Episode 18: Our First Fight?
“If you two want to talk, save it for after closing — it’s bothering the other customers.”
With that one line from Möbius-san, the powder-keg standoff between Maria and Sora-san finally broke.
“After closing. I’ll definitely be back.”
Leaving those words behind, Maria got into her car and left.
Watching the car pull away, I sank my head into my hands in complete despair.
◆
Once Sweet Stella closed and every last customer had left the shop, Maria — stepping out of her luxury car — walked back in.
Even with every eye in the room on her, Maria didn’t lose an ounce of her composure.
“Riri. I’ve had your recent living situation thoroughly looked into. Having said that, Riri — quit the part-time job and come to me. I’ll figure out how to convince my parents, so you can live at our place.”
Speaking as if nobody else in the room existed, Maria looked straight at me and only me.
“Riri. You don’t need to work at all. Come home, and you can go back to playing games with me every day like before, can’t you? Right?”
She took my hand and smiled warmly.
“A part-time job’s exhausting, isn’t it? You were a nervous wreck, and you’re bad with strangers too, aren’t you. And working almost every day is bound to interfere with your schoolwork. Your grades already aren’t great — get any worse and you’ll end up held back a year.”
“Ugh…”
She was right. Ever since starting the job, my schoolwork really had started slipping.
I was never exactly a dedicated student to begin with, but the grade drop is purely because I don’t have the stamina to keep up anymore.
Since starting the job, I’ve been falling asleep in class a lot more…
On top of that, I’ve barely managed to keep turning in homework, but I haven’t done any actual review or preparation at all.
If things keep going like this, getting held back really isn’t out of the question.
“And besides, Riri. You’re so cute that customers are bound to flock to you, but that comes with real risk too. What if some obsessive customer turns into a stalker?”
“That’s…”
“Whatever you want to do, I’ll make it happen for you. So, Riri, let’s go home together, okay?”
Maria genuinely worries about me, and genuinely cherishes me. I know that.
And beyond just her feelings, thinking practically, she really would support my entire life to the fullest extent she could.
If I leaned on Maria, I could go right back to my old lazy, self-indulgent, comfortable life.
But…
“…I, I can’t put that much of a burden on Maria…”
“It’s not a burden. I want to be the one helping Riri. I’m worried about Riri.”
Maria squeezed my hand tighter. Being looked at with those anxious eyes made me want to lean on her the way I always used to.
“Um, hey, Maria.”
“Yes?”
“I’m really happy you’re worried about me, but, um… I actually love working here.”
Not having the stamina to keep up with schoolwork is a real problem, and of course there’s still plenty I’m bad at. I know full well that, generally speaking, working at a “maid café” isn’t exactly seen as the safest or most reassuring job.
But even so — I love working here.
“I, I found it for the first time. Something that actually makes me want to try hard, like this…”
I’ve never once, in my whole life, seriously tried hard at anything. I like games, but even then, I’ve never gotten obsessive about them either.
I’d always figured that was just fine. I assumed trying seriously hard at something wasn’t something meant for someone like me.
“Customers come to see me, and some of them end up liking me… and I, I’ve even made friends. So, I don’t want to quit the job.”
“Riri…”
“And besides, I really shouldn’t go to your house. Especially with things the way they are, it would just make your parents dislike me even more. …You know, I actually want your family to properly accept me, too.”
Me, someone who can’t do anything, relying on Maria while still unable to do anything.
Of course her parents can’t accept something like that.
“I’m really happy you’re worried about me, but… instead of worry, I’d love it if you could just cheer me on, or something like that…”
“No.”
“Eh?”
“Absolutely, one hundred percent, no!”
Tears welled up in Maria’s eyes as she shouted it. Not knowing what to do, I watched as Sora-san stepped in between the two of us.
“…I don’t know what you are to Ruri, but if Ruri says she wants to do this, isn’t cheering her on what a friend’s supposed to do?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“And what Ruri decides to do isn’t any of yours either, is it?”
The two of them stared each other down in silence.
What do I do. At this rate we can’t even finish closing up, and I’m causing trouble for Möbius-san and Miyuki-san too…
Sora-san let out a sigh and turned to Maria.
“Ruri’s not your doll. If you get that, go home.”
“Why do I have to be told that by you!?”
This is bad. At this rate, this isn’t going to end.
“M-Maria.”
Bracing myself, I took a deep breath.
“…Thank you for coming. But, please, go home for today.”
It was the first time in my life I’d ever said something like that to Maria — a word of rejection.