The Person Who Gave Me An Extraordinary Life Was You, A Beautiful Executive Secretary - Chapter 0: Prologue

Prologue: Night Theater

Sometimes I think this town might as well be the magical city of Babylon.

Emotions, lights, and shadows intertwine, where the mundane and the extraordinary intersect constantly.

Within it, there are undoubtedly those who grasp dreams and shine, those who revel in wealth and comfort, those surrounded by crowds supported by fame, and those who spend irreplaceable moments with loved ones.

They seem dazzling, almost like demons leading hearts astray.

For someone like me, living alone in what seems to be an eternally unchanging ordinary life, despite saying such cool things, I’m just what’s commonly referred to as an introvert.

I don’t know if such words apply to working adults, though.

At 6 PM, as I was about to disappear from the office, my boss, the section chief, gave me a snide remark again today.

Leaving already even though you’re behind on work, something like that.

As I stepped out onto the main street, the sky to the west was still dimly lit.

Heading towards summer, the time when the sun hangs in the sky would only grow longer.

At my usual diner nearby, I ordered my favorite mackerel miso set meal before turning my attention to my smartphone’s search screen.

Suddenly, I felt like going to the movies.

Returning to my familiar room through the usual route, I took a bath as usual and then snuggled into bed.

Maybe I wanted to break away from such routine daily life, even just for a moment.

—Ah, they’re showing a revival movie.

A romantic film I watched with a girl I miraculously dated during my student days. Despite being horribly dumped afterwards, the excitement and bittersweetness of that time still linger in my memory.

It wouldn’t hurt to indulge in old memories once in a while.
Timing-wise, I could make it to the last screening of the day.

As I tried to reserve a seat online, I found the theater was completely empty.

Maybe it’s booked for a private screening. Not a bad thing either.

With that self-satisfaction, I reserved a seat in the middle of the back row.

Passing through the bottom of the towering skyscrapers illuminated by artificial light, I headed to the movie theater within the glamorous fashion building.

Since my stomach was full, I only bought a beer at the concession stand and then moved to the theater when it was time to enter.

Indeed, no one else is here.

A weekday night, and it’s a revival film from years ago, so it’s expected.

Sitting alone in the space, the flickering lights from the screen showing previews washed over me.

A moment of relaxation, forgetting the hustle and bustle of the world and the daily grind.

Huh, someone’s here?

With long hair, she seems like a woman. Appears to be alone.

Swirling her white skirt, she ascended the stairs and changed direction towards the aisle parallel to where I was sitting.

—Seats might be close.

She stopped right next to my seat, stood there for a moment, then sat down in the seat right next to mine.

Huh, next to me?

In this completely empty movie theater, with only two people?

Suddenly, I felt tense and uncomfortable.

But wait, I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?

When I reserved the seat, all seats were definitely available.
Perhaps, by sheer coincidence, she reserved a seat at a similar time as me.

I’m uneasy. Maybe she feels the same way.

Since all the other seats are empty, I could watch the movie just fine even if I moved.

But if I move without saying anything, it might seem rude.

Though we’re complete strangers, it’s a bit lonely.

However, my heart is not strong enough to casually talk to a woman I don’t know, but rather it is weak and fragile like tofu.

What should I do? Lost in my own thoughts, the previews ended, and the main feature was about to begin.

“Um, excuse me…”

Summoning what little courage I had, I spoke to her.

“Yes?”

As she replied and turned her face towards me, her beauty made my retinas cheer.

And at that moment, I, who led an ordinary and boring daily life like a cycle, felt like I had encountered something extraordinary.