Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: A Guy with Few Friends is an Outsider
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For a solo dining enthusiast who just wants to quietly enjoy a leisurely meal alone in the evening and head home—what do you think is the absolute worst-case scenario?
Is it when a student from your own school suddenly starts working part-time at your go-to restaurant, spots you the moment you walk in, and greets you enthusiastically?
"Oh! You're Han Si-a from Class 1, right? You are! Hi! I'm Yoo So-mi from Class 5! You come to academies around here, huh?"
Or maybe when that student sees you enter the restaurant alone and pries about your friends?
"So, what are your other friends doing outside? Tell them to come in! It's cold in the evening—hurry up and call them! Oh, none? ...Why?"
Or when that student abandons their duties to shower you with undivided attention?
"Mind if I sit here for a sec? Ever since the freshman speech, I've been thinking, 'Wow, she's so pretty~ Her voice is adorable too~' I really wanted to get close if we were in the same class, but we're not, and our seats are far apart, so it never happened... Oh, you don't mind if I ignore the counter? Nah, it's fine~ No rush of customers yet."
No. For a solo diner, the absolute worst scenario is...
"Truth is, I only ended up filling in here today by accident... But the friend working with me here gets along great, and you seem to go to academies nearby, so I was thinking maybe I could work part-time here, make some fun pocket money. What do you think? So you gotta come by often~"
...when the shop's server won't leave you alone.
I peeked out from the kitchen to check the situation. Han Si-a's lips were trembling under her customer-service smile.
If this keeps up, there's a 100% chance she won't come back to this place. Come to think of it, she wanted to keep her academy attendance a secret... If I leave it like this, Yoo So-mi might spread rumors at school.
This is gonna blow back on me big time...
As I debated whether to tell Yoo So-mi to keep her mouth shut before my shift ended, Han Si-a spoke up.
"Did the regular guy who works here quit or something? I always saw him, but not today..."
"Oh, Yi-an? He's in the kitchen right now. The kitchen part-timer bailed, so Yi-an stepped in."
Her gaze shot straight to the kitchen at that, locking eyes with me as I watched the scene.
She's glaring daggers. Her eyes are terrifying.
Han Si-a mouthed at me while glaring.
'Traitor.'
No, no, no—there were unavoidable circumstances here.
This is bad. It's not just losing one sandwich shop regular.
Han Si-a is the undisputed top of Baekseung High's first-year Class 1. If she holds a grudge over today and decides to make my life hell, she's got the power to do it.
I immediately stopped what I was doing in the kitchen to head out and explain.
But the boss, already on edge from the runaway part-timer, was watching me like a hawk from the back.
Damn, no good. Yoo So-mi's already ditched the counter to chat up Han Si-a—if I join in too...
Forget a raise; he might fire me while hiring a new kitchen hand.
'Just a thousand-won hourly bump makes my daily 36 BTC... Just a thousand-won bump...'
Screw it. I'll make sure Yoo So-mi zips it later, and explain to Han Si-a at school tomorrow.
By the time I got back to the floor after clearing the kitchen backlog, Han Si-a was already gone.
"Yi-an! Yi-an! Too many people!! Help!!!"
The floor was packed with kids filling up for dinner and a flustered Yoo So-mi overwhelmed by the crowd.
.
.
.
Of course I helped.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hm... So Si-a wants to keep her academy attendance secret from the school kids, right?"
After my shift at the sandwich shop, I pulled Yoo So-mi aside on the way home to set things straight.
To Yoo So-mi, Han Si-a must look like the ultimate first-year insider, so honestly, the reason might be hard for her to grasp...
"If that's what Si-a wants, sure! I'll keep it secret at school~ Then doesn't that make us friends who already share a secret?"
Chatting with someone she just met and calling them a friend already. Makes you rethink how sociable she really is.
I don't have much experience hanging with girls, so when we talked anime earlier at work, I figured she was just desperate for someone to geek out with.
Does she see me as a friend too? That'd be nice. I should at least say hi next time we cross paths in art class. Of course, I gotta clear things up properly with Han Si-a tomorrow too...
That was when I thought today's mishap would end as just that—a mishap.
.
.
.
Right up until her bombshell drop.
"Wait, now that I think about it, we both share the secret of being otaku, so that's two secrets already? I'm glad we're getting close so fast~"
Uh... Huh? What?
Han Si-a being an otaku—what the hell?
Stunned, I said to Yoo So-mi,
"Han Si-a's an otaku? Never heard that. And honestly, doesn't seem like her type anyway..."
"Huh? But she laughed along great when I brought up Japanese anime earlier?"
"...She never said it herself, right? Sounds like a normie to me...?"
"Huh? No way, she can't be a normie. You're dating, after all."
Yeah. Conversation's going nowhere.
As I shut my mouth, Yoo So-mi continued.
"Oh, you wanna keep that secret too? But come on, even if you play dumb, it was way too obvious!"
...?
"I mean, she comes every day to this sandwich shop where a guy from our school works? With me at the counter instead of you, she was all fidgety asking where you were. Once I pointed you out, she stared right through in your direction—man, that gaze was pure passion... Even I got butterflies watching. And keeping it from school friends too! She's popular at school, so dating rumors would be a hassle—she's hiding it."
Gasp. Was I dating Han Si-a without knowing?!
No way. This girl's just assumed we're a couple, figured Han Si-a's into anime like me, and barreled ahead.
Han Si-a probably just kept her sales smile on and brushed her off.
"Phew... Lots to unpack, but we'll get to that. So why do you think Han Si-a's an otaku? Feels like the logic doesn't connect."
"Huh? Well..."
At my question, Yoo So-mi paused a beat, then beamed.
"Otaku can't date or befriend normies, duh?"
...Hearing that with an innocent smile was kinda scary, honestly.
"But then what's with you hanging out with the delinquents in your class?"
"Oh, them? Hanging out casually isn't the same as being friends, right?"
...Crazy girl.
It took quite a while after that to explain the objective reality and convince her.
"Wh-what do I do? If Si-a spreads that I'm an otaku around school, I'm done for...!"
"Calm down. From what I know, Han Si-a won't care. She probably just wanted to eat in peace without someone yapping next to her."
"Even if word spreads I'm an otaku and I become a total outsider... you won't ditch me, right?"
"Nah, won't ditch you. Won't even happen anyway."
Wait, aren't I already a full-on outsider? Am I really the one comforting her? Kinda self-loathing.
We agreed to talk to Han Si-a together tomorrow and headed home.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day, Yoo So-mi and I got to school early and waited right at the gate for Han Si-a.
Yoo So-mi fretted she'd spread hobby rumors; I dreaded retaliation before explaining...
Best to settle it before she entered class.
Han Si-a's face stiffened seeing us openly waiting, but thankfully, unlike Yoo So-mi, she was easy to talk to.
Yoo So-mi's job wasn't my doing. She wouldn't spill academy details. Please don't out her hobby.
All explained and understood in under three minutes.
Then Han Si-a said,
"As long as you don't spill my academy spot, I won't spill your hobby. Not that I get why you'd hide something so trivial."
Yeah, figured as much. But...
"However, Jeong Yi-an. Intentional or not, you were deeply involved in exposing my precious sanctuary. So I'll hold you accountable."
"...?"
"Regrettably, you're a highly competent sandwich shop server. Irreplaceable, even. But with the newbie's service that bad, it's pointless."
"So take responsibility and train the newbie. Then I'll forgive you."
Seems she really likes the sandwich shop I work at. As long as Yoo So-mi doesn't cling like yesterday, she'll come back.
With that, Yoo So-mi teared up and latched onto Han Si-a.
"Waaah... Th-thanks for keeping my secret, Si-a... Sniff! I'll keep yours about the shop too..!"
.
.
.
Two days later, Yoo So-mi and I met again in the art room.
"Last time was scary as hell... But everything worked out! You cleared your misunderstanding, I got a job and a new friend, Si-a kept her sanctuary, and the boss got a new part-timer."
"Hey... One friend? Make it two. You saying I'm not your friend now? That's harsh..."
"...? Yi-an, what're you talking about? Si-a's not an otaku—how could she be a friend?"
...Did it really work out...?