Volume 1 Chapter 12 Paisen
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
This story is from Mamiya-san’s perspective.
===
My encounter with Satake-senpai¹ was on my first day at the company.
It started because I was worried. I had found out that Sayaka, who is uncomfortable around men, was assigned a male mentor. I kept a close eye on him from the start.
My impression was neither good nor bad.
His height was average. His build was a bit thin, and he had a natural, slightly wavy hairstyle that showed his forehead. He was well-groomed. His facial features were… well, average.
I was concerned because he looked a little haggard, but unlike other men, he didn’t cast those unpleasant, sizing-up glances. He seemed serious and harmless.
That day, as just one person among many, it ended with nothing more than a polite greeting.
For the next three months, us rookies were out at external training and were hardly at the company. However, we had to stop by the office after training on Fridays to submit our reports.
My mentor, Nozawa-senpai, was in the same year as Satake-senpai. Since they were in the same section, they seemed to talk often. At the time, their desks were directly behind each other. When I went with Sayaka to submit our reports, I inevitably witnessed their exchanges.
”I always struggle with what to write in this supervisor column. Satake, what did you put?” Nozawa asked.
”Whatever,” Satake replied.
”I asked because I don’t know what ‘whatever’ is!” Nozawa said.
”-Ah, hey, stop peeking,” Satake said.
”It’s fine, isn’t it!” Nozawa snapped.
”I’m telling you, just write whatever you’re thinking. No one looks at it anyway,” Satake said.
”Wait, really?” Nozawa asked.
”I wouldn’t know,” Satake muttered.
”You’re so annoying!” Nozawa cried.
I thought he was surprisingly talkative.
Besides, although he said “whatever,” I caught a glimpse of his report, and the column was filled to the brim. It seemed I wasn’t wrong about him being serious.
The three-month external training ended, and once we returned to the company, our OJT began. I had braced myself for actual work, but as it turned out, I was just watching the tasks Nozawa-senpai and the other team members were doing. It was incredibly easy.
I wondered if it was okay for things to be this easy, so I asked the other rookies in different sections. It turns out Sayaka and I were the only ones who felt that way.
The others were suddenly given work instructions, told “Ask if you don’t understand,” and then basically abandoned. Even when they didn’t know left from right and tried to ask questions, the timing was always “bad.” Even when their mentors answered, they acted like it was a total nuisance. When the rookies tried their best to do things their own way, they were told “I wanted you to ask first,” and were forced to redo everything while their mentors made sour faces.
They felt like they were getting the work done bit by bit, but everyone had a significant amount of dissatisfaction built up. Even though it had only been a week since we returned to the company, a few people had already quit. When we went out to eat as a group, it usually turned into a venting session.
”Nozawa-senpai, according to the others, what I’m doing is different from them. Is that really okay?” I asked.
”Hmm? Isn’t it fine? OJT is almost entirely left to the person in charge,” Nozawa replied.
”I-is that how it is…” I muttered.
”Did you want something more Spartan?” Nozawa asked.
”No, if possible, I’d like to keep things exactly as they are,” I said.
I had luckily lucked out and pulled a winning senior.
”Sayaka also said she was in a similar situation, though,” I added.
”Ah, well, yeah. My method is a total rip-off of Satake’s,” Nozawa said.
Nozawa-senpai looked toward Satake-senpai, and my gaze followed hers. There had been a seating shuffle because a new project started, and Satake-senpai’s desk had moved to a slightly distant position.
I couldn’t hear their voices, but I could see Sayaka nodding along as Satake-senpai explained something to her. Once the explanation ended, Sayaka turned back to her desk with renewed spirit, and Satake-senpai returned to his own work.
Looking at Sayaka’s expression, she already seemed to have let her guard down. It made me feel uneasy. No matter how nice a man acts, they’re only thinking about one thing anyway! You have to be more careful! Even the guys in our year invite us out to drinks, but their ulterior motives are plain to see!
”When we were rookies, OJT didn’t even exist. A lot of people dropped out back then. Well, according to the seniors, they were ‘thinning the herd,’ but from our perspective, it was hell,” Nozawa said.
”It’s better now,” Nozawa added. “I was at my limit back then, too. Just between us, there were times I went home and cried.”
”Wait… really?” I asked.
The tough-looking Nozawa-senpai… that was unexpected.
”The mentors probably had no leeway because they had to look after two or three people alone while doing their own work,” Nozawa said.
Now it was one-on-one. In exchange, everyone had to be an OJT instructor at least twice. This was the second time for Nozawa-senpai and the others.
”But even when you become an instructor, you don’t know how to do it. You have to watch the rookie while getting your own work done,” Nozawa explained.
”Since we didn’t receive a decent education, we don’t know what one looks like. That means we can’t provide one, right? People say things like ‘just study’ or ‘trial and error,’ but if that were easy, no one would be struggling. Even if you ask the seniors, you only get vague answers.”
”In the first place, when a low-level company like ours ‘thins the herd,’ what’s even going to be left? We have no choice but to raise people carefully, even if it takes time. It’s a problem if they quit right after we train them, so we have to keep them happy to some extent.”
”That’s the method Satake was always complaining about,” Nozawa said.
For the first month, just have them observe. During that time, have them learn the names and faces of as many seniors as possible to build a foundation for interaction. In parallel, have them grasp the atmosphere of the office and the workflow while the mentor explains key points. Then, while measuring their ability, gradually entrust them with work they seem interested in.
That was the roadmap for me… and Toda Sayaka.
”Toda-san close friends with Mamiya, so she should be fine under Satake, too. At least that guy is more capable than I am. He’s our rising star², after all,” Nozawa said.
”I-I see…” I replied.
Nozawa-senpai seemed to think quite highly of Satake-senpai.
For the next week, I observed Satake-senpai according to that roadmap.
I still didn’t know much about the job, but based on the atmosphere alone, there were plenty of other people who seemed more capable.
Compared to them, Satake-senpai was just plain. He worked in silence, and I never saw him go to chat with anyone on his own. He arrived at the office earlier than us rookies every morning, and he didn’t even make a move to pack up at the fixed time. Maybe he was just perpetually busy.
He didn’t fit the image of a “rising star.” I thought a star was supposed to be more brisk, finishing work on time, and having more of an aura.
As I did that, I naturally began to follow Satake-senpai with my eyes. Of course, it was only to ensure Sayaka’s safety. Look! Just now, his eyes wandered! Ah! Sayaka is looking down, and he’s staring right at her face!
Sayaka, too! Isn’t she too close?! At home, she said “Satake-senpai doesn’t feel like that,” and praised him for being a kind person, but he totally feels like that! Sayaka is a quiet girl, so she’s an easy target!
To protect my clueless best friend, I needed information on the enemy.
”Wait, Satake?” Nozawa asked.
”Yes. I was wondering what kind of person he is,” I said.
”What’s this? Mamiya, are you interested in him?” Nozawa asked.
”No, it’s not like that,” I insisted.
”Right, right. Hmm, let’s see. In one word… he’s a corporate drone³, after all,” Nozawa said.
”I… already knew that,” I replied.
”Pfft!” Nozawa laughed.
”Even the rookies know… Well, he’s basically a workaholic. But even though he looks like that, he takes good care of people. Since he’s competent, he’s popular with the juniors,” Nozawa explained.
”Oh… really?” I asked.
Apparently, there is a group called the “Satake Children.” It refers to members, mainly from the generations below Satake-senpai, who want to be on his team. Nozawa-senpai was apparently one of them.
”Also, if you set him up with a joke, he gives a proper retort. He’s got that Osaka dry wit… though if you tell him he’s got Kansai blood, he won’t talk to you for a while. So you’d better not say that,” Nozawa said.
”Is that so…?” I asked.
”He’s pretty secretive. He won’t give out his LINE, and he doesn’t want people touching his private life. It’s not like he gets in a bad mood if you ask, but he’s so good at dodging questions that you don’t even realize… Thinking about it now is making me annoyed,” Nozawa muttered.
Nozawa-senpai glared toward Satake-senpai’s desk, but he wasn’t there. Looking frustrated, she continued.
”Speaking of annoying… he’s surprisingly popular with women,” Nozawa said.
”He is?” I asked.
”Yeah. Like I said, he’s competent and takes care of people. He protects you from unreasonable instructions, he gives proper replies when you talk to him, and he’s always treating the juniors to juice or meals while grumbling about it,” Nozawa said.
”He should treat me, too,” Nozawa complained.
I thought it was strange for him to treat people in the same year or seniors. If they’re in the same year, their salary is the same, right?
”…Then, is he dating anyone?” I asked.
”No, definitely not. He lives for work. At least, there’s no one in this company. I can guarantee that,” Nozawa said.
”…How do you know?” I asked.
”Because Satake doesn’t look at his colleagues that way,” Nozawa replied.
”Oh… why is that?” I asked.
”Our boss, Section Chief Tanahashi, is very handsome. He graduated from a university so good I don’t know why he chose this company, and as you’d imagine, he’s a genius at his job. But he’s also a total sleazebag with women. Mamiya, you’d better be careful. Anyway, Satake hates that guy’s guts for various reasons. He’s being stubborn about it, saying ‘I’d rather die than be like him. I’m never touching a coworker,’” Nozawa explained.
The reason was so childish I couldn’t help but laugh.
”You said ‘various reasons’… what happened?” I asked.
”Well, it’s a famous story around here, so I’ll tell you,” Nozawa said.
She explained that back when Tanahashi was a Chief, he was in a four-person team with Satake-senpai and two female employees.
At the time, Satake-senpai was finishing his first year and was the lowest-ranking member. It was a small project, so Chief Tanahashi took the stance that he would respond if there was an emergency, but he was basically hands-off.
The problem was with the two female employees. It was a feud—or more accurately, a cold war. Tanahashi, the section chief, had a favorite: a younger employee named Sonobe, or S-san. She was a team leader but constantly slacked off or dumped her responsibilities on the older employee, Niimi (N-san), using half-assed excuses like, “I don’t really get how this work works~”. Tanahashi naturally gave S-san preferential treatment. Since N-san was the senior, he’d just validate the exploitation by saying, “You’re the veteran, so I’m counting on you to follow up~”. This only made S-san more arrogant.
N-san didn’t take it quietly. She started spreading nasty rumors to drag S-san down—claiming she was easy, that she was sleeping her way to the top, or that she was carrying some kind of disease. Satake-senpai ended up caught in the crossfire. He felt sympathy for N-san but became the target of her constant venting and foul moods. On top of that, he was forced to pick up almost every task S-san abandoned.
The breaking point for Satake-senpai came when he couldn’t see what tasks S-san was actually supposed to be doing. His frustration with the lack of transparency exploded, and he ended up building the predecessor to the task management app our company uses today. I feel like his reason for getting mad is a bit off, but apparently, that’s just the kind of person Satake-senpai is.
”Back then, company rules meant we couldn’t use cloud services,” Satake explained. “We couldn’t afford existing tools, and the servers were tapped out. I was complaining the whole time, but I dragged Ogura-san into it and we just built the thing…”
N-san aggressively jumped on the new tool to make every task visible. Once S-san’s habit of ditching work was officially recorded, she found it too uncomfortable to stay. She quit the company shortly after.
”Is that why Tanahashi-section chief and Satake-senpai hate each other?” Mamiya asked.
”It started there,” Nozawa replied. “Tanahashi took his favorite girl leaving as a personal insult, so he tried to bully the ‘culprits’—N-san and Satake—out of the company. N-san moved to a new job about six months after that project ended, but Satake is surprisingly tough. Both of them are way too smart for their own good, so they’ve just been silently clashing for over four years now.”
”Yikes…” Mamiya muttered.
On one side was Tanahashi (Section Chief), the handsome ace who favored women—especially if they flattered him. On the other was Satake (No Title), the young “Corporate Slave” ace who favored anyone who was actually good at their job. That was the current state of the power struggle in our department. Supposedly, there was also a neutral faction: Okubo (Section Chief), who didn’t care about drama and just wanted things to go smoothly. However, the relationship between Okubo-section chief and Satake-senpai seemed quite good.
From Satake-senpai’s perspective, his attitude was basically: “Can everyone stop putting me on a pedestal? It’s a huge pain.” Nozawa warned me that if Satake-senpai started using his Kansai dialect, it was a sign he was reaching a dangerous limit, so I should be careful not to push him.
Still, no matter how I looked at it, Satake-senpai seemed like the one in the right. He’d clearly be more popular, but apparently, the higher-ups, the people looking for handouts, the jealous types, and the people weak for a pretty face all had different ideas. I guess when people get a taste of power, it warps how they see the world.
Come to think of it, when I went out for drinks with the other new hires, three girls from other departments were gushing about how Tanahashi-section chief might be “the one” ♡. Sure, he looked like a model, but he seemed sleazy. He was so overconfident it was actually a turn-off. The more I heard, the more I found myself wanting to root for Satake-senpai.
Then again, Nozawa-senpai sure had a lot to say whenever Satake-senpai came up…
”Wait, Nozawa-senpai, do you maybe have a thing for Satake-senpai?” Mamiya asked.
”No, not a chance,” Nozawa replied. “Even if I dated a guy like that, he’d ignore me for his work every single time. Besides, I’m married.”
”What?! But your ring…” Mamiya stammered.
”Oh, this? It makes my skin itchy, so I keep it tucked away in a drawer,” Nozawa said. Turns out she had two kids, too. That was the biggest shock of the day.
”When did you meet your husband?” Mamiya asked.
”My first year as a working adult. Actually, he’s still at this company,” Nozawa said.
”No way! How did you two… I mean, what was the spark?” Mamiya asked.
”I told you about how my heart almost broke during my first year, right? He was the one who stayed by my side through that,” Nozawa said.
”Oh… wow,” Mamiya whispered.
”Workplace marriages are pretty common here,” Nozawa added.
”Really?” Mamiya asked.
”Yeah. Okubo-section chief’s wife is in the company, and Tanahashi-section chief’s wife used to work here too before she quit,” Nozawa said. Apparently, surviving brutal projects together creates a special bond. Satake-senpai supposedly named it the “Black Company Effect”—his version of the “Suspension Bridge Effect”.
”Do you have a boyfriend, Mamiya-san?” Nozawa asked.
”Not right now,” Mamiya replied.
”Is that so?” Nozawa asked.
”Yes…” Mamiya said. I shouldn’t have said “right now.” I was just being vain. I went to a women’s university, so there were plenty of… “encounters,” but none of them were good memories. Now that I’m in the real world, I guess I have to start thinking about marriage eventually…
…Actually, it still feels way too early for me.
”Well, it’s better than rushing in and catching a loser,” Nozawa said.
”That’s true,” Mamiya replied.
I suddenly got curious and looked over at Sayaka. If one of us gets a boyfriend or gets married, I wonder what will happen to our relationship?
”Hmm. Toda-san… she might already be feeling it. Well, Satake is one of the decent ones. Even if he is just a Corporate Slave,” Nozawa muttered.
”……”
As Satake-senpai walked back to his seat, the tension in Sayaka’s face visibly softened. She’d finally found a man she could feel comfortable around. As her best friend, I felt like I should support this little crush of hers. Of course, I’d have to make sure he was actually worthy of her first. He has that weird pride of his, but I think even Satake-senpai will fall for how cute Sayaka is.
Look! He just totally glanced at her! No time like the present.
”Satake-senpai! I’m dying of thirst-ssu!” Mamiya called out.
”The vending machines are in the breakroom,” Satake replied.
”Nozawa-senpai told me that as a junior, I have to let my senior treat me at least once!” Mamiya said.
”…………I… see?” Satake said.
”Come on, Sayaka, you come too!” Mamiya urged.
”Eh? Um… wait, really? Is it okay?” Sayaka asked.
”…It’s fine, but just this once, okay?” Satake said.
”Score! You’re the best, senpai-ssu!” Mamiya cheered.
”I’m so sorry,” Sayaka whispered.
”It’s fine. It sounds like this is all Nozawa-san’s fault anyway. …Shall we go?” Satake asked.
”Satake~! Buy me one too~!” Nozawa shouted.
”No,” Satake said.
After that, I started calling him “paisen,” and we became friends in no time.
—
Summary:
Mamiya observes the workplace dynamics, noting that her and Sayaka’s easy OJT is actually a specialized method developed by Satake to prevent rookie burnout. Nozawa reveals Satake’s reputation as a competent but secretive ‘corporate drone’ who refuses to date coworkers. This resolve stems from a deep-seated hatred for his handsome but philandering boss, Tanahashi.
Mamiya learns about the toxic office history involving Tanahashi-section chief, the disgraced Sonobe (S-san), and the resilient Satake-senpai. It’s revealed that Nozawa-senpai is married to a coworker, highlighting the commonality of workplace romance in high-pressure environments. Mamiya decides to wingman for Sayaka, pushing for a group trip to the vending machines to bridge the gap with Satake-senpai.
—
Trivia:
- The term ‘Satake Children’ implies a cult-like following among juniors who admire his management style.
- Satake’s aversion to being associated with Kansai suggests a desire to keep his background private or a distaste for regional stereotypes.
- The ‘thinning the herd’ mentality of previous years explains the high turnover rate the company used to have.
- Satake is described as ‘haggard,’ suggesting he takes on the brunt of the work to protect his subordinates.
- Satake-senpai built the company’s current task management system from scratch due to S-san’s laziness.
- Tanahashi’s wife is a former employee of the same company.
- Nozawa-senpai hides her wedding ring simply because it makes her skin itchy.
- The ‘Black Company Effect’ is a darker workplace variant of the psychological Suspension Bridge Effect.
- Satake’s use of dialect is a warning sign of high stress/anger
—
Character Insight:
Mamiya reveals her own bias and overprotectiveness, admitting she stalks Satake with her eyes under the guise of ‘protecting’ Sayaka. Satake’s professionalism is framed as a moral stance against Tanahashi’s behavior.
Satake-senpai shows a ‘hidden’ kindness or at least a sense of duty by agreeing to buy drinks despite his ‘Corporate Slave’ fatigue. Mamiya proves to be an aggressive but well-meaning friend, quickly adapting her speech to bond with seniors.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The chapter shifts focus to an outside perspective to build the legend of the protagonist through the eyes of his peers.
The author uses the ‘Black Company’ setting not just for drama, but to justify why the characters are so tightly knit—trauma bonding as a narrative engine.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• 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.
• Nozawa – She is a petite woman with a dark brown short bob, glasses, and a practical, no-nonsense look, usually dressed in neat office wear. She is Satake’s peer from the same hiring class and a senior to the others, known for being strict with rules and reliable, even handling things like recovering his equipment from the hospital. Married with two kids and an “ikumen” husband at the same company, she drinks beer, speaks bluntly, and acts as a tough but caring big-sister figure—mentoring juniors in both work and romance, while quietly sensitive to criticism.
• Toda Sayaka – first-year hire under Satake’s OJT, she is a soft-spoken mediator to her roommate Mamiya, her modest dress and careful manners reflecting a pure, almost old-fashioned grace. Slender and pale with long, pitch-black hair flowing softly down her back, she carries a delicate beauty—wide, gentle eyes, easily flushed cheeks, and a quiet, almost fragile presence. Called an “oasis” and even a “guardian deity,” she moves through life with self-effacing kindness, cooking for others and blaming herself for small faults, her innocence preserved yet shaped by a constant, tender effort to care for those around her.
• Tanahashi – He is a tall, model-like man with sharp features and a polished look, always in neat, stylish suits, giving off the image of a perfect “ace” with a faint, practiced smile. He is a section chief and Satake’s former boss, known as a genius at work but also a show-off who avoids eye contact and shifts pressure onto others. He favors women who flatter him and acts cold and condescending in meetings, hiding issues behind smooth talk. Once married with three children, he later faced scandal from an affair and eventually left the company after driving Satake out.
• Sonobe – Also known as S-san. A younger female employee and former team leader. Tanahashi-section chief’s favorite. Quit the company after her slackness was exposed.
• Niimi – Also known as N-san. A senior female employee who feuded with Sonobe. Eventually changed jobs six months after a specific project.
• Ogura – She is a tall, slender woman with wavy black shoulder-length hair held back by a headband, carrying a sharp, composed look in simple work attire. She is a senior engineer on the Aretha Non-Life Insurance project, about ten years older than Satake, known for strong technical skill despite having no management title. Married with a daughter, she is logical, meticulous, and quietly competitive, approaching work with precision and little patience for mistakes.
• 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.
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