The moment Kikukawa Yuu mentioned putting on a uniform, Sakiko felt a slight jolt of apprehension.
When searching for part-time jobs that would hire a freshly graduated middle schooler, she had come across one offering very high pay.
Curious, she clicked on it—only to discover it was a maid café.
There was no way she could accept wearing something so humiliatingly frilly and ridiculous. And the idea of smiling at complete strangers while saying, "Welcome home, Master!" was beyond disgraceful.
Thankfully, this was just a bookstore.
As expected, the uniform Kyo handed her wasn't a maid outfit or anything equally absurd.
It was a simple apron designed to be worn over regular clothes. The fabric was checkered in shades of brown, white, and gray, and the bookstore's logo was stitched onto the chest.
Sakiko held the apron against her body, checking the fit—it seemed just right. Slipping her arms through the shoulder straps, she grabbed the ties at the sides, pulled them behind her back, and neatly fastened a knot.
"Looks like a perfect fit," Yuu remarked, giving Sakiko an approving once-over. "Little Sakiko's so pretty—she even makes our plain old uniform look stunning."
Kyo, meanwhile, half-squinted at Sakiko, amused.
"You definitely looked relieved when you saw the uniform."
Then, as if she had just made a new discovery, Kyo smirked.
"Wait… don't tell me you thought the bookstore uniform would be a maid outfit or something?"
Sakiko cleared her throat lightly.
"I was simply admiring how well-designed it is. Clean, stylish, easy to put on and take off—it's a very practical choice for a bookstore uniform. As expected, Miss Yuu has excellent taste."
"My, what a sweet talker." Yuu clapped her hands together with a chuckle.
"Alright, let's get started then. Kyo, you coming?"
Kyo immediately crossed her arms in front of her like an "X," declining at the speed of light.
"I'll pass. You're just trying to rope me into doing more work. I'll grab a book and go read over there instead."
She shot Sakiko a thumbs-up as if to say, Good luck, then turned and walked off.
"Tsk tsk. I'm starting to suspect Little Sakiko got tricked into replacing her," Yuu said with a laugh, completely unbothered by Kyo's escape.
"Miss Yuu and Kyo seem very close."
"Well… yeah. But that kid's got some weird issues. Honestly, I wish she wouldn't rely on me so much sometimes."
Yuu's usual cheerful smile took on a faint trace of exasperation.
She had been surprised when Kyo told her she wanted to help a friend get a job here.
As Kyo's family, Yuu knew better than anyone—her little sister could only grasp emotions through drinking water.
The only emotion she truly understood in the conventional sense was familial love.
And because Yuu was family, she could provide Kyo with water every day, helping her process emotions in a way no outsider could.
But when it came to other people?
Asking them to casually make Kyo a drink or prepare her a bowl of soup would be way too awkward. Besides, it wasn't something that could be taught in just one or two tries.
That was why Kyo was so dependent on her family—because she knew her sister loved her.
It was the one place where she could express herself freely, without pretending or adjusting to fit others' expectations.
So the fact that Kyo had taken the initiative to help someone was what had surprised Yuu so much.
Maybe this Sakiko girl… will be the one to finally teach Kyo what emotions really are.
Sakiko, meanwhile, latched onto one particular word.
Weird issues?
She wasn't sure why that term had come up—or why it was being used to describe someone as highly capable as Kyo.
But before she could dwell on it, Yuu had already turned around, ready to lead her through the different tasks she'd need to learn.
Quickly setting aside her thoughts, Sakiko followed after her—though, deep down, she quietly made a note to keep this detail in mind.
"In our bookstore, employees don't have rigidly assigned roles. Your tasks will depend on the day's needs."
Kikukawa Yuu led Sakiko through the maze of towering bookshelves.
Seeing the sheer number of books firsthand left Sakiko in awe once again—there were so many, covering such a wide range of topics.
She even spotted a few books on composition and performance that she had wanted to read for ages. Back in the Togawa household, her studies had been packed with obligations, leaving her no time for them.
Maybe now, I can finally buy and read them here.
After all, one of the biggest reasons this job had appealed to her was the employee discount on books, as well as the freedom to study during quiet hours.
Kikukawa Bookstore would be an excellent stepping stone—easing her financial burdens while also paving the way for her future.
"When new books arrive, we confirm the inventory, categorize them, and arrange them on the shelves. Other tasks include guiding customers to the books they need and keeping the store clean.
"It might sound like a lot, but there's a natural cycle to it. The really busy days—where everything piles up at once—only happen once every couple of weeks."
As they walked, Yuu familiarized Sakiko with key areas of the store—the temporary holding spots for new stock, the inventory system, the store layout, and the methods for categorizing and shelving books.
Sakiko's performance impressed Yuu.
She picked up information incredibly fast—just hearing an explanation about book placement was enough for her to apply it immediately, correctly identifying where different books should go.
She was meticulous and thorough, able to accurately check the bookstore's order records and confirm stock availability and pricing.
Even more unexpectedly, she had a strong sense of aesthetics, suggesting several decoration ideas that left Yuu genuinely tempted to implement them.
"Little Sakiko—no, Miss Togawa Sakiko—please, I insist that you take this job."
"You flatter me, Miss Yuu." Sakiko responded with polite humility, but the confidence in her smile made it clear she had never doubted her ability to pass this interview.
From her seat behind the cashier counter, Kyo lounged on a recliner, book in one hand and a cup of water in the other. She glanced up as the two returned from their tour.
"So, I take it the interview results are in?"
"Heh, little Sakiko is way more capable than you, Kyo. Honestly, you should work here more to brush up on your skills."
"You just want free labor out of me." Kyo rolled her eyes. "Don't just talk about work—tell her about the perks too."
The mention of perks piqued Sakiko's interest.
"For this job, the hourly wage is 1,400 yen. You can request daily payouts if needed."
Yuu started with the most crucial detail.
Sakiko had already heard this from Kyo, but hearing it confirmed again was still a relief.
"As for benefits, like getting to buy books at wholesale price—Kyo's probably already told you about that too."
Yuu glanced at her watch. It was nearly noon.
Most of the store's customers had already left, and it was unlikely that new ones would arrive anytime soon.
"Since it's the perfect time for it, why don't you try out one of the other perks right now?"
She reached under the cashier counter and pulled out a sign.
Tea Break—If you need assistance, please check the shop next door!
Next door?
If she remembered correctly, the neighboring store was a café.
Kyo immediately launched herself off the recliner, practically bolting toward the exit.
Seeing her obvious eagerness, Sakiko already had a good guess about what this was all about.
"Wait… don't tell me you own that café too, Miss Yuu?"
This time, Kyo answered before Yuu could.
"Heh, well, technically, because I'm not legally an adult yet, it's under my sister's name. But I'm the actual owner."
Figures.
The only thing that could get Kyo this excited… is making drinks.
Watching Kyo practically bounce with enthusiasm, Sakiko found herself looking forward to whatever she was about to taste.