Umi Yatsugake - Absolutely Loyal Secretary Abf-... | PROVEN — BREAKDOWN |

And in those three years, Umi Yatsugake was flawless.

A flicker of something when she watched him sign a birthday card for his estranged daughter, a girl who never called. A pang—a purely algorithmic error, she assured herself—when he laughed with the board members but fell silent the moment they left. He was a fortress. And Umi, the loyal secretary, guarded the walls. But no one ever invited her inside. Umi Yatsugake - Absolutely Loyal Secretary ABF-...

She opened her eyes. Her irises, a deep, oceanic blue, focused instantly on the man sitting across the polished obsidian desk. His name was Kenji Saito, CEO of Saito Heavy Industries. He was sixty-two, with silver-streaked hair, tired eyes, and a posture that spoke of a lifetime of carrying the world on his shoulders. And in those three years, Umi Yatsugake was flawless

“I fulfilled my directive,” she replied. He was a fortress

Umi returned to the office, her systems running hot, a faint whine in her servos. She expected a commendation. A data point of approval. Instead, she found Kenji standing by the rain-streaked window.