[Secret Love in the Office] ~Another Story~ At a certain company, a welcome party is held to build relations between the new team. The members of the same department include Shin, Marchia, Seras, and Leeya, and little by little they start to open up to each other…-.

Spring, the season of new meetings…-.

Even at a certain company, new employees and changes in personnel have led to a new team being formed, and those members meet up for a welcome party.

As the server brings over new plates of food, newcomer Marchia smiles.

Marchia: “The next round of skewers is here! I want to make some room for it, do you mind if I have your leftover salad?”

Still holding the plates, Marchia speaks to the person beside him: the chief of their team, Shin.

But Shin simply shakes his head, holding his sake cup.

Shin: “You can have it.”

Marchia: “Um, Chief… are you just going to eat sesame dango?”

Shin simply pours himself another cup of sake, neither confirming nor denying Marchia’s question.

Seras: “Oh come on Chief, you’re ruinin’ the mood for the newbies.”

Seras takes the sake bottle from Shin and pours his own drink.

Seras: “Ya know, the Chief here’s picky like a little kid when it comes to food. But he’s super dependable, so now’s your time to flatter him, got it?”

Marchia: “Flatter him?”

Leeya: “Seras, that ain’t funny.”

Seras: “Don’t y’all know what this combo of sesame dango and flattery would mean…? It’s your chance to reach for the top. Though I might be lyin’.”

As Seras and Leeya go back and forth, Shin simply watches over them while supplementing his sake with the sesame dango.

Given the familiarity with which the others interact, Marchia peers into the cup in Shin’s hand.

Marchia: “Hey Chief~ watcha drinking?”

Shin: “It’s… I forgot. It’s just what I always drink.”

Shin, his face completely red, holds the bottle out for Marchia.

Lifting up his empty sake cup in confusion, Marchia immediately takes a sip of the poured sake.

Marchia: “! Chief, this stuff is super strong…! Is it alright for me to drink the same stuff as you?”

Marchia, surprised at the flavor, asks Shin his question, to which Shin wordlessly presses the button to summon a server.

Leeya: “Haa… I can’t believe I ended up in the same department as Seras. I was worried about it for a while, but we haven’t drank like this in a long time.”

Seras just shrugs his shoulders with a vaguely concerned expression as Leeya seems to be enjoying himself.

Seras: “Just thinking about looking after you is bumming me out… what should I make you for lunch tomorrow?”

Leeya: “Chief, can I have some of those dango?”

Shin: “I don’t mind.”

Seras: “That’s quite the straight man act you’ve got goin’! How about I make you a bento like a loving wife then!?”

Marchia: “Here Seras, you want another beer?”

As Seras drains the last of his mug, Marchia hands him the drink menu.

Shin: “I’m glad that you all could join the team. So once again, welcome to the team.”

Shin gives his welcome speech while lifting up his sake cup in a toast, and the rest raise their cups and mugs in response with happy expressions.

On this relaxing spring night, the workers enjoy their time together late into the night.

END