I (30), Who Works for a Black Company and Died While Regretting My Gloomy Life, Started Over From High School! -
Chapter 123: Open Terrace during Break Time.
“Hmm, it’s delicious! The food at our store is really tasty!”
During the break time for the part-timers, in the open terrace of Book Cafe Rakunichi, Haruka and I were enjoying coffee, roast beef sandwiches, and scones.
It’s unusual in Japan for employees to take their break in the customer area, but it’s recommended only during times when there are few customers, with the condition that they eat quickly and without their aprons.
“Yeah, it’s really good. And the fact that it’s free makes it even better.”
As I savored the combination of soft bread and what seemed to be gravy-seasoned roast beef, I replied.
The employees of this store have the perk of free coffee, and they’re also allowed to eat or take away soon-to-be discarded light snacks during their break time, though only when it’s not busy.
“But still… having lunch together like this in a café, it feels like a date or something…”
In reality, it was just a lunch break between co-workers, but it felt like Haruka and I were enjoying a casual lunch on a holiday.
“Hehe, having lunch on an open terrace like this on such a sunny day feels really nice! I might even forget that I’m at work!”
With a beaming smile, Haruka munched on her sandwich, showing a pure joy akin to a child who’s come camping for the first time.
While I think a lunch in a humble café like this would be considered modest for a super-rich young lady like Haruka, she finds joy in every little thing and smiles happily.
“Geez, you’re working quite hard, Haruka. Are you sure you’re okay? I mean, I can’t really say much, but you’re really taking on a lot of shifts. You don’t need to push yourself so much, you know?”
Haruka, who had started working as a form of social study, had already worked quite a bit this month.
Thanks to her youth as a high school student, she could overlook a certain amount of fatigue, which is why I was worried.
“…Well, actually, I’ve been having some bad dreams lately, and I wake up in the middle of the night several times. So, mornings have been a bit tough for me…”
“Huh… are you having scary dreams or something?”
“I’m not really sure, the details are kind of vague. It’s like being trapped in a completely dark space with nothing around, and even though it should be really scary, I don’t feel anything. My thoughts just stop.”
I was quite shocked by what Haruka was saying. The content was way more intense than I had imagined.
“That’s definitely not okay! You should definitely talk to Misima-san later and get your shifts reduced! That’s really not good for you!”
“Uh, do you really think so? I mean, it’s not that hard for me—”
“Yes, it’s a no-go! Even if you think you’re okay consciously, subconsciously you’re accumulating fatigue. It’s your first job, so maybe take it a bit easier… Huh?”
As I was going on, Haruka giggled lightly. Her unexpected response left me a bit deflated.
“Ah, I’m sorry. It just reminded me of something… The first time you walked me home from school, you were so worried and earnestly said many things to me, didn’t you?”
“Ah, yeah… That feels like it was so long ago now…”
Back then, on the day I started my part-time job, I had advised Haruka quite a bit to correct her self-punishing thoughts.
Looking back from that time, it felt like we’d come a long way, casually calling each other by name.
“I always feel like you’re thinking about me, Shinichirou… I can’t help but smile naturally…”
“I-I see…”
As Haruka, just as usual, confessed her feelings openly, she smiled happily as if she were a child.
And I, as always, could only be captivated by that refreshing smile.
“I did get a bit too carried away. I’ll talk to Misima-san and reduce my shifts later.”
“Yeah, please do. No matter how much we say we’re high schoolers, we don’t have unlimited energy or stamina, right?”
Having successfully put the brakes on the overly diligent girl, I heaved a sigh of relief.
Misima-san was quite considerate of the employees, so she’d likely be flexible with shift adjustments.
“…Speaking of which, Misima-san has been acting a bit strange lately… She seems distant towards me, and there are times when she even uses formal language…”
Yes, it was akin to handling something very fragile, like touching the heir of an executive who got the job through connections…
“Well, you see… when my father and you were having a very serious conversation, it seems like Misima-san got the wrong idea…”
“Huh…?”
When I inquired with a puzzled expression, Haruka explained why Misima-san’s attitude had changed, looking a little troubled.
Huh…?
She thought I was from an elite family, as if I were the son of an executive who had gotten the job through connections, and believed I was going to become an executive or even the president of Chiaki-rou Bookstore in the future?
“Well, I mean, it must have been quite a strange sight for Misima-san to see a part-timer having such a serious conversation with the president… but isn’t that a bit of an overreach?”
“Yes, I told her the same thing… but she said something like, ‘You don’t have to hide it, Haruka-san. I understand it must be difficult for you with your parents’ decisions, but it’s wonderful that you both have feelings for each other,’ or something I didn’t quite understand…”
“I really don’t get it…”
I pictured the somewhat scatterbrained store manager, who, while competent, had a slightly quirky thought process, and Haruka and I exchanged bewildered looks.
By the way, both Misima-san and her subordinates, the full-time employees, seemed very busy.
The reason for this was that Tokimune-san had announced the activation of a major reform plan in line with the declared change in management policy from the day after the incident. Chiaki-rou Bookstore’s headquarters was currently in the midst of turmoil.
After all, the flagship store designated for the promotion and acceleration of the Book Cafe business, Book Cafe Rakunichi, had decided on significant expansion, including a large increase in staff, an expansion of the advertising strategy, and the introduction of new business plans.
With this, a new store manager was bound to arrive soon, and Misima-san was happily thinking she’d be relieved of her duties—
However, Misima-san, who had protected the store’s sales up until today, was unexpectedly appointed as the official store manager instead of an interim position, and she cried out in despair:
“Why on eaaaaaarth!?”
Well, considering how she had managed the café business so successfully despite being a mere employee of a bookstore company and even improved the performance recently, it wasn’t surprising that the headquarters trusted her.
If you show your capability, you’ll be given the job. That’s the norm in the salaryman society.
Since Chiaki-rou Bookstore was a white company, they were even more fortunate, as they received a decent salary increase along with the responsibility.
“By the way… Shinichirou-kun, are you seriously planning to work at Chiaki-rou Bookstore? After my father’s invitation, he seemed really delighted…”
Recalling Misima-san’s cry, I was brought back to reality by Haruka’s voice.
“Yeah, I did get pretty excited after that… I’d finally obtained my ticket to the white company I’d set as a goal for this life, and since then, my smile hasn’t faded. I’ve been dancing for joy whenever I get the chance.”
Because of that, it seemed like Mom, Kanako, and even Fudehashi and Kazamihara thought I’d gone crazy, but it was such a happy event for me.
“I see. It’s a strange feeling… thinking that you, Shinichirou-kun, will be at my father’s company. Of course, it’s wonderful that you two have become so close, but more than that—”
Here, Haruka paused and, with a faint blush on her cheeks, continued speaking.
“Thinking that you, Shinichirou-kun, will be spending a long time ‘close’ to me, I felt so elated and warm inside.”
“…”
Seriously, does this girl plan on piercing my heart with a love arrow a hundred times over?
Even though my intention to work at Haruka’s father’s company doesn’t directly concern her, she takes joy in this fact as if savoring it. She found it genuinely heartwarming that our lives would be getting closer.
“…? What’s wrong, Shinichirou-kun? You seem a bit red…”
“…N-No, it’s nothing…”
The girl still didn’t seem to grasp the destructive power of her own words and asked in wonder, leaving me to respond with my usual lie while suppressing my inner turmoil.
I’m currently at work, and this is by no means a lunch date at a café. I kept telling myself that, but embarrassment and love continued to overflow from my chest.
The café’s boasted coffee, as I currently had it, was as sweet as if it had been mixed with sugar and syrup, completely losing its original bitterness.
Incidentally—after this lunch break, I was summoned by Misima-san.
Before I could even recover from the shock of hearing that there were complaints from other part-timers, I was presented with a complaint I never anticipated.
The contents were:
- ‘Niihama and Shijou-san’s lovey-dovey-ness is too much, and we can’t take breaks around that area.’
- ‘I don’t think it’s good to flaunt that you’re popular.’
- ‘The sugary atmosphere is so thick that even customers find it hard to sit around.’
- ‘Why do I have to have my heart pierced by this guy when I’m just here for a part-time job?’
- ‘Don’t go on a date during your break, you damn animal.’
- ‘Do it at home.’
With so many complaints, all I could do was say, “Um… I’m sorry…” with an apologetic look.
(TLN) The complaints LOL
(TLN) We got a huge dono from “atacostand”! Thanks to that, we have 5 bonus chapters coming! That means a total of 6 chapters today, though to be honest, I can’t promise all of them in one day but I’m going to try my best! 1/6
Ko-fi members, I won’t be dropping these chapters on the ko-fi as I will be putting them out directly as I finish them. The ones I queue for the week however, will be posted there.
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