Can't We Skip Dating?

After coming downstairs, Akira was ready to drive Nanami home.

Although the girl stubbornly insisted she felt much better and could go back on her own, one sharp look from Akira made her shrink back into the car.

Akira's gaze was a little fierce, because he was indeed in a bit of a foul mood at the moment.

"Seven part-time jobs, school, voice acting training… ha."

He stood outside the car, calming himself down for a moment before flicking away his cigarette and getting in.

As soon as Akira got in, Nanami cautiously peeked out from the back seat. 

Facing this part-time job senior who seemed to know her inside and out, she felt not only respectful but also a bit intimidated—especially after that glare.

"Thank you for everything today, Mr. Ogiwara. Is there anything I can do for you? 

Uh… though I say that, I'm not capable of much. Besides basic cooking and housework, I could probably only run errands… of course, I can handle other chores too!"

Utaha discreetly glanced at Nanami and realized that Akira probably did like this girl more—because after receiving help, she didn't just say thank you, she earnestly listed all the things she could do to repay him.

She really did remind Utaha of Akira himself.

"If you really want to repay me, there actually is something I'd like you to do."

Akira suddenly turned around. "You mentioned cooking and housework, right?"

"Yes!" Nanami sat upright and alert.

Akira had been wondering how to bring it up, but since Nanami volunteered, he saw no need to hold back.

"Alright then. I've been meaning to stop hiring housekeepers every week, and I'm tired of takeout. 

What I'm missing at home is a maid. Quit all those random part-time jobs and come work for me."

Nanami leaned back in shock, her face turning red with embarrassment and panic. "Ehhh—?! Maid?"

Her charming Kansai accent slipped out again.

Ignoring her reaction, Akira continued, 

"Main duties include housework and cooking. Housework means cleaning and laundry. Cooking at least one dinner daily. 

Occasionally, you might need to trim the garden or handle odd jobs. 

As for compensation, meals and lodging are included, weekly pay is 100,000 yen. You get four personal days off per month—more than that, and the daily wage gets deducted."

"One-one-one-one-one hundred thousand? A hundred thousand per week? No no no, I can't!"

If her first reaction was to panic at suddenly being asked to be a maid, this time her refusal was firm and clear.

"That kind of pay is way too high compared to the work expected—it's not a job at all."

Nanami said seriously. "I really appreciate your kindness, but I just can't accept something like that."

"Considering other factors, it's actually appropriate. But that reason doesn't matter for now, we'll get to that later. First, let's talk about why you need to take this job."

Akira took a breath and said with a strange tone, 

"Being able to balance seven part-time jobs, school, and voice acting training means your time management is extremely efficient. 

That's impressive—you're really amazing. Way more capable than I ever was back then."

Nanami smiled awkwardly, feeling a bit proud inside. To be praised like this by her part-time senpai meant she really had been working hard, right?

But when Akira saw her smile, his face turned cold. "I wasn't praising you."

His sudden shift in tone and expression startled Nanami, leaving her frozen in place, unsure how to respond.

"You've done so much—and for what?" Akira pressed on, face still cold. 

"How are your grades in school? How are you doing at the voice acting academy?"

"My grades are… above average, I guess…" Nanami stammered nervously. 

"As for the voice acting school, tomorrow is my first showcase—it's like a performance test. The teacher said I have some potential…"

Akira began counting on his fingers, stating each point one by one.

"You're juggling so many responsibilities and still manage above-average grades. 

If you focused all your energy on studying, you could probably be at the top. 

But you didn't. You're just doing 'well enough.' Frankly, if you're hoping to stand out through academics, those grades mean nothing. Only being at the top matters."

"And about voice acting—your teacher said you have 'some potential.' That just means you're not particularly talented, but with enough hard work, you might survive in the industry. 

But if you're working seven jobs on top of school, how much time and energy do you have left to work hard?"

"Lastly, you're working in the first place to survive, right? 

And yet—you're doing seven jobs! Seven! You worked yourself sick and still ended up malnourished? You're not even eating properly???"

"Miss Aoyama, can you understand this? By trying so hard to do everything well, you've ended up accomplishing nothing at all!"

Nanami stared wide-eyed at Akira, stunned. Then suddenly, tears poured out of her eyes.

"Have you ever seen someone with talent, skill, passion—and actual results, Miss Aoyama?"

Even as he saw her tears, Akira remained unmoved. His voice stayed cold as ice.

"Those with talent also pour in massive amounts of time and energy. From morning till night, day in and day out. 

They can shut out everything else, focus entirely on one thing, and that's how they succeed. 

So what makes you think a mediocre person like yourself can succeed while juggling so many things? What gives you that right?"

"What you're doing isn't entirely meaningless, I admit. Maybe you really can achieve some decent results—by destroying your body. But that's as far as it goes, Miss Aoyama."

Tears streamed down Nanami's face uncontrollably. She couldn't say a word in response—couldn't even think of a rebuttal.

Because she had indeed seen someone like that—just recently, in that Sakura Dorm she'd moved into. 

A girl so delicate and adorable, she felt like a helpless little animal.

Aside from being a genius at drawing, that girl was completely hopeless at everything else—her room was a disaster, she didn't know how to clean or do laundry, and she couldn't even take care of herself.

But Nanami had seen the look in her eyes when she drew.

It was the kind of deep concentration where the canvas in front of her was the entire world.

Once she started drawing, she lost all sense of time—she'd fall asleep at her desk or under it and only wake up when someone else found her.

Even a genius worked that hard. So how could an ordinary person expect success without giving it their all?

"I'm no good at comforting girls—so I'll leave that to you."

Leaving those words behind, Akira got out of the car again.

That line was clearly directed at Utaha. 

But even after Akira stepped out, she rested her chin in her hand and turned to look out the window, not saying a word right away.

She finally understood what kind of deal Akira had in mind this time.

And she finally understood what people meant when they said, "Comparison will kill you."

"Dry your tears before he comes back. Stop looking like a sobbing mess. I won't be comforting you."

Utaha stared coldly out the window and said,

"Right now, I'm a woman consumed by jealousy."

___

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