#3 [True Story] The time I joined an army called a high-end club
October 2005...
In the year that the precursors to Koakuma ageha,
Koakuma & Nuts, were released,
I started working at a certain high-end club.
———
It all started with a scout.
When my boyfriend asked me,
"Do you really love me?"
and I was thinking,
"Maybe I should take some action,"
that was when he approached me.
Mr. Komurasaki, who had a Kansai accent,
a monkey-like face, and a sweet demeanor.
"We're opening a high-end club
in the shopping district at the next station soon,
why don't you work with us?"
———
I usually ignore people like that, but
it seemed like it would be hard for my parents to find out
since it was the next station over,
and it was halfway between my boyfriend's place and my parents' home,
so I ended up stopping.
When I went to see the shop,
it was lovely, as you'd expect from a high-end club,
and they even offered to provide a dormitory
with fingerprint authentication.
That very day,
I made the snap decision to
"start working next month."
———
And so, leaving only a letter for my parents,
I ran away from home like a thief in the night.
The dormitory had furniture and a washing machine
all provided,
so I bought only the bare essentials
(there was a bed, but no futon)
and started living on my own for the first time.
———
The first thing that surprised me when I started working
was that the Chairman and the President
looked genuinely scary...
Thinking about it now,
they were younger than I am now,
so why did they have so much presence?
That's how I feel.
The President was called Katsuo-san,
he wore a suit with his hair slicked back,
walked like Charlie Chaplin,
and walked with a swagger.
The Chairman was called Ginji-san,he was dark-skinned, incredibly large,and a man with a boisterous laugh.
When I was introduced by Mr. Komurasaki,
I thought, 'Oh, I might have made a mistake.' lol
———
The club also had a Mama and a Deputy Mama,
the Mama was always in a kimono,
and the Deputy Mama was in a dress.
Whenever the Chairman entered the shop,
everyone had to stand up from their seats
and put out their cigarettes,
and there was an unspoken rule that
if you went to the Chairman's office,
you had to bring coffee or something.
You don't go empty-handed
when asking for someone's time.
That was when I learned that.
———
After closing time,
we were often taken by everyone from the company
to a restaurant with karaoke.
When the executives started singing
"Getsu Getsu Ka Sui Moku Kin Kin" there,
I was confused, thinking,
Huh? What? This song...
but when they told me it was a military song,
I thought, 'Oh, I've joined an army.' 🥺
———
Because I had moved into a dormitory
a stone's throw from the shop,
I couldn't refuse the Mama's voluntary training,
so I would clock in at 6 PM
and was taught many things, such as how to arrange flowers
and how to use honorifics.
Even though I was a newcomer,
I think they really looked out for me.
I learned later after experiencing other shops that
it's not normal to be tied up
without being paid an hourly wage.
But back then,
I was convinced that
what the superiors said was absolute.
———
On days when customers didn't come,
I was even made to do strange street soliciting.
While still in my long dress,
I was told, "Go to the izakaya,
if you go, customers will follow you back on their own,"
or I was made to sit next to people
who were winning at pachinko
while still in my dress.
It's true that those people
came to the shop later,
but it was really embarrassing. lol
———
But the biggest shock was
about a week after I started—
when I was about to leave after the shop closed,
I heard the President's shouting
from inside the closed shop...
"Hey! Komurasaki!
You said you wanted to make her No. 1, right?
You said she would definitely sell, right?
Then why aren't you
making sure she sells properly!
Was what you said just empty talk!"
He was yelling at Mr. Komurasaki.
Realizing immediately that he was being scolded
because of me,
I went in to stop them while crying.
"It's about me,
so why is Mr. Komurasaki getting scolded!
If I'm no good,
you should just scold me."
I was truly surprised
that someone was getting scolded because of me.
I cried simply because the President was scary, and the tears just came out 😇
———
I heard later that
it was a little act
to motivate me.
The naive me
fell for it completely,
and from the next month,
I became No. 1.
I really am simple 😀
Give me back my tears. lol
———
But I'm glad this shop
was my first.
If the first one is strict, you get used to it,
and above all, it was a great learning experience.
Things important as a person.
Etiquette.
A world I wouldn't normally experience.
I was surprised a lot and had a lot of fun.
Thank you very much!
I would be happy if you could like, follow, and comment 🤍
———
p.s. Dedicated to the late Mr. Komurasaki
I am always doing my best
so as not to shame you, Mr. Komurasaki.
I became No. 1 at other shops, too.
Because you raised me.
I thought that the proof of how amazing you were
was for me to keep doing my best.
———
The reason I have been able to keep doing my best
both in the future and now
is thanks to Mr. Komurasaki,
who I was unable to see again
due to an unforeseen accident
at the young age of 27,
10 days after I left the shop.
#4 [True Story] Continued: The time I was hated after transferring to the largest shop in the area...
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