The morning sun in Kawagoe was soft, casting long golden rays on the quiet neighborhood streets. Sakura zipped up her school bag, swung it over her shoulder, and shoved on her sneakers.
"Come on, Hana! You're slow!" She shouted toward the house.
"Coming"
Moments later, Hana emerged in her neat 9th-grade uniform—white blouse, navy skirt just above the knees, and a cute bunny keychain dangling from her bag zipper. She joined Sakura in the genkan, and the two sisters hopped on their bicycles, pedaling side by side down the familiar path.
The breeze tugged at their skirts as they made their way through Kawagoe's quiet backstreets. The Kawagoe Daiyon Junior High building came into view—a large, aging three-story structure with clean grounds, cherry trees lining the front wall, and a playground behind the gymnasium.
Students were already trickling into the main gate in small clusters. Some on foot, others by bike. Teachers stood at the entrance, greeting them with mechanical bows.
"Race you to the gate!" Sakura shouted, kicking harder into her pedals.
"Cheater!" Hana laughed, pushing to catch up.
They screeched to a halt just in time at the bike racks, breathless, laughing.
Inside the school, the halls buzzed with morning chatter. Hana made her way to her classroom and was immediately greeted by her two closest friends.
"Yo, Hana~" said Mei, a bubbly girl with dyed brown tips and multiple ear piercings. "Did you see the new Otonari JAV scandal?"
Hana blinked. "JAV scandal? Again?"
"Oh my god," said Mikako, the quiet but sharp-tongued one. "That one actress—Ichika Mita—was actually dating that band idol in secret. He broke up with her because she started doing hardcore roles."
"Serves her right," Mei giggled. "Like, who wants their girlfriend doing creampie scenes online?"
Hana rolled her eyes. "Gross. But you're the ones watching it."
Mikako shrugged. "What? It's research."
They all burst into laughter as the bell rang.
Meanwhile, at Tokyo Station, Minato stood on the shinkansen platform with his colleague, Yamamoto, a heavyset man in his 50s with slicked-back hair and an over-worn suit.
"This train better have coffee," Yamamoto muttered. "We're going to be in Fukuoka by lunch, but I'm already dead."
"Didn't you sleep?" Minato asked, adjusting his tie.
"Barely. Too much pachinko, not enough sense," Yamamoto grinned. "You're lucky. At least you've got junior candy to keep you company."
Minato raised an eyebrow as footsteps approached.
Their junior, Reina Mizuki, arrived in a tight black skirt suit, her silky dark hair neatly tied into a low ponytail. Her white blouse hugged her curves, and her heels clicked with soft confidence as she greeted both men with a sweet smile.
"Good morning, senpai," she said to Minato. "I brought the proposal files. I double-checked them just now."
"Thanks, Mizuki," Minato replied politely.
Her perfume was subtle—lavender and something softer.
Yamamoto smirked but said nothing as she stepped aside to adjust her handbag. A moment later, Reina excused herself and walked toward the bathroom.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Yamamoto leaned in and nudged Minato's arm.
"Don't act dumb," he whispered. "She wants to fuck you."
Minato blinked. "What?"
"Come on," Yamamoto grinned. "You haven't noticed how she clings to you? She even asked for the hotel reservation under your name last trip. She's sweet-talking everyone in the office these days."
Minato frowned. "If she wants a promotion, she'll earn it through efficiency and work—not her ass."
Yamamoto chuckled. "That's why she's aiming for you. The others already gave in, you know. Fujimoto? Okabe? Both bent the rules and bent her over. It's normal now."
"I haven't even had sex with Ayaka in a month and a half," Minato muttered under his breath. "Why would I sleep with someone else?"
Yamamoto laughed harder. "That's exactly why you should. It'll put you in a better mood."
Just then, Reina returned, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.
"The train's arriving," she said with a soft smile.
They all turned as the bullet train slowed to a smooth stop. The doors hissed open. The three of them boarded the unreserved car, nearly empty this early on a weekday.
Yamamoto slid into a seat in the front.
Minato found a window seat midway down the aisle, set his bag overhead, and sat down.
Reina hesitated, then took the seat right beside him—despite rows of completely empty seats.
Minato said nothing.
She crossed her legs, took out her tablet, and began reviewing the proposal file like nothing was unusual.
Outside, the platform slid away, and the train surged forward.