The next day, at a quiet coffee shop near the station.
Mei stirred her iced latte slowly, the ice clinking against the sides of the glass. She'd dressed a little more formally today—not quite business attire, but mature enough to match the tone of the meeting. After all, it wasn't every day that she sat across from a teenager who handed her enough luxury jewelry to fund a business.
This had to go well.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, the bell above the café door jingled.
Kousuke strolled in, looking like he'd just walked out of a magazine ad for "casual confidence." His hoodie was clean, his hair slightly styled, and despite his youth, he had a strangely grounded presence—like someone who had lived twice as many years as he looked.
"Sorry for being late," he said as he slid into the seat across from her. "My devil girlfriend wouldn't let me go until I promised her a date."
"…What?"
"Long story."
He took a sip from the iced coffee she'd already ordered for him and sighed contentedly. "So, how's our little empire coming along?"
She gave him a tired look. "You're enjoying this way too much."
"You say that, but you've already got that sparkle in your eyes," he said, grinning. "Spill it. What's the plan?"
Mei pulled out her notepad, flipping to a page marked with color-coded tabs. "I found a location. It's a corner lot in a medium-sized mall with steady foot traffic and affordable rent. It's near a train station, which helps with exposure."
"Sounds promising."
"I'll be handling the lease under my name and setting you as a private investor—nothing that'll trace back to you directly unless you give me the green light."
"Good, I'd rather keep a low profile for now. It'd be weird if a high school student owned a luxury store anyway."
"Alright, if that's what you want. Then, staffing's next. I'll be hiring two receptionists, a part-time accountant, and possibly a security consultant. I'll post listings this weekend. That said…"
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "…I have to ask. What exactly are those jewelry pieces made of?"
Kousuke blinked, yet the corner of his lips curled up. "What do you mean?"
She hesitated. "I mean, they look exquisite—more than what you'd expect from handmade items. And the pawn shop guy said something weird when he checked one. Said it felt… calming."
"Calming?" Kousuke replied, his head tilted to the side.
"Yeah. Like, 'wearing it makes you less tired' or something. He shrugged it off as imagination, but…" She narrowed her eyes at him. "They're not cursed or something, are they?"
Kousuke laughed, secretly he praised the owner of the pawn store for being sharp. "What kind of guy do you think I am?"
She folded her arms. "You won't even tell me where you got the materials."
"I told you before, I made them. It's your fault that you refuse to believe this handsome young man before you is such an amazing guy." He said narcissistically.
"Yeah, right..." She trailed off with rolling eyes, then sighed. "Forget it. As long as the paperwork is clean and no one comes after me for trafficking precious gemstones or something, I don't care."
"Good thinking," he said with a wink, he was thankful that the woman before him was smart. Had it been anyone else, they might gets consumed by greed and snitched him to the police with no second thoughts.
She rolled her eyes again. "Whatever you're hiding, at least be discreet. I don't want any 'shady collector' types sniffing around."
"I'm always discreet," he replied with mock pride.
"…Sure."
She tapped the edge of her notebook. "Next up: branding. We need a store name."
"Otherworld Jewelry."
She stared. "Are you serious?"
"Absolutely. Has a nice ring to it, right?" It also revealed the hidden truth of where the jewelry originated from.
"I'm not naming the store after an isekai light novel. Try again."
He chuckled and tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the table. "Hmm… how about 'KM Jewelry'? You know, Kousuke and Mei."
"Generic. Feels like a bank that will go bankrupt in a week, or a law firm that accepts bribe."
"Harsh, but fair." He replied with a shrug. She sighed before flipping to another page of her notebook.
"Alright, I came prepared. Just in case you started naming things like some chuunibyou who thought calling themselves Thunderclap Lightning to be cool."
"Wow, are you a foresight? But that's a pretty cool name though, like some kind of ultimate move, Ka-chow!"
She ignored his silly antics and began listing names.
"There's Vera Mune, which means 'True Moon'—elegant and romantic. Then there's Mythos Atelier, which sounds high-end and mysterious. Or if we want to lean more into feminine branding, Éclosion de lumière—it means 'Light Blossom' in French."
As she explained the meaning behind each, her voice picked up enthusiasm. Kousuke watched her with an amused smile. She was clearly enjoying this, even if she pretended otherwise.
"I also had some celestial-themed ideas. Eclipsa, Nocturne Gems, Silver Mirage. I didn't expect to pitch all of them, but…" She trailed off, blinking. "I got carried away, didn't I?"
"A little," Kousuke said with a grin. "But in a good way. You've got a talent for this."
"Don't tease me."
"I mean it. You care more than most 'managers' would, they would likely go off with the first name I said without complain."
She looked down, a faint blush warming her cheeks. "…So. Any of those sound good to you?"
"Mythos Atelier stands out," he said while rubbing his chin. "It sounds like something that belongs in a fantasy setting, but still feels modern-ish."
"That was my favorite too," she said with a nod, circling the name on her pad. "It gives off an aura of mystique without being too obscure."
"Perfect. Now what's next?"
"One last thing. Do you plan on expanding this into a chain? I need to know for budgeting."
Kousuke shook his head. "No plans for that. I don't like the feel of franchise chains. They get too watered down. This one store should feel special. One-of-a-kind." It wasn't that he was lazy, definitely not.
"I agree. It should feel exclusive. Something memorable." She agreed with his decision before standing up and extending her hand across the table.
"Well then, Boss. Let's make Mythos Atelier into something people can't stop talking about."
He clasped her hand with a smirk. "I'm counting on you, Miss Amano."
Their handshake lingered, neither of them quite ready to let go. Through the café window, sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a soft glow over their table.
Mei looked down at their joined hands. Somehow, without realizing it, she'd taken her first step into the business world. But she wasn't alone this time, the boy before her is the best thing she could ever ask for—a supportive boss.