Chapter 57: Her Price and My Value

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Translator: Soafp

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The dry air flowed through the café. The faint scent of the coffee I had ordered tickled my nose.

She sat across from me at the table, staring at me intently before smiling softly. Then, with one hand raised and three fingers standing up, she spoke in a light, almost business-like tone.

“If you’re going to do it with your hands… here’s the deal!”

Next came four fingers…

I managed to snap myself back to reality and squeezed out some words.

“No, no, no! That’s not the issue! I don't even know anything about you!”

“Eh? You want to know about me? Sure! I’m Reizen Ranko, eighteen years old. Oh, and I dropped out of high school.”

Ranko casually introduced herself, her bright and free-spirited attitude overwhelming me. I stared at her, trying to make sense of the situation.

Her chest, which was boldly accentuated by her outfit, caught my attention, and I quickly looked away.

“Ah, I saw you looking! I thought you weren't interested, but I guess you are! Don't hide it! Alright, I’m getting all hyped up! So, where should we go? Dinner first?”

She bombarded me with words, and in my confusion, I reached out both hands to stop her.

“Stop! Stop!”

But at that moment…

A soft, delicate sensation touched my outstretched hands.

Huh?

I froze in surprise.

When I looked up, my hand had accidentally touched Ranko's chest.

“Ah! Not there!”

She puffed up her cheeks and gave me a playful glare.

“Well, I guess that means you’re responsible, right?”

“I-I’m sorry…!”

was completely flustered.

“No need to apologize, so what's it going to be? You're not going to decline, right?”

Her lips curled into a daring smile. Whether she was seasoned at this or just following her instincts, I couldn't tell. The true emotions behind her expression remained a mystery.

“Why do you need money so badly?”

I asked, trying to regain control of the conversation.

Ranko paused for a moment, then tilted her head slightly, resting her chin in her hand, before letting out a bitter laugh.

“Well… I mixed up the payday, and I stupidly spent money before it came in—haha… Now, my utility bills are about to be a disaster, so I thought, ‘Alright, let's do this!’ and came here. I looked for an app, but most of them demand full services…”

She slumped her shoulders, her face showing a mix of frustration and childlike vulnerability.

“Then, you don't usually do things like this?”

I asked, and Ranko nodded firmly without hesitation.

“Of course not! I love my job right now!”

Her words were full of conviction. There was a hint of pride in them.

As I looked into her pure eyes, a smile involuntarily spread across my face.

“Hm? What's up?”

Ranko tilted her head curiously.

I slowly took out my wallet and placed 40,000 yen in her palm.

“Eh…? What? You don't have to pay upfront, you know? You seem like the type who wouldn't bail on me…”

Ranko was confused as she stared at the bills in her hand, almost as if checking if they were real.

“I can tell you’re doing your best to find something you really want to do, right? So… I hope you won't have to resort to doing this anymore.”

I could somehow sense that my words had reached her. Maybe it was just a trick of the mind, but it felt like it had.

Ranko tightly gripped the money, biting her lip. Her trembling fingers revealed her inner turmoil.

“I… I don't want to do this either, but… you know, things don't just work out with pretty words…”

Her voice cracked a little. She probably felt that her words sounded like excuses.

“You really love your job, right?”

“Of course! That’s not a lie!”

“Then, let's work together so you can proudly say you love it… okay?”

My words seemed to make something shift in her eyes.

She looked down, taking a deep breath, and then slowly lifted her head. Her expression seemed softer now.

“Hajime—!”

The voice of my older sister, Kyoko-nee, echoed through the café. I snapped my head toward her and saw her waiting at the entrance, arms crossed.

“Sorry for making you wait. Let's go home.”

Her voice was gentle, but there was a sharpness in her gaze as it turned toward Ranko. I took a deep breath and nodded slowly.

“Ah…”

Ranko seemed like she wanted to say something, but as soon as she saw Kyoko-nee, she swallowed her words.

Kyoko-nee asked, “Do you know her?” but I shook my head and said, “Let's go, Kyoko-nee.”

As we left the café, I glanced back for a moment.

Ranko was staring at me intently. In her eyes, there was a faint glimmer of something different.

I gave a small wave, and she slightly raised the corners of her mouth before waving back.