November and December were filled with parent-teacher conferences and preparations for final exams, all following right on the heels of a round of mock college entrance exams. It was a busy time for any high school student, and Amane was no exception. In early December, he not only had to contend with exams, but he also had Mahiru’s birthday coming up. He was taking a lot of days off at work, so he wasn’t spending much time there and ended up trying to squeeze shifts into any spare moments he could find. “Oh, is it that time already? Young people have it so hard.” The café was nearly empty—perhaps because it was nearing nightfall—which gave the staff time to chat. Amane relayed his life updates. Miyamoto, who was working the same shift, nodded nostalgically as he carefully washed the delicate siphons, which could not go in the dishwasher. “You’re still quite young yourself, Miyamoto.” “I’m an old hand who has already made it through his exam days.” “And next, you gotta make it through your job-hunting days, huh?” “Same goes for you!” Oohashi had just seen off what would probably be their last customer of the day and ribbed Miyamoto as she came back. When he replied, his expression changed to one of irritation, like he had more to say. Oohashi was fundamentally a kind and cheerful person, but she gave Miyamoto a hard time. To Amane, they seemed like good friends, but whenever he said that, they both denied it in unison, so this time, he kept quiet. Instead, Amane asked, “By the way, how did the exams go for the two of you?” “God, I don’t wanna think about it,” Oohashi moaned. “Ah—” “I just studied normally and took the tests like everyone else,” Miyamoto said. “Though I would say I studied several times harder than when I was trying to get into high school.” “Fujimiya, honey, this guy may seem flashy, but he’s actually real smart, so don’t believe his every word, or he’s sure to let you down!” Amane hadn’t ever really asked about their grades, nor had he the opportunity to, but from what Oohashi was saying as she mimed spitting on him in disgust, it seemed like Miyamoto had better grades than her. “I mean, I took school more seriously than you, so my grades were better…” “Stupid, stylish playboy!” “Ha-ha-ha, call me whatever you want. Putting in a normal amount of effort does not amount to letting someone down.” “Shut up.” Oohashi ruthlessly cutting down her friend made Amane anxious, but judging by Miyamoto’s indifference, he figured this back-and-forth must be normal for them. There was no need to worry. He and Itsuki had these kinds of exchanges, too. But he still felt uneasy, wondering if Miyamoto was all right with her being so short with him. It wasn’t really his business, but Amane could vaguely sense how Miyamoto really felt about Oohashi. Although he would have liked to see her return Miyamoto’s feelings, it would have been insensitive of him to stick his nose in their business, so all he could do was watch and wait, along with Souji, who also understood their situation. “End of the year, you’ve got career counseling, exams coming up, Christmas and all that. Life gets so busy. By the way, it’d be a huge help to the owner if you adjust your hours early, before exams start.” “Oh, for sure. I already submitted my schedule changes. I’ll cut back a little on my hours before exams so I can focus on studying.” He was setting aside prep time for Mahiru’s birthday, too. It wasn’t like he could take the whole month off, though. He intended to make it all happen and use his time wisely to get everything ready. “Okay, as long as you tell us your hours ahead of time, we’ll make it work.” “Speaking of Christmas shifts… I’m sure you’ll want to be with your darling girlfriend, right? We don’t want to keep you from her.” “Well, I mean…” Amane had heard that the café tended to give the Christmas shifts to the single employees, so he had never expected to get stuck working one. In a sense, it was only natural for the people without Christmas plans to pick up shifts for the ones who had them, but now that reality was sinking in, it filled Amane with guilt, making him want to bow his head and apologize. Miyamoto, however, gave him a carefree smile. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Have fun with your sweetheart.” “But if I’m the only one taking off—” “It’s all right. We’ve already decided that the guy who works afternoons will take over the shifts. You haven’t met him yet. We get major bonus pay starting right before Christmas and continuing through the New Year, so he wants those shifts to make extra money. I plan on taking some, too.” The restaurant industry always got especially frantic during the end-of-year busy season, Miyamoto explained, smiling, and Fumika took that into account when raising their pay and handing out bonuses, which suited those without plans just fine. “Awww, it’s because you don’t have a partner,” Oohashi teased. “Shut up. You don’t, either.” “H-how did you know we broke up?” “Because you tell me every little thing about your love life! Or did you forget?” “E-easy now.” For some reason, whenever he just let the two talk, they tended to get into arguments, so, feeling like he should interject and change the subject, Amane turned to face them again. “Actually, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you guys.” “Hm?” “What’s life in college like? I’ve gone to open-campus events, and even though those gave me an idea of the general vibe, I still don’t know how actual college students feel.” “Ah, I guess, as a high schooler, you would be curious about that.” He seemed to have succeeded in changing the subject, as they both looked disarmed and looked up at the ceiling, humming thoughtfully. They were two peas in a pod, though Amane didn’t say so aloud. “Hard to say,” Miyamoto began. “It’s…it’s not like an extension of high school or anything. Depends on the department and the subject, but the way they do things isn’t as rigid as in high school. I made my own schedule, and it’s not as jam-packed as back then, either. My schedule was way more intense back in my exam days.” “Why did they pack our schedules like that anyway?” Oohashi complained. “I feel like it was the busiest time of my whole life.” “Maybe it felt that way because you don’t usually have much going on?” “Put a sock in it, mister.” Though Amane wondered how it always took just a few words before the two were at each other’s throats, he chalked it up to their particular style of communication. According to Souji, who was more used to dealing with them, arguing was their default state, and Amane was definitely starting to believe it. “I think it’s super fun to be able to take classes in fields I’m interested in, but honestly, my other lectures are pretty boring. Can’t avoid ’em, though.” “No way anyone enjoys those…but I guess they’re important for getting all your credits. It would be great if they could get rid of those. I always think about skipping them.” “But the fundamentals are important.” “Who cares?” “Now, now…” “Well anyway, unlike high school, you have to be more active,” Miyamoto continued. “I mean, your main focus will be research in your field, and you have to do the work to manage your course load, so there’s more personal responsibility, I guess. To a certain degree, you choose what you’re gonna be studying, so the choices you make there are important. Also, if you’re not a morning person, beware the first lectures of the day—they’ll kill you. The most dangerous time is when you get comfortable and start slacking off.” “Daichi’s overslept more times than I can count, so that’s some realistic advice,” Oohashi added. “That was my own stupid fault.” “Yep! Stupid, stupid!” “You’re one to talk! You overslept most days in high school.” At this point, their exchange seemed almost like a couple’s comedy routine, and Amane couldn’t help but notice how well they seemed to know each other. “Also, this varies depending on the school, but mine is a lot more lenient than I thought, and campus life is great. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. You can choose whether to join a club or not, but either way, you’ll learn all sorts of new stuff you didn’t know before and make plenty of new friends… Speaking of, clubs can be nice places to socialize and whatnot, but eeevery so often, some hotshot will join and wreck the group dynamic. Sometimes, you can find yourself in danger, so that can be scary.” “Don’t try to frighten me, please.” “No, it really is scary!” “Well, okay, sure, yeah.” “You don’t want to hear about it. I’ll stop.” Amane got a chill when the two of them stopped and peered down some invisible abyss, nodding sympathetically to each other with meek expressions, as if they had seen something truly horrible. “Jealousy and relationship drama. Scary stuff.” “They stay with you forever.” When it came down to it, the biggest challenge for Amane wouldn’t be the lectures or the coursework, but his social life—a fact etched into his heart. He resolved to protect himself and avoid getting mixed up in any strange situations. “Right, well, I don’t plan to get too close to anyone except for my girlfriend, and even if I join a club, I’ll remember to maintain an appropriate distance from any ladies there. I don’t want to be suspected of cheating.” “You’re weird, Fujimiya, so I feel safe saying you’re not likely to get mixed up in any trouble. Though on the other hand, I also kind of feel like you might get dragged into something, despite being such a weirdo.” “Will you please stop saying such ominous things?!” Amane was practically shaking as he told Miyamoto to knock it off. Miyamoto laughed. “Ha-ha-ha, just joking!” But for Amane, it wasn’t a laughing matter, and he was still afraid. “Well putting all that aside, if anything ever happens, just come and talk to us,” Miyamoto concluded. “I’d like to hope that if you do need to reach out, I’ll be done with job hunting.” “The best outcome is that nothing bad happens at all.” “…Somehow, the more I hear about your difficulties, the more my dreams of college life evaporate.” “You dreamed of college?” “No, not really. It’s more like a stepping stone to adulthood and finding a job… Should I be saying this? I’m going so I can complete my education to nab a good job later.” Amane didn’t really picture college as something to enjoy; he had been thinking of it as additional time he could use to prepare for job hunting. Of course, he did have a strong spirit and drive when it came to studies he enjoyed, but he couldn’t make a career out of that. It was closer to the truth to say Amane was ultimately going to college to give himself options for the future. Though he understood colleges were primarily research institutions and places of learning, if someone asked him whether he was going to devote everything to research in his field, he would shake his head. He was somewhat worried about whether that was okay, but Miyamoto, a current college student, seemed shocked. “You must be a real serious student if you’re worried about that! It’s not that big of a deal, is it? Actually, I doubt there are that many high school students who are raring to go, unwavering in their determination to attend a certain college and study a certain subject because they want to get a certain job. There are plenty of people who just want to study something they’re interested in or who go because they’ll have a hard time finding a job if they don’t have a degree. Others think everybody else is going, so they might as well go, too. There are even some people who think it’ll give them more time before they have to get a job.” “Oof, that hurts to hear,” Oohashi said. “Yeah, well, I think you’d better express your gratitude to your mom for all the times you made her cry during your high school days, Rino.” “I’ve already said my thanks to my mom. Besides, we’re all good now that I have a proper goal.” “Oh, is it?” “Shaddap.” “…Anyway, people have all sorts of reasons, and it’s nonsense for other people to complain about them. What you make of your time there is more important than why you came in the first place. Oh, and how you use your education after graduating. Ultimately, after college, we all gotta walk on our own two feet, and you start to see all the results play out in your life, so as long as you’re satisfied with what you do, you’ll be fine. Don’t pay any mind to what other people say.” Miyamoto gave Amane a good-natured pat on the back, and he felt a fraction of the weight lift from his shoulders. Particularly because this was coming from his older coworkers, rather than from some authority figure like his parents, or even from a very close friend, it really sunk in. Amane felt a light breeze blow through his chest. He was sure that he probably would have taken the words differently if they had come from his mother or Itsuki, so he was glad he had heard them from Miyamoto. “Oh, are you talking about college?” While Amane was quietly taking Miyamoto’s words to heart, Fumika appeared from the back, walking toward them with a relaxed gait. She must have been working in the back, where her employees didn’t normally go, because this was the first time they had seen her all day. She was wearing her usual sweet, amused smile, and, as if her cheer was forming a cloud around her, the aroma of baked sweets wafted through the air. “Oh, hey, boss.” “Something smells incredible.” “Heh-heh, I was testing out a recipe for a limited-time cake in the back. I was thinking about selling it around Christmas.” “Ah, I was wondering why you weren’t out here in the kitchen.” Apparently, she had been working in what was essentially her own private kitchen in the back, so it was no wonder a delicious scent surrounded her. Fumika seemed to have her opinions when it came to making sweets, and apparently, once the cakes met her exacting standards, they would be available to customers. It sounded like she offered a different Christmas cake every year and spent the rest of the time testing out recipes behind the scenes. “Oh, stop, please. I haven’t had a snack… I’m running on empty…and it’s right before dinner… Aw man, it smells so good!” “Well, that’s perfect. I was just looking for taste testers. Sneak in here and have a taste. Keep it a secret from the others, okay?” “You’re an angel…” Fumika laughed in amusement as Oohashi dramatically pressed her palms together in a show of reverence, but then she seemed to notice Amane’s eyes on her and beckoned him over with a smile. “You two can come have a taste, too. If you like sweets, that is.” “All right! Your cakes are so yummy.” “Oh my, you’ve got a knack for flattery.” “I really mean it!” Miyamoto and Oohashi walked on ahead of Fumika, who laughed pleasantly. Fumika looked at Amane to ask whether he was coming with them. After a brief silence, Amane looked her directly in the eyes and asked, “Um, could I have a moment?” “Sure.” Fumika looked puzzled, like she couldn’t possibly predict Amane’s next words. He closed his eyes for a moment, debating whether he should continue. Fumika had been eager to hire him, despite only having been briefly introduced. She was incredibly flexible about accommodating his shifts, and she had given Mahiru those coffee beans. She had always shown concern for him in various ways and looked after him. If it weren’t for her, he definitely wouldn’t have a job as nice as the one he had now. For all those reasons, he wasn’t sure whether it was all right for him to turn to her for even more, but she was certainly highly qualified. Despite the guilt he felt from Fumika’s inquisitive gaze, Amane knew he had to secure the last remaining piece, crucial to the success of the fast approaching, all-important day. Though hesitant, he opened his mouth. “…Would you happen to have any amateur cake recipes?” Amane headed home the moment his shift ended. He was relieved to find Mahiru rushing up to him, her gait easy and elegant. He had messaged her from the train to say he was probably going to be late, but since it was past the time he usually came home, he thought Mahiru might be worried, and sure enough, she did look concerned. But he was glad to see that she didn’t look too anxious. “Oh, Amane, welcome home. You were a little late tonight, huh?” “Hey. Sorry, I had to stay after a little to help with something. It was no big deal. Did anything happen while I was gone?” “Mm, no, nothing really. The seasoning on the stewed vegetables I made for dinner came out just perfect, though.” “Nice. I’m excited to try it.” Hearing that the food Mahiru had made while waiting for Amane had turned out well was good news for Amane, too, and as he changed into his slippers, the corners of his mouth lifted, and Mahiru said with a confident smile, “Please go ahead and set those expectations high.” Although Amane had gotten a free snack from Fumika, there was no way that was enough to satisfy the stomach of a high school boy. He had rushed home anticipating Mahiru’s cooking. He smiled and, as he took his coat off, expressed his excitement to Mahiru. She gracefully took his coat, although she seemed to hesitate when she did so. It seemed she was going to put it away for him. “Thanks.” She didn’t have to do that much, but she seemed to want to, so he had no reason to refuse and handed the coat straight to her. Mahiru was looking at Amane’s coat with a smile, when suddenly, her gaze shifted to his hand. “…Amane, isn’t your finger a little red there?” His girlfriend was extremely thoughtful and perceptive. He had, in fact, burned his finger that day, just a little. Really, it was only for a moment, and he had cooled it properly afterward, so it didn’t even blister, and it was only faintly red. He hadn’t expected her to notice it. “Ah… I burned myself a little on the stove in the kitchen. It was just for a second, so it’s a minor burn, and I took care of it right away. It’s just a little red.” “…Does it hurt?” “Only a little. I was just careless. I’ve accepted the consequences.” Even though he said it wasn’t bad enough for Mahiru to worry over, she still registered her discontent by adorably sticking out her bottom lip, so to console her, Amane ran his palm gently down her head, following the bewitching river of her flaxen hair. He used the same hand he had burned, but even when touching things, there was no pain. “I said I’m all right. The senior employees said this happens all the time working in food service.” “…Just be careful that you don’t get any serious injuries.” “I will be careful not to cause you any worry.” “Good to hear.” Amane would avoid fooling around so that he wouldn’t make Mahiru anxious, and he fully intended to not let it happen again. Following his sincere promise, Mahiru said, “Your health is the most important thing,” and shot him a concerned look, then went to put Amane’s coat away in his room. After watching her go, Amane headed for the sink to wash his hands after getting home from work. As he walked to the sink, he felt a slight pang of guilt over not telling Mahiru the cause of the burn.
Chapter 199
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