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墨書 Inktalez
In early December 2009, the izakaya "AKI" in Yin Hu Qu was a favorite spot for employees of Nichido Planning.
While it couldn't be considered upscale, the food and service were top-notch, and the warm atmosphere allowed everyone to relax fully. The advertising headquarters where Haruna worked held a welcome party for new employees there that weekend.
It was extremely cold that day, and she wore the red wool coat that Naoki Okamoto had given her.
"Ah, this year's new hires are fewer than last year; it doesn't feel lively at all," the department head complained while sipping his beer halfway through the welcome party. He grumbled that they should have gathered more people.
"Actually, having fewer people isn't so bad," Riiko, who had joined Nichido Planning just last year, said as she took a sip of her juice. She glanced at her distracted colleagues and added, "Takashi Fujiwara-kun, Ming Tai-kun, why not invite your girlfriends?"
"Huh? That's a good idea! But Takashi Fujishiro, do you have a girlfriend now?" The moment this topic was brought up, it immediately captured everyone's attention.
"Uh..." Takashi Fujiwara shyly nodded, stumbling over his words. "Yes, I've been dating her since sophomore year."
"That's great! Bring her over!" Riiko said with a smile.
Haruna sat in a corner, and Yukiho suddenly chimed in on the conversation at the front table. She turned back to Haruna as if to confirm, "This sounds good too, right?"
Haruna felt a bit unwell and nodded perfunctorily. She took a sip of hot cocoa, hoping it would warm her up a little.
About twenty minutes later, a girl in a deep blue coat appeared at "AKI."
It was clear at first glance that she was a beauty, with fair skin and large, bright eyes that hinted at a certain spirit, giving off an impression of rationality.
"This is my girlfriend, named Aki," Takashi Fujiwara said as he saw Aki push the door open and immediately rushed over to greet her. He leaned down to say a few words before leading her to the tables at Nichido Planning.
"So, it turns out Shintaro also likes tea ceremonies?" Riiko turned to Haruna. "Now you have someone to keep you company, Senpai."
Upon hearing her name, Haruna looked up immediately. When her gaze met Aki's, she nodded in acknowledgment.
Aki chatted with Haruna for a while, but the unease in her heart grew stronger. Eventually, she decided to stop the meaningless conversation and began checking her phone frequently instead.
However, she left a very good impression on Haruna. Aki's straightforward personality and nearly identical interests made Haruna genuinely fond of her.
"Is something wrong?" As soon as the words left her mouth, Haruna realized how abrupt it sounded, especially since they weren't familiar with each other.
"Actually..." Aki pressed her lips tightly together before fixing her gaze on Haruna as if making up her mind. "May I ask if Takashi Fujiwara has had any particularly bad interactions with anyone at the company?"
"No, not at all. He gets along well with everyone," Haruna replied.
"Since last week, I've been receiving threatening letters." At this point, Aki's face suddenly turned pale as she carefully scanned the surroundings. "Of course, I haven't let Takashi know, but it seems like he is the target."
Haruna, who had been feeling unwell and somewhat dazed, suddenly felt wide awake as if splashed with cold water upon hearing Aki's words.
She couldn't think of anyone who had a grudge against Takashi Fujiwara, but he had always been favored by his superiors, so it wasn't impossible that someone might be envious of him.
"Now the other party is making harassing calls in the middle of the night. Takashi Fujiwara has been woken up several times. I think I need to talk to him about this, but I really don't want to affect his work. If only I could solve this myself..."
Aki's voice grew quieter.
Haruna nodded, gradually realizing the seriousness of the situation, and she began to quietly observe her surroundings. Watching Aki, who wanted to help Takashi Fujiwara, Haruna couldn't help but think of her own relationship with Naoki Okamoto.
The strong desire to be of assistance surged within her.
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