Yamamoto Koji had been about to say something, but Fujiwara Aoi shot him a glare, so he stayed quiet.
After all, this Fujiwara Aoi was the daughter of the owner of this coffee shop chain.
Her family was loaded.
He was just an ordinary manager.
He had some authority over regular employees, but when it came to Fujiwara Aoi, he didn’t dare say a single word.
Natsume Chikei asked, “Manager, what kind of coffee beans should I get?”
Yamamoto Koji scratched his head.
“Just grab the usual ones.”
“Got it.”
Hearing that, Natsume Chikei let out a small breath of relief and quickly left the group of girls.
To be honest, the manager had done him a huge favor.
Otherwise, he didn’t know how long he would’ve been stuck there.
Soon after.
When Natsume Chikei came back out, Fujiwara Aoi smiled and said to him, “Chikei-kun, there’s a coffee I can teach you how to make right now.
Let the manager handle the front by himself.”
“Can the manager manage alone?” Chikei asked.
Yamamoto Koji laughed it off.
“It’s fine.
You two go ahead…”
As a newcomer who had only been working at the coffee shop for a few days, Natsume Chikei had no objections.
During slow periods, he basically had to learn everything about the shop.
During busy periods, he was just working non-stop.
After a long stretch of being busy, it was already almost time to get off work.
Natsume Chikei suddenly heard someone at the counter calling his name.
“Chikei-kun?” A slightly surprised female voice reached him.
He turned his head toward the sound.
Standing there was a woman in her thirties with a beautiful face and elegant demeanor.
It was a refined lady with delicate makeup — Kondo Miyuki.
Natsume Chikei remembered her.
She seemed to have been a junior of his predecessor’s father back in school.
But more than her, he remembered her daughter, Kondo Miki, much more clearly.
Back when the family still had money, they would sometimes host banquets and invite people over.
Kondo Miyuki would bring her daughter Kondo Miki to visit.
Because Kondo Miki was outstanding in appearance and close in age to the original body, the moment she arrived on the first day, the predecessor had fallen for her at first sight.
Only during those times would the original body actually come out of his room instead of playing games.
He would stay at the banquet.
Unfortunately, the original body had a gloomy and dull personality.
Even at the banquet, he never managed to talk much with Kondo Miki.
“Chikei-kun, you… you’re Natsume Chikei, right?” Kondo Miyuki, who had just finished ordering her coffee, asked tentatively.
“It’s me, Aunt Kondo.
It’s been a while.” Natsume Chikei replied politely.
“It really is you?” Kondo Miyuki covered her mouth, her eyes filled with surprise and joy. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
She never expected that after not seeing him for half a year, Natsume Chikei had suddenly become so handsome.
Still, she knew very well that the Natsume family had gone bankrupt and that his father had passed away from depression because of it.
Thinking about that, Kondo Miyuki let out a long sigh in her heart.
She felt truly sorry for this child…
Kondo Miyuki looked at him and thought that since they had run into each other, she might as well ask, “Chikei-kun, do you have time to talk right now?”
“I do.” Chikei spoke briefly with Fujiwara Aoi beside him and said he would step away for a moment.
“Mm-hm, no problem.” Fujiwara Aoi smiled in reply, though her eyes couldn’t help but secretly glance at the two of them.
Natsume Chikei and Kondo Miyuki moved to a corner of the coffee shop.
“Chikei-kun, are you free tonight?” Kondo Miyuki asked directly.
“Is there something you need?” Chikei asked back.
Kondo Miyuki suggested, “How about coming over to my place for dinner tonight?”
“…Dinner?” Chikei felt a bit troubled.
To be honest, this was way too sudden.
Besides, he didn’t really have any particular reason to go.
“Ah, sorry.
This really is a bit sudden, isn’t it?” Kondo Miyuki seemed to notice his hesitation.
She smiled and apologized, then explained, “Actually, I have some things your father left behind.
I wanted to return them to you.”
“I actually wanted to return them earlier, but when I went to your old house, I found out you had already moved…”
“Also, your family hosted us many times before.
Now that I’ve finally run into you, I really should treat you to a meal.
Otherwise I’d feel bad.”
“Also, do you remember my daughter?
She’s the same age as you and is also starting high school this year.
I was thinking it’s been a long time since you two saw each other.
Catching up would be nice too.
What do you think?”
Natsume Chikei thought for a moment.
He didn’t have any particular feelings toward Kondo Miki, the girl the original body had secretly liked.
After all, the original body was the original body.
He was himself.
So he wasn’t going over just to see Kondo Miki.
However, his sister still cared a lot about the mementos their parents had left behind.
Unfortunately, because of the bankruptcy, most of the family’s things had been sold off.
As a result, there weren’t many mementos left that they could keep.
Ruri had been sad about that for a long time.
If he could bring back the belongings Kondo Miyuki mentioned, Ruri would probably be happy.
“Then I’ll be imposing on you.” Natsume Chikei agreed.
“Great!
Then let’s exchange contact information first.
I’ll send you my address later.” Kondo Miyuki smiled.
“After I finish my coffee, I’ll head back to buy ingredients and start preparing dinner.
Make sure you come after your shift, okay?
Otherwise Auntie will be upset~”
“Mm, I’ll be there on time!”
After they finished talking, Natsume Chikei went back to work.
Kondo Miyuki stayed in her seat for a while, quietly watching him work.
Her eyes were full of appreciation.
She thought this child had finally grown up.
Compared to how gloomy and dull he used to be, he was much better now.
It was just that he seemed to have grown up too handsome…
Kondo Miyuki had only been sitting there for a few minutes when she saw several pretty girls actively asking Natsume Chikei for his contact information.
She fell silent for a moment, then finished her coffee and left the shop.
Natsume Chikei continued working at his post.
He had only been back for a short while when Fujiwara Aoi couldn’t hold back her curiosity anymore.
“Chikei-kun, that woman just now looked really mature and beautiful.
Is she a relative of yours?
Why did she suddenly come looking for you?”
“She’s not a relative.
She’s just an elder we know,” Natsume Chikei shook his head and briefly explained the situation.
“So she invited you over to pick up some of your family’s old belongings…” Fujiwara Aoi let out a small breath of relief.
Before this, there had been many girls who tried to hit on him but never got his contact information.
Yet he had just given it to that beautiful older woman?
That was why, when she saw him exchange contacts with the elegant lady earlier, she had briefly wondered if he was being kept by some rich older woman.
That was why she had asked.
Fujiwara Aoi suddenly thought of something and asked curiously, “By the way, you’ve been working here for several days now, but you never mentioned which high school you’re going to.”
“Private Gekko Academy.
Why?”
“Eh?
You’re going there too?” Fujiwara Aoi’s face lit up with surprise and joy.
“Don’t tell me you’re also starting as a first-year?”
Natsume Chikei looked a little surprised.
“Don’t tell me you are too?”
“Mm-hm, mm-hm!
We’re the same!” Fujiwara Aoi said happily.
“I wonder if we’ll end up in the same class at school.”
“It would be nice to have someone I know in the same class,” Chikei nodded with a smile.
Fujiwara Aoi’s eyes sparkled.
She took out her phone, looking both expectant and a little shy as she asked, “Since we’re going to the same school and working at the same place, how about we exchange contact information now?
We might need to help each other ask for time off or something in the future…”
“Of course.” Natsume Chikei took out his phone and exchanged LINE contacts with Fujiwara Aoi.
Fujiwara Aoi looked at Chikei’s LINE profile picture, her face filled with an incredibly bright and happy smile.