Dullard Buddy-kun: Heading Reluctantly to School Again Today - Episode 5

Today, I finally finished another day at this hellish school.

Today, perhaps because of yesterday’s mugging, I felt like the gossip from Sakaki and the others was at least 20% worse than usual, but I managed to endure it without any issues. Sadly, I can feel my tolerance for gossip increasing day by day in this student life.

Perhaps if it weren’t for me, they would be at a level where they would be skipping school. However, despite that, I have perfect attendance so far.

While thinking about such things, I confidently boarded the train heading home today as planned. Yes, yesterday was just an exception; normally, I don’t get involved with thugs like that. It was clearly just a case of extremely bad luck.

For now, I put on my wireless earbuds and listen to music as I sway on the train, just like usual. Enjoying the passing scenery while listening to music is a comforting time that greatly reduces my stress.

And before I knew it, the train had arrived at my nearest station.

However, I won’t be getting off the train here today. I plan to get off three stations ahead today.

And then

“Welcome!”

Right now, I’m not at home, but taking orders from customers at the popular hamburger shop “Doc McDonald’s.”

Yeah. It’s what you call being on a part-time job.

Working part-time at Documanaldo is a valuable time for me, serving as a good place to unwind and, more importantly, a page from my lost youth.

At school, I couldn’t communicate with people and remained expressionless the whole time, so here, to loosen up my stiff facial muscles, I tackle my work with a big smile and full enthusiasm.

This time spent in the service industry, where I can interact with people to the point of annoyance, is a precious time when I can truly feel that I am living within society.

“Your smile is wonderful today too. Handsome big brother.”

And there she was again today, just like always, the regular old lady at the register.

“Thank you very much. Would you like the usual set today as well?”

“Yeah, the usual, please. Ah, I’m so happy to see you again today, big brother.”

“I’m happy too. Since the hot season is coming, please take care of your health.”

I’m having a human-like conversation right now.
And then, the customer who had been waiting behind me came to my register.

“Welcome! What would you like to order?”

I once again put the biggest smile I can muster on my face.

“Me too, the usual!”

Next, there are two high school girls around my age, wearing uniforms from a different school.

One might say she’s a high-energy gal.

“Also, could you please tell me your LINE ID?”

“It’s the usual, isn’t it? Haha, then please take this number tag and wait.”

I often get vibes that I don’t really understand as a gloomy, introverted loner, but I’ve been doing this part-time job for a while now. I just go with the flow without getting involved.

“Geez, you’re so stingy!”

In the first place, what good would it do to get my LINE ID?

I am by no means handsome, and I’m not the kind of person who gets asked for contact information.

I’ve never been told by anyone that I’m cool, not even once in my entire life.

Yeah. It’s just that we’re not close. As expected, the vibe of that gal earlier was just the kind of vibe you’d expect from anyone.

After all, I’m just a pathetic, gloomy loner who always pretends to sleep on his desk at school…

Neither more nor less.

Yeah. At school, I’m just a loner…

And then, while thinking about such things and almost becoming self-deprecating again, I somehow managed to switch my mindset quickly and focus on the next customer.

As expected of a hugely popular chain. Once again, the number of customers today is amazing.

Especially during the after-school hours when this school ends, it is crowded with high school and middle school students who likely attend schools in this area.

Especially at this store, it seems that relatively more female customers come.

To collect statistical data, there is a button at the register counter to record the gender of the customers being served, and surprisingly, 70% of them are women.

But still, I find myself not yet used to this cool feeling on my forehead.

Yeah. First of all, unlike at school, I take off my glasses and wear contact lenses at this Documanald. I also push my bangs, which usually cover my eyes, up as much as possible and tuck them into my hat.

For me, wearing glasses and having bangs that fall to my eyes helps me concentrate and feel calm, but since it was mentioned during the interview here, there’s nothing I can do about it.

Yes. During the interview before I started here, after I had answered all the questions, I felt like the woman who was the interviewer and is now the store manager was staring at my face intently.

“If you switch from glasses to contacts and cut your bangs during your shift, or if you keep them tucked under a hat the whole time, I’ll hire you.”

It was said, and now we have arrived at the current situation.

Just to be clear, I had already been rejected by about two other part-time jobs, so of course, I complied with what they said. As a result, on my first day of work, the manager, for some reason, patted my shoulder with a satisfied look on his face and said, “Alright. Perfect.” I also vaguely remember him saying, “Your shoulders are impressive,” and for some reason, he touched my abs, which made no sense at all.

Well, all things considered, I can only be grateful to the manager who hired me.

The sales at this store seem to be doing exceptionally well even on a national level, and the store manager has been in a great mood for the past few months, which is wonderful.

For now, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the current middle school girls were faces I saw almost every day. The fact that there were so many regular customers was probably one of the reasons for this store’s high sales.

“Welcome!”

And then, I smoothly move on to the next customer…

No way.

Is this what they mean by the feeling of one’s spine freezing?

Impossible

Yeah. Right now, in front of me, there’s a woman with a familiar face.

Moreover, they are not regular customers of this shop, and it’s probably their first time here…

“Wow, heh, I was surprised. Amazing.”

Yeah. For some reason, right in front of me, there is a woman in a familiar uniform, smiling broadly and looking up at me with a coy expression, talking to me in real-time.

Of course, I know this woman’s name.

This is the worst. I’ve been working here for about a year, but I’ve never run into any students from the same school. I even went out of my way to work at this store, which is relatively far from the school and three stations away from my home, just to avoid running into them.

Even so, even so, why the hell is this guy here…?

Sayaka Yamamoto

Correction: A little devilish bitch.

“Hmm, and Mamiya-kun can laugh like that too. That’s really cool.”

As always, in front of me stood the beautiful girl with chestnut-colored hair, who, without breaking her upward gaze, spoke to me in a sweet, honeyed voice.

I couldn’t understand the situation, my head was in a mess, and I almost forgot to put on a smile again, but somehow I managed to remember that she was a customer too.

What would you like to order?

Yeah. I make it a priority to calmly and methodically follow the manual and redo the service.

“Hmm?”

Then, while pretending to think, Sayaka Yamamoto, as usual, puts her slender index finger to her lips and tilts her head to the side in her ever-so-cunning manner.

However, I still can’t understand her actions right in front of me…

Because for some reason, her gaze is not on the menu but constantly on my face.

Yeah. For some reason, she keeps staring intently into my eyes.

“Have you decided on your order?”

As expected, I still don’t understand the meaning, but remaining calm, I gently and kindly ask Yamamoto in front of me for the order again, determined to finish dealing with her as soon as possible.

“Yeah! I think I got it!”

“Yes. What is it?”

“Small fries. Hehe, and a smile from the staff, please.”

And before I knew it, she was ordering with a smile like that.

“Understood.”

To be honest, I thought it was a joke, but thanks to this exchange, I can finally finish attending to her, and I feel a bit relieved inside.

“Uh-oh, store clerk. Aren’t you going to give me a smile?”

As long as I’m standing here, I’m a professional too. I completely empty my mind and carefully craft my expression as I face her.

Then, for some unknown reason, she returned my smile with an equally satisfied expression, as if to say, “Is this enough for you?”

“Well then, store clerk. Next, please try calling me Saya.”

I wonder what it is.

This time, ignoring is the only option.

Our company does indeed have a service called Smile, but we do not have a service that allows calling women by their first names.

Then, this time, Yamamoto, with a sly grin, puffs up his cheeks and says, “You’re so stingy.”

For now, let’s ignore this too.

And, as expected, she must have realized that there was still a line behind her. Whether she had given up on various things or just got bored, she said, “Well, see you at school,” and quickly went to the waiting area for the products.

Just as she was leaving the register, she beckoned my face with her small hand, leaned in close to my ear, and whispered softly…

“I’ll come again. Hehe, for now, I’ll keep it a secret from everyone that I’m working here.”

These words still cling to my mind, along with her characteristic sweet voice.

Our school is fine with part-time jobs as long as you get permission. So it’s not like I’m doing anything wrong.

But, well, it’s true that it would be helpful if you could just stay quiet…

What the heck. The fact that you went out of your way to tell me something like that means you’re asking me to keep it a secret in exchange for listening to something you want to say, or something like that?

I don’t understand.

I don’t understand at all. It’s probably just a coincidence that she ended up here, but still. Why is it that a classmate I’ve never even made eye contact with suddenly starts acting like this towards me…?

What on earth does she really want to do?

A brief pastime for the gods at the expense of the lonely. Ideally, it would just be a whim… but the fact that I don’t understand the reason behind it makes it all too frightening.

“Hey, Mamiya. That super cute girl from earlier. Who is she? Is she a friend from your school? If so, seriously, introduce her to me!”

As I was thinking about such things, perhaps because there were fewer customers, I heard the voice of a senior from another high school who was one year above me at the register next door.

“Who was that girl from earlier?”

“See, it’s about the girl who was asking you to smile.”

Smile… Perhaps, but is it about Yamamoto?

“No, unfortunately, we’re not friends.”

I’m a loner, you know.

“Come on, stop lying!”

“No, really…”

I won’t say it out loud again, but I’m a loner.

I don’t have any friends at school to begin with.

“Really?”

“Yes”

Yeah. I’m a loner…