Chastity Reversed: Part-Time Life by the All-Girls High School - Chapter 71: Just Like This, Forever

“Phew, I worked hard today—whoa!?”

“Hokuto-san, shh!”

“He’s asleep.”

“Looks like he was so tired he just fell asleep.”

“…Isn’t he a little too defenseless?”

“I think so too, but…”

In the cramped office of the convenience store, Sato-kun was fast asleep.

Looking at his resume, he was still a first-year high schooler.

Fifteen years old. Fifteen!

His demeanor could easily make you think he was a university student!

…But looking at his sleeping face, he really did seem like a high schooler.

“He’s kind of cute, isn’t he? Like, the gap between how he is awake and now.”

“This is probably his real self, I think.”

“Like drunken boxing?”

“Huh? No, no. I mean he’s pushing himself.”

“Ohhh, I see.”

“He handled everything fine today, but it was his first day on the job, right?”

In the end, Sato-kun hadn’t complained once.

He worked from 8 AM to 3 PM.

And after that, he’d spent time talking with Assistant Manager-chan.

Until around 5 PM?

He seemed to be enjoying himself, so I didn’t stop him, but still…

“He reminds me of how I used to be. Acting all grown-up even though he’s just a kid.”

“…That’s true.”

“He doesn’t go to school either, right? Well, we can’t just leave him alone.”

“Yeah. When he wakes up, I’ll talk to him a bit.”

“You sure you’ll be okay without me?”

“I’ll be fine. I am the Manager, after all!”

It was already a slow period. The Assistant Manager was handling the register.

If that was the case… taking care of new employees was part of the Manager’s job too.

Well, even if it wasn’t my job, I’d still do it.

“Phew, I’m exhausted—what!?”

“Oh, good work today, Takanashi-san.”

“Don’t wake him up, old lady.”

“With him this defenseless… does that mean it’s okay to pounce?”

“Want me to let you nap next to Sato?”

“No, thanks!”

“Well… let’s all calm down. It sounds like the air is splitting from your swings!”

Hokuto-san swung her arms around wildly. Please don’t make him sleep forever!

Still… Takanashi-san seemed happy about having a young boy around.

And Sato-kun seemed surprisingly okay with it too.

[Want to touch?]

It was almost worrying how casually he said things like that.

“In that case… I’ll settle for calling him my grandson.”

“You’re not even related by blood!”

Well… as the Manager, I should make sure they were never on the same shift!

***

“…Huh!?”

“Oh! He woke up!”

A strangely warm place.

As I slowly woke from a comfortable sleep, I realized this wasn’t my house.

“Huh? Did I…”

“Good morning. You must’ve been really tired.”

“S-Sorry. Did I fall asleep?”

Looking at the clock—it was already 7 PM.

Who slept at their workplace on their first day? This was bad.

“Haha! You were talking with Assistant Manager-chan for quite a while.”

“I was.”

“She hardly ever talks!”

“Haha. She seems to talk a lot when it comes to her side gigs though.”

“That’s true~ It’s not like she lacks motivation for her job here either, but her energy levels are clearly different.”

Honestly, her usual work attitude made me curious.

Wait—did she go home and then come back here?

“Haha. If you’re curious, why don’t you take a peek?”

“Huh?”

“She’s working right now!”

The Manager said this with a smile.

Now I was even more curious!

“…(Peeking)”

From the office, I quietly peeked out toward the register—

“Welcome! Good evening! Let me take your items!”

“Would you like a bag? Understood!”

“Here’s your receipt! Please come again! Have a great evening!”

She was acting like a completely different person.

Her demeanor was so sharp and energetic that it didn’t seem like the same person from earlier in the office.

It was almost robotic—but in a good way.

“Who is that (no offense)?”

“Haha. It really is surprising, isn’t it?”

“If she were always like that… no wait—that’d probably be exhausting…”

“She thinks women look cooler when they don’t talk much. That’s why she doesn’t want to talk more than necessary.”

“What…”

“She’s unique~ But that’s just how Assistant Manager-chan is.”

“I guess so…”

What an unexpected reason.

I thought maybe it was just because she wanted to conserve energy or something.

“But you know—I’m happy she shows her true self sometimes.”

“…!”

“It might not be completely ‘as she is’, but if everyone feels comfortable here—that makes me happy.”

“In this tiny space,” she said with a smile.

The fact that she took me in—it must’ve been because of her personality too.

“So if you ever feel… troubled or overwhelmed—you can come to us  anytime.”

“That’s okay?”

“Yes! Though all I might be able to do is listen—but even then—it’ll help ease your burden.”

She really was too kind.

Her warmth made me feel like I might fall apart.

I wanted to keep relying on her forever.

And she seemed willing to let me do so as well.

“Thank you very much.”

“You’re welcome!”

But—I couldn’t just stay like this forever.

I couldn’t let myself remain as I was now.

“…Um…”

“Hm?”

I couldn’t just rely on this “place” forever either.

“The day after tomorrow—I’m planning to go back to school.”

I had to move forward.