【Epilogue: Start Player (Day 1)】

Board Game Cafe "Kurumaza," opening day. Just before business hours.

As I was gazing at the board game shelf again inside the store, frozen stiff with nervousness, someone suddenly tapped my shoulder pon.

When I turned around, slightly jumping biku, there was the figure of a tremendously sophisticated Gal.

Scattering a sunny-side aura (Yo-kya) completely opposite to mine, she called out with a bursting smile.

"Good work~. Heh-heh, looking forward to working with ya starting today, Tokiwa Kotaro-kun."

"P-P-P-Please treat me well, u-um... Ta-Takanashi-san?"

"No no, don't confirm a coworker's name on their nameplate at this late stage."

Saying that, Takanashi-san slapped my back bam-bam. I received a culture shock from her incredible distance-closing and light skinship. Th-This is the power of a normie...! It's a different breed of communication skill from Hagiri-sensei, Natsumi-san, or even Takeshi and Hankui. I have absolutely no idea how to respond.

I repeated deep breaths quickly, and asked, "Ra-Rather, Ta-Ta-Takanashi-san," while acting suspicious as usual.

"Y-You remembered the name of someone like me well. We only greeted each other briefly once at the staff meeting a while ago... Amazing."

"Eh? Ah, ahh... Right? Right? I totally do this stuff, me."

"Y-Yes. Respect."

Takanashi-san showed a momentary agitation at my point but immediately showed a mischievous smile. However, she quickly looked away from me again and muttered something.

"...Well, after hearing about you that much from my unworthy brother and sister-in-law..."

"?"

"Whoops, whaaat is it, Tokiwa-kun? Staring at my face so passionately~"

"Eh, no, s-s-sorry! Sorry!"

Having sexual harassment pointed out by a coworker immediately, I bowed my head repeatedly. No, strictly speaking, this kind of talk is no joke in my case! My identity isn't exposed here yet, but my public reason for expulsion is that, after all!

"......"

Seeing me completely wither and fall silent again, Takanashi... something-san, the Gal high school girl, looked blatantly like, "Ugh, I messed up, what a pain."

To escape this silence, I searched for a topic somehow.

"B-By the way, how did you find out about this part-time job, Takanashi-san?"

"Hmm? Why?"

"No, it's quite a niche job. I happened to see a flyer..."

"Ah-, that."

Takanashi-san thought for a bit, then pointed at me as if agreeing and replied.

"Pretty much, Me Too."

"Hmm? Ah, you mean from a flyer like me. But what do you mean by pretty much?"

"Hmm—"

To my question, Takanashi-san added, looking strangely shy for some reason.

"In my case, rather than the flyer, it's more like I saw the person looking at it?"

Takanashi-san stared straight into my eyes for some reason. Wh-What is this, I can't quite grasp the logic. But, I'm just incredibly embarrassed by that mysterious gaze.

I continued while looking away slightly.

"S-So, you mean like a friend introduced you?"

"Hmm... well, guess that works. Not far from the mark, maybe?"

Ugh, no good, normie logic is too difficult for me.

Somehow, isn't there a topic closer to me that we can both get excited about? As I looked around thinking that—I suddenly realized.

There was a perfect topic to have with someone who applied for this job.

I leaned forward involuntarily, breathing excitedly, and brought up the topic.

"Th-Th-That's right! What is Takanashi-san's favorite board game!?"

To that question from a board game otaku with eyes shining brilliantly.

However—her reaction was incredibly cold.

"Eh? Don't know any."

I almost despaired for a moment at that answer. But somehow pasting a smile on my face, I continued the conversation.

"Ah, s-sorry. I'm uneducated, so I haven't heard of that 'Don't Know Any' board game before—"

"Nah, I'm saying I've never played a board game properly once in my life, me."

"—Hah?"

At that moment—something snapped inside me. At the same time, losing all the nervousness I had held toward her until now, I closed in on the board-game-ignorant Gal with a fierce menacing look!

"What does that mean!"

"Wh-What do you mean..."

Takanashi-san looked away awkwardly immediately. However, she showed signs of thinking a little... and then, with a strangely bewitching smile, reached out her hand to me.

"Aha, I'm like, embarrassed to say it but, I'm a so-called Board Game Virgin~. So like, from now on, I want you to teach me gently, hand and foot—"

"Manager—! Fraud! It's a part-time job fraud, this person—"

"Wh-Whoa whoa whoa!"

"Mugu!"

Immediately moving behind me quickly, Takanashi-san covered my mouth with her right hand from behind like a scene from a crime movie. Moreover, her other arm was wrapped around my torso to restrain me, and as a result, something soft was pressing muni-muni against my back. Seriously, what is wrong with normie distance senses?

As I writhed trying to shake her off somehow, Takanashi-san whispered softly in my ear.

"He-Hey, Tokiwa-kun. I like, really wanted to work with you here~"

"I-I get it! I get it, so please let go of my body first!"

"Oh, already? That's kinda disappointing."

Takanashi-san let go with a light tone immediately. I turned to her with a bright red face and inadvertently protested.

"Th-That kind of thing isn't good, you know!"

"Hmm? That kind of thing?"

"So, um, how to put it... something like a honeypot trap/seduction."

"Seduction lol. What, did you fall for me in those few seconds just now, you?"

"No! But how should I put it... Ah, jeez!"

"Ahaha, relax. I wouldn't do this to just anyone, you know."

"Eh?"

I was bewildered, not understanding the intent of that remark. My cheeks felt hot. And... suddenly Takanashi-san floated a genuinely nasty grin nitaa.

"Okay, Tokiwa-kun, completely fell for it! Thanks!"

"Tsk! Y-You...!"

"Yikes, hilarious."

The Gal started laughing kera-kera, completely making a fool of me. ...Ah, jeez, somehow, I might be bad at dealing with her right off the bat! This person! I mean, considering the circumstances of my expulsion, I already have a slight aversion to that female manager type. On top of that, a total declaration of ignorance regarding board games, which was the only likely common topic. I seriously don't know what to do.

To me scratching my head wasa-wasa in irritation, Takanashi-san cut in with "I mean."

"Is Banjō actually strong at board games?"

"Banjō?"

"You. Somehow Tokiwa-kun or Kotaro-kun doesn't fit at all."

"I never thought my real name would be totally denied."

Yeah, I decided just now. This person is my enemy. Enemy. That recognition makes me less strangely nervous too.

I sighed once, and responded while pushing up the bridge of my glasses with my index finger.

"Well, compared to you, it's safe to say I'm strong."

"Hmm? Then, try rolling the dice, dice."

"Hah?"

As soon as she said it, Takanashi-san tossed a generic die, one of the cafe's supplies.

I caught it in a panic somehow, and returned an exasperated look.

"No no, being strong at board games isn't about that..."

"Uwa, what's that, lame excuse lol."

"Fine, just watch."

Sold a fight, bought a fight—I tossed the die onto the table with momentum. It rolled koro-koro, and the number it indicated was, as expected—

"...'3'."

"Waha, totally Banjō."

"What does that mean, what!"

While angry, I actually understood it myself. Yeah, totally me. Not getting a 1 or a 6 at times like this is truly, me. It's so true. Seriously true.

But what does this Gal, meeting me for the first time, understand about me? I mean, if this is a dice match, the result isn't decided yet. I tossed the die to Takanashi-san and announced provocatively.

"Then come on, Takanashi-san, you try—"

"Yes, '6'."

"I'm somewhat sorry."

A board game otaku suffering a complete defeat against a total novice Gal. Seeing me like that, Takanashi-san was holding her stomach laughing, finding something incredibly funny.

"Yikes, board games, super interesting."

"No, we just rolled dice."

"Yeah. Just rolled dice, right? With you."

"?"

Why did Takanashi-san show a smile as if cherishing this situation? ...This is bad, I seriously don't get the meaning. It's almost scary. What is with this person. ............

B-But, well...

"...Even if it was just this, if your first board game experience was fun, that's good."

To me inadvertently saying that while scratching my head. Takanashi-san smiled once again.

"Yeah."

"...Tsk."

I involuntarily looked away at that strangely meek, or rather lovely smile.

Really, this person is unfair. I-I won't be misled by this gap-moe technique.

............

B-But, well, um... certainly.

Just rolling dice being this fun, it was a first for me too.

Takanashi-san looked at me as if blaming me for something, saying "Ah, right~."

"Banjō, when you rolled a '3' earlier, your tension dropped, right? I don't think that's very good."

"Not good?"

"Yeah. Look, if it comes up often, greeting it like 'Oh, showed up again today!' feels way better than 'Not again', definitely."

"Th-That is true."

That was an idea completely absent from my thinking, but in a sense, it was a tremendously logical story. Is this the thinking of the cheerful attribute (Ne-aka)? Learning a lot.

I immediately tried to propose adopting that advice to Takanashi-san.

"Then, from now on when I roll a 3 with the dice..."

"Yeah."

"I'll shout 'MAMMA MIAAAAA!' okay?"

"Yeah, stop. The only one allowed to shout that is Nintendo's mascot. Customers will run."

"Then what should I do..."

"Hmm... let's see."

There, Takanashi-san suddenly looked at the basket filled with free complementary candies on the table, and cut in as if she had a brilliant idea.

"Hey, Banjō, which flavor do you like in this? I'm definitely Lemon!"

"Eh? Let's see... I guess Cola."

Saying that, I picked up a Cola candy. And Takanashi-san pointed exactly at that and announced.

"Then, let's go with that."

"Eh? With what?"

"So, the reward when Banjō rolls a '3'."

Saying that, Takanashi-san snatched the Cola candy from my hand and peeled the wrapper.

"Here, Banjō, say aah."

"Eh? Ah, aah..."

While bewildered, the Cola candy was tossed poi into my mouth which I managed to open.

...Sweet. Delicious. I mean, I ate it with the flow, but isn't being fed "aah" even with a candy a pretty risqué thing to happen just now...!

"Tasty?"

"Eh? Ah, yes, yes."

Asked before I could be bewildered, I nodded back koku-koku somehow.

Takanashi-san proposed, looking genuinely happy.

"Then Banjō. From now on, only right after rolling a 3, you can lick your favorite Cola candy."

"Eh? ...Ah, ahh, I see."

Certainly, if there is a reward of this level, I won't get unnecessarily depressed when rolling a "3", rather my mood might lift a little. ...Really, an idea I don't have.

Rolling the Cola candy, I thanked her with a smile.

"That's nice, that. Yeah. Alright, from now on at this shop, I decided to lick my favorite Cola flavor candy only at the timing I roll a '3'!"

"Isn't that good? ...Well, I'll lick Lemon flavor whenever I like though."

"Oi."

"Ahahaha!"

The two of us laughed kera-kera together. ...Yeah, with this person, I feel like I can work happily.

—Just then, the manager who was preparing outside called into the store through the door.

"Okay, it's about time to open, are preparations gooood?"

To that question, Takanashi-san and I exchanged glances and responded in unison.

『Okaaaay!』

Before I knew it, my nervousness had completely dissolved. ...I don't want to admit it, but it's clearly thanks to Takanashi-san... this coworker.

While the manager proceeded with the final opening preparations, Takanashi-san sat down on the chair in front of her as if to enjoy the final break time, and threw her upper body onto the table. ...This person, conversely, should have a little more tension.

While looking down at that state standing up, I asked casually.

"Ah, come to think of it, Takanashi-san..."

"Hmm?"

Lying on the table, the Gal turned only her head to look back at me. And there, she suddenly noticed the die rolling in front of her—the die she had rolled a "6" with earlier—and started fiddling with it koro-koro with her fingertips.

Looking at that state idly, I continued the question.

"Why did you go out of your way to take this job? It's not like the hourly wage is particularly high."

"Hmm..."

To my question, unexpectedly she didn't answer immediately. She fiddled with the die as if contemplating something. After doing so for a while, she answered as if choosing her words.

"Like—. Honestly, I was surprised myself."

"Yes."

"While listening to stories from family, or secretly watching from afar repeatedly. I... it's frustrating, but I guess I got hooked."

"............"

Honestly, I didn't understand what story she was talking about at all. But because she had such a calm and affection-filled expression, I inadvertently was captivated by it and lost my words.

Takanashi-san continued.

"Before I knew it, even knowing it was improper, I ended up making a move."

"Making a move... um, on what?"

Captivated by her beauty, I somehow asked back just that.

Then Takanashi-san stopped playing with her hands and stood up slowly.

Sandwiching the die she had adjusted the outcome of between her fingertips, she showed it to me.

And floating a somewhat mischievous smile, she spoke those words.

"A Playful Relationship."