The gates of the school opened at 9:00 AM, and by 10:30 AM, Class 3-A’s "Bistro Royale" was the talk of the festival. The "U-shaped" seating was working perfectly, and the rhythmic clack-clack of Rentaro’s heels on the linoleum as he directed the floor was like a heartbeat.
Rika was in the "command center"—a small partitioned area behind the counter. She had a headset on, a surplus item Rentaro had scavenged, allowing her to talk to the kitchen team without raising her voice.
"Order 42, two sakuratini mocktails and a matcha cake, moving to Station B. Now," she commanded.
"On it, Shinozaki-boss!" Kenji shouted back, actually looking like he was having fun.
The machine was humming. But then, Rentaro’s voice crackled over the headset. "Rika. We have a situation at the entrance. Look up."
Rika glanced over the partition. Standing at the threshold of the classroom, looking small and out of place in a sea of laughing tourists and students, was Mio. She wasn't wearing her usual designer labels. She was in a plain, oversized hoodie, her eyes red-rimmed and her signature "prodigy" posture slumped.
The room went quiet for a moment. Several students recognized her from the news or the local gossip mills. The "Shinozaki Scandal" was still fresh, and the sight of the fallen star at her sister’s triumph was a magnetic spectacle.
"I'll handle the floor. Go," Rentaro said, appearing at Rika’s side. He didn't wait for her to argue. He stepped out, smoothly intercepting a group of teachers to distract them. "Welcome to the Bistro, Sensei. Table for four? Right this way."
Rika unhooked her headset and stepped out from behind the counter. She walked toward the door, her heart doing that familiar, heavy thud.
"Mio," Rika said, her voice neutral but not unkind.
"I... I didn't know where else to go," Mio whispered, her voice barely audible over the clatter of plates. "Mom and Dad... they aren't speaking to me. They’ve already started looking for a boarding school in Switzerland. They said I’m 'dead weight' now."
Rika looked at her sister. For years, she had envied Mio's "perfect" life. Now, seeing her stripped of the pedestal their parents had built, Rika only felt a dull, sisterly ache.
"Follow me," Rika said. She led Mio to the "Staff Only" break area—a small corner behind the supply crates.
"I can't stay long, Mio. I have a shift to run," Rika said, handing her a glass of the bistro’s signature iced tea.
"How do you do it?" Mio asked, staring at the tea as if it held the secrets of the universe. "Everyone is looking at you. They’re cheering for you. You’re not a 'prodigy,' you’re just... Rika. And you look happier than I’ve ever been."
"It's because I'm not playing a part anymore, Mio," Rika said, leaning against a crate. "In this room, I'm the one who knows where the spoons are and how to fix a broken receipt printer. It’s not a grand stage, but it’s mine. I earned every bit of this."
Mio looked out through the gap in the partition. She saw Rentaro laughing at something a customer said, his hands moving with practiced ease. She saw the class working together, not as rivals, but as a unit.
"Rika-nee... I'm scared," Mio admitted, a single tear tracing a path through her makeup.
"Good," Rika said, reaching out and squeezing Mio’s hand. "Being scared means you’ve finally realized the walls are gone. Now you get to decide what to build in their place."
Rika stood up, adjusting her apron. "Stay here. Drink your tea. When the rush dies down, Rentaro and I will take you to the 7-Eleven. You can see what a real 'shift' looks like. It’s not glamorous, but it’s honest."
As Rika stepped back into the fray, she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Rentaro, passing by with a tray of empty glasses.
"She okay?" he asked, his voice low.
"She’s starting to be," Rika replied.
Rentaro gave her a small, lopsided smile—the one he only used when no one else was looking. "Good. Because Station B just ran out of garnish, and Kenji is starting to panic. Welcome back to the frontline, Shinozaki."
Rika took a deep breath, the smell of roasted coffee and old floor wax filling her lungs. "Let's get back to work."16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7TSsJQ0Ad
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