───● The Tsundere OL Is Tested ●○●

About a week has passed since the trip I went on with Koumi and Mizuho.

I panicked when I fell and lightly hit my head on the sandy beach, but I’m glad it didn’t lead to any major injury.

The second day had no major happenings, and we were able to enjoy the trip as planned.

I was worried because Mizuho hadn’t been energetic recently, but she was very energetic on the second day, which was a relief. Perhaps the trip turned out to be a good change of pace.

With that three-person trip over, a full-blown summer vacation had arrived for us students. Not belonging to any circle, I have very few plans. I’m spending my summer vacation just playing basketball with Yuka or working part-time.

Occasionally, getting permission because it’s limited to summer vacation, I enter the bar part-time on days other than Friday. There’s no harm in earning money in advance, after all.

“Good morning.”

“Morning Masato~.”

“Mornin’~.”

Today is Friday, and as usual, it’s my part-time job at the bar. While greeting the seniors, I head to the staff room to change.

Although we say “Good morning,” the time is approaching night.

Generally, if it’s the first time meeting that day, it’s “Good morning,” isn’t it? Especially since for people working this kind of job, the day is just beginning now.

Putting my belongings in my locker, I change. While changing and looking in the mirror… suddenly, my neck caught my eye.

“Hmm… I guess it’s a bit visible after all…”

I have absolutely no memory of it, but apparently, I was bitten by bugs in about two places on my neck. There are red spots, one on the left and one on the right.

When working at the bar, I wear collared clothes so it’s fine, but I’m worried about my regular time. Since it’s hot lately, I’d like to go out in a T-shirt or something…

As I was putting on my dress shirt for the time being, Yuusee-san, who starts work at the same time, arrived.

“Morning Masato~. Seems like things went well with the regular customer.”

“Ah, yes! Thanks to you, somehow.”

I’m in contact with Seira-san normally, and it seems she’ll continue coming to the shop as before. She already contacted me today saying she’s coming now.

It’s thanks to Yuusee-san’s advice; I have nothing but gratitude.

Smiling, un-un, Yuusee-san nods.

“Seems you’re coming in on days other than Friday recently, but did you get any other customers?”

“No, not at all. It’s quite difficult after all.”

“Well, it’s not that simple, is it~.”

Basically, there are no customers who designate me. Well, to begin with, this is a place to enjoy alcohol, so I, who cannot drink, am basically not welcomed. Seira-san is just too special. So, I’m allowed to do a lot of backstage work, like reception or carrying drinks.

“Ah, come to think of it, Masato, do the service we’ve been doing since last week properly too, okay?”

“Service?”

“Huh? You haven’t heard?”

It was a story I hadn’t heard. Since I don’t come to work that often, things like this happen frequently.

While changing into his work clothes just like me, Yuusee-san continued the story.

“Like, apparently a new shop opened nearby, so to not have customers taken, we’re doing customer service reinforcement? Is that what you call it? A let’s-try-it kind of thing.”

“I see. Specifically, what should I do?”

“You know how at our shop, many casts don’t have an aversion to women? The talk is to use that as a selling point.”

It’s true that the casts at our shop have sensibilities close to men from the previous world. That’s why I can get along with everyone relatively well.

Normally, you’d expect them to badmouth customers more in the back, but I don’t hear it much.

“But, how do we market that?”

“Umm well, if we get a main designation and they order a bottle, we do it~.”

Having finished changing, Yuusee-san beckons me. Come closer, he means.

Since he gestured for me to lend an ear, I lean my ear toward Yuusee-san. Then, in the form of a so-called whisper.

“Like this, convey gratitude. Like, ‘Thank you, Ojou-sama’.”

“I-I see…”

It’s been a while since someone whispered in my ear, but will this please the customers…?

As I floated question marks, Yuusee-san, who stopped whispering, floated a friendly smile.

“And so, the first time is gratitude like just now, and from the second time onwards, apparently we say what the customer wants us to say.”

“Ehh. Somehow, that’s a little, like, embarrassing…”

“Right~? I was super embarrassed yesterday too~. Ah, you can refuse anything that seems like sexual harassment, okay?”

I see, rather, having us say their favorite words might be the service.

“But since we do it in a small voice, the surroundings can’t hear, and surprisingly it’s not bad, you know.”

“You’re enjoying it shrewdly, aren’t you…”

Maybe because he enjoys doing such things, he has many designations. It’s a story that makes sense of why he’s a trouble maker.

“So, Masato, do it properly for your regular too.”

“Under… stood.”

For Seira-san, huh… Just after saying she was scary the other day, I feel reluctant to do something like this from my side but… if it makes her happy, is it fine?

“Welcome, Ojou-sama.”

“Yeah, good evening, Masato.”

And so, at the usual time, Seira-san arrived.

Somehow, I’m a little relieved. Despite everything, it seems I myself was wondering what I would do if Seira-san stopped coming to the shop.

“What would you like for drinks today?”

“I’ll have whisky on the rocks. Is your usual non-alcoholic cocktail fine for you, Masato?”

“Yes!”

Since Seira-san already knows I can’t drink alcohol, it’s nice and easy.

Recently when we’re short-staffed, I serve customers who come without designation, but at those times I have them make a fake drink—something that looks like alcohol but doesn’t contain alcohol—and drink that.

I don’t really like the feeling of deceiving customers.

I go to the back, get my drink and a rocks glass from a senior, and return to the seat.

Placing the rocks glass on the coaster, I used tongs to put in about two pieces of ice.

“Last week, I was surprised when I woke up in the morning and you weren’t there, Seira-san. Did you go home on the first train?”

“Pretty much the first train. I thought it would be bad to overstay my welcome, you know.”

Preparation for the drinks finished, and just as we were about to clink glasses.

I remembered what Yuusee-san told me earlier.

“Ah, um, actually, a new service has started since last week…”

“Is that so?”

Seira-san, who was fully intending to toast, tilts her head slightly.

“Umm… could you lend me your ear for a moment?”

“Sure, but…”

I bring my face close to Seira-san’s ear. I was startled doki for a moment by the nice scent of fabric softener, but steeling myself, I put my hand to Seira-san’s ear.

“Like this, it’s a service where we convey gratitude by whispering. Thank you, Ojou-sama.”

“…!”

Seira-san’s shoulders jump as if surprised.

“W-What is this…? Is this a trial to test my spirit or something…?”

“No, it’s not like that?!”

With Seira-san, whose cheeks remain flushed, we toast again.

“This is outrageous. It’s nothing guilty, yet my rationality is being shaken greatly.”

“Is, is it that kind of thing?”

“Those pure eyes drive women mad. Ah, thinking that you’re doing this to other women makes me want to die after all.”

Not good! Seira-san’s eyes look like they’re about to lose vitality again!

“No, but we only do this if we get a designation and furthermore have a bottle ordered, so I think, probably, there won’t be an opportunity to do it for anyone other than you, Seira-san…”

“I-If that’s the case then fine…”

Seira-san, having regained color in her eyes, is sipping her drink. Good.

“Ah, and so, if you order a second glass or something, apparently Seira-san can make me say words you like.”

“Wo-Words I like?”

Ba!, with a speed that almost made a sound effect, Seira-san looks this way.

“B-But you know, sexual harassment is, a no-go, okay.”

“T-That’s natural, I-I’m totally not thinking of making you say anything like that…”

Suspicious. Too suspicious. The Seira-san who let loose the other day was saying some pretty intense stuff…

“Hmm, heeh. I don’t really have any words I want Masato to say though… Come on, hurry up and finish that cocktail.”

“Zero persuasive power?!”

She’s trying to make me finish the first glass at unprecedented speed! Well, it’s non-alcoholic so it’s fine though?!

“It’s amazing… Does this mean all the other boys are doing this too?”

“That’s right, the boys at this shop, how should I put it… there are many who don’t have resistance to that kind of thing…”

While talking about this and that with Seira-san, my glass also became empty.

“You finished drinking, huh. Then I’ll add more. What’s good? The same? Ah, alcohol is fine too. Even if you don’t drink it, that contributes to your sales, right Masato?”

“No no no, you’ve already ordered bottles and stuff! The same is fine, the same is fine!”

Seira-san is already spending a lot of money on me. I can’t let her buy anything more expensive.

“Okay, so, what do you want me to say?”

“R-Right…”

Since the order is decided, the rest is just that service. Upon asking for the line, Seira-san visibly started fidgeting.

“S-Somehow saying it with words is embarrassing, so can I put it in writing?”

“That’s fine but… dirty jokes are no good, okay?”

“I-I know that…”

Taking out her smartphone, Seira-san starts flick-inputting something.

“W-With this…”

Finished inputting maybe, she presents the screen. Those characters were typed into the SNS used for contacting me. Since it wasn’t that long of a sentence, I finished reading immediately.

“W-Well, if it’s just this much…”

“Yay…! Then, please do it.”

It was a feeling of Are you really going to say the content…? but well, since it wasn’t a dirty joke or a type of sexual harassment, it’s hard to refuse.

Since the look of expectation is intense, I gave up and put my hand to Seira-san’s ear.

“Hey, you still have money, right? Pay more money?”

“Yes! I’ll pay lots!”

“You don’t have to pay!!”

I desperately soothe Seira-san who happily took out her wallet.

…This person might be hopeless after all.