The restaurant was very quiet. Other than the clinking of dishes and the sound of dripping water from the faucet, there was nothing else.
"Tap... tap... tap..."
The sound of high heels echoed like an out-of-place noise, instantly drawing Hachiman's attention. He slowly set down the dish he was wiping, because walking straight toward him was his classmate from high school...
Miura Yumiko.
Her long golden hair was still as dazzling as ever. Paired with her black suit and heels, she looked every bit the strong working woman, carrying a presence you couldn't ignore.
Even though it had been more than half a year since they last met, her proud attitude hadn't changed. With her unique heels and the faint glimpse of sheer black stockings, every step seemed to show off her figure. Even in a crowd, she would stand out right away.
She looked around the restaurant before finally stopping in front of Hachiman. With one hand, she removed her sunglasses. After confirming that the person before her was really her old classmate, she seemed a little surprised.
"Isn't this Hikki-kun?"
"Hikki-kun... Hikki-kun, hahahahaha! Son, your presence at school must have been way too low!"
"And you are?"
"The owner of this place is also Hikki-kun's dad, Hikigaya Joichiro. So, what can we order?"
Miura's expression was still proud and cold. From her look and her movements, it was clear she looked down on this little diner.
She waved her hand lightly, and her assistant immediately handed a "proposal" to Joichiro and Hachiman.
"Hmph, still alive and kicking. I don't know what's going on between you and Yui, but disappearing like that will only make her sad."
"But your relationship with her isn't my business. I'm here today for one reason. We're building a luxury garden-style apartment complex in this city. As long as you agree, you'll get a huge sum of money right away. It'll be much better than slaving away here. Don't say I didn't give you a chance, for the sake of our past as classmates."
Even if Hachiman couldn't argue against some of her words, if it meant throwing them out of their home, he would never agree.
This wasn't just the place that kept them alive. Over the years, they had built up a loyal customer base. That kind of hidden value was worth far more than a pile of cash. Besides, Hachiman honestly enjoyed this life.
So...
"Didn't think Miura would end up in real estate, but if you want to drive us out, that won't be easy. Please leave. We're not planning to close this place."
For the sake of his sister Komachi being able to focus on her exams, Hachiman stood his ground firmly.
Miura didn't bother wasting more words. From her point of view, a little diner like this would collapse soon enough under pressure.
"This is my card. If you change your mind, contact me anytime. Let me remind you though, these days running a small shop only gets harder. Even getting supplies is a huge headache."
Faced with both the rush of customers and now this kind of pressure, dealing with a girl like Miura really wasn't Hachiman's strong point. It was normal to feel nervous...
But as expected of Miura, she was sharp.
Joichiro: "Thanks for your concern, but here at Hikigaya Diner, that's not a problem at all. We'll provide customers with anything they want to eat."
Miura: "Oh? Sounds like you're confident. But what if you can't serve what a customer asks for? How will you take responsibility then?"
Joichiro: "If that happens, we'll simply close down."
Hachiman's face showed he was lost for words. Looking at his unreliable dad, all he could feel was a headache. "We're playing that big?"
After all, he was the one who usually bought the ingredients. If they couldn't serve the food, all the pressure would fall on him.
Seeing Joichiro's confidence, Miura quickly added: "A gentleman's word can't be taken back."
Joichiro: "Of course. Son, as Hikigaya Diner, this is the kind of confidence we should have."
Miura: "Then we'll be back."
Leaving behind a meaningful smile, Miura walked out just like that. But Hachiman could feel it—ever since the day he ran into Miura again, his life was about to change in a big way.
Joichiro: "Hachiman, didn't think you were hated this much by such a pretty girl in school. Anyway, tell your old man—what's going on between you and that Yui?"
Hachiman had already noticed it. Miura's anger while talking to him probably came from deep down. She clearly resented the fact that he had vanished after graduation.
But he had no other choice back then. To keep Yuigahama from worrying about him, it was the only thing he could do.
So...this was the one thing he couldn't accept.
Hachiman: "Just a classmate."
During his time in junior high, he never joined any clubs. But at the start of his second year, he happened to meet Yuigahama by chance after saving a dog. After that, even though Hachiman knew their relationship started because Yuigahama felt she owed him, she kept trying to get close to him again and again. In the end, they ended up with a bond that wasn't quite friendship but wasn't just classmates either.
Joichiro still had that laid-back look on his face and teased him in a joking tone:
"Oh really? You're sure it's nothing else? Like... holding hands, kissing, or, you know, solving those teenage mysteries about each other's bodies?"
"What's going on in your head?"
Not wanting to waste more time with his unreliable dad, Hachiman just picked up the half-washed dishes and kept cleaning quietly.
Joichiro didn't keep teasing him. Looking at his son, he always had this strange sense of trust. Nobody had ever eaten Hachiman's cooking before, but Joichiro was sure of one thing: after growing up under his influence, watching him and Komachi cook, and tasting more dishes than anyone else, there's no way Hachiman's cooking would ever be bad.
So...
"Hachiman, have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?"
A happy family and a cute little sister—that's all Hachiman ever wanted. If you asked what else he was missing, it would just be a can of Max Coffee.
So... if you asked him about his dream?
"To be a stay-at-home husband... and live off my parents."
An answer even less reliable than Joichiro himself. It almost made Joichiro lose his straight face.
The father and son just exchanged a knowing glance and then both let out a short laugh.
After that... they each picked up their steel scrubbers and finished off the busy day.