Hanae stood in front of the building, coffee in hand—actual coffee, black and bitter, not the overpriced latte Kenji had always insisted she drink because "it's more sophisticated." The morning sun caught the white glass and steel, making it gleam like something holy despite the construction crews working to repair the damage from her entrance.
Three days. That's all it had taken for the video to go viral. Forty-seven million views. Countless think pieces. Her face plastered across every gossip site and news outlet in Japan. The Kurosawa name—which had faded from public consciousness during her six-year absence—was suddenly everywhere again.
"Boss." Takeshi emerged from the building, still wearing his white chef's jacket but with a tactical vest over it now. The juxtaposition was absurd and somehow perfect. "The contractors are asking about the lobby. Do you want them to restore it to the original design or—"
