Chapter 8: Business and Pleasure
Saturday, March 18, 2017, Morning, Shizuka's POV
As I walked through the doors of the inn wearing a kimono- not a suit, a school uniform or casual clothes- it all felt real. I was working for the inn, the business owned by the famly of the woman I loved.
As soon as Amagi-san and I arrived at the inn, she called all the staff who were present at this hour, save for those who were busy with essential duties, to a meeting in our conference room, a small and relatively Spartan room reserved for the staff. There were too many people there for me to accurately count them all, and I knew that even more of them were at work or preparing for their night shifts.
"I'd like to officially introduce our new assistant manager, Shizuka Yagami," Amagi-san said, "a friend and schoolmate of mine."
I nodded and stepped forward.
"I'm Yagami," I said. "Seven years ago, I came to this town to live with my cousin and my uncle. It was a temporary arrangement, but I came to love this town and see it as a second home. I look forward to working alongside all of you, and helping Amagi-san make the inn the best it can be."
The others applauded me, but I noticed one young woman who seemed close to my age staring at me with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. It was the sort of face I saw many of my coworkers from my time waitressing making when they were having a bad day or were dealing with a customer who was getting on their nerves.
After the meeting ended, Amagi-san walked up to me.
"I noticed one of the waitresses was staring at me," I said. "Her features didn't stand out much, but her kimono was yellow with a blue sash."
"Oh, Koizumi-san?" Amagi-san said. "She's one of the newer hires. She's a year older than me but went to a different school in the area."
"That explains why I never met her," I said, "although I never talked to many of the third-years.
Amagi-san nodded, then leaned in and whispered in a hushed tone.
"Between us, she's somewhat jealous of me," Amagi-san said, "since I'm younger than her but advanced to heights she'll never dream of reaching because of my family connections."
"...as well as plenty of work experience and intimate familiarity with the inn," I said. "I can imagine how she feels about me, an outsider."
"You aren't much more of an outsider than the others who work here," Amagi-san said. "Like some of us, you're connected to people who work here, and it's not all that uncommon for people to refer acquaintances to apply here, as long as they're capable of keeping things professional. Then again, that won't be a problem for you, will it?"
"No, ma'am," I said.
Amagi-san smiled approvingly. It wouldn't be honest to claim that treating her as my superior didn't require some adjustment on my part, but I was flexible enough that I didn't mind.
"As for Koizumi-san, you needn't worry about her," Amagi-san said. "Regardless of how she feels about us, I expect her to respect and obey us. If she can't do that, then she'll need to find another job."
For all the Investigation Team's eccentricities, they'd never refused a direct order from me. Even in our darkest hour on the night Nanako-san apparently died, Hanamura-kun ultimately stood down and followed my lead. Perhaps my coworkers would never be my friends, but I hoped they would trust me and be worthy of my trust, since I intended to respond in kind.
Amagi-san escorted me to my office, which was adjacent to hers. It was relatively small, but large enough to accommodate a few people apart from myself. At the moment, there weren't any personal touches, but I planned on adding some photos- one of myself with my parents at graduation, one of myself with my uncle and Nanako-san from when I visited for the interview, and one of the former Investigation Team from the last time we saw each other.
"You'll be working out of this office," Amagi-san said. "You'll probably spend most of your time here when you're not greeting guests or interacting with the staff. It's a good place for a one-on-one meeting if you'd like a conversation with someone."
"I see," I said, "but it's not completely private, is it?"
"Not at all, Yagami-san," Amagi-san said. "As a rule, when I'm working in my office, I'm prepared to be interrupted at a moment's notice. I occasionally put up a 'Do Not Disturb' sign, but only when conducting meetings or having a phone call. Unfortunately, it's not completely soundproof, so anyone standing outside can hear what the people in the office are saying or doing if they listen carefully enough. In a nutshell, I don't say or do anything in my office that I wouldn't in the meeting room."
I didn't dare ask for clarification. Not only was it obvious enough to me what Amagi-san was implying but making her say it out loud would defeat the point.
A knock on the door interrupted me before I could say anything.
"Excuse me, Amagi-san, Yagami-san?" Kasai-san said.
"Yes, Kasai-san?" Amagi-san said.
"The first guests of the day should be here soon," Kasai-san said.
"Understood," Amagi-san said. "Yagami-san and I will be out in a moment."
Kasai-san bowed and departed.
"So you're no longer 'Yuki-chan' to her, right?" I said.
"Not since I started working for the inn full-time," Amagi-san said. "To her, calling me 'Yuki-chan' is no longer appropriate now that I'm an adult and a fellow member of the inn."
"And you weren't before?" I said.
"Not completely," Amagi-san said. "I helped out, but the expectations on me were lower in consideration of my being young and still attending school. The moment I graduated from high school, the 'real' work began. Despite this, I was still expected to follow my parents' orders, be polite to the guests and carry out my tasks. If I couldn't do that, then my parents had no need for me."
Amagi-san's parents, like mine, were strict but never unreasonable. They expected much of us, but never more than we could handle. The burden of their expectations increased over time, until we were finally ready for adulthood.
"I can't do my job well if my employees don't respect me," Amagi-san said, "but I also have to prove worthy of that respect."
"I'm sure that won't be a problem for you, Amagi-san," I said. "You've clearly worked hard to get this far, so I promise you- I will support you."
"Thank you, Yagami-san," Amagi-san said. "Come, let's give our guests a good first impression of the inn."
Monday, July 11, 2011, Yukiko's POV
Life went on after Morooka-sensei's murder, which meant we would have to return to school on Monday, and tests would follow within a week.
After school, I posted a printout with exam dates on the board when Kujikawa-san approached.
"Good afternoon, Amagi-senpai," Kujikawa-san said.
"Good afternoon, Kujikawa-san," I said. "How was school?"
"Pretty good," Kujikawa-san said. "Did they get a replacement for your homeroom teacher?"
I sighed and nodded.
"Yes, they did," I said. "Does the name Noriko Kashiwagi ring any bells?"
"Sorry, Senpai, I'm drawing a blank," Kujikawa-san said. "This is my first day at the school, and I'm not in your grade, so I barely know the names of the first-year teachers, let alone the second-years."
"Well, apparently, Kashiwagi-sensei is jealous of you," I said. "She dismissed you as 'jailbait,' but she wouldn't have gotten so angry if she weren't jealous."
"I get that sometimes," Kujikawa-san said. "I have a lot of female fans, but some girls are mad that the guys they like obsess over me rather than them."
"It sounds as though we're the same," I said. "There's a so-called 'Amagi Challenge,' in which boys confess in the hopes that I'll ask them out, even though I've turned them all down. Maybe we'll soon see the rise of the 'Kujikawa Challenge'?"
"Don't count on it, Senpai," Kujikawa-san said. "There's a taboo against idols dating, so I doubt anyone would seriously ask me out."
"Oh, I see," I said.
"Anyway, Kashiwagi-sensei seems like a lousy teacher if she rants about stuff like that on her first day," Kujikawa-san said. "It's totally unprofessional."
"I agree," I said. "She wouldn't last a week at our inn, let alone as a teacher... or an idol."
"Definitely," Kujikawa-san said. "Being an idol isn't just about singing, dancing or even looking cute. In addition to your massive workload, you have all sorts of restrictions on your diet, schedule and lifestyle. In the end, it was too much for me."
I nodded in agreement with Kujikawa-san, but realized that she'd managed to come this far and succeed as an idol, succeeding where most had failed. I could understand her realizing that being an idol wasn't everything it was cracked up to be, but was she really prepared to throw away all her hard work?
After School
We met at Junes and discussed exams and the case. Despite being short on clues as to the identity of the culprit or the next victim, we were determined to find the killer for the sake of those who had died, those who had nearly lost their lives and everyone else who could be targeted.
But then, Shirogane-kun arrived and he informed us that the police had identified a suspect, and would soon make an arrest. While it wasn't unheard of for serial killers to make mistakes after a string of successful murders, I was a bit skeptical. I was even more confused as to why Shirogane-kun would tell us this.
"Isn't this classified information?" I said. "Why tell us?"
"I thought you deserved to know," Shirogane-kun said, "since your 'game' will soon be at an end."
"It's not a game to us," Yagami-san said. "Two people died in the spring, and a third was found dead yesterday morning. Who knows how high the death toll will climb if the killer isn't caught?"
"But you don't deny that you're involved," Shirogane-kun said, "or that you believe your efforts will bring about the desired resolution."
"If anyone, I'd say you're the one treating this as a game," Kujikawa-san said. "To you, this is just another case, but to us, it's something we have to see through to the end."
"The second victim was special to me," Hanamura-kun said. "For her sake, I swore I'd see this through."
"Is that so?" Shirogane-kun said. "Detectives like me can't afford to let emotions come into play when investigating cases, so I may seem less committed than you. But I have a professional obligation to see this through, and I intend to do so."
Shirogane-kun then excused himself.
"Something on your mind, Yukiko?" Chie said.
"I do have to wonder," I said. "Whose resolve is superior- those who have a professional obligation to do their duty and be dispassionate, or a group of civilians who are already involved?"
"It's hard to say," Yagami-san said. "On the one hand, Shirogane-kun is certainly passionate about being a detective. On the other hand, while we aren't with the detectives or the police, we've saved three lives. If we couldn't work together, we wouldn't have been able to rescue you, much less Tatsumi-kun or Kujikawa-san."
"Yeah," Chie said. "Hanamura got on my case when I first started, telling me it wasn't a game. I did underestimate the danger, but I was never less than completely serious about saving my best friend."
"Me too," Tatsumi-kun said. "I don't really trust the cops, so if there's anything I can do to help solve this case, leave it to me."
Looking around and hearing everyone speak, I could understand why we worked so well together. We were united in one purpose, trusted each other implicitly, and could work well together when it counted.
"One thing is obvious," Yagami-san said. "The case isn't over yet, so keep an eye on the weather and the Midnight Channel."
The combination of exams, a murder and the identification of a possible suspect in the case was a perfect storm that cast a shadow over the month of July. Luckily, we could tackle our exams, the easiest problem of the three, first.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011, After School
We barely had time to react to Morooka-sensei's death before we had to deal with exams. Naturally, that meant studying together, so Yagami-san and I went to the library and sat down across the table from each other.
"I'm glad that you're studying with me," Yagami-san said, "but I'm a bit worried about the others. None of their grades are especially good, and Kujikawa-san will likely struggle after being away from school for a long time."
"I know how you feel," I said. "Maybe we can help them out another day."
While I wanted to help my less academically proficient friends, I knew there was only so much I could do for them. I'd helped Chie with her studies for years, but her grades could only improve so much.
"But for now, I think we should focus on our studies," I said. "I'm not good enough of a student to be able to ace every test without studying, and I suspect that the same goes for you."
"It does," Yagami-san said. "Let's get down to business."
I looked around and saw a few other students and the librarian, and realized that there were advantages to studying in the library. With other people watching us, we had to keep ourselves in check. Our time to study together was limited- we only had a limited number of hours until the library closed and only a limited number of days until exams- so we had no time to waste flirting.
Our efforts paid off, and Yagami-san was once again #1 on the exams, while I was #2. With exams out of the way, we turned our attention back to the case.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011, Evening
Upon checking the Midnight Channel in the evening, I saw a strange sight- a clear image of a familiar-looking boy. Ordinarily, we'd have seen a silhouette a night or two in advance, but this time, there was no advance notice. We saw the person on the TV, the boy who had asked me out on Yagami-san's first day, with perfectly clear audio and video. Unlike my Shadow, which wore a pink princess gown, or Tatsumi-kun and Kujikawa-san's practically naked Shadows, he wore a plain T-shirt and pants. His Shadow was far less bizarre than the others we saw, and with chilling calmness, challenged us to come confront him. If this was the killer's "true" self, then he was likely a rather disturbed individual.
My cell phone rang, and I saw that the caller ID said "Yagami-san."
"Amagi speaking," I said.
"Oh, hello, Amagi-san," Yagami-san said. "I just got off the phone with Hanamura-kun. Did you see the guy on TV?"
"I did," I said. "He claimed that he was behind everything. He looks familiar somehow, but I can't place where."
"I remember," Yagami-san said. "On my first day at Yasogami, he tried to ask you out."
"Good memory, Yagami-san," I said. "So many people have asked me out that I can't possibly keep them straight, but I guess he's the only one you saw, right?"
"Yes, and that's not a face I can easily forget," Yagami-san said. "Let's discuss this more at Junes, since we'll probably have to bring him out of the TV."
Yagami-san chose her words carefully. In the case of myself, Kanji-kun and Rise-chan, we'd gone into the TV on rescue missions, but this time, we'd likely have to bring the boy back as a prisoner.
"Please don't hang up yet," I said. "There's one thing I'd like to discuss with you."
"I'm listening, Amagi-san," Yagami-san said.
"Thank you very much," I said. "We might be in a relationship now, but please feel free to give me orders as you did before, and don't treat me any differently than the others."
"Understood," Yagami-san said. "Then my first order is simple- get some rest. We'll be going into the TV soon."
"Yes, ma'am," I said.
We were facing our most dangerous mission yet, and the last thing we wanted was any friction among the team, so we couldn't afford to indulge in any lovers' spats. Father didn't always agree with Mother on how to run the inn, but he never disobeyed her orders or disrespected her authority, so that was the least I could do for Yagami-san as her girlfriend.
Friday, July 29, 2011, Evening
It took three days for us to find a way to enter Mitsuo Kubo's section of the TV world, but by the end of the third day, we'd defeated his Shadow and turned him in to the police.
We celebrated by having an omelet cooking competition. Yagami-san was the clear winner, but I did decently. At the very least, my omelet was edible, unlike Chie's awful-tasting omelet, or Kujikawa-san's, which knocked me out in one bite. Nanako-chan not only stayed conscious, but even praised Kujikawa-san's omelet, proving she had the patience of a saint and a stomach of steel.
Eventually, the others went home, while Nanako-chan went upstairs to her room and I stayed behind with Shizuka-san. It was late enough that I had to get home soon, but I could afford to indulge in a little alone time with my girlfriend.
"Excellent work, Amagi-san," Shizuka-san said.
"Thank you, Shizuka-san," I said, "but it's just us, so you can use first names."
"All right, Y-Yukiko-san," Shizuka-san said.
I smiled, but my smile faded as worrying thoughts drifted into my mind.
"I have to wonder, though," I said. "What will happen to our group now? Will we drift apart now that our mission has been accomplished?"
The Amagi Inn had many employees, and while the turnover rate wasn't that bad, we frequently said goodbye to staff who had worked for us for years or even decades, then welcomed newcomers to replace them. While some of our employees were friends and even lovers, whether their relationship began before or during their time at the inn, most were merely work acquaintances who lost touch once they were no longer working together. If the Amagi Inn were to close, most of us would scatter to the four winds.
Shizuka-san, however, shook her head.
"I don't think so," Yagami-san said. "We have plans for the near future- the festival at the shrine on August 20 and 21, the trip to the beach on the 23rd, and the fireworks festival on the 30th. Of course, we'll need scooters to get to the beach, as well as licenses."
"Hanamura-kun already has a scooter and a license, I said, "Tatsumi-kun's too young and Kuma-san is missing the proper documentation, so I suppose it's just the girls."
"Exactly," Shizuka-san said. "Our studies begin tomorrow, so leave your schedule open in the afternoon."
"I will," I said. "Summer is busy for the inn, but I should be able to make time. Besides, my parents will probably be pleased if I could learn how to ride a scooter."
Shizuka-san nodded, then looked pensive.
"Still," Shizuka-san said, "even if we've found the killer, I feel as though the mystery isn't over, since we still have some unanswered questions. What is the TV world? Just what kind of being is Kuma-san? Why am I the only one of us who didn't face my Shadow? What memories has Marie-san lost?"
I shrugged.
"I honestly can't even guess," I said.
"Neither can I," Shizuka-san said, "since I don't have any clues. In fact, it's strange; Kubo-kun murdered Yamano-san and Konishi-senpai without leaving any clues behind, but then was suspected of Morooka-sensei's murder. It all seems a bit too convenient..."
Shizuka-san shook her head.
"Never mind; just forget I said anything," Shizuka-san said. "I'm sure we'll find the answers to these questions together."
"So am I," I said. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Shizuka-san."
We shared a kiss, and then I walked home. I hoped that even if the mystery was solved and our battles in the TV World had come to an end, the connections we forged along the way would not break or fade away.
Saturday, March 18, 2017, Morning, Shizuka's POV
Amagi-san and I stood at the inn, awaiting our first guest of the day.
"Welcome," Amagi-san and I said as we bowed to our guest.
"Good morning," the guest said. "I'm Nakajima, and I have a reservation."
"It's an honor to have you in our humble establishment, Nakajima-sama," Amagi-san said. "I am Amagi, and I am the manager."
"And I am Yagami, and I'm the assistant manager," I said. "Please, let us show you what our inn can offer you."
We showed Nakajima-sama to his room and recommended various amenities to him.
After we'd gotten the guest settled in, I turned to Amagi-san.
"So how did I do, Amagi-san?" I said.
"Perfectly," Amagi-san said. "Then again, I'm not surprised. Out of all of us, you seem to be the best at approaching a situation professionally."
"Thank you very much," I said, "but I honestly think you're better at it."
Amagi-san's professional countenance faltered momentarily as a slight blush appeared on her face.
"Really?" Amagi-san said. "Why do you think so?"
"It's more that I'm serious all the time," I said, "whereas you have your eccentricities, but keep them in check when you're at work."
"Fair point," Amagi-san said, "but if we're going by that metric, then Chie's even better. Her demeanor is less naturally suited to her line of work, so she has to work harder to get to the same level of professionalism you and I might get to simply by acting naturally."
That was Satonaka-san in a nutshell. She had few talents, but being hard-working and passionate were some of her many good qualities.
"Of course," Amagi-san said, "with any professional, there are always times when it's difficult to keep up the facade, simply because it's always different from your actual self."
I nodded, then got back to work. There would be many trying times in the years to come, but we'd been through a lot together, so I was confident we could face them.
Saturday, July 30, 2011, Yukiko's POV
The day after the case was solved, I headed to the Dojima house and rang the doorbell. This time, it wasn't for a date with Yagami-san, but for a study session for our scooter license.
Yagami-san answered the door, dressed in a blouse and skirt. She was clearly anticipating spending the day studying alongside her guests in an air-conditioned house, rather than stepping out into the summer heat.
"Hello, Amagi-san," Yagami-san said.
"Good afternoon, Yagami-san," I said. "Are Chie and Kujikawa-san here yet?"
"Not yet," Yagami-san said, "but I expect they'll be here soon."
I entered the living room, took off my shoes and sat down at the table.
"Studying for the test will be hard work," Yagami-san said, "but it will open up many places for us to visit."
"By 'us', do you mean the two of us, or the Investigation Team?" I said.
"Both," Yagami-san said. "We may have succeeded in our mission, but I'd like to keep this group together for as long as I can."
I agreed. The past few months had often been difficult, but by enduring them and growing stronger, I'd developed a healthier bond with Chie, reconnected with Tatsumi-kun and befriended the others.
The doorbell rang.
"It's Kujikawa," Kujikawa-san said. "Satonaka-senpai and I are here."
"Coming," Yagami-san said as she went to get the door.
The four of us united our efforts to overcome one shared trial together and succeeded in passing.
Monday, August 15, 2011, Early Morning, Shizuka's POV
We soon passed our tests and went for a few drives. After a few days, I felt confident enough to make the drive to the beach.
In the morning, I checked my phone and saw that I had an unviewed text message from Satonaka-san.
"Yagami-san?" Satonaka-san said. "This is Satonaka. Hanamura's probably going to ask you to help him at Junes pretty soon. He sounded pretty desperate, so I can't say no to him."
My phone rang, and I realized it was from Hanamura-kun.
"Yagami speaking," I said.
"Yagami-san? It's me," Hanamura-kun said. "Listen, I really need your help at Junes."
"Satonaka-san already informed me," I said. "I'll be over as soon as I can."
"Thanks," Hanamura-kun said. "It'll be for a few days, but I'll buy you lunch."
"Good to hear it," I said. "See you there."
I hung up, then I called up Amagi-san, but didn't get her. She'd probably turned her phone off, since she was busy at the inn. Of her many duties for the inn, few required taking calls, so she was advised to leave her phone off lest she be distracted.
"You have reached Yukiko Amagi," Amagi-san's voice said. "I am unable to answer the phone at the moment, so please leave your name and number."
Like me, Amagi-san kept things formal on the phone, knowing that anyone who had her number would hear her voicemail, I responded in kind when leaving my message.
"Amagi-san?" I said. "This is Yagami. I'll be working at Junes until Friday. I'm sorry, but we won't be able to make plans. Please let me know whether you got this message. I'l talk to you soon. Goodbye."
I hung up, then proceeded to Junes as quickly as I could manage.
Morning
I arrived at Junes. dressed in a short-sleeved blouse and a khaki skirt. The dress code for part-timers was rather flexible, but while the management didn't require us to wear uniforms, they expected us to demonstrate good judgment.
"Yo, thanks for coming,' Hanamura-kun said.
"It's my pleasure to help out," I said. "So, it's the same as last time?"
"Pretty much," Hanamura-kun said. "We've still got your name tag and apron, so get changed and you can start work."
"Just like that?" I said. "The last time you called on me was for an emergency, so I thought it was a special case."
Hanamura-kun sheepishly nodded.
"Well, we're also short-handed this time," Hanamura-kun said. "If you wanted to work for us part-time, you'd have to interview for it, but I'm sure you'd ace it. It' definitely easier than getting a job with one of the family businesses here, which only have a couple-part-timer slots, and those go to family members."
"Wait, aren't you the son of the manager?" I said.
"Yeah, but that doesn't help me much," Hanamura-kun said. "In Inaba, my dad's the face of Junes, but in a company that has thousands of employees, he's a nobody. Then again, he's far enough above me that I have to treat him like the manager while on the clock and can't expect special treatment, even if people think they can complain to me to get his ear."
I remembered witnessing a few such incidents myself. The two girls who badgered Hanamura-kun to get out of working weekends had no business making that demand to the manager, much less pressuring Hanamura-kun to do it. I hadn't seen or heard about them since the argument between them and Hanamura-kun, so perhaps they'd quit, which was probably for the best.
"I'm curious," Hanamura-kun said. "Does Amagi get treated the same way at her family's inn?"
"You should probably ask Amagi-san yourself," I said, "but to the best of my knowledge, no. The other employees treat her well and consider her practically family."
"Makes sense," Hanamura-kun said. "The last thing I'd want is to piss off my boss' kid, especially when she'll one day become my boss."
I recalled Konishi-senpai complaining about how she had to be nice to Hanamura-kun.
"It's true that some of them might be self-serving," I said, "but I think that at least part of their affection for Amagi-san is genuine."
"I hope so," Hanamura-kun said, then let the subject drop.
Within a minute or so, I was changed and ready to work. As soon as I put on the uniform and punched in, I was an employee of Junes, responsible for following my superiors' orders and providing assistance to customers who needed it.
Afternoon
While I was working in the grocery department, a housewife approached me. My apron not only protected my clothes, but was an easily visible identifier.
"Pardon me, young lady," the housewife said. "I'm looking for the meats section."
"Right this way, ma'am," I said.
I led the housewife to the meats section and showed her the selection.
"Well, here it is," I said. "Do you think you can find what you're looking for."
"I can," the woman said. "Thank you so much."
"It's my pleasure, ma'am," I said. "Please let me know if you need anything else."
I excused myself with a bow and walked away... at which point I saw Amagi-san in her kimono.
"Oh, hello, Amagi-san," I said.
"Good afternoon, Yagami-san," Amagi-san said. "I got your message, and just happened to stop by on an errand for the inn."
"Ah, I see," I said. "I take it Hanamura-kun never asked you?"
"No, he didn't," Amagi-san said, "since he knows I'm busy. As for Tatsumi-kun and Kujikawa-san, both of them have remedial classes."
I nodded. It was probably for the best that I accepted Hanamura-kun's request, since all of us were busy.
"You're a natural with customer service," Amagi-san said. "You'd be an excellent waitress for our inn, but I'm sure that you're talented enough to aim higher."
I smiled. My parents worked jobs like that to put themselves through school and didn't consider even unskilled work to be beneath them. To them, any job is in service to someone else, so politeness, humility and a strong work ethic go a long way.
"I'm glad you think so," I said. "Can I take it that means I should apply for a part-time job as a waitress for your inn?"
Amagi-san laughed.
"I'm glad you considered this," Amagi-san said, "but unfortunately, our inn doesn't hire part-timers. Even if we did, I doubt many would want to work here."
"Why not?" I said.
"For starters, this kimono," Amagi-san said. "As beautiful as it is, it's also rather expensive and uncomfortable. Most high schoolers take on part-time jobs for extra spending money, so they're reluctant to take on a job that would make them incur such a large expense before their first paycheck."
"That's understandable," I said. "Junes' more lenient dress code- the apron and name tag are complimentary, although you'll have to pay for replacements if you lose them- explains why people are more eager to work there."
"Plus, our inn is strict about etiquette," Amagi-san said, "from how deeply we bow to how we address the customers. For example, I would have to call you 'Yagami-sama' if you were visiting the inn as a guest."
I nodded.
"Well, I was partly joking," I said, "although it would be nice to work alongside you."
"I think so, too," Amagi-san said. "You could probably handle the job, so it's a shame that we can't hire you and I can't come to work alongside you."
Amagi-san decided to end our conversation here and let me get back to work. Working part-time at the Amagi Inn had been a long shot, but I couldn't help but be disappointed at being turned down.
Friday, August 19, 2011, Afternoon
As the final day of my helping out Hanamura-kun ended, I sat down for lunch with Amagi-san in the food court. The food court was crowded, so we obviously had to be careful of prying eyes, and it was hardly a date spot, but the meal was still a satisfying reward.
"I'm curious about something," I said. "You've often shopped at Junes, sometimes in your kimono. Do your parents disapprove?"
"Good question," Amagi-san said, "but to tell you the truth, they're fine with that. The only people who would object would be local merchants if we bought from Junes instead of them. For example, if we bought alcohol from Junes instead of Konishi Liquors, Konishi-san would probably disapprove, but he'd understand that we're running a business and would need to do what was in our best interests."
"From what I heard, he... took it personally when his daughter worked at Junes," I said.
"I can understand his perspective," Amagi-san said. "The family-run businesses around here live or die based on their reputation, and rumors that one of the business owner's children was working for 'the enemy' would be rather damaging. My family would be upset if I tried to get a job at, say, a motel out of town."
"Konishi-kun said the same thing once," I said. "He has to be on his best behavior around the neighbors for the sake of his family's reputation."
"So do I," Amagi-san said. "Chie sometimes finds it surprising that being well-behaved, well-mannered and well-dressed came so easily to me, but that's far from the truth. I constantly act as though I'm being watched and judged, and that word of my behavior might get back to our parents or people who do business with us."
"That's prudent," I said. "My parents are polite to even those in the humblest occupations, from secretaries to the people scrubbing the floor. They might be visiting a company to talk with the CEO, but they realize that the people they want to impress view how they interact with those beneath their notice."
Amagi-san looked around.
"Still," Amagi-san said, "I most enjoy the times when I can let down my guard- with Chie, with the rest of our friends, and of course, with you."
"As do I," I said.
We shared a moment in silence, looking into each other's eyes. Perhaps we couldn't act the same way we did when no one was around, but we could pretend they weren't there.
"By the way, I'm really looking forward to the festival tomorrow," Amagi-san said. "It'll be fun to see it with everyone."
"Everyone, huh?" I said. "As opposed to just us?"
"Truthfully, I would like to go out with you," Amagi-san said, "but I realize that you have other friends, as do I, and we should spend time with them, too."
I nodded. Perhaps the first night of the festival wouldn't be a date, but it would still be a fun outing with our friends.
Saturday, March 18, 2017, Afternoon, Shizuka's POV
I spent much of the day introducing myself to the staff and getting a feel for how they did business. Amagi-san had taught me as much as she could, but that was no substitute for hands-on experience. I had to demonstrate to my coworkers that I was willing to learn, but also show that I knew enough to deserve the job.
In the afternoon, I was asked to go to the shopping district to pick up orders from Konishi Liquors and Tatsumi Textiles.
While on my way there, I saw Satonaka-san in uniform.
"Good afternoon, Officer," I said.
"Good afternoon, Yagami-san," Satonaka-san said. "You look great in uniform."
"Thank you," I said, "but Amagi-san still wears it better than I do."
"Well, there's no use competing with Amagi-san in what she's best at," Officer Satonaka said. "As a beauty with long raven hair, a kimono's perfect for her. Of course, she'd have to get her hair cut short if she were to join the police, not to mention put in some serious training to get in shape for the job."
Amagi-san was by no means out of shape, but it was clear that our inn had different standards than the police did. She was strong enough to carry a tray full of food without dropping it but couldn't necessarily restrain a suspect long enough to handcuff them. She could walk around the inn all day in a kimono, but that didn't mean that she could pursue a fleeing suspect on foot. Because of this, it was probably for the best that Satonaka-san and Amagi-san had found jobs that played to their strengths, and were different enough that they would not have to compare each other.
"Did you just call Amagi-san by her surname?" I said.
"I sure did," Satonaka-san said. "When I was in the academy, they beat the importance of good manners into our heads. It really stuck, so while I'm on duty, I'm polite to everyone- from the chief of police to the criminals I put in handcuffs, from strangers to my long-time best friend. Getting to that point was the hardest part apart from the studying, but I'm glad I managed."
Satonaka-san was never the most socially gracious or academically gifted individual, but she was nothing if not determined, so it was no surprise that she could overcome whatever obstacles lay in her way.
"As am I," I said, "and I know Amagi-san is, too."
"She definitely is," Satonaka-san said. "I was worried she'd laugh at me when I addressed her as 'Amagi-san' the first time we crossed paths at work, but she smiled and said, 'Keep up the good work, Satonaka-san."
"I'm not surprised," I said. "She appreciates how hard you work at your job, so she'd never laugh at you trying your hardest. To her, keeping things formal is a matter of mutual respect."
"Yep," Satonaka-san said. "It doesn't feel weird anymore, and I guess I've got you to thank or that."
I chuckled.
"I've got to get going," Satonaka-san said. "Say hi to Amagi-san for me."
We parted ways for the moment and went about our business.
I stopped by Tatsumi Textiles, and immediately spotted the proprietor, Tatsumi-kun. He was wearing a brown jinbei he'd probably made himself, and his hair, which had long since reverted to its natural black color, was neatly combed. There was only one other person in the store- a woman with dark shoulder-length hair and a light gray skirt suit.
"Welcome," Tatsumi-kun said.
"I'm Yagami from the Amagi Inn," I said, "and I'm here to pick up an order."
"Coming right up, Senpai," Tatsumi-kun said.
The woman in the suit turned around as soon as I spoke, and when I turned to her, I recognized her as Shirogane-san. In her latter two years at Yasogami, she'd grown her hair out, started dressing in a girly but practical style, and started answering to "Naoto-chan" or "Shirogane-san," but I was still surprised to see her like this.
"It's been a while, Senpai," Shirogane-san said. "Congratulations on the promotion, and I'm sorry I wasn't in town when you were there."
"Thank you, Shirogane-san," I said. "I understand you were out on a case?"
"Yes, I was," Shirogane-san said. "I try to take on jobs close to home, but an important case came up."
"As important as, say, the Phantom Thieves case?" I said.
"Regrettably, I was unable to help in that one," Shirogane-san said. "Not only was my 'successor' Akechi-kun the main private investigator, but the authorities were reluctant to trust outsiders. Considering that they were more concerned about protecting themselves than getting justice, perhaps it was for the best that I didn't participate."
I nodded.
"Still," Shirogane-san said, "I do often have to travel far for cases, while Kanji's business keeps him in Inaba. Because of that, I'm grateful for how understanding he is."
"Not a problem, Naoto," Tatsumi-kun said as he came out from the back. "Here you are, Senpai."
"Thank you, Tatsumi-kun," I said with a bow. "By the way, I didn't know that Shirogane-san started calling you by your first name."
"I started when we began going out in our final year of high school," Shirogane-san said. "It seemed like the appropriate time, not to mention Kanji was rather insistent about this matter."
"Amagi-san used to remind me that I could use her first name in private, or among friends," I said. " Now, she insists on being called 'Amagi-san' while at work."
"Knowing you, Senpai, I bet you're relieved," Tatsumi-kun said.
I chuckled.
"You're not wrong," I said, "but Amagi-san has changed in the past few years, as we all have."
I said goodbye to Shirogane-san and Tatsumi-kun, reflecting on the time when Tatsumi-kun had been a delinquent and Shirogane-san had dressed and passed herself off as a boy.
My next stop was Konishi Liquors. The proprietor of the store, who was Saki-san and Naoki-kun's father, pro
"I'm amazed, Yagami-san," Konishi-san said. "You stayed here for a year, and you decided to come back and work here permanently."
"A year is long enough to find what you love, sir," I said.
"Good for you," Konishi-san said. "I still sometimes hear from people who hate living here, but not as much as I did several years ago. I wish other people were as enthusiastic and open-minded as you."
I could think of a few people who initially disliked living here- Hanamura-kun, Minami-san and even Amagi-san in some ways.
"I don't know if you've heard, but Naoki plans on inheriting the liquor store," Konishi-san said, "but I encouraged him to go to college and get an education so he'll have choices if that doesn't pan out."
"A wise choice," I said, "but he chose the option that allows him to be there for his family."
Konishi-san nodded.
"Yes, and I appreciate that," Konishi-san said. "I can hardly believe it's been seven years since Saki was taken from us. We can't go back to the way we were before, but we can go forward. That's why, even though I once opposed Junes' arrival, I now do business with them."
"Good for you," I said. "I know that Inaba won't be the same as it was back when I lived there before, but that's not necessarily a bad thing."
"Not at all," Konishi-senpai said. "So, Yagami-san, on behalf of the Konishi family and the town of Inaba- welcome back."
"Thank you, sir," I said, before bowing and excusing myself.
I finished my errand and returned to work, dropping off the alcohol in the kitchen. A chef and a waitress, both a decade or more my senior, were there.
"Here you are," I said.
"Thank you," the cook said. "Are you new around here?"
"I am," I said. "I'm Yagami, and I started as assistant manager today."
"Oh, Amagi-san did say an old friend of hers was going to work for her," the chef said. "I'm Shinkawa, and I'm a chef here."
"And I'm Sugiura, a waitress," the waitress said.
The two of them and I exchanged bows, but then they turned to each other.
"Shinkawa-san, should we tell Yagami-san?" Sugiura-san said.
"There's no harm in it," Shinkawa-san said. "Amagi-san's fine with it, after all."
"Fine with what?" I said.
"Our relationship," Shinkawa-san said. "Sugiura-san and I have been a couple since Amagi-san was still a student at Yasogami."
"Oh," I said. "I don't believe she ever told me."
"It's not a secret," Sugiura-san said, "so it's not as though Amagi-san would be betraying our trust by telling a friend. But then again, an intra-inn romance like this is unremarkable enough that she has little reason to tell everyone about it. We don't let it get in the way of our work, and we're grateful she's understanding."
"Of course she would be," I said with a smile.
I didn't say why I knew this, but perhaps I didn't need to. The two lovers got my point, thanked me, and got back to work, as did I.
Evening
As it was getting dark outside, I heard a knock on my door.
"Yagami-san?" Amagi-san said. "This is Amagi. May I come in?"
"Yes, please," I said, and stood up to greet Amagi-san. She was accompanied by a woman in her mid-to-late thirties with a dark kimono.
"It's time for us to go home," Amagi-san said, "but first, I'd like to introduce Tsukishima-san, the night manager for the inn. Tsukishima-san, this is my new assistant, Yagami-san."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tsukishima-san," I said. "I hope to work well with you."
"The pleasure is mine, Yagami-san," Tsukishima-san said, "but believe me when I say that you won't want to see much of me. I'm in charge of running the inn while you and the others are asleep, from supervising cleaning to taking guests that arrive late at night. If you get a call from me, it's an emergency."
I let off a nervous chuckle. I'd meant well enough with the pleasantries, but I'd forgotten about the night shift.
"Ah yes, Amagi-san told me," I said. "And here I was, ready to be the first person in and the last person out."
"Yagami-san's eager to prove herself," Amagi-san said. "She recognizes how hard you and the others work."
"Quite true," Tsukishima-san said, "but we're not competing with each other here."
I nodded.
Amagi-san and I ate dinner with her parents, and we talked about my first day. I felt almost comfortable making small talk with them, but I remembered that they were evaluating me as closely as they had been during my interview. I was wearing a kimono rather than a suit, but the same rules applied, from the use of polite speech to... turning off your cell phone.
"Pardon me," I said, "I think I forgot to turn off my cell phone."
"It's fine, Yagami-san," Amagi-san's mother said. "My husband and I have gotten important calls during meals before."
"So has my uncle," I said. "He's careful about not drinking alcohol when he might be called in."
"Yukiko's a rather cautious drinker, too," Amagi-san's father said. "She usually only drinks the minimum amount of alcohol at any social event."
Amagi-san blushed. Her parents had no way of knowing this, but this brought back some embarrassing memories.
"Are you surprised, Yagami-san?" Amagi-san's mother said. "It should go without saying, but there's a difference between how we act at work and at home."
"I understand, ma'am," I said. "I'm well aware that Amagi-san is different in public than in private, but while I'm aware that your public persona is not necessarily your 'true' self, I have yet to see the latter."
"Fair enough," Amagi-san's mother said. "I believe you've likely seen many sides of Yukiko that she hasn't shown to her parents, like how she goes into laughing fits."
"M-Mother..." Amagi-san said.
"It's true," Amagi-san's mother said. "You might not let down your guard around me, but I know about that."
Amagi-san sighed. Her parents, like mine, were the sort that were as much authority figures as family members, so she tended to mind the way she acted.
"Yagami-san's no exception," Amagi-san said. "There are parts of herself- from amusing quirks to moments of vulnerability- that she shows to me, but wouldn't show to her parents, let alone you."
"I see," Amagi-san's father said. "Can you give some examples?"
"That would defeat the point, Father," Amagi-san said with a grin.
The Amagis shared a laugh, and after a moment, I joined in, too. Perhaps they were my employers, and Amagi-san's parents had yet to fully accept our relationship, but if I worked for them and ate at the same table, then perhaps they considered me one of them.
After dinner, Amagi-san and I went to her room together and watched the evening news.
"Now for the weather," the anchor, whose name was Aizawa, said. "Kusumi-san?"
The camera shifted to Mariko Kusumi, the girl we once knew as Marie. Her current name was one she used to fit in with society, but it was the one she answered to on a daily basis, so she'd adopted it as her own.
"Thank you, Aizawa-san," Kusumi-san said. "The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom, and will stay that way for a while. We're set to get some rain this evening, but it should stop by midnight..."
Kusumi-san went on to deliver her weather report in a completely professional manner. As she did, she gave no sign of how she once was a girl who wondered about the etymology behind steak skewers, gave nicknames to those she met or became enraged whenever someone chanced upon her poetry.
Eventually, the show went to commercial break, and Amagi-san turned off the television.
"By the way, I saw Satonaka-san on duty today," I said. "You were right; she's practically a completely different person while she's walking the beat."
"Exactly," Amagi-san said with a smile, "but it's not as though she's pretending to be someone she isn't. She genuinely wants to be a good police officer, so she puts in the work to do so- from working long hours to training on her days off to being polite to everyone. The version of her that serves the public may be a persona, but it's a part of her."
"I agree," I said. "I think Kujikawa-san, as an idol, was the first of us to understand the difference between our public and private selves. 'Risecchi' might have had to conform to her employers' rules and meet fans' expectations of her, but it was as real of an aspect of her as the Kujikawa-san we spent time with every day."
"Quite true," Amagi-san said. "In fact, these days, most of the times I see Satonaka-san are while she's on duty, rather than the rare times our days off intersect. Even then, Satonaka-san is just a phone call away from being called to duty, so she makes sure she's always ready for work."
I nodded.
"This make me wonder," I said. "We live in our workplace, and your parents and our employees are just a knock on the door or a phone call away. So where does the boundary between our private life and our work life lie?"
"That's a good question," Amagi-san said. "Obviously, when we're in front of guests or employees, we'll have to be on our best behavior. Even if we're working out of our offices or at home, we'll have to still be available. As a rule, I act as though I'm on duty whenever I wear my kimono or a suit."
My parents always dressed well when going to work, both to represent their company as well as possible and to get into
"But now is a different story," Amagi-san said. "Mother and Father are in bed, and while Tsukishima-san may call sometimes, she only does so as a last resort, and it's usually possible to handle whatever problems may arise over the phone."
"That's good to hear," I said.
"Still," Amagi-san said, "even if my parents are asleep, and won't hear us unless we make a lot of noise, I can't relax as long as I'm in my kimono. Why don't we change into something more comfortable... Shizuka-san?"
"A splendid idea, Yukiko-san," I said, and we began passionately kissing while taking off our kimonos.
From this moment until the moment Yukiko-san and I put on our nightgowns and retired to bed, no one knocked on our door, called us or otherwise disturbed our time together. Perhaps our professional relationship would often have to come first, but right now, we could be who we wanted to be.
Author's Note
This chapter focuses on the boundaries between professional and private lives.
The next chapter will show the festival.