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Chapter 18 – Conversations in the Quiet Morning
The Koenigsegg glided smoothly along the morning highway, its engine humming softly beneath the calm air. The golden sunlight broke through the trees, scattering light across the windshield as Ayanokoji and Suzune sat in silence.
Neither knew what to say.
The quiet between them wasn't uncomfortable, but it carried an unspoken tension — two people from very different worlds, trying to find a point of connection.
After nearly three minutes, Ayanokoji spoke first.
> "So, Miss Horikita… how is work treating you?"
Suzune turned slightly, her tone polite and composed.
> "It's going well, Mr. Ayanokoji. Ever since your company partnered with ours, many others have started making deals with us too. Thanks to that, our business has stabilized — and my team doesn't face many problems anymore."
A faint smile crossed Ayanokoji's face as he kept his eyes on the road.
> "I see. That's good to hear."
The car drifted smoothly around a gentle curve, and for a moment, all that could be heard was the soft rhythm of the engine. Then Ayanokoji glanced briefly at her.
> "Why don't you tell me about yourself?"
Suzune blinked, a little surprised by the question.
> "About myself? I… don't think there's anything particularly interesting to say."
> "That's fine," Ayanokoji replied, his tone calm but sincere. "I'm still interested."
Suzune hesitated, then sighed quietly and looked out the window. The trees blurred by like pages of an old memory.
> "Well… my middle school life was normal. Nothing special. I didn't really have any friends — I preferred being alone."
"When I entered high school, I went to the Advanced Nurturing High School… ANHS."
Ayanokoji raised an eyebrow slightly.
> "ANHS? That's an elite institution, isn't it?"
> "Yes," she said with a faint nod. "But I was placed in Class D… the class everyone called the worst."
Her voice softened as she spoke, like she was remembering something distant.
"I tried my best to move up, to become better. But no matter what I did, I failed. In the end, I spent most of my school life alone too."
Ayanokoji didn't interrupt — he simply listened.
> "After graduation," Suzune continued, "I joined my family's business and started as a small manager. I worked hard, took on more projects, and eventually reached my current position. That's… about it, really."
Ayanokoji glanced at her again before returning his eyes to the road.
> "So," he said quietly, "no fun in middle school or high school. Not even friends?"
Suzune shook her head slowly.
> "No… not really."
> "I see," Ayanokoji said. Then, after a pause, he asked, "What about your love life?"
Suzune's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't expected that kind of question from him. But when she looked at his expression, she found no trace of mockery — only calm curiosity.
> "I never even had a crush," she admitted softly. "Some boys did confess to me, but I rejected them."
> "Why?" Ayanokoji asked.
Suzune looked down, her fingers gently brushing against her lap.
> "They were immature. Loud. Always trying to show off, thinking they could impress me."
"But in the end, it was obvious they weren't interested in me as a person. They just saw a quiet girl and assumed she'd be easy to win over."
Ayanokoji nodded slightly.
> "I see."
For a moment, silence filled the car again — but it wasn't awkward this time. It was thoughtful.
Suzune stared out the window, her expression distant. She didn't know why she was telling him all this, but something about Ayanokoji's calm presence made it feel… safe.
Ayanokoji, meanwhile, studied her from the corner of his eye. There was honesty in her voice — the kind that came from experience and solitude. She reminded him so much of someone he once knew, someone who used to sit quietly by his side, speaking with that same calm sincerity.
He shook the thought away.
Soon, they reached the Horikita Corporation building. Ayanokoji pulled the car smoothly into the driveway and parked near the front entrance.
Suzune unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to him with a small, polite smile.
> "Thank you very much for the ride, Mr. Ayanokoji. I really appreciate it."
Ayanokoji gave a short nod.
> "It's fine. Don't worry about it."
He paused for a moment, then added quietly,
> "See you another time, Miss Horikita."
Suzune nodded gently.
> "Yes. See you."
She stepped out of the car and walked toward the glass doors of her company building. As she disappeared inside, Ayanokoji leaned back in his seat for a brief moment, his gaze fixed on where she had stood.
> No love, no friends, no joy… he thought silently. Why does she remind me so much of her?
He started the engine again, and the car glided away toward the Ayanokoji Empire tower — but his mind wasn't on business anymore.
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