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"Huh...? Occidens, you say?"
"Yes. An acquaintance of mine wants to talk to you directly."
Even if you say that...
I can't just go tomorrow or the day after, and I don't have any plans to go right now.
"Of course, not immediately. Please think about it."
That's all I talked about with Voria that day.
After that, I was talking to Julia and Ginevra about future sales.
I was minding the store during that time. But not many people come, so I'm just standing in front!
There's almost nothing I can do at this store anymore.
I can trust Voria, who Julia's uncle brought, and she's more of an expert than me.
Maybe I should look for another part-time job.
While I was thinking about that, Julia called out to me.
"Um, Rai-san. Would you like to have dinner together for the first time in a while?"
The same smile as when we first met, like a flower in full bloom.
"...Of course."
I might not be able to see this smile anymore.
◆◆◆◆◆
"This is my recommended restaurant! Well, I've introduced it before."
I chuckled at Julia, who said that a little embarrassedly.
We talked about trivial things for a while, and then the conversation suddenly stopped and silence fell.
"You know, I'm really grateful to Rai-san."
Julia suddenly blurted out.
"If Rai-san hadn't been there, like my uncle said, my grandmother and I would have been drowning in debt and things would have turned out as my uncle said."
"Yeah."
"My grandmother too! She said that when Rai-san first came and accurately guessed the products when Dad was there and after he was gone, she was very upset. She said that she couldn't replace Dad, let alone protect what he had left behind."
Come to think of it, I remember her crying when I first pointed it out, when we first met.
"Since Rai-san came, my uncle, who had always been against it, has been helping me, and Voria-san has come too. I'm really grateful. Thank you!"
I flinched a little at the 100% pure goodwill directed at me.
Stop it. I didn't help you with pure intentions.
No, I didn't have any ulterior motives, but my thoughts were more for my own benefit.
There's a part of me that can't honestly accept those words of gratitude.
Seeing my inexpressible expression, Julia distorted that flower-like smile.
"...As I thought, Rai-san has noticed it, too..."
Noticed what?
I was inwardly puzzled at Julia, who suddenly started to tear up.
But, Julia didn't seem to notice that and continued talking.
"Today, Voria-san told me. When someone who can officially appraise comes..."
I felt like, "As I thought," as tears finally started to spill out.
The way Voria looked at me with a look of appraisal. It was yesterday and today. At the end of today, she had a face that completely cut me off.
"I knew it. I thought so. Did you hear about the timing?"
"No... just that she's going to find a proper person as soon as possible. Rai-san is proper too!"
I'm grateful to Julia for being angry for me, but there's nothing I can do about it.
"I'm just an amateur after all."
Saying that, I handed Julia the handkerchief in my pocket.
"Well, I knew it, so I'll look for another part-time job. I wonder if Giuseppe Owner will introduce me to a shop."
I'm not that concerned about it, but Julia seems to be more concerned than me.
"Um, even if you quit your job, would you still meet me sometimes like this!?"
I was momentarily lost for words at that unexpected question.
But, seeing Julia, who was looking down and giving off a sense of despair at my reaction, I hurriedly replied.
"O-Of course! If I'm okay with you. I mean, why me?"
That's a simple question.
Honestly, it hasn't been that long since I met Julia and started working at that store.
"I was really struggling at that time. Everyone was turning their backs on me, and the suppliers who had been kind to us until now gradually started to take advantage of us. You were the only one who looked at us straight and seriously to do something about it, Rai-san."
Well, I guess that's true. Well, I guess my existence became a support for Julia and Ginevra's hearts at that time...?
"Yeah. Well, if it's for that reason. Just don't act like I'm your benefactor, okay? I don't want to talk to Julia and Ginevra-san like that."
I raised my pinky and held it out.
Of course, there's no culture of pinky promises, so Julia's eyes are going back and forth between my face and my pinky.
"Promise. Intertwine pinkies?"
"Y-Yes...!"
Julia cautiously offered her pinky, and I intertwined my pinky with hers, put strength into it, and shook it up and down.
"Promise. Okay?"
"Yes! It's a promise!!"
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