Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Volume 2 Chapter 4
Chapter 4[edit]
Immediately after sending a message to Suzuki telling him that I agreed to cosplay, I received his delighted reply. The only thing was, I convinced him that I wasn't going to cosplay the good-looking character, that I was going to do the protagonist Masuaki (Pops), and that he was going to do the partner of the protagonist, Jihn (hawt guy). In my room, I searched the Internet for information on how to get my hands on the costumes needed for cosplay, and a number of online stores selling cosplay costumes came up.
Clothes at 10,000 yen, boots at 5000 yen......
And on top of that, I still have to put on a wig?
I'm already so broke. Only at this juncture, feelings of regret for having so lightly agreed to cosplay started welling up in me.
"Koigasaki, come over for a sec."
After school the following day, I called out to Koigasaki.
"Eh, what is it? Where to?"
"Computer lab."
"Computer lab ~? For what......"
I forcibly brought the grumbling Koigasaki out of the classroom.
The computer lab at our school is basically open and free for anyone to use after school.
Luckily, we found no one using the computer lab when we came in, so I breathed a sigh of relief and turned on a PC.
"There's something I want to show you."
I immediately connected to the internet and went to the cosplay costume site that I'd visited yesterday.
"Here, take a look at this. It's a site that sells cosplay costumes."
"Heiyhy ~! You looked it up? You're pretty sensible sometimes ~."
"Look at it carefully, the price!"
"...... eh......"
All the costumes showed on the site cost more than 10,000 yen each.
"For real......? Why is it so expensive? I don't get it! It's enough for me to buy a dress at Liz or McBee!"
"It's not just this. You have to buy shoes and accessories separately, so it can add up to over 20 grand, can't it?"
"20 grand ~!? I hardly even spend so much money on clothes! Why is it so pricey ~!?"
"You get it now, right? Cosplay takes a lot of money. Now what?"
My plan was to get Koigasaki to give up on cosplaying.
Of course, I also wanted to support Koigasaki in her love journey. I wasn't very keen to cosplay, but was considering to do it for her sake.
...... until I saw the prices of the cosplay costumes.
Even though it wasn't good to put a price tag on friendship, it couldn't be helped.
"I-It just so happens that the costumes at this shop are expensive, right!? The LoveMinus uniform I bought was just around 5000 yen!"
"Eh......? That costume was so cheap......?"
"Yeah, at the online merchant's site, it said something like 'Sexy cute Love●nus-feel cosplay!' with a blanked out character, and even though I also checked out other cosplay sites, that one was selling it for really cheap so I bought it right away."
...... sexy cute? Even though LoveMinus uniforms aren't particularly revealing...... Don't tell me what Koigasaki bought was actually for night-time cosplay...... If she knew about it, she would get all worked up, so I gave up the thought of filling her in.
At that moment.
"Ah ~ Momo-chan, so you're here ~! When I asked around in your classroom, someone said she'd heard you mention going to the computer lab ~!"
The door to the computer lab opened, and Sakurai-san entered.
She was approaching Koigasaki happily, but her face stiffened instantly when she noticed me. What's with that giveaway reaction? This goes beyond sadness and makes me feel empty, you know?
"Oh, it's Azuki-chan!"
"Eh, you're looking at cosplay costumes!? I only asked you about it yesterday and you're already searching for costumes...... Momo-chan, you're really motivated, aren't you!? I'm really happy ~!"
Appearing deeply moved, Sakurai-san hugged Koigasaki. Hey hey, you girls are having too much physical contact...... well, since seeing two girls clinging to each other is therapeutic for the eyes, I'll let it go.
"Momo-chan, have you already decided what character to cosplay!? If you have, I'll make my cosplay match yours! Ah, this site sells cosplay costumes? ...... Uwaah, the costumes here aren't too faithful, huh. The skirt is also of the wrong color. Like I thought, costumes from shops aren't really that good ~. Some of the ones out there are pretty elaborate, but this shop's no good."
Sakurai-san looked over the site's inventory, and, for some reason, started criticizing.
As far as I could see, there didn't seem to be that many problems, though.
"So this shop carries poorly made costumes despite the high prices?"
Answering Koigasaki's question, Sakurai-san said.
"High prices? No, for ready-made goods, I'd say this shop's rather more on the cheap side, isn't it?"
"Ehh...... for real!?"
Koigasaki clearly got a shock from that. All right, that's one more damper.
"Aside from the costume, you still have to buy stuff like wigs, you know, Koigasaki. Do you have that much money?"
"Uwuu...... W-Wig? I can go with my real hair. If I find a character whose hair style resembles mine, I can just go with my real hair, right?"
Koigasaki rebuked with an agonized look. Real hair? I see, there's that way too...... If you cosplay with your own hair, then you can save on that.
"Real hair......?"
However, at that moment, a low voice that had never been heard till now resounded in the computer lab.
Of course, I couldn't make that kind of a voice, and neither could Koigasaki. Which left us with......
"Eh? A-Azuki-chan?"
"Cosplaying with real hair is un-freakin-believable!"
Sakurai-san denounced for all its worth.
Sakurai-san's frenzied expression that made her look like a different person from before caused us to shrink back quite a bit.
"With respect to 3D cosplaying, there are some held views that deem it's totally okay to use your real hair or perhaps, it might even be more natural and thus better to use your real hair, but, when it comes to 2D cosplaying, wearing wigs is the way to go!"
"For real...... is that so?"
"Wait, what on earth is 3D cosplaying......?"
"3D cosplaying refers to cosplaying celebrities or real people! Characters from live action films, dramas, or idols."
"Heiyhy ~, so there are those, too ~!"
I'd always thought that cosplay wasn't limited to just manga and anime and other 2D stuff, but I never suspected it was this broad.
"Erhmm, for example...... this!"
Sakurai-san fiddled with the PC for a bit and showed the screen to Koigasaki and me (more like, probably just Koigasaki).
The words 『Cosplay Community CUTE』showed on the screen, which seemed to be a social networking site. There were various Cosplay photographs on display.
"This person isn't wearing any wig nor color contacts, right?"
Said Sakurai-san as she pointed to a photograph. Indeed, the girl in the photograph wasn't wearing a wig, and her eyes were black. But she was wearing a cosplay outfit and was somewhat cute.
"The next one is another person cosplaying the same character."
The next picture Sakurai-san showed us featured another girl wearing the same cosplay outfit of the same character.
Even though it was the same character with the same costume, she gave off a completely different impression.
The first was just wearing a cosplay costume, while this one gave off an aura that resembled more of a 2D character even though she was 3D.
"With a wig and color contacts, the cosplay is perfect. It's completely different, right!?"
"You're right...... a wig and color contacts can actually make it so different, huh......"
"More like, the make-up is thick at the level of a Gyaru!? And it's well done on top of that! The fake eyelashes are the same color as the wig!? Amazing!"
Just as Koigasaki pointed out, the girl in the photograph had firmly attached pink eyelashes, the same color as her wig.
"They have coloured eyelashes for use in cosplay these days."
Sakurai-san said proudly.
"You can tell from this, right!? The quality changes a lot with just a wig and some color contacts!"
"Indeed! But aren't color contacts expensive? I've bought black contacts to make my eyes bigger, and those alone were pretty expensive, as I recall......"
Black contacts to make the eyes bigger referred to those black-rimmed contacts that could make one's eyes appear to be bigger, I supposed. When I bought my contacts, I kind of remembered seeing them on a leaflet.
"Well, they cost about 5000 yen, I think."
"5000...... by the way, the wig is also expensive, right......?"
"It depends, but it's around 4000 to 8000 yen, I think."
Color contacts and wig...... do they cost that much? The costume alone is already pretty expensive......
"For real ~...... that could be a problem...... I've been spending too much money lately and my Mom hasn't been giving me any pocket money......"
Koigasaki was on the same train of thought as me and started muttering. Everything seemed to have returned to the state before Sakurai-san had entered the computer lab. In the end, the problem lied there.
"Money, huh ~...... ah, then Momo-chan, why don't you work with me part-time at a maid cafe!?"
Sakurai-san's eyes suddenly sparkled and she grabbed Koigasaki's hand.
"Maid cafe......?"
Koigasaki's eyes blinked.
"That's right! I've always been fascinated about working in a maid cafe! But I thought it'd be a little scary to work there by myself......"
"Maid cafe, huh...... indeed, those frilly dresses look cute, and I'd considered wearing them at least once, but...... in those places, don't you have to act like a hostess and chat a lot with the male customers......? I can't really deal well with guys......"
"That's not true ~! I've only been to one once, but it's just like a normal cafe with a maid costume worn as uniform by the shop attendants!"
"Is that so......? But I've never worked part-time before. I wonder whether I can do it......"
Despite her looks, Koigasaki is a rich man's daughter and seems to have led a rather sheltered life. I wonder if she could really handle a part-time job.
"It'll be fine! Momo-chan, you look like a capable person! Besides, since you're fascinated with Otakus, you can gain Otaku knowledge while working at a maid cafe, and can also earn some money on top of that! That's like killing two birds with one stone!"
...... well, indeed, both shop attendants and customers would comprise largely of Otakus. But it was still very much doubtful to me whether Koigasaki, who was already no good with normal guys, could work at such a place without a hitch.
"I-Indeed......"
"Right, right!? Then, why don't we just get on with it and visit some maid cafes in Akiba!? Even though I've been fascinated with working in maid cafes, I've only visited once, and since we'll be working at one, I'd like to take a look at how they operate! We can decide if we'll work there or not after taking a look!"
"Yeah, if it's just taking a look for now......"
Koigasaki working part-time at a maid cafe...... what's with this incredible development?
"Then, let's go!"
Sakurai-san pulled Koigasaki's hand.
It was an incomprehensible development, but there was no opportunity for me to stop them so it couldn't be helped.
"See you......"
After sending them off, I will go home by myself.
If things continue to progress in the same vein, even if I don't do anything else for Koigasaki, Sakurai-san will teach her everything from A to Z about Otakus.
Compared to a lame guy like me who Koigasaki also generally can't deal well with because of the gender, it's probably more fun to hang out with another girl like Sakurai-san.
My role is almost over, I guess......
"Huuh!? What are you talking about!?"
"Ehh......!?"
I uttered in surprise as I looked up.
Koigasaki was looking at me in indignation.
"What makes you think you can go back by yourself!? Come along with us!"
"Ehh, I-I'm going along with you!? Are you sure!? ...... wait, that's not it! Why me!"
Confused, I myself didn't know what I was talking about.
"Isn't it dangerous for two frail girls to go to a maid cafe!? You're a guy, going by gender at least, so come along with us!"
A guy, going by gender at least...... so in what other respects am I not a guy?
More like, the two of you don't look frail at all......
"I-It can't be helped then, if you insist that much. I don't really feel like it, but I guess I'll go."
"? Why are you grinning? It's creepy......"
"It's not like I'm grin......"
Before I could finish, I remembered the existence of Sakurai-san.
When I looked at her, she had a pair of deadpan eyes staring back at me.
Uwah, why is he coming along? Are you freaking kidding me? Read the atmosphere, for Pete's sake, you damn slime, were what her eyes were saying.
"Ah, maybe I shouldn't......"
"Then, let's go Azuki-chan!"
"...... ah, yeah, let's go."
With that, holding hands, the two of them started walking along the corridor.
Two girls holding hands, is that for real......?
Well, I couldn't be bothered anymore. Keeping quiet, I followed after the two of them.
Along the journey from the station nearest the school to Akihabara, we managed to kill the time with the two girls prattling with eeks and yipes, and an occasional chime in or retort from me. Even though I was crushed by the fact that I could hardly get into their conversation, which made me feel like going home, somehow, I could feel that I was getting used to this company of three.
"Wooww ~ it's Akiba ~! I'm getting so riled up ~!"
As we came out of the Electric Town Exit of Akihabara station, Sakurai-san's eyes sparkled at the sight of the Akihabara streets.
"Azuki-chan, do you know where you can find a maid cafe?"
"Yeah, I know! For now, there are two cafes that I'm shooting for, so let's go there!"
"You've already set your sight on a couple of places! That'll speed things up!"
A few months ago, Suzuki and I had visited a maid cafe as well, but among the maid cafes in Akihabara, the one we visited could be thought of as pretty famous.
We played games, chatted, and also sang and danced with the maids on stage.
I wondered whether that was something different from the maid cafes that Sakurai-san had set her sights on.
With Sakurai-san guiding us, we reached the front of a multi-tenant building that was right in the middle of a maze-like road.
It was a place where I had never been before, a place that I did not know about.
It was only thanks to a maid cafe signboard that read 『Maid Cafe・Secret Room in the Attic』 that we got to know that a maid cafe was there; frankly, without that signboard, it would be nearly impossible to notice its inconspicuous existence.
"Is there really a maid cafe here?"
"It's on the third floor ~."
Following after Sakurai-san, we climbed the narrow stairs and opened the door on the third floor.
"Welcome home, Sir, Madams."
Immediately upon opening the door, there, stood maid waitresses.
Clad in maid uniforms with a chic design themed in black, long skirts that extended to their knees, and their black hair tied up into buns, the maids stood there with an air of serenity.
With gentle smiles, and an adult-like, classy, elegant manner of speech. They were beauties, but wore only make-up that wasn't overly thick.
It was as if they were real maids who were working in a western style mansion.
Frankly, they were very much different from the image I had of maids in maid cafes.
They were a full 180 degrees difference from those glitzy brown-haired maids in short skirts giving off a modern atmosphere, handing out fliers or shouting out promotions in the streets of Akihabara.
Of course, I'm not trying to say one is better than the other; it all depends on individual preferences, but personally, I definitely prefer the maids with an orthodox feel that we saw here.
"Allow me to guide you to your seats."
We were guided by an orthodox maid waitress. The internal decor of the shop further surprised me. The shop was narrow, and the elaborate decors made the place an extraordinary look-alike to a room in a mansion. The interior and small articles felt refined, making me forget that this was actually a unit in a multi-tenant building.
"Is this the first time you are 'coming home' to 'a room in the attic'?"
She asked us once we took our seats. Yes, answered Sakurai-san. I thought she'd have come here before, since this was a place she'd set her sights on, but it seemed to be her first time.
The maid handed us a menu, and we opened it.
Even each and every single item on the menu had a surprisingly elaborate name.
I was short on money, but I just had to try something after coming all the way here. I ordered a coffee and cake set. Koigasaki and Sakurai-san also made their respective orders.
"I saw good reviews on this maid cafe on the Internet and I've been wanting to come here at least once ~!"
Sakurai-san said ecstatically.
"I'm freaking surprised to find it so different from the one I saw on TV last time."
Koigasaki said while turning her head around to survey the shop.
"It's also totally different from the maid cafe I've been to......"
"This shop has a concept about maids waiting for the return of their master in a room in the attic. While you can't talk to the maids beyond what's necessary nor play games with them, they are very they are very careful in maintaining the setting, and even when you listen to the conversations between the maids, you will only hear maid-talk that is in character with the setting, I heard! The unique atmosphere of this cafe where one can escape reality is quite the hot topic right now!"
I see. Somehow, I can see how this can become a topic of discussion.
In an instant, the image I'd had on maid cafes had been turned right on its head. Different from the usually noisy maid cafes, the space here was calming and soothing.
"Sorry for the wait."
Our orders arrived.
"Even the food here is prepared by the maids!"
Sakurai-san said in a soft voice after the maid left. I brought a scoop of the food I'd ordered to my mouth.
"Delicious......"
I took a bite of the cake and was honestly surprised.
I thought that the maids were the main attraction in places like these and they would skimp on the food, so I was really surprised by how much more delicious it was than what I was expecting.
"This shop, is really wonderful."
Koigasaki praised the shop. It seemed like Koigasaki was also positively impressed by the shop.
"We sincerely await your homecoming."
Finally, the maids bowed their heads deeply and we put the shop behind us.
"If it's that kind of shop, I'd like to try working there ~!"
Koigasaki said immediately after exiting the shop.
"I know, right!?"
Indeed, if it is that shop, from the feel of it, Koigasaki won't need to spend long periods of time talking to male customers, and she might just be able pull it off even if she can't deal well with the opposite sex.
Wait, why do I need to get so worried about her......
No wait, Koigasaki just doesn't look like she'd fit in with those orthodox-looking maids. If she worked there, she'd probably stand out like a sore thumb......
"On another note, the other shop I'm interested in should be pretty close ~! Is it okay to go take a look?"
"Yeah, let's go see!"
Upon hearing Koigasaki's reply, Sakurai-san looked at the map on her cellphone and started leading us to the shop.
After five minutes of walking around in a trial and error manner, we arrived at yet another multi-tenant building.
"Ah, here it is ~!"
"『Yandere[1] Cafe, Last Supper』...... wait, what kind of shop name is this!?"
Affixed to the window of the second floor of the building were words of what appeared to be the name of the shop, and having read them aloud, I realized it was some outrageously crazy shop name.
"What's Yandere?"
Koigasaki asked us with an innocent face, like that of an unsullied child.
"Erhm, to put it simply, it's a character who's sick."
That's waaaay toooo simple!
As a Yandere lover, I just couldn't let Sakurai-san's explanation pass like that.
"A Yandere is one of the extremely popular character archetypes in games, manga, or other 2D media, and describes a character with overly strong feelings of love. As the story progresses, she eventually becomes mentally sick......"
"Mentally sick? Such a character can be popular? I don't get how Otakus think......"
A crease appeared between Koigasaki's eyebrows, an unconvinced look on her face.
"But, what the heck is a Yandere cafe!? What is the meaning of a Yandere maid cafe!? In the first place, Yandere being confined to the 2D world is what makes it good...... Rather, for argument's sake, even if I close my eyes to the 'Yandere Cafe' part, what's the meaning of 'last supper'!? Will I die!?"
"From what I gather from its homepage, the maid staff in this shop all seem to be Yanderes, and it seems really interesting......"
It was unusual for Sakurai-san to respond to my remarks.
"At any rate, we'll know once we go in right?"
Taking the vanguard, Koigasaki entered this shop which looked suspicious from the outside.
We climbed the stairs, opened the door and entered.
"Welcome home, masters."
The instant we opened the door, we saw the maid waitresses standing there.
Thinking that some dreadful maids might appear since this was called a Yandere cafe, I put myself on guard, but what greeted by normal cute maids with no remarkable peculiarities.
They were clad in cute Gothic-style maid clothing with lots of frills and skirts that were above knee-length. The red color of the maid uniforms...... was it just a coincidence, or was there a deeper meaning behind it......
Smiling, the maids guided us to our seats.
The inside of the shop was a bit dark, and decorations of roses and skulls formed the motif design of the interior, giving it a feel of eerieness, combined with a western-style Gothic atmosphere.
We opened the menu after we sat down.
Overall, the selection didn't differ much from a normal cafe, but, regrettably, there were also three out-of-place items present on the menu:
『● Crystallization of a Maid's Love (Vanilla Ice-cream) 600 Yen
『● Tears of a Maid's Love (Grapefruit Juice) 500 Yen
『● Lifeblood of a Woman (Tomato Juice) 500 Yen
Don't tell me that with just some arbitrarily chosen items on the menu and an interior giving off a horror feel, they thought that they could pass this off as a Yandere cafe?
It's a bit too much if they think they can satisfy Yandere lovers with just this.
"Hey, even now, I still don't get what Yandere means, so to speak......"
Koigasaki muttered discontentedly.
"Uhn...... this shop is more normal than I thought...... it's a little disappointing."
Sakurai-san said in a regrettable tone. I wonder what on earth she was expecting from this shop.
Following that, Koigasaki suggested that she might be able to grasp something about Yanderes if she ordered from the Yandere special menu, and so, she ordered the 『Lifeblood of a Woman』, then complained about not getting why it cost 500 yen; the standard of that tomato juice was splendid in its own way.
"Like I thought, I really hate tomato juice......"
"Then why did you order it!?"
Koigasaki sipped her juice with a disgusted face, while Sakurai-san and I put our mouths to the soft drinks we ordered. As Sakurai-san and Koigasaki started talking, the maid closest to us spoke.
"Sir and Madams, are you going back to school?"
Following that, the maid asked us about school, and we (mainly Koigasaki and Sakurai-san) responded in kind.
The broadly smiling maid gave off a good feel, and the conversation took off.
Following that, about 30 minutes went by. When we were coming in, the maid had explained that there would be an additional charge after 30 minutes, so, as the broke high school students that we were, we stood up from our seats before we incurred the fee and headed to the cashier.
"Thank you very much for your patronage. The total will be 1300 yen."
Just as we were done with the payment,
"Oh my? Sir and Madams......"
From behind, the maid waitress who'd been spending time talking to us earlier called out to us.
"Ah, thank you for earlier......"
Thinking that she was just bidding us goodbye, I responded politely in kind.
"Are you already going out?"
By the way, it seemed like by 'going out', she was referring to exiting the shop. Since the shop was supposed to be a home in the setting, we were welcome back when we entered it, and on leaving, the maids would see us off.
"Ah, yes......"
The instant I acknowledged it, the maid's face changed.
"Where might you be going!? Are you going to another maid's place!?"
"Eh, eehh!?"
The maid drew near us with an incredibly menacing look. For a moment, I couldn't grasp what was happening.
"Lately, I've been wondering why my master and mistresses' actions seemed a little strange......"
She muttered to herself with a terrifying visage.
"What, what in the world is happening!?"
Koigasaki started, in an even more confused state than me.
"Since this is a Yandere cafe, she might have entered Yandere mode."
Sakurai-san analyzed calmly.
"If you want to go to that woman's place no matter what, then I'll ...... you, then...... myself!"
"Eeeeeekkk!"
Along with those disturbing lines, the maid pulled out from her pocket, a really disturbing...... knife.
Seeing that, Koigasaki screamed.
However, with one look, I could tell that the knife was actually a toy.
"Sir, Madams, quickly get out of here!"
The maid in charge of the cashier suddenly joined in act, and stuck her body out between us and the Yandere-turned maid to stop her.
"Don't bother about me, and quickly get out of here!"
"R-Right......"
We complied with her request, and since we had already paid up anyway, we ran out of the shop, descended the stairs and left the building.
"Pant, pant...... what was that about!? It was really scary!"
"There was talk about that shop going into Yandere mode, so I wonder if that was it......"
"Maybe that's what they do right after the customers have settled their bills? I wonder if that's why you can't see the cash from any of the tables......"
The Yandere begins when the maid starts talking kindly to the customers, huh......
"I really don't get how that kind of thing can be popular among Otakus...... what's with you guys? Are Otakus masochists?"
"No, it's not like that......"
Yanderes should be restricted to 2D, I guess, I quietly reaffirmed to myself once again.
"It's impossible for me to work at that kind of shop!"
"Indeed, you also need acting skills. It might be kind of tough......"
Sakurai-san agreed with Koigasaki's opinion.
Since it was getting kind of late, we decided to go home and headed towards Akihabara station. Koigasaki and Sakurai-san talked as we walked, and it seemed like they'd decided to go for the first maid cafe we had visited, the one with the 'room in the attic' theme.
In the end, I was secretly depressed I never really got to talk freely with Sakurai-san.
Maybe in the end, from here on, I will never be able to talk freely to another girl aside from Koigasaki......, I was assailed by such a wild, negative thought.
"Well then, I'll say goodbye here."
"All right, Azuki-chan, see you tomorrow!"
Sakurai-san faded away into the crowd as she headed towards her subway line.
Koigasaki and I shared the same line part of our way home, so we rode the escalator together.
"...... I must be really hated."
I tried asking Koigasaki as we were riding the escalator.
"Eh?"
"I mean, by Sakurai-san."
"Aah......"
Aah? What was that reaction supposed to mean? Did Koigasaki also recognize that?
Our train came, and we hurried up on board.
"Did I do something wrong!? I really can't think of anything...... Or is there something else? She really hates me because I'm a creepy Otaku......"
"Azuki-chan, you know, is no good with male Otakus."
"...... eh?"
The words that came out of Koigasaki's mouth were unexpected.
"The male Otaku members in her manga research club have been openly talking about erotic stuff in their erotic manga and games in the club room, you see. And they've even been showing those stuff to the female club members and bringing up such subjects to them. Aside from Azuki-chan, the other female members would answer enthusiastically, and join in the erotic discussions, it seems. So, as Azuki-chan couldn't do that, she gradually built up an aversion towards the male members, and also could feel a wall forming between her and the other girls...... and there's no place for her in her club activities, she said."
"Wow, unbelievable......"
I murmured involuntarily.
"Eh?"
"I mean, it's unbelievable, right! That's already considered sexual harassment, isn't it? To show a girl that kind of stuff and even talk about it......"
Personally, I would never ever want to show my erotic books to a girl...... Even Otakus come in all sorts and colors.
When she heard that, some surprise surfaced on Koigasaki's face and she looked at me quietly.
"......? What is it?"
"...... ah, nothing...... yeah, I agree......"
I queried Koigasaki wondering what was up, but she just averted her gaze. When I looked at her expression carefully, the corner of her lips somehow looked relaxed.
I wondered if I'd said something funny. I really couldn't get this girl.
"A-Anyway! It's because of that and not because she hates you or anything, all right? It just seems like she's averse to all male Otakus."
"It's all because of the guys in the manga research club, huh......"
At any rate, I was able to come to terms with Sakurai-san's attitude so far.
I wonder if she thinks I'm the same as the other guys in her club......
For now, I'm just relieved that it's not because she hates me at a personal level.
"Which reminds me, are you seriously going to work at a maid cafe?"
I asked Koigasaki about the other thing that had been on my mind.
"Yeah, at the first place we went today. Rather, don't you also want to take on a part-time job?"
Me working part-time......? Indeed, I had been playing with the thought for quite a while.
If I got a job, then I would have more money to indulge in my Otaku hobbies, and I also would be able to buy better clothes.
Also, and more importantly, I had the cosplay coming up. I would definitely need money for that.
"Maybe I should...... get a part-time job as well, I guess. I would certainly like to work as a game tester."
"Huh? What's that?"
There was one occasion when I searched around, in the event that I ever got a part-time job, and at the time had felt that working as a game tester would be most suitable for me.
"It's a part-time job to play-test and check for bugs in a game before it goes on sale. I can do it at home, and I also love games, so it's definitely very suitable for me."
"What's with that? Do you really intend to take on such a part-time job?"
"...... eh?"
My brain froze the instant I heard Koigasaki's words.
"I'm gathering up all my courage to work at a maid cafe in order to become an Otaku, and yet here you are, aiming to be a game tester? A job like that will never get you closer to becoming a Riajuu, will it? How about considering a more Riajuu-like part-time job, like working at a family restaurant or at a fast-food outlet?"
Family restaurant? Fast-food outlet?
"I never considered it......"
"Why not? Those types of part-time jobs will no doubt help you in getting closer to becoming a Riajuu, right? You can also talk to girls in the meantime."
Indeed.
Koigasaki was prepared to work at a maid cafe in order to get closer to becoming an Otaku, but I wanted to become a game tester...... if I did that, then nothing would change for me.
"I see...... you're right! I'll also search for a more Riajuu-like part-time job!"
And also, with that, I would be able to become friendly with the girls at my workplace, and prove to myself that I could also talk freely to girls other than Koigasaki!
At that point in our conversation, the train reached Koigasaki's station and we parted ways.
I took out my cellphone as soon as she was off, jumped to a part-time job search site, and started looking for a 『Riajuu-like』job.
However, it seemed that places like family restaurants and fast-food outlets could get really tough during busy times.
At that moment, my eyes caught sight of a recruitment notice from one of the job listings.
This is the one. It has to be this one! The place was also close to a subway station between my home and school, and they allowed high school students to apply.
And thus, I pressed the 'apply' button for that part-time job.
Translator's Notes and References & OTARIA Glossary[edit]
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