Chapter 10 – You felt it so strong
"I'll just have to take his order myself."
Haru glanced down at the waiter's apron on the floor in front of him, the order notepad and pens scattered by their feet. He took a slow breath, ready to lean down to take the notepad in his hand. The last thing he wanted to do was to interact with this arrogant food critic, but they could not just sit around doing nothing. Even if Haru had to go out there himself, then he would.
"Eh?! But, Haru-chan, don't you have your own dishes you have to make?" Nagisa asked.
Haru froze, his eyes locked onto the black apron.
"And aren't you the only one who knows how to make some of the specials?" Rei added.
Haru winced and lowered his head. They were absolutely right. There was no way he could go out there and take over the few tables the head waiter had abandoned along with the food critic's table.
"Then what are we going to do?" Nagisa asked. "I already have too many tables!"
Oh, right. Nagisa had his own tables to take care of.
But now there were at least two other tables without any waiters assigned to them along with the food critic who had not seen any waiter approach him for the past ten minutes.
"I can't leave the hosting station for too long," Rei said. "I'm only here to let you know that the food critic was waiting!"
Not only that, but Rei was not exactly trained to be a waiter. He had an analytical mind, which made him the perfect host. He was excellent at matching waiters to particular guests, knowing that the personalities would be compatible and earning high reviews from the masses.
But the stress of the waiting tables would be too much for Rei's mind. Haru knew this all too well.
Haru put his hand to his mouth, his front teeth nibbling on his thumbnail. Panic started to bloom in his chest and then spread to his arms and legs. They had to act quickly and efficiently to get whatever the food critic needed.
But what could they do?
"But we have to find someone!" Rei said, his voice cracking slightly.
"Should we call in another waiter?" Nagisa asked.
Haru sighed and lifted his head to gaze at the two of them. They both looked beyond stressed about the situation.
How annoying.
"We don't have time," Haru said. He sighed, his patience finally starting to run out. "Someone has to go out there now and—"
Suddenly, there was movement in front of Haru's eyes.
A white button-up shirt fitted across broad shoulders.
A mess of brown hair.
It was Tachibana.
"Tachibana-san?!"
Rei's voice snapped Haru out of his daze and he blinked rapidly to see Tachibana bending down to grab the apron and the notepad. He quickly tied the apron around his waist and he snatched up the notepad along with a pen.
Wait a minute. What was he doing?
He… he was not planning on going out there, was he?!
"O-Oi, what are you doing?" Haru demanded, a knot raveling and unraveling inside his chest.
Instead of answering him, the stubborn fool walked to the door. Haru reached out, ready to grab him, but his hand froze when he saw the look in Tachibana's eye.
It was intense. Personal. Determined.
Haru's hand stayed hovered in the air as he watched Tachibana disappear from the kitchen.
"Mako-chan, where are you—" Nagisa tried calling out, but it was too late.
The three of them hesitated in the bustling kitchen with wide eyes and dropped jaws. There was a moment of silence before the realization all came crashing down in a heap.
"Eh?!" Nagisa shrieked, his hands flying up to his hair.
"W-What is he doing?! Is he insane?!" Rei practically yelled as he almost dropped the menus in his arms.
Haru took in a deep breath and rushed to the door of the kitchen. He cracked it open just enough for his head to poke through and he immediately could pick out the giant klutz amongst the chaotic restaurant floor.
And he was standing in front of the food critic.
"He's really taking his order!"
Haru glanced down to see Nagisa's head poking out of the doorway underneath of him, his eyes sparkling in amazement.
"This is truly concerning. His form isn't elegant or beautiful in the slightest!"
Haru jumped at the voice echoing from above and he glanced up to see Rei poking his head out as well.
"Aw, have some faith, Rei-chan! What's the worst that could happen?" Nagisa asked from down below.
"He could totally turn off the food critic," Rei said.
"Quiet," Haru snapped, tilting his head to listen.
He strained his ears and tried to focus on the table in the center of the room. He could barely hear past the other guests but he managed to hear that familiar, baritone voice of the food critic.
"Oh? So someone has finally decided to show up," the food critic said with a crooked smile.
Tachibana bowed his head, the action making Haru's brow twitch. The selfish part of him hated that someone like Tachibana had to bow to a man like that.
"Th-There was a mix-up and we are terribly sorry for the inconvenience," Tachibana apologized with a slight stutter.
Haru winced at the sound of his voice. He was obviously nervous.
Stay calm, stay calm, Haru prayed.
"A mix-up?" the critic said with a quirked brow. He stroked his chin and gave a light sigh. "Well, I suppose there's no helping it. I am here to try out the food, anyway, right?"
The food critic gave a wide smile and started to ramble off some appetizers while Tachibana's shaking hands jotted down the orders on notepad. Once he was done, Tachibana bowed deeply to the food critic and whirled around to head to the kitchen.
"Oh, he's coming, he's coming!" Nagisa chirped.
The three of them ducked back into the kitchen and backed away from the door. They watched as Tachibana entered the kitchen with a tight-lipped smile and a strange look in his eyes. He hesitated, staring down at the pen and order notepad in his hands.
Then, his smile fell, and Haru could see the moment that reality smacked him in the face.
"Wha…" Tachibana started, his eyes widening. Then, he dropped the order pad and pen and reached up to grab at his hair. "What the heck did I just do?!"
Haru snapped out of his daze and walked towards him putting up his hands to try and calm his frazzled employee.
"Just relax," Haru said. "You did fine. You got his order, right?"
Tachibana blinked down at him for a moment and then nodded, his arms slowly coming back down to his sides. He fidgeted with the sides of his pants as he clenched them in his fists.
"H-He wanted to order a few appetizers to try out a-and he asked for some red wine," Tachibana explained softly.
Haru knelt down to pick up the order pad and then stood back up. He put his hand to his chin and nodded as he read over the jittery words on the notepad.
"Got it," Haru said.
He turned back to the kitchen and hollered out the several orders of appetizers to the kitchen. A few of them shouted in confirmation and then Haru turned to look back at Tachibana.
"Okay. When the orders come out, you can go and deliver them," Haru said, handing Tachibana the notepad.
Tachibana hesitantly took the notepad back from him with a confused stare. Once it clicked, Tachibana's brows shot up and he gasped.
"A-Ah, wait! I-I can't stay here! I've got to go and pick up my siblings from school. Their clubs… they should be done in a few minutes," Tachibana said, his brows upturned in stress.
Haru blinked at him and gave him a hard stare.
"You can't leave now. The critic has already seen your face," Haru said. "You are the one he's expecting now, so you have to be the one to take care of him."
"Eh?!" Tachibana squeaked. "B-But… my siblings, they… I can't just leave them there by themselves."
Haru blinked at him, watching as the poor guy's shoulders drooped and his eyes glistened. He visibly gulped and looked on the verge of tears. Haru's lips twisted and he reached up to rub the back of his neck.
This is too much effort, Haru thought. He hoped he would not regret this.
"What school do they go to?" Haru asked, averting his eyes for a moment.
Tachibana's head snapped up from staring at the ground, his eyes wide and brows crawling up his forehead. He opened and shut his mouth a few times before pointing his thumb over his shoulder.
"Th-They go to the middle school one block away," Tachibana answered.
Haru thought for a minute and then nodded.
"Okay. I'll go and get them," Haru decided.
Tachibana's jaw dropped and he stared at Haru with wide eyes.
"W-What?!" Tachibana squeaked.
Haru ignored his cry and turned to Nagisa.
"Nagisa, you're going to have to take on one of the tables left behind," Haru said, looking to the small blond standing by the doorway to the kitchen. Nagisa perked up at the mention of his name. "Can you handle that?"
Nagisa hesitated for only a split second before raising his hand to his brow in a salute.
"I'll take table 14!" Nagisa announced.
Haru nodded in thanks and watched him hurry out of the kitchen to tend to his new table. He then looked at Rei.
"Rei, see if you can ask Mizuki to take on the other two tables left behind," Haru commanded.
Rei adjusted his glasses and gave a sharp look.
"Understood," Rei said, and he also fled from the kitchen with determination in his gait.
Finally, Haru turned back to Tachibana, seeing the poor guy trembling in his place. Haru noticed the wrinkles at the edges of his shirt as well as the crooked collar and missing button. Unloading the truck that morning had done a number to his look.
Then, it hit him.
Tachibana was not wearing the typical waiter's uniform.
Haru acted fast, quickly moving to the closet in the back and rummaging through the shelves.
"What time did you say your siblings were done with school?" Haru called as he grabbed a black vest and tie.
"U-Uh…" Tachibana stuttered, and Haru knew that he was probably studying his watch. "Um… maybe ten minutes?"
"Mmn. Plenty of time," Haru said.
He came back with the clothing in hand and passed it to Tachibana, who wordlessly took it and stared at it.
"This is the waiter's vest and tie. Put them on," Haru said.
Tachibana jolted out of his daze and scrambled to put the tie around his neck. He fumbled with the tie a few times before tying it into a sloppy knot and fitting it around the collar of his shirt. Afterwards, he quickly shrugged on the black vest and make quick work of the elegant buttons on the front.
Once he was done, Haru smoothed out some of the crinkles in the fabric and tugged on the vest to make sure it was in the correct place. He pulled on the knot of the tie and felt his brow twitch.
This boy was a mess.
"There," Haru decided, taking a minute to step back and study his handiwork. "That looks better. Now then, I'll go and get your siblings."
Haru turned towards the doorway of the kitchen, ready to walk the one block down to the middle school, when Tachibana put up his hands to stop him.
"W-Wait! How will they know to look for you? They don't know that you're picking them up," Tachibana said, looking at Haru with concerned eyes.
Haru bit his lip and tilted his head. Tachibana had a good point. How could he get these two middle school students to approach him if he does not even know their names?
And now that he thought about it, Haru did not exactly remember what they looked like, either.
Haru glanced around the kitchen, his mind reeling, until his eyes landed on a chalkboard display tucked in the corner. His eyes brightened as he leaned down to pick it up along with a stray piece of chalk.
"Here, write your siblings' names on here," Haru said, handing him the display and chalk.
"On your chalkboard display?!"
"Yes," Haru said bluntly.
Tachibana gulped and then quickly started to write out the symbols for his siblings' names. Haru internally cringed. The way Tachibana held the chalk was just so… wrong.
Haru shook his head to fling the thoughts away from him. He would have to teach him how to properly hold it later.
"H-Here," Tachibana stuttered, handing back the display.
Haru took the display and stared down at the handwriting, reading out the symbols for his last name along with two names.
Ran and Ren.
Haru's lips twisted. He would have remembered if his friend had siblings growing up…
Right?
"Got it," Haru said. He adjusted the buttons on his chef's uniform and once again headed for the door to the kitchen. "I'll be back."
"WAIT!"
Suddenly, there was a hand gripping Haru's wrist, and Haru whirled around to see Tachibana gazing at him with a pleading look on his face. His hand shook around Haru's wrist and his jaw quivered slightly.
Haru was annoyed at first, but when he locked his eyes with Tachibana's, he froze.
Tachibana's green eyes were completely filled with terror.
"Please…" Tachibana said in a whisper. "You have to walk with them across the street. Don't let them cross by themselves."
Tachibana lowered his head and Haru heard his breath hitch slightly as he tightened his grip around his wrist.
"Please," Tachibana begged. He gazed back up at Haru with some tears in his eyes. "Please watch out for them."
Haru's lips parted in awe as he stared down at his employee. If he was a mess before, he was a complete wreck now. He thought of all of the times that he had crossed paths with Tachibana. Every time they met, he was on the verge of tears. But even those times, Tachibana tried to wear a smile.
But Tachibana was standing here with the most pitiful look on his face, and no smile in sight.
"I'll watch them," Haru said finally.
Tachibana inhaled sharply and his eyes widened. Haru felt his heart squeeze. Why did he look so shocked? Why was he so afraid?
Haru put his hand on top of Tachibana's, gently prying off his fingers from their death grip on his wrist. Tachibana's eyes widened as his hand fell limp to his side. He seemed extremely timid and unsure, eyeing Haru with a look of hopelessness.
Finally, Tachibana conceded and nodded, looking like a lost puppy. Haru bit his lip.
Tell me what you're so afraid of. What on earth happened to you? Haru thought.
He reached over and grabbed onto Tachibana's shoulder and gave him one small shake.
"Hey, don't worry, okay? I'll get them here safely," Haru said. "I promise."
Tachibana nodded right away this time and Haru sighed a little in relief.
He's calmed down now. Good.
"The food critic's orders should be ready soon. When they're done, they'll call out his table number. You just have to take it to him. Can you handle that?" Haru asked.
Tachibana took a deep breath and nodded, his hands curling into fists by his sides.
"Good. Now, I'll go and get your siblings," Haru said, and he brushed past Tachibana and left the kitchen with the chalkboard display in his hand.
He passed the food critic's table, who stared at him with sly eyes and a crooked smile. Haru pointedly ignored him and walked to the front, where he was met with Rei's confused eyes.
"Haruka-san? What's going on? Where's Tachibana?"
"Tachibana is waiting the critic's table," Haru said.
"Huh?! You really think he can do that? He hasn't been trained to be a waiter!" Rei said, obviously in distress.
Haru looked at Rei with sharp eyes and nodded once. "He'll be fine." He walked to the front door, feeling a tiny twist of nervousness swirling in his gut. "Keep an eye on him," Haru called over his shoulder as he pushed open the front door. "I'll be back soon!"
"W-Wait!"
Ignoring Rei's cries, Haru walked down the sidewalk with the display in his hand and his eyes forward. His brows pushed together, creating worry lines on his forehead.
He… He should be fine.
I hope.
Nanase's back had disappeared beyond the kitchen doors, and all of a sudden, Makoto was by himself.
Makoto's heart was pounding so hard against his chest that he thought his ribs would break.
W-Wait. What am I supposed to do?!
Did I just agree to be the waiter for the food critic?!
H-How do I—
"Order for Table 17!"
Makoto snapped out of his panic at the sound of one of the chefs calling out an order. The table number sounded familiar. Why did that sound familiar again?
Table 17…
Oh right!
That was the food critic's table!
But how did they make that order so quickly?
Makoto scrambled to pick up one of the trays and he walked over to grab the appetizers off of the pick-up counter. He gulped as he tried to balance the tray over his shoulder, hoping that his big, clumsy body would not be his downfall tonight.
He made it through the kitchen door and then proceeded directly to the food critic's table.
Don't trip, don't trip…
With a few close-calls with other waiters, Makoto managed to make it to the table in one piece.
"And how nice of you to dress properly for your job," the food critic commented with a smirk as he eyed Makoto's vest and tie.
Makoto flushed all the way down his neck and up to the tips of his ears. He managed to keep a wobbling smile on his face and his hands shifted with the tray.
"Y-Yes, I, uh… I had to change earlier," Makoto admitted sheepishly.
The food critic scoffed, his hand spinning the pen in between his fingers.
Makoto gulped and then fumbled with the tray as he lowered it off his shoulder, almost dropping it in the process, but his fast reflexes saved the tray before it went crashing to the ground. He sheepishly set the tray down and placed the dishes on the table.
"My, my, that could've been disastrous. I'd like to order more food, but if you're going to make me wear it instead, then I might as well should leave," the critic commented.
Makoto bowed his head shamefully. "My apologies. It won't happen again."
The food critic looked over him with a critical expression. "Is this your first night on the job?"
Makoto gulped and forced his lips to smile wide across his face. It felt so fake and strained that he wanted to cry.
"Yes, sir," Makoto answered honestly.
The food critic's sly expression vanished from sight, a curious look replacing it.
"I see," he said, one hand reaching for his glass of wine while the other tapped his pen against his notepad.
Makoto gulped, eyeing the food on the table. There were only a few appetizers on the table, and the critic had mentioned wanting to taste some of the entrées, as well.
Makoto took a deep breath. He tucked the tray under his arm and reached for his order notepad and a pen.
"Would you like to order anything else while you taste the appetizers? I can go ahead and put in more orders for you," Makoto said, his hands ready.
A look of surprise flashed on the critic's face and he seemed to hesitate. He scratched his cheek and averted his eyes momentarily.
"Well, I suppose that would be a good idea, wouldn't it?" he said. He placed his glass of wine back down on the table and glanced at the menu. "I'll have the mackerel dish, the soup of the day, and… the entrée special of the day, as well."
Makoto quickly scribbled down his order and nodded with a timid smile, hoping that his face looked kind enough.
"Of course. I will put your order in right away," Makoto said. He bowed deeply to the critic. "Enjoy your meal."
Not waiting to see the look on the critic's face, Makoto turned on his heel and hurried back to the kitchen. He glanced around the kitchen, the notepad in his shaking grasp, and he approached one of the chefs at the front.
"I, uh… I have the orders for—"
The chef snatched the notepad from Makoto and ripped out the page from its spiral binding.
"Mackerel, soup, and special!" the chef called out to the kitchen, and then he dipped back deeper inside the kitchen to continue working on one of his dishes.
Makoto took a step back and awkwardly stood out of the way, his eyes trained onto the floor and his feet shifting his weight back and forth. He could feel his knees shaking with nerves and he was worried that they could buckle at any moment.
"Ah, there you are, Mako-chan!"
Makoto glanced up to see Nagisa's smiling face poking inside the kitchen door. He walked in and grabbed a tray to stack some plates on it.
"I saw the critic just now. He looked really impressed!" Nagisa said with wide eyes and an even wider smile.
Makoto blinked at him. "He… he did?"
"Yeah! After you left his table just now, he just stared after you for a few seconds. He wrote down some things before he even took a bite of food," Nagisa said as he stacked another plate on his tray. "You're doing great! Have you ever been a waiter before?"
Makoto bit his lip and rubbed the back of his neck shyly.
"No, I haven't. I had no idea that there would be so much pressure," Makoto said. He frowned and let his hands drop by his sides. "I really don't want to mess this up."
Nagisa hummed thoughtfully. "You know, Haru-chan doesn't like to beat around the bush."
Makoto glanced up at him sharply, wondering where Nagisa was going with that statement. Nagisa finished stacking the last plate onto his tray and he heaved it up over his shoulder.
"If Haru-chan didn't think you could do it, he wouldn't have asked you to stay," Nagisa said.
Makoto's jaw dropped. "Really?"
Nagisa nodded with a smile and passed by Makoto to get to the swinging door.
"He must trust you a lot, Mako-chan!" Nagisa chirped. He pressed on the door. "That means you can do it! Fight on!"
Nagisa pushed through the kitchen door and disappeared from sight.
Makoto took slow, deep breaths to calm himself down and then he turned to look at the chefs. He grabbed a fresh, clean tray from the rack and stood ready for the next order.
"Who is that?"
"He's wearing a fancy uniform…"
"Look, look! He's holding a sign!"
Haru stood at the front of the gate to the middle school with a deadpan expression on his face and a straight back. He held the sign in front of his chest and eyed students as they passed by, unknowingly leaning forward towards them.
"What does the sign say?"
A couple of students stopped in front of him to read the sign, their eyes squinting as they struggled to read the smudgy, jagged symbols. Haru turned towards them and pointed to the words on the sign.
"Are you the kids written here on this?" Haru asked bluntly.
The students jumped at his tone and then quickly shook their heads. Haru's brow twitched and lowered.
"Do you know who they are?" Haru asked, feeling his patience running thin.
The students shook their heads nervously and Haru sighed, turning his attention back to the front of the school. He stared straight ahead, watching as more students started to flee the building.
C'mon, where are you two? Haru thought.
He could vaguely remember what they looked like from all of the times he had seen them pass in front of the restaurant, but it was not clear. Heck, he even spoke to them face to face when he handed them food! And he still could not remember what they looked like.
Haru sighed. If only he had paid better attention to them at the time, then maybe he would remember them.
But Haru remembered Tachibana being so distressed that day that it was all he could think about.
Tachibana…
"Please…"
"You have to walk with them across the street. Don't let them cross by themselves."
"Please. Please watch out for them."
Haru's brows twitched upwards in a sorrowful expression. He lowered his head to stare at the sidewalk in front of his feet.
Tachibana's face had looked so terrified. It reminded him of when they were kids and Haru had almost drowned in the river.
"HARU-CHAN!"
Even though it was obvious that he was terrified, there was a lingering sadness in Tachibana's expression this time that Haru could not place.
I wish you could remember me, Haru thought.
If you could remember me, then maybe we could talk things out just like we used to.
And maybe…
Maybe we could be best friends again—
"Wait, Ran! Don't run!"
"You're too slow, Ren! Hurry up!"
Haru's head snapped up and he blinked back into focus.
Ran and Ren?
Haru glanced down at Tachibana's messy handwriting and studied the characters. Those were the names written on the chalkboard.
He looked back up to see a girl rushing towards the gate with a boy struggling to keep up.
Ah, now they looked familiar.
The girl had a smile on her face but it fell when she spotted Haru. She slowed to a stop, making the boy behind her smack into her back with a yelp. He lifted a hand to his nose and whined.
"Ow! Ran, why'd you—"
The boy stopped when he peeked around the girl's shoulder to peer up at Haru.
Haru blinked down at them and held out the chalkboard display.
"Are these your names on this?" Haru asked.
The two of them stared at the board and then nodded slowly. Haru's brows creased when he saw their expressions.
Why did they look so nervous?
"I'm here to pick you up," Haru said.
The two of them jumped and the boy gripped onto the girl's arm, tears suddenly springing from his eyes.
"H-Hey, what's going on?" the boy asked in a wobbly voice. "W-Where's Onii-chan?"
The girl remained frozen in place as her brother shook her, her wide eyes staring up at Haru. She did not say a word.
At that moment, dread dropped into Haru's stomach like a lead weight.
Something was not right.
But what was it?
Haru glanced down to see the boy starting to turn into a blubbering mess while the girl still stood frozen in place. Students passing by were starting to stare and whisper, and Haru had to act fast before he caused a panic.
"Your brother is still working," Haru blurted, wanting to calm them both before they caused a scene.
The two of them jumped and stared up at him. The girl's eyes flickered back to life and she blinked rapidly, cocking her head to the side with scrunched eyebrows. The boy's tears stopped but his sad look remained.
"He couldn't come and pick you up because he's still working," Haru said. "I volunteered to come and get you."
They exchanged looks with each other and then looked back to Haru.
"Are you taking us to the restaurant?" the boy asked.
"Yeah," Haru answered with a nod. "Follow me and I'll take you there."
"Oh, we know where it is!" the girl suddenly chirped, a smile back on her face. "Do we get to go inside?"
Haru blinked down at her, confused by her sudden change in attitude.
"Yes," Haru said. "But let's go. I still have to work."
Haru tucked the chalkboard display under his arm and turned to leave with the two of them walking next to him. The girl happily walked alongside of him while the boy stayed close, his hands clenched into fists.
"Aren't you that chef?" the girl asked.
Haru glanced down at her and nodded. "Yes. I'm the head chef and the owner."
"Oh, so you're Onii-chan's boss!" the girl said, practically jumping with excitement. "Ah, he told us your name. What was it again?"
"Nanase-san," the boy said quietly.
Haru turned his head to look at the boy, blinking at him. These two kids were polar opposites.
"Yeah, I'm Nanase Haruka. The owner of Nanase Rest House," Haru said as an introduction.
"I'm Ran!" the girl said as she waved her hand into the air. Then, she pointed to the boy. "And that's my twin brother Ren."
The boy, Ren, bowed his head slightly when Haru glanced at him, but he did not say anything else.
"You guys are twins?" Haru asked.
"Yep!" Ran answered.
Haru hesitated. He was sure he would have remembered seeing Tachibana's siblings growing up.
Although… if they were just in middle school, then perhaps the twins had not been born when Haru and Tachibana played together. He would have to ask their ages later.
They stopped at the intersection and Haru watched the cars zip by.
"Please. Please watch out for them."
Haru glanced down at the twins, eyeing them for signs of distress. But neither one of them had any kind of reaction. They just waited patiently until the light turned green.
Haru had confidence that the two of them would probably be all right, but he made a promise to Tachibana to watch them carefully and not allow them to walk across the street by themselves.
"Stay close to me when we walk across," Haru said.
Ran and Ren stared up at him briefly before Ran sighed and stared at him with a deadpan expression.
"Did Onii-chan ask you to do that?" Ran asked.
Haru, caught of guard by another one of this girl's mood swings, blinked at her.
"Yes," Haru answered. "Now, stay close."
He heard Ran sigh softly but she obeyed, sticking close to him as they walked across the street.
Once they were safely across, Haru could hear Ran chatting cheerfully to Ren about getting to see the inside of the restaurant, her foul mood suddenly gone.
What in the world? Haru thought.
When the three of them finally reached the restaurant, Haru pulled open the door and ushered them inside.
The first to greet them was Rei, his large eyes studying the twins carefully. He looked up at Haru questioningly, but Haru shook his head and waved his hand.
Haru turned and gazed around the main floor of the restaurant until his eyes landed on the table in the center of the room. The food critic was still seated at his table with several dishes in front of him. He was writing something down on his notebook when someone stepped in front of him to grab his attention.
It was Tachibana.
"Oh, it's Onii-chan!" Ren suddenly said, the tears finally gone from his face.
Haru snapped his head down to look at the twins, both of them smiling brightly.
"Let's go see him!" Ran said to Ren.
Ren smiled and nodded, and they both took a step forward to go towards Tachibana.
But Haru glanced up and noticed that Tachibana was talking to the food critic, a tight smile on his face and a stray drop of sweat sliding down his neck.
He did not want to add any more unneeded stress to Tachibana's already-slumped shoulders.
Before the twins could sprint across the restaurant, Haru grabbed them by their collars and yanked them back. They both fell backward into Haru's stomach, their heads bonking against each other.
"Onii-ch— Whoa!" Ran squeaked.
"Ouch," Ren muttered, his hands coming up to rub the side of his head.
"You can't bother him right now. He's busy," Haru told them.
The twins glanced up at him with pitiful looks on their faces, Ren looking teary-eyed and Ran pouting.
Haru sighed. Who knew children could be so difficult?
"You guys can go to the break room. When your brother has a minute, I'll send him to find you guys, okay?" Haru said.
Once the twins nodded in grim understanding, Haru led them to the far end of the restaurant to get them to the break room in the back. He tossed sharp glances over his shoulder to keep an eye on Tachibana, hoping that he was still in one piece. Luckily, Tachibana still seemed to be standing and wearing a smile. It was a strange smile but at least it was a smile.
Haru opened the door to the break room and a few employees looked over from their spots to gaze at them. They stood up straighter upon seeing Haru entering the break room but their eyes were laced with confusion as they saw the children entering through the doorway.
Haru pointed to the table that was next to the wall of lockers.
"You can sit at that table for now." He paused for a moment. "You guys probably have homework, right?" he asked.
Ran and Ren both released heavy sighs and Haru smiled. The twins trudged over to the table and plopped down their backpacks.
"I'll see how your brother is doing and then I'll see if I can let him visit," Haru said at the door.
"Okay," Ran said as she sat down in the chair.
"Mmn," Ren hummed with a shy nod.
Haru nodded to them and then stepped back into the main floor of the restaurant. His eyes immediately honed in on Table 17.
The food critic was still at his table, taking a sip of his wine and writing down notes in his book. But Tachibana was no longer standing in front of him.
Haru quickly zipped to the kitchen, flinging open the swinging door. He was immediately met with a slightly disheveled Tachibana, who was busy pacing back and forth in the kitchen. When he met Haru's gaze, his green eyes wide and he rushed over to his side.
"Did you pick them up? Are they okay? Where are they?" Tachibana asked, his eyes serious and worried.
Haru put up his hand immediately to soothe him and Tachibana froze on the spot.
"They're in the break room," Haru said. "Safe and sound."
Tachibana let out a huge sigh and slumped, hanging his head and putting a hand to his chest.
"Thank goodness," Tachibana said, his voice full of relief. He bowed his head. "Thank you, Nanase-san. Thank you so much."
Haru blinked down at him, a small red blush tinting the skin underneath his eyes. He pursed his lips and glanced away.
"Stop bowing already," Haru said.
Tachibana released a soft chuckle and tilted his head up, looking much more relaxed.
"Sorry! I'm just really relieved that they're safe," Tachibana said. "Can I go see them?"
Haru turned his head to look at the kitchen, eyeing the dishes that the chefs were busy making. Hands were stirring wildly and pans were moving from one side of the kitchen to the other. It was more chaotic than Haru had ever seen it before.
"Is the food critic done?" Haru asked, keeping his eyes on the chefs.
"No," Tachibana answered with a sigh, making Haru look back at him. Tachibana's shoulders slumped and Haru could see the thin sheen of sweat on the side of his neck. "He's ordering the entrées a few at a time, so he's trying them slowly."
Haru clicked his tongue.
Annoying.
"Hey, Nanase, you're back! C'mon, we need you to make a special for our honored guest," one of the chefs called from the back.
Haru bit back a groan, his hands clenching into fists by his sides. He took a sharp breath through his nose to try and calm his nerves.
"Yeah, be there in a minute," Haru said.
Haru glanced at Tachibana and studied him carefully. He knew Tachibana had been there since seven, but now it was nearing six in the evening. Haru felt some guilt weighing down on his shoulders.
Was this too much for Tachibana to handle?
He locked eyes with Tachibana, his hands curling into unsure fists.
"Can you wait to see your siblings until after the food critic leaves?" he asked.
Tachibana hesitated, his fingers twisting in front of his body for a moment, and then he nodded with a dejected look on his face.
Haru felt more guilt attack his chest and he reached up to touch Tachibana's shoulder.
"Thank you," Haru said softly, and he walked back into the kitchen.
He started to wash his hands at the sink, the guilt stabbing him in the gut at every movement, and he glanced over his shoulder to look at Tachibana's back.
Haru watched as Tachibana raised his arm to wipe his eyes.
Haru's chest suddenly felt ice cold. Had the stress really been so bad that he made him cry? Should he just make him go home?
He was about to turn off the faucet and go over to him when Tachibana suddenly took both of his hands and smacked his cheeks.
"All right!" Tachibana said in a loud whisper.
Then, Tachibana marched out of the kitchen, his head high and his shoulders squared.
Haru paused for a moment, but then he smiled. He should not have been surprised. Tachibana has shown nothing but hard work in the short time he had worked at the restaurant.
Don't give up. You can do it, Haru thought. He turned to the stove to start his next dish. I know you can.
"I noticed that you enjoyed your wine so I went ahead and brought you the bottle to take home."
"O-Oh, thank you very much!"
"Of course! Is there anything else I can get you at the moment?"
"Oh, uh… no, I don't think so."
"Okay. Your next batch of meals should be coming shortly. I'll go and see if they're behind."
"You don't need to rush! I'm doing fine."
"R-Right, of course. Please let me know if there is anything else I can get for you."
###
"Here are your two entrées. Um… the other two are on their way, but they're not quite done, yet. I am truly sorry for the wait."
"N-No need to bow, my boy."
"Oh! I'm sorry."
"Ha, don't apologize! I can taste these two meals while I wait."
"Of course. Oh, right! If you really like red wine, we have a different bottle that is similar but it's a little sweeter. Would you like to try it?"
"Oh? How did you know I have a sweet tooth?"
"Hehe, I have two younger siblings, so it's easy to tell when they like sweets."
"Ha ha, I see! Well, sure! Go ahead and bring me a glass."
"Of course! I will be right back."
###
"I wasn't sure if you wanted some water, but I brought you some just in case."
"My, my. Thank you very much. I was getting a little thirsty."
"Of course. Might I recommend a dish to you while you wait for your other order?"
"Oh, sure. What do you recommend, boy?"
"I recently had the green curry dish. I know it sounds more like a common dish, but it is really quite delicious!"
"Is that so? What did you like about it?"
"Well, let's see… the only way I could describe it is that it just reminds me of home. My mother used to make this dish all the time growing up and it became my favorite food. So, when I tasted Nanase's recipe for green curry, I was instantly reminded of my family. It was a dish that tasted like… home."
"Hmm… I see. Well, then! I can't pass up an opportunity like this! Put an order in for the green curry."
"Y-Yes, sir! Right away!"
After an extra hour of bringing out food and refilling wine, Makoto watched the food critic slap his notepad closed and then grab his coat from the rack. He thanked Makoto for the service, even bowing his head a little.
And in a flash, the food critic was gone.
Makoto sighed heavily when he saw his back disappear beyond the front doors and he quickly retreated to the kitchen.
When he got back to the kitchen, he was met with several pairs of eyes all staring at him with curious expressions on their faces.
"Is he gone?" came Nagisa's voice nervously.
Makoto nodded, and the entire kitchen collectively sighed in relief, Nanase included. In an instant, the stress that was once weighing down heavily on everyone's shoulders had completely dissipated.
"Okay, we still have orders to fill, so get back to work," Nanase said to the entire kitchen.
Once the kitchen staff sprang back into life, Nanase turned to Makoto.
"You did a good job," Nanase commented.
Makoto's face flushed. "O-Oh? You really think so?" Makoto asked. He glanced down at the ground. "I messed up a lot, though."
Nanase simply shrugged. "It shouldn't matter. You stepped up when no one else would."
Makoto stared at Nanase in amazement. He could not recall him ever complimenting his other employees before.
"As a thanks, I'd like to cook you and your siblings dinner," Nanase said.
Makoto's eyes widened. "Y-You really don't have to do that! I was just happy enough to help!"
"I've already decided," Nanase said with his hand up, making Makoto click his jaw shut. "Now go ahead to the break room and I'll bring you guys food shortly."
Makoto paused for a moment, feeling his shoulders tense slightly, and he smiled. He bent at the waist in a bow.
"Thank you, Nanase-san," Makoto said.
Instead of waiting to hear Nanase's response, Makoto straightened his back and slipped out of the kitchen to go to the break room. He could feel the stress still attacking his nerves, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. He could not wait to see his siblings, but all he wanted to do at the moment was sleep.
Makoto gently weaved his way to the break room and grabbed the doorknob. He was expecting to see his siblings sitting at the table with upset and angry faces. He knew he would have to give an explanation.
But when Makoto opened the door, he was completely surprised.
"Onii-chan!"
Makoto's face lit up when he heard their voices, his exhaustion suddenly melting away.
"Ran, Ren!" Makoto called, opening up arms for a hug. The twins barreled into him and squeezed in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you guys are okay."
"We were fine, Onii-chan!" Ran said. "We could have walked here by ourselves."
"Of course you'd say that," Makoto said with a sigh. "Now, then. Let's clear off the table. We're going to eat soon."
"We are?" Ran asked.
Makoto nodded with a smile. "Yep! Nanase-san is treating us to dinner."
Ran and Ren glanced at each other with wide smiles and then they rushed back to the table to clear off their books.
"Nanase-san is awesome!" Ran chirped.
"He's really nice," Ren said as he placed his books into his backpack.
Makoto smiled, completely agreeing. "Yeah, you're right."
"You guys wait here. I'm going to go thank Nanase-san one more time and then we'll go home."
"Okay, Onii-chan!"
Once they were done with the wonderful meals that Nanase had prepared for them, Makoto gathered up the plates and took them to the kitchen. The food was spectacular, and Makoto could help but feel a little envious of the food critic.
He stepped into the kitchen and handed the plates off to a busboy standing by the sink. He glanced around the kitchen, surprised to see that Nanase was no where in sight.
Confused, Makoto turned his gaze to a nearby chef.
"Do you know where Nanase-san is?" Makoto asked.
The chef blinked at him and then jerked a thumb over his shoulder.
"In the back," he said bluntly.
Makoto cocked his head curiously. Nanase was in the back? Where the truck comes in? What on earth was he doing back there?
Makoto mumbled a quiet 'thanks' to the chef before slipping through the door to the back room…
…and almost tripping over a body sitting right in front of the door.
"S-S-Sorry! I didn't see you—Nanase-san?"
Nanase tilted his head up to look at him, his eyes blank. He had a clipboard in his hands, and Makoto squinted to see that it had the schedule of the waiters written on it. There were several red lines marked through several of the days in the following week.
"Is that…?" Makoto started.
"Yeah," Nanase said. "It's the schedule for the waiters for next week."
"Oh."
Nanase rested his chin on his free hand and stared down at the schedule. He sighed softly, and Makoto noticed that he had been doing that a lot today.
"The guy who usually schedules the waiters quit earlier today," Nanase explained. "Now that he's quit, I have to schedule everyone."
"Oh. That sounds… really inconvenient," Makoto said. He felt his gut twist a little at seeing Nanase look so down. It did not seem fair for him to do all of this by himself.
"Yeah, it is," Nanase answered. "Not only that, but I need to hire a new waiter."
Makoto's ears perked up.
A new waiter?
He would be hiring again?
All of those expensive apartment listings…
No leads on a second job…
"Two months can fly by in the blink of an eye."
Makoto's breath hitched slightly and he found the words spilling out of his mouth before he could stop them.
"I'll do it!" Makoto blurted.
Nanase whipped his head up to look at Makoto with wide eyes and parted lips.
"What?" Nanase said.
Makoto wanted to sink into the floor. Why did his mouth have to work faster than his brain?
"I mean, I'll take on the job to be a waiter here," Makoto explained.
Nanase stared at him for a moment, and then his brows rested heavily over his eyes.
"You already work here full time. I can't just let you work more hours," Nanase said.
Makoto's heart throbbed inside his chest.
He thought of Ran and Ren and their terrified faces as they are taken away in some strange car— never to be seen again.
No, Makoto thought. I can't let them slip away!
Makoto stood a little firmer, his hands curling into fists.
I can't lose them, too!
"Please!"
Makoto bent at the waist, once again bowing to Nanase. Nanase jumped, his jaw dropping at the sight.
"Oi!" Nanase grumbled.
"Please allow me to work as a waiter, too," Makoto said. "I was looking for a second job anyway. And I can learn! I can learn to do better than I did today, so please. Please let me work more for you!"
Makoto's eyes squeezed shut and he braced himself for an answer. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and his body began to shake. He knew not to get his hopes up, but he had to try, even if it made him look foolish in the process.
"Fine."
Makoto snapped his head up to look at Nanase with wide eyes.
Did he hear him correctly?
"W-What?" Makoto asked.
Nanase sighed and tapped his finger on the clipboard.
"You can train to be a waiter, but you can only work 20 extra hours a week. Maximum," Nanase emphasized.
Makoto hesitated, as if he could not believe his ears. And then, his face widened into a brilliant smile. He lowered his head once again.
"Thank you so much! I won't let you down!"
He heard Nanase huff out a tiny laugh, but it was obvious that he tried to hide it.
"Yeah, sure. Now stop bowing already and go home. We'll discuss your new job next week," Nanase said.
Makoto stood up straight and chuckled softly. He turned to the door and turned the doorknob.
"Right. Have a good night, Nanase-san!" Makoto called.
It was faint, but Makoto could have sworn that he heard a very quiet "You, too."
Once Makoto had changed out of his vest and tie, he hurried down to pick up the twins to head home. It was dark when they were walking home so Makoto made sure to keep his eyes on them.
"So are you going to be a waiter at night from now on, Onii-chan?" Ren asked.
"Well, not all of the time. It's more like a part-time job on top of the one I already have," Makoto explained.
"Oh, so you can make more money?" Ran asked.
Makoto smiled. "That's the plan."
"Then we can go to the movies?" Ran asked.
"Or get more food?" Ren asked.
Makoto nodded happily. "Yep! Once I save up enough."
And we'll be able to solidify you guys staying with me for good…
"But… won't you be super busy now, Onii-chan?" Ren asked sadly.
Makoto's heart twisted but he kept a smile on his face. He reached over and patted Ren's head.
"Yes, but this probably means that you guys will be able to hang out at the restaurant more," Makoto explained.
Ren's eyes widened and flashed in delight.
"R-Really?" Ren asked.
"Really," Makoto answered.
Ran and Ren turned to each other and started to chat excitedly about being able to try more food and desserts from Nanase's restaurant, and Makoto watched them talk with a fond smile on his face. He took a deep breath.
This could be good.
This could be a good step for them towards healing.
This could be the start of—
Suddenly, Makoto's phone started to buzz in his pocket. He took out his phone and glanced down at the screen.
He gulped quietly.
1 Incoming call:
Sousuke
Nervously, Makoto hit the green button.
"Hello?"
Sousuke blinked and then glanced down at his phone.
"Oh," Sousuke said into the phone. "You actually answered."
"Oh, shut up!" Makoto's voice rang on the other line. Sousuke chuckled softly at Makoto's whine. "So, Sousuke, what's up?"
Sousuke sat down on the bench in the locker room, his towel sitting around his shoulders. He leaned back and stared up at the ceiling, listening to his other teammates bustling in an out.
"I wanted to ask how your job was going," Sousuke said.
"Oh, my job? It's going great!" Makoto said. "I actually just got off."
Sousuke's brow twitched and he whirled around to look at the clock on the wall. It was close to 8pm.
"Don't you go in at 7 in the morning?" Sousuke asked.
"Mmn," Makoto hummed in response.
"Then why are you just now getting off? I thought you got off around 4."
Makoto laughed, and Sousuke could tell it was a nervous laugh. It made Sousuke straighten his back on the bench.
"Well, actually, my boss just hired me on to be a waiter, too!" Makoto tried to play it off as no big deal, but that one sentence spiked his anger in a heartbeat.
"What do you mean you're a waiter, too?" Sousuke bellowed.
"No, no! It's not bad! I asked for the job," Makoto said. "And tonight was my first night. I mean, it wasn't too bad and I'll get the training and—"
"Why on earth would you ask for another job on top of your full-time job?" Sousuke asked.
"I just… I need it," Makoto said softly, his voice sounding a little disheartened. The sound made Sousuke's heart squeeze.
"Makoto…" Sousuke whispered.
"L-Listen, I can't talk about this now. Maybe some other time?" Makoto asked, almost pleadingly.
Sousuke opened his mouth, ready to argue. He wanted to tear into Makoto. He wanted to force Makoto to answer why he was taking on another job.
But…
"Fine," Sousuke said gruffly. "Just… is everything okay?"
There was a pause on the other line, and the pause itself was too long.
"Yeah, it will be," Makoto said. "Just trust me. I can handle it."
"Hmm," Sousuke hummed noncommittally.
"Ah, thank you, Sousuke. I'll talk to you later, yeah?" Makoto asked.
Sousuke sighed. "Yeah. See ya."
The call ended, leaving Sousuke to stare at his phone in his grasp.
Something's not right, Sousuke thought. He doesn't sound all right.
He huffed out a sigh and abruptly stood up from the bench, stuffing his phone into his pocket. He picked up his duffle bag and headed out of the locker rooms, walking into the main training pool area. He spotted his coach on the far end of the pool and he quickly approached him.
"Coach," Sousuke called.
The man in a white tracksuit turned around. There was a small Japanese flag on the breast of his jacket, along with the words Japanese National Swim Team.
"Ah, Yamazaki. What's up?" his coach asked, tucking his clipboard under his arm.
"Would I be able to take some time off soon?" Sousuke asked.
His coach pursed his lips and he rubbed his chin, tilting his head up to look at the ceiling.
"Well, we are having a break coming up soon. And the practice meets aren't for another month…" his coach mumbled. He shrugged and then nodded his head. "It should be fine in a couple of weeks. Why? You wanting to take a vacation?"
Sousuke's brows lowered as he stared at the ground.
"Not necessarily," Sousuke said. "There's just a certain friend that I need to go visit."