Side Story: Kirumi Tojo, At Your Service

“My, this quite the impressive resume you have here, Ms. Tojo,” Korekiyo Shinguji, the recently-hired head of human resources at CO Inc., said with a stack of papers in her hands. It was morning at the company, and she was sitting at her desk in her office on the fourth floor. Across from her, a woman with dirty-blonde hair wearing a black finely pressed women’s business suit sat patiently with her hands together in her lap. She was only eighteen and just graduated from high school, but she seemed to give off an air of professionalism so strong it was almost as if it radiated off her body.

“Why thank you, ma’am.” Kirumi bowed respectfully, her face calm and serene. “You are too kind.”

“Too kind? I think not; it says here you graduated the top of your class, leader of the women’s volleyball team and the school culture society, receiver of multiple school and national awards, completer of multiple high-level business internships… yes, I’ve never a list of accomplishments so glittering from someone your age.” Korekiyo straightened the papers and put them back down onto her desk. “In fact, this resume is so perfect that normally I would have assumed that it had been faked… if it were not for the fact that you were only applying to be a janitor.”

“I know that most of my experience is not necessary to apply for this job, but I thought that the company had the right to know as my potential employer,” Kirumi explained.

“Yes, I suppose we do. But I can’t help but wonder; why is someone like you applying to be a janitor of all things?” Korekiyo leaned forward in her seat and looked Kirumi up and down. “With a record like this, you could easily become a manager, or go to college instead. My instincts tell me that you would be a great lawyer.”

“Thank you for the compliment, but I’ve already turned down several invitation letters,” Kirumi replied casually. “I know it may not seem like it, but for most of my life, I didn’t have much direction. I only joined those clubs, achieved good grades, and won those awards because I was directed to by my teachers or family. It wasn’t until the end of my high school career that I realized that I hadn’t even considered what I wanted to do when I graduated. So, I did some thinking and eventually, I realized… that I actually quite liked doing as others told me.” A soft smile appeared on Kirumi’s face. “I liked taking orders, serving others, helping people achieve their goals, making them smile. Everyone kept telling me that these were good leadership qualities, but that’s something I never really wanted to do. I don’t want to lead; I want to serve.”

“I see now… if that is your goal, then the position of janitor would easily meet that.” Korekiyo leaned back in her seat. “Although that does not answer the question of why you applied here to our humble company.”

“I’ve applied to several companies, actually, but they have all turned me down.” Kirumi’s smile turned into a nervous frown. “They have all said that I was overqualified, or they thought I was a fraud, or they did not want me to ‘waste my life’ with such a low paying position. I’ve tried restaurants, factories, construction, and other corporations, but I have been turned away every time. And, not to insinuate anything negative about CO Inc., but… it was at the bottom of my list of choices.”

“Kehehe… so you really are **** to serve. Such dedication… it’s so beautiful! I love it!” Korekiyo spread her arms outwards as if basking in Kirumi’s radiance. “When can you start?”

“What?” Kirumi’s eyes shot open in surprise. “Uh, I can start immediately, but… does this mean you’re hiring me?”

“Yes, of course. It would be unwise of me to let a dedicated worker like you slip between my fingers.” Korekiyo laughed to herself again. “But you’ll have to lose the formal attire, I’m afraid. We can’t have anyone mistaking you for a manager, after all.”

“Thank you, Ms. Shinguji.” Kirumi smiled as she stood up and bowed to Korekiyo once more. “I swear on my honor as a janitor that I will not let you or this company down. I will give my heart and soul to my work here.”

“Kehehe… I believe you will, Ms. Tojo.” Korekiyo reached over her desk and shook Kirumi’s hand. “Welcome to the team.”

Kirumi kept her word faithfully, throwing herself into her work with gusto. Every day, she made sure that every water cooler was filled, every floor was swept, every coffee stain removed, and every bathroom spotless. Over several months she became as familiar with the office building as she was with the back of her hand and, although she could barely afford to stay in her downtown apartment, she found herself happier than she had been in a long time.

Then one day, she was cleaning a small office belonging to a lower-level manager when she noticed that he had left his computer on. On the screen, she could see a business document detailing productivity, work schedules, and budget requests. Even from just a short glance, however, Kirumi could tell that it was full of inefficiencies and errors, so she grabbed the computer’s mouse and keyboard and quickly corrected them.

The manager in question, Mr. Koichi Kizakura, walked back in right as Kirumi was about to leave and noticed that changes had been made on his computer.

“Hey! Hold on just a second!” the manager called out, stopping Kirumi at the door. “Did you see someone else come by my office? It looked like someone altered one of my files.”

“Actually, sir, that was me,” Kirumi replied. “I noticed that your document was rather sloppy, so I cleaned it up for you. Consider it an extension as my services as a janitor.”

“Really now?” Koichi looked at the document again and then back at Kirumi. “Say… do you think you can come by every day to ‘clean up’ my documents?”

“If it is your wish, then I shall,” she replied. “Assuming I have spare time from my other cleaning duties, of course.”

“Great; see you tomorrow then,” the manager said, kicking up his feet and leaning back in his chair.

Within a month, Kirumi wasn’t just cleaning up the manager’s work on his computer; she was doing all of it, sometimes for hours at a time. She did not mind at all, however, since she always finished her cleaning duties early and she was happy as long as she was serving someone. But then one day, while she was busy putting the finishing touches on a new equipment request form, the head of Koichi's department walked into his office.

“Hmm?” The older man stroked his short brown beard and looked confusedly at Kirumi and her drab grey jumpsuit as she typed away at Koichi's desktop computer. “And who might you be?”

“My apologies, sir.” Kirumi immediately stood up and bowed. “My name is Kirumi Tojo, and I normally work as a janitor here. I was just stopping by to assist manager Koichi Kizakura with his work.”

“Kizakura?” The older man blinked in surprise. “You were helping Kizakura? How much?”

“I do not wish to underplay his contributions to the company, but… quite a lot, sir,” she answered humbly but honestly.

“No need to protect him, my dear; he’s just been fired for drinking at the office,” the older man replied. “Though, I suspect we would have fired him earlier if he didn’t have you helping him.”

“Oh… I’m terribly sorry, sir. If I had known about his indiscretions, I would have reported them right away.” Kirumi turned off her computer and stood up to leave. “I will return to my normal duties now.”

“Wait… I think I have a better idea.” The man walked over to Kizakura’s nameplate and picked it up. “Why don’t you stay instead? You’re already used to being in here, doing the work… I’d say it’s a perfect fit for you.”

“But, sir, I’m just a jani-“ Kirumi began to say, only for the older man to interrupt her.

“No, you’re not.” The department head walked up to Kirumi and put a hand on her shoulder. “As of today, you are the new manager of this floor and are to take all the responsibilities involved. Have I made myself clear?”

“… yes sir.” Kirumi bowed somewhat reluctantly, but she knew she couldn’t argue with him. It wasn’t in her nature or her station. “I will get started right away.”

For the next few years, Kirumi Tojo’s career would repeat a similar pattern; she would work as hard as she could at her current job, one of her superiors would pass their work onto her, and then she would be promoted against her will when her superiors left their positions. Then, only a few days after she had turned 21, she found herself installed by the board of directors as CEO as reward for helping to save the company from financial ruin. Without even setting out to do so, she had become the youngest CEO in the company's history, and business media everywhere ate up her incredible rags-to-riches story.

And yet, even as Kirumi stared out to the surrounding city from her new office at the top of the building, she couldn't help but feel that this was a new low for her career.

“Yes, Ms. Tojo?” Kirumi’s blue-haired secretary, Azura Nakano, sweated nervously as she walked into Kirumi’s office. She was hired two weeks ago so she hadn’t known Kirumi long, but she couldn’t help but be intimidated by her. She had heard how quickly she rose through the company, so the image of a cutthroat, power-hungry businesswoman sat at the forefront of her mind. “You wanted to see me? Did you need something?”

“Thank you for coming, Ms. Nakano,” Kirumi greeted from her desk. “Thank you for your concern, but I do not need anything. In fact, I called you in to ask if you needed anything.”

“M-me, ma’am?” Azura stammered. “I-I’m just fine, thank you for asking.”

“Well then, what does the company need?” Kirumi asked, undeterred.

“Excuse me?” Azura began to sweat. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but aren’t you in a better position to know that than me?”

“I know that very well – but I’ve already done all that I can,” Kirumi replied. “I’ve planned every meeting I needed to, I made every required acquisition, and I planned ahead as far as I could. But those tasks are all done now; surely there must be something else I must do.”

“Uh, well… I could arrange for you some games of golf with other executives if you want,” the secretary suggested.

“If they wish to speak with me, they can do it here; not on some overpriced lawn.” Kirumi frowned. “I’ve already checked with them anyways, and they do not need anything at the moment. What about our workers? Do they need any equipment fixed? Help with their jobs? Perhaps I could get them some food.”

“They, uh, have everything under control, ma’am,” Azura replied.

“Well then, perhaps I could do some cleaning. The bathrooms on the fourth floor usually need scrubbing.” To the secretary’s shock, Kirumi picked up a spray bottle and a sponge that she had been keeping behind her desk and got up to head towards the door.

“M-madame CEO!” Azura sprinted up behind Kirumi and wrapped her arms around her shoulders to stop her from leaving.

“Let me go!” Kirumi struggled, still holding her cleaning supplies. “I need… to serve the company!”

“Ms. Tojo! Stop!” Azura cried out. “You know the board of directors would never tolerate you doing something like that now! It would tarnish their image.”

“Gah… you’re right…. And I swore not to let the company down.” Kirumi took a deep breath and let go of her spray bottle and sponge. “I apologize for my loss of composure, Ms. Nakano. I guess I have just been… a little stir crazy ever since I moved into this office. I know this might sound silly, but… being locked in here for hours at a time makes me pine for the days when I was a janitor.’

“Seriously? You liked that job that much?” The secretary blinked in surprise as she let Kirumi go.

“Yes, but it wasn’t so much the job itself as it was the joy of being a subordinate. I honestly enjoyed receiving orders, even if it was to do menial tasks.” Kirumi sighed. “I suppose my dilemma is not all that relatable, especially to you. You’re working here because you have to, not because you’re seeking some kind of personal fulfillment.”

“Yeah… but you shouldn’t discount your feelings so easily.” The secretary paused for a moment in thought. “You know… if you really want to be subordinate to someone, I think I could help you out with that. If you do me a favor, that is.”

“If you could find a way to help me fulfill this need, I would do anything that you desired,” Kirumi replied. “Within reason, of course.”

“Okay then; it might take a few days, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” Azura straightened her clothes as she fully calmed down. “In the meantime, if you really want something to do, I suggest supervising our workers in the office. Some people might see it as micromanaging, but at least it’s something.”

“Thank you, Ms. Nakano. Your assistance is appreciated.” Kirumi bowed and began making her way towards the door. “Please contact me by phone if anything needs my attention.”

“Wait!” Azura shouted just as Kirumi was about to leave. “You don’t have any more sponges on you, do you?”

“Well… maybe just one or two.” Kirumi began to subtly sweat. “You know, if I just so happen to find a stain that needs- wait, what are you doing? I order you to stay back!”

After being forcefully de-sponged, Kirumi made her way down to the offices of the company and went through them all one by one. She made sure that everyone was on task, following all company rules, getting along together, and had everything they needed to work. Most of the employees were all frightened to see her at first, but most of them knew her back when she was a janitor, so she was able to calm their fears relatively quickly. The only exception to this was Korekiyo, who just cackled to herself when she saw Kirumi pass by her office.

Then, on a lower floor of the building, Kirumi finally spotted someone she hadn’t met before. The man’s name was Shuichi Saihara, and he was sitting down in his cubicle for the very first time. Kirumi could tell that his business clothes were freshly ironed, but not very well, meaning that he likely wanted to make a good impression on his first day of work but he lacked a steady hand. His suitcase was an older model, likely passed down from one of his parents. And, although his face was largely hidden by the baseball cap he was wearing, Kirumi could tell by the way he moved that he was nervous, as if he thought the ground beneath his feet would combust if he stepped on it wrong.

“Hello there,” Kirumi greeted, walking up to Shuichi from behind. “I don’t believe we’ve met before.”

“Ah!” The dark-haired man did his best not to scream as he spun around in his chair. “H-hey there! It’s nice to meet you! I’m S-Shuichi Saihara, and I’m this department’s new internal a-auditor. A-and you are?”

“Kirumi Tojo, CEO of CO. Inc, at your service.” Kirumi bowed respectfully.

“CEO?! Oh my goodness!” Shuichi bowed back but did so on his hands and knees. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you earlier, ma’am. I’m not in trouble already, am I?”

“What?” Kirumi took a stepped back in surprise. “No, not at all. I just came by to welcome you to the company.”

“O-oh… my bad.” Shuichi blushed as he picked himself up off the floor. “I guess I’m just a little nervous since it’s my first day. Part of me is still can’t believe someone actually hired me.”

“Nonsense, Mr. Saihara; your credentials more than qualified you for this position,” Kirumi countered.

“O-oh… you mean you’ve looked at my resume?” Shuichi adjusted his hat on reflex to hide behind it more.

“Indeed, I have. Ms. Shinguji also spoke with some of your references, and they said that you have a keen eye for detail, concern for others, and dedication for your work,” Kirumi replied. “If that is accurate, then I do not doubt that the two of us will get along.”

“Wow… thank you, Ms. Tojo.” Shuichi gave Kirumi a smile that she would have described as ‘cute’ if it wasn’t for the strict code of professionalism that she knew she had to follow. “I hope we get along too. “

“Very good. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Saihara.” Kirumi bowed again and turned to leave. “I’ll be back to check on you later to make sure you’re settling in well, by the way. I look forward to seeing you again.”

“Y-yes ma’am! Thank you, ma’am!” Shuichi bowed and hastily got back to settling in at his desk, trying to start his work as quickly as possible. “S-see you again soon!”

Over a week had passed since the CEO of CO Inc. nearly scrubbed the bathroom floors, but she managed to avoid coming close to an incident like that again. She remained focused on what little work she had as CEO, her spirit buoyed onwards by her secretary’s promise of some kind of release. Then, the time finally came; Azura gave Kirumi the address of an establishment near the commercial district where she could supposedly ‘serve as much as she wanted’ and told her to go there that night. Kirumi arrived at 8 PM wearing a drab grey hoodie and dark pants to help disguise her identity, and she was immediately taken in by the sight of the building. The Paramour Maid Café, as it was known, had exquisite Victorian architecture that was unlike anywhere else in the city, and the inside matched that aesthetic perfectly. Kirumi would have stopped to examine it all, but she was on a mission and instead went directly to the receptionist.

“Good evening, ma’am,” a silver-haired woman wearing a maid’s headdress and apron greeted with a bow behind a wooden podium. As Kirumi approached her, she could see that underneath the apron she was almost completely undressed with her lacy pink and black lingerie exposed shamelessly for the world to see. “How may we be of service?”

“Good evening to you too.” Kirumi returned the maid's bow. “I’m here about a position; Ms. Nakano referred me here.”

“Ah, so you arrived right on schedule! How lovely!” The maid clapped her hands together. “Sue! Could you come down here a moment to watch the front desk? I need to talk to a potential recruit for a few moments.”

“Of course, Edith.” Another maid girl, this time dressed in a more conservative uniform, walked down the stairs behind the podium to watch it while the maid Kirumi spoke to lead her into a back room. Inside appeared to be a small locker room with spare pieces of maid uniforms lining one wall and clean silverware and dishes lining the other. On the far side, Kirumi could also see several women in maid uniforms working in a small kitchen making tea and cakes.

“Alright then, let’s get started,” Edith said as they both sat down on some stools together. “So, what made you interested in joining our little café?”

“Well… because I was told that this was a place where I could serve others without constraint,” Kirumi explained as a woman casually undressed behind her. “And, if you look at my resume-“

“No no, no resumes!” Edith stopped Kirumi from reaching into her purse. “It doesn’t matter who you are outside the café. All we require of our maids is a wiliness to work, and proof that you’re over eighteen.”

Surprised, Kirumi put away her resume and instead took out her ID to hand to the woman.

“Okay, the ID checks out,” Edith said, handing it back to Kirumi. “And you’re sure you want to work here? This kind of job isn’t for everyone.”

“That may be, but I assure you; I was born to serve.” Kirumi put her hand over her heart and looked Edith in the eye. “Nothing would make me happier than to work at this café.”

Edith stared back intensely for a few moments before breaking out into laughter.

“Oh my goodness! You’re so serious, aren’t you?” Edith playfully nudged Kirumi in the ribs. “We’re a maid café, not a military unit. Relax a little!”

“I’m terribly sorry.” Kirumi chuckled. “I’ve been told I can be too sober at times.”

“Now then, before you get started let me just go over the basics.” Edith directed Kirumi to a nearby chart. “How this works is that clients will come in and pay to spend time with you in a private room, either choosing you by name, by picture, or at random. All the girls here are paid by the hour, but you get a bonus if someone chooses to spend time with you. Hours are flexible and you can set your schedule, but if you’re not in a room you will be expected to help out around the café. If you are in a room, you are to be the epitome of class and grace. You must be respectful towards your guests even if they are rude to you, but you may end a session or call for help whenever you like; and don’t worry, we punish anyone who harms our girls severely.

“Now, when you’re in a room with a customer, you are to do whatever it takes to make them happy. There is technically a list of things that you’re not supposed to do with your customers… but we know our maids make the best choices in that regard if you know that I mean.” Edith winked at Kirumi and she nodded in understanding. “Alright then, now the only thing you need to get started is a uniform and a name for your new maid persona. Do you have something in mind?”

“Well, I have always had a fondness for making tea… how about Oolong?” Kirumi suggested.

“Perfect!” Edith stood up and placed a maid headband onto Kirumi’s head. “Welcome to the café, Ms. Oolong. We’ll get you a uniform and get a picture taken, and we’ll see if we can get you any customers!”

Kirumi changed into her new revealing outfit, which consisted of her maid headband, a short black apron, garter belts, black high heels, silk gloves, and nothing else. Edith was surprised to see Kirumi forgo wearing underwear entirely, but she was still supportive of her as Kirumi waited for her first customer. He finally came an hour later, choosing her at random. Kirumi;s heart beat fast with anticipation as she approached the room he reserved, but she remained outwardly calm as she opened the door and greeted him. The customer was a relatively average man with dark hair who laid back in his seat as he waited for his maid to arrive, but he quickly sat up when he spotted her. Smiling, he ordered her to feed him cake while sitting in his lap, and the fact that his pants were the only thing separating his dick from her exposed pussy underneath her apron was not lost on Kirumi as she climbed onto him. Still, she performed exactly how she was asked, allowing him to lick the sugar off her fingers after each sweet morsel she fed him.

“Thank you so much for choosing me, sir.” Kirumi bowed as she watched the man leave the building. “Please, stop by again.”

“So… how’d it go?” Edith asked somewhat playfully when the door to the café shut.

“I think it went well. The customer seemed very happy with my performance,” Kirumi replied.

“Good, good, but what did you think about it?” Edith asked, voice growing more serious. “Did you enjoy it? Did you ever feel uncomfortable?”

“No… in fact, the whole affair was rather fun.” Kirumi smiled. “Actually, it was more than fun; it was exhilarating. The feeling of being under his control, of being… his without any reservation… it made me feel hotter than I was expecting it to.” Kirumi’s knees subtly rubbed together in arousal. “This café is already better than I ever hoped it would be.”

“Phew… that’s good to hear.” Edith patted Kirumi on the back. “Though if you keep talking like that, the girls around here are going to start calling you a pervert~”

“Is… that not a desirable quality when it comes to this job?” Kirumi asked.

“Ha! Good point!” Edith laughed. “Though I prefer it when customers are more… emotionally intimate; talking about their daily lives, their feelings, that kind of thing?”

“Really? Do you think I could have a customer like that?” Kirumi asked.

“Hmm… I’ll see what I can do~”

Shortly afterward, Kirumi was given a new customer; a boy who had just gotten into college and just wanted to vent about his schoolwork while resting his head in her lap and being fed candy. After that, she had a man who got a bit more sexual with her, having her remove the top part of her apron so he could suck on her bare tits. The feeling of his tongue swirling around her nipples and sent tingles up her spine, but she made sure to ask for permission first before moaning too loudly and distracting him from what he was doing.

Then she was finally given a man who wanted to have sex with her. She responded to the request with calm politeness, but deep down she could feel something stirring. It was as if there was a fire being lit inside her, and it only grew hotter as she pulled off the man’s pants.

Kirumi would look back at her first blowjob with some regret, as her technique had yet to be perfected, but she still did her best. She circled her tongue around the tip slowly, as if savoring a piece of the world’s finest chocolate, before taking it inside her mouth and gently sucking on it. She could feel herself start to gag a little as it reached into her throat, but she was quickly able to suppress that reflex through sheer **** of will. But as his cock entered the warm tunnel of her throat and she began to swallow his entire length, her customer did not thank her. Instead, he simply asked her to go even faster, and Kirumi eagerly did so. She made sure to follow all his orders the whole time, all while carefully studying the way her customer and his cock reacted so that she could please him even more.

Then, just before he was about to explode inside Kirumi’s mouth, her customer pulled away from her. Apparently, he only wanted to finish inside her lower mouth, so she helped him put a condom on and laid down onto her couch with her legs spread wide. It was her very first time, but she was wet enough that he was able to slip inside her without much effort or resistance. As he began to thrust in and out of her squeezing pussy, she found she didn’t feel any regret for losing her virginity like this; if anything, she found the idea of giving it up to her ‘master’ just because he ordered her to one of the biggest turn-ons of her entire life. By the time he finished with her, swelling his pink rubber full of his seed right next to her womb, she had orgasmed herself two times. But even while she was having her strongest orgasm, she always did her best to keep her composure and focus on her customer’s needs instead; though, that often had the unintended effect of turning her on even more.

Then, when her customer finally pulled out of her soaking snatch she held his head to her chest and kept him company until his time with her finally expired.

“Thank you so much for coming by, my Master,” Kirumi said with a bow as she escorted him to the door. “Please, come again.”

“Heh, he sure left with a happy look on his face,” Edith smirked as she walked up behind Kirumi. “Though, I can tell you had a pretty good time too, even if you’re trying to hide it.”

“Yes… I did.” Kirumi paused to smile wider than she had in a long time. “I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy spending my evenings here.”

“That’s good to hear! Feel free to keep working as long as you want, but you’re welcome to hang out with the rest of us in the break area too.” Edith patted Kirumi on the shoulder and smelled the scent of sex still radiating from Kirumi's body. “Oh, one more thing; not to imply that you made any kind of mess in there – because we maids never make any kinds of messes – but if you were to leave any stains, wet spots, or smells on anything, it’s your responsibility to clean it up.”

Kirumi gasped. “Truly? I can clean my stains as much as I want?” A single tear rolled down Kirumi’s cheek as she clapped her hands together. “Thank you, Ms. Nakano, wherever you are,” she whispered to herself. “This place truly is a paradise!”

“Uh… right…” Edith chuckled awkwardly. “A-anyways, let us all know when you’re finished, okay?”

“Of course, Ms. Edith.” Kirumi bowed once again. “But don’t worry; I shouldn’t take long.”

For the next five years, Kirumi returned to work at the café every night that she could, usually on Friday and Saturday nights, to live out her desire to serve others in every way possible. She fed them, cooked for them, shared tea and coffee with them, and of course did all sorts of erotic tasks as well. From handjobs, to paizuri, to anal, and everything in between, Kirumi became an expert of using her please men in every way she could. She even had a few female customers during her time at the café as well, allowing her tongue to taste female flesh for the first time while she put her skilled fingers to the test inside them. She honestly didn’t care if her partners were male or female, though; so long as they had desires to be fulfilled, they were welcome in her room.

In fact, it seemed as if nothing was off-limits to her, and word of Ms. Oolong’s exceptional skill and demeanor quickly spread throughout both the street and the café. Within a few months, customers were coming in every night just to ask for her, sometimes scheduling weeks in advance for the opportunity to be with the Ultimate Maid. Men who visited her would tell their friends that her tongue could worship someone like royalty, and that her thighs were so soft that they could make a man cum just by touching him.

The other girls at the café began to look up to Kirumi as well, admiring her beauty and talent and asking her for advice whenever they could. Kirumi did her best to help them and, while socializing with them was awkward at first, she soon began to see the other maids like sisters, even if only Edith knew her real name.

Back at CO Inc., Kirumi found her urges to clean had finally subsided, and she was relaxed in the office for the first time in what felt like months. Sure, she still had more downtime than she would have liked, but the promise of working at the café later always kept her going.

As for Azura, it turned out the favor she wanted was a loan for an otaku cousin of hers; apparently, she was badly in debt and needed a bailout rather desperately. Kirumi provided the money with no hesitation, and after that she and her secretary gradually grew closer together until Azura became the one person whom the CEO kept no secrets from.

And then there was Shuichi. For the next five years at CO Inc., Kirumi kept her eye on him, stopping by every other day to check on him and his work. She didn’t know quite what it was, but something drew her to him. Perhaps it was because he was such a dedicated worker, never using his sick or vacation days and always showing up to the office even in the most terrible weather. Maybe it was the way he always looked so frightened, and that activated some kind of maternal guiding instinct deep inside her. Or, perhaps she simply thought the way he smiled and talked was cute, though she would deny that even to herself.

Regardless of the source of those feelings, Kirumi pushed them to the back of her mind, convinced that it was pointless to dwell on them. He was her subordinate, after all, so there was no chance that they could ever be together. Or, at least that’s what she thought until one fateful night when she was called to spend time with a new customer at the café…

“My apologies for the wait. I wanted to prepare a few things so that can make the most of our time together, Mr…. Mr. Saihara!?”