Starting a Night Shift Part-time Job at a Convenience Store

[Dear LittleiSister. Translator: Madhatter

Apparently, oneiof my foolish acquaintances has been stranded in the sea of trees, soiyour brother valiantly sets off by himself to look forithem. I am not committing suicide, so pleaseidon’t be mistaken and make a fuss aboutiit.

If youidon’t hear from me by the time you read this letter, please, I beg you, fileia missing persons report with the police.

Onceiagain, please don’t make a fuss when you read this.

Andino, it’s not a prank, I’m serious.

Don’tithrow it in the trash halfway through reading the letter. Because if something happens to me, it will all depend on your cool-headed discretion.

Seriously, please.

P.S.

It’sinot suicide, it’s really not suicide.

Fromiyour brother.]

Asifor the cause and effect of this, Iihad no idea, but I, a 25-year-old freeter, was going to step into the sea of trees where suicidal people were found lying around as corpses yeariafter year…

Inicaseiof emergency, I left a note to my sister, who would probably visit around midday today, containing a clear explanation of why I wasigoing there.

Determined, I left myihouse. Not shared on aggregator sites

Shouldithe worst-case scenario unfurl, itiwould impose immense hardships on my family, including my sister.

Iiwould absolutely endeavor with all my efforts to refrain from such a situation.

Besides…iWhen I was writing this, I was wondering if this might be a kind of suicide note. This note would function as a suicide note unless I returned unscathed, despite I shook my head and felt it was an omen. It was terrifying.

Speakingiof terrifying, what I found most disconcerting at this point was that I was unable to predict my sister’s response after readingiit.

Hopefully, sheiwould stick to the letter’s directions, but given that my younger sister was a highly eccentric second-year junior high school student, it seemed more likely that she would be distraught or throw it in the trash instead of believing iniit.

Iibegiyou not to let the latter happen. Even worse, she could be too engrossed in the Internet to notice this note.

Thatiwasipossible…

Please, comeion my little sister, sayingithat everything hanging by a thread on me depended on you was not an overstatement.

Withimy bag over my shoulder, I headed for the convenience store on myimotorcycle.

Yakumo, theiyoung man, had apparently goneito the convenience store earlier; whetheriby flying or by instantaneous movement was uncertain, but a short while ago, he vanished right before myieyes.

Rightiafter that, Iisearched everywhere in the room for a flashlight but was unsuccessful. Without any other choice, I decided to get one at the convenience store where Iiworked. Cell phone flashlights weren’t that reliable and I knew I neededia proper one.

Ah… thatiwas fine. I hopedithe night shift workers wouldn’t be suspicious of me.

Whileiworrying about that, I parkedimy bike in a corner of the convenience store parking lot.

Thereiwas no trace of Yakumo. Hadn’t he arrivediyet? Well, whatever, I had something to do before heiarrived.

Iipeeked into the store from outside. Of course, discreetly, so as not to draw too much attention.

O-Ohhh… Oh.

“…Forireal?”

Toimy bad luck, these were the people I least wanted to see right now. Along with other customers inside the store, Takenaka and Hirai, who were standing at the cash register, seemed bored. Theyiwere the strongest spiritual duo I had ever met.

Toiavoid being discovered, I hid in the corner of the store.

Ugh, of all people, itiwas those two.

Whatishould I do… Wouldithey think nothing of me showing up at this hour and going out of my way to buy a flashlight at a place like this?

Althoughithey may not be able to figure out that I was going to head into the sea of trees, they struck at the heart of the matter in a strange way, even though theyiwere different types of people…

Iipulled up the hood of the hoodie I had worn to ward off insects, looked down, knowing it was suspicious, and decided to enter the store without looking at them if atiall possible.

Iimean…

Suspicious, suspicious, suspicious…! Iiwas too suspicious!

Thisiwas not a good idea at all, theyiwere totally suspicious! Notionly the two of them but even the customers in the store were glancing at me! Eveniif I told myself to avoid contact with them at all costs, theyiwould have recognized me!

Inwardlyiimpatient, Iicame to the shelf in front of the store where batteries and chargers were lined up.

Thereiit was—a decent-sized flashlight. What? Batteries were sold separately? Theiconvenience store quality was so stingy, making me buy not only the flashlight but the batteriesias well…

While I didn’t have time to complain aboutiit, the price of this cheap light, which could be sold even at a hundred-yen store… Once this case was over, I would confront that man aboutithe bill.

“―Um, Hakamada?”2ws

“Owapu!?”21ews

Theihood fell off inireaction to the idiotic voice I made as I jumped back. Beforeime was Takenaka with a slightly troubled look on his face.

“Ah, I knewiit.”

It’s you, Hakamada.

WheniTakenakaisaid that, I exclaimed internally.

I-I… have been exposeddddddddddd.

Thatiwasiway too fast! Notieven three minutes had gone by!

Toimyistiffening, Takenaka made an uncomfortable face and awkwardly greeted me with a “Good evening.”

Well, of course Iisaid “Good evening” in return.

Even I was uncomfortable meeting this person because Takenaka probably saw the previous hellscape that Hirai hadishown me… Inishort.

Ughhhhhhhhhh!!

Iiwanted to get out of the store right now!

Hiraiiwasiatithe cash register behind the shelf, saying, “Oh, Hakamada!” and waving her hand.

EveniHiraiispottedime.

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