Kazuya was about to decline, but Haruka shouted more quickly, "No! He can't stay here. He's my lifelong enemy. With him here, there's no me. Without me, there's no him!"
Naotaka angrily reprimanded his eldest daughter, "Haruka, be polite!"
Haruka's momentum weakened, but in an instant, she yelled again, "Our family didn't prepare to hire anyone. Why should we hire him?"
"I was planning to hire someone anyway, I've already informed the employment agency," Naotaka said with a mild tone.
"Business is already not doing well, and now you want to add more payroll? What are you thinking? I disagree!"
Naotaka patiently said, "Business is not exactly bad... I just see that you all are working too hard. I hope you can take turns resting, so I plan to hire additional help. You should consider not only yourself but also your sisters."
Haruka was speechless for a moment and angrily exclaimed, "Even if you want to hire someone, it can't be him!"
How much injustice had she suffered? Being cried in front of nearly a hundred people was not something that happened in kindergarten. It could easily become a lifelong joke!
Kazuya shook his head slightly on the side. He hadn't planned to stay here in the first place. "Mr. Sakura, I appreciate your kindness, but I'm not prepared to work here."
Naotaka sighed, "My daughter is willful. You must have had a good laugh, Matsuoka." He took a glance at the work permit and asked in a low voice, "Aren't you from Nagoya?"
"Huh? No, I came here from... from Tottori Prefecture."
"You didn't have a part-time job before, right?"
"No... I think so."
Naotaka smiled, "Finding the first job is not easy. Generally, employers prefer to hire someone they know or someone with experience."
Kazuya understood his meaning but looked at the darkened face of Haruka. He declined again, "Thank you for your advice, Mr. Sakura, but between me and your daughter... So I can't work here."
He was not foolish. Working here, surrounded by people from the Sakura family and the tense atmosphere, would be awkward. "The laxative incident is not something I will mention to outsiders, so please don't worry."
The restaurant business might be particularly sensitive to such matters. If word got out that there was a laxative in the tea, customers might refuse to visit. The Sakura daughters were unreasonable, but the father was kind. So, it was better to let go of this matter!
Naotaka felt a bit relieved when he heard that Matsunaka wouldn't mention the incident to others. However, seeing him still insist on refusal, he pondered for a moment and changed his approach, "How about this, Matsuoka? You can work here to gain some experience first. After a week or two, I'll write you a letter of recommendation, making it easier for you to find another part-time job. You can leave anytime when you find another job. I know my daughter's unruly behavior, so please accept this small compensation."
Then he turned to Haruka, "Haruka, don't oppose this anymore. You've always had a narrow-minded and vengeful personality. If you don't change, you'll suffer a big loss in the future. Be reasonable, tolerant, and remember your mother's teachings."
Haruka's chest heaved rapidly. After holding back for a while and seeing her father determined, she angrily shouted, "Do as you wish!" She turned and ran towards the corridor, disappearing as she lifted the curtain.
Kazuya watched Haruka escape, then turned around to find Naotaka had already taken out a seal and stamped it on his work permit. He was even reaching for a pen to fill in the name, leaving him speechless. Wasn't this forcing him to stay?
Naotaka filled out the form and handed it to Kazuya, "The wage is 850 yen per hour, and we provide one meal. You can work a few days a week as you like. How does that sound?"
Kazuya had already inquired about the market rates from the student union. The average hourly wage for high school students here was around 900 yen. While 850 seemed a bit low, considering the inclusion of a meal, it was still acceptable.
He didn't want to be under the same roof as the little troublemaker, but her father, Naotaka Sakura, kept lowering his stance, offering not just the job but also favorable conditions. After working for a few days, it would count as experienced, making it easier for him to find a better part-time job elsewhere.
Naotaka added, "Matsuoka, I also have a selfish motive. I see that you conduct yourself in a mature and stable manner. I hope you can take care of my two troublesome daughters in school life. Haruka has a bad temper, and Haruna... she's more innocent, so I always worry."
Kazuya looked at the middle-aged man who slightly lowered his head. After some thought, he finally accepted the form, "I appreciate your trouble, Mr. Sakura. I'll do my best at work."
"Can Matsuoka start working today?"
"No problem. I just haven't worked in an izakaya before, so please tell me how to do."
"It's simple. Let Akiho guide you. You'll get the hang of it in three days." Naotaka turned to Akiho, "Akiho, take Matsuoka to change his clothes."
Akiho calmly replied, "I see." She then extended her hand towards the corridor and said to Kazuya, "Please follow me."
Kazuya looked at her. Just a little over ten minutes ago, they were swinging sticks at each other. Now, seeing her calm expression, it felt like a hallucination. Either she had a big heart or could keep her emotions in check. She was completely different from the little radish.
He followed Akiho, ready to embark on his first part-time job journey at an izakaya.
After he left, Haruna scratched her head, "Dad, since sister strongly opposes it, why do you still want to keep him?" Innocence filled her face, and suddenly she exclaimed, "Could it be, Dad, you heard that he defeated sister and admired him, wanting to make him your son-in-law?"
"Are you trying to marry me off? Do I really eat too much?"
Naotaka turned to look at his second daughter, opened his mouth a few times but didn't know say what, "I just wanted to test your sister's temper... Forget it, I can't reason with you. Go on with your work!"
"Ah, okay, I'll go carry the rice and play... and do my homework."
Naotaka waved his hand, letting his silly daughter go about her business. He then went upstairs and knocked on the door. With no response, he pushed it open and found Haruka folding clothes with a distressed look. He sighed softly, "Haruka, still upset?"
"No! I'm not upset!" Haruka wiped away another tear, refusing to admit how frustrated she felt.
Naotaka contemplated for a moment, "Haruka, you know the right and wrong in the conflict between you and Matsuoka. Redirecting your anger onto others..."
Before he could finish speaking, Haruka exploded, "You're my father, why do you take his side? Why do you have to lower yourself? We have so many people. What are you afraid of?"
Naotaka's expression became more serious, "Because I hope you can become an upright and broad-minded person, Haruka. I don't want you to be envious of others just because they are better than you. In the future, you will encounter many people who are better than you. Do you want to retaliate against each one of them?"
He coughed and continued, "I asked Matsuoka to stay for two reasons. Firstly, it's a form of compensation. We were wrong first. It's absolutely unforgivable to use laxatives on customers. Secondly, I hope you can learn to get along well with people who are better than you. Since childhood, you've been competitive and quick to bear grudges. If someone hits you, you must hit them back. Such a temperament might be okay when you were young, but now that you're almost an adult. I think it's time to change. Speaking of which, it's also my fault. I didn't educate you well."
Haruka pursed her lips, turned her back, and remained silent. She still seemed quite annoyed yelled, "I'm not like that!"
Naotaka opened his mouth to speak but suddenly started coughing heavily. Haruka turned half of her body, showing a hint of regret on her face. However, she still stubbornly refused to admit her mistake.
After coughing for a while, Naotaka shook his head, "Think about it yourself. Set a good example for your younger siblings... Today, Matsuoka was lenient. Otherwise, if he had injured all three of your sisters, we couldn't have anything to do. Do you want our Sakura family to be considered scoundrels?"
Haruka repeatedly fold a piece of clothing. Not hearing the answer, Naotaka felt that he had said everything that needed to be said. The rest would have to be left for his daughter to ponder. He turned and went downstairs.
Haruka glanced back, wiped away another tear and pouted.
Still not happy... That damn gigolo, why did he have to work in my house!