Volume 1 Chapter 9 End of a Corporate Slave
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The granular discussions regarding my resignation-both with Department Chief Sasada and the HR person handling the paperwork-were finally over.
Even after you submit a formal notice, you can’t just walk out the door. There’s the “lifestyle maintenance” to deal with: handing over projects and making the rounds to say your goodbyes.
”…Please excuse me,” I said.
I bowed to Department Chief Sasada and stepped out of the meeting space, letting out a massive, heavy sigh. Now came the hard part. I had to tell the team members on each project that I was finished. I was essentially dumping my workload onto their laps. Just imagining their reactions made my stomach churn.
Up until this second, Department Chief Sasada was the only one who knew. If I turned around right now, I could still retract it before anyone noticed. The wound would stay shallow.
”Satake-kun¹, welcome back!” someone called out.
”I’m back,” I replied.
”How was your ‘vacation’? Did you actually enjoy yourself?”
”Yeah, well, in its own way,” I said.
”Wait… isn’t your inbox piled up to a dangerous level?”
”I have a feeling it is,” I muttered.
”Good luck, buddy.”
”Yeah, thanks.”
I had a few more short exchanges like that. To think that seeing these people face-to-face was down to a few remaining days…
As I headed toward my desk, Toda-san’s figure entered my field of vision whether I liked it or not. I wondered how she’d react when I told her I was quitting. As her senior and the one in charge of her OJT², I felt like I’d earned a decent amount of her trust. Now, I was about to betray it.
”Ah, Satake-san. Good morning,” Toda-san said.
”Good morning,” I replied.
”Are you feeling alright?” she asked.
”Yeah, I’ve had plenty of time to rest,” I said, choosing my words carefully to keep things neutral. “I’m sorry for being gone a whole week. How was the training handled while I was out?”
”Um, I had Shimizu-san look after me,” Toda-san explained.
”Understood,” I said.
It seemed my junior, Shimizu Yuki-san-a woman who’d started a year after me-had filled the gap. I’d worried that the office flirt, Tanahashi, might try to meddle, but it seemed even that Section Manager wouldn’t go that far. Actually, knowing him, he probably would have if he wasn’t busy.
Shimizu-san was the definition of low-profile: black hair in a plain bob and thick glasses. She had a permanent slouch, and her thin cardigan was frayed at the cuffs. Honestly, I sometimes worried if she was taking care of herself at all.
She lived for manga and games. Every break, she’d be hunched over her phone, muttering about “event grinding” or “efficient loops.” A total otaku. She was one of my favorite juniors because she was fast, polite, and could read between the lines of my instructions, but I really wished she’d stop cornering me to talk a mile a minute about “gacha lore” I didn’t understand.
I wanted to believe the handover would be smooth since Shimizu-san was so competent, but office politics were never that simple. Even when female employees seemed like best friends on the surface, the backbiting was relentless. They’d often try to drag me into their drama for validation, which was a massive pain.
I’d never seen Shimizu-san do that, but I wasn’t young enough to believe women were all sunshine and roses. Still, I couldn’t mother-hen them forever. Toda-san would have to navigate those waters herself.
I’d thought about dumping Toda-san’s training onto my contemporary, Nozawa-san, but leaving her with Shimizu-san seemed like the better play. Department Chief Sasada had left the handover entirely to me, so he couldn’t complain. Shimizu-san, on the other hand…
”Shimizu-san, Toda-san, do you have a second? Maybe ten minutes?” I asked.
”Yes, I’m free,” Toda-san said.
”Me too,” Shimizu-san added.
I led them to an empty conference room. I let them go ahead, stopping at the vending machine to grab a bottled milk tea and a lemon juice.
”Wait, Satake-san… I have a really bad feeling about this. Is this the ‘just maybe’ of ‘just maybes’?” Shimizu-san asked with a wry smile as I set the drinks down. She knew exactly what this was. A bribe.
”That’s right. It’s that ‘just maybe,’” I said.
”No way… you’re joking,” Shimizu-san whispered.
”…?” Toda-san looked between us, a total question mark over her head.
I wondered if Shimizu-san had really pegged it. They say women see through men’s secrets instantly, but after a week-long absence, it wasn’t exactly a leap of logic.
”Look, this is difficult to say, but… I’m resigning at the end of September,” I told them.
”What…?” they both gasped.
Their reactions couldn’t have been more different. Shimizu-san looked like she was witnessing something impossible. Toda-san just looked blank, like the words hadn’t finished downloading yet.
”Wait, who exactly is quitting?” Shimizu-san asked.
”I am,” I said. I tried to ignore their faces and kept pushing forward. “The official training period ends this month, but since I’m using my remaining paid leave after the handover, I need Shimizu-san to take over as the primary mentor.”
”Are you for real?” Shimizu-san asked.
”I am.”
”Is this… a prank? Like, where are the cameras?”
”It’s not a prank,” I said.
”Ugh… pfuuuu…” Shimizu-san exhaled a long breath and slumped back into her chair. She pressed the cold milk tea bottle against her forehead and stared at the ceiling.
Toda-san, however, remained frozen. I knew the feeling. The first time a senior I actually liked told me they were quitting, I was devastated. You get used to it eventually, though.
”…I’m shocked. I thought Satake-san was the type who’d never leave,” Toda-san whispered.
”Not really. I decided before I even joined that I’d move on before I turned thirty,” I said.
”But Nozawa-san said you were the type to just keep dragging your feet forever…”
”……”
Maybe I would have if I hadn’t found a reason to jump. But the papers were signed. There was no going back.
”Man, this is a disaster,” Shimizu-san groaned.
”Is the workload going to be too much?” I asked.
”No, it’s not that! If it’s not Satake-san, my event grinding is going to tank! You’re the only one who lets me ‘disappear to pick flowers³‘ during a raid event!”
”I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I lied.
The games she played had time-sensitive events. If she asked me to keep a window clear, I’d make sure no meetings were scheduled then. I knew gaming at work was technically a no-go, but if she was going to be restless and unproductive anyway, I’d rather she spend thirty minutes “picking flowers” and then come back and crush her tasks. It worked; her output was top-tier.
But I didn’t let just anyone do that. Shimizu-san earned it through self-restraint. If she’d ever let it affect her work or get caught, I would’ve been the first to shut it down. My “loose management” was just convenient for her.
”There are plenty of other chill managers. I’ll pray you get a good one,” I said.
”If you’re going to pray, then just don’t quit!” she shouted.
”I can’t do that.”
”Why are you only strict when it actually matters!?”
Shimizu-san cracked open her milk tea and downed half of it like it was a stiff drink.
”Fine! Then I’m following you! I’m changing jobs to wherever you’re going!”
”Don’t be desperate,” I said.
”I am desperate! Gaming is my life! It’s more important than three meals a day! I only work so I can afford my microtransactions! I need to be ready for the event start-dash! Satake-san, you’re the only senior I respect because you actually make time for me and Siete⁴! I want to work for you!”
”Wait, wasn’t your favorite character named Gil-something last week?” I asked.
”I-I still like him, obviously! But Siete… he acts all flighty, but he’s obsessed with the sword, and the gap when he gets serious-that voice! It just hits different! And it’s not just the voice, the story-“
She was off on a tangent. I hoped that would be the end of it, but-
”-Don’t try to distract me! Give me the company name!”
”I can’t…”
”If you don’t tell me, I’m refusing the handover!”
”I don’t even have the next place lined up yet,” I admitted.
”Then tell me when you do. I’m coming with you.”
”It might not even be in IT, you know?”
”Liar. You’re the IT industry’s golden boy. You’ll never leave this world. Everyone says so.”
”Who is ‘everyone’?”
”Ogura-san and Nozawa-senpai.”
”Well, even if that’s true, there’s no guarantee you’d be on my team.”
”You’ll just have to use your power to make it happen!”
”I don’t have that kind of power.”
”Make it happen!”
Having a junior who admired me-even for the wrong reasons-was a small comfort.
”Anyway, please take over the training. You saw the documents I left last week, right?”
”Yeah, I’ve got it,” she grumbled.
”…Toda-san? You okay with this?” I asked.
”Eh? Ah… yes. I’ll be fine,” she said.
Seeing her look so miserable made me want to rip up the resignation right then and there. But I’d made my choice. If I crumbled now, I’d be stuck here for the rest of my life. I refused to die a corporate slave.
* * *
A week later, I’d finished coordinate-adjusting with everyone. The formal resignation letter was in. People acted sad, but I knew the truth: fewer people meant more work for them. They were either annoyed or just being polite.
Toda-san seemed to have recovered. She was back to her usual self. Once her OJT ended, she’d be paired up with Shimizu-san. They’d be fine together, though I hoped Toda-san wouldn’t let Shimizu-san recruit her into whatever “church” she was currently obsessed with.
Mamiya-san had been shocked at first, too, but by the next day, she was acting like nothing had changed. If anything, she seemed to be standing closer to me than ever before.
At the same time, Tanahashi-section chief kept shooting me those look-down-his-nose glares, but I had plenty of mental breathing room now. Honestly, he just looked pathetic. I almost had to smirk.
Since tomorrow was Saturday, my paid leave period would technically start next week. I couldn’t burn through every single day I had left, but that was just the way it went. I’d asked about a buyout, but the higher-ups didn’t seem interested, so I gave up on that.
I’d have to swing by on the last day of the month to pick up my separation notice and other paperwork, but for all intents and purposes, today was my final day at the office.
After surviving the last day without any drama, I sent out my resignation email and went to do one last round of goodbyes to the people who’d actually looked out for me. This was it.
”Okubo-san, I’m headed out. Thanks for everything,” I said.
”Oh, right. Today’s the big day, isn’t it?” Okubo-san asked.
”Yes. I really appreciate all your help.”
”Man, once Satake-kun is gone, I think this company’s finally hit its expiration date…”
”The place will manage without me,” I replied. “But weren’t you out there job hunting too, Okubo-san?”
”Well, yeah… but the reaction from the higher-ups was pretty grim. I might just end up burying my bones in this place,” Okubo-san said with a sigh.
”That’s… well, all I can say is my condolences.”
”Haha… well, once you’ve got a title, it’s hard to make a move, you know?”
”I guess being a guy with no title and no family makes me pretty light on my feet,” I said.
”Seriously. I’m actually a little jealous,” Okubo-san admitted.
He was the one who’d backed me up the most whenever I was about to snap at Tanahashi-section chief. He was one of the two Section Chiefs in our department. If Okubo-san had been my direct boss, things might have turned out a lot differently.
”Ogura-san, I really owe you. I feel like I learned almost everything technical from you,” I said.
”No way. Satake-kun was so sharp, I barely felt like I was teaching you anything. If anything, you were helping me out. Do you have the next gig lined up yet?” Ogura-san asked.
”Not yet. Since it’s my first time changing jobs, I figured I’d take it slow.”
”Well, Satake-kun is still young. It’s a seller’s market right now, so there’s no need to panic like I would,” Ogura-san said.
”That’s not true. Someone with your skills would be in high demand, Ogura-san.”
”You really think so?”
”I know so,” I said firmly.
She was the one I’d modeled my technical skills after back when I was a rookie. I used to think her insane level of knowledge was the baseline for the company, and I’d been desperate to catch up. Turns out, she was just that good. Even though she’s ten years older than me, she doesn’t have a title – maybe she’s just ducking the management work, or maybe it’s just the way this place is.
”Tanahashi-section chief, thanks for everything,” I said.
”Yeah,” he grunted.
”Well then, excuse me.”
”Right.”
No matter how much I hated the guy, he was my direct supervisor. He looked like he didn’t even want to see my face, but I had to keep it professional. I’d never have to see him again, anyway.
”Nozawa-san, Mamiya-san, good work today,” I said, walking over to their desks.
”Good job, Satake~” Nozawa-san replied.
”Paisen⁵, nice work-ssu!” Mamiya-san chimed in.
”Sigh. So Satake’s finally quitting, huh? That puts our hiring class at less than half,” Nozawa-san said.
”Well, there weren’t many of us in our year to begin with,” I noted.
”How many people were in your year, paisen?” Mamiya-san asked.
”Thirty-two had offers. Three were already gone by day one. People called us the ‘bad harvest’ year,” I said.
”They really did say that,” Nozawa-san added.
”And then from the second year on, it was all ‘Satake’s the rising star!’ and everyone said you were sucking up all the nutrients in the room,” Nozawa-san teased.
”……Yeah, they said that too,” I muttered.
”For real? Paisen, that’s so cool-ssu!” Mamiya-san said.
”Even as sarcasm, that’s pretty harsh,” I replied.
”Is it-ssu?”
”Well, because of that, the guys kept quitting one after another. In our year, there are only four guys left besides Satake,” Nozawa-san said.
”Talk about a total collapse,” I said.
”Isn’t that totally paisen’s fault-ssu?” Mamiya-san asked.
”No, I was just desperate to learn the job back then…”
”It was pretty brutal for the people being compared to you, though,” Nozawa-san said.
”……Yeah. Sorry about that.”
”The young ace is gone, so we’re finished. At least this section is,” Nozawa-san sighed.
”We don’t need ‘aces’ who just crush everyone around them,” I replied.
”Maybe I should jump ship too…” Nozawa-san wondered aloud.
”Wait, Nozawa-senpai too-ssu!?” Mamiya-san shouted.
”It’s a job-hunting boom. Satake’s the one who lit the fuse,” Nozawa-san joked.
”I’m not laughing,” I said.
I ended up talking for a while with Nozawa-san, one of the last survivors of my hiring class. We hadn’t talked much when we were on different projects, but now that it was the end, the conversation actually flowed.
”Hey, we should do a real farewell party,” Nozawa-san suggested.
”Absolutely not,” I said immediately.
”Come on! A ton of ‘Satake’s Disciples’ would show up.”
”That makes me want to go even less. I’m going to be unemployed, I need to keep my spending to a minimum.”
”No, we’ll just call the seniors and make them – “
”Isn’t that just a huge pain? Mostly for you, Nozawa-san.”
”True…”
”Besides, it’s the end of the month. You guys don’t have time for that.”
”I swear, it’s like Satake timed this perfectly just to annoy me,” Nozawa-san pouted.
”It’s just a coincidence. I do feel a little bad, though…”
Nozawa-san was busy, so I decided to wrap it up there. If I stayed any longer, the venting would never end. I stopped by the other project teams I’d worked with and finally made it back to my own desk.
”Must be nice, being the man of the hour and chatting up all the girls,” Shimizu-san remarked.
”It was just a round of goodbyes. Statistically, I talked to more guys,” I replied.
The conversations with the guys just ended a lot faster.
”Starting tomorrow, my life is going to fall apart…” Shimizu-san moaned.
”If you took over the management side, you could basically do whatever you wanted,” I pointed out.
”Nobody looks at Satake-san and thinks ‘I want that life.’ Sigh…”
She let out a massive sigh. I decided to ignore that one.
”Toda-san, I’m sorry for leaving things in such a half-baked state,” I said.
”No, you looked like you were going through a lot, Satake-san. I think this is actually for the best,” Toda-san replied.
”……Thanks.”
”I’ll be lonely, though…”
”……”
”It was a short time, but thank you for everything,” Toda-san said.
”Same here,” I replied.
Even though it’s just the way this company does things, I’d thought doing OJT⁶ was going to be a massive drag at first. Looking back, that might have been the most fun I had here.
Six and a half years at this company, starting as a fresh graduate. There were plenty of bad times, and I’m basically running away at the end, but I really did learn a lot here. I saved up some money, too. I’m grateful for that.
I even made some connections. My LiNE friends jumped by twenty today alone. I guess I’d just been the one refusing to get close to anyone all this time.
I heard the 5:00 PM chime, clocked out for the last time, and took a huge stretch as I walked out of the building.
I’m finally free. I have to start looking for a new job, but I’ll figure it out. I’ll think about it tomorrow. For now, I just want to savor this freedom.
And just like that, I washed my hands of the corporate drone⁷ life and stepped out toward a new beginning.
”————Paisen, secured!”
”Whoa!? What the – ?” I yelped.
”We’re going for BBQ-ssu!” Mamiya-san shouted.
”Wait, right now…?”
”We aren’t doing a ‘party,’ but there’s no rule against just grabbing dinner-ssu, right?”
”I’m not your senpai anymore, you know!” I protested.
”Your official last day isn’t for a while, so paisen is still paisen-ssu!”
”Seriously…?”
”Even if you quit the company, paisen is still paisen… Hey, don’t try to run! Sayaka, grab his arm! Paisen is surprisingly strong…”
”Um, excuse me…!” Toda-san squeaked, grabbing hold.
”Even Toda-san…!?”
—
Summary:
Satake officially submits his resignation to Department Chief Sasada, ending his time as a ‘corporate slave.’ He informs his juniors, Toda-san and Shimizu-san, leading to a dramatic reaction from the latter. Despite the guilt, he completes his handover and prepares for his final days at the company.
Satake officially completes his final day at the company after resigning. He makes the rounds saying goodbye to various colleagues, revealing office dynamics and his reputation as a ‘young ace.’ Just as he tastes freedom outside the building, he is ‘ambushed’ by his juniors and peers for an impromptu farewell dinner.
—
Trivia:
- Satake has been using a ‘loose management’ style to allow Shimizu-san to play gacha games during work as long as her output remains high.
- Shimizu-san’s favoritism toward Satake is purely based on his leniency toward her gaming habits.
- The term ‘picking flowers’ is a specific euphemism for taking a break/going to the bathroom in Japanese office culture.
- Mamiya-san’s reaction shift suggests she might have alternative motives or a changing relationship dynamic with Satake.
- Satake has 20+ new Line friends in one day despite previously refusing private connections.
- The ‘Bad Harvest’ year refers to the low number of recruits in Satake’s hiring class.
- Satake was blamed for ‘sucking up nutrients,’ meaning his excellence made others look worse by comparison.
- Ogura-san is technically superior but un-titled, possibly due to workplace gender politics or personal choice.
—
Character Insight:
Satake shows strong resolve to leave the IT industry despite internal guilt. Shimizu reveals a highly obsessive and transactional personality. Toda’s initial shock followed by rapid recovery suggests a resilient, if slightly distant, character arc.
Satake shows a rare moment of vulnerability and sentimentality, admitting that his time training Toda was actually his most enjoyable period. Despite his ‘ace’ persona, he was quite isolated until his final day.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses heavy meta-humor regarding IT industry burnout and gamer culture to ground the ‘reincarnation’ theme in a relatable modern context.
The term ‘Paisen’ is a slangy reversal of ‘Senpai,’ common in casual or ‘gyaru/gal’ speech patterns, used here by Mamiya to show a high-energy, informal closeness.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Sasada – Department Chief (Buchou). Tanahashi’s boss. Prioritizes corporate appearance and headcount over developer well-being. Department Chief at the company. Oversees Satake’s resignation process. Department Manager (Buchou) at FECS. A veteran with over thirty years in the industry.
• Satake – The protag. Tall and lean in a rumpled suit, with faint stubble, tired dark eyes shadowed by deep circles, and a perpetually composed expression, he carries the quiet wear of overwork in every line of his posture. A 28-year-old software engineer and OJT mentor, he is “Paisen” to Toda and Mamiya, the unseen “Satake Wall” shielding them from burnout. Beneath his poker face lies dry cynicism and a self-mocking “ojisan” complex, shaped by years of isolation, relentless duty, and a life lived at his desk, now culminating in a hospital stay born of exhaustion.
• Shimizu – A female employee one year junior to Satake. Black hair in a plain bob, wears glasses, hunched back, wears a frayed thin cardigan. An avid gamer/otaku who prioritizes gacha events over work. Female colleague who dreads the workload after Satake’s departure.
• Tanahashi – A well-dressed section chief who always looks neat but feels distant, often avoiding eye contact and giving a thin, fake smile. He is Satake’s boss and often pushes work onto others while ignoring technical limits. He talks his way out of problems and acts a bit cold and condescending, especially during meetings, and is known for favoring certain female staff.
• Nozawa – Satake’s colleague from the same hiring class (douki). She is responsible and strictly follows company security protocols, having recovered Satake’s work equipment from the hospital.
• Ogura – Employee working on the Aretha Non-Life Insurance project. Female senior employee, ten years older than Satake. Highly skilled technically but holds no management title.
• Okubo – One of two Section Chiefs in the department. A supportive mentor figure to Satake who feels trapped by his position and age.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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