Chapter 53: Volume 3 - CH 1.01

Part 1

I have long acknowledged that I am just an average, boring teenage girl.

I stand 140 centimeters tall, and weigh 35 kilograms (no, I’m not lame enough to go around pretending it’s a secret). Pretty much the average profile of any elementary school student, and because of that, I get mistaken for one very often. But don’t worry. I, Chuujou Shiina, am a bona fide high schooler! Sorry, I jest.

I blame this partly on the Uniqlo and Shimamura clothes Mom always buys for me, and partly on the fact that I have been going to the same barber ever since I was a kid. I once brought my New Year’s present money to Shibuya in hopes of buying some girlish clothes (such as CECIL McBEE!), but their clothes were all too big and I ended up leaving empty-handed. Naturally, I got lost and was taken to the police station. Utterly disgraceful.

Once again, while it may not look like it, I am actually a splendid high schooler! Sorry, I jest (for the second time). Besides, several of my distinct features show otherwise, and I’m not as talkative or flirty as my counterparts.

In short, I don’t mix well with others. I’m not exactly sure when this problem started, but I always stammer when I talk to others face-to-face. My thoughts usually end up manifesting as “uh,” “erm,” or just a string of repeated apologies. In fact, many schoolmates have approached with eyes looking down on me (both physically and mentally), and seeing my struggle with words eventually bored them and made them leave.

Of course, out of self-pity and embarrassment, such encounters always make me want to cry—though, I usually end up crying anyway…

In an attempt to change for the better, I enrolled myself into Amagi High. I guess you could call it a “Highschool Debut,” huh! My height was a predetermined parameter that I could do nothing about, but at the very least I could change my character. I’d make lots and lots of friends and enjoy a fulfilling school life for once.

I changed my hairstyle, researched the latest fashion and accessories, rented DVDs teaching me how to smile properly, and even studied what makes a conversation tick. After some begging, Mom also taught me how to wear proper make-up. I was all set!

Despite all that, I failed.

I stammered and blew the self-introduction, and couldn’t find anyone sitting near me who had similar interests or outlooks on life. A classmate who had what I’d consider a leader’s personality was kind enough to strike a conversation with me, but because I had yet to master the techniques in the smiling DVD, she didn’t even greet me 3 days later. How disgraceful of me.

Somehow, I managed to make friends with a classmate who was in a similar situation as mine. However, she joined the biology club and ended up spending most of her free time during lunch and after classes in the club room. Our conversations now ended after greetings were exchanged.

And just like that, a week had passed.

This is bad. Like, really bad.

Since I couldn’t make any friends in class, I considered joining a club just like her. People said the biology club would suit me perfectly, but alas, I could not bring myself to suffocate in a room that was stinking of formalin.

In the first place, Amagi High held night classes, so the students need to leave school early. As such, the clubs in our school weren’t very active either. Even then, I’d wished countless times for our school to have a cozy “Cultural Studies” club just like in anime. But again, Amagi High had none of those. I also lacked the vigor and drive to gather applicants and create one for the school.

And so, after dawdling around, another week had passed.

This is bad. Like, REALLY bad.

At this rate, I’m making a full dash towards a splendidly lonely lifestyle—no actually, I think I’m already there…

Having lunch by myself in class was starting to get increasingly painful. I considered eating in the toilet, but just thinking of it tripped my hygiene alarm. And so, I headed for the flight of stairs near the east block. The door to the rooftop on the fourth floor was sealed shut, and the area was used as storage for unused items. Perhaps I could eat my lunch there?

Surprisingly, someone was already there.

The sophomore was munching on his curry bun and tapping away on his phone in displeasure, muttering things like “we’re lacking in funds” and “looks like we really have to…”

To be honest, he looked really cool. His appearance was like a beautifully illustrated piece of art, having black hair with finely drawn facial features. His elegance spoke volumes about his intellect and burning will.

Why is he all alone and talking to himself in a place like this? Way too uncool for a cool guy like him!

“Hmm…?”

Realizing that I was there, the boy stiffened. He must have felt uneasy that he’d been spotted dining alone here. To be fair, I would have reacted the same way if I were in his shoes.

“Um…Uh…”

I wanted to at least apologize for scaring him. However, I could not muster the courage to say such difficult words.

But hey, wait a minute! Wasn’t this a perfect opportunity for me? I mean, think of it this way…

A lonely maiden, after chancing upon a boy facing a similar predicament at a corner of the school, ends up having lunch and chatting with him daily…

No, no, no. My heart’s not ready for it yet!

The girl would eventually end up preparing boxed lunches for him, and even when she messed up the eggs, he’d say “Anything you make is delicious.” And slowly, but surely…

Right then, the boy spoke.

“This is my territory. Get lost.”

…Sorry?

“You heard me, hurry up and scram. I’m sure you were thinking you could become good friends with a handsome guy like me, weren’t you?”

What a guess. What is he, an ESPer? A Newtype?

“Things like this happen often, but I regret to say I have absolutely no interest in you, especially since I have my hands full with work at the moment. I still have a lot of PDFs to read, so hurry up and get out of my sight.”

“U-Um…”

“Must I really repeat this once more? Get lost! Now!”

“S-S-S-S-S-S-S-Sorry!”

I stammered again. How disgraceful. Unable to retort, I turned around and fled the scene.

*

Today was awful.

And whenever I had a horrible day, I would always treat myself to a session of karaoke after school. After washing my sadness away with about 20 anisongs, I felt a lot better. On the way out, the receptionist shot a look at me and said “You’re really good at singing, you know?” Of course, that was just their standard lip service. I forced out an “Uh…Um… T-T-T-Tha…(nk you)” and left.

I’d accepted the fact that I had no friends in school. I did not belong anywhere—not even in the elite loner’s corner which was occupied by that scary senior.

If that was the case, was there anything I could do outside of school?

Yes! A part-time job! I’d have a blast working, make good friends, and even wear cute uniforms! If I could just secure a good part-time job, I would at least have somewhere to unwind after a day’s worth of suffering. Furthermore, I’d also get some pocket money, killing two birds with one stone!

Having decided that, I hurriedly searched for some part-time jobs through recruitment sites. There were many job openings available, such as at fast food restaurants, family restaurants, and even stylish cafés! More results appeared as I searched. I’ve never worked a part-time job, but it should be fine. Do your best, Shiina!

*

……It was a disaster.

Every job recruitment was bound to have an interview stage. There was no way for me, who would choke and stammer in something as trivial as a self-introduction at school, to answer the interviewer’s questions coherently. The fact that they all looked so scary did not help.

I was rejected by all job positions that were suitable for students. How disgraceful…

And so, once again, I went for some karaoke to rid myself of the day’s sadness.

I might have messed up the interviews, but I wasn’t going to give up just yet. I’d search for more. There was one final job opening that had favorable conditions—in a theme park.

The park was located within the town own Amagi, called “Amagi Brilliant Park.” I remember my parents bringing me there when I was a kid (I think I still am, though). There was a mascot named Moffle who was really cute, and he was my favorite. He’s still my favorite to this day; I even have a Moffle plushie on my bed.

This must be my calling! I must have been rejected by all of them so that I could join the park!

I applied immediately. I’d experienced enough of the [Interview>Rejected] cycle that I was no longer afraid (ignoring the fact that I spent 3 hours struggling to write the application email for it).

I received a reply from a representative on the same day, stating the date and time of my interview.

*

It was the big day. To make sure I wouldn’t be late, I left for the park early!

I also got on the wrong bus!

I ended up at some unknown hill, and controlled my tears as I rushed back, 2 hours late for the interview.

I was really, really late. Chances were that they’d reject me on the spot, but I figured I should at least show up and apologize. It looked like all the other applicants had already left, but there were still people in the interview room.

(Hey, where should I mop?)

(Hand it to me, I’ll do the mopping.)

It sounded like two staff members were busy cleaning up the place. I wasn’t sure who the female was, but I definitely recognized the voice of the guy. He was none other than that cool senior I met at the loner’s corner!

So he was actually working in the park as well, huh. He’s really cool, but very scary. I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. I was super late, after all.

“Erm… Is this the venue for the job interview?”

“You are?”

The boy spoke. He sounded really exhausted. The interviews must have taken a toll on him.

“Chuujou Shiina. I applied for a job here, sorry for being late.”

I did my best. It was a miracle I didn’t stammer. If only I could be like this during the actual interview…

“Something came up, so we postponed the interview. But either way, we’re not hiring you.”

“E-Eh!? Why?”

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“Because of labor laws. We can’t hire elementary school kids.”

“Huh, b-but I’m…”

Because of the shock, I reverted to my bad habit of stammering. Utterly disgraceful.

“The exit’s the other way. Thanks for your interest.”

I was utterly dumbfounded. Ignoring the fact that I just got mistaken for an elementary school student again, the boy did not seem to remember me at all.

Just when I needed it most! If only he could say something like “Ah, you’re the one who…” or “Have we met before?” I would’ve been able to follow up and save my interview!

In manga, couples with bad encounters who bump into each other tend to get really unpleasant, but it didn’t seem like this was going to happen between him and I. To this guy, I was a person who was worth forgetting after meeting for the first time—essentially just a side character of a show! How disgraceful!

I might have wanted to wail and run out of the room, but I am actually a high schooler! Sorry, I jest (for the third time now). I suppressed my agony and left. That alone was an amazing feat. You did well, Shiina!

I stopped by for some karaoke on the way back. Singing 10 vocaloid songs wasn’t enough to rid me of my sadness, so I continued to pour my soul into 20 enka ballad songs. I sang until I attained the calmness of the Tsugaru Strait in winter.

Once again, the receptionist complimented me, saying that I was “damn good at singing, no kidding.” It was getting hard for me to tolerate their sweet-talking business; hopefully they’d stop it soon.

When I got home, I cried and explained the situation to Mom, and thanks to that, I got the rare opportunity to sleep with her for the night.

*

The next day, I caught wind of a rumor spreading among the girls. It seemed that the senior I bumped into was Kanie Seiya. It wasn’t surprising for a hot guy like him to become the topic of conversation among the first year students. After all, his grades were top-notch, and he excelled at both arts and sports.

However, it is said that his rude attitude towards people was why he had no friends. I guess I wasn’t the only victim of Kanie Seiya’s wrath. I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed though. If his cold attitude were directed towards only me, I might actually graduate from being just another side character in a story.

It seemed like Kanie Seiya-senpai was always together with Sento Isuzu-senpai, who was also a sophomore in Amagi High. I’d hear rumors about the two of them dating each other every once in a while, but I didn’t buy that. (But only because it’s just a rumor. I won’t believe this until I see it for myself.)

On that day, Sento Isuzu-senpai called me over. When she came over to my class and called my name, everyone was shocked. God knows how my classmates knew about her, but they were whispering among themselves, saying things like “H-Hey, is that Sento-senpai!? Isn’t she pretty?”

This might be embarrassing, but I tend to panic whenever I catch the attention of others.

But putting that aside, Sento Isuzu-senpai was the girl who was cleaning up the interview room with him yesterday. She was really pretty, and had a really good sense of style. I’m by no means into yuri, but I couldn’t help but have my breath taken away when I saw her.

“You’re Chuujou Shiina-san, right?”

Sento-senpai spoke, skipping the self-introduction. I, on the other hand, could do nothing but gape and nod my head.

“I sent you an email last night. Did you read it?”

“Eh? Erm…”

Come to think of it, I was worn out and mentally scarred, so I didn’t check my email last night. Besides, most of the emails I received were advertisements from the karaoke bar I often visit and random spam from dating sites. LINE? What’s that? Is it edible?

“I’m guessing not.”

“Erm… N-No…”

“I apologize for the rash act of my manager yesterday. We were facing some problems, so please forgive us.”

“O-Okay…”

“I don’t think I have the right to talk about this after causing so much trouble for you, but…”

I’m confused. Just what message did she have that would justify coming all the way down to see me personally? A word of apology? Or maybe a stern warning to “stay away from my Kanie-kun”?

“…but if you still wish to join us, would you like to attend the interview again?”

“E-Erm…”

This was certainly troubling. I was so late for yesterday’s interview, to the extent that I had no right to complain about being rejected.

“Of course, we’re only conducting the interview for formality’s sake. It won’t take too much of your time. Are you free now?”

“E-Erm…yes…”

It sucked that I couldn’t say anything other than “erm…” and “yes…” I should have tried harder and said something else, like “Dashe zanna (Falbani for ‘thank you’).” Then again, I guess I’d be better off not saying it.

“Okay. Come with me.”

I followed Isuzu to a corner of the east block, where Kanie-senpai stood waiting.

“I brought her with me.”

“Wow, I never thought you were actually a high schooler…”

Seiya commented as he observed my appearance. He certainly wasn’t looking at me with lecherous eyes; they were more like those of a person who was picking a bike to buy in a store. Then again, it was rather rude of him to do that, but I couldn’t deny the fact that he looked really cool doing it. How frustrating.

“I’m sorry about yesterday. If you don’t mind, I’d like to get this interview over with right here.”

“S-Sorry?”

“Your probation will be two weeks. During this period, your hourly wage will be 750 yen. I see that you indicated interest in the merchandise and F&B department, but if possible, I’d like you to work as an assistant actor. Saturdays will be full time, and we operate on a closed shift system on weekdays, with a minimum of three work days. If you agree to these conditions, you’re hired. What do you think?”

“Erm… W-Well…”

Just who are these two people? How do they get to decide if I get hired or not?

“Will you do it, or not?”

“Erm…I…”

“Not gonna do it?”

“Yes… Erm I mean…no…”

“So which is it? Make it quick.”

Kanie-senpai was starting to get frustrated with my indecisiveness.

“I-I-I-I-I-I’ll chew it!!”

I shouted with all my might, mispronouncing a word along the way. How disgraceful.

By the way, I’d meant to say “I’ll do it,” realizing that this was my last chance to change myself. No way was I going to repeat my middle school lifestyle. Kanie-senpai was really scary, and Sento-senpai seemed intimidating. Nonetheless, I wasn’t going to run away. Not anymore.

The two of them stood still momentarily, seemingly shocked by the volume of my voice.

“You’ll…chew it? So which is it?”

“Probably neither of the two…”

“Or did she just use an Arabic word or something?”

The two of them conferred among themselves. I figured I should clarify myself.

“I’ll…I’ll…chew it! No, I’ll Jew it! I’ll do my pest!!”

I meant to say “I’ll do it” and “I’ll do my best,” but for some reason it ended up like that. Now they must be appalled by my choice of words.

Thankfully, Sento-senpai seemed to have gotten what I was trying to say, and prompted me further.

“I’m guessing you want to do it?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Then that’s settled. I’ll see you this weekend.”

Saying that, Kanie-senpai began to walk away, stopping for a brief moment to ask me a question.

“Actually…have we met before?”

“Y-Yes, at the stairs…”

“Hmm whatever. Just don’t be late.”

And just like that, he left the place. He shouldn’t have even asked if he had no intention to listen! How annoying!!

Sento-senpai watched him leave before speaking to me.

“I understand how you feel.”

Right then, I knew I would be good friends with her.

Anyway, this marked the beginning of my journey as a staff member of Amagi Brilliant Park.

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