"Good morning, Kyo."
Sakiko gave a slight nod in greeting, though she couldn't quite shake a subtle sense of pressure. Maybe it was because Kyo had left such a strong impression on her that day—when she had shown a side far sharper than expected.
Kyo noticed the way Sakiko responded—polite, restrained—yet unconsciously angled her body slightly away.
A subtle but clear sign.
She's wary of me.
Maybe wary was too strong a word, but it wasn't far off.
Kyo blinked, not particularly surprised. After all, when she had encountered Sakiko that day, it had been during a rare downpour. She hadn't used an umbrella, letting herself fully embrace the rain. As a result, the overwhelming sensation of being drenched had left her feeling unusually euphoric, making her more uninhibited than usual.
Compared to her conversation with Soyo afterward—where she had carefully adjusted to match the flow of the discussion—her confrontation with Sakiko had been a direct, unfiltered assault.
And now, the consequences of that approach were right in front of her.
It wasn't ideal. Being treated with caution wasn't exactly the best foundation for building good relations.
Kyo gave Sakiko a quick once-over, searching for a neutral topic to start with.
"You look lovely today, Sakiko. That simple, elegant white dress, paired with a bare, natural look—if you added a wide-brimmed straw hat, you'd be the perfect image of summer."
"Really?" Sakiko tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Having her efforts acknowledged felt unexpectedly nice.
These past few days, the only reaction she'd gotten from her idiot father was indifference. Compared to that, receiving genuine praise from someone else—even Kyo—felt strangely uplifting. Her smile softened, becoming more genuine.
"But if I wore a straw hat, I wouldn't look like I was here for a job interview."
"I don't think my sister would mind. She'd probably be so happy to see you dressed so nicely that she'd ask to take a picture."
As they talked, Kyo had casually stepped closer, standing directly in front of Sakiko now.
This time, Sakiko didn't instinctively move away.
"Speaking of which, Kyo," Sakiko glanced at Kyo's outfit—a white button-up and a vest. It looked oddly familiar, even though today's version was a short-sleeved summer style. "Do you always wear this kind of shirt?"
Even the clothes Kyo had lent her back at her house had been a white button-up.
Sakiko couldn't help but wonder if Kyo's entire wardrobe was filled with identical shirts.
"Heh, you don't get it, do you~" Kyo tugged at her collar slightly. "Shirts like these are incredibly versatile. They look casual enough for everyday wear but can also work for more formal occasions without seeming sloppy. It's basically the ultimate all-purpose clothing!"
"I see."
Sakiko rested a hand on her chin, giving it some thought.
She realized Kyo had a point. She mentally filed that information away—
Plus, plain, unbranded shirts are pretty cheap.
Kyo blinked. Yeah, no need to mention that part out loud.
Step by step.
She would slowly, naturally close the distance between them again.
Looking at Sakiko—who no longer seemed guarded—Kyo thought to herself, At the end of the day, she's still just a former sheltered rich girl fresh out of middle school. She's easy to win over.
Completely oblivious to the fact that she was the same age, Kyo continued her internal musings.
"Let's head inside. It's way too hot out here."
She pushed open the door to Kikukawa Bookstore, and as they stepped in together, a wave of cool, air-conditioned air greeted them, shutting out the summer heat.
"Oh, little sis, you're here?"
The moment they entered, a woman sitting behind the cashier's counter called out to Kyo. Without missing a beat, she reached under the counter, rummaged for something, and pulled out a small towel.
"Knew you'd be sweating buckets again. Come wipe yourself off first—if not, you're not staying in this air-conditioned room."
The woman bore a striking resemblance to Kyo, sharing about seventy to eighty percent of her facial features. But in many other aspects, they were distinctly different:
Kyo and Yuu shared the same hair color, but unlike Kyo's long locks—often tied up—Yuu's hair was cut short, barely reaching her ears, leaving a pair of small, water-blue earrings fully exposed.
She was taller, more mature in build than Kyo. And her personality—casual, outgoing, and effortlessly warm—was a stark contrast to Kyo's composed and restrained demeanor.
That said, they did have some similarities. Both carried the same natural, unembellished look, and both wore fitted white button-ups.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Kyo mumbled as she casually made her way behind the counter. Without hesitation, she plopped herself onto Yuu's lap, letting her sister lift the hem of her shirt and start wiping her down with the towel.
This woman was likely Kyo's older sister—the owner of this bookstore.
Sakiko stood quietly at the counter, waiting for them to finish.
But Kyo, seemingly unbothered, took the opportunity to introduce them.
"Sakiko, this is my sister, Kikukawa Yuu. She's a college dropout delinquent—ouch."
"Oh, so now I'm a delinquent, huh?" Yuu shot back, fingers pinching Kyo's waist under her shirt. "I just thought college was pointless, that's all. I actually put a lot of thought into opening this bookstore, you know?"
With Kyo's sweat wiped off, Yuu patted her on the back, effectively shooing her off her lap.
Taking the cue, Sakiko formally introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Kikukawa. I'm Togawa Sakiko. I'm here today in hopes of securing a part-time position at your store."
"Ah, no need to be so formal." Yuu waved a hand nonchalantly. "We're just a small bookstore, nothing fancy. You can call me Yuu, or if you prefer, like the other staff do, Miss Yuu works too."
"Understood, Miss Yuu."
Sakiko adapted quickly, keeping her poised, polite manner intact.
To Yuu, it was a rather pleasing sight—graceful but not rigid. And since she wasn't the type to force people out of their natural habits, she saw no reason to ask Sakiko to loosen up.
"Sakiko is just fine for me."
"Alright then, Sakiko."
Yuu stood up, stretching slightly.
"As for the interview… honestly, I don't really have any formal questions for you. It's a family-run store, so we're pretty relaxed about things."
"And since there aren't many customers right now, why don't we jump straight into some hands-on experience? That way, you'll get a feel for the job while I assess how well you handle things. Sound good?"
Yuu's straightforward approach—her lack of excessive courtesy or unnecessary hand-holding—felt unexpectedly comfortable to Sakiko.
She wasn't afraid of being tested.
She wanted to be tested.
She had confidence in her own abilities. What she dreaded was when people didn't even bother evaluating her, simply offering her kindness out of pity or obligation.
"I'd be happy with that arrangement," she replied.
"Great! Then let's start by trying on the store uniform."
Yuu smiled. This self-reliant young lady had left a good impression on her.
"Kyo, go grab one—"
"Already got it."
Kyo had dashed off to the employee room as soon as she finished wiping off her sweat.
With her understanding of both Sakiko and her older sister, Kyo was certain they'd get along just fine.
This job was as good as secured.
And with it, Sakiko would finally have some financial breathing room.
Kyo had always believed that a person's environment shaped their emotions and personality.
In time, she was sure that this place, this job, this change—
Would slowly help Sakiko heal from her overly rigid, distorted sense of pride.
Kyo sincerely wished for her friend's happiness.