Ch. 15: Is This What They Mean by "Kids These Days Like It"?

Chae-ah apparently really thought our play session was just a product demo, because she didn't mention it once afterward.

She greeted me with her usual bright smile every day and sold adult toys to customers with her top-notch service skills.

A few days of that passed, and I was slowly able to push the thoughts I'd been harboring out of my mind.

"Phew... heavier than I expected."

"Boss, what's all this stuff?"

Before opening for the day, I'd brought in the new shipment of goods.

With two or three boxes in tow, Chae-ah peered around curiously.

"New items for sale."

"Huh? What kind?"

"Cosplay outfits. I never planned on stocking this stuff originally, but other adult toy stores were carrying them."

"So we decided to sell them too, huh."

"Yeah. I'm gonna go wash up—open them up for me."

"Got it, boss."

I'd worked up a sweat hauling them in from the morning, so I headed to the bathroom with its shower to rinse off the grime.

After showering and changing into the comfiest clothes I had, I stepped out of the staff room to check on Chae-ah.

"Chae-ah, how's it looking?"

"Boss... whoa? Our boss turned into a baby."

"What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden."

"You look seriously young without makeup, boss."

Chae-ah reacted with delight at my bare face, no makeup.

That's why I'd started doing heavy makeup—customers had the same reaction.

With my usual light makeup, I'd get asked dozens of times if a student could even work here.

"Say 'cute' one more time, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and I'll make you call me 'boss' in public too."

"Eep... won't do it."

"So, what's in there? I threw in a bunch of variety, figuring it'd be good."

"Nurse, bunny girl, nun, school uniform—tons of stuff."

Endless adult cosplay outfits spilled from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the boxes. Maybe I'd ordered too many.

True to their adult cosplay nature, none had full coverage.

Skirted ones barely covered the lower ass cheeks, and tops plunged deep to show maximum cleavage.

As I examined them one by one, Chae-ah grabbed one and held it up to my body.

"What're you doing?"

"Finding something that suits you, boss."

"And what if you find it?"

"Product ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠demo?"

Framing our rope tie play as a product demo had let it slide smoothly, but it came with side effects.

Like her casually suggesting "product demo" every time she wanted to play with me.

"Cosplay outfits like these don't need demos. They're just clothes."

"Clothing store employees try everything on once, boss. To tell customers the features."

She grabbed my hand tight, her eyes sparkling like when Aunt brought those Dubai chewy cookies.

I'm way too weak to eyes like that.

Those big, shiny puppy eyes make me feel obligated to say yes.

"...I'll think about it."

"Yay! What do you think suits me?"

"Lemme see. This one's good."

I picked up a bunny girl outfit and held it to her body.

"Bunny girl! But why's there a hole in the butt?"

"Oh, that's for this."

I picked up the bunny tail anal plug that came with it and showed her.

"An anal plug, right...?"

"Yeah. They say the tail goes in the anus, not the tailbone."

"First I've heard of it."

Doing this job means picking up random lewd knowledge that eats up brain space whether you want it or not.

"...You've never heard that?"

"Nope, first time. Is that a thing?"

I put the bunny tail anal plug back in its box and let out a deep sigh.

Given how much Chae-ah loves naughty stuff, I'd assumed she knew it already.

So I'd said it casually.

"Haa... what the hell am I teaching a 21-year-old..."

A sudden wave of guilt and depravity hit me, like I'd committed a grave sin.

"You know way more than me, boss."

"Is that a compliment...?"

"Of course it is."

"Yeah, thanks..."

Of course, I couldn't take it as a compliment at all.

"Let's sort the rest tomorrow—can you come in early, like 8?"

"Sure, no problem!"

"Cool. Handle cleanup for now. I'm gonna do my makeup."

"Got it, boss."

I closed the staff room door behind me and sighed deeply again.

I couldn't stop thinking about how I'd fed such filthy knowledge to Chae-ah, who was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seven years younger.

"Haa... sorry, Chae-ah..."

It was pathetic that I couldn't apologize to her face.

*

The next day, I arrived at the store an hour earlier than usual.

Chae-ah wasn't there yet—or so it seemed, since I didn't see her.

She was always punctual, so my mind immediately jumped to worst-case scenarios.

I sent the text to check if she was on her way or just waking up late.

She always replied instantly, but this time, not even read.

"Something wrong? Guess I'll start sorting."

Maybe she overslept— she'd show eventually. I began displaying the cosplay outfits.

I set up the new mannequins against the store wall and dressed them one by one.

Every time I finished one, the same thought hit me.

"These are insanely slutty."

Adult cosplay outfits were just too damn erotic.

If they looked this hot on a mannequin, a real person wearing them would be nuclear.

I couldn't even imagine.

"Just this last one."

Finishing with the bunny girl on the final mannequin wrapped up the sorting.

I stepped back to admire the lineup—then my eyes locked on the bunny girl.

"What do you think suits me?"

Chae-ah's question from yesterday replayed, along with me picking the bunny girl for her.

"Bunny girl... bunny girl... Chae-ah bunny girl..."

A fantasy bloomed instantly.

Chae-ah in a bunny girl outfit, bunny tail anal plug inserted.

"Bunny poof! Your exclusive bunny for the boss has arrived~! I even put on this pretty tail just for you~!"

Chae-ah would totally say something aegyo like that in the outfit.

"...Kids these days and bunny girls... nice."

As the fantasy ran wild, reason yanked me back by the wrists.

"You crazy bitch, fantasizing about a girl seven years younger."

The rope tie play must still be messing with me.

Otherwise, I'd never fantasize about Chae-ah like this.

"Phew..."

I rubbed my dry face and sighed—

-Bzzz! Bzzzzz!

My phone vibrated. Incoming call from Chae-ah.

Her voice was hoarse, with coughing fits.

"Caught a cold?"

"Yess... cough cough..."

"Rest up. I'll handle the store alone today."

"But... cough cough! It's Friday today..."

She mentioned the busy Friday crowd, worrying I'd struggle solo.

No matter how tough, I wasn't the evil boss forcing a sick employee to work.

"I handled it alone before you started. Don't worry."

"Still... cough cough...!"

"Enough. Worry about your body. Sleep it off."

"Okaay... sorry... cough cough..."

That explained the no-contact—she was sick.

"Such a worrier."

Anyone else would call out boldly when sick, but here she was fretting over me more.

So I ran the store without Chae-ah.

I figured it'd be fine after soloing so long—but by closing time, I realized how arrogant that was.

"I'm gonna die..."

Chae-ah's presence was irreplaceable here.

I never imagined adapting to her in under a week.

"Time to head home..."

Dragging my unusually heavy feet toward home, I called Chae-ah.

I almost thought how do you live so unprepared—then remembered I was the same in my early twenties.

"Chae-ah, send me your address? I'll make porridge and bring meds."

"Huh...? Cough cough! You're coming...?"

"Of course. Can't let my only employee die."

"Not dying... cough cough...!"

"You like it too. Get to see my face."

Her quick retort made me chuckle, figuring she wasn't that bad—then it hit me.

That casual line was nothing like my usual pushback.

It was like handing her more rope to pull me in.

"Hehe... true~... Boss... sending address now~... cough cough!"

"Yeah, thanks."

I hung up and scratched my head.

In our dynamic, Chae-ah always pulled, and I pushed away.

That line? It didn't fit the pusher at all.

"Why'd I say that all of a sudden?"