The Agency Directive

🌙 CHAPTER 3 — “The Agency Directive”

Spring arrived in Tokyo like it didn’t care who was already struggling.

Too bright. Too loud. Too full of people pretending they had everything figured out.

Haruki didn’t.

Ren definitely didn’t.

And somehow—that was exactly when everything got worse.

The Call

Haruki’s phone rang during lunch.

He stared at the screen for a second too long.

“…I’m going to regret this,” he muttered.

Then answered.

“Hello?”

A sharp voice came through immediately.

“Amamiya Haruki.”

Haruki straightened instinctively.

“…Yes.”

“We need you at headquarters.”

Pause.

“…Now?”

“Yes.”

Click.

The line went dead.

Ren watched him from across the table.

“…Trouble?”

Haruki forced a smile.

“Nope.”

A pause.

Then, softer:

“…Probably yes.”

The Agency Room

The company building was too clean.

Too white.

Too expensive-looking.

Haruki sat in a meeting room with three executives and a folder placed in front of him.

He already knew this was going to be bad.

“You’ve been selected for a new promotional strategy,” one of them said.

Haruki blinked.

“…A what?”

The folder slid toward him.

He opened it.

And froze.

Inside:

Photos.

Clips.

Fan edits.

Comments.

All centered on him and Ren.

Haruki stared.

“…Why is my roommate in here.”

The executive didn’t blink.

“Your current public engagement metrics have increased significantly whenever you are seen with him.”

Haruki slowly closed the folder.

“…That’s not a sentence I like hearing.”

Another voice joined.

“We want you to maintain a ‘close public relationship narrative.’”

Haruki frowned.

“…You mean fake dating.”

Silence.

That was the confirmation.

Haruki’s Immediate Reaction

“No.”

Immediate.

Sharp.

Final.

“I’m not doing that.”

The room didn’t react emotionally.

Just practically.

“You will not be forced,” the executive said. “But it is highly recommended for career stability.”

Haruki leaned back.

“…I hate this job sometimes.”

But Then They Said His Name

“One condition,” the executive added.

Haruki narrowed his eyes.

“…What.”

“Your roommate will also be approached.”

Silence.

That landed differently.

Haruki’s expression changed immediately.

“…Don’t involve him.”

“We will only suggest.”

“That’s still involvement.”

A pause.

Then softer:

“…He’s not part of this world.”

And for a moment—

Haruki realized something uncomfortable.

He wanted to protect Ren more than he wanted to protect himself.

Back at Room 403

Ren noticed immediately when Haruki came back.

“…You look different.”

Haruki dropped onto his bed.

“I had a corporate horror experience.”

“That is not a category.”

“It is now.”

Ren watched him.

“…What happened.”

Haruki hesitated.

Then:

“…Nothing.”

Too fast.

Too fake.

Ren frowned.

“You are lying.”

Haruki groaned.

“I hate how good you are at reading me.”

Silence.

Then Haruki sat up.

“…Can I ask you something weird?”

Ren already looked suspicious.

“…Depends.”

Haruki exhaled.

“Would you ever date someone… for appearance?”

Ren stared at him.

“…No.”

Immediate.

No hesitation.

“Why would anyone do that.”

Haruki looked away slightly.

“…Good answer.”

But something in his expression didn’t relax.

The First Lie Begins

That night, Haruki made a decision.

Not because he wanted to lie.

But because he didn’t want Ren pulled into something that could hurt him.

So when the agency called again—

Haruki said:

“…Fine.”

Fake Dating Proposal

The next meeting was worse.

“Public pairing narrative,” they called it.

Haruki called it what it was in his head:

Damage control.

“We suggest you present yourselves as dating publicly,” they said.

Haruki laughed once.

“…You’re insane.”

“It is beneficial for both popularity and stability.”

Haruki leaned forward.

“…And what does the other person get out of this.”

A pause.

“…Exposure.”

Haruki’s expression darkened slightly.

“Yeah. No.”

But then—

they showed him something.

A draft campaign.

His and Ren’s names together.

Projected media attention.

Pressure building.

And Haruki thought about Ren.

Quiet Ren.

Careful Ren.

The one who didn’t even like being looked at too long.

So Haruki did something he hated himself for later.

“…I’ll consider it.”

The First Fake Moment

Back in Room 403, Haruki acted normal.

Too normal.

Almost carefully normal.

Which made Ren more suspicious than anything else.

“…You’re avoiding me,” Ren said suddenly.

Haruki froze.

“…I’m not.”

“You are.”

Silence.

Haruki laughed awkwardly.

“I’m just tired.”

Ren stared at him for a long moment.

“…That is also a lie.”

Haruki’s chest tightened.

Because it was.

The Ren-chan Voice Appears

Later that evening, Haruki finally cracked under stress.

Ren was cooking instant noodles.

Haruki walked in behind him.

And without thinking—

softened completely.

“…Ren-chan.”

Silence.

Ren froze.

Slowly turned.

“…What did you call me.”

Haruki blinked.

“…I didn’t mean—”

But it was too late.

The tone had already happened.

Too soft.

Too affectionate.

Too familiar.

Ren stared at him.

“…Do not call me that.”

Haruki panicked slightly.

“I won’t. I swear.”

But even as he said it—

he realized something terrifying.

That voice didn’t feel forced.

It felt natural.

Ending Scene

That night, Haruki couldn’t sleep.

Ren was already asleep.

Quiet.

Stable.

Safe-looking.

Haruki stared at the ceiling.

Thinking:

If I agree to this fake thing… will it change how he sees me?

A pause.

Then quieter:

Or will it protect him?

And in the darkness of Room 403—

Haruki made the worst decision he could make for himself.

But maybe the best one for Ren.

He whispered:

“…I’ll do it.”

And somewhere across the room,

Ren shifted slightly in his sleep—

completely unaware that the shape of their relationship had just started changing forever.

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