Crashing with a Corporate Queen

Spring was the season of meeting and separation.

That said, since I—Rei Kusama—would be starting my second year of high school next semester and the new term hadn't begun yet, I figured this spring break had nothing to do with any of that.

Given that there would be class changes when the new semester started, a handful of meetings and separations were to be expected. Even so, since I wasn't graduating or enrolling at a new school, there shouldn't have been any major shake-ups.

But unexpectedly, a spring of monumental separation arrived.

Huh? Your parents got divorced?

. . . Yeah.

During a break from my part-time job at the café, I told my friend Ryuki Kanakura about this recent separation.

Roughly a week earlier, my parents had gotten divorced.

I don't know what to say, but . . . are you okay?

I'm fine. I'm not really shocked or anything.

It did come out of left field, which caught me off guard, but I was only astounded by how abrupt it was. The topic of divorce itself didn't come off as that startling to me.

My parents weren't that close, but they weren't particularly on bad terms either.

They were both busy with work and came home late, so the time we spent together as a family was practically nonexistent.

I remembered that when I was younger, the neighbors would look after me because I couldn't stay home unattended.

It was a head-scratcher why my parents, who were so swamped with work, tied the knot.

They probably hadn't divorced until now simply because there was no particular reason to.

But the reason they decided to divorce now was apparently that they were both being transferred overseas for work.

Since they would be living abroad for several years, they might have thought, "Let's use this opportunity to get divorced."

Was that too unsentimental? Well, I knew that was how my parents were.

So that's why you decided to start working part-time during spring break?

Yeah, since my parents are getting divorced and going overseas, I'll be living alone, so I figured I should try to earn some money for expenses.

Living alone, huh . . . Didn't you think about going with one of your parents?

I did consider that, but suddenly moving overseas just seems too uncertain and scary, you know?

Well, that's true.

Going overseas with them was an option, but I chose to stay in Japan and live by myself.

Deciding which parent to go with was a hassle, so it was easier to just stay here on my own.

Indisputably, my parents would still cover my living expenses and school fees, but I still wanted some spending money of my own.

I didn't think the bare minimum for living expenses would be enough.

Plus, I wanted to work at this café.

I see. It won't be easy, but if anything comes up, just let me know. I'll help you out.

Thanks, Ryuki. One of the reasons I stayed in Japan was because you're here.

. . . You really have no shame saying stuff like that, do you?

Ryuki let out a small embarrassed snort and averted his gaze.

He was truly manly and cool.

He had such a towering and large stature that he could be mistaken for an adult.

His hair was blond, but not dyed—apparently inherited from one of his parents.

Perhaps owing to his mixed heritage, he had a clear-cut face. He often pulled his brow into a frown, which made him come off as mildly intimidating, but he was an incredibly nice guy.

Ryuki was the one who got me the part-time job at the café.

Break's almost over. You ready?

Yeah, of course.

I was still not accustomed to it, since I had only been working for a few days, but I had to give it my all.

With heightened zeal, Ryuki and I returned to work.

Quite a while must have passed since I went back to work.

I was serving customers, seating guests, and bringing them water—all while performing unfamiliar tasks and providing customer service.

I heard the sound of the shop door opening and reflexively turned toward it.

Welcome!

I called out a greeting while looking in that direction.

A woman was standing there.

The first thing that caught my eye was her long hair swaying beautifully in the breeze from the door.

She had stunning black hair with silver streaks.

She wore a fitted skirt suit, and even without looking closely, you could tell she had an amazing figure.

Her face was equally enchanting, framed by large, slightly upturned eyes that swept across the shop's interior.

She exuded profound refinement, standing there expressionless—a cool, knockout woman in anyone’s eyes.

At work, I usually only give customers a quick glance before showing them to their seats—but for some reason, I found myself momentarily pausing and staring at this woman.

She was undeniably prepossessing, but inexplicably, I felt as if I had seen her before.

I immediately snapped out of it and approached the woman to carry out my responsibilities.

Welcome, will it be just one person?

When I tried to serve the woman as I had been taught, she scrutinized my face, her pupils dilating.

. . . Hehe, you haven't changed at all.

Pardon?

It's been a while, Rei. It's good to see you looking well.

H-huh?

The woman gazed at me, smiling.

Who could she be? I don't think I know any woman of such beauty . . .

But the woman was staring intently at me and had called my name.

I-I'm sorry, who might you be . . . ?

I thought it might be rude, but I genuinely didn't remember, so I asked honestly.

You don't remember? That's understandable. The last time we met was ten years ago when you were young, and I know I've changed quite a bit over these ten years.

Ten years ago . . .

In a nutshell, it was when I was around five years old.

My memories from before I started elementary school were hazy, but I remembered often going to play at neighbors' houses.

A friend who was a year older than me—I used to play a lot with her older sister.

That older sister was quite a bit older, around ten years older I think . . . Huh, could it be?

Aine . . . ?

Ah! Rei, do you remember?

Huh? Is it really you, Aine?

Yeah, it is.

That woman─Aine Kujo─smiled gently.

I was dumbfounded after that, but I remembered my job and guided Aine to her seat.

I left her briefly to get water from the kitchen.

Rei, do you know that person?

Perhaps having seen the exchange between me and Aine, Ryuki asked me so.

Yeah, sort of, but . . .

What, you didn't remember her very well?

No, I remember her. I looked up to her like she was my real older sister.

The older sister from the neighbor's house where I went to play when I was little—that was Aine.

Even back then, my parents were often away from home. Since I yearned to know what it was like to live with a family, I became deeply attached to Aine.

Although I had not seen her in nearly ten years, I remembered how she always played with me.

Still, it truly had been a long time since I had seen Aine.

I see. Well, anyway, bring her some water and take her order.

Yeah.

I took the water and headed to the table where Aine was seated.

Even after realizing it was Aine, I still felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort.

Aine Kujo—the older girl who used to play with me at her house while I was being looked after there as a child because my parents weren't home.

I didn't remember much about what games we played, but I vaguely recalled her appearance . . . though she looked nothing like how she did now.

Her hair was black and long back then too, but it didn't have that lustrous, beautiful sheen.

And the silver highlights woven through it looked unbelievably cool.

I believed she used to wear glasses, but perhaps she had switched to contacts—that really transformed her appearance.

Overall, she'd become somehow . . . incredibly beautiful.

Aine was sitting alone at her table, her elbow resting on the surface as she looked out the window, and even that simple pose was striking.

The two women at the nearby tables were so captivated they couldn't help but stare.

Her suit looked fantastic on her. She was so stunning that even other women couldn't help but admire her.

Perhaps she noticed me approaching because she looked my way with a smile.

That smile was beautiful and made my heart skip a beat, but it felt nostalgic somehow.

The smile she showed when I realized she was Aine—that really reminded me of the older girl I used to play with long ago.

It was truly nostalgic. I didn't remember much since I was so small, but I really loved her . . . I wanted to be with Aine all the time and would sometimes end up staying at her house.

Sorry to keep you waiting. Have you decided on your order?

Heh, you look great in that uniform, Rei.

Huh? R-really?

Yeah, you look very dashing.

Th-thank you . . . Oh, your order?

I felt a bit embarrassed, but I quickly pulled myself together.

After taking her order for hot coffee, I was about to return to the kitchen when Aine called out to me again.

Rei, what time does your shift end?

Huh? Um, about an hour from now, I think.

I see. I have something important to discuss with you, so let's talk after you finish.

O-okay.

Uh huh, keep up the good work.

Something important? What exactly could it be?

Maybe Aine hadn't just happened to come into this café and run into me—maybe she knew I'd recently started working here.

Anyway, I was curious about what Aine wanted to talk about, but I had to focus on my work.

An hour later my shift ended, and I changed out of my café uniform and got ready to leave.

Great work today, Ryuki.

Yeah, you too. See you later.

Since Ryuki had started after me, his shift would end a little later too.

After saying goodbye and clocking out first, I went to Aine, who had been waiting in the shop the whole time.

Aine was drinking coffee while typing on her laptop.

She had this aura of confidence and capability—it was sort of impressive.

Sorry to keep you waiting, Aine.

Thanks for coming, Rei. I'd like to talk right away—mind if we step outside and walk while we talk?

Yeah, that's fine.

Let's do that then.

Oh, I'll return the cup.

I took Aine's coffee cup and put it on the tray return station.

Thank you, Rei.

Don't mention it.

After all, I had made her wait for a whole hour for my sake.

Heh, you really haven't changed, Rei. You're still as kind as you've always been.

R-really?

That's right, you're still the same Rei I've always liked.

When she said things like that, I could feel my face getting warm.

The way Aine looked at me with that caring smile made me feel as if she were praising a child for acting adorably, which made me even more mortified.

In any case, we stepped outside, and I fell in step beside Aine.

The sun was setting, painting the sky orange.

A tall building ahead of us obstructed the sun, allowing me to gaze at the sky without squinting.

So what's this important thing you wanted to talk about?

Right. This might be a little hard for you to hear, but . . . your parents got divorced, didn't they?

Yeah, you heard about that?

I heard about it recently . . . are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine. The divorce was surprising, but it wasn't that shocking.

I see. Well, here's what I really wanted to talk about.

Aine briefly halted her steps before turning to face me.

Rei, let's live together.

. . . Huh?

Although I did hear her words distinctly and grasped her message, I couldn't refrain from asking her back.

Wh-what does that mean?

Live together . . . with Aine?

W-why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?

Your parents got divorced and they're going overseas, right? That means you'll be living alone.

Y-yeah, that's right.

So that's why we should live together.

But why does that mean we should live together?

Why would Aine and I suddenly start living together?

I live alone, and you'll be living alone too. Wouldn't it be less lonely if we lived together?

Is that really the issue? I mean, you live alone too, Aine?

I hadn't seen Aine for a long time because she had left home.

I had heard from Kokone, Aine's younger sister and my childhood friend, that Aine had left home when she graduated from high school.

What? Are you trying to say I'm some pitiful twenty-five-year-old woman who's still single?

N-no, that's not what I'm thinking at all.

I see, you're right. You're not as ill-natured as my secretary.

So her secretary told her that . . . huh? Secretary?

Aine, did you hire a secretary?

Not that I really understood, but people who had secretaries seemed quite distinguished . . .

I already have permission from your parents. They seemed a bit worried about making you live alone too. They said they'd be putting you in a lonely spot because of their selfishness.

. . . I see.

Those two were getting divorced, but it was not because they didn't get along.

I didn't have a poor relationship with my parents either—it was just that they always prioritized work over family.

I supposed they felt a little sorry about leaving me alone in the end. After all, they weren't entirely bereft of human and parental empathy.

That said, if they discussed this with Aine, they could have at least told me about it . . .

So I told them I would live with you and got their permission.

I-I see. But I feel a bit reluctant about imposing on you . . .

Just because she was kind to me in the past didn't mean I should suddenly ask to live with her. That seemed way too presumptuous.

What? You don't want to live with me?

N-no, it's not that.

Even though it was ten years ago, I still remembered playing with Aine.

A long time had gone by since our last interaction, but perhaps I had subconsciously looked back on the old days that I still felt comfortable talking to her—or rather, I felt deeply reassured.

Even so, it might be because she looked like a grown woman now that my pulse occasionally raced . . .

I see, that's good. If you'd said you didn't want to live with me, I would have been too depressed to work for two years.

I-isn't that an exaggeration?

Heh, I wonder. Of course I want to live with you too, Rei, which is why I suggested it to your parents. You don't need to hold back.

Okay, but . . . won't I just be in the way? I mean, with two people, the living expenses would double, and my place would get cramped.

Since I had already been living on my own, I'd moved into a tiny studio apartment.

It was fine for just me, but with Aine there, too, it would undoubtedly be a tight squeeze.

And there was only one room, so, um, we'd be sleeping in the same room . . .

Don't worry about the room problem or living expenses. I'm a CEO.

Huh . . . ? CEO?

Yeah, I'm currently the CEO of a company. If I do say so myself, it's a major company with subsidiaries to boot.

Th-that's amazing . . .

I was so taken aback that my response came out exceedingly weak.

I mean, never in my wildest dreams would I have expected Aine, with whom I used to play as a child, to become a CEO.

So don't worry about money. I've got so much you'd probably cringe if you heard the actual number.

I-I can sort of picture it, but also can't . . .

Even if you were to selfishly say, "I want a private jet," I could easily make that happen—that's the kind of wealth we're talking about.

I wouldn't make such a selfish request?!

Besides, I couldn't even imagine how much a jet would cost anyway!

Don't worry about the room situation either. We're almost at my place, and you'll be able to tell just by looking from here that it's spacious enough.

Just by looking from here?

Speaking of which, we had been walking toward a certain destination, unknown to me, the entire time. Apparently, it was Aine's place.

She said I could see it from where we were, but . . . where?

Houses and apartments were everywhere, but they were all towering and impressive.

Noticing me looking around, Aine smiled.

Heh, actually it's been in plain sight since we started walking.

Since we started walking?

Did that mean it had been visible ever since we left the café?

We had walked quite a distance, so if it was a building that was visible from the café, shouldn't we have passed it by now?

Huh . . . hold on a sec, no way.

C-could it be . . . that thing that's been right in front of us this whole time?

That's right.

The massive building had been obstructing the sunset this entire time.

It had been in view ever since we left the café, and Aine had been been walking straight toward it. That building we would reach in just a few more minutes.

A building so towering you had to crane your neck to see the top—that was where Aine lived?

It's called a high-rise condominium. I live on the top floor—the sixtieth floor.

The sixtieth . . . ?!

Sixty floors—how high up was that?

Are you okay with heights? If you're scared, I can move us to the second floor right away.

N-no, that's fine, but . . .

Actually, if I were afraid of heights, her casual offer to just move to the second floor would be even more terrifying.

Did she perhaps own all the rooms in that high-rise condominium? I was too scared to ask . . .

On the flip side, the top floor over there is too spacious for one person to live alone. Without you, I would be so lonely and have to relocate. So, conversely, if you don't live with me, I'll end up in a tight spot.

I-I see . . .

It seemed like all of my escape routes had been cut off at every turn.

She had my parents' permission, was a CEO with more than enough money to support us, and had an oversized home prepared for us . . .

I-is it really okay for us to live together? I'm incredibly happy, but I feel like I'd be a burden to you, Aine. Why are you doing all this for me?

That was the one thing that had been bugging me all along.

I certainly remembered her being very kind to me ten years ago, but that was when I was five and Aine was around fifteen.

We were nothing more than close friends back in the day, so why did she go to such great lengths for me?

When I looked at Aine beside me, she was smiling, but her eyes looked inexplicably sad.

You don't remember, huh . . .

What?

Her murmur was truly soft; it was barely audible, even though I was next to her.

No, it's nothing. Why I'm doing all this? That's simple—it's because you're my little brother.

L-little brother?

Of course we're not blood-related. But I think of you as family, Rei. Even though we only played together for a few months ten years ago, those feelings haven't changed for these past ten years.

Aine . . .

Heh, I was really happy when you called me by my name right after we met.

She showed me a beautiful smile.

The same heart-pounding smile she had shown when we first met, but somehow it felt nostalgic and reassuring.

Even though we had met after such a long time, the fact that calling her "Aine" felt so spontaneous might mean that I equally regarded her as family.

I was never able to form a proper family with my parents.

Despite being biologically related, my parents put their careers before everything else. We could barely hold it together as a family before their divorce, and after that, we truly ceased to be one.

But . . . perhaps Aine and I could become a true family.

Aine . . . is it really okay for us to live together?

Haven't I told you many times? I want to live with you, my little brother.

. . . Yeah, thank you. I want to live with you too, Aine.

Again, Aine smiled tenderly.

I see, that's good. Well then, let's go home together. To our home.

Yeah.

Aine and I started walking again, our steps falling into sync.

The fact that we were going home to a high-rise condominium made me a bit nervous, though.

My parents split up, and then I happened to be reunited with Aine shortly afterward.

Spring was the season of meeting and separation, after all.

The elevator is sooooo long . . .

That was my thought when I, a mere commoner, first set foot in the high-rise condominium.

The elevator that ascended to the top floor of a sixty-story building—it took a long time to reach the top.

Well of course, it's sixty floors after all. How many meters above ground is that, really?

I went up to the top floor with Aine and walked through the beautiful yet overly quiet hallway of the condo.

I suppose the soundproofing is really good—it's incredibly quiet. It's like there's no one else around.

There isn't anyone else. This floor only has one room, though the soundproofing is certainly solid.

. . . I see.

One room on the sixtieth floor, the top floor of a high-rise . . . I couldn't even imagine how much the rent would be.

I now understood that Aine was a CEO who earned tremendous income.

With only one room, there was indeed only one door.

Aine unlocked the door and went inside first.

Rei, this is our home from today onward.

She welcomed me inside.

Wow, what a huge entryway.

I had the same reaction as with the elevator, but I supposed that was inevitable.

Being a commoner, the only thing that struck me about such a lavish and stunning room was its size.

The entryway was so spacious and breathtaking that I felt like I should take off my shoes before even stepping inside.

Come on, let's go inside.

Y-yeah . . .

At Aine's prompting, I removed my shoes and headed inside.

The hallway was spacious too, with doors lining both sides.

This one's the restroom, and this one's the bathroom.

With a casual explanation, she opened the door straight ahead, and we stepped inside together.

Whoa . . . !

No sooner had I stepped into the living area than I found myself gasping.

It was far too spacious. The ceiling soared overhead, or rather, there was a chandelier hanging from it—something I had never seen in person before.

The living room was furnished with a huge sofa, a large TV installed on the wall, and an amazingly beautiful carpet covering the floor.

Even more astonishing was the fact that one entire wall was made of windowpanes, offering a panoramic view of the city.

I walked into the living room and made my way over to the windowpanes, where I gazed down at the setting sun and the city below.

It was a bit dizzying being this high up, but it was such a breathtaking view.

I'm glad you don't seem to have a fear of heights. If you were scared, there's no way you'd be able to get near that window.

Well, I'll admit that it's a little scary. But more than that, the view is amazing.

Heh, I'm glad you like it.

Am I really allowed to live here?

Having lived in a regular house my whole life, the thought of living somewhere this extraordinary intimidated me.

Plus, I would be living here entirely on Aine's money, which made me feel even more guilty.

As you can see, this place is too big for one person. I'd be in trouble if you didn't live here with me.

No, I think it's too big for two people as well . . .

I honestly couldn't tell how many people a room this spacious was meant for.

At the very least, it was undeniably not meant for just one or two people.

If you're that bothered by it, want to move to the second floor? The rooms there would be smaller, I think.

I have to ask, how can you just move to the second floor like that?

I bought this entire condominium. So there's no problem with me using it. I think there are still some vacant rooms on the second floor.

. . . I see.

It wasn't just the top floor. This entire building belonged to Aine . . .

She must have spent an unimaginable amount of money.

What do you want to do? Should we move to the second floor?

No, I'm fine. This place is good . . . though that's a weird way to put it.

At the top floor of a high-rise condominium, I found myself casually saying the words.

This place is good.

It was something I never dreamed I'd say.

Heh, I see. Anyway, from today on, this is our home. Make yourself comfortable.

Okay, I think it's going to take some time before I can feel comfortable.

I've already prepared your room, so you can relax there.

Really? You have?

Yeah, though I've only put in the bare essentials like a desk. I'll arrange for movers to bring over your belongings from your old place.

Th-thank you.

I did have lots of clothes and belongings at my old place, so that would be helpful.

Your room is down the hallway—the one on the right.

Following her directions, I left the living room and headed back down the hallway.

Is it this one?

Ah?!

When I tried to open the first door on the right, Aine's voice shot up a tad higher behind me.

W-wait a minute!

Huh? What?

I froze, startled, with my hand on the doorknob.

Th-that's my room. I got confused—I meant the room on the right from where we came in. Your room is to the left when you come out of the living room.

Oh, I see.

When I let go of the doorknob, Aine looked unmistakably relieved.

Sorry, my room . . . is set up as a work space, so please don't open it. There are important documents and, well, various things in there.

Y-yeah, I get it.

Since Aine was a CEO, she probably had important documents that shouldn't be seen by others.

But somehow Aine seemed flustered and wouldn't meet my eyes. Was there something she didn't want me to see?

It was a woman's room, so there might be things she didn't want a guy like me to see.

Of course I had no intention of going in uninvited, but I should be careful not to open it by mistake either.

My room was directly across from Aine's room. When I opened the door, it was equally spacious.

The room featured a large sofa and a beautiful desk along with a moderately sized TV, albeit not as large as the one in the living room.

Do all the rooms have sofas and TVs? . . . This is unbelievable.

There's a bedroom next door. You can get to it from this room or through the hallway.

That's amazing . . .

When I opened the door connecting to the next room, a large bed was indeed inside.

King-size . . . I think that's what you'd call this size?

It was huge enough for two adults to lie down comfortably.

Ever since arriving at this high-rise, I had been constantly amazed by how spacious everything was.

. . . Huh, hang on a second.

A bedroom, king-size, a bed that two adults can lie down on . . .

As that thought sank in, I started to blush, thinking it couldn't possibly be so.

Eh, wait, could it be . . . When I glanced over at Aine, our eyes locked.

Rei, what's wrong? Your face is red.

Um, uh . . . by any chance, is there only one bed . . . ?

This bedroom had a bed with plenty of room for two adults—Aine and me—to lie down together.

If there's only this one bed, and I sleep in the same bed as Aine every day . . . !

Hm? What do you . . . ? Ah, I see what you mean.

Aine must have realized what I was thinking, because she looked at my reddened face with a smile.

Heh, there are two bedrooms. The room directly across from this one is my bedroom.

Oh . . . r-right, of course!

I-I jumped to conclusions . . . !