Chapter 6

Indeed.

The competition for just two spots was more intense and frightening than ever.

“Hello, Vivi? We don’t see each other much because we’re on different floors, right? I’m Scarlett, working in the 3rd-floor reference room…”

“Vivi. We had lunch together last time, remember? No? Think carefully. I was sitting right behind you at lunch two days ago.”

Not only from the reading room but also women working in the reference room or office heard the rumors and came to her.

She wanted to offer them her spot, but Julia insisted that since the spot was created because of her, she had to go.

“Just to be clear, you’re not planning to go like that, are you?”

Finally, the workday ended, and she was taking off her work clothes in the break room. Julia looked at her with a dissatisfied gaze.

“What else do I have to do?”

“Look at Katrina and Georgia. That’s the basics, Vivi.”

“What is?”

“Makeup! Makeup! Were you planning to go with a bare face?”

She looked at Katrina and Georgia, who were sitting in front of the mirror, fully made up. They were the civil servants from the 2nd-floor administration office who secured the remaining two spots.

“Since we can’t wear pretty clothes, we should at least put on makeup. Especially since you’re the face of our library! This won’t do.”

“W-wait a minute!”

Julia dragged her to the mirror. Katrina and Georgia approached her with cosmetics in hand. They were determined to apply makeup on her face too.

“Close your eyes!”

“Pucker your lips!”

“Turn your head a bit.”

She had to follow the orders flying at her. She tightly closed her eyes. Something strange touched her. The texture was different every time, which was scary.

“Is it over now?”

She was finally able to open her eyes after sitting obediently for a long time.

“Vivi. You’re very beautiful, aren’t you?”

Julia looked at her face and smiled brightly.

“You’re really pretty!”

“I’m a bit jealous.”

They dragged her forward. Unlike the seniors who praised her, she felt awkward seeing herself in the mirror. 

Was it okay to paint my lips this red?

“Don’t sneakily erase the color! Let’s go!”

Julia grabbed her arm as she fiddled around her eyes. She finally tidied her hair that reached down to her chest.

As they descended the stairs, they saw the men standing in front of the library’s main entrance. Maybe because they were in the navy, they were all tall and slender.

Katrina and Georgia tapped her back.

“What’s this, Vivi? Aren’t they way too handsome! Even more than I expected!”

“If I knew this, I would have stopped by a store at lunchtime to get a pretty dress……!”

“It hurts, seniors.”

She grimaced slightly and walked forward. From the angle, Sir Costance’s face, which had been obscured, finally came into view.

Even though she saw him in the morning, for some reason, his appearance seemed unfamiliar. She soon realized that his hairstyle had changed.

He had exposed his forehead. Vivi’s jaw dropped. 

Could it be that he exposed his forehead just because of what I said? The timing was eerily perfect to deny it.

“Georgia! Look at Sir Costance’s hair.”

The seniors discovered Sir Costance’s hair belatedly and admired it.

It really suited him well. He always covered his forehead with bangs, so she didn’t know what shape it was… God unfairly gave him a beautiful forehead too.

Sir Costance, who usually had a youthful face, looked much more mature and sophisticated just by revealing his forehead.

Looking closely, the buttons on his shirt, which had been perfectly done up during the day, were now undone by two or three.

His subtly visible skin was more suggestive than if he had taken off his top entirely.

“Oh? Manager Lance, it seems the ladies have finished their work!”

One of the men turned his head. He saw them and waved his hand in the air to express his delight.

The seniors swallowed their screams and hid their excitement.

“You came early. You didn’t wait long, did you?”

Julia asked, and the man who seemed to be in charge shook his head.

“No, we just arrived as well.”

It seemed that that man was Manager Lance.

“That’s a relief. Oh, these two are civil servants who work with Vivi and me at the library.”

“I see. Shall we do the detailed introductions once we get inside the restaurant? The jazz café we mentioned in the morning is quite popular, so the seats fill up quickly.”

“Sure.”

Manager Lance and Julia seemed to get along well as their conversation flowed smoothly. The other two seniors paired up with the blonde man and the youngest man.

That left her with Sir Costance.

Even if paired up, she wanted to avoid Sir Costance. Especially since he had been staring at her intensely since earlier, making her uncomfortable.

“Uh…”

She cautiously opened her mouth.

“Is there something on my face?”

“Oh.”

Sir Costance blushed slightly, looking surprised.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…”

“No, if there’s something on my face, please let me know. I’ll wipe it off quickly.”

“Well, it’s your lips……”

Was there really something on my lips? 

She hurriedly brushed her lips with her fingers, but nothing came off.

She was about to take out a handkerchief to wipe off the lip color when it happened.

“No.”

Sir Costance grabbed her wrist.

“…Sir?”

“There’s nothing on your face, so you don’t have to wipe it.”

“Pardon?”

“Actually, it’s the first time I’ve seen you with makeup, so my eyes kept going to you.”

She wondered if the makeup looked strange.

“I’m sorry. Is it weird?”

“It’s so beautiful that I can’t take my eyes off you.”

Sir Costance casually uttered embarrassing words.

“If my gaze made you uncomfortable or uneasy, I won’t look until you permit me.”

Contrary to his words, his gaze didn’t leave her. He was staring at her like someone truly entranced. His deep eyes captured her face without reservation.

“Y-you don’t have to go that far.”

She stammered.

“Still, I made you uncomfortable.”

“I was just a bit flustered.”

She subtly erased the lip color with a handkerchief. Realizing this, Sir Costance didn’t say anything and smiled bitterly.

“Oh, we’ve arrived.”

In the meantime, they reached the jazz café. It was a large café located along the road crossing the Square.

The exterior was neat and clean. As they got closer, a rich, delicious aroma wafted from inside. The café lived up to its name, with lively jazz music playing.

As rumored, it was a popular place, with most seats filled. Luckily, the one remaining table was theirs.

“As a jazz café, they sell coffee and alcohol, but you can also have a meal here. Shall we start with dinner?”

Manager Lance seemed familiar with the place and naturally recommended dishes.

There were a few unfamiliar dishes, but mostly they were familiar, so ordering wasn’t difficult.

After quickly placing their orders and while the staff set up the table, they continued the introductions they hadn’t finished earlier.

“I’m the Logistics Department Manager at the Fleet Command Headquarters.”

Manager Lance, with short brown hair and dark skin, was said to be in his early 30s.

“I’m Elvin, working under Manager Lance. I’ve known Costance since our cadet days.”

The man who had been playful from the start was named Elvin. With typical blond hair and blue eyes, he wasn’t a strikingly handsome man but had a pleasant, decent-looking face.

His rank was the same as Sir Costance’s, a captain, but he was senior in terms of class.

Manager Lance added that Elvin was the ‘mood maker.’

“I’m Costance Dieter Orsi, from the Operations Department.”

Sir Costance introduced himself next. It was the first time Vivi learned he was part of the Operations Department.

Following him, the youngest, Finn, also said he worked in the Operations Department with Sir Costance. Among them, Finn mentioned that being the youngest officer in the Operations Department came with many challenges.

“Vivi too.”

But Julia caught onto that right away.

“Our Vivi is also the youngest. So she has quite a few challenges too. Come to think of it, Lieutenant, you and Vivi suit each other quite well, don’t you think?”

Julia blatantly tried to pair her with Finn.

“Captains have their challenges too.”

It was Costance who poured cold water on the atmosphere.

“Also, just because he’s the youngest doesn’t mean he has a lot of work. Captains have the most work.”

After saying that, Sir Costance put down the cup. As the atmosphere turned awkward, Elvin burst into exaggerated laughter.

“Haha! That’s right. Captains do have it tough. Lots of challenges. Oh, would you like to introduce yourself now, ladies?”

With Elvin’s request, Julia said her name first.

Unlike the men who had introduced themselves briefly and simply, Julia started from her hometown and even shared what her siblings did. The other two seniors did the same.

“Then lastly, Vivi.”

It was her turn now. Then, Sir Costance, who had been sulking the whole time, showed some liveliness.

“It’s Vivi’s turn to introduce herself.”