The Gal Next to Me Is Trying Too Hard to Make Me Fall in Love With Her
“Saeki-kun, good work today. Take this home with you.”
“Huh? What’s this styrofoam box… Whoa!?”
December 31st. New Year’s Eve.
Around 5 PM. I was finishing up my last shift of the year at the convenience store where I worked part-time.
Just as I was thinking about heading home, the manager called me over. When I went to the back of the store, there was a large Styrofoam box sitting there, and I was stunned by its contents.
“Yellowtail, Spanish mackerel, flounder! Wow, there’s even grouper!”
“You’re just a high school kid, and you can tell what kind of fish these are just by looking? You’re a freak.”
“…Could you please stop saying things like that out loud?”
Our convenience store manager, puffing lazily on a cigarette, gave a weary smile.
Her usual lack of restraint made me laugh in a roundabout way.
“But seriously, where did you get all this?”
“Tanaka-san. You know, that old nicotine-stained geezer who buys a newspaper and a carton of cigarettes every morning. He caught it this morning or something and brought it over for us to eat during New Year’s.”
“He brought it… to you?”
“Hmm. Well, I’m cute, you know.”
I don’t know her actual age, but she looks late twenties.
She wears almost no makeup, her long hair is just left to grow, and her eyes are so downcast you can’t tell if she’s alive or dead. But she’s the kind of beauty people turn to look at when she passes by, with a figure everyone envies.
Consequently, a certain number of customers frequented this shop specifically for the manager.
Tanaka-san was one of them, occasionally bringing in cigarettes as gifts… but no, no, this was on a whole different level.
“I know you said to take it home… but do you know how much all this would cost if bought at the shop? This amount would be tens of thousands of yen…?”
“Seriously? Well then, I’ll just deduct it from Saeki-kun’s paycheck.”
“Why does it become my responsibility to buy it!? I-I don’t want it then!!”
“Just kidding, just kidding. Honestly, I just don’t cook or anything. Getting this much would just be a hassle for me.”
The manager shrugged, sighing.
The styrofoam box was packed with seasonal fish. Every single one looked absolutely delicious.
As a gift, it was incredibly thoughtful… but yeah, someone who doesn’t cook would be stuck with this. It’d be a pain to prepare.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to take this? Maybe someone else wants it…”
“Don’t worry about that. Out of everyone working here, you’re the only one who can handle this stuff. Just think of it as a New Year’s gift from your kind-hearted manager and enjoy it.”
While wondering if passing off a gift as a New Year’s gift was really appropriate, I decided to accept it. “Ah, thank you very much.” If I refused and it ended up rotting because no one could handle it, I’d probably get punished.
“But I can’t possibly eat all this alone. I’ll bring some prepared dishes over. If it’s okay with the manager, that is…”
“Huh? Really?”
“Honestly, if I’m taking it, I should at least do this much. Should I bring it to the shop tonight?”
“Yeah. I’ll have a booze party with the night shift crew.”
“…Please don’t get drunk and cause trouble at the shop right at the start of the new year. If I lose my part-time job, I’d be in big trouble…”
“Ahahaha. It’ll be fine, it’ll be fine~”
She said this in a voice that offered no reassurance whatsoever, while slapping my back repeatedly.
Honestly, I hated having to work part-time until New Year’s Eve, but I headed home feeling chuffed with my unexpected haul.
What should I make? I want to eat the yellowtail as sashimi, and maybe salt-grill the Spanish mackerel. I’ll simmer the flounder, and the grouper could go in a hot pot… Hmm, I’m torn.
“Perfect timing,”
I muttered to myself.
Tonight, I’m having a year-end party at home with Amagi and Subaru. I’d been thinking about having a big, fancy feast, but this is the best possible New Year’s gift I could ask for.
“Still, Subaru’s coming too… That’s unusual…”
Not that I mind. Actually, I’m glad.
Maybe she happened to get the day off, Amagi-san found out, and insisteds he come?
[Huh, Subaru-chan, you have New Year’s Eve off!? Let’s have the year-end party together!!]
[N-no, I…]
[C’mon, c’mon, let’s do it!! It’s fine, right? Please!!]
[…Well, if Arisa-chan insists so much…]
[Yesss~~~♡]
I could picture that whole exchange playing out.
Though Prince captivates everyone with her handsome looks, she’s actually quite reserved—similar to me in that way. That’s precisely why she’s weak against someone like Amagi-san, who’s pure assertiveness, and why she actually finds that forcefulness kind of delightful.
“…Hm?”
I arrived at the apartment and reached the door to my room.
The house was unusually noisy. I figured Amagi-san and Subaru were already here, but it didn’t sound like they were just chatting excitedly. There was stomping and something seemed to be going wild.
“Subaru-chan looks so cute♡ Super cute♡ It suits you!! It looks amazing on you!!”
“It doesn’t suit me at all!? I’m taking this off right now—”
“Whaaat!? It’s perfect, let’s post it on Instagram! It’ll totally go viral!”
“No way, that’s absolutely bad for my branding!!”
“Then, how about just showing it to Saeki?”
“That’s even worse!!”
Wow… I can hear every word.
Is it okay for me to go in here? They’re talking about taking something off or something. It’d be bad if I walked in on them changing. But I really want to get that fish cleaned soon…
“Um… is it okay if I come in…?”
After hesitating, I knocked and asked.
Knocking to enter my own house felt stupid, but better safe than sorry.
“Ah, it’s Saeki! Come on in!”
“No way! If you come in now, we’re done! I won’t forgive you!”
“Why would you say that? Do you hate Saeki?”
“It’s not that I hate him… it’s just… this is really embarrassing, you know…!”
“Huh? You look super cute!”
“I’m not cute! I… I’m not like that…!!”
“Well then, let’s ask Saeki to decide! Saeki, come in!”
“Noooooo!! Wait, wait!!”
Should I go in or not? Which is it?!
Just as I sighed…
The door opened, and Amagi-san poked her smiling face through.
“Welcome back, Saeki! Good job at work!”
“…………”
Words failed
For some inexplicable reason, Amagi-san was wearing an ultra-short, frilly maid outfit.
And even more baffling than that was…
“Mashiro… W-welcome home…”
Subaru, who had been led here by her hand, was also dressed as a maid.
She even had cat ear headbands on.
Maiban