Early the next morning, Yoichi woke up an hour earlier than usual.
Standing in front of the mirror, he carefully ironed the suit Hiroshi had lent him until it was perfectly crisp. Then he combed his hair neatly, trying his best to look like a capable professional.
But as he stared at his reflection—
A slightly youthful face forced into a serious expression—
He couldn't help but think of that phrase he'd seen online:
"Wearing a suit, but still just a kid inside."
"…Guess that's me right now."
At the doorway, Misae cheered him on.
"Yoichi-kun, don't be nervous! Just think of it as chatting with coworkers," she said, stuffing a rice ball into his hand. "If it goes well, we'll celebrate with barbecue tonight!"
"Don't worry, sis. I've got this."
Gripping his briefcase, Yoichi took a deep breath—
And set off.
The Futaba Trading Company building was more impressive than he had imagined.
With branches in Tokyo, Osaka, and even Nepal, it had a polished, corporate atmosphere. Even the receptionists at the entrance wore perfect professional smiles.
"Hello, I'm Nohara Yoichi. I'm here for an interview."
"Welcome, Mr. Nohara. Manager Sato is already waiting for you. Please follow me."
Yoichi followed her into a meeting room.
Inside, a gentle-looking man sat at the main seat—
Manager Sato.
Next to him sat another man in a suit, his expression stern, with deep lines on his forehead that made him look intimidating just by existing.
"Mr. Nohara, please have a seat," Sato said with a smile. "This is Kawaguchi, Head of the Sales Department. We'll be conducting your interview."
Kawaguchi gave a brief nod.
His sharp gaze swept over Yoichi like a scanner.
Yoichi felt the pressure instantly.
The interview began.
Manager Sato asked routine questions—work experience, understanding of sales, career goals.
Yoichi answered calmly and clearly.
Sato nodded repeatedly, looking satisfied.
Everything was going smoothly.
Then—
Kawaguchi spoke.
His voice was deep and heavy.
"Nohara Yoichi, is it? Let me ask you something."
"Our company handles a wide range of products—BBQ sauce, bath salts, safes. If you were tasked with selecting products for vending machines, what kind of plan would you create?"
Yoichi paused.
That was unexpected.
Not high-level strategy—
But a very practical, ground-level problem.
He quickly gathered his thoughts—
Target audience, pricing, seasonal demand—
Just as he was about to answer—
Bang!
The door burst open.
A familiar figure rushed in, panting.
Tie crooked.
Shoes slightly muddy.
It was Hiroshi.
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" Hiroshi bowed repeatedly. "My bicycle got a flat tire on the way—so I'm late!"
Yoichi: "…"
Cousin… that excuse is straight out of a textbook.
Kawaguchi's expression darkened immediately.
"Section Chief Nohara! This is your third late arrival this month! Half a day's salary will be deducted!"
"Yes, sir! I'm very sorry!"
Only then did Hiroshi notice Yoichi.
"Y-Yoichi-kun?! What are you doing here?"
"…I'm here for the interview," Yoichi said awkwardly.
Manager Sato chuckled.
"Oh? You two know each other? Section Chief Nohara, is he your relative?"
"He's my cousin!" Hiroshi quickly clarified. "He applied on his own—I had no idea he was interviewing here!"
Kawaguchi frowned, studying Yoichi again.
Then asked coldly—
"You're not like him, are you? You're not also fond of being late?"
"Absolutely not!" Yoichi straightened instantly. "I arrived thirty minutes early today!"
Kawaguchi gave a slight nod.
Then continued.
"If a customer buys one of our safes, finds the lock defective at home, and comes back furious—how do you handle it?"
Yoichi internally relaxed.
He knew this one.
But just as he was about to answer—
Hiroshi muttered quietly beside him:
"…Whatever you do, don't mention the time I lost a customer's spare key…"
Yoichi: "…"
His answer almost derailed on the spot.
He forcefully adjusted course.
"I would first offer a sincere apology and arrange an immediate inspection," he said steadily. "If it's a confirmed defect, I'd replace the safe on the spot. Additionally, I would offer complimentary bath salts as compensation. Since our bath salts are well-received, this could both ease the customer's frustration and introduce them to another product."
Sato's eyes lit up.
"Excellent—you're thinking about cross-selling."
Kawaguchi's expression softened slightly.
"One last question," he said.
"If a project fails—for example, no one buys from your vending machines—what would you do?"
Yoichi thought for a moment.
Then answered seriously.
"I would first identify the cause—whether it's poor product selection or lack of promotion. If it's selection, I'd gather feedback from employees and customers to adjust accordingly. If it's promotion, I'd introduce campaigns—for example, 'buy a drink, get a BBQ sauce sample.' Most importantly, I'd minimize losses quickly and document the lessons learned to avoid repeating the mistake."
Hiroshi, standing nearby, nodded so hard he almost looked like he wanted to clap.
After the interview ended, Yoichi stepped out—
Only to be immediately pulled into the stairwell by Hiroshi.
"Yoichi-kun! That was amazing!" Hiroshi said excitedly. "You did way better than I did in my first interview! Kawaguchi looks scary, but he really values problem-solving skills!"
Yoichi finally relaxed.
Just as he was about to reply—
Manager Sato walked over.
"Mr. Nohara," he said with a smile, "congratulations. We've decided to hire you. You can come in next Monday to complete onboarding. You'll be assigned to Sales Section Two—under Section Chief Nohara."
"…Really?! Thank you so much!"
Yoichi nearly jumped with excitement.
Beside him, Hiroshi looked even happier than if he had gotten a promotion himself.
"That's amazing, Yoichi-kun! We're coworkers now!"
Yoichi looked at his cousin—
Then thought back to that chaotic interview scene.
He couldn't help but smile.
Despite all the twists and turns—
He had finally done it.
He had taken his first real step forward in this world.