A Beautiful Model In My Class Comes To The Coffee Shop Where I Work Part-time Only When I'm On Shift

Episode 3: Assistance

“She said goodbye properly, she’s a good kid.”

After 9 p.m., while cleaning up after closing, Utahara-san approached me with those words.

“She’s a classmate, right? um… well…”

“She’s Kamisaka.”

“Kamisaka-chan, huh. By the way, she’s beautiful. Is she, by any chance, a celebrity?”

“She’s a popular model who debuted last year. You can often find her in magazines and such.”

“Wow…! That’s amazing! Oh no, do I sound a bit like an old lady now?”

“Utahara-san, there’s no way you could be considered an old lady. You’re still young.”

“Really? Phew, that’s a relief.”

Utahara-san let out a sigh of relief.

Utahara-san, the current owner of this shop, took over from her grandfather after graduating from college five years ago. I heard she recruited part-timers last year on a whim.

“Why don’t you tell me more about her? What did you talk about?”

“It seems she was troubled with her modeling work. I mostly just listened.”

“Liar. You were probably hitting on her.”

“No way! I wasn’t trying to hit on her―”

“Oh, well, it’s no big deal. No one has ever tried to hit on me, you know! You’re young after all! You’re an idiot, Jun-kun!”

“Even Utahara-san is young enough…”

“Then will you try to hit on me?”

“I can’t do that. I’m too afraid to seduce a beautiful and kind person like Utahara-san.”

First of all, I’m a shy person from the bottom up.

I can’t say anything thoughtful to other people.

I’ll say what’s on my mind, and if I don’t want to say it, I have to shut my mouth.

“…That’s the way you are, Jun-kun.”

“Huh?”

“Well then, let’s clean up, let’s clean up.”

Why was I turned away?

For now, I decided to go around wiping down the tables as usual.

◇◆◇

I—Shizuku Kamisaka, as soon as I returned home, began rummaging through the kitchen.

“…Found it!”

What I was looking for was the drip coffee Mom had bought. Though this was bought quite a while ago and I hadn’t drunk any, it seemed to be still good.

“Boil some water…’”

I boiled water with an electric kettle and poured it into the filter set in the cup. The coffee extracted through the ground beans began to accumulate in the cup. When I had poured a cupful, I removed the filter.

“Let’s drink…”

When I took a sip, I felt a strong bitterness and acidity. Without a doubt, this was the coffee I knew. However, what I had drunk at Café Mellow was so easy to drink and had a profound taste that it almost seemed like a different beverage. Was that really coffee?

“I want to go back soon…”

Thanks to meeting Mikage-kun, I was able to avoid impulsive actions. The modeling job, which had been piling up small unpleasant things and making me want to quit, still had a bit of a scary side, but I had come to feel that I could face it head-on.

“But still… Mikage-kun…”

His face came to mind. Tying his hair in a ponytail, he had a surprisingly handsome face. Working at a café with that appearance, it wouldn’t be strange if he was popular. Learning an unexpected side of a boy who went unnoticed at school, I couldn’t help but feel a flutter.

“Is it only me who knows that Mikage-kun works there?”

I drank the brewed coffee in one go and returned to my room. For some reason, the coffee, which should have been bitter, felt a bit sweet at the end.

◇◆◇

“The next day at school.

I, who had arrived as usual, immediately slumped onto my desk.

Coffee is a deep thing, and to reach the desired flavor, one must practice daily. After finishing my part-time job and returning home, I practiced drip coffee until late every day. Refined skills are necessary to brew the ideal coffee.

(But to end up sleep-deprived because of this, I can only call myself foolish…)

Suppressing a yawn, I closed my eyes. Just to clarify, I’m trying to sleep because I’m sleepy, not to avoid being labeled as a loner.

“Shizuku! Is it true that you’re co-starring with Reiko Inamori in the next drama?”

In a high-pitched girl’s voice, I was pulled back from the brink of sleep to reality.

The name ‘Reiko Inamori’ caused a commotion throughout the classroom.

“Reiko Inamori… Is it that Reiko Inamori!?”

“There’s no one else! Idiot!”

Ignoring the foolish exchange between the boys, Shizuku scratched her head in a troubled manner.

Reiko Inamori is a popular actress who has been highly acclaimed in various dramas and movies. Last year, she secured the top spot as the actress everyone wants to date and the actress everyone admires, becoming a superhuman figure known for popularity regardless of gender.

“I’m in trouble… How did that rumor spread?”

“Shizuku! Reiko-chan mentioned it on her Instagram live! She said she met the model ‘SHIZUKU’ at the audition for the drama!”

“Ah… The other agency is allowed to say that kind of thing.”

Shizuku laughed with a resigned look, nodding as if it couldn’t be helped.

“I can’t say much, but it’s true that I’m currently auditioning for the same drama as Reiko Inamori. But I don’t know if I’ll get the role, and nothing is decided yet, so please don’t jump to conclusions, okay?”

“Eh! Amazing, amazing! Seriously amazing! Shizuku, I’ll make sure not to miss it when it airs!”

“…Thanks.”

Today, too, Shizuku was surrounded by many people. Everyone was talking about ‘SHIZUKU’ around her. However, no one noticed the forced smile on the face of ‘SHIZUKU’ herself.

“Sigh…”

I sighed and stood up.

“Kamisaka.”

“Eh…?”

As I spoke, the surroundings suddenly fell silent.

I didn’t expect it to be this awkward, and cold sweat began to form on my back.

Since I had already spoken, I couldn’t back down now…

“U-um, the teacher is calling you. Something about an incident with a suspicious person during yesterday’s filming… or something…”

Based on the story I heard from Kamisaka yesterday, I fabricated a story.

Even though homeroom is about to start soon, there’s no reason for the teacher to call her, and although it’s full of contradictions, for now, this should be a lifeline.

“I got it! Thanks. Can you guide me to that teacher’s place for a moment?”

“Eh?”

“Come on, come on, you should settle these things before homeroom!”

“H-Hey…!”

For some reason I was pushed, and I left the classroom with Kamisaka. Although the intention was conveyed, why am I being taken along?

However, I can’t ask that question here.

We pretended to head to the staff room and hid in a quiet place.

『Afterword』

Continuing from yesterday, it’s still ranked in the romantic comedy daily rankings!

And in the weekly rankings, it’s ranked at [Thirteenth] place!

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