休日のバイト風景
「おはようございます。マスター、麻里子さん」
「ああ、亘君。おはよう」
「おはよう、亘ちゃん」
土曜の朝、出勤した俺は店主である老夫婦に挨拶してエプロンを装着した。
二人は店内の掃除をし、椅子を並べている所である。
商店街の裏路地にひっそりと建っている小さな喫茶店、ここが俺のバイト先。
かつては定番のコンビニチェーンやファーストフードの店員などもやったが、あの慌ただしさがどうにも肌に合わず......。
どんなバイトなら長く続けられるかと考えていた頃に、ふらりと引き寄せられるようにこの店に入ったのが最初の切っ掛けだ。
アンティーク調の落ち着いた雰囲気の店内、マスターの淹れるコーヒーの香りと美味さ――一目惚れだった。
「今日はサービスデーですからね。張り切って作りますよ!」
「無理しないでね。亘ちゃんったら、頑張り過ぎちゃうからオバサン心配よ」
「なんのなんの。麻里子さんが担当メニューを増やして下さったんで、随分と楽させて頂いてますよ」
「ふふ。では、本格的に開店準備を始めようか」
バイトは募集していなかったそうだが、無理を言って雇ってもらうことに。
というのも、この店「喫茶ひなた」は経営難により数ヶ月で閉店予定だったそうなのだ。
その後は色々な人の助けを借りながら経営を再建、今に至る。
このまま何事もなければ、高校卒業までこの店で働く予定だ。
「そういやマスター。ココアに塩とか胡椒を入れるとどうなります? 前に雑誌か何かで見たんですけど」
「うん? そうだなあ......塩なら甘さが引き立つだろうし、胡椒なら香りが良くなるケースもあるね。ココア本来の効能と合わせて、更に体も温まるだろう。亘君はスパイシーココアって知っているかい?」
「いえ。シナモンでも入れるんですか?」
「シナモンも正解。他には、生姜、唐辛子、ナツメグ、カルダモン......割と合わせるものはバリエーション豊かだね。味も香りも様々で、面白いよ」
「へえ。今度試してみようかな」
「ほーら、二人とも手が止まってるわよ。男の人ってすぐに
「あ、すみません」
俺の謝罪の横で、苦笑を残してマスターが看板を出しに行く。
俺はその間ひたすら調理を続け、生地を作っては型に流し込む。
それらが三個ほど焼き上がった時点で、いつも朝一で来店する常連さんが扉を開けて入ってくる。
「いらっしゃいませ」
「おはよう、マスター。モーニングのAセットね」
注文を聞くと、マスターが手動のミルで豆を挽き始める。
暫くすると店内には良い香りが......はー、これだよこれ。
豊かな香りでありながら、調和のとれた繊細な――駄目だ、俺の
好みはあるだろうが飲んでも深いコクと後味の良い酸味が素晴らしく、俺はマスターの淹れるコーヒーが大好きだ。
朝の常連さんたちはモーニングセットであるトースト系やパスタ等の注文が多いので、一度そちらの準備メインに切り替える。
さっき焼いた物の出番は大体、午前十時くらいからになるだろうか。
調理と注文伺い、食器の洗いにテーブルの拭き掃除など忙しく動き回る。
朝食を兼ねた常連さんたちの波が引くと、ちらほらと若い女性の姿が増え始める。
「オッス、岸上君。サービスデーだからケーキ食べに来たよー」
「ありがとう。今日は一人?」
「ううん、友達とショッピングに行くからここで待ち合わせ。後から二人来るよ」
「そ。では、テーブル席の方へどうぞ」
気持ち大きめに切り分けたシフォンケーキを皿に載せ、生クリームを添えてブレンドコーヒーと一緒に持っていく。
日替わりケーキセット、値段は500円のワンコインだ。
普段の値段はこれより100円高い訳だが......学生にとって100円の差は馬鹿にならないと個人的に思うのである。
なので、値段が下がる毎週土曜日は比較的忙しい。
朝からずっとかき混ぜ、型に入れ、大量に焼いていたのはこの日替わりセットの為のシフォンケーキだ。
このお店の弱点だった若い層の客の取り込み......その為に、ケーキを日替わりで安く提供することを提案したのはバイト開始から一週間後のこと。
元々店の食べ物系のメニューはトーストとパスタ系、甘い物は精々ホットケーキしか存在していなかったのが俺としては気になった。
手が足りないので常設メニューにチョコレートケーキ、それに加えて精々一種類までしか作れないので、仕入れによって日替わり提供という形になった。
そんなこの店のことを口コミで広めてくれた功労者は、実はこの斎藤さんだったりする。
インターネットが全盛になった今でも、オフラインでの直の口コミによる影響力は健在ということらしい。
今では、それが広がって地元の大学生なんかの姿も良く見るようになった。
「あ、キッシー私にもケーキセット」
「わたるん、私もー」
「岸上君、コーヒーおかわりー。シフォンケーキふわふわー。うまー」
「......はい、少々お待ちくださいませ」
どうして俺の呼び名は、人によってこんなにもブレブレなんだろう?
注文の声が聞こえたのは、気が付くと女子三人に増えていた斎藤さんのテーブルからだ。
この時間は少し賑やかで......正午付近になると、また来店する年齢層が上がり店内は静かになる。
午後三時以降から夜の早い時間までは再び若い層が増えて賑やかに。
元の客層と合わさり、上手く店が回転しているのを感じる瞬間だ。
「ありがとうございました」
斎藤さん達が満足した様子で店から出て行く。
買い物した後にお金があったらまた来ると言っていたが......あの感じだと望みは薄いな。
勢いに任せて色々と買ってしまうノリですよ、ありゃあ。
一時期、若年層が増えすぎて静かな店の雰囲気を壊しているんじゃないかと心配したこともある。
しかし二人は、孫が沢山増えたみたいで嬉しいと肯定的なのが幸いだった。
以前からの常連さんと来店時間がそれほど被っていなかったこともあり、それによる客離れも無かったので当時は心底ほっとしたものである。
斎藤さん達を見送り、調理場に戻った俺にススッと麻里子さんが寄ってくる。
この人は年の割に動きも感性も若々しい。
「亘ちゃんはモテるわねぇ。あの三人の中だったら誰が良いの?」
「やめてくださいよ、麻里子さん。大体、あれの三分の二は彼氏持ちですよ?」
「別に残念じゃないです」
リア充爆発――はしなくてもいいか。
どうせなら彼氏も連れて店に来て欲しいものだ。売り上げに貢献したまえ。
ちなみにフリーであるところの三分の一は斎藤さんだ。残念ながら、競争率は高いがね。
忙しかった午前と昼食時のピークタイムを終え、少し客足が落ち着いた時間。
そこにふらりと現れたのは、昨夜と違いすっかり元気を取り戻した秀平だった。
「よーっす、わっち。暇だから冷やかしに来たぜ!」
「こらこら、亘君」
「ちょちょちょ! 一杯1000円近いコーヒーなんて、俺飲まないよ! そんな味が分かる高尚な舌じゃないし!」
「来たなら何か頼めよ。でないと、ブラックアイボリーを無理矢理飲ませるぞ」
「俺の一月分の小遣いが飛んじゃう! ......え、えっとー......ブレンドコーヒーとピザトーストで。わっち、暇なら話相手になってよ」
ちなみにブラックアイボリーは象の
にスーツでバッチリ決めた常連の紳士が注文していくので、ウチの店でも少量取り扱っている。
秀平は他に誰も客が居ないのを見ると、テーブル席について俺を手招きした。
まだ勤務中なんだがな......マスター達の方を見ると、構わないよという優しい笑顔。
「亘ちゃん、行っといで。お昼まだだったでしょう?
「あ、いいんですか? じゃあ......ナポリタンで」
「はいはい。席に持っていくから、ゆっくりしていて。お友達と一緒に」
「ありがとうございまーす! わっち、ほらほら」
「ああ、今行くよ。では、お言葉に甘えて休憩に入ります」
「うん、どうぞ」
秀平のことだしどうせゲームの話だろうな、と思いつつも。
自分の顔も少し緩んでいる自覚があるのが困りものだ。
Chapter 38 - The Scenery In My Part-Time Job During A Holiday
[Good morning. Master, Mariko-san.]  (Wataru)
[Ah, Wataru-kun. Morning.] (Shirou)
[Morning, Wataru-chan.]  (Mariko)
Saturday morning, I entered the shop for my part-time job, greeted the elderly couple and put on my apron.
They were both currently cleaning the interior and lining up the chairs.
A small coffee shop inconspicuously built in an alleyway in the shopping district, this is were I was working part-time.
I used to work in places like convenience stores and fast food restaurants, but those types of busy stores just didn't go well with me.
Just when I was thinking about what work I would be able to do for a long time, as if I was pulled by something, I entered this shop and it marked the beginning.
The interior gave an antique and calm feeling and the aroma and deliciousness of master's coffee...it was love at first sight.
[Today is service day after all. I'll get fired up!]  (Wataru)
[Don't force yourself. Jeez, Wataru-chan, you work too hard so auntie is worried.]  (Mariko)
[This is nothing. Since you increased the amount of the menu you are in charge of, it's been quite comfortable.]  (Wataru)
[Fufu. In that case, shall we make preparations to open the shop?]  (Mariko)
They weren't supposed to be hiring anyone but I made an unreasonable request for them to hire me.
The reason for that was because this store, [Sunny place (Hinata) teahouse]  was scheduled to close in a couple months due to financial difficulties.
After that, we borrowed the help of various people and were able to get back on track and that brings us to the current day.
As long as nothing goes wrong, I plan to work here until I graduate from high school.
[Oh right, master. What happens to cocoa when you add salt or black pepper? I read something about it in a magazine a while back.]  (Wataru)
[Hmm? Let's see...adding salt will increase its sweetness and if you add black pepper it'll improve its aroma.
[No. Do they add cinnamon?]  (Wataru)
[You are right about the cinnamon. Other than that, ginger, red pepper, nutmeg, cardamom...there are quite a few things that go well with it so there are plenty of variants. They have various aromas and flavours, it's pretty interesting.]  (Shirou)
[I see. I might try it out next time.]  (Wataru)
[Come on you two, your hands have stopped. Men sure end up talking about their knowledge right away...]  (Mariko)
[Ah, I'm sorry.]  (Wataru)
Next to me who was apologizing, master made a bitter smile and proceeded to go and put up the board sign.
Meanwhile, I focused on making preparations for cooking, I made the dough and poured it into the mold.
When I had baked about three of them, the regulars that came to eat in the morning entered through the door.
[Welcome.]  (Shirou)
[Morning, master. A morning A set please.] 
Once he heard the order, master ground the beans in the manual mill.
For a while, the interior was filled with a great fragrance...hah, I meant this.
As long as this rich fragrance is here, I can feel this sensation of harmony...no good, my poor vocabulary is unable to describe what's great about this fragrance.
It might be because I took a liking to it, but when you drink it, its flavor is deep and the sourness of its aftertaste is excellent too. I really love the taste of the coffee that master brews.
The morning set that regulars ask for often in the morning are mostly made of toast sets and pasta ones, for the time being, I went back to making preparations.
By the time the ones I started baking are done it'd be around 10am.
I moved around while being busy cleaning tableware and tables, cooking and taking orders.
Mixed in among the regulars that were here for breakfast, you could see that the amount of young women was increasing here and there.
[Hey there, Kishikami-kun. Since it's service day, I came to get some cake.]  (Saitou)
[Thanks. Are you alone today?]  (Wataru)
[Nope, I have plans to go shopping with friends so we decided to meet up here. Both of them are coming later.]  (Saitou)
[I see. In that case, please take a seat in a table.]  (Wataru)
I placed a somewhat large piece of chiffon cake on a plate and brought it to her table along with a blend coffee garnished in fresh cream.
Cake set of the day, its cost was a single 500 yen coin.
Usually it would cost 100 yen more...but the difference of 100 yen is no laughing matter for a student.
That's why it tends to be quite busy when we reduce the price every Saturday.
What I've been mixing since this morning, putting it into the molds and baking in high quantities were all chiffon cakes for this cake set of the day.
The weakness of this shop was that it was unable to bring in young customers...in order to fix that, I proposed to serve a cake set of the day at a low price a week after I started working here.
Originally, this shop mainly offered toasts and pasta dishes, if we were talking about sweets, it would be pancakes at most and that bothered me.
Since we were short of hands, we added chocolate cake to the menu, but since we only were able to make 1 type of it, we decided to change it into offering a cake of the day.
The person who spread the word about this shop with word of mouth was actually this Saitou-san.
Even in this age of the internet, it seems that there's value in word of mouth online.
Right now, you can even see students from the local university.
[Ah, Kisshi a cake set for me too.] 
[Watarun, me too.] 
[Kishikami-kun, a coffee refill please. The chiffon cake was so fluffy. So good.]  (Saitou)
[...Got it, please wait just a moment.]  (Wataru)
I wonder why it is so hard for people to call me by my given name?
The ones that ordered were the two girls that had suddenly appeared in Saitou-san's table and her.
It's a bit lively during this hour...but once it gets close to noon, the age of the people that come to the store will be higher and the atmosphere of the shop will turn calm.
From 3pm to early in the evening it will once again be filled with young people and turn lively.
Adding the original clientele, the store does give quite the nice feeling of rotation.
[Thank you for coming.]  (Wataru)
Saitou-san and the others left the store satisfied.
They said that they would come again later if they had any money left after buying their things...but from what I've seen, the chances for that are slim.
They did seem like they were in the mood of letting fate run its course and buy various things.
There was a period of time, where they worried that having too much of an increase in younger customers would destroy the peaceful atmosphere of the shop.
However, luckily both of them said that they were happy because it felt like the number of grandchildren they had, had increased.
There's also the fact that the times they come don't tend to overlap with the time the old regulars come and they didn't seem to lose interest in the shop either so they were relieved at that time.
I saw Saitou-san and the others off, once I got back to the kitchen, Mariko-san approached me.
Even though she's at this age, her actions are relatively youthful.
[Wataru-chan sure is popular. Who do you prefer among those three?]  (Mariko)
[Mariko-san, please stop that. To begin with, two of them already got boyfriends you know?]  (Wataru)
[It's not really a shame.]  (Wataru)
Normies should explode...well not really.
Since it's like that, I wished they brought their boyfriends to the shop too. It would contribute to the sales.
By the way, the one that is free among those three is Saitou-san. Unfortunately, the number of applications for that position is high.
The busy morning and lunch time's peak time ended and the customer traffic calmed down a bit.
The one who unexpectedly appeared at that time was Shuuhei, who was completely energetic unlike last night.
[Hey, Wacchi. Since I was free, I came to tease you!]  (Shuuhei)
[Don't be like that, Wataru-kun.]  (Shirou)
[Wai-wai-wait! Nearly 1000 Yen for a cup of coffee!? I won't drink that! I don't even have a refined tongue to understand the flavor!]  (Shuuhei)
[Since you are already here, order something. If you don't, I'll force you to drink a Black Ivory.]  (Wataru)
[My monthly pocket money will all be gone! ...Eh, let's see...a blend coffee and a pizza toast. Wacchi, since you are free, come and talk with me.]  (Shuuhei)
By the way, Black Ivory is a type of coffee beans that's salvaged from elephant's excrement, a single cup goes for thousands of Yen, it's a top class bean.
Occasionally, a gentleman with a perfect suit orders it, so we do have small quantities in our store.
Shuuhei saw that there was not a single customer in the shop and beckoned me to his table.
I'm still in the middle of my shift though...when I looked at master and his wife, they smiled implying they didn't mind.
[Wataru-chan, go ahead. You still haven't eaten lunch right? I'll make something for you.]  (Mariko)
[Ah, is it really OK? In that case...a Naporitan.]  (Wataru)
[Got it. I'll bring it to your seat, so take it easy. Go with your friend.]  (Mariko)
[Thank you very much! Wacchi, come on.]  (Shuuhei)
[Ah, I'll be right there. In that case, I'll take your offer and take a break.]  (Wataru)
[Yes, go ahead.]  (Mariko)
Since it's Shuuhei, he's probably going to talk about the game.
Though I'm a bit annoyed that I noticed my face becoming softer too.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都