4
These days, robot vacuum cleaners are getting pretty advanced, but they’re still just flat disks, and I wasn’t about to let them take over my job. For now, there was still demand for what I did.
“…Alright. That should do it.”
Looking over the cleaned-up clubroom, I muttered to myself with a sense of accomplishment.
It wasn’t exactly sparkling, but it was more than good enough for regular use.
Apparently, the Drama Club mostly used the practice spaces and performance hall in the main building, so they didn’t often come to their clubroom. Oshimi-senpai had told me it was treated more like a storage space.
And it made sense. The second club building was far from the main school. If they had another base of operations, they’d naturally prefer that.
Old how-to books and manga magazines filled the bookshelves. There were a random Othello board and a set of mahjong tiles for some reason. An old CRT TV hooked up to a last-gen game console, and standing panels made of plywood, likely used in past performances… The room’s cluttered contents definitely gave off a storeroom vibe.
Without moving things too much, I reorganized and wiped down surfaces, vacuumed, and quickly cleaned up the dusty room. For a lunchtime assignment, I’d say I did a solid job.
Finishing the work, I picked up the vacuum and bucket and stepped out of the room.
Just as I locked the door behind me, a senpai student called out from the end of the hallway.
“Oooh, you’re done? As expected of you, Butler-kun! Quick as always!”
It was the third-year student who had given me the job this morning in the staff room—Oshimi-senpai, the Drama Club president.
I smiled politely and nodded as she approached.
“Thanks, senpai. By the way, has that ‘Butler-kun’ nickname already stuck?”
“Oh? Don’t like it? People were saying your work style is totally like a butler’s, you know.”
“──Well, not exactly.”
I wasn’t thrilled, but I didn’t hate it either. Better to accept it and keep things smooth.
At a big school like this, it helps to be remembered. A nickname might stick while I’m still the “new guy,” and it could make it easier to get work from upperclassmen.
And hey, “butler” sounds better than just being called an errand boy.
“Anyway, did you come all the way here just to check in?”
“Well, kinda. I mean, I did let an outsider into our clubroom, so totally leaving it to you would’ve been a bit much. Plus, I had to give you your reward. Here.”
She handed me the payment—three meal tickets for the cafeteria.
Considering the job only took about thirty minutes, that was a nice payout.
Most likely, Oshimi-senpai had been testing me to see how I worked. If she liked what she saw, she might give me more jobs down the line.
“Want to check the inside?”
“Yeah, sure.”
I handed her the key I’d just locked the room with.
“Then, could you return the key to the staff room for me while you’re at it?”
“Ahaha, you’re efficient. Okay, leave it to me.”
She unlocked the door and peeked inside.
Standing right behind her, I heard a small breath escape her lips.
“Whoa, it’s super clean!”
Oshimi-senpai seemed impressed. At least I didn’t fail the test.
“I organized the books onto the shelf. Everything else is mostly where it was. I only gathered up stuff that was clearly trash. Want to take a look?”
“Nah, it’s fine. Thanks. As expected from someone Natsuki-chan recommended!”
“Well, I just ran a vacuum and wiped some shelves…”
“That’s more than enough. No one in our club wants to clean, so this really helped.”
I’d heard that some students here had housekeepers doing their chores at home. They probably only cleaned when it was their turn in the classroom.
Which is exactly why jobs like this exist here.
“Yup! At this rate, I might ask you again. We’re short on help!”
So said Oshimi-senpai. Seemed like I’d earned a bit of trust.
“In that case, I’d be happy to help. Looking forward to working with you.”
I answered with a smile.
Next time, I’d like a task that gets me more involved. The Drama Club does regular performances, and I’d love to get in on that.
“Alright, see you around!”
I replied with a “Later,” and left the clubroom.
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On my way back, I glanced down the hall where the Second Literature Club room was.
The club building was quiet, but I wondered—were Isago and Minase still in there?
Like Kimiya and Shiranui, they also bore the name “Natsuki.”
“…………”
I stepped out of the club building. Standing at the edge of the overly large campus, I squinted up at the bright, cloudless May sky. The deep blue wasn’t meant to symbolize anything or anyone—it was just a natural scene.
It goes without saying, but the world doesn’t bend to the feelings of a single person.
“Well, at least I made a connection with the Drama Club. I’ll have to thank Kimiya again.”
At Seishinkan, where many students have ties to the entertainment industry, the Drama Club is one of the biggest groups. You don’t often see students who appear on TV, but there are plenty of former child actors or kids who’ve been on stage since they were young.
I didn’t know much, but apparently even Oshimi-senpai was part of a theater troupe outside of school.
Thinking about all that, I walked away from the club building and headed back to the main school.
“Alright… now, what to do about lunch…”
Lunchtime was an hour, but it felt too late to rush over to the cafeteria now.
I had some free meal tickets saved up from past jobs, and I wanted to save money by using them… but thinking about the distance, honestly, it felt like too much hassle.
The cafeteria was near the south gate, which was super far from here in the northeast.
And with only about twenty minutes of lunch left, even if I went to the school store, there’d be nothing left.
Times like this, the huge campus feels more like a curse than a blessing. I also had to return the vacuum to the supply room, so maybe I should just give up on lunch today—
“Sou-san! There you are—I’m so glad I found you!”
A small figure was calling out to me from the direction of the main building, running over.
She didn’t seem in a hurry, but she was moving fast. In no time, she was right in front of me. I guess that’s to be expected from Seishinkan’s top athlete.
“Something up, Kimiya?”
“I was looking for you… you’re carrying a bunch of stuff again, huh?”
She stopped right in front of me, tilting her head.
“Ah, yeah… I was cleaning the Drama Club’s room. They asked me to.”
“I know. Oshimi-senpai told me.”
“That so? Guess that’s how you knew where to find me.”
I nodded, understanding now. Kimiya had been the one to introduce me to Oshimi-senpai, after all. It made sense that she’d be updated.
“You didn’t have to spend your whole lunch break working, though. You’re pushing yourself too hard, Sou-san.”
Kimiya said, sounding concerned. I guess I made her worry more than I realized.
“Well, you know how it is. First impressions count. I want to make a name for myself early on.”
“You say that… but you skipped lunch again, didn’t you?”
“…Can’t hide anything from you, huh?”
“Haaah… I’m starting to think recommending you for this ‘job’ thing might’ve been a mistake.”
Kimiya sighed with a mix of exasperation and concern.
It was hard to believe this was the same girl who’d hit me with that intense question when we first met:
[“Sou-san, you’re not good with people like me, are you?”]
It was an early morning, shortly after we started school.
I doubt I’ll ever forget that moment.
“You seem to be getting plenty of job requests these days.”
At her words, I nodded.
“Yeah, thanks to you. At this rate, I might get a big assignment from the Drama Club soon.”
“That’s great. Looks like you’re making more friends, too.”
“If I can connect with a large group, it’ll be easier to build more ties going forward. All thanks to you, Kimiya.”
“I haven’t done anything. It’s all thanks to your hard work, Sou-san.”
Kimiya smiled gently. Despite her energetic, sporty appearance, she carried herself with a calm elegance that reminded me she was from a wealthy, distinguished family.
“That said, overworking yourself isn’t something I can praise.”
She added, almost like a warning.
I felt like she was treating me like a kid, but… it didn’t feel bad. Strangely enough.
“Come on, it’s not like I skipped that much. Just a bit of my lunch break.”
“But you never say no when someone asks. I know you skipped lunch yesterday too.”
“Yeah, well… that’s…”
“Sou-san, you seem logical, but you’re actually pretty reckless. If you’re even skipping meals like this, then as the one who recommended this request, I can’t help but step in.”
“…………”
This is bad—her argument is too solid. I don’t have a single thing to say back.
She’s usually gentle, but once she starts using logic, she becomes the toughest person to deal with.
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