The shouting match between Kyohei and his dad didn't last very long. Dad denied having called the police, and refused to believe Kyo's insistent that the girls weren't doing anything to him. "Well," Mr. Tachibana shouted, "if they mean so much to you, you can go back to them!"

"I will!" And Kyohei stormed out of the house five minutes after he'd got home.

He had gone through the first light down the street from his house when his phone chimed. He glanced at the screen and saw Eriko's app had kicked in.

He pulled over and put his earpiece in. "Hey," he said.

"You didn't contact me from your home and I got worried," Eriko said. "You're still on your mobile source. Is anything wrong?"

"Other than my whole life?" He paused then thought about it. "My dad refuses to believe the girls aren't doing stuff to me or using me as a drug mule or God knows what, and either he kicked me out or I left."

"So where are you going now?"

"Back to the trailer. I figure I'll ask Sei if I can crash on the sofa."

"Why? I mean, why go back there? Ok, I believe you when you say they're not doing stuff to you, but it just seems to me you're bouncing back and forth between two places causing you a lot of stress."

"Are you saying I should quit or leave home?"

"No. But I was thinking, why not have a second part-time job? You'd make a little extra money, especially on days when you don't work for the girls, and have a place to go away from the places that stress you out."

"I thought about that, but the only things that could work aren't cooking jobs."

"Then you're lucky you have me! Have you heard of the Opera House restaurant?"

"Yeah. Been open a few years. Off the Ginza. Not too pricey. Heard the food is good."

"My grandmother owns it, and they need someone to help out part time from 8 to 11 PM, with the late supper crowd. That would be after you're normally done with Sei, right?"

"Yeah, Eriko, though I normally stick around for a while."

"Well, Kyo, you can finish with the girls, work for a couple more hours at the Opera House, make a little more money and de-stress at the same time."

"Yeah, that can work. Gee, thanks. Give me the number and I'll call in the morning."

"Why not go over there right now?"

"Huh? But I'm not dressed for a job interview. I don't have my resume-"

"The only thing Nana would want to know is if you can cut it in the kitchen. She can see you right now."

"Meaning you've already set this up, Eriko."

"No, Kyo, I've learned my lesson. But I have told her all about you, and if I tell her you're on your way over, she'll see you." Eriko paused. "Come awwwwwnnnn, Kyohei, what could it hurt? Even if doesn't work out, it'll take your mind off your troubles for a while. Pweeeeesssseee, for me?"

Kyohei chuckled. "Only if you never say 'pweese' again."

"Promise!"