A week had passed since the incident in the president's office. From that day on, Aya's daily life had changed, audibly and irrevocably. During the day, Shiraishi Rinsuke was like a completely different person. Silver hair striding briskly across the sales floor. Cold, violet eyes that didn't even glance at Aya, trembling in front of her monitor. He treated her just like any other employee — a mere "pawn." And that, paradoxically, tightened its grip on Aya's heart. "Messing up again. Unbelievable." Tanabe's voice echoed softly in the corner of the floor. Aya hunched her shoulders, pretending to type at her keyboard. The input screen was a mess. The numbers wouldn't stick in her head. The events of last night clung stubbornly to the back of her eyelids. The document room, empty after overtime hours. The sound of that heavy door opening. Footsteps drawing closer. The moment her heart felt like it would leap from her chest, a large hand reached out from between the shelves and slowly combed through Aya's hair. "[whispers] Come." A low voice, resonating right behind her ear. A shiver ran down her spine. She couldn't escape. Her arm was seized, and she was pressed against the cold wall. Only the white light of the fluorescent lamps illuminated them. His fingers lifted Aya's chin. "In... in a place like this... what if someone sees us...?" Her voice trembled. The hand she tried to resist with was effortlessly pinned above her head. Rinsuke didn't answer. He merely narrowed his violet eyes. Then, a hot breath ghosted over the nape of her neck. Soft lips slowly traced a path from behind Aya's ear down to her collarbone. "...N-no... ah..." Her knees nearly buckled. One of his hands wrapped around her back, pulling her into a tight embrace. Though forceful, his fingertips were gentle, as if handling something fragile. She was terrified of her own inability to resist. But even more terrifying than that — was the fact that she had absolutely no idea what this man was thinking. By day, he ignored her. Only at night, like this, would he touch her as if confirming a treasure. Was this relationship purely physical? Or was it... Aya bit her lip. A cold, creeping sensation spread deep within her chest. — The next morning, the break area was strangely quiet. As Aya brewed coffee, a deliberately loud, mocking laugh came from the table behind her. "[sarcastic] Don't you think Aya-chan has gotten weirdly sexy lately?" It was Tanabe's voice. Nakayama sat beside her, and both were looking her way. "[laughing] Huh, really? Well, I guess she might be a bit better than before. Maybe she finally got a boyfriend or something?" "[cold] ...As if. Especially a dog like her." A sneer, loud enough to ensure she heard. She could sense her colleagues around them stifling their giggles. No one said anything. No one defended her. Still holding her coffee cup, Aya froze a smile onto her face. "[gentle] I'm sorry, excuse me for a moment..." She murmured quietly and fled to the restroom. Her face reflected in the mirror was deathly pale. Her eyes were red. The ends of her short black bob swayed forlornly. (*Did they find out? No, they didn't. But Tanabe-san is right. I'm ugly, I'm useless, I'm just—*) She suddenly felt ashamed of herself for almost believing she was needed by someone. In front of the mirror, Aya pressed her lips tightly together. "[scared] No... I'm just... a plaything..." The words slipped out. Her mind understood that this week of secret meetings was purely for pleasure. And yet, before she knew it, she found herself longing for something deeper. (*I really am hopeless, aren't I.*) Self-loathing settled heavily in the pit of her stomach. — That night, Aya sat hugging her knees on the bed in her apartment. "Maison Sakuragaoka" in Chitose City. An old apartment building, fifteen years old. The cheerful voices of college students, a boy and a girl, leaked from the next room. The room was dim. Only the screen of her smartphone cast a pale light on Aya's face. On the screen was the secret chat app, "Whisp." No message from Ryousuke. The man who had sought her body so intensely in the document room the night before last hadn't sent a single word tonight. "...He's just busy with work. It has nothing to do with me." She told herself that. But a dull, throbbing ache persisted deep in her chest. (*It's just physical. That's really all it is, isn't it.*) The clock's hands passed midnight. One in the morning. On impulse, Aya typed out a message. *'...What are you doing right now?'* Sent. She regretted it immediately. She turned the screen face down and buried her face in her pillow. (*What am I doing, like an idiot.*) A few minutes later. Her smartphone vibrated softly. A Whisp notification. It showed as read. The reply was just a single line. *'Come tonight. 31st floor conference room. Now.'* A commanding tone. No explanation. Aya stared at the screen. Anger bubbled up inside her. *I'm not a dog. He thinks I'll come just because he calls.* And yet—. "...I'm such an idiot." Before she knew it, she had thrown on a coat and left her room. Chitose was freezing at night. Forty minutes swaying on the train. The Minato Central business district glittered with countless lights, even in the dead of night. Sakaki Holdings Headquarters. The thirty-five-story glass building loomed out of the darkness. She slipped through the entrance, which should have been deserted, and boarded the elevator. The thirty-first floor. A floor lined with executive conference rooms. The corridor was dead silent. Only the emergency lights dimly illuminated the floor. The door to the large conference room at the end of the hall was slightly ajar. When she stepped inside, the Tokyo nightscape sprawled before her. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The high-rise buildings along the bay shimmered like scattered jewels. In front of them stood the man with silver hair. "[cold] I didn't think you'd contact me." Rinsuke didn't turn around. He spoke in a low voice, still gazing at the night view. Aya couldn't say anything. Only the sound of her own heartbeat was deafening. Rinsuke slowly approached. His hand reached out and lifted Aya's chin. "[whispers] Were you feeling anxious?" She wanted to say no. But she couldn't shake her head. His violet eyes peered into her, as if seeing through everything. "[serious] To you... what is this relationship?" Her voice trembled. She desperately fought back the tears threatening to spill over. Rinsuke didn't answer. He simply pressed Aya's body against the window. With the nightscape at his back, shadows fell across his face. "[whispers] You're noisy." That was all he said before pressing his lips deeply against hers. She had no time to resist. His hands began unbuttoning Aya's coat. Cold air touched her skin through the collar of her blouse. "...Wait, um..." "[serious] You're the one who came seeking." He was right. She had contacted him. She had come here willingly. (*That's right. I wanted to see him.*) The moment she realized it, a burning sensation filled the back of her eyes. Rinsuke's fingers pulled down the zipper of Aya's skirt. Over her underwear, a hot palm traced along her thigh. Her body jolted with a start. "[gentle] Keep your voice down. The security cameras are off, but there are guards." "You can't... ah, aahh..." His fingers slowly pressed open her sensitive spot. A wet, squelching sound echoed in the quiet conference room. She was so embarrassed she could die, yet her body responded honestly. "[whispers] You were about to cry just a moment ago, but down here, you're weeping." "Don't... don't say that... ah, not there... no..." Her breath fogged the window glass. The Tokyo nightscape blurred and smeared through her tears. Rinsuke pulled Aya's underwear down to her knees and began unbuckling his own belt. "[serious] Do you want an answer? What this relationship is." He whispered in her ear, and Aya shook her head. She didn't want to know anymore. She was too afraid to hear the answer. "[whispers] Smart girl." He said it with satisfaction. Then, slowly, he entered her. "...Aaaahh..." She braced her hands against the wall, desperately stifling her voice. Every time Rinsuke's hips moved, something deep inside her clenched tight. He said nothing. He simply, methodically, carved his heat into Aya. (*This is fine. This alone should be enough, and yet...*) The nightscape outside the window blurred, wavered, and eventually went pure white. Aya bit down on her lip, enduring the climax that assaulted her. Rinsuke thrust deep one final time and stopped moving. The sensation of hot semen being poured into her. Aya simply pressed her forehead against the glass and gasped for breath. She didn't get her answer. — The next morning. Aya lay on her apartment bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her body was heavy with fatigue. She barely remembered how she had gotten home last night. She only remembered that the moment she returned to her room, the tears wouldn't stop. (*What am I to him?*) She buried her face in her pillow. The smartphone she had tossed onto the futon suddenly blared its ringtone. Looking at the screen, a familiar name glowed. Kusunoki Kento. Her childhood friend, with whom she used to play in the grounds of Chitose Shrine as a child. As adults, their contact had dwindled to just New Year's cards. After a moment's hesitation, Aya pressed the call button. "[excited] Long time no see! Aya, how are you?" A bright voice leaped into her ear. Nothing had changed. It was the same warm, sun-like voice he'd always had. "...Yeah, I'm fine. How about you, Kento-kun?" "[happy] Actually, I'm in Minato for work. If you're free today, want to grab some food? I heard a good ramen place opened up near Chitose Shrine." Something deep in Aya's chest tightened. The wretchedness of not getting an answer from Rinsuke last night suddenly loosened its grip. She had known this voice forever. It wasn't cold and frightening like Rinsuke's. It was a gentle voice. "[gentle] ...Yeah, I'll go." The moment she answered, a new Whisp notification lit up on her smartphone's notification bar. Her heart leaped. When she ended the call and checked, the sender wasn't Rinsuke, but a work message from another employee in the same department. Aya let out a deep sigh. (*What am I hoping for?*) Rinsuke won't give her any answers. He won't give this relationship a name. But Kento — he offers her a warm, ordinary day with a smile. The hand gripping her smartphone trembled slightly. She felt her heart being torn apart between the two men. If she met Kento now, something would surely change. It might create a crack in her secret relationship with Rinsuke. Even so, Aya typed out a reply confirming their meeting. The Tokyo sky was covered with dreary winter clouds. In Aya's heart, equally heavy clouds were gathering.