To Become Tear Chocked (Pt 3)
Translator: Silvia
TLC: Krrizis
Editor: Lady Blue
QC: Kai & Noa
First Published on Ainushi
Say something, Kiuchi. As I thought, she's difficult to deal with.
[…Kiuchi-san, do you always come to the rooftop for your break??] (Tachibana)
For now, let's try changing the topic first.
「 …No… Rumors spread quickly in our company, don't they? Today, I came to the office with an awful face and it's already become quite the hot topic. Didn’t you hear them talking about it in the break room? Saying stuffs like 『 To be dumped at that age, how pitiable』.Why do they go around bad mouthing someone behind their back?」 (Kiuchi)
『Haha』, Kiuchi laughed hollowly.
Even though I went to great lengths to change the subject…
But, I sympathized with Kiuchi's words. Because,
「Me too… I hate the break room. Saying harsh stuff like 『Entering the company through connections』 behind my back. Even now, there are still those talking about it. Don't they get ever tired of it?」 (Tachibana)
It was incomparable to the painful feelings Kiuchi was experiencing.
「You knew……」 (Kiuchi)
「Yeah.」 (Tachibana)
In this company, I have no allies.
「… Ummm, I thought it was strange before, but why are you working as a salesperson?? Aren't you the next president?? Is it alright to not be by the president's side, assisting him with his duties??」 (Kiuchi)
This time, to break the delicate atmosphere, Kiuchi changed the subject
Certainly as Kiuchi says, there was no need for me to be a salesperson.
Yet, I did it because,
「Because I don't want to be told things like『 joining the company with connections despite not having sold a single jewellery』. By giving results I can strike at the malicious gossips, and shut those guys up.」 (Tachibana)
It's just my stubbornness.
「… So that's why. By taking charge of inventory count till the end, everyone won't be able to strike with malicious gossip huh … But, I am glad.」 (Kiuchi)
Kiuchi smiled sweetly for some reason.
Glad for what?? Suggestion: What's there to be glad about?? What a completely baffling woman, you make no sense Kiuchi. That's why you were dumped.
As I furrowed my brows, Kiuchi, seemingly happy, opened her mouth.
「I am glad Tachibana-san is the next president. Even though you are younger than me, I have a lot of respect for you.」 (Kiuchi)
Kiuchi's honest words made me happy.
For the first time, I felt like I was acknowledged.
As I was feeling somewhat accomplished,
「Tachibana-san, you are the top for this month's sales, right? What sort of sales talk are you going to give??」 (Kiuchi)
Kiuchi said, 『Even though you are a new employee, you're amazing!! Let me steal your ideas!!』 with an expression of immense interest to learn my methods… I'm sorry but I don't have any techniques to impart to Kiuchi.
Because,
「…… Sales talk… I won't be doing it, you see.」 (Tachibana)
I am a new employee, I don't possess such advanced techniques.
「… Huh??」 (Kiuchi)
It was Kiuchi's turn this time to roll her eyes, as if saying, 『What nonsense is this guy saying』.
I mean… Seriously, I can't give such a high level talk.
「 … By the way, I was told,『If I stay quiet and smile in a friendly way, the female customers will lap it up』. So, if you stay silent and make a friendly smile, you can sell quite a lot.」 ( Tachibana )
Though, I had opened my big mouth to criticize those guys earlier with, 『I can strike at those malicious gossips and shut those guys up』, all things considered, it was all talk and I didn't do anything.
Lame.
「… No wonder you promptly jump at the female customers that come to the store. Certainly, you do have an attractive face.」 (Kiuchi)
『Fufu』 Kiuchi laughed.
…This woman, is she making a fool out of me??
Rather,
「I don't jump at them.」 (Tachibana)
Stop giving me a bad reputation, Kiuchi!!
「You do jump at them.」 (Kiuchi)
「No.」 (Tachibana)
「…Then, it's fine if you say it like that.」(Kiuchi)
Kiuchi reluctantly yielded.
「What?? Do you have a problem with my selling method??」 (Tachibana)
Because Kiuchi's reluctance was somewhat irritating, I became defiant.
I do have a bad character.
「Not at all.」 (Kiuchi)
「Liar. The truth is that even you scorn me.」 (Tachibana)
Furthermore, to pick a quarrel… I am pretty irked today. It must be due to the lack of sleep…
「I am not lying, really『.Become a singer if you're skilled at singing. Become a model if you have good style. By putting a beautiful face to practical use, you are marketing』. I think they're the same thing but… am I wrong??」 (Kiuchi)
What Kiuchi said felt slightly different but …
Without any hesitation, she said that my face was 『pretty』.
Kiuchi is a shabby woman but she says a lot of pleasing things.
… Maybe I don't dislike her.
Instead, I feel comfortable around her.
「I mean, I didn't enter the company by pulling any connections in the first place.]」 (Tachibana)
Because I felt comfortable with her, I started grumbling to Kiuchi.
In the beginning, I only had the intention of listening to Kiuchi's idle complaints but …
Now, it's the reverse.
「…Meaning??」(Kiuchi)
After all, Kiuchi is listening to me
「The president's son said he wanted to be a lawyer, and because there was no one to inherit the company, the president requested me to enter the company. I didn't particularly have anything I wanted to do either, so I said, 『Then, I'll join it』 is what happened. I was not the one who said, 『Let me join』. If it was the president's son, it would have ended without anyone calling me 『Cone nyuusha』, but because I am just their cousin, I am treated this way. I won't assent to that!!」 (Tachibana)
[TL's Note: Cone nyuusha (コネ入社) meaning someone who entered a company with connections. Because this whole sentence seemed inappropriate there, I used the japanese word as it is instead]
It's a good thing this is the rooftop; I can raise my voice.
Aa, for some reason I feel refreshed.
「It'll be great if you show this character in front of everyone. I'm sure they will come to like you. Then, nobody will be able to call you a 『Cone nyuusha』 anymore.」 (Kiuchi)
Kiuchi laughed at the me who was shouting.
See.
Like before, Kiuchi was saying pleasant things to me.
I feel like I can talk to Kiuchi about anything.
Rather, I want her to listen to me.
I finally found a person in the company to whom I can open my heart to.
「Kiuchi-san, Kiuchi-san, what's your shift tomorrow??」 (Tachibana)
That's why I want to steadily form a connection with Kiuchi.
「The late shift??」 (Kiuchi)
「I have the late shift too. I feel like eating karaage tomorrow. By the way, it seems like there's a clear sky tomorrow too. A fine weather for a rooftop lunch, right?」 (Tachibana)
Karaage (唐揚げ) – deep fried food. Japanese style of bite-sized fried chicken is called karaage.
「… Got it.」 (Kiuchi)
Kiuchi gave me a cheerful acknowledgement. I wonder if she understood what I was trying to convey.
I'll be waiting for Kiuchi's handmade karaage tomorrow.
For the first time, I started feeling that going to work the next day will be fun
Like karaage, my spirits were elevated… however that might just be me being childish.