The Force of Gravity ✅

Chapter Five

Tora watched Junichiro from across the living room, frowning deeply. He was nonchalantly scrolling through his phone, doing nothing to acknowledge her existence.

One week. It's been one week since his high school sweetheart started working for him, and he appears to be unchanged by it. I expected him to look stressed  all the time, unable to eat. But he's acting no differently. It can't be because he doesn't care about her anymore...can it?

Tora looked away and snapped her teeth. He's a consummate professional though, and Miori Chibana is now his subordinate. I guess doing ANYTHING with her would go against his nature. But...

"I'm surprised you're still here," Junichiro said, not looking up from his phone.

"Eh?" Tora looked at him in surprise.

"I'm surprised that you're still hanging around here, Tora," Junichiro said, finally looking up at her. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

Tora glared at him and breathed sharply through her nose. "This is my home, too," she said sharply. "This condominium is a marital asset, Junichiro. I will not be giving it up so easily."

"Why do you care when you spend most nights elsewhere?"

"Say," Tora interjected, standing up from the couch. "I heard you had new hires at work, Junichiro. Are they adjusting well?"

Junichiro moved not a hair, and there was no change to his expression. "Of course. But why do you suddenly care about my business affairs?"

"Oh, no reason," Tora said dismissively. "Just trying to make pleasant conversation is all."

"Well, don't. There's no point in us pretending Tora."

Tora frowned at him in silence. "I have to make a phone call," he said, standing up. "Why don't you do both of us a favor and go and see your new boyfriend for the night, hmm?"

"All right," Tora responded. "It will be nice to be with a man who can make my knees quake."

He didn't like that comment. She saw his frown deepen as he left the living room and headed into his office. The sweetness of her small victory only lasted a few short seconds though.

I don't know when he plans on springing divorce papers on me, but I can't see Kei until I can work everything out. It's bad enough Junichiro has that recording of us, I can't have anyone catch me in person with Kei. In order for me to win in this...I need Junichiro to be caught in person with Miori Chibana.

Tora rubbed a hand over her face as she contemplated her options. She sat in silence alone for a long time, before an idea came to her. With a soft giggle, she pulled out her cell phone and made a call. "It's me," she answered the recipient of her call. "How would you like to make 67,000 yen?"

~*~

May 13th, 2027

Miori looked up from her work to rub at her eyes wearily. She glanced at her watch and swallowed thickly. 19:21. Forty more minutes to go...

She did not know how this happened, but there she was, taking on overtime that she never volunteered for. It was a reminder of the issues their whole department was having with their Section Chief Bando, and his obliviousness at his own hearing loss.

"I need one of you to stay until 8 o'clock tonight," Bando had announced that morning. "There is paperwork that needs to be filed by tonight. It's not a large workload, so one of you alone should be enough to do it."