Early in the morning, as usual, Tetsu Fuyukawa slipped into a hoodie and gray sweatpants for his morning run.
He now ran on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and weekends. With Fate and Surrounded by Beauties entering full production, time was tight. But unless you're an athlete, there's no need to overdo exercise as a regular person.
The weather was great today, the morning sun casting a shimmering glow over the rooftops. Even Tetsu's cheeks felt warm. As he reached his doorstep, he sensed someone watching him from behind.
Turning around, he saw Sayoko, dressed in a sheer black nightgown, airing out bedding on the second-floor balcony.
Their eyes met, and Sayoko's face lit up with a warm smile, about to say something. But then, Izumi Himawari, wearing oversized pajamas and looking half-asleep, stumbled up behind her and wrapped her in a hug, rubbing her soft cheek against Sayoko's shoulder.
Morning light, chirping birds, a cozy house, a beautiful woman, and an innocent high school girl.
It was a heartwarming scene—until the next moment, when Tetsu's lips twitched. Himawari, who'd just been acting cute, suddenly snatched the bedding from Sayoko's hands.
"Little Kitten! No more sleeping!" Sayoko's voice spiked with mock anger, though she quickly forced a smile, calling out, "Tetsu-kun, come back soon for breakfast!" Then her expression shifted as she chased Himawari back inside.
In an instant, the house erupted into chaos, startling the neighbor's dog into a barking frenzy.
"That wild personality…" Tetsu muttered, amused. "Was I just fooling myself yesterday?"
He gripped the envelope with sheet music in his hoodie pocket, shaking his head with a chuckle.
Strolling through the neighborhood, he dropped the envelope into a mailbox by the alley, popped in his earphones, and began jogging along the Kanda Bridge, his long legs clad in white running shoes.
Maybe because someone was making breakfast at home, his pace was faster today, and the system panel showed better buffs than usual.
[Endurance +0.00002 +0.00002 +0.00003]
[Recovery Speed +0.00002 +0.00002 +0.00003]
[Tip 1: Improving relationships with others can raise your physical potential ceiling.]
[Tip 2: Cannot exceed human limits.]
"Endurance and recovery speed are improving faster," Tetsu noted, glancing at the bustling traffic beside him as he ran across the Eitai Bridge, checking the system panel.
The panel was like a body-monitoring system. He'd had it for a while but never paid much attention—looking fit and feeling good was enough. But since getting closer to Sayoko…
"Tetsu-kun's been a bit… lackluster lately, huh?"
"I can't let that little vixen underestimate me."
Recalling Sayoko's teasing from yesterday afternoon, Tetsu picked up his pace.
Sex and competition really are the greatest motivators for human progress. A round trip that usually took nearly an hour was done in under fifty minutes today.
Drenched in sweat, Tetsu returned home to the savory aroma of breakfast—ramen made with leftover seafood broth from last night.
"Smells amazing."
"Tetsu-kun, you're back!" Sayoko called.
"Where's Little Kitten?"
"It's her turn for classroom duty, so she headed to school early."
Wearing a white apron, Sayoko set down her ladle and hurried over, bending to arrange his slippers.
So sweet and attentive. Noticing her curves under the thin black nightgown and the empty house, Tetsu reached out and playfully grabbed her.
Sayoko let out a soft squeak but didn't resist. Instead, her ample figure pressed closer, swaying slightly as she wrinkled her cute nose in mock shyness. "Hey, you need to shower first! Otherwise, the ramen will get soggy, and you'll go hungry this morning."
"No rush." Tetsu leaned in and kissed her cheek.
Sayoko's face flushed, her hands crossing over her chest. "No way, no way! You've been too… Tetsu-kun, you need at least a day's rest, or it's bad for your—!"
Her hand was guided, and the engine roared to life. Sayoko's charming eyes widened in surprise, but before she could react, Tetsu hoisted her curvaceous frame onto his broad shoulder.
"Join me for a bath."
"But the ramen…"
"We'll eat while we soak. No problem."
Eating ramen in the bath was a bit odd, but being "eaten" while eating? Not bad at all. The system's boost to his physical potential was proving pretty handy.
After the bath and meal, Tetsu felt not just refreshed but downright energized. He drove Sayoko to the office.
Traffic was light, and they reached the NTsoft building's parking lot in just over ten minutes.
"I'll get you a cheek-massage chair in a few days so you stop complaining about a sore mouth," Tetsu teased.
"Hmph, with those little fangs of yours… haha, stop tickling! Okay, you're the big brother, the biggest brother!" Sayoko giggled.
"That's more like it. Not sure who was just stuffing their face like a hamster munching corn."
Letting go of her ticklish sides, Tetsu laughed as he got out of the car. Sayoko, still smiling, adjusted her OL uniform, let out a shy hum, and stepped out. But as soon as she did, her attention was caught by the scene at the company entrance. "Huh, Tetsu-kun, why are there so many people over there?"
"Hm?"
Following her gaze, Tetsu raised an eyebrow. Two rows of burly men in black suits stood in front of the NTsoft building, exuding an intimidating aura. At the end of their formation was a silver-gray Rolls-Royce Phantom.
"Some big shot?" Tetsu wondered. A Rolls-Royce Phantom cost over 200 million yen—way out of reach for most.
Curious, he didn't head upstairs right away. Adjusting his suit cuffs, he kept an eye on the scene. Soon, a long, elegant leg stepped out of the car, and Tetsu froze.
"Miyano Mitei?"
It was indeed the cold, striking Miyano Mitei, radiating her signature serpent-like charm.
Honestly, Tetsu hadn't expected this. Sure, Miyano Mitei was a division head at NTsoft with a hefty salary and bonuses, but a Rolls-Royce Phantom was far beyond her means. And arranging two rows of suited men like this? That wasn't something money alone could pull off.
Puzzled, Tetsu soon understood.
Miyano didn't head straight into the building. Instead, she carefully helped a frail, silver-haired elderly woman in a black suit jacket step out of the car.
"Good morning, Chairman Tsuru!"
The moment the elderly woman's foot touched the ground, the men in black bowed in unison, their presence commanding.
Pedestrians on the sidewalk and even drivers in passing cars turned to stare, but the elderly woman seemed unfazed, smiling and nodding at the men. As she walked toward the building, supported by Miyano and leaning on a cane, each row of men bowed lower as she passed.
The scene was impressive, but Tetsu, watching from behind the car, frowned slightly.
"Chairman Tsuru? Why's she at the company?"
Anyone who's seen a Doraemon movie knows the "Toho Co., Ltd." logo that appears at the start. Normally, you'd assume the company's top dog is the chairman, but that's not quite right. The chairman is usually a ceremonial role taken by a retired former president.
Retired and mostly uninvolved in company decisions, so why was Chairman Tsuru here—especially with Miyano Mitei?
"Why does this feel like the calm before a storm?"