"Welcome!"
"…Welcome."
On Saturday, in a sports goods store, Takamine Rinji and Miyuki Shirogane were in work uniforms greeting customers.
After hearing that Takamine's previous job was no longer available, Miyuki remembered his own workplace was still short on staff and enthusiastically invited him to work there.
Takamine didn't actually need a part-time job. The 1000 yen hourly wage at a place like this was pocket change to him.
But since the president had invited him, and Takamine had nowhere else to go on weekends anyway, he followed Miyuki to the sports store.
The store manager was an older man. Seeing the two of them working, he smiled as he approached.
"Shirogane, thanks for helping me find an extra pair of hands."
"No problem at all. Rinji coming to help is a big help to me too," Miyuki said with a smile.
The manager nodded, then turned to Takamine.
"Your first time working here, huh? The job's pretty simple. Just tidy up stock when it's slow, greet customers, and try to promote our products."
"Got it."
"By the way… you're good at promoting products, right?"
"That happens to be one of my specialties."
Takamine nodded, remembering something from two years ago…
---
"Mr. Riel, if you want to withstand pressure from the other two families, small pistols won't cut it. Firepower suppression is the key."
Facing a group of suited, sunglasses-wearing mafia members, Takamine casually took an SMG out of his briefcase.
"This is the MP5k submachine gun by HK. 9mm caliber, theoretical fire rate of 900 rounds per minute. Roller-delayed blowback. Most importantly, it's compact—perfect for unexpected situations."
"Mr. Takamine, I understand all that, but what about the price?"
"Price stays the same. You know how hard it is for me to smuggle goods while dodging those annoying Interpol bastards—and recently even the damn CIA has been on my tail. Just getting it here is a miracle."
"Ugh… fine."
"Same as usual. Cash only. Ammo not included."
---
Back in the present…
"Manager, product promotion is something I'm good at."
"Great. I'll be out picking up some stock—leaving the store to you two today."
The manager left, satisfied.
After he was gone, Takamine walked over to Miyuki, who was organizing snowboards.
"President, mind giving me an overview of the products here? So I can better sell them when customers show up."
"I thought you said you were good at selling?"
"Never sold sports gear before. I need some product knowledge."
"…Alright."
Miyuki didn't refuse. After all, he had invited Takamine. It wouldn't be right to just leave him hanging.
"Which section are you in charge of?"
"The clothing section," Takamine replied. "Mind going over each item's features with me? Like whether it can stop shrapnel or reduce blunt trauma."
"…What are you even talking about?"
Miyuki often found himself confused by Takamine's words, but he still seriously explained what to focus on.
"Most of the clothes here are for sports. Ski jackets focus on insulation, T-shirts emphasize breathability. The key is considering what the customer needs."
"Thinking from the customer's perspective… I get you."
"As long as you understand. You've worked jobs before, right? Should be a quick study," Miyuki said with a smile.
Even on a Saturday, the store wasn't particularly busy—mostly because it was a bit out of the way.
Reportedly, the store was about 10 kilometers from Miyuki's home. And since his only transport was a bike, that meant he had to pedal quite a ways just to get to work.
As for Takamine, he took a cab.
With a wage of 1000 yen/hour and a 5-hour shift, he made 5000 yen—but spent 15,000 yen on the cab.
So clearly, he wasn't here for the money.
"Hello."
"Welcome."
Just then, a couple—seemingly boyfriend and girlfriend—walked into the store.
They headed straight for Takamine's section.
"Hello! Is there anything I can help you with?"
Takamine slipped into his role with ease.
"Hi, clerk. We're looking for a ski jacket."
"A ski jacket… Are you heading to the nearby ski resort?"
"Yes."
The two exchanged a smile.
"We're into extreme sports. We're heading up the snowy mountains in a week."
"Oh, extreme sports, huh…"
"Got any recommendations?"
"I recommend this orange one."
Takamine pulled out a thick orange ski jacket from the rack and displayed it in front of them.
Miyuki, watching from the side, nodded in approval.
Looks like I don't need to worry…
"What's special about this orange jacket?" the man asked.
"Oh, it's really eye-catching," Takamine replied.
"Uh… and being eye-catching helps how?"
"Well, if you die out there, it'll make it easier for the rescue team to find your body."
The couple: "…"
Miyuki: "…"
"Um... Excuse me, could you say that again, store clerk?"
"Of course. If you unfortunately die while doing extreme sports, these clothes are highly visible in snowy mountain areas. That way, when the rescue team's helicopter arrives, it can easily spot your corpses lying in the snow."
"…"
"You two, think about it—will extreme sports get you killed? Of course they will! If not, that just means you're not extreme enough."
"…"
Shirogane: "Rinji, wait a second—"
But Takamine Rinji continued enthusiastically, "And even if the rescue team doesn't come, your corpses won't blend in during a blizzard. Wearing this bright orange outfit, you'll still serve as a 'landmark.' That'll help warn future visitors and give them something to talk about… Hey, hey, don't leave yet, I haven't finished talking!"
These two customers were surprisingly patient. Even after hearing something like that, they didn't slap him on the spot.
But judging by their trembling shoulders and determined steps as they left, it was almost certain a complaint was coming.
"Strange, I thought I made a perfectly reasonable point."
"...I shouldn't have asked you to help with this job."
Shirogane covered his face, already regretting bringing such an oddball with him.