Preparing For The Boss

In a family restaurant that's a little far from my school I drank coke while looking at math problem

"I really don't understand anything"

"how did you even enter highschool if you're so dumb?!"

Kiriyama who was teaching me got angry, since I forgot most of my memories I had to start studying basic things too

"you can read and memorize things so fast so why are you struggling in simple problems like this?"

I think that I'm catching up quickly but for Kiriyama it appears that I'm just a dumb boy who doesn't know how to solve middle school problems

"by the way thanks for helping me, you're really a great help"

"I'm not even that good at studying, but you are just too bad"

exams are coming soon so I decided to put my efforts on it now, my mom almost died when she saw last semester's results

"can't you just use your superpower to cheat? it would be easier this way"

"superpower?"

I tried to act stupid, she looked me silently for a while as if she knew that I'm not going to tell her

I wonder when did she notice it? I didn't exactly hide it very well but I didn't think it's that obvious

after she noticed that I'm not going to answer, Kiriyama dropped another question

"what did you choose such a far place to study? we could have studied in the library or something"

"I just like here, it's calm"

I have some other reasons but still, I really like it here even if it's the first time I come here

Kiriyama looked around, I can see that she's not convinced but still doesn't care enough to push the matter

"anyway, do you have plans for Christmas?"

that's right, I guess it's coming soon. I was focused on exams and forgot it...

"unfortunately I will spend it alone, why do you ask?"

"making sure that your club won't do a party, so I can ask Makoto out"

"..."

should I tell her about Makoto's feelings?I said that I won't help her if she didn't ask but still...it's gonna be painful when she notice it on her own

"hmm? Sawano-Kun?"

I snapped back when I heard someone calling me, a girl with long dark blue hair that might as well be black in the shape of a ponytail. she's wearing a white uniform indicating that she works in this restaurant

"Hi Hoshino-san, do you work here?"

after I faked my surprise, I took a look at her outfit and decided to throw her a compliment

"it suits you well"

"thank you "

she smiled at me, then she looked at Kiriyama. they didn't know each other so it's my role to introduce them to each other

"she's Kiriyama Naru we're in the same grade. this Hoshino Rei a university student and Chi-senpai's senpai so she's our senpai too"

they awkwardly greeted each other, then Hoshino-san asked us

"is it time for exams?"

"yeah I'm helping her studying today even though I'm not that good my self"

I felt something hitting me from under the table, it must be my imagination

"since you have exams soon we won't be able to play tonight huh?"

sincs the sleepover a month ago we've been playing together a lot so it's something like a routine before sleep

"don't worry I already finished everything I'm just helping her"

this time I can really feel something above my foot, I don't remember my shoes being this heavy it's crushing my foot

"okay then I'll send you a message later"

"see you later"

after Hoshino-san left, Kiriyama stopped hiding the violence and started hitting me more aggressively

"thank you for going with the flow though, good job!"

"why aren't you affected at all, it seems like I feel more pain than you despite being the hitter!"

I've been hanging out with Kiriyama for quite the time now so I got used to her rage outbursts it's kinda cute

"I'll pay for half of everything you order so just choose anything from the menu"

"really?"

"really"

she got happier quickly and started scanning the menu to order the most she can eat, Kiriyama is a simple girl...I should really tell her about Makoto, even she got hurt or didn't believe it, it would be a lot better for her this way

"hey Kiriyama"

"you can just call me Naru"

...

that makes it harder for me to say it...

"Naru..hypothetically, if Makoto fell in love with another girl what are you going to do?"

"I'll just die"

I couldn't find the words to say, she looked at me quietly and then she leaned on the table

"I'm exaggerating, but looking at your reaction I guess it's not "hypothetically" is it?"

"..."

I can just lie, everyone will react like this if she suddenly say something so disturbing...but she already has the answer

"is it Chi-senpai? did he tell you or did you figure it yourself?"

"he's not trying to even hide it, he definitely has some kind of feelings for her"

it was stupid to asume she won't now, she's the one who know Makoto the most

"ugh...it's just like in primary school"

"what about primary school?"

"he had a crush on a girl that was playing in the nearby park, she had almost the same personality as Chi-senpai"

I mean Chi-senpai acts like a child most of the times so comparing her to a kid isn't exactly wrong, no I'm thinking about something unrelated

"she doesn't care about him though! more like she's not into boys at all!"

I tried to cheer her up but it didn't effect her at all, she moved her finger around the empty cup while sighing in defeat

"I want Makoto to be happy though..."

so even if she's not the one for him, she's gonna accept it and wish him happiness?

"are you giving up? it's already the millionth time you gave up"

"who said I'm giving up?"

she straightened her back and looked at me fiercely, tye light in her green eyes didn't dissappear it's brighter than usual

"I'll go out with him this Christmas and make him forget about any other woman in his life"

that's the spirit!

"forget about half, I'll take the bill for my self"

with a bright smile on her face she called the waitress (not Hoshino-san) and ordered a ton of food, I'm fine with paying but...isn't she gonna gain weight? that's the Worst for an athlete

"I love you Aru!"

"yeah yeah, I love you too"

I feel nothing even we she tell me this because I know how she feels, it's the same thing when your little sister tells you that she loves you, damn I miss the little Airi she was cute

suddenly I felt something bad, someone is looking at us...

"H-Hi Makoto"

what's up with this intense glare? Why is he even here?!

"hmph"

he ignored me completely and continued to walk away, my third wheel experience is telling me that he's jealous

Naru looked at Makoto with surprise and asked me after he got away

"did you two have a fight or something?"

it looks like that from an outsider's view but I know the actual reason, should I tell her..?

"wait here I'll talk to him"

since he's going to the toilet I can easily talk to him there, I don't think this misunderstanding will be hard to solve but I want ask him something else

"why did you run away"

I took the one next to Makoto, it's something of a taboo to do normally but it's also effective when you want to assert dominance

"that's just creepy, you know we don't have to talk while pissing right?"

"honestly I just want to try it, I already regret it"

he let a sigh of disappointment and then answered my previous question

"I didn't want to bother your date, that's all"

what an obvious lie, he's not even trying

"if that's the case why did you look so frustrated?"

"..."

as I thought, he's not good at lying, he know that he shouldn't feel this way but he still can't stop it

"are you dating Naru?"

"No"

the misunderstanding is that easy to solve, communication is the key to solve most of them

"are you jealous?"

"that's pathetic right?"

"yeah"

it's not that I don't understand him though, a girl confessed to him and showered him with love almost daily suddenly started dating someone else, it's wrong but you can't stop feeling bad about it

"I rejected her, but I still don't want her to love someone else, a part of me wants her to love me forever even when I'm not giving back"

I can't believe he's talking this much...I can see why is he so frustrated but that means that he sees Naru as girl.

"I think it's fine, you can't control your feelings even if you hated them so much. it doesn't matter how do you feel the only thing that matters is your actions"

suddenly I head the sound of water flushing from behind, a guy in his thirties apologized to us and ran away before even washing his hands

"maybe we should go somewhere else..."

we moved away from the bathroom covering our faces in embarrassment

"by the way, mine was bigger"

"you should check your eyes they're not working"

we continued to fight as little kids until we reached Naru who's eating as fast as she could

"food won't run away you don't have to eat like this"

Naru looked at us with a confused face

"did you stop fighting already? you shouldn't make a fuss if you're gonna solve it this easily"

why is she disappointed? did she really want drama? it wasn't even something big...

after we took our seats I asked Makoto something

"why did you come here? it's far from school"

one of the reasons I chose to study here is because I didn't want anyone to see me struggle with middle school questions

"oh right Hiragi-senpai suggested it, she said that her senpai works here or something"

I didn't talk to Hiragi-senpai for a while...it's not that I'm avoiding her it's just that we don't have much to talk about

"umm...are you close with Hiragi-senpai...?"

Naru tried to ask him trying to fake that she's not interested, she's bad at acting but Makoto is a dense bastard that won't understand even if you confess to him so he answered casually

"I didn't meet her since my birthday, she doesn't talk much so it's hard to keep a conversation with her, but she's trying I guess"

oh right I completely forgot about his birthday, I should ask Suzuki about it later

***

after we finished studying (we didn't study at all, I'm gonna die please send help). I found a black car waiting me outside the restaurant

"you can go back together, I have something to do now"

I was going to let Naru be alone with Makoto anyway, but I didn't expect boss to come here

I entered the car calmly, the man who was sitting next to me is Watanabe Satoru the richest person in the world, for him money is nothing but pieces of paper.

"you definitely have a lot of free time for a CEO of a big company"

"what's the meaning of having money if I can't enjoy it?"

he answered me with a laugh, I thought that he would get angry because of my informal attitude but he liked it, I can't understand this man

"do you have plans for Christmas?"

he asked me with a smile on his face

"I would like to avoid spending it with an old man but I'm free"

"I have a job for you then"

"how much?"

I won't ask some rude questions likw "what's the job" or "give me the details first" I'm a simple man, I can do anything for money

"Hahahaha I love you! I've never seen a hero who acts like this before!"

"hero?"

I don't feel very good after hearing it, was I the only one who thought I'm having a secret? is it available on the internet? can I just Google it now?

"Don worry about that, I'll pay you generously so you shouldn't think about money"

"that's fine then, call me when the time come"

I'm gonna spend Christmas working, it feels kinda lonely when I think about it.