CH 80

As we walked towards our workplace, Tobise-san striked up a conversation yet again.

“Nee~ Nee~, Tsukasa-kun, do you perhaps like Sei-chan?”

Tobise-san asked me with sparkling eyes.

I guess she’s at the age where she’d get excited over love talk. I’m sure she’ll grow out of it when she’s older.

“Yeah.. I like her.”

“It’s that kind of like, isn’t it? You like her as something more than a friend right? More than a friend right?!”

“Yeah, I do.”

I answered her question honestly.

Sei-chan just wanted to hide our relationship, but I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t mind me telling others that I like her.

“I knew it! I knew it! When I asked about who you would be happier to go out with it was very clear that you’d be happier with Sei-chan!”

“Eh? Is that so?”

“YEAHH! When it was about Sei-chan, you were like ‘If possible, I’d be happy to go out with her.’ But when it was about me you were like ‘I’m pretty sure any man would be happy to go out with her.’”

I didn’t notice it myself, but it might have been a subconscious decision on my end.

I mean can you really discern that much from just a slight change in an answer.

Tobise-san might be a natural airhead but she’s not stupid either. I’m also pretty sure that she went to the best college in the area.

“Tsukasa-kun, aren’t you going to confess your feelings to Sei-chan?”

How should I answer this…? I’ve already confessed to her, but I have to keep it a secret that we’re dating.

“Well, I don’t feel like doing it just yet.”

I guess I’ll just have to lie here. If I told the truth I’d be bombarded by questions like ‘How did it go!?’ or what happened after the confession.

“Is that so? I’m feeling a connection though.”

“How do you feel the ‘connection’?”

“Fufu, it’s what I call women’s intuition.”

“I see…”

“Ahh, you don’t believe me, do you? You think I’m messing with you!”

Of course not. After all, your hunch is right. I can’t tell you that though.

“C’mon, C’mon, If we don’t hurry up we’ll be late for work.”

“Ahh, right. Let’s go then.”

Tobise-san and I walked faster in order to reach the shop. Thank god we made it on time.

Manager Saito’s wife was in the shop today as well, so we greeted her quickly. His wife was very kind, always smiling and easy to talk to.

Manager Saito and his wife, Ryouka, both seem to be over sixty years old, but they seem to be very intimate with each other.

I want to stay intimate with Sei-chan for a long time too. 

“Hisamura-kun. It’s a weekday today so there won’t be much customers today, so let’s learn a couple more dishes while we’re at it.”

“Eh? Already?”

“Eh? Hisamura-kun is already able to quickly learn how to man the frontlines so I think it should be fine, Also Tobise-san is at the frontlines today so it should be fine. And if you were to learn how to cook, it would be of a great help to us. We will also raise your salary accordingly of course.”

“O-Oh, thank you very much.”

I didn’t expect to be taught to cook on the very second day of my part-time job.

Part of it is because I used to worked part-time at a chain cafe, but if it wasn’t for Tobise-san, I wouldn’t have gotten this far either. 

“Manager, what about me?”

“I need Tobise-san in charge of the frontlines. Tobise-san is very sociable, so I think you would be best fit for the job.”

“Yeah. That’s true, the right person for the right job! Good luck Tsukasa-kun.”

“Hai, Thank you very much.”

Seems like Tobise-san will be in charge of the hall while I’m in charge of the kitchen for today.

Certainly, if it were me and Tobise-san, Tobise-san was much more suited for the hall work, while I’m more suited towards the kitchen. [TLN: Men who can cook are really attractive.] [EDN: I agree, need to learn one day]

The store manager gave us this careful consideration. Actually everyone that thought about it a bit can come to this conclusion.

“Marino-chan, don’t rush about. You’ll spill the food and drinks.”

“Understood! I’ll make sure to carry it very slowly.”

Tobise-san received training from the Ryouka while I was receiving cooking lessons from the manager.

“Un, The sandwiches taste fine like this. Tsukasa-kun, you’re a fast learner aren’t you.”

“It’s because the manager’s teaching style is easy to grasp.”

“Fufu, you’re good at giving compliments too.”

While having idle chatter with the manager, I was smoothly learning how to cook various dishes. Tobise-san was also making less mistakes and doing well on the front lines.

“Tsukasa-kun, a sandwich for table 4.”

“Ryouka… There are several types of sandwiches, which kind do they want?” 

“Ehh? Ahh… I forgot.”

“I thought I told you to write down the order every time you get one.”

“Ahh, that’s true, wait it only says sandwich on this list.”

“Please ask for their order again.”

“Hai…”

Haah, I still can’t perfectly replicate it. It’s something that grows through experience I guess.

With that, an hour passed by. There was a lack of customers compared to the weekends.

But that doesn’t mean that there were no customers in the cafe, there were always at least ten customers visiting us.

And with that the sound of the bell rang when a customer came through the door.

“Welcome-”

Tobise-san reacted immediately and gave a smile in response.

I could see them from the kitchen, so I turned towards them and tried to greet them too.

“Welc-Whaa?”

The moment I saw her my voice stopped. A woman wearing a black newsboy cap came in. 

She was also wearing black skinny jeans, a black leather jacket with a black knit shirt underneath. [TLN: Bulletproof disguise, I wonder who it is.] [EDN: Bets on… Rie-chan!]

She was also wearing sunglasses making her extremely suspicious to anyone that saw her. However she had outstanding style with a cool atmosphere surrounding her, it feels like a celebrity going incognito so that they wouldn’t get found out.

And well, the hair colour that couldn’t be hidden was silver in colour. No, before I go judging her by her hair colour, that’s Sei-chan isn’t it? [TLN: NO WAY] [EDN: damn it.]

It’s not her usual vibe but I can tell that it’s Sei-chan. Eh? Why is she at the shop?

No, what’s more puzzling is why are you wearing such an outfit as if you were hiding your identity?

Ahh… You’re too good looking for me. You’re so cool!!