MY OBSESSIVE BOSS

The clock tower in the center of the Nagisa Estate struck midnight, the sound echoing across the manicured zen gardens like a funeral bell for Hiyori’s freedom.

A sleek, matte-black Rolls-Royce Spectre hissed to a halt at the front gates. It was a car that screamed "old money," but the girl stepping out of the back was currently radiating "new problems." Nagisa Hiyori, dressed in a silk clubbing outfit that cost more than a mid-sized sedan, kicked off her designer heels and held them in one hand like twin daggers.

"Shhh," she hissed at the car as if the engine could understand her. "If you wake him up, I'm selling you for parts."

She crept toward the Nagisa Mansion—a sprawling architectural marvel of glass, traditional dark wood, and terrifyingly expensive sliding doors. It looked like a fortress of solitude, but to Hiyori, it was currently a stealth mission. She tiptoed across the marble foyer, her breath held tight, feeling like a world-class spy. She was safe. She was home. She was—

"So. The ghost of the Nagisa legacy finally decides to haunt us with its presence."

The voice didn't come from the shadows; it came from the massive, throne-like armchair in the center of the dark hall. A single floor lamp flickered on, revealing Nagisa Gendo.

At seventy-five, Gendo looked less like a grandfather and more like a retired shogun who still kept a katana under his pillow. He was wrapped in a traditional yukata, holding a cup of green tea that was likely stone-cold. His eyes, sharp as broken glass, pinned Hiyori to the spot.

Hiyori’s face did a dramatic transformation. Her panicked "spy" face melted into a dazzling, high-wattage smile. "Grandpa! Oh my god, you’re awake? I was so worried! I thought you’d be tucked in and dreaming about... stocks... and whatever else old people dream about."

Her smile stayed bright, but as Gendo didn't blink, it began to twitch. The seriousness finally hit her face like a wet towel. "Okay, fine. I’m late."

"Late?" Gendo’s voice dropped an octave. "How can I sleep when my only granddaughter, the sole heiress to the Nagisa empire, is spending her nights vibrating in a dark room with loud music and questionable fruit juices?"

"Grandpa—"

"No 'Grandpa' this time!" Gendo stood up, his joints popping with the rhythm of a man who was about to ruin a life. "Hiyori, it has been two and a half years since you graduated. Two and a half years of you treating this company like a 'suggested reading' list. You haven’t set foot in the office for a single day."

Hiyori immediately pivoted to Plan B: Extreme Cuteness. She puffed out her cheeks, tilted her head, and clasped her hands. "I know, I know! I’m a terrible, beautiful, talented granddaughter. Tell you what—I’ll come in tomorrow. I'll even wear a suit. Please don't be angry? My heart can't take the stress!"

Gendo stared at her. For a second, it looked like he was softening. Then, he let out a dry, cold laugh. "I’ve made a decision. You will not be coming to the Nagisa Company tomorrow."

Hiyori’s entire world lit up. "Wait... really? You mean I’m forgiven? You’re letting me live my best life? Oh, Grandpa, I knew you were the GOAT! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She blew him a kiss and turned to bolt for the stairs.

"Because," Gendo added, his voice cutting through her joy like a guillotine, "you are going for training. You are going to be a mere secretary for the CEO of our partners at Veraison Heights. You will live like a commoner for six months. No Nagisa credit cards. No chauffeur. No luxury sushi delivered by drone. Just you, a cubicle, and a middle-class salary."

The silence that followed was so heavy it could have crushed a tank. Hiyori turned around slowly, her face a mask of pure horror. "I... a secretary? Nagisa Hiyori? Do you know how much my time is worth? I don't even know how to use a stapler, Grandpa! It’s dangerous! I could break a nail!"

"You will pretend to be a normal person," Gendo said, unfazed. "The board members know the truth, but they have strict orders: if they give you a single penny of help, I’ll fire them. You will be 'Sato Hiyori.' A nobody."

"No way. Not happening. I’d rather live in the woods with the bears," Hiyori declared, crossing her arms.

"Fine," Gendo shrugged. "Then I shall simply remove you from my will. The cat cafe? Sold. The mansion? A museum. Your designer shoe collection? Donated to people who actually walk places."

Hiyori smirked. She knew she had him. "Old man, we both know I’m your only heir. You’re not giving this empire to the gardener. Nice try."

Gendo leaned back, a villainous glint in his eye. He pulled out a small, high-tech tablet. "You’re right. But... I believe this was uploaded to a private cloud server seven years ago?"

He pressed play. A high-definition video of a seven-year-old Hiyori appeared. She was wearing oversized bunny ears, sobbing uncontrollably, and pointing at a cloud in the sky. "It looks like a bunny and it's drifting away! Mr. Rabbit is leaving meeee!" she wailed in the video, her face red.

Hiyori’s soul practically left her body. "Delete that. Delete it now."

"If you don't show up at Veraison Heights tomorrow," Gendo whispered, "this video will be the centerpiece of our next global stockholders' meeting. I’ll even make it a sponsored ad on TikTok. Everyone will know the 'Cold Heiress' as the 'Bunny'."

Hiyori’s jaw hit the floor. "You... you old monster! You can't blackmail your only family! I am all you have!"

"And I am all you have," Gendo said, yawning and stretching his 'old bones' as he walked toward his bedroom. "And I have the password to the router. Sleep fast, 'Bunny.' Your train leaves at 6:00 AM. Be normal. Or be viral. The choice is yours."

Hiyori stood alone in the dark foyer, clutching her designer heels, realizing she was about to exchange her Rolls-Royce for a subway pass. "I'm going to find that tablet," she hissed at the empty hallway, "and I'm going to bury it in the garden!"

From the distance, Gendo’s voice drifted back: "It's encrypted, Hiyo! Goodnight!"

Hiyori slammed the door of her bedroom—a room so large it had its own echo—and marched straight for the bathroom. Ten minutes later, she was submerged in a marble tub filled with rose-scented bubbles, but the soothing aroma did absolutely nothing for her blood pressure.

"Old man," she muttered, scrubbing her arm with a loofah as if she were trying to rub off the upcoming destiny of a 9-to-5 job. "Senile. Grumpy. Dictator. I hope his green tea is lukewarm for a week."

She stepped out, wrapped in a fluffy robe, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders. She didn't go to her bed. Instead, she sat at her custom-built, neon-lit gaming desk. The triple monitors glowed, illuminating her face with a soft, electronic purple hue.

"If I have to be a secretary," she hissed, clicking her mouse with a vengeance, "then the digital world must suffer."

She launched her favorite game: "Cuddly Carnage: Bullet Ballet." It was a notoriously brutal battle-royale game where players used tactical firearms in a world that looked deceptively colorful. Her character appeared on the screen—a small, chibi-style girl with pigtails and a massive sniper rifle.

Her username flashed in the corner:

✨Pinky_Bunny_Killer✨.

The match started, and Hiyori didn't play for fun. She played for extinction.

Boom. A headshot from across the map.

Rat-tat-tat. She cleared out a squad in a neon-pink warehouse.

Kaboom. She threw a grenade shaped like a heart, wiping out the final survivor.

"VICTORY!" flashed across the screen.

"Hah!" Hiyori leaned back, crossing her arms.

"No one wins against the Bunny. I might not be able to defeat a grumpy grandfather, but I can definitely delete a pro-gamer's ego."

She returned to the main menu, her adrenaline beginning to fade. Suddenly, a notification pinged. A private message from the person on her friend list. The username was:

Only_Obsession_01.

Only_Obsession_01: Hey, Bunny. You’re playing like a demon tonight. What happened?

Hiyori’s fingers flew across the mechanical keyboard.

Pinky_Bunny_Killer: Nothing happened. Why are you asking? 🙄

Only_Obsession_01: You didn't spare a single soul. Usually, you troll people for fun. Today, you just executed them. You look… angry. Even through the screen.

Hiyori sighed, her shoulders dropping. She felt a strange comfort talking to this stranger. They had been "gaming friends" for a year, but they had never met or even shared their real names.

Pinky_Bunny_Killer: Oh, Obsession… you understand me too well. Something terrible happened. My life is officially over. 😭

Only_Obsession_01: Tell me. Did someone hurt you? Give me their coordinates.

Pinky_Bunny_Killer: My grandfather. He’s forcing me into 'labor.' I have to be a secretary starting tomorrow. At some fancy firm called Veraison Heights. I have to live like a middle class for six months! Do you realize I have to take a TRAIN? With PEOPLE?

There was a long pause from the other side. Hiyori imagined her friend being just as shocked as she was.

Only_Obsession_01: A secretary? That is… quite the change. It sounds very cruel.

Pinky_Bunny_Killer: It is! It’s psychological warfare! I don't know how to do anything. What if I accidentally delete the whole company? What if I trip on my first day? I’m going to be a disaster.

Only_Obsession_01: Don't worry. I am with you. Even if the world is against you, you still have your sniper rifle in 'Cuddly Carnage.'

Hiyori felt a tiny blush creep onto her cheeks.

Pinky_Bunny_Killer: You’re so sweet. I wish my grandfather was half as supportive as you. But no, he’s just an old man who likes to blackmail me with embarrassing childhood videos.

Only_Obsession_01: Go to sleep, Bunny. You need your rest for Day One. Tell me everything about your first day as a secretary when you log on tomorrow. I’ll be waiting.

Pinky_Bunny_Killer: Okay. Bye-bye, Obsession. Wish me luck… I’ll need it.

Hiyori closed the setup and the room fell into darkness, save for the moon shining through the window. She sat there for a long moment, staring at her reflection on the black screen.

"Secretary Hiyori..." she whispered. The thought felt like a heavy weight. Suddenly, she stood up and began stomping her feet on the plush carpet, her robe fluttering. "No! I won't let him win! I’ll be the best secretary Nagoya has ever seen, and then I'll get my cat cafe back and burn that bunny video!"

She stomped one last time, pointed at the ceiling where her grandfather’s room was, and hissed, "I'm coming for you, Grandpa!"

Then, she tripped over her own slippers and tumbled onto the bed. "Ow... the first day hasn't even started and I'm already injured. Grandpa, you're a dead man!"