The moment David opened his eyes, he found himself in a sleek, modern apartment with a panoramic city view. Tokyo. Slot C. New timeline. He rubbed his temples. "Alright... let's see what I got."
A laptop sat on a white desk beside a thick envelope. He opened it and blinked.
[System Notification] Welcome to Slot C! Route: Yukari Himemizu Objective: Earn her attention, make her fall for you, and build your own company to rival Himemizu Conglomerate.
Starting Funds: ¥1,300,000 Inventory: Business Laptop (Cheat-Class) Special Perk: Market Insight (Unlocks insider trends 24 hours before the public)
Note: Yukari does not know about the system. Act accordingly.
David whistled. "Guess I'm the main character of a corporate rom-com now."
He showered, threw on a white shirt and navy blazer, and looked at his reflection. Taller now. Thank you, height boost from Seika's route.
"Alright, time to meet the boss."
The Himemizu Conglomerate tower loomed in front of him like it wanted to judge his soul. Shiny glass, expensive cars, and employees who looked allergic to smiling.
David checked in, got a visitor badge, and was led up by a silent secretary who looked like she could snap his spine.
He was ushered into a pristine office with dark walls and zero warmth. And then she entered.
Yukari Himemizu.
Long, jet-black hair tied in a ribbon. Sharp violet eyes. Her heels clicked on the marble like punctuation. She didn't look at him at first.
"You're the... intern?" Her voice was cool and efficient.
David gave a small bow. "David. David Tanaka. I was assigned to shadow you for the week."
"Hmph." Yukari tapped a folder on her desk. "Fine. Don't slow me down."
He was already intrigued. A woman who radiated danger like perfume. She turned on her heel.
"Follow."
The next few hours were chaos.
Meetings about mergers. Phone calls in three languages. Yukari didn't sit once. David trailed behind her, scribbling notes and trying not to trip over his own feet.
At one point she turned to him, irritated. "You're still here?"
"Like a loyal intern," he smiled.
She blinked, clearly not used to sarcasm. Then, surprisingly, she didn't dismiss him. "Good. Bring me coffee. Black. No sugar. If it has foam, I will throw it at you."
[System Notification] Minor Favor Earned: +2 Affection
David grinned as he walked off. "God, I love stats."
By noon, he returned with the right coffee and a bento box. She eyed the food like it was suspicious.
"You think you can bribe me with salmon onigiri?"
"No. But if you faint from hunger, I get fired."
She took the box.
[System Notification] Small Bond Initiated: Yukari Himemizu Progress: 5%
She ate quietly. David sat across, tapping his laptop. Time to make use of that Market Insight perk.
He checked the next trend spike. Nanotech startup with a low stock price. He made a quiet investment. He had over a million yen to play with. Might as well.
By 3 p.m., Yukari asked, "Why do you want to work here?"
"Honestly? I want to build something of my own. Learn from the best."
She raised a brow. "Flattery?"
"Mild truth. You're terrifying and efficient. It's admirable."
She didn't respond, but she didn't insult him either. Progress.
[System Notification] Affection +5 Current Progress: 10%
At the end of the day, Yukari finally sat back and glanced at him. "You lasted longer than most."
"Is that a compliment?"
"No. It's an observation."
David stood up and bowed slightly. "Then I'll continue being observed tomorrow."
A flicker of something crossed her expression. Maybe amusement. Maybe curiosity.
"Don't be late."
[System Notification] Quest Progress Updated: Gain trust of Yukari Himemizu (10% Complete) Side Objective: Set up your own company. Deadline: 30 Days.
Back at his apartment, David flopped onto the couch. He cracked open the laptop and pulled up the system console.
Slot A: Airi - Paused Slot B: Seika & Reika - Paused Slot C: Active
"Alright. Business route activated. Boss lady doesn't know it yet, but I'm gonna rock her world."
He glanced at his investment portfolio. The nanotech stock was already rising.
David smirked. "Let's play the long game."