Konbini Ossan Volume 1 Chapter 3 – Mutsugaya High Schoolers

Around noon, many students from the nearby high school come to buy lunch.

Mutsugaya High School — it’s also my alma mater.

I ring up the many items they buy at the register. Then, suddenly, one of the students in front of me starts talking.

“Are you tired, mister?”

“Huh? Well, yeah, I guess. I’ve been working since the night shift.”

“Oh, really? That sounds tough. Hang in there!”

Getting kind words from a high school girl is honestly quite heartwarming. I bowed my head and simply replied, “Thank you.”

Then I returned to scanning items at the register.

“Geez, Saori, that was embarrassing. Can you not do stuff like that?”

“Eh? Why not?”

“I mean, that clerk is gross. If you talk to him, it’s like we’re friends with him too.”

“Hey, Yuki, that’s too harsh.”

Once the transaction was over, the kind girl reunited with her waiting friends and started talking like that.

Well, it’s true I’m gross, so there’s no helping it. I’m used to it.

After continuing the endless scanning of items, I noticed it was already 1 p.m. The student covering the daytime shift had finally arrived, so I was able to clock out.

That said, I couldn’t go home just yet.

There’s trash in the store—empty cardboard boxes from stocking, spoiled bento and other food waste.

I gather it all up and take it out to the garbage collection area outside. When I go to clean it up, it’s usually a mess.

If it’s left like that, it causes trouble for the waste collection company, so I have no choice but to organize it.

I neatly stack the cardboard, sort the trash by type, and gather it accordingly. Since different companies collect different kinds of waste, this is only proper.

Now, finally thinking I could go home, I returned to the office to grab my things.

Just then, the university student who had come in late spoke to me.

“Um, Otsugi-san. There are some students loitering in front of the store. Could you ask them to leave? A customer complained about it.”

“I see.”

As requested, I checked the security camera footage.

Sure enough, four students were sitting outside the store.

Their presence was intimidating, so it was understandable that customers would feel uncomfortable.

What’s annoying about complaints like this is that they get directed at the store, and it becomes our responsibility.

Still, I couldn’t just ignore it. I steeled myself and headed outside.

“Excuse me, but would you mind not loitering in front of the store like this?”

I had changed back into my uniform and spoke to the group of four students, who seemed to be from Mutsugaya High.

“Huh? What’s your problem, old man? We’re just sitting here. Got a problem with that?”

“This area in front of the store isn’t meant for resting or loitering. It causes trouble for other customers.”

“Oh yeah? Who are we bothering? I’ll kill you.”

“You wanna die, you bastard?!”

Three of the four students—boys—began hurling abuse at me and closed in.

Being threatened with murder is something I’ve experienced plenty of times as a convenience store clerk. It’s nothing to be scared of anymore. I stay calm and composed.

“I apologize. While we always prioritize our customers, this space is also used by other patrons. So unfortunately, we can’t allow you to sit here like this.”

“Shut your damn mouth, old man!”

One of them grabbed me by the collar.

If they strike first, I win. The security camera footage will serve as evidence, and they can be reported. It might be good to just let them get angry like this.

But honestly, I’d prefer not to get hurt. If possible, I’d like them to understand and leave peacefully.

Just then, the fourth student — silent until now — spoke up.

“—Hey, quit bullying the old man, you jerks.”

It was a girl in a Mutsugaya High School uniform.

She had tanned skin and bleached blonde hair—a bit of an old-school delinquent look.

——————

E/N:

The previous translator has already released 24 chapters but I'm redoing it to try out my hand in translation as a newbie.

Anyway, how's y'all's day/night going? Have you eaten already? What have you eaten?

——————

Previous      Table of Contents      Next