Day 1 – The Scent of Morning and the Weight of Tension
Ryo Sakai (31) and Aoi Kobayashi (42) were dispatched to a small café chain called Coffee Lupinus, which operated three locations in Tokyo.
Officially, they were “support staff from the Operations Assistance Division.”
In reality, their mission was to investigate the high turnover rate among part-time workers.
Over the past six months, eight employees had quit.
The store manager, Ogawa (35), was unable to stand up to the long-serving senior staff member Reiko Kawabe (48).
The result: a tense, suffocating atmosphere throughout the café.
The morning air was rich with the aroma of roasted coffee beans and soft jazz music.
Yet the staff moved stiffly, as if holding their breath.
Kawabe adjusted her apron and gave out her orders in a flat tone.
“Cups are placed from the left. New staff—accuracy before smiles. You can smile once the customer leaves.”
Sakai watched closely.
“Her precision is flawless… but there’s no air to breathe.”
Aoi whispered with a smirk,
“Heh, even someone with nerves of steel would cry here.”
“Jokes aside,” Sakai frowned, “she’s a formidable one.”
Aoi chuckled softly as she turned the coffee beans in a small bowl behind the counter.
Day 2 – Froth and Friction
Aoi was assigned to assist with drink preparation.
When she tried to make latte art with the cappuccino machine, Kawabe’s sharp voice cut through the air.
“The foam’s too thick. Don’t rely on measurements—feel it with your hands.”
Aoi smiled brightly.
“Got it, got it. Guess it’s time to train my arms too!”
Her lighthearted reply made Yui (19), one of the new part-timers, laugh despite herself.
Gradually, the tension in the staff began to loosen. Movements became smoother.
As Aoi carried trays to customers, she chatted casually with her coworkers.
“Did you watch that drama last night? That actor’s smile should be illegal~”
Yui and the others gave awkward laughs at first, but with each passing day, their smiles became genuine.
By the fifth day, Aoi was already popular with the regular customers.
“Good morning! Sweet latte today again?” she greeted cheerfully.
The office worker regular smiled. “You’re always so lively, Aoi-san.”
The warm atmosphere began to return to the café.
Sakai took notes quietly.
“Even small talk lowers their defenses… impressive.”
Day 5 – Numbers and Intuition
During lunch break, Sakai analyzed the data: sales, customer count, feedback surveys.
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Zero order mistakes
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Stable customer numbers
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Average spending per customer rising
Yet the turnover rate remained high.
The numbers alone didn’t reveal the cause.
Kawabe’s perfectionism was crushing her team’s independence.
Sakai wrote in his notebook:
“Logic alone can’t fix this. The lack of psychological safety is the real issue.”
Aoi sipped her coffee and smiled.
“Sakai-san, I’ll try a little… ‘motivation experiment.’ If we satisfy Kawabe-san’s need for recognition, she might change.”
“How?”
Aoi only grinned.
She pulled out her phone.
“Oh! Director Nozaki? I’d like to improve things here. Could you ask the company president to help, just a little?”
Sakai had no idea what she was planning.
Day 6 – The Subtle Bait
Aoi casually brought up a new topic with Kawabe.
“I heard the head office is picking a model store for staff training.
They’ll evaluate how well new employees work independently—and the trainers will be recognized too.”
Kawabe’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“If our store were chosen… I’d be recognized?”
Aoi nodded gently.
“And once your evaluation improves, you might gain more decision-making authority.”
A faint blush colored Kawabe’s cheeks.
From that day on, she started delegating tasks to her part-timers, observing instead of micromanaging.
“Good foam. That’s a pass.”
“Next, this order. Don’t rush—just stay steady.”
The young staff exchanged surprised but relieved glances.
Aoi patted Yui’s shoulder and whispered,
“See? Working with a smile feels good, doesn’t it?”
Ah, so that was her plan, Sakai realized.
The “head office inspection” she’d arranged through Nozaki was part of her strategy.
Day 9 – The Bitterness Beneath the Sweetness
The day of the inspection arrived.
The trainees now handled drinks and service on their own.
Natural smiles filled the café.
Kawabe looked like she wanted to intervene but couldn’t—it was a day to evaluate her team.
At a nearby table, an elderly couple whispered,
“This café feels nicer lately. The staff smiles more than before.”
Kawabe froze.
(Nicer… even without me leading them? The café still runs…)
She quietly retreated to the back room.
Aoi followed her.
“You can relax a little. We’ll back you up when needed.”
Kawabe’s tense face softened, a faint smile appearing.
That night, Aoi approached her again.
“Everyone needs you. But they’re also afraid of you.
If you accept both sides, you’ll become even stronger.”
Kawabe polished a cup in silence.
“…Even if I’m not perfect, the store still shines.
Maybe it’s time I learn to say I need a break.”
Aoi chuckled.
“Having the courage to rest—it’s cooler than you think.”
From the floor, laughter echoed.
Yui waved slightly toward the back room.
Kawabe nodded quietly, her eyes calm for the first time.
After the Mission
A few days later, Sakai and Aoi reported to Director Shinji Nozaki at the Covert Surveillance Agency.
Sakai: “Support completed. No internal report needed.”
Nozaki: “Justice alone doesn’t solve everything. Knowing what to protect—that’s what makes this team valuable.”
Aoi smiled, holding her report.
“Sakai-san, I can’t wait for the next assignment. I wonder what kind of chaos we’ll find this time.”
Sakai smiled faintly in return.
Epilogue – The Night of Reflection
That night, the whole team gathered at their favorite izakaya, Sumibiya Nomura.
The warm wooden interior felt like home.
As glasses clinked, laughter filled the room.
Aoi quickly became the center of attention again.
“Boss, tonight’s special—make it match my appetite, okay?”
Saeki chuckled.
“The workplace atmosphere really has improved. Aoi-san, that’s thanks to you.”
Everyone nodded. Aoi’s gift for lightening any mood was unmatched.
“The next infiltration site,” Aoi said seriously, “is a late-night convenience store with a high food waste rate.”
She raised her glass.
“Food shouldn’t be wasted—and neither should people.”
Sakai lifted his glass beside hers.
As laughter and serious talk blended together,
the team’s long night continued.
To be continued…
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