Chapter Thirty-Four
"Good day." I said after a customer as they exited Teppan. I cleared their table and wiped it clean, though there wasn't much to get. I picked up their tip and moved on to the next customer.
In the two weeks I'd been here, I'd definitely grown into the job and was quite good at it since I had such a good memory. With that, I also received generous tips from those I served. I was well-suited for Teppan.
What was even better was that there was nothing here to distract me… or rather, no one. I'd only told one person where I was working and living, and that was Sudo. I thought it best to tell one person just in case anything ever happened. Until then, I had complete privacy.
A burst of cold air rushed through the cafe as the door opened again. Ready to serve this person, I peered over my shoulder to see where they were sitting.
It was Yuuko. And she didn't sit anywhere. Instead, she went for the counter.
"I'm here for Oishi Tadayoshi." She said. Curiously, I went toward her.
"Yuuko?" I said. She turned a surprised eye on me.
"Irie-kun," She said, "You work here?"
"Yes, I do."
"That makes this even better than I thought. I applied here a couple of days ago and I'm coming in for the interview now." Under her smile was hidden something secretive. Maybe Sudo had told her where I worked? This just didn't seem like a coincidence.
Tadayoshi called Yuuko to the back with him. I got to more customers in the meantime.
My shift was coming near its close when three people wandered in. The two women were wearing scarves and sunglasses. The third one was quite short and wearing a mask that covered half of his face.
With a tactic I'd seen before, they hid their faces behind menus and acted as though I wouldn't know who they were. But I wasn't stupid. All I wanted to know was how they had found out where I worked.
"You can stop hiding your faces now," I said to them and Kotoko lowered the menu with guilt painted all over her face.
"How did you know it was us?" My mother asked. I was baffled by how she'd thought this ridiculous technique would work. I wasn't blind… or deaf, even.
"I don't know how you thought I wouldn't recognize you," I said, "Why are you here?"
"Because you won't tell us your new address." My mother said with a manipulative-type frown. She just hated not being in control.
"I'm working right now. I can't have private conversations. I'll bring an orange juice and two coffees." I ordered for them without asking and with the idea that they might leave faster. I bit my tongue from saying anything else, an irritation rolling up my shoulders that couldn't have been caused by anyone other than my mother. I hadn't told her for a reason. But still she found a way to come here, not only to disturb my work, but to badger me for my new address. Which she was not going to be getting from me.
I brought their beverages and rushed to the back where I hung my apron on the rack to sneak out before they noticed and followed me to my apartment.
"You're done?" Yuuko said as she came from her interview. I slipped my arms through my coat sleeves.
"Yes. I'll see you tomorrow in class." I made a break for the back door of Teppan.
"Wait, before you leave, I wanted to ask you something. Like a favor." I stopped but held my hand on the doorknob.
"Depends on what it is."
"Well, my little sister is graduating high school soon and she's been wanting to get a tutor to help her study. I was wondering if you might help her. Maybe just for an hour or two," She bit the inside of her cheek with a smack, "But you're so smart, maybe tutoring is a burden."
I let the faintest of a smile cross me. Perhaps tutoring would have been a burden if I hadn't helped one of the lowest-scoring students Tonan had, and more than once.
"It's no problem. I've tutored before." I said. Yuuko seemed surprised.
"Really? I thought I would have heard about it. Who?"
"Kotoko."
For less than a millisecond, she looked piqued.
"Well, if you can help her, you can help anyone. Have you considered becoming a teacher? I think a lot of people could benefit from it."
I hadn't and I wouldn't. The idea wasn't appealing, as I'd had a hard time not getting frustrated with Kotoko while helping her study. And I couldn't see myself with such a career.
"I can help your sister after work some days." I turned the doorknob.
"Thank you, Irie-kun. Just tell me what days. See you."
A teacher… I thought with disinterest as I stepped into the alley. I glanced around to be positive the badly-disguised trio wasn't outside, and from there I walked home without anyone hitching along behind me.
A/N: Happy weekend ^.^
