"I'm...pregnant." Sawa, who works as a graphic designer at an advertising agency, discovers one morning that she's got a bun in the oven. Only one person could be the father, and it's her handsome, but strict supervisor at work, Director Ishiki. The incident happened a few months ago when she was celebrating a job well down with him after a huge project they worked on together. Perhaps they were feeling a bit too relaxed, but once a few drinks hit, they ended up sharing a kiss. The unexpected soft and gentle smooch with her drill sergeant of a supervisor leads to them spending the night together... However, it was only a one-time thing and they were never an item, so Sawa wavers about whether or not to tell him that she's pregnant. A romance that blossoms from an unexpected pregnancy is about to unfold!
"Back then, we were young. We merely wandered the planet, not knowing what it meant to love, to be." Wait? Is this one of those "second chance love letters" that everyone's talking about?
Just three months into Sayuki's marriage, tragedy struck. When she comes home early one day, she hears her husband and another woman speaking sweet nothings to each other in their bedroom. Without a moment's hesitation, Sayuki files for divorce and decides to have a fresh start, giving up on love and marriage. A few years pass and a guy at work starts talking her up. But before she has time to worry about him, she begins receiving love poems from her ex-husband! What happened, and why is he suddenly trying to act all romantic?!
"Your lips look... sweet. Do you mind if I have a taste?" Chika Ayano is an introvert and has had her eyes on the most popular guy in the office, Shoma Hazuki, for a while. One day, she's able to hear Hazuki talking with Kimura, her superior who has been bullying her... and it seems Hazuki has to ask her out now that he's lost a bet?! Ayano knows that Hazuki confessing his feelings to her is just because he lost a bet, but she's way too into him and agrees to date without any further thought. Now Hazuki's all over her and there's no stop to it! What will happen with this one month period they're set to date?!
"Who will be my prince?" At just barely 26, Akane Koyama is a capable business consultant. An outspoken beauty who doesn't suffer others' foolishness, she tends to be seen as "manly" both inside the company and out. Actually, though, she's a young maiden who dreams of a romance with her prince. One day, the CEO of a client company leaves Akane in charge of running a share house. And who should be living there, but three princely, handsome men?! And on top of that, Koh, one of the three, was actually Akane's "first"?! It's an all-out bout between a "manly" woman who dreams of love and her three prettyboy housemates!
Hitomi, now 33, is an averagely diligent office worker who has tiptoed her way through life avoiding anything that would make her stand out. She has also been dating her younger coworker Takuma for two years. Sure he hasn't popped the question yet and she's getting a little anxious, but otherwise, Hitomi's content with life. Then, one day, news breaks that Takuma is getting married to the young receptionist at work...! Wanting to forget her heartbreak, Hitomi wastes no time and finds a new job with a publisher in their comics division. Problem is, she has to work with explicit romance comics. Oh, and the fact that she's often at the mercy of her passionate editor-in-chief Mr. Adachi, in more ways than one! ...But before she gets used to the rhythm of things (and the butterflies), a married Takuma suddenly shows up, suggesting that they continue meeting discretely...!
Otoha is a young career woman with a great reputation at work. However, because of her success, she has earned herself an enemy who's out to get her.
Then there's her coworker, Naruse, the company heartthrob. All eyes are on him, but he often gets involved with Otoha, which always results in them arguing. When Otoha runs into her boyfriend on a date with another woman, Naruse jumps in and...
Tsutsumi works in an office as a clerk, but she's had a hard time working under the newest addition to their team with a mean streak for strict work ethics who came in from the sales department- Takasugi! However, it's not exactly the hard time anyone would have expected. After catching a moment of unexpected kindness from him, Tsutsumi can't do anything other than stiffen up and blush!!
"There's no other woman I want to be with but you, Kanade." Kanade entered a contract marriage with Kazuomi, the cold and calculating CEO of a real estate development company. After a year of wasted efforts and endless disappointments, she decided to file for divorce and move out without a word. Determined to start her life anew, she soon finds herself drawn back to working for her ex-husband due to a string of unexpected events. Can she uncover what lies hidden deep within Kazuomi's heart of ice?
Office worker Mizuki Kamiya is feeling deeply down about her recent break up with her ex-boyfriend Yukihiro Narimatsu. She can't catch a break, having to see him even at the company's anniversary party. Out of nowhere, someone swoops Mizuki off her feet, expressing affection for her... it's the CEO of the company, Keishi Seo! Keishi, only trying to avoid a woman stalking him, has now dragged Mizuki into his troubles. In order to keep her safe from his stalker and keep up the appearance of things, the two agree to a "contractual marriage". The CEO of a company and a worker in the offices of that same company now together, their quiet life as a "fake couple" begins. However, Mizuki becomes drawn to some of Keishi's small personal quirks. Could this be something more than a contract? What will happen to the two of them now that they can't stay apart from each other?
"Ah...jeez! I want to have sex...!" Aya is a 33-year-old office worker who's dealing with sexual frustration. She wants to feel the touch and love of a man but hasn't had a boyfriend in 8 years. And societally speaking, if women show their desire, they are looked down upon. One day, Aya's flirty supervisor Dojima invites her out for drinks. Dojima is divorced and down to have a one-night stand instead of a partner. Hearing this, Aya makes up her own rules to not get carried away or have any regrets for having a one-night stand and sets out to make her one-stand a reality.
Minori Nashihara has the ability to hear the whispers of people's hearts when they come in within a certain range... in other words, she's a telepath. Because of this ability, she has had a difficult past, and has had to keep her distance from people to avoid reading their minds. One day, she is summoned by her uncle and CEO of the company she works for, Suzumiya, and ordered to marry Shishizuka, her capable but self-centered boss! Naturally, Minori and Shishizuka both refuse, but Shishizuka readily agrees when he hears that marriage will allow him to take charge of a project that could become the company's fortune. Caught in the middle of all this, they reluctantly begin life together in a fake marriage between boss and subordinate...?
Is it because we're alpha and omega? I don't even like this guy, but whenever I'm with him, my body gets hot, and I can't take my eyes off him... I want to touch him. That's... strange, isn't it? Akari is twenty-six years old was born as the rare gender omega. On the surface, omegas are given "special treatment" due to a promotion for diversification. However, Akari still finds it hard to live in such a society. She was teased during puberty, and companies wouldn't take her seriously when she was job hunting... That's why she's giving it her all to work towards a society where everyone can live comfortably. At Akari's company, Kaede, a national government employee, was dispatched as an advisor for the so-called "diversity promotion" to create an environment where alphas and omegas can work together.
Mihane Kirino is just your average office girl who's set on finding love... she just has a couple odd things here and there like someone stalking her. One day, one of the charming higher ups in the office, Kai Yamashina offers to take her out for food and listen to her woes. In the blink of an eye things go from attentive boss to pretend boyfriend and/or personal body guard, and he doesn't seem to care to hide it!
Kiyo works in product development at a chocolate manufacturer; she's what they call a "science type" with her white lab coat and glasses, plus her lack of romantic prospects. "I've spent my whole life focused on research, but now I want to give 'love' a try." -- Her mind made up, Kiyo registers with a matchmaking service, but the dates just keep going down in flames... Then one day, she's met with a shocking invitation from the young and handsome president of her company, Mr. Sendo: "Would you like to go out with me? I need you." Kiyo has zero experience with romance, so this well-mannered and gallant man gazing sweetly at her as he calls her beautiful is enough to leave her reeling...! Her heart is still pounding on the day of their date, and then Mr. Sendo suddenly reveals his red-blooded, manly side and proclaims, "I'll shatter that logic of yours with my passion"...?!
"Here's to enjoying the second stage of my life!" Kazuha Ono is now a 35-year-old divorcee after ending things with her cheating husband. She works up the courage to declare, "I am officially divorced!" at her workplace, the editorial department of a fashion magazine, and much to her dismay the handsome new employee happens to be there at the same time. She thought it would make things awkward between them, but it seems like for some reason it's drawn him in closer?!
Haruka Usami is a 24 year old office worker with an honest and hard-working attitude. Her boss, Tsukasa Ogami, is a serious man with eyes like a wolf. She's beginning to feel fed up with her boss's strictness, when she has to continue working after her ex-boyfriend has left her with a horrible loan to pay off! While working another job as a mascot character, she runs into her boss by chance! "I want to help my staff to work and grow together. There's someone in our office who does so much for us..." She gets to hear her boss's true thoughts!? It turns out her serious boss is a softy who's no good with talking to people. Now that she knows, she can't help but find him adorable. Now Haruka has to figure out how to express these feelings to him! What will happen in this odd office love story??
"If you look away, I'll kiss you." Her first love and the man she hasn't seen in seven years is the next CEO who's famous within the company!
Maiko reunites with her childhood friend Kyouichi, the son of the CEO of the major cosmetics company she had gotten her dream job in. Kyo was Maiko's first love, but seven years ago, he left to go overseas and they had been out of contact ever since then. Maiko was hurt, thinking that her love was unrequited, but after they reunite, Kyo acts just like her boyfriend! He's a possessive sweet-talker with kisses that enthrall her. What is Maiko to do?
Sana, self-conscious about her weight, is confused by her manager Mr. Kusakabe's constant glare. One day, she slips on the stairs, but Mr. Kusakabe catches her, and her embarrassment grows, certain he now thinks she's heavy. But when she confronts him about his stares, he blushes and confesses his love, revealing his "glaring" was actually a sign of affection. He then asks her on a date in this cute office romance.
Akari is good at her job, beautiful, and her sense of style is beyond compare... but she has a secret. She's almost 30 and she's still a virgin! One fateful day, a new department chief takes over -- the handsome Shinomiya. "You're my subordinate now, which means from today, you have to do what I say." Shinomiya is a condescending bully and he and Akari clash from day one. Akari finds herself drinking her worries away at his welcome party and before she knows what hit her, she's completely smashed. She wakes up the next day to find -- Shinomiya emerging from her bathroom half naked?!?! Thus begins Akari's comedic office romance with her callous new boss!
*This volume compiles ch. 1-6 of "From Zero to Office Romance"
Nozomi Ikezaki and Shintarou Akishima are known in their office for getting along like cats and dogs. But, what nobody knows is that... the two have actually been dating for almost a whole year! On top of that, their company forbids relationships between employees, so they have to make sure the secret doesn't get out. Nozomi worries about her secret love every day, but she also has another worry. She's troubled about marriage. Considering her age, she is thinking about getting married to Shintarou in the future, but this perfect man with amazing looks and work skills has a crucial flaw... Do flaws not matter as long as there's love!? Read the secret pre-marriage (?) love story of a woman dreaming of the ideal marriage with a flawed man!