"This is your room, dear customer~"

The place I was guided to was a private room.

I was made to sit on a red sofa in a small compartment that looked like a train cabin.

Even though I was sitting down it was so fluffy it felt like my butt might float up.

There was a stylish table right in front of me.

"From here on our shop’s number one most popular staff member will be attending to you~"

"The number one most popular staff member?"

"Yes. They’re veeery cool~"

"Uh huh..."

I don’t really get it but it seems like I’m about to be served by a super popular staff member.

Um like a hostess club... kind of thing?

If that’s the case... I’m getting a little nervous.

Maybe I should’ve just gone along with Suzuki-kun and Kijita-kun after all.

“Please wait here~” she said and the nurse-uniform staff member left the room.

‘Ehh what am I even supposed to talk about~?’

I end up waiting with my heart pounding.

If they’re number one most popular then they’ve got to be beautiful right.

Feeling nervous I sit curled up on the wide sofa.

"Sorry to keep you waiting my lady."

The one who opened the door and walked in was a refined beauty wearing a tailcoat.

Their black bangs were slicked back and they had the kind of aura of someone who could play a male role in Takarazuka and I couldn’t bring myself to meet their eyes.

Since it’s a service for women they’re calling me my lady but I’m not exactly a lady though...

Even though I felt that dissatisfaction I was too nervous to talk back.

Before I knew it they had smoothly slipped in beside me and without any hesitation wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"My lady, please show me your cute face."

The staff member who was way too close lifted my chin with their finger.

"U-um this is my first time at a place like this... wait huh?"

"You’ve finally looked this way. It seems today’s my lady is quite the handful."

"What are you doing?"

"That kind of expression doesn’t suit my lady. Come on smile more."

"No way. Because you’re Takatsuka-san right?"

The identity of the refined beauty was Takatsuka-san.

Since their bangs were swept back I didn’t notice at a glance but looking closer it was unfortunately a face I’d gotten used to seeing lately.

"Hey now don’t ruin the mood. Why not enjoy yourself honestly as a customer?"

"Yeah I’m going home now…"

"And where exactly do you think you’re going?"

With a line like a villain Takatsuka-san grabs my arm as I try to stand from the sofa.

"From here on you’ll be receiving my service for a while you know. After all, you're a special customer."

With Takatsuka-san’s skillful handling I’m spun around and before I know it I’m completely enclosed within their arms.

"Come on, you can order anything. What do you want me to do?"

"Th-this is a place to order drinks or food right!?"

"If that’s the case just think of me as a drink or food."

"Huh?"

"You can partially take me into your mouth right. I won’t say where but you’ve already imagined it in your head. See you can properly consume me."

Isn’t this place turning into something shady in an instant just from Takatsuka-san alone?

Destroying public decency laws single-handedly is insane.

"M-manager!"

Getting a bit scared I give up trying to escape from Takatsuka-san who’s physically stronger than me and try to get out of this situation by calling for someone.

"It’s useless. This is a soundproof room. No matter how much you cry or scream nothing will be heard outside and the manager isn’t here today."

Takatsuka-san is still acting like a villain.

"Fufu sorry. I was just so happy you came that I ended up teasing you."

I end up sitting while being held from behind by Takatsuka-san.

"You don’t have to be so scared. I just want to entertain a special customer who happened to come during my shift."

Takatsuka-san whispers into my ear...

My spine tingles but strangely it doesn’t feel unpleasant.

Is my body cheating on me with Takatsuka-san?

"Th-then stop doing weird things."

"Hm? Showing affection isn’t something weird right?"

"That’s just your one-sided affection Takatsuka-san."

"Fufu maybe. After all, right now it seems I like you more than you like me."

"You really say you like someone a lot don’t you Takatsuka-san..."

"Is it that strange to honestly express affection? Well from your perspective someone who can’t even say they like the person they truly care about while trying to stay faithful to them must seem strange."

Those words stab right into me.

With Iwabuchi-san I feel like I’ve gotten closer than before but I still can’t picture us becoming lovers.

At best we’re just good friends.

Knowing I’d fail and still saying I like them...

That’s something I don’t think I can do.

"Then don’t you think it would be much easier to just accept my feelings?"

So in the end it’s just the usual Takatsuka-san trying to seduce me.

I wasted my time thinking seriously about it.

"I don’t think so. By the way, you worked part-time here Takatsuka-san."

"Yeah. It’s for earning funds and for meeting people."

"...If you fall for someone at the same workplace doesn’t that cause a lot of trouble?"

"I’m careful about that. I like this place too after all."

"Really?"

"The people who work here and the customers who come are often more mature older girls compared to the girls at school. They leave me alone to a certain extent so it’s actually quite relaxing."

Even though Takatsuka-san is like this, they have overwhelming popularity at school as the Prince.

So much so that the only time they can relax at school is when they’re behind the school building where no one finds them.

For someone like Takatsuka-san this place Luage is probably like that hidden spot outside of school.

They seem to act on their desires but sometimes it’s hard to tell if that’s their true self but I could tell from their demeanor that they genuinely value this place.

"That’s why the ones I mainly approach are customers. Even if I do nothing, girls I like come to me. You could say this place is like a girl magnet and I really like it."

"Staff shouldn’t be hitting on customers..."

Hmm, maybe even them liking Luage doesn’t completely feel like their true feelings...

"Hm? It’s a bit noisy outside the room."

"Eh really? I didn’t hear anything though."

"R-Ryo-sama it’s terrible~!"

The one who rushed into the room looking panicked was the nurse-uniform staff member who had guided me here.

"Ryo-sama?"

"It’s like my alias here. So what’s wrong?"

"A-actually a very troublesome customer has come... but the manager isn’t here so I came to consult you Ryo-sama."

"I see. In that case I’ll go."

"I-is it really okay?"

"It’s fine. Since it’s a place where only women work, sometimes arrogant types who underestimate that show up. This isn’t the first time so you can just wait here without worry. Once it’s dealt with I’ll come back and continue entertaining you."

Takatsuka-san kissed my forehead then left the room.

‘...Kissing like it’s as natural as breathing.’

Left alone sitting on the sofa in the now silent room.

I’m just a customer so I don’t have to get involved in handling trouble but it feels wrong to leave Takatsuka-san alone when I know them so I end up stepping out of the room too.