Aren’t You Too Sweet Salt-God Sato-San? - Chapter 3.3

“it’s not bad looking, right?”

“Don’t be so mad.”

“It’s a bit boring….”

“Your way of saying is creepy….”

I had a subtle feeling when I saw that they were clearly less enthusiastic in their comments than before, even though they were supposed to be complimenting me.

……. However, my impression of these clothes, who is a stranger to fashion is they are pretty neat, aren’t they?

The white tank top peeking out from the pale beige short-sleeved shirt and the bright blue jeans give a fresh, summary impression.

The small pouch I guess is called sacoche? And the deep blue sneakers also give a sporty feel, I think it’s ok though in the end it’s just an amateur opinion.

“TN – sacoche, from what google sensei tell me is a French word which means kind of small bag like handbag or a shoulder bag etc”

Well anyway, these are the recommendations from my close friend Ren and his Onee-san.

So it shouldn’t be bad.

“一一Thank you Ren and also Shizuku-san. I will buy them.”

“Yes, thank you for your patronage! and the bill is~~ here!”

Shizuku-san held the calculator in her hand and with a crackling speed counted the money and showed me.

一一I was surprised.

It’s not because they are expensive, but rather cheaper than I expected.

“Is it ok for a complete set to be this cheap? Vintage clothes like this give the impression of being quite expensive…”

Honestly this was one of my concerns.

Earlier I had checked the price tag of the clothes Ren and Shizuku-san handed me and any one of them is quite a blow to a high schooler.

…..However, this is much more cheap than I expected.

“Our father buys most of our products directly from overseas, so of course the prices are high, but this Onee-san isn’t that big of oni! I’m aware of the tough financial situation of high school students! That’s why I’ve chosen something inexpensive.”

“And that sacoche is my leftover I don’t use so it’s free of charge.”

“It’s also 20% off due to evening discount! Use the extra money to look good on a date at best!”

Hahaha and Shizuku-san laughed cheerfully.

What on earth is an evening discount….? Despite holding such doubts, I was honestly gratified inside my heart.

“……Thank you very much, I will do my best.”

I bowed down to them, the siblings and paid for the clothes I have bought.

Then just as when Shizuku-san was cutting off the price tag from the clothes I was wearing,

“*Sneeze*”

Even though it’s summer, my nose feels strangely itchy and lets out a sneeze.

As I was thinking about this oddity, Ren said “ah-” with a knowing look.

“It must be your first time in a vintage clothes store Souta, right? Especially when it’s so dusty here”

“Ah, well It can’t help it, there’s so many vintage clothes here after all.”

“……*sneeze*”

I sneezed once again in quick succession

I felt like it was rude to sneeze like this, so I stifled my voice, but it didn’t stop.

“For the time being, breathe in the outside air, if it doesn’t go away so much, how about you return home?”

“But I can’t leave you alone when you have accompanied so far”

“Hmm? I didn’t tell you? This is my father’s store, and the upper floor is my house.”

Ren in a matter of fact tone.

…….I see, I thought he was strangely used to it. So it’s the same as our house, where the store and the living space are attached.

If that’s the case, then worrying about him us just unnecessary.

I bowed to Shizuku-san lightly.

“Then Shizuku-san thank you really very much for today.”

“Yes, please come again! The rainy day discount is 30% off, and the lightning day discount is 50% off! ”

Isn’t that too much of a discount?

I left the “Moon” while wondering about things like that. It was already getting dark outside.

♠️

As you might have known, I have stranger anxiety.

In particular, the clerks at apparel stores who try to get close to you from the very first meeting are my natural enemies.

When they talked to me, my mind just turn blank or I didn’t even know what I’m talking about anymore and when I come back to myself, I found Clerk-san standing in front of me and smiling bitterly.

That’s why I don’t have good memories of apparel stores, but……..Mayo-san of Hidamaru was different.

She smile gracefully like a wild flower and patiently listened to me who is bad at talking and also smells Very nice.

She patiently listened to me who sucks when it comes to talking with strangers while smiling gracefully, just like a wildflower and she also smells nice.

What’s more, no matter what you say, her tolerance is amazing.

Of course there’s the fact that she has big boobs but what I’m talking about is her inner self.

And as if wrapped in a gentle motherhood, she gives me advice for several minutes.

After she gives me advice for several minutes, while clad in a motherly aura and broad-mindedness.

I saw a completely unfamiliar Me standing in front of the mirror.

“………”

I couldn’t help but let out a gasp. I was so moved that I was at a loss for words.

Even I, who isn’t much familiar with fashion Know that this is…….

“Fufu, it gives pleasant vibes, isn’t it? Koharu-chan”

Mayo-san suddenly sticks out her head from my behind. Continuing that Rinko-chan also suddenly sticks out her head from the opposite side and so three figures fit on the mirror.

“Hou~, you really look different, don’t you? Well Koharu is bad at communication but she has a nice face and a good style.”

My consciousness​ was so focused on my image reflecting in the mirror that I didn’t heard Rinka-chan mean words.

A translucent white blouse and flower patterned flare skirt.

It’s a simple combination but it gives a completely different vibe compared to the usual clothes I wear normally.

Perhaps it’s because Mayo-san have assisted in compiling the hair as a service, it was a combination of maturish calm look and freshness of summer.

“I used earthy colors, which are popular right now to give a mature look, linen material for the blouse to keep it cool, and tried to change the silhouette of the top and bottom. Since Koharu-chan has a good style, so I tried to keep it simple and focused on it with emphasis on texture but how do you see?”

“T-They really look amazing…….!”

Ah, how I curse my lack of vocabulary. But I could only do that.

It’s good, it’s really amazing, with this I’m sure Oshio-kun will too……..!

“I will buy it! I will return home as it is.”

I cut through and said while breathing excitedly.

Mayo-san slipped out a smile seeing that and quickly operated the calculator with her long white fingers.

“Then the bill is something like this.”

“…… what? Are you really okay with them being this cheap?”

“It includes a 20% off evening discount after all”

Mayo-san say so while showing a gentle smile.

Despite thinking about this evening’s discount, It was really a happy miscalculation.

“Thank you very much!”

“You are welcome.”

Thus, I paid the smiling Mayo-san for the clothes and asked her to cut the tags.

At that time my phone started to vibrate, it’s incoming call.

“Huh? It’s from my mother”

“Kiyomi-san? What important business does she have?”

“It should be an errand or something……..I will leave to pick it up. Thank you for everything today, Mayo-san”

“Mmm~, if it’s a cute child like Koharu-chan, you are welcome to come at any time. We have a 30% discount on the rainy days and 50% on lightning days.”

“I will go out after talking a bit with Mayo-san”

“I understand, then please excuse me”

I slightly bowed down to Mayo-san and left the Hidamari while grasping the vibrating smartphone.

(Isn’t the discount too much?)

Such a question came to my mind when I left the store, and just as I was about to answer the call and put my finger on the “answer” button.

“Wah!!”

I really hate my stupidity.

It just happened a few seconds after I exited the Hidamari.

Because I was unaccustomed to heels and the fact that I was distracted by my phone, I tripped over a crack in the asphalt and began to fell forward with great momentum.

一一一I will fall down. The clothes Mayo-san picked up finally will get dirty……

Just as I have that conviction inside my head, at that instance,

I was held by my wrist from behind and rescued from the worst possible outcome.

“Uwaa!”

“Oops, are you all right?”

“I’m sorry, you really saved me here”

As I gave my apology and turned around….

“Huh? Satou-san!”

一一一At the same time as my smartphone stopped vibrating in my plan, my thumping heart also stopped beating.

“O-Oshio……..kun…..!?”

As my mouth opened and closed repeatedly like a goldfish, I said the name of the person in front of me.

That’s right, the one who grabbed my hand and saved me was Oshio-kun.

It’s by no means the way to return home yet why is he in this place? No, before that I should say my gratitude. Above all, although Oshio-kun’s hand is so slender and beautiful, his hands were much stronger than what I thought they were when I tried to touch them.

Countless thoughts like this flashed inside my mind but All of my thoughts were blown away by a single reality.

Oshio-kun is in front of me.

I have only envisioned it in dreams so far but for the first time, I am seeing Oshio-kun in his completely casual clothes.

一一一It’s really a shameful story from now on.

However one of the main reasons I invited Oshio-kun to the weekend date was because I by all means wanted to see him in his casual clothes.

Of course the school uniform or the cafe’s work clothes are attractive but casual clothes are special. That’s why I’ve been letting my imagination grow every day since Oshio asked me out on a date last time.

Whenever I saw a men’s fashion magazine in a convenience store or even an actor in a TV drama, I would convert it into “Oshio-kun ver.” in my mind like an idiot and fantasize about him in his casual clothes.

I’ve been writhing in agony over it and I know it’s unpleasant.

一一一I guess I’m expecting too much after all.

It was only the other day that I realized the obvious.