"Mm… and then?"
Seiji's voice stayed calm and even.
As if he were genuinely listening to a routine work report.
"A-and… the company's third-quarter financial report…"
Sakiko felt like she was about to lose her mind.
Seiji's hand had already found its familiar place, deftly peeling away the last layer of restraint.
"Mmh…"
She finally let out a soft, broken sound.
"What about the report?" he asked, pretending not to know.
"The report… the report… th-there are… a few figures… that don't line up…"
As she spoke, her body twisted uncontrollably.
Because he was already teasing her.
"Oh? Which ones don't line up?"
His tone remained utterly unruffled.
Crash.
Sakiko hit her limit. She could no longer sit still, knocking an entire stack of documents off the desk.
"Sakiko, you're not very focused on your work," Seiji said with a smile as he stood, scooping her up from the chair.
"Since you can't focus…"
He spoke while undoing his clothes.
"Then let's do some work you actually enjoy."
…
…
Downstairs at Dawn Entertainment.
Uika Misumi stood at the entrance, a convenience store bag in hand.
Inside were freshly made oden, still steaming, and a cup of warm milk.
She looked up at the top floor, where the lights were still on, her heart tight with worry and tenderness.
Saki-chan is still working.
She must be exhausted.
An impulse surged up inside her, the urge to rush up there, wrap Sakiko in a hug, and make her rest properly.
But given their current relationship…
As a childhood friend, all she could do was bring something small to show she cared.
It was fine.
There was plenty of time. One day, they would become inseparable, like real sisters.
Uika took a deep breath and stepped toward the building.
Just then—
Her phone buzzed.
She took it out and saw a notification from the company's internal group chat.
"All staff: Thank you for your hard work. By special approval from the president's office, all employees scheduled for overtime tonight may leave early and enjoy a pleasant evening. — President's Office."
"Huh?"
Uika froze.
The president's office?
Sakiko?
She told everyone to go home?
A flicker of confusion crossed her mind.
But it was quickly overwhelmed by a stronger wave of emotion.
She must be worried about the staff, not wanting them to stay late!
And yet she herself still refused to rest.
That had to be why she sent this message.
She sent everyone away and took all the work onto her own shoulders. Saki-chan... she really hasn't changed at all. Still so gentle. So kind. Uika's eyes reddened at the thought. She clenched her fists, resolve hardening in her eyes. Without another moment of hesitation, she walked straight into the building.
...
In the president's office on the top floor, "work" and "play" had been alternating in an endless cycle. Before they realized it, night had fallen deep.
Seiji looked down at Sakiko beneath him, her legs still locked around his waist, her body refusing to let go of him even as she trembled from exhaustion. A satisfied smile curved his lips. "Looks like we're not going home tonight." He brushed his hand over her face, slick with sweat and tears, flushed a feverish red. "This office suite has a shower. More than enough for us."
He lifted her and carried her toward the bathroom. Sakiko could no longer form words, only soft, broken sounds.
Inside the private suite bathroom, steam filled the air. Warm water poured down from the oversized showerhead, washing over their entwined bodies. Fog bloomed across the cold glass walls, sealing off this small world.
Sakiko had long since lost the ability to think. Her body was completely limp, devoid of strength. She could only cling to Seiji by instinct, her consciousness rising and falling with each thrust, her throat producing nothing but fragmented sounds between sobbing and pleading.
He grabbed her hair, forcing her to lift her face. "Tired?" he murmured playfully.
"N-no... not tired..." Sakiko answered on the last shred of clarity she had left. Her body was exhausted beyond its limits, yet that strange constitution of hers responded to his every touch, producing that nectar again and again, pulling her back from the brink of collapse.
He turned her around and pressed her against the cool, smooth black marble wall. The icy surface against her breasts and the heat of him driving into her from behind made her shudder violently, a sharp gasp slipping from her parted lips as he pinned her hips to the stone and fucked her with slow, deep strokes that made the wet sounds echo off the tile.
Just then, the phone Sakiko had tossed onto the sofa outside lit up. "LINE: New message from Uika Misumi." But the alert was swallowed by the roar of rushing water.
...
In the hallway of the top-floor office area, Uika walked toward the president's office, convenience store bag in hand. She had just messaged Saki-chan, but it still showed as unread. Was she too busy to check? Or had she collapsed from overwork? The thought tightened around Uika's heart until she could barely breathe. She had to go in and check.
She couldn't let Saki-chan be alone in there.
She quickened her pace.
Before she could go far, a tall, imposing figure stepped silently out of the emergency stairwell at the end of the hall, blocking her path like a steel tower.
It was the company's new head of security.
"Miss, please wait," he said, his voice low and firm. "It's after hours. The top-floor office area is closed. Unauthorized personnel must leave immediately."
"I—I'm one of the company's contracted artists. My name is Uika Misumi," she said quickly, bowing. His intimidating presence made her nervous. "I'm looking for President Toyokawa. She's my friend. I haven't been able to reach her, and I'm really worried…"
The guard looked her over, expression unreadable.
When his gaze reached her face, something flickered in his eyes.
He remembered.
Just a week ago, Seiji had ordered them to look into this girl.
At the time, he hadn't understood why the boss would pay such close attention to a second-tier idol group member. But now, combined with the strange "leave early" notice and his current assignment to clear the area, he finally understood. Tonight's drama wasn't limited to just one act. Miss Misumi wasn't a spectator. She was another heroine.
"So it's Miss Misumi. My apologies," the guard said, a smile appearing instantly. "I didn't recognize you earlier. President Toyokawa is indeed still in her office handling work. Please, go ahead."
He stepped aside, gesturing politely.
Then he turned and vanished back into the stairwell shadows like a ghost, as if he had never been there.
"Huh?" Uika stood there, stunned. That was it? She had prepared a whole explanation, even braced herself to be forcibly escorted out. Instead, the moment she gave her name, his attitude flipped completely. Did Saki-chan tell them in advance?
Warmth flooded Uika's chest. It had to be Saki-chan. She must have spoken to security, giving her special permission to come find her anytime. Sakiko was always like this, quietly arranging everything for the people around her. Uika's nose stung, her eyes immediately reddening. The urge to see her, to protect her, to share her burden, burned stronger than ever.
She broke into a light jog, stopping in front of the president's office door. The lights inside were on, glowing through the frosted glass. But strangely, it was eerily quiet. No keyboard clicks, no rustling of papers.
"Saki-chan?" She knocked softly. No answer. "Saki-chan! Are you inside? It's me, Uika!" She raised her voice. Still nothing. Her heart sank. Could it be... Sakiko really collapsed from overwork?
...
Inside the shower, just as Seiji was about to finish, he suddenly stopped. Mental Perception had caught a familiar presence outside the door. Uika Misumi? Interesting. With that face, she was certainly tempting, but as the face of Dawn Entertainment's flagship group, he hadn't planned to touch her yet. Anything he did would affect the group's activities.
But the corner of his mouth curled upward. If she came to him on her own, that was another matter. He looked down at Sakiko, who let out a dissatisfied whimper at his sudden pause. Uika admired Sakiko just as much as Soyo did. Heh.
...
Outside the door, Uika was panicking. Call an ambulance? But what if Saki-chan was just listening to music with headphones on, or had fallen asleep from exhaustion? Making a scene might cause unnecessary trouble.
As she stood there at a loss, her hand unconsciously rested on the doorknob. She only meant to steady herself. But the mechanism turned. Click. The door opened. It wasn't locked.
Everything in Uika's mind shattered. All her hesitation, all her restraint, obliterated by that single click.
She shoved the door open. "Saki-chan! Are you okay?!"
But the scene she expected wasn't there. Instead, chaos. The massive black desk was littered with scattered documents, some spilled onto the carpet. The air was filled with a strange scent she'd never encountered before. Thick, sweet, and unsettling. It made her heart race for reasons she couldn't explain.
"Saki-chan...?" She stood frozen at the doorway. The office was empty. Only the floor lamp glowed quietly.
Uika stepped inside, clutching the bag of oden. Then she saw it. The half-open door leading to the inner suite, and the clothes scattered on the floor. A cream-colored Chanel business suit. Flesh-toned thigh-high stockings trimmed with lace. And a white, unmistakably male dress shirt. They lay like forbidden signposts, stretching from the outer office to that half-open door, torn off and discarded as if during a violent struggle.
Uika's mind went blank. She wasn't stupid. She knew exactly what this meant. But she couldn't believe it. The Saki-chan she worshipped, pure and untouchable... how could she be with a man, in a place like this?
Impossible. There had to be a misunderstanding. Saki-chan must have been forced. Threatened. Yes.
That had to be it.
A terrifying thought took root.
She remembered the notice telling everyone to leave early.
She remembered the security chief's strange behavior. She remembered the exhaustion Sakiko hadn't been able to hide these past few days. A horrifying truth took shape in her mind. To save this company, Saki-chan had sacrificed herself. She'd been exploited by the president of Genesis Group.