In the early neighborhood of Chiba, a young man was reading a book on his dinner table with a hot cup of tea in front of him. In his company was his dear little sister, who often looked up to him, but also looked down on him. Such is the life of siblings all around the world. The girl was watching T.V. with a hot cup of milk on her hand as it was quite cold given that it's still quite early in the morning.
With a bored expression, she scanned through the channels, looking for an interesting show to indulge herself in. But in actuality, she was spacing out and mindlessly pushing on the buttons of the remote and thinking on nothing particular.
Her brother on the other hand, was deep in thought…
Beautiful…
Absolutely beautiful…!
It's so beautiful that I'm tearing up…!
I felt a single tear slide down my cheek as I put down The Silmarillion.
"Onii-chan, why are you crying...?" A young female voice asked.
I wiped my tear with the sleeve of my shirt, and I felt a warm and wet sensation on the area where my sleeve and cheek touched.
"I'm crying because the world is cruel, Komachi-chan. I cry for all middle-schoolers who were rejected by their crush. I cry for all boys who waved at someone, only to find out that that someone was waving at a person behind them. I cry for Light Novel authors who have to meet a deadline every other month. My tears are for those who cannot shed them." I said to her.
"…"
"…"
"You know that actually sounded nice at the start but your twisted view on the world ruined it."
"Dearest sister, I believe you were meant to say enhanced it."
She gave me an annoyed look and sighed in defeat.
"Onii-chan, there's black tea on your face." She said as she turned away from me and sipped on her cup of milk.
"Hmm?"
I touched my cheek and it was true, looks like my sleeve had a bit of black tea to it. So, I put down my book and went to the bathroom to wash my face.
After knocking on the door and entering inside. I was greeted with my reflection that caused me to yelp in surprise.
My hair was terrible.
There's saliva stains on my mouth.
My eyes were looking more worse and shady-looking than usual. If a group of hoodlums ganged up on me to steal my stuff, they would probably run away in terror once they see how terrifying and [MENACING] my rotten eyes are.
Truly, Kami-sama has granted me with both a blessing and a curse.
But seriously, I look terrible.
I look more terrible than the anime adaptation of Berserk!
As I washed my face with my hands, I felt the cold-water drip from my face to the inside of my shirt. Given that the water was still cold, it gave me goose-bumps and the hair on my back to stand straight.
For some reason, I took off my shirt in front of the mirror and began examining my upper body.
Well, I'm scrawny and frail looking, that's to be expected. So, this is what your body looks like if you eat yakisoba bread every day at school…?
Wait, given that I ride a bike to school every day, unless it's raining, I should be at least burning the fat that I absorb through unhealthy food, right?
With that, I think I can safely assume that I am at the peak of health. Aside from the fact that my stamina is a bit lacking…
Who am I kidding.
I was about to go out of the bathroom when I remembered something really important.
Hmm, what was that again?
…
…
…
Ah, yes, the part-time job at that bookstore me and Hinata-san visited the other day was scheduled for today at 9am. It's still around 6:15am, so I have 3 hours and 45 minutes to prepare.
What was that bookstore again?
Tatsumi's Bookstore? I think that was it, I wasn't really paying attention to the name of the place on my last visit there.
Who the heck is Tatsumi? Is Tatsumi a guy? It sounds like a surname, maybe it's family owned?
Anyway, I will go inside Tatsumi-san later, maybe I'll find out the secrets behind Tatsumi-san.
Wait, that sounded a wrong for some reason…
With a yawn, I exit the bathroom and go back to the dining room to fetch my book and finish my tea. I see that Komachi has already gotten bored with the T.V. and was fiddling with her phone.
Probably texting her friends.
Pff, what a normie.
Komachi must have felt my stare because it was as if a chill went through her spine and looked up to me with grossed-out eyes.
"O-Onii-chan, do need something?"
"Ah, I'm going to…" I answered, but I stopped halfway.
I forgot that I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about my plan to partake in a part-time job, wait, I believe I mentioned it to Hinata-san and Kawasaki-san…
"I saw this book that was on sale the other day, but I forgot to buy it."
"Ahh, I see…" she said with disinterest as her eyes returned to the screen on her phone.
With that out of the way, I finished my now-cold tea in one go and picked up my book to go upstairs. After putting the book on the bookshelf, I picked up a random t-shirt and my trusty old jeans, oh and my new hat too.
However, when I was about to make my way downstairs, I heard my Mom talking to Dad in their bedroom.
"Hitomi, what do you think? This plan is flawless!" My Father asked, through the sound of his voice, he was a little excited about what they were talking about.
"Hmm, it definitely is an interesting idea Dear, but I'll have to put more thought to it." My Mother replied slowly, but the way she said it, it must be a pretty serious topic.
"Alright, but if you ever change your mind, inform me right away and I'll handle everything."
"Ok."
I believe that was the end of their conversation, because I head footsteps coming towards the door, and the doorknob twisted and opened.
"Oh, good morning Hachi, you are quite early today." My Mother greeted me.
Similar to what Komachi was wearing, Mom was wearing her pajamas.
"Good morning Mom and Dad."
"Good morning Hachiman, your mother is right, you are quite early today, do you have plans?"
Damnit! I just avoided a bullet with Komachi, and now I'm being ganged up by my parents?!
"Ah, I'm going to buy another book today."
"Finished with your book already? Impressive!" Mom gleefully exclaimed.
"Are you going to take the Tokyo Line?" My Father inquired.
"No, I'm only going to commute and ride within the Chiba Line."
My father thought for a bit as mom went ahead downstairs.
"I see, let's go together then and separate at the station."
I was going to go out of the house at 8 o'clock, but Dad is really pushing me to the corner here. Well, it doesn't hurt to be early I guess.
"That's fine with me, when do we leave?"
Without a second to spare, my father replied.
"Now."
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
"As in, Now now?"
"Yes." My Father said as he passed me and went downstairs.
"Ok, but I'm the one taking the shower first."
My Dad grunted in reply as I entered the bathroom. I head Mom call to me from the kitchen.
"Hachi-kun! Do you want coffee, milk, or tea?"
"I had tea already, thank you."
I heard her call out to Komachi too, but the sounds disappeared as I closed the door of the bathroom and started to undress.
I let out a relieved sigh as I collapsed into the sofa, Komachi right beside me, still wearing her pajamas.
"Onii-chan I like your hat." Komachi said without looking at me. What is she reading on her phone anyway, do you place your phone on a higher level of required attention than your beloved Onii-chan? That's a big minus for Hachiman points!
"Thanks." I replied as I began to take out my wallet and check the things I need.
"Your hat reminds me of an old lady in China." Komachi gave me a sidelong glance with a cheeky grin.
"Well, thank you for the compliment Komachi-chan. We all know that elderly Chinese people give off an air of knowledge and respect. But alas, I am already aware that I am knowledgeable, but unfortunate circumstances have left to admit that I am not very respectable. So, coming from you, that's a big plus in Hachiman points!" I replied sarcastically.
Komachi gave me a deadpanned look.
"Geez onii-chan, I know that you were going to come up with a lame comeback, but I never expected it to be that lame."
Wow, really? Was it really that lame?
*Umm, if you put it on a scale of 1 to 10, we can say that it's around -5! Tehee~!*
So unfair, that score is even out of the scale already!
And what's with the damned tehee~!
Are you a foxy kouhai trying to cunningly manipulate me into doing things for you?!
Hmm, for some reason, I think I accidentally activated a flag there, not sure if it's a good flag or a bad flag though…
"Hachiman, let's go." I heard my Father's voice near the doorway, so I got up to join him.
Of course, as a future author of the book How to be a great Onii-chan, I dutifully patted Komachi's head and bid farewell to her. But surprisingly, she got up and accompanied me to the doorway.
When we went outside, Mom gave me a goodbye kiss to my cheek and Komachi followed suit.
My cheeks reddened in response.
I feel like a husband having my wife see me off to work.
So embarrassing…
"Goodbye and stay safe, you two!" Mom said before she closed the door to the Hikigaya household.
"Bye."
"See you later at dinner." Dad said.
And thus, began our uneventful walk to the station.
Though the sun was shining bright and proud, the scorching heat has yet to reveal its true might, given that it's still early. Looking up, I see a cloudy sky. Hopefully when it starts to get REALLY hot, I hope cloud-san would cover the sun to protect the citizens of Chiba from a fiery demise.
I return my attention to walking, because I might walk into a pole and someone coincidentally caught a video of it. That someone, would then post the video online, which would cause it to spread like wildfire in social media with the title, "Boy from Chiba, walks into a pole and fucking dies."
The last thing I want to do, is to tarnish the good name of Chiba!
"Hey Dad, what time does mom go to her café anyway? "I asked dad a question that's been bugging me for a while now.
"Ah, yes. She stopped opening up at an earlier time because the daily shipments of her supplies were only scheduled at earlier times because of the traffic back in the school year. Now that it's summer, they are much more flexible now that traffic has eased a bit."
Ah, so it's like that huh.
"Hmm, speaking of which, I forgot where her place actually is…"
"It's near the Chiba Business district, or Shopping district, as you would like to call it."
The Chiba Business District was a place where small to large business enterprises were settled to conduct their business operations. Due to the sheer number of shops and such, it's slowly being nicknamed the "Shopping District".
Obviously, the area is quite large. So Dad's reply didn't really help much…
"Hachiman." My father suddenly said.
"Hmm?"
"Do you mind if I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"I know that it's still too early for me to be asking this, but have you already chosen a possible degree for college? Or at least deciding between the humanities or the sciences?"
"A-Ah.."
Wow, that's REALLY too early to be asking that.
I gave my dad a pained expression.
"Well, it's still too early for me to answer that right now. Even if I did, my response may change three years from now from outside influences, or maybe a change of interest altogether."
"Ah, I see. Well, no need to fret. If you can't decide when that time comes, I'll let you join the company as an undergrad assistant or something." My father offered.
It was times like these that made me realize how lucky I am.
Most fresh graduates would take weeks or even MONTHS to get employed in their first company. Not to mention all the interviews they've done and waiting for the phone call or message that they would receive, informing them of whether they made it or not.
Sometimes, they are forced to be employed in a firm, under the responsibility completely different from the course they graduated in. Which ultimately forces them to adapt to the different environment.
Through adaptation, they will either successfully blend into their new environment, or they would utterly fail in their job, leading them to go back to job hunting once more.
In my case, I already have a place where my father prepared for me.
I can follow my father's footsteps in his college degree, or I can take a law degree and found my own law firm, for example, while being the heir of my father's company.
Hmm, maybe I can be like mom and create my own restaurant or café line? And once it grows, I can set up branches all around Chiba, so that I can monopolize the food industry, while also providing jobs for the local citizens of Chiba!
Should my plan progress further, Chiba will have the lowest unemployment rate in Japan! Maybe even all of East Asia!
Chiba is very lucky that I am born here!
There's still one problem though.
I'm not good at cooking.
But that's one of the things that I want to improve myself in!
"That's a comforting thought." I coolly replied.
"But make sure your grades are always high! I won't accept an employee whose academic performance is below my standards!" My father said with a cheery, but stern tone.
I said nothing but gave a small smile.
We walked in comfortable silence after that, and we passed by the playground where I saw Kei-chan a while back.
I wonder how Kawasaki-san is doing right now?
Kawasaki-san is employed part time in a nearby supermarket, if my assumptions are correct, supermarkets around this area tend to open early in the morning to sell freshly caught fish.
Could it be that a student like Kawasaki-san rises early in the morning to get to her part-time job?
I lack the data to be 100% sure on my assumption, but if it is true, then she is very admirable.
I'm rooting for you, Kawasaki-san!
"Hachiman, did you hear about what your mother and I were talking about in the bedroom?" My Father asked out of the blue, speaking of blue, Kawasaki-san had a beautiful tinge of blue for her hair…
*Heheheh, Hikigaya, thinking about a girl this early in the morning, but that's to be accepted because you are a healthy young teen…*
I'll deal with you later.
"Umm, only the last part…" I replied with a small voice, truthfully, I feel uncomfortable listening on other people's conversations.
But this is one of the abilities, my STAND [108 Loner Skills], it gives me the ability to accurately listen in on people's conversations
"Hmm, I see. Seeing that you already know about it, there's no point in hiding it any further." My father paused before he continued.
"Basically, I have been offered a position as a business partner of a certain bar and café chain, similar to what your mother has here in Chiba. They asked me to invest in their company, and in return, I will get a quarterly return investment equal the percentage we agreed upon.
However, the place to set up shop that they have in plan is actually near you mother's place, to accept their offer would mean that she would have competition. And that competition, is quite more known and famous than your mother's.
Hitomi already informed me that she is planning to set up another branch in either Tokyo or Shinjuku, but I advised her to wait and instead set another branch here in Chiba.
So, with that said Hachiman, where do you stand in this?"
I gave no reply as I walked deep in thought.
One can see the pros of each side, not to mention the cons.
I thought for a bit before replying.
"Frankly, if I were in mom's shoes, I would follow your advice." I didn't want to explain any further, as I believed that my answer was sufficient in itself.
"Good to see that we have the same opinion." Dad nodded to himself.
"Great minds think alike."
I gave a trashy smug grin at me dad and he returned with one too.
"Maybe I'll be able to convince your mother from doing anything too dangerous right now." My Father said with a tired voice.
He must have been trying to convince Mom to go with her plan…
"I hope so, for her to immediately spread out her resources this early, is a bit bold. Notwithstanding that Tokyo is a very competitive and expensive place to set up shop. I believe the proper action should be for her to focus her exploits here in Chiba first." I replied after thinking for a while.
"Yes, not to mention the loses she could incur should things not go according to plan…"
After that short exchange, we talked about trivial things…
The weather
The local news
Politics
My Father complaining about some of his employees.
My Father complaining about his complaining employees.
And of course, what I want to eat for dinner tonight.
In no time, we reached the station.
I know that I was here just a few days ago, but the sheer number of people continue to astound and terrify me.
Good grief, looking at the crowds make me want to vomit.
"Well, Hachiman, I'm headed for Tokyo from here. You're only riding the Chiba local train, right?"
"Yeah."
"Do you have enough money on you right now?"
"Yeah. Oh, and by the way, we both haven't eaten breakfast yet…"
My stomach thundered in response.
"Oh, I'll just get something to eat at the cafeteria."
Ah, I see. It must be nice having your very own cafeteria…
"I guess I'll just get some bread or something then." I weakly replied.
"Ok, well, stay safe and see you later for dinner."
I doubt that we'll see each other for dinner later though…
We separated after that, and I saw my Father's figure disappear in the crowd of people.
As I got my ticket and passed through security, I was once again appalled by the number of people.
Thankfully, my STAND [108 Loner Skills], has an ability that is quite suited for this situation.
I mentally prepared myself, before I dived into the sea of people in front of me.
This bread tastes nice, I wish I can bake a bread like this so I can eat it every day.
No, scratch that.
I'll give Komachi the materials needed for her to learn how to bake this bread.
So, I don't have to bake it myself.
So I can eat this bread every day.
Truly, my mind is so resourceful.
It's been an hour since Dad and I separated at the station, and I just had a small breakfast.
With so many people around, it makes me feel anxious and self-conscious.
Like I'm going to meet a classmate from middle-school.
With that thought, I felt a shiver run down my spine as I pulled my hat lower to prevent my face from being visible.
How much longer do I have to wait here?!
I'm sitting at one of the benches nearby, because the bookstore hasn't opened yet. My biography paper that I bought on the way here was already filed up and ready to be examined by the manager there.
Just as I was about to get up and visit the local game store, an employee that was visible through the glass opened the door and turned the sign from "closed", to "open".
Finally.
I made a beeline towards the store and I was greeted by the employee.
"Good morning and welcome Sir!" she greeted me cheerfully.
Missing breakfast and having to commute here early with so many people? I don't call that a good morning in my book.
Regardless, I returned her gesture.
"Good morning. I came here to inquire about the part time job."
After I said that, her eyes lit up with enthusiasm.
"Oh, how wonderful! Good timing, Tatsumi-san just arrived! Please follow me."
As I was following her, she looked behind me with a questioning look.
"My name is Shiromeguri Meguri." She said.
What a cute and fluffy name.
Oh, we haven't introduced each other yet, have we?
I stopped walking and she did the same and faced me.
Now that I got a good look at her, Shiromeguri-san looked like a pretty girl. She was taller then me by only a few inches. With her braided dark-brown hair that stopped midway at her back, and her employee uniform that consisted of an orange hat and t-shirt with the bookstore's logo.
And I can tell that she has, umm… quite the assets.
I can vaguely see laugh lines on the sides of her mouth, she must have a cheery and happy personality. She looked like she was older than me by a year.
For some reason, she's giving off this aura of fluffiness and serenity, is that a passive skill?!
"Hikigaya Hachiman." I held out my hand for her to shake.
She made a curious look, but she took my hand and shook it.
Jeez, social norms and customs are such a bother…
But I have to look decent and acceptable if a want to be employed here…
Seeing that did not move an inch, I gave her look that said, "Umm, do you need anything else?"
She must have understood it and her words came out in a jumble.
"A-Ah! I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask why decided to inquire here?"
"Well, I don't have anything to do this summer break. So, I decided to find a part-time job somewhere in this area."
"I know right?! Not having to do anything in summer is so boooring! So, I decided to get a part-time job here too!" She said it like she was complaining or something…
"Y-Yeah…"
What's with this girl?
"Also, always going out with your friends tend to wear you out, you know? Everyone needs some alone time every now and then!" She continued and resumed walking.
"Not that I would know…I don't have any friends…"
I thought as I followed her.
"Y-Yeah, t-totally..."
"I'm new here see! I just got here like a week ago!" she said in a cheery tone.
"Ah, I see…"
"Ah! Now that I remember, I screwed up on my first day, and the day after that! Tatsumi-san is kind see, so she helped me get used to things!"
"Hmm.."
She must be very clumsy or an airhead then...
Maybe even both...
She knocked once and we heard a "Come in." from inside. As she opened the door, white walls and a desk were greeted by my eyes. A coffee table, a couch, a shelf with books, and for some reason, a flag of Japan at the desk. The floor was covered in a Persian carpet, and the entire room as enveloped by a pleasant smell, it could aroma therapy.
This office gave off the vibe of a principal's office in school
Sitting behind the desk was a woman with dark shoulder-length hair. Her bangs were to the right side and was held in place by a pink hairclip. Her glasses looked up from the newspaper that she was reading when we entered the room. She looked around thirty-something, though I will give her the benefit of doubt seeing that she looks pretty ho- I mean…you get it…
Also, my mother told me that a shouldn't quickly assume a woman's age. Doing so would incur their wrath.
"Good morning Meguri-chan, I see you have someone with you." She said with a bored tone, as her eyes returned to the newspaper.
"Good morning Tatsumi-san! Hikigaya-kun is here to inquire about the part-time job!"
As I was mentioned, I gave a small bow to Tatsumi-san.
Ah, so Tatsumi-san is actually a female…
"Oh, is that so? Well then, Meguri-chan, can you brew us a cup of coffee?"
"Sure, be right back!" With that Meguri-san disappeared behind the door.
"Please, take a seat."
I followed her instruction and took a seat in front of her desk.
"Thank you for having me. Your office is very nice, by the way." I finally spoke.
"Don't mention it. Now, let's get to business, shall we?" She asked in a very professional tone.
I gulped and mentally prepared myself for the questions that she would ask, and also, I began to create scenarios and topics of conversation that would put the odds in my favor.
Of course, I also began predicting questions that she might ask that might get me off my guard.
Not to mention back-up plans for my back-up plans, should they fail.
*Hikigaya, you are overthinking things as usual…*
Nonsense, I would rather overthink things than to under-think things.
"Welcome, my name is Yuuka Tatsumi, I'm the owner here." Her hand extended in greeting.
"Good Morning, I am Hikigaya Hachiman." I shook her hand and took a seat.
I put my biography on the table and Tatsumi-san reached forward to get it.
"Ok then Hikigaya-kun, tell me about yourself."
"I am Hikigaya Hachiman, fifteen years old. I come from a family of four, both of my parents work and I have a little sister. I will be going to Sobou High at the end of the summer. Also, I have been here in Chiba all my life. I have working experience as a cashier. My hobbies include of playing on my PSVITA and reading books. The only sport that I'm good as is at Tennis."
"I see, why did you decide to have an interest in working here?"
"I have nothing else to do this summer, so I decided to do something productive."
"Tell me about your parents."
"My mom owns a coffee shop and bar near this area, and my father works in Tokyo in a logistics and accounting company."
"Hmm, do your parents know about you coming here?" She asked
I shook my head.
"May I ask why?" She politely added.
"I prefer to stay under the radar for now, but I'm sure that I'll tell them in the future."
"Alright then, we have our reasons. I won't ask any further."
She went quiet after that, most likely thinking of more questions to throw at me. Bring it on!
"You don't like going out with your friends?"
Ok, I'll admit, I did NOT expect that.
I gave an awkward and pained smile at her statement, hoping to get my message through…
I think it got through her as she blinked twice and had a look of understanding.
"O-Oh, sorry for asking. We don't mind introverts working here by the way. This is a bookstore after all, our kind has a high affinity for books and quiet places." She closed her eyes and nodded to herself.
A Loner's Sanctuary, huh?
Wait, Our kind?
I said nothing and nodded.
"We give discounts here for our employees, by the way."
My ears perked up at that statement. It looks like I chose the perfect place!
A grin found its way into Tatsumi-san's face.
"Oh? You like the sound of that?" Tatsumi-san said in a teasing tone.
I looked away in embarrassment.
I feel like being teased, and it's embarrassing. Please stop, if this continues, even my ears will get red.
Is this how innocent boys in my age would feel when a beautiful older woman hits on them?!
"Hahaha, your reactions are so cute…" Tatsumi-san said as she giggled.
I wanted to ask myself if I could go even redder, and I think I answered my own question.
"Well, anyway, you can start today. I'll asses you if you're up for the job at the end of the day."
That was pretty straight forward and fast!
I have to start today? The place is slightly bigger than your average bookstore, and I didn't see any other employees…
"You must be wondering how many of you are there, right?"
"Ah, yes Maam."
"There's only you and Meguri-chan right now. We like to leave the customers to their vices and have as much little customer-employee contact as possible."
That…doesn't sound bad actually.
If I put myself as an example, I don't want to bother employees with my question, their job is already bothersome. I would look for the book that I am looking for myself, and if all else fails, I would ask if that particular book is out of stock. Similarly, I didn't want employees bothering me.
"I see."
We were interrupted by a knock from the outside, and the twist of the doorknob signaling the opening of the door.
"Sorry for the wait~. Here's your coffee Tatsumi-san, Hikigaya-kun!" Shiromeguri-san gave us a mug filled with the caffeine-filled beverage.
We both said our thanks as Shiromeguri-san took a seat in front of me and took a cup for herself.
Why is she drinking with us…?
"Don't be shy Hikigaya-kun, drink up before it gets cold! I already locked the main door temporarily so don't look so nervous." She said and giggled at the last part.
I lifted the mug to my lips because it was only lukeward, and surprisingly, it was sweet.
"Ah, is it too sweet for you? I didn't know your what you liked so I just put a lot of sugar to cover up the bitterness." Shiromeguri-san said with a bit of apprehension.
"No, this is actually how I prefer my coffee." I said as I quickly shook my head.
Shirmeguri-san's eyes widened after I said that.
"What?! But I put a lot of sugar! Are you sure? You don't have to force yourself do drink it you know..."
To prove her wrong, I finished the coffee in one go, and I saw Tatsumi-san, who's been quiet for some reason, have a look of surprise on her face.
"W-Wow."
"He was actually serious…."
I was feeling a bit proud of myself, this level of sweetness is nothing to me!
"Thank you again for the coffe-buurp" A belch escaped from my mouth at the last moment.
…
…
…
…
Please kill me.
The two women, apparently holding their laughter, released them at the same time.
"Hahahaha! That was priceless!" Tatsumi-san exclaimed as she started pounding her desk in merriment.
"I did NOT expect that!" Shiromeguri-san said as she's holding her stomach.
Damn these two women! I feel like a thing to be teased and toyed with!
Regaining my composure, I gave a cough, although my cheeks were still a bit red…
"Anyway, hahaha, Meguri-chan will show you what to do." Having composed herself a bit, Tatsumi-san told the girl in front of me.
"Ok! Hikigaya-kun, follow me!" Her bubbly attitude was a bit annoying, but it was pretty cute.
I got up and followed her as Tatsumi-san bade us goodbye.
It's been two hours since I started.
Shiromeguri-san gave me a spare uniform, and taught me the basics. She showed me the staffroom, stockroom, how to check the inventory and which books belonged in what isle.
I learned quickly, thanks to how simple her methods were.
Right now, I can see her wave at me from the cashier and I waved back. As I pushed the cart that contained the new shipment of books, I dutifully went to isle after isle placing them in each category.
Romance
Classic Literature
Science Fiction
Action
Horror
Psychological Thriller
Biographies
Mystery
The list went on and on until the cart was empty.
Mission Complete! I can feel my experience points increase!
Seeing that my current task is done, I went to Shiromeguri-san to ask on what I should do next.
When I reached her, she immediately gave me thumbs up.
"Good job Hikigaya-kun!"
Ah! So cute! So bubbly!
"T-Thanks, what should I do next?" I asked her
"Hmm…" she put on a thinking pose as she thought on the current situation.
"Ah, yes. Check our inventory and refill the books that are low in number and put them on display. Also, make a note on what books are close to being sold out. Our minimum number should be fifteen for the novels, ten on the educational ones and ten for the magazines and such." She informed me.
I made my way the computer and did as I was told. Making a mental note on the books titles that were low in number, which were not a lot by the way, I went to our stockroom to get the books.
I noticed that there were an average number of people just walking around the store and looking around. Most of them were older than me, most likely college students.
They picked up numerous books like accounting books, medical books, engineering books, management books and so on and so forth.
A small number of them began reading on the spot, or just sat down on the ground. I even saw a group of engineering students sitting against the wall comparing notes on different books that they collected.
Some of them were still wearing uniforms based on the numerous shops in this area. I wonder if they are on a break from their part-time job…
With the cart on my hand I carefully placed the books in the cart. I made sure to be extra careful and not be in a hurry because I might cause an accident and the books might get damaged.
Thus, it took me quite a while to get out from the stockroom.
Not to mention that many of the books were heavy, especially medical, engineering and law books. They were really T HI C C too, and my arms began to sore right after finishing everything. I was covered with a thin sheet of sweat after my ordeal.
When I went out however, I noticed that the customers were gone.
"Ah, Hikigaya-kun!" I turned to the voice and saw Shiromeguri-san walking over to me.
"Did you need anything, Senpai?"
Crap! I accidentally said called her senpai without her consent!
I quickly put my hand to my mouth.
"Ah! No worries! Just calling me senpai is fine!"
I won't call her that too soon, it's embarrassing…
"Hikigaya-kun, it's lunchbreak already so you can stop for now."
Oh?
I looked at my watch and what she said was true, it's already 12:00.
"Ah, I see." I pushed the cart into the corner for me to continue later.
"Anyway, did you bring anything for lunch?" Shiromeguri-san asked me.
"No, I'll just eat outside, thank you."
"Ok, if you need anything, me and Tatsumi-san will be in the staff room, we only have one hour for the break so be back here by 1:00!" she cheerfully said as she handed me the key to the main entrance.
"Ok then, see you later." I made my way to the exit and went outside. Through the glass wall, I saw Shiromeguri-senpai walk to the staff room.
Damn, I'm hungry, what should I eat?
I took out my wallet and checked my funds.
Well, I don't have to worry about money though…
I walked around the mall, trying to spot a place to eat.
Ramen would be nice…
I think I saw a ramen house not far from here when I came here with Komachi…
So, I changed my mind and went outside the mall to look for the ramen house that I saw before. After several minutes, I finally saw it and opened the door.
Upon entering I heard a loud "Welcome!", and I turned to see a middle-aged man with an apron, and I returned the greeting with a small nod.
The place was small, but had a homely feel to it. The patrons here ranged from your average corporate slave on their lunch-break, to middle-school kids. It was decorated with the usual stuff you see in ramen houses here in Chiba. I wonder, do ramen houses in different prefectures look the same?
I went and took a seat near the window and the waiter came to take my order.
"What would you like for lunch?" She gave me the menu with different dishes that they offer.
Seeing that this is my first time here, I should go with the flow on the trends and pick a safe option.
"Give me your bestseller during lunch time." I ignored the menu and gave it back to her.
"Ok! Working-mans' Ramen coming right up!" She took the menu and gave my order the chef in charge.
What strange name for a ramen…
After several minutes of waiting, my order was finally ready and the dish was placed in front of me. It was quite larger than I expected, and for some reason, it had a lid covering the bowl. You don't see that every day.
"Here's your order sir! Enjoy your meal!" The waiter cheerfully said.
What's with the sudden increase of positive and enthusiastic people near me?!
"Itadakimasu…" I muttered to myself as I removed the lid on the bowl.
At that instant, my olfactory senses were assaulted with the smell.
"W-What?! T-This-!"
[ Insert food wars scene where the clothes are ripped off with a ridiculous and over the top background.]
"This smell! So powerful! So strong! So good!" as I reveled in the smell of the dish itself, I opened my eyes to fully capture the sight in front of me.
I took the chopsticks and began examining the contents of my food.
"The noodles are cooked to perfection! The boiled egg is in harmony with the broth! The slice of pork with a hint of fat is tender and lean! The onions and fried pieces of garlic are a perfect combination that enhances the strong taste of the ramen! The finely chopped ginger goes well with the meat!"
[ Insert scene where every single ingredient used has a close up and is thoroughly explained as to why it matches perfectly with the dish, and the method on how it was cooked.]
Slowly but surely, I took hold of the Chinese spoon and sipped some of the broth.
"T-This broth! Not only does it complement the ingredients inside, I taste chicken, ginger, ground pepper, and many other herbs that make up the stock!"
With my chopsticks, I got some of the noodles and lifted it to my mouth.
"The noodles combined with the broth-!" I let out a small moan of delight.
[ Insert ahegao Hikki face.]
There was something else in the broth! But I can't put my finger on it!
I lost myself in the dish, and I continued eating with slurping sounds and with no regard to the people around me.
Before long, my bowl was empty, and I sat in a daze savoring the euphoria.
I heard footsteps coming towards me, and I saw the middle-aged man who greeted me a while ago.
"I see you enjoyed your lunch! I made this for people such as yourself!" he said in a loud voice.
I looked at him in, wanting him to explain further.
"Ah, you see, this dish is made for the working man, thus the name stuck to the dish. As you may have noticed, the ramen has a lot of meat in it, proteins and carbohydrates that give a man energy to continue on with his hardwork!"
"Oh, that explains it." I said as I regained a bit of my composure, but for some reason, I was feeling quite dizzy.
The chef looked at me strangely, as if noticing something that he didn't see before. Without a moment to spare, he took my bowl and took a whiff from it.
"Good grief, looks like I forgot to ask if you wanted it without beer."
Wait.
What?
"Oi brat! Get this young man a glass of water!" The chef called and soon a glass of water was placed in front of me.
"What? Are you saying, I'm drunk?" I asked him, I wasn't angry or anything, the feeling was just alien to me.
"Not really, but looks like you have a low tolerance for even small amounts of alcohol." He grinned as I began to drink the water in front of me.
"I assure you that ramen would give you the energy needed to continue with your day at work kid!"
I looked at him, confused at his statement. Then I followed his eyes and looked down.
Ah, I was still wearing my uniform.
"Ah, thank you for the meal, how much was the ramen?" I asked as I fished out my wallet.
The chef then held out his hands and made an X on front of him.
"Please, today's order is on me. This is your first time here after all. Not to mention that we troubled you with the alcohol in the broth." He said sincerely.
"Ah, thank you then." I said as I politely thanked him and began to get up from my seat.
"Don't mention it kid! Be sure to come again!" After he said that, I bowed again to show my gratitude and bade him goodbye.
Guilt forced me to call the chef again, and I bowed once more.
"Thank you for the food." With a last laugh coming from him, I exited the ramen house and was met with the afternoon sunlight.
A satisfying lunch? And I didn't have to pay for it?
That was indeed a nice meal, if I say so myself.
I reached the bookstore with only ten minutes to spare, and with my spare key, went inside to go to the staffroom. Knocking once, I was greeted with the sight of Shiromeguri-senpai taking a nap on the table.
Thankfully, the aftereffects of the alcohol within the ramen was disappearing because I can feel my cheeks return to their natural color.
I still fell a bit dizzy and lightheaded though…
"Oh, Hikigaya-kun, you're here." I looked for the source of the voice and saw Tatsumi-san just exit the manager's room.
She put a finger to her mouth and bid me to come closer.
"Hikigaya-kun, would you be a dear and cover for Meguri-chan for now?" She gave me a sweet smile, her left eye was closed, giving her a cutesy look.
HHHHNNNNGGG
This is so unfair…
"Ok, but what if I get overwhelmed?" I was still pretty nervous about this job and I don't want to ruin my first day.
*Hikigaya, you're not even on your "first day" yet, remember? You're still being evaluated by Tatsumi-san. *
Oh yeah.
"Don't worry! I'll help out this afternoon!" With that said, she gently pushed me to the door.
The last thing I saw before I walked out of the staff room was Shirmeguri-senpai drooling on the table.
I was intimidated by the cashier, now that I have a good look at it. It had so many buttons, and the possibility that I might do something wrong was still in the back of my mind.
But after a several minutes of getting taught by Tatsumi-san, I finally got the hang of it.
And by that, I mean, I irritated a customer because I pressed the wrong button and his change was missing and it took quite some time before Tatsumi-san came to my rescue.
Wretched cashier! Damn you! I will conquer you!
"Ara, Hikigaya-kun, don't look so down, it's really simple once you get the hang of it!" She tried to cheer me up but instead I felt salt on my wounds.
"Yes maam…" I replied, but a figure came to my peripheral vision emitting a bubbly and fluffy passive skill.
"Oh, it looks like Meguri-chan is back! I'll be in my room if you need anything else." She wished me good luck and went back to the staffroom.
Shiromeguri-san walked over to me with a funny look on her face.
"Hehehe, sorry about you covering for me Hikigaya-kun, I guess my nap took too long." She said while scratching her head with a guilty look on her face.
She looked like Komachi when I caught her stealing my cookies, she even has the guilty face to boot.
What is this?! My Onii-chan instincts are being stimulated by a girl older than me?!
I coughed once to clear my head from unnecessary thoughts.
"Well, Tatsumi-san helped me out, so it wasn't a big deal. I didn't do anything much."
"Ah! I see, well let me take over for you. You can go back to refilling the shelves and checking the inventory!" She said.
With that said, I bade her goodbye and went back to the stockroom to replenish the shelves.
Just thinking about it makes by back hurt from all the heavy lifting…
When I went inside the stockroom, immediately resumed my work.
Sigh
This is going to take a while…
After getting the books needed, I went outside and began going to each isle and putting them in place. Time passed by, and only a few books left to shelf for me to finish my task. I looked down and picked up one of the books in the cart, and it was a children's book. A story book, in fact, and it was Cinderella.
If children knew the full story of this book, this would never be considered as a children's book.
I was about to go to the children's books isle, but a young and familiar voice made me stop on my tracks.
"Saa-chan! Let's buy a coloring book!"
Hmmm…
Saa-chan…
Saa-chan…
…
…
…
…
…
HAA-CHAN!
It's Kei-chan!
From the direction of the voice, I can't tell that they were at my 11 o'clock, fortunately, there was a large shelf to my left, so they wouldn't be within my line of sight unless they were directly in front of me.
I slowly walked back, hoping that they would not turn to this corner.
My heart skipped beat when I saw Keika run past my isle.
I nearly got a heart attack when I saw Kawasaki-san chase her.
RED ALERT!
RED ALERT!
EVASIVE MANEUVRES!
With a rush of adrenaline, I quickly grabbed my cart and began to pull it back to the opposite end of the isle. Seeing that the coast was clear, I made a beeline towards the stockroom but a voice made me stop in my tracts.
"Excuse me, do you know where the children's book isle is?" Kawasaki-san asked behind me.
My blood ran cold and I can hear the pounding of my heart.
But…
Wait…
Why am I exaggerating?
Why do I feel that I am about to be caught cheating on my wife?
Am I in a comedy skit?
Am I in a comedy anime?
Why am I scared of this present situation?
With those thoughts in my mind I was about to reveal my true identity, lol, but I was once again interrupted by another feminine voice.
"Ah, of course! Please follow me!" said Shiromeguri-senpai.
In my haste, I did not notice the presence of Shiromeguri-senpai near me, and it was her that was being called by Kawasaki-san.
It would have been really cringe-y if I turned around, only to discover that I was not the one being called. The thought itself makes me want to commit seppuku.
I saw Kawasaki-san and Kei-chan follow Shiromeguri-senpai from the corner of my eye, they didn't even bother to give me a second look.
It's good to see that my presence was still low as usual.
Seeing my chance, I pushed the cart and quickly went towards the stockroom and closed the door behind me, damn that was close!
I realized that all of the tasks that I was assigned to were already done, and now I have nothing else to do. I waited a few minutes in the room until assumed that it was safe to go out.
Peeking outside of the room, and seeing that the coast was now clear, I took a clean rag from one of the closets and began carefully wiping the books in the shelves that were accumulating dust.
A pity, to see books wither in the dust left unread.
Time passed by as I did my labor.
I thought that mere minutes had passed, only to find out that its actually been hours.
For a moment, I was struck by how hollow and unthinking my mind was as I was doing my job, like I was a robot programmed to do nothing but work.
Is this how corporate slaves do their daily work in the labor camps?!
My heart goes out to all corporate sla -I mean regular office workers.
As I was nearing the end of my task, something touched my back and I gave out a rather unmanly sound.
Kyah!
I heard I similar sound behind me, and I turned around to see whoever disturbed by monotone task, I was greeted by the sight of Shiromeguri-senpai.
"Ah! I'm sorry for startling you Hikigaya-kun!" I can tell she was suppressing a giggle because her mouth was twitching.
"We're nearing closing time." Shiromeguri-senpai said.
"Ah, ok."
Finally! I can go home!
"You can go on ahead, Hikigaya-kun. I still have to submit a daily sales report to Tatsumi-san."
I nodded to her as I went to the staff room to get a change of clothing. I was still wearing the staff shirt, and my lame shirt was still in the locker.
After changing back to my old shirt, I went to Tatsumi-san to inform her that I am about to leave. Knocking on the door and receiving a "Come in!" from the other side, I pushed it open and went inside.
When Tatsumi-san saw that it was me, she stopped typing on her PC and gave me a thumbs up.
"Yosh Hikigaya-kun! You passed today's test! I will be looking forward to your hard work tomorrow!"
"Ah, I see. Thank you for having me." I bowed low to her to show by gratitude.
"What's with the dull response? Anyway, you can go on ahead. Me and Meguri-chan still have to deal with some loose ends, also, you can have this." She took something from her drawer and put it on top of the table.
"You said you liked sweet things, yeah? So, have this as a gift." She said as my eyes were focused on the object on top of the table.
C-Could it be?
My one and only beverage for refreshment?
The drink that most people would avoid because of its overly-sweet taste?
MAXX COFFEE?!
I took the can to my hand and held it close to my heart.
"Thank you, Tatsumi-san."
"Geez, what's with you? It's just coffee you know. Anyway, you should go home and get some rest. Be here 9am sharp for tomorrow, ok?" Tatsumi-san said.
"Ok."
With a final thank you and goodbye to her, I departed from her room to exit the store and go home.
"Ah, Hikigaya-kun!" The voice of Shiromeguri-senpai called me from behind.
"Shirogeguri-san, did you need anything?" I asked her rather too fast, I was quite eager to go home you see.
"You forgot your hat." True to that, she brought my hat that she hid behind her in front of me.
Ah, how could I forget? My trusty white hat that protected me from being recognized in public, making me avoid confrontations from my acquaintances back in middle-school.
Well, not like I had any acquaintances anyway…
"Ah, thank you. Sorry for bothering you, Shiromeguri-san." For some reason, she pouted when I said that.
"Hikigaya-kun, I told you to just call me "senpai"."
Heck no, that would be too embarrassing. And for a self-conscious person such as myself, the embarrassment factor would be multiplied tenfold due to my character trait, that being the LONER trait.
"Ahaha, I see. Maybe next time then, Shiromeguri-san." At my reply, she sighed in defeat.
She puffed out her cheeks at my reply.
HHHHNNNNGGGG, MY HEART!
So cute!
"Geez, you're so stubborn. Anyway, see you tomorrow, Hikigaya-kun! Don't make me get your forgotten belongings for you gain tomorrow!"
"Goodbye, Shiomeguri-san."
After that, I exited the bookstore, or should I call it my workplace now?
Regardless, I began my journey to the Chiba station that would get my home.
But I had one thought on my mind.
"Shiromegu-ouch!" I unknowingly said the words out loud.
…
…
…
Her name is truly a mouthful to say every time, I even bit my tongue. I can taste the metallic taste of the red liquid.
I arrived home at around 6:30pm, and the sky was already dark.
When Komachi opened the door, she was wearing an apron over herself. She was probably wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt on top because she looked like she was wearing nothing underneath.
"Welcome back, Onii-chan! Would you like dinner, a bath, or," She cutely leaned herself to me. Oi! If the neighbors see this, they might get the wrong idea!
"Wa-ta-shi?" She finished her sentence. Good grief, what a cliché statement. It has lost its effect on me because I have seen this scenario numerous times in my Light Novels.
So, I basically gave her my trademark deadpanned bored look, and walked past her. Utterly ignored, she began to hit my back with her small fists.
"Hey! Why are you not embarrassed?! I saw it work on the anime that I was watching!" She said with her high-pitched voice.
Upon the sound of her voice, Kamakura, our cat who was lying on top the sofa, meowed as if to welcome me home and trotted over to me.
Sometimes, I even forget that he lives here with us.
"Your Hachiman points are low, that's why it has no effect on me." I said as I sat down and took off my shoes. Kamakura jumped on to my lap which caused me to be slightly startled.
"How can I get more Hachiman points right now?" I looked up and she gave me a curious look.
Hmm…
"You can prepare a bath for me, if you want." I said nonchalantly.
"Haiii!" With a cheery tone, she went towards the direction of our bathroom.
Komachi has always been cheery, but I am getting slightly suspicious of her actions…
After I took off my shoes and put down Kamakura on the floor, I made my way to the sofa and basically collapsed into it.
I'm so tired.
The crowds in the station and in the mall never fail to give me a headache and post-traumatic stress disorder.
For an introvert such as myself, I need to recharge and get some alone time.
I felt Kamakura lay next to my head and began licking my hair.
I feel like a kitten…
For some reason, Kamakura has been a lot friendlier to me for the past few months. Though he was never hostile to me before, I think he always regarded me as "uninteresting", and therefore, never game me his attention.
Maybe he has a hidden motive too…
I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to the sound of Komachi calling my name.
"Onii-chan! The bath is ready!" I heard her voice from somewhere inside the house.
I groggily rose from the comfort of the sofa and made my way to the bathroom.
True to her words, Komachi prepared the bath, and even brought me a change of clothes.
Hmm… So suspicious…
Several minutes later, I walked out of the bathroom, feeling clean and refreshed. I dried my hair with the towel and went towards the dinner table.
I was met with the sight of grilled fish, miso soup, some side salad and rice. The smell of the food made my stomach growl.
A very fine dinner, niceu, very niceu, Komachi-chan!
I sat on the table and called Komachi to eat with me. She answered me from upstairs and walked down and sat in front of me.
""Itadakimasu."" We said in unison and began eating.
A few minutes in to the meal, she began to start a conversation.
"Ne, Onii-chan, where were you today?" she asked.
Ha! I was expecting this! I already made contingency plans and back up plans in case a situation like this arose!
"Ah, I was going to mom's place this morning, but I got lost. So, I just looked around the bookstores and gaming centers in the area I guess." I made sure to sound as convincing as possible, so I looked her into the eye to show that I am not hiding anything.
"But you didn't buy anything?" she inquired.
"The titles on sale didn't appeal to me, and the light novels that I planned to buy, I cancelled them because I forgot to look up the reviews online."
"What did you have for lunch? You better eat properly, otherwise no girl will like you. Kyah! I bet that was high in Hachiman points!" she squealed.
"I had ramen for lunch." I replied before having a sip of the miso soup.
"Onii-chan, eating ramen every day is not healthy, you know..."
I grunted in reply.
I was expecting her to continue the conversation, but we soon fell into comfortable silence.
"So Oniichan, how was my dinner?" She said as she picked up the dishes for washing. I offered her my help but she politely refused.
"It was great. That was worth a lot of Hachiman points." I replied as I was squatting while giving Kamakura his food for the night.
"Yay!" she happily said.
You can't keep up this nice girl façade forever! I'm onto you! My nice girl alarms have been going crazy as soon I set foot here!
Reveal your true name, vile demoness!
"Ne, Oniichan." She said as she finished washing the dishes and began putting them back inside the drawer.
"Hmm?"
She turned around with her hands behind her, her face adorning a cute expression. Her head slightly tilted and her eyes looking directly at me while her upper body was leaning towards me. This stance is dangerous to guys everywhere!
"You see, Mom decided to go overtime this Sunday at her shop…" she said.
"Ok…" I replied as I went back to the sofa.
"She told me to do the chores that day because Dad won't be able to come home on that day because he has a business trip…"
Hmm, Sunday is the day after tomorrow…
"And my friends and I all have plans on that day, soooo…" she said as her eyes roamed around the room, refusing to meet mine.
"You want me to do the all the household chores for you?"
"Gotcha!" she said as stuck out her tongue and put her knuckle on her head in a ditzy pose.
Stop that please. That pose is stupid and I feel my I.Q. decrease whenever I see that.
"Ok." I replied nonchalantly as I played with Kamakura's paws.
"W-What?! So quick to reply?! I was expecting complains from you!" she said in a surprise tone.
"Well, if household chores are needed for me to do for me to if have the whole house to myself for an entire day, then it's an acceptable trade." Kamakura gently withdrew his paws and ran away.
Komachi gave a sound that I assumed was of delight and she gave me a hug from behind.
"Yay! Be sure to clean up properly! I'll tell my friends how I tricked you and how you easily fall for things like these!"
Oh please, I saw this coming from a light-year away. I turned my attention to my phone, but my silly Imotou hugged me from behind and began saying how she will pay me back in the future.
"That's a low on Hachiman points. Now go and brush your teeth, I can still smell the fish on your breath." I said.
Komachi quickly retracted her hands from behind me and I heard her breathe in to her hand and smell into it.
"Onii-chan! Even though you're right, that was a low on Komachi points! Plus, you ruined the mood!" she said as she ran the bathroom.
Good grief.
I knew this cheeky brat was planning something…keeping up with the nice girl act...
That is why, I will always keep my guard up around nice girls…