"Although it's a bit strange to introduce myself like this now, Rice Shower-classmate and I should have met a long time ago. My name is Asama Kazutomi, and I'm currently a trainee teacher at Tracen Academy."
"Teacher Asama..."
"At the opening ceremony back then, the black cat doll that tripped in front of you... I wonder if you can recall it if I put it that way..."
He decided to give it a try.
Rice Shower was indeed startled at first, but after a few seconds of stunned, she suddenly reacted.
"Ah... the doll gentleman from that time..."
It seems she still remembers... Who would have thought that Rice Shower immediately started apologizing profusely with a tear-streaked face: "I'm sorry, it was all because of Rice Shower that you—"
"No, no, no! It was just my own carelessness... It has nothing to do with Rice Shower-classmate at all!"
Seeing the girl's eyes welling up again as she spoke, Kazuo dared not be careless and quickly waved his hands to clarify.
Looking at it this way, it seemed like he was bullying her... Sure enough, Miko's expression instantly grew even colder.
"Perverted teacher—"
I told you not to give me weird labels... "So, Kazuo, you saw Rice Shower-classmate outside observing the shop, and that's why you went to talk to her?"
To clear himself of the "pervert" label, Kazuo specifically recounted everything that had happened earlier.
Everything was just an accident, and the current situation was a blessing in disguise.
After hearing his explanation, Aoi didn't think much of it and readily accepted his story.
However, the Uma Musume named Miko kept staring at Kazuo with an unreadable gaze.
Heaven help me!
Kazuo's reaction at that moment to save Rice Shower was extremely swift.
If it were to turn into a scene from a romantic comedy, it shouldn't be a simple trip and fall, with the two of them tangled on the ground, and his hand accidentally landing on the girl's chest.
What good was it to end up in such a sorry state?
To avoid crushing the girl with his body, Kazuo's knee had slammed into the step, and he had also strained his back.
Just for a scandalous incident, to be a lucky pervert... would he really end up looking like this?
Moreover, with Rice Shower's frail stature, Kazuo always saw her type as being like his own sister.
Which brother would have improper thoughts about his own sister?
Fortunately, Aoi didn't doubt Kazuo's character and nodded straightforwardly, saying, "If that's the case, then what was Rice Shower-classmate doing outside at the time?"
At these words, everyone's gaze instantly returned to Rice Shower.
What exactly was Rice Shower looking at outside?
The few of them exchanged glances, but Rice Shower lowered her head, looking somewhat conflicted. She was too reserved to know what to say.
"Rice Shower... that is..."
She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say, and could only lower her head as if burying it in her chest.
Her small, restless hands rubbed the hem of her clothes, and the atmosphere in the room grew a little strange.
Kazuo looked at her like this, and for some reason, the scene he had witnessed during the autonomous training race came to mind.
At that time, the figure he had been staring at matched the back of someone Kazuo knew.
"..."
Connecting it to the feeling from that morning... Could it be—
A possibility flashed through Kazuo's mind, making him blurt out:
"Could it be... Rice Shower-classmate, you came with Mihono Bourbon-classmate...?"
At these words, everyone looked at Kazuo, while Rice Shower's body visibly stiffened.
The strangeness from that morning, Rice Shower's furtive behavior outside the shop... Recalling their performance in the race back then, Kazuo felt like he had hit the nail on the head.
"Mihono Bourbon...? Isn't that the girl who came to the shop this morning...?"
Aoi mused. That girl, with her somewhat erratic way of thinking, had left quite an impression on Aoi.
"Ugh... No, it's not..."
Although she shook her head in denial, this reaction was far too easy to read... Aoi and Kazuo couldn't help but exchange glances. Kazuo nodded and said, "Well, let's just say I'm talking nonsense... Actually, as staff, we shouldn't interfere too much with customers' privacy..."
"Customer…? Are you referring to Rice Shower…?"
The girl asked timidly, her ears twitching unnaturally.
"Hmm, anyway, Xiao Rice Shower was looking at items in the display window outside, right? Kazuo just happened to see Xiao Rice Shower there and wanted to ask about your situation, isn't that right?"
"Exactly! Even though it was my break, I'm still an employee here. When I saw someone standing motionless in front of the store, I wanted to go up and ask if they needed anything!"
Both of them noticed Rice Shower's predicament, and with a tacit understanding, they glossed over the matter.
Even if Rice Shower had reasons she couldn't express, Kazuo and Aoi chose to turn a blind eye.
After all, it hadn't caused any impact on the store, so in the end, they just mentioned it in passing.
Rice Shower was silent for a moment before she carefully asked:
"Asama-sensei… isn't a teacher at school?"
Kazuo was about to straighten up and speak, but his face twitched again as he clutched his waist.
"Hiss… I'm on Golden Week holiday, and I was invited to work here… Of course, in terms of my main job, it's also because I'm staying here, helping to share the workload or something…"
It seems his back problem was much more serious than he had imagined.
Seeing Kazuo like this, Aoi looked worried and said, "Kazuo, you might need to rest. Then the store's work can be left to me and my brother."
"How can that be… I can still—"
Ouch, ouch, ouch… Every time he used his waist, he felt a piercing pain.
Aoi's delicate eyebrows furrowed into a knot when she heard Kazuo say that.
"How can that be? If Hua-jie knew you were like this, she would definitely scold us. So Kazuo, you should rest properly."
Kazuo wasn't particularly sure if Tojo-san would feel bad, but Aoi, at this moment, was like a thoughtful angel.
"But if I rest, won't it be too busy for just Aoi and the manager in the store?"
This was Kazuo's concern. If he was absent, it would definitely double the workload for the two people in the store.
But if he really rested as Aoi said, it would be too difficult to find someone to hire now.
As he was thinking, Rice Shower slowly raised her small hand.
"Um… I… I hope I can do my part… To make up for my mistake, please let me… help…"
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