Prologue

 

TL: New novel here. It’s more a laid back novel.

My name is Takuya Ichijo.

I’m just an ordinary high school freshman attending an ordinary public high school.

　I’m not good at sports, nor do I have any special skills, so I joined the homecoming club in high school and try to spend as much of my precious youth as possible on myself.

　The first thing I did was to start working at a convenience store just outside of the station, because I knew that no matter what you do, you can’t do it without money.

The convenience store in front of the station always seemed to be crowded, and more importantly, there are many student of our high school buying their lunch there, so I purposely chose a convenience store that was a bit further away from the trainstation in order to work quietly as possible.

So, three or four days a week, I go to the convenience store right after class and work as a cashier until midnight.

　It’s not that there’s anything special about me, I’m just an ordinary high school student enjoying my youth in my own way.

　However, even though I am normal, there is one thing that is not normal in our high school.

　That is none other than Shion Saegusa, who is in my class.

　She is the most popular girl in the school, despite being a freshman, because of her good looks, intelligence, and the fact that she is known all over Japan.

　The reason for this is that she was the center of a national idol group, and is a former super successful idol.

　Even I knew that she had suddenly retired from idol activities because she was going to high school, since it was all over the news. But I never thought that I would be in the same school and class as her.

　She has a medium chestnut bob hair, big, clear eyes, healthy white skin, and long, slender legs, and honestly, anyone who saw her would say she was beautiful.

　Because of this, she is extremely famous and has been surrounded by people from the very first day of school, and rumor has it that she has already been confessed to by several people even though she has only been here for a week.

However, I never heard such thing about her, and even after she retired, she was always smiling at everyone around her, like an idol.

　I, an ordinary person, did not join the circle of the class that consisted mainly of her.

　In fact, I didn’t even want to join.

I am not denying it, but it’s easier for me to live my life at my own pace without worrying about the people around me, so it’s just that I don’t share the same values as those guys

　Watching idols through magazines and TV is enough for me.

　It’s not something that an ordinary high school student like me can do anything about.

　It’s a waste of time and energy to expect anything from such a high-minded girl.

　So, as soon as school was over, I ran out of the classroom and went to work at the convenience store as usual.

　The melody sound of the door opening was playing in the store.

　As I heard the melody, I shouted “Irasshaimase (Welcome)” as usual and checked the customers coming in.

　There was a blatantly suspicious woman wearing a mask, large-rimmed glasses, and a deep cassock.

　The woman walked into the store at a very fast pace, looking down slightly to hide her face.

　Since I was the only person in the store at the moment, I had nothing to do but follow the blatantly suspicious woman’s movements with my eyes.

　She quickly put a salad and a lunch box in her shopping cart and walked quickly to the cash register where I was standing.

　From the time she entered the store to this point, it took her less than 30 seconds.

　It was so fast that I wanted to ask, “Did you choose the lunch you want to eat right now?”

　She was acting suspiciously, but it was a woman, and I wasn’t going to be on my guard by that, so I held back the urge to question her and served her as normal.

“I’ll heat up your lunch—“

“No, it’s fine.”

　Before I could finish, she replied with a hungry tone.

I thought she was in a hurry, so I quickly scanned the items.

“That’ll be 738 yen.”

“Here, here!”

　She took out a thousand yen bill from her wallet and handed it to me.

　She didn’t give me any extra change, so I accepted the 1000 yen and handed her the change.

　As I handed her the change, she wrapped her hands around my hand and took the change, then hurriedly picked up the bag containing her lunch and left the store.

　—She stopped in front of the door, paused for a moment, then turned around and walked back into the store, this time grabbing a cup of tea from the drink corner and coming to the cash register again.

　I was a surprised to see her getting a bit excited, but I thought she must have forgotten to buy something, so I kept my composure and waiting for her to come to me.

“That would be 128 yen. Would you like a bag?”

“No need!”

　When she said that, she took out another 1,000 yen bill from her wallet and held it out to me.

….I’m sure you’ve got some spare change from the time I just gave you, but I had no choice but to accept that thousand yen.

　As I handed her the change, she wrapped her hands around it again and took it with utmost care, then walked away quickly with her wallet full of coins.

“Really, what do you usually do…Saegusa-san?”

　I muttered to myself as I watched her walk away.

She may think she’s disguised herself, but if we face each other across the cash register. I’m pretty sure she’s Shion Saegusa, one of my classmates.

　Well, that’s why.

　The idol girl in my class is acting suspiciously.