?! That executive is the worst!”

“Yeah… well, pretty much.”

“Ugh, I wish that company would just go under!”

I was glad she sympathized with me, but I didn’t like how quickly she jumped to that conclusion.

Wishing for a company to fail—it didn’t sit right with me.

“Hey, Honoka… don’t say things like that. Even if the executives are awful, there are still hardworking employees there. People whose livelihoods depend on that company. Hoping for a company to collapse… that’s not right.”

Honoka’s eyes widened for a moment.

Then she let out a small sigh, looking half-exasperated.

“Hirarin, you really are… such a soft-hearted idiot.”

“Yeah, well… if you think I’m an idiot, go ahead and call me one.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not calling you an idiot.”

“Huh…?”

Did I misinterpret something?

She pouted slightly, looking a little displeased.

“I’m saying… I’m touched by how much of a soft-hearted idiot you are!”

“Eh…?”

“Yeah… you really are too nice for your own good. But that’s actually… kinda great. Yeah, it’s really great.”

She nodded to herself, as if convincing herself of something.

Her wavy, chestnut-colored hair bounced with each motion.

Then she lifted her head and met my gaze with a determined look.

“Alright! Let’s do this for the director! Let’s crush this goal!”

Her round eyes sparkled, a hint of tears forming at the corners.

Hearing her say that… it got to me.

I could feel my own eyes getting watery.

“T-thanks, Honoka!”

I was so moved that I instinctively grabbed both of her hands.

“Ah, um…!”

Honoka’s face turned bright red.

I felt a little embarrassed too, but I shook our joined hands up and down enthusiastically.

“Ahhh! Honoka-senpai is holding hands with Rinta-senpai!”

A voice suddenly rang out.

We turned to see Ruka standing there, pointing straight at us with her right hand.