[CH.39] Formidable Rival (Part 4)
"I'm sorry, Hanamucchan!"
"Oh, that's alright. More importantly, are you okay over there?"
"I'm just being kept waiting, so I went ahead to Y Company."
Today, I have a client visit job at Y Company with Nishina-san. This time, it was just a courtesy visit, but Nishina-san's first task is delayed due to some trouble. It's a critical situation whether she can make it in time or not, and we can't keep the customer waiting. So, I went ahead alone to greet them.
I checked in with the security guard, entered the premises, and headed to the reception desk. Now, I should have received the contact person's name from Nishina-san via email... Oh, here it is. About 10 minutes late, huh? Hmm?
"The contact person... is it Asakawa-san?"
Speaking of Asakawa-san, I remember the incident with the director the other day. Despite having such a pretty face and a gentle demeanor, the web novels she writes are mostly about childhood friends. Her work that she posted two days ago was quite intense... The depiction of the inner feelings when taking away the protagonist from a childhood friend is amazing.
I always thought the person who captured Asakawa-san with that soft smile must be incredible, but accepting her feelings after knowing that must be difficult.
Well, never mind. Let's call the contact person.
"Thank you for always taking care of us. I'm Hanamura from Foress Corporation. Today, we were planning to visit with Nishina from our company, but..."
I gave a safe explanation and waited for Asakawa-san, the contact person.
Asakawa is a common name, and names like Suzuki, Sato, and Tanaka are so ubiquitous that they often overlap.
Without worrying too much... I waited... huh?
A woman with short bobbed chestnut hair gracefully approached me in a slim-fitting ladies' suit. She was incredibly beautiful...
"Are you Asakawa-san?"
"Oh, yes... I'm Asakawa."
"Um, I'm sorry... um..."
"Could it be... you've mistaken me for my sister?"
"Huh?"
I couldn't believe this turn of events...
"My sister, Akane, works at Company S. I'm Aoi, her twin sister. Aoi Asakawa."
I never expected something so surprising to happen...
"I'm sorry, I'm late!"
Nishina-san arrived at the meeting room at Y Company. It seemed like he was quite flustered, arriving earlier than planned.
"Asakawa-san, I apologize for being late."
"It's okay, Hanamucch... I mean, Mr. Hanamura has been keeping me company."
"Why were you calling him Hanamucch... I mean, Hanamur-kun? What were you two talking about?"
Being called Hanamura-kun by Nishina-san felt new and awkward.
Oh, the conversation really heated up while waiting for Nishina-san to arrive.
"We were talking about you," I replied.
"Why my story!?"
"Hanamura-san was telling me how incredibly cute you are," I said with a mischievous smile.
"Wait, Asakawa-san!?"
"I heard it all. Like how you made Russian takoyaki, and when you brought it, you ended up eating one with lots of wasabi and teared up... And also, how you gave advice on grooming with a confident expression while wearing your jacket inside out. It's all irresistibly cute!"
"Cute like that... Hanamucch... I mean, Hanamura-kun!"
"I'm sorry! Asakawa-san's questioning skills are so good that I ended up mentioning Nishina-san's cute aspects!"
"Cute... Seriously! You're such a fool, Hanamucchan!"
Nishina-san pouted and seemed a bit annoyed, but was it really a bad thing to find that cute?
Since Asakawa-san had mentioned how Nishina-san always smiled and was fun to talk to, I couldn't help but share some of her real self. Asakawa-san's ability to extract information is impressive... She's definitely her sister's sister.
"However, your older sister works at Company S, and you work at Company Y. It feels quite intriguing."
"It's because they are local companies. It's just a coincidence that Foress Corporation happened to have dealings with both."
However, being twins, they looked quite alike. The only difference seemed to be their body types. The older sister had a more prominent figure, while the younger sister had a slender one. It's fascinating to think that there are beautiful twin sisters with such differences... But the director probably didn't mention it on purpose.
Although they had similar faces, Akane, the older sister, seemed more stern, while Aoi, the younger sister, had a more gentle and warm vibe. Honestly, I thought she was a better match for Nishina-san than the manager.
"Nishina-san and Hanamucch... I mean, Hanamura-san, seem to get along very well, don't you? Are you close?"
"N-No! Asakawa-san, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
"Yes! Nishina-san turning all red is just adorable."
But I thought she was quite a tease, just like her sister.
"Don't you think so too, Hanamucch... I mean, Hanamura-san?"
I have to be careful because when I let my guard down, these killer passes come my way.
"W-Well, it's true that her smile always brightens my day."
I think I managed to give a safe answer without getting into any meaningful statements...
"It would be nice if you could compliment her with a bit more enthusiasm."
"Uhm... Nishina-san, we are in the middle of work right now."
"I know! Hmph."
"Hehe, you two really are close."
I was completely under her control...
But it's a good relationship. I couldn't say it out loud, but if I could get along well with Nishina-san, it would surely lead to enjoyable days.
"Oh, by the way, I heard that your older sister writes novels. Do you write as well, Asakawa-san?"
"Hanamura-kun, why would you bring that up!?"
Nishina-san's expression changed. Could it be that this was a confidential matter? I started to feel a chill in the depths of my heart, wondering if I had made a mistake.
However, Asakawa-san...
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Great translation, thanks for the chapter
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure 😁
DeleteThis story is fun and I appreciate the translation, but the editing needs a second pass. It refers to Nishina as "Mr. Nishina" several times.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me. I've already edited it. 🙏
Delete