Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 12 Becoming Your Female Lead
In the morning, Natsume Mio went out.

I arrived at my usual hair salon, but the hairdresser I knew didn't have an appointment.

"Hello, long time no see, Mio." Yano Masaki waved to Natsume Mio and walked over with a smile.

"Yeah, I haven't styled my hair in a long time, so I want to get a new hairstyle today," Natsume Mio said.

"Come on, have a seat." Masaki Yano led Mio Natsume to a barber chair on the inside.

She carefully examined Natsume Mio's hairstyle and asked, "What kind of hairstyle does Mio want to change to?"

Mio Natsume picked up her phone and opened two screenshots from a manga.

“Is this hairstyle okay? I’d like to try braids,” Natsume Mio said.

Masaki Yano carefully examined the woman in the manga screenshot, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he said, "Hmm... is she a manga character? I feel like Mio and this hairstyle suit her well."

"Really?" Natsume Mio raised an eyebrow, her eyes shining.

Masaki Yano was just making a compliment out of professional habit, but he didn't expect Mio Natsume to be so happy.

“Of course, I can comb your hair first to see how it looks. If it’s good, I’ll trim it,” Yano Masaki said.

"Okay, thank you~" Natsume Mio sat down and looked at herself in the mirror, while Yano Masaki helped her style her hair according to the image in the manga.

Because it hasn't been trimmed yet, the bangs and the two long sideburns on the forehead can't be completely restored, but after being braided, the overall resemblance is about 80%.

Natsume Mio got up, moved closer to the mirror, and examined her hairstyle from different angles, becoming more and more satisfied with it.

"That's great! Then please trim it for me, and make sure it looks exactly like the one in the picture," said Natsume Mio.

……

"Hmph, hmph hmph hmph~ hmph hmph~"

Mio Natsume hummed a lighthearted tune as she walked down the street, a shoulder bag slung over her shoulder.

Every time I pass by a store with a glass curtain wall, I turn my head to look at my reflection.

After being trimmed by Masaki Yano, her hairstyle is now exactly the same as the heroine's hairstyle in Ken's novel.

I feel like I've become Ah Jian's leading lady!
However, the female protagonist in the comic seems to have a rather strong personality. Does A-Jian like that?
I really want to see Ah Jian and show him my new hairstyle.

Speaking of which, how can I make him see it intentionally yet subtly?

Mio Natsume pondered as she walked.

She boarded the tram, and the tram she was taking home was the same line as the one going to A-Jian's house. Before she knew it, she had missed the tram stop next to her own house.

Listening to the sound of the tram running and looking at the scenery outside the window, Natsume Mio's thoughts gradually drifted away.

Everything in front of me feels so familiar.

It's like I've ridden this tram countless times.

Exit Takenozuka Station, then transfer to a bus and get off at the Danchi Entrance stop.

Watching the bus drive away, Natsume Mio strolled slowly along a quiet residential path and arrived at the entrance of a FamilyMart convenience store.

“Ah Jian and I worked here for a while. The shop manager was an old lady, but I don’t remember her face or name.”

Natsume Mio recalls her experience in the dream.

Of all the memories in the dream, only her own face and Ah Jian's face were clear.

Of all her experiences, only the things that happened when she was with Ah Jian left a deep impression.

Everything else was just a vague impression.

Ah Jian said he's been working at a convenience store. Could this be the store? It looks like they're short-staffed; there's a job posting on the glass door.

Natsume Mio stepped into the store.

She was certain she had never been inside this convenience store before, but the layout was so familiar.

As I walked over to the beverage section, I happened to see the store manager walking towards me.

"Welcome," the old lady said to Natsume Mio with a slight smile.

Natsume Mio bowed slightly in return, stepped aside to let the old lady carrying a basket and sorting goods pass by.

After walking around the store, she came up with a solution to the problem she had been thinking about.

So, Natsume Mio found a blank resume for part-time jobs on the shelf.

She had done part-time work before and was very familiar with these things.

A set of blank resumes consists of 4 sheets and costs 110 yen. It comes with several envelopes and double-sided tape for attaching photos.

Fill in your name, address, education, work experience, self-introduction, reasons for applying, and other information.

Next, Natsume Mio used the shop's printer to print an ID photo, which she saved on her phone.

Mio Natsume filled out the form directly on the table inside the store. After she was ready, she put the resume in an envelope, then walked around the store and found the store manager again.

"Manager!" Natsume Mio strode over. "Excuse me, Manager, I saw that the store is hiring part-time staff and I'd like to apply. Here is my resume. May I ask if we can talk?"

The elderly shop manager always wore a warm smile. She glanced at Natsume Mio, took the resume, nodded, and said, "Okay, okay, then let's go inside and talk."

Mio Natsume quickly followed and went to the office inside the convenience store.

Mio Natsume was already very familiar with part-time job interviews at convenience stores. She had relevant work experience, and the work at convenience stores itself was not complicated, so she passed the interview with ease.

However, the old lady raised a question.

"I noticed your address is quite far from our store. Why are you considering working part-time here?"

Mio Natsume had already prepared her answer: "Mainly because I didn't want to be seen by acquaintances. My previous part-time jobs were not near my home either. I just happened to be passing by today and saw that the shop manager was very gentle. I thought she would be easy to get along with, so I decided to give it a try."

The old lady chuckled as she listened to these words, seemingly quite pleased.

"Okay, okay, welcome Mio-chan to our shop! And... we need to confirm the part-time hours. You're still in school, right? So you'll be coming on weekends?" the shop manager said.

Mio Natsume nodded and said, "Let's arrange a part-time job on weekends. I'm fine with any time; it's up to the manager."

The store manager looked at the schedule and said, "Then I'll put you on the afternoon shift, from 2 pm to 8 pm, so you won't get home too late. During this time, there are more customers with transactional needs, such as paying utility bills and printing documents. You're familiar with those, right?"

"Yes, I've done these things at Lawson, no problem!"

"Okay, so the salary is 1200 yen per hour, plus a 500 yen daily transportation allowance, and dinner can be a bento box from the store."

"I am very satisfied with the treatment! Thank you, store manager~" Natsume Mio bowed slightly to the elderly store manager.

"Well then, see you Saturday afternoon, Mio-chan," the shop manager nodded and said.

Actually, whether the treatment is good or bad is not important.

She remembered Ah Jian's lifestyle in that dream.

His rented apartment didn't have a kitchen, so he could only make instant noodles at most. Therefore, he bought most of his meals from this convenience store.

You'll definitely see him between 2 PM and 8 PM.

(End of this chapter)