Chastity Reversed: Part-Time Life by the All-Girls High School - Chapter 66: A Place to Belong

In the end, the lunch break rush of office workers began just like that.

It wasn’t until around 1:30 PM that all the customers were finally gone.

“Ah, I’m so tired…”

“Seriously… We even had some weird customers today. That strange kid really saved us, though.”

“Oh, speaking of which, where’s that kid?”

“Ah, he bought a novel and a cola. Kind of an unusual combo… Whoa!?”

“Huh? What’s—wait, he’s still here!?”

Both of them instinctively raised their voices.

There he was—outside the convenience store, near the parking barrier (a steel arch used in parking lots).

The kid was sitting there, reading a book while taking a big gulp of cola.

“What school is he from?”

“It’s pretty far away, right? At least not anywhere close to here.”

“He doesn’t look like a delinquent skipping class or anything…”

To begin with, who ever heard of a delinquent reading a novel outside a convenience store? It wasn’t even a manga. Besides, if he was a delinquent, he’d probably just read it standing inside without buying it.

“…Maybe something happened to him.”

He had dark circles under his eyes.

An exhausted expression.

A thin, frail body.

“Could be… But there aren’t any visible injuries on him, so bullying or abuse seems unlikely… Still can’t say for sure.”

“I’m going to talk to him.”

“Huh? Seriously? You’re going?”

“…Yeah. I don’t know why, but he just seems so lonely…”

His back looked so small somehow.

As if he had given up on the world entirely.

Maybe—just maybe—

If I left him alone like this—

That thought prompted me to step outside as the automatic doors slid open.

“…”

He continued silently reading the book he had bought earlier. He must have been standing there for about two hours by now.

…What should I do? Would I be bothering him?

No, no! I had to be bold!

“F-Freshly fried karaage ready! (Promotion!)”

“!?”

“Oh! That’s not what I meant!”

I tried calling out to him but accidentally blurted out an advertisement out of habit. What was I even doing!?

“…Oh, sorry about that. I guess staying here this long is kind of a nuisance. I’ll buy something else before I leave.”

“N-No! That’s not what I meant!”

“Huh?”

“I-I mean… Are you okay? What about school…?”

“…”

“Oh no, that’s not it! I’m not trying to report you for being here or anything!”

“…?”

“And it’s not like I’m hitting on you or anything either!”

This was bad—really bad! Even though I hurriedly corrected myself, was it enough?

“…I go to Tsukigaoka High School.”

“! R-Really?”

Finally, he spoke.

But… Tsukigaoka High School. I’d heard the name before—it was pretty far away.

The worst-case scenarios started running through my mind.

That expression. That frail body.

Could it be that he ran away from home because—

“Oh no, I’m not being abused or anything.”

“Huh!?”

“I live alone.”

“W-Wait, really?”

“It’s something I chose for myself. It’s just that right now… I feel like being outside.”

“Huh…”

“I’m sorry. I’ll head home soon.”

“…But what about school?”

He was in his school uniform, yet said he’d “head home”. And it wasn’t even noon yet.

“I skipped today.”

“What!?”

“There’s no place for me there. I don’t want to go to school… Oh. Looks like you’ve got customers. I’ll get going now.”

The chime signaling new customers rang out.

When I turned my gaze toward the sound, a group of people entered the store.

And before I realized it—he was gone.

☆

The next day.

“Oh.”

While working with the assistant manager again, there he was—at the register this time.

“I-I’ll take your items now… That’ll be 540 yen.”

“I’ll pay with IKUKA.”

“Yes! H-Here’s your receipt.”

“Thank you very much.”

Just like yesterday—a thick novel and a 500ml bottle of cola. Who even bought those together?

Currently, there were no other customers in the store besides him.

Talking to a high school boy—a current student at that—was something I’d normally never be able to do.

“You know… You can use the eat-in space here if you want…”

“Huh? No, wouldn’t that be a bother—”

“It’s fine! Really! Hardly anyone uses it anyway. Though if customers come in later, you might have to move—but until around noon it should be okay!”

“…”

Me babbling at him from behind the register must have been quite the sight for anyone watching.

And indeed—

“…” Stare

The assistant manager was glaring at me silently from earlier. Her gaze was piercing through me.

My blood ran cold. Did she find this annoying?

“S-Sorry! It’s not like you have to or anything—”

I tried to retract my words in a panic when—

“Thank you.”

“Huh?”

For the first time—I saw his expression change.

The dark circles and tired eyes remained unchanged but—

“To be honest, standing yesterday gave me muscle pain.”

He smiled. He really smiled at me.

I didn’t think he’d opened up his heart or anything—I wasn’t that delusional—but still…

“Well then, I’ll borrow the space for a bit.”

The eat-in area that rarely saw any use—he sat there today.

Somehow, his back looked just slightly less burdened than yesterday—

“…” Stare

Assistant Manager! Stop staring at me like that! He’d leave sooner or later!