ep.2 What you have

I wonder if the rain’s let up.

Ohhh, I dunno.

No way of knowing if we don’t have windows.

According to the weather report, the rain will cease in 30 Minutes.

Chou Un, you’re amazing. You can tell us the weather too?

Yes, Yodaka-dono.

What? Of course he can. Chou Un’s one of the most high-tech pet robots out there. You’re the only guy weird enough to use nothing but the music player function.

I’ll make sure to ask for the weather report from now on as well.

…As you Wish.

But, yeah… I guess that’s why it’s so empty in here.

Let’s close a little early tonight. Could you flip the sign outside the door for me?

Okaaay.

…Yodaka-dono. Would you like me to turn off the Music?

Could you keep it on for the time being?

As you Wish.

Alright, just gotta clean up… Oh, yeah! I forgot to tell you that the wallpaper in the bathroom is starting to peel off.

I’ll call someone to redo it tomorrow morning.

Sounds gooood! Oh, one more thing. Our freezer’s getting pretty old, so can we replace it already? It’s been here since we set up shop, so it’s on its last legs, y’know?

Is that so? That’s a shame, I liked it quite a bit. But we should buy a new one before it causes us any trouble.

Yesss! I actually already looked into it, so I have some new ones in mind. Man, I’m such a good employee. ♪

Mhm. Good job.

Here, look at this! We could get this one, or this one! You can even get ones that make purified ice! Isn’t that crazy?! We can just make cubed ice, we don’t even have to buy it pre-made!

Hmm…

Oh, lemme guess, not a fan of the pricetags?

Yes, admittedly.

That’s where that one thing comes in! What happened with that?

Hm? What thing?

The offer from that gorgeous, powerful CEO! ♪

Ah… That’s what you meant.

Yeah, she really took a liking to you and Yumejuya. She wanted to turn this place into a chain!

Surely a big-shot CEO like that has a lot of investment money to show for it. Do you know where you want the second Yumejuya to be yet?!

I don’t. I rejected the offer, naturally.

Huh? Are you serious?

Very.

Wha⁠— HUH?! Are you kidding me?! I mean, I expected that, but come ooooon!

Damn, what a waste! That was a chance of a lifetime!

……

That CEO was such a bombshell, y’know? She was looking at you with hearts in her eyes, y’know?!

She was totally in love with you! You were this close to marrying into her wealth!

Wealth…?

Yeah! That’s my literal dream!

This is the first time I’ve heard of that.

Ugh… If we turned into a chain, we’d get new employees… Maybe even a bunch of really cute and capable girls… And they’d start getting all friendly…

Only with me though!

Ahaha. Don’t worry, I know.

Then I’d be in heaven with my harem of hot girls, and you’d be super rich…

We were soooo close to living the high life…! Jesus, why’d you have to go and reject the offer?! Yodaka-san, you dumb-dumb!

……

“He who is contented is rich.”

Rich? Yeah, I was just talking about that.

It’s a famous quote from Laozi, a philosopher who laid the foundation for Taoism, one of China’s three major religions.

Huh… I dunno him.

The quote means that people who are content with their lives are always happy and spiritually fulfilled.

It’s important to avoid being greedy and to be satisfied with what you have. It’s a notion I truly believe in.

Nahh, who wants to be lectured by some old dead guy in this day and age?

Money always buys happiness, and you can’t deny that having a few cute girls around you is better than having none!

Am I wrong?!

I won’t comment on the women, but…the CEO who made me that offer said that money can never buy you happiness, no matter how much you make.

Huhhh?!

I’ve gotten to know a number of CEOs while running this bar. I go out to eat with them sometimes, and that always seems to be the case.

They were content at the beginning, but after their income hit a certain point, they were no longer happy with it, and were instead wrought with worries about how they should manage their assets.

Ughhh. Just sounds like a rich person problem, if you ask me.

Does that mean it’s only okay to have a middle-of-the-road income?

Are you trying to brainwash me into wanting middle-of-the-road pay? Is that what you were plotting?!

Haha, no, that’s not what I meant. We can buy the new freezer, but let’s continue to purchase our ice cubes from the local ice shop. That’s what I was plotting.

Fiiiiine…

Well, I’ve always known that you liked more understated stuff since the moment you set up shop here.

……

I’d like to ask you something. Are you happy at this moment?

Huh?

You’re closing up shop. Time is ticking by slowly. The bar is filled with peeling wallpaper and well-loved appliances.

The night is quiet. The moon is heading out to greet the sun.

A famous jazz record is playing. You’re having a conversation with a close friend.

……

I’m incredibly happy to be spending time with you in this little bar every day… How about you?

Well… Like…

It’s kind of unfair to ask stuff like that.

…I guess I’m happy.

It’s good to know that the feeling is mutual.

*sigh* Can’t believe I’m being schooled by a womanizer like you…

Yodaka-dono. Are you sure I cannot be of more Help?

If I am updated to my newest version and have additional parts installed, I could grow to eight heads tall in order to serve our Customers. Are you happy with the way I Am?

I am. You’re doing wonderfully. Thank you.

You being eight heads tall sounds scary as hell.

Can you update the playlist for tomorrow?

As you Wish. Yodaka-dono. What kind of songs would you Like?

Let me see…

Put on some songs that will make a certain worrywart bartender of ours happy.