Chapter 64: Working part-time with my childhood friend

Working part-time with my childhood friend

Staring out of the window of the route bus, lost in thought. The cityscape passing by appeared clear through the chilly morning air.

Today is Saturday. It’s been two weeks since I visited Aya’s hometown and handed over the engagement ring.

“Mmm…” A cute moan came from right next to me. The chestnut-colored head that was leaning on my chest slowly lifted. As I lightly stroked her short haircut, I greeted her.

“Good morning, Aya.”

“Ugh… morning. Did I fall asleep?”

“You looked pretty content. Want to sleep a bit more?”

“I’ll wake up. We’ll be reaching the workplace soon.”

Aya leaned over to my seat and stared out of the window. Her gaze led to the roof of the wedding hall where she works.

Ever since the incident with Uncle Ryouji’s Chinese restaurant and the stalker, Aya hasn’t been helping out at the shop. Probably due to Ryouji-san no longer asking for her assistance, citing that it wasn’t the busy season.

It’s likely a precaution to ensure she isn’t endangered again. Perhaps she realized that, as she hasn’t brought up Ryouji-san’s shop lately.

Well, she did confess to me earlier that Ryouji-san was her first crush, so discussing it might have felt a bit awkward.

Though when she saw me working at my sister’s job all week, she did occasionally mention wanting to work too.

So, when she said she wanted to work at the wedding hall, I was a little surprised. Considering she looked quite fetching in the white chef coat at the Chinese restaurant, I assumed she’d choose something a bit more active or lively.

“Aya, haven’t you removed your makeup?”

Aya, who had been looking outside, suddenly turned towards me.

“Uh…”

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Her cuteness, as seen head-on, caused a strange sound to escape me.

Her face, which was supposed to be relatively youthful, was accentuated by subtle natural makeup that highlighted her well-proportioned features. It was probably part of her appearance as a wedding hall staff member.

Aya really transformed with makeup. Despite the light application, it elevated her original adorable charm to that of a beautiful woman.

“Hey, Boyan, what’s with the ‘uh’…”

Aya casually tapped my shoulder, her slightly annoyed expression also quite charming.

I can’t help but worry that she might be enchanting quite a number of men at her workplace.

“…You haven’t removed your makeup. Well, I think Aya looks just right without any makeup.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Aya furrowed her brow, her face filled with discontent.

“Because when you wear makeup, Aya becomes beautiful.” Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

“Uh…”

I conveyed the fact without teasing her and an unexpected sound slipped from her lips.

After getting off the bus, we walked side by side towards the wedding hall. As we ascended a slope towards a high ground, the surroundings shifted from a quiet residential area to lush green trees.

Suddenly, Aya walking ahead turned back.

“Thanks for coming to help today.”

“No problem, my sister’s job was off today too.”

I returned her smile with one of my own.

Then I found myself captivated by Aya’s outfit for the day.

She wore an oversized white long-sleeved sweatshirt that extended down to around her knees, paired with black skinny jeans. The sweatshirt was large enough to fit even me comfortably and while the shoulders sagged, the neckline was tight—probably part of the design. I believe it’s called a drop-shoulder design.

I might have seen my sister wearing something similar on her job site, so maybe she recommended it to Aya.

Or maybe it was due to that, Aya’s style today, despite having a boyish vibe, felt incredibly fashionable. The simple use of white and black colors complemented her healthy allure and a certain understated sensuality.

Though still oversized and loose, the sweatshirt’s neckline revealed a generous view of Aya’s ample bust.

“Thank goodness. There are three weddings today and many people took the day off.”

Her oddly cheerful voice brought me back to the present.

As she looked at me, she deftly walked backward up the slope. The change in elevation brought our eye levels in line. Perhaps she was doing it on purpose.

“That’s true, Aya, you’re working on your day off, too.”

I raised an eyebrow, implying a message of “You’re really kind-hearted”.

“Yeah, well, everyone needed help…”

I don’t usually take weekend shifts. I’ve decided to spend weekends with her, after all.

The same goes for Aya, but she couldn’t leave her coworkers struggling due to staff shortage.

With her friendly demeanor and, negatively put, being overly concerned about appearances, Aya can’t ignore requests. She’d smile and agree whenever asked.

Despite the hassle, her personality is one of her many attractive qualities in my eyes.

“To be of help to everyone, I guess I should put in the effort.”

I chose words that would make her the happiest. As expected, a smile as bright as the sun greeted me.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

Aya’s proud smile was amusing. She’s only been working there for just over a week, yet she’s already carrying herself like a veteran.

“Nice to meet you, Aya-senpai. I’ll be looking forward to your guidance as a newcomer.”

“Nfu, sure thing, Shinbo-kun… wait, not ‘Shinbo-kun’, it’s ‘Symbol-kun’.”

(TLN: Shinbo is probably Boyan’s surname.)

Aya burst into laughter at the nickname she had coined herself, seemingly tickled by her own antics. She’s still got a quirky sense of humor.

But if she’s enjoying herself this much, I can play around with her name as much as I want.

“Alright, then you’re Aya Pie.”

“Huh?”

Aya looked taken aback by the somewhat juvenile nickname akin to what elementary school boys might come up with.

“Is there something weird?”

“That… it’s just not something you say around other people.”

“I won’t say it.”

Stopping in place, I gently placed my hand on her cheek.

In response, Aya raised her eyebrows and her lips quickly formed a soft smile.

“…I know.”

—Because it’s you, Boyan.

Her warm cheeks, like the sun, transmitted the voice of her heart.

A breeze akin to a gentle caress swept over the hill, causing her short hair to sway lightly.

Why does my heart feel so warm right now?

Even though we’re just having a nonsensical, ordinary conversation on the side of the road.

A feeling of endearment and contentment filled my body, yet it still feels lacking.

“Shall we get going? At this rate, I might just want to pin you down.”

“Wha- Wait, what…!?”

As I strode ahead, Aya hurriedly caught up.

Without any intention, our distance closed and our shoulders and upper arms brushed against each other. It’s almost like our halves have turned into magnets.

Originally, I had planned to take her to an amusement park today and spend the afternoon embracing her until she protests.

Given how much I’m suddenly lusting after Aya, I wonder if I can hold out until the end of her shift.

Well, though…

To be able to watch Aya work diligently and even work alongside her is quite a rare opportunity.

In its own way, I feel like today will be a fulfilling day for me.

After all, as long as Aya is by my side, anything is fine.

- - - -

The venue, nestled in nature, was quite large. It seemed to be a massive complex featuring a chapel, reception halls, a restaurant and an expansive courtyard.

As I entered a corner designated for staff, I noticed many employees were already busy with preparations.

“See you later then.”

I waved as Aya disappeared into the women’s locker room. Just then, a guy who seemed to be in charge approached me and led me to the men’s locker room.

Inside, there were several cleaned uniforms hanging. It seemed everyone was expected to wear this uniform during their shifts.

“You… are probably the biggest size.”

I put on the long-sleeved white shirt that was provided and slipped my arms into the black vest. Once I fastened the black apron around my waist, I was dressed. As I tied the black bowtie in front of the mirror, my eyes met with the guy who seemed like a leader.

“Are you Nanto’s boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

He seemed taken aback by my straightforward response.

His face overlapped with that of Aya’s cousin — Haru-kun’s — and I felt a slight nervousness.

However, the guy’s leader-like expression relaxed quickly.

“I see. Sorry to have you working on a holiday. We appreciate it.”

“No, not at all.”

I was expecting a more cautious approach, but he eased up quite soon.

I don’t think Aya indiscriminately captivates every man she meets. After all, I know her charms best.

I won’t let my guard down. A healthy level of vigilance should do the trick.

“Well then, Boyan-kun, give everyone a simple greeting.”

I was suddenly addressed by the older man who seemed like the person in charge, using the nickname. A bit surprised, I suppose Aya must have introduced me beforehand.

“Um, I’ll do my best for the whole day, so please take care of me.”

After bowing, when I surveyed the gathering of wedding venue staff, I spotted Aya with an especially bright smile.

I involuntarily caught my breath.

Just like the other staff, she was wearing a white long-sleeved blouse with a black vest over it and a black salon was tied around her waist. Though she appeared sharp and refined like a high-end restaurant hall staff, it suited the current Aya, who was wearing light makeup, very well.

She had tied her short hair back, revealing her ears and nape, yet makeup seemed to accentuate her beauty, or rather, her elegance and even handsomeness.

Perhaps because she’s restraining the volume of her chest with a bra or undergarment, the beautiful face is what draws my attention more than anything. Still, it seems like she can’t quite conceal the ample fullness.

As I idly gazed at her, she raised only one eyebrow. There was something mischievous about her expression.

That’s probably “do your best” …no, that face must be saying “go for it?”

Seeing her provocative expression, I nearly burst out laughing.

As her challenging expression hinted, the venue was a battlefield.

Following instructions, I walked around inside the venue, setting up tables and chairs in the reception hall and also carrying tables out to the courtyard. It turned out to be more physically demanding than I had imagined.

In the midst of all this, the guests for the first wedding arrived. The staff were short-handed and generally running around, so despite passing by Aya a few times, there wasn’t a moment to strike up a conversation.

While I was hoping to watch a wedding together with her, newbies like us are primarily responsible for setting up the venue and serving at the receptions. There’s no room for such romantic moments.

Amidst transporting, guiding guests to tables and pouring drinks within the venue, the morning transitioned into the afternoon.

I finally caught a breath during the second open-air standing party. A crowd had gathered around the bride in her wedding dress and the groom in his tuxedo. They were taking commemorative photos and the couple bashfully extended the backs of their hands toward the camera.

As staff, we watched the scene of happiness from a distance while waiting. The third reception will start soon, so this is a brief moment of rest.

As I surveyed the courtyard, Aya was a little farther away. She, too, was sending her gaze towards the newlyweds. Though she had a more composed expression than usual due to being at work, her lips curved into a gentle smile and her gaze was soft.

I wanted to keep gazing at that joyous expression of hers, but I decided to focus on the same thing she was looking at.

Through the crisp autumn air, her warm emotions reached me.

Despite being in the chilly courtyard, my core felt pleasantly warm.

Strangely, I felt an urge to wholeheartedly congratulate the bride and groom.

‘Congratulations. Be happy.’

―Congratulations. Be happy.

Suddenly, it felt like my thoughts and Aya’s heart voice overlapped.