Akihabara.
Hidden Management Department Headquarters.
Kisara rested her chin on her hands, straddling Luo Shu's office chair backwards as she watched the drizzling rain outside.
"Shu-kun didn't come back all night~"
"I wonder if he ate properly, or if he thought about me before sleeping..."
"I remember the director was attending that banquet hosted by the Nakiri family, who operate Totsuki Group?"
On the nearby sofa, Yukino Yukinoshita, in her white dress and light blue shawl, sorted documents with an impassive expression:
"In that case, the dinner quality should have been guaranteed."
"As for whether he thought about you before sleeping, considering he sent me two emails late at night reminding me about work progress, probably not."
Kisara turned around, puffing her cheeks as she glared at Yukino:
"Do you have to crush a maiden's fantasies too?"
"Fantasies that fragile aren't worth keeping anyway."
Yukino Yukinoshita spoke while picking up a stack of documents and placing them on the far right near Kisara:
"This stack contains the arrival notifications for headquarters equipment. Ms. Tokisaki has already inspected them all, and there are no issues. Remember to have the director stamp them when he arrives."
"Oh, and his seal is in the top drawer on the right."
After saying this, Yukino picked up another stack of documents:
"As for this stack..."
"What about this one?" Kisara stood up from her chair and walked towards Yukino. "Does Shu need to stamp these too?"
"He does need to stamp them, but this stack seems related to us."
Yukino pressed her index finger against her chin, deep in thought.
"Related to us?" Kisara looked puzzled.
"More precisely, it concerns the entire department." Yukino shook the documents as she spoke. "These are training application forms sent by headquarters. Apart from some fixed programmes, we're free to request additional training."
"I'm not yet familiar with each Familia's situation, so I'm unsure what they might apply for."
Hearing this, Kisara's eyes lit up immediately. She rushed to Yukino's side, leaning on the sofa armrest with both hands:
"Yukinoshita, does this include bridal training?"
"It must, right? An organisation as large as the SDS would definitely offer bridal training, wouldn't it?"
Yukino opened her mouth as if to say something, then sighed instead:
"...It should be possible to apply. The notice mentions contacting relevant external companies."
As she spoke, Yukino handed Kisara an application form, then suddenly remembered something:
"Now that I think about it, the Totsuki Group seems to offer bridal training courses that have received excellent reviews."
Before Yukino could finish speaking, Kisara was already swiftly writing "Designated Contact Organisation: Totsuki Group" on her application form.
Seeing this, Yukino could only sigh helplessly:
"When will Utaha arrive?"
At the mention of Utaha Kasumigaoka's name, Kisara clicked her tongue in displeasure and turned her head away:
"Her? She never seems to wake up early during holidays. Probably afternoon."
"So I'll be dealing with these documents alone until the afternoon?"
Yukino raised the hand holding her pen to scratch her head. This wasn't quite the work life she'd imagined before joining.
Hearing this, Kisara thought for a moment: "Should we try calling Eriri?"
"Sawamura?" Yukino hesitated before asking: "Didn't she mention she was rushing a manuscript recently? I think she said she didn't have time."
"But come to think of it, what kind of manga does she draw?"
"No idea." Kisara tilted her head. "Shu might know something about it. When I asked him before, he expressly forbade me from reading Eriri's manga."
Yukino's expression immediately turned peculiar upon hearing this:
"...Just what exactly does Sawamura usually draw?"
What terrifying content could Eriri's manga contain that would prompt Luo Shu to issue such a direct prohibition?
Just as Yukino was pondering this, the door creaked open, revealing Luo Shu standing outside.
"Yo? You're here!" Luo Shu raised his hand in greeting.
"Shu-kun!" Kisara immediately perked up, but then her expression froze on her face.
Her gaze was fixed on the buxom blonde woman standing behind Luo Shu, her eyes glinting unnervingly:
"The distance isn't even five centimetres apart... what a dangerous, bad woman~"
At that moment, Yukino Yukinoshita also noticed Luo Shu, along with Erina Nakiri behind him and the barely visible figure of Hisako Arato further back.
Seeing this, Yukinoshita set down her documents and stood up curiously:
"Director, who are these two?"
"Them?" Luo Shu said as he walked into the office, "The one behind me is Erina Nakiri, who just joined our Familia. As for the one further back, that's Erina's friend, Hisako Arato."
After saying this, Luo Shu turned his head and looked at Kisara in surprise:
"Eh, Kisara, why are you tearing up documents?"
Kisara tore the application form in her hands to shreds while forcing a dry laugh:
"It's nothing, just disposing of some documents, hahaha..."
'That was the designated Totsuki Bride Training application...' Yukino Yukinoshita's eyelid twitched as she watched Kisara before sighing.
Meanwhile, Luo Shu hung his coat on the nearby rack and walked over to his sofa, saying:
"Since Erina and Hisako are new, Yukino, I'll leave their orientation to you."
"..."
Yukino Yukinoshita remained silent, but the disdainful look she gave Luo Shu spoke volumes.
Displaying some self-awareness as a somewhat unscrupulous leader, Luo Shu gave an awkward chuckle before adding:
"Ahem, now that I think about it, Miss Hisako seems quite skilled at secretarial work."
"Eh? Me?"
Hisako Arato, who had just entered the room and was curiously looking around, pointed at herself before shyly rubbing the back of her head:
"Well... since Miss Erina has many collaborations, I ended up handling some paperwork."
"I'll take charge of her orientation." Yukino swiftly gathered the files on the table and marched towards Hisako, commanding: "Come with me."
"O-okay..." Hisako glanced at Erina Nakiri before shrinking her neck and quickly following Yukino out.
After exiting, Yukino called back to Luo Shu:
"Oh, Director, remember to stamp the documents on the glass table. Also, prepare Miss Nakiri's club admission forms - I'll have Miss Hisako collect them later."
"Please complete today's tasks promptly, Director."
Yukino emphasised this before slamming the door shut with a loud thud.
Witnessing this, Erina Nakiri blinked and asked:
"Then who will be responsible for my orientation?"
"If you don't mind..."
Kisara appeared before Erina with a smile that seemed somewhat forced through gritted teeth:
"Shall I be the one to receive Miss Nakiri?"
Facing Kisara's insincere smile, Erina suddenly wondered if her timing might have been unfortunate.