Chapter 88If You Insist, Fine Then
"'Music' is a masterpiece that sweetly depicts s*xuality! It's outrageous that you call yourselves an antique bookstore without him who's having turned unforgivable trash into a beautiful form of art!"
"Ahhh..."
Eh, scary - scary, scary, what the heck is this guy talking about? And his long, raggedly trimmed hair is glowing? No, that's impossible, I'm going to destroy Ichinose-san already at her capacity with a full blast. In the first place, I should have just shown her how to run the cash register.
I quickly stood up, took Ichinose-san's position from next to her, and picked up the paperback books placed on the counter. I tried my best to keep my gaze level and looked straight into the busy black eyes of the upper-class slacker, and then I tried hard not to glare at her.
"Okay, so here are the two items you bought."
"Hmm...!?"
"Oh..."
I didn't understand what he was saying at all. But he's taking his groceries to the cashier, so let's do what we have to do here and let him get out of here quickly. Should I be lenient with him...? I should at least give him a comfortable atmosphere.
"Do you want me to cover these books in plastic too?"
"Uh... ...Can you do that for me?"
"Yeah, for two books it's 220 yen."
"U-Um..."
Mysterious Customer X rolled up his wallet and unzipped it, then wasted 1,020 yen directly on the counter, and not on the money counter. Normally this would have annoyed me, but now I don't care about it anymore. I wanted to finish this trading as soon as possible.
I turned the handle of the plastic bag toward the man and handed it over more politely than usual, then I took the change out of the cash register and glanced at it again. Customers like this can be dealt with if we don't show them anything. However, this would probably have the opposite effect on a Yankee.
"Here's your change money for 800 yen, thank you."
"...Accepted."
Shaking his long hair, he turned around and rushed out of the bookstore. As soon as the automatic door opened, the bell rang, and I took a step back in complete surprise. Gosh, he's so agile...
I don't know, but I think I handled it well.
"...That was an extraordinary customer, huh?"
"..."
"Eh, Ichinose-san?"
"...Fueh."
"Eh...?"
Ichinose-san was silent with her eyes wide open. As I tried to talk to her, but she didn't respond, so I checked her as if I were looking into her, and at the same time, she made a faint sound and her shoulders began to tremble.
E-Eh? It's a bit... ...or maybe not...? Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, wait a minute, calm down! It has already exceeded her capacity! For now, we can't leave her like this!
"Ichinose-san! U-Um, are you too tense? Let's go to the living room first this time! Get some rest!"
There was no touch, approach, or eye contact. Like a servant at a party, I used my arm fully to guide her toward the backyard. I let her go ahead of me, trying not to see the transparent particles shimmering in her vision, and I managed to get her to sit on the tatami mat in the living room. I placed the tissue box on the table in front of Ichinose-san's eyes and hurried towards Gramps who was working in the stockroom.
"Manager, if you may, could you head to the cashier's desk for a moment? I want to call your wife."
"What? What's wrong?"
"We got a customer with a rather strange personality. Honestly, Ichinose-san is crying."
"What? Where is Mina-chan now?"
"Right now, she's resting in the living room, but it's good that the Manager doesn't have to go there. Fellow women are better suited to handle this kind of thing."
"Yeah, th-that's right... I got it. I'll take care of the cash register."
"Okay!"
I went upstairs and approached Gramps' wife, who was tapping her index finger on the computer keyboard. When I explained the situation, she said in a flat tone, "Okay," and headed to Ichinose-san's place. She makes me worried, but she's still better than Gramps.
"...Are you crying...?"
No, well, that was indeed too much to ask. If someone like that came on my first day of part-time work, I would probably get angry, or else I would cry too. I would probably call the police.
"..."
Thought about this seriously. Although she was not used to it at first, Ichinose-san did not feel nervous, but now she was afraid and anxious caused by mental weakness. This time is unavoidable, but many customers make us difficult or nervous. I'm sorry to have to tell Gramps this, but many of the customers who come to this store seem to be the literature buff type — Or, let's just say the talkative type. If things continue as they are, I think they'll just take advantage of us.
At school, she was always alone. Even if Ashida or I made too much noise while she was reading, she'd probably glance at us. I don't mean to deny the "wall of self-protection", but even so, she, my classmate ended up like that. I wonder if Ichinose-san will be able to manage a customer service business in the future... ...It's not just customer service, but also communication between employees like Gramps' wife and me that's a bit hindered...
"...Maybe we were in too much of a hurry..."
Let's talk to Gramps first, he's the manager of this bookstore. As Ichinose-san's senpai and part-time fellow worker, I might be obligated to report on her work. And I might be able to give her some good advice.
♦
As I passed by the front of the living room, I found Gramps' wife holding Ichinose-san's shoulder and comforting her. It seemed that she was being kind to a teenage girl who was crying her eyes out. I didn't dare enter the room, so I went to the Manager who was on cashier duty.
"Manager, thank you. Your wife is taking care of Ichinose-san, so I'm sure she'll be fine."
"Oh, I see... Sajou-kun, what kind of customer was that?"
"He's the type of customer who's a liberal arts buff who talks fast and rambles on about philosophical matters. But to be honest, I've dealt with similar customers once every three days."
"Hmm... that type of customer. I'm also interested in old literature... ...but to be honest, I can somewhat understand what they're saying."
"Eh, are you serious?"
Somehow I could understand him showing off his knowledge, but since I didn't know anything, it sounded like a mysterious magic spell. I wonder if I'd be able to understand it if I were a literature buff guy... ...But as I listened to his rapid-fire way of speaking, it seemed pointless if I didn't have the sense to digest the content of what he was saying other than his knowledge.
"Um... ...Manager. This part-time job, customer service — or rather, a certain level of skill to avoid something that exceeds our capacity is very important..."
Honestly, I don't think it's that hard. I mean, even though I say exceed, I just need to move my hands like a machine, and most customers will back away. Because my face wasn't suited for that and it was obvious that I was trying to make up for it, that's why I ended up like that... ...but the question is whether Ichinose-san can do this or not.
"That's right..., Um, that's right."
"That's right..."
After I left... even if it was an easy part-time job, there was no way Ichinose-san could leave all the customer service to the Manager and take care of the rest. That doesn't fulfill her duty as a part-time employee. That was naive. That was unacceptable.
I'll tell him, okay? I'll tell him.
"Manager. I don't think Ichinose-san is the right person for this part-time job..."
"What, you only saw her from the cover...?"
"In that case, why don't you look at her too? If you say that you'll be responsible for all customer service, I'm sure your wife won't be happy either."
"..."
I insisted relatively strongly on myself. Fortunately, there weren't any customers at the moment, I was somewhat surprised at how uncharacteristic I was. The customers might indeed be annoying, but I think I'm more annoyed with Ichinose-san than I thought. We don't get along with each other. Or maybe it's just me being narrow-minded?
I understood in the back of my mind that there are people in this world who are suited and unsuited to what they do and there are people who can and can't do what they can't do. But I felt an impatience that I couldn't express at having to manage the minimum amount of conversation I could do, from start to finish. Is it just me?
If I was wrong, I was worried that Gramps would take my questions seriously.
"Mina-chan is..."
"?"
"Mina-chan — is the cute regular customer of this bookstore..."
"..."
I was startled and looked at Gramps' face. There was an expression on his face that seemed to say that he didn't know what to do. "I couldn't be helped, you know", that's what he seemed to be saying.
"...Um."
I was upset when I saw Gramps' "lame side" for the first time. I always thought that he was a strong person, so I honestly couldn't believe this, I didn't want to believe this. I felt that the stubborn side of him that he sometimes showed was annoying, but I felt that I could rely on him. That's why I think he can also handle this kind of disturbing matter.
"...Your wife."
I suddenly stopped talking. Gramps' wife was the one who tried to cut Ichinose-san's bangs. She may have generosity and great life experience, but I don't think she can understand "Ichinose-san". I don't think she can understand everything about her just because she's also a fellow woman.
"...Um, let me talk to Ichinose-san for a moment."
"A-Are you sure...?"
Gramps looked at me as if I was someone he could rely on. I'd never been looked at like that by a man older than me before, let alone an elderly one. I realized how much of the youngest child I was until recently. Was there so much pressure that they always depended on me? I didn't like that, I hated that. That's why I didn't want to become a member of the Student Council nor the Disciplinary Committee.
"I'm sorry, but... please don't expect too much from me."
"...I got it."
Ichinose-san was always alone at school. There was no such thing as a base in this place. But at least this second-hand bookstore and Gramps who cared about her must have been a stronghold for her. Otherwise, she wouldn't be a regular customer of this bookstore, right?
Don't ever make her hate this place — this bookstore, this stronghold. This is for Gramps' sake too.
If that's the case... this isn't the time to worry about the shy Ichinose-san. At the very least, I should say, "Even if you fall, no matter what happens, you'll be fine".
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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