14 The Manager, the Time Limit, and the Closure

"W-What are you guys talking about?" asked Itsuki. "K-Kiss?"

I-It seems she didn't hear it completely.

"Yeah, I told him to kiss his e-" said Kurumi but I covered her mouth before she can continue.

"Hahahahaha! Man, sure our new employee likes to joke around, huh?!" I said. "N-Nevermind her, let's do the opening rounds now!"

"I-If you say so...," said Itsuki. "I am going back, then. Hurry up, okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'll be there in a jiffy!" I said.

Itsuki leaves the room and I finally released my hand from covering Kurumi's playful mouth.

"W-What's the big deal?! Are you trying to suffocate me?" said Kurumi. "I didn't expect you to like that kind of play..."

"J-Just be quiet about the challenge...," I uttered.

Kurumi stares at me for a second then smirks.

"W-What now?" I asked.

"Was that woman your ex-girlfriend?" asked Kurumi.

H-How did she...?!

"HAHAHA! I'll take your silence as a 'Yes'!" added Kurumi. "That's why you restrained me from saying it in front of her. I get it. I totally get it."

It annoys me that she guessed it right but what's more annoying is that she's so proud that she read the situation correctly. This bitch!

"Yeah, that's why you have to shut your mouth about it!" I said.

"Hahaha, I thought you'd be dying as a No Girlfriend Since Birth guy!" said Kurumi.

W-What a dark way of teasing me...

"Don't make it sound like I won't be able to pay the debt!" I replied. "And what made you think that I am a NGSB man!?"

"Well, you look lame," said Kurumi.

She's even insulting me now, huh?!

"O-Oh my, w-what a rude applicant you are...," I said. "If you were just an ordinary applicant and not someone from the loan sharks, I would have pulled you outside...."

"I-I don't hate it~," said Kurumi.

"....," I stared. "F-Forget what I said."

This woman may have some weird characteristics I don't want to mention.

"So, how did you guys break up?" asked Kurumi.

"You're really asking me that after all the teasing and insult you just said? How evil are you...," I said.

"Guess I'll just reduce the time limit to 12 hours....," said Kurumi.

"Fine, then! I'll speak! Just a little bit, though...," I said.

"Good boy~," said Kurumi.

I-I'll make sure to modify the contract later to reduce her salary!

"Our relationship started when I was in our second year in High School if I'm not mistaken," I said. "However, because of the debt my father brought us into, we have to move frequently and in an abrupt way thanks to you loan sharks that are using violence to collect our payment. That time, I had no idea that the problem was that bad. I thought we were just running away because we had no money to pay the rent. My dad didn't speak about it until recently when they found where I live again."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about....," pouted Kurumi.

S-She thinks that she has nothing to do with this.

"That being said, I left our school without saying anything to anyone and to Itsuki," I said. "I didn't have the chance to at least say goodbye."

"Why didn't you try to contact her?" asked Kurumi. "You should have at least a smartphone back then."

"I left my phone back when we were trying to rushingly escape on the back exit while the loan sharks were knocking on our door," I said. "My dad is that coward, you see."

"H-How irresponsible," giggled Kurumi.

"Can you at least show a little sensitivity, huh?!" I said. "That's it. We had to break up abruptly as well. We moved far from where we used to live and that far place is where I am right now."

I really blurted this out to someone I just met, huh? Am I this open?

"So basically, you two didn't have any emotional closure yet, am I wrong?" asked Kurumi.

"C-Closure?" I asked.

"Dude, you suddenly left the girl alone years ago without saying anything about your relationship, and now that you two have met again, you're still not gonna say anything about it towards her?" said Kurumi.

"T-That's.... not easy...," I said.

"It's not easy but it is the right thing to do," said Kurumi. "Even though I haven't talked to her yet, I can strongly feel that she's a kind woman. She's might just be waiting for you to say it."

Kurumi is right. I am so pathetic that the idea didn't even cross my mind until now. Since we met again and being part of the staff, I did nothing but tease her like nothing happened.

"Well, I guess I am going home for now," said Kurumi. "Oh, and don't forget the command, aight? It doesn't matter if you'll be the one to kiss or the other way around. I would know it anyway."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I said.

Kurumi finally leaves the room and the restaurant.

"Shit," I uttered.

<After a minute of internal contemplation, I decided to go back to the operations as the restaurant manager. Yeah, work first. However...>

T-That being said... How am I able to do it? No, I should focus on the command. B-But, she might be waiting for a long time! B-But, when is a good timing? After work? But she might be tired for today. Tomorrow? No, tomorrow might be a busy day again.

".....hey, you creepy ass otaku manager!" yelled Kazuya.

"What's the big deal?!" I asked.

"I am calling you five times already and you are not responding!" said Kazuya. "Thinking so deep that it surpasses the Challenger Deep? Do it later."

"E-Excuse me, I am the manager here," I said.

"I need help in the kitchen," said Kazuya. "The order queues are piling up."

"I see, got it," I said.

<After the ordeal, I finally got to take my break. With that, I stayed in the employee quarters alone for a while.>

Now, I have an hour to strategize on how I should do the do that damned coercive command by that witch!

Should I do it directly? No, we're not a couple anymore. Besides, we haven't even kissed before!

Should I stage an accidental kiss? That would be difficult to time and I can't really get anyone to participate with me.

Should I ask her? No, she'll kill me, no doubt.

"Hmm... What should I do?" I uttered.

Someone opens the door and enters the room.

"Eek, it's just you?" asked Itsuki.

"Y-Yeah, sorry to disappoint you," I said.

W-Why am I being nervous for?! Though, talk about the timing. This is my chance! Thanks, God!

"I-Itsuki...," I said.

Ah, she put in her earphones.

Gosh, how infuriating! Man up, Enomoto Chiaki!

Even so, I don't know where to start. It looks like she doesn't mind anyway as she just fell asleep while I am here. Am I just overthinking things?

Sigh, thinking about it while she is here makes me stressed more. The closure can still wait. Guess I should move to the office for now.

As I was about to exit the room, Itsuki appears to murmur something in her sleep.

"Stupid Chiaki.....," murmured Itsuki. "Leaving me... like that..."

<That moment was when I realized that "it" can't be prolonged anymore. After the shift, Itsuki and I went to the supermarket to refill the stocks on my fridge. Everything went normal, at least outside of our thoughts. Then, I found myself walking with her back to my apartment.>

"Time went by that quick, huh? It's already this dark," said Itsuki.

"Yeah, it is," I said.

"Aren't you being quiet since earlier?" asked Itsuki. "Is your head all right?"

"Yeah, don't mind me," I said.

"Is that so?" asked Itsuki. "Let's hurry, then."

What am I waiting for? This is another chance!

"Itsuki!" I said.

"Hmm?" replied Itsuki.

"Ah, uhm, n-nothing," I said.

H-Huh?

"W-Weirdo," said Itsuki.

Dummy, do it! Do the right thing!

"No, I actually have something to say," I said.

"Hmm? What's the matter?" asked Itsuki.

"Uhmm, you see...," I said.

"Wait!" said Itsuki.

"Eh?" I reacted.

"Since we bought ice cream, why don't we take a little detour? It would have melted already if we plan to eat it back in the apartment," suggested Itsuki.

"S-Sure, no problem," I said.

After a little walk, we end up in the nearby lake park. No one is around in the area and it is fittingly quiet yet safe, perfect for serious moments such as this.

I am sitting on the bench while she is standing to admire the lake but we're not so away from each other.

"Mm, the wind sure is getting a little chilly day by day, huh?" said Itsuki.

"And we're still eating ice cream despite that, great," I replied.

"What can I do? These are the best ice cream in the town! I can't simply resist eating it!" said Itsuki. "S-Sorry, I may have been too noisy."

"N-No, it's okay," I said.

She usually has a cool and has a poker face expression when at work. When was the last time I've seen her like that?

"Eating ice cream at a park sure brings back those memories, doesn't it?" I asked.

"No one asked," said Itsuki.

"We often stay at the park after class while watching the kids play until the sunset," I said. "Haha, there was no day that a kid won't cry because of scraping his knee."

"Just what are you getting into?!" asked Itsuki. "Stop!"

Crap, she's getting angry. Of course, she would be.

"You always made me order a strawberry flavored ice cream since it is your favorite and you didn't want to try mine since you hated bubblegum flavor," I said. "Remembering it makes me laugh."

"I tried to eat it once with you, the bubblegum flavor I mean," said Itsuki. "And that was the last time we met ever since."

<The wind was the only noise I can hear upon the short silence. I wasn't able to respond immediately. She hasn't faced me ever since I started reminiscing about it. With her suddenly speaking about it, something inside my heart was in pain.>

"It sucks since I was starting to somehow like the flavor bit by bit," added Itsuki.

"Yeah, it definitely sucks," I said.

"R-Right? Is that what you have to say?" asked Itsuki. "Let's go back t-"

"But you know what sucks the most?!" I said.

"Huh?" reacted Itsuki while still facing towards the lake.

"What sucks is the fact that I just left you alone without saying anything and I can't even tell you the reason about it!" I said.

"W-What are you...," uttered Itsuki.

"It was just really recently that I realized I am so coward for not taking the chance to talk about this to you as soon as we met again," I said. "Well, things happened so I thought this would be a great time. Honestly, I expected that we'll never meet again and assumed everything was okay. Then, you appeared again. Man, fate must be playing with me, no, with us."

".....," reacted Itsuki.

"I'm sorry!" I said while bowing my head. "I'm sorry that I left you all alone by yourself and for being pathetic! I'm sorry that we hadn't had the chance to sort things out back then! I can't blame you if you hate me. I truly deserve it."

She starts to approach me however, she slaps me in the face.

"....." reacted Itsuki.

Figures, she's insanely mad about it.

<She slapped me however, she suddenly hugged me.>

"D-Dummy, that took you so long!" said Itsuki.

It sounds that she's crying. I'll let her be.

"Do you have any idea how much I tried to contact you, to find you?!" asked Itsuki.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. My phone was-" I said.

"I tried everything but I had to give up!" said Itsuki. "I harbored so much hate against you since it wasn't fair to do it to me like that!"

"Yeah, I totally understand," I said. "I am truly sorry."

"The first time I saw you again, I wasn't sure how to react," said Itsuki. "I was trying to keep it cool since you're our manager at work but inside, I want to punch you that bad."

"S-Seriously?" I asked.

"For real," said Itsuki. "Wait, don't lift your head right now!"

She just doesn't want me to see her face while crying.

"But for some reason, I'm glad that I got to see you again," added Itsuki. "Just a small portion, though!"

"O-Okay, you said it," I said.

"D-Don't lift your head until I say so, okay?!" asked Itsuki.

I gave her five minutes or so to settle down.

"Are you fine now?" I asked.

"Yeah, thanks," said Itsuki.

"Now that things are somehow.... you know, settled down, I guess we're officially exes now, in a brighter way," I said.

"What do you mean by a "brighter way"?" asked Itsuki.

"Y-You know, somewhat with no remorse or whatever to each other," I said.

"Hahaha!" laughed Itsuki.

She laughed. I-Is this true?

"W-What's funny?" I asked.

"No, it's just how you use the term," said Itsuki. "I can't say that my hate towards use hasn't fully subsided but at least, it has lessened."

"Itsuki...," I said. "I promise to tell you the reason for my abrupt departure back then, at the right time."

"Whatever could that be, it's up to you," said Itsuki.

"Thank you for being my ex-girlfriend," I said.

"Dummy, you should be," replied Itsuki.

We both smiled at each other afterwards.

<We decided to back to my apartment after a few minutes. The late-night had come and it was time to sleep. The lights were already off and I was expecting that Itsuki was already asleep but she kissed me on the forehead, when I was about to fall completely asleep.>

"Thank you for apologizing," uttered Itsuki who then goes back to her futon.

Stupid, I'm still conscious, y'know.

<Fast forward to the next morning, back to work!>

"G-Good morning," greeted Itsuki.

"Y-Yo, good morning," I replied.

Why are we both blushing?!

"Hoho, I guess you passed this week's command," whispered Kurumi.

S-Shut it!!

------TO BE CONTINUED-----