Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139838626691253/episodes/822139838627889619
“Huh? What’s up, Ren? You’re not going home with Nanase today?”
After school.
Walking side by side with Aiba for the first time in a while, he suddenly asked as if remembering something.
“Yeah. Seems like she’s going home with Todo and Mishima today.”
“Hmm?”
Hearing that, Aiba started grinning.
“What, already in a rut?”
“Huh…?”
“Nah, you two were practically glued together, flirting all the time until just the other day.
So I figured maybe you two had a fight or something.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Really? If it’s okay with you, I’d be happy to listen.”
“Seriously, nothing happened.”
To tell the truth, Nanase came straight to me again today and asked to walk home together.
But I turned her down, saying I had plans.
Knowing she couldn’t walk home with me, Nanase would surely go with her friends, Todo and Mishima.
If Nanase and those two grew closer, it would speed up my plan to gradually fade out.
“Hey, Ren. We’re stopping at that convenience store over there.”
As we passed the convenience store, Aiba suddenly stopped and said that.
“You need to buy something?”
“Huh? What, you don’t know?”
“…?”
“Come on. Follow me and you’ll see.”
“…???”
Following Aiba, who seemed to be up to something, we entered the convenience store.
“Look over there.”
Aiba pointed at the counter.
“Thank you very much. Please come again!”
There stood a smiling clerk serving customers.
Very young.
Probably a student part-timer.
Lined up were students wearing our school uniforms… mostly boys.
The other register was completely empty, with no one waiting there at all.
“Is there something about that clerk?”
“What, you don’t know Aoi Satsuki ?”
“Aoi… Satsuki…?”
“She’s a huge celebrity in the first year. Apparently, she was even scouted by a talent agency. Seriously cute, right? Remember the school beauty contest half a year ago? She was neck-and-neck with Hoshikawa and barely came in second.”
“Huh.”
So apparently, the popular clerk is a first-year at our high school.
Now that Aiba pointed her out, she really was cute.
Her looks were on par with Hoshikawa’s, and her chest was noticeably large even through the convenience store uniform.
Her outstanding appearance and figure made her popularity understandable.
“Aoi-chan works here, so this convenience store is popular with our students. She’s from a single-parent household and works here every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday to support her family. Such a sweet, hardworking girl…”
“…How do you know all that?”
I was totally creeped out by Aiba’s excessive knowledge of a girl one year below us.
“Hey, cut it out, Ren. Aoi-chan’s family situation and work schedule? That’s common knowledge among us high school boys.”
“Don’t just make it common knowledge. It’s creepy. Come on, let’s go.”
“Wait! Let’s buy something!”
“Huh?”
“Aoi-chan always smiles at me when she rings me up. Seeing that smile just blows away all the day’s fatigue, like, it’s super healing, you know?”
“…Do you even realize what you’re saying?”
“Come on, let’s go, Ren. Let’s buy some tea and have Aoi-chan ring us up.”
“…I’m worried about your future.”
This guy might turn into a stalker someday.
Thinking that, I reluctantly tag along with Aiba.
Aiba grabbed a random tea and lined up at Aoi-chan’s register.
I picked out a random rice ball.
Everyone seemed to be after Aoi-chan, lining up only at her register, so the line barely moved.
Finally, our turn came.
“Aoi-chan, you look cute again today.”
“Ah, Senpai. You came again.”
Aiba says this while placing a bottle of tea on the counter.
Aoi-chan gives Aiba an uncomplicated smile.
“You always work so hard, Aoi-chan. I’m rooting for you.”
“Thank you, Senpai.”
“If anything tough happens, tell me anytime, okay?”
“Hehe. You’re so kind, Senpai.”
Aoi-chan kept smiling brightly, even through Haibara’s persistent teasing.
Honestly, if a girl as beautiful as Aoi-chan acted like this, guys might get the wrong idea.
“Hey, cut it out already.”
I pushed Aiba aside and placed the rice balls on the counter.
“Ah. Sorry about that. My friend…”
“Hehe. It’s fine. He is a regular who always comes to buy stuff.”
“He comes here…?”
Poor guy.
Maybe I should tell him to stop coming next time.
“That’ll be 150 yen for one item.”
“Um… I’ll pay with a 1000 yen bill.”
“Okay, then your change is…”
“…Whoa!?”
While Aoi-chan was handling the payment, I caught a glimpse of the Grim Reaper sprawled out behind the counter.
He lay on his back on the floor, eyes vacant, staring into space, at attention.
Why is the Grim Reaper here…?
“S-senpai…? Is something wrong?”
Aoi-chan seemed completely unaware.
She tilted her head in confusion at my sudden outburst.
“N-no… nothing… sorry.”
I glanced at the grim reaper again while taking my change.
Given the reaper’s position, it was likely possessing either Aoi-chan or, regrettably, the other cashier.
One of them would die very soon.
Stuffing the change into my wallet, I agonized over what I should do.
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