SWNOVELXO Chapter 46 - Consult with Morishima
“I successfully bought the cheesecake and Mont Blanc, and returned to Morishima-san.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here you go.”
“Wahh! Thank you so much!”
“You seem pretty excited about it?”
Her spirits are visibly lifted, and she’s beaming.
“Well, I am a girl, after all.”
“I like cake too.”
“So you’re what they call a ‘sweet toothed guy’?”
“Seems to be a thing these days. I’ve liked it since I was a kid, so I don’t quite get it… Back when I was a student, I even went to cake buffets alone…”
“Wah… That’s brave, isn’t it? Those places are usually full of couples or just girls, right?”
“Yeah, that’s true. But if you like something, it can’t be helped.”
Maybe it’s also because my family runs a Western-style restaurant.
We also used to make and serve cakes…
My father used to say, ‘If it’s cake, it counts as training’ and he wouldn’t complain.
“Wow… So that’s how it was…”
“Well… Speaking of which, I wanted to ask for your opinion…”
“What is it? We’re in a give-and-take situation here, so please don’t hesitate.”
“Well… This is related to the question I asked earlier… Do you think it’s okay to date within the company? I thought it was difficult… What does Morishima-san think?”
“A counter-question, huh… It’s true that one of us might have to quit, or there’s a chance we might get transferred to another branch…”
“That’s right…”
“But if it was an ordinary woman… If he would take responsibility, I wouldn’t mind quitting.”
“…You mean getting married…”
“That’s what I mean.”
“But if the other person has responsibilities…”
“I see… You mean Section Chief Matsuura?”
“…Yes?”
“I see… Has he already made a move… That’s surprising… I thought he was more reserved… Hmmm…”
“Wait a minute!”
“Yes? What’s the matter?”
“No, I haven’t said anything yet…”
“But, isn’t it obvious? It’s well known that Mito-senpai is Matsuura Section Chief’s favorite.”
“Is… Is that so?”
“Well, Mito-senpai didn’t participate in the drinking party… It’s not surprising. It’s quite famous, because he doesn’t get angry with Mito-senpai.”
“No, that’s because I don’t slack off at work…”
“Of course, that’s part of it too. But well, it’s fine. Anyway, wouldn’t it be better not to go out?”
“…Why is that?”
“Because, you both are on the track to promotion, right? In that case, it would be troublesome for everyone if either of you gets transferred…”
“Wait… Am I on the promotion track?”
“Yes, there’s a rumor about it. That you’re gaining experience in other departments and expanding your network, and that you’ll eventually get promoted.”
…I see.
Because I’m knowledgeable about cooking and can’t talk about the details of my project…
The rumors are getting out of hand…
No… But being an advisor is an important job.
If I drop out halfway… it might cause trouble.
Well… I don’t even know if I can date her yet…
“I see… There’s that aspect too.”
“But… I don’t like that kind of approach… Putting the other person down.”
“What do you mean?”
“No, no… Why don’t you just skip the dating and go straight to marriage? I think the most troubling thing would be if things get awkward after breaking up.”
“I see… Yeah, that makes sense. From everyone else’s point of view, that would be the most annoying…”
I put too much emphasis on dating, and didn’t think about that…
“So… why don’t you just observe for a while? You haven’t been confessed to, right?”
“That’s… true.”
“I think it’s better to get to know each other better and then think about that. It would be unbearable if things ended up… because of a momentary feeling.”
After all, it’s important to decide what I want to be with Reina-san.
And if I confess and get rejected…
It could affect the relationship between my boss and me…
It would also be troublesome for Reina-san…
“I see…”
“Besides, I think it’s better to focus on your work for now and think about it later, right? If your work gets neglected because you’re preoccupied… it would be a problem.”
“No, Morishima-san, you’re right… I appreciate your advice.”
“Not at all. If I can be of any help… I’m always here to listen.”
“Really?… Well, I’ll keep that in mind if I’m in trouble.”
“Hehe, it’s give-and-take, remember?”
“What would you like?”
“Please consult me again. And since I heard you’re a sweet toothed guy, let’s go eat some delicious cake.”
“I’m okay with the consultation… but wouldn’t it be better to go for cake with a friend?”
“If I do that, the conversation becomes the main focus and I end up staying there for a long time. I just want to exchange a few thoughts, eat quickly and go home. Just like today. I don’t want to tie up each other’s time too much.”
“Ah… I see. I can relate to that.”
Basically, one of the reasons I prefer to act alone is because of that.
Time is limited, and no matter how close we are, my own time is important.
“So that’s why…”
“Sure, it’s easier to enter than being alone.”
“Wah! Thank you so much!”
Morishima-san really looks happy.
She must really like cake…
After we finished eating the cake, Morishima-san left as if nothing had happened.
Well, it was originally supposed to end at six…
I always had the impression that women tend to linger…
She really seems to be the type who wants to get things over with quickly, so she might be easy for me to get along with.
But… Her last words have been on my mind.
‘Since the purpose has been achieved’… I wonder what that means?”