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Rated: E · Fiction · Friendship · #2196895
Eisuke got upset when someone speaks to him in English, and Naoki wanted to help him...
One hazy summer day, an Englishman entered a candy shop because he wanted to buy a present for his niece. He spotted a counter for a while and called a sales clerk behind a counter.
“Can I have this flower lollipop ?” he said.
“P… please… please repeat… again,” the sales clerk said.
He repeated slowly but the sales clerk couldn’t understand what he said, so writing and sign language were the only means of communication. At last, he bought beautiful candies in a box as a gift and walked hurriedly toward his sister’s house.

Naoki, another staff, heard of what had happened shortly afterward and felt sorry for his colleague, whose name was Eisuke; because Eisuke was skillful with his hands when he crafted candies but couldn’t speak English well. Naoki wanted somehow help Eisuke communicate with their customers in English but didn’t know what to do. Naoki asked anyone who could help him, and a woman who taught in college-prep school in Tokyo advised him that Eisuke should overcome his shyness as well as respond quickly to their customers. She had a point because Eisuke could read magazines in English slowly with a dictionary, however, he was a little upset when he saw foreigners speak fluently in English.
“Imagine you play a game, and you can take it easy,” she said.

Naoki thought about what was Eisuke’s favorite game and remembered they played table tennis whenever they went hot spring. He borrowed table tennis sets from his friend and suggested Eisuke to practice speaking English with playing table tennis. At first, Eisuke was speechless with surprise but accepted Naoki’s idea.
“HELLO,” Naoki said and served a ping pong ball.
“WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?” Eisuke shouted but failed to receive the ping pong ball.
“Once again!” Naoki said and they continued.

A month later, when the Englishman revisited the candy shop with his niece, Eisuke smiled at them, giving a good impression. Although he couldn’t speak fluently, the customers were glad to hear Eisuke’s recommendations and they often paid a visit to the shop.
(347 words)
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