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Part-Time Job
“All right!”
I checked my phone in the morning, seeing that I had received an email from the place I applied for. I had the job interview last weekend, and I now got accepted.
‘Morning!’
‘Good morning, Nanato-kun.’
Following that, I checked my messages, spotting two separate ones from Reinan and Tsubasa. Around two weeks ago, Tsubasa would regularly text me good morning messages, and Reina’s three-day messages now turned into daily texts. I was happy to wake up to messages from both of them, but we’d be seeing each other at school anyway, so I think it’s a bit redundant. I left my home and headed for the usual park where I would be meeting up with Reina. After we practically were forced to be a pretend-couple, we indirectly forced Tsubasa to head to school by herself. I really don’t like it.
“Morning,” Reina slapped me on the back as she greeted me.
Since the days were getting hotter, Reina had now changed into her summer uniform. She had opened up one more button than the other students, revealing a clear shot of her cleavage. I always struggled to find where to look when dealing with her, but that stimulus only grew stronger now that she changed to just a shirt.
“Morning, Reina.”
I returned the greeting, as she began walking left and right of me, almost like a cat waiting to be fed. At this rate, I couldn’t move on, so I had to put my hands on her shoulder and stop her.
“Why are you texting me a good morning message if you’re still gonna do the same thing in person?”
“B-Because…I wanted to connect with you as quickly as possible.”
So far, I thought she was acting this clingy because she got lonely fast, but after that incident at Risney Land, it makes me want to assume that this is rather because she loves me so much.
“Do you send these messages to Shibayu, too?”
“Nope, not at all.”
So she’s just sending them to me…Probably because there’s a certain level of affection.
“What about Itsuki?”
“Hell no. You’re the only one.”
What a way to start the day. Maybe Tsubasa is feeling the same way, too…Out of sheer happiness, a sigh escaped my lips.
*
Classes for the morning ended, bringing us to lunch break. And I used this chance to bring up the part-time job discussion.
“Actually, I got accepted at the crepe shop for my part-time job.”
“The hell? I got rejected though. What’s up with that?” Reina grumbled with a half-annoyed expression.
I was looking forward to working with her there, but I guess things just don’t work out like that.
“Maybe your attitude showed during the interview?”
“No, it was great. I begged them to let me work here. Said I was born to work there.”
Itsuki gave a cruel evaluation which was immediately met with a harsh rebuttal from Reina. I feel like they might have been a bit suspicious of that desperate attempt of hers…
“If I was the interviewer, I definitely wouldn’t have some scary woman like you working for me.”
“Could have had an adorable cutie as a poster girl, but whatever.”
Itsuki and Reina were still going at it. I just think that she’s not the best match for a crepe shop. Now, a clothes store might be a lot better.
“Yuzuyu-chan and I will probably get into the same place. We didn’t get a definitive answer, but they were very open about considering us for the job.”
Tsubasa and Shibayu both applied at a juice shop near the crepe shop I’ll be working at. It mainly focuses on fruit juice and tapioca from what I’ve heard.
“Guess we’ll be together a lot more, Tsubasa-chan.”
“Right. It’s reassuring to have you around, Yuzuyu-chan.”
The two were as close as ever, even making it into the same job. Knowing that Shibayu could look after Tsubasa also allowed me to not worry about her too much.
“What about you, Itsuki?”
“I didn’t get into the pet shop.”
Guess he also got rejected in the end.
“They would have loved to have me, but their conditions were for applicants to be high school graduates.”
“Didn’t you check this beforehand?”
“I did, but I thought that a God-created gift like me might change that condition.”
“Never would I think of challenging an employer’s conditions. You really are something else, Itsuki.”
Any regular guy would have given up…But not Itsuki. He’s trying to challenge the hurdles in front of him.
“You’re just a moron.”
However, Reina had a different opinion from me.
“Calling someone standing on a higher scale than you a moron is the true sign of a moron, don’t you think?”
“So annoying…” Reina glared at Itsuki.
I wonder if they’ll ever get along properly…I kind of doubt it.
*
Classes ended for the day, so I headed over to my part-time job. They said they would appreciate it if I could stop by immediately, so that’s what I did.
“My name is Amami Nanato. Please take care of me.”
“Likewise. I’m the owner, Tanaka.”
The woman greeting me looked like a university student, only to turn out to be the owner. Her hand gestures while talking were adorable, and so was her voice. Thinking that such a wonderful person would teach me how to make crepes only got me more excited.
“You were the first male applicant we had here, Amami-kun.”
“Oh, is that so?”
I guess it makes sense, considering this is a crepe place.
“I wanted to hire a man for a while now, and I’m happy to get one, but you have to take this job seriously, you know?”
“I love crepes with every fiber of my being so I will not bring any shame to this establishment. Crepes are the truth.”
“Wonderful answer. You look like a diligent type, so I’m sure I caught myself a big one.”
She loves to praise other people, huh? I’m glad I found myself a kind and respectful owner.
“Are you hungry by any chance?”
“Quite a bit, actually.”
“Then let’s start with teaching you the proper way to make crepe and you get to eat your finished.”
Being able to eat at the place I work, what kind of dream is this?
“I could fit three at least.”
“One will be fine, don’t worry.”
She worked on her own crepe while teaching me the ways. The hardest part was making the dough for the crepe, but the rest was just about filling it with ingredients.
“When do you usually add ice cream?”
“It’s mostly the topping, so at the very end.”
“Is that so…”
I was hoping to add some ice cream to my crepe, so I couldn’t hide my disappointment.
“Well, I might as well show you how to do the topping while we’re at it.”
“Thank you very much.”
Tanaka-san lost against my gaze and added ice cream as a topping.
“And it’s done. Eat right up.”
“I’m so glad to be alive.”
“You really love crepes, huh?”
I didn’t waste a second munching on Tanaka-san’s crepe. The outside was fluffy and warm, with the inside being cream and fruits, paired with the cold ice cream topping. The sweetness really revitalized me. And I could taste her kindness from the crepe alone.
“It’s the best crepe I’ve ever had.”
“My, aren’t you a sweet-talker.”
“If there is one thing that’s missing, it would be chocolate sauce.”
“I don’t compromise when it comes to crepes, and neither do you, it seems.”
I couldn’t stop myself from blurting that out, but it looked like Tanaka-san saw it as a plus.
“That said, everyone would start smiling while eating crepes.”
“Because it tastes like happiness.”
“We actually had another newbie joining us, and although she’s good at her work, she can be a bit too diligent to the point her expression is a bit stiff. But when she ate some crepes, she started showing me such an adorable smile.”
“No person loving a crepe could be a bad person.”
Seems like a woman started working here around the same time as me. I bet we’ll end up working eventually.
“Now, let’s have you try one, Nanami-kun.”
“Can I still eat more?”
“Nope. I’ll be the one eating. I love crepe myself, after all.”
“What a bummer.”
“That’s a prime example of the pressure you get when making crepes for someone. Of course, you’ll be able to pull it off with no issue, right?”
Where there is kindness, there is strictness. I’m being tested.
“I will process this dough like my life depended on it.”
“You’re putting too much strength into your technique. Relax.” She said and massaged my shoulders.
Since she probably only trained women here, she kept the exact same type of distance she would with a woman, fully embarrassing me. Working on the crepe, I managed to pull it off somewhat decently. Granted, the batter ended up in a bit of a messy shape, but the rest was just fine.
“I’m done.”
“Very skilled. And well done on your first attempt. But no adding ice cream on top like that.”
I just subconsciously added the ice cream because I wanted it to be as delicious as possible.
“How is it?” I asked Tanaka-san, who began slowly munching away at my crepe.
“Very delicious. I can directly feel your emotions in it.”
“Maybe I should become a patissier in the future…I could see myself working in Paris.”
“Your imagination knows no bounds, I see.”
I’ve been pulling jokes for a while now in hopes of getting retorts and easing up the atmosphere, but she took everything I said at face value. Maybe she just thinks I’m some insane person.
“Welcome!”
Finally, a customer appeared. Now I’m nervous…
“Hello. Could I have a chocolate banana with whip cream, please?”
“Of course. Please wait a moment.”
Tanaka-san took the order of the customer, making the dough while I had to take care of the filling. The pressure of not being allowed to fail is something else. I guess this is what it means to earn money through work.
“Thank you very much.”
We finished the crepe and handed it over, seeing off the customer.
“Good job on being clear and polite when dealing with a customer.”
“Thank you very much.”
I’ve had plenty of practice while I was playing in the basketball club. It’s important to support the other players, even from the sidelines. After that, Tanaka-san taught me how to use the cash register.
“You press this button to open it up and then insert the money.”
“There’s even a button for the customer’s age? I had no idea.”
While making notes of everything, I could feel gazes directed at me. Looking out the window, I spotted Tsubasa and Shibayu watching me. Maybe they were worried if I was doing my job properly. I waited for a moment when Tanaka-san wasn’t looking and waved at them, receiving a warm smile from Tsubasa as she smiled back at me.
“Phew…”
“Great work today, Amami-kun.”
Three hours of work ended in a flash, as Tanaka-san gave me a supportive comment.
“Thank you. It’s all because of your great guidance.”
“Don’t say that, I had fun working with you.”
She’s…an angel. If Itsuki happened to be working here, he probably would have fallen for her.
“You’re quick on the uptake, and you did well making crepes from your first day. You did great with customer service, too, so I’m happy I found myself such a reliable newbie.”
“Oh, please.”
She really loves to praise people to no end. I feel like I might actually improve thanks to that.
“Then, see you again on the next shift.”
“Yes. Thanks for having me.” I thanked Tanaka-san and then left the store.
On my way home, I felt elevated. I was a bit worried because this was my first part-time job, but everything worked out just fine. I think I found myself a real gold mine. Tanaka-san is kind, so working there is pleasant, too. And being surrounded by crepes I love so much, this is my ideal place. I’m a lucky guy, really…
*
A week has passed since I started working at the crepe shop, ending my training period. Normally, it would take at least two weeks, but it was shortened because I learned everything so quickly. At school, both Tsubasa and Reina have been rather assertive in their approaches, so I was worried about what to do. But once I started working, I had more time to get distracted from that chaos. And the heat within the atmosphere was starting to cool down. This is exactly what I wanted when I started working part-time. That said, it’s not a way to solve the problem. I’m just prolonging the decision I have to make.
“Did you find a part-time job, Reina?”
At school during lunch break, I once again brought up the topic of the part-time job.
“I got rejected again! It was even a donut store! How is this possible?!”
Guess she’s had no luck so far.
“I wonder why…I bet they’d be getting more customers if they hired a girl as cute as you.”
“Right! You’re the only one who understands me…” She seemed nonchalant about it, but I could tell that she lacked her usual energy.
I’m guessing her not finding a job must really weigh down on her.
“How about you, Itsuki?”
“I got a job at a sports goods store. A relative is the manager so I used my connections.”
“Oh, finally.”
I knew he likes sports, so that’s a perfect fit.
“No fair, you used the backend route,” Reina grumbled.
“If you want life to work out, you need to use all the connections you have.”
“Then let me use that connection, too.”
“Oh well…I guess I can ask.”
Not expecting that answer from Itsuki, Reina blinked at him in confusion.
“Are you sure? We might end up working at the same place.”
“It’s better than working with some random dude. And I can send all the complaints your way.”
“The hell does that mean? Well, I’ll gladly take the chance.”
It’d be reassuring to have Reina work with Itsuki. I can tell there will be chaos ensuing at some point, but it won’t be as bad.
“Can I come over to try a crepe of yours someday, Nanato-kun?” Tsubasa brought up the topic of crepes.
“Of course. I just got out of my training period, so I’ll make a Nanato Special for you.”
“Waaah, I can’t wait.” Tsubasa showed a gleeful smile.
I’d be more than happy if they all came over.
“But that said, I think it’s amazing you can make crepes just like that. It’s such amazing femininity.”
“I thought of working on sweets eventually in the future.”
Making crepes was unexpectedly fun, so I was doing a bit of research on my phone.
“I bet you’d make a great patissier. You’re skilled with your hands, and you’re kind so making sweets for others would be perfect.”
“I’ve been thinking about it. I even started coming up with names for the store I would open.”
“I think you’re rushing a bit there.” Tsubasa seemed a bit bothered by my comment, so I’ll keep the name “Seven Seas” in my mind.
“How’s it going at your work, Tsubasa?”
She should be working at the same place as Shibayu. I was curious how things were going.
“It’s pretty simple. Just pull the lever and fill the cup with the juice. Handling the cash register is more complicated.”
“I see. I guess that place operates like a big drink bar?”
The menu isn’t as expansive as at a cafe, so I guess it would be a lot more simple.
“Tsubasa-chan’s a bit of a dummy. She saw the tapioca and thought it had frog eggs in there.”
“B-Because…We didn’t have tapioca back home, so I’ve never seen the real deal.”
Tsubasa grew flustered and panicked to make up an excuse. The frog eggs at home are black and round, rather large too, so I honestly can’t blame her.
“She also said ‘Good work today’ to a customer instead of ‘Thank you very much’.”
“Yuzuyu-chan, stop embarrassing me…”
Shibayu happily told us all about Tsubasa’s mishaps. I can tell they’re having fun.
“But you got scolded for talking with a customer too long, remember?”
“Because Yuzu’s a good talker!”
I bet drinks would be even more delicious if I got served by two cute employees.
“I’m gonna come over and order myself from frog eggs.”
“Stop teasing me, Nanato-kun!” She pouted and grumbled at me.
So adorable.
“Once we save up some cash, let’s go somewhere on a trip next summer break.”
“Sounds good. I wanna go to the beach.”
Reina immediately agreed to my suggestion. I remember her saying she wanted to go to the beach last year, but couldn’t because of entrance exams. I only faintly remember her wearing a swimsuit then.
“Let’s go somewhere far away for that. The beaches close to the big town can be a bit messy.”
“Man, I can’t wait.”
I hope that we can reach the next summer break without our current relationship breaking apart, but will that really work out…
*
Today was my 5th total shift at work. Since I finished my training period, I will be working with another part-time employee. I heard that it was a high school girl who started around the same time as me, but I wonder what kind of person she’ll be…I entered the store and went to the back to change into my uniform when I ran into the person—
““Ack.””
But of all the people—It turned out to be Susuki Ikumi. The moment our eyes met, we both groaned in unison. She’s both my ex-girlfriend of three days and also a former friend from middle school.
“…Say what now?”
Susuki must have grasped the situation we found ourselves in and glared at me. I guess she’s the rumored newbie I was told about. What bad luck is this…I thought I found myself a heavenly place to work, and yet it had to lead to this.
“Huh?”
I didn’t back down and glared back at her. I’ve got plenty of complaints to throw at her.
“Don’t joke with me.”
“That’s my line.”
We haven’t talked in a year and a half. We had no problem doing so all that time ago, and yet I only feel anger now. Oh yeah, I think our first conversation also went something like this. Ugh, all these bad memories.
“Is this some kind of prank?”
“Again, that’s my line. Who’d think we would start working here at the same time.”
“What is this…Can you just quit already?”
“Why don’t you quit, then?”
We are living in the same town, so I had a feeling we might run into each other again, but to think we’d apply for the same job…The world is a small place, after all.
“I can’t stand this.”
“You’re one to talk.”
I haven’t seen her up close in a long time. She’s still as cool yet cute as always. She does look a bit more mature than when I last saw her, even cuter than before. And she’s probably trained more in her karate skills, so her physique is slim, too. I bet she’s popular at whatever school she’s attending now. I did see her walking around with those guys before, too.
“Where are you looking? I’m gonna sue you.”
“That’s a bit of a jump.”
No “How have you been?” instead. I would be fine interacting with her normally, but she immediately shoots arrows at me.
“Can you not talk to me?”
“You started this.”
We looked away from each other, preparing for our shift. Since we were the only part-time employees here, there was no other staff. We had to handle the work all by ourselves.
“…”
Three whole minutes of silence proceeded. But personally, it felt like 30 minutes. This is…really awkward. It’s making me feel restless.
“Excuse me?”
““Welcome!””
Since a customer came in, we quickly changed into our working mode. Can’t slack off at work just because Susuki is giving me hell. She must have had the same feelings because she switched focus at the same time as me. I took the order as Susuki began preparing the basis for the crepe. I took out the needed ingredients from the fridge and prepared it, used by Susuki in silence, and the crepe was done quickly after.
““Please come visit again!””
We saw off the customer and finished the order. We didn’t even speak a word and just pulled it off perfectly.
“Geez…”
Seeing the customer gone, Suzuki sighed.
“We can’t keep doing our work like this,” I couldn’t handle the awkward silence and spoke up.
“…”
However, Suzuki remained silent and started cleaning up everything. Guess she’s got not a single shred of kindness in her body left.
“Right-o.”
That means I can only accept this myself. After that, we continued our work in silence, and the shift felt much longer than usual.
“Great work, you two.”
Once our shift ended, Tanaka-san approached us with her usual praise.
“I’d come check in on you from time to time, but you did great work despite not talking at all. With how smooth customer service went, I can tell you got a great affinity.”
We were always feeling awkward around each other, so that’s why we never talked or even looked at each other.
“I’m certain I can leave work to you like this, so I’m going to put you in together for more shifts.”
“But, that’s…”
Tanaka-san was being considerate, but I still tried to stop her. However, she didn’t listen to my words and just went to deal with an arriving customer.
“This is the worst…How much more do you need to mess up my life before you’re satisfied?”
Back in winter during our second year of middle school, we started dating. This relationship only lasted for three days until she broke up with me out of nowhere, saying she doesn’t know what it means to date. She then pushed me away and didn’t get involved with me again. I really don’t see how she could have the nerve to say all that.
“Whatever you say.”
I would have loved to give her a piece of my mind, but it’ll just cause trouble. Before all that happened, Itsuki, Susuka, Ootsuka, and I were all friends. But after that incident, our group fell apart, and our breakup caused trouble for Itsuki and Ootsuka. That time was really bad for me. Right now, I have Tsubasa, Reina, and Shibayu as new friends, so I don’t have to dwell in a sad past.
“Could you go home already? I’m trying to change here.”
Unlike me, who could just take off an apron on top of my shirt, I was done quickly while changing, but the same couldn’t be said about Susuki with the store’s uniform.
“Good work today.” I still tried to be polite and made my way out.
“Go…”
She sounded like she was about to say the same thing to me, but stopped mid-way. My beloved workspace is now a hellscape. What to do…I mean, nothing, really. She hates me unconditionally, so I can only accept that. I don’t like losing, and I don’t hate doing this for her sake, but I have to deal with it now.
“Cheers, Nanato-kun.”
Leaving the store, Tsubasa was waiting for me.
“Oh, what’s up?”
“I just got off my shift so I was waiting.”
“I see.”
It’s like I went from the depths of hell to heaven.
“Did something bad happen?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“You seem pretty exhausted.”
I guess that encounter with Susuki hit me a lot harder than I thought if even Tsubasa realized.
“Well, I just went to hell and back, I guess.”
“Must have been hard on you.” Tsubasa stood on her toes to reach up to my head and rub it.
Considering the cold reactions from Susuki, this was comforting and reassuring.
“You really are kind, Tsubasa.”
“Huh? I couldn’t hope to beat you though, Nanato-kun.”
“Not at all. You waited for me, and I feel a lot better now.”
All the exhaustion from work was blown away because she came to see me. I was genuinely grateful.
“If you say that, then that makes me happy.” She smiled with warmth and care, healing my broken heart. “But, I have to buy some snacks for dinner, so…”
“Huh? Then I’ll—”
“You can’t be with me any longer than this. You’re still Reina-san’s fake boyfriend, remember?”
Tsubasa said no and moved away from me. It made me feel lonely.
“See you,” she said and headed for the foot area.
I wanted to be with her a bit more, but our current positions wouldn’t allow for that.
“Great work there, Ikumi-chan.”
I heard a familiar voice calling out Susuki’s name behind me. It was Ootsuka, who was waiting for her like Tsubasa was for me. I didn’t want them to spot me, so I quickly moved away. Looks like Ootsuka is still friends with her. I bet they’re probably gonna talk behind my back from now on.
Since we started attending different schools, I doubted if we’d run into each other again. However, my part-time job created a new connection. Something about this didn’t feel right to me, causing me to be oddly restless.
—Tsubasa—
“I’m home.”
“I was so lonely with you—Ouch!”
I finished shopping and headed home when Sis greeted me from the moment I opened the door.
“What are you doin’?”
“Since you started working part-time, you’ve rarely been home. I’m so lonely!”
It was getting a bit hard to deal with her since I was a lot busier lately.
“But you’re working part-time too, right?”
“Actually, I was too scared of going to the interview so I canceled on the day it was supposed to happen.”
“Come on…”
I want her to start looking for a job, but I’m worried if she’d even be able to do it properly.
“I’m gonna start working on dinner now so help me.”
“Understood.”
Since she can’t cook, I have her grab ingredients from the fridge and prepare the dishes.
“Thanks for everything, Tsubasa-chan. I bet you’ll be a great wife in the future.” She clung to me from behind.
Thanks to her large chest, cooking like this was getting rather difficult.
“Would I be able to make Nanato-kun happy that way?”
“Of course. If anything, he’d have to work hard to make you happy.”
“But I already get so much from him, I want to repay him in some way.”
Just being with him is fulfilling to me, so I want to be someone he can feel comfortable around with.
“Also, you’re still not going out with him?”
“Yeah…”
She really hit me where it hurt. I want us to start dating again, but we’re pretty much just friends as of right now. In this big city, it’s not just the two of us. Since many other factors are at play here, my feelings can’t get across directly.
“You can just ask him to become engaged again?”
“I wish it would be so easy, but Nanato-kun has a female friend he’s close with, so I can’t be as free with that.”
I planned to get closer to him by now, confessing rather quickly after moving to the city. But because of the rules Reina-san and I set up, I can’t do that.
“He’s already got you, and yet he’s going around cheating?!”
“That’s not it. He’s known that girl since middle school, and I’m sure she likes him as much as I do. I can’t just rush ahead to confess only to get rejected, but I also can’t relax too much in fear of having him stolen. It’s a weird situation.”
As a blessing in disguise, I got here before Reina-san and Nanato-kun started dating. She may be a strong rival, but I still have a chance. I’m not surprised to find out that Nanato-kun would be popular. It’s almost a miracle he doesn’t have a girlfriend.
“So while you cared for him all these years, he just forgot about you and started chasing after other girls…!”
“Sis, I will get angry if you speak badly of Nanato-kun.”
Nanato-kun isn’t someone with such fickle feelings. Rather, I’m irregular. I liked him even though I didn’t know if I could even meet him again. I don’t think many people would be as bad at giving up like me.
“Sorry, I know how much you like him.”
“He’s got his own circumstances. Wishing for everything to go my way is just being selfish.”
I’ve known that things won’t magically work out. Life isn’t that easy, especially after we got separated despite being engaged.
“What’s that girl like?”
“She’s wearing flashy clothes, looking like a gal, and my first impression wasn’t all too great. I thought she was dragging him down the wrong path. But I started understanding her, realizing that she’s not a bad person.”
“Can’t judge people based on looks, I guess.”
“She thought of Nanato-kun before anything else. She’s probably the one who supported him this whole time, so I want to care for her, too.”
“…You’re so kind, Tsubasa-chan. As expected of my sister.” She swallowed my words and gave me a prideful gaze. “But kindness alone isn’t enough to keep you alive. Some people will use that kindness to their advantage. If you don’t act selfish once in a while, you’ll lose what’s most important to you.”
“I know that. But don’t worry, I won’t give up until I get to marry Nanato-kun.”
Saying this out loud was extremely embarrassing, but I won’t let this future slip through my fingers.
“The time I was separated from Nanato-kun still has left a mark on my heart. Sure, things might not go exactly my way, but it’s nothing compared to what I felt before.”
“You’re confident in your ability to stick to him, huh?”
“I don’t know if it’ll let me win, but I don’t plan on losing, at the very least.
“I’d really hate to have to fight you…And if it’s some gal like you said, she might just break down from the insurmountable wall that appeared in front of her.”
“Honestly, I’d hate to fight for Nanato-kun with someone like me.”
Just thinking about it sent a shiver down my spine.
“So…what if the worst-case scenario happens and Nanato-kun starts dating that other girl?”
“Then I’ll have to wait for them to break up and prepare myself to win him over after.”
“You’re dead-set on marrying him, huh?”
Even if he were to go out with someone now, the chances of them getting married are relatively slim. If so, I can just wait until they’re breaking apart.
“Why do you like him that much? I’m pretty jealous someone as cute as you can’t get enough of that guy.”
“Fridges and TVs don’t work without power, right? Well, Nanato-kun provides me with that power. Without him around, I can’t move, let alone live properly.”
“This isn’t just on the level of liking him or anything.”
Well, yeah. I love everything about him. Like…his whole existence.
*
Classes ended, so I headed to my part-time job. The chances of me having the same shift with Yuzuyu-chan were about 50%, and on any other days I would be working with another part-time employee. And today was a day with that other employee. She’s called Ootsuka-san, and although she attends a different high school, we’re both the same age. Today will be our second shift together, but on our first day, we only introduced ourselves to each other and that was it. She has short, blonde hair, and the look in her eyes can be a bit scary. She’s not necessarily a delinquent, but she gives off a distinct aura.
She often spaces out, too. I can rarely tell what she’s thinking. Of course, she’s not slacking off at work while checking her phone or anything, but she does glance at me at times. Yuzuyu-chan seemingly already became friends with her, which only made me admire her ability to communicate more. I want to get along with everyone as she does, but since I’m shy, I don’t know what to even talk about, so I can’t take the first step. According to Yuzuyu-chan, Ootsuka-san rarely struck up a conversation herself, but she always seemed happy during a conversation. She seems rather cautious at first, but once you’ve built up a certain level of trust with her, she can be pretty friendly.
“Good morning.”
Ootsuka-san barely made it in time as she barged into the changing room.
“…Good morning,” I greeted her back, but she didn’t look at me and just proceeded to change.
“Barely made it, huh?”
“The heck? Are you complaining or something?”
“No, no, not at all!”
I made up my courage to talk to her, and yet she glared at me. I guess talking to her will be pretty hard…
“If you’ve got something to say, then out with it.”
She really was cautious of anybody, latching on to a single statement like that.
“N-No, I just…I wanted to get to know you better so I talked to you.”
“…Oh. Sorry for being so aggressive, then.”
“It’s okay. I worded it badly.”
The misunderstanding had been resolved, and Ootsuka-san apologized. Maybe today was just a bad day for her. Even so, things remained awkward as we started working. Of course, this establishment wasn’t ever experiencing any high tide, so a lot of times, we were just waiting for customers.
“Um…Why did you decide to work here, Ootsuka-san?”
I found a topic to talk about, so I quickly brought it up.
“A friend of mine is working here at this shopping mall, so I thought I might as well join her. I would have been fine with any place.”
“Wow! I started working here for the same reason.”
“I see. So I guess we’re both the attached type of woman, huh?”
“I-I guess…”
For some reason, she had to use a sharp tone when saying that. Well, she’s not entirely wrong, at least.
“…Do you have a boyfriendß”
Surprisingly enough, Ootsuka-san struck up a conversation. Maybe she’s into this sort of conversation because she’s a girl after all?
“I don’t.”
“And a girlfriend?”
“Wueh?! I don’t, no. I never even dated anybody before.”
Ootsuka-san sure threw in a weird question. She really has a mind of her own.
“You’re so cute though, what a shame.”
“Oh, please…”
“Ahhh, you’re acting like you’re not aware of it. So that’s the type you are. Same as me.”
That’s some twisted way to look at things. But since she says she’s the same, I find it hard to throw in any rebuttal.
“Do you have a boyfriend, Ootsuka-san?”
“Sure do. Like seven or so.”
“I-I see…”
So many?! Isn’t that pretty hard to…manage?
“I was clearly joking and yet you took it seriously…So that means you must think of me as some slut.”
“N-Not at all.”
This person…is pretty scary. She’s plagued by nothing but negative thoughts, twisting everything I say. How did Yuzuyu-chan manage to get along with her?
“I bet you’re the type of person who is fixated on the person you like, willing to change and do whatever it takes, right?”
“A-Am I, I wonder…”
I don’t want to admit it, but she might have a bit of a point there. Even the other day, I completely fell in love with the music Nanato-kun was listening to.
“So you’re a convenient woman, huh? Well, I bet you’re the type who is popular with the boys, so no worries. Well, I’m sure a lot of them would cast you aside in a heartbeat, too.”
That sounds pretty rude if you ask me. If I was Reina-san, I probably would have started a fight already.
“The type who can’t do anything on their own and rely on the guy instead. I bet they really like that.”
Now she’s just throwing around accusations…
“Do you…hate me or something?”
“Not at all. I’m not angry either, I actually like you.”
That’s some twisted way of showing that. I really can’t tell what she’s thinking.
“Hello, we’re here.”
“Ah, Nanato-kun, Hirose-kun.”
I heard a customer walk in, which turned out to be the two boys.
“One load of frog eggs, please.”
“Nanato-kun! Stop teasing me. You want a tapioca drink, right?”
“Yeah, that.”
The conversation with Ootsuka-san was rather mentally exhausting, but I felt a lot better now that I got to see Nanato-kun.
“I’ll get mango juice.”
Hirose-kun gave his order, too. I thought Ootsuka-san would help me, but she suddenly vanished without me realizing it. Maybe she went back to the changing room…
“Your order is ready.” I presented the juice I made to the both of them.
“Seems like you’ll be fine.”
“Yeah. Thanks for worrying about me.”
Luckily, no other customers were here, so I could handle their orders myself.
“Good luck for the rest of your shift.”
“Thanks for stopping by, you two.”
The two enjoyed their juice and then left again.
“Sorry about that.”
Once they did, Ootsuka-san returned and apologized. It seems like she had a reason to hide.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, um…You know those two?”
“They’re my classmates and friends. We’re always hanging out together.”
Hearing my words, Ootsuka-san seemed angry for some reason.
“Do you know them?”
“Nope. Just resembled some friends I had.”
So why was there any reason to hide like that?
“You called one of them by his first name, right? You like him?”
“Well…something like that.”
Since she’s a student at a different high school, she should be fine, but Nanato-kun is currently Reina-san’s fake boyfriend, so I don’t want to take any risks.
“You probably should give up on him.”
“I won’t.”
I didn’t listen to her self-centered assumptions and responded right away. And after that, Ootsuka-san didn’t speak another word, staying quiet all this time.
—Nanato—
Oddly enough, Itsuki and I spent time alone together after classes were over. We bought juice at the shop Tsubasa worked at and then discussed that incident.
“So, what did you wanna talk about?”
“Shit is crazy.”
I figured it was best to tell him about my run-in with Itsuki.
“Did you find the medicine for immortality?”
“That might be a bit crazier, but still.”
Itsuki was fooling around at first, but now showed me a serious expression.
“Actually, Suzuki is my co-worker at the crepe shop.”
“What…did you say…?!”
And his shock only grew further.
“Last shift was our first together, and it was hell.”
“My hair’s standing on edge just by thinking about it.”
Having known Susuki and Ootsuka, Itsuki clearly understands how bad this whole situation is.
“What did you guys talk about?”
“Nothing at all. She just insulted me and treated me like shit.”
“Now that’s a real shame. Sad to hear it.”
Well, his blessings won’t change a thing. I can just share the pain.
“Maybe it’d be better to just quit?”
“Other than her, it’s the best job I could possibly ask for. I don’t plan on quitting.”
“And she hates losing as much as you, so I doubt she’ll take the step, either. I feel like this will get dirty.”
“For real…It’s all over.”
Yeah, Susuki was part of the basketball club and did karate, so she’s not stepping down with a fight. Though if she’s working part-time, I doubt she’s part of a club now.
“But you liked her at one point, right?”
“…Guess I did.”
We did date at one point. I had many things I liked about her, but remembering it now just brings me pain.
“If you think about it, she might open up as more time passes and you might grow closer again.”
“She completely rejects me, so I doubt that’s possible.”
“Never say never. People fight for the smallest things, but also fall in love for the same reasons. It’s not impossible that something might happen.”
If possible, I’d like us to be at least friends, but since she’s so aggressively pushing me away without even me knowing the reason, it feels practically impossible.
“Well, let me know if anything happens. As an outsider, this is pretty exciting. Never know when shit’s gonna hit the fan.”
“You’re acting like this is none of your business.”
“This must be your punishment for being loved all over by Chiba and Shiroki-san. The resentment of all the boys in the world is being directed at you.”
Yeah, I guess this kind of thing can only be put up to a curse or something. Maybe I should get an exorcism.
“More importantly, are you fine with Chiba and Shiroki-san?”
Itsuki now brought up the other problem weighing down on me.
“They’re both very important to me, so I’m at a loss.”
They’re clearly showing their affection for me, I’m just pretending that I don’t see it. I did want a girlfriend now that I’m in high school, but whoever of these two I may choose, it’ll cause a rift later. And now that I’ve been unwillingly reunited with Susuki, I’ve grown only more terrified of that possibility. Because depending on my answer, Tsubasa and Reina might act like her.
“Then don’t date either of them.”
“I can’t do that. Neither of them would want that.”
“That’s it. One is going to get hurt.”
And although I’m not entirely sure about it, there’s also Shibayu to consider. There’s a chance she might be interested in me, too. No matter who I choose, the group will suffer.
“I know that…But, I can’t find an answer right now.”
I had many things to worry about, but the time of choosing would arrive eventually. What’s most important is to make the choice I won’t regret—
“Man…”
The end of June was slowly approaching, as summer was gradually moving closer. After classes ended for the day, it was once again time for me to head to work. So far, I was always feeling excited for my shift, but now my feet felt heavy like lead, not moving as much as I’d like them to. And that’s all because I’ll have to work with Susuki again. This is the fourth time, but whenever we work together, it always happens in utter silence. I’m starting to lose my mind amidst the tense pressure. She showed no signs of quitting or at least opening up to me, so it feels like my heart is gonna be ripped apart. I knocked on the door and once I thought the coast was clear, I opened the changing room of the crepe shop—
“Urk.”
However, Susuki was currently in the middle of changing. For that reason, she was just wearing her underwear. Her beautiful skin was in plain sight, allowing me to gaze on her dignity even from afar. My uniform consisted of a regular apron on top of a shirt, but she had a whole uniform. I knew she’d be changing in here since we have no designated changing room. That’s why I always made it a habit to knock before entering, but now…
“H-Hey?!”
She caught on to my arrival and frantically hid her body. She apparently was listening to music, as one earbud fell out of her ear. That’s why she didn’t hear me knocking, I suppose.
“I did knock, okay. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Hello? Is this the police?”
“You’re reporting me?!”
She began calling someone on her phone. Don’t give me that crap!
“Just kidding. I haven’t started the call yet. But I expect you to go on your knees and apologize.”
“For real…”
Why am I the bad guy? How unreasonable can she be…I didn’t want her to be any more angry than she already was, but I also had a bit of pride left that prevented me from apologizing earnestly, so I stole a trick from Tsubasa’s sister.
“I’m very sorry.”
I opened my arms wide and apologized. Depending on the country, this would very well be an apology on the knees.
“Are you making fun of me?”
“It’s an Indonesian apology.”
Susuki heard my explanation and burst out laughing. She felt embarrassed and turned her back toward me, but that allowed me to glance at her beautiful back, only covered by her bra’s string.
“What is this…”
“Just put on some clothes, okay? I’m not looking.”
I managed to make it out of this situation alive, but I also had a bad feeling.
“This is the worst. I applied here because I heard there’d be no men working here, and yet I have to be working with you.”
“It’s not like they banned men from applying, remember?”
“I bet you came here to make yourself some women and not just a crepe, right?”
“Why are you saying that? This is my first step to being a patissier, duh.”
Susuki almost burst out laughing again. She’s definitely making fun of me.
“…You’re a weird one.”
Hearing that, a memory surfaced in my mind. ‘I like you because you’re weird,’ is what she said to me a long time ago. I don’t think I’m that weird, but I guess that must be different from her perspective. And that was even something she liked about me.
“Welcome.”
And as I was dwelling on memories, a customer arrived so Susuki went to take her order.
“One azuki green tea crepe.”
It was a young man loudly chewing on his gum.
“My friends are waiting, so hurry it up.”
His annoying attitude pissed us off, but we had to take it and accept it.
“Please wait a moment.”
“You can have one minute of my time.”
Since we have a lot of young customers, I’m not too surprised we’d get nasty men like him.
“You’re pretty cute. Which high school are you attending?”
“Lord…” Susuki sighed and continued to ignore the man.
“Ignoring me now, huh? Who do you think you are?”
The man kicked the wall of the store in anger. He’s clearly at fault, but Susuki’s attitude definitely isn’t helping in this situation.
“Here you go. Please enjoy,” I handed the man the crepe, but he just threw it at Susuki instead.
“Ah, I dropped it…Make a new one, won’t ya?”
Hey now…How dare you waste such a perfectly fine crepe like that. I’m gonna drag you down to hell with me.
“Trash, left and right.”
“The fuck did you just say?”
Susuki couldn’t hide her disdain. I could see her fist quivering in anger.
“You call your customer trash? Is that the attitude to have? Why don’t I record that face of yours and spread it online? That way, your life will be over. Nobody’s gonna employ you!”
The man took out his smartphone and started recording Susuki. She quickly crouched down and hid her face. I stepped out from behind the counter and rushed to him. I don’t care if I get fired for this. Maybe this is the perfect chance for me to get away from Susuki, too.
“Oooh? You wanna fight, punk?”
“Hell yeah I do, bastard.”
I moved closer to him so that I wouldn’t show up in the video, glaring up at him from up close.
“You’re so gross! I’m gonna send you flying, you baby!”
“Apologize to the crepe! All crepes are my family!”
I moved even closer as the man stepped backward. If we actually started a fight, I knew I had no way of winning, but since I wasn’t afraid of getting fired, I can win in any situation.
“Don’t you dare run, you bastard!”
“You’re the employee, right?! Why are you so raring to go?! Are you crazy?!”
If I’m gonna start a fight, I might be able to scare him off by going all-out. If he’s that confident, then I have to be even more.
“You bitch! I’m gonna make sure you get fired!” He said and ran away.
Guess I succeeded in getting rid of him.
“Go ahead and try, loser.”
Knowing how much of a coward that guy is, he’ll probably harass the owner until she fires me. Other stores close to us and their employees had free sight of this, too. I guess I’m not talking my way out of this.
“He’s gone.”
I returned to behind the counter, where I saw Susuki crouching down.
“You’re stupid.”
“That I am.”
I went to clean up the crepe the man threw around. Susuki then began helping me.
“Thanks for helping me.” She gave me her thanks in a quiet voice.
I guess she does have a human heart in her somewhere.
“I didn’t do it for your sake. I was just pissed at him.”
“Dummy.”
“But, good for you. This way, I’ll get fired, so I’ll be out of your zone, right?”
Having fought for the crepe I love so much, even knowing that I’ll get fired still makes me feel refreshed.
“If you’re gonna get fired, then I’ll take the leap. I caused this problem in the first place.”
“Why would you do that?”
I figured she’d be happy to get rid of me, but now she’s trying to take the blame?
“Or, maybe we’ll both get fired together. We both instigated it, after all.”
“That makes sense…We both hate losing, so it was only a matter of time until that happened.”
“True. Even if we’re at work, I wouldn’t ever bow down to human waste like him. I guess our inability to take the loss is bad for customer service.”
Thinking that today would be my last shift, I felt lonely while time moved much quicker than usual.
“Good work, you two.”
Once our shift ended, the owner Tanaka-san appeared.
““Likewise.””
We both responded in unison. She had a somewhat bewildered expression on her face, so I’m guessing she heard about what happened.
“I just got several calls about a customer saying that he was screamed at by an employee, and that you should get fired before he starts spreading bad reviews online everywhere.”
“…We’re very sorry.”
That bastard…He actually went ahead with his threat.
“And the other shops around approached me, asking what the hell was wrong with my employees.”
“…We’re very sorry.”
I really feel bad for having troubled someone who’s normally so kind.
“I will take responsibility and quit right away.”
“You haven’t done anything wrong. I’ll quit instead.”
I wanted to take the blame and quit, but Susuki once again got in my way.
“There’s no need for you two to quit. I don’t know the details of what happened, but I doubt you really did anything wrong. I’m rather certain that the customer was just being nasty.”
Surprisingly enough, Tanaka-san took our side.
“I don’t think you two would do anything to my customers. You probably tried to protect each other from a customer being rude and horrible to you.”
“But…It wasn’t the best possible option for the store. And I have to take responsibility for that.”
“I caused it all. You’re not in the wrong.”
Once again I tried to take the step and put down my apron, but Susuki stopped me.
“No need to worry. Rather than some random customer, I worry much more about my employees who are working for the sake of my store. Of course, that would make me a failure as a business-oriented shop owner.”
How kind could she be…She shines so brightly, I can hardly look at her.
“Tanaka-san…You’re the best owner I could have ever asked for.”
“I agree with that,” Susuki jumped in immediately.
“I don’t blame you for anything. But if you want to take responsibility, I’ll be more than happy if you continue to work hard here.”
Now that she asked us that, there’s no way we could ever stop working hard. And surprisingly, the day didn’t end with me getting fired, but rather learning what true justice meant.
CClaw Translations 