Chapter 41: Kanai’s Misunderstanding

I could understand why Kanai’s parents opposed it. They probably thought this girl was going to work as a regular employee at her part-time job workplace.

“So then, President Mizushima came out of the limousine and came to greet my family~”

While continuing her story, Kanai also took out her own lunch. The size was… not much different from the lunch box she gave me, but I didn’t make any tactless comments.

“Both my dad and mom were completely bewildered! After that, President Mizushima invited my family to a meal at a really luxurious hotel~”

While Char and I had walked around the exhibition until we were exhausted on Sunday, this girl seemed to have had quite a good time.

“That’s great. Normally they wouldn’t go that far to recruit people.”

“Right! President Mizushima is such a wonderful person!”

“So, did persuading your parents go well?”

“Yeah! After talking for a bit, both dad and mom started bowing their heads repeatedly!”

“Well, that’s to be expected.”

What Kanai was actually being offered was a ‘management candidate’ position. There was a world of difference from the regular position her parents had imagined.

“As expected from the president of Kuroyagitei which has 6 locations nationwide!”

Seeing Kanai speak with such a cheerful expression, I was certain. This girl still didn’t understand the gravity of the situation.

“Kanai, do you understand what Yamano Holdings is?”

“Huh? It’s the name of the company that operates Kuroyagitei, right?”

“That’s not wrong.”

I asked a simple question.

“…Kanai, have you ever been to Blue Mountain?”

“What, suddenly… of course I have? It’s a cafe that’s everywhere, right? I’ve tried all their new products!”

“Then what about Yoshidaya, Yayoitei, and Italian King?”

“O-of course I have! They’re all common restaurants!”

“The hotel you were taken to was the Summit Hotel, was it?”

“H-how did you know?! That’s right!”

I finished all of the lunch Kanai had given me and took a breath.

“Everything I just mentioned are all subsidiaries of Yamano Holdings.”

“…Huh?”

Just as I thought, this girl thought each of them were independent companies. Yamano Holdings was a company that operated extensively, mainly in the restaurant industry. The fact that President Mizushima, the representative director of such a company, came to persuade them personally showed how high their expectations for this girl were.

“Ehhhh~!? No way~!?”

Kanai’s scream echoed through the courtyard.

Chapter 42: Dojima’s Revenge

“Hey~ what was that weird scream just now~”

“It’s probably just a student from the ‘general class’~”

“They really are like monkeys~”

In the courtyard, students from the advanced class sitting on other benches snickered mockingly. Kanai, who had been the one to shout loudly, blushed with embarrassment. Little did they know that Kanai had already reached a position that not even a handful of them could achieve.

“Look, you should have properly researched it online at least once.”

“Yeah… I really regret it. Hey, is Make Foods also a subsidiary of Yamano Holdings by any chance?”

“Yeah, it’s a company that manufactures instant foods.”

“Ah, ah~ No wonder…”

Kanai seemed confused but also convinced.

“That’s where my dad works.”

“…Seriously? So you’re going to become an executive of your parent’s parent company. This is getting confusing just talking about it.”

“That explains it~ Since we don’t have a mother, I do the housework. Somehow, I was getting unusually appreciated today…”

“Didn’t you say both your ‘parents’ were against it?”

“Ah, I think people would feel sorry for me, so I don’t usually tell people that I don’t have a mother.”

I see, various things made sense now. The reason her father was so opposed to her working in the food service industry was probably because he knew the internal situation to some extent. After all, guys like Saida had been left unchecked.

“My little brother usually looks down on me too, but this morning he actually returned my greeting. Usually it’s just ignoring me or clicking his tongue.”

“It’s pretty amazing that you keep greeting him even though you usually get ignored or get tongue clicks.”

This girl had quite a forceful and persistent side to her. That’s probably why she’d caught President Mizushima’s eye too.

“Ah, but don’t misunderstand. My brother is purely a good kid. It’s because dad kept telling him ‘don’t become a fool like her’ about me… He was made to study quite strictly to get into the advanced class.”

“Your position at home was pretty bad, huh.”

“Well, I really am stupid and my brother is smart~ I wonder why President Mizushima chose someone like me…”

Kanai’s father must have been scared out of his wits in front of President Mizushima. Well, it was divine punishment for not showing his daughter any affection and making her do all the work.

“Thanks for the meal.”

When I returned Kanai’s empty lunch box, she took out a memo as if she had been waiting.

“How was the lunch? Tell me your thoughts! What was delicious?”

“I see, so I was being used as a test subject for your cooking. Also, wouldn’t it be meaningless if you don’t ask while I’m eating?”

When I pointed this out, Kanai tilted her head curiously.

“Huh? But you’d want to know about the dishes you remember after finishing eating, right? That’s probably what you’ll remember. Besides, if I asked while you were eating, you’d be on guard and wouldn’t understand the natural taste, right?”

…This girl kept calling herself stupid, but she naturally said things that hit the mark. Don’t worry, Kanai. President Mizushima’s eye for people probably wasn’t wrong.

After finishing my comments on Kanai’s lunch, I started eating my own lunch.

“Ah, Fushimi’s lunch looks delicious too!”

“It’s half-hearted though. I made it myself too, surprising right?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised by something like that at this point~ Give me some!”

Saying that, Kanai boldly stole a sausage from my lunch box with her chopsticks and showed a triumphant smile. Damn it, my protein (for muscles)…

“Ah, you shouldn’t make cuts in sausages. The precious meat juices will come out while cooking, right? Also, they’re delicious when boiled too!”

“I kind of knew you liked cooking, but you’re quite something.”

“Actually, my dream since I was little was to open my own restaurant~ When I told President Mizushima, he supported me! So I’m working hard!”

“I see, then leave the taste testing to me.”

“You just want free food, don’t you~?”

“Don’t be stupid, if I could eat it just by paying money, I’d pay anytime. Besides, you’re an accomplice in the taste testing too, right?”

“I properly confessed to President Mizushima~ Then he smiled and said ‘Taste testing is important’.”

“When you confessed about the taste testing, didn’t your father make an awful face?”

“That’s right! He started bowing in a cold sweat, what a shock! My brother was also put off~”

“Well, you could get fired based on your actions alone.”

I ate lunch on the bench with the often-laughing Kanai, having trivial conversations. There were many shitty people, but thinking that I could protect someone like Kanai with my life made me feel somewhat rewarded.

After such a lunch break ended, I also got through the afternoon classes and the bell announcing the end of school rang.

◇◇◇

While preparing to go home, I talked to Char next to me.

“Char, how was it? The Japanese classes?”

“…Jinta, I’m a genius hacker, you know? Isn’t that a foolish question?”

Char gracefully brushed her hair with her hand.

“So, how was it really?”

“I didn’t understand anything at all. Except for English…”

Char hadn’t attended school. Even at this school, said to be the lowest level, it was an encounter with the unknown for Char.

“I can live without understanding such things.”

“The weight of words from someone who has actually survived is different.”

“What are you doing after school?”

“Ah, I have plans. Fushimi Jinta has to collect the money that was stolen from him by Dojima.”

Just as I said that, my phone received a message. It was from Dojima.

‘Come to the rooftop right now. Don’t run away.’