Episode 12: The Start of a Real Life-Enjoying, Extroverted Life?
“See you soon, Ruri-chan! I’ll be back really soon! I love you, my will to live…!”
Akane-san, who’d stayed right up until closing time, shouted that on her way out the door.
Both when I cast the spell on her omurice and when we took the cheki together, Akane-san had kept showering me with excessive praise the entire time.
“Aah, your very existence is a national treasure! Just watching you move makes me want to pay taxes on it…!”
“I work purely so I can spend money on you, Ruri-chan…!”
“Hey, Ruri-chan. Is there some tax-free way to wire money straight into your account?”
And so on — she’d spent the whole visit gushing wildly about how cute I was.
Honestly… it feels incredible!
“This satisfies my need for validation way more directly than any number on a screen ever could…!”
I sank down in front of my locker, clutching my head. A sigh drifted down from above me.
“…Ruri, you really do have a pretty strong need for validation, huh.”
“Ugh, s-sorry… even though I’m just an introvert…”
“No, it’s fine. Way better than someone who acts like they don’t care about that stuff at all.”
Sora-san crouched down to my eye level and stared straight at my face.
“Wh-what is it…?”
Could it be she’s captivated by me or something? I mean, introvert or not, I am a beautiful girl, so it’s not impossible.
“You did good today, Ruri.”
“Eh?”
“I mean, you were still pretty awkward overall, but I could tell you actually wanted to make that customer happy. That customer… Akane-san, was it? Good for you, getting a fan.”
“A fan…”
“Try not to lose her goodwill, okay.”
She stood up and started to leave the changing room, and I hurriedly grabbed her arm. Sora-san turned back, tilting her head, puzzled.
Something clicked into place from what she’d just said.
I don’t want Akane-san to lose interest in me. I want her to like me even more.
No — not just Akane-san.
“I-I want to get tons of fans and have everyone adore me…!”
“What is that, straight undiluted validation-hunger.”
“And if it works out, I want to rake in a ton of cheki commission too…!”
“So you’re a validation-monster and a money-grubber?”
“N-no, I mean, that’s not wrong exactly, but that’s not the point…!”
Up until now, I’d had the mindset of wanting to do well at the part-time job, but honestly, I hadn’t really found any fulfillment or fun in the actual work of being a maid.
I figured it probably suited me, since my face was the only thing going for me anyway.
But today, I’d actually felt happy. I’d actually had fun.
“…I found myself wanting to try harder. So, um, I was wondering if Sora-san could teach me some tips.”
“Me?”
“…Sora-san’s amazing at customer service.”
Every customer who talked with Sora-san looked like they were having a great time, and Sora-san herself looked so radiant while talking with them.
I want to be like that too.
“…Ruri. You free after school tomorrow?”
“Eh, ah, yes. I’m off shift, so I’m free, but…”
“It’s late today, so I’ll teach you tomorrow. Meet at Akihabara Station, 4:30pm, that work?”
“Th-that’s… um… is that what people call a real-life event, like ‘hanging out with a friend from another school after class’!?”
I couldn’t believe an actual real-life event like that was happening in my life.
I was trembling with excitement, and Sora-san nodded, looking mildly annoyed by it.
Whatever her expression said, she nodded — which means tomorrow is officially a super real-life-enjoying day.
“Ugh, fufu, ehehe…”
“…Are you seriously that happy about hanging out with me?”
“I am happy! I’ve been wanting to get closer to you, Sora-san…”
“Huh. …Well, see you tomorrow, then.”
“Yes!”
I saw Sora-san off and headed back to Sweet Stella’s main floor. As a high schooler I can’t help with closing, but since I’m heading home to the second floor anyway, I usually end up drifting back into the hall after seeing her out.
“M-Möbius-san, l-listen to this!”
“Ruri. What’s got you so worked up?”
“Tomorrow, I’m hanging out with Sora-san… ghh, I, I think I might have made a friend…!”
I was so happy I just had to tell someone. Möbius-san, I was sure, would accept this feeling of mine too.
I waited for her reaction, but for some reason she approached wearing a strangely pitying expression. Behind her, Miyuki-san, who’d been helping with closing, came over too.
“Ruri, I’ll give you some allowance money for tomorrow.”
“Riri-chan, I’m rooting for you with all my heart too.”
“Thank you so much! I, I’ll do my best…!”
Today, I’d handled customer service better than ever before, and I’d even worked up the nerve to talk to Sora-san myself.
Which means I’m growing, quite a lot, actually.
“F-fuhi, th-this might be the start of my real-life-enjoying, extroverted life…!”