A guide to survival in a heavy girl's world

Thinking of this, Chihaya Tetsuya, who had already made his choice, thought for a moment, then handed over the cloth and buttons again.

"Then please try again."

"! Thank you very much!"

Toyokawa Shoko took the materials from Chihaya Tetsuya at the fastest speed. She took a deep breath and then immediately focused on the needle and thread in her hand.

…………five minutes later…………

This time, the time taken by Toyokawa Shoko was much shorter, but the unfamiliarity of her technique did not change much just because it was her second attempt.

When she raised her head again and saw Chihaya Tetsuya's expressionless face, she immediately clenched her teeth.

A feeling of shame swept through Toyokawa Shoko's heart like a tidal wave.

Of course she understood that her handicraft class-level skills were not enough to become a fashion designer's assistant, and her completely amateurish remarks just now had completely exposed her true level. But even so, Chihaya Tetsuya still gave her a second chance to try.

However, as if she had miraculously received a second chance, she did not get the miraculous result she had hoped for.

No words were needed, his calm eyes had already given his answer.

But even so, she still refused to give up.

"Please... let me... try again..."

Toyokawa Shoko lowered her head again and said again in a pleading tone:

"Please... this time... this is really the last time."

In order to overcome the self-loathing brought about by this "shamelessness", Shoko Toyokawa seemed to use all her strength when she said this.

His voice trembled unconsciously, his breathing became rapid and disordered, and beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead.

The fingertips of his tightly clenched fists had even begun to turn slightly white because he was using too much force.

She knew very well that Chihaya Tetsu would no longer give her the chance to try again, but even so, she still had to move forward like a moth to a flame——

"I understand."

"Eh?!"

Shoko Toyokawa suddenly raised her head and looked at the man in front of her with disbelief.

"Did you agree just now...?"

"kindness."

Chihaya Tetsuya nodded slightly.

"I hope you can complete this interview without any regrets."

"..."

The statement of leaving no regrets... As expected, he has already fully understood his own strength and has even made a decision.

But even so, he was still willing to give her the opportunity to keep trying.

Why is this happening... Is he playing a trick on himself? Or does he have a quirk of watching others struggle?

The counterintuitive development caused a series of questions in Toyokawa Shoko's mind, but no matter what, since he was still willing to continue giving her the opportunity to try again and again, then... even if the possibility was infinitely close to zero, she would never give up easily.

So, Shoko Toyokawa picked up the needle and thread again and began her final desperate journey.

On her third try, she shaved ten seconds off the time.

On the fourth attempt, although the time was not shortened, her stitches became neater than before.

On the fifth try, she threaded the needle faster.

On the sixth attempt, the duration was extended by fifteen seconds.

By the seventh attempt, her fingers were already becoming numb.

The eighth attempt——

Ding!

The sewing needle slipped from her fingers and rolled quickly from the smooth table to the ground.

Toyokawa Shoko was stunned for a long time, then she immediately left her seat and leaned over to the ground, looking for the fallen sewing needle.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

She rubbed her hands on the dim floor of the cafe and murmured:

"I'll pick it up right away..."

"…………"

Finally, Chihaya Tetsuya, who had been watching all this silently from the beginning, sighed silently, then he opened his bag and took out a magnet... and a Band-Aid.

He bent down and first used a magnet to pick up the sewing needle that had rolled off the table leg. Then he handed the bandage to the kneeling girl. At the same time, a tiny red drop of blood flowed out from between her fingers.

This time, Shoko Toyokawa finally stopped suggesting to try again.

She returned to her seat like a zombie, tremblingly put a band-aid on the wound, then picked up the already cold cup of coffee and drank it all in one gulp.

Because it has been left for too long, clearly visible brown coffee stains have been left on the wall of the cup.

"I'm so sorry for wasting so much of your time..."

A dry sound came out of Toyokawa Shoko's throat.

"Then I will take my leave first..."

"Wait a moment, Toyokawa-san."

Chihaya Tetsuya said as he put the things on the table back into his bag.

"It's getting late. I'll take you home."

"Thank you for your patience..."

Toyokawa Shoko shook her head, a bitter smile appearing on her face.

"I'm used to going home alone at this time, so it's no problem."

"No, I have my reasons for keeping you so late, and I have to take responsibility for it."

Chihaya Tetsuya insisted:

"Besides, I just happen to have something I want to tell you."

"..."

Although she had no idea what Chihaya Tetsuya wanted to say to this shameless loser, she could always hear the unquestionable firmness in his calm tone.

"Then... thank you for your help."

Toyokawa Shoko nodded, thus postponing her crying.

........................

"Did you feel like I was deliberately making things difficult for you just now?"

"No, even as an outsider I can understand that the question you just asked is not a difficult one for those in the industry."

Toyokawa Shoko bit her lips lightly.

The evening breeze slightly dispelled the gloom accumulated in her heart, and she was finally able to regain her original calmness and dignity.

"You've given me enough chances. It's all because I'm so useless..."

"…………"

After hearing this, Chihaya Tetsuya raised his head speechlessly and looked at the sky.

It was almost nine o'clock in the evening, and the stars, which were not obscured by the neon lights of the city, had already appeared in the deep night sky.

"The reason I want to recruit an assistant is because I will be designing clothes for someone who is very important to me."

He looked at the brightest star and said:

"To this end, I must do my best to ensure that the other party is someone I can trust and who can truly be a helper to me."

"..."

Faced with Chihaya Tetsuya's explanation, Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but lower her head in shame.

The reason she applied for the job was simply due to financial hardship, and there was nothing special that could be called a concern or a goal.

Compared with Chihaya Tetsuya's honesty and tolerance, she felt more deeply her own inferiority and shamelessness.

Just as she opened her mouth to apologize again, Chihaya Tetsuya continued:

"I've lived in an orphanage since I was young. I'm used to observing people's expressions and can tell a lot from their eyes..."

In the face of Toyokawa Shoko's somewhat surprised expression, Chihaya Tetsuya said:

"Toyokawa-san, you must be living a very difficult life right now."

"…………"

Shoko Toyokawa was really reluctant to admit it and also wanted to refute his guess.

However, there is probably no other reason why a female high school student who has just entered her first year of high school would go out to work at this time.

"Yes."

Toyokawa Shoko nodded in acknowledgment.

"Because of some changes at home...I had to come out to work."

"And in order not to affect my studies, I have to choose a job that avoids school hours and has no specific age requirements."

"Well...it took me a while to find you."

Perhaps because she heard that the other person also came from a poor family, Toyokawa Shoko said these words that she had never mentioned to anyone before.

"The timing was right, the work wasn't as shabby as some other jobs, and the salary was incredibly generous... It's just a shame I didn't have the skills to make it through the interview."

Having said that, she couldn't help but laugh at herself.

"Rather...for someone like me who has always been spoiled, it's a miracle that I even made it through the interview."

"Actually... for a high school student, your understanding and skills are far beyond your peers."

This is not Chihaya Tetsuya's consolation, but the truth.

"Every attempt is a reflection of the lessons learned from the last one, and every attempt will lead to a step forward. If you are given enough time, you will surely grow to a truly remarkable level."

"But the reality is, I don't have the time to learn and grow, and savvy can't be converted into money immediately."

Toyokawa Shoko said:

"Even though the opportunity was right in front of me, even though I tried my best... I still couldn't seize it."

Having said this, she suddenly stopped in the middle of the overpass.

"Mr. Chihaya, thank you so much... If you hadn't given me so many opportunities to try again and again, I would have regretted this missed opportunity for a long time. But now, I have fully realized my shortcomings, so... even if I fail, I can accept it calmly."

She looked at Chihaya Tetsuya and smiled with relief and ease.

"That's all I need to do. Next... I'll walk back by myself."

"…………"

It was not until he saw the smile on her face that Chihaya Tetsuya finally saw the true nature of a sixteen-year-old girl in this girl whose words and actions were extremely mature.

Recalling her repeated pleas to him, and her humble kneeling on the ground searching for a sewing needle, Chihaya Tetsuya couldn't help but flash back to the scene from seven years ago -

........................

I can sew, both by machine and by hand! I can also alter clothing patterns and make simple fabric decorations! I'm the best handicraftsman in the orphanage!

This is a coat I made myself from old clothes. Although the patches are ugly, it fits me perfectly and is very warm!

I have nowhere else to go, so... please...

Please... adopt me...

........................

After the orphanage was closed down, he had no place to stay, no food, and even his "family" who had depended on him for a long time were separated from him.

And when he was most desperate and difficult, it was the Chihaya family that gave him the redemption he needed most, allowing him to have everything he has today.

He would never forget the heartfelt sorrow on the faces of the Chihaya family when they took him in, and the tenderness they showed when they repeatedly comforted him afterwards.