Campione Scumbag in Mash-up Anime
Chapter 182: The Drastic Change in Yukinoshita Yukino’s Life Part 2

Chapter 182: The Drastic Change in Yukinoshita Yukino’s Life Part 2

The first five days of summer break had passed, and for Yukinoshita Yukino, every second was a bitter lesson in reality.

The small apartment she rented, in a district far from the city center’s luxury, felt like a cage. Its thin walls let in sounds from the neighboring unit, and its window faced only the wall of the building across.

A stark contrast to the lavish apartment she once lived in.

Food became a struggle. Yukino, once accustomed to meals with expensive ingredients, now faced instant noodles, frozen rice heated in the microwave at the convenience store where she worked, or cheap, tasteless bento.

The taste of fresh vegetables and high-quality meat was now just a memory. She learned to read price tags, compare discounts, and count every yen she spent.

An irony, considering she used to view money as mere numbers.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

In the morning, Yukino woke with aches all over her body.

The thin mattress in her apartment offered none of the comfort of her old plush bed.

Yukino glanced at the cheap alarm clock beside her bed—6:00 AM.

One hour before she had to prepare for work. She rose, stepping into the tiny kitchen with just a small electric stove.

Yukino boiled water for cheap tea, not the premium jasmine tea she once drank.

"Sigh... it tastes so strange. I never thought about this before. Now... even one yen feels precious." She murmured softly, sipping the bitter tea.

After a meager breakfast, she donned the convenience store uniform, now more familiar but still rough on her skin.

Yukino got ready in the small bathroom mirror. Her black hair remained neatly tied, her blue eyes still cold. But faint dark circles under her eyes betrayed her mounting exhaustion.

"This must all be that man’s doing..."

Recalling her family’s ruin caused by the Shinomiya Family, Yukino had already guessed the mastermind.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

"Welcome!" Yukino’s voice was now slightly smoother, but her smile remained statue-like.

A customer approached with a full basket. Yukino began scanning barcodes one by one.

As she reached for a bottle of beer, her hand brushed against Yoshihiro’s, who appeared suddenly beside her, as if to "help."

"Shi-Shimoda-san!" Yukino yanked her hand back, disgust creeping in.

Yoshihiro grinned, his small eyes scanning Yukino from head to toe.

"Whoa, Yukinoshita-san. Too eager? Relax. Need help? I can lift those heavy items for you."

His lecherous laugh echoed, and Yukino could smell his faint cigarette breath.

"No need, Shimoda-san. I can manage." Yukino replied coldly, trying to dismiss him without seeming rude.

But as she bent to pick up a dropped box of biscuits, Yoshihiro’s hand quickly grazed her butt—a brief but deliberate touch that made Yukino flinch.

Yukino straightened, spinning to face Yoshihiro, her blue eyes blazing.

"Shimoda-san! What are you doing?!" Her voice rose, her anger hard to contain.

Yoshihiro just grinned, raising both hands as if innocent.

"Huh? What? I was just checking if you were okay, Yukinoshita-san. Too many items, right? I was only helping you stay steady so you wouldn’t fall. Don’t misunderstand, Miss."

"Or... did you want to be touched? Why not just say so from the start?"

His lecherous eyes continued undressing Yukino.

"This is sexual harassment. I can report you to the police!" Yukino threatened, her face flushing with shame and anger.

At the threat, Yoshihiro’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a slyer grin.

"Oh, really? Report me to the police? Go ahead. But, have you forgotten, Yukinoshita-san? A few days ago, there was a kleptomania case in this store."

"...!!!"

Yukino’s heart raced. She remembered. Some items had gone missing from the shelves during her shift.

"Some expensive liquor bottles and cigarette packs, totaling... about 300,000 yen." Yoshihiro continued, citing a figure that choked Yukino.

"That happened during your shift, Yukinoshita-san. So, as the employee responsible for stock, you’d have to cover the loss, right? Or... we could report this to the police too, and let them investigate. Who do you think they’ll believe? An experienced manager like me, or a young girl new to the job?"

"..."

Yukino felt her anger ebb.

300,000 yen?

Before, that amount was pocket change. Now, it was an astronomical sum. She didn’t have that kind of money.

Even selling all her remaining valuables wouldn’t cover it.

"So, what’s it gonna be, Yukinoshita-san? Settle this nicely, or play ’cops and robbers’?" Yoshihiro grinned again, his gaze growing lewder.

"..."

Yukino clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. She held her breath, suppressing her boiling rage.

She needed this job. It was her only source of income. Finally, she closed her eyes briefly, swallowing bitter bile.

"What... what do you want?"

"Good! A smart young lady. I don’t want anything too extreme. Just... a little ’warmth’ between work. A touch here and there. Dirty jokes. As long as it’s not too far... we can ’compromise,’ right?" Yoshihiro laughed, satisfied.

Yukino opened her eyes, staring at the repulsive man with a blank expression. She was trapped in her own snare. She had no choice.

"Fine. As long as it’s not too far." Yukino said, her voice flat, devoid of emotion.

From that day, Yukino’s life at the convenience store became an even worse hell.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

That morning, while Yukino was arranging magazines on a rack, Yoshihiro approached and deliberately bumped into her, making her lose balance. He quickly "caught" her, his arm wrapping around her waist, lingering a bit too long.

"Oops! Sorry, Yukinoshita-san. You okay?" Yoshihiro asked, a grin on his lips.

Yukino pulled away swiftly. "I’m fine."

"Good. I don’t want anything bad happening to Yukinoshita-san. Unless you want a different kind of ’bad’..." Yoshihiro chuckled lewdly.

"..."

Yukino ignored him, focusing on the magazines.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

During lunch break, Yukino sat in the small break room, eating her cheap bento. Yoshihiro entered, carrying instant noodles. He sat beside her, uncomfortably close.

"Want some? It’s spicy curry flavor."

"No, thank you."

"Oh, come on. Just a bit. You need more nutrients, Yukinoshita-san. Look, you’re getting thinner." Yoshihiro grinned, pointing at Yukino’s small chest.

Feeling like spitting in his face, Yukino couldn’t take it anymore and stood.

"I’m done eating."

"Wait."

Yoshihiro grabbed her wrist, his gaze roaming her body.

"Do you know how to massage, Yukinoshita-san? My back’s killing me. Wanna help a bit?"

Yukino yanked her hand free, saying coldly, "Not part of my job."

"Oh, is that so? But I could add to your work hours. Want that? Or a ’special bonus’?" Yoshihiro’s eyes gleamed lewdly.

Yukino knew what he meant by ’special bonus.’ She could only look down, restraining herself.

With no other choice, she agreed to massage the lecherous manager.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Near closing time, Yukino was cleaning the drink racks. She had to crouch to reach the bottom shelf. Suddenly, Yoshihiro appeared, crouching beside her, far too close.

"Let me help."

Instead of lifting bottles, his hand crept slowly to Yukino’s thigh, stroking it through her uniform.

Yukino froze, her body tensing. She stood abruptly, backing away from Yoshihiro.

"Shimoda-san! I told you, don’t go too far!"

"What? I was just helping you stand, Yukinoshita-san. Your legs must be tired, right? I’m a manager who cares about my staff. Besides, what’s ’too far’? I only touched your thigh. That’s nothing, right? I haven’t touched anything else."

His eyes darted sharply to Yukino’s crotch.

’This man is trash!’

Yukino felt disgust and helplessness. She knew Yoshihiro was testing her limits. She couldn’t fight back.

The 300,000-yen threat still loomed over her. She could only lower her head, unwanted tears welling in her eyes, but she held them back.

Seeing Yukino say nothing more, Yoshihiro smiled, satisfied.

"Good. Smart young lady. Now, finish your work. I’ll be waiting in the break room."

"..."

Yukino resumed her tasks with trembling hands, feeling Yoshihiro’s gaze on her back.

She knew what awaited in the break room. Another touch, another dirty joke, or perhaps an even further demand.

But Yukino had no choice but to comply. She had to endure.

For herself.

To continue school.

To escape this pit of poverty and harassment.

The world she once knew had collapsed, and she was trapped in a cruel reality where pride and dignity were traded for the most basic needs.