Cell Phone

After School

"Hello, It's Kato."

The phone was silent for about three seconds, and Fangmura's voice came from inside.

"...What's up?"

Yusuke put the receiver to his ear and said calmly: "It's nothing, just like I said yesterday, I want to take a day off today because of something at home. I'm checking again with you here."

"...understood."

Fangmura said in a flat tone that, and then hung up the phone directly.

"Are you done?"

Yamaguchi came up and said.

"Beep...beep...beep...beep...beep..."

Listening to the tone, Yusuke stared at the phone and thought for a moment: "Sorry, just a little longer."

His fingers pressed a few times on the soft keyboard, and he dialed a number in the address book.

"Hello?"

A light voice came from there.

"It's Kato." Yusuke said, "Although it's a bit sudden, I'm taking a leave of absence today. If possible, I hope you can help confirm whether my name is on the rotation board or not."

"Huh? Ah, um..." Takada said, the surrounding voices sounded a little noisy, as if they had just finished school, "It's okay, but what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

"A little bit."

"...Well, I know, then I'll take a picture and send it to you when I get to the store."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome~ !"

Yusuke hung up the phone and nodded slightly to Yamaguchi beside him: "Let's go."

"OK——! Let's go, Takei!"

"coming--!"

Then the three of them came to the nearby electronic street together.

"But it's strange, you said you want to buy a mobile phone or something." Yamaguchi clasped his hands behind his head, looked at Kato Yusuke and said, "Are you finally willing to replace your classic phone?"

"Haha, Kato has always been more thrifty in this regard." Takei echoed, with a smile on his face: "But as expected, a smartphone is better? After all, yours can only be used to make calls and send emails. It's too boring."

"That's right!" Yamaguchi looked like he couldn't agree more, and spread his hands: "To be honest, I was shocked when I first met you, Kato. You're a high school student, but you don't even have a Line. One can't help but wonder, "What planet is this guy from!?"

"Ahahahaha—!"

Looking at the two who couldn't help but smile from ear to ear, Yusuke's face was neither happy nor sad, he shook his head at them and said, "...I'm sorry to disappoint you, and I'm not going to change my phone."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Yamaguchi looked back at him: "Aren't you the one who said you want to buy a mobile phone?"

"The one who's buying it is me, but I'm not using it."

Yusuke said calmly.

"...What?" Yamaguchi paused, "Then who are you buying it for?"

Takei also looked over suspiciously.

"...A child from a relative's family."

Yusuke considered his words.

"What is this...? So suspicious!"

Yamaguchi said suspiciously, and pushed Takei with his hand.

"What do you think? Takei."

"It smells like a lie!"

Takei pointed his thumb to his nose and said.

"Kato, you have been weird lately."

While observing his expression, Yamaguchi said, "First, I brought a bento to school, and became friends with a girl in our class."

You want to buy a mobile phone for that so-called 'relative's child'? You're definitely hiding something from us, right?"

"Let's..." Yusuke paused thoughtfully, "discuss the specifics later."

He pointed behind them. "The phone store is coming; don't you need to contact your sister, Yamaguchi?"

Yamaguchi turned around, only to realize they had unknowingly arrived at the place where his sister worked— "Geo Mobile" phone store.

"Hold on, I'll contact her right now."

Yamaguchi took out his phone, looked at Yusuke, and said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely give you a big discount! But in return, you need to explain your odd behavior recently."

Yusuke sighed and nodded.

"Alright."

The three entered the store.

A few minutes later, a young woman in a professional suit emerged from behind the counter. She looked like Yamaguchi.

"Ah Takaya~!"

"Hey, nee-san."

Yamaguchi waved and led Yusuke and Takei to the front, introducing them to each other.

"Takei and Kato, my friends."

"Sachiko Yamaguchi, my elder sister."

"Good evening."

Kato Yusuke and Takei Ichiro greeted in unison.

"Hello boys!" the woman named Sachiko said with a smile, then turned to Yusuke: "Kato-kun, right? Takaya told me the specifics. Did you bring all the materials?"

"They're here."

Yusuke nodded, then took out a document bag from his schoolbag and handed it to her, which contained his personal seal and various documents.

"Thanks."

Sachiko took the document bag, briefly checked the contents, and confirmed everything was in order. "Okay! I'll go start on the contract. In the meantime, Kato-kun, feel free to choose your preferred model."

She looked at Takashi Yamaguchi and urged, "You need to help too, Takaya!"

"I know, I know, go on nee-san."

"Alright."

Then Sachiko Yamaguchi left.

"How's it going?" Yamaguchi asked Yusuke: "Did you have any specific mobile phone in mind before?"

Kato Yusuke shook his head: "Not yet."

"Do you have any performance requirements? Like a pixel or something?"

"It shouldn't be..." Yusuke said uncertainly: "As long as it's a smartphone, that's fine, and it should have a decent range of features... Also, it shouldn't be too expensive."

"Let me check..." Yamaguchi thought for a moment, then asked, "Is the phone for a boy... or a girl?"

"...A girl."

Yusuke replied.

Yamaguchi paused, then looked at Yusuke and asked tentatively, "...How old is this girl?"

Yusuke frowned. "What does that matter? As long as it's suitable for our age group."

"That settles it!" Yamaguchi and Takei exchanged looks, then pointed to one of the phones. "Then choose this one; it's quite popular among girls... I mean, our age."

Yamaguchi's expression was subtly ironic at the end of his statement.

Looking in the direction he pointed, Yusuke Kato noticed a small and stylish mobile phone.

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