It bugged me that I hadn’t paid for food at the cafe, so I went back to the “Evening Rain Café” many times. But though I went back many times, it was always closed.

Whenever I came back from university, it was always closed, the gate to the shop was shut tight.

There was no sign showing business hours and I couldn’t find a website.

Whatever the reason was, it made me feel bad.

I went everyday to check if it was open, even though I didn’t have that much spare time.

There were problems here and problems there. I had to spend time in my club, I had plans to go shopping with my friends in Fukuoka and I also needed to save money for my laundry.

In such a situation, I had been rejected for part time jobs three times in a row.

I also applied for jobs that were offered by the university. However, I only went for the more popular ones and was rejected several times.

The first one was a high paying office job, the second was in a fancy cafe and the third was a flower shop.

While thinking about what I would try next, I headed for the Evening Rain Café. Today, the wooden sign with closed written on it was still hanging on the gate.

 

◇◇◇

 

I applied for a part time job at a general store today. When the interview said that they were looking for responsible people, I had a bad feeling about it.

The result came in by phone that same afternoon. As soon as I heard their apologetic voice, I understood immediately.

It was my fourth consecutive rejection. To stumble on such a thing as a part time job. I wonder what it would be like when I started job hunting.

Because I wasn’t someone to give up so easily, I decided to go back to the university to look for more information on part time jobs.

I also consulted with the teacher in charge of part time work in the faculty office.

About the continuous rejections, it seems my timing was bad. I was told that because it was spring, the area was flooded with university students looking for part time jobs and I shouldn’t be too bothered about it.

I gave a sigh at those words.

I decided to take a different route and look for jobs that weren’t that popular.

 

It was 9:30pm.

I noticed that I had stayed back a long time.

When I went outside, it was raining with a para~ para~ sound. Giving a big sigh, I took out my folding umbrella from my bag.

 

As said in Nagasaki’s famous classical poetry, it really rained a lot.

I didn’t dislike it when it rained during the day on the Dutch Slope as it gave an exotic atmosphere, but I really wish it wouldn’t rain at night. To go down a wet slope, it was quite a scary thing. Once before, I had heard that the stone pavement was built in such a way as to not be slippery in the rain, but scary things are still scary.

The rain gradually grew heavier. It started to get to the point that the folding umbrella was reaching its limits. Thinking that I had to take shelter somewhere, I suddenly thought of the Evening Rain Café. It would take me less than five minutes to walk to the café from where I was.

I decided to take a chance.

 

Holding my umbrella with both hands, I quickly walked through the rain.

In the dark, it seemed that I had stepped in a puddle and my newly bought sneakers had gotten wet.

Still, I went down the steep slope without stopping.

 

Going straight down the narrow path, I soon saw the old western-style building. I noticed that the lights were on inside, and while I didn’t see anyone, I almost shouted ‘Great!’.

 

The gate to the Evening Rain Café was open and the sign saying open for business was also hung on the door.

I ran to the gate and folded my umbrella at the front door.

After entering, I wiped my hair and clothes that had gotten wet in the rain with a handkerchief.

 

「Excuse me~.」

 

I called out once from the entrance. There was no reply, but I heard some voices from the room at the back. Maybe, there were other customers.

After waiting for a while, the onii-san showed up.

His shirt was ironed cleanly, his pants were crisp and he gave a welcome without any expression.

The onii-san looked at me before turning around and walking back.

 

–No, say something.

 

The silent customer service made me feel uncomfortable.

Because I understood that he wanted me to follow him, and followed without disturbing him.

As expected, there were other customers besides me.

The previous customer was an incredible beauty in a suit. That is to say, she had a nice body and stunning sex appeal.

When our eyes met, she gave a big smile. I smiled back.

 

「–So sensei, it’s about time.」

「……」

「Please, don’t look at me like that.」

 

The beauty in the suit paid, gave a bow and left.

Perhaps, did I disturb the two of them? I’m sorry.

Looking at the onii-san’s face, he seemed to be looking at me scarily. I didn’t mean it! I almost began to cry.

 

「Ah, did I intrude?」

「What’s wrong?」

「No, I mean that onee-san left.」

「No, she was–just a customer.」

「Was that so?」

 

For now, I asked about the price from last time. The price was a surprising amount.

 

「……One coin.」

「Eh?」

「Five hundred yen.」

 

Ah, that’s too cheap.

If you want to drink a cup of tea in a café like this in Tokyo, it would cost at least 800 yen. If it came with a set of confectionary, even 1000 yen would be normal. It may cost even more.

However, a delicious confectionery and warm buttermilk for 500 yen!?

I wondered what happened to the profit ratio.

But, I thought that was fine. I took 500 yen from my purse and handed it to the onii-san.

 

「–Ah.」

「!」

 

The moment I gave the onii-san the money, the onii-san moved unexpectedly and the 500 yen coin rolled on the ground.

When I went to pick it up, I dropped my bag and everything fell out again.

Seeing that, the onii-san spoke.

 

「……You were distracted.」

 

I wanted to say it was because the onii-san had dropped the coin, but as I dropped my bag again like last time, I obediently reflected on his words.

 

「A job, are you looking for one?」

 

It seems that my resume with a rejected stamp had landed at the onii-san’s feet.

Picking it up, I gave a bitter smile.

 

「Yes, but it’s hard to get one.」

「It looks like it.」

 

It seems that the last time everything fell out of my bag, it seems he had seen my resume.

 

「During the spring period, it seems that there are a lot more university students looking for part time jobs. This area is highly competitive.」

「Don’t you get any allowance from your parents?」

「Only living expenses.」

 

My parents prepared an apartment for me, but for leisure spending, I was told to earn my own money.

There were clothes I wanted to buy and, since I came all the way to Nagasaki, I also wanted to do some sightseeing. To do that, I needed money.

To live a wealthy, happy life, you had to work hard.

When I spoke about such things, the onii-san gave me an unexpected offer.

 

「In that case, you can work here.」

「–Eh?」

「Right now, I’m looking for people.」

 

I was surprised by the unexpected offer. I, what would I do in this stylish western cafe?

The onii-san presented some conditions.

 

「Working hours are from when it starts raining at night to when it stops.」

「Eh, why is that so?」

「This shop, it’s only open on rainy nights.」

「So that’s why it wasn’t open.」

 

I protested as I had come here many times to try to pay for my last visit.

At the very least, I told him that he could write the business hours on the gate.

 

「You can tell the business hours from the shop name though?」

「Shop name?」

 

Evening Rain Cafe

 

Since I didn’t know if it had other meanings, I looked it up in my electronic dictionary, it said that it meant light showers in the evening during late autumn and early winter.

 

「I don’t get it~~」

「You’ll understand.」

「I don’t understand!」

 

To understand the business hours from the shop name, I felt that that was too difficult.

Listening to his offer, some doubts came to mind.

 

「Then what if it rains all night?」

「Even if it is raining, we will close at midnight.」

「I see!」

 

As expected, it would be very hard to keep a shop open all night.

However, why on earth would he think of opening a shop with such a concept? It’s a mystery.

When I asked who the owner was, the onii-san said he was the owner. While he was still young, it seems he was working as a manager.

 

Even so, I thought that there were some questionable points.

 

「Because business hours are only when it rains at night, does that mean I won’t know my shifts in advance?」

「That is so.」

 

If the weather forecasts rain or it is already raining, then it would be easier.

 

「Those are quite tough conditions.」

 

Since if it doesn’t rain, there will be no work, my monthly earnings would also vary.

I was going to say that it wasn’t going to work, but the onii-san gave some attractive conditions.

 

「1500 yen per hour.」

「!?」

 

The minimum wage in the Nagasaki prefecture was about 700 yen. The part time jobs that paid about 900 yen per hour were flooded with applications.

In such an environment, an hourly wage of 1500 yen was exceptional.

As it was the rainy season now, I felt that I would be able to earn quite a bit.

If the income was small, I thought that I might be able to do some other part time jobs as well.

The onii-san asked me.

 

「How about it?」

「I’ll do it!」

 

Right away, without hesitation, I answered that I would work here.

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