Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Shouting Harem Pure Love from the Center of the World
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Opening the door brought the familiar aroma of a family restaurant wafting to my nose.
4 p.m., right at the end of the break time. There were no customers, and the dining hall was completely empty.
"Ah, you're here!"
"It's my first day, but I showed up right on time... I'll come a bit earlier next time."
"Hoho, that's fine. I don't mind even if you clock in right on the dot. Now, go to the staff locker room, change into your uniform, and come back out."
The uniform was just a serving apron, really. The women's was a cute one with blue stripes. The men's was plain white.
I nodded silently and was about to head to the lockers when someone came rushing into the store.
"S-sorry I'm late!"
Harumi.
As I turned to look, she froze the moment our eyes met.
"...Huh?"
Her eyes screamed, What the hell are you doing here?
I played it off like I was just as surprised.
"Oh? Kanemochiru-san, you work here too?"
"...H-hik!? W-what are you doing here...!?"
Only then did Harumi cover her face with her hands and turn away. Not like that erases the fact that we've already seen each other. She clearly hadn't grasped the situation yet.
"Boss, why is this commoner—no, why is this guy here?"
The female boss crossed her arms and chuckled.
"You two already know each other? Right after Kanemochiru-chan left yesterday, he came in with his application. You'll be learning the job together starting today."
"The world's so small. Haha."
"Hoho, isn't it though~?"
The boss came over to my side, pretending to smile while playfully patting my chest.
They say women get hornier as they age, and that doesn't seem wrong.
Sorry, but all my semen is reserved for the heroines. Besides, a pretty girl like Saki's already offering to take care of my needs willingly—no real reason to seduce the boss lady.
Well... if she treats Harumi well, I might consider it once or twice.
"Anyway, call me Kaori. 'Boss' is fine too. Just nothing that sounds bad to customers, so feel free to use whatever's comfortable."
She had a real knack for handling subordinates. Unlike yesterday, she mixed in some casual speech naturally, in a sweet, friendly tone that put you at ease. You could tell she'd been in the working world for a long time.
"Got it, Boss."
"Y-yes! Boss!"
Unlike my casual reply, Harumi answered loudly, stiff with tension.
Maybe because she'd rushed in, her smartphone screen was still on, and I caught a glimpse—the contents were hilarious.
Social Life Cheat Sheet Collection
How to Get an Extra 1,000 Yen with One Sentence
She must've been staring at that the whole bus ride. First time doing a part-time job, so she was nervous, I guess.
Harumi and I changed into our uniforms in our respective lockers and gathered back in the hall.
"Okay, from here, the tables go clockwise: 1, 2, 3. Serve from the customer's right, clear from the left~ That's basic, right?"
"Yes."
"Yes!"
Harumi's response was especially crisp. The boss kept reassuring us that it was fine to make mistakes since it was our first time, but Harumi couldn't relax at all. Makes sense—she grew up in a wealthy family, always under her parents' high expectations.
"And when customers come in, greet them loudly with 'Welcome~' and serve wet towels and water cups as standard. Gotta have something on the table to keep 'em seated."
Harumi pulled out a mini notepad like she'd prepared in advance and started jotting notes.
"Kanemochiru-san, just ask if you forget. You don't need to go that far."
"...J-just leave me alone, okay!?"
Our eyes met, and she shot back in a small voice. Her words were sharp, but her face was red. Was she sulking or embarrassed? She kept stealing glances at me while scribbling. Probably racking her brain right now on how to play this off. But before she could come up with an excuse, the boss announced the start of business.
"Break time's over. Flip the door sign to OPEN."
The moment I turned the sign to open, customers started pouring in within minutes.
This place is more popular than I thought.
"W-welcome!"
Harumi reacted half a beat faster than me.
"Table for two?"
She greeted loudly while filling cups with water.
Watching her tiny hands fumble adorably as she poured was like seeing a kid at playtime—made me feel all warm inside for no reason.
Nice going.
"Here's your water!"
She was clearly nervous, but her service was flawless.
Splash-splash.
"Oops."
It wasn't much, but a few drops sloshed toward the customers.
"S-sorry!"
"Haha, it's fine. We'll call you when we're ready to order."
The mild-mannered couple smiled and brushed it off. Nice people.
"Y-yes! Thank you!"
Harumi pressed her hand to her chest and let out a sigh of relief. She keeps showing these cute sides—makes me wanna tease her.
"Harumi-san, social life cheat key one: 'Use a tray for two or more cups.'"
"You're teasing me right now! Jerk!?"
She clenched her teeth so the customers wouldn't hear, whispering fiercely.
I covered my mouth and laughed.
After that, we served without mistakes, but as we took on two or three more tables, things got busier.
"Order here~"
"Coming right up!"
As I hurried to serve,
"Sanghyeon-kun! You forgot a side dish here~"
Kaori-san called me out. Even I mess up sometimes on my first day in a packed family restaurant.
"Ah, sorry, Boss."
As I steadied the tray with the mashed potato plate, supporting it from below, Kaori-san's hand subtly overlapped mine.
"Aw, no need to apologize. Hohoho. Mmm~ Sanghyeon-kun's got such big hands? Holding the tray steady with one like a pro."
This lady—was she the type whose libido explodes from work stress and fatigue?
Sometimes you get those OL characters who come home from black companies, stressed to the max, and relieve it with ridiculously intense masturbation.
Up close, I noticed the beauty mark above her lip. No real wrinkles, and aside from slightly tired eyes, she was quite the looker.
Her hand on mine under the tray stroked my firm skin like she was licking it.
This woman had set her sights on me from day one, huh? That's why she hired me so easily.
Time to draw a line. If I were pent up, I might've been tempted, but I'm a man with pure devotion to my heroines. ...Plus, there's Saki.
"Ahem. Customers are waiting, so I'll get going."
"Hohoho. Hard worker and so cute. Go on~"
Kaori-san winked and nodded.
-Ding-dong!
Right then, another group of customers entered.
More coming in?
This job's no joke. I'd done some manual labor back in my old world and thought it'd be easy, but earning someone else's money ain't simple.
I quickly served the tray to the existing table and glanced at the new customers.
Harumi handled the basics like water cups, cutlery, and menus after seating, while I took the heavier food—an unspoken rule that had formed.
But as I approached the group who'd decided on their orders, I froze in shock.
"...Let's eat something tasty and shake it off. Yuu will definitely... do it too!"
"You think...? No way Sanghyeon-oppa would..."
Why the hell are they here!?
I mean, I planned to come clean eventually and confess to dating multiple girls openly, but this is way too soon.
No matter how hard my heart pounded, time marched on, and the place was packed.
"Sanghyeon-kun~? Menus are ready—better take 'em quick~?"
Kaori-san's urging voice came from behind.
"Huh...? Did I just hear a familiar name?"
Saki looked around.
I spun around fast and grabbed the tray.
"Must've misheard..."
This is driving me crazy.
I served other customers while trying to clear my jumbled head.
Wait.
Let's think calmly.
Why am I shaking like a guy caught cheating?
Pure love.
Right—I'm walking the path of pure love right now...!
If I gave less love to one and more to another, that'd be favoritism, not pure love. But I'm confident I won't. I've trained my brain to the point of bursting and pulled 250-degree oven trays with my bare hands to save my heroines...!
They'll understand for sure. True feelings always get through!!
I, who shouted harem pure love from the center of the world, strode confidently toward Saki and Ren.
Alright. Let's do this.
Something I always planned to reveal someday, from the start.
And right now, I'm not even dating Harumi. We're just normal coworkers.
If I act normal, I'm just a guy who ran into his crush while working part-time.
...As long as Harumi doesn't pull some weird stunt out of nowhere.
"Ren-san! Saki!"
I approached them with a casual smile, like nothing was wrong.