"Misaki, the section chief's been getting way too full of herself lately."
Over lunch at the soba place, Yui lowered her voice.
"I heard that Regional Specialties Plan is officially becoming a company-wide project. With the section chief in charge."
"I know."
"But it's your proposal! How can you be so calm about it?"
I set down my chopsticks.
"Hey, Yui. Where do you think proposals go when they get thrown away?"
"The trash, obviously."
"Right. But what if someone had been sneaking a look in that trash can every night?"
Yui frowned.
I showed her my phone screen. On it were scans of the proposals I'd submitted, sent back to me covered in comments.
This pipeline design is sharper than anyone else's in the company. The basis for these numbers is flawless. It's the organization burying you that's in the wrong.
"Who... is this?"
"It was half a year ago. I was working overtime late into the night, and after the cleaners had gone, there was just one person left on the floor."
That person had been picking a crumpled proposal out of my trash can.
"They apologized for looking without asking. But they said this wasn't a proposal that deserved to be thrown away."
Smoothing out my proposal carefully on their knee, that person said this:
"Every organization has people who protect themselves by crushing young talent. But picking that crushed talent back up is also the organization's job."
It was a quiet voice. But there was heat at its core.
"If you can keep from letting this sour you, I'll help you gather the evidence. Let's crush this injustice—not with emotion, but with facts."
After that, we started exchanging data every night.
I gathered evidence of the section chief's misconduct, and that person verified it behind the scenes. Irrefutable proof of embezzlement. Recordings of workplace harassment. Timestamped logs of her stealing credit.
For half a year, I shut off my feelings and kept my eyes on nothing but the numbers.
Every time the section chief filed an expense, I copied the receipt records. For the days of the fictitious business trips, that person pulled the security camera logs showing the section chief inside the office, through channels of their own. The date and time my proposal was submitted to the department head under the section chief's name, and the metadata showing when I'd written the original—all of it was in place.
The dots were connecting into a line.
"So who is this person?"
"You'll find out soon."
"At least give me a hint."
"A hint... is a secret until Monday morning."
Yui pouted.
"Quit dragging it out."
I just smiled and didn't answer.
That afternoon, tension swept across the floor.
Emergency company-wide meeting next Monday. Attendance mandatory for all departments.
The section chief was humming to herself.
"It must be the announcement of my project. Fujimiya, you'll make the materials for the day. The credit is mine, but grunt work is a job for the young."
"Understood."
I nodded quietly. Just then, the section chief glanced down at what I was doing.
"You seem to be opening the accounting folders an awful lot lately. What business does an errand girl have in there?"
My heart jumped. But I closed the screen without changing my expression.
"Reconciling the fees. For the welcome-and-farewell party."
"...Hmph. Just don't go poking your nose into things that don't concern you."
The section chief sniffed and walked off. Just one more step. I had to finish this before she noticed.
That night, I sent a message to my usual contact.
I've been put in charge of making the materials. I can set up the slides for the day on my end.
The reply was a little longer than usual.
Thank you. I'm sorry I left you to gather the evidence alone for so long. On Monday, we end all of it. Your proposal, and you yourself, will be properly recognized.
I'll be the one advancing the slides on the big screen.
I stared at the screen.
I hadn't told even Yui that person's position.
I told Yui just one thing.
"Yui. On Monday, make sure you sit up front. You'll get the best view."
"View?"
"Of the section chief's face. It's probably going to be the funniest face she's ever made in her life."
Yui looked like she didn't understand at all, but she nodded anyway.
"Got it. I'll grab a seat in the front row."
"Thanks. You've always been there for me, so I want you to have a good seat for this."
When I got home, I gently slipped the ring off the ring finger of my left hand and put it away in a drawer.
Until Monday morning, I'd keep this hidden.
Until the moment everyone on the floor learned the name of the person advancing the slides—three more days.