16 The Daily Lives of Momonga - The Man that took a Risk

September 25th, 2133.

It was early morning, although that was impossible to tell due to the outside world being obscured by a thick veil of smog, shrouding the early morning sky in a murky haze that was concealed by the drawn curtains. The room was cloaked in darkness, with only faint ambient noises and the gentle sound of slumber permeating the air.

In contrast to the tranquil room was its exact state. All manners of clothing were strewn all over the room as if a tornado had its way with the room. Clothing and undergarments of both sexes were scattered throughout. The most provocative was a pair of panties dangling from the ceiling fan above.

It wasn't difficult to gleam at what transpired from the state of the room.

Within the center of the shambled room was a single, unkempt bed. A blanket was draped over the occupants, covering everything from their chests downward. There, the two lay in bed together; the couples were resting on their sides with their sleeping faces facing one another. The woman's head was nestled on her partner's forearm, using it as a convenient pillow. Her hands pressed against his chest, snuggling him affectionately. Her partner's other hand completed the imagery, resting on her supple back, bringing her closer to him.

On the surface, it was the picture of serenity. A man and a woman, seeming lovers, intertwined in a tender and vulnerable embrace. The two slept peacefully away, without a care in the world.

However, that couldn't have been any further from the truth.

Upon closer inspection, the individual revealed himself to be none other than Momonga, or rather, Satoru Suzuki. And he wasn't asleep either. Far from it, in fact. Satoru was completely conscious and awake at that very moment. As a matter of fact, he'd been awake for a whole thirty minutes. When he had first woken up and found himself in the company of a woman, a naked one at that, within his very own bed, he reacted accordingly as anyone would.

In Satoru's case, reacting like a late twenty-year-old awkward virgin with extremely poor social skills when it came to interacting with members of the opposite gender, which was not through a digital medium, aka YGGDRASIL.

No, he did not exclaim at the top of his voice or wildly flail around, thus waking her up and ensuring a very awkward situation. Although he came very close to doing that. Instead, the salaryman managed to wrestle his panic under control and prevent himself from making a scene.

Satoru squeezed his eyes completely shut and remained as still as possible. He clamped his mouth closed to prevent himself from screaming in surprise when he first laid eyes on her. Satoru chose to remain motionless, feigning sleep. He was even too afraid of moving his arm off of her body for fear that any sudden movement might rouse his mysterious visitor from her slumber.

If one were to gaze down upon his seemingly sleeping visage, it would appear that all was right with the world. A peek into his mind at this very moment would have shown otherwise. At that moment, Satoru's thought would go something along the lines of this:

'Shit! Shit! Fuck! Shit! Oh my God! What the hell?! Who?! How?! What?! Damn it! Shit! Fuck!' A string of curses and profanity both at the situation and at himself.

This line of thinking continued as he lay there, unable to truly do anything. All the while, Satoru tried desperately to calm himself down.

'Ok, ok. Calm down!' After nearly ten whole minutes of silent panicking in his mind, Satoru had finally gathered his wit. Once he was no longer mindlessly panicking, the salaryman sought to deal with the matter at hand. The first order of business was, of course, figuring out who exactly it was that was in his bed.

'Alright, you can do this! Just stay calm and quiet, and I won't wake her up.'

Slowly and carefully, his eyelids opened up, enough to allow Satoru to peek through. As he peered upon the sleeping beauty beside him, recognition hit him with the force of a freight train. Satoru knew exactly who she was.

It was none other than his fellow co-worker from work.

"Kasumi-san?!" He hissed in surprise and shock.

While his voice was no louder than a whisper, it managed to stir the recently confirmed Kasumi. A small and groggy moan escaped her lips.

'Shit!' Satoru panicked.

He squeezed his eyelids shut tightly, his body tensing up like a frightened child hoping that if he made himself small and still enough, the danger would disappear. Surprisingly, his tactic seemed to work as Kasumi grumbled for a moment before settling down and nuzzling closer to him, seeking the warmth of his body.

The salaryman let out a massive mental sigh of relief.

Now that the 'who' was answered, it brought up another more pressing question.

How and why was she here?

'Alright, come on! Think. Think! What exactly happened yesterday?' Satoru asked himself trying to recall what happened that led to him sleeping with his coworker.

Momentarily pushing aside the matter with Kasumi, Satoru focused his mind on remembering what series of events could have led to this. As the morning grogginess dissipated, he slowly felt the memories of yesterday bubbling back up. Steadily, he recalled the series of events that led to this exact moment.

[—][—][—][—][—][—][—][—][—]

Within his office, the sounds of rapid typing could be heard. Satoru's complete attention was on his computer as his hand worked without rest. After ten minutes of intense typing, he stopped and leaned back. The light from the screen revealed a grimace on his face as he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

Satoru was exhausted, but that was hardly anything new at this point. Tearing his eyes from his computer, he looked at the ticking clock on the wall. It read 10:35 p.m. Looking back at his computer screen, he couldn't help but sigh.

Pushing himself off of the chair, he stretched to get the kinks out and, without a word, walked to the door. Taking a calming breath, he prepared himself. His face straightened into his signature poker face, the visage of a calm and collected superior. Once he was ready, he opened the door. Outside his office was where the rest of them worked. Cubicles lined the middle of the room, with the loud clatter of typing echoing rhythmically through the office space. Hearing his office door open, several workers popped up from the top of their cubicle walls to see him.

Everyone who popped their heads up held the same look in their eyes. A sense of fatigue rolled off of them, from their posture to their looks. Even with their indifferent expressions, each held a silent plea in their weary gaze.

The reason for this was due to it being "Death March" week for them, and for a whole week straight, they endured long hours of constant work that pushed their bodies and minds to the limit. Everyone was dead tired, both physically and mentally, and even a few looked ready to pass out on the spot. Satoru wasn't exempt from this, but he hid it better.

Fortunately for them, they were at the literal home stretch. Well, almost everyone.

"Satoru-san…" A feminine voice drawled out.

Satoru turned his attention toward the owner of the voice.

She stood at roughly the same height as Satoru himself, dressed in form-fitting office apparel just like everyone else. She had short-cut, jet-black hair that parted to the side, covering her left eye. Her eyes were equally as dark, reflecting a spryness to her despite her weariness. Satoru would describe her as a cool beauty with her lovely cheekbones, defined features, and fair skin. Overall, she looked like the typical prim and proper office lady.

Her name was Kasumi, and she was one of the workers under his management.

"Please tell me we're done." Kasumi all but begged.

He spared her a nod before addressing everyone as a whole.

"It's getting late, everyone finish up what you were doing, and you may leave." Satoru announced.

The oppressive mood of the office lifted, allowing for a moment of reprieve. Their eyes lit up, albeit briefly. They could finally go home. And while they didn't outwardly express it, Satoru could feel each one of them was happy to finally be done with it all. None more so than Kasumi, who let out a happy cry, even fist-pumping the air in her excitement.

Satoru spared her only a glance as Kasumi hurriedly rushed to her desk to finish up and pack her bags. Inwardly, he couldn't help but sigh at her behavior when compared to her co-workers, who were silently and methodically doing the same. It couldn't be any clearer what the difference was between them and her.

With one last look at the leaving workers, Satoru turned around towards his office. Everyone else was done and ready to leave, but not him, not yet, unfortunately.

"Satoru-san? Whatcha doing?" Kasumi called out to him.

Turning, he found her ready to leave with her purse hanging from her shoulder. A weary but curious smile rested on her lips as she looked at Satoru.

"You're not leaving with us?" She questioned.

"I have some more documents and reports I still need to finish up before I can leave." Satoru answered.

"But I thought you said we were finally all done?" Kasumi replied, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"It's merely some leftover work on my end. Pay it no mind. Take care, Kasumi-san, and have a nice night." Satoru politely informed and dismissed her, bidding farewell without sparing her a second glance.

Kasumi's countenance became pensive as she brought her lips together and stared at the departing figures of her colleagues. Her gaze shifted back to him before she slowly turned away and joined the others, who appeared to be indifferent to his predicament. His words from a moment ago had fallen on deaf ears, and he couldn't really blame them for their lack of concern.

Satoru watched as the last of his colleagues emptied out of the office, their footsteps echoing down the hallway. Alone, he finally allowed himself to drop the mask. His stoic demeanor gave way to a tired expression as he took a deep breath and let out an exasperated sigh. His shoulders slumped in exhaustion, and he couldn't help but feel drained after the events of the day. With a sigh, he turned towards his office, feeling the weight of unfinished work on his shoulders.

"Come on. The faster I can get this done, the faster I can finally go home to rest." Satoru said to himself, trying to look at the positive.

His eyes scanned the empty room, taking in everything. Two years had passed since he and Ainz Ooal Gown conquered The Tomb of Nazarick, and so much has changed since then. Both within the game and in Satoru's work life. He accepted the managing position, and for the last two years, he has done a decent job running his little department.

He was given an office that was a branch of his original department, with only around fifteen workers under him. A small but noteworthy workforce. And so, the last two years have seen Satoru run his little department the best he could. So far, things have managed to work out, much to his continued surprise.

As Satoru turned off all the lights and made his way back to his office, the only source of light came from his computer screen. He glared at it, hoping that somehow it would make all the work disappear, but unfortunately, he wasn't that lucky.

After loosening his tie and unbuttoning a few buttons on his shirt, Satoru settled in for a long night ahead. It didn't take long before he lost himself in the work. His eyes were glued solely to the screen as he was hyper-focused on finishing all his reports. Time became a blur as he typed and typed away.

Despite his promotion and his wild imagination, not much changed in his day-to-day work routine. It was relatively the same when he was still a lowly salaryman, but with a bit more responsibility and tasks added on. Unlike before, where he answered to one or two superiors, Satoru now had to manage the data and work of those working under him as well as his bosses.

Satoru idly wondered if his old bosses were the way they were because of all the work they had to do similar to himself. If so, he could somewhat understand why many of them were the way they were. It was hard work, and often, it would lead to overwork on their part. Overwork was among the leading causes of stress for a reason.

Satoru couldn't help but let out a derisive snort at the thought. The bosses he once loathed for being too uncompromising and unfair during his long tenure as a lowly salaryman, he now found a shred of sympathy for.

The irony wasn't lost on him. Assuming, of course, that he was even right in his assumption. It could also be easily explained that they were just assholes and were strict for the hell of it.

Satoru went with that explanation instead.

He continued working, his mind and body focused on the task at hand. Satoru was so focused on his work that he paid no mind to everything around him. Not even the sound of the door opening in his office alerted him.

He paused to rub his eyes, letting out another hefty sigh. His eyes looked at the digital clock displayed on his computer as he grumbled to himself. His thoughts were wild and sporadic, both focused on the task but also trying to seek a reprieve.

'At the rate I'm going, it'll be another hour and a half before I'll be done.'

'I could use a drink.'

'I wasted a good ten-minute backtracking to double-check the data for the first report.'

'Uggh, why me?'

'I still have several more documents to go through.'

Satoru's mulling was interrupted by a sudden and sharp cold sensation from the back of his neck. He reacted instantly, his hand slapping the back of his neck to find it cold and wet.

"What the hell?!" Satoru couldn't help but exclaim in complete surprise, whirling his chair around with wide eyes to find the perpetrator. Only for him to swallow his tongue when he realized just who else was in the office with him.

"Hehehe, got' ya!"

It was none other than Kasumi, standing there with a cackling smile. Satoru immediately noticed that she had a cold bottle in one hand and, in her other hand, a plastic bag filled with miscellaneous items.

Thankfully, Satoru recovered from his shock and controlled himself. With practiced ease, he slipped back on his professional poker face and addressed her. His eyes narrowed, and his lips were pressed into a fine line.

"That was not funny, Kasumi-san." He chided her with a disproving glare.

"To you maybe, but not to me! Gotta say, it's funny hearing you say that when you're so prim and proper all the time." The raven-haired salarywoman crackled with a grin.

Outwardly, Satoru simply glared at her childish behavior, but inwardly, he felt embarrassed at his actions. He chastised himself for the moment of weakness. But moving past that, there was one other question on his mind.

"What are you doing here, Kasumi-san?" He asked.

"Well, I figured with you staying, I thought you might get thirsty, so I went to grab some drinks." Kasumi answered, lifting the bottle and bag for emphasis. She then handed him the bottle.

"No, what I mean is why. Why exactly are you here? You were on your way home, weren't you?" He questioned her again, specifying the question.

"Oh, well, I thought you might need a hand, so yeah, here I am!" Kasumi leisurely answered back.

Satoru's eyes widened at her reasoning. Rather than retreat to the comfort of her home, she decided to spend her time and money on buying drinks and traveling back to their office to do even more work for him. Naturally, such a line of reasoning made little sense to Satoru, yet, at the same time, it made sense to what he knew of her.

Satoru could still remember the first time he met her. It was when he was recently promoted, and she transferred over under his employ. The moment he laid eyes on her, Satoru knew immediately that she was different from the rest.

The life of a salaryman was an arduous one; it was very common for entire floors and departments to hold a sense of "emptiness" to them. Workers were overwhelmed with tasks and seldom had the opportunity to break away from their routines. They were expected to do their job and nothing else, without any chances to socialize or take a break. Only the managers had the luxury to do so, and they were indifferent to the struggles of their subordinates, as long as productivity was maintained.

That was simply how things were.

Many broke under the harsh reality and conditions, becoming little more than a simple cog in the machine. A slave to the corporation that they work for. Satoru's story was no different from anyone else's. That was simply the fact of life.

But from the outset, he recognized Kasumi as different.

He could still remember the first time that he met his employees, those who would work under him. Like him, they held faded eyes that were dead to the world around them, with no true motivation but to simply complete their work and move on with their day. Merely living their lives day by agonizing day, trying to survive. Just like himself once upon a time.

All but Kasumi.

As soon as she entered his office, Satoru was struck by her contrasting nature. Her eyes sparkled with vivacity, and her face was animated with an undeniable zest for life. She embodied the idiom of "wearing one's heart on one's sleeve," exuding an infectious, bubbly personality that matched her effervescent demeanor. Amidst a sea of monotony embodied by her colleagues, she stood out as a unique individual, unafraid to shine brightly.

Where many would keep to themselves, she would often try and start up conversations with her coworkers, always ready to give others a helping hand with their work or if they were stuck. Despite the hardship, she showed a competent work ethic and always managed to end the day with a small smile.

It was an impossibility, no one like her could exist in such a ruthless and grueling work environment and profession as theirs, and yet, day after day, she remained. Never once has she lost her zeal.

As Satoru was reminiscing, Kasumi took the opportunity to look over his computer screen.

"Hmm, huh?" Kasumi let out, taking Satoru out of his musing. "You know, looking at them now, some of these reports can easily be done by one of us if you send them our way."

Hearing her statement, Satoru understood exactly what she wanted to say. Essentially, why didn't he make one of the salarymen under his employ do the work for him?

His expression tightened, and while his poker face didn't outwardly show it, it was clear that her suggestion irked him.

It was a rather common sight to see senior workers, managers, and superiors often time pawning off their work onto their subordinates and low-rung workers. Which only added more work to their ever-growing pile of responsibilities.

Many managers in the past were either given their position, for one reason or another, or they've worked up to it as Satoru did. But what separated him from all the others was their work ethics.

Those given their position, who never truly worked or experienced the hardship the likes of Satoru and so many others had to endure, abused their power and position. They saw their workers as no more than underlings, one of many to do their bidding. Then there were those lucky enough to work their way up, similar to himself. They allowed it to get to their heads, turning into the very tormentor they once served under.

At the very least, he never once allowed the power and positioning to get to his head. Satoru remembered his roots and his hard beginnings, and that kept him grounded. The thought of himself contributing to the cycle and becoming the very thing that broke him was a nauseating one.

Despite being in a higher and more authoritative position, he didn't look at it any differently. He still considered himself a salaryman, one of them. He knew the trials and tribulations that came from being a lowly worker. He suffered as they've all suffered, trying to survive in such an unrelenting work environment. If he gave in, then he would be no better than those that he loathed, and that single fact was what grounded him in what truly mattered.

Satoru endeavored to work with them every step of the way rather than making them work just for him. It was a co-dependent relationship. His employees worked under him; thus, he was just as responsible for them as they were for him.

"I could." Satoru agreed as he uncapped the drink given to him. "However, that wouldn't be fair for anyone if I dully out my work onto others when I can do it myself. What kind of example would I be giving then? That's not the kind of person I am." He firmly stated this, not only to her but also to himself.

Satoru took a moment to take a drink, secretly grateful that she brought them along to quench his thirst. During this, Kasumi looked at him, her playful expression replaced with something more somber and appreciative.

"That you are…" Kasumi whispered to herself, quiet enough that Satoru missed it.

"While I do certainly appreciate the concern and kind gesture, there was no need for you to come, Kasumi-san."

"Oh, are you saying you don't want my help?" She pouted. "Even when I took precious time out of my night to get you drinks and even missed my ride home just to help you. You're just going to kick me out? Out into the cold and dangerous night while I wait for my train ride home? To think you would be so cruel, Satoru-san! Even though I came to help out of the kindness of my heart." Kasumi sniffed dramatically, closing her eyes and turning away.

Satoru's mask remained neutral, but the slight twitch of his eyebrows said otherwise.

'Is she guilt-tripping me?' He thought incredulously.

She continued this for a few more seconds before opening one of her eyes to gauge Satoru's reaction. As he remained unresponsive, she closed her eye and kept up the act. He suppressed a sigh, but on the inside, he felt touched by Kasumi's action. It was admirable to see Kasumi offer her assistance, despite it not being her responsibility. Satoru couldn't help but feel moved by her selflessness, even though he tried to hide it. He felt grateful for the kindness Kasumi showed but was also a bit reluctant to outright say yes, if only because of what he said earlier about splitting the workload. Then again, she was offering her aid rather than him dumping it onto her...

"Very well, let us finish this up so we can both leave."

"You forgot to say please." Kasumi quickly added, the corner of her lips twitching upwards into a concealed smile.

'This woman!' Satoru thought, trying to keep himself composed. He didn't bother holding back a sigh this time.

"Won't you please help me finish this so we can both leave?" He reiterated.

"Since you asked so nicely, sure thing!" She quickly dropped the act and gave him a teasing smile. "Send some of them my way, and we'll get this done in no time!" Setting down a few more drinks for him, she walked out the door towards her desk.

As soon as he was certain that she couldn't see him, he slumped in his chair and let out a deep sigh of frustration that had been building up since the beginning. Despite her teasing, Satoru did not feel any anger towards her. He only felt grateful. In fact, he found himself enjoying these moments, as they were refreshingly different from the usual dullness and monotony of his job. It also helped that they reminded him of the kind of jokes and teasing his friends from Ainz Ooal Gown would make. In particular, the teasing from Bukubukuchagama and Peroroncino felt familiar and comforting.

In a typical work environment, such behavior would not be accepted and would be corrected immediately to comply with the standard. However, Satoru was different. He never explicitly confronted her about it or reprimanded her to fix her attitude. Consequently, she continued her behavior without fear of punishment. As long as her actions did not impact work productivity, Satoru saw no issue with it.

If he was being truthful, however, it was also because he didn't wish to do it, let alone have the guts to even try.

Life as a lowly salaryman was already grim enough for millions upon millions of others, but not for her. A mystery that he was no closer to solving than when he first met her. She was one of the few that kept her smile, and the thought of 'breaking' her to be just like the rest was sickening to him.

After shaking off his negative thoughts, he immediately resumed working. Over the next thirty minutes, they worked tirelessly, typing on their keyboards at a rapid pace and occasionally asking each other for information related to the documents. Their collaboration helped them complete the task quickly and efficiently.

"And done." With one last click, the last report was sent. With that, Satoru was officially done with everything.

Powering everything down and collecting his stuff, he met with Kasumi in the main room.

"Thank you for your help." Satoru bowed and thanked her, truly grateful for her helping hand.

"No problem! Considering what you do for us, I say it's only fair." Kasumi waved with an easy-going smile.

"Let's be on our way then—"

"Say, Satoru-san, you got any plans?" Kasumi interrupted, asking a question out of nowhere.

Hearing this, Satoru couldn't help but blink at the sudden question.

The answer to her question was both yes and no.

Although he had free time after work, he seldom socialized with his colleagues and peers. Despite being a general manager, his social skills remained almost nonexistent. Instead of spending time with others, he preferred to go straight home after work and let his employees do the same. His free time was either spent sleeping to rest or playing YGGDRASIL with his friends, finding solace in their company.

Rather than answering with a simple yes or no, Satoru instead asked. "Why?"

"Well, we finished up our "Death March", so this calls for a celebration! What'd say we head out to celebrate? How about we head out to a lovely Yokocho spot that's open all night long? Just you and me." Kasumi proposed.

Yokocho, in essence, refers to the narrow alleyways running parallel to the main streets. However, Satoru wasn't concerned with the literal meaning. Yokocho was frequently used to describe a place where one could find a variety of small eateries, bars, and pubs lined up side by side. It was a popular spot for people from all professions to unwind, socialize, and have a drink after a long day of work.

Typically, it was the managers who had the luxury of time and resources to frequent such places, often bringing their subordinates or employees along - whether they wanted to or not. In this instance, however, it was the subordinate who was asking her superior out.

Perhaps Satoru was overthinking the situation, but upon hearing Kasumi's offer and the last part of her sentence, his mind was flooded with a plethora of thoughts and questions. In the end, his mind settled on one wild conclusion.

"Are you… asking me out?" Satoru slowly asked for confirmation after a few more seconds of silence.

His poker face was firmly in place, revealing nothing of his true thoughts and intentions. The only sign of true emotion on his face was the slight arching of his brow to hint at some form of curiosity about her proposition.

"Huh? Yeah, sure, we can make it a date." Kasumi casually accepted, shrugging.

"I see…" Satoru simply replied, again showing no real reaction or emotion to it.

Internally, however:

"OH MY GOD!" A chibi version of Momonga, complete with robe and all, clutched the sides of his skeletal face with his hands and screamed at the top of his nonexistent lungs. His exclamation reverberated within his head.

"Are you… serious?" Satoru dumbly asked again, despite her clear intention.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Kasumi returned, a raised brow showing her confusion.

"I was just making sure…" He coughed, clearing his throat while looking to the side. Again, his true thoughts were hidden behind his mask.

Internally:

"HOLY SHIT!" Chibi Momonga once again screamed, this time with him kneeling on the ground. His skeletal hands balled into fists and slammed against the imaginary floor, his visage displaying complete and utter shock.

As a salaryman, it wasn't uncommon for their managers or bosses to invite, or more correctly, coerce their employees on a night on the town, so to speak. Anything from drinking the night away to chatting and building a sense of comradery with one another to a botched attempt to pick up girls for the night. Whatever the case, it was a common practice in Japanese work culture that was founded to further the connection between workers and their employers. And even in a dystopian future like theirs, the practice was still going strong to this day.

In Satoru's opinion, it was nothing more than ego-stroking.

Satoru himself experienced being a victim of this practice when it came to his higher branch manager in the department. He was often forced to play along with their demands, spending long nights kowtowing to superiors or drinking the night away and expecting to be at work the next day. This experience made him empathize with his own workers, and he never employed such practices with them.

Going back to the matter at hand, it would always be the bosses and managers who were the first to conduct it. Now, however, it was Kasumi who was inviting him. Despite never once showing hints towards it.

As usual, Momonga/Satoru panicked when confronted with an unfamiliar situation, even though the situation was not as severe as he had initially imagined. Already, he was imagining the worst possible outcome.

'A date?! Ahhh! Why did I have to open my big mouth and say it was a date?! Stupid! Idiot! Dummy! Wait, wait, wait... What if it's just her playing around? Yeah, knowing her, her saying this is a date could be just one big prank! Kasumi-san is probably just messing with me! I'll just say no, and we'll be both on our way! But... what if she wasn't kidding, then?! I can't just say no! She'll probably want a good reason why, and no doubt she'll begin grilling me for answers. What happens if she doesn't find them satisfactory?! Ahhh… What do I do?!'

During all of this, Satoru couldn't help but also feel completely embarrassed about being embarrassed over something as minor as a 'date.'

He was behaving like an inexperienced teenager who had just reached puberty and had been asked out by a girl he knew, contrary to the reality that he was an adult in his mid-twenties. The fact that he was worried about something as simple as this was a blow to his pride. But as a loner, social interactions were already challenging for him, like trying to climb a wall with just his hands. And now, he was faced with a situation where he had to interact with a woman he didn't know much about despite working with one another for two years, making it feel like an almost impossible task. His nervousness was akin to that of a shy teenager, and naturally, he couldn't help but panic.

He quickly fell back to his usual cynical mindset and started envisioning worst-case scenarios. He worried that his explanation might not satisfy Kasumi or that she might take offense, and it'd create a rift in their stable work relationship, causing further problems that could potentially lead to a crisis. He feared that her disapproval could affect not only work productivity but also that of his other employees and even himself.

Down and down the spiral of negative thoughts went. Reason was promptly thrown out the window as irrationality barged right on in and took over his headspace.

He was so absorbed by his thoughts that he had lost track of time. Left alone for nearly two whole minutes, Kasumi waited for his response, but none came. Her face slackened during this time, and there was no hiding the disappointment on her face.

She blew out a small, despondent sigh.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." She said, knocking him out of his self-imposed musing. "A simple no would work, instead of whatever you were thinking in your noggin." Kasumi joked and jabbed a finger at his head.

Kasumi smirked, but it was clear even to Satoru that her words didn't meet her eyes, and her smile was a mere fraud compared to those she would grace with in the past.

"Considering we just went through hell, then yeah, I can see why a night on the town would be the last thing on your mind. Heck, everyone is probably back at home in their comfy little beds, asleep right now. You're probably feeling tired as well, ay boss? Welp, don't let me keep you from it. Forget about what I said and sorry for the bother, Satoru-san." Kasumi apologized in a soft tone and flashed an apologetic smile his way, bowing all the while.

Despite Kasumi's words and smile, Satoru sensed a deep sadness within her. It was not just the rejection that caused it, but something deeper. It seemed as though she was disappointed in herself rather than him. Kasumi turned away, her true emotions hidden from sight.

By all means, Satoru should've been happy. Kasumi had called it off entirely, meaning he didn't have to worry about being the one to diffuse the situation. With that obstruction out of the way, the salaryman had no more obligation and should be on his merry way.

He should be happy with the situation, and yet, he wasn't.

For someone as expressive as her, it was all too easy for someone like Satoru to see past the mask of indifference.

At that moment, she looked so…

A fleeting memory flashed in his mind, reminding him of a moment when he was seated in complete solitude. The surrounding figures were shrouded in darkness, and they walked around him, his presence invisible to everyone. Satoru was all alone, and from that isolation came one singular feeling: loneliness.

…lonely.

As if his body had a mind of its own, Satoru reached out and grabbed her shoulder, stopping Kasumi from going any further. She turned to look at him, clearly surprised by this, and it wasn't just her but Satoru as well. It took him a split second to realize what he had done, and he immediately let go of her shoulder.

"I never said no…" He found himself saying, surprised once more at his autonomous action.

Hearing this, her eyes widened, and Satoru spied the faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. He swallowed a lump in his throat. It was too late to take back his words. He began sweating bullets, trying to settle the internal debate within his mind.

If Satoru was being brutally honest, he wanted to say no to it all, yet, he found himself unable to.

Satoru gave her words some more thought and wondered if Kasumi had an ulterior motive for asking him out. However, he dismissed the notion. She was always a straightforward individual. The only conclusion that could be drawn was that she asked him out because she wanted his company.

On one hand, he was flattered beyond belief. Extremely so. He held no illusions about his looks. Satoru knew his appearances were extremely average, everything from soft brown hair and eyes to his remarkably bland features. There wasn't anything noteworthy that could be attractive to the opposite sex, but at the same time, he was far from unappealable. Perhaps it was his low self-esteem talking, but he truly didn't think or believe anyone ever asked him on anything, let alone an outing or a date. His position notwithstanding.

On the other hand, this was quite literally uncharted territory for him, and he was reasonably afraid as he had no idea what to truly do, let alone say. He held zero experience whatsoever in the field, so he would be flying by the seat of his pants if he accepted.

The potential embarrassment he could or would face on their date—was it still a date?—alone was enough to frighten him. Any of those reasons alone should have convinced him to deny her request.

But the memory of her disheartened face stopped him and stirred within him a sense of guilt.

At the same time, despite his clear apprehension, he would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't the least bit curious about saying yes to her. A small, nudging part of him urged him just to say yes. To go on a "date" with her, his very first-ever date. If only once, just so he could say and know he did do it. To experience something new, to try and have a little fun with their night out, the possibility of it ending in disaster be damned.

Another contributing factor was Kasumi coming back to help him, which Satoru was grateful for. He owed her and felt he should at the very least be obligated to repay her kindness.

His rational side took over, arguing that they were both adults. If the night ended awkwardly or in failure, then it wasn't the end of the world or anything too dramatic. They would resolve the matter as adults and move on from there.

'It's not as if I'm agreeing to be her boyfriend or anything.' A voice answered out of nowhere in his head. 'It's just a simple outing. Worse comes to worst, at the end of it, I'll just say it didn't work out and go at it from there.' Satoru's mind rationalized.

What finally tipped the scales of the argument was that Satoru remembered something at that moment. A conversation with his dear friend, Shirou.

"There's nothing wrong with waiting on the sidelines, but don't you think it'll be a lot more interesting being in it than watching it?"

The exact nature of the conversation before and after was hazy, but his words stayed with Satoru. The message was rather simple: act where one would not have done before. The old Satoru would have emphatically said no, but Satoru had changed through the years.

"I-I was just surprised. That is all…" Satoru coughed, hiding his anxiety.

It was clear to both of them that the response was extremely flimsy. Nevertheless, Satoru braved the awkwardness. The salaryman made his decision.

"A drink or two wouldn't be bad." Satoru accepted.

A brief silence ensued after Satoru's words were spoken, and there was a momentary pause in the conversation. Satoru cast a quick glance toward his companion, attempting to discern her reaction. However, he was caught off-guard by her immediate response. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with excitement, and her face was overtaken by a broad, beaming smile. It was clear that her happiness was genuine and authentic, radiating from her expression.

Satoru felt his heart skip a beat at the sheer happiness in her eyes and her delightful smile.

'Cute…' His mind couldn't help but take note.

"That's the spirit!" Kasumi happily exclaimed, reaching over and reigning Satoru in. Her entire arm was resting on his shoulder as the two were practically hugging.

"Let's hit the road!" With a beaming smile, she practically dragged him with her as the two left the office.

They traveled in silence, neither one particularly engaging in any form of small talk, for around twenty minutes before reaching the yokocho that was mentioned earlier. The two salary workers navigated through a narrow passageway and arrived at the pub. Luckily, the building had a ventilation system, allowing them to remove their stuffy breathing masks and clothes upon entering.

Satoru observed the restaurant in silence, scanning his surroundings. The moderate-sized pub had most of its tables and chairs lining the walls, with a bar counter that occupied over half of the room. The counter was at the back of the pub, with a doorway leading to the kitchen behind it. The pub had a refreshing atmosphere, inviting anyone in for a quick and relaxing time. It wasn't very crowded, with only a few customers scattered around and the owner standing behind the counter. The elderly man briefly looked up at Satoru and Kasumi, while Kasumi greeted him with a smile and a wave.

"Say, you want anything specific? Drinks, some appetizers, or anything?" She quickly asked him.

"I'll just get what you're getting." Satoru answered. He had no idea what they even served at the restaurant, so he decided to play it safe and defer to her judgment.

"Alright then, two regular cold beers and an order of chicken poppers!" Kasumi ordered, with the owner inclining his head slightly to show that he heard.

As he left to grab their order, Kasumi dragged Satoru off again to one of the more remote booths with a clear view of the bar. The two undressed any baggage clothing and relaxed against the soft cushion of the couch-like seat.

"What do you think?" She began, clearly referring to the restaurant.

"It seems... nice." He replied on first impression alone.

"I know, right! I found this place by accident one day, and it was the best accident ever! The food's good, and the beer's even better. It's a bit far away from where I live and work, but it's totally worth it! Especially when you can get a group or party together! Then you can have a real good time."

As Kasumi spoke, Satoru became aware of something that piqued his interest. It seemed like she visited the place often, but there was also an underlying suggestion. Satoru wasn't sure if he was overthinking it, but it sounded like Kasumi came to the place alone often enough. She sounded almost wistful for company.

It didn't make much sense to him for someone as proactive as her to simply go out to eat or drink alone. Surely someone as spirited and extraverted as her would have a few friends or companions to hang out with.

Satoru's train of thought halted as their order arrived. Two large ice-cold glass mugs slammed on the table with Kasumi's order of fried chicken.

"Fast as always, that's why I love ya!" Kasumi thanked the owner. The owner gave a wordless groan of acknowledgment before walking away.

"Cheers!" Grabbing her mug, she raised it into the air.

Satoru grabbed his mug and met hers. The two let out an audible clink before Kasumi began drinking her cold beverage. Satoru tentatively brought the cool alcohol to his lips and drank. He was pleasantly surprised by the taste and flavor of his drink. It was both delicious and refreshing, and he could feel the cool liquid spreading through his body, relieving him of all the fatigue and stress from work.

"That hit the spot!" She exclaimed with a pleasing moan, her glass a third of what it once was. "Soooo, what do you think?" Kasumi asked him.

"It's really good."

"If you think that's good, try it with the fried chicken. You'll be blown away!" The salarywoman excitedly urged, grabbing one of the bit-size fried chickens and dipping it in the sauce. She tossed it in her mouth and excitedly chewed it down, accompanied by another swig of her cold beer.

Satoru followed along, grabbing a piece of fried chicken and eating it with a sip of his drink. Kasumi was proven right again as the flavor and taste of the combination exploded in his mouth. Enough to where it was visible on his poker face.

"Told ya." Kasumi chuckled.

From there the conversation quickly reached a point of stillness, leaving the two individuals sitting in their booth in complete silence. The atmosphere was calm yet uncomfortable, as neither party spoke or engaged in any form of activity. Time stretched on agonizingly slow, with one minute blending into two, then three and so on. Five minutes quickly passed before either individual made any move, and they merely sipped their drinks occasionally while waiting for the other to initiate a conversation or any form of interaction.

Satoru had feared this moment the most, as he knew he had no idea what to say or do to get the ball rolling, so to speak. The two of them only interacted during work hours, leaving no room for them to get to know each other better. Internally, Satoru began to fret, trying to think of something to fill the awkward silence.

"You're bad at this, aren't you?" Kasumi said suddenly, snapping him back to reality. She was looking at him with a slouched posture and one hand propping up her head while the other held onto her half-empty glass mug. Unlike Satoru, she appeared to be relaxed, while he maintained his poker face and a rigid posture.

Satoru looked at her, noticing a faint tinge of red across her cheek. It would seem the alcohol was slowly taking effect, though she still looks sober enough. She held an almost resigned look, as if she were expecting this to happen.

"Then again, who am I to talk?"

She continued before Satoru could have responded.

"Say, Satoru-san. How long have we been working with one another?" She questioned him.

"Almost a little over two years." He answered after a quick calculation in his head.

"Two whole years, huh? Time sure flies, doesn't it, eh, Satoru-san? Ahahaha…" She let out a small, drunken chuckle.

It would seem that the alcohol was starting to loosen her lips.

"We've known and worked with one another for that long, and isn't it funny how in that time nothing has happened? Hell, we're practically strangers, if you kind of think about it. Don't you think that's a bit screwy?" Kasumi pointed out, chuckling again in a subdued manner.

Satoru quietly took another sip of his alcohol, waiting.

"We really need to start changing up things in the office or something! It's so serious and boring all the time." Kasumi lamented.

"Especially you! Always looking so dour every single second. All that seriousness is going to get wrinkles on your forehead before you know it. Try and learn how to smile some more. Come on, try it."

The conversation soon turned to be about him. Kasumi took her fingers and pressed them against the edges of her mouth, pressing them up to try and form a smile.

At this point, Satoru was unsure of the flow of the conversation. It seemed as if she was speaking for the sake of it. In an attempt to continue, he answered one of her points.

"The workplace is a place of business."

"Then how come I'm still working with ya?" Kasumi immediately countered, taking another drink of her beer.

At that, Satoru held his tongue for a second.

"Because you do good work." He said, the words came to him easily.

Kasumi tilted her head in acknowledgment with a lopsided smile and raised her mug. She took another drink.

"Ya' know, when I first saw you, I thought you were just going to be another annoying prick with a stick up your ass. I expected to get chewed out on my first day, so imagine my surprise when that didn't happen! As I continued working under you, I saw that you weren't like the rest. If one of us messes up, don't scream at us or anything. Heck, you'll even take the time to correct our mistake! You never give out your share of the work and make us do your work for you. You don't set unreasonable work and deadlines for us. You're always treating us fairly and whatnot. What I'm trying to say is… you're a good boss, the best boss I've ever had is what I'm trying to say." Kasumi praised him, her words slurring slightly.

Just as Satoru thought he had nailed down the flow of the conversation, she threw a curveball at him.

"But I gotta ask this... Do you have to be so cold about it?" She questioned him, looking Satoru straight in the eye.

…Cold?

Satoru focused on that word. She described working under him as cold. Of all the words to say, she used that word despite just praising him a moment ago.

"W-what do you mean?" He immediately questioned.

"Well…" Kasumi scratched her head, her hair becoming a bit disheveled as she lingered, trying to find the right words to answer him.

"It just feels cold, ya know? At least with my previous boss, when they chew me out for all kinds of crap like my attitude, messing up, or whatever. With that, I can understand them a bit better, but for you, it's like you're always wearing this mask. I can barely even tell what you're thinking or feeling sometimes. Hell, I barely ever see you even blink."

Satoru's body went stiff at the assumption and how unknowingly close it was to the truth. If Kasumi noticed this, she didn't show it, continuing with her thoughts.

"Yeah, you look like a stone-cold boss, but you showed with your action and help that you cared, but it always feels like you care more about the work being done than about us. It's always so formal and cut-and-dry with you about everything. Sure, you're always making sure everything runs smoothly and looking out for us, but that's about it. So long as it didn't mess up the workflow. I still think you're a good boss, but it feels... cold how you do things, ya' know? It's like you don't even care or bother with us outside of work." Kasumi reiterated both points, both the good and the bad.

Kasumi went to take a drink of her beer while Satoru contemplated her words.

When Satoru accepted his promotion, he had no idea how to go about it. At the time, his leading experience was very minuscule, and while in YGGDRASIL, he showed aptitude as a decent Guildmaster that didn't necessarily translate into real-life leadership. In the end, Satoru went with what he knew best. He adopted this persona of professionalism and donned his mask and his signature inscrutable poker face. He reasoned that, just as he had roleplayed as Momonga in YGGDRASIL, he could play a role as a supervisor.

His goal was to work together with them like a well-oiled machine. For that, he intended a mutual and professional relationship between employees and superior. He would be fair and reasonable, as much as he could, so long as it didn't interrupt work productivity and everyone did their part.

After some reflection, Satoru realized that his treatment of his coworkers was not as considerate as he thought he was. He had been focused on their productivity rather than their well-being. Although he did worry about them, he recognized that it did not necessarily equate to caring for them. For instance, he tolerated Kasumi's attitude in the office because she was skilled at her job. However, he admitted that he would have reacted differently if the situation were reversed. Ultimately, when the workday ended, Satoru found that he was indifferent to their personal lives and challenges.

All of her points stemmed from one fact.

The shit reality Satoru called the real world, he didn't consider that his life. YGGDRASIL was.

Working was simply a means to an end for him - earning enough money to support himself while devoting all his free time to YGGDRASIL. His guildmates were the most important people in his life, and he cared deeply for them above all others. They were the reason he continued to try. After work, he would rush to immerse himself in YGGDRASIL, where he found a sense of community and belonging with his friends, who were like family to him.

Kasumi was right. There was a cold formality to their relationship. Despite his goodwill, the relationship between the two was clear-cut. Kasumi and the rest were workers, and Satoru was their superior. Nothing more and nothing less. And there was never really a reason to challenge or change the status quo of it all. Those under his management couldn't care less about Satoru and his life, and in turn, he was much the same.

Everyone knew exactly why they were working there — to make a living. Such notions as social connections and camaraderie among coworkers were deemed irrelevant in this environment. Satoru, though he wasn't aware of it, held a subconscious belief in this fundamental notion.

This was the harsh reality of their world — a twisted and cold truth that dictated indifference towards their fellow man.

Satoru was conflicted about his feelings on the matter. While he understood Kasumi's perspective, a part of him couldn't help but think, 'So what?' That was how things were, and it wasn't like he was in a position to try and change it all. However, the words rang hollow in his ears, and he couldn't shake the sense of shame that surfaced.

Kasumi's frank assessment of the situation made him realize just how impersonal and methodical he had become over the course of the year. It was no different from the way he was treated before his promotion.

"I'm… sorry…" His words rang hollow, for what else could he possibly even say?

"It's fine." Kasumi waved her hand idly in dismissal. "It's not like I blame you or anything, Satoru-san. You're just doing your job is all, and as I said earlier you're still the best boss I've ever had. But it's nice to hear and see you aware of all of this."

She gave him a wink and a smile.

"Now if only the others could take a lesson from you and be a bit more receptive, that'll be nice." She commented offhandedly, which gave Satoru pause.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean?"

"No, it's just what you said. I thought…"

"That me and everyone else in the office were buddy-buddy or something like that?" Kasumi guessed.

Satoru confirmed this with a small nod.

She let out a snort, her face crinkling with drunken amusement.

"Please, everyone else in the damn office is a wet blanket, kind of like what I thought you would be. You probably don't know this, but the others kind of hate me because I'm always trying to talk to them or get to know them better. They get annoyed, thinking that I'm interfering with their lives or distracting them. Hell, you and me talking right here and now—this's the most interaction I've had with someone from work since I've started working. You're the first one that's ever taken me up on my offer, Satoru-san." Her voice was tinged with melancholy at the end when she admitted this.

"So, thank you. I really appreciate you at the very least doing this for me. And…" A red blush bloomed across her face for what she would try to say next. "…I was wondering… if… we could, you know... maybe be friends or something like that… It would be nice to have someone to talk to from time to time…"

At that moment, Kasumi revealed another side to her. Behind her usual upbeat personality, she was still human. A woman with whims and desires of her own. Kasumi's words, to Satoru, almost sounded like a plea.

A plea for comradery.

They were just two ordinary people, trying to make their way in the world. Perhaps, this was a way of Kasumi reaching out. For no one has ever bothered reaching back, and now, her search has finally led her to Satoru.

A sensation tugged at Satoru, a sense of déjà vu taking over as he reminisced on that faithful day oh so long ago. The day when he first met Shirou, his first friend, and the man who helped change his life from then on. Despite their unusual first encounter, Shirou saved Satoru, and he decided to take a chance and ask him to be friends, mainly because he was unsure of how to make friends.

Over time, their relationship progressed from being distant acquaintances to becoming steadfast friends.

Just as his friend helped him, fate has allowed Satoru the opportunity to help someone else.

The question was, would Satoru take it?

Time ticked by as Kasumi waited and waited, and with each passing second, her confidence in herself diminished. The small, and fatalistic part of her fed the pessimistic thoughts that she was coming off too strongly and suddenly. Just as she opened her mouth to retract her words, Satoru began.

"I cannot promise for certain that I can or will be there for you, but that doesn't mean I won't try to be there when I can. Will that be fine?" Satoru answered, and despite the hesitation, he still gave his word.

Satoru wasn't too sure how she would have reacted, however, he never expected her to start tearing up. Tears began to form in her eyes as the salaryman panicked, wondering if he had done something wrong. Kasumi began rubbing away the budding tears with a small, grateful smile on her face.

Without saying another word, Kasumi turned to Satoru and smiled. Her eyes closed as she beamed with pure, innocent joy - the biggest smile he had ever seen her make. In that moment, he knew she was truly happy.

Satoru felt his heart skip a beat again. Perhaps it was the lighting of the bar, or maybe even the alcohol starting to take hold of him. But at that moment, she looked absolutely radiant to him. His hand reached up to cover his lower face, glancing away. He could even feel a bit of heat coming off of his cheeks, no doubt reddened similar to Kasumi's.

"So, friends?" She asked.

"Friends." He confirmed.

"Oh, pops! Another round for us!" She called out to the bar owner. She quickly finished her remaining beer before flashing Satoru a happy grin. It didn't take long before she was back to her usual bubbly self.

Satoru wanted to object, as his glass was only half empty, but he let it go for the moment, for her.

"I guess the first order of business is to get to know one another better, and there's no better time than the present! I've certainly talked your ears off. Now, the floor is all yours, so go ahead. Ask me anything!"

"Anything?"

"Yup, anything. Don't worry, I won't kiss and tell~" Kasumi gave him what could be passed as a seductive grin, puckering her lips as she wiggled her eyebrows.

Satoru resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her suggestive phrasing. That sounded like something Peroroncino would say and tease him about. However, this also presented him with the perfect opportunity to ask her what he had been wondering for a long time now. At the same time, the owner dropped by with two fresh mugs of cold beer, which Kasumi happily drank from.

"Kasumi-san, I… Well, there's this thing I've been wondering... how... umm, hmmm…" Satoru fumbled a bit, trying to find the right way to word it. The issue was trying to word it correctly without it coming off as awkward and disjointed.

"Out with it. Don't worry, I can take it!" She urged.

Taking a calming breath, Satoru finally asked his question.

"How are you always so cheerful all the time? Every day, you seem to always have a smile on your face, no matter what, even after a grueling workday. How do you do it?"

"Jumping straight into it, huh? Then again, I figured that would have been your first choice." Kasumi fixed him with a knowing look.

Taking a swig from her mug, she collected herself before answering.

"Let me ask you something first, Satoru-san. Tell me, does frowning do anything? Like, does being all sad and mopey somehow magically make our workload smaller, or makes the world any less shit?" She answered his questions with questions of her own.

Satoru blinked, confused about what exactly she was getting at. Still, he answered her non-sequitur question nonetheless.

"Well, no."

"Exactly!" She snapped her fingers and pointed at him. She stopped to take a sip of her beer, after which she was met with Satoru's confused gaze.

"What I'm trying to say is this. The world's already a shithole; being all negative and gloomy isn't going to make anything different."

"And you think smiling and being more positive is better?" He returned.

"Anyone can get depressed and be sad, smiling on the hand at the very least takes some effort." Came her immediate response.

At that, even Satoru agreed with her perspective. Their society was suffocating, slowly draining the life out of everyone until they became mere shells of themselves. No one tried to change it, considering it pointless. But for her, it would seem that wasn't a good enough excuse.

However, that begged the question. What exactly was driving her to continue on her path? To always move forward with her life with a smile?

"Seriously, seeing those kinds of faces in people everywhere I go, I feel like I'm in a goddamn zombie apocalypse or something." Her face scrunched up with an exaggerated, apathetic look to illustrate her point.

"Doesn't it ever get tiring?" Said Satoru.

"I would be lying to say if it didn't, but still, just because things get rough, that doesn't mean it's time to call it quits. I guess a part of why I'm so positive is because I owe it to my parents. It's thanks to them that I'm such a bundle of sunshine." Kasumi shared with a nostalgic smile. One that Satoru mistook for a moment of grieving.

"I see. My condolences to you and your parents."

"Huh, what the heck are you talking about, Satoru-san? My parents aren't dead." She looked at him as if he were crazy.

For a moment, his mask slipped as he realized the mistake he had made.

"I'm so sorry! I just assumed… My deepest apologies, Kasumi-san!" Satoru immediately bowed as much as he could while sitting, embarrassed at himself for the faux pas he made.

Underneath the embarrassment, there was no denying the undercurrent of curiosity pouring from Satoru. Due to the taxing nature of their society, it was rather common for the weak and elderly to meet their ends relatively early. Hence was the case with Satoru and his mother, who was only in her mid-thirties when she died.

"It's fine." Kasumi dismissed. "I can kind of see why you would think that considering everyone else…" She muttered the last part, an unmistakable glint of pity in her gaze.

"You see, apparently before the world took a nosedive, my great-great-great-great-great grandfather or another apparently decided to repossess everything he owned and sell it. I heard supposedly that he got a premonition or something crazy about the world going down under or ending, so he prepared. He must have made a lot of money, as our family has slowly been using that money over the years in between their jobs to support us. We're by no means rich, but we're certainly more well off compared to others, where my mother and father never had to break their backs like many others. That gave them some free time to raise me over the years. They were always there for me, and in a way, they were my heroes. My mother, especially. Father always said I was just like her when she was younger." Kasumi disclosed, shedding light on her history.

As Satoru listened to her story, he found similarities between her and Touch Me, his guildmate and friend. Unlike him, she had a family and had a relatively happy childhood. This difference in upbringing had a significant impact on their outlook on life and attitude. Satoru couldn't help but notice how much of a difference family can make.

He couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of her and her situation. It was unfair and unreasonable, but it was present nonetheless.

"How… fortunate of you." Satoru replied, formal and tense, hoping that none of his true thoughts leaked through his poker face.

"Yeah, I really am.

After that, the previously ambient atmosphere turned quiet, and both individuals fell into their own separate silence. Nevertheless, Kasumi wouldn't be deterred so easily.

"Satoru-san." She called out.

Hearing his name, he hesitantly looked back at her. There, she pressed her fingers against her cheeks and against the edge of her lips to make it seem like she was smiling.

"Try smiling." She suggested, letting go of her fingers, to throw an encouraging smile his way.

Satoru weighed the pros and cons of agreeing or denying her request. A part of him wanted to say no, as he felt he would just embarrass himself. However, in the face of such overwhelming encouragement, his defense whittled down, and he silently agreed. Besides, it was just one, he reasoned.

"Ok…" Taking a deep breath, Satoru prepared himself and smiled.

For the first time since this night, Satoru emoted. His lips lifted up into a smile, a rare sight since that night. However, it was evident that the smile was somewhat forced and lacked authenticity. Satoru himself was aware of how poor and amateurish it looked, given that he had never really had a genuine reason to smile before. Kasumi agreed as she chuckled openly, more at the smile and situation than directly at Satoru.

"We'll work on it." She commented in between laughs.

Satoru dropped it immediately, his cheeks growing redder from Kasumi's reaction. As her laughter died down, she beamed an earnest smile his way.

"Satoru-san, everyone has their reasons to smile. One day, once you finally find that reason, never let it go, no matter what." She imparted.

"Then what is your reason, Kasumi-san? Why do you continue to smile despite everything?" He muttered uncertainly.

"Why?" Kasumi simply shrugged. "I guess because I can. Yeah, sure, I haven't been able to make anyone else smile, but that isn't reason enough to stop. Mother always said the world could use one or two more smiles to help brighten things up. Kind of like what I'm doing with you, Satoru-san. So, do I really need any reason to try and make people smile?" She answered back with a melancholic but wholesome smile.

Satoru's mask momentarily faltered as Kasumi's words resonated with him. He saw a similarity between her perspective and that of Shirou and Touch Me, who also believed in aiding those in need without needing a reason. It wasn't just their upbringing, but a part of their intrinsic nature to help others out of a desire to make the world a better place. Their motivation was simply to do something, anything, to brighten someone's day.

It was admirable—beyond admirable, Satoru would say. Even in the face of an overwhelming challenge, Kasumi still managed to find a way to smile and spread that happiness. She did it all without any expectation of recognition or reward, but simply because she could.

And then, there was Satoru himself.

After hearing her words, Satoru became silent and deep in thought about their entire conversation up until now. Meanwhile, Kasumi checked the time and saw that over thirty minutes had passed. She noticed that her boss was still on his first mug and had not yet touched the second, while she was nearly finished with her second. Satoru's expression showed that he was lost in contemplation.

Considering it was their first outing, it was only natural that they weren't used to one another's company where they were comfortable with each other. Not yet, anyway. Nevertheless, she was beyond appreciative of him and his willingness to go along with her.

'I've probably kept him here long enough.' Kasumi thought.

"Satoru-san, you can leave now if you wish. I plan on staying a while longer to unwind and have some fun. Thank you for spending time with me—" Kasumi said before being interrupted by Satoru's unexpected decision.

He downed his mug, finishing his drink in one go, to the surprise of Kasumi.

"Excuse me, another order of chicken poppers, please!" He ordered.

Kasumi looked back at him, confusion clear in her eyes. Nothing changed per se, as Satoru still maintained his poker face, but she couldn't help but sense something was different about him. There was a sense of determination to him.

She was doing all of this for him, the least Satoru could do was try and meet her halfway, as he reasoned in his head.

Catching the confused look on her face, Satoru had this to say.

"I did agree to come along with you, and it would be a waste of money and beer if I left now and had you foot the entire bit. I guess I can enjoy myself a little bit longer. Not unless you want to leave as well." Satoru gave her a small, lopsided grin.

Kasumi didn't expect to see such a change in Satoru, and so quickly either. However, no one was going to hear her complain as a great, big grin broke out on her face.

"That's the spirit! Make that another round, pops! We're getting this party started right! Let's drink till we drop!" Kasumi ordered with newfound zeal and raised her mug in the air.

"Oi, we're not going to go that far! I said a drink or two was fine." Satoru immediately rebuked.

"Lighten up! It's not like we've got work tomorrow or anything. So, let's drink the night away!" Kasumi cheered, playfully ignoring Satoru's concern.

As she clinked her glass with his, she began quickly drinking her beverage. Satoru couldn't help but shake his head and let out a small sigh at Kasumi's playful behavior. However, he couldn't deny the small smile on his face. He knew he had made his own choices, so he was prepared to deal with the consequences. And so, the two budding colleagues enjoyed the rest of the night together.

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