The Pain of an Inferior: A Blistering Love Comedy That Begins After a Broken Heart - Chapter 63
“Thank you for your time today, Obi-kun.”
“You’re welcome. I was free too, so I’m glad I could help.”
Haruka and Reika came to a large scale accessory exhibition.
The purpose of the event was to sell Reika’s handmade goods.
Reika was dressed in a very fancy outfit and wore her hair in a very fancy way, probably because she was going to be standing in the store.
Her long black hair was braided on both sides and tied back in a half-up style.
Her cherry blossom earrings were hanging from her earlobes, which were exposed by the hair arrangement.
Reika was wearing an original uniform of a genre called “fictitious uniform,” which was not adopted by any organization.
She was wearing a beige jacket over a white blouse and a knee-length navy blue skirt.
It was the most neat and tidy impression among all the private uniforms that Haruka has seen so far.
“I didn’t want you to think that I was avoiding you, so I mustered up the courage to ask you out today.”
“You didn’t have to worry so much.”
“I also want to get to know you better.”
Reika smiles defenselessly.
She seemed to have been worried about the fact that she had turned down Haruka’s invitation in the past, so to make up for it she invited Haruka today.
She also invited Ria, but Ria said she couldn’t come because she had a voice recording job to do.
“I don’t mind if I’m going to be your vendor, but are you okay with my appearance?”
Haruka was asked by Reika to be a vendor at the event with a reward.
He was aware that his appearance was pretty stern, and was worried that he may keep the customers away from Reika’s store.
“Don’t worry! You’re stylish and cool!”
Reika leaned forward with her hands in front of her chest and complimented him, Haruka bended over a little and smiled.
“Oh, thank you… I’m embarrassed…”
The two arrive at the booth prepared for them and receive boxes filled with goods from the delivery robot.
While Reika was displaying the products, Haruka was enjoying the fresh view of the event site.
“There’s quite a lot of people here.”
“There are many workshops around here. Many people gather at handmade events.”
At the commercial facilities called workshops, one can create sophisticated items with only materials and fees.
Of course, without technical skills and ideas, it was impossible to create something that attracts people, but Reika was fully equipped with such skills, as one can see from the items she had created.
“Shall we just sit down and relax?”
Reika sat down on a chair after finishing the display.
The numerous accessories lined up in a narrow space gave off a variety of lights, giving the impression of a glittering object. The black fabric underneath and the textured paper partitions surrounding the items for sale helped to create a sense of luxury.
“How did you spend your last summer vacation, Obi-kun?”
“I just played around. I spent a lot of time studying for the A-10 exam when I was in the elementary school,
Reika-san, did you spend your summer vacation making accessories?”
“Something like that. I spent the whole time in the workshop, so I had a very unhealthy summer vacation.”
Over a cup of tea prepared by Reika, the two casually chatted.
While they were killing time in this way, an announcement rang out that the event was about to start.
An avalanche of people started pouring in from the entrance.
Haruka was surprised to see such a large number of people.
“Most of the people who come in as soon as the event starts are followers of some kind.”
Just as Reika said, the people headed straight to their destinations without any hesitation.
As soon as the guests entered, they scattered and followed the guide that seemed to be displayed in the air.
Several guests arrived at Reika’s place.
When they saw Reika, male customers came up to her with smiles on their faces that seem to have some kind of ulterior motive.
And then they saw Haruka standing next to her, they look a little surprised.
Immediately, the smiles of the male customers disappeared, and they look at the shelves with fearful and suspicious behavior.
After a few times of back and forth between his eyes and the display shelves, he indicated his intention to purchase one of the products by pointing at it.
“Oh, um… I’ll buy that one.”
“Okay.”
Haruka quickly boxed up the item the customer specified and hands it to Reika.
“Thank you for your purchase.”
Reika smiled with a big smile on her face and handed over the goods to the man. A credit effect was generated from the man’s body, and it flew to Reika’s side and disappeared.
The man with the merchandise left the place with a frown on his face.
The man standing in line behind him stole a glance at Haruka’s face, gave him a subtle look and moved his eyes to the display shelves.
“Can I have this one please.”
“Aight.”
Haruka boxed up the item in the same way as before and hands them to Reika.
Receiving Reika’s thanks and a friendly smile, the customer paid via credit and left the place.
The first female customer appeared behind him. She was a girl who looks somewhat active.
“I’ll buy this and this!”
“Okay.”
“Thank you very much.”
The girl chosed two items without much trouble, receives Reika’s smile and the items, and leaves.
After that, customers came one after another, and Reika’s products slowly dwindled down.
When half of the items on the shelves were gone, the number of customers finally calmed down.
“Thanks to Obi-kun, I haven’t had any troublesome customers today!”
“I had a feeling that’s what you were after!”
Haruka had witnessed many times that customers suddenly turned back in front of him, glared at him, or acted suspiciously when they saw Haruka working as a vendor.
“Well, it’s true that I want to get to know you better.”
“I don’t mind, but….”
Seeing Haruka sulking, Reika giggled.
“I often use myself as a model when I’m introducing my own accessories and stuff, and because of that I’ve gained a lot of male followers. I know it’s my fault, but…”
“You’re beautiful, Reika, so of course that’s the case.”
Haruka direct praise made Reika stiffen but she quickly came back to her senses.
“I get tangled up a lot, maybe I look like an easy target?”
“Would you get mad if I tell you that I agree?”
“I won’t! I’m not such a troublesome woman!”
Reika leaned forward with her hands in front of her chest and strike a pose.
Haruka pulled away and smiled wryly.
“Well… I’m glad that I can be of help to you.”
“You’ve been really helpful. I hope you will help me again next time!”
“Aye.”
According to Reika’s story, she had a lot of trouble with a guy who kept talking to her even after he already bought her goods and a guy who kept asking her out.
This time, Haruka’s presence put pressure on them and prevented such men from interfering with her business.
Perhaps some men will unfollow Reika after this , but it would be a good thing for her, as she does not want such followers, even if it means a decrease in sales.
“I think it’s time to restock.”
Reika says and puts new items in the half empty space.
Some of the designs were the same as the ones that had been sold, while others were new designs.
“How long did it take you to make these?”
“Hmmm. About three or four hours for each one.”
“You can make such an elaborate object in four hours? That’s amazing…”
Earrings with gemstones that seem to contain the universe, a necklace with a key made of amber ore. It was hard for Haruka to believe that these had taken only four hours to make.
“Using robots eases the process. Almost everything from sanding to finishing, is done by a robot. If anything, designing and engineering take up most of the time.”
“I see…”
It seemed that the male guests who were fans of Reika were concentrated in the first half of the event, after that, most of the guests were women.
Reika’s accessories attracted the attention of even first-time guests, and then disappeared from the display shelves.
“Fufufu…. They’re selling well. I’m also accepting resale requests, so I hope my work spreads by word of mouth.”
“There are only a few left. the pace is quite good compared to the others, isn’t it?”
Haruka looked around. Many of the other participants still have 50 to 80% of their booths left. He felt a little sorry for some of the booths that sold almost nothing, but he guessed that this was a common occurrence in such an event.
As he looked at the other booths, a familiar face suddenly came into his sight.
It was Akishino Yukito, a friend of Reika’s whom he met at a flea market some time ago.
When Yukito found Reika’s booth, he went straight to her.
Reika’s eyes widened in surprise, not knowing that Yukito was coming.
“Hello, Kamisato-san.”
“Hello. What are you doing here today? It’s unusual for you to come to an accessory exhibition.”
“Oh, well… You said you were going to participate in this event at LAIN. I came to support you.”
Reika’s lukewarm reaction could be felt by Haruka next to her.
“T-thank you…”
“If you’d asked me to be your vendor, I would have done it…”
Eyes full of resentment lash out at Haruka without restraint. Haruka couldn’t help but smile wryly at the hatred that Yukito didn’t bother to hide.
“You see! Obi-kun works out, so he’s perfect for keeping men away.”
Reika leaned on Haruka’s upper arm and showed off his muscles.
Although Haruka’s muscles aren’t that big, his whole body was well toned, giving Haruka a muscular impression even though he was slender.
Hearing Reika’s words of praise, Yukito looked as if he swallowed a bitter bug and glared upward at Haruka.
Haruka, who was embarrassed by the glare, hugged Reika’s shoulder and used her as a shield.
“W-well, you leave Reika-san to me, I’ll return her safely…”
Reika’s cheeks blushed as she was hugged, and she looked nonplussed.
“Oh really, then…”
Without trying to hide his bitter attitude, Yukito left the place leaving a bad feeling in the air.
Reika watched at Yukito’s back while leaning close to Haruka, and finally relaxed with a sigh when he disappeared from their sight.
“You look like you’re having a hard time.”
“Yes, well…”
Reika had never been attracted to Yukito as a member of the opposite sex, but she liked him as a fellow handmade craftsman and as a friend.
But ever since Reika met Haruka, Yukito suddenly seemed to be losing his charm.
He became more and more self-promotional and tried to attract Reika’s attention with a blunt attitude every time they interact.
A man close to her turned into a troublesome monster, Reika couldn’t help but sigh deeply.
“I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Okay, take care.”
Seeing Haruka off to the bathroom, Reika took out a box from her pouch.
It was a handmade watch that she had prepared as a reward for Haruka.
The skeletonized design allows one to clearly see the internal gears of various sizes turning in a steady rhythm.
Among the large silver gears, there was one small gold one.
The shiny blue second hand moves incessantly, clanking.
“I wonder if he’ll be happy…”
Reika can only imagine him being pleased, probably because of Haruka’s behavior.
Although Reika didn’t have many chances to talk to him in the classroom, She had seen many kind smiles on his face when he talked with Ria and Yunika.
While Reika’s eyes were fixed on the watch, she noticed a figure across the table.
She shook and look up in a panic.
Reika was even more surprised to see the girl in front of her.
She was as white as snow.
Her long, pure white hair flowed down her back. Her face was frighteningly cold and inorganic. She had a pair of full-length eyes and amber round eyes. A small, clean bridge of the nose.
Her skin was a pure, bleached white; no blackheads, no stains, no pimples.
She was wearing a black one-piece dress over a blouse and a red cardigan. Her white legs were slender, and black stockings covered her from ankle to toe.
Her face was perfectly symmetrical, unlike that of a normal human being, which made Reika confused if the girl in front of her was an elaborate doll.
“A white doll…”
Reika muttered involuntarily, and the girl’s face distorted blatantly.
“That’s racist of you, caveman.”
She pointed at one of the few remaining items without waiting for Reika’s response.
It was a silver hair clip inlaid with a pure white gem.
“I’ll buy that one.”
“Ah y-yes… Thank you very much…”
As Reika was packing the items into a box, two girls who seemed to be her friends approached the booth.
Both of them were eye-catching with their pure white hair and inorganic doll-like beauty.
The people around them were naturally surprised at the sudden appearance of such alien beings, and they looked at them with a mixture of curiosity and awe without hesitation.
“QLa9TaL, did you buy something?”
“I bought a hairclip since my long hair is bothering me.”
“Why don’t you just cut it off?”
“If I cut it off, I won’t have many options for styling my hair.”
The girl named “Kuurakutaru” paid via credit, received the goods, and left the place. The two girls followed her without looking at Reika.
“Whoah, a Europaean.”
From behind the stunned Reika, Haruka showed up.
“That’s right… I was so surprised…”
“I’ve never seen the real thing before.”
“Me neither.”
The pure white girls from Europa looked around the event site, attracting the attention of everyone in the venue, and then they left.
“They’re like a typhoon.”
“Ahaha…”
Things went on smoothly from then on, and the event, which lasted for four hours, came to an end.
Although two of Reika’s items remained unsold, she was happy to have sold everything else.
After cleaning up, Haruka and Reika left the event hall.
After a quick meal at a nearby fast food restaurant, they headed home.
“Um, Obi-kun… This is for today.”
Before they get in a car and parted ways, Reika handed the gift to Haruka as a thank-you that she prepared beforehand.
“Thank you? May I open it?”
“Go ahead…”
When Haruka opened the box and checked it’s contents, he let out a small smile.
“A stylish watch.”
“Well… I’m in the middle of learning how to make a clock. It’s my first one, so it’s still a little rough… Please accept it if you like.”
“It’s beautiful enough. Thank you, Reika-san. I’ll take good care of it.”
“Ehehe. Thank you for helping me today, Obi-kun.”
“You’re welcome. Call me again.”
“Yes… I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Reika got into the car that came to pick her up.
“See you later.”
“See you at school.”
The car that Reika rode on left. She stared at Haruka, who was seeing her off, as she moved further and further away from him.
“I knew it, you’re so lovely…”
Reika uttered a few words, her cheeks turning cherry red.