Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 19: Interlude – Part-Time Job ①
“Thank you for having me today.”
I was currently at a café for a part-time job interview.
When I decided to get a part-time job to earn a steady income, I consulted Himeji-san, and she recommended this place.
“There’s a café I really like. The owner has this quiet, calm vibe! So even I feel comfortable going there… I saw a ‘Help Wanted’ sign there recently—what do you think?”
When I looked into it, it turned out to be close to my house, and the conditions weren’t bad either.
And most of all, working at a café felt like a very normal, student-like thing to do.
(Ugh, this is my first interview, so I’m super nervous…)
“I’ll take a look at your resume, then.”
The person in front of me was a girl about my age.
She had short hair the color of a warm orange sunset, and her neat almond-shaped eyes left a strong impression—she was really cute.
Also, the café uniform shirt she wore hugged her figure, accentuating her curves. Her large chest and slim waist stood out, and I didn’t know where to look.
Himeji-san had mentioned a quiet, reserved café owner, but maybe she was mistaken?
The girl looked at my resume, widened her eyes, and suddenly froze.
“Sakasegawa Atsumu!? Is your name really Sakasegawa Atsumu!?”
“Y-Yeah… that’s right. Have we met somewhere before?”
Had I met such a cute girl before?
Maybe I’d seen her in the entertainment world or something?
“It’s me! Me! Nishinomiya Akane—don’t you remember?”
“Nishinomiya… Akane-san?”
Even after hearing her name, nothing rang a bell. At the very least, I didn’t recognize her from the entertainment industry.
“Akkun, did you really forget about me…?”
She said this in a teary-eyed voice.
(Akkun?)
There was only one girl who used to call me that.
“Wait… are you… Acchan?”
“That’s right! It’s me—Acchan!”
(Whaaaaat!? This girl is Acchan!?!)
Acchan was a girl I used to play with back when I lived in a different neighborhood for a short time.
Back then, she was a bit of a tomboy—always picking fights, super athletic, with tanned skin and a tough, boyish image…
I was the more delicate one, almost girlish in comparison. People even used to tease us by switching our nicknames—calling me Acchan and her Akkun.
(And now she’s become this cute!?)
“Oh, that face—you remembered! So mean, Akkun. You always forget things like this. Remember that time you totally bailed on our promise to meet at the park?”
“That was you! I waited for you all day at the park!”
“Really? Was it?”
Acchan had always been a little scatterbrained, and it seemed she hadn’t changed much.
But this playful tone—this was unmistakably the Acchan I knew.
“Yeah, really! …Anyway, aren’t we supposed to continue the interview?”
“Hmm? You’re hired.”
“Eh? Just like that?”
“Of course—it’s you, Akkun! Instant hire!”
“Ehhh!? Uh… th-thank you?”
Can she even make that decision on her own?
Well, I’m glad to be hired, but…
After all that mental prep for the interview, it ended before it even began.
“By the way, I heard there was a quiet old owner here. So how come you are doing the interview?”
I asked, confused.
“The owner of this café is my grandpa. But he recently hurt his back and can’t work long hours anymore. So until he recovers, he just works during lunch hours, and I cover the evenings on weekdays and weekends. But I can’t manage everything on my own like Grandpa did, so we decided to hire help.”
“I see… so that’s what’s going on.”
If I was going to work here, then of course it made sense for Acchan to be the one handling the interview.
“I kept thinking, I hope someone good applies—and then you showed up, Akkun! How could I not hire you on the spot?”
“Thanks. Honestly, having someone I know here makes starting my first part-time job way easier.”
“‘Someone you know’…?”
She pouted.
“Ah, I mean… a friend, right?”
Acchan still had a sulky look on her face.
Whenever I refer to someone as just a “friend,” people always seem to get a little annoyed… Why is that?
“You’re still as dense as ever…”
“Huh?”
“Geez! Sh-shut up! If you’re going to work under me, I won’t allow any half-hearted effort, got it!? I’m going to train you hard!!”
As she said that, she slapped me repeatedly on the shoulder.
“Ow, ow. P-Please go easy on me.”
Her appearance had changed, but this part of her definitely hadn’t.
When she said she’d “train me hard,” surely she didn’t mean literally hitting me, right?
…I’m kind of worried.
◯ ●
“Akkun, take this coffee to table nine.”
“Yes, understood.”
Later, when there were no customers around, I had been taught the basics of customer service and how to prepare the menu items.
Contrary to my expectations, Acchan’s instruction was actually very thorough and patient.
Now, I was finally being thrown into the real thing.
“Thank you for waiting. Here is your hot blend coffee.”
“Thank you, dear. Oh my, are you the new guy?”
“Yes, I just started today. My name is Go-kun. It’s a pleasure to serve you.”
An elderly woman spoke to me, so we chatted a bit.
I’d been told that creating a relaxed atmosphere is part of the service in a café.
Conversations like this with regulars were considered important.
“Nice to meet you, dear. Do your best, okay?”
“Yes, I’ll do my very best!”
“You’re a cheerful and cute boy. Maybe spring has finally come for little Akane.”
“S-Spring, you say?”
But it’s already mid-May, and the rainy season’s coming soon, isn’t it?
What did she mean by that?
“Hey, Oda-san, I can hear you! Don’t tease the new guy. Akkun, come back and take out the next order.”
“Oh dear, so scary. See you around, Go-kun.”
“Yes! Please enjoy your time here.”
Just like that, I went about doing café work—serving orders, greeting regulars, handling payments, and so on.
Once things had settled down, Acchan spoke to me.
“Akkun, you’re a quick learner. I crammed a lot into that training, but you picked it up so fast—it really helped.”
“Not at all. It’s because you’re a good teacher, Acchan.”
“No way, it’s not because of me. Your tone, your manners—you nailed it without me even teaching you! I can’t believe this is your first job!”
“Really? Well, I’m glad to hear that.”
Being praised for my tone and manners… maybe it’s because I’ve had to greet industry professionals before and got used to dealing with seniors?
“Since you seem fine with customer service, how about trying to make the coffee next time someone orders it?”
“Yeah! I’ll give it a shot.”
I’m actually pretty confident in my coffee-making skills, so I’m looking forward to it.
As I was thinking that, I noticed Acchan staring at me intently.
“Hm? What is it, Acchan?”
“Yep, I still think you look better with your eyes showing.”
“Wha—don’t stare at me like that, it’s embarrassing…”
Usually, I wear my bangs so they cover my eyes, but now I have one side tucked behind my ear and the other styled up slightly at the roots to hang down along the side of my face.
Acchan told me that showing more of my face makes a better impression in customer service, so I reluctantly went along with it.
Still, if I may say so myself, I think this hairstyle suits the café uniform and gives off a nice, refreshing look.
“You’ve got such beautiful eyes—it’s a waste to hide them. You didn’t used to, remember?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Up until early childhood, I had a normal hairstyle, but when I got to middle school, Mutsuki started saying that my eyes looked like a girl’s and it was creepy.
Ever since then, I started covering my eyes with my bangs.
So honestly, I’m not very comfortable with people looking directly into my eyes.
Clink-clank-clink.
The door opened and the bell rang.
“Oh, looks like a customer. I’ll go greet them.”
“Ah, he ran away.”
The conversation was starting to head in an unpleasant direction, so I cut it off and went to greet the customer.
“Welcome, huh…?”
The reason my “Welcome” ended in a question was simple.
Because it was Himeji-san and Asuka-san who had just walked through the door together.