"The man who is to be great is the one who can be the most solitary, the most hidden, the most deviant, the man beyond good and evil, lord of his virtues, a man lavishly endowed with will — this is precisely what greatness is to be called: it can be as much a totality as something multi-faceted, as wide as it is full" - Friedrich Nietzsche
________________________________________________________________________________「April 1st︱Morning︱Tokyo City Centre」
1 month has passed after Yamasaki Isao and Saeki Katsu's encounter. As promised, Saeki updated Yamasaki on the developments to ensure his place in Advanced Nurturing High School.
3 days later after their meeting, Saeki received school-sanctioned clothes together with entrance exam questions on 5 subjects: Japanese, mathematics, social sciences, English, and science. The young lad has already decided what approach to take in ANHS. Saeki informed him about the interview prerequisites for every ANHS student. The following day, Yamasaki went to the Tokyo city centre, to the target location to participate in the interview. Yamasaki was asked several questions like "Why do you want to attend this school?" "What are your future aspirations after graduation?" "How would you describe yourself?". Even though the interviewer did not say explicitly whether or not he showed promise, the host's micro-expressions indicated that he found no eccentricities to comment through the way conducted himself. The same is true for the grades.
1 week later, Saeki informed him that the informant was selected. Saeki mentioned that the informant would make the contact himself. As usual, Yamasaki starts the day by playing with the piano in a tranquil mourning. The melody was "Clair de Lune" by Debussy.
After that, Yamasaki made breakfast for himself. He settled for a simple breakfast, nothing exquisite. Pancakes with fruits and syrup, coupled with cappuccino. Yamasaki has a bit of a sweet tooth. After breakfast, Yamasaki prepared himself for the entrance ceremony. The time was 7:15 a.m. Not particularly late, but he might be late if he does not depart soon. After dressing in school-issued clothes: a red tie, and sky-blue jeans. Yamasaki set to leave the apartment. He decided to say his final words to his door manager.
One might be wondering how a high schooler without family or relatives would be able to pay rent and food, and this is not even mentioning, several musical instruments in the room. 3 years ago, when Yamasaki Isao was just a beginner, he had a mahjong match against a professional blind master player. The reward was 20% of the total share of the prize money. In other words, Yamasaki has received a total of 16,000,000 yen. After that, for the past 3 years, Yamasaki has done a lot of things and purchased a lot of things. And he still had about 4,300,000 million yen left.
"Throwing yourself into an absurdity is the essence of true gambling, huh?" - Yamasaki remembered the words he said that day.
Yamasaki lived in this apartment for about 3 years and he developed a liking towards it. He still had enough money to rent this apartment for about 4 years. To ensure that the apartment stays as it is, Yamasaki has talked with the dorm manager to rent this apartment 3 years in advance. Naturally, she was shocked to see Yamasaki leave. She experienced contradictory emotions:
Happiness. She was happy for the young men to have an opportunity to go to a well-regarded school like ANHS. As a woman who worked in a typical full-time job, she was glad that Yamasaki had a chance to attend one of the most prestigious high schools in Japan.
Sadness. To her, Yamasaki Isao was an intelligent, well-mannered, yet easy-going and compassionate young man. Amongst the neighbours who lived in the apartment, she was closest to him. Throughout the last three years, they shared many conversations, ranging from about mundane things, everyday worries, silly jokes, and the things they experienced before coming here.
The dorm lady admitted to herself. If he was 10 years older or she was 10 years younger she would not be able to help herself from falling in love with him. She was one of the few people who had the privilege to enjoy his company unconditionally. He played music for her and ate meals together. Yamasaki's somewhat stoic, yet easy-going and considerate demeanour allowed the dorm lady to be at ease in his presence.
- "So, you really will be gone for 3 years, huh" - A dorm lady muttered with a glimpse of sadness.
- "It is an opportunity to make a bright future for myself. I can't waste it." - Yamasaki uttered neutrally.
Truth be told, Yamasaki did not know if he was going to return. Considering the circumstances could change at any moment, and the people he was going to meet, he did not want to ghost her. He enjoyed her company, and she was one of the few people who knew him more on a personal level. Yamasaki Isao is not oblivious. He was aware of the inner affection the dorm lady held for him for several months. He could not tell her about his situation. So, he told her as much as he could.
- "It's going to be a little lonely without you" - Yamasaki expressed his true thoughts.
-"Huh?" - a dorm lady was naturally caught off guard by his comment. That did not mean she did not appreciate it. On the contrary, much like any other girl, she was jovial that her secret crush saw her that way.
-"I hope to see you again after I graduate. It would be a shame to end things like this" - Yamasaki answered with a sincere tone.
-"I see." - Dorm lady smiled wholeheartedly.
Dorm lady knew that their relationship wouldn't transcend beyond a certain point. Unlike in movies, TV shows, or fantasy novels, men and women having mutual feelings won't necessarily end up together. Laws, societal expectations, the age gap, and family circumstances are just a few of the multiple factors that could determine whether or not a relationship between men and women will reach the next stage or it will gradually decay. She was not too sad, though. She knew that the man in front of her, Yamasaki Isao appreciated her and cared for her. Besides, a couple or not a couple, the bond between them is by no means less significant than the one between lovers. Both are mature enough to understand and accept it.
- "I will take my leave then." - Yamasaki responded. Not wanting to be late.
- "Take care, Isao-kun. Be well." - Dorm lady answered with a sweet tone and a warm smile but not before tackling him in a warm hug. Yamasaki returned the hug with an equal amount of force with a small smile on his expression. After a few seconds, the young man released the dorm lady from his strong arms and left the apartment to start his first day at high school. It would take about 30 minutes to walk on foot. Yamasaki was not a fan of public transport, especially when it was crammed with people. In the meantime, Yamasaki put headphones on listening to a song. Yamasaki chose the song termed "Heathens", pop music composed by Fuel by Raman band.
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25 minutes later...
Yamasaki was next to the bus station where the final destination was Advanced Nurturing High School. The time was 8:05 a.m. He was right on time. 4 minutes for the bus to arrive. On the waiting, he encountered multiple people waiting for the bus. Majority are the fellow schoolmates who will attend the same high school. The remaining are either local Tokyo residents or ANHS employees. The boy's mind could not help but suddenly wander from general observations to an abstract topic.
"Is there such a thing as a truly selfless person?"
"This may seem like a trivial question, but I would like to ponder it for a moment. Supposedly, a friend of yours is in dire need of help. One might say it is only right to help in friend when they are in need. However, If you were to decline to help them, would you not feel plagued by a guilty conscience? If one were to help so that they would not have to face such feelings, would it not mean that one's behaviour was driven by self-gratification, rather than selflessness? Intentions aside, one unintentionally benefitted from it. Helping others can offer several benefits: social connections, and improved reputation in the eyes of others. Hence, having more influence one can navigate complex, and intricate social dynamics with more flexibility. As such, the seemingly "selfless" person would be placed in a higher position over the "selfish" person whose motives can be summarised to statements: "This has nothing to do with me", "This is not my problem", "This is beneath me" "I don't want to be in a spotlight", "This is troublesome". The action seemingly done under the guise of "selfless" can potentially be a calculative approach to secure opportunities to further one's position in the group or to have someone do a favour.
Another example. An amicable person went to introduce himself to his seatmate with no ill will. The former attempts to engage in a conversation with the latter only to be ignored. From an outsider's perspective, it can be perceived as the latter being disrespectful towards the person who tried to introduce himself without an ulterior motive. However, is that all there is to it? What if the latter enjoyed the peacefulness of their own company only to be disrupted by the person with whom they had no necessity or proclivity to engage in a conversation? The former's intentions aside, would it not mean the former ruined the latter's happiness in an environment they found comforting? Humans are calculative creatures. People consciously or subconsciously form relationships with others to exchange a form of "merit". To have fun. To protect themselves from bullying. To get money. There might be unconditional love but there is no such thing as an unconditional friendship. As such, there is always some form of self-interest behind every friendship. That is the bitter truth.
Of course, It's not that I am necessarily against the notion of a selfless person. I simply do not believe that is possible for anyone to act without getting in the way of one's objectives, feelings, beliefs, values, and perspectives. Human behaviour is goal-oriented. In the words of Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle "Every action and pursuit is considered to aim at some good, and for this reason, the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim". In other words, every action we take is to obtain some form of "good", tangible or not tangible. Whether the benefit is in the form of happiness, pleasure, social status, wealth, or power - the principle is the same. All forms of action under the appearance of "selflessness" are ultimately driven either to experience personal contentment or to secure pragmatic benefits which one could use to advance oneself in the future.
Of course, that is not to say that the root cause behind every action from every person we encounter is self-centred. It's just that everyone has unique needs and desires. Fundamentally, it comes down to motives. One person may prioritise human relationships. The other person might give precedence to winning. Another person perhaps values self-preservation above everything.
In the end, people only do things that interest them. Good people help others in need and do good deeds because they find a reason and meaning in it. A self-image of being a kind and good-hearted human being. It doesn't matter if they're getting benefits or not. Bad people do things simply for their gain with their interests in mind. They do things they want to do because that's what they believe in. As the popular saying goes, "In the black there is some white. In the white there is some black. In the wrong there is some right, in the dark there is some light". In the end, people like only to do things that they want to do.
In conclusion, If one were to ask me if there is such a "good" person, my answer would be "yes". However, if one were to inquire me further whether the concept of a "selfless" person exists, I would vehemently disagree. If there is such a person that transcends beyond the concept of "selflessness", then such a being is beyond my understanding."
As Yamasaki was finished reflecting on an existential problem, there was a ruckus on the bus. An office lady was trying to persuade the student to give up a seat specifically assigned to handicapped people. The said student wears the same uniform as Yamasaki. Hence, they are in the same year. From an outsider's perspective, the conversation is in the boy's favour. Naturally, the remaining passengers heard the commotion. And yet, no one moved. Yamasaki observed the situation and identified 2 types of passengers: those who acted as if they didn't hear anything and those who were hesitant whether to act or not. The former group consisted mostly of people who didn't want to get involved in a troublesome matter. The latter group was at a crossroads. They probably could not decide whether to take a step forward to defuse the situation or stay on the sidelines as the guilt would plague their conscience.
As Yamasaki observed the situation, he tried to decipher the motive behind the office lady's seemingly altruistic gesture.
In the meantime...
- "Would you please give this seat to an elder lady? She looks like she is about to faint." - An office lady asked with a sincere and polite tone with a hint of desperation. Her age is probably in her early 20s. The irony is that an office lady spoke in a formal tone with a person who was younger than her.
-"What for? I got here first. I have no reason to move just because you asked me to." - The boy scoffed at the idea.
-"It is not about who is first or not. It's about showing decency towards those who are not as fortunate as you are. You are a young, fit high schooler. I am sure you would have no difficulty to wait for your destination only standing still." - An office lady attempted to persuade a student through logical reasoning, and appeal to a student's empathy.
However...
-"As I said, I don't care. If you have time to waste, look somewhere else. Don't bother me any more" - The delinquent found the office lady annoying and refused to speak to her any further. A student's closed body language indicates that his position won't change.
Yamasaki observed the situation. There were no other free seats available. Hence, Yamasaki brainstormed several options which could potentially occur afterwards:
One, an office lady attempts to beseech the remaining passengers to give up their seats to an elder lady through peer pressure and/or guilt-tripping.
Two, an office lady gives up with a sad, and frustrated expression on her face and apologises to an elder lady for an inability to help in times of trouble.
Three, one of the passengers concedes their seat to end the tense atmosphere surrounding the bus.
-"It's a fine young lady. You don't have to bother yourself." - an elder lady attempted to dissuade the office lady from trying to help her.
-"B-But..." - an office lady was not about to throw a towel but she was at the crossroads. She didn't know what to do.
Yamasaki's decision was obvious from the beginning.
-"Excuse me, you can have my seat." - Yamasaki answered.
Naturally, an office and elder lady were caught off-guard. Neither of them expected someone voluntarily to step forward. They thought that the situation would drag on for a while before anything would happen. Soon, both of them had smiles on their faces for the young man's consideration towards the elder lady. The tension was relieved from the atmosphere. It was evident that the passengers were relieved that the matter was over.
-"Thank you, young man, it is good to know there are still good people out there" - An elder lady responded with gratitude in her voice.
-"It's nothing at all. I simply wanted to end this pointless quarrel" The boy shook his head. It's not that Yamasaki was trying to be humble. It's just that he was aware that the reason for taking the initiative was not as noble as an elderly lady assumed.
The elder lady accepted his answer with an understanding nod, then she slowly moved towards the seat Yamasaki offered. Shortly, an office lady walked towards Yamasaki with a warm smile on her face.
-"Thank you. If it weren't for you I don't know what would have happened" - an office lady answered with a relieved expression on her face, showing her gratitude and respect towards Yamasaki.
Now that Yamasaki is in close contact with an office lady, she is quite a looker. Hip-length straight black hair, blue eyes, smooth skin, well-endowed figure. Naturally, several guys watching their interaction were jealous that they missed out on an opportunity to converse with an attractive woman.
-"I simply did what I wanted to do. It wasn't for a noble reason like that" - Yamasaki denied the compliment.
-"Even so, it does not change the fact that you were the only one who intervened. Truth be told, I was upset and frustrated with myself after the confrontation with the other student" - An office lady complimented Yamasaki one more time. To an office lady, it wasn't so much that the motive was more important but the act itself.-"Then I am glad my assistance helped you out" - Yamasaki replied with a chuckle.
The young lady blushed a little. Now that they are close distance to each other, the young lady has noticed that the young man is quite handsome. If he told her that he was an aspiring model, she would believe him. An impressive posture, above-average height, idol face, fair expression, bright blue eyes, and styled dark-brown hair. His calm, yet relaxed tone allowed the young lady to forget the turmoil she experienced a few minutes ago.
-"Is everything okay?" - Yamasaki asked with a puzzled expression.-"Y-Yes, I am fine." The young lady was embarrassed that she was caught staring at the young man. She thought to herself that it was inappropriate.-"I see that you are an ANHS student" a young lady attempted to change the subject.
-"I am. I never said, thought..." - Yamasaki already knew why she would perceive that way, but he thought it was a shame to end the conversation so quickly.
The young lady gave the impression of a friendly, well-mannered, and considerate person with an elegant demeanour. In addition, he had no reason to reject the company of the stunning woman.
-"You wear the red blazer. Only ANHS students would wear them" - An office lady answered with a smile as if it was obvious.
This piqued Yamasaki's attention.
"She mentioned that only ANHS students would wear an official school outfit. The question is, how does she know it? That's something only a person affiliated with the ANHS would know. She not going to the ANHS as a student. She is not a teacher in an ANHS either. Otherwise, she would already be in the school to finish background chores for an entrance ceremony. Besides, the time is 8:17 a.m. Too little time to arrive at the destination and finish all the preparations. In other words..."
-"You are here for an interview to get a job in ANHS, aren't you?" - Yamasaki answered her question with an educated guess.
-"H-How do you know that?" - The office lady was shocked that he understood her reason for driving the bus so quickly. Yamasaki explained his thought process.
-"You said that only ANHS students would wear the school-sanctioned outfit. How do you know this? Only a person connected to ANHS would know this. You are not a student. You are not a teacher, either. Otherwise, you would already be in the school for an entrance ceremony." - Yamasaki calmly explained his reasoning to the office lady.
-"Wow. As expected of the future hope of the ANHS, hmm..." - The office lady teased Yamasaki. She was sincerely impressed by Yamasaki's observation and logical reasoning abilities.
He was completely right.
An office lady attempted to land an occupation at the ANHS. 3 weeks ago, she noticed a job application for a bakery located in one of the most prestigious high schools in Japan. An office lady having a formal education limited to high school, attempted to try her luck to apply for the job. Fortunately, her job qualities and resume were accepted. Right now, she is here for the final stage - an interview. If she passes the interview, she will have a secure source of money and security for the future.
-"Yes, I am here to have an interview for the job. I just hope everything will go alright." - An office lady answered with a hint of worry on her face. Despite passing through the initial stages, there is still no guarantee she will have the spot. Otherwise, all the time, all the effort, all the worry she underwent will be for nought.
-"I have confidence everything will turn out fine." - Yamasaki offered sincere words. No. It wasn't merely an attempt to cheer her up. It was a logical conclusion after several observations.
-"Thank you. Though I am not sure if everything will turn alright as I hope due to my lack of effort." - The office lady showed an appreciated expression, though she was not entirely convinced. She did everything she could to have this chance. To be fair, she had no idea what questions they would ask her, will an interviewer have a positive impression of her or not, and several other questions which were running through her head due to anxiety.
-"Is that so?" - Yamasaki replied with a casual question.
-"Yes, I managed to get this far but it is unlikely that I will get the job. My formal education is limited to high school. Just today, I couldn't do anything to help out the elder lady. Even though I tried everything I could it would haven't been for nothing if it weren't for you. If only I tried harder, this would not have happened... " - An office lady replied with a sober tone in her voice eventually getting lost in her world.
As expected, there is a more personal reason behind her altruistic behaviour. From what I observed so far, her kind-hearted, polite nature is unlikely to be a persona she projects to others. If she only wanted to project the image of a selfless individual to be in a spotlight, she would have waited for the right moment, rather than attempt to talk to the other student right away. Instead, she chose to approach him the moment the other student refused to give up his seat to an elder lady. There are several possibilities.
Is she simply a simple-minded individual?
Is it out of a sense of guilt?
Or she is simply trying to be morally righteous?
The most likely one that she was responsible for or at the very least perceives herself to be responsible for the past event that caused her to second-guess her self-image as a "worthy" or "good" person. The hesitation from earlier indicates that she experienced a life-changing event which made her question her original values and perspectives. To compensate, she would attempt to take a step further than she normally would to help others as a way to "earn" forgiveness for the past misgiving. Perhaps I am just reading too much into this. I could attempt to take a step further to learn more, but I won't delve much into this matter. It would be a shame to end an engaging conversation with such a heavy topic." - Yamasaki thought to himself after an extensive analysis. Yamasaki decided how to progress with the remainder of the conversation.
-"Is that the case?" - Yamasaki asked with a mixture of curiosity and inquiry.
-"Huh?" - an office lady not understanding the question.
-"You have eye bags, even if you tried to disguise them with make-up, which means you made preparations for an interview until late at night. The papers you have on your baggage are a resume for an interview, no? The fact that you tried your best to lend a helping hand to an elder lady even when you felt uncomfortable doing so is not what an easy-going person would do. You had no necessity or obligation to get involved, and yet you still did. That's not something a lazy or a carefree person would do either." - Yamasaki answered with a logical yet empathetic response.
Yamasaki gently took the office lady's soft, smooth hands into his palms. The office lady flinched from the sudden touch but didn't refute Yamasaki's approach to close the distance between them. Passengers were shocked by Yamasaki's bold action in public.
-"Your fingers have some scratches here and there on your nails, so it's safe to assume you did a lot of manual work for several months at the very least." - Yamasaki continued as if the outsiders' responses did not matter. Yamasaki observed the office ladies's reaction. Based on her bewildered expression, he knew he was correct, or at least close to the truth.-"I wonder what could get in the way of earning an education. The fact that you have passed the selection criteria to have a chance for an interview indicates that you possess both intellect and work ethic to succeed. The regrets you speak of don't seem to come from a lack of effort. Rather, you never had the opportunity to make a future path for yourself, am I mistaken?" - Yamasaki remarked being as both a statement and a question.
The office lady reacted with a sombre look on her expression. Yamasaki's hypothesis was spot on. After some time, the young woman decided to be honest and tell him the context behind her reason for getting a job at ANHS.
-"As you probably know, Japan underwent a dramatic change a few years ago. Japan switched from democratic governance to a meritocratic oligarchy. Right now, only those with merit are respected and have value, and those without it, are deemed worthless." the office lady proclaimed with a formal tone, although Yamasaki identified a glimpse of helplessness in her tone.
At the moment, Japan experiences multiple issues: a declining birth rate, an increase in the ageing population, environmental issues, and above all fall in Japan's power in international affairs. The former democratic system and traditional policies were insufficient to address the challenges in the Human Resources department. Hence, Japan has implemented an emergency system together with a new form of governance. A transition from democracy to meritocratic oligarchy. After high school graduation, all citizens are categorised from A-class citizen the highest threshold to D-class citizen - the lowest social status. The best of the best receive the most of the benefits. The others have to struggle for the few benefits they can secure just to get by. The root of meritocracy is filled with corruption. The remaining advantages that could have allowed the majority to make a decent living were shattered. The concept of the bare minimum equality - the equality of opportunity was shattered. One of the developmental policies the Japanese government implanted several years ago was the removal of Japanese education financially supported by the government.
-"Is that what you truly believe? You would not have intervened if you believe the person's worth is limited to their abilities alone" - Yamasaki inquired being perceptive enough to notice that the statement "only those with merit are worthy subjects of admiration, and have value" is not what the office lady truly believes.
The office lady was hesitant. She understood Yamasaki's perspective. The office lady does not believe that merit alone is the answer. But what else can she say? The reality is that only those who fortunate circumstances and a few exceptional cases have a chance to have a real chance to earn an affluent living for themselves.
-"At the very least, I don't consider you as a worthless person. You stood up for the less fortunate person. Despite having to face your setbacks you didn't turn your back on other people. Just because someone is in a problem does not mean you have to help them, and yet you still decide to act. It was indeed me who put an end to this conflict and yet it was you who took the first step. I was intrigued by your willingness to stand up and commit to such seemingly small yet no less insignificant act of kindness." - Yamasaki continued without stopping. Yamasaki gently pressed her right shoulder with his right hand and continued.
-"So please don't be so hard on yourself. What matters to me is your core being. Your core being is so beautiful and kind is not something that you can just a number or value on it. Being able to push yourself for your family from a young age and even putting aside your hopes and dreams makes you a wonderful person. I am pretty sure your family would acknowledge the courage and the kindness you displayed if they were here" - Yamasaki ended with a small smile understanding the office lady's internal, emotional turmoil.
The young lady experienced a mixture of reactions: surprise, embarrassment, and delight.
Surprise. The office lady was baffled he was able to decipher this much information regarding the context behind taking an application just from a few clues. It was not a bad thing, thought. If anything, she felt more intrigued by an individual named Yamasaki Isao and wanted to get to know him better.
Embarrassment. Even though the young woman is a few years older than him, she is still a girl. She felt self-conscious about sincere compliments by the member of the opposite sex. He wasn't just a random stranger, thought. Even though they only spoke for less than half an hour, she experienced a feeling as if they had known each other for years. The way he meant those words without an ulterior motive, resonated with her heart.
Delight. She felt overjoyed by Yamasaki's words. To the point, she teared up a bit. The truth is, that an office lady is the oldest daughter of her family. Her father left her mother when she and her little sister were just children. Coming from a lower-income family, they were barely above the make ends meet the threshold. The office lady was offered an opportunity to study at ANHS a few years ago.
She refused. Mostly, due to ANHS's no outside contact rule. Right before she accepted the invitation, her mother fell ill from pushing herself too much at working several part-time jobs. To support her ill mother and her little sister, she gave up the chance at ANHS education to support her family. She prioritises her family's well-being over her dreams. Before coming here, she had two part-time jobs to support her family. She didn't have anyone close to her other than her biological family. She felt grateful knowing that there was someone who recognised her struggles and empathised with her actions and efforts for her family.
Through emotional perception, emotional understanding, logical reasoning, and charisma, in just a few minutes, Yamasaki has managed to deepen the connection between the two of them, the way one normally would be able to do only after a couple of several weeks if not months. Under normal circumstances, one would not share their personal stories with the person they just encountered. However, coupled with the fact that an office lady was naturally people-oriented, she would naturally open up more readily than a reclusive person.
Passengers were not able to hear their conversation due to distance. What they do know is that the young man and woman engaged in an intimate dialogue for a very short period. Boys' reactions were mixed: jealousy, respect, frustration, awe. The majority of them knew they would never be able to pull off what Yamasaki just did. As such, they felt envious of his success. The others felt respect towards the young man for having the courage to be intimate with an older woman in a public area.
Girls' reactions were similar. Most girls felt second-hand self-consciousness with a hint of jealousy. Naturally, they were shocked by Yamasaki's bold action toward a girl especially someone older than him. And yet, the majority felt a twinge of jealousy for having a handsome man making the first move on them. Even though they attend the school for elites, they are still only high schoolers. Naturally, some girls would enjoy the attention of a good-looking and amicable man. On the other hand, The remaining few girls felt a sense of disgust towards Yamasaki perceiving him to be an inappropriate womaniser, with no sense of shame doing "inappropriate" actions in public.
As the office lady and the young man were in the middle of a conversation, the bus stopped towards the destination - Advanced Nurturing High School.
-"Ah! We finally arrived" - the office lady remarked taking a few steps away from Yamasaki being a little shy being in a very close distance from the opposite sex. Surprisingly, despite her mature personality and dignified appearance, she has little experience with the opposite gender.
-"So it seems..." - Yamasaki replied with a short remark. He has not even noticed how fast the time went by. I suppose when you have a pleasant time, the time goes faster.
-"Would you like to come together? It would be better to have someone to talk to" - The office lady suggested that both of them walk together through the entrance gate to their respective destinations.
-"Sure. I would like to enjoy this conversation for a little longer" - Yamasaki answered with a curt response.
-"Sure. Let's go then!" - the office lady exclaimed with a happy expression on her face.
-"Now that I think about it, I haven't caught your name." - Yamasaki suddenly remembered.-
"Oh yeah. Silly me, hehe.." - The office lady felt a little embarrassed to forget to tell such an obvious thing.
"What's wrong with you, Kasumi! He will think you are being rude! "- Mihara said to herself.
-"Kasumi. Mihara Kasumi." - Mihara responded with a small smile and a serene voice of tone.-
"Isao. Yamasaki Isao." - Yamasaki reciprocated with a small smile and a relaxed tone. After formally introducing themselves, both took a moment to recollect their thoughts before walking through the entrance gate.
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