My Rental Boyfriend Is My Boss?! - Chapter 27

Chapter 27. I Want To Respond

‘What should I do?’

Michiru thought she should just do what was written on the paper. So this morning Michiru decided that she could do it alone. Morishita was the one who decided what to ask and what kind of article to write, and Michiru just had to carry the luggage, gather the materials, and do the minor chores as she had done on previous business trips. That was what she was supposed to do originally.

‘But it was me who decided to do it… Oh, how could I forget…’

Michiru was sure Kamijemori would be appalled if she told him honestly. But still, she had to say it.

“Oh, of…”

Michiru’s heart was racing, and she felt like she was going to jump out of her skin just by opening her mouth.

‘I forgot my documents. Can I call Morishita? Can I leave it to Chief Editor?’

Michiru hesitated, wondering which of the words that kept coming to mind I should say, and whether I should really say them.

“Why are you here?”

Michiru could hear her mother’s voice from her dream.

“I want to leave this to you.”

That’s what Kamijemori told Michiru this morning.

He had given Michiru the chance she had wanted until this morning. He told her that she could do whatever she wanted. He told her that he would check it and that she would be fine even if something happened.

If that’s the case, Michiru wanted to make the most of the chance the chief editor gave her. She wanted to live up to his expectations, little by little. That’s the reason why Michiru was here.

Michiru took a deep, quiet breath and looked forward. She turned on the recording switch of her voice recorder.

“Excuse me. So let’s start with that…”

But what was she supposed to ask? Michiru was immediately cut off from her words. Michiru was not a writer. She had only been an assistant, and she had never done an interview before. Michiru hurriedly turned her head.

‘I’m pretty sure she’s a person who makes small items using embroidery called sashiko*…’

The samples on the table in front of her were softly colored gumboots and coasters. The crisp colors are unusual, and they look like…

“All of these works use traditional techniques, but they all have a certain Scandinavian feel to them, like something out of a foreign picture book.”

Michiru muttered to herself. The craftswoman smiled at her random comment.

“That’s right. Originally, I was using an old design, but I wanted to make it more accessible to younger people. Then I happened to be reading a picture book about bears to my niece, and I saw an interesting color combination.”

“Is this picture book one of the “Crumble Bears” series?”

“Yes, it is! Do you know it?”

“The patchwork pattern is lovely, and the unique colors are well expressed.”

“I couldn’t find the color I wanted in the existing yarn, so I had to dye it many times from scratch…”

As soon as they started talking, Michiru felt the tense atmosphere of the place changed to a relaxed one. In a good atmosphere, they talked for a little more than the scheduled time, and Michiru’s first interview was over.

After that, Michiru was able to get in touch with Morishita. Apparently, the writer who had lost touch with her had arrived at the wrong station, and Morishita had been notified of the delay. But Morishita was at the hospital, so she didn’t notice the delay. In addition, the phone number on Michiru’s handout was wrong, so she couldn’t get in touch with anyone.

Michiru met up with the unfortunate writer at the nearest station of the second interview destination, and the interview proceeded without any problems.

After the sun had set, when the cameraman and the writer parted and they were alone, Kamijemori finally lifted his outward smile.

“I had heard that you liked children’s books, but I guess you also liked picture books.”

“It’s a picture book, but in the original country it was a children’s book. Overseas children’s books are often influenced by the politics and wars of the country and have a strong message…”

Meeting Kamijemori’s quiet eyes, Michiru came to her senses and broke off her words. She suddenly felt embarrassed as she realized that Kamijemori was probably not interested in picture books.

“I’m sorry… You’re not interested in this kind of story, are you?”

For Michiru, children’s books and picture books are the stories of the world that remain interesting no matter how old you are, but for most adults, they are just “something for children to read”.

There were many books that can be proudly said to be interesting even for adults to read, but Michiru has learned in her life how futile it was to claim this to adults who were not interested, and how ridiculous it made her look.

When Michiru apologized to him, Kamijemori tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

“Why?”

“Because of…”

“You can’t just assume that I’m not interested.”

“Were you interested in it?”

“Not really, until now.”

Michiru was about to say “okay”, but then she looked at Kamijemori again.

“Until now?”

Come to think of it, Kamijemori had really seen the movie that Michiru pushed him to see before. Michiru knew that his words were not just words. That’s why his reply seemed so surprising. He was not a man who said things he did not think.

“Until now. A few minutes ago, when I was watching you talking like a crazy person, I was a little… curious.”

“That’s…”

Lip service? Michiru was about to ask that, but held her tongue.

He’s not a rental boyfriend now, he’s just her boss. So there was no reason for Kamijemori to make Michiru’s mood good. And Kamijemori was not the kind of boss who took care of his subordinates.

She realized that their relationship was fundamentally different from the previous date when Michiru had recommended a movie for him to watch.

‘Which means…’

“… Don’t grin so suddenly.”

“Heh, sorry… heh.”

Kamijemori’s dumbfounded words didn’t bother Michiru. She didn’t know why, but her mouth loosened up and she couldn’t stop.

“I’ll send you a list of my favorite picture books later.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Michiru realized that the invisible wall that had been there when they met this morning was no longer there.

… That was, until they arrived at their accommodation after dinner.

* Sashiko is a type of Japanese embroidery or stitching.