New thing will always happen to everyone, sometimes it's happy, sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's pain. Simply put, everything will always change.
But in the end everyone will have their own path and problems in life.
Or that's what I thought...
"Well...that excludes me!! AaaAa!!"
A cry burst from a girl who sat in front of a counter top, clad in convenience store uniform.
She gripped her hair, swaying it like a plant blown by wind.
"All I want is something so beautiful! So cool! So heart throbbing! Not waiting in this place, endlessly smiling on random strangers with their groceries!"
With that, she collapsed on the counter, the name tag that says 'Kamachi Ai' got smooshed on the counter table.
"I hope something good will happen soon"
Like...I want it to be real soon
So that was what Kamachi Ai's routine looked like, woke up, went to school, then worked a part-time job at convenience store, went back home. Rinse and repeat.
Despite looked like Ai hated her job so much, she kept doing it efficiently, well...probably because she has been used to this routine that her brain just went autopilot for the whole shift.
***
*Beep*, a sound of scanner as it scanned bunch of products one by one. Ai's hand moved very quick as if she wanted to finish the job as soon as possible.
"Everything is 500 yen, would you like to use cash, card, or digital wallet?"
"Cash is fine for me"
One of the customer, a middle aged man, who looked like those worker that went home from mundane job, pulled out a wallet from his pocket, then handed a 1000 yen note on the counter.
WHA—? 1000 yen note? Couldn't he just, you know, give 500 yen coin or something? Guhh...it's so annoying!! Ai hid her frustration in front of the customer.
"So the change would be 500 yen, wait here...alright, here is 500 yen! Thank you for shopping here!"
The man left the store as Ai dropped and leaned her back against the wall. From a quick glance, the store is practically empty, it was 9 PM so it should have fewer customer than before.
"Ahh I'm so bored, maybe I should play some games"
Quickly, her hand lunged deep into her pocket and grabbed her smartphone as she launched her favorite video game, it was a gacha rhythm game that sucked hours of her time trying to build her team and perfecting the play.
"Alright, let's see if I can finish this chart with full combo! Come on Ai! You can do it!"
Two minutes went by, the glaring music from the game can be heard across the store. Including the LIVE FAILED sound she wished to selectively hide it.
"Ahh! I lost again!!"
It's no use! Playing games frustrate me even more!! Ai screamed inside her mind and gripped her head and swayed it roughly in all directions, ignoring her surrounding.
Her outburst gets cut off with a sudden voice that rang in Ai's ears...that soft "Anō" snapped Ai back to working mode.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
"AH—! What can I do for you?"
"Anō, do you know where the magazine section is?"
"Magazine section? Just head straight from this counter all the way to the one near the glass"
"Thank you so much! Nee, are you working here perchance? You look like the same age as me!"
"Well, yeah, I'm having a part-time job here"
"Waah! Really? You're working here? You're very hardworking girl! By the way, I'm Mizu, Konoda Mizu, your name?"
"Ka...Kamachi...Ai....desu"
"Kamachi-san is it? What a lovely name!"
"You too, beside...that hair pin, isn't that too much pin stuck to your hair?"
Seriously, this girl is like a walking confetti!
"Ah this? Yahh, I don't know what to pick so I just used them all!~"
"Ah, I know that kind of feeling!!"
"Right?"
Actually, I don't get that at all! Ai didn't want to say that part out loud.
"Then, I'm gonna look for some magazine over there...excuse me..."
"Haa...okay..."
Once again, Ai sat and stretched her body for a little bit. She used to the fluorescent lamps humming, drilling her ears every second. But now in front of her eyes, she watched as the girl with an overly accessorized long hair flipped pages of magazine on her hand.
Looking from here, she's kinda trendy...
*Brack* a pile of magazines dropped in front of Ai which startled her. Behind the mountain of it, Mizu showed her face while smiling.
"O-oi! What is this? How many magazines do you want?!"
"All of it! Tee-hee!"
"Don't just tee-hee me! Anyway, for your information, it's all 2000 yen...well today is the store's sales day after all..."
Upon saying that, Mizu kept smiling then reached her wallet to hand Ai a note.
Woah, that note's color...finally, I don't have to give a cha....nge? Wait, she pulled just one note...and it's not blue-green! It's brown note!! Could it be?
As expected, or not that expected from Ai's side, Mizu handed her a 10,000 yen note while kept on smiling.
"The hell?! 10,000 yen bill?! Oi! WhaーAre you serious? The magazine is just 2000 yen!"
"I mean...I only brought tens of 10,000 yen note with me..."
Oh god this is bad, I didn't expect to deal with a rich kid right now!
Without much choice, Ai pulled up the register and handed the change to Mizu.
"Thank you for shopping here, Konoda-san"
"Me too! And by the way, my school is actually very close to this place! So...let's meet again! Ai...chan!"
'Ai-chan'? Eh? She used my first name?! We've only just met like right now!
The shock! Without realizing it, Ai jolted back from a smiley face that appeared very close to her face.
"AHh! Konoda-san, Too close!"
"Ah! So...sorry! Then, I'm leaving...see you very soon!"
With that, Mizu left the building while carrying pile of magazines in her hands.
Ai rubbed her forehead as she watched the girl left. "What a peculiar girl..." She murmured with a slightly frustrated face.
We'll meet again, huh...
***
The night went on as the sound of urban activities went faint, and most of the workers already went home from their work. Ai kept on playing game as usual until the sound of the bell once again startled her.
*Ding* Another bell sound.
Huh? This late at night? Who? Don't tell me...
She then recalled what Mizu has said before, that they'll meet again 'very soon'.
Ai turned her head slowly to the left and saw the same girl who once bought a pile of magazines and used a 10,000 yen note for 2000 yen magazines.
"Eh?! You again!!? What is it now?"
"Nee, Ai-chan..."
"I told you, we're not even friends yet and now you kept using my first name like some kind of besties!"
"Oh? Is that how it works? Then...Kamachi-san...let's be friend from now on, okay?"
Mizu offered Ai her hand, already expected a handshake from Ai. Ai on the other hand, still unsure whether or not to accept her as friends, reluctantly shook back Mizu's hand.
"Yeah yeah we're friends now..."
What is this? Her hand is so soft...is this the power of money?! Nah, that's just exaggerating!
"We're now friends, surely I can call you Ai-chan, right? Or you don't want it?"
"Well, it's not like I mind that or anything"
"No!"
"What 'No'?"
"We're friends, right? Why don't you say my first name too?"
This girl is very meddlesome!!
"Ahh...ee..to...M-Mizu....chan?"
Upon hearing what came out of Ai's mouth, mizu couldn't help but smiled.
"So, what do you want this late at night, Mizu-chan?"
"I want some cup noodles! Can you get it for me, Ai-chan?"
"Cooked or not?"
"Cooked! Mama never let me eat noodles...so...I don't want her to find out!"
"Fine...fine...it's 120 ye—"
Before Ai could finish her sentence, Mizu dropped a 1000 yen note on the counter.
"Come on!! It's just 120 yen!!"
"Then just take the change!"
Eh?
"Tee-hee!"
This girl, seriously unhinged....!!
***
[Author Note]
This is a little peek into a life that wanted some change, something new, and got a walking gremlin instead. Thank you so much for reading this one-shot of "Ai-Chan's boring routine"— or actually...not so boring anymore?
If you like it, consider supporting by reviews and comments! Also, don't forget to comment if you want this story to be serialized! Thank you everyone! ^_^
