Actually, There’s Someone at Your Workplace Who Likes You ~ I’m Being Transferred to a Sales Office Filled With Only Beautiful Women!? - Chapter 64: Shocking Words Came From My Mother's Mouth

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<Honoka’s Side>

Sunday evening, two days after the drinking party with Rinta’s classmates, Honoka was sprawled on the sofa in her living room, casually watching TV when her mother suddenly called out to her.

“Honoka. You know…”

“Huh? What is it?”

Honoka answered somewhat lazily, her gaze still fixed on the TV, resting her head on her elbow.

“An acquaintance introduced me to a nice person.”

“A nice person? What kind of introduction?”

Honoka’s mother was over 50, but she didn’t look like it at all. Like Honoka, she was petite, with bright eyes that made her look cute and young.

From her mother’s mouth came shocking words.

“A marriage prospect for you.”

“Oh, that’s nice…”

Honoka’s eyes remained on the TV screen as she responded absentmindedly, as if it were someone else’s business. She clearly hadn’t registered the surprising words her mother had just spoken.

“Right? I finally found a good marriage prospect for you.”

At that point, Honoka finally realized the gravity of her mother’s words.

“Huh…? W-w-wait! M-m-m-marriage prospect for meeeee!?”

Honoka’s already large eyes widened as much as possible, and she sat up suddenly as if jumping. She knelt properly on the sofa and stared at her mother with an astonished face.

“Yes, that’s right. Look at this.”

Her mother approached and took out what’s called a personal history form from a white envelope, detailing the background of the marriage prospect. There was even a photo enclosed.

As her mother held out the form and photo right in front of her nose, Honoka reflexively reached out and took them.

“What do you think? He’s quite handsome, right? And his background is impeccable—graduated from a top university and works at a major financial institution.”

Wow, he was certainly a very handsome, refreshing type, just to her taste—Honoka nodded repeatedly.

Looking at the form, the man was 28 years old, three years older than her. He worked at a mega-bank. The age difference was good, and both his appearance and background were undoubtedly what Honoka had always considered ideal in a man. The previous Honoka would have certainly jumped for joy at such a prospect.

Her mother had always said “men should be handsome”, so he must have met with her approval as well.

“Hmm…”

“You’ve been saying for a while that you can’t meet good men. I asked around to all my acquaintances and finally got this introduction.”

“I see…”

“What do you think? He’s quite a catch, isn’t he?”

“Yeah… I guess so…”

The phrase “quite a catch” that her smiling mother used bothered Honoka. It was like talking about an object… Honoka felt uncomfortable, with an unsettled feeling in her chest.

—No. The previous Honoka might not have felt that way.

But now—for some reason, she felt very uncomfortable with the way her potential partner was being described like an object.

“So, when should we schedule it?”

“Schedule what?”

“The meeting, of course. Next week? The week after?”

“Huh? Huh? Huh? That’s too sudden…”

Finally realizing how concrete this discussion was, Honoka vigorously shook her head and began to panic.

“What do you mean, ‘sudden’? You were happy when I said I’d introduce you to someone good if I found them.”

“W-well, that’s true, but…”

“So, when do you want to do it? The marriage meeting.”

“Umm… I think I’ll pass. I did say I wanted an introduction, but I thought it would be more casual. A formal marriage meeting feels too serious… I’m not interested.”

Her mother’s face clouded over at Honoka’s attitude. She gave Honoka a sharp, pressuring look.

“What do you mean ‘not interested’? I bowed my head to many people asking for introductions. And finally, when a good person comes along. It would be too embarrassing to the person I asked if we turned them down just because you’re ‘not interested’!!”

Her mother’s unexpectedly strong tone made Honoka flinch with a “gyah”.

“Well, but… I have my own circumstances too…”

“What circumstances?! If you were already dating someone, that would be understandable, but ‘not interested’ isn’t even a reason. I went around bowing my head to people for your sake!”

“Oh, well. Actually, I am seeing someone…”

Pressured by her mother’s forceful manner, Honoka reflexively blurted out a lie. Even she thought it was a terrible excuse, but there was no helping it.

“What…? I never heard about this!”

Her mother seemed extremely surprised, her eyes widening as she exclaimed in a strained voice.

“Well, I don’t need to tell you everything, Mom. I’m a grown adult after all.”

“…”

Her mother silently stared at Honoka with a serious face, as if trying to read her expression.

(Oh no! Did she realize I’m lying?) 

—Honoka panicked but responded with a feigned innocent look.

“What?”

“Honoka… do you really have a boyfriend?”

—Aaaaaah, she caught me!? I need to make her believe me somehow!! Honoka screamed internally.

“Y-yes, I do! Why are you doubting me?”

“Would a girl with a boyfriend be lounging around at home like this on a Sunday?”

“Oh, well, that’s because my boyfriend has something to do today. I do go out sometimes, don’t I?”

Those outings were actually with female friends or just wandering around alone.

“Hmmmm… this sounds suspicious.”

“It’s not suspicious at all!”

“Who is he?”

“Huh?”

“His name?”

Her mother was clearly suspicious. If Honoka hesitated to give a name now, she would seem even more suspicious.

So Honoka immediately answered with the first name that came to mind.

“It’s Hirabayashi-kun!”

Oh no… she’d instantly answered with Rinta’s name.

Honoka was surprised by the name that came out of her mouth and reminded herself that it’s not like she liked Hirarin or anything…

She wondered if it was okay to use Rinta’s name, but it was necessary to get through this situation.

(Hirarin’s name just happened to come to mind since I interact with him often. Besides, just mentioning his name shouldn’t cause any trouble…)

“Where is he from?”

“Do I have to say that much?”

“Come on. If you really have a boyfriend, you could at least tell your mom that much, right?”

“Mmmm… he’s from the same company…”

“Oh, really! Mom had no idea at all!”

At that point, her mother’s face suddenly brightened. She was smiling broadly. Phew, finally got through this—Honoka relaxed.

“Then bring this Hirabayashi-kun to meet me sometime!”

“Huh…?”

At these words from her mother’s mouth, tension shot through Honoka’s body once again—