People gradually grow accustomed to unfamiliar environments, and after a week, Amane had learned to do his job to a certain extent. His main job was serving the customers. He wasn’t responsible for making any of the things they ordered, which was a relief for Amane, who was perfectly aware of his own lack of experience. He hadn’t yet been allowed to prepare the coffee he was offering customers, but for practice, in his spare moments, he had been getting instructions in the back room on how to brew it. In this café, they were very particular about their coffee, so no compromise on flavor would be permitted. Apparently, depending on the beans and how finely they were ground, the ideal brewing time and temperature of the water used for extraction changed. Each brew had a particular flavor, so he would have to practice until he could reproduce them all. Nevertheless, once he memorized the brewing times, how to use all the equipment, the timing of agitating the beans, and other such details, he would be able to produce a reliable cup of coffee. With proper instruction, it was something Amane could learn to do with practice. “Mm, good.” There weren’t many customers in the shop, and the orders had settled down, so they had left Souji and Oohashi in charge of the front of house. Amane was receiving instruction from Miyamoto. He brewed the coffee using a coffee siphon, an instrument that just screamed coffeehouse, and his brew seemed to be fine. “The only thing I saw from watching you make it is that it might be better to agitate the beans a little more and extract them for a slightly shorter time.” “I’ve been using a timer, though…” “Since you’re using unfamiliar equipment and working carefully, you probably took a little longer than expected. I think that slight delay is what brought out a little too much astringency.” “Sorry. I’ll do better.” Miyamoto explained Amane’s mistake politely and gently, without harshly criticizing him. Amane still wasn’t confident he could serve his coffee to customers, which was probably also one of the reasons he’d taken extra time. Add that the flask on the coffee siphon was made of glass and that if he hit it against something or dropped it, it would break…these were the sorts of misgivings he had. Like he was seeing right through Amane’s thoughts, Miyamoto said, “When I first started, I was afraid to touch it, too. It seems so breakable,” and flashed him an easy smile. “You’ll be fine as long as you don’t drop it or toss it around,” Miyamoto continued. “You always handle things carefully, Fujimiya, so don’t worry.” “I hope you’re right, but…” “That idi…I mean, Rino, she broke one on her first day, so at least you’re more careful than that.” Amane had a feeling Miyamoto was trying not to say something too critical, but he pretended not to notice. “Well, everyone makes mistakes, and you won’t get scolded all that harshly for wrecking a single flask, so relax. Of course, if you broke a whole bunch of them at once, even our owner would scold you and give you a scary look, though.” “Those sound like the words of someone who’s experienced it firsthand.” “Because Oohashi did it once.” Miyamoto mumbled with a nostalgic look in his eye that when that had happened, the owner’s face had really started twitching, and Amane responded with a vague smile. It must have been pandemonium in here. He had seen from the very start that the café didn’t have all that many siphons, so he could imagine breaking several of them at once would be enough to actually get in the way of doing business. It sounded like the siphons were all specialty items from a maker Fumika liked, and Amane didn’t want to even imagine the cost of replacing several of them. Vowing in his heart to be supremely careful, he sipped the coffee he had brewed with Miyamoto. It had a rich, bitter taste that spread over his tongue. The coffee had a smooth flavor, and the bitterness didn’t linger forever on the tongue. It was mild but had an unmistakably deep richness. Amane didn’t like coffee that was too acidic, but this blend was both bitter and acidic, and the faint sweetness of the beans asserted itself, bringing the whole thing into balance. It was effortless to drink. But sure enough, he could tell the astringency and bitterness were coming out more strongly than in the cup Miyamoto had made first as an example, so it was clear he needed more improvement. “Ah, how nice, how nice, you look like you’re enjoying that!” Oohashi came from the front of house, taking a breather while no orders were coming in. A tray with used plates was in her hand, which she must have cleared after some customers had left the café. “Fujimiya-chan, gimme a sip!” After setting the plates down in the sink first, she came over to pester Amane. Amane hesitated, wondering what to do. But the next moment, Miyamoto grabbed Oohashi by the scruff of her neck and yanked her away from Amane. He moved so skillfully and agilely that, for a moment, Amane didn’t understand what had happened. “Hey now, Fujimiya’s got a girlfriend, so don’t do anything that gives people the wrong impression.” “Ah, my bad. Come to think of it, I think you said something about that. My brother’s got lots of ’em, so something like that oughtta be fine anyway!” While they’d been working, Amane had gone ahead and briefly explained his circumstances, so that was probably why Miyamoto had stopped her. Oohashi also obediently stepped back. Miyamoto wasn’t even trying to hide his exasperation, and Oohashi was grinning foolishly. They seemed to be extremely familiar, more than ordinary colleagues. Amane had thought that so many times over the past week, but he’d been unsure whether it was something he could ask them about directly. “The two of you are very close, huh?” “Well, that’s because we’re childhood friends. We’ve been by each other’s sides for twenty years now!” “It’s safe to say we’re stuck together, yeah?” “Isn’t that awful?” Looking displeased, Oohashi chopped at Miyamoto’s side and shrieked when she got pinched in return. Taking advantage of the fact the customers could not see them where they were, they immediately retaliated against each other. That was the kind of relaxed relationship that didn’t develop in a day, and from the way they behaved, Amane could see just how close they were. But he couldn’t help but feel like they had a special relationship, even as childhood friends, and he wondered whether male and female childhood friends usually turned out this way. Ayaka and Souji were dating, so their intimacy made sense. But if he had to say, Miyamoto and Oohashi seemed similarly close to one another. He didn’t think he was friendly enough with them yet to point that out. So although he was curious, he didn’t particularly press them on it as he watched their casual exchange. “By the way, what sort of girl is your little girlfriend, Fujimiya-chan?” Oohashi somehow brushed off Miyamoto’s hand and asked her question innocently, so Amane hummed and looked up while he thought about it. “What sort? I’m not sure… She’s kind and a good person.” He wasn’t sure how to describe Mahiru when someone asked what kind of girl she was. If Oohashi had gone to his school, she would probably have already known without him having to say anything. But she was a college student. She didn’t have any connection to Amane’s world, so if he didn’t explain, she wouldn’t understand. But if he told someone from outside his school who had never seen Mahiru in real life that she was a girl everyone called an angel, he knew Oohashi would either laugh or cringe, so he couldn’t explain things that way. On the other hand, if he told her about the image of Mahiru he had in his head, even if it wasn’t his intention to embellish, Oohashi might think he was just bragging about his girl. So he had used a cliché expression, but Oohashi didn’t seem to find that description satisfying. “Hmph…” She stuck out her lip in a pout. “Looking at you, Fujimiya-chan, I’d guess your girlfriend is probably also a really good kid, but just telling me she’s nice isn’t telling me much.” “Well, I agree with you there, but she’s a hard worker and a sweet girl. Either way, why do you want to know about the personality of someone else’s girlfriend so badly?” “Well, you see, stories of other people’s love taste as sweet as honey, and no matter how old a girl gets, she loves gossiping about romance! We’re even happy to listen to people who love going on and on about their love lives. We eat it right up.” “Girls do, huh?” “Daichi, do you have a complaint?” “No, not at all!” “Hmm, I guess it’s fine…” Amane loudly slurped his coffee, which had begun to cool, hoping to appease the two of them, who were, for some reason, acting like they were about to quarrel. When he did, Oohashi, who had a bit of a prickly air about her, perhaps because of Miyamoto’s words, came even closer. “Leaving that aside,” she said, “look, Fujimiya-chan is a serious young man, right? I’m just curious what kind of girl would fall for him!” “Curious? I don’t—” “Hey, hey, you should bring her by the café sometime.” “I told her not to come, at least not until I’m used to the job. Sorry to say.” “Whaaa?” Oohashi whined in a sweet but dissatisfied voice, but Amane wouldn’t yield. First of all, he didn’t know why everyone was so eager to come pay him a visit where he worked. It had started with Itsuki, and now even the senior workers at the café were telling him to allow it, which he had not expected. “Well, we’ll just have to believe we’ll see your girlfriend someday. By the way, is she cute?” “Objectively, or subjectively?” “Both?” “Looking at her objectively, I think she’s incredibly cute. And subjectively, she’s the cutest girl in the world.” Figuring he should answer that one honestly, he responded quickly, trying his best not to fill his words with too much enthusiasm and to avoid bragging too much. Going just by her physical appearance, Mahiru was a natural beauty. Although everyone had their own preferences, she was so good-looking that he was sure anyone who looked at her would agree she was beautiful. That much was undeniable. He did want to point out that, from his perspective, Mahiru’s adorableness stemmed more from her behavior and the way she let only her sweetheart spoil her than from her physical beauty. Even though that’s not necessarily what Mahiru herself is going for, she really is very cute. Amane knew it wasn’t her intention to make everyone think she was cute. Still, Mahiru had many small mannerisms overall that were really, incredibly adorable, such as when she sulked in jealousy over his relationships with other girls, tugged at the hem of his clothes when she was feeling lonely, or head-butted him to hide her embarrassment after exploding with shyness over something or other. If Mahiru had done all those things on purpose, he’d probably just consider her another girl who was trying to come across as cute, but since Mahiru was nothing but genuine, there were times when Amane’s heart couldn’t take it. It actually would have been easier for Amane to deal with if being cute were her goal, but since she did those things naturally and from the heart, they always shook him to the core. If he were to try to tell his coworkers about it, he would no doubt be able to go on endlessly about Mahiru’s cuteness. But since that would either make the two senior workers recoil from him or get fed up with him, he kept those thoughts inside and tried to speak casually—but Oohashi was covering a grin with her hand. “Oh, uh-oh, we’ve got him bragging now,” she said. “You invited it by saying you were happy to listen to people going on about their love lives…,” Miyamoto replied. “Ehhh, but he’s working this job for his girlfriend’s sake, right? I think she must be a great girl. And you must be really devoted to her, right?” “I’m not working for her sake. That’s not quite right. I’m just doing it because I want to. This is something I decided all on my own.” He figured he had better go ahead and deny that. Amane had taken a part-time job purely because he’d wanted to do so. He didn’t intend to use Mahiru as his justification. Even though he understood it as something linked to Mahiru’s happiness, he couldn’t push part of the responsibility for his decision onto her by saying he was doing it “for” her. Amane was working of his own free will, for his own sake, and that was all. Even if the result would end up being something for Mahiru, he wouldn’t yield on that point. “I really can’t say I’m doing this for my girlfriend or anything. I decided all on my own that I wanted to do something like this, and as a result of me acting on my decision, I’m making her lonely. I’m really a very selfish guy.” Because Mahiru respected Amane’s choice, she accepted it even though it kept them apart. But even so, he understood he was making her lonely and adding to her burdens. That was precisely why he was always so grateful for her and why he was able to work hard to achieve his goals. Both Oohashi and Miyamoto blinked at him in astonishment. “He’s a serious one, all right.” “Completely different from you, Rino.” “How did I end up getting dissed?” “You change boyfriends too much, one right after another. How many months did you keep the last one?” “Oh, shut up. Who I date has nothing to do with you, Daichi. It’s not like I’m stealing anyone else’s boyfriends, and I’m not dating you, so what do you care? Don’t try to keep tabs on everything I do just ’cause we’re old friends!” “…Ah, right, of course. I’m sorry.” Miyamoto, who had been strongly spurned, frowned slightly. When he averted his gaze, he looked somewhat upset, but Oohashi didn’t seem to notice his behavior and returned to the front of house, looking like she was in a bad mood. Miyamoto watched her go with a slightly lingering gaze. Then he must have noticed Amane’s eyes on him because he quickly changed back to his usual calm, gentle expression as if nothing had happened. “…Um, Miyamoto?” “Hmm?” “Well, uh, sorry.” Amane cast his eyes down, sure that things had turned out like this because he’d said something he shouldn’t have. But Miyamoto cheerfully and easily waved his hand and laughed it off. “Ah, it’s fine. You didn’t do anything wrong, Fujimiya. She’s always been like that, and I think it’s too late for us, no matter what I might say.” “N-no, that can’t be true—” “Fujimiya.” “Yes?” “Other people’s hearts are beyond your control. I know that very well.” “…Right.” “I’m telling you, don’t worry about it. It’s fine.” Amane couldn’t tell if Miyamoto was saying that to dispel his concerns or because he himself had already given up and accepted things as they were. But what he could be sure of was that, at that moment, Miyamoto’s eyes briefly narrowed and he looked hurt. Whether or not he knew what Amane was thinking, Miyamoto told him smoothly without any emotion in his voice, wearing his usual expression, “I’m going to the front of house, so take care of the cleanup, please,” and left the kitchen. As if they were swapping places, Souji came back in, carrying a tray laden with dishes. When he saw Amane’s expression, he put on a strained smile. “…I think it’s pointless to say anything to Miyamoto, you know. When that guy has made up his mind, he’s just as set on it as you are, Fujimiya, just in a different way.” Souji must have been near the café counter because he seemed to have guessed what was going on. Amane frowned, looking troubled, and laughed and shook his head lightly as he set down the used dishes. Souji’s words made it clear that, in his own way, he was paying attention to the issue at hand and must have also sensed something about the situation between the two of them. “I feel awkward prying too much into their business, but I’m not imagining it, right?” “I’m not you, Fujimiya, and I can’t peek inside your head, so I don’t know. But probably, yes.” “…It’s just, like, I don’t have those types of people in my circle, so I wasn’t sure what conclusion to reach, I guess.” Even Amane could tell, from what little of their conversation he had heard, that if his suspicions were confirmed, Miyamoto must have suffered a lot of hardship over the years. The girl he loved had hooked up with other guys and had changed partners many times. Always close at hand as an old childhood friend, but never looking in his direction, and always falling for other people. Amane thought about how incredibly painful that must have been. Amane knew it was rude of him to assume he knew how Miyamoto was feeling arbitrarily, but still, just imagining it made his chest hurt. “I’ll go ahead and say this so you don’t misunderstand me. Oohashi isn’t a bad person at all. She just kind of falls in and out of love easily, that’s all.” “That easily?” “I’ve been working here for the past year, and Oohashi’s been here longer than that. As far as I know, she’s had five or six boyfriends. She doesn’t date multiple guys at once, but she changes boyfriends frequently.” “Oh…she must be really popular.” “Well, outwardly, she seems quiet and beautiful, after all. It’s just that, on the inside, she’s a straightforward and fierce person.” With her tall, well-proportioned figure and sweet face, she gave off a gentle impression, and as long as she didn’t talk, she seemed like a graceful young woman. But as soon as she opened her mouth, it was apparent she was the type who got carried away and cracked dirty jokes without a second thought. The difference between assumptions and reality was stark. She was a cheerful and friendly person, but it would be impossible to guess her personality from her appearance alone, Amane mused. He suspected maybe that was why she had gone through several boyfriends. “…And Miyamoto has watched her go through all these guys without saying anything?” “Basically, yeah.” “That’s just…” “…Well, it’s not our place to say this or that about it, but given how they’re going, I think it’s going to work out somehow, don’t you? Ultimately, Miyamoto is the only one who understands Oohashi, and he’s always looking out for her. I think she’ll settle down with him when she’s ready. She seems like she’ll go crying to him eventually.” Although Souji usually seemed determined not to overstep when it came to his coworkers, he readily shared his assessment. Souji’s assessment probably came from watching them interact time and time again. But even Amane, who wasn’t all that close to Miyamoto, could see it wasn’t something he should meddle in. Rather than worrying about this and that, meddling needlessly, and making things worse, surely it was better to leave the decisions about the future to the people involved. It might be important to give them a push on the back sometimes, but that could also be the trigger that broke down their relationship. Amane wasn’t close enough friends with either of them to shoulder that much responsibility. “Well, I’m sure it’ll all work out between Miyamoto and Oohashi. They’re like, uh, what’s that saying? There’s a cracked lid for every pot, right?” “Kayano, that’s pretty rude…” “Who are you calling a cracked lid?” “Gah, Miyamoto!” They had carelessly let Miyamoto overhear something he probably shouldn’t have heard, and now he was staring at Souji with a carefree, high-pressure smile. Actually, he was glaring at him. “Kayano, you go clean the siphons. And don’t forget the filters.” “…On it.” “Fujimiya, will you go with him?” “Y-yes.” Amane also followed his instructions, cheek twitching. He realized he wasn’t in any position to disobey. As he did, he heard Oohashi’s cheerful voice as she came to the back and walked over to see how they were doing. “Oh no, Daichi’s picking on the new kid! Let me go report this to Itomaki-chan!” “I am not! And I’ll thank outsiders not to stick their necks where they doesn’t belong!” “I don’t want to hear it from the bully himself! You’re the worst!” It wasn’t really bullying. Amane and Souji were paying for their own mistake, so they understood why Miyamoto had doled out punishment. But Oohashi, who didn’t know the circumstances, was egging Miyamoto on in a teasing tone, so his attitude naturally hardened. “If Oohashi acts like that, even Miyamoto will dig in his heels, of course.” “…I bet.” As they washed the plates and utensils they had been instructed to clean, conversing quietly so the other two couldn’t hear them, Souji and Amane sighed in unison at the sound of the hushed voices arguing behind them.
Chapter 164
19 min read