MUNDANE HURT: Chapter 20

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“Lately, doesn’t Nagano-san seem softer?”

The topic of conversation at the casual workplace drinking party turned to a man who wasn’t present.

And the one bringing it up was none other than Iwanami Rika, a secretary who had caught Akahori’s interest. Young and beautiful, she had been asked out by a single male client just last month. She had politely declined with a charming smile and flawless tact.

“Oh, I’ve thought that too,” said Amemiya, a female lawyer who had gotten married to a coworker last year. “His tone has softened, like he’s gained some age-appropriate calmness. Plus, I’ve noticed he checks his phone more often lately.”

“Hey, what do you think, as his junior?” Amemiya turned to Akahori, who rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“I think it’s because of a woman,” Akahori declared confidently.

“Of course!” Iwanami and Amemiya responded in unison, as though they had rehearsed it.

The three of them had been the last ones left at the office, and on a whim, they decided to grab dinner at a nearby restaurant specializing in chicken dishes. Inevitably, the conversation shifted to workplace gossip over bites of chicken wings. Amemiya wiped her oily hands clean with a napkin before leaning in.

“Nagano-san had an older girlfriend, didn’t he? They were close to getting married, but at some point, they broke it off. After that, there’s been absolutely no whiff of romance. But now, for the first time in years, I’m thinking, ‘Maybe this time?’”

Akahori, intrigued by this tidbit, leaned closer. “Wait, really? Nagano-san had a girlfriend?”

“Of course,” Amemiya replied, taking a sip of her third beer. Her cheeks were faintly flushed with a pleasant buzz. “I saw a picture of her once. She was stunningly beautiful. I thought then, ‘This guy’s definitely got a thing for looks.’”

Iwanami tilted her head. “Nagano-san is kind of handsome, isn’t he? Sure, he’s stiff and inflexible, but he’s serious and reliable. I bet he’d be popular as a marriage prospect.”

“Um, excuse me,” Akahori raised his hand cautiously. “This might be inappropriate in front of ladies, but can I bring up something not super appropriate?”

After getting Amemiya’s permission, Akahori cleared his throat and continued. “I just can’t picture Nagano-san, you know... having sex.”

Amemiya burst out laughing. “Honestly, same! He’s a good-looking guy, but he doesn’t exactly exude... masculinity, you know.”

Iwanami looked a bit taken aback but hesitantly agreed, “He does seem kind of... indifferent to romantic stuff.”

“Exactly,” Amemiya said, chuckling. “He’s so uptight, I bet he doesn’t even, you know... relieve himself.”

“That’s impossible. He’d die,” Akahori retorted, earning more laughter from Amemiya, who seemed thoroughly entertained.

“Still, he doesn’t strike me as a guy who’d be particularly skilled in bed,” Amemiya added, grinning.

“Please stop,” Iwanami muttered, clearly uncomfortable, though she couldn’t help smiling faintly.

“Alright, Akahori,” Amemiya said, leaning forward. “I want you to subtly get the scoop on Nagano-san’s love life.”

“No way,” Akahori thought, horrified. But then Iwanami, with her charming smile, chimed in, “I’d like to know too.”

Caught up in the moment, Akahori found himself agreeing. He assumed it was just drunken banter, but come Monday morning, Amemiya approached him with a cheery, “Don’t forget about Nagano-san’s situation!” and he realized he couldn’t back out.

Masayuki Nagano was Akahori’s mentor, guiding him ever since he joined Seishu Law Office last year. Nagano was patient and thorough in his teaching, never engaging in harassment or power plays. However, his seriousness made him a poor conversationalist outside of work, and Akahori had rarely spoken to him about personal matters. But now, with Amemiya and Iwanami’s expectations weighing on him, Akahori decided to try his best to dig up something about Nagano’s private life.

If Nagano clammed up and refused to talk, Akahori could at least report back that his efforts had failed. Timing his approach carefully, Akahori called out during a lull in the workday, just before lunch.

“Nagano-san?”

“What is it?” Nagano turned, his features as striking as Iwanami had described. If he weren’t so serious and uptight, Akahori thought, he’d have no shortage of romantic prospects.

“What are you planning to have for lunch?” Akahori asked.

Nagano shook his head. “Not sure yet.”

“There’s a nice new spot near the station, but it’s a bit awkward to go alone as a guy. Would you come with me? My treat.”

There was a brief pause before Nagano replied, “Alright.” He closed his laptop. “I’ve just wrapped up a task. Shall we go now?”

Akahori, glancing at Nagano’s hands as he shut the laptop, froze. On Nagano’s ring finger was a shining ring. Is that... a wedding ring? On the left ring finger? Is he married? No way—if he’d gotten married, there’d definitely have been an announcement at work. It must be a matching ring. But still, the idea of someone as serious as Nagano wearing something that boldly signals he’s in a relationship seemed wildly out of character.

They left the office together and headed for the café. It was a sunny day, warm enough that many people were out without coats. Passing a small shrine nestled between buildings, cherry blossoms planted on either side swirled gently in the breeze.

The café was popular and full, but they only had to wait five minutes before being seated at the counter. The lunch menu offered just two options—meat or fish—and they both ordered the meat.

Even after ordering, Nagano kept flipping through the menu. Akahori’s gaze drifted back to the ring on Nagano’s hand. When Nagano caught him staring, their eyes met. “Want to take a look?” Nagano asked, offering him the menu.

“No, I’m good,” Akahori said hastily, feeling caught.

“See something interesting on the menu?” Akahori asked, trying to deflect.

“They’ve got a good variety of coffee,” Nagano said. “I was just looking.”

“Are you into coffee?”

“Not really. But someone I know is.”

The soft expression Nagano wore as he said that left Akahori wondering—is that someone his girlfriend?

“Uh, um... I couldn’t help but notice,” Akahori ventured cautiously, “you’re wearing a ring now.”

Nagano touched his ring finger with a slightly awkward but undeniably pleased expression. “Ah,” he said, “I went to buy it on Sunday.”

That confirms it, Akahori thought.

“With your girlfriend? That’s nice,” Akahori prodded, ready to dig deeper.

But Nagano immediately denied it. “No. It’s not a girlfriend. It’s my life partner, but my partner is the same sex as me. We formalized it with an adoption back in January. Since we hadn’t done anything else to mark the occasion, we decided to at least get matching rings.”

The bombshell left Akahori’s mind completely blank. Wait, wait, wait. Calm down. He struggled to process the information. Keywords like same-sex and adoption confirmed one thing: Nagano was gay. Not that it was a problem—well, actually, it kind of was—but hold on a second. Didn’t Amemiya say Nagano had a “beautiful girlfriend” and was a “sucker for looks”? Where had that information come from? Could Nagano have made up a girlfriend to cover up being gay? That would make sense.

“So, uh... you like men?” Akahori asked cautiously, careful to keep his tone neutral.

Nagano shook his head. “It’s not that I’m specifically into men. If I fall for someone, their gender doesn’t matter.”

What? Akahori’s mind reeled. Is he saying he’s bisexual? The word loomed in giant letters in his head. It didn’t match Nagano’s uptight image at all. Wasn’t being bisexual usually associated with being more... free-spirited? The sheer contrast between this revelation and the Nagano Akahori thought he knew was overwhelming.

“Oh, I see,” Akahori managed, keeping his tone light while internally repeating, This can’t be real. This can’t be real.

"Do you have a picture of your boyfriend? I'd love to see him."

Under normal circumstances in a heterosexual relationship, this would be a casual request, but given that Nagano's partner was a man, Akahori thought it might be met with a flat-out refusal, like “No way.”

To his surprise, Nagano pulled out his phone and tapped on the photo app. Was he actually going to show a picture? Akahori, despite having initiated the request, felt a pang of apprehension. He didn’t have any gay friends—or at least none who had come out to him. When someone mentions “gay,” Akahori’s mind conjures an image of a burly, rugged man like a rugby player, with a bushy beard and abundant body hair.

“Here.”

Nagano handed him the phone before Akahori could fully steel himself. What filled the screen wasn’t a bear-like, burly man but instead an incredibly handsome figure, the kind you’d expect to see in a fashion magazine. The man looked about Nagano’s age, maybe slightly younger, and wore an outfit resembling a sleek garçon’s uniform that suited him perfectly. His hairstyle was stylish, his face was small and well-proportioned—an absolute head-turner. Akahori’s gaze shifted between the photo and Nagano.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“What about this is a joke?” Nagano’s tone was matter-of-fact.

“There’s no way this guy is your boyfriend. It has to be a prank.”

“What would I gain from lying to you?”

Akahori found the man in the picture too attractive to believe it was real. Could it be a random photo of a model Nagano had taken from the internet and convinced himself was his boyfriend? It seemed almost plausible.

“Do you... have any more pictures?”

Nagano, unfazed, showed him another. This time, the man was dressed casually in a shirt and jeans, his hair less meticulously styled than in the first picture. The relaxed outfit gave him a softer, more approachable vibe, and the smile on his face was radiant.

“What about... pictures of you two together?”

This time, Nagano hesitated for the first time. “I do, but...” he trailed off, scratching his temple.

“But?” Akahori prodded.

“They’re... a bit embarrassing to show,” Nagano admitted, his ears turning red.

This is real. This stunning guy is really Nagano’s partner, Akahori thought.

“Wow, Nagano-san, you have quite an eye for looks,” he blurted out.

Nagano frowned slightly. “I’ll admit Nishizaki is good-looking, but I’m not picky about appearances.”

Akahori wasn’t convinced. From what he’d heard, even Nagano’s ex-girlfriend had been stunning. It seemed more likely that Nagano had a clear preference for beautiful people.

Their meat lunch arrived, and while Akahori had finally gotten a glimpse into Nagano’s romantic life, it wasn’t something he could easily share with others. Not with Amemiya, and certainly not as casual gossip. But he also knew that Amemiya, ever curious, wouldn’t let it drop. As coffee was served post-meal, he found himself inwardly brooding while sipping the unexpectedly delicious brew.

“This coffee is amazing,” he murmured.

Nagano perked up. “If you like coffee, how about coming with me next time? My partner works at a café, and their coffee is excellent.”

Is he trying to show off his gorgeous boyfriend now? Akahori thought, resigned. Giving in to the absurdity of it all, he replied, “Sure, take me there sometime,” his voice tinged with mock enthusiasm.

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