"Stop, Sousuke."
Kana's voice was gentle, a whisper just above the hum of the quiet store.
"Hm? What's wrong, Kana?" I paused, the half-eaten donut still hovering near my lips.
She stepped closer, her soft perfume mixing with the sugary scent of icing. Her thin finger reached out and wiped the corner of my mouth with delicate care. Time froze. The warmth of her skin brushed my cheek, and I could feel the heat rising under my collar.
"Eat slowly, Sousuke…" Kana murmured, a teasing smile tugging at her lips.
I chuckled, scratching the back of my neck. "Guess I was too hungry."
Kana swallowed, her eyes lingering on her frosting-covered fingertip. For a moment, it felt like she wanted to—
"If possible," she said, voice almost too soft to hear, "could Sousuke stay a little longer tonight? The night shift staff won't arrive until eight, and since Morikawa left suddenly, I'm afraid I'll be swamped."
The blush blooming on her cheeks wasn't from embarrassment alone.
"Of course, leave it to me," I said with a grin, now fully energized thanks to sugar.
I sent a quick message to Tomoko, hoping she wouldn't be too lonely tonight.
Evening fell, and the flow of customers picked up. Kana and I worked side by side, passing each other with little smiles and brushing elbows. Hours passed in a quiet, warm rhythm.
A little after eight, a college-aged guy showed up to take over my shift. I stretched, waved Kana goodbye, and stepped into the cool night air.
The streets were nearly deserted. My apartment wasn't in central Tokyo, and the silence wrapped around me like a blanket.
Honestly, I'd been wondering about the so-called divine maidens which the system had mentioned some time ago to me. Were they really just girls in short skirts, waiting in the shadows for some god to save them?
Suddenly, ahead of me near the apartment entrance, a woman appeared.
She wore a form-fitting office suit, her black hair tied up neatly. A pair of glasses perched on her nose. Her heels clicked rhythmically on the pavement, and her hips swayed with every step. Even in the dim streetlight, her silhouette was impossible to ignore.
Was she another tenant? Tomoko once said only a few students lived here. Maybe our schedules just never overlapped…
But then, she turned toward the building, and the curve of her body struck me like lightning.
That chest. That shape.
My internal database—the one I'd secretly developed in my previous life as a connoisseur of… physical proportions—went off like an alarm.
Wait… could it be…?
"Mochi… Mochizuki-san???"
The woman froze.
She turned slowly, her face pale and eyes wide. Yep. No mistaking it now. That was her. Haruka Mochizuki. But she looked nothing like the shy college girl I'd saved on the train.
New hairstyle. Stylish glasses. A tight skirt that showed off her thighs.
"Mochizuki Haruka?" I asked again, stepping closer.
She blinked once, like a rabbit caught in headlights.
Then—she ran. Bolted up the stairs like an Olympic sprinter. In heels!
I stood there, stunned.
"Huh. So you can sprint like that in stilettos. Impressive."
I watched her disappear into a room on the second floor. Room 202, maybe?
I let out a sigh and returned to my own apartment. Kana had left me a boxed dinner from the store—sweet girl. I picked at it slowly, the taste of pickled mustard lingering on my tongue.
After eating, I sprawled on the sofa and mindlessly scrolled my phone.
Ping.
A message lit up from LINE.
[Haruka Mochizuki]: "Ginjo-kun, I was so rude just now. Please allow me to apologize in person. If possible, please come to my room. I'm in 202."
Well, that was fast.
I tossed on a hoodie and stepped into the hallway. When I reached her door, it creaked open slightly before I even knocked.
"Please come in, Ginjo-kun," she said softly, peeking through the gap.
I slipped off my shoes and stepped inside.
The apartment was—spotless. Too spotless. White walls, black sofa, minimal furnishings. It looked like one of those display units you see in furniture catalogues.
"Your place is insanely clean," I said, honestly impressed.
Haruka fidgeted, brushing her hair behind one ear. "I live alone… so I try to keep it neat."
We sat on the sofa, a gulf of polite distance between us.
"Um… how did Ginjo-kun recognize me?" she asked, her fingers twining nervously in her lap.
"Ah, well… I recognized you from the back. Mochizuki-san's back is… memorable. Beautiful, even."
That was a close one. I nearly said "from your boobs."
Haruka sighed and lowered her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed.
"I… I suppose I owe you an explanation."
She reached into her handbag and pulled out a business card, offering it with trembling fingers.
It read:
Ikeda Co., Ltd.Marketing Operations HeadquartersHaruka Mochizuki
My eyes darted between the card and her.
Whoa. OL by day, shy student by… also day? What kind of double life was this?