"Whether they're black socks, white socks, or nothing at all, I judge them fairly. It's mainly because everyone's legs are so beautiful, and I've also looked at Megumi-san legs."
"Saying something like that without feeling embarrassed? Really shameless. Azuma-san, don't say this kind of thing to other girls, or they'll think you're a pervert."
"I obviously know that already. Megumi-san, don't spoil me too much. If you can't stand it, just scold me. If needed, slap me, okay?"
"Slap... that sounds a bit hard to do."
"Then grab my waist. Just a little force and it will really hurt. It can remind me."
"Oh, I get it now."
....
The noisy morning passed in silence.
After Eriri and Kato Megumi finished breakfast, they left.
After all, it was a night spent not at home. Even though she had reported back yesterday, it was still better to go home early to reassure her family.
Well maybe Sayuri was quite reassured.
Reassured in a way that she didn't want her daughter to come home.
Kasumigaoka Utaha went to the Fujikawa Publishing House again.
Her book would be on sale next Tuesday.
The book signing event was on the same day.
Recently, she had been a bit busier than usual, which was normal.
Yukima Azuma had a little free time this morning.
He had an appointment with "Little Lonely" around noon.
"Ah, better send her a reminder, so she doesn't come too early or run away."
Yukima Azuma muttered to himself as he took out his phone.
Azuma: [Bocchi, remember to be on time at the meeting place.]
Azuma: [Even though I said on time, don't come too early. If you get sunburned, I'll be really bothered.]
Azuma: [If I don't meet you, I might cry out of sadness.]
Bocchi: [I understand. I'll definitely be on time at the meeting place. Sorry for bothering you, I really feel very anxious. Please forgive my stupidity and uselessness. Please don't worry about this. If I don't, I'd rather die a thousand times to atone for it.]
Looking at the long messages.
Yukima Azuma helplessly shook his head and chuckled.
This was really typical of Hitori Bocchi.
He didn't reply and closed the LINE app.
No other way, if he replied, Bocchi would definitely send another long apology.
Who knew, she might even want to commit suicide to atone for her mistakes.
Just then, a message popped up.
It was from Hayasaka Nao.
Nao: [The company has completed the formalities, as you said, the name is Laplace.]
Nao: [If you want to do something domestically, go by yourself, rent an office, and establish a subsidiary.]
Nao: [If you want to recruit people, you can start now. Don't rely on me, my personal matters are also in a mess here.]
Nao: [I'm handling the investment issue. If there's nothing else, don't send me messages. If these messages are fine, don't reply.]
Yukima Azuma didn't respond.
He just shook his head, feeling a bit emotional.
"Indeed, Nao-san, very efficient in her work."
Then, his eyes lingered on the word "recruit people."
In Japan, one has to be a business owner.
If not, based on the investment funds available, one might not be able to spend it all.
It seemed that establishing a subsidiary and recruiting staff should be incorporated into the plan.
Yukima Azuma thought for a moment, then seeing he had nothing else to do, he took out his laptop.
He opened the recruitment software and registered his information there.
The company's name was directly filled in as "Laplace."
The review process was very quick.
Although Laplace had not conducted any transactions yet, the registered capital was still there.
The staff member reviewing the application looked at the actual registered capital and quickly gave the green light without hesitation.
Moving the mouse, Yukima Azuma glanced through the list of applications in the software.
Honestly speaking, there were far too many "random applicants."
But on the other hand, if someone truly had talent, they probably wouldn't need to be filtered through this crowd.
Looking at so many applications from unqualified people, Yukima Azuma decided to scroll to the end of the list.
After all, he still had to check out what the people at the end of the list were like.
However, when he actually reached the last page, his attention was immediately drawn to a name on one of the profiles.
His mouse unconsciously moved and stopped at this profile.
With a complicated feeling, Yukima Azuma opened the profile of someone at the end of the list.
The name was Yukinoshita Yukino.
The profile opened.
It was brief, but it was impressive.
Yukinoshita Yukino, female, 22 years old.
She attended the Toyosaki private high school.
She went to the University of Tokyo, majoring in Financial Management, graduating last year.
Below were a series of awards and accomplishments Yukinoshita Yukino had achieved during high school and university.
As a new graduate from last year, she didn't have many standout internship experiences.
But was that really a problem?
Clearly, no.
She was an excellent graduate from the Financial Management department at the University of Tokyo.
Although her grades weren't at the top of the class, she was definitely among the top-tier students, rare to find.
Someone like this, shouldn't she have been snatched up by big companies while still in school?
Why, after a year, was she still being sifted through the crowd in the talent market?
Moreover, her profile was placed at the very end of the list.
Was there something wrong with the staff member reviewing the profiles?
Yukima Azuma gently tapped his fingers on the desk.
The likelihood that the staff member had a problem with their mind wasn't high.
The reason might be more likely:
"Could it be intentional?"
Yukima Azuma shook his head and decided not to think about it anymore.
Anyway, he might as well give the recruitment a try.
At least, he should try hiring someone.
.....
Fujikawa Publishing House
"Ah, Shi-chan, you're here!"
Machida Sonoko popped her head out from behind her desk and waved at Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"I told you not to call me that."
Kasumigaoka Utaha said helplessly as she walked towards Machida Sonoko.
As she walked through the office, passing by the desks, Kasumigaoka Utaha accidentally bumped into a woman with long straight black hair, giving off a professional air.
In that moment, Kasumigaoka instinctively glanced back.
The tall woman, carrying a box of miscellaneous items, was heading toward the elevator.
Though it was just a fleeting glance,
Her beauty left a deep impression on Kasumigaoka Utaha.
It was the kind of beauty that made one feel unattainable, only to admire from afar, like snow.
She seemed vaguely familiar.
"Kasumi-sensei, what's wrong?"
Machida Sonoko called out, bringing Kasumigaoka Utaha back to reality.
Machida Sonoko then followed Kasumigaoka's gaze.
She had just caught sight of the woman's back as she entered the elevator.
"Kasumi-sensei, were you paying attention to her? Is this what they call the 'spiritual connection between beautiful women'?"
"I just felt like she looked familiar."
"Is that so? She's a new intern editor, but she's already been fired. I think her name is... Yukinoshita."
"Yukinoshita." Kasumigaoka Utaha repeated the name, quickly remembering where she had heard it before.
It wasn't surprising that she felt that woman seemed familiar.
She was a former outstanding student from the Toyosaki private school.
More importantly, like Kasumigaoka Utaha, she had also participated in the school's promotional video shoots in previous years.
It must be Yukinoshita Yukino.
It had to be this name.
"So, it turns out she's my senpai."
"I see."
"Can I ask why she was fired?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha inquired.
That Yukinoshita girl must have been very capable; otherwise, she wouldn't have been the face of the Toyosaki school advertisement back then.
Machida Sonoko's expression turned slightly awkward at this.
"She's really talented, her literary skills at Fujikawa are definitely top-tier."
"But, as an editor, she really lacked compassion when dealing with the authors who submitted manuscripts."
"Lacked compassion?" Kasumigaoka Utaha repeated slowly.
"Yeah, she criticized the authors' problems with sharp, ruthless words."
"A few new authors who had submitted were criticized to the point that they gave up, no longer wanting to pursue light novel writing."
"Even though those works did have some issues, for a new author, they were still quite good."
After saying this, Machida Sonoko raised her hand in a gesture of helplessness.
Kasumigaoka Utaha frowned again.
"It's reasonable to point out issues with problematic works. They should have been grateful."
"Not everyone is like Kasumi-sensei, a genius."
Machida Sonoko added, mumbling:
"Not everyone is a perfectionist."
"Editor Machida, did you say something?" Kasumigaoka Utaha flashed a dangerous smile.
Machida Sonoko quickly waved her hands, signaling that she hadn't said anything.
However, the conversation didn't end there.
Sonoko peeked into the editor-in-chief's office.
Seeing that no one was inside, she waved Kasumigaoka Utaha over and whispered in her ear:
"Here's a little rumor, don't tell anyone, but apparently Yukinoshita-san has offended someone."
"Although her communication skills had some issues, her work ability was really outstanding, she didn't deserve to be fired."
"But, according to the editor-in-chief's instructions, it looks like they had to let her go."
"Before this, she had already been fired by seven or eight companies."
After hearing this, Kasumigaoka Utaha instinctively turned around.
She looked towards the elevator.
The elevator had already descended to the first floor.
The person must have already left some time ago.
She withdrew her gaze, deciding not to think about it anymore.
Although she felt indignant, there was nothing she could do.
Kasumigaoka Utaha wasn't an idealist, so she wouldn't let herself get caught up in a mess because of someone else's fate.
Instead of dwelling on the misfortune of others, she should focus on the upcoming book signing event.
...
Meanwhile, under the Fujikawa building.
The bright summer sunlight of the first season hung high in the sky.
Holding her belongings, Yukinoshita Yukino stood on the concrete ground, unwillingly turning to look back at the Fujikawa publishing house.
But after staring for a while, she could only turn helplessly and walk towards the train station.
Her posture, once always upright and her head held high, could no longer bear the weight of life's pressure, and she lowered her head.
Chapter 57: Capturing Yukino Future and "Training" Bocchi
Yukinoshita Yukino.
The second daughter of the Yukinoshita family.
A true genius.
Even without having to study hard, she could consistently top the rankings throughout her high school years.
When she got into university, it was called "the year of Yukinoshita."
The national university entrance exam, with an absolute leading score, she was accepted into the University of Tokyo.
It wasn't that she didn't get into the University of Tokyo's School of Medicine, known as the gathering place of monsters.
It's just that Yukinoshita chose the Finance department instead.
A person as brilliant as that should have shone brightly when entering society.
This needs to be repeated once again:
In this society of Japan, where the class system is clearly divided.
No matter how dazzling a genius is, in this world of clear class division, they will be somewhat lowered.
If you don't bend, you can't live well, you can only live with difficulty.
And Yukinoshita Yukino should not have to endure this.
After all, she is the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family.
It could even be said that she is one of the people who benefit from the fixed class system.
But the condition to enjoy this is:
She must obey the arrangements of her family.
Because the Yukinoshita family must marry into a family of equal status.
Even if the husband she must marry is someone she has never met.
What's worse, this person is a scoundrel who is said to have turned women into playthings, having harmed countless women.
Still, she is forced to comply.
Yukinoshita Yukino could not accept this.
So she ran away.
Leaving the Yukinoshita family's house in Chiba.
She went to Tokyo alone.
She wanted to live freely in this place.
But looking back now, true freedom was a luxurious and expensive commodity.
.....
She boarded the Shinkansen back to her rented apartment.
It was a small room on the outskirts of Tokyo, where it took her an hour and thirty minutes to commute to the city center every day.
The space was cramped, there was no natural light, the soundproofing was nearly nonexistent, and sometimes the water or electricity would go out.
She closed the rusty iron door behind her.
Leaning against the door, Yukinoshita hugged a cardboard box and slowly slid down to the floor.
Tears flowed uncontrollably, dropping one by one.
They ran down her flawless, pale cheek, silently falling to the ground without a sound.
Yukinoshita Yukino didn't even have the right to cry out loud.
Because her sobs would echo far.
Perhaps they would disturb the rest of those around her.
Her neighbor was a single woman, who, after divorcing her husband, raised her young child on her own.
The child was probably still asleep.
That mother had to struggle desperately to make a living.
Yukinoshita Yukino felt that she shouldn't disturb them any further.
But the more she thought like that,
The more the feeling of humiliation in her heart became harder to suppress.
She closed her eyes tightly, curling herself into a ball.
In her mind, images from many years ago resurfaced.
The boy from that year, the one who gave her courage.
That spring, when she returned to the Yukinoshita family's main house.
A stranger boy was sitting in front of her mother.
Facing the mother she had always feared, the teenager wasn't afraid at all. In fact, he was a little arrogant, speaking loudly and confidently.
The memory of his face had faded.
But the words from that day still echoed in her ears.
"Want to borrow the Yukinoshita family's reputation? Who do you think you are, dreaming such nonsense?"
