The sound of a bra being unhooked by unfamiliar hands seemed deafeningly loud, and her body trembled finely at the stranger’s fingers that traced over her skin as her underwear rustled to the floor.

How long they had known each other didn’t matter. The only acceptable action was to greedily savor and fill that pristine whiteness with red.

Freshly bloomed anticipation lacks substance like smoke, yet remains red and taut.

We examined each other with eyes fresh as newly picked fruit, expecting the sweetness its flesh would yield.

In that moment of union, I realized something. That there had been an emptiness I hadn’t known before. Perhaps the reason men and women desire each other is simpler than we think…”

They say art stirs the heart while obscenity stirs the loins.

Yet this writing stirred both heart and loins.

It approached gently, clung persistently, then pulled away with a startled gasp. Those small lips that pressed against his again while breathing urgently excited him.

While lips were his favorite part of a woman’s body, there was something more.

The sensation of her approaching only to pull back a beat later, clumsily trying to escape—that lingering feeling intensified the afterglow.

How strange.

Gray smiled bitterly.

He tried to convince himself that the sweet taste from those lips was merely the flavor of fine liquor they had drunk just before their encounter. After checking for a few typos, he promptly approved the column.

* * *

After this issue of “Troublesome” magazine was published, the publishing house was flooded with inquiries.

— Do you have any copies left in stock?

— Are you planning to print a second edition?

An emergency meeting was called at the magazine office.

The issue had completely sold out, and they needed to understand why readers kept calling with inquiries.

“The adult product included as a supplement played a part in this success.”

“The sexy photoshoot of actress Julia featured as a special article also contributed.”

Louis and Benjamin promoted their own articles, not wanting Debbie to receive all the credit. The editor-in-chief clapped his hands to summarize the situation.

“Anyway, since this issue has been incredibly popular, let’s make sure the next issue is just as good. Debbie, how’s your new column coming along?”

Debbie’s face turned pale at Gray’s question.

“Well…”

Reporter Benjamin interrupted loudly.

“Debbie, we’ve been getting calls from people curious about the woman Miss Patch interviewed. Who was she really? You can tell just us. Your first experience story was more exciting than most erotic novels. People are asking if it was really a first experience and talking about a sequel.”

Hmm.

Debbie couldn’t admit it was her own experience. It was too embarrassing.

“Do I… really need to interview that person again? Couldn’t I interview someone else?”

She had successfully sold her first experience to earn a month’s salary, but the thought of having to sell another experience to earn her next paycheck felt shameful.

Moreover, whoever had spent that night with her had likely read the magazine.

‘I’m dying of embarrassment.’

The exaggerated, cringe-worthy first experience story filled her column might have seemed more comical than any comedy to him.

If he were to reveal that her first experience, gilded with flowery language, was false, she would want to crawl into a hole and disappear.

Fortunately, since he wanted to hide his identity, he wouldn’t point it out openly. Whether he would gossip about it with other employees was another matter.

At this point, she hoped he really was the phantom thief. That way, for his own sake, he would bury their secret forever.

“Why? The response hasn’t been bad,” Team Leader Louis said.

“Well… the original concept was… to explore different perspectives.”

“There were many questions about whether those two started dating, whether physical intimacy led to emotional attachment. A romance between an inexperienced young woman and a skilled partner—many readers say their burnt-out desire for romance was reignited by that column.”

Benjamin chimed in.

“You didn’t just make it up, did you? It was a real interview, right? People are questioning if it’s true. If you’re going to interview someone else, connect them with me. Let me do the reporting.”

Ack!

Debbie barely managed to suppress a scream that threatened to escape.

‘Fiction? It was just a one-night story! Are you treating it like a real romance interview?’

She almost blurted out her inner thoughts.

Cough! Cough!

The conversation flow was interrupted from an unexpected direction. Gray, who had been hacking repeatedly, waved his hand dismissively.

His face had turned red all the way to his ears. When everyone’s attention turned to him, he acted irritably.

“Let’s see how the market responds first. Debbie, submit a new interview proposal to me. Louis and Benjamin, continue with the proposals you submitted before—they’re usable, so proceed with parts two and three and report back.”

Louis and Benjamin protested with incredulous expressions.

“Editor-in-chief, are you telling us to pass up this great story opportunity?”

“They say strike while the iron is hot. The column’s response wasn’t bad, so shouldn’t we push forward with it?”

But Gray cut them off with his characteristically cold voice.

“I’ll handle that at my discretion. Why? Not happy with your assigned section? Should I reassign it to someone else?”

“That’s not it, but…”

Benjamin replied with a disgruntled voice. Debbie unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.

Just once. It was just one deviation from the norm.

Even if the response was better than expected, she had no reason to date that man, nor could she find new partners each time to write about those experiences.

That wasn’t the kind of response Debbie wanted.

Having to use s*x as a means to write stories each time was something Miss Patch’s pride wouldn’t allow either.

Besides, she still wanted to believe in love and didn’t want to treat her body carelessly for someone she might meet someday.

I just did it to understand my interview subject more deeply, that’s all.

She tried to calm her heart.

Yet, strangely, part of her hoped to meet that man once more.

Though she had exaggerated, her first experience with him wasn’t bad at all, and she felt grateful to him for leaving her with good memories.

Oh.

Debbie cupped her cheeks as her face flushed without her realizing it. Her face felt hot. Thinking about that night made her want to die of embarrassment.

I wasn’t in my right mind.

She thought it was definitely something she could never do again.

He had consistently guided her to ensure she wouldn’t be hurt.

Unlike what she had heard from Henrietta, he was far from the type of person who would get carried away with lust, treat women carelessly, and discard them.

Perhaps because she had heard so many negative stories, that experience felt especially polite and tender.

Her body responded automatically when she recalled that time. Thanks to his careful teaching that the union between a man and woman was a pleasant feeling.

The memories of joy he left throughout her body that night made her happy just by briefly recalling them.

Who could he really be?

There were many freelance reporters at the publishing house. Only Gray, the editor-in-chief, knew the complete list. Perhaps if she asked him, he might tell her who it was.

She both wanted to ask and didn’t want to ask. That strange fluttering feeling arose in her.

“All right. Let’s get back to work now.”

Gray announced the end of the meeting. Louis immediately shouted.

“When are we having our company dinner?”

Everyone’s attention turned to Louis.

“I mean, let’s be honest, we should definitely have a company dinner for our capable junior who boosted sales right after joining! We couldn’t give her a welcome party, but we must have a dinner to say ‘keep up the good work!'”

Debbie made an uncomfortable expression. A company dinner? When she wanted to go home and rest quietly! Having to drink with colleagues while being conscious of social cues!

Just as the pressure was making her stomach churn, Team Leader Louis said:

“Ah, Debbie doesn’t know what a Banana Publishing House dinner is like. Our dinners are a bit special. You can look forward to it.”

But no words could comfort Debbie.

After graduating from Alobachia Prestigious School, she had worked as an assistant teacher because she had no money for college, being an orphan.

The memory of being repeatedly called to company dinners despite not even being a regular employee was truly dreadful.

Being forced to drink alcohol. Not being able to lie down despite feeling tired. Having to nod in agreement to whatever the regular teachers or higher-ranking teachers said while being mindful of their feelings. And cleaning up after everyone at the end.

Why should she have to do those meaningless things here too? Why extend work hours under the name of a company dinner?

“It’s true. It’ll really be fun.”

Team Leader Louis spoke, somehow reading her thoughts despite her neutral expression.

“This industry is precarious—you never know when work might dry up—but we help each other generously when needed. The bonds we form are no joke, Debbie. Trust me and come along. A whole new world will open up for you.”

She couldn’t understand why he was trying so hard to sell the idea.

She was already sweating at the thought of attending, knowing they would likely make her, as the newest employee, perform some embarrassing act.

* * *

“Nice to see you again.”

The bartender at La Vie en Rose greeted her warmly. Debbie’s eyes widened at the sight.

She had thought the company dinner would be at a nearby restaurant at best, but they had been invited as a group to what looked like a villa.

“I’m in charge of your drinks today.”

The bartender’s name tag read “Allen.” Debbie was surprised, but the others seemed familiar with Allen.

In one corner of the spacious garden, chefs were grilling barbecue, and people who had already arrived at the villa were eating and chatting.

They were people Debbie had never seen before, but she noticed some art team members and photographers among them, realizing these were people involved in “shoots.”

They waved cheerfully and called out:

“Team Leader! We were hungry, so we started without you!”

When Debbie looked confused, Team Leader Louis practically dragged her over and sat her down among them.

Bartender Allen poured wine into the glasses placed in front of them.

“What’s going on here?”

“I told you it would be worth looking forward to. This is Banana Publishing House’s company dinner. Eat whatever you want to your heart’s content. Go to those chefs over there and tell them what you want—they’ll make anything as long as they have the ingredients.”

Debbie’s gaze landed on one of the chefs grilling barbecue. It was the owner of the café on the first floor of the publishing house.

“You came all the way here to drink coffee? Save that for work hours. Do those people over there look familiar?”

Looking around, she noticed several restaurant owners from near the publishing house.

As she looked around, she saw models from last month’s photoshoot and their friends mingling, as well as an actress who had appeared in a lingerie advertisement.

“These are all people who have been involved with our magazine at least once. Including those with connections like having their restaurant advertised in our pages,” Team Leader Louis explained.

“So, Debbie, today you can eat whatever you want, chat all you want, and then sleep in any room on the second floor. Just note that none of the doors lock, so be careful. If someone pressures you to drink more, send them away. Whatever happens tonight is each person’s own responsibility.”