Volume 4 Chapter 21 Long Time No See Store
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I got a message from Risa-san saying, “I’m running away from my parents. They want me to marry someone I don’t know. Please let me stay in your room, Shuu.”
(What’s a marriage meeting?)
Risa-san must be confused. That “marriage partner” she mentioned is probably me, but it seems she hasn’t heard the details from her parents.
Plus, what she wrote next was similar to a message I sent her 4 months ago. I felt bad for Risa-san, but I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw it.
In her next message, she said she was at the old place where I used to work, waiting for me.
”–Isn’t it tomorrow? If you have a guy you chose to marry, just bring him to the meeting. It’ll be a mess, but it’ll solve the problem.”
”–Eh! No way! A mess… that’s a bit much. He’s younger than me, and if I drag him into this, he might get scared and want to break up right there.”
It’s been about 3 weeks. On a weekday morning in December, not many customers come to the shop since it just opened. When I opened the door, I heard voices and quickly spotted Risa-san sitting at the counter.
For some reason, she was talking to the owner and seemed to be getting along well.
(Why is she talking to the owner and not me?)
I thought it was weird for her to share our problems with someone else.
”I’m not going to get tired of you, Risa-san, and we’re not breaking up.”
”Oh? Shuu, long time no see. Where’s the alcohol from America?”
As soon as I walked in, she asked for a gift.
”I can’t buy alcohol there without showing my ID. I’m still 18.”
”Shuu!? D-Did you just say that…”
”I heard you.”
I walked over to the counter and sat next to a flustered Risa-san.
”Eighteen? You? Is that true?”
”Yep. So, I brought this.”
I nodded and placed a bag with some gifts on the counter. Inside were different types of cheese that could be used for trying out new menu items and some white ceramic Christmas ornaments that could decorate the shop. Even though it wasn’t what the owner expected, he said, “Wow, these look useful. Thanks!”
”Hey, do you know this guy?”
”My boyfriend.”
”Really!? So, the younger guy you’re supposed to marry is…”
”It’s me.”
I answered the owner’s question directed at Risa-san.
”Hey, you should switch from her to me…”
”…No way! Why are you flirting with someone else’s girlfriend right in front of me? I even talked to President Tota about wanting an introduction to this shop!”
Since the owner didn’t mention President Tota, she might not have returned to Japan yet.
”Huh? President Tota… who’s that?”
”The woman who talked to me at Haneda.”
”Oh! The one who hit on you and gave you two business cards?”
Risa-san said that in front of the owner, and I felt like saying, “Why are you saying that!” but I couldn’t do anything about it.
”Shuu, it’s great that you introduced me to the shop, but give me that business card. I can’t contact her otherwise.”
”Business card? I threw it away.”
”You threw it away? Seriously…”
Just as the owner looked shocked and was about to lecture me, Risa-san came to my rescue.
”Um! I still have the other business card!”
She still had it? I did give Risa-san the first card at the airport.
”Ah… but is it okay to give this?”
She was trying to take it out of her coat pocket and asked me. Even though I told her she could do whatever she wanted with it, that’s just how Risa-san is.
”I told President Tota about the shop, so it’s fine to give it to the owner.”
”Okay, got it.”
Risa-san hesitated a bit but handed the card to the owner.
”…”
After a moment of silence, the owner muttered the name of a hotel he wrote down, and I replied, “That hotel is where she said she’s staying in New York.”
”Seriously, why is it always you… I’ve been in business for years, but I’ve never received a business card with handwritten private info on it.”
”Me too! That’s just how it is!”
”Right?”
Is that so? I was having a hard time understanding the conversation between these two working adults who seemed to get along really well.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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