Convenience Store Worker From Another World Chapter 18

Episode 18. Counseling Pyeondol (2)

If you ask me what love is, I have nothing to say. The biggest reason is that this damn Earth writer omitted describing my face in his novel.

Because of this, my face was randomly customized, and ended up being created with a physiognomy that would never know love. Also… .

There was also the problem of will. My will to love has been beaten and trampled here and there by reality, and now it has become worn down to the point of being close to a garden.

Because of this, even now when I’m old enough, I don’t even think much about it when people ask me if I’m single. In the past, I just wanted to break all the pots and pans.

There’s no way my words will be convincing. Who would listen to someone who learned about love from Wikipedia and says, “What is love?” It’s fortunate that they don’t ignore me and say, “Oh, I guess it’s because I’m single, but even that sounds a bit too single.”

I explained this point to her, but the succubus just smiled and replied.

“I’m single too, you know.”

It seemed like he wanted to hear an answer somehow, so I opened my mouth with the feeling that I didn’t know anything. If he thinks I’m talking nonsense, he’ll filter it out.

“First of all… I know what kind of love is something that shouldn’t be done.”

“What is it?”

Two things come to mind right away. Love that is nice to just watch from afar, and love that forces you to like someone, saying, “Hey, can’t I like you?”

In the former case, it would be better to do so at the beginning. The problem is when a love that was good to just watch becomes a love that you can’t help but watch.

At that time, you will regret it and think, “Oh, why didn’t I say a word?” You will become obsessed and think, “If I talk to you now, will you accept me?” You will become worn out and think, “This guy…” You say that the genre has become a thing of regret, obsession, and weariness?

It means that you are hurting yourself. It is a wound that no one knows the answer to when it will heal. In the latter case, um… .

In fact, this can’t even be called love. No matter how many times you say, “You may love me, but I don’t,” it won’t listen, it’s just a sharp blade that’s been honed under the guise of love. It’s an inorganic love like plastic, so it doesn’t rot easily, and its wounds don’t heal easily.

Both are one-sided loves. The only difference is who gets hurt.

However, if there is one thing to learn from these two loves, it is that love requires reciprocity. The object of love must give love in return, and the object of love must accept that love for it to be established.

“It may seem like an obvious thing to say, but….”

I muttered in confidence while speaking, but the succubus remained reverent and did not move an inch. It seemed like she was really listening to me. She scratched her head and continued speaking.

“Isn’t love something that can’t be seen with the eyes?”

“Yes.”

“If you keep it in your heart and just blow it up, it will just burst someday, and if you knock on a closed heart and tell it to open, it won’t open. You have to talk to get some results. I think what you are worried about is similar.”

“Oh, me too?”

“I bet you’ve never told anyone you love them.”

This succubus says she can’t love because she doesn’t know what love is, but she’s got it in the wrong order. She can’t know what love is because she’s never been in love. Just like me.

“Of course, saying I love you is incredibly burdensome. It’s not an easy thing to say. I don’t think you have to love someone, though…”

“Do you think so, sir?”

“People say that dating is good, but I’m happy just lying around at home.”

I heard a story from someone I know. If I go to Yeouido with my girlfriend on the weekend and just walk side by side under the cherry blossom road, it’s the happiest thing in the world. But I’m the happiest in the world just sitting around at home looking at my smartphone.

While smartphones become my friends just by turning them on, love is a very complicated process that takes me all the way to the point where I go to Yeouido and walk under the cherry blossoms. For someone like me who likes simple things, I think love is a choice, not a necessity. But.

“For succubus guests, love is not a choice, it’s a necessity.”

“yes….”

“Then you should talk to them. Grab someone you like and say, “That person is my ideal type, so could you please give me their contact information?” Something like that.”

“Well, I tried to do that, but… I was scared…”

“You’re scared?”

The succubus muttered. Her head was downcast, and her voice was full of uncertainty.

“What if I happen to love like that, but later on… what if it’s not what I wanted…?”

That may be the case. But I can say this for sure.

“You can stop then.”

“yes?”

“Is it love if it’s painful to do?”

I don’t think it’s difficult.

Love is like a rose, and although the petals look pretty from afar, if you try to touch them, you will inevitably get pricked by thorns. If it is worth continuing to pick at even when blood drips from your fingertips, then you will keep going, and if not, then you can stop.

“I don’t think love is a great emotion that can endure the pain of not being compatible. Great things don’t change, right?”

“Uh… right.”

“But love changes from moment to moment depending on the situation, right?”

“Is that so…?”

“People around me say that. When you first meet, it’s good, but if something that doesn’t match your opinion even a little, you get confused and say, ‘Huh…?’ It’s okay once or twice, but if it keeps not matching, you both get tired. It’s hard. Then you cool off and you grow apart.”

If it was a case of both of us being lucky enough to meet, then I wouldn’t know, but I decided to leave the luck part out. I also wanted to wrap things up a bit.

“So, if you try it, you’ll probably get some answers. Since you’re a fresh graduate, you’re probably still young, but… how old are you?”

“I’m twenty-four, sir.”

“You’re in full swing. If you meet someone you like, try talking to them and take it slow. Just by looking at their face or specs, they won’t be able to reject you… I’m going to stop talking now because my mouth hurts.”

My mouth really hurts, so I can’t say anything more. After that, I looked at the succubus’ face, and she was also staring at me intently. I quickly added.

“I didn’t study counseling, so please understand that I am talking nonsense.”

“No, it was very helpful, sir.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll know once you try it… right?”

Even as he spoke, he was still staring at my face, and I felt like I was going crazy because his eyes were blurry due to the alcohol.

I avoided eye contact and checked the time on my smartphone. It was exactly the time for the first train. Now I can finally send him home.

“Sir, it’s almost time for the first train to arrive.”

“Oh, it’s that time already?”

“Go in. You have to go to work tomorrow.”

“thank you.”

After getting up, he shook his head and nodded to me. Then, as he was about to leave, he asked me a question.

“Can I come back again later?”

Why are you asking that when I’ve already been here twice? I was tired so I answered vaguely.

“Next time you come, at least buy some orange juice. That way you’ll be considered a customer.”

“Yes, I will.”

Basil smiled and finally opened the door and went out.

* * *

It was 5am right after the succubus left.

There were hardly any customers until the morning, and around 8:30, the office workers started raiding. I wasn’t as tired as I was yesterday, but it seems like the thought of consulting with a succubus helped.

After 9 o’clock, it became deserted again.

While I was sitting on the chair and sprawled out, I glanced outside the front door a few times. That dragon kid who came yesterday… said he couldn’t come because he was going to piano lessons.

One other minor incident.

A mechanical doll customer was riding his bike when he stopped at a telephone pole in front of a convenience store. He squatted down and didn’t move for a while, so I took a peek.

The automaton sees me and its face brightens.

“Boss. Shuyat.”

“Hello.”

I guess it was one of those guys I met yesterday. I looked down at my bike and saw that the chain was off. I pulled the rear gear with my fingers, put the loose chain on the front gear, and pedaled to try and turn it. It worked fine.

“Boss, you are a genius.”

“What are you doing with this? Is this your password today?”

“yes?”

“Day off?”

“Ah. Thwaaat.”

I remember that the machine dolls lived in groups, but since this was the only customer there, it must have been a secret. The machine doll nodded a few more times and left… .

I saw the store manager walking towards me from afar.

“You were with me? The weather is nice. Chan-ah.”

“That’s right. The wind is blowing gently.”

“But what is that soot on my hands?”

“The customer who came yesterday lost his bike chain here. I had to fix it for a while.”

“Wow, Chani is good with his hands.”

We entered the convenience store while chatting. There was nothing special about this handover.

“The safe is full, sir. You must have seen it yesterday.”

“I’ll do that.”

“And… that succubus customer who overworked at the checkout counter on my first day. She came again.”

“I knew it. But you just let it go this time?”

“No? I gave you love advice again.”

The store manager, who started off with a puzzled expression, began to lose his expression as he listened to my story. He looked worried.

“I told you to just send it, so that’s what happened… .”

“He said he couldn’t take a taxi because the last train was cancelled and he didn’t have money. It’s cold outside, so I don’t want to send him out.”

“I’m afraid you might not be able to handle it. But that succubus guest seems incredibly gentle.”

“Hey, are you able to handle receiving guests?”

If it’s urgent, I can call the police. I said it lightly because he didn’t seem to have a bad personality, but the store manager still seemed worried.

“That’s because Chan-i doesn’t know much about this world….”

“If you don’t know and that’s why, will there be a problem?”

If there is a problem, it is right not to do it. That was my thought, but after hearing this, the store manager, who had been deeply troubled, shook his head and muttered.

“… Well, in a way, this is also an experience…”

This is my first time experiencing love. Love this and that.

While we were chatting, it was 10 o’clock, and this time leaving work wasn’t that difficult. The store manager had already entered the coordinates in the same way as yesterday’s teleportation, and all I had to do was press the button and I was done.

I locked the door, closed the blinds, pressed the button, and looked at the intersection of my house.

“I’m leaving work, manager.”

“Yeah. You worked hard. Get some rest. Tomorrow will be hard.”

“Tomorrow? Are there any group guests coming?”

The store manager’s answer to this question was quite simple.

“It’s Friday tomorrow. I won’t be able to stay long because of the guests.”

“…ah.”

Oh my, that’s right… .