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Main Story 11 - She Came to my Part-time Job

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Thursday, April 29th.

Today is a public holiday and school is closed. So, I'm working part-time at Zosol from 10am.

Also, Hiori will be coming to the store during my part-time job. I got a message from her last night that she plans to come at around 2pm. With that as an incentive, I work hard at my part-time job.

Golden week starts today. That's probably why there are so many customers. As lunch approaches, the number of customers increases. I serve customers almost constantly, but I don't get tired at all.

Perhaps because it's sunny and warm today, customers often order tapioca drinks. When they ordered them, I remembered that yesterday, I drank and exchanged tapioca drinks with Hiori. Hiori looked really cute after the exchange. This also helped energize me during my part-time job.

“You're serving customers with a better smile than the day before yesterday, Kamitou-kun.”

When I took my lunch break and started eating my meal, Tsukushi-senpai told me that.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. That's what I thought when I saw you from your side. There were many customers looking at you like that in a daze.”

“Is that so? I didn't notice it at all.”

“Haha, I see. Did something good happen? Or maybe it's about to happen. Something to do with the girlfriend you started dating.”

“Actually, she's coming here after 2pm. And we plan to come to my house after my shift is over.”

“I see. So you were looking forward to that, and that’s why you were serving customers with even better smiles than the day before yesterday.”

“I think that’s probably it.”

I'm truly looking forward to meeting Hiori. My family is also looking forward to it. Back then, when I showed my sister a photo of Hiori, she even said, “I want to meet her.” Also, I'm really happy to be able to say, “She's coming here.”

“Today is a public holiday and there are many customers, but I'm not tired at all.”

“She really is a big part of your life, isn't she? Ever since I heard about her from Kamitou-kun, I've been looking forward to finding out what kind of person she is.”

As Tsukushi-senpai said that with a refreshing smile, he stuffed his mouth with his cheese sandwich. Senpai’s shift today is from 11am to 5pm in the evening. So, will he meet Hiori while working?

I have several photos of Hiori on my smartphone. But, I’m curious about how Tsukushi-senpai will react if he actually meets Hiori. Let's not show him the photos.

*

After the lunch break is over, I return to work at the counter with Tsukushi-senpai.

Perhaps it is because it is now past noon, but the number of customers seems to have calmed down compared to before our break. The atmosphere is also becoming more relaxed.

“It seems to have calmed down, Kamitou-kun.”

“That’s true. If today was a weekday, I wonder if there would be fewer customers at this time. The only time I take a shift during the day on weekdays is only during summer vacation or long holidays after all.”

“On weekdays around this time of the year, there are quite a few customers in the store like now. But if it’s weekdays when school is in session... at this time of day, it's often quiet. There aren't many customers coming, so there are times when a large number of seats are empty.”

“So that’s how it is.”

It sounds easy, but time seems to be moving slowly then. I wonder if I'll start taking shifts at this time of the day when I become a university student.

After that, I continue to serve customers, and when there are no customers in front of the counter, I have a little chat with Tsukushi-senpai.

And then,  after 2pm.

“Welcome.”

“Hello. As promised, I came to see Akito-san doing your part-time job.”

“Thank you, Hiori.”

As promised, Hiori came to the store. Her pale light blue one-piece dress with three-quarter sleeves looks good on her. It is cool and shows off her neat and clean look. Her waist ribbon shows off her style. Her light brown mini shoulder bag is also adorable.

“That one-piece dress looks good on you. It's cute.”

When I say that, the corner of Hiori's mouth turns up a little.

“Thank you very much. Akito-san looks good in this store’s clerk uniform as well.”

“Thank you.”

Being told by my lover that it looks good on me sure makes me happy.

Come to think of it, is this the first time I've seen Hiori in casual clothes? Even when she wears casual clothes, Hiori’s beauty remains unchanged. As if to confirm this, just like in our high school, many people in the store turn their gaze to Hiori. There are even people watching Hiori from outside the shop.

And there is one person near us looking at Hiori.

“Could it be, is this person here the one who is dating Kamitou-kun?”

Tsukushi-senpai asked with his usual refreshing smile.

“Yes. She is Aoyama Hiori-san, my classmate who I’m dating on a trial basis. So, Hiori. This person here is Tsukushi Yamato-san. He's my senior at my part-time job, and he's the one who taught me about the job.”

“Is that so? Nice to meet you, my name is Aoyama Hiori. Akito-san is always taking care of me.”

“No, no. Nice to meet you, I'm Tsukushi Yamato. I'm a second year student at Tohto University of Science. Please take care of me.”

“Please take care of me as well.”

Hiori and Tsukushi-senpai bow to each other.

“I heard from Kamitou-kun, you know. That you are the author of the Arisugawa High School Literature Club series published online. I remember when a friend of mine from university recommended me to read it. It was interesting. I'm looking forward to the new chapter.”

“I'm happy to hear that. Thank you very much.”

As she thanked him, Hiori bowed deeper than before.

Tsukushi-senpai is looking intently at Hiori with a calm smile on his face. He’s not planning anything weird, right?

“Even if it's just a trial, if such a wonderful girl becomes his lover, of course Kamitou-kun will smile while working. Today too, just because Aoyama-san is coming, he is working hard at his job. Of course he’s already doing well until now.”

“Is that so? It makes me happy to hear that.”

“...That's how happy I am to be able to go out with Hiori, even if it's just a trial.”

“I see.”

Hiori looks me in the eye with her usual cool look, and from the side, Tsukushi-senpai looks at us with a gentle smile. What kind of play is this? I'm getting a little embarrassed.

“Th-thank you for coming today. Yesterday, you said that you wanted to be served, right?”

“That’s right.”

All right. As a Zosol clerk, I have to serve her properly here. I feel like I can't help but grin when I see the cute Hiori in the one-piece dress though.

“Welcome. Would you like to eat inside?”

“Yes.”

“Inside is it. May I take your order?”

“I'd like an S size iced coffee, please.”

“S size iced coffee is it. Would you like syrup and milk with it?”

“One syrup, please.”

“One syrup is it. Is that everything?”

“Yes.”

“One S size iced coffee will be 224 yen.”

When I told her the price, Hiori placed 300 yen on the tray.

“300 yen is it. ...That’ll be 76 yen in change. Please wait a moment.”

I prepare the S size iced coffee that Hiori ordered. From my side, Tsukushi-senpai compliments me, saying, “You served the customer properly.” Thank you very much.

I place the S size iced coffee, a straw, and a syrup on a tray.

“Thank you for your patience. An S size iced coffee.”

“Thank you very much.”

When I handed her the tray, Hiori bowed lightly.

“Wonderful customer service. You’re calm and I can tell that you’re used to this job. I can understand what Tsukushi-san said about you working hard.”

“I'm happy that Hiori said that. Ever since I fell in love with Hiori at first sight, I've been wanting to serve you as a customer.”

“Is that so? Then, I’ll wait for Akito-san to finish your part-time job while drinking this iced coffee.”

“I understand. Take your time.”

“Yes. Akito-san, please do your best with the remaining work.”

“Yeah, I'll do my best. Thank you.”

Hiori gives a small wave and heads towards the counter seat by the window. The seat closest to the counter is empty, so Hiori sits down there. As she does, I feel like the atmosphere in the store instantly becomes more brilliant.

“She’s really beautiful, isn’t she? Even now, many customers are looking at her.”

“Even at school, she often gets a lot of attention like now. ‘I sure am dating someone very popular on a trial basis.’ I often think that.”

“Looking at this scene right now, I can see where you’re coming from. Do your best so that you can officially date her.

“Thank you very much.”

“Of course, on your work as a store clerk too.”* (T/N: unsure.)

Tsukushi-senpai lightly pats my right shoulder. When I nod at him, he shows his usual refreshing smile.

When I look at Hiori, I see her pouring syrup into her iced coffee and stirring it with a straw. After taking a sip, she turns her head toward me. When our eyes meet, she gives me a small wave. There are no customers at the counter, so I give her a small wave too. This fills me with happiness.

Hiori takes out a book with a blue cover from her bag. Maybe it's the collection of short stories she bought on our after-school date yesterday. As I am thinking about this, she starts reading the book. Although I can only see her diagonally from behind, Hiori reading her book is so beautiful that it’s picturesque.

From then on, until the end of my shift, I work while receiving comfort and energy from Hiori.

────

(T/N: I changed a lot of ‘part time job’ to ‘shift’ both in this chapter and in the previous chapter.)

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