Chapter 497

This was the first time she'd ever come to a guy's house like this...

No, rather, let alone visiting a boy's house, he was the first boy she knew and interacted with—after all, she and her sister had attended all-girls schools since childhood.

If her sister was like that, then she, with her gentle and weak personality, was even more vulnerable.

... Although I'm not here as a guest, I'm just here to work.

"By the way, Shinju, what kind of Drinks do you like? Black tea, Green tea, coffee, cola...?"

"I, I can do anything!"

Attracted by the expansive view from the high-rise building Inui Shinju quickly turned to face the kitchen and spoke haltingly.

Okay~

He glanced at her indifferently, without giving her any further attention, and continued with what he was preparing.

For shy and timid children, not giving them attention is the greatest kindness and courtesy, something Sakurakoji Talent deeply understands.

Suddenly, he recalled the time when he was learning etiquette at home.

It was a noisy, arduous, and constantly battling childhood, but one he ultimately survived—thinking of this, a tear involuntarily welled up in the corner of his eye...

It's easy to imagine how much effort and energy it would take to transform someone who was originally eccentric due to physical problems into someone who could overcome their instincts and control their behavior and expressions.

He really worked hard!

Seeing that he was no longer paying attention to this side, Inui Shinju was slightly relieved and continued to look around.

The sophisticated and natural furniture and furnishings inside piqued her curiosity, but what attracted her most was the view of the sky and sea outside the window. She rarely saw such a view except when visiting tall buildings like the Skytree.

Because her house is a regular house with a yard, the yard is usually only used as a backdrop for her sister's cosplay photos...

"Thanks."

After Sakurakoji Talent served her tea and snacks and called her over, she quietly sat back down on the sofa and thanked him softly.

"Um, what do I need to do today?"

"Let's familiarize ourselves with this place today. I'll take you to the fabric store later and teach you some basics. I'll need you to fetch materials for me there from now on."

He listed the job duties for her one by one. "And the bookstore too. I'll probably ask you to help me buy some photography or other kinds of books in the future. You can also pick out any books you think are good."

"The rest... is just putting on different clothes so I can practice shooting composition, and coming over regularly each week to clean my room, pick up and send packages, and bring things for your sister and Kitagawa-classmate. The tasks won't be too heavy."

The tasks given to her were all ordinary maid duties, mainly to keep her occupied.

She can probably only come over for one or two days a week, and she can only earn a little pocket money, unless it's during the summer vacation...

"I understand! I will try my best!"

Inui Shinju clenched his fists and placed them in front of his chest, listening intently.

"Okay, this is the hourly rate, is that alright?"

He wrote a number on the Sticky Note.

"Huh? Isn't this too much?!"

Inui Shinju was taken aback.

This divination work pays more than her sister's part-time hourly wage...

"Really? I pay others the same amount. It's a job that requires a lot of privacy, and I'd prefer to have someone I know do it. The content is also quite varied, so I think this is perfect... Is that alright?"

"Ah, yes! There's no problem with the content! But, but, I don't think I need to be given so much... I'm already very grateful that Senior Talent is willing to let me work for him."

"Silly child, don't let personal relationships influence your work. Fighting for a fair salary is a fundamental professional quality every worker should possess."

"Oh, is that so...?"

The inexperienced Inui Shinju had only a superficial understanding of these profound topics and could only accept whatever Gan Xinshou said.

"That's right, listen to me. I entered the workforce a few years earlier than you, I won't lie to you!"

"OK!"

"Yes, there will also be additional expenses for transportation and meals, which will be settled weekly, is that alright?"

"Huh?! These count too?!"

"Of course, these are all compensations that should be paid when hiring people. If you don't believe me, go ask your sister. When you hire a photographer and costume designer to scout locations and discuss production, don't you need to pay these?"

"I... I understand..."

Inui Shinju unconsciously swallowed, a light sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead.

I always feel that society and work are really amazing...

Sakurakoji Talent wasn't a lie; he did possess those skills, but they were specific to certain jobs and might not be relevant to ordinary work.

If it's a common service industry with high substitutability, since the customers are mostly from the surrounding area, then aside from meal expenses, transportation costs are highly unlikely to be incurred.

But her home is in Saitama, and traveling there already takes up a lot of time. If he doesn't give her some financial assistance, he'll feel guilty...

"Furthermore, if you wish to continue later, I will provide you with a summer allowance when summer arrives."

"Eh, eh eh eh eh--?!"

Chapter 454: Fabric and Pastry Teaching.

"This is the fabric shop I frequent. The owner is an elderly person who worked here when my parents were studying. I'll give you a slip of paper with the items you need written on it. You can just give it to him and pay. It's very simple."

"His grasp of material dimensions is very accurate, almost as good as mine; he can achieve millimeter-level precision without measuring tools."

"The variety of fabrics here is among the best in Tokyo Metropolis, and it stands out even in Aoyama, a fashion hub."

"The only downside is that the boss has a rather eccentric and arrogant personality, not interesting at all. Did you see the expression on his face? That rigid and inflexible look is just like... well, I won't say those things."

"If it weren't for the fact that the items in his shop were reasonably priced, and that he never skimped on portions—and of course, he would never give you even an inch more cloth, no matter how familiar you are with him—I bet this place wouldn't last three months."

"..."

Under the rather dangerous gaze of the old shop owner, Sakurakoji Talent made no attempt to hide his voice as he gave Inui Shinju a detailed introduction to the place.

The store is spacious, comparable to medium to large Musical Instrument Store, but there are few staff members. Apart from a few helpers who move fabrics, there is only the owner, and no staff to serve customers.

In short, this is a shop for professionals. If you just want to buy a few bolts of fabric to make clothes, it is not recommended to come here, because you won't even be able to recognize the types of fabrics.

One after another, thick shelves are filled with countless pieces of fabric, making this place a veritable labyrinth of fabric.

Unlike him, Inui Shinju was so embarrassed that he almost buried his head in the ground.

"Um, Talent Caihua..."

"Hmm? Is there something you don't understand?"

"No, it's just that it's not very polite of us to say it like that..."

Sakurakoji Talent glanced at the shop owner discreetly, then looked away and shrugged. "What can I do? My divination is just telling the truth."

"But I feel like the store manager seems very unhappy..."

"He's always had that face, don't worry about it!"

"Wow! He's coming!"

"..."

Next, at the old shop manager's insistence, he had to have a competition with him on cutting fabric and sewing techniques.

There was nothing they could do. That despicable guy actually said that if they didn't agree, no matter how much money they offered, they could never set foot in that store again.

Of course, if you're not skilled enough and lose, you're also not allowed to advance...

Hey~ what a temper he has!

Who do you think he is! Bring the boat closer...

Fortunately, he wasn't just some boastful guy. With just a few simple Hands, he made the shop manager, who had spent his entire life dealing with fabrics, start to question his existence.

"You said your parents bought fabric from me back then, right? Then who are your parents?"

After losing to this young male student who seemed to be under twenty years old, the boss, who had been silent for a long time, asked with difficulty, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Sakurakoji Luna and Okura Yusei".

"So that's how it is... This life has been worthwhile..."

With an expression that was hard to tell whether he was relieved or crying, he leisurely left the shop with Inui Shinju.

It has to be said, his zombie-like face, looking like he was about to cry, was really ugly.

In the morning, after leaving Inui Shinju to watch the house and clean, he used an appointment as an excuse to slip away again.

"Miss Lisa, watch carefully! I'll only demonstrate once!"

"This is... amazing, so amazing, Miss Ogura!"

"Hmph, it's just a common technique, nothing special."

In the kitchen of the coffee shop inside the Sakura Rain headquarters, a rather rare scene unfolded— Ogura Asahi and Imai Risa stood side by side in front of the kitchen counter, their shoulders trembling as they secretly did something, and a thin layer of fine sweat involuntarily appeared on their foreheads.

"There are many things to pay attention to during the kneading process. To obtain the best gluten, I recommend using the Delayed-Salt Method. After kneading the dough to about 70% and 30% of its original consistency, grab the dough and slap it repeatedly like this, controlling the angle and force carefully..."

"When folding and flattening, pay attention to air release and maintain evenness. For the final product's appearance, it must also be perfectly aligned..."

"The whipping method depends on the situation; both dry and wet whipping are acceptable, and sometimes ice water is needed. I recommend adding sugar in several small batches, not all at once. For a glossier finish and to prevent defoaming, I suggest..."

"In addition Rounding Method and Rolling Method can be used in this way, and the Hot-Knife Cutting Method is also very useful when making mousse and cheese."

"Please strictly control the dough temperature at 25 degrees Celsius, the egg temperature at 20-22 degrees Celsius, and the butter is... The humidity and temperature for proofing are respectively..."

"The reason for vibrating the mold after baking like this is..."

"..."

Ogura Asahi patiently explained to her the knowledge he had acquired over the years, as well as the best conclusions he believed in after his own exploration, accompanied by practical demonstrations.

He himself felt it was a real shame that he didn't become a teacher!

"Wait a minute! If you say so much at once, I can't remember it all!"

Imai Risa frantically scribbled notes, but compared to his speed and the density of his knowledge, she still felt overwhelmed.

"..."

It seems that excellent teachers don't always encounter excellent students.

If it were the Ashiri, it wouldn't be so difficult to understand...

Although Imai Risa occasionally cooks, it's usually just ordinary bento boxes and cookies. She has absolutely no experience in making desserts that are even more exquisite than those in bakeries.

Well, considering her glamorous style, comparable to Kitagawa Marin's, it's not bad at all; at least she can cook...

"Miss Ogura, you're amazing! Not only did you start a company at such a young age, but you're also such a skilled cook!"

As Imai Risa kept up with his pace, a wry smile appeared on her beautiful face.

Today was the day we had arranged to discuss desserts together, so the two of us borrowed the coffee shop's kitchen and held an extracurricular lesson.

Nearly half a month later, the coffee shop here has finally officially opened and has staff.

This request would definitely be unacceptable to anyone else, but what can you do when he's the boss?

Imai Risa cast a stunning glance at him; his looks, abilities, family background... made it impossible for other girls to compete.

"I only do it myself occasionally."

"You're too modest... Haha~ I can't resist this fragrance!"

She inhaled deeply the fragrant aroma of food in the air, her lips curving into a cat-like shape, her stomach rumbling involuntarily.

"Haha, sorry, looks like I've been craving something."

She touched the back of her head sheepishly and offered an apologetic smile.

"It's alright, the batch is ready anyway, would you like to try some?"

"I want to eat!"

She eagerly picked up a plain bread roll that hadn't yet been topped with cream and fruit, blew on it to warm it up, and put it in her mouth, immediately exclaiming with delight, "Mmm! So delicious!"

"Miss Ogura, you're simply a genius!"

"Thank you for the compliment. Let's leave this for now. After I make a few more, you can take half of them to Yukina and the others."