───● The Tsundere OL and the Kind Person ●○●
After playing basketball with Yuka, the time is now just before 6 PM.
Even on a day that’s hot for spring, it’s a different story once the sun sets and it gets dark. The area grew dim, and a cool breeze blew past me.
After Yuka woke up and apologized at lightning speed, I pushed the towel I’d used as her pillow into her hands, telling her “you can use this,” and headed home.
After washing off the sweat in the shower, I headed to my part-time job.
It’s about a ten-minute walk from my house to my job.
Maybe because the temperature had become relatively comfortable, the ten-minute walk felt rather pleasant in the breeze.
“Well then… time to work…”
I arrived at my part-time job. On the sign, the word “Festa” glowed in neon.
I was still not used to the overly flashy decorations of the place.
“Good evening…”
I entered through the back door and poked my head into the break room.
“Whoa~ Masato, we’ve been waiting for you!”
“Masachin, yo~! Feelin’ good~?”
The ones calling out to me so casually are men, a rare sight in this world.
It’s communication with the same sex that I only get to have occasionally (not that there aren’t any at university), but…
As far as the eye can see, there’s blond hair, brown hair, silver hair.
Dazzling necklaces and all sorts of accessories.
Hands that make you want to ask, “Just how many rings are you wearing?” In short, it’s blinding. To the point where you want to say they’re overdoing it with the dress-up.
But there was a reason for that. Those older male co-workers had name plates on their chests.
On them were names like “Yuusee,” “Kazuto,” and “Shogo.” ‘Fake names’ written in hiragana.
“Ahaha… Well, I’m doing okay, I guess.”
I returned their greetings while putting my bag in my locker. Yes, this is my part-time job… not a girl’s bar, but a boy’s bar, “Festa.”
The reason I’m working here is simple. It’s because this is the bar that Aika-san manages.
As a condition for taking care of my living expenses, Aika-san suggested that I work here as a part-timer.
The power word “boy’s bar” made me hesitate, of course, but I had worked in customer service before I was transported, so I thought, “what the heck,” and gave her the OK. But this is pretty tough.
The work itself isn’t that difficult, and there are no problems with the interpersonal relationships. Everyone is really nice. So what’s so tough? The atmosphere is just too different from my own.
(There’s no way I can keep up with this high-energy vibe…)
They’re some of the few men I know, and they’re nice to me, so I want to get along with them, but the atmosphere is just too intense.
It’s also painful to watch them ostentatiously act all cutesy… or whatever you call it, for the customers.
I mean, it’s a job, right? I guess it can’t be helped, but…
Furthermore, I’m underage, so I can’t drink. I can serve alcohol, but I can’t drink it myself, so all I can do is get drunk on the atmosphere.
So, while I’ve started working here, I get almost no requests. Of course, I don’t. The most I can do is offer a polite smile and listen to people talk. Since I can’t have a good time drinking with them, it’s only natural that they wouldn’t request me.
My appearance is also overwhelmingly plain compared to everyone else.
My seniors are far better at providing service, so eccentrics who would request me are, well, few and far between.
Though I’m grateful for that.
“Alright, alright, we’re open! Masato, you start on reception and the floor!”
Yuusee-san (probably a fake name), who’s about four years older than me, gives the order.
Following his lead, I changed into my work uniform, a casual navy-blue suit, and headed for the reception desk.
It was a little past 7 PM. The number of customers was increasing, and the bar was getting lively. Being a Friday night, the customers were also spending more freely than usual.
From within the bustling bar, I could hear all sorts of conversations.
“Ehh~ You’re amazing, onee-san!”
“As expected of you, my lady! You’re so cool~!!”
…Yeah. I know, right? It can’t be helped. This is just how this world is.
But still, you know? Isn’t it a little… rough?
Of course, there are some cool guys who have a more “manly” (?) stance, but… the ones who are clearly the type to suck up to people, watching them is, how do I put it… hard to watch…
Their body language is so obvious… Is that really okay…? Knowing that they’re actually good people behind the scenes just makes the dissonance that much stronger.
As I was thinking about such things, bringing a large block of ice from the back and crushing it with an ice pick, Yuusee-san came over.
“Hey Masato, you got a request. Table three, if you please.”
“Eh? Seriously?”
“Seriously. And it’s your usual. Aren’t you glad you’ve got a regular now? Go get ‘em~”
“Ah… roger, that.”
My usual person. Hearing that, only one person comes to mind who requests me that often.
In fact, isn’t it every week? I feel like I’ve been requested by her every week since I first served her…
I tossed a few pieces of crushed ice into a glass, grabbed a glass for myself as well, and headed for table number three.
When I got there, several others were already attending to other customers, and there was one person sitting ramrod straight, all alone, waiting for me. I feel like she’s always this tense. I quietly sat down next to her, and her slender, graceful shoulders flinched.
“Good evening. Thanks for coming again.”
I placed the two glasses on the table and poured a highball into one of them.
Her glossy black hair is tied up in a ponytail. Her delicate frame is wrapped in a suit, and her appearance is exactly that of a capable career woman.
In this world, the phrase “capable career woman” is probably out of place, but from my perspective, I can’t describe her any other way.
She’s fairly tall and gives off a slender impression, but the fact that she’s well-endowed where it counts gives her the allure of a mature woman.
Haven’t you gotten a lot sexier since the first time we met? is what I think, but…
“I-It was just a coincidence that I had some free time…”
Yeah, right~. Her eyes are darting all over the place.
I mean, there’s no way you’d conveniently have free time every single week during the busiest hours on a Friday night.
The people who are likely her work colleagues were looking over here, grinning.
“Masato-ku~n! Seira is head over heels for you! Take good care of her!”
“Hey, Miki-san!”
The person called Miki-san, likely a coworker, who was laughing boisterously, was already drunk, her face beet red.
“Ahem… U-Uhm, it really was just a coincidence. My senior invited me, and I had no choice. And, you’re the most tolerable one to talk to, so I called you over. Understand?”
“Hahaha… Thank you. I’m just a guy who can only listen, but I actually quite like listening to you talk, Seira-san.”
“…!”
Her hand, which was bringing the drink to her lips, stopped for a moment, and her face flushed red.
Eh? Did I say something wrong??
“Y-You… you probably say that to everyone, don’t you?”
“Eh? …No… The only oddball who requests me is you, Seira-san…?”
“…I, I see. Then that’s fine. That’s right. I’m the only one who would request a kid like you who doesn’t even drink…”
“That’s so true.”
Seira-san turned her face away defiantly and took small sips of her highball.
The first time I met her, her cheeks were gaunt, and she had dark circles under her eyes. There was no life in her gaze.
(Her impression has really changed…)
Before, I would have immediately worried about her health, but recently she seems much more energetic.
I peeked at her face, and her beautiful violet eyes were brimming with life.
That’s good, that’s good. I want beautiful women to be healthy.
“That damn shitty boss really should just die! What the hell does she mean, ‘That’s why you get dumped,’ you idiot! I’ll fucking kill you!”
“Ahaha…”
When Seira-san drinks, she heats up. No, really. She’s completely in full-throttle mode now.
Her face is quite red, and the alcohol has clearly gone to her head.
“It wasn’t even my case to begin with, so why is that old hag bitching at me!”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Seira-san…”
Part of it is that I’m dedicated to being a listener, but from what I hear, her boss really does sound like a piece of shit. I guess even in this world, shitty bosses are rampant…
It’s been about two hours. A considerable amount of time has passed since I started attending to Seira-san.
Most other customers change boys after about 30 minutes, but Seira-san pointlessly paid extra to keep me. …For two hours. Why???
Well, it’s not like I get requested by anyone else, and it’s probably good for the bar’s business, so it’s fine, but still.
And for my part, Seira-san is very beautiful, and when she gets drunk and her face gets red she’s kind of erotic, so she’s a feast for the eyes, so I’m totally fine with it, but still.
“Seira~! We’re leaving~! How long are you gonna keep flirting with Masato-kun! Come on!”
“Wh-What—!? I’m not flirting! It’s not like that at all! This, this lanky… lanky…”
“Yes, yes. I’m lanky. Please come again.”
It seems she couldn’t find any insult other than “lanky.” She was throwing all sorts of insults at her boss, but now… she’s a strange person.
I took the unsteady Seira-san’s hand and guided her to the entrance. Taking her hand like this at the end has become a regular custom.
It seems her colleague is paying for everyone together. Seira-san’s footing is much more unsteady than usual, so I grab her arm to support her.
Then, suddenly, Seira-san leaned her weight against me. Just like the affectionate couples you sometimes see in town.
Her face is pointed down, so I can’t see her expression.
“…Seira-san?”
“…”
The hand gripping my suit sleeve seems to be squeezing a little tighter.
“…Don’t you dare.”
“…Eh?”
“You’re forbidden from taking requests from anyone but me…”
A smile escaped my lips. It was such a terribly selfish request.
But, I found myself thinking that Seira-san, making such an unreasonable demand, was cute.
“It’s okay. I only work on Fridays, you know.”
“…Right.”
“And on those Fridays, you always make sure to request me, Seira-san.”
“…Right.”
I still can’t see her expression.
But, I have a feeling that Seira-san was smiling, just a little. Yep, yep. I’m glad she seems to have laughed a lot and gotten her spirits back. Maybe this is what they call job satisfaction.
After that, Seira-san’s colleague supported the drunk Seira by the shoulder, and they left.
…I wonder if she can really get home okay? I’m worried.
But oh, right. To put it in my old world’s terms, this is no different from a salaryman getting wasted at a company drinking party and collapsing near the station.
What a crazy world this is…
“…Masato.”
“…? Oh, Aika-san, good evening.”
After seeing them off, I returned to the bar to find Aika-san with a grave expression on her face.
“I told you to drop the polite speech… Hey, Masato, you need to be careful.”
“Eh?”
Perhaps because her face was more serious than usual, I felt slightly intimidated.
“It’s people like that who are capable of committing crimes. Like, stalking, for example.”
“Eh, ehh? Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration? I’m probably nothing more to her than a favorite boy at the bar, right…?”
I had a vague sense that Seira-san liked me. For one thing, she’s the only person who requests me, and she comes every week. And she keeps me for two hours straight.
But, I didn’t feel like she was so invested in me that she would resort to something like that.
“You fool. You’re a little too soft about everything. It’s always better to be cautious. If anything strange happens, you tell me immediately. That’s an order, you hear?”
“Y-Yes…”
Is that really how it is?
I heard that Seira-san used to have a boyfriend, and she doesn’t seem like that type.
(Aika-san is so overprotective…)
I’m nothing but grateful to Aika-san, and I’m starting to feel a real affection for her. But sometimes, I can’t help but think she’s a little too overprotective.
Aika-san repeated, “Make sure you contact me,” before pulling a cigarette from her breast pocket and heading towards the back door of the bar.
That day, around midnight.
“Fwaah…”
Having finished my shift at the boy’s bar, I decided to head home. Stepping out of the bar and looking at the street, I could see several people passed out drunk.
(It really feels like a Friday night…)
Weaving through them, I started on my way home. My house was a relatively short walk from the station where the bar was located, if I cut through the nearby park.
Aika-san had arranged a place for me close to the bar, after all.
“Tomorrow is… my day off. I’ll sleep in till the afternoon…”
A lot happened today. I was pretty tired, and I felt like I could sleep well. I checked my phone to confirm I had no plans for tomorrow, then quietly closed the screen.
Before long, I reached my apartment building. I took out my favorite key case and was about to get my house key when…
(…?)
At that moment, I felt a gaze on me.
I hurriedly turned around, but there was no one there.
“Just my imagination, huh.”
I really might be tired. I should get to bed soon. I opened the door and locked it. Just to be safe, I put on the chain lock as well.
I took a quick shower and dived into my futon.
Even while I was showering, I felt a creepy gaze on me, but once I was in my futon, I was able to forget about it quickly.
I fell asleep, unaware that I should have been much more cautious about the strange feeling I had at that moment.
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