The founder and current president of Sync. System, Ryou Yoroizuka, was Nagi’s father’s younger brother. When Nagi was a university student, hiring was at a virtual standstill. She applied for dozens of positions and didn’t get a single offer, so her uncle gave her a job. Kojima was right—she had been hired through connections. Nagi was painfully aware of the fact, and at first, she’d been desperate to gain her coworkers’ acceptance. She studied programming every night after work and eventually earned a certification. At one point, she was only sleeping three or four hours a night and became so run-down, those around her constantly remarked that she looked like a ghost. She wasn’t sure if it was thanks to her hard work or simply the passage of time, but now most of her colleagues treated her as a regular employee. Still, she guessed Kojima wasn’t the only one who still resented her. Deep down, it frustrated her, but there was nothing she could do about it. They had no way of knowing all the time she’d put in, let alone any obligation to find out.
“Of course not,” she replied. “I’m still inexperienced, and I welcome any guidance you have to offer.”
She bowed her head deeply, which led to an obvious softening of the crease between Kojima’s eyebrows.
“That’s the attitude,” he said with satisfaction. “That’s the smart way to see it. Respect your elders.”
Sometimes Nagi wasn’t sure what skill she’d learned most thoroughly since entering the working world. Was it how to program, how to draw up winning proposals, or how to talk to people—or was it how to tell herself that someone completely wrong was actually right?
It was after ten by the time Nagi got back to the apartment where she lived alone. As she was unlocking the door, her cell phone rang. The caller ID read Nae Yoroizuka. Her mother. Nagi kicked off her pumps, let them lie where they fell, and answered as she trudged into the living room.
“Hi, Nagi, done with work?” came a familiar, easygoing voice from the other end.
“Yeah, just got home.”
“Late again, eh? Such a hard worker.”
Nae lived about twenty minutes away by train. She was raised in the lap of luxury, as they say, and had a gentle disposition. Personality aside, she was much shorter than Nagi, who was close to 170 centimeters tall, and had quite different features. Most people were surprised to learn they were mother and daughter.
“Thanks. What’s up?”
Nagi collapsed onto the sofa. The soft cushions gently embraced her exhausted body.
“Saturday after next is your birthday, right?”
Nagi glanced at the wall calendar. Her stomach sank as her eyes landed on the box labeled SEPTEMBER 17, but to keep her mother from catching on, she asked, “Is something going on then?”
“Are you free that night? I thought I’d make reservations at the usual restaurant.”
Nagi didn’t need to check her datebook to know she had zero plans that day. It was a little sad, but even if someone had invited her out for her birthday, she would have turned them down. The Yoroizuka family went to the same restaurant every year on Nagi’s birthday. Her only worry was that the day before, September 16, was the deadline for the Yummy Foods project. But at their current pace, everything should be fine.
“Yeah, I’m free,” she told her mother.
“Oh good!” Nae answered. “We’re going to have such a nice time. I invited Ryou, but he said he had plans he couldn’t get out of. It’s too bad.”
She was talking about Ryou Yoroizuka, Nagi’s uncle and the president of Sync. System. He always joined them on her birthday if he could, but leading a company was unfortunately a busy job.
“Anyway, I was thinking of inviting Keigo this year. What do you think?”
“Did you say Keigo?”
Nagi hadn’t been expecting to hear that name. Keigo Yuuki was her childhood best friend. They were the same age, and their families had lived across from each other, so they’d grown up like brother and sister. Not only did they go to the same school all the way through high school, but they had even attended the same nearby national university. And that wasn’t all—after graduating, Nagi signed on with Sync. System while Keigo got a similar job at a different system development company. It was like they were glued to one another for life. For a while, they hadn’t seen much of each other, but then, strangely enough, Keigo had transferred to Nagi’s company. Although they were in different departments, the degree of coincidence was a little scary.
“I don’t mind, but… He probably won’t come, will he?”
The two families still spent New Year’s Eve at one or the other’s house, but Nagi was skeptical that Keigo would sacrifice a precious Saturday night to celebrate his childhood friend’s birthday.
“The more the merrier, I say,” replied her mother. “Also, last time I saw Keigo, he mentioned that he wanted to come.”
“He did? I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask, then.”
“Great, I’ll get in touch. Call you soon. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Nagi ended the call, changed into loungewear, and heated the stir-fry and rice she’d picked up for half off at the local supermarket. When it was ready, she set it on a low table with a can of beer and the seaweed salad she’d bought in a feeble attempt at staying healthy. Lately, her evening routine was to wash down some premade food with beer as she watched her favorite gangster show on her phone. When she wasn’t too tired, she cooked at home, but recently, work had been so busy she never even took out a frying pan. Nae would probably scold her if she knew, but for Nagi, quality of life was less important than securing a scrap of free time.
The first can of beer was empty before she knew it, so she grabbed a lemon Chu-Hi. As she popped the tab, a little tipsy, her phone dinged. She paused her show to check the incoming message. It was from a friend who was getting married next month. She was thanking Nagi for the congratulatory coffee maker she’d given her the other day. Probably because fall was wedding season, Nagi had ceremonies to attend two weeks in a row next month in October. Nagi liked weddings. When she looked at the bride and groom, she felt included in their happiness. The prospect of attending two back-to-back didn’t dampen her excitement in the least, and as for the money customarily given to newlyweds, she considered it a happy expenditure. The only part she didn’t like was the lonely feeling she got as she went home by herself after the ceremony. The lovelier the wedding, the more strongly she felt it.
Thirty was right around the corner. Sometimes she worried about still being single. Even if she met someone tomorrow, it would probably take at least a year for marriage to come up. After that, if she didn’t plan the wedding, hold the ceremony, and have a baby right away, she’d be thirty before she knew it. All her friends with children said it was better to give birth in your twenties when you still had lots of energy, like they were trying to scare her or something. Part of her figured that even if her friends were right, she could just start working out at the gym and everything would be fine, but she knew that wasn’t really the point. To start with, she was too busy at work to even feel like going to the gym. At any rate, thinking about it wouldn’t get her anywhere. For now, all she could do was make a strong effort during the bouquet tosses at next month’s weddings.
As she was sending a quickly typed response to her friend, another notification dinged. It was from Nao Kousaka. Kousaka was three years younger than her, and she’d started corresponding with him after a friend who was worried about her being single introduced them. They’d still never met, but as far as she could tell from his profile picture, he looked like a nice guy with a cute face. He took things slow, but they’d been messaging each other every day for three months now. Nagi felt like it was high time for at least a dinner date, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask him, and since he showed no sign of making a move himself, their relationship was at a standstill. As she was carefully composing her reply, her phone started buzzing. The caller ID said Keigo. The hulking form of her old friend flashed across her mind.
“Hello?”
“Happy twenty-eighth!”
She couldn’t help grinning.
“Shut up. It’s not my birthday yet,” she said, pretending to be mad.
“Pardon me,” Keigo teased.
Keigo’s birthday was in spring, making him slightly younger than her, and over the past few years, it had become a standing joke for him to tease her about it.
“Your mom just called me. I’m going to your party.”
“What? Really?”
She found it extremely surprising he would make time for her on his day off.
“I’m in shock. Are you going to foot the bill, too? Handsome men are the best.”
“You should say that more often!”
He matched her tone and played right along as easy as breathing. He’d always been smart, and even if they weren’t friends, she’d have said he had a nice enough face, but women drawn in by his looks tended to be put off by his stupid jokes. Nagi, however, liked the fact that he didn’t try to hide who he was.
“Seriously, you’re very sweet, a real stand-up guy. Though it’s a little sad you have nothing better to do on a Saturday… Oh, sorry. That one just slipped out.”
“What a pity. I just lost my desire to pay for your dinner.”
“Hey, wait! I was kidding!”
Keigo burst out laughing.
“I know. And I mean it—don’t bring your purse.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. This is a special occasion.”
“Yay! Thanks, I can’t wait! I’ll get you back on your birthday, so you better be ready!”
“Don’t worry, I won’t expect too much. Anyway, I’d better go.”
“Okay, ’night.”
Nagi hung up and lay on the floor with her arms and legs stretched out, still excited. The Yummy Foods project was going fairly well, and Keigo was treating her to dinner on her birthday. And while things with Kousaka were moving slowly, they were developing a good connection. Maybe by her birthday, they’d be closer.
Life is good, Nagi thought as she gazed at the wall calendar. I won’t pursue overblown dreams like living in a castle of sweets anymore. I’m satisfied with a few jelly beans scattered on the road in front of me. That’s enough to make me happy.