Chapter 3: My Uncle’s “Friend” Has a Grudge Against Me

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It was 8 p.m. when I headed down the five flights of my apartment building with my phone in hand. Because it was so late, there were barely any people around, leaving my surroundings almost completely deserted.

I hurried towards a family restaurant in the neighborhood. Not because I was hungry, but because my uncle—Tsukinomori-san—had called me there. He was going to lay out his conditions for employment, the ones he didn’t have time to specify in our last phone call.

I brushed my hair and chose my outfit carefully, making myself as presentable as possible. I had no inkling of what he might ask of me, but I was ready to get on my knees and lick his shoes clean if that’s what he wanted. Anything to be a part of the world-famous entertainment enterprise that was Honeyplace Works.

I stepped through the doors of Royal Guest, a place that was open twenty-four hours a day. I would never come here by choice; for a family restaurant, it was a little pricey, and I was frugal on account of living by myself.

Today, my uncle would be paying for my meal. He’d chosen the restaurant, too. I felt guilty, having him treat me to something so expensive, but I also didn’t want to make the social faux pas of arguing with him.

The world is all about give and take, I guess.

(Truth be told, I was actually a lot more excited to get my dinner paid for than you’d think.)

“Akiteru-kun! Over here!”

I caught sight of my stylish uncle before the waitress even had time to greet me.

“Looks like you got here before me,” I said. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No worries! Sometimes, it’s the elders who have to respect the youngsters,” he said, twiddling his bushy mustache.

Though his behavior gave off the impression that he was a snobbish man of new money, the reality was quite different. He was the kind of man that all CEOs should aspire to be like. Nowadays, there were a lot of managers who became all high and mighty the moment they had a shred of power, and their temperament suffered from it, so it was rare to see one as laid back as my uncle.

I’m still in high school, though, so what do I know?

I did see a lot of it in memes depicting disgruntled office workers on the Internet, so it was probably true.

“I apologize for before,” I said.

“C’mon, there’s no need to be so stiff! Relax, or your joints’ll be shot in ten years. Just as long as you stay stiff in the one place it counts, you’ll be golden!” he guffawed.

I wanted to make a witty comeback to his crude joke, but I refrained. I sat down without saying anything, to which my uncle let out a small cough to clear the awkward air.

“Oh, we’re waiting for one more by the way, but I can give you a quick rundown first.”

I nodded, automatically sitting up straighter in my seat. I prepared myself to face the impossibility of the condition he was about to set before me.

“First, I wanted to let you know that I’ve been playing the game you sent me.”

Tsukinomori-san set his smartphone on the table. On the screen was a game’s start menu. Anime characters were cowering against beast-like shadows against the backdrop of a haunted house.

The game was called “Koyagi: When They Cry,” and it was developed by 05th Floor Alliance. It was a simple free-to-play horror game with dating sim elements.

“I was really impressed that you managed to create a game, let alone get it on the app store.”

“I wasn’t the only one involved; there was a whole team behind it.”

“Programmer: OZ. Illustrator: Murasaki Shikibu-sensei. Script: Makigai Namako. Then we have an anonymous voice actress, and producer and director: Aki. Which is you,” Tsukinomori-san read off the credits.

“That’s right. We were a team. It couldn’t have been done without each and every one of us.”

That’s right. I made a game with a small handful of friends. No one else in our school knew about it but us, though.

“This game’s made quite a splash in the industry. ‘Who are these mysterious members of the 05th Floor Alliance?’ people ask. They made an entirely new game with a coherent and engrossing plot, character designs just as charming as any professional work, and the voice acting’s completely anonymous. They had no funding, yet their product has received rave reviews and reached over a million downloads through word of mouth alone...”

“That’s still not good enough, though. The games made by Honeyplace Works have been downloaded more than ten million times all together.”

“That doesn’t compare. We pour huge amounts of money into marketing when we release our games.” He grinned at me, continuing to twiddle his mustache. “You’ve got a really competitive product here, and your small team made it all without needing endless time or an overblown budget. I don’t even know if I coulda done the same at your age. Plus, I could see why it was such a hit when I played it.”

“Does that mean...” I began.

“What I want to talk to you about today is a different kettle of fish...”

In my excitement, I started to lean forward, but my uncle pushed me back down with a finger against my forehead.

“I already know about your work ethic, and I know well the hopes you have for you and your friends to come and work for my company. I hear you loud and clear. However.” Tsukinomori-san paused. “The adult world is more complicated than you might think. I can’t just hire you without any strings attached. Oh, hold on. The wait staff are waiting to wait on us.”

“Oh, right. Let me see the menu...”

One of the waitresses had been watching our table politely for quite a while without moving a muscle. I thought we’d probably wait for the third person before ordering, but it was starting to get to the point where we had to getsomething. I decided the drink menu was a good place to start.

“It’s already dinnertime, so go ahead and order whatever you want. Don’t be shy!”

“Thank you,” I replied as he reiterated his intention to treat me.

“Miss!” my uncle called.

“Yes, sir. May I take your order?”

“I’ll take an Italian steak meal, and he’ll have...”

“The carbonara with a soft-boiled egg.”

“Oh, and we’ll take unlimited drinks for the two... uh, for the three of us!” he added.

“Three?” The waitress looked confused for a split second, before apparently remembering that we were waiting for another person. “Oh, of course.”

My uncle opened his mouth again the moment the waitress turned to leave.

“You have some wonderful fingers, my dear.”

“I’m sorry?”

“What?” I blinked. What on earth was he talking about now?

“You handled that ordering doodad so elegantly, I was entranced.”

“U-Um...”

“How about it? There’s space in my car if you wanna celebrate fate bringing us together today...”

“P-Please excuse me! I have to get back to work!”

Her face flaming hot, the waitress hurried away into the back.

I don’t know what my uncle was expecting.

If he was anybody else, I’d probably let it slide. But as his nephew, I felt I had a responsibility to keep him in check and deter further sexual harassment.

“Don’t you think that was a little much?”

“Huh? I just spoke my mind. Isn’t that how you’re supposed to treat women?”

“This isn’t the sort of place where you can just say whatever you like...”

“If I like what I see, I say so. If I wanna flirt with someone, I will. How else are you supposed to enjoy life?” Tsukinomori-san said.

“I think there are other approaches, personally.”

“If you like someone, you gotta let them know. The whole tsundere act is only cute in anime, not real life.”

Finally! Someone who spoke sense!

Too bad it was the same person who made a pass at a waitress he’d only just met, but still. I had to give credit where it was due.

“Plus, it’s not like I upset her or anything. Take a look.”

Tsukinomori-san jerked his chin in the waitress’s direction. I turned to see her with her hands on her red-hot cheeks and letting out sigh after sigh. When she noticed us watching, she began to squirm, and responded with an awkward bow to my uncle waving casually at her.

I wasn’t sure if I would call that “not upset,” but it was definitely... something.

“I don’t know if that’s a good reaction...” I remarked.

“Well, women are complicated,” my uncle said sagely. “Maybe I got her a little flustered, but I can tell she didn’t dislike it. This kinda reaction means I only need two more shots to get her in my bed.”

“Wow... I’m impressed. I think.”

I’d forgotten how much of a playboy my uncle was. As a child, I remembered that he would often fight with his wife when we came over. If you asked me what they were fighting about at the time, I wouldn’t have a clue, but now I was almost certain it was his infidelity. In fact, forget “almost.” Iwascertain.

In some ways, my uncle was a real piece of work. Though I guess that said almost as much about me, as the one trying to win his favor. Speaking of which, I should probably stop having such slanderous thoughts about him. If I let any of that slip, I could kiss my future goodbye.

“May I go to the bathroom?” I asked.

“Sure, knock yourself out.”

I excused myself so that I could pull it together. I had to remind myself to see past his dubious behavior.

He is my king. He is my god. I will do anything for him...I thought determinedly to myself as I made my way to the bathroom in the corner of the restaurant.

Given what happened next, it probably wasn’t the best idea.

Since I was using around 95% of my brain power on refocusing my thoughts, I lost awareness of my surroundings. That was why I completely missed the notice on the unisex bathroom door which asked me politely to knock before entering, because the lock was broken.

“Huh?”

“...Nrk.”

Everything froze. The only sound had been the click of the door as I opened it onto the girl half-crouching in front of me.

Her fingers were hooked onto the inside of her light-pink panties which were halfway up her thighs. Presumably because she was putting them back on. She was still as a statue, the shock of being walked in on having paralyzed her.

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I could even see a hint of what lay beneath her raised skirt, thanks to her panties not being there to cover it.