One day at Burgeries.
A girl wiped down a table with a worn towel, her short brown hair bouncing slightly with each movement. Her brown eyes were tired but gentle, matching the simple red uniform she wore.
Hi, my name is Claire.
I'm fifteen, working part-time at Burgeries to cover my small expenses.
I'm not great at studies… not great at sports either. If you really had to describe me, I'd say I'm just average.
And honestly? I'm fine with that.
Blending into the crowd is comfortable.
Even the employees here are all pretty average, so I feel like I fit right in.
…Well, except for our manager. Sometimes her behavior suddenly changes.
But I pretend I don't see
And there is one more person in the list.
Whenever I look at him, something in my gut twitches, warning me to stay alert.
Claire wiped the table one last time and glanced toward the counter.
K was standing there, yawning loudly. It didn't look like he had much work to do.
He was her senior—yet somehow weird. He barely talked, and his attitude toward customers was questionable. But the manager never scolded him. In fact, she seemed strangely fond of him. Almost too fond. She acted differently whenever he was around.
Claire sighed as her watch beeped.
Her shift was officially over.
"Whaaa… finally. Shift over… I can rest…" she mumbled.
That's what she thought.
"So! Since Fuji is absent with a fever, your new cleaning partner today will be Claire," Manager Eve announced cheerfully.
"Manager… I have to… uh—" Claire tried to make an excuse, but Eve cut her off.
"Don't worry! Overtime will be paid double," Eve said with a wink.
"…I guess," Claire sighed in defeat.
"Great! So—"
As she spoke, K abruptly interrupted.
"I'm not doing that. I don't want extra money either. I'm going home."
He turned toward the locker room.
Eve immediately followed and grabbed his shoulder.
"Listen, I—" he started sharply, ready to refuse, but Eve grinned.
"Well, well… look at the time. It seems your shift isn't over yet."
"…What are you talking about? I'm a part-timer. My shift ends at 5," he said.
"Manager… you can let him go. I can manage by myself," Claire added quickly.
"Don't be fooled by him, Claru. Learn from me," Eve said.
"C-Claru…?" Claire blinked.
"And as for you, K… what's your shift time on weekends?" Eve asked.
"Four hours. 1 to 5."
"Yes. But when did you come today?" she asked, smile widening.
"Obviously 1—" K froze.
He remembered his troublesome neighbor slowing him down.
"It was… 1:30…" he muttered.
"Correct. Which means you have thirty minutes left." Eve smirked.
And so, K and Claire soon stood at the entrance of the storage room, holding cleaning tools.
Claire sneaked a glance. K looked extremely irritated.
Trying to lighten the air, she attempted small talk.
"U-umm… Senpai… Well…"
Her words tangled.
K scratched his head and sighed.
"Don't force yourself to talk to me. Let's just finish quickly so we can go."
"Right…" Claire nodded.
"I'll clean here. You go to the kitchen and make the restock list," he instructed.
Claire grabbed a small notebook and began writing items down. Meanwhile, K swept and wiped like a machine.
After a few minutes, she returned.
"I'm back with the—"
She froze.
The storage room was spotless. Shiny. Organized. Perfect.
"S-Senpai… what did you do? It's so clean! You did this in a few minutes!?" she gasped.
"I just did what I always do. Anyway, give me the list," K said.
"I'll read it to you so it's faster," Claire offered.
"Fine."
"First is tomato ketchup. Uh… where is…?"
"Third shelf, fourth row, last item on the left corner." he answered instantly.
She found it exactly there.
"Senpai, that's amazing! How do you memorize—"
"Stop flattering me and do your job so I can go home," he snapped.
She flinched but continued.
Item after item, he directed her effortlessly.
Soon they filled two full cartons.
Claire tried to lift one.
"A-ah… it's heavier than I thought—"
She stumbled.
Before she could fall, K caught the carton easily.
"Tch. You're hopeless," he muttered, grabbing both cartons himself.
Claire's face turned red.
"H-hey, I helped too… I took the notes…"
K snorted.
"Yeah, yeah. Without your notes I'd be here till tomorrow. Happy?"
"Hmm? Is it some type of compliment?" She confuses ask to k
"Kinda" he replied
Her heart warmed a little.
A compliment… kind of.
They walked toward the kitchen together.
Then—
*THUNK.*
K's foot hit something.
Both cartons flipped.
Packets, bottles, wrappers spilled everywhere in a perfect disaster.
Claire and K stared in silence.
K stood slowly and silently with the disappointment as he said
"…I'm done. Bye," K said, grabbing a cloth and sprinting away at top speed.
Claire stood frozen unable to find the words with a shock and find K escaping
"…Senpai?"
"…Senpai!!?"