CHAPTER-11: KIMONO

* ding dong *

「I'm in a hurry today, so bye!」said Hayami

「You have plans?」said Nanami

「Kinda.」

「See you, Kuro. I'll be going on ahead.」said Hayami

「Hm? Yeah, sure.」said Kuro

「I'll be leaving, too.」said Kuro

「Work?」 Souta

「Yup.」

「Work hard.」

....................

「Yo. Kiichi, I'm here.」said Kuro

「Kuro, you probably shouldn't go in right now.」said Kiichi

「Huh?」

*opening the door*「Why? Where else am I supposed to change?」said Kuro

「.............」Hayami *angry and flustered*

「Huh!?」

*closing the door*「................」Kuro *surprised and embarrassed*

....

*opening the door*

*SLAP!*

....

「And so, Hayami Kiyoko-chan will be one of our waitresses starting today!」said Kiichi

「I'm looking forward to working with you!」said Hayami

「I've already explained the basics to you earlier. If there's anything you don't understand, ask Kuro. (You could ask me, too)」said Kiichi

「Okay.」said Hayami

「No one told me about this.」

*confused*「How come Kiyoko's gonna work here!?」said Kuro

「Obviously because we don't have enough hands around here.」said Emi

「Well, hiring new employees is the Boss's decision. So no fighting, okay~?」

「Besides, that looks great on you~ Really cute~」said Kiichi

「I used to wear that a long time ago. I'm glad I kept it.」said Emi

「Is it alright for me to wear this?」said Hayami

「Emi-chan used to serve the customers in the back in her school days. Customers even call her Yamagi's poster girl! She was so cute back then~」

「Of course, you're still pretty, Emi-chan.」said Kiichi

「Kiichii, get back to the kitchen already.」said Emi *Embarrassed*

「Kiyoko, Have you ever worked in a restaurant?」said Kuro

「My class once had a cafe for the school festival, but That's about it.」said Hayami

「I see.」

「Well, fine. Don't drag me down.」said Kuro

「I know that much.」said Hayami

.................

「Kiyoko-chan, can I order now?」

「When you're done with that, can I have another cup of cold water」said customers

「Sure! I'll be right there!」said Hayami

「It feels nice to have a girl around, doesn't it~?」

「Very true~.」 said Kishida-san and Yamamoto-san (two frequent customers in Yamagi's shop)

「..........」Kuro *confused*

「Kuro-chan, you must be happy to be working with such a cute girl, aren't you?」said Kishida-san

「Huh!?」Kuro

「Of course he is~ He must be tired of dealing with us old ladies all the time.」said Yamamoto-san

「No, that's not true.」said Kuro

「Kiyoko-chan, do you have a boyfriend?」said coustomer1

「Huh!?」

「Um-」Hayami

「Emi-chan is taken by that dang manager, you see~」said coustomer1

「dear customer, that kind of question is a bit-」said Kuro

「Well,」

「I don't have a boyfriend, but I'm in love with someone.」

「Right?」said Hayami *facing Kuro*

*embarrassed*「...........」Kuro

「I see, I see~ That's what youth is all about, eh~?」 said customer1

「Hehe~」Hayami

「Oh my. You're still not dating?」said Kishida-san

「You two should just go out already.」 said Yamamoto-san

「Give me a break, please.」said Kuro *embarrassed*

* * Next Day * *

「Heh~」

「So Kiyoko-chan, you're working at Yamagi now.」said Nanami

「Yup. It's my first-ever part-time job. It's pretty fun.」said Hayami

「That means you're a kimono maid, huh-」said Souta

「That sounds great!」said Yuri

「I definitely want to see that!」said Nanami

「Why don't we all go together this weekend?」said Ino

「You don't have to come. Seriously.」said Kuro

「Hajime, do you plan on hogging Hayami-san's kimono maid cosplay all to yourself?」sais Souta *straight forward*

*good grief*「very selfish of you」said Ino

「THAT'S NOT IT!!」said Kuro

* * Yamagi (Sweet Shop) * *

「Thanks for the food~」

「Thanks for coming!」said Hayami

「Kiyoko-chan, you can go home now. I'll take care of the rest.」said Kiichi

「Okay. Thank you very much.」said Hayami

*glance*「...!」

「Kuro. You Go and walk Kiyoko-chan home.」said Kiichi

「Huh? Why would I?」

「She's not a kid. She can go home by herself.」said Kuro

「It's dangerous to let a girl walk home alone at this hour. Besides, there might be molesters around.」said Kiichi

「...........」*indeed*

「I want to walk her home myself and give my regards to her parents, but-」

「Kuro, do you think you can take my place and lock the cashier, clean up, and make preparations and orders for tomorrow.」 said Kiichi

「............」*can't do*

.............

「Take care on your way~」said Kiichi

「?」

「Kuro, we're going to walk home together?」

「Got a problem with that.」

「Not at all-」*Pleased*

*murmuring tune*

「.......」

「You seem to be having fun.」

「Huh?」

「Hm- I guess I am.」

「I was always alone when I got home, and there was nothing for me to do besides house chores.」

「I'm happy that I found something to do.」

「Besides, I get to spend more time with you, Kuro.」

「...........」

「Kuro?」

「I- When I'm with you, I feel restless.」

「At school, everyone keeps telling me I should go and date you.」

「And now, Even the people at the shop are saying that.」

「It's like- What was it called? Being surrounded by enemies- and there's nowhere to run-. What was it?」

「Shimen Souka? (We learned it in class.)」

「Yeah! that's it! (You're smart)」

「-It's like- It's suffocating me.」

「I don't intend to be your enemy. I want to be your ally, Kuro.」

「.........」

「If you hate being around me, then I could ask Emi-san to put my shift on a different day-」

「If you do that, then what's the point of you working at our shop? Don't you get the job because you like me?」

*annoyed*「Don't get full of yourself dummy.」

「I'm working because Emi-san asked me to.」

「Why would she do that?」

「Because it'll be harder for her to manage the store now, duh.」

「Why?」

「Why, you ask? Eni-san's pregnant, haven't you heard?」

(HUH!?)

... ring.. ring ...

「Huh? You don't know?」said Emi

「NO ONE TOLD ME!」said Kuro

「I told mom and dad though. Maybe they forgot to tell you?」said Emi

(Damn. Is my own family leaving me out, too?) {Kuro}

「Lend me the phone for a sec.」said Hayami

「Emi-san?」

「Kiyoko-chan!」

「Well? How was work?」said Emi

「About that, do you think you can change my-」Hayami

「It's nothing.」 Kuro

「What? Kuro? I'm telling you. Stop bullying Kiyoko-chan.」said Emi

「I'm not bullying her.」

「She went out of her way to help us out, so be nice to her.」said Emi

「........」

「Yeah, I know.」

「I will hang up now. bye.」

「Wa-wait.」

「What is it?」

「Uh, congratulations.」

「Yeah. Thanks.」*Delighted*

... Hang up ...

「Are you sure? You're not going to ask her to change my shift?」

「It's alright. She's already made up her mind. It's not like I'm in any position to complain.」

「Besides, If we're not on the same shift, who else would walk you home afterward?」

「...........」*glad*

「And they'd probably call me out on a day off to walk you home.」

「-What are you grinning for?」

「-Nothing.」

「It's nothing. Let's go, Kuro.」

「? What is it?」

「Kuro, You're going to become an uncle!」

「Don't call me Uncle.」

「what do you think it's going to be a boy? or a girl? 」

「If it's a girl, then she's gonna be the third Gen poster girl.」

「? I thought EMi-san was the first Gen. Is she the second?」

(The second Gen's you.)

* * * * * *