Chapter 119: I’m Nice But Not Just At Work

Aoi stared at the computer screen in front of her, her fingers hovering above the keyboard as she tried to process the amount of work sitting on her desk.

She had only been working for a few hours.

Yet somehow, it already felt like she had been sitting there for an entire day.

"You’re done?" Mayumi asked from across the office.

Aoi slowly turned her head toward her manager.

"Yes."

Mayumi picked up the documents Aoi had just finished and quickly skimmed through them. Her eyes moved across each page before she nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Then do these."

She placed another stack of documents on Aoi’s desk.

Aoi stared at them. She wanted to cry, but no tears came out. "These too?"

"Yes."

Aoi forced a smile. "Of course."

She pulled the documents closer and began working again.

At first, she wasn’t too bothered.

During her interview, Mayumi had seemed like a fairly easygoing person. She was confident, pleasant, and even complimented Aoi several times. Aoi had assumed working under her wouldn’t be too difficult.

She was beginning to realize just how wrong she had been.

The first assignment took her less than an hour. The second took another forty minutes. Then came the third. Then the fourth. Every time Aoi finished something, another task somehow appeared on her desk.

It was as if Mayumi had an endless supply of work hidden somewhere.

Aoi glanced at the clock.

Her eyes widened.

She had been working for nearly four hours without a proper break.

She looked toward Mayumi, who was calmly working at her own desk.

Aoi couldn’t help but wonder how this woman was still so energetic.

’Is she even human?’

She quickly shook the thought away and continued working. Another hour passed, then another. Eventually, Aoi’s stomach growled.

She froze.

Slowly, she looked around the office to see if anyone had heard.

Fortunately, no one except her and Mayumi was in the room, and Mayumi didn’t seem to hear as her eyes were still fixed on her computer.

Aoi quietly sighed in relief. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this exhausted.

Even when she was an Awakener, she could fight monsters for hours without complaining. She had faced dangerous Gates, fought creatures that could tear ordinary people apart, and even survived the terrifying battle against Derat Thorn alongside Reiji.

Yet somehow, sitting in an office and staring at spreadsheets was beginning to feel worse.

At least monsters attacked her directly.

This woman attacked her with paperwork.

Aoi eventually stood up.

"Manager Yamada, I’m going to the bathroom."

Mayumi didn’t even look away from her computer.

"Okay. Be back quickly, my dear."

Aoi almost choked on her spit when she heard that, but luckily, she didn’t as she quickly made her way toward the bathroom.

The moment the door closed behind her, she leaned against the wall and released a long sigh.

"I’m dying."

She touched the earbud hidden beneath her hair.

"Reiji."

There was a brief silence before his voice came through.

"What’s wrong?"

Aoi lowered her voice.

"Your plan is trying to kill me before I can even start it."

Reiji chuckled.

"Already?"

"Don’t laugh!" Aoi whispered angrily. "I’ve been working nonstop since I got here. She keeps giving me more work. Every time I finish something, she gives me something else."

"Huh."

"That’s all you have to say?"

"I honestly didn’t know she was like that."

Aoi stared at herself in the mirror.

"You didn’t know?"

"No." Reiji sounded completely sincere.

Aoi rubbed her forehead.

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"I don’t know."

"You don’t know?"

"I said I don’t know."

Aoi wanted to scream.

Reiji continued, "Just bear with it for now. I need you inside the company, and complaining on your first day might make things more difficult."

Aoi’s cheeks puffed slightly.

"I know that, but she isn’t even giving me enough time to breathe."

"Then take a short break."

"I’m in the bathroom."

"Perfect."

Aoi narrowed her eyes.

"You are enjoying this."

"Maybe a little."

"Reiji!"

"Haha, I’m joking."

Aoi sighed. She looked at herself in the mirror again. She was exhausted, but she couldn’t deny that she had expected something like this.

If she wanted to help Reiji bring Hina home early, she couldn’t simply give up because of some paperwork.

Still, there was one thing she needed to know.

"Wait here."

"Where are you going?"

"I’m going to ask her."

Reiji went silent for a moment.

"Ask her what?"

"Why she’s working me like this. Wasn’t she supposed to be a nice old lady?"

Before Reiji could respond, Aoi ended the conversation and left the bathroom.

She returned to the office and approached Mayumi’s desk.

"Manager Yamada?"

Mayumi looked up.

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Aoi hesitated for a second before speaking.

"Why do you give so much work?"

Mayumi blinked before smiling.

Aoi immediately became suspicious.

"What?"

"You’re the first person to ask me that on their first day."

"Is that bad?"

"No."

Mayumi leaned back slightly in her chair.

"Actually, it’s good."

Aoi waited.

Mayumi folded her arms.

"Do you think I’m difficult?"

Aoi froze.

’Oh no.’

She quickly shook her head.

"No, I just..."

Mayumi chuckled.

"Relax. I’m not going to fire you."

Aoi released a small breath.

Mayumi continued, "The truth is, I’m actually a very nice person."

Aoi stared at her.

"Outside of work."

Aoi’s expression became blank.

Mayumi smiled.

"When I’m outside this office, I’m relaxed. I enjoy talking to people, going out, eating good food, and having fun. But when I enter this office..."

Her expression suddenly became serious.

"I’m your manager."

Aoi swallowed.

Mayumi pointed toward the pile of documents.

"I don’t expect my employees to be perfect. But if I know someone can handle more, I’m going to give them more."

Aoi glanced at the pile.

"That much?"

Mayumi nodded.

"You finished the first assignment quickly, so I gave you another. You finished that quickly too, so I increased the workload."

Aoi’s eyes twitched.

"So I’m being punished for working quickly?"

Mayumi laughed.

"No. You’re being rewarded."

Aoi wasn’t sure whether she should laugh or cry.

Mayumi continued, "You’re capable, Aoi. I wouldn’t have accepted you if I didn’t think you could handle the position."

Aoi looked at her. There was no deception in Mayumi’s expression. She genuinely believed what she was saying.

"I understand."

Mayumi nodded.

"Good. Now go finish those reports."

Aoi’s shoulders dropped.

"Yes, Manager Yamada."

As she returned to her desk, Reiji’s voice came through the earbud.

"So?"

Aoi sat down.

"She’s terrifying."

Reiji laughed.

"You seriously asked her?"

"I did."

"And?"

"She’s apparently only nice when she’s outside work."

Reiji went silent.

Then he laughed again.

"I see."

"Don’t laugh."

"I’m not."

"You are."

"I’m definitely not."

Aoi sighed and picked up her pen.

"Just wait until I get home."

"Why?"

"Because I’m going to make you listen to me complain for at least an hour."

"Haha, alright then. I owe you that much, don’t I?"

"You owe me more."

Despite her exhaustion, Aoi couldn’t help but smile slightly.

At least she wasn’t completely alone.

The rest of the day passed painfully slowly.

By the time Aoi finally finished her last assignment, the office had already begun emptying. She stared at the clock and realized it was much later than she had expected.

Mayumi looked over from her desk.

"Good work today."

Aoi forced herself to stand.

"Thank you."

"You did well for your first day."

Aoi smiled weakly.

"Thank you, Manager Yamada."

Mayumi nodded.

"Get some rest. You’ll need it tomorrow."

Aoi’s smile disappeared.

"Tomorrow?"

Mayumi smiled.

"Of course."

Aoi’s soul nearly left her body.

She quickly left the office before Mayumi could give her another assignment.

When she finally reached home, she barely had enough energy to take off her shoes.

Reiji was already there.

He was sitting on the couch with a bottle of soju beside him, looking considerably more drunk than he probably intended to become.

Aoi stared at him.

"You’re drunk."

Reiji looked at her.

"Am I?"

He stared at the bottle.

Then at Aoi.

"You’re delu delu..." Burp!

Aoi sighed.

"I don’t have the energy for this."

She slowly made her way toward the bedroom.

Reiji watched her disappear. A few seconds later, he heard the sound of the bed creaking.

Aoi didn’t even bother changing properly. She simply crawled into bed and collapsed. Within seconds, she was asleep. The exhaustion from the entire day had completely overwhelmed her.

Reiji remained on the couch for a while longer before eventually stumbling toward the bedroom himself. He was far too drunk to think properly. Tiny sips had turned into almost twenty bottles. He probably would have drunk even more if there had been more.

When he reached the bed, he simply dropped onto it.

Aoi barely stirred.

A few hours passed.

The room was completely silent.

Aoi slowly opened her eyes. She felt something heavy beside her.

She turned her head.

Reiji was lying beside her, completely unconscious.

Aoi blinked.

"Reiji?"

There was no response.

She sighed.

"He really passed out."

She tried shifting away from him, but Reiji suddenly moved.

His arm wrapped around her.

Aoi froze.

"Eh?"

Reiji pulled her closer, still completely asleep.

His eyes barely opened.

"Hina..."

Aoi’s heart skipped.

Before she could say anything, Reiji leaned closer and kissed her.

Aoi’s eyes widened.

For a few seconds, her mind completely stopped working.

She knew he was drunk, especially because of the soju, and she knew he thought she was Hina. She also knew this wasn’t really meant for her.

Yet she didn’t pull away.

Her face slowly became red as she stared at Reiji.

When he finally moved back, he remained asleep.

Aoi touched her lips.

"What am I doing?"

Her heart was pounding. She knew she should move. She knew she should probably wake him up and tell him to sleep properly.

Instead, she remained frozen beside him.

Then Reiji shifted again.

His arm moved around her waist, pulling her closer until she was practically trapped against him.

Aoi’s face became even redder.

"Reiji..."

He didn’t respond.

She carefully tried to push him away, but she couldn’t.

She pushed harder, but Reiji barely moved.

Aoi’s expression twitched.

"Why are you so heavy?"

She tried again, but Reiji barely moved.

Of course, with his enhanced physical stats, moving him while he was completely unconscious was practically impossible.

Not to mention, he was practically wearing weights.

Aoi eventually gave up. She stared at the ceiling with a completely red face.

"This is going to be a long night."

Beside her, Reiji remained completely unconscious and completely unaware of the trouble he had just caused.