episode_0349

It was just a few seconds ago.

I had this double-edged sword of wanting this peaceful time called vacation to last longer, but on the other hand, I also had this double-edged sword of wanting this painful time to pass a little faster.

However, now there is no need to be entangled in such double worries.

There was no need to worry or feel regret about the time getting shorter as it got longer.

“I heard you’re looking for a part-time job.”

Because with that one word, all my complaints disappeared.

‘You just said… you were looking for a part-time job, right?’

As soon as I heard it, I could clearly tell what they had come to do.

I wasn’t originally planning on coming to a place like this, but I came here to work part-time.

A feeling of anticipation begins to rise in one corner of my chest.

Well, that kid also works part-time here.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to see you during the vacation… Can we meet here?

If we work together and see each other’s faces every time, can we become close?

The corners of my mouth move involuntarily.

The corners of my mouth go up without me realizing it.

I wish that were the case.

We work together, eat together, and commute to and from work together.

Besides that… can’t we become a little closer?

Happy imaginations were unfolding in my head.

“Ah. Did you come here after seeing the job posting?”

“That’s the flyer over there, to be exact.”

“Flyer?”

“It’s attached to a telephone pole, isn’t it?”

“Ah. Not text, but a flyer? Hmm.”

Hearing that, the president tilted his head for a moment, then remembered it after I described the appearance of the flyer.

“The workload has been reduced, but from my perspective, it’s much better to have someone who can do the work for you. So, what documents did you bring?”

“Here.”

“Are you thoroughly prepared? Yeah. Let’s see… Hmm. Hmm.”

The boss calmly accepted the resume and read it.

But after reading the resume and glancing over it a few times, he looked embarrassed.

‘Surely… you’re trying to eliminate me?’

The boy, who caught the sour expression of the president with his sharp eyes, immediately asked the president.

“Please explain.”

“Huh, huh?”

“Why are you rejecting me?”

When the question hit the nail on the head, the president had no choice but to reveal his true feelings.

“There seem to be a lot of problems. I don’t think we’ll be able to receive it at our store.”

“Is the part-timer’s wage lowered because of the reduction in work? Then you can keep the original wage.”

“No, that’s okay. As I said before, if you give me more work, everything will be okay from my point of view.”

The president flatly denied speculation about a reduction in workload.

“First of all, there are more than one or two problems. Compared to other stores, our store has a lot of work. Of course, that’s why the pay is set that way, and we actually try to give that much… The problem is that everyone couldn’t hold out and left.”

A slurping sound came from the president’s mouth.

“Even if I tried to overpay, I couldn’t hold out for long. The work was that hard. But…what would happen if I entrusted this kind of weak body with the work and an accident happened?”

The store’s image at that location was ruined.

You may have to close down your business because you are putting too much work on a teenager.

In a word, it’s a matter of physique.

It means that it is impossible to entrust this job to you, who looks like a tall and skinny person.

“And besides your physique, you’re not a student at a nearby high school. That’s also a bit concerning.”

“What’s wrong with not being a student at a nearby high school?”

“That’s… I can’t just accept high school students because there’s been so many recent incidents. Runaways come and steal money, they cause trouble, saying they’re part of some crew, and there were times when bad guys would roll in and mess things up, and then just take the day’s pay and leave.”

The president sighed deeply as he recalled past events.

“After looking into it, I found out that they were all from other regions. Because of them, even the original workers were affected… It’s difficult. If I go to other regions to try to solve it, I’ll be exhausted. Even if they’re students, if they don’t live nearby, it’ll be difficult to run the store.”

The second is that I am not a resident here.

When you hire student workers, there may be minor problems, but if they come from other regions, the store suffers in many ways.

If they are residents of the area, it may be possible to resolve the issue quickly, but if someone from a completely different area causes an accident or trouble and then disappears, it is difficult to catch them. That is why the requirement that high school students must be residents of the area is required.

“Also, this store will be relocated to a different location soon. If there is any trouble during that time, it will be difficult, so I want to maintain this situation as much as possible and move on.”

In addition, the manager explained the store’s situation by giving several other reasons.

I’m sorry, but I can’t accept you for these reasons.

It is not suitable for hiring high school students as part-time workers.

I persuaded him like that.

‘…no.’

All my happy imaginations were shattered.

If this continues… that kid might give up his part-time job here.

Then… I won’t be able to see you again during the vacation.

No, that’s absolutely not possible.

I can’t just sit back and watch.

“Wait a minute, sir!”

“Huh?”

“Wait a minute. I have something to tell you separately.”

“Uh. Uh. Okay.”

The place has been moved. It is a distance where the person concerned cannot hear the voice. At this distance, it cannot be heard.

He expressed his opinion to the fullest extent.

“That kid is a good kid. Boss. You can trust him. He’s completely different from the kids you’ve seen so far. I can guarantee it.”

“How can you guarantee that…?”

“That’s because I’m in the same high school as that kid, no, in the same class!”

It’s been quite a while since I started working here.

Even though he couldn’t do it, he was quite a veteran among the remaining part-time workers.

Well, then, a word of encouragement here would be okay, right?

“We’re in the same high school and class… Hmm.”

Okay. The boss started stroking his chin.

“The boss said earlier. It was because high school students from other regions were causing trouble. But, I’ve seen that kid, and I know for sure that he’s not that kind of kid. Even his grades are the best in the entire school?”

“…You seem pretty sincere, huh?”

“Of course! We split up the group project and did it well.”

“If what you’re saying is true, then I don’t think those things that happened in the past happened…”

The boss turned his head and looked the boy’s body from top to bottom.

Again, the pupils turn this way.

The look in his eyes didn’t change.

But isn’t that physique a bit odd?

How can you work in a position that requires a lot of strength with that physique?

What if the kids who got out are just as spiritless?

This is because if it’s hard, people just give up regardless of their grades, and it only makes it harder for us.

You know that too, right?

The boss’s eyes seemed to be saying that.

I know, I thought I would die from exhaustion trying to make up for it. That reason can be extinguished too.

“She may look skinny, but she’s not that weak. She learned kendo.”

“Kendo?”

“Yes. I joined the kendo club and made a name for myself, and I was a regular at the national championships and never lost. On top of that, I beat up the kids who were bullying me. Isn’t that kind of grit enough?”

“Um…”

After the hasty and hurried explanation, the president’s gaze changed significantly.

Sincerity has already been proven.

Even if it’s not in this area, a current student from the same high school, and the person I’ve known the longest, said he would guarantee it.

They say that his physique is not as good as it looks.

Isn’t it okay?

That thought was reflected in his eyes.

“…Come in first. You have to go for an interview.”

The manager, who had been thinking deeply, said he understood and brought the boy into the store.

Okay.

It seemed like they were going to move on to the next step by saying they would interview me, but that was actually nothing. They were just asking me to do a few things that needed to be done.

Since she was originally a very cheerful child, there is no way she can’t do anything.

I’ll get rid of that in no time.

If that kid is a very fast learner, he can do it.

Maybe he’ll do that perfectly and surprise you.

It’s practically like passing.

The tension is relieved.

Joy surges along with a sense of relief.

I feel like jumping around like a rabbit in this place.

But, what’s really beating is my heart.

‘What should I do? Oh, my heart is beating so hard…’

Are you going to do the same part-time job as that kid from now on?

Even though it’s vacation, we still meet here…?

No. We can meet up after school ends and vacation ends, right?

The high expectations do not seem to subside.

It still feels like just yesterday that you held that umbrella over me.

It seems like just yesterday I was looking at my part-time job at the convenience store from afar and feeling regretful.

It seems like it was only a minute ago, not an hour, that my side started to hurt.

Now, even winter doesn’t feel that cold.

Even the snow falling from the sky is so nice.

“Please do the math here.”

“Yes-!”

I was so happy that my tension rose to the max.

***

-Tiring!

▶Hidden Memorial has ended.◀

All of the person’s appearances are covered up so that no one can tell who they are.

They even made it so that people’s voices cannot be distinguished.

I couldn’t even remember what happened there that left me with any memories.

Since all senses were blocked, the information that could be obtained was extremely limited.

So, I thought, this is just one of my useless memories.

But this time I couldn’t ignore it.

Memorials originally contained memories.

It shows me memories of the past and recreates the events of that time.

But this time?

…this is not my point of view.

That part-time job was a high-paying one that I found after quitting my convenience store job and wandering around.

To make up for the shortfall even a little, I had to somehow raise more money to pay off all the debt I owed to those families, so I went there after seeing the flyer.

However, due to various factors, I had to give up that part-time job.

I had to find another part-time job because of the boss’s position, the store’s position, and the other students who were causing trouble.

Nevertheless, I was able to start that part-time job. It was because the attitude and will of the boss, who had been saying that it would be difficult to accept a part-time job until recently, changed as if he had turned the other side of the palm.

I couldn’t figure out why I was offered a part-time job that seemed impossible. But… the scene I just saw gives me the answer.

At this point, a conversation with the president took place.

The will of someone who persuaded the president was evident.

This is the point of view of the person who briefly called the president during our conversation.

“At this point… there’s only one person.”

Author.

My one and only friend.

It doesn’t make sense unless you look at it from that kid’s perspective.

“But… why? Why on earth is the author’s point of view shown?”

In response, the status window responded with an alarm sound.

-Tiring!

▶The time stop effect of Memorial will soon disappear.◀

▶Find the remaining memorial in Roselle Bagrand’s tomb.◀

[ Hidden Memories Currently Discovered 2/4 ]

It seems like there’s still something left.