-----
-----
Ding-dong—
"Welcome!"
It was the evening rush hour, the busiest time for CLOVER Convenience Store.
After finishing her shift, Azusa Enomoto handed over the store's management responsibilities to
Fuyutsuki Shiori and Nakai Yui.
At the same time…
Since school had already ended, Sonoko Suzuki and Ran Mouri had also arrived to help out voluntarily.
Over the past two weeks…
Akira had not only managed to keep Ran and Shiori getting along well, but under his subtle influence, Sonoko had also grown completely dependent on him.
Since last week, Sonoko had stayed at the store until the very last moment every night.
And the reason?
Because she wanted to have some private time with him in the stockroom after everyone else had left.
"Yui."
"Haven't you been acting a little restless these past two days?"
"...?"
Taking advantage of a moment when everyone else was busy, Akira cornered Yui against the stockroom wall.
At this point…
Among the four high school girls working at CLOVER Convenience Store, Yui was the only one who hadn't fully fallen under his influence.
"N-no…"
"I don't know anything."
"I—I don't remember anything."
Yui was so nervous she felt like she could dig a hole in the ground with her toes.
The scene from two weeks ago in the stockroom was burned into her mind. Just hearing Akira bring it up made her involuntarily recall how Sonoko's legs had trembled back then.
"You don't remember?"
"But your eyes tell me you do."
"Are you picturing it right now?"
Yui's face instantly turned crimson.
Exactly!
She had just been thinking about Sonoko's flushed face, breathing heavily.
Did Sonoko look like she was struggling?
No.
Although she seemed like she was on the verge of passing out, the expression on her face was pure enjoyment.
Shiori had whispered something similar in her ear that day, too.
"Yui."
"What are you thinking about right now?"
"Could it be that… you're interested, too?"
That question made Yui even more flustered.
She shook her head repeatedly and denied it. "No… of course not!"
"I'll be waiting for you after we close tonight."
Akira smirked playfully, watching Yui tense up before leaving. Once he was gone, she slid down against the wall, crouching in the corner of the stockroom.
Her body reacted instinctively.
Oh no…
Why was she feeling this way just from a few teasing words?
At 11 PM, CLOVER Convenience Store finally closed for the day.
The four high school girls finished up their shifts and began heading home one by one.
"See you tomorrow, darling~"
Sonoko was the last to leave. After tidying up in the stockroom, she walked over to Akira, completely satisfied.
She stood on her tiptoes and planted a sweet kiss on his lips.
"Bye-bye!"
Just as she reached the door, she suddenly turned back, leaned close to his ear, and whispered:
"Today was even more than yesterday. I think I'm completely full now."
And before he could respond, she had already dashed out the door.
Meanwhile…
"Hmm… looks like it's done."
Using the store's system control panel, Akira checked on a certain transaction.
The two M3 submachine guns, three AK-47 assault rifles, and 200 rounds of ammunition he had
stashed at his hillside villa had successfully been retrieved by Yamamoto Ichiro.
The entire deal had been carried out discreetly. In return, Akira had only accepted five packs of
strawberry sandwiches and two boxes of chocolate-covered beans—an insignificant cost compared to his actual profit: a whopping 5.4 million yen.
A perfect, undetectable transaction.
He glanced at the store's system panel again.
The available funds in the top right corner had now increased to 12 million yen.
And his experience bar read 453,100/1,000,000.
According to the system's trade list…
Selling a Glock pistol earned 10,000 EXP, while selling a long gun brought in 50,000 EXP.
Between his regular business and his weapons deals, his experience bar was already nearly halfway full.
"Time to head home."
Akira casually pulled down the store's rolling shutter.
As for his "appointment" with Yui?
A smirk appeared on his lips.
That was just a little tease—he had no intention of actually waiting for her.
Of course… there was no rush.
He had plenty of time to reel in this last "loose fish."
"....."