In a World of Reversed Chastity, I’m Surrounded by a Clingy Older Woman, a Walking Red Flag, and an Exhausted Office Lady - 4

Chapter 4: The Working Corporate Slave Office Lady

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After safely finishing Renka’s report, I parted ways with her and headed to my part-time job. It wasn’t that completing her report had taken longer than expected. We had just ended up talking and lost track of time. Still, I couldn’t afford to be late.

Fortunately, my workplace wasn’t that far from my university, so if I walked quickly, I could make it in time. Glancing repeatedly at my phone to check the time, I hurried and somehow made it by 5:00 PM.

“Sorry, Manager. I’m a little late.”

“No, no, it’s totally fine. Please handle the register again today.”

“Okaaay.”

I put the store uniform over the shirt I was already wearing and took my place at the register.

“Oh, good work. You can clock out now.”

“Ehh? We can still work plenty more. Maybe we’ll stay a bit longer.”

“That’s right, we still have lots of energy left.”

The part-time aunties said that. Personally, I wouldn’t have minded if they stayed and worked, but…

“Go on, switch out already. There, off you go.”

“Manager, that’s so unfair. You’re the only one who gets to work with Aoi-kun.”

“What’s wrong with working together with Aoi-kun?”

The manager ushered them out, and peace was somehow restored. It wasn’t like I disliked them, and since they seemed to like me, I couldn’t dislike them either. Basically, whenever I was on shift, I was always working the shift with the manager. Apparently, there were various reasons, but it seemed like it was because the part-timers and other workers would compete over shifts when I was scheduled, and that became troublesome.

“Well then, as usual, Aoi-kun, please handle the register and the fried foods. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, understood.”

As soon as I stepped behind the register, customers started coming. Around this time of day, a decent number of people came, and customers flowed in and out without pause. There was also a self-checkout, but no one lined up there. Plenty of people lined up at my register instead. I supposed many didn’t know how to use it, so it couldn’t be helped.

While thinking that it was crowded again today and working through the line, one regular customer came in.

“Shiki-san, you’re earlier than usual today.”

“Y-Yeah. I finished work earlier than usual today.”

This person was Kaoruko Shiki-san. She was a regular who always came when I was on shift. Usually she came around 9 PM, near the end of my shift, but today she was noticeably earlier.

“Oh, and instead of just buying energy drinks, you’re getting a salad today. I think that’s good.”

“I-It’s just… Since Shirasu-kun is always worrying about me, I can’t keep buying only things that are bad for my health.”

When I had first started working here, she used to buy energy drinks with lifeless eyes. I’d been so worried that I spoke to her, and from then on, we started talking. There were many regulars, and I remembered their faces, but the one I knew best and was closest to was probably Shiki-san.

“That’s right. It would be a waste to keep drinking only energy drinks since you have such a beautiful face. It’s not very good for you.”

“B-B-B-Beau—beautiful?”

“Yes. Shiki-san is beautiful, right?”

She was probably used to hearing that, so why act surprised now? Shiki-san was indeed tall, looked serious, and gave the impression of being a capable, hardworking office lady. At first glance she might seem strict, but that wasn’t the case at all.

Even now, the way her cheeks were flushed was cute. And perhaps because she had recently improved her diet and lifestyle, she looked healthier than when we first met, and her eyes were lively. If that wasn’t beautiful, then what was? She seemed like someone who had been told that countless times at school and at work, so what was she making a fuss about now?

“D-Don’t say things like that to someone older than you. Honestly, Shirasu-kun, if you say things like that to just anyone, you’ll get yourself into serious trouble someday.”

“I don’t say it to just anyone. I only say things like that to people who are working hard, or people I’m close to. Basically people I genuinely think that about.”

Since I didn’t really understand what Shiki-san was trying to say, I tilted my head without thinking. I was an average-looking guy, and in my whole life I had never once been assaulted by a girl or confessed to, so I had no idea what I was supposed to be careful about.

“Um, excuse me. Could you please hurry up with the register?”

“Oh, sorry. Well then, Shiki-san. See you.”

Because we had talked too long, the next customer said that to us. I just hoped we wouldn’t get a complaint later. Thinking that, I finished the rest of my shift.

“Well then, Manager. Good work today. Ah, Sachi-san, good luck with the rest of your shift.”

“Okaaay. Get home safely.”

“Shirasu-senpai, let’s work together more often!”

“Sorry. Maybe next time.”

After handing things over to the manager and the next shift worker, I stepped outside. When I breathed in the air after finishing work, I felt an odd sense of refreshment.

“Sh-Sh-Shirasu-kun. Are you done with work?”

“Yes, I just finished. But Shiki-san, why are you here?”

It had been about an hour since Shiki-san left the store.

“W-Well, um… you’re always worrying about me, so I thought maybe I could treat you to dinner as an apology. Of course, it would be my treat.”

Shiki-san fidgeted with her hair as she shyly made the suggestion. Even if she said she was causing me worry, I had only meddled on my own accord. She didn’t need to treat me to dinner out of obligation.

“I-I’m sorry for asking so suddenly. It must be annoying to have a grown woman say something like this. S-Sorry. Forget I said anything. Well then, goodbye.”

As I hesitated, she spoke rapidly and seemed about to leave, so I instinctively grabbed her hand to stop her.

“I haven’t even said anything yet. I don’t find it annoying at all. I just thought it wasn’t really balanced for you to treat me to dinner when I was the one who meddled.”

I carefully chose my words to tell her I wasn’t rejecting her, but…

“Y-Your hand. Sh-Shirasu-kun’s ha-hand…”

Huh? Is she not listening?

“Sh-Shirasu-kun. Your hand.”

Hand?

When I looked down, I realized I had grabbed Shiki-san’s hand without thinking, so I let go.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I grabbed you without permission.”

“I don’t mind at all. Really, you could hold it for hours if you wanted.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

She said that, but earlier she had tried to run off without even listening, so I had grabbed her. Besides, I didn’t have the courage to touch a woman’s hand or skin except in an emergency. As proof of that, even though I had spent a night with my incredibly beautiful neighbor, I hadn’t touched her with so much as a finger. I was that much of a chicken.

Shiki-san said I could hold her hand for hours. She was probably just being considerate of me, but I had no intention of doing so. At some point the conversation had become strange, so to sum up, what I wanted to say was this.

“Umm, this got kind of weird, but what I want to say is—I’d like to go. To dinner.”

“Eh!? R-Really?”

“Yes. Ah, but I have something to take care of today, so I can’t.”

Even though I trusted Shinonome-san, I still wanted to go home and check on things. Today just wasn’t good.

“So, let’s exchange contact information.”

“E-Ehhh!? I-Is that okay? M-My contact information isn’t worth anything at all.”

“…? Wouldn’t it be more convenient to exchange contact information so we can decide on a date and all that? It’s definitely useful.”

When I replied that way, she hesitantly took out her phone, and we exchanged contact information. A new icon appeared in my friends list—an image of a drink, probably taken at a bar somewhere.

“Well then, I’ll wait for your message. Let’s decide on a date.”

“O-Okay!!”

She replied in a cute way that didn’t match her serious, capable office-lady appearance. Compared to when we first met, she had become much more energetic, and I was glad about that.

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