Ichijou Rikou Buys Bento

[Welcome—]

The night shift is much busier than on weekends.

During this time, quite a few exhausted salarymen drop by the convenience store after getting off work.

Most of them are the kind of pitiful people who live alone.

They come to buy bento as their dinner.

My job isn’t just ringing them up at the register.

I also have to heat their food in the microwave, and at the same time, play the role of the flawless Touha Tsuki, giving them a smile warm enough to ease their hearts.

It looks like more work than on weekends, but if you really count it, it’s about the same.

After all, I only need to work a few hours.

And besides, the night shift has its own unexpected rewards.

[Tsuki-chan, do you have a boyfriend?]

It was an uncle I’d gotten to know over this period of time.

[Houjou-san, Tsuki doesn’t have a boyfriend.]

[Ah, someone as pretty as Tsuki-chan not having a boyfriend?

Aren’t you planning to find one?

High school only lasts a few short years in your life.

If you miss it, it’d be such a waste.]

Houjou-san is an uncle who’s very good at talking.

If I had to define him, he’s basically the Ayako Hanazono–type radio, the youthful version that neither spreads nor collects gossip.

[Back in my day, there was a girl I liked too.

She was our class president.

Her looks—ahh, really, sparkling.

Truly beautiful.

I wasn’t the only one who liked her.

All my friends thought she was prettier than anyone else.]

A very uncle-like sigh as he reminisced about his lost youth.

He looked quite pitiful.

At least, pitiful enough to give the malicious me a bit of pleasure.

Though—

Someone like me, who never experienced youth at all, probably looks even more pitiful now.

[I think it’s wonderful that you can still keep such beautiful memories of her, Houjou-san.]

I smiled gently and looked toward the darkening sky outside.

[Those memories are the most precious things, you know.]

[—Yeah.

In my memories, she’s still just as beautiful and adorable, enough to make my heart race.

That’s enough—

You really are good at comforting people, Tsuki.]

Being praised like that, his affection toward someone he’d only known for a few days was overflowing.

Even though I’m such an awful person.

[Hehehe.]

A laugh that could honestly be called pleasant.

This must be what you call an unexpected bonus.

[By the way, what time is it now?]

[Two more minutes until nine.]

[Is that so.

Then I should get ready too.]

By “get ready,” he was actually eyeing the bento section.

Once it hit nine o’clock, I—the clerk of this convenience store—would start putting half-price stickers on the bento.

At that moment, some of the people wandering around the store would rush over and grab them.

Some would even have to act quickly to secure the flavor they liked.

Those two minutes passed quickly.

They all started to fidget.

Just like always.

Well, maybe not exactly the same.

A figure entered the store.

[Ichijou-kun?]

[Hm, Touha-san?]

His gaze stopped on me, and then he smiled.

[Good evening.]

[Yes, good evening.]

I returned his smile gently.

[Eh—eh, Tsuki, who’s that?

Come on, tell me, tell me.]

[I’m Ichijou Rikou.

Nice to meet you.]

[Ahh, you’re that scumbag Ichijou Rikou that Ayako talks about?]

Houjou-san’s eyes turned hostile.

[Eh—]

Ichijou Rikou looked confused.

And I, who had caused this situation, quickly stopped Radio No.2 from continuing.

[Ichijou-kun, what brings you here so late?]

[Ah, I’m here to buy two bento.]

He scratched his head.

[When I was cooking for Tsuki, I forgot to set the timer, and it all burned.

It’s inedible now.

If I start over, I won’t have enough time.]

[So—]

There was no need for him to explain further.

I already understood.

I didn’t expect Ichijou-kun to be this careless sometimes.

I narrowed my eyes happily and faced him.

In a lively, cheerful tone.

[Then Ichijou-kun really came at the perfect time.]

[The bento are just about to be half-price.]

Tick.

[It’s nine o’clock.]

[Please get ready, Ichijou-kun.

If there’s a flavor you like, keep your eyes on it.

If you’re careless, it might get snatched away.]

Ichijou Rikou froze for a moment, then seemed to notice the atmosphere in the store and got serious.

[Yes!]

[Then—]

Just like always, I took out the half-price stickers and walked toward the bento section.

Without noticing, several people had already gathered there.

They all wore friendly smiles, but their eyes were warily scanning those around them.

Silently, they shifted their footing, trying to get closer to the bento they wanted.

Their hands trembled.

Like cowboys in a Western about to duel, all for the sake of striking first at that moment.

As the stickers were applied one by one, a heavy tension spread through the area.

Finally—

[Could you all please turn around for a moment?]

I bowed slightly, looking embarrassed, with an expression full of apology.

[Being watched like this makes me a bit shy.

I just started the night shift, so I’m not used to it yet.]

[Haha, it’s fine, it’s fine.]

Everyone who gathered here were regulars.

Some of them even knew each other.

After hearing my sincere request, none of them complained much.

Surrounding me in a circle, they all turned around.

Including Ichijou Rikou, who had just arrived.

If that’s the case—

It shouldn’t be noticed, right.

[Alright, you can turn back now, everyone.]

At my signal, they all turned around at once—

With wolf-like eyes.

[Haha, got it.]

[No—my favorite teriyaki chicken cutlet!]

[Nice, no one took the one I like.]

[I’m getting old, but I’m still faster than some youngsters.]

[It’s you again!

Looks like we settle this here today!]

All of that—

Was actually just dialogue I made up in my head.

But I translated it all through body language.

This kind of struggle was completely silent.

Between them, there were friendly smiles, but their hands moved unhurriedly, merciless beneath the surface.

Those who lost their beloved bento kept smiling, but their disappointment was impossible to hide.

[That’s strange, Tsuki.]

Houjou-san held two bento, looking puzzled.

[Doesn’t it feel like there’s way less sauce-grilled pork today?]

[Maybe it sold especially well today.]

I smiled at the register.

[These things can’t always be predicted, you know, Houjou-san.]

[Alright, that’ll be 500 yen.]

[Ah, yeah, it really would be strange if such a tasty bento didn’t sell well.

Here you go, Tsuki.]

[Thank you very much.

Please come again tomorrow, Houjou-san.]

I replied playfully, earning a satisfied expression.

[Ahh, just seeing Tsuki makes me feel like there’s hope in life again.

I’ll sleep well tonight.]

Even as a fake, I can give people hope.

That’s really impressive.

Isn’t that exactly the fun of acting?

The number of customers gradually decreased after reaching a peak.

They left one by one, happily holding their purchases.

During that time, I ran into Ichijou Rikou.

He was holding two boxes of red bean rice.

Those were practically the least popular bento of all.

Getting those meant he’d lost the battle—no, been utterly defeated.

[Looks like Ichijou-kun didn’t gain much.]

[It was my first time, after all.]

Seeing his slightly awkward expression at that moment.

[Then, could you wait over there for a moment, Ichijou-kun?]

[Eh—]

I didn’t explain.

I just finished ringing up the customers behind him until there was no one left.

[Sorry to keep you waiting, Ichijou-kun.]

[No, it’s fine.

Did you need something, Touha-san?]

[Um, if I remember correctly, Ichijou-kun likes sauce-grilled pork, right?]

I led him toward the bento section.

[Yes, that’s right.

How did you know?]

[We often eat lunch together, don’t we, Ichijou-kun?]

I smiled at him with narrowed eyes.

[Compared to other dishes, sauce-grilled pork appears way too often.]

[If you don’t want others to know what you like, you should hide it better.

Otherwise, someone with ulterior motives like me will find out—how awful.]

[Touha-san, don’t put yourself down like that.]

[I’m just stating the facts—alright.]

I rummaged through the bento section, now left with only red bean rice, and pulled out two boxes of sauce-grilled pork I’d hidden earlier.

I handed them to him as he stood there stunned, lifting my chin slightly in pride, my nostrils flaring—really just imitating those smug people on TV.

That suited the real me better.

[When I had everyone turn around earlier, I made sure to leave two boxes for you, Ichijou-kun.]

Meeting his gaze, I giggled.

[It’s the most popular sauce-grilled pork, you know.

Even normally, it’s one of the most contested items.]

[Even for me, hiding these two was kind of scary.

I was afraid someone would notice.]

[If it had been discovered, it would’ve been really, really troublesome.

I might not be able to stay working here.

Everyone would hate Touha Tsuki.]

[So please don’t tell anyone, Ichijou-kun.

Otherwise I’d be in serious trouble.

I might even despair and die because I can’t keep Touha Tsuki’s good reputation—]

[That’s enough, Touha-san!]

He cut me off and firmly accepted the bento.

[Thank you very much, Touha-san.]

Gentle, yet filled with gratitude.

It made me narrow my eyes.

[Then that’ll be 600 yen.

Thank you for your purchase, Ichijou-kun.]

After the bento incident, my shift was almost over.

At this point, there were barely any customers left.

Since it wasn’t a twenty-four-hour store, it usually became frighteningly quiet.

At the time when most people were asleep, it felt even closer to oppressive darkness.

At least for me, who had lost most of my energy by now.

I’m so tired.

Let’s go home soon.

If it gets any later, I won’t be able to stay alert tomorrow.

My attention was entirely on the clock, watching each second tick by.

In the final few minutes—

Click—

A faint sound echoed.

And then—

Everything before my eyes went dark.

Eh.

A blackout?