SWNOVELXO Chapter 49 - New Workplace
Having finished my lunch safely, I returned to my desk for the time being.
Then…I was approached by Reina-san.
“Mito-kun, shall we go?”
“Eh? Is Section Chief Matsuura joining us?”
“What? Do you mind?”
Uh-oh… The Ice Queen.
“No, no… I just assumed we would go alone.”
“…That would be fine, but I’m worried… Am I in the way?”
Is she hesitating…?
Haah… It seems like trust is still a long way off.
She’s worried because I’m unreliable…
“No, not at all. May I ask for your help?”
Alright… I’ll show her my work and make her feel at ease.
“Of course. Let’s go.”
I felt like Reina-san had gotten into a better mood as we left the room together.
As we go, we have to climb the stairs…
“…”
Is it because I’m aware that I like her…?
My worldly desires… her toned buttocks and legs are poison to my eyes…
But I can’t walk ahead of my boss…
“Mi, Mito-kun…?”
“Yes?!”
No, no… did she notice?
No, she shouldn’t have turned around…
“It’s, it’s nothing… must have been my imagination…”
…Pull yourself together! Me!
This is not the time to be ruled by worldly desires!
From then on, I climbed the stairs while looking straight down.
After climbing the stairs, we stop in front of a room we’ve visited before.
“Aren’t you going in?”
“No, we’ve already greeted everyone, and it’s about time…”
“Oh my! Isn’t that Reina-chan!”
Someone jumped out of the door and hugged Reina-san.
“Hey! Director Mifune!?”
“Oh my! Won’t you call me Satomi-san like you used to? I’m lonely… oh dear.”
“But we’re at work now!”
“Oh my, don’t look so scared… that’s why people call you the Ice Queen.”
“…Please leave me alone. I don’t know what to do now…”
Reina-san’s facial expression changes quickly.
Probably because this person knows about the past.
“All you need to do is be honest, you know. You’re so cute, you should smile more. Right, Mito-kun?”
“Eh? …Yes, I think so. Section Chief Matsuura… is very lovely. And she is really kind, she is just misunderstood.”
I don’t know if that’s the correct answer, but I gathered my courage and said it…
“Wha, wha, wha–!”
“Oh my… I see, so it’s just as Tamura-kun said.”
“I, I have work to do! Satomi-san–please take care of the rest!”
Reina-san covers her face with both hands and hurries off.
…So she came all the way here even though she’s busy.
She’s really a kind person.
Thanks to her, my tension has loosened… Alright, I’ll do my best.
After that, I follow Director Mifune and enter a room marked “Kitchen.”
“Wow…”
At the back of the spacious room, people dressed as cooks are busily moving about.
On the near side, people in suits are discussing around a table.
“The ones in the back are in charge of cooking, and the ones in the front decide on the taste and ingredients.”
“Are the ones in the back… company employees?”
“Yes, they’re people who can cook in our department.”
…So that’s why their movements look amateurish.
No, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
Including me, it’s about cost-cutting.
“Hehe… You have a good eye. Are you curious?”
“…From Tamura Section Chief?”
“I’m sorry. But just a little, okay?”
“No, please don’t worry. I was going to say it anyway.”
Otherwise, I wouldn’t be trusted.
And… I’ve decided to face it.
“That’s good, you’re motivated. Now, let’s go to the table.”
As we approach the table, three people notice us.
“Director! Is that him!?”
“Wow… A guy with glasses…”
“…Hello.”
…They seem quite young.
Are they younger than me?
“Yes, that’s right. Now, introduce yourselves. He’s your senior, even if he’s from another department.”
“Then I’ll go first. Nice to meet you! I’m Takuya Togo! I’m 23 years old!”
This guy seems like a typical athletic type?
He’s got a good build and he’s tall.
“Nice to meet you. My name is Satoshi Okumura. I’m the same age as Togo.”
He’s quiet and wearing glasses.
He might be the same type as me… in terms of build.
“H-hello! My name is Eiko Amano! I’m also 23!”
Her bangs are long and I can’t really see her face.
She seems a bit shy… I wonder if we can get along well.
“Nice to meet you. My name is Yuma Mito. I’m 26 years old and I’ve been with the company for 5 years. This time, I’m on a secondment from another department, but I hope we can get along well.”
Their use of language… they’re very young… Are they new employees?
“See, this is how you should do it. Learn from him. You should be the ones to say this, right? He’s your senior.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Yes…”
“I apologize…”
“Um… Is it just these three?”
“Yes, that’s right. So it’s a trial. It’s a way to get new employees used to the job, and it’s also a product development trial, and it’s also a way to interact with other departments.”
…I see.
Including me as an advisor, it’s all a trial.
“Do you… understand?”
“Yes, of course. I’m not planning to take it easy. Because it’s a trial, I will take it seriously.”
If this works out well, it could become a model case.
It could lead to cost reductions and also serve as a training ground for new employees.
“Hehe… It seems like Tamura-kun’s choice is promising. Did you hear that? This is an important job. So, don’t slack off. Got it?”
The three of them looked startled and then nodded vigorously.
They probably thought it was a light job because it was a trial.
…No, that’s how I felt too.
Yeah, it’s a good opportunity.
Let’s get back to basics and take on this task with a fresh mindset.