working in a scary shop

bab 11 Late Night Anime and Thin Books part 3

"……Huh……?"

　I am at a loss for words with a half-smile.

　What Mr. Hirai said was too incomprehensible.

　When I asked him what he was talking about.

　Mr. Hirai, who returned to the counter, was right next to me before I knew it.

　When you say "nearby", you might think how long it will be.

　It was really close.

"Wear!?"

　I don't know what I was confused about, but it stuck to my waist.

　Mr. Hirai is staring at me.

　Or rather, on my arm, mu, mu, mu, mu, mu, mu! It hits my chest, Mr. Hirai! ?

　What is it?

　What do you mean! ?

"Uh-huh"

　Open your big eyes and stare.

　Mr. Hirai didn't move.

　I'm like a sculpture and can't move.

　But my chest, um, my chest!

　It's hitting my right arm...! Mr. Hirai! !

　Eh, really this.

　What is this, what should I do?

　Are you inviting me?

　You can't do anything. There are security cameras on the ceiling! ?

　I want to die because I think I'm soft! !

"I've been wondering about it for a long time, but now."

"Huh... Huh?"

　Mr. Hirai finally opened his mouth and asked me while looking up at me without leaving.

"Hakamada-kun, the claw marks on your neck. What's wrong?"

　Neck, claw marks.

　Hearing that, my neck shivered again.

　I remember that time.

　The strong gaze I felt caused me to have inexplicable dyspnea.

　I couldn't move my body like a sleep paralysis, and it was so painful that I couldn't even speak.

　Mr. Hirai said while looking at me as if he was licking my neck. From the nape of my neck to my collarbone, there were several red marks that looked like I had pulled my fingernails out while holding them down.

　and.

"Wow... something, eh...!"

　If I'm not mistaken, I blurt out something like that.

　Even I got goosebumps at those words and for some reason Hirai-san's ecstatic expression. Her haste ripped her off from her defenseless clinging and took her distance.

"Hey... Mr. Hirai, what are you doing all of a sudden... What's wrong?"

　When I was flustered, she tangled her long, fluffy hair with her fingers and muttered while comparing the people outside the store and me alternately.

"I thought it was strange, you were hanging around in front of the store, and you've been stuck there for a while with a terrifying look on your face... I just had Takenaka-kun drive me away the other day."

"Mr. Hirai...?"

“Hakamada-kun, that person might have caught your eye.”

"That person..."

"Yeah, there's a girl in ragged clothes in the glass corner of the magazine corner... Once in a while, when someone she likes shows up, she tries to do something bad to her, wanting to make her her own 'thing'... …”

　Not trying to scare you. Mr. Hirai seemed to be speaking indifferently.

　Just staring at the glass wall of the magazine corner.

"Oh, uh... It's disgusting to say such a thing, I'm sorry, let's stop."

"... Um, can you see... Mr. Hirai..."

　When I asked with a slightly puzzled look, Mr. Hirai nodded with a smile.

"Yeah. I wonder if I can see the woman with bloodshot eyes staring at Hakamada-kun from the glass wall over there."

　But the words she said weren't worthy of a smile.

"I see……"

"Hmm. I don't believe that face, Mr. Hakamada."

　When I tried to parry it lightly, my thoughts were seen through in one shot, and I was impatient inside.

　Mr. Hirai opens his mouth before he denies it.

"It's okay, I didn't say it because I wanted you to believe me."

　I just put into words what I saw.

“Hakamada-kun, you don’t believe in that kind of thing, do you? If so, I think it’s fine. I think it’s better than being too scared.”

"Why... do you think so?"

"Because I thought so. Probably around?"

"cormorant"

"Around?"

　Silence is affirmation.

“No, Mr. Hirai, I certainly don’t believe in such things, but I don’t think that Mr. Hirai is lying, huh…”

　I had a feeling that it would create an awkward atmosphere, and I was afraid of that, so I blurted out.

　I'm an idiot after saying that. I thought. It was so contradictory that I intended to follow, but on the contrary, I didn't know what I wanted to say.

　I shut up for a minute.

"I don't care what Hakamada-kun thinks, do you? It's okay, if there are people who believe, there will always be people who don't."

　That's what it is, says Mr. Hirai.

　No matter how I reacted, Mr. Hirai was calm and didn't seem to care about anything.

"But... I thought I'd just warn you. This place is more strange than Hakamada-kun thinks."

　A normal person can't keep going.

　Like me, there have been a lot of people who have been lured by the hourly wage to visit this place. It seems that everyone said that there was no way they would quit within a week or so, but almost all of them told them to quit within a week or later.

“I know it sounds creepy, but I don’t want Hakamada-kun to quit right away, so I want him to do his best.”

　There is no lie hidden in Mr. Hirai's words. I intuitively thought so.

　This person is not lying.

　This person is...really.

"Really... can you see it? That's what..."

　Doubtful.

　I thought it was rude to ask such a question with such feelings. She couldn't help but ask.

　I think he was just out of curiosity.

　I wonder what kind of words Mr. Hirai will return.

"Then, do you want to take a look?"

　The answer that came back was far from what I had expected.