Yamazaki said, "My dog is wet."
I asked, "What breed?"
Yamazaki replied, "Papillon." I genuinely considered severing all ties with him right then and there.
What is this guy even doing? Go to bed. Why have you surrendered your intellect to a horror game? Is this some form of spiritual asceticism?
[Stabb-ro-hee]
"Go to sleep. Right now."
"Aon..."
From the other side of the phone I’d immediately dialed, I heard a voice like the hum of a mosquito—or rather, a whimper like a dog’s. I felt like he was discarding his humanity at this point. Even if he did manage to sleep now, the contents of that horror game would likely haunt his dreams.
Honestly, horror games are filled with such truly deranged content that one really ought to avoid playing them for extended periods. They are intended for entertainment, not as a gauntlet for one’s sanity.
After washing off my sweat in the shower, I was pasting the details of Ceva's Theorem into a message to drag Yamazaki back to reality when my app updated again. ...Wait, it's not Yamazaki...?
[Um... about that favor? The punishment...?]
The moment has arrived.
I’ve been waiting for you, Natsukawa-san. I reflexively sat up straight in bed. I am truly repulsive—what is with these reflexes? It was practically an autonomous response. This is dangerous. Since we aren't face-to-face, my nervousness is absent, which means my self-restraint is currently offline. Why am I conducting a dispassionate self-analysis at a time like this...?
While I waited for the rest, another message arrived exactly 18.34 seconds after the first (I’m a terminal case).
[Will you play with Airi again?]
What... did she say?
Airi-chan... Airi-chan, huh? By "playing," she probably means something like when I visited the other day... Eh, wait a minute, isn't that actually a fairly high-difficulty mission? Am I casually invited to Natsukawa’s house again? No, no, calm down. There's no way a girl would let a guy into her house that easily, right? Last time was a special circumstance; there’s no way I can step into that sanctuary so easily a second time.
[Uh... so? Airi-chan wants Sylvanian Families, so you want me to buy them for her?]
[I didn't say a single word about that.]
[Oh.]
Huh, did I misinterpret the objective? Could it be... that? We had something resembling a sumo wrestling match last time; is she seeking a thrill? Her interests might be unexpectedly masculine.
[Was it the Rider Belt, then?]
[I didn't say that either!]
...Huh?
Natsukawa was angry. She sent a truly adorable angry stamp that made me want to scream. She informed me that since Airi-chan is a girl, I shouldn't treat her as if she has boyish interests. Well, to be honest, I thought so too. There's no way a girl as cute as Airi-chan would have boyish hobbies. I knew that. I knew, okay?
[I see... so you wish to evaluate my proficiency in keeping Airi-chan entertained...]
[That's not... well, it’s not entirely wrong! Why are you raising the bar for yourself?!]
[Does Airi-chan want anything?]
[Don't try to spend money! I won't let you!]
Wait, I don't have to spend money? (I'm a terminal case.)
Seriously? That’s incredibly benevolent. Is this really a punishment? I expected something more akin to a master-servant dynamic. And I probably would have accepted it with joy. But how does this work? Personally, just being involved with Natsukawa feels like a reward in itself.
[Playing with Airi-chan isn't a punishment.]
[I’m a failure as a sister.]
[Wh-huh?! What happened all of a sudden?!]
Eh? Eh? What was that sudden pivot? It came back in two seconds. I was just saying it’s not a punishment for me at all... Wait. Did I phrase that wrong? Natsukawa-san has become despondent.
[Maybe I’m the one who should be punished.]
Eeeeh?!
That is a sudden escalation...! Why are you being so pessimistic all of a sudden? Where did the usual Natsukawa-san go? I think she’s a Siscon to the point where she could proudly declare herself a paragon of sisterly affection. I’m perfectly fine with any version of Natsukawa-san, though!
[Natsukawa, let’s put this conversation on hold for now. Take your time.]
[...I understand.]
I felt as though I’d inadvertently touched a sensitive part of the beautiful girl known as Natsukawa Aika. And the fact that I felt a slight surge of excitement at that phrasing made me think I should probably go to hell. I don't really understand what’s happening, but I need Natsukawa to calm down for now. If we keep talking like this, I’ll take damage in a "good" way and won't be able to withstand it. Ehehehe.
[Man, you really broke her, Sajocchi.]
In the evening, I received a mysterious personal message from Ashida, who had likely settled down after her club activities. I had no idea what she meant.
◆
I felt strangely refreshed at my part-time job the next day. If I had to pinpoint a reason, it was definitely because I wasn't jolted awake at 4:00 AM by a clamorous notification sound. If I’d been woken up again today, I seriously would have raided Yamazaki’s house in the early morning. Sleep truly is the foundation of life.
"Sajou-kun, was there any space left on the third shelf row?"
"Let’s see... the A-shelf has been selling quite well, so I believe about twenty books would fit easily. Even for second-hand books, I suppose recent titles remain the most popular."
"Ah, recent books are one thing, but in this era... old ones can be accessed on the internet. And for less than the price of the physical copy, at that."
"Ah—wait, is that sustainable for business?"
"Sajou-kun. In this world, there are people who aren't satisfied unless they possess a physical book. They aren't the masses, though."
"Spoken like a true bibliophile."
Well, this shop is more for enthusiasts, if anything. Perhaps they appreciate the charm of a private establishment, because we occasionally receive remarkably difficult customers whose level of obsession I cannot fathom.
"Recent technology isn't to be scoffed at either, though. It’s made the work easier."
"Indeed. As a member of the youth demographic, I appreciate any increase in operational efficiency."
The register for private businesses that the Old man apparently bought when he opened this shop allowed one to view the sales history for the past two weeks, but they had been manually transcribing it until now. However! While I was poking around to kill time, I realized that the history could be exported to a USB flash drive! I managed to migrate the data to spreadsheet software! Success!
The Old man’s wife started attending computer classes because of that, so I think the shop's future is secure.
"By the time summer vacation concludes, your wife will likely have mastered the fundamentals. What are your plans for a part-timer after I leave?"
"I’ll hire someone. Even with a boy like you, Sajou-kun, having a young person around improves the shop's aesthetic."
Yeah, yeah—wait. I nodded reflexively, but wasn't that slightly pointed? I felt a certain prickly sensation from that comment.
"Actually, I’ve already started recruiting."
"Oh, now that you mention it, there was a flyer at the entrance."
"That's right. I put it out early; I’d like someone to join us at least a week before summer ends."
"I cannot say for certain how that will go."
"What is with that manner of speaking? It’s not very youthful."
The exasperated Old man slapped me right in the middle of my back. He hit me with considerable force. Looking closely, his arms are quite sinewy... Does he have more muscle than me? Come to think of it, the elderly men you see outdoors often possess impressive arm muscles. One can see the decades of physical discipline etched into them.
"Well, I’ll leave the rest to you."
"Aye-aye, sir."
"Hmph. That response reminds me of the old days."
The Old man retreated into the back of the shop with an unchanging tone. When exactly were "the old days"? He must have been born after the war. I haven't asked his age, but he wouldn't happen to be over eighty while still possessing such vitality, would he...?
Live a long life, Old man.
I pulled myself together and returned to my duties. The paper bag the Old man left contained second-hand books that had finished being registered as merchandise. I simply had to organize them on the shelves and then tend the register until my shift ended.
"There are quite a few today."
Perhaps a customer sold a large collection recently, because there were nearly twenty novels. They looked almost new, and even had their promotional bands still attached. They appear to be recent novels; I wonder if the original owner actually read them... Well, it matters not.
"'Kawashima Reiji', 'Odajima Seiji'... here it is."
I filled the gaps in the shelves, proceeding in reverse alphabetical order. If I were to err in the sequence, I would surely receive a pedantic lecture, so I must work with precision. The shop is narrow, so I can tell immediately if a customer arrives. Working mindlessly in solitude really is a sublime experience.
"—U-Um..."
"Hmm...? Ah, yes, what can I do for you?"
While I was crouching, I heard a voice like the hum of a mosquito. I noticed a shadow fall over me, and when I looked to my right, a small girl in a black one-piece dress was standing a short distance away with her head bowed. I perceived in an instant that she was the introverted type.
Also, her voice is adorable. This is a critical observation.
"...Um... the one out front—eh?"
"Yes... huh?"
Hmm...? Wait, have I encountered this girl before...? Is it just my imagination? Does she merely resemble a girl from the other side of a screen or a page? Man, I really am a terminal case. Wake up, me. Even if you obtain a girlfriend in another dimension, touching her will only yield the sensation of a cold screen.
............Ah. I have deduced her identity.
".........Yes, do you require assistance?"
"E-Eh..."
I realized it when I noted her "minimum" aesthetic, with her hair completely swallowing half of her face. I wondered where I'd seen her, and then it hit me: it was Ichinose-san, the girl who occupies the seat next to mine at school.
This girl probably loathes me... She undoubtedly classifies me as a cacophonous nuisance. When Ashida, who sits behind me, teases me and I become boisterous, I can feel a gaze emanating from Ichinose-san as she reads her book. Her mouth is always set in a grimace; she definitely finds me a disturbance.
That being said, I wish to commend myself for successfully feigning a first meeting. A girl of this temperament likely cannot tolerate loud individuals, and if I were to exclaim, "Oh? Ichinose-san! What a rare encounter!" at this juncture, she would undoubtedly flee in silence.
No matter how timid someone is, they can usually find a modicum of strength when addressing a clerk. It is optimal for me to fulfill my role-playing as the Cleverly Kraken clerk here. Awaken...! The Cleverly Kraken lurking within me!
Wait, that’s just a squid.