Horror webnovel: I started working the night shift at a convenience store (Ch.3 pt1)

 I started working the night shift at a convenience store (Ch.3 pt1)

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Chapter 3: Late-night anime, and short adult books (pt.1)

"Nice to meet you! I'm Hirai, but I'm sure Aoyama already told you a little about me. 

Oh, right. I'm Kaname, Kaname Hirai. I'm super sorry for being late! I hope it didn't cause you too much trouble? 

If my memory serves me right, you're Hakamada, right?"

So, is what I just felt what you'd call a silent cry?

I got a little tense when I saw her leaving the backroom.

The way she was acting was a total change from just earlier. 

She had nothing to show me but a smile free of any ill intent.

But... something felt off...

"Hey, Hakamada?"

Something was not right.

The Hirai I saw moments ago was smoking tobacco... 

She had a look in her eyes that could kill a ghost... 

Her tone of voice was close to that of gang leader who'd wreck havoc around town.

What were slanted eyes looking down moments ago had now turned into big bright eyes.

Both her words and tones of voice had softened so much, it was a night and day difference.

This girl, whose body oozed with a fearsome aura, was now smiling at me with everything good this world has to offer.

Also, I've said it before, but she was rocking a good pair of knockers.

Other girls measure their boobs in cups, she measures hers in buckets.

Anyways, that's beside the point.

The point is, the way she acted just earlier and now were like night and day.

Something was clearly off, there was no way someone's behavior would change so suddenly.

I mean, I've heard about her having multiple personalities, and I've been told that the way she acts could change in the blink of an eye, like someone had just turned on a switch.

So that's what they meant...

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" she asked, her head tilted to the side, a bright smile still enlightening her face up, probably realizing that something was puzzling me.

"Hmm?"

"A-Ah, n-no, nothing."

I turned my head the other way instantly out of embarrassment.

That pure look on her face had hit just the right spot.

Hold on, Hakemada...

You saw it for yourself right? What're you getting so worked up for?

Deep breaths... Deep breaths...

I put up a front as if nothing had happened, and got to greeting this big-boobied mysterious girl with a juvenile face that was Hirai.

"I- uhh... I'm looking forward to working with you!" 

"Mhm, me too!"

I didn't hear her talk like a thug after that... nor did she kick my ass.

Whenever we talked she'd be surprisingly kind, and from time to time, even go as far as throwing an endearing smile my way.

This is one of the weapons women have at their disposal, and it may have been most effective on me.

It was such a difference from earlier that the first impression I had of her was slowly fading away, as if I had only hallucinated it.

That aside... she looked super young. How old was she even? Must have been twenty years old, something like that.

Being such a cute girl, but smoking... there's like a whole world of difference between these things.

But, being this cute... surely she had a boyfriend.

Her looks alone checked many boxes that'd make men go crazy for her. I can't imagine they'd just ignore her and go along with their day.

Anyway, I'll leave exchanging our phone numbers for later.

"So you're replacing Takenaka tonight, right?"

"Yes! Oh and... sorry for this last-minute change, must've caught you off-guard I bet..."

"Don't sweat it, it didn't bother me one bit."

"It's just that I need to be home this weekend, so I asked Takenaka if we could do an emergency shift switch is all eheh~ ."

Man, I gotta say, it's much more pleasant to work with a cute girl than it is to work with a guy.

At first, I started talking about some things to try and get to know her better, and she carefully answered one word at a time.

I remember Aoyama saying she was kinda weird, but... she just seemed normal?

I was still intrigued in what happened earlier, but she was acting all girly, and her hand movements as she talked made for a soothing view.

"Oh? Why's that? Got some plans with your boyfriend?" I asked, nonchalantly. 

Hirai, who was then standing in front of the cash register brought her hand to her mouth and giggled a bit.

"Ahah, nothing like that no. It's just that there'll be something on TV that I just can't miss."

"Oh? So, like, a drama? Some variety show?"

"Oh no, just some anime but it airs late at night."

Mhm.

"It's the final episode this week, so I just NEED to watch it live."

An anime...?

"Is everything alright?"

"Ah, uh... Eheh, an anime, I see." 

I was taken aback by this revelation that came out of nowhere.

I'd often heard that girls these days also loved anime, but so does Hirai.

But to ask Takenaka to switch shift for that? What an amazing reason.

"Wanting this much to watch it live... must be quite the anime. What's it about?"

I kept the conversation going for a bit.

"It's a pure romance anime! It's so wholesome and makes my heart melt! It's the best anime airing this season!"

"Oh?"

A romance anime, huh? Cute. Girls gonna be girls.

She seemed super into it. She happily went ahead and told me about this anime in detail.

I didn't know what what she said meant at all, but she was cute so I just went along.

「Whenever I watch it, like, pumps me up and I go sicko mode. And the protagonist's shyness? No cap, it's straight fire.」 

Hmm... "pumps me up" ; "no cap"...

Wait? What happened?

Hirai was having some fun telling me all this, and I had been lost too deep my thoughts to notice it, but she had started using weird words all the time.

I didn't know any of these, but she was way more energetic now.

Huuuuh... wait— could it be?!

"Y'feel me? Like, I want this straight into my veins for real!"

Is THAT what Aoyama had warned me about?!

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See you next time, take care!

Source: https://kakuyomu.jp/works/1177354054880681711

Original author: 天野　アタル  (Ataru Amano)