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Chapter 13 — New Responsibilities
Morning came quiet and bright over the Horikita house. Suzune woke with the same focused calm she always had, sliding out of bed and checking her notes once more before getting dressed. I have to do even better now, she thought, folding her papers into place.
Downstairs, Manabu was already at the table, scanning figures and muttering to himself. When Suzune entered, he looked up and offered a tired smile. "Good morning. Breakfast is almost ready — come sit."
Suzune nodded and took her seat. Breakfast these days felt different — lighter, less clouded by worry. Their mother bustled in carrying a steaming plate. "I made breakfast myself," she announced, pride evident in her voice.
"You always cook the best, Mom," Suzune replied, accepting the plate. Her mother hugged her quickly; the gesture was small but it warmed Suzune more than the food did.
Manabu chuckled and nudged her lightly. "Your cooking's getting close to Mom's level, Suzune."
She smiled, grateful, and swallowed the lump of nerves forming in her throat. This success had changed everything, but she still felt the weight of what lay ahead.
After breakfast they climbed into the car. Manabu glanced at her as he drove. "Don't just stay in your old manager role today. Come with me to the office — I'm thinking of creating a new department dedicated to our partnership with Ayanokoji. You'll head it."
Suzune blinked, surprised. "Me? Are you sure?"
"You told me Ayanokoji insisted you be the one to handle the deal," Manabu said. "If he trusts you, so do I. You should lead this. I'll support you."
Suzune swallowed and straightened. "I understand. I'll do my best."
The city slid by in a blur. At the company, they walked straight to Manabu's office and spent the next hour refining plans for the new department — structure, personnel needs, short-term targets, and reporting lines. They argued, adjusted projections, and finally nodded in agreement that the proposal was solid.
A sharp knock interrupted them. Manabu called, "Enter."
The same woman who had once thrown water at Suzune swept into the room, chin raised and smirk firmly in place. She addressed Manabu with theatrical concern. "Mr. Horikita — with this new deal, we should remove any dead weight. Miss Horikita has been off-duty for three days and ignoring orders. It would be best to let her go now before she causes trouble."
Her words dripped with satisfaction as she looked at Suzune. The implication hung in the air: Suzune was expendable.
Manabu's face remained unreadable for a moment, then he spoke, measured. "You're suggesting we fire someone who secured our most important deal?"
The woman sniffed. "Yes. She's not competent. She couldn't possibly have done it on her own."
Something in Suzune shifted — not rage, but a cold clarity. She stepped forward. "I wasn't 'off duty.' I was working to secure the deal with Mr. Ayanokoji. I went to represent the company in person."
The woman's smirk faltered. "That's impossible. You couldn't—"
"Enough." Manabu's voice snapped like a blade. "You are fired."
"W-what? You can't—" She sputtered, incredulous.
Suzune didn't waste words. The memory of the water on her blouse burned in her chest. Without hesitation she lifted the glass of water sitting on Manabu's desk and tipped it toward the woman — not angrily, but with the same blunt directness that had defined her all morning.
The woman froze as cold water soaked the front of her blouse. For a second there was silence — then a sharp intake of breath and a shriek of outrage.
"You threw water at me!" she barked, furious and humiliated.
Suzune met her eyes. "You threw water on me first," she said quietly. "You called it a mistake and laughed. That's not how I am. Learn to respect people, or leave."
Manabu stood, stepping between them. "Get out. Now. Before I have you escorted off the premises."
The woman, red-faced and sputtering, stormed out without another word. The door slammed behind her, leaving a tense quiet in the office.
Manabu let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and looked at Suzune, surprise and something softer mixed in his features. "Why didn't you tell me you were being bullied like that?"
Suzune smoothed her sleeve and gave a small, wry smile. "I wanted to handle it myself."
Manabu's lips twitched into a proud smirk. "Good. You handled it well. From now on, you won't have to face them alone."
Suzune nodded. The day had started as another trial, but it had ended with a clear step forward: responsibility, authority, and — for the first time — a sense that she was not entirely alone in the fight.
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