The Girl Next Door

“Kent-kun, thanks for today. I was nervous you’d turn me down again.”

“No, thank you. I also felt bad since I had to refuse last time because I had something to do.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. We got to walk home together, so it all worked out.”

I walked side by side with the girl from the seat next to mine as we headed home. Just like other girls, she held her bag against her chest as a shield so no one could see through her uniform. I didn’t say anything to her, but every so often, a strong, sharp odor hit my nose. It wasn’t just her—almost everyone in my class gave off that smell, with Josette being the only real exception.

“Still, it was hot today. Are you okay with heat, Kent-kun?”

“I’m not great with it. Summer is rough without air conditioning.”

“Air… what?”

(Crap. I spoke like normal—she’s not part of the group.)

Lately I’d been chatting with her more often, so I let it slip.

“Uh… it’s something that helps ease summer heat.”

“Huh. I see.”

She only asked because of the flow of conversation and didn’t seem especially interested, so she let it go.

(Saved. I need to watch my mouth from now on.)

“Kent-kun, are you free after this?”

“Sorry, I have a part-time job after this.”

“Oh, right. A part-time job… I’m kind of jealous. I’ve been looking too, but it’s hard to find work as a student. Families that run a business are lucky because there’s always somewhere to help out, but regular families can’t just magically find a place that’ll hire you. I don’t say it out loud, but I know it’s hard for my parents—supporting me and my younger siblings on a small income. So I want to help a little financially too.”

She stared into the distance as if thinking about her family.

“That sounds tough. How many siblings do you have?”

“Five total, counting me. Two younger brothers and two younger sisters.”

“Wow. If you’re looking, do you want me to ask at my workplace?”

At my suggestion, her face lit up.

“Really? Where do you work, Kent-kun?”

“At a bakery. But it’s busy, so if you do it, you’ll need to be prepared. I think it’s best to try one day first and see if you can handle it.”

“Could I start today?”

“I can’t promise without asking, but I think it’ll probably be fine.”

“Thank you. Please.”

She bowed happily. And since I already knew we were short-staffed today, I accepted the idea gratefully.

“So this is the bakery you work at.”

“Huh? This is Marie’s bakery?”

“Yeah. Come on in.”

Normally I’d go home first and enter through the back, but today I went straight through the front entrance.

Jingle-jingle.

The doorbell rang as we stepped inside.

“Welcome—oh? Kent-san. It’s rare for you to come in through this door. Welcome back.”

“I’m back, Marie-san. Caro-san has something to do today, so she’s off. And Rachel-san said she’ll be late.”

“Rache—ah.”

Marie looked like she was about to ask why I didn’t use Rachel’s usual name, but then she noticed the person behind me and corrected herself.

“You brought a friend. Welcome. Kent-san, I got it—those two things.”

“She’s looking for a part-time job. Marie-san, could you let her work just today as a trial, and then decide whether to hire her?”

“If she’s your friend, Kent-san, you don’t really need a trial… but fine. Please help us just for today. Um, your name is…?”

“Patty. Nice to meet you.”

“Then I’ll leave the rest to Kent-san. Please take care of her.”

“Yes. Then… Patty-san, this way.”

That was the first time I’d ever heard her name. We’d been sitting next to each other for at least two months, so I couldn’t exactly admit I didn’t know it. I acted like it was totally normal and led her along.

I guided Patty to the kitchen in the back. Emily, who’d been working inside, paused and spoke.

“Welcome back, Master.”

“I’m back, Emily.”

“M-Master?”

Patty yelped in surprise. A maid-clad woman who looked older than Patty was calling me “Master,” so her shock was understandable.

“Let me introduce you. This is Emily. We’re… basically in a master-and-servant relationship, so don’t worry about the way she addresses me. And this is Patty. She’ll be working here just for today, so please take care of her.”

“I’m Patty. Nice to meet you, Emily-san.”

“Yes, likewise. Nice to meet you, Patty-san.”

I switched gears from “friend mode” to “workplace senior.”

“Alright, before we start—since this is customer service, cleanliness is important. I want you to take a shower first. Emily, can you handle that?”

“Understood, Master.”

I leaned in and whispered to Emily.

“And you already know what I mean, right?”

“Yes. I understand.”

“Then, Patty-san, this way please.”

“Y-Yes!”

Emily led Patty upstairs. The second floor had a shower room for live-in staff and employees.

After a short while, Emily came back down and reported to me.

“Um, her size from the top is… that.”

“Got it. Wait a moment.”

Using the terminal, I ordered a bra, panties, and a T-shirt in Patty’s sizes—bust, height, hips—and handed the package to Emily.

“Here, take this.”

“Understood.”

Emily took the underwear and T-shirt and went back upstairs.

While they were gone, I handled both kitchen and floor work and waited.

“Master, thank you for waiting.”

“Kent-kun, sorry to keep you waiting. I feel super refreshed, like my whole body got lighter. My hair’s really smooth now, and I smell nice too… and this is the underwear everyone at school’s been talking about lately, right? Is it okay to borrow it?”

Patty spoke while wearing the T-shirt. She still had her school skirt on—though that was… partly my preference.

“It’s your size, so nobody else can use it anyway. Keep it. Think of it as part of your wages.”

“Thank you… It looks like it would cost a lot though.”

She sounded happy, but also uneasy.

“Alright, you’re ready, so we’ll start. This shop is split into a bread sales area and a dining area. You’ll be in charge of the dining area. When customers sit down, bring them water and these hand towels.”

I demonstrated on a customer who’d just come in.

Patty followed and watched my movements.

“Welcome. Here’s some water and a hand towel. If you’d like to order, please call me.”

I returned to the kitchen, and Patty followed.

“In the dining area, some customers eat bread they bought next door, and others order from the dining menu—sometimes both. So on the first approach, handle it in a way that works for either. The menu is here—when you take an order, write it on the order sheet and give it to Emily. Don’t forget to write the table number too.”

I showed her the menu and the order sheet.

“Excuse me—can we order?”

“Yes! Coming right over.”

I walked to the table, and Patty followed behind.

“…We’ll have… and… and… please.”

“Let me confirm: …and… and… Correct? Thank you. We’ll have it out shortly.”

I wrote quickly on the order sheet and handed it to Emily in the kitchen.

“Order in for table three.”

“Understood, Master.”

“Table three is ready.”

Emily prepared it fast and set it on the counter with the order sheet.

I carried it out.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here is …and…and… Is that everything you ordered?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you. Please bring this paper to the register when you pay. Enjoy your meal.”

I placed the items, left the order sheet on the table, and went back, then taught Patty how to clear tables and reset them.

“Alright, Patty-san, you’re up. If anything confuses you, ask Emily.”

“Yes. I’ll do my best.”

Floor work was tough, but it was also the least difficult job in this shop. If she couldn’t handle this, she wouldn’t make it here. I silently cheered her on and returned to my own work.

Even with a new person, it was impossible to fully cover the gap left by Caro and Rachel. I worked alone in the kitchen baking bread, while Marie covered the front because the sales floor was short-handed.

“I’m back—huh? A new person?”

Rachel returned. She hurriedly changed and jumped into the workshop to help.

“I’m back, big brother. It looks rough, so I came to help in the workshop.”

“Welcome back. Then I’ll have you do this right away.”

“Okay!”

Once I pointed her to the spot, Rachel moved with practiced hands. My load got a lot lighter. After a while, things eased up enough that Marie returned to the workshop.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Thanks, Rachel-chan. The workshop is fine now, so please handle the front.”

“Okaaay.”

Marie and Rachel swapped positions.

When we finished baking the last bread of the day, the workshop side started cleanup.

“Kent-san, I’ll take it from here. Can you check on Patty-san?”

“Yes, then I’ll leave this to you.”

I moved to the front and checked on Patty. Then I asked Catherine, who was at the register and could see the whole dining area.

“Catherine, how did the dining side go?”

“Oh, big brother. Umm… there were a few order mistakes, but I think she did pretty well.”

“Good. That’s a relief.”

Once we sold out the bread, the day would be done. The dining area was still packed with people eating dinner, and Rachel and Patty were working busily. Gradually customers thinned out, and when we sold the last bread, it was closing time.

After closing, Marie calculated the day’s revenue. Catherine and Rachel went back to my house first to start dinner prep. Patty sat in a chair in the dining area, looking exhausted after pushing through unfamiliar work.

“Good job today. How was it?”

“It was hard… and the menu names didn’t tell me what anything actually was, so I struggled. Customers asked what things were, and I couldn’t answer, so Emily-san had to rescue me every time.”

“Yeah, there are a lot of unfamiliar items. If you end up working here officially, we’ll have you taste everything and memorize it.”

“Really? I kept wondering what everyone was eating. I’d heard rumors, but this shop is amazing. Even if it’s hot outside, it’s comfortable inside… and there’s equipment I’ve never seen before. It’s already dark, but it’s still so bright in here.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Patty-san. You worked hard today. So—can you do it?”

Marie came over after finishing the calculations.

“I couldn’t learn everything in one day, but if you’ll hire me, I want to do my best.”

“Then I’ll hire you. Since you’re a student, for now you can work from after school until closing.”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“Alright. Then starting tomorrow—oh right, we’re closed on weekends. Then starting the day after tomorrow.”

“Yes. Thank you. I look forward to it.”

“Here are your wages for today. Can you get home safely by yourself?”

Marie asked, concerned.

“Thank you. Yes, I’ll be fine.”

“Then be careful.”

“Yes. Excuse me.”

Patty received a paper bag with her pay.

“See you, Patty-san.”

“Kent-kun, thank you again today. See you.”

I saw her out, and she headed home.

“Mom, I’m home.”

“Welcome back, Patty. You’re late today.”

“Yeah. I decided to start working part-time. Here—this is today’s pay. It’s not much, but please use it to help with expenses.”

Patty went home and reported to her mother that she’d started a job. Without checking inside, she handed her mother the bag of wages from Marie’s bakery. Since she’d been given underwear and a shirt, she assumed the remaining pay would be small—if anything, she felt grateful to get paid at all.

“Patty! What kind of work did you do?!”

Her mother shouted after looking inside the bag.

Then she laid the money out on the table.

“Huh? What is this money?”

Patty stared, stunned.

On the table were five silver coins—worth 5,000G—about fifty times the normal wage for a student part-time job.