NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45
Work, no matter the context, is often a series of unreasonable demands. That doesn’t change just because it’s a part-time job.
“Manager? You called me, so here I am. Is something up?”
“Ah, Mizuki-kun. Thanks for coming. Sorry to bother you.”
I was in the middle of my usual tasks as a part-timer when, for some reason, the manager called me into the break room. At first, I thought I might have messed something up related to work, but nothing came to mind. The manager didn’t seem to have that sort of atmosphere, either.
“So, what’s up? It seems like it’s going to be a real hassle.”
“Haha… You caught on, huh?”
“Yeah, I can tell that much.”
The manager let out a troubled laugh, while I sighed with a grimace. Although I’m technically a part-timer, my position in the store is closer to that of a semi-employee. I can tell just from the manager’s expression and demeanor whether something’s a hassle or not.
After all, I’m one of the more experienced part-timers here, working both in the hall and the kitchen. I’ve been trained to handle pretty much everything under the excuse that it’s “good to know.” I’ve even been tasked with ordering and inventory. So yeah, I can tell when I’m about to be asked to do something troublesome.
“So, what’s today’s unreasonable request? If it’s more than this, I’m seriously going to ask for a raise.”
“Haha… Sorry about this, but you’re really reliable, Mizuki-kun.”
“Isn’t it just that you and the others don’t want to upset the part-timers?”
“I’ve said it many times: in the service industry, part-timers are like the bosses.”
“I know that much already.”
It’s a truth universally acknowledged in the service industry: never make an enemy of the part-timers.
“Anyway, don’t worry. Today’s not about any work-related issues.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s not something I can say too loudly, but it’s about Kondo-san…”
“Kondo-san?”
Kondo-san. Her full name is Kondo… Ayane, I think? She started working in the hall as a high school student around spring. She has a bright personality, maybe even a typical social butterfly. You know, the type who always seems to be at the center of her class, both in good and bad ways. Loud voice, slightly airheaded.
But she’s not a bad kid. She’s cheerful, always smiling, and her appearance is cute, which makes her quite popular with the older staff. To be specific, she’s very much adored by the older women in the part-time staff. She’s practically showered with snacks, like a beloved pet cat.
“So, did she do something? She doesn’t seem like the type to cause trouble.”
“Well, it’s not that she’s the problem… It seems like she’s being stalked.”
“Stalked?”
That word triggered something familiar yet ominous, and I immediately shifted my focus.
“It seems like, for a while now, a certain customer has been talking to her while she’s working. At first, she brushed him off, saying she’s busy, but things escalated. He handed her a letter with his contact information through another worker and even started waiting for her after her shift.”
“And why are you telling me this?”
I mean, the nature of this problem has completely changed. This is clearly outside my job description, not something a part-timer should be dealing with.
What’s with the letters and lurking around? This is seriously messed up.
“Shouldn’t this be reported to the police?”
“Well… No harm has come to her, so…”
“Ah…”
Just waiting around isn’t enough to get the police involved. Yeah, I get that. It’s a tricky situation to label as harm or danger. If it were a case of trespassing like with Chiaki-san, it would be more straightforward.
“We’ve done what we can as a store. We’ve banned the man from the premises, made copies of the contact information he gave her, and even adjusted Kondo-san’s shifts to earlier hours.”
“Hmm.”
Now that I think about it, I haven’t been on the same shift as Kondo-san lately. I guess that’s why. The last time I saw her was when Chiaki-san showed up in that bikini apron… so, about a week ago?
That means the situation has been developing for at least a week. From my perspective, it seems like things have escalated pretty quickly.
“But even with those measures, there’s only so much we can do. He might be banned from the store, but that doesn’t stop him from waiting outside. And apparently, that’s exactly what happened.”
“Does this guy not have anything better to do?”
“From what we’ve gathered, he doesn’t seem to be the type to have a stable job.”
“What’s his age?”
“Probably late twenties to early thirties.”
“Yeah, that’s totally out of line.”
Kondo-san is a high school student. She’s got a good figure and dyed blonde hair, so she might look more mature, but she’s still a teenager, no doubt about it.
For a fully grown man, who looks like an unemployed or underemployed adult, to be hitting on her… this is definitely a serious issue.
“So, what’s Kondo-san doing about it?”
“Well, she’s pretending not to care, but she’s definitely more cautious of her surroundings.”
“Poor thing.”
Yeah, that makes sense. No matter how bold her attitude may seem, Kondo-san is still just a regular high school girl. Anyone would become more sensitive if they were being stalked.
“Alright, I get it. So, Kondo-san is going to quit, right?”
“No, that’s not the case.”
“Huh?”
Wait, she’s not quitting? I thought this whole conversation was leading up to a request to adjust the shifts after she quits…
“No, she doesn’t want to quit. She said the pay is good, the store is close to her house, the uniform is cute, and they allow her to keep her blonde hair. Plus, summer break is coming up, so she wants to earn some extra cash.”
“Her safety should come first, don’t you think?”
“I told her that, too…”
Her priorities are clearly out of order. Or maybe she’s just really gutsy? Or is this what high school girls are like these days? …Not that I’m in any position to say.
“And what about her parents? She’s a minor, so if they say it’s dangerous, that should be the end of it, right?”
“Apparently, her parents said they respect her decision.”
“Seriously?”
I mean, come on. What kind of parenting is that? Even if they’re hands-off, there’s a limit.
“Anyway, it’s not like Kondo-san did anything wrong, and her parents have given their consent. As long as she wants to keep working, we have to respect her decision… Besides, we’d be in trouble if we lost any more staff.”
“…I’ll admit, she’s finally becoming a useful worker.”
From a workforce standpoint, losing Kondo-san would definitely be painful.
“But knowing there’s danger and doing nothing about it is still a problem. Especially since Kondo-san is a high schooler—a kid. As her employer and as an adult, we can’t just ignore this.”
“If you want to act like an adult, wouldn’t it be better to force her to quit?”
“…I’m too old to be that pushy with today’s youth.”
“That’s pretty sad.”
The manager said this with a pained expression, the bitter reality of middle-aged life sinking in.
It’s clear this is a serious headache for him, too. Kondo-san is prioritizing her part-time job, and her parents are oddly laid-back. No wonder the manager’s stomach is probably in knots.
“So, Mizuki-kun, if it’s not too much to ask, could you look out for Kondo-san for a while?”
“Look out for her?”
“Yeah. On the days your shifts overlap, leave together, and on the days they don’t, maybe you could come by to pick her up.”
“Honestly, I don’t want to. Why me?”
“…It was a request from the part-timers, supported by Kondo-san herself.”
“…”
Are you seriously telling me the store’s bosses personally nominated me for this?
“Ohta-san and the others said they feel safe with you. Apparently, there’s a rumor that you helped a girl avoid getting picked up in the shopping district before.”
“…”
“I’m willing to provide a special allowance and do what I can to help… Could you please?”
“…Fine.”
Reluctantly. Really reluctantly, I nodded in agreement.
With the part-timers backing Kondo-san, refusing this unreasonable request wasn’t an option. As long as I plan to keep this job, getting on their bad side is the last thing I can afford.