“By the way, how did your part-time job go?”
As they ate their dinner, which seemed to have been carefully prepared in line with Japanese cuisine, Mahiru asked with a slightly restless expression, as if she had been worried.
Although she tried not to interfere too much with Amane’s decisions, she seemed to be concerned because it was his first day on the job.
“Mm, there were no problems. I mean, I wouldn’t be given any big responsibilities on the first day. The seniors seemed like nice people, too, and I think it’s a good place to work.”
“Is that so… I’m glad. It’s good if it’s a comfortable place for you to work. I would be worried if it was some kind of black company…”
“Kido recommended it, plus Kayano works there and he hasn’t offered a single word of complaint, so I don’t think we need to worry about that.”
In the first place, Fumika was the one running the business. As her relative, Ayaka would be quick to notice any issues, and she wouldn’t have let Souji work there if she did pick up on any bad practices. Hence Amane started the part-time job with a fairly large amount of peace of mind.
Although Ayaka had only recently started talking to him, Amane thought she was a kind girl, despite her habit of trying to teach Mahiru about her peculiar hobbies and fetishes.
As for the owner, Fumika, she was a genuinely kind and modest woman (according to Souji) as long as those around her didn’t do or say anything that’d ignite her creative spark. There shouldn’t be any issues in working there.
“You don’t have to worry; it seems like everything will go smoothly. And they’re willing to adjust my work hours to fit my schedule,” he continued.
“…I’m happy to hear that. I’m content as long as you are motivated to do your best, Amane-kun. I can only watch over and support you.”
“That’s more than enough for me. Just being able to come home to a delicious meal and a warm bath makes me happy. Thanks, as always,” Amane thanked her once more, feeling grateful and fortunate just to receive support in that way.
“…To get to see how you work as soon as possible, Amane-kun, I’ll help in any small way I can.”
“…Is it really something you want to see that badly?”
Amane responded to her hidden motive in a slightly incredulous tone, and she nodded firmly.
“It’s only natural that I want to see how my boyfriend looks while he’s at work. And considering the uniform Kido-san showed me when talking about Kayano-san, it seems like it would suit you as well, Amane-kun…”
“You think so…?”
“I am looking forward to seeing it, just so you know.”
“But it’s embarrassing for me. I’m not really up for being seen just yet…”
It wasn’t that he disliked the idea entirely, but showing Mahiru a different side of himself than usual made him feel indescribably embarrassed.
However, from Mahiru’s perspective, that only increased the appeal. “The gap makes it better,” or so she said, looking eager to see a side of him that she doesn’t usually see, so she was currently playing the waiting game.
“…Though if you really don’t like the idea, I can live with your decision,” she said.
“It’s not that I don’t like it, but… Is seeing my customer service smile really that appealing?”
“Since it’s something you usually never do, it kind of makes me want to see it more.”
“I’ll do it as much as you’d like if you really wanna see it, Mahiru…”
“…That doesn’t count. It would still be a smile reserved for me, so it’s not the same.”
When she said that, he realized she’d hit the nail on the head. Amane couldn’t deny giving Mahiru special treatment, and he had the confidence to give her a smile meant just for her.
“Besides, Amane-kun, I just want to see you working hard.”
“…I’ll do my best to get used to it as soon as possible,” he swore.
Being told that, he had no choice but to try even harder. If his beloved girlfriend wanted to see him working as a full-fledged employee, he would spare no effort.
Not to mention the sooner he got used to it, the more the store would also benefit, and doing so would allow Amane to build up more confidence.
How simple-minded of me to get all fired up with just a word or two from Mahiru, Amane mocked himself, but the slight sparkle in her eyes and her expectant smile melted away his self-conscious criticism.
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[6] IC Card—Integrated Circuit Card: “An IC card, or smartcard, is a rechargeable plastic prepaid card used in Japan to pay train, subway, bus and monorail fares, and for e-payment at convenience and other stores, vending machines, station coin lockers, parking lots, and more.” — Japan-experience
[7] Kouhai—Junior: Kouhai translates literally to ‘junior.’ It is the opposite of senpai, meaning one’s senior. Both senpai and kouhai are often used in schools and workplaces—both types of institution having an established hierarchy within them.
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