The sun had barely risen when Keito's alarm rang, filling his room with an obnoxious beeping sound.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Keito groaned, rolling over and slamming his hand on the alarm clock.
"Five more minutes..."
BEEP! BEEP!
Keito groaned louder. "Fine!" He sat up, rubbing his eyes. Another day, another routine.
After stretching, he got out of bed and made his way to Ayumi's room. He slowly opened the door, peeking inside.
She was still asleep, drooling slightly, her hair a tangled mess.
Keito smirked. "Alright, princess, time to wake up."
Ayumi let out a groggy whimper and turned to the other side. "Mmm... five more minutes..."
Keito sighed. "I knew you'd say that."
With zero hesitation, he grabbed her blanket and yanked it off.
"KEITO!" Ayumi screeched, curling into a ball. "YOU'RE EVIL!"
Keito chuckled. "And you have school. Now, get up before I carry you outside in your pajamas."
Ayumi pouted. "You wouldn't."
Keito raised an eyebrow. "Try me."
Ayumi sighed dramatically, but she got up.
---
Breakfast & Ayumi's Departure
While Ayumi was getting ready, Keito headed to the kitchen and prepared breakfast.
Soon enough, Ayumi came down, yawning.
"What's for breakfast?" she mumbled.
"Rice, eggs, and sausages."
She sat down and started eating. Halfway through her meal, she paused.
"Hey, Keito?"
"Hm?"
"Do you like anyone?"
Keito nearly choked on his coffee. "What kind of question is that this early in the morning?!"
Ayumi shrugged. "Just curious. You're always working. Do you ever think about dating?"
Keito sighed. "No time for that."
Ayumi smirked. "Or maybe no one likes you."
Keito flicked her forehead. "Eat your food."
After breakfast, Ayumi grabbed her bag and ran outside to meet Max and Kota, who were waiting for her.
Keito watched her go, shaking his head. "That kid..."
---
Keito's Routine & A Surprise Encounter
With Ayumi off to school, Keito finally allowed himself to collapse on the couch.
"Just a few minutes..." he thought.
...
...
He passed out immediately.
When he woke up, an hour had gone by.
"CRAP!"
Keito jumped up, rushed to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and threw on his work clothes. He grabbed his keys, started his car, and drove off to work.
Upon arriving at the office parking lot, he spotted someone unexpected—his boss.
She was standing next to her car, looking at her phone.
Keito rolled down his window. "Good morning, boss."
She looked up, surprised, before flashing a bright smile. "Oh! Good morning, Keito."
They walked into the building together.
---
A Subtle Yet Oblivious Game
Keito was a dedicated worker—perhaps too dedicated.
While others took coffee breaks and scrolled through their phones, he focused on his tasks.
His boss, a strong and beautiful woman a few years older than him, often passed by his desk.
"Keito," she said, leaning slightly against his desk. "You always work so hard. You should take a break sometimes."
Keito barely looked up. "I'll take one when I finish this report."
She sighed. "Always so diligent."
There was a pause.
"So... do you have a girlfriend?" she asked casually.
Keito, still typing, replied without much thought, "No time for that."
His boss blinked. Seriously?
She leaned in slightly. "You know, Keito, relationships aren't just about time. It's about making time for someone special."
Keito nodded, still focused on his screen. "That makes sense."
A spark of hope flickered in her eyes.
"But I'm too busy to think about that right now," he added.
Her eye twitched. This guy...
She decided to try again.
During lunch break, she approached him with two cans of coffee.
"Hey, Keito," she said, handing him one. "I got an extra coffee. Thought you might like it."
Keito took it without hesitation. "Oh, thanks, boss. That's nice of you."
She smiled. "Well, sometimes I like doing nice things for certain people."
Keito nodded. "Yeah, being kind is important."
She nearly facepalmed.
Later that afternoon, she passed his desk again.
"Keito, if you ever want to talk or go out for dinner, let me know," she said.
Keito blinked. "Oh, thanks, boss. I appreciate it."
She smiled. "I mean, I really wouldn't mind if it was with someone like you."
Keito thought for a moment. "That's nice of you, boss. You're really easy to talk to."
Her eye twitched again. HE'S HOPELESS.
---
The End of the Workday & A Determined Boss
As the day ended, Keito packed his things and stood up.
"Heading home?" his boss asked.
"Yeah. Thanks for today, boss."
She sighed. "Of course. Take care, Keito."
Keito gave a small nod and left.
As soon as he was gone, his boss sat down at her desk, looking exhausted.
She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling.
"How is he this oblivious?!"
She rubbed her temples.
Then, she took a deep breath,
straightened her posture, and smirked to herself.
"I won't give up."
And with that, the chapter closed on yet another romcom moment... where the male lead remained completely oblivious.
CHAPTER END