Chapter 2.3: Like-minded People
TL: Akabane
***
I received a call from a convenience store, not far or near my house, about 10 minutes away by bicycle, offering me a part-time job.
When I thought about part-time work, I somehow had an image of a convenience store, so I applied for the job and the response was surprisingly positive, and I was told I could work right away.
After school, I came to the convenience store where I would be working for the first time.
The manager explained to me what to do, and I learned the cash register, cooked hot snacks, and had a surprisingly large amount of work to do.
"Also, a girl named Nishikata will be coming, so if you have any questions, ask her."
Saying this, the manager walked into the back yard.
I heard an electronic beep as I entered the store and looked that way to see a girl who looked like an elementary school student selecting a drink and bringing it to the cash register.
"Are you the new boy who is joining us today~?"
The girl asked with a smiling face.
"Eh? Uh, yes."
"I'm looking forward to working with you, junior."
"Hmm?"
After checking out, that school girl went to the back yard and came back to me wearing the same uniform as mine.
It was probably the smallest size, but even so, the sleeves and hem were still too loose, as if the child was wearing it as a prank.
If she's Nishikata, that mean ......?
"My name is Kimishima. Nice to meet you."
Not an elementary school student? No, is this a convenience store where even elementary school kids can work ......?
"My name is Fumi Nishikata. Pleased to meet you."
Nishikata smiles and bows politely.
"Part-time job, it's tough, but let's do our best."
Good. I wondered what kind of person she was, but she seems nice. She's so tiny, though.
Her tone of voice is soft and relaxed, and she looks like an older woman, but her height is completely that of an elementary school student.
────────
Nishikata Fumi
Growth: Downward
Characteristics Skill :
> Looks like a child
> Brain gambler
> Had temperament of a moralistic gymnastic
> Fighting in a hundred battles
────────
So much information! Each piece is dense!
You have the status of a gambler who survived the postwar years!
It would be so strange if she didn't have a square cut and a bleached roll.
She look like an elementary school girl.
Or should I say, girls?
"What's wrong?"
Nishikata, who still smiling, peeked at me curiously as I froze.
"No, nothing."
"Good."
Remembering what I had been taught, I went about my cashier duties without a hitch.
I glanced to the side and saw Nishikata watching my work with concern.
"You did it properly. Junior is excellent~"
"No, no. It's not that difficult."
I asked her something that occurred to me.
"Nishikata, did you learn karate or martial arts? Or kickboxing maybe?"
That would explain the gymnastics, moral harassment, and fight status.
Nishikata frowned and shook her head.
"No~ I've never done anything scary like that."
That's the scariest thing of all.
And yet you're a strong fighter.
"Also, please call me Fumi-chan."
"You're a senior, so Fumi-san. ......"
"Yes."
Fumi is in such a good mood that flowers seem to float around her.
Listening to her, it seems I'm her first junior.
"The manager and the customers all treat me like a child. Now that I have a junior , that's going to stop."
Fumi smiles wryly.
"If you show them that you are a senior, they will naturally stop being prejudiced against you."
I'm sure that will help to eliminate the prejudice.
............But what can I say, it's like looking at a relative's child, I have a great desire to be sheltered.
"Is junior a high school student?", "What high school?", "Eh~, Miyanodai High School is the same as me! We are the same!"
The excited Fumi was a senior at the same school as me.
I mean, she's in her third year of high school? Where did she forget her growing up period?
"So you were juniors at Miyanodai High School too?"
I've never seen her at school, but we might be the same.
Fumi, who was trying to get the business files on the shelf, brought a step stool and stood on it.
"Hmmm... ～～～～～"
I would have been able to reach it by reaching for it, but it seems Fumi can't reach it even with the step stool.
"I'll take it."
"Oh, it's okay. I always do it like this..."
But there was no sign that she was going to reach it at all.
Her face is red and her eyes are squeezed shut.
She finally seem to reach the shelf, but what she trying to grab isn't the file she was trying to get.
"Excuse me."
I put my hands on both sides of Fumi from behind and lifted her up with a jerk.
"What?"
"Can you get it off?"
"Yes. ............."
I slowly lower Fumi, who is holding a large business file.
"Hei, you can't touch a lady's body without permission."
"I'm sorry, I didn't treat you like a lady."
"You're apologizing for that?"
She was a much more flirtatious senior than I had expected. I wonder what part of her is an athletic type.
It's hard to be treated like a lady with this look. At a glance, she was about a third grader.
"Listen, junior. I want you to first apologize for touching a lady's body without permission."
Waving her index finger in the air, Fumi takes out her frustration on me.
It's cute, like a child standing tall and lecturing me like an adult.
"When that happens again, take it from behind and put it in my ear." You wanted this, didn't you?" a should whispering softly in a cool way!"
"Try it next time. Gently from behind. You're junior, so you have to do what the senior says."
She's got the athletic temperament!
"I think you have a good voice, so I'm sure I'll be thrilled."
I don't know.
"Changing the subject, Fumi, you're used to fights and rough stuff, aren't you?"
"Eh~? Do I look like that? Not at all, you know? I'm not good at being scary."
Fumi shakes her head with her eyes closed.
Fumi, who is tall enough to just barely stick her head above the counter, is flipping through a file and checking something as she stands tall.
"But you're strong, aren't you?"
"I'm not even close~."
In the world, that kind of seeker-like, humble guy is the strongest.
"One piece of self-defense advice in case something happens to me."
When I ask, Fumi thinks, "Nah."
"If it's something you can tell an amateur to do right away..."
You've stopped denying it.
What's amateurs ...... you already look like a professional.
"I'm an Iron Mask."
"The Iron Mask?"
"Yes. The thing I hate the most is people who maintain a blank expression no matter what they do. It's very creepy and weird and I don't like it. I can't tell if it's working or not."
The look in their eyes is the punching bag!
Even though she's not good at being scary
But it seems that the status of [Fighting in a hundred battles] is not good.
"I'm going to talk to the manager in the back, so please leave me alone for about five minutes."
"Understood."
"Please let me know if you need anything," Fumi said as she went toward the back yard with a file in her arms.
While I was working the register for the sparse number of customers who had arrived, an elderly man came in. He was dressed in a shabby outfit and a tired hat, holding a cup of sake in one hand.
As he walked up to me, he slammed some coins down on the floor.
"Hey, you, cigarettes."
"Yes?"
"You've got enough money! Hurry up!"
He suddenly yelled at me. When I was about to flinch, Fumi's advice came to my mind.
No expression, no expression .......
"Um, excuse me, what's the brand name?"
"I'm always here! I always buy the same one! Don't make me say it."
"I don't know who you are, but I can't tell from the cigarettes alone."
I was calm and solemn, heartless and expressionless .......
The man with the loud tongue lashing said, "That one, that one!" He pointed his finger in frustration.
When the order ready, he snatched it up and tried to leave the store.
"Wait a minute. You don't have enough. 20 yen."
He clicked his tongue again, fished around in his pocket, left the remaining 20 yen on the counter next to me, and walked out of the store.
Ahhhhhh~... I'm so scared~
"What the hell is that guy, seriously ......"
If I had a chair, I would have sat down.
With a slam, the backyard door opened and the manager came out with a worried look on his face.
"Kimishima, were you okay!"
"Yeah, well ...... somehow."
"Thank goodness ....... I was about to leave when Nishikata came out.
Hm? Fumi?
The manager glanced at Fumi, who came later.
"Because I believed that junior would be able to handle it."
"Tehee," she said, her chest heaving.
It's out, it's out. The feeling of a bad athlete.
"You're surprisingly spartan. ......"
She's a strong fighter, so she should help me out. ......
My body glows faintly. It's a signal that my status has been updated.
The manager and Fumi both looked at me, but said nothing.
Apparently, this light-like thing is invisible to others.
I quickly turned my attention to myself and a window appears.
────────
Kimishima Akari
Growth: Rapid growth
Characteristics skill:
> Mob
> Loyalty to one's family
> Neglectful
> Radio geek
> A man of many tongues
> Poker face
────────
Two things have changed.
In exchange for the disappearance of [Shyness], [Neglectful] has been added.
And the others was [Poker faces].
I think it's because I got over the incident earlier.
Only [Rapid growth] and the status is often updated.
"Fumi, does that person come here often?"
"I've been working here for about a year now, and this is the first time I've seen him."
Is that old man appropriate......?
I sighed loudly.
In the meantime, time came and went, and my first day of work was over.
I took off my uniform in the back yard to be replaced by someone on the next shift who looked like a college student.
"I'm tired~."
Fumi says in a soft voice, trying to take off her uniform but struggling because the sleeves and hem are too long.
I put into practice what she told me earlier.
I said one word quietly in her ear.
"I'll help you."
"Kyah!"
Fumi shuddered horrified.
I grabbed her by the collar of her uniform and pulled it up, and her face appeared with a snap.
"You're swallowing fast to put it into practice right away, aren't you?"
Fumi looks up at me and gives me a look like she's looking at a naughty child.
"I was told to do it."
If a college-aged lady had that attitude, it would be unbearable, but unfortunately, she looks like a third grader. I wouldn't eat that much.
"Well, thank you for your help."
Fumi peeks out a smile, "Uh-huh."
"How do you usually do it?"
"You're such a junior, asking for the details of a lady's change of clothes."
I can't believe I'm being told such a thing by someone who has zero sense of seniority.
However, thanks to the presence of my healing senpai, I was able to somehow get through my first day of work.
I was able to take my mind off the unpleasant customers, I didn't have to say anything annoying, and I could talk about school.
"Good work," I greeted the waiter behind the counter, and we left the store together.
Fumi walks as if her house is close. Since we were heading in the same direction, I pushed my bike next to it and walked.
"Fumi-san, there's a senior named Kidokoro in the third grade, right?"
"Ah, Kidokoro. Yes, there is."
"What's he like?"
I've been wanting to ask her ever since I found out she was also a senior at school.
"What kind of person ......? I don't know much about him because I don't get along with him either, but he's ...... handsome! I know that he is very popular."
"I see."
Since there seemed to be no contact from the atmosphere, there was nothing like this first-hand information.
Glancing at me, Fumi looked up at me.
"Junior, boys are not about face, but guts."
Guts, huh? How nice it would be if Takauji fell in love with me.
"So you're saying that men have guts."
"That's right. I thought it was amazing how you handled the strange old man's visit without a hitch, a move that is not unlike the first day."
It seems that Fumi is praising me in her own way.
"It only looks that way because of Fumi-san's 'teaching,' but I was really nervous inside."
I chuckle.
"It doesn't matter what's on your mind, it's important that the other party doesn't notice your turmoil.... Maybe junior is a junior who is good at making seniors and good at junior's moves."
Can you call it a junior move just by practicing a weird pet theory?
"Dog type junior..."
"Probably not, right?"
You wouldn't call a boy who is good at junior moves as a doggie type.
"What I'm trying to say is that the man is here."
Fumi tapped her own chest with a thump and a goof.
Teaching isn't what healing girls do.
"Face is a status that is easy to understand, so I can see how many different girls would like you."
"Yeah, yeah," Fumi nodded with an austere face like an old master.
"In the end, I believe that socializing is about how you are as a human being."
"Thank you for your kind words."
I make a small bow, half in jest.
"In that respect, I think you're a 'good guy', don't you?"
Fumi says shyly, and gives me a goop on the side of my head.
"Eh?"
It wasn't a light punch just to be playful, it properly hurt!
Stop bringing out the gymnastic in weird places......
"Um, Fumi-san, you can't do anything to your juniors, right?"
I said jokingly, and Fumi rolled her eyes.
"Eh?"
"...... Eh?"
Fumi continues to make a puzzled face.
""......""
""Eh?"""
This is the girl who thought she could do whatever she wanted to her juniors.
It's coming out, the feeling of a morality!
Stop bringing out the gymnastics in weird places (for the second time).
"Anyway, I don't know what you're worried about, but junior is a nice guy in terms of feelings, so be confident."
"Aspects of feelings......"
She compliments me on my junior moves and my inner life, but....
"I won't compliment you on your looks, definitely."
"But I have a nice voice"
"Seriously, I will never praise you."
Well, I don't have the kind of face that gets compliments. I have a face deviation of about 45, probably.
"Even though you are a junior, it's very ...... dirty of you to put your hands under my arms and lift me up."
Hmm?
"I'm a senior, so I'll forgive you, but it's the same as touching my breasts!"
Where is it?
"From behind is good, right? It's a cool and naughty whisper..."
"I didn't say that!"
No, no, I wave my hand and strongly deny it.
Aren't delusions and reality mixed up?
Fumi seems to have a prejudice that seniors and juniors should be like this.
I was pushed away by Fumi. ……It seems. The reason I thought it was so was because before I knew it, I had let go of my bike and was on my butt on the ground.
I couldn't see it.
I had no idea what had happened.
"Junior is the first time who messed me up like this."
Excessive happiness is 100 times more violent, is it something like that?
...It's really annoying!
With a small sigh, I shake my head.
"Why did you acquire such dangerous skills even though you're cute and soothing like a small animal?"
"Ku, please stop arguing ────"
"What I mean is the latter part—"
Fumi gently lifted her bicycle. Does a seemingly small body have that kind of power? I've only seen this scene in games!
I think she's probably hiding her embarrassment because her face is red.
"Um, what are you going to do with that—!? That's my bike!"
"Since I'm a senior and you're a junior that I just met today, it's no use trying to pick them up――――!"
She just threw it at me.
"I'm not arguing with you!?"
Is girl power and physical power the same?
That's what I thought while looking at the abandoned bicycle.
Apparently, I have to start explaining from the point where I'm not persuaded...
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