Nibiiro no Hana: Chapter 9

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Five minutes before the agreed-upon time, Tokawa arrived at the first floor. Tsurutani was already there, waiting quietly in a corner of the lobby. As soon as he spotted Tokawa, he quickly approached and offered a deep bow.

The suit he wore today, too, was of excellent quality, tailored perfectly to his slim frame. Tokawa couldn’t help but wonder—just how many suits had Carter gifted this man? The bag in his hand and his shoes were a glossy dark brown that matched the outfit perfectly.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go?”

Tokawa took the lead, walking a few steps ahead, with Tsurutani following close behind. He hailed a taxi and slid into the back seat on the right. Tsurutani quietly said, “Excuse me,” and sat on the left.

When Tokawa gave the name of the hotel with the restaurant, the driver nodded, “Got it,” and the taxi started moving.

“I hear you had lunch with my sister today.”

Tsurutani turned toward him and answered, “Yes. We thought it would be good to know more about each other, so we talked about the past.”

“I see.”

“Michiko-san is very bright and a delight to talk to.”

It seemed they had left a good impression on each other.

“My sister’s single. If you’re interested, I don’t mind if you make a move.”

“N-no, I couldn’t possibly… on your sister…!”

His reaction was almost comical, like a retainer in a samurai drama horrified by the thought of laying a hand on a noble princess.

“She’s independent and lives on her own. You don’t need to worry about that. Besides, you’re returning to a normal life from here on out, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes… that’s true,” Tsurutani mumbled, eyes darting down nervously. Michiko may have called him charming, but to Tokawa, his impression of Tsurutani as a timid, overly cautious man remained firmly intact.

When they arrived at the hotel and gave their name at the restaurant entrance, they were promptly shown to their seats. The interior, designed around a black palette, had expansive windows that opened onto a breathtaking night view from the 35th floor. The chandeliers on the high ceiling sparkled like stars, while the subdued lighting inside helped accentuate the contrast between the interior and the city lights beyond.

Tokawa recalled how, when he’d brought a small factory director here once, the guest had looked so overwhelmed that he’d barely spoken the entire evening. Since then, Tokawa had become more selective, choosing venues that allowed his guests to relax. He wasn’t sure how Tsurutani would fare, but the man didn’t seem at all intimidated by the upscale setting. His attire matched the ambiance, and considering Carter had taken him to many such places, it was likely he was used to it by now.

The private room also had large windows to enjoy the night view. As soon as they were seated, Tsurutani remarked, “What a lovely restaurant.”

“I had planned a dinner meeting here tonight, but the other party canceled. It felt wasteful to let it go unused, and I thought it was a good chance for us to talk.”

“I see. I thought it was far too nice a place for someone like me.”

Even though nothing about him seemed out of place here, Tsurutani wore an expression of quiet acceptance. Since Tokawa hadn’t pre-ordered anything, he handed him the menu and said, “Please order whatever you like.” But Tsurutani just replied, “I’m fine with anything,” and wouldn’t make a choice. In the end, Tokawa selected a seasonal course menu.

While Togawa was conversing with the sommelier, Tsurutani stared quietly at the night view. Soon, their apéritifs were brought out. As he took a sip, a sweet citrus fragrance wafted up, and the carbonation fizzed lightly over his tongue.

“This is a very refined champagne,” he murmured, narrowing his eyes as if savoring the taste.

“Do you like alcohol?”

“I do, though I can’t drink much since I get drunk quickly. Dan often found it amusing when I was tipsy and would make me drink more than I should.”

There it was—that name. A small trigger word, dropped gently. Tokawa set down his glass on the table.

“This afternoon, I passed your decision on to Carter-san. Has he contacted you directly since then?”

Tsurutani gave a strained smile. “Yes. Right after I returned from lunch with Michiko-san, Dan called. He was furious—he shouted at me with the most vulgar insults.”

His gaze dropped to the table. “All I could do was apologize. I told him that if he was okay with a purely physical relationship, I’d be willing to continue seeing him privately... but I think that only made him angrier.”

When Tsurutani looked up again, their eyes met.

“He may be a far more single-minded person than I’d imagined. I used to think all the things he gave me were just like dressing up a pet for walks—nothing more than that. But now... maybe it was his way of showing affection. People really are difficult to understand, aren’t they?”

Their conversation paused as the appetizer arrived. The main was marinated sea bream, delicately plated with vegetables—beautiful to the eye, delicious on the tongue. Togawa studied the gray-haired man sitting across from him. His back was straight, his posture perfect, and he used his knife and fork without making a sound. He ate very gracefully.

“You have excellent posture.”

When praised, Tsurutani gave a modest smile. “Thank you. I tend to slouch, so I try to be extra mindful of it. Dan used to scold me constantly, saying that if I hunched my back, it would make even the person next to me look shabby.”

He’d been given clothes, his appearance refined, his demeanor shaped to match the upscale settings he was brought into. Perhaps Carter-san had been training this older man in his own way to be someone worthy of his side. And indeed, that effort had borne fruit—Tsurutani now carried himself in a way that matched the luxury around him. But no matter how much the exterior was polished, the essence of Tsurutani—unremarkable at his job and timid by nature—had not changed. No matter how much one polishes glass, it will never become a diamond.

“You always carry yourself with such composure, President. Even when you were appointed, I thought—how young, and yet how dignified.”

“That comes from a difference in resolve,” Tokawa replied. “Ever since I was a child, my father told me I’d take over the company. I never once doubted that path.”

“What about you?”

“Eh?” Tsurutani tilted his head in confusion.

“Is there something you’re aiming for?”

“Ah, well… not really,” he said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. “I’m not exactly young anymore…”

“Age has nothing to do with it. It’s about who you are. If you’d had ambition or drive, you wouldn’t have ended up in the Supplies Division—where we tend to assign older employees nearing retirement. You simply weren’t the kind of talent this company needed.”

Tsurutani’s expression tightened like it had been left too long in a freezer.

“I understand that not all employees can be high performers. That’s an ideal, not a practical truth. But in terms of the sexual arrangements you’ve done these past years, I’m sincerely grateful. I regret how things turned out in the end—I was careless.”

Tsurutani lowered his head, visibly shaken. Tokawa had expected some kind of rebuttal, but perhaps due to the clear power imbalance between president and employee, the man offered no excuses.

Their next course arrived. After the waiter left, Tsurutani looked up and asked, “Would it be better if I quit?”

“That’s not what I meant. I was speaking in general terms. Since the sexual reception work will be ending, there’s no longer a need for you to remain as secretary. I’d like to transfer you to another department. Is there anywhere you’d prefer?”

Tokawa had assumed he’d request to return to the Supplies Division, his former post—but no answer came.

Not wanting his meal to go cold while waiting, Tokawa picked up his knife and sliced into the main dish. Rich juices spilled out from the cut meat with a quiet sizzle.

“There’s no department I particularly wish to join… but if possible, I’d like to continue editing the company newsletter.”

A newsletter no one reads, that no one needs. Fitting work for a man like him.

“That said, I don’t mind leaving the company either.”

There was a calmness to Tsurutani’s expression that made it clear this wasn’t a rash decision or whim.

"If that’s what the president wishes. I’ve been treated very well by this company, and I’m fully aware I don’t have any particular strengths."

To be perfectly honest, Togawa wanted him gone. But his sister had pointed out that assigning a male employee to provide sexual entertainment could be considered harassment. If he were to fire Tsurutani now, it would look like he had verbally pressured him into resigning—an uncomfortable implication.

"Whether you leave or not is entirely up to you. But if you do choose to resign, I’ll make sure your severance benefits and reemployment assistance reflect your contributions to the company."

"I appreciate the consideration, but I’d prefer to be treated the same as any other mid-career employee leaving the company. Fortunately, I’ve already paid off the mortgage on my home, and I live alone, so I’ll manage. However… before I leave, I’d like to ask one thing of you."

"And what might that be?"

Tsurutani looked up at Togawa with an upward glance, but when their eyes met, he quickly looked away.

"I… was wondering if you might spend one day with me. Just one."

Togawa wasn’t so naïve as to misunderstand what “spend one day together” implied. The way Tsurutani’s fingers trembled as they laced together atop the table made it clear the older man was completely serious. He’d made a similar request two years ago. Back then, Togawa had offered an alternative, but this time was different. His resignation was the exchange.

“Your sexual orientation was toward women, wasn’t it? Has that changed in your personal life as well?”

The older man’s face flushed with embarrassment. Covering his face with both hands, he nodded and whispered, “Yes… it has.”

"In that case, wouldn’t it have satisfied you more to move to the U.S. and become Carter-san’s partner?"

"I understand that a dull man like me isn’t in a position to be choosy… but even so, I do have my preferences…"

So Tokawa was his type, not Carter. That, he supposed, could only be chalked up to personal taste. Tokawa himself felt no attraction whatsoever to Tsurutani—found him meek, unmotivated, and fundamentally lacking in appeal.

Putting emotions aside, he thought of it in business terms. Without the sexual arrangements, Tsurutani had no value to the company. Letting go of a useless sheep was the logical course. If he had pleaded to stay, that would be one thing, but he’d offered to leave after a single night. From a corporate perspective, this was a chance to cut dead weight.

“Very well.”

Togawa dabbed his mouth with his napkin and placed it neatly on the edge of the table.

“I’ll grant your request.”

Tsurutani lifted his face. The look in his eyes as they met Togawa’s was shining with joy.

“However, I feel no sexual attraction toward you. There’s a chance I may not be able to complete the act.”

"That’s… yes, I understand. If that happens, so be it…"

"Regardless of whether we complete the act or not, one day is all you get. Is that acceptable?"

Without the slightest hesitation, the man’s lips shaped the word: "Yes."

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