Just a chapter of Yuzu being Yuzu, running her business, being a boss, a mom, and a wife. It's not much.
Hopefully, I'll have 33 up soon, where we get to see her being a bit more awesome, as we have Thanksgiving coming up here in the US, and I'm off for a week. Hurray!
"Okay, I need two sandwich sets, one with salad and one with fries, an oolong and a cola for table eight. Table fifteen needs a curry set, a champon set, one fruit parfait, one chocolate parfait, and extra large rice on the curry. Table three needs one burger meal, no onion, and a katsudon set with pork miso soup. Also, we're running out of bread for the sandwiches. How long do we have before the next batch is ready?"
"Five minutes for the next batch, Aihara-san," said Suzuki, the burly woman who was the head baker under Yuzu. "Also, we'll have a replacement for the strawberry cakes soon. Sesame cookies will be out with the bread, and the bulk order of dorayaki and the baked cheesecakes will be about another twenty. Have you heard from the client?"
"Client is out there waiting," said Yuzu as she put up the meal tickets while dodging one of the bussers. "I'll let them know and have already offered them some cookies to compensate for the wait. So, can you add a few bags of sesame cookies to the order as an apology? I'm sorry if that puts you behind on them."
"It's all right," sighed Suzuki as she pointed to one of the staffers and motioned for them to start making more cookies. "We've weathered this before, and we'll do it again. Besides, the cookies are easy to replace, but I'm more worried about the dorayaki. You said the client works for that hotel company you used to work for?"
"Yep." Yuzu grabbed her water bottle and gulped some down before rolling her shoulders. "But it's good business, and they're trying to impress an overseas client, so if they like them, you'll have a lot more work on your hands."
"You know I love a challenge." Suzuki winked at Yuzu as a timer announced that a pizza for another table was done.
Taking a deep breath, Yuzu looked around the kitchen and was happy with how everything was progressing despite how busy they were.
Saturdays were always busy, but today was one of those days where they were slammed from the moment the doors opened, but it wasn't unexpected given they were located in an active shopping district. But Yuzu was used to it now, and she liked it when they were this busy. It made the day go by faster, and when she got home, Mei would usually have the bath ready for her if she made the request or if her back wasn't bugging her.
As she thought about sinking into a warm bath, Yuzu began to wonder about dinner and hoped that either Mei would cook something or Hideki and Airi would. If that was the case, Yuzu knew the kids would also take care of the dishes, and she could relax on the couch, with her head in Mei's lap, while they watched something on television.
More than likely, Yuzu would watch the television while Mei occasionally glanced up from whatever book she was reading, but it'd be a great way to end such a tough day.
However, all that would depend on the day going smoothly, and if Yuzu were honest with herself, there was only one thing on her mind that could keep things from going the way she wanted.
As she listened and watched the preparation of dishes and their servers carrying them out, her eyes focused on a familiar bespectacled boy with a stressed look on his face as he tried to make sense of his order tickets.
Yuzu stepped back and eyed him carefully, ensuring he followed his earlier instructions as he prepared one of the tickets Yuzu had placed on his station. His knife skills were top-notch; she saw as he prepared the vegetables for the burger before dropping the fries and cutlet into the oil and began grilling the burger and working on the sandwiches.
"You're nephew ain't doing too bad," said Mori, one of the senior cooks. "A little slow, but he's got skill. How long did you say he was going to be working here?"
"A couple of days a week over the next few months," said Yuzu while she checked some of the orders going out. "Why? You want him full-time?"
"Nah," chuckled Mori as he finished cleaning his knife and jerked his thumb at the rest of the cooks. "I got enough trouble with these clowns. But I wouldn't mind the help now and then. Show the kid a few tricks his old man doesn't know."
"I'll let him know." Yuzu grinned and, after excusing herself, walked over to where Reo was standing and watched him work.
He looked haggard but muscled through it. His brow was furrowed in concentration, just like Hideki's would get when he was focused, and Yuzu couldn't help but beam with pride as he set up the sandwich sets and announced them.
"Not bad, Reo," said Yuzu, walking up and grabbing the sandwiches, making him jump in surprise.
"Thanks Aun...Aihara-san," he replied, blushing a little when he realized the mistake he'd almost made. "I'll have the rest of the other order out soon."
Before Yuzu could reply, a disgruntled server came in, headed towards Reo's station, and bruskly asked, "Yo, newbie, I got three tables waiting. Where are my orders?"
"What orders," asked Reo as he began working on the burger and katsudon sets.
"These," grumbled the woman, pointing at the orders slips next to Yuzu's. "I dropped these off a while ago, and my customers are getting upset. Why the heck aren't they done?"
"I told you that I'm not able to operate the equipment yet to make those," countered Reo, rolling his eyes. "I haven't been trained, and I'm waiting on someone else to help me with them before I can get them out."
"I thought that's why you were here," snorted the woman. "To get trained, or were you just hoping that Aihara-san would give you a pass because..."
"Emi, dear," said Yuzu, her voice adopting an icy tone that caused everyone in the vicinity who heard it to briefly stop what they were doing before returning to work double time. "Can you please take these table eight for me? I'll review your orders and see what we can do to get those expedited and offer a free dessert or appetizer for each customer as an apology."
"O...of course, Aihara-san," gulped Emi, grabbing the tray from Yuzu and nodding. "I'll get right on that."
Emi shot Reo a side glance before lowering her head and heading out of the kitchen while Yuzu walked around the prep station while Reo continued his work.
"How long have these been up here," asked Yuzu quietly but stern enough so that Reo knew the severity of the situation.
It wasn't the ideal place to talk, but with how busy they were, Yuzu had little choice, and she knew her staff would focus more on her work than her.
"About twenty minutes," he said, moving toward the fryer and removing the items. "I was hoping things would have calmed down enough for me to grab someone to let them know, but..."
"Reo," sighed Yuzu, shaking her head, grabbing two order slips and handing them to one of the cooks with a few spare moments to help, "what did your dad and I tell you when you agreed to come study here?"
"That it wasn't going to be like his place," said Reo, pulling his glasses off to wipe some moisture off on a towel. "Honestly, I thought you were pulling my leg a little."
"Yeah, well, do you believe us now," said Yuzu as people continued working around them, giving them as much privacy as possible.
"Yes, Ma'am," said Reo, taking a moment to finish prepping the meals before putting them on the line. "I'm sorry I fell behind. But I really can't use that equipment. I'm not trained and probably not even old enough to use it. I wasn't trying to cause a problem with service, but I didn't have much choice."
"I understand." Yuzu nodded, asked one of the servers to take the food to the table, and let out a tired breath. "You're in a new place and trying to prove yourself, but part of that is learning when to ask for help."
"I was afraid someone would yell at me," he said, looking around at everyone who, though there was an occasionally curt word, still managed to laugh and work together. "I don't know these people and..."
"It's okay." Yuzu patted his shoulder and smiled at finally seeing a bit of the shy little boy she remembered. "They'll understand if you need help, and it's not your fault. I should have set you up with someone to watch over you so they could handle the things you can't yet and had someone check in with you more. I'll check with what we can and can't train you to use so we don't get in trouble and people don't yell at you for being unable to do certain things. But you have to tell someone, regardless of how busy you are, when you need help. Everyone needs it sometimes, and if you want to take over for your dad, you'll need to learn to ask for help. I do it, your Aunt Mei does, and so do your mom and dad when they get overwhelmed. It's not a weakness, so don't feel afraid to ask. If they say they can't, I'm sure they know someone who can. Understood?"
Reo nodded and then pointed at the door, "When should I apologize to Emi-san?"
"After I talk to her," said Yuzu with a hint of annoyance. "She knows I don't tolerate people treating others the way she treated you, so once that's done, I'll sit down with both of you, and we can discuss what happened."
"Okay." Reo nodded again and then pointed at his tickets. "Can I get back to work? Or do you..."
"Get back to work," chuckled Yuzu before pointing at the cook who'd taken over Emi's orders. "Please help him out when you can and make sure he doesn't do anything he's not supposed to."
"You got it, Aihara-san," said the woman with a smile before moving over next to Reo. "Give me five minutes, and I'll be ready to help."
"Dorayaki is ready to go, Aihara-san," announced Suzuki, walking up with a cart holding four large boxes. "Also, I threw in two free boxes of the cookies. I know you said a few bags, but I figured the more, the merrier. I already got the replacement batches going."
"You're a lifesaver," exclaimed Yuzu, feeling some tension leave her shoulders. "Head out to the loading bay, and I'll grab the client and meet you back there to help you load."
Suzuki nodded and headed toward the back while Yuz walked out into the packed dining area once she ensured Reo was being helped. Around her, employees ran food, cleared tables, and took orders while customers sat, enjoying their food or grabbing their take-out orders.
"I'm sorry for the wait; there was a miscommunication in the kitchen," she heard Emi say, her voice much more docile than it had been while talking to Reo. "But I have been cleared to offer you free appetizers or desserts to take with you to make up for the delay. Does that work for you?"
The clients nodded and placed their orders, and Yuzu nodded at Emi, who blushed and rushed back behind the counter to grab her customer's choices while Yuzu approached a familiar-looking woman in a business suit.
"Yuzu-san," laughed Machiko as she gave Yuzu a polite hug. "It's good to see you again. Man, it's been forever; the place looks good and so busy. Is this normal?"
"Depends," chuckled Yuzu before stepping back, noticing the quality of the suit her old coworker was wearing. "But we do pretty well here; today is busier than normal, but I can't complain. Sorry to cut this short, but I have our head baker out back with your order ready to load. I even threw in some of our famous sesame cookies as a bonus. If you can show me where your car is, I can help you."
"Sounds perfect," sighed Machiko as she adjusted her purse. "I'm just out front, so if possible, can you two meet me on the sidewalk?"
Yuzu nodded and told the cashier where to find her before heading out and helping Suzuki with the cart, and with Machiko's help, they had the car filled in record time.
"Must be a big party," groaned Yuzu, rubbing her back. "Is it a business meeting? Spring picnic thing? Or something else?"
"Bit of both," said Machiko, biting into one of the cookies, her eyes wide. "This is delicious. Did you come up with it?"
"My son's girlfriend did," laughed Yuzu, taking one of the cookies Machiko offered her. "It's a hobby of hers, and if she wanted to, I'm sure she could go pro, but she's more into computers, but I'm not complaining. We're her sole client, so don't ask for the recipe. Same for the dorayaki, but that recipe belongs to Suzuki-san, and she's the only one who makes these, so count yourself lucky."
"Well, if that's the case," chuckled Machiko after finishing her fourth cookie, "how would you guys feel about helping supply one of the hotels we're building in Nagasaki? It'd be an exclusive deal, and you guys would ship them to us as seasonal items?"
"I'll talk to them and Udagawa-san about it," said Yuzu, wondering if the effort would be worth the costs. "But I wouldn't hold your breath."
"Well, you know how to get ahold of me when you figure it out."
They both chuckled, and Machiko couldn't help but smile at Yuzu and say, "You look good. I was sad when you said you were leaving, but seeing how well this is going, I think you made the right choice leaving when you did, and I bet the wife and kids are happy. I need to stop by and visit soon. I remember your little girl hiding next to you on opening. She was so cute and shy, and your son's gotta be in college by now. Man, time flies."
"It's had some drawbacks." Yuzu grinned sheepishly and shoved her hands in her pockets. "And it's been an adjustment for us, but I think it was the right move, too."
"I'm sure Mei-san agrees." Machiko nodded toward Yuzu's arms and chuckled while Yuzu blushed. "Come on, I bet she likes that you've put some muscle on. You could just have sat in the back pushing papers, but I can tell you've been putting in as much work as everyone else, and it shows. I'm happy for you; I mean it."
"Thanks, Machiko," Yuzu smirked and walked Machiko to her car. "It was good to see you, but I gotta get back in there. I'm sorry."
"Right, right." Machiko took another cookie from the bag before wrapping it and putting it in the box. "I didn't mean to keep you. I'll make sure to have an actual meal next time I come by and let everyone from the old days know about this place. I can't wait to see what else your staff makes. Bye! Say hi to the kids and Mei-san for me."
Yuzu waved goodbye and, once she was gone, headed back into the chaos.
"Good job today, everyone," said Yuzu once she'd locked the door at closing time.
Thankfully, it had died significantly after the dinner rush, and they managed to close on time despite a hellish work day.
"I thought it'd never end," sighed Reo from a stool in the corner of the employee room, looking like he was about to pass out. "You guys do this every day?"
"Not every day," laughed Suzuki, chugging a bottle of tea. "But about half that. I don't think the mixer stopped running for more than five minutes today. We'll probably have some leftovers that we can sell tomorrow or run to one of the charity food groups in the area. Which do you want us to do, Aihara-san?"
"Donate them," yawned Yuzu, stretching her arms above her head. "We haven't been selling a lot of leftovers lately, so we may as well give them to people who can put them to use. I'll take them and drop them off on my way home if you can prepare them before you leave. Do you have a list of anything else that's about to go bad?"
"Nothing immediate." Suzuki rubbed her neck and tossed Reo a water bottle, choking back a laugh when he nearly dropped it. "But I'll take inventory tomorrow and deal with that personally since you're handling the stuff tonight."
"Okay." Yuzu rubbed her eye, looked at the clock, and shook her head. "Jeez, it's almost nine. You guys get cleaned up and head home. Reo, your dad should be here soon. Help Suzuki-san with the donations, and please text him about the drop-off while you're getting changed."
"Okay," answered Reo, sounding deflated and tired. "Sorry about earlier, by the way."
"Chin up, kid," said Mori, slapping a large hand on Reo's back. "You're still learning, and you did good. Just say something next time, all right? You got a lot of people here you can talk to, not just Aihara-san. We're rowdier than your dad's place, but we're good people. Heck, the rowdiness is why I like working here more than your dad's joint."
"You worked at my dad's cafe," asked Reo as he got up and followed Mori out of the break room and toward the changing room.
"I didn't just work there," laughed Mori as he started closing the door. "I helped reopen. But your dad wanted a more quiet, relaxed, fine dining experience for his place. That's why I transferred here."
"Send Emi in here if she hasn't already left," shouted Yuzu as the door clicked shut, hoping they heard her.
Finally, alone, Yuzu chuckled as she reached into her bag and pulled out her pill bottle. Removing a pill, she cut it in half and downed it with water before returning the other half. Pulling out her phone, she wasn't surprised to see about seven messages from Mei.
Kicking herself, Yuzu read through them and felt a little better as she read them.
Most were updates about the day, but a few caught her interest, and Yuzu had to sit down as she read through them.
I know I shouldn't send messages about things like this over text, but we do need to talk about Airi this evening. It's nothing major, but she had an incident at her guitar lesson today.
Also, Hideki and some of his friends are over, but they will either leave before you get home or shortly after. I cooked dinner, so please let me know when you expect to get off work so I can warm it for you.
Yuzu, are you reading these? Is everything all right?
Rubbing her forehead, Yuzu smiled and pressed the number for the house, and after a couple of rings, a cheery voice said, "Hello, Aihara residence."
"Hi, Airi," said Yuzu, her mood immediately lifting.
"Hi, Mama!" Airi giggled as she talked, and Yuzu heard a few voices in the background asking what was happening. "Are you gonna be home soon? Is Reo staying the night?"
"No, he's not staying the night," yawned Yuzu, rubbing her eyes. "Uncle is going to pick us up soon, and then we'll make a stop, and then I'll be home. Did Mommy or Hideki ask you to answer the phone, or did you do it without permission?"
"Mommy asked me to," said Airi confidently. "She's busy, so she asked me to do it."
"Is Mommy working or on her phone," inquired Yuzu with a chuckle.
"She's reading something on her computer for work," Airi sighed. "She was on the phone a lot when she got home, and Grandma had to pick me up from guitar because Mommy was busy. But Grandma got me a croquette on the way home and played with me until Mommy got done with work, and Mommy snuggled me for a bit before she made dinner."
"Well, it sounds like you had a good day." Yuzu held back the bit about Airi having an incident at her guitar lesson. "Did you do anything else?"
"Umm, not really," said Airi in that carefree way kids spoke. "I read and colored a lot and listened to my music. I didn't practice enough on my guitar, so I have to do my playing test again before I can learn the next song."
"I see," said Yuzu in a mock-serious tone. "Did you practice?"
"I did before Mommy and I snuggled. She said I needed to practice for an hour before we could do that, and I did. She also said I gotta practice an hour tomorrow because I gotta do my test again on Tuesday, and I promised Mommy I'd pass it."
"I'm sure you will pass, Airi." Yuzu's grin grew when she heard other voices tell Airi she'd pass, making the girl laugh. "What else did you do today?"
"Not much," said the girl, hiding a yawn. "I was coloring and watching a movie before I got the phone. Hideki's playing a game with Daichi-kun, Yui-chan, and Natsuki-chan, but they won't let me play because I'm too little."
"That's not why Airi," came Hideki's voice in the background. "Quit lying."
"I'm not lying," shouted back Airi, making Yuzu jump and pull the phone away from her ear. "You said I couldn't because..."
"That's enough," groaned Mei, her voice louder than Hideki's, causing everyone to go quiet. "Airi, thank you for getting the phone, but please go and sit down while I talk to Mama. Hideki, how much longer? It's getting late."
"Maybe an hour, Mom," said the young man while Airi's whines could still be heard, and Mei grumbled about how long they'd been playing. "Sorry, but we're almost done with this part, and then we'll be done, I promise."
"One hour," said Mei, and Yuzu could swear she heard the collective gulp of Hideki and his friends. "It's not that you're causing problems, but Airi needs to go to bed, and it's been a long day. So please, try to finish as soon as you can."
"I'm sure we'll reach a good stopping point soon, Aihara-san," answered an energetic voice. "Thank you for having us."
"You're welcome. Now, please, try to finish up," sighed Mei before returning her attention to Yuzu. "I was getting worried since you hadn't answered me. Have you left yet?"
"Not yet," answered Yuzu as she heard a few people's voices in the hall and caught the sound of Emi talking with Mori. "We just closed up, and I'm waiting for everyone to leave, along with Udagawa, to show up so he can get me and Reo."
"There weren't any problems today, were there," asked Mei as the sound of Airi a movie and laughter came through the phone. "You said you were busy, and I hope he wasn't overwhelmed."
"He did good," yawned Yuzu before shaking her head to wake herself up. "He had a couple of issues, and I'm going to deal with that here pretty soon, but you guys'd be proud of him. But he's got a long way to go."
"He's young," chuckled Mei, and Yuzu heard what she thought was Natsuki making a loud roaring noise, making Airi giggle while the others booed. "But he'll get the hang of it. I have faith in you and Udagawa-san. Let me know when you're almost home, and I'll heat your dinner. It's nothing fancy, but I hope you'll like it. I tried something new, and Hideki brought food for him and his friends, and he fed Airi for me because I got busy with work and meetings. But Airi helped after she practiced, and she'll probably fall asleep waiting for you to come home so she can bug you about it."
"Sounds good. All I've had today are sandwiches," said Yuzu as another loud noise came through the phone, prompting Mei to ask them to keep it down.
"Sorry, Aihara-san," came Yui's voice, followed by a series of apologies.
"What are they playing," asked Yuzu when she heard a knock at the door and got up to let Emi in before retaking her seat while Emi sat uncomfortably on the staff couch.
"Some game involving dice, monsters, and rolling to see what your character does," said Mei, and Yuzu could see her shrugging in confusion. "I'm not sure, but they're having fun. Hideki played it in New York; apparently, that's how he met Natsuki, not in New York but trying to find people to play with. I don't understand it, but again, they're having fun playing, although it feels more like I'm listening to a radio drama than a game at times. But as long as they don't destroy the house, I'm fine with it being done here occasionally."
"Sounds riveting," laughed Yuzu, holding up a finger so Emi knew she didn't forget her. "How's he doing, by the way?"
"He's fine," said Mei, her voice softening. "I'm happy he's home and Airi is too. I know you haven't been home much since he came back last week, so you haven't seen it, but he's looking healthier. Like he's been exercising and eating better."
"That's good." YUzu let out a relieved sigh and sat back in the chair as a few people poked their heads in and said goodbye. She wished them a good night before continuing. "I'll make sure to sit down and talk with him tomorrow after I meet with Ito-san. I hope she won't mind me being tired. Today was a nightmare, and I need a break."
"I know." Yuzu heard a gentleness in Mei's voice, followed by a pregnant pause.
"I'll be home soon," promised Yuzu after a few moments, knowing that Mei wanted to hear her say something else but held back now that Emi was in the room." "I'm sorry I can't stay on longer, but I have an employee I need to talk to, and they're sitting right in front of me."
"I understand, so you don't need to apologize." Yuzu could hear the smile and trust in Mei's voice. "I'll be in the living room when you get home. Promise me you'll rest tomorrow."
"I promise," sighed Yuzu, feeling her ears burn as Emi did her best to ignore the conversation. "See you soon."
"Bye."
There was a click, and Yuzu set aside her phone before focusing on Emi, who asked, "Everything okay?"
"At home? Yes," answered Yuzu, leaning back in her chair to focus on the server. "Just the kids being kids and Aihara-san wondering how the day went. Usual stuff. How about you? Is everything okay with you? Things got a little heated earlier."
"I'm fine," answered the girl, rubbing her hands nervously on her jeans. "At least as fine as I can be right now, and I'm sorry about earlier, that...I shouldn't have done that. It was a stupid thing to do."
"I agree that what you did wasn't smart," nodded Yuzu before clicking her tongue. "But you're not stupid, and I get why it happened. We were busy and got caught off guard. We got a new guy on the line. He's falling behind, and you're catching the heat for him not getting your orders done, so you lashed out. Sound about right?"
"Yeah," chuckled Emi nervously. "I know Reo-kun is...he's a good kid, works hard, helps out when he can, and I should have been more patient with him."
"You should have," agreed Yuzu with a sigh. " but you weren't. You're lucky I was here to handle it because if my wife were in charge, it probably would have gone a bit differently."
"I bet," laughed Emi as she remembered the few times she'd heard Mei discipline Hideki or Airi while they were in the restaurant. "You even managed to look like her a bit."
"Thanks." Yuzu grinned and leaned forward a little, her hands clasped together as she spoke. "I'm glad I'm able to pull that off. But you can tell me if there's something else on your mind. You've been here pretty much since we opened, and you don't lash out at people, so if there's something you want to tell me, you can, and I'll try to help."
Emi chewed on her lip for a moment, pulled her water bottle out of her bag, and took a sip before saying, "It's not you, and it's not Reo. I mean, some of it has to do with him, but that's not his fault."
"Is it because he's the son of one of the owners, and you're worried he's going to get preferential treatment," Yuzu asked mischievously.
Emi squirmed in her seat, her eyes darting between Yuzu and her water bottle before she eventually nodded and said, "Maybe a little. I mean he...you...Udagawa-san..."
"It's fine," answered Yuzu, hoping her smile and the calmness of her voice would help Emi relax. "You didn't say anything wrong; honestly, you're not the first to have that thought. I'm pretty sure everyone else has thought the same thing, but Udagawa-san, I, and the other leadership talked it through to make sure that didn't happen. But everyone's bound to think about it occasionally. You're just the first person to almost say it out loud in front of the staff and where customers could probably overhear it."
"That was pretty stupid of me," said Emi nervously. "I'm not in trouble for that, am I? That's why you wanted us to talk, right?"
"You're not in trouble, at least not in serious trouble," said Yuzu, glad to see Emi relax. "But I do have to tell you that what you did earlier was not a good look. I understand your frustration, and you had every right to be upset, but you should have been more upset with me or one of the other supervisors than with him."
"But you weren't the ones who fell behind," said Emi with a small laugh. "Reo fell behind, and yeah, I was a jerk, but he needed to know what was happening."
"You're right," said Yuzu, nodding in agreement. "He did need to know, and I'm not saying you telling him was wrong. But we, and by that, I mean Mori-san and myself, should have prepared him better. Working here is a big adjustment for him, and he got swept up in it and made some mistakes, just like everyone else when they first started. But he's also a kid; we had to get special permission from his school and the government to allow him to train under us, so we had to cut him some slack. Not only that, but there's some equipment he's either not trained on or can't be trained on due to his age, and I should have told everyone what orders not to give him. So that's on me and Mori-san, not him. But his reaction and not letting anyone know is on him, and I've already talked to him about that, and I'm going to tell Udagawa-san to talk to him as well to avoid this in the future."
"I kinda forgot that you had to get permission for him," said Emi thoughtfully after another sip of water. "I didn't work until high school, and he's not even out of middle school but already training to take over from his dad?"
"Yeah," chuckled Yuzu. "My wife did the same thing when she was younger. Her family's a big deal, just like Udagawa-san's; I mean, we met at the high school branch her family owns, and I worked for Udagawa-san for a bit while going there so I could buy her a gift when we first started dating."
"That had to make things weird later on," chuckled Emi, and Yuzu blushed when she realized how much she'd let slip. "But it couldn't have been too bad if he wanted to go into business with you, and honestly, I like you more as a boss than him and your wife. I mean nothing against either of them, but he seems kinda boring, and your wife is way too scary for me to wanna be around for an entire shift."
"He's more fun than you give him credit for," answered Yuzu, coughing to hide her laughter. "And Mei is scary, but she's got a good heart and is a kind person once you get to know her."
"I'm sure she is," sighed Emi after a loud yawn. "But she's still scary, and I got enough on my mind with trying to find a job without wondering what it'd be like to have her as a boss."
"Still no luck," asked Yuzu, remembering that Emi had gone on what had to be her tenth interview earlier in the week.
"Nope," sighed, looking at the frosted glass of the window as a few people walked by laughing. "I'm either getting rejected, or nobody's calling me back about my applications. If it weren't for you guys paying so well and the free meals and all the overtime you let me take at the other spot, I don't know how I'd stay afloat, let alone eat."
"How much," said Yuzu, grabbing her bag and looking for her wallet.
"What are you talking about," laughed Emi, turning back to Yuzu, her eyes growing wide when she saw Yuzu begin counting bills. "Aihara-san, no I didn't mean it like that."
"Here," Yuzu reached forward, took Emi's hand, and placed two ten-thousand yen notes into it, "don't worry about paying me back."
"Aihara-san, I can't..."
"Emi," said Yuzu, her voice almost as stern as it'd been earlier, but it was underlined with a warmth and softness that Emi found hard to resist, "take the money, okay?"
"This is way too much," said Emi, trying to return the notes, but Yuzu crossed her arms and shook her head.
"I don't want it," said Yuzu with what Emi could only assume was a motherly smile, "and I don't need it."
"But why?" Emi reluctantly placed the bills in her pocket and twiddled her thumbs while she waited for her answer.
"Because I've been in your shoes," Yuzu sighed. "I mean, when I was younger, my mom worked a lot of hours to support us, and when she married my stepdad, we suddenly had a lot more money and didn't have to stress so much. And I'm sure you've seen how spoiled my kids are, so you know I'm not stressing about money."
"I don't think they're that spoiled," chuckled Emi when she remembered how often the kids would offer to help with the restaurant on days they had some free time or were hanging out while waiting for Yuzu or hearing Hideki tell his mom about how his shift at the vet clinic went. At the same time, the kids had no problem sitting in the restaurant studying or killing time and didn't expect things to be given to them and always paid for whatever snacks they bought.
"I mean, they're not brats," Emi added when she saw Yuzu's eyebrow arch.
"True, they could be worse," laughed Yuzu as she played with her wedding and engagement rings. "And they can be brats; we all have those moments. But they won't have to worry about bills or where their next meal will come from. When I was your age, I didn't have to worry about that stuff either, but I know what it's like to have doors shut on you, and people never even bother to give you a chance. Or they give you a chance only to find some stupid reason to fire you."
"Oh." Emi shifted in her seat again and gave Yuzu a nervous smile, noticing how her boss massaged her rings as she spoke. "But I mean, you had a good job before this, right, working at that hotel company, that lady with the cookies and dorayaki?"
"I did," said Yuzu, smiling wistfully. "It was a pretty good job, too; I got to travel and meet a ton of people, some I'm still friends with. The pay was amazing, and I got to go to lots of new countries and try new foods. Sometimes, they let me take Mei and the kids. It was a good job, and I liked it, but I also had my fair share of failures before that and had to work many dead-end part-time jobs until I found it."
"I'm sorry." Emi meant it; she could tell by how Yuzu looked at her that she appreciated it. "But at least you had Aihara-san and everyone. All I got is my cat waiting for me."
"That's not all you have," said Yuzu softly. "You got me, Udagawa-san, and the others, so if you need help, just ask us, and we'll figure it out. You know we will."
"I know," sighed Emi as she patted her pocket. "I'll pay you back as soon as possible."
"That was a gift," said Yuzu, rolling her eyes. "Not a loan. I don't expect repayment. Ask anyone here, and they'll tell you I'll return the money if you try to repay me.
Emi nodded, knowing that what Yuzu had said was the truth, and pressing the matter would only cause Yuzu to dig her heels in further.
Neither of them was sure what to say next, but Yuzu was thankful at the sound of a knock on the door.
"Yeah," said Yuzu, glad that the awkwardness had finally ended, only for her to worry about it returning when Reo's head popped in. "What is it, Reo?"
"Uhh, my dad said he's gonna be here soon," answered the boy with a nervous glance between the two women, "and Mori-san said that if you're done grilling Emi-san, he wants to get going since they were supposed to go get a drink with a few of the other staff members."
"We're done," said Yuzu, smiling at her nephew and waving him in.
He did so reluctantly and remained glued to the door while Emi sat anxiously in her seat while Yuzu said, "Now that I've talked with you two, do I need to worry about something like that happening again?"
"No, ma'am," said Reo and Emi almost in unison, causing them both to smirk before returning their attention to Yuzu.
"All right," she said, shaking her head and waving at the door. "Reo, please wait for me with the cart, and Emi, hurry up and get changed before Mori-san starts singing one of his annoying songs to get us to hurry. But if anything like that happens again, it'll be a formal write-up, and I will have to take disciplinary action. Do you understand me?"
Both of them nodded, and Reo detached his back from the door and held it open for Emi, who thanked him.
"Thank you again, Aihara-san, for you know..."
Yuzu noticed Emi patting her pocket and nodded, saying, "Don't worry about it, and both of you, remember that it's okay to ask for help. And Emi..."
"Yeah," said the girl, a nervous look creeping over her face again as she waited for Yuzu to speak.
"We're going to begin preparing for the building and opening of the new location soon," said Yuzu as she turned around in her chair and began to pack up her bag, "so if you know anyone you think is a good fit, please tell them for me. It'll pay more than here since it'll serve alcohol and the hours will be later, but we'll be offering full-time and part-time, and we'll need reliable staff to help open it and take over leadership. Do you think you know anyone who might be willing to apply? I'm not guaranteeing it, but we are looking for strong candidates."
"I might have a few ideas," said Emi with a big smile. "Good night, Aihara-san."
"Good night," said Yuzu, focusing on her bag and hiding her smile.
"What's that about," asked Reo, confused by the interaction.
"Just work stuff," said Emi happily. "But listen, I'm sorry about..."
The door clicked shut again, and Yuzu didn't hear much of anything except for Mori's loud shouts of relief and promising Reo he'd take him out drinking once the boy had grown up.
Another voice sounded anxious, and Yuzu figured it was Udagawa. She chuckled and continued packing up when a number she'd only recently added to her phone popped up with the name "Ito-san" above the numbers.
Furrowing her brow, Yuzu picked up the phone and politely answered, "Hello? Ito-san?"
"Aihara-san," said the woman, her voice heavy with relief, "I'm glad I caught you. Sorry for the late call, but do you have a moment?"
"I'm about to head home, but I can spare a minute. Is everything okay?" asked Yuzu, adjusting her phone and setting it to speaker while she texted Udagawa about what was happening.
"For the most part," answered Ito, though she sounded stressed. "I just wanted to let you know that your lesson ideas are quite sound, and I like your approach and will work with you on implementing them."
"That's great," said Yuzu, a smile spreading across her face. "Do we need to go and talk to the staff about it tomorrow, or is it the parents you're worried about? I'm sure we can get them to go along with it if you like it."
"That will be difficult," said Ito-san before pulling the phone away to speak to someone. Yuzu couldn't catch what it was, but she could tell that Ito sounded upset. "Most of the girls in the class are of similar social standing to the director, so we must prepare a plan and stick to in-school club lessons while we iron out the details."
"Okay." Yuzu nodded to herself; as much as she understood Ito's perspective, she was not a fan of the bureaucracy and wondered why Ito-san had called her instead of waiting until the following afternoon. "I mean, understand why we gotta wait, but, and please tell me if I'm being rude, couldn't we have discussed this when we met up tomorrow?"
"That's why I called," said Ito-san, now sounding even more frustrated and upset that Yuzu was wondering if everything was okay. "I have an urgent family situation and have to catch a plane, so club activities will be postponed until I get back, and a substitute will be covering for me in the meantime. I wanted you to hear it from me instead of showing up tomorrow and wondering where I am."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is everything all right?"
"I'm not sure," said Ito as a voice came through the phone that sounded like an announcement. "I'm sure Aihara-san will tell you about it once I have more details, but right now, I'm not sure what's going to happen, and I'm sorry to do this after you put in so much hard work, and this is now the third time we've had to push this back."
"I understand," answered Yuzu sincerely. "I appreciate you contacting me and hope everything turns out for the best. Take care of yourself, and we can talk when ready. I know things happen, and we'll get to it eventually."
"Thank you for understanding," sighed Ito as what sounded like a young child asked for her. "I'm sorry, but I need to go. I'll contact you once things have settled, and we can figure out how to proceed."
"No rush, focus on your family," replied Yuzu. "Be safe, and again, I do hope everything turns out okay."
"So do I," answered Ito as the voice again asked for her. "I'll talk to you soon. Have a good night."
The phone clicked, and Yuzu exhaled loudly and took a moment to collect herself before grabbing her things, texting Mei that she was leaving, and heading out to meet Udagawa.
"There you are," he said after Yuzu had finished setting up the alarm system and locking up once the cart was returned to the kitchen. "Everything go okay with Ito-san?"
Yuzu shrugged and explained what was happening as they climbed into the car where Reo was already passed out, snoring loudly from the back seat.
"I hope it's nothing serious," he said as they pulled out and headed toward the shelter where they'd be dropping off the food. "She didn't give you any details?"
"No," said Yuzu, shrugging. "We've only video-chatted and spoken on the phone and through email. Tomorrow was supposed to be our first face-to-face meeting, but then this happened."
"Well, I'm sure it'll turn out okay," said Udagawa with a casual smile. "From what Mei's told me about Ito-san, I'm sure the rest of her family is just as tough. They'll get through this just fine. Still sucks that this is the second time this has happened to you."
"Third," chuckled Yuzu after she got a reply from Mei in the form of an excited gif. "The last two times were illness, but this one sounds serious, so we'll just have to wait and see."
"Maybe you guys can talk it over once she's settled in whenever she gets to where she's going," suggested Udagawa as he found a parking spot in front of the charity where they occasionally donated food. Both of them were happy to see the lights were still on, and as they unbuckled, he said, "It sounds like she wants to work with you, but life keeps blindsiding her. I'm sure you'll figure it out since you both want to help the kids."
"I hope so," muttered Yuzu before going to the back and grabbing the collapsible dolly while Udagawa helped her load the food before taking it to the dock.
As Udagawa approached, a woman stepped out and greeted him, and Yuzu saw from the way they talked that she was happy to see Udagawa and waved excitedly at Yuzu, who waved back. It took a few minutes for the food to be unloaded, but when it was, the woman disappeared before returning with a small box.
Yuzu watched Udagawa try to refuse, but in the end, he ended up bowing awkwardly in thanks and took the box before trotting back to the car and inspecting it while Yuzu returned the dolly.
"What'd she give us this time," asked Yuzu once they were back in the car.
"Taiyaki," chuckled Udagawa. "A lot of taiyaki."
Udagawa held out the box to reveal an assortment of pastries and could tell from the tiny wasps of steam coming off them that they were fresh.
"Fifty-fifty," asked Udagawa, handing over the box and starting the car.
"Oh yeah," grinned Yuzu, resisting the urge to bite into one.
Udagawa nodded and pulled out of their spot.
They were only a few minutes from the shelter when Udagawa asked, "So, I saw Emi-chan and Reo were being a little more friendly than usual; anything you want to tell me?"
Yuzu choked back a laugh, which got Udagawa's attention, but after saying it wasn't what he thought, she began explaining what had happened after the lunch rush began.
It took a good deal of the trip for her to explain everything, including Yuzu hinting to Emi that she should apply to the new location. Yuzu, however, did not let Udagwa know about the money she'd given the younger woman.
They both knew it could cause a problem and that Yuzu wasn't playing favorites and was using her own money when she did it, but it was best they air on the side of caution and keep him out of it in case something happened later.
But when it came to Emi applying at the new place, Udagawa agreed with Yuzu's assumption that Emi would be a good fit.
"She's got a strong enough personality for it," he said after stifling a yawn. "Honestly, we'll need people like her if we're going to go into the dinner and drinking crowds with this new place, and I'm all for her moving up, but she'll need to apply and interview just like everyone else."
"That's why I mentioned there was no guarantee," countered Yuzu as they turned onto Mei and Yuzu's street. "But I'd rather she stay where she's appreciated and build up her resume than constantly getting shut down and rejected by places she might hate."
"I know you would," said Udagawa quietly, knowing where Yuzu's mind was heading. "But it's almost time for employee reviews, and we agree everyone's due the raises we're giving. I just want to be careful that we're not overpromising, you know?"
"I know." Yuzu nodded and began preparing to exit.
When they did come to a stop, the front door opened, and five shapes appeared in the dim light of the entryway.
From inside the car, Yuzu heard several voices thanking Mei for allowing them to come over and another voice saying he'll be back soon.
"You guys need a ride," asked Udagawa, following Yuzu out of the car.
"Hey, Udagwa-san." Yui's face spread in a smile as they separated from the group to run up and greet him and Yuzu. "Hi, Aihara-san. Jeez, you guys look tired, rough day?"
"Yeah," said both Yuzu and Udagawa in unison.
"How've you been, Yui," asked Yuzu after giving the girl a quick hug. "We miss you at the shop. Is school going okay? How's your new job and apartment?"
"It's an adjustment," said Yui as Daichi and a tall girl carrying a large bag followed in Yui's footsteps while Hideki finished getting his shoes on and talking with Mei. "But thankfully, I've known my roommate since middle school, and we get along great and managed to figure out a way where we can both have privacy and not get on each other's nerves. I'm sorry I haven't been over as much, but I'll try to visit during the next break."
"Don't worry about it," said Udagawa, smiling at the girl. "You're growing up and need to have some fun. Enjoy it while you can, but if you can spare the time, I know Rena and Hina would love to see you and catch up."
"I'll put it on the schedule," chuckled Yui while Yuzu began pulling the box of taiyaki out from the car. "Do you need help with that?"
"We do," said Yuzu before tilting her chin at the house. "But first, ask Mei if she can get a couple of containers and lids. I want Udagawa and I to get what we're taking before I offer some to you guys. That okay?"
"Fine by me," said Udagwa, waving at the short girl with a kind face and long brown hair that Yuzu recognized as Natsuki and Daichi, who were busy talking with her while Yui ran past them toward the house. "You kids have fun?"
"We did," said Natsuki politely as she set a large bag in front of her and rolled her shoulder. "I didn't need half as much stuff as I thought I would, but they did well—especially Daichi-kun when he figured out one of the puzzles I planned in less than five minutes. I thought I had them stumped."
"I only did it because I figured out something like that in one of my games," laughed Daichi as Yui reappeared with the containers with Hideki right behind her. "I never thought anyone else had played that game, so I was surprised when she said she'd got the idea from it."
"Still patting yourself on the back, Daichi," sighed Hideki before stepping next to Natsuki, who moved to grab his arm but stopped when she remembered they weren't alone while Hideki awkwardly put a hand in his pocket. "He gets lucky once and can't stop talking about it. He spent ten minutes telling Airi about it before she passed out, and then Mom took her upstairs."
"Just because you couldn't figure it out..."
"Settle down, everyone," sighed Yuzu, though she was smiling at seeing them all having fun. "Or you guys aren't getting any of these."
Yuzu opened the box and chuckled when she heard the excitement coming from the kids.
"You all get one since we have to split them. And I don't know the flavors, but I'm guessing a few might be sakura or strawberry flavored from the coloring. Hey!"
"Ow," exclaimed Hideki, pulling his hand back after Yuzu slapped it. "What was that for? You said I get one."
"They get theirs first," said Yuzu, gesturing to the others still deciding. "They're our guests, so they get first pick. You can pick yours once they're done, and your dad and I will split the leftovers."
"Quit whining," giggled Yui, who was already biting into hers and wiping a bit of chocolate from her lip. "You get stuff like this all the time."
"So does Daichi," countered Hideki while Daichi took one of the pink ones, confirming that it was sakura flavored. "Probably more than me since he works at the restaurant."
"What can I say," laughed Daichi as he swapped with Yui so they could each try one. "I'm just lucky like that."
Hideki mumbled something, but Yuzu could see him smirking while Natsuki grabbed herself a Sakura one and handed Hideki a green-colored one.
"This is what you wanted, right," she said nervously, handing it to Hideki, who blushed a little.
"Yeah," said Hideki, taking it awkwardly, "thanks."
"Well, now that that's settled," said Udagawa, cutting off Yui, who looked ready to say something, "I can't fit all four of you, so you'll need to figure out who wants to go with me and who can take a train."
"Could I get a ride," asked Natsuki, pointing at her bag. "I don't live that far away, but I don't want to take the train carrying this thing. It's way too heavy."
"That's fine," said Udagawa, popping the trunk, and Hideki immediately grabbed the bag and loaded it for her.
"What's wrong with Reo," asked Hideki after shutting the trunk.
"He fell asleep on the way over," said Udagawa before lifting his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "He's tired like me and your Mama. So if we can figure this out, I'd like to get home as quickly as possible."
"My ride is here," said Yui, pointing at an approaching car driven by her mom. "So I'm covered."
They all greeted Yui's mother, who waved at them from the car before sticking her head out and asking, "Am I driving Daichi-kun home?"
Instead of shouting, Daichi ran over to the car and said something to Yui's mom, who nodded and patted his hand lovingly before saying something that made him laugh.
"What was that about," asked Yui, nudging Daichi with her elbow.
"Your mom wants me to come over and meet your Grandma during Obon," he snickered. "I guess she likes me."
"She asked you what?" Yui handed her unfinished taiyaki, stomping to the car, and began whispering something to her mother, who continued to laugh.
"So that's who your date was," smirked Yuzu while separating the remaining taiyaki. "Does Airi know?"
"Nope," said Daichi after swallowing the last bite of his dessert. "You think I want her going around telling everyone at the restaurant?"
"She's just happy for you," said Yuzu, handing the food to Hideki after he helped Natsuki into the car. "But I'll tell her to quit bugging you if she's getting too personal."
"She's not that bad," said Daichi while Yui walked over, shaking her head. "Better than my sister, but I know they mean well. But I don't need a ride since it's getting late and I got a meeting at the college in the morning. Aihara-san said it'd be cool if I crashed on a futon in Hideki's room. As long as you're okay with that, too, Aihara-san."
"That's fine," said Yuzu, suddenly feeling her energy drop. "Hideki, are you staying or going with your dad?"
"Can you drop me off after we take Natsuki home," asked Hideki. "I can cover the gas since it's gonna be annoying."
"Yeah," Udagawa nodded and motioned for his son to get in the car. "Get in."
"I'll be back soon," said Hideki, kissing Yuzu on the cheek, ignoring the snort from Daichi.
Grabbing her things, Yuzu wished them a good night and motioned for Natsuki to roll down her window.
When she did, Yuzu said, "The cookies sold well this month, so there'll be extra for you, and we may have a contract in the works to sell them for my old job. But I want to discuss it when you have time since it is your recipe."
"You don't need to pay me, Aihara-san," said Natsuki. "I was okay with what you offered me just for the recipe. You're doing too much.
"I know," said Yuzu, acknowledging the girl's embarrassment, "but you did the work, and this is your take on the recipe. As far as we're concerned, we're just renting it, so we want to make sure you get your fair share."
"It's much appreciated," said the girl politely, but Yuzu could tell the gesture genuinely touched her. "I'll let you know when I have the time, and thank you again for allowing us to come over. It was a lot of fun, and please tell Airi-chan I'm working on something for her and her friends to play the next time they're all over."
Yuzu nodded, and after saying goodbye to Yui and the others, she and Daichi returned to the house, where the young man immediately headed into Hideki's room. At the same time, Yuzu entered the kitchen to find Mei already at work washing some rice.
"Sorry I'm so late," sighed Yuzu, walking up behind Mei and hugging her while pressing her face into Mei's back. "Today was a nightmare."
"It sounds like it," answered Mei quietly as she shut off the water and let Yuzu hold her. "What's in the container?"
"Taiyaki from the charity we stopped at," said Yuzu, squeezing Mei and inhaling the lingering scent of Mei's favorite bath salts. "The lady who runs it gave them to us. I gave some to the kids and split the rest with Udagawa."
"I take it Hideki already ate his," chuckled Mei as Yuzu held her in place to keep her from putting the rice in the cooker.
"He ate one of his outside," yawned Yuzu, letting Mei go so she could turn around and kiss her, sighing happily when Mei returned it. "There's plenty, so we'll have some for a few days."
"You didn't eat any yet, did you," asked Mei, her damp hands brushing the hair from Yuzu's face. "I'm about to cook dinner and don't want you full."
"I thought you ate already," said Yuzu, straightening up and giving Mei a worried look. "Please tell me you've eaten something."
"I've eaten today," said Mei, smiling as she deposited the rice in the cooker before adding the water and turning it on. "I just didn't eat dinner yet because I wanted to eat with you and because I got busy. Besides, with Hideki helping with Airi, I got all the prep done for this meal while they played their game. All I have to do is cook the rice and finish cooking the rest, which won't take long."
"Oh," Yuzu blushed and watched Mei open the container and inspect the pastries. "Well, thanks for waiting for me."
"You're welcome," said Mei before grabbing two pastries and setting them on a plate for later. "We'll have these after dinner, along with some tea. The bath is ready, and I set out some pajamas for you, so go and get in, and I'll finish cooking.
"I could have helped you know," grumbled Yuzu as Mei began leading her to the bath like she was a kid.
"I know," answered Mei, chuckling. "But right now, you're going to bathe and relax. So don't argue with me and get in the tub."
Yuzu saluted Mei, and once she was alone, she stripped down and cleaned herself before sinking into the tub. It took a moment, but eventually, she felt the stiffness in her body begin to leave and kicked herself for forgetting her phone in the other room. Sighing, she decided it wasn't worth the effort and inhaled deeply, recognizing the smell of her favorite bath salts that Mei had probably added shortly before Yuzu walked into the house as the water was still hot.
She took her time in the bath, and as she relaxed, she heard the occasional sound of footsteps walking up and down the stairs and Daichi talking to Mei momentarily before he retreated upstairs. Finally, the water began to cool, and Yuzu decided it was time to get out. Luckily, her back decided to behave, and she got up without any issues; once dressed, Yuzu headed to the kitchen, where a familiar spicy but subtle scent assaulted her nostrils.
"Enjoy yourself," asked Mei as she finished putting rice and a familiar red sauce filled with tofu, vegetables, and ground pork into a bowl.
"Yeah," grunted Yuzu as she stretched and took the bowl gratefully. "You made mapo tofu?"
"I did," answered Mei before serving herself from a smaller pot filled with a less colorful version of the meal. "I hope you won't get mad, but I didn't make it as spicy as you normally like since we're eating so late. I didn't want you up all night."
"Don't worry about it," said Yuzu before taking a bite and squealing happily as she felt a tiny zing on her tongue. "Oh, this is so good. Just what I needed after today."
Yuzu walked up and kissed Mei's cheek.
"Thanks for cooking this."
"You're welcome,' said Mei quietly before taking a bite of her food and nodding approvingly before gesturing at the table.
As they ate, Mei told Yuzu about her day.
Apparently, a possible investment had fallen through due to a company Mei was negotiating with having trouble finding the backing, and she was forced to back out due to potential fraud concerns.
It had caused a stink with some of the board members, and Mei had spent most of her day on the phone trying to work without some details about a more stable and lucrative plan. It hadn't gone well, and it was the reason she'd asked Ume to pick up Airi and why it wasn't until well into the afternoon that Ume could leave as Mei could finally focus on Airi, which is when she learned about Airi not passing her exam.
"Yeah, I was surprised too," said Yuzu, as she dug into her second, albeit much smaller portion of food. "Usually, she passes those easily. Wonder what happened this time."
"She's been talking with her friends during class," said Mei, chuckling. "So she didn't understand some of the theory and tried to act like she knew what she was doing but failed. Luckily, the teacher figured out what was happening and gave her a second chance. That's why the kids were here so late since Yui spent some time explaining everything to Airi before they started their game. So I'm not worried. Did Ito-san get ahold of you?"
Yuzu nodded and told Mei about the phone call and how upset she was about having it pushed back and figuring out a way for her plans to go through.
"I'm sorry this happened again," said Mei, taking Yuzu's hand. "I know you've been looking forward to this, and I wish I could help, but my hands are tied."
"I know." Yuzu sat back, and Mei cleaned up the dishes and took them to the kitchen before returning with their dessert and drinks. "It just sucks because, I mean, these kids do need to see how this kind of stuff works, and now I gotta worry about more paperwork like what Udagawa-san and I had to go through with Reo. They aren't even working; it's more like a practical exam or something, and we'd be careful with the equipment."
"But there is still the potential of injury," explained Mei as she ate her chocolate taiyaki. "So we must consider liability on you, the school, the restaurant, and Ito-san. Not to mention the parents and how they'd view their children being in such a place during business hours and the potential of injury."
Yuzu sighed and shook her head before running her hands along her face and saying, "You're right, of course. I know all that, I just wish it was a little easier and that Ito-san was here. We haven't talked in real life, but you were right; she's good at her job, and I wish I had someone else in the school to help me out who wasn't bound by all the red tape."
"I can try talking to another teacher to help you by acting as an acting club advisor," sighed Mei as Yuzu nibbled at her strawberry-flavored pastry. "But I'm not sure if there's anyone who would be interested. Ito-san was the only one who cared about the club outside of the girls, and I promised that you wouldn't be left alone, and I'm not sure an acting advisor would be willing to stay and teach or help you supervise."
"So I'm screwed," snorted Yuzu as after biting the head off her taiyaki and chasing it with some cold tea.
"It seems like you are for the time being," confirmed Mei, squeezing Yuzu's hand. "But it's only temporary. I know you'll be able to help, and I want to see your ideas come to life; we just need to be patient."
"I know," sighed Yuzu before taking a large bite of her dessert and swallowing. "I guess I can focus on finalizing the plans for the new restaurant and fine-tune some of my ideas while I wait. Did she give you a timeline? You're out a teacher while she's gone, and do you trust the substitute to follow her lesson plan?"
"I've seen nothing that indicates I shouldn't trust them," said Mei after finishing her serving. "But I've never worked with them, so I'm having a few of the more experienced staff keep an eye on them. They're supposed to take over all of Ito-san's responsibilities, so here's hoping they don't ruin what she's built."
"You trust the people you're putting in charge of this substitute," asked Yuzu, leaning forward when she saw the worry flash across Mei's face.
"I do." Mei nodded and did her best to give Yuzu a reassuring smile. "But they can't watch them all the time, and this person is new to the school, so I'm not sure what to expect, which worries me."
"It'll be okay." Yuzu lifted Mei's hand to her lips and kissed it before patting it. "I'm sure you've got the best people on the job, and if you don't trust them, we can always have Shirapon come in and stare them down and let us know if they're hiding something."
A loud but brief laugh escaped Mei, making Yuzu smile before Mei stopped herself and said, "If anyone could get an answer out of them, it would be her."
"You're pretty intimidating yourself," said Yuzu, moving to the seat next to Mei and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Emi said it herself when we were talking earlier; she thinks you're scary and that some of it rubbed off on me."
"Tell her I'm flattered," chuckled Mei, placing her head on Yuzu's shoulder.
"I will."
Yuzu kissed the top of Mei's head and suggested they headed upstairs to bed when the front door opened, followed by Hideki saying, "I'm back! Is anyone up?"
"We're at the table," said Mei, lifting her head but still holding onto Yuzu's hand as their son entered the room, looking tired.
"Everything go okay," asked Yuzu, finally noticing what Mei had said earlier about him looking healthier.
He'd put some muscle back on, and his face had filled in more. Despite how tired he looked, there was a familiar light in his eyes they hadn't seen since he'd left the previous summer.
"Yeah," nodded Hideki, wandering over to the container and grabbing one of the strawberry pastries. "Natsuki's at her place, and I gave Dad money for taking her. It went pretty smoothly. Is Daichi upstairs?"
"He is, and I told him where to find the futons earlier, so he's either up there playing games or watching something. Or fell asleep while you were gone."
"Probably one of the first two," said Hideki through a mouthful of pastry. "Well, I'm gonna go to bed. I have a project I need to work on tomorrow, and I'm meeting my lab partners at the library early. So don't worry about breakfast; I'll get something while I'm out."
"Okay." Yuzu waved him over, and he rolled his eyes but did as she asked and bent down so she could look him in the eye as she said, "I'm glad you're home. I'm sorry I've been busy, but do you think tomorrow you and I can do something once you're done with everything so we can catch up? I want to know how school's going and what this game you guys were playing is all about. Natsuki said she would make something for Airi, and I want to know more about it."
"I think I can make that work." Hideki smiled at Yuzu's request and let her clasp his cheeks before pressing their foreheads together. "Good night, Mama."
"Good night, Sweetie," repeated Yuzu, letting him go so he could hug Mei before heading upstairs.
"He does look a lot better," said Yuzu as she and Mei got up and headed toward their room.
"He does," was all Mei said before they reached the top of the stairs so Yuzu could stop in and check on Airi, who had somehow ended up on the floor, sleeping in her pile of stuffed animals instead of under the covers where Mei had initially put her.
Sighing, they both tried to get the girl up. When she didn't wake, they resorted to lifting her, which got her to cry and scream briefly in her sleep until they both started talking to her, which immediately calmed her down. She drifted back into a peaceful slumber as they tucked her back in and turned on one of the audiobooks they'd downloaded to her tablet before heading into their room.
After brushing their teeth, Mei settled under the covers and prepared to finish a few chapters of her book. At the same time, Yuzu crawled to her side, only to snake her way over to Mei's and rest her head on Mei's stomach before turning on the television and settling in.
"What are you doing," asked Mei as she opened her book and began to read.
"Getting ready for bed," giggled Yuzu with how the annoyance in Mei's voice was undermined by her patting Yuzu's head and playing with her hair. "Is this okay?"
"I suppose," answered Mei as she paused her petting of Yuzu to turn her page before returning to her multitasking.
While they lay there, Mei lost track of time, and before she knew it, she'd finished several more chapters than she intended and probably would have finished the book if it wasn't for her phone ringing.
Wondering who it was, Mei looked down to ask Yuzu if she was expecting any phone calls, but the older woman was fast asleep, her mouth slightly open and her arm wrapped around Mei's body, holding her close.
Rolling her eyes, Mei adjusted herself carefully to grab her phone, her eyes widening when she saw who was calling.
"Hello," she said after answering the phone, her free hand returning to the comforting motion of stroking Yuzu's hair. "Ken? Is everything all right? It's past midnight here. Did something happen?"
"Hey, Mei," said the familiar voice on the other end. "Sorry, I forgot you guys are ahead of me, and I just needed to talk to you. I tried calling Yuzu's phone, but she's not answering. I take it you guys are already in bed?"
"We are," answered Mei, smiling when she saw Yuzu shift and smack her lips together before returning to a restful slumber. "Yuzu's been asleep for a while, and I was finishing my nightly reading. But I can wake her if you want."
"No, that's fine," he said, chuckling before saying goodbye to someone. "I was just about to head home and thought I'd call you because I got some big news, and I was hoping we could discuss it when you guys got some time. The sooner, the better because I need an answer by the end of my work week."
"I'm sure we can figure something out that works for all of us," answered Mei as she thought over her schedule and knew she had a few gaps that would allow it. "Do you need us to have Airi on the call or..."
"I'll talk to her after we talk," he said nervously. "I don't want her to get excited or freaked out, so I figure we can talk it over, and once we make a decision, figure out a good time to tell her. Is that okay?"
"You're not in any trouble, are you," inquired Mei as Yuzu's brow furrowed, and she whispered Mei's name, only calming when Mei touched her cheek.
"Quite the opposite," said Ken with an anxious laugh. "It's good news, but I don't want us to get ahead of ourselves, so let me know when you guys have the time; the sooner, the better, please. I know it sounds pushy, but I need your guys' opinion."
"I'll discuss it with her in the morning," said Mei solemnly. "I promise, and we won't say anything to Airi until we've sorted it out."
"Thanks, Mei," sighed Ken; the relief in his voice was almost palpable. "That means a lot, and again, I'm sorry I bugged you so late. Get some sleep, and I'll talk to you later. Good night."
"Good night," said Mei before hanging up and returning her attention to Yuzu, whose face had returned to its previous uneasy state with tears now rolling down her cheeks
"Mei," whispered Yuzu as she clutched the blanket and rubbed her face into Mei's stomach. "Don't go, Mei."
"I'm right here, Yuzu," whispered Mei as she realized what Yuzu was dreaming and, despite the difficulties, managed to find a way for her to hold Yuzu without waking her.
Yuzu calmed, and soon she drifted back to sleep, while Mei stayed up for a bit longer staring at the ceiling as she wondered about what Ken wanted and how long Yuzu had been having those dreams.