One week. Kagami Shiori spent those seven days as if walking through a dream. On the day Mirei was arrested, the documents proving her father's innocence had scattered in the wind—but apparently, the audio data Reima submitted to the police, along with the records of Mirei's past actions, had become decisive evidence. She still didn't fully understand the details. All she knew was that on the evening of the day she was questioned by the detectives, a short message arrived from Reima. *"Monday, 9 a.m. All employees to the 38th floor. I will speak the truth."* Just that—a curt message, as always. Shiori read it over and over. *(The truth—)* At last, her father's name would be cleared before everyone. Thinking that, a strange feeling welled up in her chest—warm, yet somehow terrifying. For three years—she had lived as the daughter of a traitor. That was about to end. *(It's ending.)* The moment she thought that, tears suddenly threatened to spill. --- Monday morning, 8:50 a.m. The entrance hall on the 38th floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower was wrapped in an eerie atmosphere. One hundred and twenty employees had gathered, buzzing with restless murmurs. Young staff from the Sales Division, veterans from the Production Division, even employees from the Media Division who normally never crossed paths—all of them stared with bewildered faces at the temporary podium set up in the center of the floor. "[worried] What do you think is going to start?" Tsujimura Ai whispered softly beside Shiori. A corner of the Production Division, near their usual desks. Shiori stood next to Ai, gripping the side of her skirt tightly so her hands wouldn't tremble. Her heart was pounding. Her fingertips were cold. "[whispers] ...I don't know. But—" She was about to speak. The murmuring on the floor vanished. Saionji Reima had stepped onto the podium. A tall figure, over 180 centimeters. A jet-black suit, a white shirt. His expression was cold as always—but today, there was a certain strength in those blue eyes. In his hand, a thick bundle of documents. Reima slowly looked across the floor. One by one, as if confirming each employee's face. His gaze reached Shiori—and stopped. Just for an instant. So brief that probably no one else noticed. But Shiori knew. *(It's all right.)* She felt as if he had said that to her. Reima stood before the microphone. "[serious] Three years ago—an act of breach of trust occurred within this company." His voice was astonishingly calm. A low voice, restrained of emotion. Yet it rang clearly to every corner of the floor. "[serious] It was announced that Kagami Seiichiro, an executive at the time, had leaked confidential information to a competitor, causing damages on the scale of ten billion yen to the company." The floor fell silent, as if water had been poured over it. Shiori bit her lip. Her father's name. Spoken in public for the first time in three years. "[serious] However—that was a fabrication." Reima's voice grew slightly stronger. "[serious] All of the documents used as evidence of the breach of trust were forged. Kagami Seiichiro is innocent." A ripple ran through the floor. Someone gasped. Someone turned to a colleague beside them, asking, "What?" Reima continued without pause. "[serious] The forger was Jinguji Mirei—a major shareholder of this group, and my former fiancée." His voice trembled, ever so slightly—or so it seemed. "[serious] In order to seize control of me—and the Saionji Group—she framed Kagami Seiichiro. She fabricated evidence and made me believe the lie." His fingers, gripping the documents, turned white. "[serious] Without knowing that, I—condemned Kagami Seiichiro as a traitor. That man was a loyal person who desired this company's growth more than anyone. I was wrong." Reima paused there, once. The floor was silent. No one could say anything. And then—Reima faced forward. The center of the floor. The row of the Production Division. His blue eyes captured Shiori, standing in the middle of it, straight on. "[serious] Kagami Shiori." He spoke her name—for the first time, in front of others. "[serious] Your father was innocent. You were never the daughter of a traitor." And then— Saionji Reima, watched by one hundred and twenty employees, lowered his head, deeply, deeply. "[serious] I am sorry." Just a single phrase. But that single phrase was everything. --- Shiori stood there. Biting her lip, holding back tears, she stood. *(Father—)* *(was innocent.)* She already knew that. From the moment she saw the contents of the envelope on the rooftop. But—like this, in front of everyone. That Reima. The man who was always cold, who never showed emotion, who had called her father "scum." He bowed his head—and apologized. Her vision blurred. "[crying] Shiori!!" Suddenly, warmth threw itself at her from the side. Red hair bumped against Shiori's shoulder. Ai had embraced her, crying. "[crying] I always, always believed it! I knew your father was absolutely not at fault!" "[crying] Ai-chan—" "[crying] You know, this whole week, I've been going around telling everyone! I got permission from the president to lift the information ban, and I told them the truth—that you've been enduring it all alone this whole time!" Ai's cry echoed through the hushed floor. That was the moment. Pushing through the crowd, one man stepped forward. Saegusa, the Production Division chief. An old-timer from the former management faction, the one who had always treated Shiori coldly—that Saegusa. "[serious] ...Kagami." Saegusa stood before Shiori. A long silence. His face looked somehow deeply pained—his usual aggressive attitude was nowhere to be found. "[serious] I was—I was the worst." A voice wrung out of him. "[serious] Without even knowing what your father had done or hadn't done, I judged based on rumors alone—and I kept saying terrible things to you. I'm sorry." Saegusa bowed his head. Seeing that—one by one, then another. Colleagues gathered before Shiori. "Kagami-san, I'm—sorry too." "I was cold to you as well—" "Welcome back." "You're not alone anymore." Voices overlapped. Three years of isolation slowly, but surely, began to unravel. Shiori could no longer—stop her tears. "[crying] Everyone... thank you." Her voice trembled. Her knees trembled. But—Ai was firmly supporting her back. --- It was then. Once more, Reima stood before the microphone. The murmuring on the floor vanished. "[serious] That is the truth of the breach of trust incident. The honor of Kagami Seiichiro is hereby restored." Reima's voice had grown quiet again. "[serious] —From here, allow me to speak of a personal matter." Saying that, he took a white envelope from the inner pocket of his suit. A letter of resignation— The floor stirred. "[serious] What I brought into this company was—revenge." Reima continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "[serious] Believing that Kagami Seiichiro had betrayed my father, I acquired this company in order to torment his daughter. I never had the qualifications to be president—not from the very beginning." He moved to place the resignation letter on the podium— "[crying] Please wait!!" A voice rang out. It was so clear, it surprised even Shiori herself. She pushed through the crowd, heading for the podium. Ai gave her a push on the back. There was no time to hesitate. She stood before Reima. His blue eyes looked down at her in surprise. "[crying] Please—don't resign." With a trembling voice—but she conveyed it directly. "[crying] If you leave—who will rebuild this company that my father tried to protect?" She took a breath. "[crying] It may have started from revenge. But—from now on, let's move forward together. I will—work too, to carry on my father's legacy. So—" With a face messy from tears— she still smiled. "[crying] Please stay here." There was a pause. From Reima's hand, the resignation letter—was slowly lowered. He returned the white envelope to the breast pocket of his suit. And then—in a small voice that only Shiori could hear. "[whispers] ...We'll talk later." At that moment— From somewhere on the floor, applause broke out. One person, then another. Soon, the applause of all one hundred and twenty people filled the 38th floor. --- That night. Nishi-Azabu, Hotel Van Vert Tokyo. The moment she opened the door to the top-floor Presidential Suite "Gekka"—Shiori caught her breath. Outside the window, Tokyo Tower was shining. The room was slightly different from usual. On the side table near the bed, a bottle of whiskey and—two glasses. "[gentle] Have a seat." Reima gestured toward the sofa. Until now—whenever she was summoned, he was always already on the bed first, and Shiori would be made to undress while standing. Today was different. Shiori timidly sat on the sofa. Reima quietly poured the whiskey. The amber liquid touched the ice, making a small sound. "[gentle] At L'arme, when we first sat side by side—it was like this, wasn't it." Reima murmured. That bar. The hideaway she had wandered into by chance, trying to heal the pain of heartbreak. There—she had met this man. The place where everything began. "[gentle] Day and night—" Reima, still gazing at his glass, quietly spun his words. "[gentle] I want to become yours." Shiori's eyes widened. "[gentle] Until now—I kept saying that you were mine. But the truth was the opposite. I—wanted to become yours." His voice wavered faintly. This is—a proposal, Shiori understood. That Reima, cold and emotionless, who had held Shiori for revenge—was now trying to offer her his everything. Tears spilled from Shiori's eyes. "[crying] Is it all right—for it to be me?" Reima set down his glass. Slowly, he cupped Shiori's cheeks in both hands. "[whispers] There is no one else but you." Their foreheads touched. Warm. "[crying] I am too—" Shiori said it clearly. "[crying] I am yours, too." In that moment, Reima's lips gently overlapped with hers. Not a dominating kiss like before. A trembling kiss, as if to make sure. --- Reima was different from usual. First, he carefully removed the pins holding Shiori's hair, one by one. Her short black bob spread across her shoulders. Next, the buttons of her blouse. From the collar, one, then another. "[whispers] You're beautiful." His lips fell softly on her collarbone. While lowering the zipper of her skirt, a kiss on her back. While removing her stockings, his tongue traced the back of her knee. There was none of the hasty conquest of before. Only—the fact that he loved Shiori was conveyed through his fingertips and lips. "[soft] Ah... nn..." A sigh naturally escaped Shiori's lips. Her entire body grew wet under Reima's kisses. Her neck, the valley of her breasts, her stomach, her legs—the sensation of being loved thoroughly, taking time over every inch, made the back of her head go numb and hazy. And then, gently parting Shiori's legs, Reima buried his face at her center. "[whispers] You're already this wet." His hot tongue captured the sensitive bud. "[soft] Aaah... no, there...!" Her hips bucked. Each time the tip of his tongue rolled over her clitoris, a sweet numbness ran through her whole body. The warm, wet sensation probed her entrance, moving as if scooping up the overflowing nectar. "[whispers] You can come. As many times as you want." A low voice whispered right by her ear. His fingers gently entered her vagina, pressing up against the entrance of her womb while his tongue sucked strongly on her clitoris. "[excited] Ah, aaaah—!" Light exploded behind her eyes. Her vagina clenched tightly around Reima's fingers, her hips lifting. Her whole body convulsed, trembling uncontrollably. Reima gently lifted Shiori's body, still quivering in the afterglow. They sat facing each other. His penis was already erect and hard, clear pre-cum seeping from the tip.