About Love: Chapter 15

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By the time 2:30 PM had passed, Koenji had returned from his training session. Asaka, however, had unexpectedly found himself occupied with a bride scheduled to marry in two months. She had suddenly visited the office, saying she had something she wanted to discuss.

If she had been the easygoing type, Asaka would have let Koenji sit in and observe, using the opportunity to teach him some customer service techniques. But this particular bride seemed tense, her expression clouded with worry.

Maybe she’s dealing with pre-wedding anxiety…

In cases like these, it was best not to have an unfamiliar rookie sitting in.

Asaka was just about to assign Koenji to organizing the supply room or sorting invoices when an unfamiliar customer entered the office.

A man in his late twenties stepped in alone, glancing around before making his way to the pamphlet corner.

If he had already signed a contract with them, he would have gone straight to the reception desk. The fact that he first browsed the pamphlets meant he was a new customer.

It wasn’t common for men to visit alone, but it wasn’t unheard of either. Some couples split tasks efficiently—one partner gathered venue pamphlets while the other inquired about details.

Since he was alone, it was unlikely he would make a booking on the spot. He was probably just looking for an overview of their services.

Up until now, whenever Koenji handled pamphlet explanations, Asaka had always supervised him closely. The most troublesome rookie lacked basic knowledge and often fumbled for words.

Still, Koenji’s naturally easygoing demeanor meant customers rarely noticed his blunders.

If anything, his complete lack of tension seemed to put them at ease.

Asaka himself had spent his first year at Dragée as an assistant, only becoming a full-fledged employee in his second year. It wasn’t until his third year that he was entrusted with clients.

Kohara had been that cautious with him. But with Koenji, Asaka had different plans.

Rather than trying to explain things to someone who wouldn’t understand through words alone, it was better to let him experience it firsthand.

That said, there was a risk.

If Koenji handled things poorly, that impression would reflect directly on Dragée’s reputation.

Asaka scanned the office. There wasn’t a single staff member available to assist with customer service.

This might be a good chance…

Making up his mind, he called Koenji over and instructed him to handle the male customer alone.

"Understood," Koenji nodded lightly, showing no sign of hesitation.

Meanwhile, Asaka’s client turned out to be less concerned about the wedding itself and more overwhelmed by pre-wedding anxiety.

Many brides became emotionally unstable before the ceremony. Marriage was a joyous occasion, but unlike men, women often faced a drastic change in their living environment. It was natural for those anxieties to surface during wedding preparations.

After listening to her for about an hour, the bride sighed in relief.

"I didn’t know who else to talk to about this… But after speaking with you, Asaka-san, I feel so much better."

With that, she left.

Once his client had gone, Asaka looked around for Koenji—but he was nowhere to be found in the office.

He asked Takahashi, who casually replied, “He’s using Room Two, I think.”

Handing out pamphlets and giving a simple explanation could be done right there on the floor.

But if Koenji had taken the customer into a consultation room, that meant the discussion had gone beyond a brief inquiry.

Either the customer had asked for a more detailed explanation, or Koenji had judged him as a serious potential client.

A long conversation wasn’t necessarily a bad sign. It meant the customer was showing genuine interest in their bridal services.

Trusting Koenji to handle it, Asaka turned his focus back to reorganizing his delayed schedule.

He called the photography studio, confirmed the pre-wedding photoshoot date and the number of cuts for a client marrying next month, and had just hung up when—

"Asaka-san."

He turned at the sound of his name.

"Finished your explanation? How was your first solo client interaction?"

Since he had managed a long conversation, it couldn’t have been a complete disaster… Or so Asaka assumed.

But contrary to expectations, Koenji stood there with a troubled expression, looking down at him.

"Actually... the customer is still in the room."

"What?!"

Asaka’s voice shot up in disbelief.

"Why are you over here if you’ve left the customer waiting? Get back to the room, now!"

He pointed at the door, but Koenji furrowed his brows, looking troubled.

"Well, uh... the thing is, he said he wants to go with us, so I wanted to check with you first."

For a moment, Asaka was too stunned to speak. Then, a slow wave of excitement rose within him.

"He wants to book with us? Are you sure?"

"Yeah… I mean, I think so…"

A single male customer deciding on the spot was an unusual case. It had to be because Koenji had patiently engaged with him, offering a sincere and compelling consultation. Of course, the type of customer played a role, but regardless, this was still a success.

As Asaka listened, he found himself getting more and more excited.

"That’s great! It’s not every day you land a contract on your very first customer."

"Well… um…"

"Hurry up and take the contract in. I’ve already taught you how to explain it, and you’ve seen me do it plenty of times. If you run into anything you really don’t understand, come ask me."

Even though Asaka had told him to go, Koenji didn’t move.

"What’s wrong? Is there something about the contract you don’t get?"

Koenji fidgeted awkwardly, his gaze darting around.

"If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. The customer is waiting."

Finally, Koenji lowered his head slightly and hesitantly spoke.

"Uh… the thing is… the customer seems to be, um, gay."

"…Huh?" Asaka blinked.

"Yeah… so, his partner is also a man. They want to have a wedding for two grooms. At first, I was like, ‘Wait, what?’ too. But, you know, a customer is a customer. So I listened to what he had to say, explained everything, and in the end, he told me—‘This is the first place that’s treated me kindly even after knowing about my orientation. I’m moved.’"

Asaka pressed a hand to his forehead. Koenji must have done his best with his first customer.

But still…

Throughout his years at Dragée, Asaka had dealt with all sorts of issues—troubles during the planning phase, disasters on the wedding day itself—but this was a first.

Not just for him—for any coordinator at Dragée.

He had been so stunned he lost his words, but when he met Koenji’s desperate gaze, he snapped back to reality. The company president, Kohara, wasn’t in the office.

Checking the schedule, Asaka saw that she was out for a client meeting and wouldn’t be back until the evening.

"We need to check with the president before accepting this job. For today, just get the customer’s name, address, phone number, and their next available date for a visit. Tell them we’ll get back to them once we sort things out."

After sending Koenji back, Asaka slumped over his desk, clutching his head. It was already shocking that Koenji’s first customer was gay. But two men wanting to hold a wedding together?

That was… unthinkable.

Asaka was also in a relationship with a man, but he had never once considered having a wedding. He didn’t want his parents or friends to know, either. He didn’t get it.

Even though they were in the same situation, he just couldn’t understand what Koenji’s customer was thinking.

A little past 6 PM, President Kohara returned, and the staff gathered for a meeting to discuss whether to accept a same-sex wedding.

"A gay couple, huh…" Kohara murmured, letting out a small sigh.

"Technically, we can hold the ceremony and the reception. The issue is how this will affect our branding. If we take on a gay wedding, we risk being labeled as a ‘gay-friendly’ venue. In this industry, image is everything—weddings are celebrations, and many older clients still hold prejudices against same-sex couples. I’d hate for that to become a reason clients turn us down."

Gay. Same-sex couples. Prejudice.

Even though Asaka had always known this reality, hearing it spoken out loud still stung.

Koenji looked on the verge of tears as he listened to Kohara.

Asaka had been the one to entrust the customer to Koenji, so he felt responsible.

And yet—

This time, he didn’t want to say anything. Because he was in the same position as that customer.

And that was precisely why he didn’t want to get involved.

"It’s probably safest to decline this time. I feel bad for Koenji, since he worked so hard, but..."

Kohara had made her decision.

"People are gradually becoming more accepting of same-sex relationships, but I still think it’s risky."

Koenji, who had been silently listening, hesitantly spoke up.

"Um… I know they’re both men, but the customer was really serious about this. That’s why—"

"No one’s saying they weren’t serious. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have come to a bridal salon in the first place. It’s not something you do without real determination."

"I… I might be speaking out of turn, but I feel like this is exactly the kind of customer we should be helping."

Koenji wasn’t backing down.

"The customer’s sincerity and whether we take on the job are two separate matters. If this decision damages our image and we lose clients, the company might not survive. And if that happens, it affects everyone at Dragée. Are you ready to take on that responsibility?"

There was no room for argument—everything she said was objectively true. Koenji bit his lip, frustrated.

Kohara glanced briefly at Asaka.

"What about you, Asaka? You’ve been awfully quiet. I’d like to hear a man’s perspective."

He averted his gaze from Koenji’s pleading eyes.

Internalized homophobia, the phrase flickered through his mind before he quickly shook his head.

Don’t bring your personal life into work. Keep it separate. Think only about the business. Think only about the customers.

"Personally… I think we should try it."

The room stirred.

Kohara’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"If we don’t make a big deal out of it, it won’t turn into a rumor, and the potential downsides are minimal. Coming out isn’t easy, and it’s unlikely that we’ll suddenly start attracting a wave of same-sex couples."

Kohara crossed her arms, nodding slightly.

"That’s true... For us, word-of-mouth among brides and their families is a major source of referrals. Male couples wouldn’t have that same network, so the news might not spread as much as we fear."

"If you’re concerned about Dragée’s reputation, we could handle it as a separate branch—just for this case. That way, if any issues arise, we can distance ourselves by saying, ‘Oh, that was just the branch office.’ Also, from a practical standpoint, same-sex clients might feel more comfortable consulting with another man. Koenji and I could take the lead on this."

Asaka spoke in an even, detached tone.

"Turning him down now, after hearing him out, would leave a worse impression than rejecting them outright. No matter what reason we give, the customer will feel like he was denied because of his sexuality. Koenji told me the client is a magazine editor. I don’t know what kind of magazine, but having a connection with someone in print media isn’t a bad thing for Dragée. That said, as you pointed out, there’s always a chance this could impact our regular clientele. It’s a tough call… but I think it’s worth trying."

They listened to the input from Takahashi and the other coordinators. In the end, they reached a consensus—for this case only, they would accept a same-sex couple as a trial.

It was clear that Asaka’s words had shifted the previously negative stance.

And since he had suggested that "same-sex clients would be more comfortable with male coordinators," he and Koenji were officially assigned to handle the case. He had no way of backing out now.

As they were about to leave for the day, Koenji bowed his head.

"I’m really happy I get to take care of this client. I’ll do my best—please guide me along the way!"

"Ah… yeah."

Asaka gave a vague response while pressing his right hand lightly against his stomach.

A dull, prickling sensation.

I didn’t want to get involved in this.

Of course, that wasn’t something he could ever say out loud.

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