"Yep, Vanoe Starchline."

The next day at school Junya bothers me again at the library. It's comforting I guess knowing that we share the same interests, but I don't really want to have my reading time interrupted because someone wants to bother me the entire time. In the end however, I just dealt with it and played along. One thing was made clear during the entire library session, and that was the fact that Junya knows a hell of a lot more than me on media. Although I normally wouldn't care if people were better or more knowledgeable on things that I did, for some reason it made me feel a little irritated. Probably because the subject in question was something that I actually enjoyed and cared for and thought no one else in the school really cared about; eventually though the bell rang, and we both headed to class. After school I went straight to Hinami and his shop to start my first day. As I walk up to his shop, I start to wonder if this job is really worth my time. Maybe I should have taken up that office job after all. It paid slightly more than this one, and all I had to do was sacrifice my life to working in an office. Yeah right. Not about to sit in an office everyday typing my life away on a laptop. I'm not worried about it that much though. If I must I'll just get a better paying job. I walk up the two steps outside the front door and enter the shop, there I see Hinami slowly restocking one of his many shelves. Behind him lays a lot of boxes, probably around nine or ten. Before I can announce myself, he spots me and speaks. "Ah, Ken, You're here. Just give me one moment." If it was anybody else then I would actually wait, but he is clearly too old to keep doing this by himself, so I reluctantly helped him out "Here, let me help out a little bit." I walked over and helped him stock. I only take the things out of the box and hand it to him as I don't know where they go on the shelf. And the things themselves are like a surprise every time you pull it out of the box. One moment there is a jar of what appears to be Jam and the next a pristine action figure. Eventually there were no more items in the box and instead they made a new home on the shelf. "Thank you, Ken. As much as I hate to admit it, I am getting too old to keep having to rely on myself all the time. Almost every day now I get at least five or more boxes of things to put back on these here eh, shelves." "At least five?" I know this place sells well but you'd think he would at least have the people who deliver his supplies to help him out a little bit with restocking. But now that I think about it, he'd probably turn down any offer to help him out of kindness. "I know it seems like something I might not be able to do all the time, especially for as long as I have but I am a lot more eh, stronger than you might think." "I see. Uh, anyway should I just start putting the items from the other boxes onto the shelves?" Hinami gives a slight, warm smile; most likely a reaction to seeing my eagerness to work. "Yes, everything except the two boxes on the floor, those will be moved into the back. Now as for where everything goes, toys, games, cards and such will go on the bottom of the shelves, this helps the little ones not need any eh, assistance looking for toys that they might not even be interested in. The middle section of the shelves will hold more eh, miscellaneous items, Accessories such as phone straps or cases, maybe something like a wallet, batteries or keychains along with some decorations like vases and other pieces of art. On the top rows of the shelves is where the pricier items go. Makes it harder for people to steal em' and gives superiority over the other items. Things like laptops, phones even. Basically, anything that looks or is expensive will go on the top. You understand all that Ken?" "Toys and entertainment stuff goes on the bottom, stuff with no real place goes in the middle, and expensive stuff goes on the top; I got it." Although it was a lot, it wasn't that hard to understand where everything goes. "Great. But there is more. Over on the left side of the store near the entrance is where the food goes. In the corner is an ice chest where Ice cream and popsicles and such will go. Next to it is a shelf where you will place the food and snacks. Basic snacks like cookies, biscuits, and such will go on the bottom but nothing with a lot of sugar in it. Anything with a lot of sugar in it, however, will go in the middle of the shelf. And on the top is where food with common ingredients that people are allergic to goes. Stuff with peanuts and peanut butter. Basically, all common allergic foods will go on the top. You understand?" "Ice cream and related items go in the ice chest, basic snacks on the bottom of the shelf, sugary foods in the middle, and allergenic foods on the top. Got it." It was a bit more complicated to understand unlike the other shelves but in the end, it isn't that hard to understand. "Great. Now I'm going to eh, head upstairs for a while and rest my head. Call me if you need anything." "I will." And he heads up the stairs and into a room I believe after hearing a door open and close. I guess he lives here as well. "Well guess I should start organizing the boxes first." Hinami didn't say the shop was open, so I don't think I'll have to deal with any customers; that's good. As I look at the pile of boxes, I fear the condition my back will be in after all of this. I start by removing all the boxes that are on top of each other and place them on the floor to get to the last two on the bottom, then I pick one up and carry it to the back of the store, but it's no lightwork as this one box was already straining my arms and shoulders. "What the hell is in this damn box." I say with strained breath. Eventually I ended up completing the task but there was yet another dreadful box to carry to the back room. I dragged my feet over to the box and picked it up, luckily it wasn't too much heavier than the other, but it was still heavy. After I put the two boxes in the back that left with me with eight more boxes, this time their items are to be shelved. But if he really is selling random stuff then these things could be dusty or something. Hinami didn't leave me anything to clean the products or even keep myself clean. However, over on the counter next to the cash register was an apron. I picked it up to get a good look at it; It was a bit dusty, probably hasn't been worn for a long time. I'm guessing Hinami brought it out from someplace where he leaves stuff he doesn't really use. The front of the apron stated the store's name; Hinami Collections. "Well, it's either this or risk walking back home covered in dust. I'm sure he won't mind if I use it." I throw on the apron and start opening the first box. And as expected it is full of a bunch of random things, toys, candy, a watch, even a book. There is basically a little bit of everything in each of these boxes. I let out a dreadful sigh and spoke to myself. "It's going to be a long day." And finally got to work.

After about two to three hours I finally finish stocking everything. I take a seat on one of the chairs by the counter and let out a long and exhausted sigh. "Finally." I take this time to look at my work. It's not as neat as Hinami had it the first time I came here but it'll do. It is my first day after all. Besides that, this place really looks nice. It's obvious that Hinami has been taking care of it as best he can. There was barely even any dust on top of all the shelves, let alone anywhere else. This place must really mean a lot to him. Hell, maybe I'll find something I want to take care of this well someday. "Ken, are you finished?" Hinami came downstairs, smiling. "All done here." I say back to him. "That's Wonderful! Here is your eh, pay for today." He takes out forty dollars out of his pocket and hands it to me. Nice. "Thanks." "My, everything looks nice and tidy and where they all belong as well." "Just did what you told me to." "Hmm that apron." He looks at my apron with a more thoughtful look than his usual happy demeanor. "Oh, uh, I didn't want to get dirty, and this apron was just lying on the counter, so I used it." "I see. It's just, this apron reminds me of when I was young." "It's yours?" "Yes, my old apron that I used to wear when I first started here same as you." "You became the owner?" Hinami nods. "Yes. This place used to belong to my father before he passed." "Oh, sorry." "Don't worry about a thing my boy. In fact, you can keep wearing that apron whenever you begin your shifts here." "Are you sure?" "Positive. Now I gotta get to eh, sorting the items from the boxes you brought to the back. Your job here today is done. Go on home now." "Got it. I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Hinami." I leave the store and begin walking home. It is about five forty-two, stocking all that stuff took a long time. "So, it was his father's huh?" I say to myself.

Over the next few days, I tired myself out over my job. Somedays there are only a few boxes and other days there are a few dozen. But pretty soon I got into the rhythm of the job, and it started becoming more like a chore than it is a job. Now it is Friday, April twenty second, and I'm sitting on my bed counting how much money I have made after over half a month of working. "Two hundred and ten dollars…man that is a lot of money. I could buy like 30 bowls of ramen with this. Or better yet, a lot of pudding. Maybe I can even get a bit of the premium kind too." Just then my mom calls out to me. "Ken! Dinner's ready!" "Coming." On the coffee table sits some classic rice with some soy sauce and some meat thrown in there as well. Can never really get tired of eating it. As we ate, she asked me a question at some point. "So, Ken, how is that job treating you?" "Good. I'm getting the hang of it." "That's great honey. That mister Shukaza has also been paying you too, right?" "Yeah, he pays." "Good. I know he may be nice like you say but you never know. Some people hide their bad sides so they can get to you more easily." "You wouldn't be saying that if you actually met him yourself, y'know." "Just warning you. Also don't forget to get up early tomorrow. Your school has that track event, right?" The girls track event. Where most of the girls in the school run in a race and most of the boy's run food and drink stalls along the racing path to help the girls re-energize themselves. An odd event but there isn't much you can do in this town anyway. "Yeah. Won't really be in trouble if I miss it though so I'm not worried about it." "You know with that attitude you are gonna run yourself into the ground before you can even take a step. You better get up early and make it there on time." "Yeah yeah yeah, I will."

The next morning, I wake up at six thirty and go about my usual routine and head to school. The actual event begins at seven fifteen, so I don't have a lot of time to do anything, so I just sit in a hallway and browse the local news on my phone. I can hear some of the girls who will be taking part in the event talk to each other. Most are excited for how fun it will be, and some say how this event alone proves how women are more athletic here at Zanaha than the boys are. There is a bit of truth in that as, believe it or not, there are more girl students in the sports club than there are boys. More than that, the president of the sports club is a girl too. Maybe I should read into its history one day to see how that all came to be as, for a long time now the female students have ruled over the sports club. Years even, maybe a few centuries. "Hey, boy!" Suddenly a female student calls out to me from a little down the hall. "What are you doing eavesdropping on the girls locker room?" Now that I think about it. That would probably explain why I heard so many of them talking about the event. "Wasn't paying attention to where I was. I'm leaving now anyway." But before I could walk away, she called out to me once more. "Hey! You don't get to get off with a pathetic excuse like that!" She can't be serious. "That pathetic excuse is the truth. Why else would I be here?" "To spy on the girls changing?" …She has a point there. "That's not-" I struggle to find the right words. "I'm not here to spy on any girls. I couldn't care less, honestly." "So, you're saying none of the girls in the school are attractive?" What the hell is she even talking about. "You can't be serious." But right before she was going to speak again the bell rings and it is time for the event to go underway. The girl pouts before speaking again. "You got off easy this time, but you better hope I don't catch you snooping around the girl's lockers again!" And then she runs off. I let out a sigh and spoke to myself. "Should probably pay attention where I hang around from now on." And then I jogged over to the drink booth that me and luckily enough, Junya were both assigned to. I say 'luckily' because it means I don't have to work with a complete stranger at least.

It took me about thirty minutes to get there and that was me jogging. Not walking, jogging. Maybe I just need to get more in shape. I meet up with Junya and we talk about what the news talked about this morning. Eventually, about 20 minutes later, the alarm at our booth goes off which indicates that the girls are running up on us, so we prepare the drinks by taking them out of the ice chest and place some on the booth's counter and hold two in each hand to pass them out after the rest have been taken from the counter. Unfortunately, luck is not on my side, and it appears one of the girls participating was the one who called me out in the school hallway. I handed her the cold water and she snatched it out of my hand then repaid me with a nasty, angry look. After she finished chugging the entire water bottle down, she began running the race again. "You two know each other?" Junya asks. "Not really." But upon thinking about it she does look familiar and that's when I realized that she was the same girl who called me a weirdo outside of the school gate, when I was looking for a job on my phone. "Well, maybe." I add onto my previous statement. "Girlfriend?" "Nope. Just some girl who hates me." "Yeah, well that 'some girl' is next in line to be the captain of the sports club." "Really?" Junya nods. "Yep, Vanoe Starchline. Same grade and age as you. And it turns out her family is pretty rich. I think her father, Doperman, was friends with one of the founders of the school when they were kids." "Where the hell did you learn all that from?" Junya showed me his phone. "The media." He says before smiling. Even I'd struggle with finding info that fast using the internet. Seems he bests me at yet another thing I enjoy.

With the girls passing this booth that means that me and Junya are done here, and we both play rock paper scissors to decide who carries the ice chest back to the school. In the end I guess you can say I am not the only one who has to carry stuff around these days. By the time we got back Junya collapsed on the floor along with the ice chest and I take a look at the finish line. It seems that girl with the bossy attitude came in first place…Vanoe her name is. Good for her but I just hope that she doesn't boast about it if I ever run into her again. I walk back to Junya who is still, believe it or not, lying on the floor like a dead animal. I kick his foot and speak. "Come on. It's time to go back to classes." "I can't. You must go on without me. For I am lost to the never-ending heat of the sun's nova rays and will burn here on the ground." "They're turning the AC on in the school." After I say that Junya immediately gets up and runs full force back into the school forgetting the ice chest and leaving it up to me to carry. I sigh. "Idiot." I carry the ice chest with me into the school, drop it off in the nurse's office and head back to class.

Eventually school ends for the day and everyone begins leaving. Junya texts me to go on ahead without him as he has after school activities to attend. "Who the hell said we were going to start walking home together anyway?" I ask myself. It seems he really sees me as his friend. To be honest it feels like he is getting more annoying and clingier as the days pass. I walk out the school gate and begin walking home, but not before I get called out again. "Hey boy!" I turn around and see today's track star. I manage to avoid showing an expression of annoyance and disgust and attempt to reply back but not before she speaks first. "You got off lucky today but next Monday you better look out!" Was it really that big a deal? "Whatever you say." I say as I turn around and begin walking home, followed by a wave of my backhand in the air. "What an annoying girl." I say to myself.

The next day is Sunday which means it's the weekend. Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of weekends because I have nothing to do. I stated before that I have no hobbies besides engaging with media. So instead, I decided to take this day to do some research and planning. I am out walking to the local sports store to find a skateboard. I don't how much they go for but I am planning on buying one so I don't have to keep walking 30 minutes to school every day. I arrive at the store and enter, it appears nobody but me and the cashier lady is here right now. They have a lot of stuff here. Baseball bats along with actual baseballs, basketballs, soccer balls, running shoes. You name it. I walk over to the cashier and speak. "Excuse me, do you sell any skateboards here?" "Skateboards huh…" The cashier thinks for a few seconds before answering. "Yeah, I think we might have some in the back. It'll cost you about a hundred bucks though." "I can afford that." "Alright then wait here for a sec while I go fetch one." And she goes into the backroom via the door behind the counter. I turn around and lean against the counter and put in my earphones to listen to music from my phone. Or I was, until I got interrupted. "Hey!" I know that voice… "Why are you of all people here?!" Yep, it's miss track star again. This time I can't hide my expression of annoyance. She is wearing a casual outfit this time around which isn't surprising as it is the weekend. She is wearing what appears to be a puffy looking bomber jacket along with some light blue pants and somewhat flashy looking shoes. "What? Got a problem with me?" I respond back "You're the one who seems to have a problem with me. Not the other way around." She didn't like that response judging by the fact that she grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me in close. "You listen here! The other girls may not care about a loser nobody like you, but I know that just makes it easier for you to spy on them." She's nuts. "So don't think I'm just gonna let you off the hook from yesterday!" "Just leave me alone, would you? I could care less about some damn girls. Especially if it means having to go up against a demon girl like you." Now for a second I thought I unleashed hell upon the earth as she held my shirt with both hands and looked like she was going to demolish me right then and there but miraculously she calmed herself down. "Y-you-" She can't seem to find the right words to say back to me. "Can you let me go now?" I asked her. And she hesitates but she does let me go. "Than-" "This isn't over!" She says before I could finish thanking her. "You'll pay for insulting me like that!" She grabs two foot pads and throws money on the counter and then leaves. "God, give me a break would you." I say to myself. A little while later the cashier returns from the back with a skateboard in hand. "Here ya are kid! A good ol' fashioned skateboard." I pay her the money and take the skateboard. Just like she said it is just an old-fashioned skateboard. "Oh, and before I forget here take this." She hands me a bag of what appear to be a small set of tools to go along with the skateboard. "This will help you take care of your board if it ever needs maintenance." "Thanks. By the way a girl came in here earlier and took some foot pads. She threw the money on the cashier." "I see. Thanks." "No problem. See ya." "See ya around kid!" I leave the store and begin walking home.

Now before I can start using the skateboard to get around town, I have two problems to overcome. The first being that I need a bag to put the skateboard in, so I don't have to carry it around in my hands all the time. The second being learning how to actually use it. Yes, I just bought a skateboard knowing full well I don't know how to use one. So what? I'll just practice and get the hang of it. It can't be that hard. Just then I get a text from Hinami. "Hey, ken I could use some help restocking today. Had a lot of sales today so there is more to restock than usual. Do you think you could come help out?" I respond back. "Yeah, I'll be right there." And I walk to Hinami's Collections. As I enter the shop, I see the usual stack of boxes on the floor in the middle of the room. Hinami is sitting on a chair by the counter. "I'm here. You feelin' alright?" Hinami nods with his eyes still closed and facing the ground. "Yes. Just resting up a bit. Been a busy day." "Don't overwork yourself old man. Got nobody to look after the store if you kill yourself working so soon." Hinami chuckles at my words. "Then maybe I'll leave the store in your hands when I pass along one of these days." "Thanks, but you're better off giving it to someone who actually would want to take care of a shop." "That's why I'm probably better off leaving it in your hands." I respond. "No offense but I don't think I'm looking to run an entire shop in the future." "Oh, but I see the way you handle these items with care. How neatly you place them in their sections. Making sure an item doesn't cover another item, so a customer doesn't miss it. You may not realize it, but you care about things you might think you don't care about. "Doubt it. Especially these days. Everyone has just been annoying lately. Especially a certain sports girl" "Hmm… Tell me, Ken. Why do you think people are rude in this world?" "No clue." "Precisely. Maybe try to understand someone before judging them." "Told you. I don't get along with people." "But you want to. You just don't realize it yet." "No. I don't. Not again."

Not again. I don't want to get along with people again.

I begin moving the items from the boxes into their proper place on the shelves and the cold foods into the ice chest. After working here for almost a month now I seem to have gotten better and faster at handling the different items. Before, I would have to take my time looking at some things to determine where they would go on a shelf. But now I only need one glance and I've figured it out. As I continue with the last box, I find a backpack in decent condition. A bit smelly and probably dated but thrown in a washer it would probably work as good as any modern backpack these days, though a bit smaller in size. "You like that eh?" Hinami asks as he looks over me from behind. I nod before speaking "Yeah, matches my other clothes as well." "Well why not take it with you then? Free of charge." I look behind me and look at him. "Are you sure?" "Sure. Think of it as a nice little bonus for helping these past weeks." I turn back before speaking again "Thanks." "Don't mention it." He chuckles. I finish with the final box, say my goodbyes to Hinami and leave his store and begin walking home. "He couldn't possibly understand." I say while walking on the sidewalk to home and the sunset hitting my right side from across the street through the wide gaps between the different buildings. "Nobody could possibly understand."