My Rental Boyfriend Is My Boss?! - Chapter 36

Chapter 36. It’s Easy

“Hey, did you hear about Oikawa?”

“Yes, I did. She’s pretty desperate, isn’t she?”

“I know right. I can’t believe anyone would confess to Chief Editor Kamijemori.”

“Right? And when he refused, she made so much noise that she threatened the chief editor.”

“Oh, that’s why she was transferred? I heard that she was transferred to a more comfortable department because she was mentally overwhelmed.”

“Isn’t that because Oikawa fell in love with the chief editor? She was a clumsy-looking girl.”

“I know.”

“It’s…”

In the company cafeteria, Chie’s cold voice pierced Michiru.

“I didn’t confess my feelings to him, and I don’t know why he decided to transfer me to…”

“I know. I know, but it doesn’t matter if the gossip is true or not.”

Michiru snorted at Chie’s words.

The news of her transfer was immediately conveyed within the editorial department. The sudden transfer of an employee who wasn’t particularly capable led them to the following conclusion.

In other words, she was transferred to a relatively stable department because she was unstable after being dumped by Kamijemori.

Michiru thought that if she really could have been transferred to the department she wanted, she would have confessed her feelings to him earlier and gone on a rampage. That would have been easier than getting results.

At this rate, the rumor that Inoue had resigned after being crushed by Kamijemori would be highly questionable, but it didn’t matter now.

Michiru’s transfer was quick. Originally, she was not in charge of any articles, and even the project was a chore that didn’t go through, so there was almost no need for her to take over.

Four days after hearing the news, Michiru stepped into the editorial department of “Puka” with both happy and mixed feelings.

“But you’ve been transferred to the department you’ve always wanted, haven’t you? You don’t have to get depressed over such a silly rumor.”

“Well, yes, but…”

Chie was right. Michiru was sure she had been working hard to become the editor of Puka for a long time, but now, before she felt a sense of accomplishment, a question stood in her way.

‘But why?’

Michiru was aware that she was not a capable employee, even if she was flattered. She had no idea why Kamijemori had recommended Michiru to Igarashi, who had been doing menial jobs all her life, without having achieved anything remarkable or having any special abilities.

“Didn’t the last business trip show you that you can do it?”

“I didn’t do anything worth mentioning.”

It’s true that the article Michiru was forced to write was well received, but that’s all. She was not sure what to make of that. That’s why she couldn’t be happy. There was something about this transfer that made her feel uncomfortable.

‘Minoru is distancing himself from me.’

But if Michiru was distancing herself, she didn’t understand why Kamijemori was doing it.

It’s true that Puka was short-staffed due to a small number of key employees going on maternity leave, so they’re welcomed for now, but Michiru was not sure how long that will last. It was possible that when the employees who have finished their maternity leave come back, she would have to leave.

‘I hate myself for not being able to do my job…!’

However, Michiru was also desperate to know that her reputation would be directly linked to Kamijemori, who introduced her. Michiru had been running around all morning, trying to avoid embarrassing him in any way.

“Why don’t you ask him directly?”

“Who?”

“The boss who recommended you… Chief Editor Kamijemori?”

Michiru made a bitter face at Chie’s suggestion.

“What?”

“No… but I think I’m being avoided.”

Since that day, Michiru hadn’t been able to talk to him properly because of the handover and the transfer. Kamijemori was also busy with planning meetings and chief editor meetings, so they never had a chance to talk.

Maybe it was just her imagination, but Michiru couldn’t help but feel that maybe he was avoiding her.

“Is there any reason for him to avoid you?”

“No, I can’t think of any.”

“Hmm. I think you can wait until things settle down, but since he arranged it, you should at least say hello.”

“… Yeah.”

“What about the day after tomorrow? Have you decided?”

Chie’s words reminded Michiru of something she had almost forgotten recently.

“Oh… uh, party, huh?”

“You forgot? We just went dress shopping together the other day! You took it out of the bag, didn’t you?”

“No, I did! I remember!”

Michiru tried to escape Chie’s questioning gaze and took out her phone.

‘I completely forgot about it… Speaking of which, I received a long email from Kimitaka the other day, but I was in a hurry so I left it for later to look at.’

Michiru saw Kamijemori walking with a woman on the way back from a dress shopping trip, and the next day she cancelled my reservation for a rental boyfriend, saying he didn’t need to come with her to the party. However, Michiru was transferred before she could think about the party, so it had slipped her mind for the past few days.

“Hmm, there it is… Oh, I knew they’d be renting out a dance hall for the event…”

Kato’s email contained the final details of the event, including the venue, fee and time. Being alone in a dance hall was a bit like a Christmas party, wasn’t it?

As Michiru looked at the email, she felt her mind drift back to her elementary school days.

The time she spent waiting to be invited to a party and listening to the lively voices around her. Michiru knew the length of a second waiting for a miracle that would never happen to her.

“I think I won’t go…”

“What? Seriously?

“Because I don’t even have a boyfriend to hire anymore…”

Until now, it seemed okay to participate because Kamijemori was there. But now he’s gone. Michiru didn’t think she’d go out of her way to make Nakamura happy by showing her how miserable Michiru was.

“It’s a shame that you can’t wear a dress.”

“A dress? I’ll wear it someday.”

“That’s one thing, but… seemed like a fun rental boyfriend.’

Chie’s words caused Michiru to glance at her.

She hadn’t told Chie that his rental boyfriend was Kamijemori.

Chie had first mentioned the rental boyfriend as a joke. She regretted that she had taken it seriously and rented him, so Michiru was afraid that if she found out it was her chief editor within the same company, Chie would despise him.

Chie sensed the air and hastily waved her hand.

“No, it’s true that I thought about renting a boyfriend at first, but since Michiru seemed to be enjoying it, I thought it was quite possible. We’ve never gone shopping together for a dress or looked at shoes before. You’ve started to dress more girlishly in general, and I was wondering if you’ve been influenced by…”

Michiru looked at her clothes. Up until now, she had always worn trainers, jeans and trainers, hardly the clothes of a women’s magazine editor. Now she was wearing more blouses and skirts and dresses. Michiru used to go out on dates after work, so her clothes naturally changed.

Michiru didn’t realize that until just now, when Chie told her.

“It’s time for you to change from commoner B to heroine, isn’t it?”

For a moment, Michiru didn’t know what Chie was talking about. But then she remembered. It was something Michiru had said to herself once.

Michiru couldn’t help but laugh.

“It’s not that easy, is it?

“Yes, it is. You became commoner B on your own.”

Chie laughed, and for a moment her face resembled that of her late mother. Perhaps that was why the words resonated so deeply in Michiru’s heart.