Actually, There’s Someone at Your Workplace Who Likes You ~ I’m Being Transferred to a Sales Office Filled With Only Beautiful Women!? - Chapter 42: Ruka’s Admiration

“I really respect you, Rinta-senpai~♡”

Ruka’s voice had a cute, bouncing tone, and her large, glistening eyes gazed up at me.

Her beautiful double-lidded eyes, her perfectly defined nose… Once again, I couldn’t help but think—Ruka realis was a stunning girl.

Even though I had simply done my best, it still felt great to be praised by a junior colleague for my work. It seemed like Ruka recognized me, at least a little, as her senior at the company.

—That being said…

Being praised to the point of admiration was a bit much. I knew there was some flattery mixed in, but it was still too embarrassing. So, I decided to change the topic.

“Ah, thanks, Ruka… By the way, what are you doing here? Shopping?”

“Ah, yes! I came to buy some clothes and watch a movie.”

“A movie?”

“Yes! This shopping mall has a cineplex, you know?”

“Oh, really? What movie did you come to see?”

Coming to watch a movie alone probably meant she was a serious movie fan. Given Ruka’s image, maybe she was here to see a romantic film?

“Ah… um…”

Ruka hesitated, looking a bit flustered.

What’s wrong?

“It’s… a little embarrassing…”

“Why?”

“Ah, well… because it’s an anime movie.”

“A… an anime movie?”

I was a little surprised, and my voice came out in a weird pitch.

“Ah! Rinta-senpai, you just made fun of me too, didn’t you?”

Ruka puffed out her cheeks and pouted.

Uh-oh… Did I actually upset her?

No, it wasn’t so much anger as it was sulking.

A beautiful girl making that kind of face… it was honestly pretty cute.

But if Ruka seriously thought I was mocking her, I needed to clear that up.

“No, I wasn’t making fun of you at all! …Wait, too?”

“Yes. When I told Honoka-senpai that I liked anime, she said, ‘That’s so childish~’ and made fun of me.”

Hearing that from Honoka, who often acted like a kid herself, was actually pretty funny.

It was like a child trying to act all grown-up.

“What are you talking about, Ruka? Anime is now a globally recognized part of Japanese culture. Sure, there are anime made for kids, but there are also plenty of works that are mature and thought-provoking.”

I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore anime fan, but I did know a few masterpieces, and there were definitely some anime I really liked.

There was no way Ruka came to see a movie that was purely for children.

“As expected of you, Rinta-senpai!”

Ruka clasped her hands together in front of her chest and looked up at me with sparkling eyes.

—Uh, I didn’t think this was something to be that impressed about…

Since she had been teased by Honoka before, Ruka must have been really happy to see that I understood her love for anime.

“The movie I came to see today is the highly popular dark fantasy ‘Demon Assault!’“

“Oh! That hugely popular TV anime adaptation?”

That anime was entertaining even for adults. I had watched the TV series myself.

I’d been thinking of watching the movie too, but as a grown man, I felt a little awkward going to the theater alone for an anime film.

So I had secretly planned to wait until it was available for rental.

And now Ruka was about to go see Demon Assault!

──Uuuuuh…

The urge to watch it together was bubbling up inside me…

But if I said I wanted to go with her, Ruka would probably hate it.

She specifically came alone so she wouldn’t be bothered by anyone.

Besides, even though I was her senior at work, I was still just a guy who wasn’t her boyfriend. Going to a movie together with me would probably rank number one on the “Situations Girls Would Hate” list.

──Ah, no.

I didn’t have any experience dating girls, so I didn’t really understand how they thought. This was just my imagination.

But if I let this chance slip away, I felt like I’d never get another opportunity to watch Demon Assault: The Movie on the big screen in a theater…

“Rinta-senpai, do you know Demon Assault: The Movie?”

“Of course I do! I watched the TV series too. I’m a huge fan.”

“Eh…?”

Ruka suddenly froze, her mouth slightly open.

Then, as if snapping back to reality, her expression suddenly turned desperate.

“Th-th-th-then, w-w-would y-you… like to w-w-watch it together?”

“Are you sure?”

“Y-yes! O-of c-course, absolutely!”

Absolutely?

Ruka’s speech was getting all weird.

“Thanks. Well… in that case, I’ll take you up on your offer and watch it together.”

“Yes…!”

Ruka’s face instantly lit up.

She clenched both fists near her waist, making a small triumphant pose.

I see.

I get it now, Ruka.

The joy of finding an unexpected fellow fan of a hobby you thought others would just make fun of.

That must be how she felt right now.

No, if anything, I was the lucky one.

I had given up on seeing this movie in theaters alone, but now, thanks to Ruka, I had the chance.

No amount of gratitude would be too much.

“Thanks, Ruka. I’m really happy.”

“H-happy…? That you’re going to watch a movie with me…?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m happy to watch a movie with you, Ruka.”

“R-Rinta-senpai…”

Ruka looked like she was on the verge of tears—smiling, but also about to cry.

She must be really happy to have found someone who shared her passion.

If that made her happy, then I was happy too.

No—I was feeling the exact same way.

“Alright then, let’s go, Ruka.”

“Yes! Let’s go, Rinta-senpai!”

And so, Ruka and I headed toward the cinema floor together.