Volume 13 Chapter 247-2 Oto Rurika, Carefree In The Sky
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Rurika-chan, good morning.”
”Good morning.”
I exchange light greetings with the women working as male attendants at the neighboring female-oriented establishment. Hmm? Are they sisters? Well, it doesn’t matter.
They often help out when there’s trouble at our shop.
Since I can see from inside that all the customers leaving are always smiling happily, I’m sure these people are good folks.
”Maybe you’re on standby today?”
”Yes.”
I continue cleaning while chatting about trivial things with the older sisters, who are wearing Venetian masks to cover half of their faces before work.
In female-oriented establishments, such masks are often worn to conceal even a hint of femininity.
”Be careful. If anything happens, you can always run to our shop.”
”Yes, thank you very much.”
I bow slightly to the sister I was talking with.
After turning on the outdoor lights and returning inside, I put away the cleaning tools in the locker, pick up the signboard placed inside, and go outside again.
Just because I put out the signboard doesn’t mean customers will come immediately.
When I go back inside, I kill time by wiping down surfaces and preparing food.
”Excuse me.”
”Welcome.”
Since a regular customer has arrived, I serve the usual coffee at the counter seat where they always sit.
I love it so much—the jazz records playing inside, the smell of coffee, and this quiet, peaceful time.
Then, a few familiar customers come in one after another.
Huh? Is this person maybe here for the first time…?
It’s probably been about 2 hours since the shop opened.
A woman disguised as a man, wearing a mask, enters the shop.
After seeing me, she hurriedly takes out her mobile device from her pocket and types something.
[Can I play the piano here?]
Ah, I understood that this person is thorough.
Even if you wear a mask that hides your facial features and dress as a man, there are many cases where your voice reveals that you’re a woman.
That’s why I remembered hearing from the sister working at the neighboring shop that some people actually play thoroughly without speaking.
”Of course. But, could you please order just one drink?”
The sister types something again and shows me the screen.
[Thank you very much. Well then, please give me apple juice.]
Hehe, even though she has a mature atmosphere, she’s drinking apple juice. I couldn’t help but smile, thinking how cute she is.
The eyes of the customers are directed at the handsome man dressed in a suit. Ah, this person must be popular.
Their demeanor and manners look like those of a very calm adult man. Hehe, but apple juice. Still, a coffee with more milk would make them look more stylish, but I thought that such small details also stimulate a woman’s psychology.
[It was delicious. As a thank you, let me send you this song.]
I wonder what song it is?
That person sits on the piano bench, lightly adjusts the height, and gently places their fingers on the keys.
Ah….
A drop of light spilling in the darkness appears before my eyes.
Actually, with a piano, you can tell at the first note whether the way of playing suits your taste.
With the gentle touch at the beginning, I thought this person’s piano playing was my favorite style.
It’s a melody that reminds me of Debussy’s *Moonlight*, but I wonder what song it is.
Beautiful… but more than that, sad. But this sadness isn’t a nasty feeling; it’s nostalgic and somehow feels like home.
The duration was only a little over 3 minutes… It was a performance so captivating that all of the customers present fell in love and listened entranced.
[Continue?]
Of course, please play as much as you like.
A pleasant time flows inside the shop. I want to let Mom hear it too.
While I was thinking about that, some noisier customers entered the shop.
”Oh, it’s Oto Rurika.”
”Wow, she’s working part-time here.”
Not many people notice that I’m the one who just entered the shop.
I respond normally without reacting strangely.
”Huh? Is it okay for high school students to work part-time at this hour?”
”It might cause a stir again and extend the break period.”
Since this is my family’s home and I’m not serving alcohol today, it’s fine.
But if I say that here, my family might find out, and that would be troublesome, so I keep quiet.
”Working at such a stylish night shop, as expected, Oto-san is quite accustomed to having fun.”
”Well, maybe the information on social media isn’t a lie after all.”
Sigh… I was in a good mood today, after all.
I call out to the two women so as not to cause trouble for the other customers.
”Excuse me. Could you please be quiet?”
”Why? Isn’t this a place where we can enjoy chatting?”
That’s because the atmosphere of the day has its own thing, you know.
Today, there are many single customers, and even those who came in groups of 2 are being very quiet.
Even though they’re adults, don’t they realize that from how they look around?
I wanted to say that, but it’s pointless to say anything to drunken customers.
”The payment is fine. Sorry, but could you leave the store? It’s bothering other customers.”
”Huh? Just because you’re a celebrity, you’re getting cocky!”
A customer trying to stand up in a furious mood is stopped by a regular customer.
”Hey, what do you think you’re doing, going drunk, acting like a kid?”
”Shut up. I’m a customer!! I came to this rundown café bar, so be grateful!”
Sorry, I guess it’s run-down.
Still, today it’s packed with customers.
”Haah, this is why poorly raised brats exist. Ah! Could this be your home? Huh! Is that why you’re out drinking and smoking, because you were born here and are taking a break from activities?”
Poor upbringing? Are you talking about my mom’s bad-mouthing?
Honestly, I did consider as a kid that it would be better to have the child taken in as part of a plan.
But, there are also many kids here without a family register due to parental neglect.
The city hall and police can’t move easily considering the rights and laws of the biological parents, and the support groups have their limits.
So, do you just leave the children who have nowhere to go as they are? My mom would never do such a thing.
Just as I was about to retort, someone spread their arm and stepped between me and the customer.
”Wh-what’s going on?”
Ah, the pianist… Wait, this person, height!
Even the drunk customer is timid when they see the elegant person in male attire.
The person who stood up to protect me reads aloud the words input into their mobile phone using voice software.
’I’m not saying that birth and upbringing have no influence on a person’s life. But what’s important is how you live and how you want to live. It’s not your parents or God who decide the way your life and soul and heart are. That belongs to you. Hey, how do you want to live?’
Only I can decide myself….
The beautiful person in men’s attire slowly brought their face closer to the person.
’Can you say that it’s right for a drunk adult to meddle with a child? What about the parents who raised you properly? It wasn’t like that, was it? If it was, do you want to be the same way? Let me ask you again. How do you want to live?’
The big sister who was crowded by the beautiful person in men’s attire cooled down and apologized to me for the sake of getting drunk. I didn’t particularly want to make a big deal out of it, so I decided to just take the payment and leave.
When I tried to thank the beautiful person in men’s attire, that person took out money from their wallet and put it on the counter.
[Here’s for today’s bill, and please treat the other customers on me. The change is your tip.]
No, no, it’s clearly too much for a tip!?
When I tried to stop them in a hurry, that person quickly left the store.
”Only I can decide myself…”
After closing the store, I kept pondering that person’s words while washing the cups.
Now, those words deeply sting me as I’m in a state where I can’t act as an actress.
If I stay like this, I won’t be able to act as an actress forever.
I like helping out at home, but I also really like being an actress.
Maybe it’s time I properly talked to the agency.
I made up my mind, turned off the water at the faucet, and then turned off the store’s electricity.
Kukuri-chan: “Ah, I did it. If I looked like I wanted to talk, I got told ‘see you’ by Oto-san on the way back!! Maybe the day when I get invited to bowling after coming back is close… Until then, I’ll practice a lot and stick with it.”
Peeking Maid A: “Isn’t our young lady too cute?”
Peeking Maid B: “Hehe, our young lady has arrived. I hope she gets her reward someday.”
Peeking Maid C: “Someone, go talk to our young lady.”
Peeking Maid D: “Our young lady, fight!”
Peeking Part-time Worker E: “Oh, today she seems in a good mood for some reason. Now’s a good time to switch out the underwear in the closet. Hehe, of course, a Sumeragi woman must have plenty of black lace panties.”
Ah, of course, it was Aqua who helped, not Emily.
Aqua has been doing this kind of thing while practicing for live performances and piano.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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