Koharu-chan is a little bad at recommending books #6

People looking for something come to "Cardy Bookstore," a small bookstore with an attached cafe, again today. Through books, someone's feelings move just a little. This is one such gentle story.

Characters
Koharu: A high school student working part-time. Kind and a bit of an airhead.
Makoto Kimura: The manager. Quiet and sincere. Loves books and coffee.

Previous Episode

Episode 6: Five Minutes of Courage to Step Forward

Cardy Bookstore, a small bookstore with an attached cafe, is located on the main street in front of Toyohashi Station.

A holiday afternoon. Outside the window, a streetcar slowly passed by. The tracks after the rain were shining just a little, reflecting the spring light streaming into the shop in thin lines.

Koharu listened to the sound while clearing a seat by the window.

Clack, clack.

Inside the shop, the scent of coffee and the sound of pages turning were quietly mixed together. The holiday atmosphere at Cardy Bookstore wasn't bustling, but it had the perfect air for someone to think about something.

The bell at the entrance rang softly.

"Welcome."

When Koharu looked up, a man in his thirties was looking around the shop as if a little lost. He wasn't in a suit, but in a casual jacket. Even though it didn't look like a workday, there was a certain tension in his shoulders.

The man gave a slight nod and walked toward the bookshelves.

Koharu didn't force a conversation and returned to the side of the counter. First-time customers usually check the atmosphere of the shop first. Where are the books? Is it okay to sit? Will they be spoken to, or will they be left alone?

She had been taught by the manager, Kimura, that not disturbing that time was also part of customer service.

The man stopped in front of the business skills shelf.
He was looking at the spines of the books on the shelf, but he didn't pick any up. He shifted his gaze a little, then returned to the same spot.

Koharu was curious about his behavior.

"Um... are you looking for something?"

When she spoke to him, the man turned around as if a little surprised.

"Oh, sorry. It's not so much that I'm looking for something... I don't even really know what I'm looking for myself."

The way he said that sounded somewhat apologetic, and Koharu gave a small shake of her head.

It's okay. This is the kind of shop people come to for times like that.

The man smiled slightly. However, that smile immediately returned to a troubled expression.

I've been asked to give a short presentation at a company study session.

A presentation, you say?

Yes. I was told I only had to speak for five minutes. But those five minutes feel terribly long.

The man continued, his eyes still fixed on the bookshelf.

I'm not good at standing in front of people. I get nervous just sharing a small opinion in a meeting, so to stand at the front, face everyone, and speak... just thinking about it makes my stomach ache.

Koharu listened to the man's words quietly.

Besides, I don't even know what I should talk about. I don't have any amazing achievements, nor do I possess any special skills. I wonder who it would even be useful for if I were to speak.

At those words, Koharu lowered her eyes just a little.

She felt like she understood.

Koharu often thinks the same thing when she recommends books. Is this book really the right one? Will what I say cause the other person trouble? Wouldn't it be better if someone more knowledgeable recommended it?

A lack of confidence takes on different forms and appears in various situations.

Koharu stood in front of the shelf and gently traced the spines of the books with her fingertips. Work techniques, speaking methods, presentations, communication. Several books caught her eye. However, she felt that what the man needed wasn't just techniques for speaking confidently.

How to speak well. How to make slides. Techniques to captivate the audience.

Of course, those are important too. However, it seemed to her that the place where this person was stumbling was somewhere before that.

Koharu took one book from the shelf.

How about this one?

The man looked at the cover.

“Lightning talk...?”

“It’s a presentation where you talk about your own experiences or insights in a short amount of time. It seems like it’s often about five minutes long.”

“Five minutes...”

The man reacted to those words.

“That’s exactly right.”

Koharu nodded.

“I think this book isn’t just about how to speak well, but about turning your own experiences into hints for someone else.”

“My own experiences...”

The man was still looking at the book, looking a bit uneasy.

“But my experiences aren’t really anything special.”

Koharu thought for a moment, then spoke slowly.

“The things you think aren’t special are often the very things that can help someone else.”

The man looked up.

“For example, how you overcame a small problem at work. Or how you failed, but doing this made things easier next time. Or how you didn’t understand anything at first, but once you understood this one part, you were able to move forward.”

As she spoke, Koharu felt her cheeks get a little warm.
Was she sounding too preachy?
But seeing the man’s expression soften just a little, she continued.

“I don’t think you have to impress everyone listening. If just one person thinks, 'Oh, I could probably do that too,' then I think that alone makes it meaningful.”

Behind the counter, Kimura was brewing coffee.
Hot water fell in a thin stream from the pot, and the grounds swelled up quietly.

Perhaps he had been listening to their conversation, as Kimura said quietly,

“It’s not just people who are good at speaking who stand up in front of others, after all.”

The man and Koharu looked toward the counter at the same time.

Kimura continued, keeping his eyes on the dripper in his hand.

"Of course, it's easy to listen to someone who is good at it. But the words of someone who prepares while feeling anxious and gathers a little courage to speak also have a warmth that only they can provide."

"Warmth... is it?"

The man muttered.

Kimura nodded as he poured coffee into the cup.

"Sometimes, a story where you realize 'I struggled with the same thing' reaches people more than a perfect presentation."

The scent of coffee wafted softly through the shop.

The man opened the book.
His fingertips as he turned the pages looked a little calmer than when he had first arrived.

"Something I can talk about... is it?"

"Yes."

Koharu nodded.

"I don't think it has to be an amazing story. In fact, sometimes a small story is easier for the listeners to take home with them."

The man was silent for a while.
Then, he gave a small smile.

"Actually, I recently fixed the template for the application forms at my office a little."

"A template?"

"Yes. Everyone was getting stuck in the same place every time, so I added examples and organized the options a bit. It's not a huge improvement, but the number of inquiries has decreased a little."

The man scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

"Is that kind of story okay?"

Koharu leaned forward slightly.

"I think that's wonderful."

My voice brightened involuntarily.

"If someone who wants to do something about small problems in the office hears this, it will surely be helpful."

The man's eyes widened, and then he let out a sigh of relief.

"I see... so that kind of thing is fine."

Those words sounded as if he were telling them to himself.

Kimura placed a coffee on the counter.

"Please, enjoy it while you read."

The man thanked him and sat at a seat by the window. Outside, a streetcar passed by again. The afternoon light reflected faintly on the rim of the cup.

While reading the book, the man occasionally typed something into his smartphone. Perhaps it was notes for his presentation.

Koharu watched him quietly from near the counter.

Talk for only five minutes. When written down, it's short. But for someone standing in front of others, those five minutes are very long.

But those five minutes might become a catalyst for someone. Your own small experience might make someone's tomorrow a little lighter.

After a while, the man came to the register with the book.

"I'll buy this."

"Thank you very much."

As Koharu processed the payment, the man put the book in his bag and said, looking a bit hesitant.

"I'm still nervous. But I can see a little bit of what I should talk about."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"I'll try standing up there for just five minutes."

At those words, Koharu smiled naturally.

Yes. I'm sure it will be fine.

The man left the shop.
The bell at the entrance rang, and the light from outside shone into the shop for just a moment.
Koharu let out a small sigh as she stared at the closed door.

From the back of the counter, Kimura said quietly.

That was good customer service.

Koharu turned around in surprise.

W-was it?

Yes. You were properly looking at the step right in front of that person.

Koharu felt a little shy and averted her gaze toward the shelves.
The spines of the books were lined up quietly in the afternoon light.

It is difficult to provide the perfect answer to someone's worries.
However, a single book can sometimes give that person a little push.

The courage to step forward, just for five minutes.
That courage is surely sleeping softly somewhere on a bookshelf, or inside someone's heart.

Koharu gently straightened the messy books on the shelf for the next person who would come in.

About two weeks later, on a holiday afternoon.

The bell at the entrance of Cardi Bookstore rang, and when Koharu looked up, that man was standing there. His expression was a little brighter than when he came before.

Hello.

Welcome. Um, the presentation...

When Koharu said that much, the man smiled as if a little embarrassed.

I managed to finish it.

How was it?

I was incredibly nervous. At first, my voice shook a little, and I skipped one of the slides.

The man said that, and then continued with, but.

"After it was over, a junior colleague came up to me. They said, 'I was also struggling with my application form, so I'll try reviewing the template.'"

Koharu's expression brightened instantly.

"It reached them, then."

"Yes. I don't know if it resonated with everyone. But it seems it reached at least one person."

The man looked around the bookshelves in the shop.

"I used to think five minutes was a long time. But now that it's over, I realize it was enough time to have something to pass on to someone else."

Behind the counter, Kimura was quietly brewing coffee.

The man said, looking a little embarrassed.

"I thought, just a little, that maybe next time I could try speaking up myself."

Koharu nodded.

"In that case, we'll have another strategy meeting."

The man laughed.

Outside the window, a streetcar slowly passed by.
The courage he had summoned for just five minutes was beginning to turn into his next step forward.

Next story

Cardy Bookstore