LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 123: Chapter 123: He touched my face, I was so happy!
Chapter 123: He touched my face, I was so happy!
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Rin Matsuoka knew when to stop and refrained from bullying honest people further.
Sakura, still hiding behind Rin, was astonished. She hadn't expected that with Rin's mere mention of the word "complaint," they would inexplicably receive two gifts: a camera memory card and a storage bag.
'Would I try that next time I buy something? No, no... I wouldn't have the courage. I'd probably just want to leave as soon as I finished shopping,' she thought.
Others might try it for fun, but for someone like Sakura, who was shy by nature, the idea of such an attempt felt impossible—she'd rather avoid it entirely.
After handing Rin the memory card and storage bag, the honest clerk took out a pen and wrote a contact number for him. Lowering his voice, he said, "This is the complaint number. Just call it to file your complaint. I fully support you in reporting that guy."
"Why? Do you have a grudge against him?" Rin asked, his expression curious.
"Well, he's lazy and always dumps all the work on me. I don't want any trouble, so I just put up with it," the clerk explained with a bitter smile. "Honestly, I'm glad you're thinking of filing a complaint. If he gets enough of those, the school might fire him, and I won't have to deal with his bullying anymore."
Hearing the clerk's voice filled with helplessness and sadness, Sakura couldn't help but feel pity for him.
But Rin wasn't so easily moved. His sharp intuition told him there was something off about the situation. While the clerk's resentment and dissatisfaction toward the other were genuine, and he clearly didn't want to work with the droopy-eyed clerk anymore, there was a subtle feeling of dissonance Rin couldn't shake.
Was he hiding something?
The honest-looking clerk packed the camera Rin had purchased and then eagerly escorted both Rin and Sakura Airi to the door.
Just as they were leaving, the droopy-eyed clerk rushed out, bumping into the honest clerk's shoulder hard enough to make him stagger.
"Daisuke, you bastard! Watch where you're going!" the honest clerk shouted angrily.
Without turning his head, Daisuke retorted, "Stop whining. I'm heading out for a bit—you can handle the shop yourself."
"Pah," the honest clerk spat in disgust as he glared after Daisuke's retreating figure, his expression filled with contempt.
It was clear the relationship between these two shop assistants was far from amicable.
Sakura left the camera store feeling much more at ease. Turning to Rin, she suggested, "Matsuoka-san, are you tired from walking? Should we stop by a drink shop for a while?"
Rin glanced at the nearby streetlamp clock. It was already twelve-seventeen—just the right time for lunch.
"Let's skip the drink shop and head to a restaurant instead."
"Okay~"
The restaurant in the shopping mall was bustling with activity, as expected for a Saturday. After some searching, Rin and Sakura Airi finally found an empty table. The place had a pleasant atmosphere, and its tasteful decor, paired with transparent, flawless glass windows, offered a clear view of the surroundings.
Once they ordered their meals, Sakura removed her mask, revealing her delicate features. She parted her crystal-clear lips slightly to take a sip of the boiled water the waiter had brought.
After taking a sip of boiled water, Sakura mustered the courage to speak to Rin Matsuoka, who was seated opposite her. "Matsuoka-san, you treated me to a drink and bought me a coat, so let me treat you to lunch this time."
"But I only treated you to a drink and gave you the coat as a thank-you gift for accompanying me to buy a camera, Sakura," Rin replied calmly.
"Even if you say so, Matsuoka-san, I still feel like I should treat you to lunch. Otherwise, I'll feel uneasy," Sakura insisted, her expression determined.
"Okay, as long as it makes you happy," Rin relented with a small smile.
Rin's words made Sakura smile shyly, her happiness evident. However, her smile faltered when she noticed Rin's gaze shift to the right, his brows furrowing slightly.
Rin had spotted the droopy-eyed clerk from the camera store loitering on their right.
"This guy is watching us… Is he following us? He's got some nerve," Rin thought to himself, irritation flashing across his face.
Originally, Rin had planned to wait until after his outing with Sakura Airi to report the clerk. But now, seeing the man brazenly tailing them, Rin decided he wouldn't wait any longer.
Sakura Airi noticed Rin's frown and looked confused. Curious, she started turning her head to see what had caught Rin's attention.
Reacting swiftly, Rin reached out and gently placed his hand on Sakura Airi's left cheek, stopping her from turning.
The warmth of Rin's palm against her cheek made Sakura Airi's pupils tremble. Her face turned red instantly, her heartbeat quickened, and her breathing became shallow.
"Mat…Matsuoka-san!" she stammered.
In that moment, Sakura felt a mix of panic and restraint but mostly a surge of joy and sweetness. He touched my face… This feels so wonderful!
Seeing her reaction, Rin pinched her soft, smooth cheek affectionately before withdrawing his hand.
"Don't look over there, Sakura. There's something unpleasant that might ruin your appetite," Rin said gently.
"Um…" Sakura Airi lowered her head, her cheeks rosy as she softly responded. Her shy demeanor only made Rin want to pinch her cheek again.
Pushing the thought aside, Rin took out the paper on which the honest clerk had written the contact number. Pulling out his phone, he quickly dialed the number.
The call connected almost immediately.
"Hello, who is this?" a familiar female voice asked on the other end.
Rin's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Boss lady?"
"Hmm? This voice…" the woman paused before exclaiming, "You're Rin, aren't you?"
"Yes, it's me," Rin confirmed.
"Hey~ How did you get my contact information? Did you get it from Saeda?" Mirai, the speaker and a member of the school's board of directors, asked curiously.
"Not exactly," Rin replied. "My friend and I went to buy a camera, and we encountered a rather disgusting clerk at the store. We planned to file a complaint against him."
"So, another clerk gave me a number for complaints, but I didn't expect it to connect to you, boss lady," Rin said, still a bit surprised.
Mirai laughed lightly. "I see. Well, my role involves handling complaints, so it's not that surprising."
Rin nodded to himself. That explains it. Makes sense she'd oversee this kind of thing.
"Alright, Rin," Mirai continued. "What's the employee number of the person you want to complain about, and what's the reason for the complaint? I'll have someone look into it."
"The employee number is Z01R004127," Rin recited. "As for the reason, he has an unprofessional appearance, a terrible attitude, and most disturbingly, he's been following us in a creepy and inappropriate way. I'm not sure what his intentions are."
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Happy New year