[INTERLUDE] Hotel Hell

More Kaguya backstory from before Momoka moved in, which slightly elaborates on his hotel experiences. Featuring an appearance by a very special character.

Content warning for workplace harassment.

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This story is inspired by real workplace stories shared anonymously by Japanese hotel workers.

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At the behest of his parents, Kaguya started conducting tea ceremonies at his family's big fancy hotel on nearly all of his holidays, at times weekends, as soon as he started high school. He did not mind one bit; he liked tea ceremony, the hotel's patrons liked him. His family made more profit, he had a source of enjoyment all while fulfilling his duty to his family business. It was what mattered.

But that one time during his second year of high school was something to remember.

He was popular with men and women, that he was aware. Those who visited the hotel solely because of him, those who had a crush on him, two people who flatly wanted to marry him, he was no longer surprised. But up to that point, there had never been anyone as brazen as a certain group he met one day when he was about to leave for home.

The rambunctious group comprised five middle-aged men, all reeking of alcohol, all out in the lobby only in hotel-provided yukata. They never visited the tea rooms, but they insisted they wanted him to join the "party" they held in their room. "I am grateful for the invitation, but right now I'm afraid I have important business to attend to," Kaguya declined, but predictably in vain.

"Come on kid, don't be shy. Just come have one gulp," one of them laughed and the rest cheered, drowning out Kaguya's protests that he hadn't come of age. He knew arguing with them was no use, but one of them grabbed his haori and one even grabbed his wrist when he turned to leave. It was a delicate seventeen-year-old against five strong middle-aged men; it was hopeless…

… but the group's amusement didn't last long, for someone was walking up to them from behind Kaguya. The men, one second ago laughing like hyenas, now turned strangely quiet and still; the imposing man staring them down was no one other than Hazama Takeo*, owner of the Nayotake hotel chain, the father of the young man they were bothering.

"At our hotel, guests must contact the owner if they wish to request room service from his son," Takeo said calmly even as his brutally cold stare and intimidating features seemingly dyed the surrounding air with an eerie aura. "Do note however, Munehisa** is a tea ceremonist, not a concierge or a paid companion. From now on, you are requested to behave respectfully towards the staff, or be escorted out of the premise. Thank you for your cooperation."

The group, face green from fear, scuttled away like a band of mice. Still speechless from shock, Kaguya looked up at his father.

"Those people have been here and caused trouble before. Last time, they arrived blind drunk before opening time and complained they weren't served fast enough," said Takeo. "Unpleasant guests are part and parcel of customer service, but don't be afraid to tell me if any guest bothers you."

* 間 竹郎; first name references the bamboo cutter, from the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.

** 宗久, Kaguya's tea name; tea names are granted by the tea ceremony school's patriarch/matriarch to worthy practitioners, usually 宗 + a character from one's first name.