Minato settled into his chair, loosening his tie slightly before picking up his phone. He dialed Ayaka.
Ayaka's phone buzzed in her hand. She glanced at the caller ID and answered."Hello?"
"Ayaka, I'm going out for dinner with a colleague. I'll be home around ten."
"Okay… Is it Yamamoto-san?"
"No, with Kimura."
"Ohhh. Say hi to Rina-san for me," Ayaka said lightly.
"Sure, I'll tell her."
There was a faint clatter in the background on Ayaka's end. Minato frowned. "Are you out? I think I hear a train."
"Uh… yeah, I'm on my way to meet Yuka."
"Oh, okay."
"Bye then."
"Bye."
The call ended. Minato stared at his phone for a moment before setting it down, the faint noise of a passing train still lingering in his ears.
At 6:30, Yamamoto poked his head into Minato's cabin."Bye, Sato-san. I'm leaving."
"Okay, bye," Minato replied with a polite nod.
A moment later, Rina Kimura stepped in, carrying her bag, and sat casually in the chair across from his desk."Are you done?" she asked.
"Almost. I just have to send this last email, and then we can leave."
"No problem, take your time," Rina said, unwrapping a piece of mint gum and popping it into her mouth.
There was a knock on the door."Come in," Minato called.
Reina Mizuki walked in, holding a file."Sir, did someone from Apex Co. reply to our proposal yet?"
"No, not yet," Minato said.
"The proposal was so good, Mizuki-san," Rina cut in with a sweet but loaded tone. "Did you make it yourself?"
"Yes, Kimura-san, I did," Reina replied cautiously.
"Oh, nice…" Rina's eyes glinted. "Your figures and budget allocation were… superb. You must've been very accurate. How did you get all that financial data? I mean, I didn't see you working with the finance department."
Reina hesitated. "Ah… Hara-san gathered the data for me."
"That must be it." Rina leaned back, feigning realization. "Yeah, now I remember—Hara-san was staying late so many nights last month. No wonder."
Reina's expression stiffened. Minato, glancing from the corner of his eye, could see her discomfort.
"By the way, Mizuki-san, if you don't mind me asking…" Rina tilted her head. "When did you join this company?"
"Two years ago," Reina answered, her tone guarded.
"Two years…" Rina let out a small, mocking laugh. "From entry-level to drafting major project proposals in just two years. Impressive, isn't it, Sato-san?"
"Yeah… impressive," Minato replied, though his voice carried unease.
"You know, this is my third company," Rina continued, voice laced with bitterness. "Thirteen years in the workforce and I still haven't made it to division head. You must be really gifted, Mizuki-san."
Reina's face made it clear she understood exactly what Rina was implying.
Minato quickly interjected, sensing the tension. "I'll forward you the email as soon as we get a reply, okay?"
"Alright, Sato-san. By the way, are you free after work? Should we grab something to eat?" Reina asked, clearly trying to change the subject.
"Sorry, Mizuki, I'm going out with Kimura tonight," Minato said apologetically.
"Oh… okay. Maybe next time," Reina murmured, looking disappointed.
"See you tomorrow, Sato-san. Kimura-san." She gave a small bow.
Rina waved back with an exaggerated smile that didn't reach her eyes.
After Reina stepped out, the door closed softly behind her.
Minato leaned back in his chair, turning toward Rina with a faint frown."Why did you do that?" he asked quietly.
Rina feigned innocence. "Do what?"
"You know what I mean. That whole… questioning her like that."
Rina shrugged, crossing her arms. "I was just curious. People rise fast in this company, sometimes too fast. Don't you ever wonder why?"
Minato sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Still, you didn't have to make it so obvious. She looked really uncomfortable."
"Good," Rina said bluntly. "If she's clean, she has nothing to hide. If she's not…" She let the sentence trail off with a knowing smile.
Minato didn't answer, but the slight tension in his jaw betrayed his unease.