Chapter 17 After Helping Nami-san...
#OtokotomodachiAfter Helping Nami-san…
“Are you okay?”
“Eh? Ah, y-yes. I’m sorry for causing you trouble…”
“Not at all, don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt. Do you often get troublesome customers like that?”
“No, actually. I don’t work here often, so this was my first time encountering such customers. It really caught me off guard…”
“Ah, I see. But Nami-san, you’re incredibly beautiful, so it’s understandable that some customers might try to hit on you like that.”
“…Eh? B-Beautiful? Are you talking about me?”
“Huh? Yes, of course.”
“R-Really? Fufu… beautiful, huh…”
When I told Nami-san she was beautiful, her expression lit up with genuine delight.
Considering how stunning she is, she must hear that kind of compliment all the time. I wonder why it made her so happy coming from me?
—Thump, thump, thump!
As I pondered that, a woman in her late twenties came hurrying down from the café’s second floor.
“Na-chan!”
“Eh? Oh, Manager. Thank you for your hard work.”
Judging by Nami-san’s words, this woman must be the café’s manager.
(“Na-chan,” huh… Oh, I get it. It’s a nickname from “Nami.”)
The affectionate nickname and the warmth in her tone suggested the two had a close relationship.
“Y-Yeah, good work. I heard some noise coming from downstairs—did something happen?”
“Ah, well, actually…”
Nami-san began explaining the earlier incident to the manager.
“I see… So that’s what happened. I’m so relieved you weren’t hurt, Na-chan.”
“I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“Really, if something like that happens again, call me right away, okay? And thank you for helping her out. By the way, what’s your name?”
“Ah, I’m Kurase Taiki.”
“Thank you, Taiki-kun. Standing up to those troublesome customers like that—you’re such a dependable young man. Oh, I know! How about you work here part-time, Taiki-kun?”
“Eh?”
“Eh!?”
The manager’s sudden job offer surprised me, and I couldn’t help but raise my voice. Nami-san, too, looked equally stunned.
(…Why does Nami-san look so shocked?)
Still visibly startled, Nami-san addressed the manager.
“M-Manager! What are you saying? He’s a customer we just met today…”
“But you know, everyone who works here is a girl, right? Having a guy on staff would be helpful in many ways. Plus, incidents like today could happen again.”
“W-Well, that might be true, but…”
Their conversation revealed that the café’s staff consisted entirely of women.
“Exactly! So, what do you think, Taiki-kun? If you’re looking for a job, why not work here? The pay is standard, but we have great perks like transportation allowances and a 10% discount on the menu. Oh, and if you join, I’ll even make you a custom waiter uniform!”
“Hmm, that’s interesting… Wait, did you say you make the uniforms yourself, Manager?”
“Yep! All the staff uniforms here are handmade by me! Pretty cool, right?”
When I asked, the manager proudly confirmed it with her hands on her hips.
(So it’s true—the maid outfits here aren’t store-bought but custom-made. That’s incredible!)
Nami-san’s uniform fit her perfectly and looked high-quality, so I’d suspected it wasn’t off-the-rack. Learning it was handmade by the manager made it even more impressive.
“Wow, that’s amazing! Creating such elegant and beautiful maid outfits is really something!”
“Fufu, thank you for the compliment! So, how about it? Would you like to join, Taiki-kun? It’d really help us out…”
“Hmm… The perks are tempting, but I already have a part-time job, so it might be tough right now…”
“Ah, I see. That’s a shame, but I understand. Here’s the café’s business card—if you ever change your mind, feel free to contact us!”
“Thank you very much.”
I accepted the business card from the manager.
“Well, I should be heading out now. It was great meeting you, Nami-san.”
“I’m glad I got to meet you too. Thank you so much for everything today. Fufu, I’d love for you to visit the café again sometime.”
“Of course, I’ll definitely come back. I’m already looking forward to trying your tea again, Nami-san!”
“Yes, of course. Fufu, then I’ll do my best to make you delicious tea next time, okay?”
“Thank you. I’m looking forward to it.”
We both smiled warmly as we said goodbye.
“Hmm? You two seem pretty close. Have you known each other for a while?”
“Fufu… eh?”
“No, I haven’t met Nami-san before, but actually, I’m friends with her younger brother! Since Nami-san has a similar vibe, it’s easy to talk to her!”
“Eh? Na-chan’s younger brother? But I didn’t know you had—”
“Ahhh! Let’s save that story for another time, okay!”
“Mmff!? Mmph!”
“Eh!?”
Suddenly, Nami-san clamped her hand over the manager’s mouth. The sudden move left me confused.
“W-We have a lot of work to do, so we’ll get back to it. Thank you again, Taiki-kun!”
“Ah, right. You’re still working. Alright then, I’ll be going. Thank you for the delicious tea.”
“You’re very welcome. We look forward to your next visit.”
“Mmff… Mmph!”
I bowed lightly to Nami-san and the manager before leaving the café.
I wasn’t sure why Nami-san had suddenly covered the manager’s mouth, but, well, I guess it’s nothing to worry about.
Overall, the café was wonderful, and I’ll definitely come back again.