I pretended to be Death, Yet she never stepped back.

“My name is Kobayashi Shinsuke, 42 years old. I’m the Head of Financial Section of the Department of Natural Disasters at Marline Insurance. I’ve got a new recruit under me, and I can’t stand her smiles, her glares and carefree attitude. She looks exactly like the crazy woman who went after me yesterday, and now she works here?! That chick… I MUST MAKE HER QUIT!" "My name is Shinohara Hana, 21 years old, and I’m the new recruit. I’ve taken an interest in Mr Kobayashi. For quite a while, in fact... This guy… I MUST MAKE HIM FALL FOR ME!" Or the awkward and misunderstood ennemies-(but not really)-to-lovers relationship in the corporate world of insurance companies?! Hana has known him for a long time, and she got hired in the same company to find him, and to express all her gratitude to him, in spite of his bad personality. But Shinsuke doesn't remember her. Even worse, their first meeting, in his eyes, was horrible! And the young woman doesn't seem to have any remorse, or even remember the facts! But she intends to stand up to him, no matter what. Because she has a debt to settle.... And because, only one thing truly matters for her. ______________ EXTRACTS Yuuto grimaced, and then leaned back to catch a glimpse of Mari. "Hey, Hasami-san?" He said to get her attention. The older woman then leaned back in her seat as well, positioning herself at Hana's side in the same fashion as Yuuto; like two slightly overzealous bodyguards. "Take a look at this," Yuuto said, pointing to the computer screen of the new intern. An intern who, by now, had completely stopped working, and was wondering why she now had two adults leaning over each of her shoulders with a concentrated look aimed at her document. And after a few seconds, Mari winced. "Ouch..." She said, as if what she was seeing was painful, just by looking. She then put her left hand on Hana's shoulder, and shook her head. "Chief Kobayashi is onto you..." She deduced with a sorry voice. "He asked you to return this to him by when?" "Tomorrow morning...?" Hana replied hesitantly. "Ouch..." Yuuto said in turn. "What a piece of..." But the young man quickly paused, looking suspiciously around and turning his head like a prairie dog on guard. Then, seeing that the object of his insults was not walking around the floor - like a vulture hovering in the air looking for a new prey - he whispered sharply to complete his sentence. "What a bastard!" He said in a breath, almost inaudibly. ______________________________________ Cover art by Banae (Instagram: @ba.nae ) English QC : Banae/Maumau