The kitchen door swung open with a soft creak as Akari led the way back into the main area.
The trays of pastries Haruya had helped make were carefully carried out by Rina and Hiroki, their golden crusts glimmering faintly under the warm pendant lights.
"Let's put these beauties where they belong," Rina said cheerfully, sliding a tray into the polished glass display case at the counter.
The croissants were stacked neatly beside other pastries, and Haruya couldn't help but feel a small ripple of happiness knowing that his hard work went somewhere.
Across the room, Hayasaka was seated near the corner, her phone pressed close to her ear. A small, gentle smile appeared on her usually reserved face as she spoke quietly.
"Mhm. I'll be there soon, Ai-chan. Yes, make sure to tell your mother I'll be arriving tonight."
Her voice softened even more when she chuckled. "Yes, yes, of course I won't forget the treats. Be good, alright?"
Akari approached her just as she was nodding along to her niece's enthusiastic voice.
Hayasaka noticed and quickly wrapped up the call, slipping her phone into her pocket as she stood.
"I'll be heading off soon," she explained politely.
Akari handed her a neatly wrapped box tied with a pastel ribbon. "This is the cake I promised. Perfect for your niece."
Hayasaka accepted it with both hands and bowed slightly. "Thank you very much, Akari-san. I'll be sure to pass along my gratitude."
"Enjoy your vacation," Akari said warmly. "We'll see you back here in a few days."
With that, Hayasaka offered her thanks once more before heading toward the door, her usual composed steps just a little lighter than usual.
Meanwhile, at the counter, Hiroki beckoned Haruya over with a wave. "Alright, rookie, time to level up. Pastry's only half the battlefield. Now we teach you coffee and cashier duty."
"Cashier duty?" Haruya repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Rina already had a steaming kettle in her hands, smiling as if she'd been waiting a while for this. "Yep! Brewing, pouring, and even pressing the register buttons. It's all part of the job."
Before he could protest, Hiroki shoved an apron back into his hands. "C'mon, it's easy. Just watch."
For the next few minutes, Haruya stood stiffly at the counter, following every motion with quiet focus.
He carefully mimicked the way Hiroki measured beans, how Rina angled the kettle, and how the foam rose when milk was steamed just right.
It wasn't until Rina slid a receipt toward him and said, "Now say, 'That'll be six hundred yen, please,'" that it hit him.
Haruya froze. "...Wait a second."
Both employees turned to look at him innocently.
He narrowed his eyes. "Why am I learning this?"
There was a beat of silence before both Rina and Hiroki burst out laughing, clapping their hands together.
"Busted!" Rina grinned. "You caught on faster than expected."
"Hey, you were doing so well!" Hiroki added, only half-apologetic. "We thought we could trick you into being our part-timer!"
Haruya sighed, burying his face in his palm. "Unbelievable…"
Akari, who had walked up just in time to overhear, crossed her arms with an amused smile. "Well, it wouldn't be a bad idea, would it? Helping out every now and then. Think of it as a good experience."
Haruya looked at her, then at the espresso machine still hissing softly behind the counter.
He thought it over for a moment before sighing again, this time with a helpless expression on his face.
"Fine. But only if it's optional."
"That's the spirit," Akari said, patting him on the back.
Just then, the door opened with a soft chime of the bell.
A woman with a short bob-cut hairstyle entered, carrying herself with casual familiarity. She gave a polite wave toward the counter.
"Good afternoon."
"Ah! Welcome, Fuko-san!" Rina called out brightly. "The usual blueberry pie today?"
"Yes, please," the woman, Fuko Waguri, replied with a warm smile, making her way to one of the seats by the window.
As Rina went to prepare the order, Hiroki leaned toward Haruya. "She's a regular. Been coming here for a year now."
When Rina returned with the plate, she added, "Oh, Fuko-san, you're in luck today. The owner herself is here."
Fuko's eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly stood, bowing slightly as Akari approached. "You're Akari Sumeragi? What an honor! I've been coming here for a while now. This place has the best pastries I've ever tasted."
Akari chuckled, returning the bow with grace. "I'm glad to hear that. Thank you for supporting our shop all this time."
The two women slipped easily into conversation, Fuko's enthusiasm bubbling as she praised the bakery's homely atmosphere and the delicate quality of the sweets.
Akari listened along with genuine interest, listening to her for some small inspiration for the shop.
From the side, Haruya watched quietly, somewhat in awe at how effortlessly his mother connected with others.
It wasn't long before Akari glanced his way, gesturing for him to step forward. "And this here is my son, Haruya."
Fuko's eyes lit up as she leaned slightly to greet him. "Oh, how wonderful! Nice to meet you, Haruya-kun. I have a daughter about your age and a younger son, too. Maybe I'll bring them along next time. Who knows? You might all get along."
Haruya blinked, taken aback by her sudden friendliness, but managed a polite bow. "Nice to meet you."
Akari tilted her head curiously. "By the way, are you from around here, Fuko-san?"
Fuko nodded with a soft smile. "Mm... I live nearby. And this place is pretty close to the hospital I usually go to. It's convenient to walk from there."
Akari paused for a moment, her chest tightening a little.
She felt a tinge of pity, but she quickly pushed it down.
Asking too much might seem rude, and it wasn't her place to dig into Fuko's reasons. So instead, she smiled warmly.
"Then maybe… if you'd like, we could meet here again sometime. Just to chat. I'll be coming here quite often, and it would be nice to have another chat, maybe over some tea and pastries."
Fuko's eyes brightened a little. "I'd like that."
The two of them took out their phones and exchanged contact info, adding each other on PINE.
The two ladies continued to chat as Haruya fell into a light nap.
Before long, the sky outside had begun to darken. Akari glanced at the time and nudged Haruya gently, waking him up. "We should head home soon. It's getting dark soon."
Haruya nodded groggily, removing his apron as he handed it and gave a small bow toward Rina and Hiroki. "Thank you for teaching me today. I had a lot of fun."
Rina waved energetically, her smile wide. "You did great, Haruya-kun! Don't be a stranger. Come back anytime, okay?"
Hiroki gave him a thumbs-up. "The cash register is always ready for you."
Haruya's mouth twitched at his teasing and chose to ignore him instead.
Akari headed towards the counter, taking a small, neatly packed bag of pastries, and handed it to Fuko. "Here, a little something to take home for your family. Haruya made it. Don't worry, he's a talented baker."
Fuko accepted it gratefully, bowing politely. "Thank you so much, Akari-san, Haruya-kun. Truly, it's a pleasure meeting both of you."
Akari tilted her head. "The pleasure was ours. I hope we see each other again soon."
With that, Akari led Haruya toward the door. They waved back at the employees, who were bustling behind the counter, cleaning up trays and preparing for the next customers.
"Bye, Haruya-kun! Don't forget us!" Rina and Haruki called out cheerfully, tossing another farewell.
Haruya waved back with a genuine smile on his small face, his mind replaying the morning's lessons and the warm connections he received from them. "I won't! See you both soon!"
As they stepped outside, the sunlight streamed gently over Shinagawa's streets.
Akari adjusted her bag and took out her car keys, glancing at her son with a fond expression. "Well, that was a productive and fun day. Let's head back and enjoy the rest of the night at home, shall we?"
Haruya yawned and nodded, mental exhaustion finally catching up to him after a long afternoon. Now he just wanted to sleep for the rest of today.