Checking Out at 5:15 PM Chapter 32: Do You Like Older Women? (Patreon)

(Aoi & Yui’s Perspective)

While the bright, adoring eyes of Misaki and Yui were practically glued to Motoi at the front of the room, Aoi stood in the back, her sharp gaze completely fixed on his face. She was mesmerized by the brilliant, unguarded smile he had just flashed at the children.

When was the last time I saw him smile that genuinely?

Before they had parted ways, she had constantly pressed him about his future, asking a million questions about what high-powered ministry or elite law firm he wanted to conquer. But he had just smiled that exact same gentle, unbothered smile and kept his true thoughts to himself.

To be completely honest, she had never worried about putting him under pressure. She knew how terrifyingly capable he was. He possessed an intellect that most people would kill for, and his family background was rock-solid. So, when he casually announced that he had taken the Tier-1 exams just to secure a lazy, low-level job as a municipal civil servant... her world had stopped spinning. She had fully believed they would climb the ranks in Tokyo and conquer the world together.

But in the end, he actively chose a peaceful life—a life where she didn't belong.

“You rascal...” Aoi whispered under her breath, a complicated mix of affection and bitterness in her voice.

“Hmm?”

Yui, who had been standing stiffly beside her, turned her head slightly. She was completely dumbfounded when she saw the expression on the glamorous woman’s face. Aoi’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

Is this story really that moving? Yui wondered in total confusion.

She turned her attention back to Motoi, who was currently reading his second book: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems.

“I thought he'd never leave! Hey... can I drive the bus?" Motoi asked, pitching his voice into a hilariously nasally, desperate tone as he showed the kids the picture of the cartoon pigeon.

“NO!” the kids screamed back in pure delight.

Motoi made his eyes wide, looking profoundly shocked and slightly offended. “Please? I'll be really careful!"

“NO!”

He leaned forward in his chair, acting incredibly sneaky, whispering loudly into the microphone. “I tell you what, I'll just steer. My cousin Herb drives a bus almost every single day."

“NO WAY!”

The toddlers giggled uncontrollably but held their ground firmly.

Yeah, this story definitely isn’t moving, Yui thought. It was loud and hilarious.

Since she had absolutely no idea what to say to the beautiful woman who was seemingly crying over a cartoon pigeon, Yui just stood there awkwardly. But suddenly, Aoi turned to her and asked a direct question.

“Is your friend's name Shizuki?”

“Shizuki?” Yui blinked, completely confused.

“I mean Motoi Shizuki. That’s his name, right?”

“...How did you know that?” Yui asked, her voice muffled behind her surgical mask. She stared at Aoi. The woman’s face had completely reverted to how it had been a moment ago—calm, perfectly poised, elite, and utterly professional. She looked like a creature from a completely different universe than Yui’s frumpy, hiding-in-a-hoodie self.

“I am his former girlfriend, after all,” Aoi smiled smoothly.

“....................”

Yui’s brain completely flatlined.

(Motoi’s Perspective)

I had absolutely no idea that a terrifying revelation had just detonated in the back of the room between Yui and Aoi. Instead, my entire focus was completely locked on the reading session until I finally reached the third and final book: The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood.

After the loud, interactive chaos of the pigeon book, it was time for the cool-down. I had to lower the energy in the room so the parents could safely retrieve their kids without a riot. To be honest, I was incredibly relieved to be at the finish line. The crushing expectation of reading perfectly for the "Four Disasters" had been surprisingly heavy.

"Bedtime kiss... quiet."

I turned the page one last time, my voice dropping until it was barely above a warm, soothing breath.

"And... sleeping... quiet."

I gently closed the book, resting it softly on my lap without breaking the silence. For three full, heavy seconds, the entire room of toddlers sat completely still, mirroring my calm energy.

Then, I finally broke the silence.

“You all did such a wonderful job finding the quiet with me today,” I said, my voice soft but conversational. “Your listening ears were turned on the entire time.”

I looked up at the ring of parents in the back of the room, offering a warm, polite smile. “Our storytime is all done for today. You can stand up very gently, stretch your arms out one more time, and tiptoe over to find your grown-ups. Have a wonderful, quiet rest of your day at the library.”

“Bye-bye...”

Whispering a chorus of soft "bye-byes," the previously hyperactive kids stood up slowly. Instead of screaming and running, they actually tiptoed calmly across the rug to their parents.

I smiled, waving my hand at them as they left.

I let out a heavy sigh of relief. I had actually survived. But before I could even stand up from the wooden chair, a dark shadow loomed over me.

“Wow! Motoi-kun, you did absolutely amazing~!”

Reiko suddenly leaped at me.

Her voice was entirely too loud, and her physical reaction was far too aggressive to ignore. Before I could dodge, she threw her arms around my neck, and the terrifying, heavy volume of her F-cup chest pressed directly against my face.

I froze instantly. I knew that if I made a single reckless movement to push her away, my hands would inevitably touch something wildly inappropriate. And if that happened in a room full of local mothers, I would definitely be reported to City Hall and lose my beloved civil servant status.

So, I did the only thing I could do. I sat perfectly still like a pathetic statue and begged for mercy.

“K-Kobayakawa-san, please... let go of me...” my voice was muffled against her apron.

“No~!” she giggled, squeezing tighter.

This was entirely her fault. I just wanted to sit in peace and enjoy the post-performance adrenaline for a little longer, but instead, I was currently fighting for my life.

It definitely didn't feel good. It was terrifying.

Even worse, while the children had successfully managed to stay quiet to avoid waking up the sleeping bears in the story, Reiko’s aggressive hug had successfully woken up the terrifying beasts watching me from the back of the room.

Shiver!

I had absolutely no idea why, but the temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees, and a violent, icy chill ran straight down to my crotch.

“You really shouldn’t hug him like that in front of a live audience, Reiko.”

Ten minutes later, we were back safely behind the closed doors of the main staff office. Misaki was standing with her arms crossed, fiercely scolding Kobayakawa.

“I couldn't help it! He did such an incredible job on his very first event, right? Don't you agree, Misaki-chan?”

“...I can’t deny that.”

Misaki nodded reluctantly. She had to admit that her subordinate had executed a masterclass in crowd control. But watching him effortlessly command the room only solidified her belief that making him read children's books was a massive waste of his Tier-1 potential. He could easily handle complex legislative research and administrative policy. More importantly, she deeply hated the fact that Reiko used the event as an excuse to casually seduce him while she had to watch from a distance.

“Still,” Misaki warned, her eyes narrowing. “Do not cause trouble for him.”

“Don’t worry! I know my boundaries. We’re just really good friends, right, Motoi-kun?” Reiko turned to me, winking.

“Yeah...”

Are there actually friends who actively want to gobble up their good friends? I wondered internally.

I knew perfectly well that if I made a move on Reiko, something highly illicit would definitely happen. I didn't think she was unattractive—she was overflowing with mature, domestic charm. A 39-year-old housewife like her could easily drive any sane man completely crazy if she actively tried.

But peace was my ultimate priority. I refused to let my life be destroyed by a scandalous workplace affair.

“Just go back to the front desk, Reiko. You still have a mountain of returns to sort,” Misaki sighed, massaging her temples.

“Okay! See you later, Motoi-kun!”

Before she left, Reiko suddenly reached out and pinched my cheek playfully. I shivered, catching a terrifyingly undisguised flash of predatory intent in her eyes. I immediately crossed my legs beneath my desk, praying my body wouldn't betray me.

“Go back to work!” Misaki roared.

“Yes, ma'am~!”

When the office door finally clicked shut behind Reiko, Misaki let out a heavy, exhausted sigh and slumped into her executive chair.

“Are you okay, Kacho?” I asked carefully. She looked completely drained.

“Yeah...” Misaki answered absentmindedly, her sharp eyes slowly turning to lock onto me.

She just stared.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked, squirming slightly under her intense gaze. Why was she looking at me like I was a puzzle she couldn't solve?

“Answer me honestly.”

“Okay?”

“Do you like older women?”

“.....................”

I didn’t know what to say. Out of the millions of questions my strict, professional boss could have asked me regarding municipal policy or library operations, this was the absolute last thing I expected to come out of her lips. I was completely speechless.

“D-Do you like them?”

Misaki repeated the question, but this time, her voice was much lower, losing its authoritative edge. A very cute, entirely uncharacteristic red blush spread across her cheeks.

“That isn’t something... that I can answer so easily, Kacho.”

I knew it was dangerous to answer honestly.

If someone asked me point-blank if I liked older women, my immediate internal answer would be yes. I knew exactly how charming they were. Just because a woman was older didn't mean her appeal faded. On the contrary, women who aged well mellowed into an incredibly intoxicating, grounded maturity that younger women simply couldn't replicate.

Compared to the chaotic, emotionally exhausting drama of dating younger women, an older woman perfectly aligned with my desperate desire for peace.

However, hearing my non-answer, Misaki fell completely silent. The tips of her ears burned red.

“I am so sorry,” she suddenly apologized, breaking eye contact. “I don’t know why I just asked you such a stupid, inappropriate question. Please just forget it, Motoi.”

She mentally kicked herself, wondering what was wrong with her. When she had watched him being smothered by Reiko, a sudden, blinding flash of irritation had overwhelmed her logic. She just wanted to tear them apart.

But what right did she have to interfere? Reiko was a married woman, sure, but hypothetically, there was no municipal rule forbidding two library employees from dating or marrying.

Frankly, the thought of marrying a fellow librarian rarely crossed most women's minds. The income was average, the work was boring, and the men who applied for the job were usually socially awkward introverts who preferred books over human interaction.

But Motoi was a complete anomaly.

He was insanely overpowered. Misaki knew he was completely wasting his elite potential sitting in Kamakura. While his starting salary was low, he was on a fast-track Tier-1 route. He would inevitably become the Library Director, or her direct boss at City Hall, in a few short years. Add his handsome face into the mix, and it was entirely natural for him to be fiercely targeted by the women around him.

She had constantly scolded him not to be a homewrecker. But what if he didn't initiate it? What if he was aggressively seduced by an unsatisfied, F-cup housewife?

Could a healthy young man really refuse that kind of temptation?

The agonizing thought made her chest ache uncomfortably. But what could she possibly say to stop it?

“Kacho.”

My voice cut through her spiraling thoughts.

“While I can’t easily answer your previous question,” I said smoothly, leaning slightly over my desk, “I can firmly say that you are an incredibly charming woman, Kacho.”

“......................”

As the words left my mouth, Misaki froze. Her gaze locked onto me, her dark eyes wide and incredibly intense. The air in the quiet office suddenly felt dangerously thick.

“Kacho?”

“If you have enough free time to sit there and say cheeky things to your boss,” she stammered, her voice shaking slightly as her face turned crimson, “why don’t you get back to work immediately?”

“........................”

There were a million things I wanted to say, but I held them back. It was much safer for me to just retreat before she completely short-circuited and assigned me to clean the library bathrooms.

“Excuse me.”

As I stood up and quickly left the office, Misaki let out a long, shuddering sigh. She pressed the palms of her hands against her burning cheeks, desperately trying to calm her violently beating heart.

She couldn't deny it anymore.

Her eyes hardened with a sudden, fierce determination as she looked at the door I had just walked through. If Reiko was going to act like a naughty succubus trying to devour him, then there was only one option left.

I am the only one who can protect him, she resolved to herself.