Author Note: No Ero.

The first day of the part-time job was several seconds after the interview.
I had currently just left the sweets restraunt"s staff changing room. Work has already begun.
From the outset, there was no reason to refuse someone introduced by an existing employee. I was employed just from appropriately exchanging some words back and forth.

“Yup, that"s not bad look.”

A woman"s voice with a calm feeling sounded.
It was the owner of this Sweets Restaurant. I believe her name was Saki or something. It helps that I don"t have to remember her name as long as I just call her Owner.
She looks to be about 20 from her looks. Apparently she was a company employee who dealed with food, and a woman who possessed a soft atmosphere despite her bundled hair giving of an even more mature impression.

“Also, if you could make your face a little softer-“
“Soft, is it?”
“Yes, because there times when you may speak to customers even when working in the back.”

I intend to go about as I normally do. Also, I don"t want to be talked to customers.
Perhaps thinking that she had no choice, the owner simply sighed without pursuing any further.

“Well then, first head to the kitchen, ok?”
“Yes.”
“Are the working times fine?”
“It"s fine. I"m with Mai, and the final exams are over for us.”
“Heeh, no honorifics, huh?”

She continued to talk about trifling affairs, probably so as to stall for time.
When the owner opened the kitchen door, the hustle and bustle which could be heard from the outside quieted a little.
I could confirm that several people were cooking something, but with my knowledge I couldn"t figure out any more than that.

“Sakaki-san, he"s the newcomer who"s starting from today.”
“……I see.”
“It"s fine to have expectations this time. He was recommended by that Mai-san, after all.”

I"d like it if you stopped that sort of thing.
To put it in a single word, the man called Sakaki was a large person. Strictness was transmitted from his expression, but he didn"t appear to be the noisy type.

“What do you mean by ‘this time"?”
“A kid who joined a little whilte ago screamed when it became busy and up and quit. Also, even though he"s like this, Sakaki-san is someone who says things straight out.”
“He doesn"t seem that proficient with words.”
“See? Ah, but he"s good at teaching so listen to him without fear.”

Sakaki-san glared this way with eyes like a bear. It seemed as though he was evaluating whether or not I could be eaten.
While leaving a little distance between us, I, for the time being, didn"t avert my eyes. How to say, if it"s atmosphere alone, then it was slightly similar to Rein"s, even if not completely.

“Here.”
“Ok.”
“Then, I"ll leave the rest to you, okay? I"ll be in the office, so please call me if you need anything.”

Saying just that, she easily relinquished me.
While following after Sakaki-san, I vaguely surveyed the kitchen.

“So we have an oven, huh?”
“We"re making sweets, after all. First off, take this to the show case area.”
“Huh, w-w-wuuuut!”

It was at such a time that the voice of an unknown man approached from the side.
Furthermore, it was directed towards me.

“So the new part-timer"s you, is it!? I welcome you!”
“……h.e.l.lo.”

Who?

“Atari, someone you know?”
“Yes, that"s right! He"s the benefactor who helped me and Yuri get together. This is the man who changed us who hadn"t progressed from childhood friends for ten-odd years!”

Atari-kun gladly spoke that while knocking my shoulder.
Did I do such a thing? I don"t remember. Was I the type to do something like a good deed?

“Hm, aah, sorry, sorry. You"d be shocked with this coming out of the blue, huh? Since then, I"ve also done a lot of thinking for Yuri"s sake. Right now I"ve quit the soccer club and am currently saving up money for the future.”
“Heeh, aren"t you diligent?”
“It"s not something to be praised for, y"see! Tell me if you need anything, I wanna be of help to you!”

I may really not like it here.
Seeing Sakaki-san mutely return to his work was, to some extent, relieving.
For the time being, let"s just do what I"m told.

When it neared 3 o"clock, it become crowded like a sweets shop.
It"s just, according to what the owner said, the real numbers apparently come after 7 o"clock in the evening. This place also served as a restaurant, so there are many customers who come normally for dinner.

“Book, is the shortcake from earlier still not ready!?”
“I"m bringing it now!”

My task is to just bring the prepared goods to the store, but even so it"s quite painful.
However, Sakaki-san and Atari-kun are also struggling to work in silence. I don"t dislike this atmosphere.

“Welcome!!”

Upon nearing the cash register, Mai and the other clerks" loud reception roared.
It"s basically my job to shuttle back and forth between the kitchen and the show case area mutliple times. It helps that it"s not that necessary to wear a smile, though.

“Book, hurry!”
“Book, ‘urry ‘urry!!!”
“Book, come come come!”

Everyone in the kitchen had come to address me as Book before I even noticed it.
It"s likely because of Mai"s influence. It"s not something to the extent that I should be concerned about, but I"m concerned.
The kitchen had become relatively brutal just from being crowded, and the jeers towards me, who was still lacking skills, had inevitably increased.

“Hey, Book, move! Ah, Yanagi-san, there"s not enough chocolate!”

Mai entered the interior of the kitchen. Her seemingly loud voice rung in my ears more than usual.
I inadvertently averted my gaze and ended up looking at Mai.
This restaurant"s uniform was, as one might expect, popular and certainly cute.
It was, as people say, of the maid uniform-cla.s.sification. Despite being winter, the frilly skirt was short, possessing a black and white base theme as the red ribbon acted as an accent.

“Hey, Book! Go on, go go!”
“I"m doing it!”

My back was smacked by Atari-kun. As expected from a sports club"s former member, he was a jock.
Although I just entered today, I had worked more than the amount of money that I gained. I"m glad that I could rest easy without having to unnecessarily put on a smile.

“Fufu!”

Suddenly, Mai looked at me and laughed slightly. When smiling in that outfit, I received yet another impression.

“Book, normally the peak time will pa.s.s in just a little bit, so do your best!”

Mai tapped my shoulder. Just like that, she returned to the reception with agile movements.
I don"t like it. I just can"t stomach the fact that that Mai was acting like my senior.

As Mai said, after a while the peak had pa.s.sed and the kitchen"s interior had also become calm.
The time had pa.s.sed by 5 o"clock unnoticed, and, in just a little bit, I"ll be done for today.

“Say, Book. It"s like this starting from your first day, but are you ok?”
“My knees are tired.”

Mai entered into the kitchen during her free time. Since she was also helping out for the time being, they probably don"t mind her making some idle chatter to a certain extent.

“No, it"s ok, Mai-san. He doesn"t seem reliable from his looks, but he"s the type that moves if there"s something to do.”
“Atari-san"s kind to Book, huh? Even though he was beaten so strictly during work-“
“No, no, Yanagi-san was worse, he really drove him hard.”

The duo looked at Yanagi-san at the same time.
Noticing this, Yanagi-san, who had constantly been cooking, unexpectedly turned around.

“This guy is better that way.”
“Certainly, it feels like he"ll start loafing immediately, right?”
“No, I"m obviously gonna work.”

This Sakaki-san is probably the type of person who would move 100 people if he could. I believe that people who dislike that decided to quit.
I don"t really mind, but it"s quite a fastidious impression.

“Hey, Mai! Come back ‘ere!”
“Ah, Yuri-senpai!”
“Oh, Book really came here. Long time no see.”

The woman called Yuri gazed at me with great interest.
Even though she said ‘long time no see", isn"t this our first meeting?

“Yanagi-san, please treat Book hospitably. He"s Atari-kun and my benefactor, after all.”
“……I got it. Rest a bit.”
“Isn"t that a little too sudden?”

I wonder if it"s alright to take a break even though my s.h.i.+ft finishes in several tens of minutes. Perhaps it"s special because today"s my first day?

“Oh well. Mai, I am also taking a break. I"ll guide Book.”
“G.o.ddiiit.”

Yuri beckoned me frequently, so I followed her just like that.
Atari-kun constantly waved his hand at me, but I wonder what for?

“Even so, coincidences really pile up, huh? To be together with Book again-“

Yuri smiled widely. She was a lovely woman in her own way, who also possessed attractiveness.
The fact that she was one of our students probably meant that this girl had also been subjected to the Hypnotic Test. Let"s think about whether or not this could be used to my convenience.

“I only chose this place because it was nearby.”
“Hmmm, so, are you on good terms with Mai?”

Yuri eyes lit up a little. In other words, she wanted to discuss about that topic.
Of course, there"s no signs of Mai and myself having such a relations.h.i.+p.

“Normal enough that she would introduce me to this part-time job.”
“Ngh, that so? Well then, why a part-time job?”
“I need savings.”

If I spoke of giving gifts to others, then I"d just end up being asked about who I"d be giving them to. Although boring, I settled things with this.
However, without ever making a bored face, Yuri placed her hand to her head and contemplated.
What is the purpose of that? I"m curious.

“Sorry, after thinking about it, I might be being a bit meddlesome.”
“It"s fine. If there"s something you"re concerned about, then it"ll save me if you just say it. I"m the type that will be bothered when it"s not said, see.”
“Is that so……? Then, aren"t you going to get a girlfriend, Book?”
“Girlfriend?”

As expected of girls, they have an interest in romance, huh?

If I"m correct, Yuri and Atari-kun were dating, huh? I wonder if they want to play the role of the busy-bodied old lady?

“After all, you"re the one who made Atari and myself happy. I was wondering whether or not I could help you out in that sort of area.”
“Aah.”

She"s really being meddlesome.
Yuri was likely saying this due to her good intentions. No, certainly, if I had someone who could help me out with women, then this would be a battle that had nothing to do with love. The comfort of having the same name of ‘woman" is strong.
Perhaps it would be a different story if I had someone in mind, though.

“Isn"t there anyone? It"s already December, you know?”
“Wait, wait, what"s December got to do with it?”

I gradually started to become fed up with it. I don"t like conversations that surface due these sorts of seasons.
In the first place, who exactly am I supposed hook up with?

Kokoro?
Mai?
Sunou?
Rein?

None of these people fit nicely with me.
Rather, how would doing that be any different than now? It"s not interesting if we"re in a s.e.xual relations.h.i.+p.

“Big bro-“
“What"s wrong?”
“No, I was just wondering about whether you have excessively sharp thoughts with regards to that?”

Perhaps trying to supplement herself with the style of a senior, Yuri smiled this way as though to obstruct these thoughts.

“I don"t think you will know this until you actually try falling in love, I guess? But you know, I thought about wanting you to try experiencing it for yourself once, and so meddlingly-“
“Is that so?”
“….ah-“

I took out the Hypnotic Test buzzer that was in my pocket and let the tone ring.
Yuri feel into a hypnotic tranc without any particular problems. Strength disappeared from her eyes that were once filled with energy.

“Now then, our break time is limited, so please guide me to the room.”
“Yes……I will, guide you.”

This is good.
In the first place, just because it"s the 12th month doesn"t mean that any changes will come to me. This was but a number created by the calendar.

There"s no way things will change.
Even after having obtained hypnosis, my essence had not undergone any changes.
It was unthinkable for such a me to become distorted.

Rather than talking about an impossible story, I had her guide me towards the break room so that we could have her try out a different intervention.