Chapter 2: Our Married Life has Begun

—Kenichi-san. Please wake up, Kenichi-san.

Despite the unfamiliar pillow, I slept soundly last night.

“Mmm… what a nice morning.“

I sat up. The scent of tatami mats wafted through the Japanese-style room, feeling incredibly calming. I didn’t quite remember the details, but… I must have drunk too much yesterday and stayed at a ryokan or a hotel.

—Kenichi-san. Would you like breakfast? Or perhaps a bath?

“Alright, time to put away the futon.“

“…Are you even listening to me?“

Arisa Kimisaka, looking quite miffed, reached out and pinched both of my cheeks. A soft, floral scent of shampoo drifted from her.

“…So it wasn’t an illusion after all.“

I had hoped yesterday’s events were just a dream and that I’d wake up to my usual morning… but reality was having none of that.

“I went through the trouble of playing ‘house’ as your new wife, so don’t ignore me,” Arisa said, sitting down beside me and shyly fiddling with her hair. She was wearing a flower-patterned apron.

Without makeup, she looked her age—quite young. However, even in her natural state, she was undeniably cute. Not in a weird way, mind you, but in a “top-tier idol” kind of way.

“So, uh… you’re really fifteen?“

“Here, my student ID.“

She handed over her handbook as proof. Arisa Kimisaka. Her photo. Her date of birth. She was, beyond any shadow of a doubt, a fifteen-year-old middle school student.

“Even with the alcohol, I can’t believe I didn’t notice…“

“Well, now you know how ‘uncles’ feel when they accidentally fall for minors.“

“No comment on that… Anyway, do you do this kind of thing often? Bringing people home?“

“Of course not!“

“O-Oh.“

“I mean… um, yesterday was… the first time.“

Well, yeah. It would be a major problem if a middle school girl was habitually taking home men twelve years older than her.

“I couldn’t get home last night, so I stayed over out of necessity… here, this is for the room.“

“Does it worry you at all that handing cash to a minor in this context immediately makes this feel like a crime?“

“Interacting with minors is difficult.“

Actually, more importantly:

“Listen, don’t do this anymore. It’s dangerous for you—for Arisa.“

“Oh? Is this the ‘You’re lucky it was me’ line? That’s such a cliché.“

“I didn’t say that.“

“It’s fine. The driver was there, wasn’t he?“

“We’re alone in this room right now.“

“…Wait, are you planning to attack me this early in the morning? I’m not mentally prepared yet—”

“I am not attacking you.“

And “mentally prepared”? Does that mean if I gave her a heads-up, it’d be okay? No, definitely not.

“Ahem. Anyway, can I speak with your guardian? Your grandfather?“

“Grandfather is still asleep. He’s old but he drank way too much; he won’t be up until after noon.“

“What about your father? Your mother?“

“They’ve passed away. Grandfather is my only relative.“

“…I see. Sorry.“

“Don’t look so awkward. It happened a long time ago… but hey, if you feel sorry for me, do me one favor.“

“What is it?“

I was on guard, sensing a trap I couldn’t refuse, when Arisa gave me a mischievous smile.

“Will you eat breakfast with me?“

---

“Here you go.“

Arisa served me a bowl of fluffy white rice. The table was set with grilled fish, natto, a miso soup packed with ingredients, grated radish with whitebait, and pickles of cucumber and eggplant. It was a flawless Japanese breakfast set.

“Let’s eat.” “Let’s eat…“

I took a sip of the miso soup. It was the perfect temperature—neither too hot nor too lukewarm. The gentle aroma of miso tickled my nose. It was clear she had taken the time to make a proper dashi stock from scratch.

Arisa sat across from me, watching my every move with bated breath. I set the bowl down and took a breath.

“It’s delicious.“

“Oh, thank goodness! Simple Japanese food is the hardest to fake, you know?“

“The seasoning is light, too. I like it.“

“Ehehe, there’s plenty of rice, so eat up! If there are too many side dishes, we can save them for dinner.“

“Right… wait, what kind of ‘newlywed’ talk is this!? This is no time to be calmly eating!“

“Kenichi-san, you really wait until you’ve fully enjoyed the moment before you start complaining.“

“…I just have a shallow heart that didn’t want to waste a good situation.“

Even if it was fake, I wanted to savor the atmosphere of having a wife.

“By the way, is it just you and your grandfather here?“

Given the size of the mansion, I expected a grand dining hall, but she had led me to a standard dining room with only four chairs.

“It’s just me and Grandfather living here. We have domestic help, but they don’t eat with us.“

“And those guys in suits yesterday?“

“They’re from the company. We called them in specially for yesterday; they don’t live here.“

A “company”… that’s one way to describe a Yakuza organization, I suppose.

“So we really are alone right now.“

“Just like newlyweds.“

“Look, you want me to pretend to be your fiancé in front of your grandfather, right? Then we don’t need to keep up the act right now.“

“I am aware that I’ve dragged you into a lot of trouble,” Arisa said demurely. “So, while you’re putting up with this, I have to serve you. I can only repay you with my body—”

“Let’s avoid the suggestive phrasing, please.“

I was jumpy even though no one else was in the room. Anyway, it was time to get to the point.

“I can’t keep up this ‘fake marriage’ thing any longer.“

“W-Why? Even though you get delicious breakfast?“

“To be honest, I’ll miss that… but I have to go to work.“

“Corporate drone.“

“Your tongue got sharp all of a sudden.“

“But you can just commute from here, right?“

“No, I can’t… I don’t even have a fresh shirt. I have to go home.“

“I already washed and ironed your shirt from yesterday.“

“…It’s far, though. I don’t have a commuter pass for this route.“

“The driver will drop you off, so don’t worry.“

“Still, I can’t just suddenly change my address.“

“Is this really any different from staying at a friend’s house for a few days?“

“…………“

“Besides, there’s one more bonus to being married to me.“

“Being fake married, right?“

The moment I said that, I realized I had completely fallen into her pace.

“Here, your bento.“

Arisa held out a blue drawstring pouch.

“I worked hard on it, so make sure to eat it at work! ♡”

…I never thought I’d look forward to my lunch break this much.

---

“Have a good day!“

Arisa followed me all the way to the foyer to see me off. A chauffeured car was already waiting outside.

“I’m off…“

Since we were short on time, our discussion had ended prematurely. I didn’t feel settled about this at all. She seemed convinced I’d be coming back, but I hadn’t actually agreed to that yet.

“Wait, weren’t you wearing your apron just a second ago?“

“I thought this looked more like a ‘newlywed’ scene, so I put it back on just to see you off.“

Calculated… she was so calculated… but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little happy.

“Well then, here.“

Arisa closed her eyes in front of me.

“Eh? What?“

“Oh, come on! This is embarrassing, so just hurry up!“

“Should I just leave quickly?“

“N-No!“

Her face turned bright red as she gripped the hem of her apron.

“The… the ‘goodbye kiss’.“

“Wait, what?“

“We’re this close, there’s no way you didn’t hear me! Asking again is a foul!?“

“N-No… I heard you, I just couldn’t process the meaning of the words… A kiss!?“

“Yes! Because we’re newlyweds!“

“We aren’t married!!“

With her brow furrowed, Arisa closed her eyes again. Her moist, plump lips were slightly puckered, waiting for me. I let out a short breath and stepped toward her.

Tey!

“Ow!?“

I gave Arisa a light chop to the forehead.

“Save that… for someone you actually like.“

I wasn’t such a scumbag that I’d take advantage of the situation. Though, I felt like I was trying a bit too hard to be cool. That “forehead chop” felt like a move reserved for handsome protagonists…

Arisa turned her back to me, rubbing her forehead.

“Well… I’m off.“

Damn it. Leaving like this made it feel like I really was coming back.

“Ah… one last thing.“

I had to ask this.

“How did you know who I was in the first place?“

How long had this “fake marriage” been planned? Arisa glanced back at me with a smirk.

“That, of course… is a secret.“

---

The car very politely dropped me off right in front of my office building. It was the most comfortable commute of my life.

“Thank you. Here, for the gas…“

“No. I am paid a salary to perform this duty.“

I guess they don’t take money from “civilians”…

Our company’s building is located in the heart of the city. Because of that, the rush-hour crowds are usually insane. After today’s luxury ride, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to handle the packed trains anymore.

I took the elevator to the 7th floor. Only about a third of the staff had arrived.

The desks were arranged in islands of twelve. The island furthest from the entrance belonged to my department: the Planning & Strategy Promotion Division.

We were a department that “strategically promoted company-wide projects.” Honestly, I have no idea how to explain my job to people. But my manager likes to say, “Our strike zone is so wide that we can do anything. It’s great!“

“That’s right… the manager…“

As I sat at my desk, I buried my head in my hands. Last night, I had ignored my manager’s orders and fled the business dinner. Looking back, I must have been insane. Plus, the client was a living legend in the industry. I might be dead. My career might be dead.

“Argh… work! Focus on work!“

I booted up my PC to shake off the anxiety. First, I checked the weekly nationwide bookstore sales trends. The numbers were mediocre due to the rain over the weekend. Bookstores are sensitive to the weather; if it rains on a Saturday or Sunday, sales plummet.

Next, I checked the trends for the titles I was in charge of. They were holding up better than the overall market average, likely because they were popular on online bookstores. Judging by the daily sales and current stock, it might be time for a reprint. I’d have to talk to the publisher later.

“Good morning~. Senpai, about the dinner last night… wait, what’s with that look? Why are you trembling?“

A petite girl with a reddish short bob tilted her head, her backpack still on. This was Ayako Senga, my junior by three years.

“Oh, nothing… Morning.“

“Is Manager Mizuno not here yet? Oh, right—he had an outside meeting and is coming in after lunch.“

“Was he?“

“Yup. Why do you look so visibly relieved? Hmmm…“

Senga started smirking, resting her chin on her hand.

“Did you go for drinks alone with the manager after the dinner? Did you two have a one-night stand?“

“No! You’re free to love gossip, but show some restraint with the people you actually work with.“

“I usually do. This is a special ‘with love’ version just for you, Senpai.“

“Your love is twisted.“

There was no way a “Flaming Phobic” guy like me would enjoy gossip.

“Well then, you must have gone on to the second round with that Madame President. My deepest condolences.“

“How do you know about that…?“

“I mean, look who the client was.“

“Is it… that famous of a story?“

“Oh, it’s famous. There are even rumors written about it online.“

“…People write about everything, don’t they?“

“You avoid that kind of info too much because of your ‘Flaming Phobia,‘ Senpai. That’s why you didn’t even realize you were the sacrificial lamb for last night’s dinner.“

“S-So it was a setup from the start…?“

“Apparently, if you go with her, you have to stay at karaoke all night, or indulge her other hobbies… they say it turns into hell once the sun goes down and she gets aggressive. How far did you go, Senpai?“

“How far…? Well…“

“No, no, it’s fine. I hear most people don’t want to talk about it. I understand.“

…I actually didn’t go anywhere with her, but I’ll keep that to myself.

“Still, it’s such a waste that you aren’t living up to your full potential because of your hang-ups. You’d be perfect if you just embraced the gossip.“

“You value gossip way too highly.“

I’ve learned not to take Senga’s gossip-related talk seriously.

“Anyway, why do we need to do such extreme ‘service’ entertainment?“

“Because middle-men like us don’t actually create anything tangible,” she said matter-of-factly.

In Japan, there are about 3,000 publishers and about 12,000 bookstores. A publisher can’t possibly deal with 12,000 stores individually, and a bookstore can’t contact 3,000 publishers just to stock their shelves.

That’s where we, the Toritsugi (distributors/wholesalers), come in.

We take the books from publishers in bulk and distribute them to bookstores based on sales predictions. This way, 200 new titles can be delivered efficiently to every corner of the country every single day. We also handle information sharing and financing between the makers and the retailers. We are an indispensable part of the industry… and yet.

“Lately, the trend is all about ‘Middle-men are unnecessary! Eliminate the markup!‘”

Especially in the publishing industry, people tend to say that, ultimately, you only need the author and the reader.

“If we’re just a company that moves books from A to B, we’ll eventually be obsolete. Especially since books aren’t selling like they used to.“

The rise of new technology and entertainment—specifically smartphones—has stolen the spotlight from books.

“E-books have been growing lately, too.“

While physical book sales have declined, e-book sales expand every year. Subscription services and manga apps are incredibly popular. People still value the “content” of books; it’s just that the traditional “paper book and bookstore” model is being swallowed by a wave of change.

“Oh, speaking of which, I just got a shipping notification from our greatest enemy, A&G. And I only ordered it yesterday.“

“They aren’t the enemy. They’re a wholesale client for us, too.“

“But they’re getting so big it feels like the whole industry… no, the whole of Japan is being dominated.“

Alphabet & Giant—commonly known as A&G.

They are the true titans of the world. A monster that has been evolving since the dawn of the internet. A creator of revolutions in retail, logistics, information services, and the world at large. A destroyer that wipes out existing market players one by one. An imperialist that seeks to control everything under the banner of “Customer First.“

A&G was a hyper-giant corporation with annual sales approaching 200 billion dollars, operating everything from e-commerce to search engines and web browsers. And in the publishing world, A&G reigned as the world’s largest online bookstore.

“It’s true that if A&G becomes the only bookstore left, we won’t be needed… but that goes for other industries, too.“

“Lately, plenty of shops have gone under specifically because of them.“

“Well, a monopoly is never good. I try to avoid using A&G exclusively myself. Even if I find a product there, I’ll search for it again to find another store.“

“Hmph. What a futile effort.“

“If you depend on them too much, you’ll be in trouble if they ever disappear.“

“Remind me, Senpai… who delivers those two-liter bottles of water to your house every month?“

“…That’s the A&G subscription service.“

It arrived so naturally every month that I’d forgotten.

“And besides, when you ‘search for it again,‘ what search engine do you use?“

“…………The A&G search engine.“

“And your primary email address where the delivery notifications go?“

“………………That’s an A&G mail account.“

“And the map you’re looking at on your PC right now!?“

“It’s A&G Maps! The route search is just really convenient, okay!?“

“Honestly, for someone so utterly dependent on A&G for his daily life, you sure talk a big game.“

“Why are you acting so high and mighty!?“

“I’m just saying, thank god for A&G. You can shop on your phone even when you’re busy, and their translation service is great for foreign sites. Let’s be real, A&G is the best place to buy books. Asking us to compete with that is a tall order.“

A&G delivers books to your door, even if it’s just a single copy, often with free shipping. They have more stock than anyone else. If you want a book, you just search A&G.

And so, people stopped buying books at the local neighborhood bookstore.

---

This afternoon, my work partner is… a fifteen-year-old.

“However! For a distributor like us, it’s a problem if books don’t sell at local, real-world bookstores!“

I was relieved that I still hadn’t run into Manager Mizuno as I headed out for my field assignment.

“Ehh~? Is that just a ‘distributor convenience’ thing?“

“It’s not just for us. It’s for the bookstores, the existing publishers, the shipping companies…“

“In other words, A&G is inconvenient for the people with vested interests~. I wish they’d just disappear.“

“Watch your mouth. Look where you are.“

Bookshelves in front. Bookshelves to the left and right. We were currently inside a bookstore. Despite this, the girl spoke without a hint of hesitation.

She had thick false eyelashes and ash-brown colored contacts. Her hair, styled with extensions, was a gradient that shifted from chestnut to gold at the tips, tied into loose, permed twin-tails. This flashy makeup style was the height of current trends.

“Of course, change is necessary. But there’s a culture here that’s worth protecting. If physical bookstores disappear, plenty of people who can’t easily buy books online will be in trouble.“

The store we were in was about 200 square feet—a typical “neighborhood bookstore.” Because there were many children in the area, the children’s book section was robust, and they had a large local interest corner. On a weekday afternoon, it was filled with housewives and seniors, moving at a leisurely pace.

“If opportunities to encounter books vanish and the reading population shrinks, the quality of books will eventually drop. Japanese ‘Manga’ became a world-class culture because it was supported by the format of weekly magazine serialization.“

“Yeah, yeah. I get that ‘publishing culture’ is wonderful. You have to say that because you’re doing that web series ‘The Future of Books and Bookstores,‘ Hinosaka-san. But a culture that can’t survive without being ‘protected’… is it even necessary? Lol.“

This incredibly foul-mouthed girl was a “flower of the middle school world” who feared nothing. Two years ago, she appeared on the web like a comet, and her videos and photos instantly captured the hearts of girls her age.

She was the youngest person in domestic history to surpass one million followers. She was ranked #1 as the “model girls admire most” by elementary, middle, and high schoolers across the country. She held regular contracts with five different fashion magazines.

Because she never appeared on TV and built her fame entirely through online activities, she was called the icon of the new generation of stars—the charismatic JC model.

MARIA. To any young girl, she was a super-famous household name.

“But I respect that you say what’s on your mind, Maria. I guess that’s why you’ve been so successful at your age.“

“…I didn’t expect a compliment after that.“

Maria looked surprised. She had a youthful air, but with the makeup, you could easily believe she was twenty.

“Are you a masochist?“

“No.“

Her being a “precocious brat” was also very modern, I suppose. Since the first time we met, she had shown zero intimidation toward adults; she even seemed a bit socially oblivious. But she didn’t belong to a major agency—using them only for part of her management—and she had reached the top without the help of traditional mass media. That was terrifying. Both her talent and the wave of this new era where stars are born outside the existing framework.

“You brought me to this secluded corner with all the flesh-colored covers… You’re expecting something, aren’t you?”

“This is just the Light Novel corner of a normal bookstore. We’re here for a bookstore interview series, remember?”

“Oh? And yet you’re calling me ‘MARIA’ without any honorifics~.”

“You were the one who told me to call you that!”

“I did get a personal request from Shin-Nihon Publishing Distribution to work with you, though. Is this an abuse of power? Harassment?”

“You were selected because you’re popular with young people who have no connection to bookstores! It was a company decision to get the younger generation interested in the publishing industry!”

“Hinosaka-kun, there aren’t many customers right now so it’s fine, but keep it down, okay?” A man in glasses poked his head around the corner.

“S-Sorry, Manager Ohashi.”

I’d been scolded by the manager. I’ve been on good terms with this store since I was a rookie.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m looking forward to the web article. Make sure to give the shop a good plug. …By the way, you seem to be getting along quite well with that middle school model…”

“Do we really look like that~?” Maria chimed in.

“She just demanded I speak to her casually! Ah, Manager, you have a customer at the register!”

Manager Ohashi hurried back to the counter.

“…Hmph. You didn’t have to deny it that seriously.” Maria puffed out her cheeks.

For some reason, she seemed to have taken a liking to me; she’d specifically requested me for today’s interview. Maybe she just thinks I’m an easy target to push around.

“You JC-obsessed lolicon!”

“I-I… Look, I am definitely not a lolicon. Seriously.”

“You got flustered all of a sudden… Are you hiding something~?”

“Y-You’re imagining things.”

There was no way I could tell her that just yesterday I’d agreed to pretend to be married to a real 15-year-old middle schooler, or that I’d been playing “newlyweds” with her this morning. If Maria found out, she’d probably post it on social media. The world is full of examples of “Post → Viral → Canceled” thanks to the youth of today.

“…Anyway, what have you been doing for the last few minutes?”

“Hm? Oh, some customers put books back in the wrong spots, so I’m just fixing the order.”

“So you’re organizing them by volume number?”

Since customers touch the books, the shelves inevitably get messy. It’s a professional habit; I just can’t leave it be.

“You’re ignoring your interview subject to do that? I’m honestly appalled by you, Old Man.”

“Old… Man…”

I knew I was getting up there, but being called “Old Man” hit me right in the gut.

“I mean, personally, I’d date an older guy. Even a 15-and-27 gap is fine by me~.” The charismatic JC let out a mischievous, sultry giggle.

“No way. We’re twelve years apart…”

“Couples with a twelve-year gap are totally normal, aren’t they? Oh, are you worried about those indecency laws? If it’s ‘true love,’ it’s fine. I give you my blessing.”

“Your blessing doesn’t override the law, Maria.”

“I get those kinds of DMs on my SNS all the time, and that’s always how I answer.”

“You get those often…? Are the kids today okay…?”

Maria’s bold, uninhibited style is what makes her popular, but do all middle schoolers think like this now? I wondered if the girl who forced me into a fake marriage had ever sent a DM to Maria…

“Never mind that, let’s get back to the interview. Now that you’re actually here in this bookstore, what are your thoughts?”

“It’s a good store~. The shelves near the entrance are low, so it feels open and it’s easy to see where everything is. The balance between ‘face-out’ and ‘spine-out’ displays is good, and the placement of the hand-written POP signs really takes the customer’s eye-line into account.”

“…That is way too professional. This series is about you learning about the industry with the readers, so try to sound more like an amateur—”

“Eh? If I do this a few times, obviously I’m going to learn. You’re the one who drilled all this into me, Hinosaka-san~.”

“I get that, but… also, your phrasing…”

“I guess you just like ‘fresh’ things, huh? You’ve played with me a few times now, so you’ve lost interest.”

“You are choosing those words on purpose!?”

“Is that so~?” Maria tilted her head innocently.

“You don’t have to lie, just give me an honest opinion…”

“Hmm… Well, can’t we just ‘click and buy’ all our books on A&G?”

“That’s a bit too honest! It’s not okay at all!”

“Why not~?”

“I admit A&G is incredible. You click a button and anything arrives instantly. But…”

“But if A&G becomes the only bookstore, it’s a problem for the distributor?”

“That aside…”

“Give me your opinion, Hinosaka-san. Not the company line.”

I straightened the books on the shelf, aligning the stacks perfectly.

“…I love books. I love bookstores. I believe the joy created there is the best in the world. I want everyone else to know that, too. That’s why I do this job.”

“Pushing your values on me like that is kind of an ego trip. But I guess it’s the same as me posting whatever I want on the web. In the end, everyone is doing that to some extent, right?”

It seemed there was common ground even with a fifteen-year-old living in a completely different world.

“We have to create something that makes people want to buy books at a real bookstore even more than they want the convenience of A&G. By competing with rivals like that, better things are born into this world.”

I moved a crooked POP sign back to a visible position and readjusted a stack of “look inside” booklets.

“I see. Hinosaka-san… you’re so ‘high-consciousness’ about this that it’s actually kind of a turn-off.”

“Don’t be turned off!”

“And yet, the other day you were totally exhausted and whining about your job.”

“That was a one-time thing! When you work for a living… things happen.”

“There it is! ‘Because I’m a working adult!’ I work my tail off too, you know?” As she spoke, Maria snapped a selfie with a magazine featuring her on the cover. “I’ll post this later. This is my job, too.”

She was right; acting like I was the only one who had it tough was pretty pathetic.

“…I’m just not capable enough yet.”

“Hmm. But thanks to you, even though this series about me learning about the industry sounds boring on paper, it’s actually getting a good reception from my fans.”

“You’re actually praising me?”

“Look, here’s a tweet: ‘The interviewer really knows how to summarize things well.'” Maria showed me her phone screen.

“No… it’s fine. I don’t look at internet feedback. On principle.”

“There you go, avoiding the net again. By the way… why are you so ‘Flaming Phobic’ anyway?”

“I’m not ‘Flaming Phobic,’ I just—”

“Don’t say ‘I’m not.'”

If only Senga hadn’t opened her big mouth during the first interview…

“If you don’t answer, I’m going to get moody and maybe drop out of this whole project~.”

I almost called her out for being unfair, but I reconsidered. It was just a kid’s curiosity.

“It was when I was in my third year of middle school.”

Coincidentally, the same age as Maria.

“I don’t even remember the reason anymore, but a girl in my class messed up her social media and got ‘flamed’ into oblivion. I hate the term, but it was a total ‘festival.’ Her personal info was leaked, and her photos were spread all over the net.”

She was subjected to malicious attacks from people who had absolutely nothing to do with her.

“Because of that, she was bullied at school, stopped attending, and eventually had to transfer.”

When put into words, the explanation only took a few lines. It was just a story about how the collective malice of the internet swallowed a single girl whole.

“Ever since… I’ve avoided social media and the like.”

I wasn’t a direct victim, so it shouldn’t have been a trauma for me. But I think that girl, who had to endure that cascade of malice, that feverish excitement from people who didn’t even know her, must have suffered terribly.

I finished organizing the shelves. When I turned back, Maria had a solemn expression on her face. Then, she smiled.

“One thing I learned from that story…” She paused. “Is that you’re a really kind person, Hinosaka-san.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Getting a compliment like that from a fifteen-year-old made me feel awkward.

“Thanks for today, Hinosaka-kun. It really helps having you here; the shelves always look beautiful when you’re done.” Manager Ohashi reappeared, beaming.

“Fufu, I finally understand the root of your JC-obsession~.”

“Nobody is obsessed!”

“Hinosaka-kun,” Ohashi added, “I thought I just heard you say something about ’15-year-olds being romantic interests’ and ‘indecency laws being irrelevant.’ Should I be calling the police?”

“I never said that! You’re mishearing me completely!”

“Well, since we’re here, do you want to be a guest on my livestream tonight? I’m doing it from my room.”

“Don’t ‘well’ me. Having a man in your room is the definition of a scandal waiting to happen.”

“But don’t we need promotion for our next big project?”

“Promotion is important, but—wait, my phone’s ringing. Excuse me.”

The moment I put the phone to my ear, my manager’s frantic voice exploded through the line.

“Hinosaka! Get back to the office right now! The President is calling for you!!!”

I didn’t have a good feeling about this. Not even a little bit.

---

“Senpai! Senpai! Over here!”

Senga was waving her arms frantically as I stepped out of the elevator.

“I was in the middle of an interview.”

“It’s a direct order from the President: ‘Bring Hinosaka here right now.’ Come on!”

“The President? I’ve never even spoken to him…”

Our company has over a thousand employees. A low-level grunt like me usually has zero chance of speaking to the President.

“Apparently, it’s a personal request from a very important client. Did you screw something up?”

“I can’t think of anything that would lead to the President calling me—”

The fake marriage declaration to a middle schooler… that shouldn’t involve the company. But running away from the dinner with the Madame President…

“You look like someone who has plenty of things on his mind.”

“Senga. I’m a man. I’ll take responsibility for my own messes. So… make sure someone remembers me.”

“Are you going to die, Senpai?”

“Argh… why did I lose my mind like that yesterday!?”

Steelng my resolve, I walked onto the office floor. A crowd had gathered near the entrance. At the center stood two people radiating an aura of absolute authority.

One was our company’s President, whose face I only ever saw in photos or at ceremonies. The other was a man with slicked-back white hair and eyes so sharp they felt dangerous. A man I had shared drinks with just last night—

“Ah, Kenichi-kun!”

Gone was the traditional Japanese attire; he was now wearing a sharp, impeccably tailored suit. It was Arisa Kimisaka’s grandfather.

“Thank you for everything last night… Wait, what are you doing here, Kimisaka-san!?”

“Hinosaka… kun. Don’t be disrespectful,” our President chided me. He’d probably only learned my name five minutes ago.

“S-Sorry. …Wait, President, what is your relationship with Kimisaka-san?”

The moment I asked, the President and the surrounding executives all widened their eyes in shock.

“You mean to tell me you don’t know who this is!? …My apologies, sir. Our employee training has clearly been insufficient.”

“It’s quite all right. I never properly introduced myself. In fact, the fact that he came to my home without knowing who I was makes me like him even more.”

Seeing me standing there dazed, our President took it upon himself to explain.

“This man… Renji Kimisaka-san, is the President of KIMISAKAYA Bookstore.”

“KIMISAKAYA… as in the KIMISAKAYA Bookstore!? Seriously!?”

“Yes, that KIMISAKAYA! Seriously!”

KIMISAKAYA Bookstore. A chain with over 300 locations nationwide, it was the largest bookstore chain in Japan. From massive city flagship stores to local suburban branches, KIMISAKAYA covered every corner of the country. They were the representative of Japanese bookstores—the absolute kings of the industry.

To most Japanese people, the word “bookstore” is synonymous with KIMISAKAYA. If it isn’t the first name that pops into your head, you’re either an outsider or a hardcore bookstore geek.

The influence KIMISAKAYA Bookstore wields over the industry is immeasurable. For my company, Shin-Nihon Publishing Distribution, they are our largest trading partner.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t do anything disrespectful. If anything happened to our relationship with KIMISAKAYA, even a company of our size wouldn’t escape unscathed.”

“What… exactly do you mean by that?”

“In the worst-case scenario, we’d go bankrupt. Every employee would be out on the street.”

I wasn’t just breaking a cold sweat; I was practically leaking like a broken faucet. And I was… with the granddaughter of a man like that?

“Now, now, there’s no need to worry about that! If anything, the bond between KIMISAKAYA and Shin-Nihon will only grow stronger from here!”

This old man…

“Oh? And why is that?” our President asked.

Don’t do it…

“Well, obviously, it’s because—”

“Kimisaka-san… Mr. President! About last night—”

“Because my granddaughter and Hinosaka-kun are getting married!”

“NO WE AREN’T!!”

““““““WHA-WHA-WHAAAAAAAT!?””””””

My desperate scream was drowned out by a deafening chorus of shock.

“Marrying into the KIMISAKAYA family? What kind of insane ‘Reverse-Cinderella’ story is this!?”

“Didn’t he say granddaughter!? How old is she!?”

“Given President Kimisaka’s age… it wouldn’t be weird if she was in her twenties.”

“Still, she must be young…!”

“I’m so jealous…!” “That’s scandalous!” “He’s a lolicon…!” “Hey, does anyone have a photo!?”

The crowd went wild, completely forgetting they were standing in front of a high-ranking client.

“Well, in response to your expectations, I’ll send a photo of me and Arisa to your President! Please, share it with everyone!”

“V-Very well. Right away.”

The two Presidents started tapping away at their smartphones.

“President Kimisaka is actually going along with this!?” “Ah… a company-wide email just went out from the President…”

“Everyone, wait. Just… stop.”

I wanted to interject, to deny it all, but I had no idea where to start or who to even talk to to get this under control.

““““““S-SHE’S SO CUUUUUTE!””””””

“Fuhahaha! Right!? She has my eyes!”

“Those eyes are so intense~!” “She looks like a celebrity!” “Her skin is flawless!” “Man, she looks incredibly young!”

It was a total fever pitch, a full-blown festival.

“We have to celebrate this!” “Work is over for the day! It’s a pre-wedding banquet!”

“Congratulations, Hinosaka!” “Congrats, Hinosaka-san!” “I can’t believe you were hiding this, you dog!”

“No… wait… actually… the truth is…”

I wished I had the sheer guts to say, Actually, we aren’t really getting married.

As the noise swelled around me, I stumbled over to President Kimisaka.

“President Kimisaka… regarding the marriage to your granddaughter… legally, isn’t it… impossible?”

“…I have the marriage registration form in my possession. Once Arisa has her birthday, we’ll just submit it to the ward office.”

This old man… his eyes are dead serious.

“Aren’t you accepting this a bit too easily? You don’t even know me…”

“That—”

“Congratulations, Hinosaka!”

I was nearly floored by a massive slap to my back. I spun around.

“Ow… M-Manager Mizuno!?”

The one person I didn’t want to see today. The cold-blooded female boss who had been at the dinner last night… my direct superior.

“About last night… I am so sorry!”

Everything else aside, I went to drop into a full-scale dogeza apology— “Whoa!?”

She caught me before my head could hit the floor and pulled me into a firm shoulder-grip.

“…Good job. If you had a deal this big in the works, I can overlook last night’s desertion. I suppose I’m also at fault for dragging you there without a proper explanation.”

“Ah… thank you?”

“I summoned a different sacrificial lamb to take your place, so thank him if you want to thank anyone.”

So I was a sacrificial lamb…

“However, do not—under any circumstances—screw up this marriage.” Manager Mizuno’s voice dropped an octave into a low, threatening whisper. “If you mess up and it causes a loss for this company, be prepared to take full responsibility. One word from President Kimisaka could easily move hundreds of millions—hell, billions—in sales. The future of this industry and this company is now in your hands.”

The sweat had stopped flowing; my throat was now bone-dry.

---

Ton, ton, ton, ton.

The sound of a knife hitting a cutting board echoed through the house. A pot was bubbling on the stove, releasing the sweet and savory aroma of Japanese cooking.

“Oh, dinner’s almost ready… but first.”

Arisa trotted over and sat down directly in front of me. She was wearing a yellow blouse that left her shoulders bare; my eyes naturally drifted to the amount of exposed skin.

“You’ve been sitting like that since you got home. Are you okay? Did something happen at work?”

“You’re too much of an ‘ideal wife’! I literally used to fantasize about coming home to a prepared meal and someone asking me that!”

“W-What’s gotten into you?”

“Sorry. My bad… it just came out.”

I couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality anymore. After President Kimisaka’s grand reveal at the office, I’d spent the rest of the day in a daze. When I stepped outside, a black sedan was waiting for me. And once again, I was whisked away to the mansion where Arisa lived—the residence of Renji Kimisaka, President of KIMISAKAYA.

“If something is bothering you, you can tell me.”

“Kimisaka… KIMISAKAYA Bookstore. I guess I should have put it together…”

Who would have guessed that the granddaughter of my company’s most vital client would suddenly appear and demand to marry me?

“Did something happen?”

I gave her a brief rundown of the day’s chaos.

“I see… So Grandfather said all that… Fufu.”

“Why are you happy about this!?”

“Because it means Grandfather has truly accepted our marriage.”

“It’s an act! We’re pretending, remember!?”

“Ah, right. Of course. Just an act.”

I was starting to worry if it was only an act for me.

“Anyway, Kenichi-san, you work at a distributor, right? What do you think of KIMISAKAYA?”

She dodged the subject masterfully. I’ll play along for now, I guess.

“KIMISAKAYA is an incredible bookstore. The flagship stores have an unbelievable selection, and even the suburban branches curate their stock to fit the local community perfectly. There aren’t many chains that can maintain that quality across so many locations… hey, you look really happy.”

“I am! It makes me so, so happy to hear you praise the KIMISAKAYA Bookstore I love so much.”

When she smiled with such pure joy, it became hard to bring up anything cynical.

“Anyway, let’s eat first. I bought some really nice fish.”

Arisa hummed a tune as she stood up and resumed her work in the kitchen. Simmered fish. Meat tataki on a bed of sliced onions. A vegetable salad. Egg and seaweed soup. Rice.

I knew this was no time to be eating calmly, but my body was honest; my stomach let out a loud growl.

“Here you go. Enjoy.”

“I… I’ll dig in.”

I folded my hands and started with the simmered fish. The cooking was perfect; the meat fell right off the bone. It was soft and flavorful, seasoned perfectly.

“You’re an amazing cook.”

“Ehehe. I worked extra hard just for you, Kenichi-san.”

“Ghk…”

Her smile was too bright for my eyes.

“Why are you clutching your chest? Are you okay?”

“Just took a critical hit of cuteness that an old man like me can’t handle…”

Even knowing she was fifteen, even knowing it was a fake marriage… I’d be lying if I said this didn’t make me happy. I took a sip of soup to regain my composure.

“I need to talk to your grandfather when he’s sober.” I couldn’t let this go on forever. “When is he coming home?”

I still didn’t understand why President Kimisaka was pushing his fifteen-year-old granddaughter onto a man she’d just met. Both Arisa and her grandfather had to have some hidden agenda.

“He said he has a meeting and won’t be back tonight.”

I suppose the President of a 300-store chain would be incredibly busy.

“So we have to wait until tomorrow…”

“By the way, the maids and the driver are all gone, so there’s no one else here.”

“Pfft!” I nearly choked on my soup.

“So… we’re all alone tonight, aren’t we?”

---

That being said, “all alone” didn’t mean anything was going to happen. Arisa was fifteen; she was obviously not a romantic prospect. No matter how much her physique was already beginning to resemble an adult woman’s.

I was thinking about all this—while I was buck-naked.

I poured a bucket of hot water over my head. The authentic cypress bathtub even had iris leaves floating in it. They really pulled out all the stops. It was more comfortable than a high-end inn; I could see why someone might want to keep up the “fake fiancé” act just to live here—

Clack. The sliding door opened.

“W-Who’s there!?”

I spun around, shouting, though I knew there was only one other person in the house. Through the steam, I saw Arisa, her light chestnut hair tied up in a neat bun.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!” I scrambled to face forward again. “What are you doing in here!? You knew I was in the bath!”

“Yeah…”

“Don’t ‘yeah’ me! What are you doing!?”

“D-Don’t overreact. I just came to wash your back.”

“I don’t need that level of service!”

“Eh…? Isn’t that normal for a married couple?”

“Where are you getting your ideas about marriage!?”

“I’m washing your back and that’s it! Don’t expect any ‘extra’ paid services.”

“Don’t phrase it like you’d do it if I paid you! …Look, it’s not right for two people to be in here naked.”

“It’s fine as long as we aren’t naked, right?”

…And so, I ended up with a towel wrapped firmly around my waist. Arisa, for her part, had put on a swimsuit.

“See? You can look at me, it’s totally fine,” she said.

Except the swimsuit Arisa was wearing was a tiny string bikini that covered the bare minimum. A situation where a fifteen-year-old in a skimpy bikini was washing the back of a naked man (save for a towel).

“This… this is just a pure act of hospitality. There’s nothing weird about—hyah!?“

“Kenichi-san, don’t make weird noises.”

“Sorry… you just touched my back so suddenly.”

She began carefully scrubbing my back with a soapy towel. The ticklish sensation was definitely mixed with a good amount of embarrassment.

“How… is it?”

“Uh, it feels… good.”

“Heave-ho.”

Arisa moved from my back to my arms.

“Wait, I can wash my own arms!”

“The back-side is my responsibility, leave it to me!”

Arisa, filled with a strange sense of duty, scrubbed away with all her might. It was nice, sure, but…

Every now and then, something soft and pillowy would brush against my back. I wasn’t doing it on purpose. It was just physical contact. Still… there was definitely a presence there. Probably more than a handful—

“Ahem! Ahem!“

“Are you okay? Did you get soap in your mouth?”

“No, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

I could hardly tell her I was coughing to clear away some very inappropriate thoughts.

---

The next day, the Kimisaka family driver dropped me off at work again, and I finished my shift. Since I had drinks planned for the evening, I declined a ride home, but the driver insisted he would come pick me up whenever I was done, as he had orders to bring me back to the mansion.

I’m probably stuck in this weird situation because I’m too weak-willed to turn down this VIP treatment. I really need to give them a firm, clear “no”—

I was thinking that as I arrived at the izakaya, which was packed to the gills. It was a popular “cheap and tasty” kind of joint. The cramped seating where you’re practically shoulder-to-shoulder with your neighbors was perfect for lively drinks with friends. Happy voices echoed from every table.

Except for mine.

“Idiot! Stupid! If you invite me to the wedding, I’m not giving you a single yen for a gift!”

“Three months ago, you said you didn’t even have a girlfriend. Were you lying? Well? Were you?”

“Why the hell did you get married without telling us, man?”

I was being relentlessly interrogated by three women.

“There are deep, complicated reasons for this! And it all happened so suddenly!”

“Even so, keeping it from your friends is cold, don’t you think?”

When she put it like that, I had no choice but to bow my head.

“I’m sorry. I apologize for taking so long to tell you.”

“If you’re sorry, give us a dogeza! Head to the floor! Now!”

“Is it your treat today~? Let’s move to a more expensive place~.”

“An apology from you doesn’t make me happy at all.”

“Listen to my side of the story!”

“Oh? Then let’s hear it. This ‘circumstantial evidence’ of yours.”

After an interrogation that would make a special ops team proud, I spilled the entire truth.

“So, Kenichi is pretending to be the fiancé of a fifteen-year-old, third-year middle school girl? What do you mean ‘pretending’!?”

“I’m the one who wants to know that!”

“You say you’re ‘pretending,’ but you’re probably doing stuff like, ‘We’re a couple, so this is okay, right? Hehehe,’ aren’t you!?”

“Don’t add your own delusional plot twists, Lemon!”

The girl sitting across from me, rudely tapping her plate with her chopsticks, was Lemon Tsuta. Twenty-seven years old like me—everyone here was a classmate—she was a blonde girl in twin-tails wearing a full Gothic Lolita outfit. She didn’t look like a member of the workforce, and in fact, Lemon had never held a “normal” job in her life.

Despite that, she earned more than anyone else at the table. More importantly, she was a celebrity whose name would flood the results if you searched for her online.

“Based on Kenichi’s character and the suspicious nature of this 15-year-old JC, I used my brilliant creative powers to generate that line! I’m 90% sure you’ve said something similar!”

Lemon Tsuta was a superstar author in the Light Novel and Light Literature genres, boasting over three million copies in print (Pen name = her real name).

“I never said that!”

“But Lemon-chan’s guess might not be entirely off base,” came a supporting shot from Lemon’s side.

“I mean, Kenichi-kun’s story sounds like a generic, convenient Light Novel plot, doesn’t it? A wife suddenly appears and serves you, even if it’s an act? And she’s the daughter of a major client? It’s a total ‘Reverse-Cinderella’ fantasy.”

“It’s the truth, I can’t help how it sounds!”

“In that case, don’t you think Lemon-chan, who always writes convenient plots, would have a good handle on this? If your story was a delusion, it wouldn’t surpass Lemon-chan’s imagination. Professionally speaking.”

“Why am I being insulted for my lack of ‘delusional ability’ now…?”

“And why did I get hurt too…?” Lemon added, dejected.

I and Lemon both slumped our shoulders.

The woman who had just spoken had loose, permed brown hair. She had a gentle, calm aura, but among friends, she was surprisingly sharp-tongued. However, to the rest of the world, she was known by her nickname: The Angelic Bookstore Clerk.

Sumire Suhara was a bookstore clerk respected throughout the industry for her massive reading volume and her keen eye for talent. Her grassroots efforts—recommending books through handmade pamphlets—became so popular she started writing reviews and columns for magazines. Once her face was revealed, her beauty made her a star, and she even started appearing on TV. If you search “Angelic Bookstore Clerk” online, Sumire’s photos are the first thing you’ll see.

“It really is a bit too convenient for Ken. If I were the editor… this is where I’d drop Ken into the abyss,” came another terrifying remark from the person next to me.

“I feel like I’ve suffered enough… the news of my ‘marriage’ has spread through the whole company… even though I’m not married.”

“The seeds have just been sown. The payoff is yet to come.”

The one hurling these verbal daggers was Kaede Furuoka. She was an Asian cool beauty with medium-length black hair and intellectual glasses. In fact, Kaede was the one who had caught wind of my marriage rumors and summoned this emergency meeting. Kaede had been at Shin-Nihon Publishing Distribution for work just yesterday.

“I wonder if I could publish this in a magazine as a ‘terrifying true story’.”

“I hope I can laugh about this someday…”

“Actually, it doesn’t sound like it’ll sell, so never mind.”

“Don’t crush my hopes for the future so easily!”

Despite her age, Kaede was a high-powered editor who had pumped out numerous hits. Working for a mid-sized publisher with a bold corporate culture, she had hits in genres ranging from business and self-help to literature. She was considered one of the leading editors of the next generation, and her own interviews had appeared in magazines.

A superstar author. A super-popular bookstore clerk. A high-powered editor. And me (six years at a distributor), surrounded by the three of them.

The reason the four of us were close enough to gather like this was simple: we were all in the same literature club in university. It’s rare for four classmates to all end up in the publishing industry, but with three of them being famous names, it’s no wonder the juniors started calling them the “Generation of Miracles.”

Of course, behind our backs, people call us “The Generation of Miracles + One Other Guy” or “The Generic Dense LN Protagonist who wandered into the Generation of Miracles.” …I know what you’re saying!

Though, I take offense at the “dense” part. There was never any romance between us. We were just comrades who loved books. That friendship from our youth had lasted, and we still gathered like this often.

“In the real world, making a move on a fifteen-year-old is a crime!” Lemon shouted.

“Make sure you keep your fantasies and reality separate, okay?” Sumire added.

“Anyone who says they’re ‘troubled’ by a girl forcing her way into their life is really just admitting they’ve accepted it,” Kaede remarked coldly.

She was absolutely laying into me. What made it worse was that every single thing she said was a stone-cold fact.

“Your thing for middle schoolers is basically confirmed at this point, Ken. I mean, look at how often you’re meeting up with that superstar JC model,” Kaede said, slamming a magazine onto the table.

It was the issue featuring MARIA on the cover.

“MARIA isn’t at a level where you can just meet her whenever you feel like it anymore.”

“She finally pushed aside all the other exclusive models to take the cover for herself~,” Lemon added.

“I even saw her in a web ad the other day!” Sumire chimed in.

“I’m only meeting her for work, I swear!”

“The only reason that one-time interview grew into a web series—and eventually a book deal—is because of you, Ken,” Kaede pointed out.

“Honestly, you’re such a lolicon it’s a little scary.”

“Your ‘JC-obsessed power’ is off the charts!”

“You guys are really coming for my throat today…”

I’d braced myself for this. I knew they’d treat me like a traitor for “declaring a marriage” when I’d claimed to be single just months ago, but man, they were bloodthirsty.

“Still, since your… ‘preferences’ are so clearly poured into this, there’s a good chance the book will be a hit,” Kaede conceded.

“I don’t know if I should be happy about that.”

“I could even suggest the company increase the initial print run, if you want?”

“Okay, that I’m happy about!”

Actually, if I teamed up with MARIA—who is a genuine book lover herself—it could be the spark that reignites a passion for reading among the youth. With that goal in mind, I’d secured a contract to publish MARIA’s first photo-and-essay book.

My company, Shin-Nihon Publishing Distribution, originated the project, but Kaede’s company was the publisher, and Kaede herself was the lead editor.

“So, Kenichi, should I just write it to satisfy your fetishes? Full-on fanservice?” Lemon asked.

“Stop it, Lemon. Teenage girls are the primary demographic for this.”

“Fine, then I’ll just put in the kind of ‘spice’ that teenage girls like!”

“I told you, no spice…”

“Teenagers love spice, Ken. It’s just a different flavor than the stuff for guys.”

“I’ll leave it to you, then!”

I’d also commissioned Lemon for the job. We were going to include a short story in the book based on MARIA herself. The news that the hot young author Lemon Tsuta was writing a story about the charismatic model MARIA had already caused a stir when it was announced.

“Her male fanbase is growing too, right?” Sumire asked.

“Middle school girls are her core, but she’s starting to get that ‘idol-tier’ popularity with guys too.”

“Then we need to design the store displays so guys feel comfortable buying it,” Sumire noted. I’d brought her on as a sales promotion advisor. “I’ll brainstorm some ideas to get the casual fans interested.”

Having Sumire handle the POP signs and floor layouts was a huge relief. Her motto—Provide every visitor with a new encounter, and ensure no one regrets buying a book—was something I truly respected. She was the kind of clerk who stood by her customers, and even though her store wasn’t a massive flagship, she’d once sold more copies of a specific book than any other store in the country, earning her a formal commendation from the publisher.

A brilliant editor, a brilliant author, and a brilliant bookstore clerk. The fact that I could form this dream team within my own circle of friends was nothing short of a miracle.

“We’re going to make this a success! This is the first step toward the dream!”

“Remind me, Ken, what was that dream again?” Kaede leaned in, smirking.

“You know what it is! Don’t make me say it again!”

“I keep forgetting~. So, what was it?”

They were endlessly teasing me about the things I’d said while drunk. Whatever. I’m past the point of being embarrassed!

“I’m going to blow away this publishing recession! I’ll make people flood back into bookstores! I’m going to create a boom where amazing books are coming out one after another!”

“And why is that~?” Lemon prodded.

“Because I love books and bookstores, dammit!”

“I think I love bookstores more than you do, actually,” Sumire countered, for some reason feeling competitive.

“The books I plan and distribute, Lemon writes, Kaede edits, and Sumire sells… together, we’re going to change the world!”

I was among friends I’d known since university. Surely I was allowed to talk about my hot-blooded dreams here.

“And yet, your first move is a safe, calculated project with a JC model who has a guaranteed following,” Kaede observed dryly.

“Being ‘safe’ isn’t a bad thing! I want to appeal to the people who don’t read books!”

Every dream requires steady, boring steps in reality.

“They say half of all high schoolers don’t even read one book a month. But if we give them photos, an essay by MARIA, and then a story by Lemon, they might actually read to the end. They might realize that reading is actually fun.”

It wouldn’t be easy. But I’d be so happy if it worked.

“Well, since I’m writing it, it’s guaranteed to be a blockbuster! Wahaha!” Lemon laughed.

“I hope our first professional collaboration—the one you planned, Kenichi-kun—goes well,” Sumire said softly.

“For the sake of that dream, Ken, you better settle your personal problems quickly.” Kaede leaned in close. “To avoid more trouble, you need to learn to say ‘no’ to things you can’t handle.”

I didn’t need my friends to tell me that. I’d intended to do that from the start. I couldn’t keep this up. I had to have a real talk and end this.

…Or so I thought, until that phone call the next day.

---

It seemed President Kimisaka was finally returning after two days away on business. Arisa seemed anxious, asking if I was “plotting something,” but I stayed quiet. Sorry, but this was a conversation for adults.

“If she’s the daughter of the KIMISAKAYA family, she must have a ridiculous inheritance waiting for her~. Are you going to quit your job, Senpaaaai?” Senga teased at the office.

“Make sure President Kimisaka stocks up on this title. The numbers haven’t been great lately,” Manager Mizuno added.

I just had to endure the constant badgering…

“I wouldn’t mind if you supported me too, Senpai. I could be your personal ‘Internet Fire Information Officer’ since you’re so scared of getting canceled.”

“I’m not supporting you. Get back to work.”

“My hands are moving~.”

“Manager, tell her she’s talking too much.”

“I’ll allow it,” Mizuno said. “Extracting info from Hinosaka seems like it’ll lead to more sales.”

“Yesss! Manager-approved!”

“From now on, we’re going to give all the risky titles to Hinosaka. If he screws up the buy-in, KIMISAKAYA will be there to clean up the mess anyway.”

“Man, I’m so jealous, Senpai. You really are the man who seduced the heiress of Japan’s most powerful bookstore chain.”

“Just… do whatever you want.”

I was in a state of total resignation when my phone vibrated. I checked the caller ID.

Arisa Kimisaka.

“What’s this? A call? Is it the KIMISAKAYA heiress—I mean, Mrs. Hinosaka? Hurry up and answer it.”

With my boss’s permission, I took the call right there.

“『…Kenichi-san! Please! Hurry… come home…!』”

My hesitation about being at work was blown away by Manager Mizuno screaming, “You idiot! A crisis for KIMISAKAYA is a crisis for this company! Get over there now!”

When I told the driver I’d been summoned, he said, “I shall show you my true power,” and floored the accelerator.

The moment I passed through the gates of the Kimisaka estate, Arisa came running across the wide garden.

“Kenichi-san… I’m so sorry…!”

Arisa’s face was pale. Her light chestnut hair, usually so neatly styled, was a mess.

“I didn’t mean you had to come home right now… I meant after work. I’m so sorry for calling you during your job…”

“It’s fine, just breathe. I’m just taking a half-day.” Seeing her this distraught, I knew I’d made the right choice to rush back. “What happened?”

“Um… a weird person showed up, and it’s a mess…”

“Arisa? Where are you?”

A voice echoed through the garden, searching for her.

“Why is he here…? Anyway, Kenichi-san! Please, just pretend to be my fiancé, okay!?”

“What?”

“Where did you go? My Sweet Honey!”

Arisa visibly shuddered. “Ugh… goosebumps…”

“There you are! I wondered where you’d run off to so suddenly~. Shall we go back inside?”

“Don’t touch me!” Arisa jumped back as a man tried to grab her arm.

“Hmm, how cold.”

Despite being rejected, the man didn’t seem offended at all; he just gave a breezy smile. He was tall with blonde hair and brown eyes. His features were decidedly un-Japanese, yet he had a certain local air about him. A mix, perhaps?

“Is it too early for a physical touch? Well then, let’s get back to our tea.”

“We will not!”

“I’ve prepared a delicious chamomile tea.”

“No… look… hey!?”

“She said she doesn’t want to. Let her go.”

I stepped between them, brushing away the man’s hand as he reached for Arisa.

“K-Kenichi-san…!” Arisa scrambled behind my back.

“Hm? And who is this servant?”

“I’m not a servant.”

“Then, who might you be?”

The man was tall enough that he had to look down at me, but I glared back, refusing to be intimidated.

“I should be asking you who you are.”

“Fufu… I’m glad you asked!”

Wait, what? He suddenly started striking high-energy poses.

“…Kenichi-san, please take responsibility and see this through to the end,” Arisa muttered, looking utterly exhausted.

“My father is a British Gentleman! My mother is an Oriental Beauty from the Land of the Rising Sun!”

“U-Um, Arisa? This guy is just repeating the same thing twice…”

“Born in Japan, spent ten years here to perfectly master the Japanese spirit, then moved to the UK! In England, I attended an elite public school while acquiring the foundations of a true British Gentleman! In my hobby of horseback riding, I am skilled enough to have won the tournament held three times before the one that decided the Olympic candidates!”

I have no idea if that’s actually impressive or not!

“At eighteen, I was accepted into the prestigious Oxbridge University! My grades, of course, were top-class! After graduation, I joined a global multinational corporation—I’ll reveal the name shortly—where I showed such overwhelming performance that I rose to Executive Officer at the youngest age in history!”

The description was getting suspiciously specific.

“My family home, naturally, is a massive mansion with a pool and tennis courts! I own five villas across the globe! Personally, I currently reside in a multi-million dollar condo in Tokyo!”

By the end, he just sounded incredibly materialistic.

“Yes, I am… the Executive Officer of the Alphabet & Giant Japan Book Division, James Big Mountain!”

He pointed his right index finger to the sky and swept back his bangs with his left hand.

“And I am Arisa Kimisaka’s fiancé.”

“…Too much information. I can’t process all that at once.”

Kenichi, Arisa, and James moved further inside the estate. In the grand hall sat Renji Kimisaka, President of KIMISAKAYA Bookstore. He sat cross-legged on the high seat, clad in a traditional kimono. James and I stood on the lower floor, facing each other for some reason, while Arisa hovered close to my side.

“Just to explain for your sake, Kenichi-san,” Arisa began. “This man’s name is James Ohyama.”

“It’s not Ohyama! Call me Big Mountain!”

“See? He’s a pain, so just call him James. Or ‘that annoying guy.'” Arisa clearly loathed him. I’d only known him for a few minutes, but I completely understood the sentiment.

“Anyway, his title is Executive Officer of the Book Division at A&G Japan.”

“Wait… isn’t that actually incredibly high up?”

“Exactly! It’s incredibly high! I am effectively the head of the Japanese book division for A&G!”

He looked to be in his mid-thirties. Despite his buffoonish self-aggrandizing, he had to be exceptionally talented to reach that position in a company like Alphabet & Giant.

“And he’s… Arisa’s fiancé?”

“Yes! Led by destiny, Arisa and I are to be wed!”

“I keep telling you, I’m not marrying you!” Arisa snapped back, practically lunging at him with her words. “I… I’m marrying this man!”

She pointed a finger straight at me.

“What!? You’re going to commit bigamy with someone other than me!?”

“For the last time, I’m not marrying you to begin with! How many times do I have to say it!?”

“…Wait, legally, nobody can marry Arisa yet. Because of her age…”

“Wait a moment, Arisa. Be reasonable,” James said, ignoring my input entirely. “Imagine how happy you’ll be married to the Executive Officer of the A&G Book Division. My annual income is a figure an average salaryman could never even dream of. I have plenty of company stock. I could buy you a house, a ship, or even an island. And as an executive, I’m not bound by strict hours, so I can be by your side whenever you wish.”

“I wouldn’t be happy. At all.”

“More than anything, I want you to look at my potential as a man aligned with A&G. In a few years, 90% of the books in Japan will be delivered to customers through A&G—which is to say, through me. If you’re with me, you’ll be watching the future of books unfold from the front row. Wouldn’t that make you happy?”

“That’s never going to happen. Do you have any idea how many bookstores there are in this country?”

“Oh, it will happen.”

“It won’t.”

“It will. Because, you see—”

“I’m going to crush every single neighborhood bookstore. I’ll crush them, crush them, crush them, crush them, and crush them until they’re gone.”

In that moment, the smile on James’s face was utterly bloodless.

“Crush them…? Why…?”

“The Japanese publishing industry isn’t going to turn around no matter what we do. But A&G has sales targets to hit.” He stared coldly at the facts, voicing a plan that was terrifyingly simple. “We just have to steal the sales from the other bookstores.”

“Steal…!?”

“In the end, it’s the customers who choose, right? And the customers will choose us, A&G, over some local shop.” James gestured grandly. “Compared to an online store, their inventory is pathetic. If you order a book they don’t have, you have to wait days. Their searchability is terrible. You have to carry heavy books home yourself. Who would ever use a neighborhood bookstore?”

I had a mountain of counterarguments. But—

“The reason so many bookstores are disappearing now is because they aren’t necessary, right?”

It was a fact that neighborhood bookstores were in a state of constant decline. If they were simply being phased out by natural market selection, that was one thing.

“There are plenty of people who want to buy books at local stores!” Arisa shouted back. Her passion was palpable, overflowing with an intensity she couldn’t hide.

“Yes, it seems there are still some ‘information-weak’ and foolish customers out there,” James replied, his tone chillingly indifferent to Arisa’s heat. “That’s why I have to do things like buy up all the copies of trending books, launch ‘grey-area’ price wars, put pressure on subcontracted logistics companies, and buy up land where bookstores are planning to open. I have to do everything I can to quickly turn this into a world that belongs only to A&G.”

“That kind of method… isn’t that a crime!?”

“Within the legal limits, of course. I wouldn’t do anything as stupid as committing a real crime.” James gave a derisive snort. “My mission is to put an end to these neighborhood bookstores that have no future and lead people into a ‘correct’ world.”

“Nobody wants a future that you’ve decided for them. I don’t think a world where only A&G exists is a happy one.”

“We’ll find the answer to that soon enough. But let me state this clearly: in a few years, every major bookstore in Japan will either be out of business or under the control of A&G.”

If A&G were the sole survivor based purely on market principles, there would be nothing to be done. But if it was through these kinds of tactics…

“KIMISAKAYA is no exception.”

“I will NEVER let you crush our bookstores!” Arisa screamed. The sound vibrated through my chest, making my heart tremble.

“I think they’ll collapse even if I do nothing. But if you join the A&G umbrella, there is a path to survival.”

“What I want to protect is the KIMISAKAYA that Grandfather built… and that my mother and father raised…!”

Her voice sounded almost like a curse. I was furious at James’s words too, but Arisa’s reaction was… a little extreme.

“Your granddaughter is still being quite unreasonable, isn’t she, Grandfather?”

President Renji had been sitting motionless with his eyes closed this whole time.

“This marriage proposal… it was President Kimisaka who brought it up, wasn’t it?”

Was that true? Arisa’s face twisted with bitterness, but she didn’t deny it.

“Management for KIMISAKAYA Bookstore alone is going to be difficult from here on out. That’s why the plan was to secure a partnership by forming a blood tie with me, the head of A&G. We were going to gamble on survival together.”

I hadn’t realized the great KIMISAKAYA was that backed into a corner.

“If A&G and KIMISAKAYA merge, the publishing industry will belong to us even sooner. It would be a meaningful move for the world.”

If the two joined forces, they would become an undisputed top-tier power that no one else in the industry could touch. At that point, A&G’s dominance would be unstoppable.

“That was the purpose of the engagement… but then, a little trick of fate occurred… no, a divine decree led by destiny!” James started getting worked up on his own again. “I found the angel known as Arisa! It was truly love at first sight… a lightning bolt of destiny surged through my body! Our red string of fate has been tied all along, My Sweet Honey!” He finished with a sharp wink.

“If you really worship me like an angel, then withdraw the partnership talk immediately.”

“Once the partnership is finalized, I’ll change all the KIMISAKAYA names to A&G. It’ll be the birth of ‘A&G Real Stores.’ After closing all the unprofitable branches, of course.”

“How dare you…!”

“But if Arisa really wants it, I might leave one single KIMISAKAYA store open for you. As a little toy for you to play with.”

At those words, Arisa finally snapped.

“Don’t you… dare… look down on me… or our bookstores!!”

Her clenched fists turned white. Her nails dug into her palms. Arisa lunged toward James—

“Let me go! Kenichi-san!?”

—And I caught her.

“Calm down, Arisa!”

“How can I stay calm when he’s saying whatever he wants!?”

“Don’t listen to a guy like that. KIMISAKAYA isn’t going to disappear that easily.”

As I spoke firmly to her, Arisa eventually started to settle down. “…Right. Yeah… I’m sorry.”

“Such a rebellious age. You’ll understand eventually, Arisa. …By the way.” James’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Who are you, anyway?”

It was as if he’d only just remembered I existed.

“Kenichi Hinosaka. I’m a regular employee at Shin-Nihon Publishing Distribution.”

“Hmph. An industry man. You were talking about marriage and all that—do you actually have the confidence to make Arisa happy for the rest of her life?”

“It would be difficult for me to make her happy for her entire life,” I replied. Naturally. Because I had only agreed to pretend to be married.

“Hah? You want to marry her without even intending to make her happy? Don’t make me laugh.”

“You couldn’t do it for her whole life either. You’ll definitely die before she does.”

James looked at me with pure disdain for my petty logic, then turned back to Arisa. “Arisa! This irresponsible man is no good. You see now that you should marry me, don’t you? …Wait, Grandfather!? Have you been sleeping this whole time!? Are you listening!?”

Losing his patience, James went over to protest to President Renji. While his attention was diverted, Arisa tightly gripped the hem of my shirt.

“I’m sorry… Kenichi-san. For dragging you into this… This is… how things really were.”

Hearing this much, I could finally piece together the situation.

“Grandfather was worried about me because I have no other relatives, and he wanted to settle on a husband for me quickly… I wanted to protect the bookstore… So I was willing to accept any engagement if it was necessary… and then, James from A&G came up…”

A political marriage. I suppose that’s a common story in the world of CEOs and heirs. In any case, the interests of A&G and President Kimisaka aligned, and the proposal for Arisa and James was made. James, having “fallen in love,” was all for it regardless of the politics.

“But Grandfather told me, ‘If there’s someone you love, you can choose them instead.’ I just couldn’t stand James, so I wanted to ask someone to… pretend… to be my fiancé, to break it off.” Arisa whispered so the President wouldn’t hear.

“It would be hell to marry that guy without loving him,” I said.

“If he would actually protect KIMISAKAYA, I would have gone through with it.”

“That… wouldn’t be okay. You don’t love him, right?”

“Protecting KIMISAKAYA is more important.”

How much weight and duty was this fifteen-year-old girl carrying?

“But… it’s okay now. Kenichi-san, thank you for everything.” The girl who had spent the last few days dragging me around gave me a polite bow. “I’m sorry for the trouble. From here on… it’s my problem.”

Arisa gave a faint, fragile smile. It was far too sad to be the last smile I’d see from her.

“Hey, Arisa—”

What was I about to say? I’d been relieved of my role as the fake fiancé. I was an unrelated stranger; I should leave immediately. But.

“Are you really going to be okay?”

Having heard that burning passion. Having seen her strength as she stood against a massive enemy. Seeing her desire to protect bookstores against the tide of the world… I couldn’t help but reach out.

“What do you really want me to do?”

I gently placed my hands on her shoulders and gave them a small shake. As if to break down the wall she was trying to build.

—And that wall crumbled in an instant.

Of course it did. Because despite her strong will, despite being crazy enough to ask a stranger to be her fiancé, she was just a normal fifteen-year-old girl. Tears welled up in those powerful eyes, and her face crumpled.

Sniffing, Arisa whispered, “Actually… help me… please.”

My brain felt like it was spinning, and something stirred from the depths of my memory. But it was gone in a flash—I was back in the real world. Yet, my head felt strangely clear.

I can’t marry Arisa. I can’t make her happy in the true sense of the word. That’s a job for someone else. But for a girl with such a proud and noble dream asking for help, there was something I had to do.

“This is ridiculous! Grandfather, are you listening!?” James continued to shout at Renji’s back.

“Hey, you creepy lolicon!” I called out to him.

James slowly turned his head to look at me. “Aren’t you one, too?”

…I couldn’t exactly deny it. And so, I blurted out the words that would make it even harder for me to make an excuse later.

“Arisa is my wife. So there’s no way I’m handing her over to you.”

Did I act too soon for a girl I’d only known for a few days? No, I didn’t think so. I was captivated by a girl who loved bookstores. It would be a damn shame to let such a pure girl be buried and stained by the ugly world of adults. Besides, any man who would abandon her here is—a piece of crap.

“Grandfather!?”

At that moment, President Renji opened his eyes. He looked at James, Arisa, and me in turn with a piercing gaze. Then, he spoke.

“The man Arisa chooses is Arisa’s husband.”

In those words was the sheer presence of a founding president who had built the strongest bookstore chain in Japan in a single generation. Those words could not be overturned. James must have felt it, too.

“…So you’re the piece of trash acting as the obstacle between me and Arisa’s destiny.” James turned fully toward me, the corners of his mouth curling into a smirk. “Fine. Then I just have to crush you and remove you entirely, right?”

“Rather than removing me, shouldn’t your priority be making Arisa choose you?”

“Once I’ve beaten you down so hard you can never get back up, even Arisa will realize that a microscopic man like you isn’t her ‘destined one’.”

If he was going to mock me that much, I wasn’t going to take it lying down.

“And then, Arisa will be mine, just as destiny intended.”

Above all else, this guy only saw Arisa as an “object.” Regardless of everything else, I had to fight.

“Hey, you there. Better be prepared.”

“You’re the one who needs to be prepared.”

I will never actually marry Arisa. But I’m sure as hell not giving her to this guy.