The afternoon sunlight stretched across the apartment complex as Adrian stepped out of his unit.
He was dressed sharply in a well-tailored dark suit, a crisp white shirt, and a sleek black tie. A leather briefcase rested in his left hand.
He had only taken a few steps toward the stairs when a familiar voice called out behind him.
"Adrian!"
The voice came from Ayano, who was hurrying toward him in casual home clothes, a smile already forming on her lips as she opened her mouth to speak.
However, the moment her eyes landed on the white bandage wrapped around his head, the color drained from her face.
"W-what happened?!" She cried out, voice cracking with panic.
She slowly reached up with her hands trembling, stopping just short of touching the bandage. "Oh god… your head! Did someone hit you? Are you okay? Does it hurt badly? Who did this?!"
Worry poured out of her uncontrollably. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she looked him over, searching for any other injuries.
Adrian's expression softened. He gently caught both of her hands and pulled them down.
"Ayano, hey… breathe." He said softly, pulling her closer.
"I'm okay. It only looks worse than it actually feels. It's just a small scuffle from yesterday, nothing too serious, I promise."
He pulled her into a gentle hug and slowly rubbed her back until her breathing finally began to calm. After a few moments, she relaxed against his chest.
"But you're hurt…" She whispered, still not convinced. "You shouldn't be going out like this. You need to rest…"
"I'm really okay." He murmured. "Now tell me, why did you stop me? You looked like you had something important to say."
Ayano pulled back slightly. She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt before answering.
"It's about Takashi…" Ayano said softly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"He wants to talk to you tonight after he gets home from work. He said he wants to thank you properly… and maybe more."
She hesitated, biting her lip before continuing in a quieter voice. "He's been thinking about everything that happened… in a good way for us, but it feels a little questionable."
Adrian raised an eyebrow but didn't think much of it. "I see. Tell him I'll come by later."
Ayano looked up at him with soft eyes.
She slowly pulled back from the hug, though her hands lingered on his chest for a moment longer. She then reached out and carefully adjusted his necktie, straightening it with the tender care of a wife. Her fingers smoothed down his collar and brushed lightly over his chest.
"I don't know where you're going today," she said softly, "but please stay safe, okay?"
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him deeply on the lips. When they parted, she gently pressed another soft kiss directly on the bandaged part of his head.
"Get better soon…" She whispered.
Adrian cupped her cheek and returned a deeper kiss, making her knees weak. When he pulled away, he smiled.
"I will. Go back inside and rest."
Ayano nodded shyly, watching him until he disappeared down the stairs.
- - - - -
Soon enough, Adrian arrived at Moonlight Sonata.
He entered through the main entrance, and the working staff immediately straightened their postures the moment they saw him.
Several pairs of eyes instinctively drifted toward the conspicuous white bandage wrapped around his head, but no one dared to comment or ask any questions.
"Welcome back, Boss!" They greeted him almost in unison, their voices polite and slightly tense.
He gave them a nod and headed straight to the manager's office.
Once inside, he closed the door, sat down behind the desk, and spent nearly an hour reviewing the hotel's current situation. While he wasn't an expert in this kind of industry, his years as a salaryman had given him a sharp eye for operational inefficiencies and basic financial red flags.
After finishing the review, he picked up his phone and called the general contractor he had found during his search. The conversation lasted nearly forty minutes, with Adrian negotiating firmly and professionally.
The contractor quoted 19.2 million yen for a full renovation that would upgrade the small hotel into a proper high-class love hotel. The package included better soundproofing, modern interiors, improved lighting and ambiance, new furniture, and several discreet "special modifications" that Adrian had requested.
Adrian haggled hard, and in the end, they settled on 16.8 million yen, with 40% paid as a deposit today. The work was scheduled to begin this Monday.
Before ending the call, Adrian decided to test something. He focused and spoke in the smooth, persuasive tone of his Suggestive Words skill.
"Make sure everything goes smoothly. I expect the highest quality work and complete confidentiality regarding all the special modifications. You will be fully cooperative, honest about any problems that arise, and absolutely discreet. Understood?"
There was a brief pause on the other end. To Adrian's pleasant surprise, the skill worked perfectly even through a phone call.
The contractor's tone changed noticeably, becoming a bit more obedient and eager.
"Of course, sir. You can count on my ability completely. I'll handle everything personally and make sure nothing leaks out."
Adrian's lips curved into a satisfied smirk as he hung up the phone.
"Interesting… So it works over the phone too."
After a while, Adrian pulled up the employee files on the computer and began going through them carefully, searching for the right person who could become his obedient subordinate.
His hope of finding a capable woman for the role was quickly dashed. Most of the female staff were either old or fine looking but lacked the capability that he needed.
With a small sigh, he switched to the male employees and kept looking.
After a few minutes, one name stood out.
Azuma Norihito, 28 years old. Currently handling logistics and supply chain. Excellent organizational skills and reliability, but stuck in a mid-level position due to lack of assertiveness and confidence.
After a moment of consideration, Adrian paused, his finger hovering over the internal phone.
"Azuma Norihito…" He muttered under his breath. The name felt strangely familiar. He frowned slightly, searching his memory. After a few seconds, his eyes narrowed in realization.
"Ah… so that's who you are."
He remembered now. In the hentai Himawari wa Yoru ni Saku, Azuma Norihito was the pathetic, unknowing cuckold husband. The original villain of that story was the man who was supposed to own this hotel and he had replaced him.
A cold, amused smile slowly spread across Adrian's face.
"Perfect timing. After I properly train this guy… I wouldn't mind having a hot, capable secretary working right under me."
Satisfied with the thought, Adrian finally picked up the internal phone.
"Send Azuma Norihito to my office."
Minutes later, a knock sounded on the door.
"Come in."
A young man in his late twenties entered. He had short, neatly kept black hair, a timid expression, and wore a simple dress shirt with slacks. The moment he stepped inside, he bowed deeply.
"You called for me, sir?" His voice was quiet and respectful, bordering on nervous.
Adrian stood up with a calm smile and extended his hand.
"Azuma Norihito, right? It's nice to meet you."
Azuma hesitated for a split second before stepping forward.
Their handshake lasted only a moment. Azuma's grip felt weak in Adrian's hand, his palm damp with sweat as he quickly pulled away.
They sat down shortly after, and Adrian began with light conversation about the hotel's day-to-day operations, quietly assessing the man as they talked.
After ten minutes of careful observation, Adrian slightly leaned forward, his expression turning serious before getting to the point.
"As you know, I'm planning a major renovation for the hotel. My plans were to turn it into a proper high-class love hotel with upgraded rooms, better soundproofing, redesigned interiors, a more refined atmosphere, and several other improvements."
Adrian leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he looked Azuma in the eyes.
"I want you to oversee the entire renovation from start to finish. That means coordinating with the general contractor, keeping the schedule on track, handling any issues with the workers or materials, and managing staff problems during construction. I also expect strict quality control with no cutting corners being done."
He paused briefly, his gaze sharpening.
"Most importantly, you'll report directly to me. If there's any progress or any problems, I want to hear about them immediately. Can you handle that responsibility?"
Azuma looked visibly surprised, his eyes widening. He swallowed nervously but nodded quickly.
"Y-yes, sir. I can handle it."
Adrian smiled.
"Good. Starting tomorrow, you'll report directly to me on this matter."
He then used his Suggestive Words skill.
"Azuma… from now on, you will be completely loyal to me. You will work harder than you ever have. You will protect my interests, keep my secrets, and never betray me. My success is your success. Do you understand?"
Azuma's eyes glazed over for a brief second before clearing. When he spoke again, his voice was a bit steadier and filled with some newfound devotion.
"Yes, Boss. I understand perfectly. I won't let you down."
Adrian's smile widened.
"Excellent. You may go."
After Azuma left the office, Adrian leaned back in his chair, satisfied with how things had progressed. He had secured the renovation, gained a useful subordinate, and taken another step toward expanding his influence.
A moment later, he remembered something he had been putting off for a while now, the official announcement.
He opened the hotel's main staff group chat on his phone and began typing a message. After a moment of thought, he finalized it and hit send.
- - - - -
Announcement:
Good afternoon, everyone.
As previously discussed, we will now begin the full-scale renovation of the Moonlight Sonata as part of our plans to upgrade it and turn it into a proper high-class love hotel. Construction is scheduled to begin this coming Monday.
Before the renovation period, I expect that all current guests will be properly informed in advance. I also expect everyone's full cooperation and professionalism while the work is ongoing.
Azuma Norihito has been assigned to oversee on-site coordination throughout the renovation. Any questions, concerns, or issues related to the construction should be directed to him. .
Thank you for your continued hard work and cooperation.
- Adrian Cross
- - - - -
Adrian watched as the message was delivered and quickly marked as read by most members.
A few employees replied with polite acknowledgements. Some seemed slightly surprised by the choice of Azuma, since he had mostly worked behind the scenes in logistics, but no one questioned the decision openly.
Satisfied, Adrian put his phone away.
He then spent another twenty minutes finalizing a few more documents and replying to important emails. Before closing everything down, he made one last note in his planner.
"Hmm, I also need to prioritize advertisement and promotion…" He muttered under his breath, leaning back slightly as his thoughts shifted. "No point in renovating the place if nobody knows about it after all."
He quickly opened a new document and began drafting a basic marketing strategy.
Targeted ads on couple-oriented apps, discreet listings on popular hotel booking sites, partnerships with nearby restaurants and date spots, and carefully worded promotions highlighting the new and improved experience.
He also made a note to arrange professional photography once the renovation was complete. High-quality images would be essential for the new website, advertisements, and listing platforms if they wanted to attract customers.
Satisfied with the outline, he saved the file and closed his laptop.
"That should do it for today."
He then spent another few minutes finalizing everything before shutting everything down.
The sun was already dipping lower in the sky when he finally stepped out of the office.
As he walked through the lobby, the staff once again straightened up respectfully, though their eyes still occasionally flicked toward the bandage on his head.
Adrian gave them a calm nod and left the hotel.
Back at the apartment complex, dusk had settled in by the time he arrived.
He then changed out of his formal suit into something more comfortable and heated up the dinner he had bought at a convenience store earlier.
As he ate on the sofa, his phone vibrated.
It was a message from Ayano.
Ayano: Takashi just got home. He's ready whenever you are.
Adrian stared at the message for a moment, then replied.
Adrian: I'll head over in thirty minutes.
============
AN: So I've had some free time, now I can't create more since our finals is still not completely finished but hopefully after this week I'll finally be free!!!