"Huh?!"
"When?!"
Upon hearing Utaha Kasumigaoka's words, Sonoko Machida's expression faltered slightly, and she asked in surprise.
"Just now."
Utaha nodded, then cast her gaze toward the hallway direction, a gleam of light flickering in her eyes.
"Just now?"
"You couldn't have seen wrong, could you?"
"And it's not like I've even met him myself. How could you be so sure?"
Hearing her reply, Sonoko Machida's brow furrowed slightly. She looked at Utaha with a mix of puzzlement and skepticism, then questioned back.
"I have a theory."
Utaha replied with utter composure.
"A theory?!"
"Right. Actually, this goes back to some time ago..."
Utaha then began recounting the events from a while ago involving the online friend with the username 'Yue'.
By the time Sonoko Machida heard the whole story, she had fallen into deep thought.
"Based on your speculation, Utaha, it's indeed very likely that the online friend named 'Yue' could be that suddenly-appearing mysterious boss."
"After all, the timing is just too coincidental. Right after you told him your work might get axed..."
"The very next moment, our publishing house gets acquired by a mysterious person, and the first decision made is to heavily promote your work..."
Sonoko Machida frowned, gently stroking her smooth, fair chin.
"All signs point to a strong connection between these events."
Utaha nodded beside her and said flatly:
"Even Sonoko-san thinks so, which means my guess is probably right!"
"What do you mean by that? I feel like you're subtly insulting me!"
Sonoko Machida rolled her eyes beside her. She was used to this slightly sharp-tongued girl's veiled jabs by now.
"But how are you sure the person you just saw is our company's mysterious boss?"
"Because you said that mysterious boss is very young, a high school student like me."
Utaha answered Sonoko Machida's question simply.
"And the person I saw earlier was a student I'd glimpsed once before at school."
Hearing Utaha's answer, Sonoko Machida finally understood.
However, she soon thought of something else, and a look of astonishment appeared on her face.
"Wait!"
"If that's the case, Utaha!"
"This guy is something else! Not only did he buy an entire company for you and promoted your book, but he's even in the same school as you?!"
"This totally looks like a man pursuing you!"
"That's so sweet! He actually went this far for you! How romantic!"
Sonoko Machida then wore a mischievous grin as she gently nudged Utaha's arm, teasingly saying.
"So, is he handsome? Want to consider it?"
Utaha's heart skipped a slight beat at the question.
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
"I... I'm not as desperate to get married as you are! Always thinking about things like that."
Utaha's voice was soft, but her tone clearly betrayed a hint of fluster.
Sonoko Machida seized on this, her smile widening.
"Look at you, you're flustered!"
"Seems like he must be really handsome then!"
"No wonder our little Utaha is having such a big reaction!"
"It's wonderful! Ah, youth!"
Under Sonoko Machida's teasing gaze, Utaha felt a flicker of nervousness inside.
But just as the other woman said...
If that man was genuinely interested in her, how should she face it?
Undoubtedly, without his help, her work would have definitely faced the axe.
After turning it over in her mind, Utaha ultimately decided she needed to find an opportunity to meet him in person.
First, to thank him for the help he'd provided, and then to try getting to know him.
From her own feelings, Utaha actually wasn't averse to the idea of interacting with him.
In fact, regarding his looks and demeanor, she felt a strong urge to know more, a deep curiosity to understand him.
"Older people are always so nostalgic about youth."
"I won't talk to you anymore. I'm heading home."
"See you!"
Utaha picked up the documents, bid farewell to Sonoko Machida, and headed towards the publishing company's exit.
As she passed by the hallway, her footsteps involuntarily paused. She turned her head to look down the corridor, her gaze lingering for a few extra moments before she continued on to take the elevator and leave.
Watching Utaha's departing figure, Sonoko Machida smiled gently.
"Hehe, the little girl's shy!"
Being a woman herself, and someone who understood Utaha Kasumigaoka quite well, how could she not grasp the meaning behind Utaha's earlier reaction?
However, Sonoko Machida herself had also become quite interested in the boy Utaha had mentioned.
"Oh well, I'll find a chance to ask that girl for more details later."
Sonoko Machida muttered to herself before turning her chair around and burying her head back in her work.
After entering the general manager's office, Yuki spent about thirty minutes there before slowly emerging.
Again, he moved quickly through the hallway without drawing much attention.
He managed this not by using any ability to lower his presence. It was actually thanks to the social norms of Japan.
The work environment in this country was in no way more relaxed than it had been back on Earth. The level of intensity was also quite high.
So, these corporate drones rarely got distracted while working.
The vast majority were buried in their workstations, desperately toiling away. Sitting at their desks, they paid no heed to the outside world, their minds focused solely on their reports and presentations.
Therefore, no one noticed Yuki as he swiftly departed.
Otherwise, with his looks and aura, he would definitely have caused quite a stir.
After taking the elevator downstairs, Yuki went to the parking garage, retrieved his car, and drove home.
Back at Yuki's home, Sephie was sitting in the living room.
Accompanying her now were three young girls who looked remarkably similar to her.
Kotori, currently present, was staring wide-eyed at the three sisters before her, utterly astonished.
"They look... so alike!"
"Of course they do! I personally helped, using asexual reproduction technology to cultivate these daughters for Sephie!"
"Isn't it perfectly normal for them to resemble their mother?"
Tiayu, standing to the side, pushed up her glasses, puffed out her chest with pride. Her ample assets trembled slightly at the motion, making Kotori feel a bit dizzy.
Just at that moment, Yuki happened to return.
Entering the living room, he saw Kotori currently examining the three young women beside Sephie.
"Hmm?"
"What's going on?"
Yuki walked over calmly, his gaze also settling on the three young girls.
At the same time, the three young women's eyes shifted to look at Yuki.
Each of their gazes held a different shade of curiosity.
They studied Yuki carefully, filled with immense curiosity about this man their mother Sephie had mentioned so often.
"I know! You must be Daddy!"
One of the young women broke into a brilliant smile and called out to Yuki.
Instantly, she drew peculiar looks from all the women around her.
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