I Started a Lover-for-Hire Service, And For Some Reason, Only Beautiful Girls Are Requesting Me - Chapter 62: An Invitation from the Pest Aira

“Ryoma-senpai, let’s go get ramen! The super rich kind!”

The time was 9:40 PM.

Just 20 minutes before his bookstore shift ended, the usual troublemaker appeared once again. Her encounter rate was about as high as that of a Slime near the starting area in an RPG.

“There she is… the walking nuisance.”

“I’m not a nuisance, I’m a JK*”

(*JK = high school girl in Japanese slang)

“That’s just a convenient way to rephrase it.”

“Well, that doesn’t really matter. We can go after your shift, so let’s go! I found a really good place!”

“So it doesn’t matter, huh?”

Apparently, there was no particular reason for her calling herself a “JK” instead of a “nuisance”. It was just the kind of thing Aira would say without a second thought, but to Ryoma, it was just a pointless exchange.

“So, let’s go for ramen! The rich, heavy kind!”

“It costs money.”

Aira was inviting him with a bright, excited expression, but as always, Ryoma remained indifferent.

“I’ll pay for you!”

“I don’t like that.”

“Then you pay for me!”

“I don’t like that either.”

“Then we’ll each pay for ourselves!”

“It still costs money.”

“You’re so selfish! Just compromise a little!”

“Look who’s talking.”

To anyone watching, it would seem like Ryoma was putting up a desperate fight, but deep down, he had already given in.

Ryoma and Aira had a sort of “contractual relationship”. Since he hadn’t been able to cook for Kaya yesterday, he had already anticipated this happening today. That’s why he had woken up early to prepare dinner in advance.

With no real reason to rush home, he didn’t have much choice but to go along with her.

“You know, this might sound rude, but that cold attitude really doesn’t suit you, Ryoma-senpai. If you’re gonna be tsun*, you have to show some dere* too!”

(*Tsun = cold or prickly attitude, *Dere = affectionate or sweet behavior)

“Someone here is the reason I act like this. At least let me have some peace while I’m working.”

“…Well, being alone is lonely, you know?”

“You’re—”

“—Which is why we’re going for ramen!”

“Damn it, I got played…”

Ryoma had been caught off guard by Aira’s sudden somber expression, but she immediately lit up with a bright, mischievous smile. That little act of hers could probably be useful if she ever wanted to become an actress.

“Besides, Ryoma-senpai, you’re hungry too, right? You’ve been working so hard.”

“I am, but… wait, you planned this from the start, didn’t you?”

“Hehe, maybe~”

“Sigh… whatever. Let’s go to that ramen place. I am kinda curious about it.”

“You say ‘let’s go’, but let’s be real, Ryoma-senpai, you never really had a choice to begin with~”

“Hearing you say that just kills my motivation.”

“Then I’ll cheer you up!”

Pat, pat, pat, pat!

Standing on her tiptoes, Aira kept playfully tapping his shoulder, flashing her signature grin, showing off her sharp little canine teeth.

She was probably trying to say, “Don’t worry about it,” but there was no way to make that kind of reassurance more annoying than this.

“…Contracts are seriously powerful, huh.”

“That’s what a contract is. Besides, Ryoma-senpai, you shouldn’t be acting all cold toward your client—me. You should be bowing and scraping instead.”

“That’s not how it works. The world turns bad when people know something is wrong but don’t speak up because of their position.”

“Ugh, you’re actually right! …Huh? Wait, am I doing something bad to you, Ryoma-senpai?”

“You’re interrupting my job.”

Despite saying that, Ryoma still spent his time dealing with Aira. That was because this cute gyaru had become a sort of attraction at the bookstore, increasing the number of male customers and, in turn, boosting sales.

The store manager had even bowed his head to Ryoma, saying, “Please, don’t turn that customer away!”

And, to be fair, Aira wasn’t really causing trouble for anyone else—just Ryoma. So this whole situation was basically accepted as normal.

“But honestly, isn’t it nice making money just by talking to me? You’re basically slacking off, Ryoma-senpai.”

“…When are you gonna fix the way you call me?”

“You’re totally dodging the question! …Oh, you mean what I call you?”

Who wouldn’t be happy making easy money? But saying “Yeah, you’re right” out loud, in front of the store manager working the register, wasn’t an option.

So, naturally, Ryoma had to change the subject.

“Yeah. You used to just call me ‘Senpai’ before. When did my name suddenly get attached? This is like the third time I’ve brought it up…”

“Wait, do you… hate it? Would you rather be called ‘Ryoma-sama’ or ‘Super Nice Senpai’ instead?”

“Those are absolutely out of the question.”

“Then I’ll stick with this one~”

Aira had deliberately thrown out those ridiculous alternatives to make sure Ryoma wouldn’t outright reject ‘Ryoma-senpai’.

It was all part of her plan—by presenting him with worse options, she was making sure she kept control of the conversation.

“Just tell me one thing… this isn’t some kind of punishment game, is it?”

“Nope. I just call you that because I want to.”

“…I see. Well, as long as it’s not a punishment game, I guess it’s fine.”

“Wait, you were actually worried about that? That’s hilarious! And now you’re kinda showing your dere side, too!”

“I’m not being dere. And you’re noisy.”

Ryoma hadn’t meant to sound soft, but the fact that he was actually concerned was undeniable. Aira’s sharp remark hit the mark, and embarrassment crept up on him.

“Alright, stop interrupting my work. Go read some manga or something.”

Trying to hide his feelings, he waved his hand dismissively, shooing her away like an annoying fly.

“Manga! Alright, I’ll do that! Call me when your shift is over~”

“The store closes at 10 PM.”

“Oh, that means I have to leave first.”

“And you don’t have any time left to read manga, either.”

“I’m such an idiot! You should’ve told me sooner!”

“Aira-san, please keep your voice down in the store.”

“You little…!”

In the end, Aira was completely played by Ryoma.

She sounded frustrated, almost like she wanted to pick a fight, but she still had the decency to bow her head and say, “I’m sorry.”

＊＊＊

“Phew… It’s freezing…”

By the time Ryoma stepped out of the bookstore, it was already past 10:05 PM.

Aira was standing there in the biting cold, blowing warm air into her hands for warmth.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Oh, Ryoma-senpai! No worries, no worries. You already finished up your closing tasks?”

“Yeah, just had to clock out.”

“Didn’t you talk to the manager?”

“Nah, not today. He looked really busy.”

“…Thanks, Ryoma-senpai. You clocked out early for me, didn’t you?”

Aira had noticed everything.

He did it so she wouldn’t have to wait out here in the cold.

Between being treated as unimportant and being cared for, of course, the latter would make anyone happier.

Her heart thumped—thump—just a little.

“I just left because the manager was busy, that’s all.”

“Liar. Your eyes are darting around.”

“They’re just dry from the cold… Anyway, what do you want to borrow?”

Ryoma held out his scarf and gloves to the shivering Aira.

One of them would temporarily become hers.

Since Aira came to his workplace practically every day, it was obvious—these were meant for her from the start.

“Gloves!”

“Here you go.”

“Thanks a bunch!”

Aira took the gloves from Ryoma with both hands.

“Don’t eat it, okay?”

“I’m not a goat.”

“Goats don’t eat gloves.”

“They do, actually.”

“Huh, seriously?”

“Yeah. They can’t digest them, though.”

“Okay, let’s drop this conversation.”

It was hard to tell who was the jokester in this exchange.

As Aira put on the gloves, Ryoma wrapped his scarf around himself.

Now, they were both at least somewhat protected from the cold.

“Alright, let’s head to the ramen place!”

“Got it.”

The two stepped out of the bookstore’s parking lot.

Aira took the lead, confidently walking toward their destination—

Until—

“Aira, where do you think you’re walking?”

Ryoma furrowed his brows and stopped her in her tracks.

“Huh? On the sidewalk. Are your eyes bad, Ryoma-senpai?”

“No. I mean, let me walk on the roadside.”

Ryoma lightly tugged Aira’s sleeve, pulling her away from the street and positioning himself between her and the road.

Now, their positions were reversed.

“Whoa… You’re totally trying to raise your likability score.”

“If it were that easy, the world would be overflowing with couples.”

“Th-That’s because people don’t confess their feelings!”

“Well… you’re not wrong.”

Ryoma didn’t even realize it.

Instead of brushing it off, he actually acknowledged Aira’s point.

But what he failed to ask was—Did Aira’s affection for him just grow?

“Listen, I’m going to be serious for a second. I’m already an adult. If I let a minor walk around at night, it means I’m responsible for your safety. I can’t let your parents down by bringing you back injured.”

“…”

“So let me do this, alright? If you don’t like it, I’ll just skip the ramen and take you straight home. Which do you prefer?”

Ryoma exhaled, his breath white in the cold night air.

He spoke with firm determination—the kind of responsibility that only an adult could carry.

And to Aira, that kind of reliability was nothing short of irresistible.

“Then, I-I’ll let you…”

“Good. That makes me happy too. I really want that ramen. I’ve been looking forward to it.”

Just like that, Ryoma intentionally shifted the conversation—

Connecting his sense of duty to his ramen craving in the most blatant way possible.

The atmosphere, heavy with seriousness, suddenly lightened.

“You’re… too mature… Ryoma-senpai.”

“I am twenty, after all.”

“T-That’s… not what I meant…”

Aira’s words came out in fragments, struggling to form a proper sentence.

Her heart pounded at Ryoma’s unexpected switch.

And until they reached the ramen shop, it didn’t slow down.

Even though she was only wearing gloves, her entire body felt as warm as if she were wrapped in a thick winter coat.

This was Ryoma’s personal time—his off-hours from work.

The time when the contract dictated that he was supposed to act as her “big brother”.

Normally, Aira would call him “Onii-chan.”

But not today.

Today, she called him “Ryoma-senpai,” just like usual.

And the reason was simple—

Because she was beginning to see him as more than just a brother.

It was a sign.

A sign that, little by little, her feelings were starting to change…