A Young Male Hairdresser, Assigned To help Out At The Branch, Finds Himself Bothered By The Playful Antics Of A Lively High School Gal Model Who Seeks Attention. - Chapter 23: Before the celebration.
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Before the celebration.
Assigned to the branch for a month and two days.
With the passing of a month, the day had arrived for Nonoka to graduate from being Shuuto’s caretaker and embark on her solo journey.
“Shuuto-kun, do you remember what we planned for today?”
Right after the morning assembly, Nonoka, having moved to the side, lightly tapped Shuuto’s shoulder and spoke in a hushed voice, making sure it was not audible to others around them.
“Oh, you mean after work today? Of course, I remember.”
“Hmm, good.”
Today was the day they had made a prior agreement to celebrate something special. After work, the plan was to go to an izakaya together.
“I’m looking forward to it, so I feel like I can work even harder today.”
“Fufuu, me too! Well then, let’s do our best today too.”
“Yes.”
As the impending work loomed, they exchanged a brief conversation, signaling their understanding before parting ways.
Although it was an unspoken celebration among the staff at Charlotte, a few employees could sense the festive occasion.
***
“Hey, hey, don’t you think Nonoka-chan is going on a date today? No, I’m sure she is.”
In the staff room, where hairdressers gradually gathered after work, such a topic arose.
“By ‘today,’ do you mean after work?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Indeed, she seemed a bit brighter than usual, but that’s about it… That’s just my personal opinion.”
“I agree with that opinion. Nonoka-chan usually declines invitations from clients, and she seems to prioritize work over romantic relationships.”
“Well, I think it’s a date! She was wearing a necklace she doesn’t usually wear, and her makeup seemed a bit different, right?”
“That’s it!”
Initially, the men seemed to outnumber their opinions, but the tide changed with one woman’s perspective.
“D-did she really!? I didn’t notice at all… If you put it that way, it might be a date.”
Wearing something unusual, a makeup change noticeable to staffs. These were credible pieces of information.
“Right? The first person that comes to mind as her date would be Shuuto-san, whom she admires… But she behaved as usual. If she’s going on a date with Nonoka-chan, it would be surprising.”
“That’s true, but since she’s acquainted with model Rikka-san, they could arrange something like that, right?”
“Indeed…”
The staff suspected it was a date, but they maintained mature reactions.
They refrained from interfering in important private matters, so it seemed.
“Hmm. If it were a date, wouldn’t it be more likely to be someone like a childhood friend or a classmate? Nonoka-chan was popular during her school days, right?”
“Wasn’t it said that she received over 10 confessions in the last month before graduation? I heard it from somewhere, anyway.”
“Huh!? Is that true!?”
“Oh, I’m the one who told you that. Apparently, it was during beauty school. My sister’s friend went to the same school as Nonoka-chan.”
“She’s really popular, isn’t she…”
The staff members were surprised by this new information, but no one denied it with “That must be a lie.”
With her gentle personality, lovely appearance, and outstanding skills, it was a common understanding among those who interacted with her regularly that she had nothing but likable qualities.
“I’m really curious about Nonoka-chan’s date partner. Don’t you think he must be incredibly handsome?”
“Well, knowing Nonoka-chan, wouldn’t she choose based on personality rather than looks? Like, a considerate guy, you know?”
“For me, I think she’d like someone who’s putting in effort.”
“…Sorry if this is just my imagination, but are you two trying to make yourselves more appealing somehow?”
The male staff members exchanged grins, showcasing their lack of subtlety.
“Well, if we’re talking about the theory of liking ‘considerate’ or ‘effortful’ guys, I feel like Shuuto-kun fits the bill… He’s closest in age, good-looking and all.”
“…Yeah, you might be onto something there.”
They exchanged another glance, perfectly in sync.
“Honestly, Shuuto-kun seems like a great match. There were some misunderstandings before, but now they seem to be enjoying each other’s company.”
“Speaking of which, the other day, Nonoka-chan seemed to be eagerly waiting for an opportunity to talk to Shuuto-kun, didn’t she?”
“Yeah, I saw her practicing exchanging contact information here in the staff room.”
“What?! They still haven’t exchanged contact info? Everyone else here has, right?”
They all nodded in agreement.
“She’s… really shy, isn’t she? Even though she was always looking out for others, there were plenty of chances…”
“She’s quite reserved.”
“Very reserved indeed.”
“Well, maybe it’s because he’s someone she respects?”
And so, with this satisfactory conclusion, the conversation in the staff room came to an end.
And thus, several minutes passed by…
“Alright, let’s begin the closing meeting.”
As all tasks were completed and the manager’s voice signaled the start of the closing meeting…
Those staff members who had been discussing or listening to discussions about “who Nonoka-chan’s date partner is” were all on edge.
Amidst the manager’s serious talk, there was Nonoka-chan, occasionally stealing glances at Shuuto.
For someone as dedicated to her work as she was, it was only natural that her behavior might be noticed in this context.