Free (Anything, Please)

As expected, the moment the glass door of the electronics shop, with its "Open" sign hanging on it, was pushed ajar, the owner popped his head up from behind the counter. When he saw Watanabe Hayabara at the entrance, he reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He hurried around the counter and blocked Watanabe Hayabara at the door, folding his arms across his chest, his face full of suspicion.

"Fancy seeing you again, Boss." Watanabe Hayabara seemed not to notice the other man's wariness. With an easy smile, he greeted the shop owner like an old friend, his tone as casual as if he were just stopping by to visit a neighbor.

"Why is it you again?!" The shop owner's eyes widened, his brows knotting together as he stared in disbelief. His voice was full of surprise and welcome in equal measure—or rather, a complete lack of welcome—as if he'd just spotted a nuisance. He looked Watanabe Hayabara up and down, his gaze growing even more guarded.

"Boss, don't be like that." Watanabe Hayabara spread his hands helplessly, the smile still on his lips. "I only got the better of you a little last time. You don't have to hold a grudge. I'm here today to bring you a customer." As he spoke, he smiled and stepped aside, revealing Airi Sakura, who had been keeping her head down behind him.

Suddenly pushed to the front, Airi Sakura stiffened slightly. She raised her head and looked at the stern-faced shop owner. Her cheeks instantly flushed, and she managed a timid greeting in a barely audible voice. "Hello, Boss..." Then she quickly lowered her head again, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes between her fingers.

Seeing that a shy female student really had come with Watanabe Hayabara, the owner's suspicion eased a little. He nodded slightly, his expression softening, though he still regarded Watanabe Hayabara warily, as if waiting for him to try something.

"Come on in." The electronics shop owner stepped aside to let them through, greeting them in a flat tone. The shop was packed with all kinds of electronics, with cameras and lenses neatly arranged on the shelves. A faint smell of electronic components hung in the air.

The owner went behind the counter and sat down. Looking past Watanabe Hayabara, he fixed his gaze directly on Airi Sakura, pointedly ignoring Watanabe Hayabara as he asked, "All right, tell me, miss. What do you need?" His tone wasn't exactly warm, but it was much gentler than when he spoke to Watanabe Hayabara.

"Um... um..." Under the owner's gaze, Airi Sakura grew even more nervous. Her cheeks reddened like ripe cherries, and she stammered a few times, her eyes darting away, but she couldn't get a word out.

"I'll explain, Boss." Seeing this, Watanabe Hayabara stepped forward with a smile to help Airi Sakura out. "My friend's a little shy. She's not very good at talking to people." To the owner, though, Watanabe Hayabara's smile looked full of scheming, as if he were plotting something again.

The owner's face visibly twitched. His mouth jerked a few times before he glared at Watanabe Hayabara and forced out two words through gritted teeth. "Go on." His tone carried a hint of impatience, but in the end, he didn't make things harder for Airi Sakura.

Watanabe Hayabara didn't mind the owner's attitude. Smiling, he took Airi Sakura's camera out and set the scuffed device on the counter. "My friend accidentally dropped her camera. The lens cap is loose, and the screen's a bit scratched. Could you see if you can fix it? The main thing is, we have to preserve everything stored inside. I checked it briefly, and the storage seems to be fine."

The owner managed to force a smile, but inside, he was cursing. The hell? You've already pointed out the problems. What am I supposed to make money off? What rotten luck.

"Sorry for the trouble. Could you please work overtime to fix it? I'll pay extra." Watanabe Hayabara looked at the owner, his tone sincere.

Hearing this, the electronics shop owner saw Watanabe Hayabara's current attitude and felt as if he'd swallowed shit. What the hell are you putting on an act for? Money's hard to earn, and shit's hard to eat.

He said firmly, "Twenty thousand points. Not a point less." He folded his arms and raised his chin, clearly hoping to take advantage of the opportunity and fleece them.

"Sure." Watanabe Hayabara agreed without hesitation. He immediately took out his student ID, made a few quick adjustments, and completed the transfer. The whole process was clean and swift, without the slightest hesitation.

When the owner heard the notification that the points had arrived on his student ID, his expression eased slightly. Still, he impatiently started shooing them away. "All right, go on, go on. Stay far away from my shop." It was as if every extra second they stayed would bring him trouble.

Watanabe Hayabara merely smiled, unfazed, and called into the shop, "Boss, I'll bring you more business when I can."

"No need. I've got enough business as it is." The owner turned him down without mercy from inside, his tone full of rejection.

"Businesspeople shouldn't turn their noses up at more points. I'll come by more often," Watanabe Hayabara replied with a smile, completely unaffected by the owner's attitude.

"Please don't come back. I'm begging you. I'll fix this one for free. Come pick it up tomorrow at noon." As soon as the owner finished speaking, the shop door slammed shut with a bang, making the wind chime at the entrance jingle.

Watanabe Hayabara lowered his head and looked at his student ID. Sure enough, it showed that the points had been refunded. He shook his head helplessly, then turned to Airi Sakura beside him and smiled. "The boss is a good person. He's fixing it for us for free. We must be riding on your good luck, Airi."

"Really...?" Airi Sakura tilted her head slightly, a hint of confusion in her eyes. She spoke softly. "I think the boss seems really wary of you..." Her voice was so quiet, as if she were sharing a secret.

Watanabe Hayabara pretended to be surprised. "Do I look scary, Airi?"

Airi Sakura hadn't expected Watanabe Hayabara to ask that. She froze for a moment, her cheeks turning faintly red. After thinking it over seriously, she answered in a small voice, "No, Hayabara-kun is very handsome. How could you be scary...?" Then she lowered her head shyly, not daring to look at Watanabe Hayabara again.

Watanabe Hayabara confidently patted his chest. "So the boss gave me a discount because of my good looks."

Looking at his self-assured expression, Airi Sakura couldn't help giggling. She nodded and answered softly, "Mm."

If it had been any other girl, she'd have thought Watanabe Hayabara was a total creep, the kind of guy who was full of himself and oblivious to it. But the one standing in front of Watanabe Hayabara was Airi Sakura—an innocent little lamb.

After they had walked together for a long while, Watanabe Hayabara suddenly turned his head, a playful smile at the corner of his mouth. Airi Sakura didn't notice it as he asked, "Airi, have you ever thought about what kind of job you'd like to do in the future?"

The unexpected question clearly caught Airi Sakura off guard, and she stopped walking without thinking. She lifted her head and blinked her clear, wide eyes. Her long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes. She thought carefully for a long time, unconsciously twisting the hem of her school uniform between her fingers, before answering softly, "Hayabara-kun, I haven't decided yet." Then, as if something had occurred to her, she asked in turn, "What are your plans, Hayabara-kun?"