Chapter 217: Renka Training Log 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 217: Renka Training Log 2
Renka, back from lunch at the gyudon place, called out to me.
“Matsuda. The boss says to come. Go eat.”
Replying that I would, I filled the grinder with coffee beans and carefully sealed the rest of the bag.
“What did you eat?”
“Gyudon.”
“I mean, what kind of gyudon.”
“Just gyudon.”
“Hmm.”
“...I had chashudon.”
The moment I let out that signature sound, she hurriedly specified the type of bowl she’d had.
It's funny how she's already responding to my training like this.
I should use this technique every now and then. If I overuse it, she might build up an immunity.
“Was it good?”
“...Yeah.”
“That’s a relief. Hold on... you’ve got something in your hair.”
“What? Where?”
“I’ll get it.”
Without waiting for her reply, I reached out and gently touched the side of her hair.
She flinched, her voice rising in alarm.
“Hey... Hey! What do you think you’re doing...?!”
Her voice was quite loud.
Thank goodness there were no customers, or we would’ve gotten a complaint.
I plucked a small, translucent, light-brown piece of what looked like a peel from her hair and examined it nonchalantly.
“Looks like a piece of onion skin.”
“...Onion skin?”
“Yep. Try not to be so clumsy and get things stuck on you.”
Honestly, I was dying to eat it right in front of her, but I decided to let it go.
“It must have gotten stuck on my way out of the kitchen... When your hair is long, you can’t pay attention to every little thing... And who said you could just touch someone else’s body whenever you want?”
Scolding me, Renka fiddled with the long strands of hair at her side.
It seems she was self-conscious about it. Purely subconsciously, of course.
I tossed the peel into the trash can and apologized meekly.
“I’m sorry.”
“Whatever... Next time, just tell me with words.”
“Understood. I’m heading out to eat now, okay?”
“Go on.”
“If it gets busy, call me on the internal line. I’ll come back quickly.”
“You don’t have to hurry back.”
“Are you being considerate and telling me to eat slowly?”
“No. It’s because I don’t want to see your face.”
She says things she doesn’t mean.
I answered with a smirk and headed to the gyudon place, where I ate while chatting with the owner and the other staff.
When I returned to the cafe, Renka was energetically greeting customers.
“Welcome! This is Cafe 24!”
She was all smiles, a complete contrast to how she was when talking to me. A sudden pang of jealousy hit me.
As punishment for snapping at her master, I should make her work with a condom-covered vibrator inside her.
I went behind the counter, washed my hands, and approached Renka after she finished taking an order.
“What’s the order?”
“Drip coffee and a strawberry latte.”
“I’ll make the strawberry latte.”
“No, you make the drip coffee.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t suit strawberries.”
“What... Then what do I suit?”
“Pineapple.”
Why pineapple, of all things?
She definitely didn’t mean it as a compliment, like I’m refreshing...
She was probably alluding to its dangerous-looking rind.
“Why?”
“Quiet. Work. Drip coffee.”
Renka said, pointing to the drip coffee filter with the stiff cadence of a bad translation.
I thought I could detect a slight, just a very slight hint of playfulness in her voice.
* * *
After lunchtime, a fair number of customers started to come in.
It wasn't enough to fill the cafe completely, but there were many who ordered takeout.
Thanks to them, Renka and I were too busy to have any personal conversations.
In the middle of it all, the owner came over to help for a moment, only to give us a thumbs-up, say our skills were improving rapidly, and then head back to his restaurant.
After that storm of customers passed and the cafe quieted down, Renka and I finally caught our breath, snacking on some food the owner had brought over.
“That was incredibly busy.”
“Not incredibly. It was manageable once you get used to it.”
“Was it?”
“What’s with that tone, like you’re talking to a puppy? It’s annoying, so just act normal, will you?”
“I am acting normal. But doesn’t it get tiring standing all the time?”
“Not really. Are you tired?”
“My legs are a little sore.”
“That’s because you don’t exercise.”
“I do, though.”
“Fine, whatever.”
Isn’t she going to ask what kind of exercise I do? What a shame.
I ate a piece of karaage from the plate in front of me and was about to clear the trash.
Just then, Renka poked me in the back with her finger.
“Hey, Matsuda.”
“Yes. Is there more trash to throw away?”
“Not that... It’s about that book you bought the other day...”
“A book? Ah... you mean that one? Asagao-san’s Household Finances...”
“D-Don’t say it so loud...! Just...!”
She glanced around the empty cafe, looking completely flustered.
I let out a chuckle at her adorable reaction.
“Alright. What about it? You want to borrow it?”
“Borrow it? Why would I... I was just going to ask if you’re enjoying it...”
“Didn’t I tell you before that I found it interesting?”
“I mean, are you reading it again...”
“I pick it up whenever I think of it.”
“Really...?”
“Yep. Why bring it up all of a sudden? Are you interested in the Asagao-san figure?”
“Wh-What kind of nonsense is that...?!”
“Do you happen to have a figure display case at home, Captain?”
“Why is the conversation suddenly going in that direction? Just take out the trash! And while you’re at it, throw yourself out too...!”
This time she doesn’t deny it, just changes the subject, huh?
I guess she’s gradually becoming more honest.
“That’s harsh.”
“...But is there really a figure for Asagao-san’s Household Finances?”
“I have no idea.”
“You don’t know, but you pretended you did?”
“Yep. I thought you would give me the answer, Captain.”
“Me...?”
“You’re an expert in this field, Captain.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions, will you...?”
“Just confess and find salvation.”
“Am I some kind of criminal?”
“It’s just an expression. Let’s go home together today.”
At my words, Renka’s eyebrow twitched.
“Your shift ends an hour before mine.”
“I can wait. I was planning on buying something nearby anyway, so just let me know when you’re done.”
“Why don’t you just go?”
“I don’t want to.”
“I don’t want to either. I’ll go alone.”
“Don’t be difficult.”
“You’re the one being difficult...! Why are you so selfish?”
“Captain.”
My tone suddenly turned serious.
Startled by the shift, Renka’s voice softened slightly.
“Wh-What...!”
“Do you really not want to go with me?”
“...It’s not that I don’t want to, but you keep teasing me like this...!”
“If I promise not to tease you, will you go with me?”
“Well... if you can be quiet, then I guess... It’s more convenient than public transport...”
“Then it’s settled. I won’t tease you.”
“...In that case... I guess we can go together...”
The more I talk with Renka, the stronger my desire to do intimate things with her grows.
I hope we can quickly reach a point where our relationship is incomparably deeper than it is now.
As I was thinking that, I greeted a customer who had just opened the door.
“Welcome to Cafe 24.”
* * *
“I’m going.”
“Okay. Get home safe.”
“Am I the one opening tomorrow?”
Renka would know her own schedule far better than I did.
The fact that she was asking me meant that she felt bad about us having been silent the entire way home.
She's uncharacteristically nice... Tsk, tsk.
“That’s right.”
“Okay. Thanks for the ride.”
“See you tomorrow.”
After dropping Renka off, I met up with Miyuki to watch a movie, then came home and checked my phone.
A notification from the AniShare app made the corners of my mouth lift.
I wonder what kind of message she sent today. My heart is pounding.
[MK-nim, I finished reading Girlfriend Training that you recommended. It was really interesting. I’m planning on leaving a review soon.]
Unlike yesterday, the message was polite.
Is she trying to play good cop, bad cop by herself?
For now, I’ll pretend to fall for it.
[I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s a masterpiece, after all.]
[I agree. Do you have any other training-themed works you could recommend?]
So that’s why Renka brought up Asagao-san’s Household Finances earlier.
If she had mentioned that book, it would have confirmed that MK was me.
Just like last time, and this time too... our Renka is so endearingly clumsy.
[What kind of rating are you looking for?]
[As long as it’s not something like scat, I’m fine with anything.]
[I’ll look for something.]
[Thank you. By the way, what does MK stand for?]
[It doesn’t mean anything special.]
[Is it your initials? If so, could you at least tell me your last name?]
She’s already showing her true colors.
Patience is essential if you want to get the results you want by using both the whip and the carrot... I wonder if she isn’t being a bit too hasty.
[Are you crazy?]
[Crazy? That’s a bit harsh. ಠ‸ಠ Are you always this rude?]
[Who was rude first? Is asking for someone’s last name online a common question?]
[I can ask, can’t I?]
[No, you can’t.]
[Yes, I can.]
[Did you message me just to play word games?]
[I’m sorry. I just wanted to get to know you better.]
So, online Renka has an aegyo side to her, unlike in real life.
It’s a quirky kind of cute, different from the usual, but I thought it suited her quite well.
And it’s a little childish.
[Are you a girl?]
[Yes.]
[Then let’s be friends.]
[I can’t believe your attitude changed the second I said my gender. Are you a yeomisae?]
[What’s a yeomisae?]
[A bastard who’s crazy for women.]
[Did you just swear at me?]
[I was just telling you the meaning of the word. Anyway, how old are you?]
[None of your business.]
[ㅗ]
At this point, Renka must be sure that I’m MK, and that’s why she’s swearing at me, right?
All the questions she’s asked so far were just to make that certainty absolute.
[You’re charming. Cute.]
[Your attitude changed as soon as I said I was a girl. That’s really pathetic.]
[It’s because it’s fun to play along with a catfish.]
[I’m not a catfish.]
[Let’s just say you are. Go post your review.]
[Fine. And think of another manga to recommend.]
I ignored Renka’s last message, closed the app, and buried my face in my pillow.
I wish tomorrow would come sooner.
I like that I can see Renka opening her heart to me, little by little, in her own way.
And that makes me want to torment her even more.