Ai finally stopped under a big cherry blossom tree, still gripping Isamu's sleeve.
She let go roughly, crossed her arms, and pouted like a scolded cat.]
Ai (muttering):
"...Stupid pigeons... pecking at me..."
Isamu (gently teasing):
"You're the one who dropped crumbs by being... well... yourself."
[Ai shot him a glare — but it wasn't sharp this time.
Her cheeks were still pink from all the attention earlier.]
Ai (grumbling):
"I didn't ask to be popular.
I just wanted to eat lunch with you quietly... and now they all think I'm some kind of idol."
Isamu (scratching the back of his head, awkward):
"...You kinda are.
I mean, you're... uh... cool. And pretty."
[(He instantly regretted it the moment the words left his mouth.)
Ai stared at him, her mouth slightly open in surprise.]
Ai (quietly, eyes wide):
"...You think I'm pretty?"
Isamu (panicking, waving his hands):
"I-I mean! In an objective way! Like, uh — how people see sunsets?
Beautiful but — you know — just there! Not like, personal or anything!"
[(Nailed it. Completely nailed it.)
Isamu wanted to jump off a cliff.]
[Ai just stared for a second longer... and then —
She giggled.
Not a smug laugh, not a teasing one — but an actual soft, musical giggle.]
Ai (grinning, teasing):
"...Sunset, huh?
So you're saying I make you feel like lying down and doing nothing all evening?"
Isamu (muttering, defeated):
"...Please stop..."
[Ai stepped closer, her expression mischievous but soft —
her pink hair catching little flashes of sunlight.]
Ai (smiling):
"Thanks, loner.
You're not so bad to have around either."
For a second, the world was silent — just the breeze rustling the leaves above them
And maybe—just maybe — both of them realized that the noisy world wasn't so scary when it was just the two of them.
The sound of the restaurant door's bell chimed as Ai and Isamu entered, causing the usual hum of the kitchen to momentarily quiet. Ai was wearing a neatly pressed apron, her short pink hair catching the light as she scanned the room with a bold glance.
It was her first day at "La Lumière," but despite her first-day jitters, she moved with confidence, like she belonged.
The restaurant staff didn't know what to expect, especially when they saw Isamu walk in with Ai. It was the first time they had seen him bring someone to work.
The restaurant consists of a total of five waiters and three cooks, excluding Akame, who is the cook of the restaurant. The waiters' names are Maki, Kenji, Taiki, Hikari, and Arata (the owner), all the waiters are high school students. Arata and Taiki are second-year students as Isame, Maki is a first-year of high school, and the couple Hikari and Kenji are third-year students. The chefs are Akane, who is 25 years old and very much waiting to get married, Somu, who is Arata's father and the real owner of the restaurant, and finally, Satoru, who is a middle-aged man of 30 years old who has a lot of experience in the field of cooking and is the head chef of the restaurant.
Maki (glancing up at Isamu nervously, then hesitating):
"Hey... Isamu... Can I ask you something?"
Isamu (looking up from his work, a little confused):
"Uh, yeah. What's up?"
Maki (fidgeting with the edge of her apron, looking anxious):
"So... about the girl you came with today..."
Isamu (raising an eyebrow, a little lost):
"Girl? Oh, Ai. You mean the transfer student who started working here?"
Maki (eyes narrowing, looking a bit flustered, but trying to play it cool):
"Yeah, that's her. Ai... You came in together today, and I just wanted to know... who is she, exactly? Is she, uh, your... girlfriend?"
Isamu (completely oblivious, scratching the back of his head):
"Girlfriend? No, no, she's just a friend... She's new here, and I think she just wanted to stop by since she's working today."
Maki (staring at him, her face turning red, but she tries to mask it with a forced laugh):
"Ahh... I see. So, you're just... friends? Okay, that's good, right? I mean, I'm sure you two are just really close and... you know... not, uh, anything more than that."
Isamu (slightly confused by her strange reaction):
"Yeah, exactly. She's just a new coworker. We're just friends, really."
Maki (suddenly looking even more nervous, avoiding eye contact):
"Okay... okay. So you're not, like, dating her or anything...?"
Isamu (still not catching on, laughing awkwardly):
"No, definitely not. Why would you think that?"
Maki (almost whispering, eyes darting around the restaurant, clearly unsure of how to say it):
"Well, I... I don't know. I just thought... you know, if you were dating her, maybe you'd be... breaking up with me or something, you know? Since you guys are getting all close and all."
Isamu (wide-eyed, completely flustered, his face going red):
"What?! Breaking up with you? What are you— I'm not dating you, Maki! I— I didn't even know you thought—"
Maki (her face turning bright red, realizing what she said, and immediately starting to panic):
"NO! I mean— I didn't think we were dating either! I just... um... It's just that we always work together, and you're always so nice, and— I just... I was... wondering, you know?"
Isamu (chuckling awkwardly and scratching his head):
"Maki, we're not even— I mean... I didn't even know you... thought about us like that!"
Maki (now completely embarrassed, hiding her face behind her apron):
"I didn't! I didn't! Forget I said anything! I was just... wondering who she was! That's all!"
Isamu (grinning, trying to ease her embarrassment):
"Okay, okay, no problem. But, just to be clear, you don't have to worry about me 'breaking up' with you, Maki. I'm pretty sure we're not even... in a relationship!"
Maki (muttering into her apron):
"Right... Right. Yeah, of course. Totally."
Isamu (teasing with a grin):
"But hey, if I ever get a girlfriend, you'll be the first to know, okay?"
Maki (still red in the face, but a small smile tugging at her lips):
"Yeah... Sure, sure. Whatever."
The kitchen of the restaurant. Arata and Ai stand near the counters, where the chefs are working. Arata is explaining the restaurant's workflow while Ai, clearly distracted, keeps glancing toward the dining area.
Arata (pointing to the various sections of the kitchen):
"Alright, so this is where we prepare the appetizers. Over there is the main course station, and in the back, we have the dessert section. You'll get used to the routine, but the key is efficiency. Got it?"
Ai (nodding, but not paying full attention, her eyes glued to the dining area where Isamu and Maki are talking):
"Yeah, yeah... Sure."
Arata (noticing her distracted gaze, raising an eyebrow):
"Ai? Something on your mind?"
Ai (quickly turning her attention back to him, forcing a smile):
"No, no. Just... looking around. I'm, uh, learning, right?"
Arata (slightly suspicious, but continuing anyway):
"Right, right. Anyway, you'll get your own set of tasks soon, but for now, just observe. And remember, we all help each other here. It's a team."
[Ai nods absently again but can't help herself. She sneaks another glance at Isamu and Maki. The distance makes it hard to hear their conversation, but the sight of them talking, especially Maki's exaggerated gestures, has her curious. Maki looks embarrassed, and Isamu is laughing awkwardly. Ai's curiosity grows, but she tries to focus on Arata.]
Ai (in a quiet murmur, to herself):
"What are they talking about?"
Arata (noticing her whispering, smiling knowingly):
"Is something going on? You seem a little... distracted."
Ai (snapping her attention back to Arata, attempting to seem casual):
"What? Oh, no. I was just thinking... about... the kitchen. You know. Food stuff."
Arata (nodding, still unconvinced):
"Uh-huh. Sure. Well, over here—"
[Before he can continue, Ai, unable to resist any longer, steps over to the counter where the prep station is. She casually starts fiddling with the ingredients, unintentionally making a mess. She grabs a few tomatoes, slices them a little too roughly, and drips sauce all over the counter. Her curiosity is making her more clumsy by the second.]
Arata (noticing the growing mess, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise):
"Ai, wait— What are you doing?!"
Ai (focused on the conversation she's still eyeing in the dining area, oblivious to the mess she's causing):
"I'm just... helping. You know, learning how to chop things and stuff."
Arata (walking over quickly, trying to keep things under control):
"No, no, that's not— you don't just—!"
[He grabs a towel and starts wiping down the mess she made. Ai, still distracted by Isamu and Maki, doesn't even seem to notice.]
Arata (exasperated, trying to keep his cool):
"Ai! This is a kitchen, not a playground. You have to focus. You're supposed to be paying attention to how the kitchen works, not watching—"
Ai (cutting him off, annoyed, but still glancing over at the table):
"I am paying attention! But... what are they talking about?"
Arata (now completely confused, looking at Ai as if she just grew a second head):
"Who? Isamu and Maki?"
Ai (snapping, though she tries to cover it with a casual tone):
"Yeah, them. What are they talking about?"
Arata (laughing awkwardly, not sure whether Ai is joking or not):
"Ai, I don't know! I'm not some expert in their conversation. Why are you so interested in them anyway?"
Ai (pausing, then quickly looking away, slightly flustered):
"It's not like I care! I just... saw them talking. That's it. Is that a crime now?"
Arata (chuckling to himself, now understanding that she's a little more interested than she's letting on):
"Well, I don't know about 'crime,' but you're making a bigger mess than the food here. Come on, let's clean this up."
Ai (sighing, muttering under her breath as she grabs a towel):
"Fine, fine. It's not like I care or anything. I'm just... curious."
Arata (laughing while wiping down the counter):
"Yeah, sure. That's what they all say."
[As they finish cleaning up, Ai looks over to Isamu one more time. This time, she sighs a little, crossing her arms, but she quickly hides the soft smile that forms on her lips.]
Ai (quietly to herself, barely audible):
"Curiosity... is a dangerous thing.
Akame came to her senses and finished all her part-time jobs. When the time came, the restaurant closed. The employees were all talking about their lives, and Arata started calling Isame from outside.