Minato smiled back at his boss unintentionally, a polite smile, and bowed before walking past him into the back to get changed into his sushi uniform, also tying his headband a little too tight out of anger.
The smell of rice vinegar and grilled salmon clung to the atmosphere, already making his mouth watery, despite his anger.
He washed his hands quickly, then stepped out to the counter. A couple of customers were already seated, some were coming in from the door, while others were chatting casually as they scanned the menu.
The sound of knives chopping onions, and the sizzle of the hot pan from the kitchen, and the soft clink of teacups filled his ears.
If anything, Minato hated it; he had always been sensitive to loud sounds. But he didn't have a choice.
Having been an orphan at the age of 9 because his parents died in a car accident, he was adopted by his grandparents, who took care of him until he was 16, before they themselves sadly passed away from a chronic heart disease, leaving Minato to fend for himself, paying for house rent, light bills, etc. But thankfully, he was able to get a scholarship into Shibuya university, which eased a lot of his burden temporarily.
"Hello, welcome to Mr. Noboru Sushi House. What can I get for you?" Minato exclaimed, his voice steadier than his emotions in the moment. He grabbed a notepad, forcing a smile as he walked toward the first table in sight.
A middle-aged man in his 40s and his daughter, who looked quite young, probably in her adolescent age, sat across from him. The young girl's face was pressed against the glass display where fresh sushi was neatly arranged.
"Wait a second," the man exclaimed, glancing up at Minato and down right back at the menu, "two salmon rolls and one miso soup, please."
"Of course," Minato replied, still smiling hypocritically, jotting it down on the paper with precision.
But his smile slipped into something more genuine when the little girl piped up in excitement.
"And… Um, sir… can I get an extra miso soup?" she asked shyly.
"Extra miso," Minato repeated with a small nod. "Got it, ma'am." He knew that the father had already ordered what they wanted, but he just couldn't stand her cuteness, so he just went with the flow of the moment and unintentionally agreed.
But as he turned around toward the kitchen area, his thoughts wandered away. It was a simple work… just serving the customer, smiling back, but the main issue was keeping the boss off his back.
He suddenly caught a glimpse of his boss watching him from behind the counter, folding his arms.
Minato straightened up quickly, setting the order slip down for the chefs in the kitchen before moving to pour tea for the next table, while also taking their orders.
The bell over the door jingled again. As more customers entered, laughter spilled in with the evening atmosphere. Minato exhaled deeply and quietly, bracing himself for the overrush.
After a couple of long and tiring hours, Minato's unwanted shift was finally over.
He quickly rushes out of the building, checking his phone time.
[8:59 pm]
"No, no no, Fuck."
"My Destiny and Loss, limited edition novel, is only available today. God I can't miss it."
Minato started running into the middle of the street, passing in-between people. For a few minutes, he kept running until he got to the train station. He quickly scanned his ticket and got on a train heading to Shinjuku immediately.
["The train to Shinjuku will be departing shortly. Passengers, please board quickly."]
The train driver announced as the train started moving in the opposite direction from Shibuya.
Meanwhile, Minato was tapping his legs nonstop, constantly checking his phone for the time, until the train finally got to Shinjuku.
He got off, adjusted his clothes, and started running. He kept running while looking at the GPS until he got to the bookstore.
His eyes widened in shock; the bookstore had already been closed by the time he arrived.
Minato sucked in all the air into his mouth, making his cheeks more swollen than usual, then he shouted out loud.
AHHHHHH!
He quickly falls to the ground, sitting on the cold floor. He slowly brings out his phone and starts scrolling through Nosebook (copyright issue)
Looking at other people in his fan group unboxing their newly bought, limited edition Destiny and Loss novel.
Then he saw Yuta's post of him and Himari, eating and singing together, which made his feelings a certain way.
He then pouted and started talking to himself, "Come on, why are you feeling jealous, Minato? You don't even like 3D girls."
While scrolling, he saw a notification that popped up in his chat. It came from an anonymous user.
He opened it and saw a recommendation for a new-looking bookstore. He sighed briefly. Almost ignoring the message, something else drew his attention.
WHAT YOU MAY ASK?
Their closing time; they were still open till 12 midnight.
Normally, he usually doesn't reply to message requests from ads or strangers, but due to how he's feeling in the moment, he didn't think much about it.
He then pushed himself up, dusting the sand from his jeans before pulling out his phone to call for another taxi.
The taxi rolled up in front of him. Minato then climbed into the car quickly, breathless, and explained everything to the taxi driver. Without a word, the man adjusted the mirror, pressed his foot on the pedal, and the car sped off into the night.
Minato sat with his arms crossed, tapping his foot restlessly against the floor.
The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "So, mister, what's the emergency?" he asked Minato casually, but still focused on driving.
Minato let out a dry laugh, knowing that he couldn't tell him it was all for a fictional character. "A gift for my girlfriend, haha, Something like that…"
The driver shrugged, his eyes back on the road. "Lucky man, happens to the best of us."
"Hmm." Minato smiled back at the driver before the car came to a stop in front of a very old-looking bookstore. It was the complete opposite of the one in the ads.
Minato then stepped out of the taxi, glancing up at the faded signboard that read Kawasaki Bookstore.
The paintings were already chipping away, the windows were clouded with dust, and the old wooden doors were sagging slightly on their hinges.
When he pushed the doors open, a rusty bell above the door frame jingled weakly.
Inside, the smell of old paper and worn-out wood filled the atmosphere. Huge shelves leaned with the weight of countless unknown books, their spines faded from months if not years of handling.
It was quiet... Very quiet. A single light bulb shone down near the counter where stacks of unsorted books towered like the walls of china. Minato exhaled slowly, adjusting his shirt.
"Hello...is anyone here?"
Then an elderly woman voice came from his back, "How can I help you, dear?"
"Jesus Christ." Minato jumps backward, only balancing on one foot.
She began laughing at him for a few minutes before stopping... "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..." She smiled. "Humans really are fascinating."
Minato swallowed hard while hearing her words, "humans." He thought internally, before finally exhaling.
"Ma'am...I…" before he could finish, she cut him off...
"Call me mother."
"Mother?" Minato laughs nervously while scratching his head.
"Yes, my dear... Call me Mother Teresa."
"Okay…" He agreed without hesitation; all he wants now is to get the hell out of there. "Mo... Mother Teresa, do you happen to have the latest release of Destiny and Loss, a limited edition novel?"
She remained silent for a few minutes, leaving Minato awkward, before she finally responded.
"No...I don't sell that kind of book here."
Deep down, Minato had already expected this answer, because everything that comes from an advertisement is never the same, so he just bowed and thanked her for her time before turning around to leave.
"Wait, my dear."
He turns around... "Yes, ma'am." But she didn't respond...
He swallows again. "Yes… Mother Teresa." Then she smiles back, "Please, before you go, can you please help me rearrange the pile of books on the counter?"
Minato looked out the window, and at the taxi driver waiting for him... He sighed and nodded in agreement.
It wasn't that he couldn't leave; it was just that she reminded him of his grandma when she was alive.
After a couple of minutes, he was finally done with arranging the books.
Then she walked up to Minato and handed him a weird and old-looking bag.
He opened it out of curiosity... only to see a huge book inside, far too large for the pouch. Its faded black leather cover was cracked on the inside and outside, and the title, written in front with an elegant gold lettering, was barely visible.
Minato's eyes widened as he brushed the dust from the body.
"Umm...ma... mother Teresa, why are you giving me this, and by the looks of it, I'm sure it's highly valuable."
She smiled, pinching him on his cheeks. "My dear... take it as a token of appreciation for helping an old woman like myself arrange her books. It's not every day I get to meet a young man who still has some decency and respect."
"But," Minato added...
"It's okay, and besides you couldn't find the book you were looking for, so read this one in the meantime."
He finally gave in, accepting the book, clutching it carefully in both hands while at the same time bowing respectfully several times. He thanked her sincerely before making his way to the door.
With one last glance at the dim and dusty-looking bookstore, Minato stepped outside, flagged down his taxi, and climbed in.