Checking Out at 5:15 PM Chapter 2: Morning Alarms, Raw Eggs, and the Chief Manager's Hangover (Patreon)

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

The sound of the alarm woke me up, and I just stared at it in a daze.

“...six o’clock.”

I let out a long sigh, as I have just slept for four hours. It wasn’t a bad sleep, but I usually slept more, as I, the believer, believe that sleep is a necessity in life.

“I can’t believe I wasted my sleeping time.”

Yet, there was nothing I could do, especially when I faced my boss, but now?

“I have learned.”

Observe, Copy, and Modification.

This was the greatest code of life that I have learned, and watching how my coworkers work, especially at Misaki’s madness, I knew what to do after that.

“Let’s get up.”

While the time to reach my working place, the library, Kamakura City Central Library, only took five minutes of a peaceful bicycle trip, I needed to prepare myself so that at least I appeared presentable.

Probably, some people might think that I was exaggerating, or even acted like a female who took their appearance too much, yet in society, with my experience of 22 years of living, I realized that being good-looking, or at least presentable, gave me a lot more benefits than not.

Whether one wished or not, many often looked down on those who appeared unpresentable, or even cheap, or worse... less good-looking...

Let’s not say an ugly, as it was too cruel.

“.................”

Nevertheless, what I wanted to say was that the library wasn’t exactly the peaceful job that everyone was thinking. I was at the bottom, so naturally, I did much grunt work, including standing at the counters, meeting all the visitors who came to the library to borrow books, returning, or simply to cause trouble.

Those who were polite at fine, since at least, they never tried to say anything opently even if one’s looks were unpresentable, but for those who were rude, especially those who just wanted to come to the library to cause a trouble, especially when all the librarians’ income came from the taxpayers, they would definitely came to complain, making a lot of fuss, so just to feel better about their shitty lives by bullying others.

Still, a human was similar to an animal to a certain extent; why did he say that? It was because, in many cases, humans moved based on instinct. If one saw others were weak, they wouldn’t hesitate to make a move, as they would win, but if one saw the others were strong, which in my terms, looked presentable, they would be hesitating to make a move, like how people would definitely start to talk politely to someone with a high status, or had a certain authority instead of talking to those at the bottoms, such as a homeless, or those who appeared less presentable.

Like how a group of hyenas would hesitate to fight or even run away against a mighty lion, yet wouldn’t hesitate to leap into a hungry and weak lion.

Instead of trying to think about how to solve the problem that might come upon me, especially from those patrons of the library that might cause him trouble just because of one bad or unlucky day, I refused to let myself be randomly attacked, which was why I donned himself in the armor, known as the “good appearance.”

Like a knight putting on their armor on the battlefield, the workplace was the same; I wore my navy suit, polished leather shoes, and a good watch, ready for another day of work.

“Hopefully, nothing will happen.”

Yet, despite my best, I knew that there was something that one couldn’t fight, the inevitable, which was known as the superior. When I thought about yesterday, and how I had to come back so late, I couldn’t help but let out a helpless sigh, thinking about the unfairness of being the newcomer.

Toward this invincible force, there was nothing that one could do, especially for someone who had just been accepted into the work like me.

“Let’s have breakfast first.”

If there was a reason why I woke up earlier, it was because I wanted to eat breakfast, since the last night's alcohol still made him uncomfortable, and going to work with an empty stomach would make my mood worse.

So, what should I eat?

There was nothing, and with my lack of sleep, I didn’t really want to cook something troublesome, so I just took the white rice that I had prepared before I went to sleep last night, which was ready in my rice cooker, took an egg, a natto, a soy sauce, and all other condiments.

TKG.

Or, known as the Tamago Kake Gohan, is a raw egg over the rice.

If it were someone from another country, they would feel that this dish was strange, and considering the bacteria that lived on the raw egg, the salmonella, I knew that this dish was pretty bad, but this was the national dish, and I had been eating this dish for as long as I could remember, so everything was okay.

What was the reason?

Probably the egg was under special care, or I had a special stomach that I could bear this type of food.

Regardless, this dish was delicious, especially with the runny egg that mixed with the hot rice, the salty soy sauce, the slight spiciness from the mustard, and the unique taste of the natto.

All of that combined became an energy for the morning of my day, which had both carbohydrates and protein. As for the vitamins and fibers, I got them from the vegetable juice.

“What is the name again?”

I forgot, but it used 350 grams of vegetables per bottle, helping me meet the daily recommended vegetable intake in just one serving.

Was it healthy?

Probably, but it had a unique taste that I liked, and with that said, as I ate my food, cleaned up the dish, and looked at my rice cooker. I hesitated for a while, but in the end I decided to put the remaining rice into the Tupperware and put it directly in the freezer part of my fridge. It was definitely not good, but I couldn’t help it as I didn’t have time, and I was afraid that I might be late once again.

Also, the rice had become expensive lately, so it couldn’t be wasted.

While I had learned from my coworkers the ways to avoid your boss’s invitation to drink,  I knew well that sometimes, the technique that others could use, couldn’t fit into my own situations.

After all, all of them were older, and they had worked on the library for a while, but what about me?

I was just a newcomer, so sometimes, giving all the resistance was the fastest way, which made me wonder why people loved to drink alcohol despite the troublesome effects the next day.

“Well, there is only one reason, right?”

To wash away all of their troubles, alcohol was the fastest and cheapest way to do it. By getting drunk, all of the problems would miraculously be forgotten, but the next day, the aftermath was horrible.

I was okay as I was young, but what about my boss, Misaki?

“Probably, her husband took care of her?”

Wait, she didn’t have a husband, and... I shouldn’t have talked about this, too, as I knew that if I kept talking, I would be beaten by her, especially considering how sensitive this topic was.

The best way to handle my situation was just to forget everything as if nothing had happened, and with that strategy and determination, I left my apartment and walked toward my job.

The library, my workplace, was close to my apartment, so I just had to walk for a while. While it might seem like a waste of time, it was pretty nice to enjoy the quiet morning by walking. The air was a little damp as Kamakura, the city where I lived now, was a coastal city, and the vibrant color of the trees and the old town gave me a certain joy.

I liked this quietness.

Some people might love the rowdiness, as they couldn’t handle being alone, but I knew myself that I was introverted, and that was also the reason why I chose to be the librarian, yet I admitted that the work as the librarian was different from what I had imagined.

“I thought I could just sort the books...”

I felt helpless, yet I knew that there was nothing he could do since all the jobs were shitty, so I might as well choose the less shitty one.

“I might as well choose the waste management, or work at the utility company...”

Compared to the library, where I had to talk with patrons, serve them, and probably also face their frustrations, complaints, and all the other things, picking up the trash with a truck seemed like a joy.

“Well, nothing can be done.”

I had chosen this path, so all I could do was just walk it through, and this job was far better than any of the other jobs that were presented before me.

Some jobs might have a better income, but the working hours were horrible, and they had no stability. Some others also gave him the same stability and a certain authority, which enabled him to present himself in a respectable way; yet, once again, in terms of time, it just wasn’t worth it.

Meanwhile, working on the library, I started at nine A.M. and could go back at five P.M.

It was the best job that I could find currently...

‘At least, I should be fine in one or two years...’

Thinking of the mandatory thing that I have to face on my job, I couldn’t help but sigh, but I knew that was something that I had to face, and my situation was better than many people's, so instead of complaining, I should have just enjoyed the best I could do.

With those thoughts, I walked toward the library, watching the scenery of Kamakura, this old city that was filled with memories and tourists, which was the city that I had never thought of living in.

“But, I will get used to it.”

Since this city was quite similar to the city where I had lived, and somehow, I arrived at the library, and met my coworkers, who had left me behind from the danger that I had never known.

“Good morning, Motoi-kun.”

 Before I could even greet them, they greeted me first, even though I was the newcomer.

“...good morning.”

Still, they were all my coworkers, so I couldn’t be petty, and probably, it was like a rite of passage for every worker in this library, too.

“I am sorry for last night.”

“How was it?”

“Kacho was quite intense when she was drunk.”

“...it’s fine, but please give me such vital information beforehand, okay?”

They all laughed as they continued their work while talking about many things within the library, including all the tips, so I could do well in this line of work. The works of the library might appear to be simple, and I had remembered all the basics and the theories, but the practical ones?

It was a different entity, which I should have learned from my seniors. Yet, as expected, despite my attempt to gather around my coworkers so I would appear busy and less noticeable, it was impossible for Misaki, the chief manager of the Kamakura Ward Library.

Her sloppy appearance was no longer; the drunken mess that I had seen last night seemed like a mirage that had never existed to begin with, yet while I clung to that dream, thinking that it was nothing but just my illusion, I knew it was a reality, especially when Misaki’s moist, red lips called my name in front of everyone.

“Motoi-kun, can you come to my office for a bit? There is something that I have to discuss with you.”

“........................”

Yes, the work at the library wasn’t as quiet and peaceful as I had thought it would be.