Chapter 5: Sudden incentive

They arrived at the corporate center and was greeted multiple times. They were shown to a conference room reserve for VIPs at the 7th floor.

"Are you hungry Koito-san? We have some snacks here but if you want something heavy, we can order something from the restaurant below."

"No, I am not really hungry."

"How about a drink?"

"Water if you have?"

"Hmmn we have juice too if you want?"

"Water is fine." She said standing close to Sayaka. The tall girl pours some to a slender crystal-clear glass. "Even your glasses are fancy." She said nervously.

"Relax Yuu. Here." Sayaka gave her the glass. Yuu drink it immediately.

"I am being a nuisance instead of support, huh?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, you are taking care of me instead of relaxing till your father arrives."

"No this is nothing. If anything, you are relaxing me more than you know. Come, let's sit and tell me about your middle school experiences while we wait."

Before the little girl can utter a word, the conference room door opens and reveal a sleek looking guy with round glasses wearing a three-piece black suit and tie and impeccable leather shoes. Yuu deduced that he is in the middle age and thought he was Sayaka's father, so she stands up and bow. Sayaka on the other hand remained seated.

"Ah Lady Sayaka, you arrived." Looking at Yuu he added. "And with a friend."

"Yeah, this is Koito Yuu, a friend from school. Koito-san this is Watanabe-san, my father's assistant."

Watanabe bowed "It is a pleasure to meet you Koito-sama." Once again Yuu just bowed still bewildered with the honorific attached to her name. "Very well," Watanabe clear his throat. "Your father is in another meeting and will be here in one hour. Please feel free to show your friend around in the meantime."

"You make me come here immediately only to wait?"

"Now, now Lady Sayaka. I am not in control of your father's colleagues' actions. The meeting came suddenly as he was walking out of his office."

Sayaka look over to Yuu. "You want to explore or stay here?"

"Explore" Yuu said with a smile.

"Fine" Sayaka said standing up.

She led Yuu over to some departments. Avoiding accounting and HR and instead walk a long way to the designing team. She shows her different materials they use from textiles to kinds of fabrics to metals and paints. Yuu was in awe the whole time. Sayaka goes to an open terminal and log in. She then proceeded to show Yuu pictures of the designs she drew, the material specifications and what it looks like on the actual car.

"Wow" was Yuu's constant remark.

While in the middle of explaining why she sometimes use Alcantara, Sayaka was interrupted by Watanabe.

"Lady Sayaka, your father wanted to apologize, it seems the meeting is taking longer than expected. If you wished to go home, he promised to make it up to you. And he did tell me the assignment he wants you to do over the weekend. And if you so choose to accept. He will pay for an all-expense weekend with your friend Koito-sama to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at your chosen time. He also said that you can buy anything you want."

Her father knows that she read Harry Potter religiously while growing up. He is pulling out all the stops. Sayaka can do that anytime she wants and pay for it herself. But her father seems to be happy that she brought a friend with her for the first time. She hadn't brought Touko to the corporate center since she always seems to be busy and Touko doesn't have the audacity or the sincerity that Yuu had when she asks to come with her today.

"What is the assignment?"

"You will need to go to the Osaka branch and talk to the design team there. He wants to make sure they are happy since we are in the middle of some merger negotiations."

According to the meeting she attended a few days ago. Luxury airplanes and yachts manufacturers are thinking of adapting the designs they have done with cars. Her family's company will plunge into a worldwide major leagues if this push through. This assignment is too important. Her father really believes in her.

"Oh, and you can also bring your friend with you. If you like."

Sayaka looks over to Yuu. She knows this puts the girl on the spot. But her mind is already planning the visit.

"A Saturday dinner with the design team and maybe include their family or close friends as a treat?" She asks Watanabe.

"Precisely, Lady Sayaka." Said the assistant. Overjoyed at the wit of his master's daughter. "You have Sunday to explore the city. And with Monday being a holiday, you can stay till afternoon and not worry about being back to school."

"What do you think Koito-san?"

"You want to bring me?"

"Well, I can't actually defy my father, can I?"

"He said, if you like."

"You have to read between the lines, kiddo." Sayaka replied putting her forefinger and thumb on her chin. Her father never suggests anything without context. Sayaka had come out to her family years ago. To her father's point of view, since she brought Yuu with her to the office, she must be an important person for Sayaka. Which means that bringing Yuu is an added incentive for her. 'Clever, clever man.' She looks at Watanabe and the smile on his face all but confirms it. Not that Sayaka mind. Yuu had entertained her in the course of the time they had spent together. She knows that it will be a fun weekend. If it is with Touko, it would have been perfect. But she knows she will be way more distracted. And she really wants to make her father proud even without all those rewards. "So, what do you think?"

"I uh…"

"I know it is too much to ask. You can talk to your parents about it when you get home. And if you feel uncomfortable about it, I will understand." Looking back to Watanabe. "Please tell my father, I accept, and I will talk with him at home. I will go now. I don't want my friend to be out so late."

"Very well ma'am." Watanabe bowed with a pleased smile.

"Also, please send invitation cards to the Osaka design team and include that they can bring friends and family if they can give us a headcount." Sayaka said while logging out of the terminal. "Reserve a restaurant for the night. Send me the details tomorrow if you can. Please, also send me their profiles I want to know the lay of the land, so to speak."

"As you wish, Lady Sayaka." Watanabe bowed again.

With that she gestures for Yuu to follow her back to the conference room where they left their school bags before exploring. Yuu bowed goodbye to Watanabe and jog to friend's side.

They are back inside the car and Yuu still hadn't spoken a word. Sayaka took it to herself to put Yuu's seatbelt again since the girl seems to be distracted the whole time.

"Koito-san, if you are not okay with the offer, you don't need to go. My father is just being generous with me."

"Generous?"

"Yeah, he is happy I finally have a friend I am comfortable with that I bring her to the office."

"Comfortable?"

"Can't you tell? And I won't tease you if you are not my friend. Also, you are fun to be around with."

"Fun?"

"Will you keep saying adjectives or actually accepts or decline the offer?"

"Hey, give me a break. This is all too much to absorb."

Sayaka laughs. "If you could whine like that then it means you understand fully. Will you go or not?"

"It just all happen so fast, you know. One minute I just walking with my crush on our way out of school. Then I am riding a fancy car, learning more about how awesome she really is. Then dive into an international corporate center and my mind is about to explode on how much cooler she becomes. Then being invited to an all-expense paid trip to Osaka and on top of that a trip to the Wizarding World as well? It was like a genie appears out of nowhere and gave me all the wishes before I could even say 'whaaaaaat'." Yuu rambles while shaking her head with both hands on the side of her face.

Sayaka is holding her stomach from laughing so hard.

"I am so happy I amused you." Yuu said sarcastically.

"Oh, that you did. From day one." She said laugher still ensuing.

"Day one?"

"The time we meet at the music room window."

Yuu blushed like she had never blushed before. And this made Sayaka's laugh out loud again.

"You still remember that?"

Sayaka tries to wipe the tears on her eyes with one hand as the other still holds her stomach. "How can I forget." She said trying to calm down. "You said some sweet words to me that stunned me then run away without introducing yourself."

"And my shame is amusing to you?" she said with a pout. Sayaka force herself to calm down completely. She knows what it's like to admire someone and be hurt afterward.

"I know that the things you said were from your heart. That you are sincere. But the way you run away looking flustered is just adorable. It amused me because you are so cute." She said patting Yuu's hair. "You are the source of all my laughter all day. You just witness it now in all its glory. I can't even remember the last time I laugh that hard if at all.

Yuu is blushing again.

"And don't think that I missed you saying that I am your crush, a few minutes ago."

Yuu's eyes widen, blush extending to her whole face, ears, and neck. And turn to face the window covering her face with her hands. Sayaka tried her hardest not to laugh at this reaction. 'It is just so adorable.' She let the girl have her moment. But after a few minutes she can't have the girl not talk to her.

"Yuu, can I call you Yuu?" The girl didn't respond. "Hey, please don't be shy. It's okay. I had crushes too. It is normal to have crushes."

"I didn't just blurt that out, didn't I? I am dreaming. Tell me I am dreaming."

"I hope not. It is nice to know that you admire me like that."

"Like I was being subtle about it, right?"

"No, you are not being subtle about it. It is part of your charm." Sayaka said nonchalantly.

"The answer is, yes." Yuu said letting her hands fall to her lap and face Sayaka.

"Yes to what?"

"Yes, I will go to the trip with you. If I can help you in any way. I will ask my parents about it. And yes, you can call me Yuu."

"Then call me Sayaka." She said smiling at her delightful kōhai.

"Can I get your number, Sayaka-senpai?"