Actually, There’s Someone at Your Workplace Who Likes You ~ I’m Being Transferred to a Sales Office Filled With Only Beautiful Women!? - Chapter 37: Shall We Get to the Main Topic?

“Well then, Hirabayashi-san. Shall we get to the main topic?”

“Ah, yes. Thank you for your time.”

As Rin-san, the older sister, said this, Hikawa-san added, “Then, I’ll step out for a while.”

“Huh…?”

“Since this is a discussion involving the president of Kagaya Manufacturing, there might be things my sister can’t discuss with an outsider, even if we’re siblings.”

“Oh, I see.”

As expected of the meticulous Hikawa-san.

And her older sister was the president’s secretary. She must have a strong awareness of information security.

“I’ll come back once you’re done discussing Kagaya Manufacturing matters.”

“Understood. I’m really sorry for the trouble.”

“Not at all. That’s actually why I chose this meeting place. While you talk with my sister, I can do some shopping in the mall. So please, Hirabayashi-san, take your time with her.”

I see. She even considered this so that I wouldn’t feel bad about making her wait while I talked to her sister.

Hikawa-san was amazing.

Beautiful, capable at work, and considerate as well.

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

Overwhelmed with gratitude, I couldn’t help but bow deeply to Hikawa-san.

After Hikawa-san left, I went to the café counter and bought an iced coffee. Then, I sat down at the table across from her older sister, Rin-san.

Looking at Rin-san again like this, she really was the spitting image of Hikawa-san—a stunningly cool beauty.

Well, they were twins, so it made sense they looked alike, but it was still a strange feeling.

“Now then, Hirabayashi-san. You want to meet with the president of Kagaya Manufacturing directly to discuss something, correct?”

Rin-san spoke with a serious expression.

“Yes. Our company is hoping to assist with your new project by recruiting personnel. However, we have yet to receive a request for that. So, I would like to personally ask the president to consider entrusting us with the task as well.”

“I see…”

Rin-san nodded several times with a straight face, then suddenly broke into a chuckle.

—Huh?

Did I say something strange?

“Oh, sorry for laughing.”

“Uh… Did I say something weird?”

“No, not at all. It’s just that, as Ran told me, you’re so serious, sincere, hardworking, and passionate.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Rin-san said that with a cheerful smile.

Since I considered my only redeeming qualities to be my sincerity and diligence, I guessed that was not a bad thing.

“Hirabayashi-san, let’s just say that today is a casual conversation between my sister Ran’s friend and me. So, instead of such formal business talk, why don’t we keep things a little more friendly?”

“Ah… alright. Understood.”

“Good, I like how straightforward you are.”

Rin-san let her composed expression soften into a smile.

Like Ran-san, I had assumed she might be a bit cold and aloof because of her elegant and cool appearance, but she was surprisingly friendly.

The way she suddenly said, “Good, I like how straightforward you are,” in such a gentle tone made it sound unexpectedly endearing.

That being said, she had a point. The way I was speaking was completely formal, like addressing a business client.

“By the way, Hirabayashi-san.”

“Yes?”

“How did you know that the secretary to Kagaya Manufacturing’s president is named Hikawa?”

“Oh, that’s… I happen to have an acquaintance who works at Kagaya Manufacturing.”

“I see. And who might that be?”

“Ah, well… I’m sorry, Hikawa-san. I’d rather not say their name, just in case it causes any trouble for them.”

“Ah, that makes sense. I apologize for asking such a thing.”

Hikawa-san immediately accepted my answer.

I was relieved—she was someone who understood others’ feelings.

With a slight look of remorse, Rin-san picked up her iced café latte from the table and took a sip through the straw.

A cool, elegant beauty like her made even the simplest gestures look picturesque. My eyes were unconsciously drawn to the faint pink mark left on the straw by her lipstick, which somehow seemed… sensual.

“A-Anyway, Hikawa-san, that acquaintance of mine actually recommended that I introduce candidates to Kagaya Manufacturing. They said it’s a great company and that they enjoy their work there.”

“Oh, is that so? That’s wonderful to hear. Do you have good candidates in mind?”

“Yes. I have several promising candidates, and after hearing my acquaintance’s positive words, I felt even more strongly about making these introductions.”

“I see. That’s very reassuring.”

…Did that mean Rin-san was taking my proposal seriously?

If so, that would be great.

“By the way, Hirabayashi-san, your company has candidates ready, so why haven’t you received a request from us for recruitment?”

“Uh… well, that’s…”

Rin-san seemed like a good person, but she was still an employee of Kagaya Manufacturing.

Would it really be okay to tell her the truth about that managing director?

As I hesitated for a moment, Rin-san let out a small, wry smile.

“It’s because of the managing director, right? I can pretty much guess. It’s okay, you can be honest with me.”

Ah—this person could be trusted.

Seeing the sincerity in Rin-san’s calm expression and tone, I instinctively felt that way.

So I told her the truth—that the reason was because Jinguji-shochou had declined the managing director’s dinner invitation.

“I see… So that’s what happened. That was very inconsiderate of him.”

“Do you believe what I’m saying?”

“Yes. I figured as much. But I’m the president’s secretary, so regardless of my personal feelings, I can’t speak ill of our executives. In my job, I always suppress my emotions when dealing with my superiors and colleagues.”

I see. That was exactly what you’d expect from a secretary.

She must constantly keep her emotions in check.

Maybe that’s why people perceived her as strict and cold.

“But…”

—Huh?

What was going on?

Rin-san grabbed a paper napkin from the table with both hands, crumpling it tightly before placing it back down.

“Today, I just happened to run into my little sister’s friend and have a private conversation with him.”

Saying that, Rin-san gave a sly grin.

What’s this?

Her expression looked like a mischievous kid who had just found a fun new toy.

She raised her right hand, aimed it at the crumpled napkin on the table—

And slammed her fist down on it.

“Die, you stupid managing director!”

—Thud!

With a dull sound, the napkin was flattened completely.