Part-1 Ch-03 Ep-02

 I stopped spinning in circles over questions that had no answers. More importantly, summer vacation had arrived.

The closing ceremony ended, and while watching classmates rush home, Maki and I stood in the corner of the classroom, staring at our smartphones.

“Hey, are you really planning to work a part-time job during summer break?” That was Maki’s first remark.

Of course I want to enjoy my own high school life to the fullest. But without money, I can’t go anywhere or do anything. There are things I want, just like anyone else. That is why I was thinking of finding a short-term job just for the duration of the break.

However, since a little while ago—

“Convenience store? No way. What if some weird guy tries to hit on you?”

“Cafe? Absolutely not. Places like that usually have cute, stylish uniforms. Some weird guy might bother you.”

“Pool lifeguard!? That means a swimsuit, right? Even if not, it’ll show a lot of skin! Rejected. Completely rejected. I absolutely cannot allow it!”

Every single idea was being rejected so fiercely that I genuinely wondered what role she thought she held in my life.

Since when did this girl become my guardian?

Mom?

Besides, in the game she herself worked at a cafe. I almost grinned remembering how adorable the still image of Maki serving customers in that uniform had been.

“Why are you grinning?”

Caught.

“Actually, I thought you would start a part-time job too once you entered high school. That cafe near the station has a uniform that would look great on you.”

It wouldn’t just look great on her. She had worn it flawlessly.

When I said that, she responded, “Eh, w-well, if Mari says so, then maybe I’ll consider it… But cafe jobs aren’t one-offs, right? If I keep working there, the time we spend together would decrease… Unless Mari works there with me…”

“No matter how you look at it, having friends at the exact same workplace would mean we’re together way too much.”

“You’re right…”

The moment I answered, for some reason Maki lowered her head dejectedly.

Whenever I am around, nearly all of Maki’s attention shifts toward me.

If she took a job at that cafe and Kagami-kun or Todoroki-kun visited, it would just turn into our usual group again, and nothing would progress.

Lately I had begun to think that Maki needed time to build relationships with them in places where I wasn’t present.

But what was I supposed to do?

At this rate, forget finding a job—Maki seemed overprotective enough to follow me to any place I chose.

“I want to try working part-time too!”

“Then why don’t you try it?”

““Eh?””

At the sudden voice behind us, we both turned around in unison.

Probably taking a break from club activities, Todoroki-kun was standing there in his judo uniform.

“Your shouting reached the hallway,” he said while wiping away sweat with a towel. He really did look handsome doing it.

“Todoroki-kun, when you said ‘try it,’ do you have something in mind?” Maki asked.

“My relative is running a food stall at the local shrine festival soon and needs extra help. If you’re free, want to work with me? Kagami’s coming too.”

His offer felt so perfectly staged that it practically radiated the game’s invisible compulsion.

In the end, it would be the four of us again…

But with everything lining up so neatly, it felt wasteful to refuse. The flow was different from the original game, but something might still happen.

My hesitation lasted only a moment. If I didn’t choose now, I would probably end up jobless for the entire break.

I thrust my right hand out toward Tōtōriki-kun.

“Nice to work with you, Todoroki-kun. Both Maki and I will be in your care.”

“Yeah, that works for me. Saves me the trouble of finding other people,” he replied with a bright smile, shaking my hand firmly.

“Hey, why are you deciding on your own… I haven’t said I’d do it yet…”

“Eh? Maki-chan, you’re not joining? You said it’d be fine if we did it together, right?”

When I teased her gently, she clamped her mouth shut and pursed her lips, clearly annoyed.

She seemed a little angry.

“Hey, Maki. Maki-chan.”

“…”

Sigh. Once she gets stubborn, she’s not easy to move.

Time for my trump card.

“Hey, Hime-chan?”

I called her by her childhood nickname in the sweetest voice I could muster.

“…That’s unfair. You never use it normally…”

“Well, yes. Anyway, I want to work a part-time job with Hime-chan. It’ll be safe since Todoroki-kun and the others will be there. Shall we try it?”

After blushing faintly and staying silent for a moment, Maki shot a sharp glare at Todoroki-kun.

“How long are you planning to keep holding Mari’s hand?”

Oh. We were still shaking hands.

He didn’t seem bothered at all. “Ah, sorry,” he said, scratching his head. “Also, I’m sweaty from practice so my hand was sweaty too, right? Sorry about that,” he laughed.

He really was a good person. A little sweat meant nothing.

“I don’t mind at all… Hey, wait, Maki! Why are you wiping my hand with your handkerchief! That’s rude to Todoroki-kun!”

“But bodily fluids…”

“The way you phrase it! So rude!!!”

“You two really are funny.”

Todoroki-kun burst out laughing, unable to contain himself.

I am grateful this world is a gentle one.

And so, in the end, the four of us decided to work the summer part-time job together.