Volume 2 - CH 2.2

“This is Tonomura-kun. He will be working with us today.”

It’s my first day of work so the  manager introduced me to the staff.

After school, I went home and hopped on my bicycle to go to my part-time job, where the manager handed me a cook’s uniform and I put it on.

I greeted my senpais who were introduced to me.

“My name is Tonomura. I will be in your care from now on.”

There were a few people whose clothes were stained, and they would reply with a “Yoo” or a “Looking forward to working with ya”.

They all looked like university students, or at least older than me.

Even though it’s a family restaurant, they still wore this kind of cook-like clothes, I thought to myself.

“Now then, Tonomura-kun… at 17:00, Mise-san will be here. If you have any questions about your work or training, you can ask Mise-san.”

Not knowing what to say, I replied, “Yes.”

Normally I’m supposed to arrive at 17:00 or 18:00, but since it was my first day, I was told to come early.

Eventually, at 17:00, they took me to Mise-san.

I thought there were only men working here, but Mise-san was a woman.

“Mise-san. This is the new guy, Tonomura-kun. He’s going to start his shift at dinner today. Can you teach him how to work for a while?”

When the manager cheerfully asks for help, Mise-san, who glanced at me, averted her eyes from the manager.

“Ehh… Me?”

The voice was a whisper, drowned out by the noise, but somehow audible.

“Tonomura-kun is in his second year of high school. You’re the same age, right? I thought it would be easier for you to talk to him.”

Mise-san waved her hands in the air.

“I’m not good at all. I’m not in a position to teach him how to work at all….”

“Mise-san, it’s alright, don’t worry. You’ve taught some of the guys before.”

“Yes, I know, but…” Whispering, Mise-san glanced at me.

She looks so uncomfortable, it’s kind of awkward.

“I-I can’t. It’s impossible, totally impossible. I literally can’t.”

She glanced at me again and quickly looked away. She didn’t make eye contact with me at all.

Maybe she just hates me …

“Mise-san has taught newcomers very well before.”

The manager followed up, but Mise-san kept her face turned away from me.

“Well then, Imma leave him in your care, okay?” And then the manager left. 

“Ahh… I’m really sorry for what happened.”

It must be such a hassle to deal with a newcomer.

That’s what I thought, so I apologized in the first instance.

“…..”

This time, Mise-san stared at me intensely.

This is the first time I’ve seen her face properly, but it’s pretty neat.

“Tonomura-kun…?”

“Ahh, yes.”

“I’m Mise…”

“Ahh yes. I’m Tonomura. I would like to be in your care.”

“…..”

What? What was that earlier then?

Perhaps convinced of something, Mise-san cleared her throat and continued.

“That’s what the manager said, but I’m not like that at all, and I’m not good at teaching…”

Mise-san was full of humbleness, and her small physique was getting smaller and smaller.

“It’s fine… I guess.”

I have zero reason to believe that, but I said so anyway.

Mise… I heard it somewhere.

As I was confused , Mise-san finally got motivated, perhaps because of my random remark that it would be fine.

“Okay, we’ll start with the easy stuff so let’s go… okay?”

There was a pause as if she was wondering if she should use casual speech or honorifics.

“Yes, please.”

“The first thing you need to do is wash the dishes that I was doing earlier… Oh, do you want to take notes?”

Before I could say anything, she handed me a piece of notepaper and a pen she had on hand.

“It’s easier to remember if you write down the steps.”

“Thanks. I’ll write it down.”

As it turned out, the wash I was taught wasn’t enough to write down, but I didn’t want to waste the favor that she went out of her way to teach me, so I wrote down what she taught me.

“It’s the same as the baseball club… right. The responses and stuff.”

“Yeah. Is that so? I’ve already quit, but I see what you mean.”

“Yeah.. Ehh… Ehhhh?? …. Ahhh, that’s uhmm… yeah…” She replied sluggishly.

The first few hours of the  day passed as I learned a few things from Mise-san and took notes on what she had taught me.

Mise-san didn’t make eye contact with me at first, but by the end of the day, she started to talk to me normally.

The whispering and occasional stiffness seemed to come from shyness or nervousness 

“Good work! How was your first day, Tonomura-kun?”

When my shift was coming to an end , the store manager came and asked me what I thought.

“Good. There was no problem..”

“That’s good to hear. Can you still do this job?”

“Oh, yes, I’ll do my best.”

“Okay, Mise-san said a lot, but she taught you well, didn’t she?”

The manager said, as if he had seen through my anxiety.

“Yes, She’s polite and helpful.”

“Uhee…”

Mise-san, who seemed to have been listening, made a strange noise.

“You’re very popular, Mise-san.”

“Well, uh, uhmm, well, thank you…. but I’m not quite there yet…”

I knew she was a very serious person, but the line sounded stoic in a roundabout way.

“O-of course, I mean… you are also very kind….”

Is that so?

Only in the baseball club, seniors were either feared or respected, so the fact that they were nice to her seemed like a great thing.

Even though she’s a senior, it’s already amazing just because she’s not arrogant, she doesn’t blow the senior style, and doesn’t get angry.

“She’s caring and kind in many ways.”

“Uhee”

Mise-san, who had made another strange sound, became smaller.

“Hee~ I’m glad. There were some people who quit and didn’t show up on the second day. But Tonomura-kun seems to be okay.”

For some reason, the manager smirked and tapped me on the shoulder.

“I’ve been hired, so I can’t quit anytime soon.”

“I bet.”

What does he mean by ‘I bet’? What is he so sure of?

The manager looked at his watch and saw that it was past his closing time. So I said ‘Thanks’ to the remaining staff, changed in my locker room, and left the store.

I climbed on my bicycle in the parking lot and took the 20-minute ride home.

It was a different kind of tiredness than club practice, but not an unpleasant one.

“But I’ve heard of Mise-san somewhere before.”

I tilted my head and rode my bicycle home.