My older sister came in, but it wasn’t the right atmosphere to ask what kind of conversation she had. For now, I decided to pretend I didn’t notice anything.
Fortunately, she quickly regained her composure. Although she seemed lost in thought for a moment, giving off a slightly gloomy vibe, that was all. Before long, she was her usual calm self, sitting quietly and reading a book.
The sound of soft jazz, playing as background music in the bakery, filled the air.
I didn’t know the title.
I wasn’t sure how long ago this jazz was recorded, but the occasional static suggested it might have been from an old record re-recorded for a CD. Of course, even modern music could emulate that vintage feel by adding some noise.
I sat there for a while, zoning out as I listened to the music and gazed blankly out the window.
“…Ah.”
Before I knew it, I let out a small sound.
“Hm?”
The store was so quiet that even the small noise reached my sister.
I didn’t really need to explain. She would immediately understand why I made that sound just by following my gaze.
Outside the glass window, a girl stood.
She wore a white blouse under a brown vest, topped with a beige school blazer, and a checkered skirt. Her hair fell just below her neck, stopping right above her shoulders.
To be honest, I recognized her more easily by her school uniform than her face. Sometimes it’s easier to recall what someone is wearing rather than the details of their face.
I could identify it so quickly because the uniform wasn’t from around here. While I’d seen various uniforms, the students who usually passed by or came into this shop wore more familiar ones. She was the only one wearing that particular uniform.
More than anything, her unique presence beyond the window vividly brought back memories of that day.
The girl was anxiously pacing, hesitating to come in. Watching her brought back the memory of the first time I came to this shop.
Though, unlike her, I had gone inside right away.
But freezing up after stepping in? That part was the same.
“Ah.”
My sister, watching the same scene, made the exact same sound I did.
I wasn’t sure if she remembered the girl’s face, but at least she seemed to recognize that it was the same girl from that day.
“…..”
The girl continued to fidget nervously, and my sister simply observed her in silence.
Well, if we went out and told her to come in, she might just run away instead.
Sometimes, even regular customers don’t return if the shop owner strikes up a conversation they weren’t expecting. While some people enjoy that kind of interaction, I didn’t think this girl was one of them.
I followed my sister’s lead and kept watching the girl.
Luckily, the outside was bright enough. Compared to the dimly lit interior, the brightness outside meant she wouldn’t notice us staring at her. Especially with how preoccupied she was, wringing her hands.
After much deliberation, she seemed to make up her mind. Her lips pressed into a firm line, and she gave a determined nod. If I’d been closer, I might have even heard her let out a soft “Hup!” as she psyched herself up.
Then, with a burst of resolve, she flung the door open and stepped inside.
“Hello!”
The moment she entered, she greeted loudly and bowed deeply at the waist.
“……”
“……”
Both my sister and I were momentarily speechless at her energy.
Not that we were overwhelmed or anything, of course.
It was simply because I had never seen anyone greet so energetically just to buy bread at a bakery.
“…..”
For a moment, silence filled the shop.
“Uh, welcome”
“Feel free to take your time choosing”
“Ah, no…”
At my sister’s words, the girl hesitated slightly before straightening her back.
“Well…”
She fidgeted, touching the tips of her fingers together nervously.
“I heard… you were looking for part-timers…”
“……”
At her words, my sister and I exchanged glances.
*
To be honest, even if we were hiring a part-timer, an interview would naturally be required.
Whether it’s for a long-term position or a short-term one, they’d still be working with us for a while.
As harsh as it might sound, if someone’s personality fundamentally clashes with ours, it might be better for everyone to avoid working together in the first place.
An interview also gives the opportunity to compare candidates and choose the best fit… but that’s only really relevant in places where many applicants line up.
For a shop like this, where applicants are few and far between, that’s a luxury we can’t afford practically light-years away from our reality.
Honestly, my situation was an exception. I started working here without even going through an interview.
“Well then…”
Perhaps deciding to hear her out first, my sister gestured for the girl to step behind the counter.
My sister and I sat side by side, and we brought out a folding chair from the storeroom, setting it across from us for the girl to sit.
Hmmm…
Now that we were sitting like this, I felt awkward and unsure of what to do. It seemed my sister felt the same way.
Even though she had hired a part-timer once before, I wasn’t sure if she had done a proper interview back then. Maybe that’s why it hadn’t worked out and the person quit so quickly.
And to make matters more complicated…
“You came from pretty far away.”
The area the girl mentioned was indeed quite a distance from here. While my commute wasn’t exactly short, I only needed one subway ride to get here.
On the other hand, she had to transfer trains three times because there was no direct line.
Taking the bus would take even longer since the route looped around.
And then there was her situation being a student, she wouldn’t be able to work during school hours.
I could make it work because I wasn’t doing much, and my sister could manage because this job was her livelihood. Even with just one day off a week, she could keep going. But for someone juggling school and work, this job would definitely be challenging.
It would’ve made more sense if she’d looked for a part-time job closer to her school or home.
And yet, she came all the way here to apply. That stuck in my mind. So did the slip of paper she was holding that day.
Ah, by the way, her name was Seo Ga-young.
“The distance is fine! Really! I’ll do whatever you need me to, and I’ll work hard!”
“Work hard…”
My sister absentmindedly repeated the words.
“Um, I’ll be honest with you.”
After a brief hesitation, she seemed to make up her mind and spoke with a slightly firm expression.
“First of all… we don’t have a proper work schedule in place. With just the two of us handling everything, there’s no system for dividing time or setting work responsibilities.
Since you’re still in high school, working from the morning isn’t an option, and even if you come right after school, it’ll already be late afternoon. Your arrival time might also vary depending on circumstances, right?”
“Yes…”
At my sister’s words, Seo Ga-young visibly drooped, her expression turning sullen.
“Our bakery closes a bit earlier than most other places, so even if you do work, it would only be for a few hours. Still, it could help during the busiest times, so it might work out, but…”
“Hmm…”
“But you’re a student. Wouldn’t it be better to spend this time studying instead of working here?”
“……”
Seo Ga-young lowered her head, looking utterly dejected. My sister gently tried to console her with kind words.
My sister wasn’t wrong. Forcing her to work might be possible, but hiring someone like Seo Ga-young would require us to establish new rules and systems.
While adding one person wouldn’t be too difficult, the fact that she was a minor complicated things.
I wasn’t sure about the legalities, but there were bound to be far more restrictions than there would be for an adult. And who knew what her parents would think about it?
On top of that, making her work weekends seemed morally troubling.
A student who already spends the entire week at school wouldn’t even have weekends to rest. When would she have time to relax?
Especially considering she’s a high schooler. Thinking back to how hard I studied in high school, it must be unimaginably tough for her.
If she were in desperate need of money, she wouldn’t have to come all the way out here to work. Even if it’s hard to find a job, coming all the way to a distant bakery like this isn’t common unless there’s a special reason.
That said, she didn’t seem to have bad intentions. Using the instincts I’d developed from my time as a hero, I could sense that her emotions were genuine just pure earnestness and a tinge of desperation.
“But still, is there really no way…?”
“Hmm…”
My sister, clearly conflicted, seemed to be weighing her options, especially since she had posted the “Help Wanted” sign in the first place.
I kept quiet, merely observing their conversation. After all, I was just an assistant here, and the one who truly ran the bakery was my sister.
“In that case… you’ll need to get permission from your parents first.”
After a long moment of deliberation, my sister finally spoke.
“Huh?”
“You’re a student. Since you’re not in college yet, the first step should be getting your parents’ approval.”
Well, that was a fair point. Especially given how young she was.
…I mean, when I started my hero work, I didn’t get my mom’s permission either, but I was barely old enough to be considered an adult then.
So, let’s just let that slide.