With less than two weeks left until Sara-san’s School Trip, a sense of urgency had begun to gnaw at me. Then, quite suddenly, the moment arrived.
Today was the day the new Job Magazine hit the stands. After school, I immediately ducked into a Convenience Store to grab a copy.
"Thank you very much!"
The clerk’s cheerful farewell as I left without buying anything still made me feel a twinge of guilt, but my mind was elsewhere. I needed that magazine.
I had already inquired at several places, but it was always the same story. My age or the specific conditions I needed meant I was usually turned down over the phone before I could even get an interview.
Hoping for better luck this time, I headed toward the Park. As I walked, a car slowly pulled up alongside me. It came to a stop a short distance ahead, and a man stepped out from the backseat.
He naturally caught my eye. He was dressed in a sharp, perfectly tailored suit. His age seemed to be around the same as my Dad’s.
For some reason, he was staring straight at me. It felt strange... wait, had I seen him somewhere before?
"Ah, you’re Takanashi-kun, right?"
My intuition hadn't failed me. Upon making eye contact, he offered a smile and spoke. Since he knew my name, it clearly wasn't a case of mistaken identity.
But... who was he? I had a nagging feeling we had met, but the details remained fuzzy.
"Y-Yes, that's me, but..."
I responded as politely as I could while racking my brain, but my hesitation must have been obvious.
"Hahaha, perhaps you don't recall? You once helped with my subordinate’s Wallet—"
"Ah, I remember now! That’s right, you’re Satsukawa-san, aren't you?"
The mention of the Wallet made everything click. At the time, his name had left a deep impression on me because he shared the same surname as Sara-san. I felt a wave of relief that I’d managed to remember.
"Indeed. I’m quite pleased you remembered my name. It’s been a while, hasn't it? How have you been? I never heard from you after our last meeting, so I wondered if you’d ever thought of a reward."
"Ah... I’m sorry. But as you can imagine..."
The truth was that I hadn't given it a second thought. I had assumed our paths would never cross again, so I hadn't seen any point in contacting him.
"No, no, please don't apologize. I didn't mean to put you on the spot. Thinking back, it’s quite difficult to call someone up out of the blue just to ask for a favor. I should have been the one to reach out. Forgive me."
Perhaps because I looked so apologetic, Satsukawa-san quickly followed up with a reassuring tone.
"I happened to see you leaving the Convenience Store... Hmm, since we’ve managed to meet again, standing around here isn't ideal. Why don't you join me for a bit? We could talk over some Tea at a shop nearby."
After a moment of thought, he suddenly extended the invitation.
I hesitated for a second. As long as it didn't keep me out too late, I didn't really have a reason to refuse, especially since I felt bad about never following up with him.
"I can't stay very long, but for a little while, that would be fine."
When I accepted, he nodded with a warm smile and gestured for me to get into the car.
We sat side-by-side in the backseat. Satsukawa-san instructed the driver to head to "that coffee shop," and the car glided into motion. It seemed he had a regular spot in the area.
"Sorry for the suddenness. I didn't explain the details back then, but the items in that Wallet you found included a variety of presentation data. If we had lost those, it would have been a catastrophe for the company. That’s why I’m far more grateful to you than you probably realize."
On the way to the shop, Satsukawa-san filled me in on the aftermath of the incident. A presentation... I’d seen those in manga. It was like a big meeting to announce a new product or something, right? Regardless, it sounded like my small act had saved him from a massive headache.
Before I knew it, the car pulled into a parking lot. It really was just around the corner.
Stepping out of the car, I looked at the building. It wasn't particularly large, but it was incredibly stylish, with water cascading down the outside of the glass windows like a waterfall.
"Well, shall we?"
I followed Satsukawa-san inside. The first things I noticed were a piano and several brass instruments, like trumpets, displayed nearby. The rich, heavy aroma of coffee permeated the air.
Glancing at the windows, I saw the water still flowing, obscuring the view of the outside world. It created a strange, secluded atmosphere. The place felt like a sophisticated lounge for adults, and I immediately felt like I didn't belong.
"Ah, Satsukawa-san. Welcome."
"Hello, Master. Two of us today."
The man addressed as Master—presumably the manager—looked slightly surprised to see me, but he quickly offered a polite smile and welcomed me.
"I usually come here alone, you see," Satsukawa-san explained. "This is a rare occurrence."
So he had brought me to a place where he never brought anyone else? I wondered if I really deserved this kind of treatment.
Once we were seated, the Master brought over water and menus.
"The usual, Satsukawa-san?"
"Yes, please."
It was such a sophisticated interaction. Being a regular enough to order 'the usual' was undeniably cool.
"Takanashi-kun, please, order whatever you like."
"Y-Yes, sir."
I opened the menu and found myself staring at a long list of coffee bean varieties I didn't recognize. I wasn't much of a coffee drinker to begin with.
Scanning the names, I saw Blue Mountain, which I’d at least heard of. I considered ordering it until I saw the price. It was expensive!
Startled, I flipped to the next page and found the blends. There was also a tea section, so I decided on Darjeeling. That was a safe bet.
"Um, I’ll have the Darjeeling, please."
"Oh? You don't want coffee? Their Blue Mountain is excellent."
I shook my head vigorously. He watched me with an amused expression before placing the order for the Darjeeling.
"Would you like something to eat?" he asked, noticing I had been looking at the cake page.
"No, thank you. If I lose my appetite for Dinner, it’ll cause unnecessary worry at home..."
"Hahaha, I didn't expect that as a reason. But I understand. Showing that kind of consideration is a fine quality."
My answer seemed to catch Satsukawa-san off guard, but he accepted it with a smile. To be honest, the cakes looked delicious, but I couldn't bring myself to eat one when I knew Sara-san was home preparing a meal for us.
"Now then, since we’ve already discussed the previous incident in the car, let's talk about that pending reward."
It seemed this was the real reason he had brought me here.
"By the way, I noticed you were carrying a Job Magazine. I know you're in high school, but are you looking for a part-time job?"
He had clearly noticed what was in my hand. Since it wasn't a secret, I decided to be upfront with him.
"Yes. There’s something I really want to buy soon. However, for certain reasons, I can only work for one specific week—the week after next. On weekdays, I can only work After School. Being a high school student with those restrictions makes it pretty tough to find anything..."
"I see. Those are indeed some difficult conditions. In that case, how about this? There was a significant amount of cash in that Wallet, and the data was worth even more. As a reward, would you accept the cash directly, or perhaps allow me to purchase the item you're looking for?"
It was a generous proposal, and he seemed genuinely happy to offer it.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn't tempted. While having him buy it was out of the question, the extra cash would have been a massive help.
But then, I pictured Sara-san’s smile.
No. This gift only meant something if I earned it myself.
"Thank you, I truly appreciate the offer," I said, bowing my head slightly. "But this is something I absolutely have to work for and prepare myself."
Satsukawa-san looked surprised for a moment, and then a broad, genuine smile spread across his face.
"If you're that determined to earn the money, then I take it you aren't buying something for yourself?"
"...No, I’m not."
When I answered honestly, he smirked and leaned in closer.
"Let me guess... is it for a girl? A Lover?"
There was no point in hiding it now. Since he was essentially a stranger I’d likely never see again, I figured I could share a bit more, if only to provide some conversation.
"...She’s always Taking Care of me. She tells me she does it because she wants to, and that I don't need to feel obligated or thank her. But that’s exactly why I want to do my best for her Birthday Present. It’s the first gift since we became Lovers... so I want to buy it with money I worked for myself, no matter what."
Satsukawa-san had been grinning at first, but as I spoke, his expression grew serious. He listened intently, his eyes fixed on me.
When I finished, he remained silent for a long time, lost in thought. Finally, he whispered softly to himself, "He’s just like I was..."
"Sorry for the wait."
I had completely forgotten about our drinks. The Master arrived and began placing items on the table from his tray. He set a coffee cup before Satsukawa-san and a teapot and cup before me.
"Today’s Blue Mountain is something special," the Master said, looking at me even though he was speaking to his regular customer. "I managed to overhear a very good story from this young man."
So he had been listening. It didn't seem like he was mocking me, so I took it as a compliment.
Wait... he just called it 'Blue Mountain.' I looked at the coffee cup. This one drink cost as much as a full meal.
"Enjoy," the Master added before retreating from the table.
Satsukawa-san didn't say anything at first. He picked up his cup, took a sip, and let out a satisfied murmur. "Delicious."
I wondered if it really was that good. I didn't usually drink coffee, but his reaction made me curious. Maybe I should have ordered it after all...
As I sat there overthinking my drink choice, Satsukawa-san made a proposal that was entirely unexpected.
"If that’s the case, why don't you try working for me as a part-time job? Don't worry, it’s not at the company. It would be at my private office in the garden of my home. I just need someone to help organize some documents, and the timing is perfect. What do you say?"
"...Eh?"