Novel Lived
Chapter 114: There Seems to Be a Store Manager Who Makes the Presidents Daughter Do the Dirty Work
Chapter 114: There Seems to Be a Store Manager Who Makes the Presidents Daughter Do the Dirty Work
On a day when the lingering summer heat had eased, and the signs of autumn were becoming more pronounced, I was walking through the town.
Saturday mornings, devoid of the rush of commuters, had a sparsely populated and refreshing atmosphere, quite pleasant indeed.
(But last week was tough. I cant believe our part-time job got exposed to Haruka and the others I got teased about it endlessly at school by Kazamihara and Fudehashi too.)
Of course, theyve both kept quiet about using our names in public.
However, in exchange, they bombarded us with questions like, How did it even come to using first names? Tell us, tell us! and playfully imitated us, saying things like Haruka and Shinichiro-kun like a silly couple.
(Well, its been a week since we bumped into each other at the store. When asked about the motivation for working, I just said I wanted some extra money to spend Well, thats not entirely a lie.)
Its not just about earning some extra pocket money, but the distinction isnt all that important.
Right now, I should be focusing on my part-time job that Im returning to after a seven-day gap.
I was actually supposed to work a bit longer, but they requested a shift change due to sudden staffing needs for a training session, making my return after quite a while.
(But even after dying a death from overwork, I can still work without any trauma. My nerves seem thicker than I thought or maybe I just got over it after dying once?)
Lost in thought, I arrived at the Book Cafe Rakunichi, where I work. I opened the familiar door and walked in
Hey What the heck is this!? I exclaimed, my voice filled with surprise, as I encountered a scene I hadnt anticipated.
First and foremost, what struck me was the sheer number of customers. A long line snaked toward the counter, with even a belt partition set up to manage the queue, a situation Id never seen before.
Even when I looked toward the seating area, it was practically packed.
On weekends, it used to be at most pretty busy, but now it was undeniably packed.
What on earth? We hadnt planned for any impactful campaigns or anything like that
Oh my, good morning, Niihama I mean, good morning, Shinichirou-kun! Welcome back to work! Mishima-san, the stylish glasses-wearing store manager, greeted me with a smile, standing there cheerfully.
Her expression was a far cry from the gloomy one she had before, and she seemed to be in a very good mood.
Oh, um Good morning. Uh, whats happening here? Its not the usual level of customer traffic? I asked, puzzled.
Well, its no wonder youre surprised. This success is all thanks to her, no one else! Miwa-san responded with a playful tone, gesturing in a particular direction.
I followed her gaze and saw a busy cash register counter, where I recognized a very familiar figure.
(Wha What!? H-Haruka!? Why!?)
Dressed in the caf staff uniform behind the counter was unmistakably my crush, Shijouin Haruka.
Her naturally elegant aura suited the apron perfectly, and her exceedingly adorable appearance had the power to brighten up the entire atmosphere of the caf.
Welcome! Are you planning to dine in today? Haruka greeted a group of middle school boys at the front of the line with a radiant smile, taking orders and serving drinks and food. Her work mainly consisted of order-taking and handing out items, while other staff members handled the cash register and miscellaneous tasks.
Despite her workload, there was no hint of stress in her. Even though it seemed overwhelming, she was earnestly performing her tasks with unfamiliar but diligent motions.
She doesnt seem to have any spare time Nevertheless, having watched Haruka for a while, I could tell that she felt a hidden sense of accomplishment.
Actually, I was quite surprised too. Of course, I was expecting a certain level of customer attraction by hiring an extraordinary beauty like her, but hiring her just a week ago and already having this many customers flock in due to word of mouth is beyond my imagination, Miwa-san explained.
I see With a beauty like that serving customers, its bound to become the talk of the town. While smartphones dont exist in this era, word of mouth, online forums, and blogs must have spread the news.
Still, though, just a pretty girl alone wouldnt create such a long line
(Well, if you get charmed by that smile)
Here are the two Caf Mochas and one Espresso, please enjoy your time here! Harukas cheerful voice echoed as she handed the drinks to the group of middle school boys at the front, her expression as bright as a sunflower.
Her smile carried no sense of obligation. It was pure and warm, like that of a child, brimming with a maximum of enthusiasm and extending warmth to anyone she interacted with.
Everyone was momentarily captivated by her. It was because, through that smile, one could catch a glimpse of the incredibly innocent and cheerful heart of this unrealistically pure and candid girl.
No one could resist being won over by her charm.
As expected, the group of middle school boys who were served by Haruka seemed slightly flushed, each one stammering and at a loss for words. Even though it had only been a few days since Haruka started working at the register, this setup had likely attracted fans.
This is quite an impressive situation! Theres no doubt that this months sales will see a significant boost, and considering the future, its a great trend!
Mishimas excitement was palpable, and her words were likely very true.
With this many customers coming in, there would undoubtedly be some substantial impact on the future.
Yes, the increase in customers might be temporary, but even if just a fraction of these people become regulars, its quite significant. Its also thanks to targeting the younger male demographic beyond the usual female and elderly customers, I explained.
Youre right, although you analyze things in an uncharacteristically non-high school student-like way But anyway! This is like heavens doing, to have such an influx of customers during these tough times! Im so glad that girl came for the interview! Shimizus voice was cheerful, probably the happiest Ive seen her.
She had likely been genuinely worried about the future of the store, making her joy at this turn of events even more heartfelt.
But is this really okay?
However, Mishima-san, youre quite bold Pushing the presidents daughter to the forefront like a poster girl.
No doubt the part-time job is something Haruka wanted for herself, and if having her as a cashier leads to an increase in customers beyond the regular staffs work, then thats something to be genuinely happy about.
However, given Harukas status, allowing her to become so popular with a large number of customers might make a typical employee hesitant.
Huh? The presidents daughter?
Um, yes. So, shes the daughter of the president of your company, right?
At that moment, Mishima, who had been in high spirits just a moment ago, broke into a cold sweat. Her body shivered faintly, much like when someone discovers a critical mistake in an important task, and she looked quite shaken.
Uh, come to think of it The name on the resume I only glanced at it briefly, but no way?
Um Just to be clear, her name is Haruka Shijouin, and shes the daughter of the president of Rakunichi Bookstore, Shijouin Tokimune. In other words, shes the legitimate heiress of the Shijouin family.
No wayyy! Seriously!? Wait, youre joking, right?! Please tell me this is a joke!
Well, shes a classmate from the same school, so I know her quite well. I mean didnt you hire her without even knowing shes the daughter of the top executive in your company!?
I had assumed that Haruka must have been recommended by her father Tokimune for the job, but apparently, Mishima had no idea she was the daughter of the top executive and owner of the company.
Well, you know! She was such a stunning girl that I was completely taken aback. I pretty much hired her on the spot after a five-second interview. And I only briefly saw the resume, and the rest was handled by the part-time lady who does the administrative work! Besides, who wouldve thought such an incredibly sophisticated girl would come for a part-time job interview in the first place?
Well, she might look extraordinary, but shes actually quite serious
Wait, wait? So, you mean Ive assigned the role of a customer attraction panda to the newly started part-time worker who is also the presidents daughter? Oh, nooo! How disrespectful of me!
Understanding the situation, Mishima began to tremble uncontrollably.
While my sense of perception might have been dulled by the fact that Harukas family members are incredibly kind-hearted, its not surprising for an average person to react this way upon learning they are dealing with a heiress.
Even being the presidents daughter of a major company is remarkable enough, and considering shes from a conglomerate family, Haruka can be called a modern-day Japanese noble with no exaggeration.
Wait, does that mean that if something happens to her, like if she gets hurt or harassed while working, I might get fired!? No, wait, Ive never even talked to the president, but he wouldnt do something so immature right?
Actually, I have a pretty good relationship with her. And through that, I have some familiarity with her father, President Tokimune.
As I confessed this to the clearly anxious Shimizu, the deputy manager, who was drenched in cold sweat, looked at me as if seeking refuge.
Anyway, President Tokimune is an insanely overprotective father. If anyone so much as scratches his daughter, he turns into a raging lion, ready to obliterate anyone, be it a president or even a Godzilla-level creature.
No wayyyy! The rumors were true after all! Ill be Ill be exiled! Sent to Siberia or the Sahara Desert under the pretext of a group company assignment! Ow, it hurts! My stomach hurts! My stomach hurts so baaaad!
Mishimas panic was akin to discovering that she would be sent into a pit of despair. She clutched her abdomen, her distress evident through her shaky voice and trembling demeanor.
(As long as we treat her fairly, I dont think President Tokimune would resort to such unreasonable actions But well, most people dont know the personality of their companys president, especially when that president is on an almost divine level.)
However, even if he wouldnt resort to such things as long as shes treated properly, the possibility of him trying to eliminate any source of trouble for his daughter cant be completely denied
Ah! Hey, Niihama-kun! Earlier, you mentioned that you have a good relationship with her, that youre even familiar with the company president whos her father, right? In other words, that means youre her boyfriend, right!?
Huh!? W-Well, thats
Please! Talk to her on my behalf! I never even thought about using her as an advertising tool! I just thought that having a cute girl handle customer service might attract a few more customers, thats all!
Hey, please dont pull my shirt! And nothing youre worried about is going to happen, so please calm down a bit!
The young, attractive manager clung to me, tears welling up in her eyes. I was quite flustered, and I ended up using a lot of effort to calm down the panicking Mishima, who was despairing about her future a situation that was rather compromising, considering it was before my work shift even started.