Hachiro watched with an expression that seemed to say, “I was the one who discovered her, you know.” And, indeed, the ohagi was delicious.
From that point on, Sayaka’s ohagi became widely popular.
Though she couldn’t make it every day, whenever she brought it in, even employees from other departments would clamor for it. Some even offered to pay, but Sayaka firmly refused. She didn’t seem interested in making a business of it, and her modesty only made her more appealing to those around her.
The once “plain” office lady quickly became a central figure in the department.
Though her appearance hadn’t changed, she seemed beautiful, delivering ohagi and happiness to everyone. As they say, “The role shapes the person”—it seemed that this effect was at work here.
Eventually, even Kakizaki, known as the most handsome man in the company, started noticing her.
With a stellar sales record in the prestigious first department, he was on the fast track to success, worlds apart from Hachiro, who remained in the second department.
After tasting the ohagi, Kakizaki commented—
“This is amazing! The rumors don’t do it justice!”
“Thank you so much!”
"How about a meal sometime as a thank you? I know a great place..."
"Uh, but, um…"
"Well, just think it over, alright?"
A casual invitation from the company’s star employee. For him, winning over a quiet office lady who just enjoyed making ohagi must have seemed like child’s play.
Hachiro, who no longer received even a single piece of her ohagi, watched the interaction with a slightly bitter expression. While Sayaka had blossomed, he himself had become rather disheveled.
* * *
Hachiro started working overtime more often. It wasn’t just because work had gotten busier, but mostly because his mistakes had increased. The real reason, though, was that he was bothered about Sayaka. He could no longer enjoy her ohagi, and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before she ended up with Kakizaki.
Did I like her? Hachiro thought, confused, while staring at his laptop.
"I could really use something sweet..."
He typed on his keyboard with irritation, when suddenly—
"Mr. Nazuka, would you like this?"
"Huh?"
He turned around and saw Sayaka, now in her casual clothes, holding a single ohagi. For a moment, he thought it was a mirage, but she was real.
"Ms. Sone? Why are you here…?"
"I hadn’t seen you eat my ohagi recently, so I saved one just for you today. When I heard you were working overtime alone, I thought…"
Sayaka’s ohagi was incredibly popular now. If there were any left, someone was bound to ask for them. Sayaka, being who she was, could never refuse, so she’d hidden one just for Hachiro today.
Hachiro eagerly reached for it but hesitated. This situation meant Sayaka must have noticed his unspoken craving for her ohagi. He felt embarrassed, as though she’d exposed his weakness—being so disappointed he couldn’t have her ohagi that it had even affected his work.
"I… I don’t want it."
"Huh?"
"I appreciate you coming here out of pity, but I don’t need it. I’m not so cheap as to need that kind of sympathy."
It was pride—the pride of a man pretending not to want something he really did.
"Besides, you have Kakizaki, don’t you? You should be spending time with him, not coming to someone like me."
But Sayaka replied firmly.
"I turned down Mr. Kakizaki."
"Wha…?"
Hachiro looked genuinely shocked. In their company, Kakizaki was the ultimate catch; there was no one else like him.
"Because… there’s someone else I like."
Sayaka averted her gaze meaningfully. Hachiro wasn’t so dense that he missed the meaning of “someone else.” But he also wasn’t so confident as to accept it without doubt.
"Ms. Sone, please hold on a moment."
"Yes?"
"I think… when I was the only one who ate your ohagi back then, you probably started to feel some sort of affection toward me."
Sayaka nodded.
"But that was just a misunderstanding."
Hachiro continued.
"I didn’t even want ohagi at the time. I only ate it because I felt bad for you, looking lost when no one else would try it. If you think I’m a really kind person, then you’re very mistaken. I just wanted to make that clear."
Sayaka chuckled softly.
"I knew that, you know."
"Huh…?"
"I could tell that you only ate it because you felt you had to. But… it was exactly because you reached out to me, even if it was just ‘out of obligation,’ that I was drawn to you. If you’d been naturally kind, I might not have felt so strongly."
"…"
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