Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 157 I Will Try My Best! [First Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets]

As soon as she said it, the tips of Yayoi Mizuna's ears turned red, so red they were almost bleeding.

She dared not look Kiryuu Yaya in the eye, lowered her head, and gripped her chopsticks tightly with her fingers.

Kiryu Yaya paused for a moment as he picked up some food, then looked up at her.

The girl lowered her head, revealing a section of fair skin on the back of her neck. Her ear tips were bright red, and she looked like a small animal hiding in its shell, so nervous that even her breathing became lighter.

He didn't rush to answer, but finished his food first, put down his chopsticks, and took a sip of miso soup.

Then, he slowly began to speak.

"Yayoi-san."

"Yes, yes!"

Mizuna Yayoi instinctively sat up straight.

Kiryu Yaya looked at her nervous expression and smiled slightly: "What's wrong with you today? Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Mizuna Yayoi's shoulders shrugged slightly, her voice barely audible, "N-nothing—it's just—it's just curiosity—"

"curious?"

Kiryu Yaya's tone carried a hint of amusement, making Yayoi Mizuna's face burn even hotter.

She stammered, "Um... it's just... senior is so busy and so amazing... I was wondering if... if...

As she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer, and the last few words were swallowed back down her throat.

Kiryu Yaya didn't ask any further questions, but simply looked at her quietly.

The noise in the cafeteria receded like the tide, and their little corner suddenly became very quiet.

After a few seconds, Yayoi Mina finally mustered up her courage and squeezed out the rest of her sentence: "Is there... someone you like?"

After speaking, the girl lowered her head, the redness at the tips of her ears spreading all the way to the base of her neck.

Just then, a semi-transparent interface popped up in front of Kiryu Yaya.

[New life options have been triggered]

[Yayoi Mizuna finally mustered the courage to ask the question that had been weighing on her mind for so long. She knew that Nakamura Yuka was in the same classroom as you, that you saw each other every day, and that her chances of winning weren't great.]

But she still wanted to ask, even if it was just a vague answer, it would put her at ease than continuing to guess.

At this moment, you have three choices.

[Fork in the road 1: Polite rejection. Tell her, "I just want to focus on my work right now and I have no interest in relationships," and gently change the subject.]

(Reward: Bank deposit increases by 5 yen: Yayoi Mina's affection level decreases)

[Branch Two: Direct Response. Honestly tell her your ideal type, using a gentle yet respectful approach to let her know you're aware of her feelings, but without making any explicit commitments.]

(Reward: Skill "Mind Perception" - When interacting with the opposite sex, you can vaguely sense their true feelings.)

[Fork in the road 3: Half-jokingly ask, "Yayoi-san, are you asking this to introduce me to a girlfriend?" This uses humor to defuse the awkwardness without being offensive or crossing any lines.]

(Reward: Bank deposit increases by 3 yen; Yayoi Mina's affection level fluctuates slightly)

Kiryu Yaya's gaze swept over the three options.

Fork one, fifty thousand yen.

A direct and clean refusal.

Mizuna Yayoi wasn't the kind of person who would pester someone without any sense of propriety; she had mustered all her courage to ask that question.

A direct refusal would be too hurtful.

Three branches, just kidding.

It sounds easy, but in today's context, it seems frivolous.

It was inappropriate for him to joke when she asked so seriously.

Branch Two: A Positive Answer.

One skill, "Mind Perception".

Kiryu Yaya looked at the skill description and his heart stirred slightly.

Perceive true emotions when interacting with the opposite sex.

In a place like a bank, where interpersonal relationships are intricate and complex, this ability—

Seems pretty good.

Moreover, he did have something he wanted to say to her.

Kiryu Yaya tilted his head, then said quite naturally, "The person I like—"

'

Mizuna Yayoi paused for a moment.

"If we're talking about specific individuals, there aren't any right now."

Mizuna Yayoi's heart skipped a beat.

No.

She couldn't quite describe how she felt at that moment.

It felt like a sigh of relief, or like a slight emptiness in a certain part of my heart.

"but""

Kiryu Yaya suddenly changed the subject, and Yayoi Mizuna's heart tightened again.

If you're asking what type of girl you like...

He paused for a moment, his gaze falling on the top of her lowered head.

"I probably already have an idea in my mind."

Mizuna Yayoi dared not raise her head, dared not move, and dared not even breathe.

Seeing Mizuna's state, Kiryu Yaya smiled and then pretended to think carefully: "First of all, she has to be a serious person."

"It's not the kind of earnestness that just says 'I'll work hard' and then forgets about it the next day, but the kind that takes every day and every task seriously."

"This is the kind of person you can trust for a lifetime."

Mizuna Yayoi blinked, feeling that she matched her senior's description, yet not quite.

"Secondly"

Kiryu Yaya continued, "She has to be someone who can cook."

"Of course, this is not because I can't cook, nor is it because I'm lazy."

He paused, then continued, "It's because I feel that when someone is willing to spend time cooking for another person, that in itself is a clumsy but sincere expression."

"Buying vegetables, washing vegetables, chopping vegetables, seasoning, cooking time, plating — every step cannot be rushed or omitted."

"The intention of someone who is willing to do these things every day is more valuable than anything else."

Mizuna Yayoi's eyes suddenly felt hot.

She recalled how she would get up every morning, stand in the kitchen for an hour, pack each dish into a lunchbox, and then carefully put it into a cloth bag.

She never said these things to her seniors.

But it seems like the senior knows everything.

After saying that, Kiryu Yaya nodded, looking self-assured: "These are probably the two most important points."

After saying these two points, Kiryu Yaya did not continue.

He picked up the miso soup and took another sip, his expression calm and natural.

"senior."

Mizuna Yayoi spoke softly, with a slight nasal tone.

Kiryu Yaya put down his chopsticks and looked at her.

Without looking up, she said softly, "Um—we're going to Kyoto tomorrow—I'll be a good guide."

Kiryu Yaya chuckled and said, "Then I'll leave it to you."

"Um.

""

As mealtime ended, people in the cafeteria began to get up one after another.

The two of them stood up one after the other.

Kiryu Yaya smiled and said, "Thank you for the treat."

Yayoi Mizuna smiled gently, put the bento box into her cloth bag, tied the knot, and stood up.

"Senior, I'll head back to the sales department now."

"Um.

""

She took a couple of steps carrying the cloth bag, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, "I will try my best to follow those two points you mentioned, senior!"

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