Chapter 8.6: Hirai’s Secret VI

Chapter 8.6: Hirai’s Secret VI

A stand-like person, an effeminate man, and a fujoshi How intense was the night shift with all these people huh. Wasnt my presence extinguished?

I dont think Im that intense.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

No, Hirais intensity is now one of the two highest

Hirai had a smile accompanying her innocent visage, and when she did so, she was typically rather endearing. On the other hand, in spite of her lovely outer appearance, underneath the surface lay a delusional and starving beast the gap between the two was nothing short of mind-blowing.

Its alright not to worry, the late-night crew is naturally comprised of unique individuals, and Hakamada is already one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Individuality of the late-night shift.

F-Four Heavenly Kings!? I mean, I am one of them!?

Right, now that Hakamada has joined, there are finally four of us: me, Aoyama, Takenaka and you. The Four Heavenly Kings who firmly uphold this convenience store with the power of our individual personalities!

No even if the three of you are unique, arent I simply an ordinary person or rather, arent I merely drifting around?

Even if measured by a scale, the disparity between us was starkly evident. In the presence of all these major figures, I felt like quite an outcast.

I dont possess anything exceptional.

Unlike Aoyama, I lacked the capacity to be solid in times of crisis, and without a guardian spirit like Takenaka, I did not have a willingness to protect others. Neither could I speak or behave amiably like Hirai. Instead, I was nothing but an obstinate guy who clung to his own will more than necessary.

Was I, in that light, not merely a burden to the others? Perhaps I was dragging the three of them down and spoiling the atmosphere. Even with the help of Takenaka and Aoyama the other day and the time before that, as if it were a given, I was still being helped out. That kind of thing wouldnt serve me any good. I had to protect myself properly by my own power, right?

Due to my obstinacy, I ended up staying here, yet I wondered whether I could keep on working here with these apparently outstanding people. When I was musing about this, Hirai, perhaps sensing my feelings, gave me a gentle poke on the side of the head.

You dont have to put on such a complicated face. The people here wont simply regard you as an obstacle.

Hirai put her hands behind her back and grinned at me.

Everyone is supporting you. Because you are doing your best.

Huh Working my best?

Yeah. I suppose various things have changed since you came here, but you are still trying your best to keep going, remarked Hirai. When you were warned, Hakamada, I honestly thought, Ah, this person is going to resign soon. A week later, when you were assaulted, I figured that would be the end of it.

Hirai smiled wryly and added, Sorry to bring this up, but there have been countless others like yourself who have resigned after running their mouths off. But still, when I heard that you would not resign, I was stunned.

For what on earth would you gain, what purpose would you serve, to persist in going on any further? It seems that the manager was not the only one who thought it was beyond foolhardy.

Even now, I wonder why. It must surely have been due to your deep conviction that you couldnt quit, Hakamada. That, in my opinion, is incredibly commendable. I believe you have tenacity. We dont view people like that as a hindrance! In fact, we wish we could work together with you!!

Hirai raised her fine eyebrows and told me with a keen gaze.

Hirai

Thats why! I hope you will join us as a fixed team soon and become a companion with whom we will share our destiny!

Sharing our destiny was probably an exaggeration, though

However, the meaning of Hirais words was clear to me.

Thank you Hirai.

Everyone here was distinctive, heading in different directions, and had their own quirks, but the positive thing about this convenience store was that it was warmer than any other place.

It was at that moment that the sound of innumerable engines pounding my eardrums at full force reverberated from a distance.

Are you alright?

Yeah, I am fine. Even if someone attempts to do something to me, things get resolved unexpectedly. So far, everything has been fine.

I-I see

Are you worried?

Thats because youre a girl.

Thanks. Hakamada, youre so kind.

Should anything arise I will manage it somehow, even though I may be unreliable

Thats not true! Haha, I will be relying on you.

I was sincerely apologetic for not being reliable. Thanks to the conversation with Hirai, my nerves eased somewhat, and we succeeded in getting the delinquents out of the store uneventfully. As expected, it was painful to receive their stares while working at the cash register, but they did not attempt to interfere with me inside the store because of Aoyamas warning and the fact that the security cameras were in operation.

I did witness some of the underlings cooperating diligently around the snack shelf and the liquor section to shoplift, though I swear, these guys were shoplifting after seeing todays night shift members. Despite my indignation, I was prepared to bow down to the manager at a later date, as Hirai was present today as well, so I turned a blind eye to the situation this time.

Those guys smelled funny, Hirai muttered to herself as they went outside and gleefully gulped down their drinks.

Smell funny? Well, they look filthy, they smoke, and they dont look like they bathe properly, and some of them must stink

Besides, it was summer now. Haha, being mentioned by a girl they were smelly. I laughed slightly, and Hirai tilted her head and growled a little.

Yeah Its not that kind of smell, its more like a strange smell.

Strange?

Rather than saying it smells fishy it smells rotten, like a putrid odor

Putrid odor?

The moment I heard that, I nearly linked it with a certain thing.

No

There was no way there was a connection to that.

People usually dont smell like that, how strange. Hakamada, do you have a clue?

I can think of a few clues.

I see

Hirai made a gesture as though she were mulling over something while placing her index finger lightly on her lips. While I didnt have a clue about what Hirai was thinking, she, like Takenaka, was a person of substantial power. She might have sensed something.

Is something going to break out?

Dont worry. If it does, Ill take care of that side.

Hirai gave me a reassuring look and gave me a gentle tap on the shoulder as if to alleviate my uneasiness, but then she tightly closed her mouth, looked at the delinquents, and ceased to say anything for a while.

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