You call me a worker bee!? Don't underestimate me!

Chapter 1: Too Strict a Screening and Takeoff

A park in the early afternoon, with a refreshing breeze in May blowing through.
In the azalea hedge, a worker bee buzzed her wings, busily collecting nectar.

Her name was Hachiko.
She was a full-fledged career woman (bee), only two weeks old.

“Sigh... I can't take this anymore. Humans have it so good, don't they?”
Hachiko looked enviously at a nearby bench while rolling pollen with her small front legs.

There, a young couple was happily sharing a soft-serve ice cream.

“I’ve been single my whole life since birth, working at a black company with no days off.

Romance? Mating? That’s the stuff of urban legends. I wish I could flirt with someone like that...”

On the other side of that bench.
In the direction of Hachiko's gaze, there was a young man in a suit, holding his head and sighing like mud.

Junpei Hoshino (25), a new sales representative for a bridal company.
His contract count for this month was, mercilessly, zero. He had just been yelled at severely by his boss over the phone.

Junpei stared at Hachiko, who was flying freely in front of him, with eyes like a dead fish.

“Must be nice, being a bee.
No quotas, no lectures from bosses.
How good would it feel to fly freely in the big sky like that...

I’m just a good-for-nothing worker bee crawling on the ground...”

That was when it happened.

An old pigeon fluttered down onto the edge of the bench.

For some reason, the pigeon straightened its neck feathers, which looked like a necktie, stared at Junpei with sharp eyes, and began to speak in perfectly smooth human language.

“...Right now, humans and other animals in the world are living in a difficult time due to environmental destruction and strife.”

“Whoa!? The pigeon talked...!?
Have I finally reached my mental limit and started having auditory hallucinations...”
Ignoring Junpei, who was shaking his head, the pigeon spread its wings and continued solemnly.

“Actually, I run a business that allows other animals and creatures to engage in 'exchange study programs'.
I am an agent for the International Environmental and Biological Exchange Association.

How about it?

Would you like to swap bodies with Ms. Hachiko over there for just three days?”
“Wait a minute, Mr. Pigeon, is that for real!?”

Hachiko, who had flown like a bullet from the azaleas, buzzed and shouted in Junpei's ear.
For some reason, a crisp female voice echoed directly inside Junpei's brain.

“I want to become a human man and try this thing called romance!
I want to dive into the marriage hunting market!”
Junpei was stunned.

In front of him were a bee vibrating its wings and a pigeon looking at him with serious eyes.
“Three days... if I can escape from sales where I can't get a single contract...”

Before he knew it, Junpei was muttering.
“I understand. I accept that exchange study program!”

“Negotiation successful.”

The pigeon nodded business-like, and from somewhere, it projected a glowing pamphlet into the space as a hologram.

“However, our association's program is strict.

From here on, I will conduct a 'confirmation of application qualifications' and a 'final interview' on the spot.

We don't have time, so I'll finish it in one minute.”
The pigeon looked at the two of them alternately and began reading the checklist at a speed too fast for the eye to follow.

“Age verification. Mr. Junpei is in his third year as a working adult, Ms. Hachiko is two weeks into her adult stage.
Both are in their prime, so you pass.

Next, social performance... Ms. Hachiko collected 100mg of nectar in one hour this morning. Grade A.

On the other hand, Mr. Junpei... sales performance this month, zero.

...Hmm, you are at the bottom (Grade E), but I will apply the exemption rule for your perfect attendance over the past two years and pass you as a special case.

Language proficiency, mutual understanding is good.
Finally, do you have the intention to comply with the rules of the study abroad destination?”

““We do!!””

Very well.
Then we will conclude the contract.

Furthermore, as collateral for the fulfillment of the contract, I will hold one of your most precious items each.”


From Mr. Junpei, the crust of your leftover lunch bread and...
one thing you cherish most.”


“Huh?”

“Mr. Junpei. The photo of the woman inside your commuter pass holder.”

“Wha!? H-how did you know about that...!”

Junpei turned bright red as he took out the photo of Misaki's profile that he had hidden in his pass holder.

“...Please make sure to return it.”

“Of course. If the contract is fulfilled safely, I will return it.”

“Ms. Hachiko, one drop of the finest honey.”

“Understood.”

“Note that this contract also includes comprehensive exchange study insurance. Any physical damage during the study period will be restored to its original state at the end of the program.”

“Now, finally, the pre-departure orientation.”

Mr. Junpei, once you enter the world of bees, absolutely do not pull out your stinger on your rear end carelessly.
If you pull it out, your internal organs will come with it, and you will die instantly.

Ms. Hachiko, once you enter the human world, even if an unreasonable male called a 'boss' barks at you, absolutely do not sting him.
Are we clear?”

““Yes!!””

Then... takeoff!”

The pigeon flapped its wings violently!
The next moment, the park scenery flipped, and both of their consciousnesses were sucked into the light.

Chapter 2: The Grass on the Other Side Was 'Super Spicy'

The next morning.

Junpei Hoshino was in his bed at home.
When he woke up, his vision was split into thousands of mosaics (compound eyes).
“Whoaaaa!? My body is light! I have six hands! I really have become a bee!”

He could feel a sharp 'stinger' on his rear end.

Junpei moved his wings cautiously.

In an instant, he hit his head on the desk lamp right above him and was knocked onto the futon.
After a while, he got the hang of how to fly.
“Here I gooo!!”
He flew out into the big sky through a gap in the window.
“This is amazing! No traffic jams or crowded trains! The wind feels great!”

Below him was a line of crowded trains looking like beans.

Junpei was excited by the overwhelming sense of liberation as he raced through the sky, ignoring gravity.

It felt like he could fly anywhere.

However, that excitement was blown away in an instant.

He was buffeted by a fierce building wind and tossed around in the air like a leaf.

Furthermore, from above, a sparrow that looked like a giant monster dove down with its ferocious beak exposed.

“Eeeek! I’m gonna get eaten!!”

He barely escaped to the back of a leaf, trembling.

The big sky was not freedom; it was a death game venue where one wrong step meant instant death.
Then, a fierce 'work order' came flying via pheromone communication from the senior female bees, Hachiko's colleagues.

“Hey newbie, why are you slacking off!

Hurry up and suck nectar from those azaleas to the limit, attach pollen balls to your legs, and come back! You haven't reached your daily quota!”

“Yikes, the bee world is an even more hardcore black company...!”
Junpei moved his wings desperately.

Buffeted by 50 km/h winds, with birds targeting him from above.
Junpei was in tears on his first day, thinking the human office was 100 times better.

Meanwhile, Hachiko, who woke up in a business hotel bed, was staring at Junpei's large hands.

“I did it...!
This is the body of a human man! Alright, I'm going to find the best romance!”

Hachiko headed to Junpei's workplace in high spirits, but as soon as she sat at the desk, the roar of a noisy boss (male) flew at her.

“Hey Junpei! Don't slack off and hurry up and get at least one contract!”
Hachiko glared at the desk and let out a cold voice.

“What is this male called a 'boss'? He acts so high and mighty despite not working much.
If he were a male bee in our hive, he'd just be lounging around waiting for us to bring him food right now?”

I'll have this 'boss' kicked out of the hive all at once when autumn comes.”

“J-Junpei...? What's wrong, you suddenly have such a scary face...”

It was Misaki, a colleague, who called out timidly.
She was the girl Junpei had a secret crush on.

Hachiko stared at Misaki's face and her heart fluttered at her cuteness.

(The girl in the photo I entrusted to Mr. Pigeon!
This is a human female... how adorable! Alright, I'm going to have the best romance with this girl!)


Chapter 3: The Queen's Awakening and the Reality of Males

Second day of the study abroad.

Hachiko's 'professional spirit as a female bee' exploded in the human business world.

Hachiko, using Junpei's body, was at a bridal fair venue.

In front of an indecisive bride and groom who were hesitating about a new contract, Hachiko spoke passionately with a sharp look in her eyes that was different from usual.

“Hey groom, what are you hesitating about! A wedding is the big stage for the Queen (bride), isn't it?
If you're a man, work hard!
It's the male's job to support the Queen with your life and serve her!”

“Y-yes!”

Overwhelmed by the overwhelming 'dignity of a female bee' that Hachiko exuded, the groom signed the contract while trembling.

With a stoic sales style that allowed no laziness, Hachiko won five large new contracts in just one day.

The office was in an uproar, saying 'Junpei has awakened as a demon salesman'.

To Misaki, Junpei looked manly.
Meanwhile, Junpei, who was inside the beehive (office), was trembling in a different sense.

He held his breath at the beauty of the 'Queen Bee' who reigned deep in the hive with overwhelming charisma.

However, when he looked right next to her, bees with bodies several times larger than the worker bees (females) were lying around doing nothing.

“A-are those bees the rumored 'Drones (male bees)'?”

“Man, they look like they have nothing to do every day and are bored.

Well, it must be nice to be carefree.”
'Carefree? You don't know anything, do you?'

The senior female bee vibrated her wings as if a little dumbfounded.

'Drones certainly don't work. But those guys have one job in their lives where they risk their lives.'

'When a new Queen is born, they go on a mating flight just once.

Only the Drones chosen there can mate.
But the Drones who finish mating lose their reproductive organs from their bodies, so they die on the spot.'

'Worker bees (females) are the same females as the Queen.


The organ for laying eggs (ovipositor) has changed into a **"stinger"**.

Therefore, all bees that sting are female. They do literally all the 'work', such as raising children, defending the hive, and collecting nectar.
That's exactly why they're called worker bees!'”

Junpei gasped involuntarily.

'The Queen carefully stores the sperm she received at that time for many years, and from fertilized eggs, we females are born, and from unfertilized eggs, Drones are born.'

'By the way, we worker bees are also the same females as the Queen when we are born.

Only those who continue to eat royal jelly when they are larvae can become Queen bees.
We are raised on regular food, so we are worker bees for life.'”

Junpei stared at the Queen bee.

(Even though everyone was born the same way, does fate change just by food...)


Then, a senior female bee passing by whispered in a terrifying voice while flashing her sharp stinger.

'Hmph, those freeloaders. I'll let them play for now.
But you know... when autumn comes and the breeding season ends, they're useless.'

We'll kick every single one of them out of the hive with our own hands and let them starve to death.'”

A chill ran down Junpei's spine.
(The sanction for men who don't work is literally life-threatening...!

It's many times harsher than the NEETs in the human world! The ladies of the bee world are too scary...!!)


Chapter 4: The Climax's Big Pinch

The evening of the third day. The time for the study abroad to end was approaching moment by moment.
Hachiko, in human form, was walking in the park with Misaki, holding a crepe that was a hot topic in town, on her way back from sales.

“This crepe is delicious just like the rumors said♪
Junpei, you've been very reliable and wonderful lately”
Misaki said shyly.

It was the best romantic situation.

However, Hachiko, who was a female bee inside, didn't know the etiquette of dating.

Out of nervousness,
the waggle dance of joy from the bee world came out reflexively.

(Misaki, I want to convey my passion to you!)

Hachiko stepped in front of Misaki while shaking her hips violently

and started dancing the [waggle dance].

“Huh...? Junpei,
what is that movement...?

It's scary...!”

Misaki was pulling back

At that moment, a scream went up.

“Eek! A crow!”
A giant crow that had been rummaging through the trash can on the bench dove at Misaki's crepe as if to threaten her.

“Look out!”

Hachiko pushed Misaki away to protect her, but a human body couldn't keep up with the crow's quick movements.

At that moment, a worker bee flew from the sky like a bullet.

It was Junpei (bee).
“Don't you touch Misakiーーー!!”

Junpei vibrated his wings violently in front of the crow.
However, one small bee was no match for a crow.
The crow's large beak approached to crush Junpei.

'Junpei! Use your stinger!'
Hachiko (human) shouted.

'Sting the crow with the needle on your rear end!'

“But if I use this... the stinger will come out, and Hachiko's body will die, right!?”

Junpei hesitated.
The words from the orientation told to him by the pigeon agent on the first day crossed his mind.

'Don't say stupid things! It doesn't matter what happens to my body, save that girl now!
That's a man's (male's) job!!'

Hachiko's shout of resolve echoed.

Junpei made up his mind.
“Hachiko, I'm sorry...! Uooooooo!!”

Junpei, with desperate resolve, thrust his sharp stinger into the crow's nose.

“Cawwww!?”
Surprised by the intense pain, the crow flapped its wings and fled at full speed.

At the same time, Hachiko's small body, having lost its stinger, fell powerlessly to the ground.

“Hachiko! Hachikoーーー!!”

Junpei's consciousness was shaken violently inside Hachiko's body, which was rapidly fading away.


Chapter 5: Return, and Each of Their 'New Departures'

At the edge of the bench, the pigeon agent was quietly spreading its wings.

The pigeon flapped its wings powerfully with a flap! flap!!!

A momentary, intense dizziness.

When Junpei opened his eyes with a start, he saw his own familiar hands there.

The sleeves of his suit, his well-worn leather shoes.
He had returned to his human body.

"I... I'm back."
When he looked down at his feet in a panic, there was Hachiko, buzzing around in her usual energetic form, having not lost her stinger.

Thanks to the [Exchange Student Comprehensive Insurance], all physical damage sustained during the study abroad program had been reset.

"It is time.
The 3-day program has ended.
The contract has been successfully completed."

The pigeon opened its leather bag.
"I will now return the collateral you entrusted to me."

To Junpei, a photo of Misaki's profile.

To Hachiko, a single drop of the finest honey in a small bottle.

"Thank you very much."
The pigeon bowed its head quietly and flew off into the evening sky.


Hachiko circled Junpei once, looking at him lovingly, and then sent a pheromone message into his brain.

"It was fun, Junpei.
Humans get hurt and worry, but you have the freedom to choose your own life. You are truly luxurious and wonderful creatures."

Junpei also nodded deeply while gazing at the small Hachiko illuminated by the setting sun.

"I was being weak, saying things like 'my boss is scary' or 'work is hard'.

Compared to the harshness of the bee world, the human world, where you have the chance to climb back up as much as you want with your own strength, isn't a 'black company' at all."

I'm going to work harder, stand firmly on my own two feet, and become a cool man who can support Misaki-san."

"Hehe, that's the spirit.
Oh, and I made an excuse to Misaki-san that that weird dance from earlier was 'a stretch that's popular lately,' so do your best!"

Having left those words behind, Hachiko puffed out her chest proudly and flew powerfully into the twilight sky.

She was no longer the one who looked at humans with envy three days ago; she was a truly cool 'worker bee' who took pride in her work.

The next morning
"Junpei-kun...? That weird dance from yesterday, is it really a stretch?"
Misaki asked timidly.

Junpei smiled sheepishly.

There was no longer a shadow of the weak-willed salesman he used to be on his face.

Junpei stared at the photo he had received for a while.

Before he went to study abroad, it was one he had hidden deep in his commuter pass holder so no one would know.

But now it was different.

Junpei tucked the photo into his breast pocket.

(I don't have to hide it anymore)


"Yeah, my shoulders and lower back were a bit stiff.

...Misaki-san, would you like to go get some tea on the way home? There's a lot I want to talk about."

"Yeah, let's go!"

Junpei gripped his bag tightly and started walking alongside Misaki.

In the distant sky, a little girl is working hard for someone else's sake again today.

Not to be outdone by that figure, Junpei took a step forward toward his own future, one step at a time.

(End)