The Person Who Gave Me An Extraordinary Life Was You, A Beautiful Executive Secretary - Chapter 9

Episode 9: Let’s Go Again

Shiraishi-san and I had so much fun talking with the bartender that we lost track of time.

While I enjoyed myself, I couldn’t help but wonder if Shiraishi-san was having fun with me, or if it was more thanks to the bartender’s friendly conversation.

She probably has a busy day tomorrow, unlike me.

“Shiraishi-san, it’s getting late, so why don’t we go home?”

“You’re right. We have work tomorrow, so let’s call it a night.”

As we bid farewell to the bartender, she responded with a soft, serene voice.

“Please come again. Next time, I’ll have a different colored cocktail ready for you.”

“Huh…? What color is it?”

Shiraishi-san asked.

“That’s a surprise. But let’s say… a brighter color. As the snow melts and flowers bloom, a dazzling season awaits.”

He gave us a warm look.

What did he mean by that? Spring is transitioning into early summer. Maybe that’s what he was hinting at.

“Thank you. I’m looking forward to it.”

Shiraishi-san replied cheerfully.

The bartender smiled at her, then winked at me. What could that mean?

As we stood up, a voice called from behind.

“Oh, Kousaka, leaving already!?”

“Yeah, I’m going home first.”

“See you tomorrow then. Good night, Shiraishi-san!”

Yamagata, who isn’t a strong drinker, called out with a jolly tone, missing a screw or two.

“Yes. Goodbye, everyone.”

Shiraishi-san replied cheerfully, waving her hand. The girls with Yamagata waved back energetically, their faces lighting up with her smile.

On the way back, we took the train to our shared apartment complex.

Though Shiraishi-san’s cheeks were rosy and her spirits high from the drinks, her steps were steady.

Despite saying she rarely drinks, she seems quite strong.

“By the way, Isayama-san said he likes shogi too.”

Shiraishi-san seems to have remembered my hobby, and brings up the topic.

I don’t think she’s interested, but maybe she’s paying attention to me.

“Managing Director, Isayama?”

“Yes, he sometimes plays online shogi by himself.”

“Really? I wonder which software he uses. I play occasionally too.”

“I’ll find out for you next time.”

Hearing such personal details about an executive feels surprisingly relatable.

As we walked side by side, our old high-rise apartment came into view. Entering the lobby, we faced each other directly.

“Kousaka-san, I had a great time. Thank you.”

“Me too, Shiraishi-san. Thanks for tonight. See you around.”

“Ah, um…”

I had turned halfway towards the stairs when she called out, fixing her clear eyes on me.

“Yes?”

“Let’s go out again sometime, okay?”

“Sure, let’s do that. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

As I headed up the stairs without looking back, I thought about how much I enjoyed today.

It’s been a while since I felt like this.

An unexpected break from routine.

I silently thanked whatever deity orchestrated it.

Her suggestion to go out again is probably just a polite gesture.

It’s never actually going to happen.

But still, tonight was enough.

It was a pleasant experience, and if it helped Shiraishi-san relax, all the better.

From tomorrow, it’ll be back to the usual roles: me, the tech guy, and her, the unreachable executive secretary.

I need to keep that clear.

That’s what being an adult means.

Resolving to do just that, I unlocked my apartment door.

◇◇◇

The next day at work, just as I expected, Yamagata came at me with a barrage of questions.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone.

Nobuhiro Baba, who joined the company at the same time in the next division.

He’s often seen with Yamagata, sociable but not particularly successful with women.

“So, why were you with Shiraishi-san last night?”

“I told you, we were talking about work.”

“What on earth are you talking about with Shiraishi-san about work?”

“W-Well that’s…”

It’s true, we have no direct connection. But I can’t exactly tell the whole truth either.

“Um. She needed advice. Sorry, but it’s confidential, so I can’t tell you here.”

“…Is that so?”

“Still, you are with Shiraishi-san at the bar? That’s great, I envy you…”

“Speaking of which, Baba, how did your night go? Didn’t you leave with Kinoshita-san?”

“Nothing happened. I asked if she wanted to go somewhere else, but she said she had things to do. Maybe she’d rather watch TV than hang out with me.”

I see. Baba also went to Yamagata’s drinking party yesterday.

And, without any success, he must have met his downfall.

He looks decent enough, but he tends to be quite blatant about his instincts.

“Why would she consult you? What could you possibly know that she needs?”

“Sorry, but I can’t tell you that either.”

“”……””

Both seemed far from convinced but there was nothing more I could tell them.

“Let’s get to work. I want to finish up quickly and head home.”

I dismissed them and turned to my computer, checking emails and messages.

Monthly report deadlines, internal skill test recruitment, latest message from the president…

I skimmed through and cleared them one by one.

Oh, a message from Shiraishi-san? It came in at 7:45 AM. She was already at work when I left home. She’s definitely busier than me.

“Thank you for yesterday. It was very fun. Let’s go again! There’s a restaurant that serves delicious hotpot.”

Shiraishi-san is so conscientious. As expected of an executive secretary.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you. I had a lot of fun. It got late, but did you get home okay?”
I sent that and continued checking all the other emails and messages.

“It was totally fine. What do you think of this place?”

Attached to the message, there was a symbol that looked like a URL.
I clicked on it and found that it was the homepage of a seafood izakaya (Japanese-style pub).

What’s this? “Loaded with fresh ingredients directly from Hokkaido, our famous extravagant seafood hot pot,” … the promotional text at the top of the page. The images show a heaping pile of fish, shellfish, and large shrimp, and it certainly looks delicious.

“It certainly looks like a nice place. I love seafood

“Right? Let me know when you’re free. I’ll make a reservation.”

After drinking last night, she’s already planning the next outing.

Shiraishi-san is tough. Otherwise, she wouldn’t manage sales and executive secretary work in her second year.

But does she really mean just the two of us? The message didn’t mention inviting others.

―Is that really okay, Shiraishi-san?

Not sure what to think, but it would be rude not to reply.

“Thank you. I’ll contact you again soon.”

Let’s leave it at this for now. I don’t know how serious she is, and she might change her mind.

There have been many times when I got my hopes up and then was left hanging. It’s better to take these things with a grain of salt.

This morning, I have a weekly meeting scheduled. I closed my laptop and headed to the reserved conference room.