I Was Abandoned by My Fiancé and Betrayed by My Best Friend—A Story from Rock Bottom - Chapter 10

The next morning.

I arrived at the office earlier than yesterday and was wiping my desk on the still-quiet floor.

Only the sound of the copier, which I had taken off standby, echoed through the room.

My reflection fell on the polished desk, and my posture straightened almost unnaturally.

—I have to do my best today too.

Just then, Mr. Kiryū came in and gave me a glance, his expression blank.

“Good morning!”

When I greeted him, his eyes narrowed just for a moment.

“Good morning. Coming in early to prepare—that’s admirable.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best again today.”

As I replied with a smile, Mr. Kiryū said something unexpected.

“You handled yourself well yesterday.”

“……Huh?”

“For a newcomer, you did more than enough. But don’t let your guard down.”

His calm voice warmed the depths of my heart.

“Y-yes.”

The anxiety and tension from yesterday eased a little.

◆◆◆

Afternoon.

The atmosphere in the secretarial office grew restless due to a problem that had occurred in the company.

Important data for a meeting had been accidentally deleted.

It might cause issues with the client meeting.

Employees exchanged rapid-fire conversations.

Amid the tension filling the office, my mind calmly retraced the order of the files.

—At times like this, don’t panic.

While employees hurriedly left their seats, I unconsciously reviewed my notes.

“Ah, maybe it’s this.”

A few minutes later, I found the materials backed up in a different folder.

“We can use this data. We’ll have time to print it before the meeting.”

My voice trembled slightly, but my hands didn’t hesitate.

Then Mr. Kiryū, who had come to the office out of concern, peered over my shoulder from behind and gave a quiet nod.

“……Well done. You saved us.”

His low, calm voice.

Even though I was used to hearing it, my heart leaped.

“—I’m glad I could be of help.”

The sound of “You saved us” from his lips seeped warmly into the depths of my chest.

◇　◇　◇

After work.

As I was getting ready to leave, Mr. Kiryū casually called out to me.

“Ardō, come with me a moment.”

His unexpected words made my heart skip a beat.

“Huh…… Ah, yes!”

We went to a quiet café near the station.

Mr. Kiryū, dressed in his black suit, looked so striking he drew the eyes of everyone around.

We sat at a table in the corner.

He quietly drank his coffee while reading a work report.

I could see his profile across the marble table.

He took a pen from his inner pocket and drew a line on the report without hesitation.

The contrast between his sharp work expression and the unconsciously gentle look made my heart flutter.

—Even though we hardly spoke, it felt strangely comfortable.

“You handled things well today.”

Startled by his sudden words, I looked up.

His gaze remained fixed on the report.

“There aren’t many newcomers who can perform like this in such a short time.”

“……Thank you.”

My voice came out in a mumble.

My face grew hot, and I looked down again.

My chest felt warm, and my vision blurred slightly.

◇　◇　◇

On the way home, the night streets were bathed in soft light.

Building lights and neon signs intersected as we walked, weaving through the crowds.

We were just walking side by side.

Not even holding hands.

But even so, just walking next to Mr. Kiryū made the world seem different.

“Getting used to the job?”

“Huh…… S-somehow.”

Though his tone was blunt, his concern struck me deep in the chest.

“Watching you today, I thought you’re doing well for such a short time.”

“Huh……”

“I might have been hard on you until yesterday. Sorry.”

“No, not at all! Please don’t hesitate to tell me if anything comes up.”

“From now on, I’ll have expectations of you too. It might be tough, but stick with me.”

—Huh? For some reason, my heart fluttered.

No, it’s not a confession.

But I felt my heartbeat quicken.

“Yes, I look forward to working with you from now on.”

After that, Mr. Kiryū escorted me all the way to the station.

◇　◇　◇

In the shadow of an alley, dazzling with neon and crowded with people, I stood frozen.

The figure of my ex-girlfriend, spotted by chance.

Miharu’s profile, illuminated by the neon lights, seemed to be smiling.

—Of all people, next to the heir of our rival company, Kiryū Naoya……

Something inside my chest shattered.

“Damn… So it’s impossible to get back together.”

I wanted to call her name again.

But my voice caught in my throat, and my feet wouldn’t move.

Miharu, bathed in neon, looked like she belonged to another world.

Even though it hadn’t even been a month since we broke up.

The night breeze stole my voice, and the figure I thought was Miharu disappeared into the crowd.

—Even if I regret it now, it’s too late.

◇　◇　◇

After returning home, I turned on the lights and changed.

Standing at the sink to remove my makeup, I looked at my face in the mirror.

My cheeks were a little flushed and it wasn’t my imagination.

—Today, he praised me so many times.

That alone filled my heart.

“Yeah…… I’ll try even harder. So, I won’t be ashamed to stand by his side.”

Not only was I afraid of tomorrow, I was also looking forward to it.

—I wonder how long it’s been since I last felt that way.

Back when Hiroyasu broke up with me.

I never could have imagined I’d be living with a face like this now.

From that time when it hurt enough to die, I’ve finally come this far.

—I won’t look back anymore. I’ll live looking only forward.