Chapter 1

It was 7:00 PM on a Friday after the Golden Week holidays, and Chiharu quickly tidied up her desk and started getting ready to leave.

"Hey, Asou-san, that's unusual, leaving right on time."

"I have a drinking party with friends today."

"Are you saying that, but don't you have a boyfriend?"

"Hehe, I wish, good work today!"

"Good work!"

Chiharu brushed off her supervisor's comment and hurried out. She was about to take a bus to the nearest station, where she was meeting her colleague, Maki Aso.

Chiharu had been working at a logistics company for three years, handling sales administration. Although there was some overtime, it was a good company, not a black company. However, the office was located in an industrial park with many warehouses, far from the station. This was the first time she had met up with Maki, who had been transferred to another office in the spring, in a month.

When Chiharu arrived at the nearest station, she pulled the front of her soft pink cardigan together against the chilly early summer evening breeze. Her gentle floral skirt swayed, and her wavy hair fluttered as she hurried to the meeting place. Many men stopped to look at her, but Chiharu had never been approached by anyone, even today. She thought she wasn't very popular, but the men who occasionally confessed to her all wanted a serious relationship, which was too heavy. In other words, she looked too well-kept to be approached casually.

There, in front of the lion statue, stood the person she was waiting for. Wearing a black pantsuit, her beautiful black hair was cut just above her shoulders. Chiharu felt warm in her heart, thinking how cool Maki still looked.

"Maki-chan!"

"Chiharu!"

They both smiled naturally. Chiharu Asou and Maki Aso. They were called by their first names by close friends. The two, who had joined the company at the same time, somehow got along well, and when they discovered they both could hold their liquor, they became even closer. Maki, who was bright and sharp but actually laid-back, and Chiharu, who seemed gentle and fluffy but was actually quite tough, made a good pair. Since then, they often went out for drinks and sometimes even went on trips together.

They entered a nearby izakaya and were led to a private booth, which was convenient for their purpose today.

"Chiharu, what would you like to drink?"

"Hmm, let's start with some sweet potato shochu, on the rocks."

"Ha! You're still cool, ordering shochu right away. And on the rocks, too. I'll have some junmai ginjo, in a glass."

"Ah, Maki-chan, ordering sake right away... junmai ginjo... nice, the selection at this place."

The server's face seemed to twitch a bit. It's fine today, both Chiharu and Maki thought.

"Shall we cheers?"

"Yeah, let's do a classic one."

"Okay."

"Let's cheers to being dumped!"

Clunk. They clinked their glasses and cups.

"Damn, we do see each other less often now that we're working. But we've been dating for five years, and it's an important time in our careers. What's wrong with working hard?"

"Right, right."

"Every day, I wear out my shoes in sales, and when I get home, I want to be pampered, not the other way around."

"Right, right. Hey, server, next, a lemon highball."

"Me too. Even though I want to see him, our schedules don't match up because of work."

"Right, right. Hey, tamagoyaki."

"Hey, takoyaki in Akashi style. And a daikon salad. But still—"

Maki was already complaining.

"I understand, Maki-chan. Let me guess what your boyfriend said. Oh, I mean, your 'idiot' boyfriend."

"Chiharu... you're already being negative..."

"You can do it on your own. But she can't. I have to support her..."

Chiharu said this with gestures.

"...You're right, Chiharu... you're a devil?"

"No, that's God."

"Nice catch."

"Right? I've worked hard to be able to do it on my own! That's what it means to be a working adult, isn't it? Isn't it, Maki-san?"

"Yes, it is."

"I've been holding back my desire to be pampered and working hard. That's the right way to be a working adult, isn't it? Isn't it, Maki-san?"

"Yes, it is. By the way, isn't it strange to think you have to support a new employee who lives at home and leaves work on time?"

"Yes, it is, Maki-chan."

"Wait, it's Maki-san."

"Right."

The two of them faceplanted on the table. In short, both had just been taken by the new employees who joined the company this spring. Why is there even a mentor system? It's a good system for seniors to teach juniors, but the couple formation rate is ridiculously high. Chiharu continued.

"I still think it's too early to get married, but he was the one pushing for it. I did say it was too early. But to say I should stay at home, I can't apologize for that!"

"Chiharu is the type you want to protect."

"Isn't it strange to want to work a little more? I'm not even a veteran yet."

"Work is tough but interesting..."

"Right... Next time, I'll fall for someone who can support me in both work and life."

"Right, right. That guy should be completely overwhelmed by the new employee's clinginess!"

"Hehehe..."

"What's wrong?"

"Maki-chan's boyfriend, I don't know, but my ex's new girlfriend—"

Chiharu finished her highball in one gulp.

"Server, red wine, in a decanter!"

"Are you sure? Isn't it too much?"

"Two glasses, please!"

"Me too!"

"Anyway—"

"Oh, you're back—"

"The things she has and wears are all luxury brands."

"Hmm, Chiharu, what does that mean?"

"Twenty percent reverse gold digger, eighty percent being taken advantage of."

"He's an idiot, that boyfriend."

"Ex-boyfriend."

"Right, right."

"Let him be taken advantage of!"

"Exactly!"

They finished the decanter. Normally, they wouldn't get drunk this quickly, but the pace was too fast.

"Let's go to the next place, the next one!"

"Yay!"

Ex-boyfriends didn't matter anymore. As long as they had alcohol and friends. The two, drunk and arm in arm, left the izakaya in high spirits.

And they fell.

It's common not to make new employees work overtime, but there were reports that some were made to work overtime from their first day. The author supports all new working adults, regardless of whether they live alone, with their parents, or in a dorm.