Chapter 29: Sakurai Kaiko
At exactly six o'clock, Chishimaya opened its doors. A small crowd of customers was already waiting outside.
Akishin pulled back the door curtains and hooked the "Open for Business" sign onto the entrance.
A regular, who had been coming since the very first day, immediately let out a sigh of mock exasperation. "Chishima-kun, can't you open up a little earlier? I've been waiting out here for half an hour."
In most respects, this shop was ordinary, but the cooking was transcendental—easily on par with a head chef at a five-star hotel. The only downsides were the cramped space, the limited menu, and the fact that the entire operation was run by a single Taisho.
"Haha, sorry about that, Sato-kun. It's a small-time business, and I've got a day job. This is the best I can do."
Another customer noticed the new sign on the door and laughed. "Looks like you finally caved and hired some help, Chishima-kun."
"Yeah! I realized I couldn't keep up with you lot all by myself."
Akishin deflected the lighthearted complaints and questions with a practiced smile. This was the exact reason he'd been in such a hurry to find staff. The customers weren't wrong; the bottleneck was his own capacity, and a mistake like that had to be rectified.
He stepped aside to clear the doorway, and a dozen or so patrons filed in one after another.
"Welcome!"
Yuika and Kaiko stood by the entrance, calling out in unison with bright, sweet voices.
The sudden appearance of two beautiful girls caught the first wave of customers off guard. However, under the smooth guidance of Yuika and her partner, the patrons were seated in an orderly fashion.
Akishin hurried behind the counter and began to cook. The knife in his hand moved with such blistering speed that it left faint afterimages in the air.
The regulars noticed something different about Akishin today, though they couldn't quite put their finger on it. As he handled the kitchen knife, he gave off the fleeting aura of a samurai. It was subtle—the same inexplicable vibe Hikigaya Hachiman and the others had felt—but it was there.
Yuika and Kaiko were a blur of motion, weaving through the shop to take orders and deliver dishes. Their clear voices occasionally rang out, injecting a lively energy into the usually monotonous atmosphere of the izakaya.
"Yuika, one draft beer for table two!"
"Table three wants salted edamame!"
"Kaiko, we're hitting capacity. Please tell the people at the door there's a short wait..."
"Boss, is the tempura ready yet?"
The two girls moved with a rhythmic efficiency, managing the floor perfectly. Yuika handled the payments and change; though she looked soft and delicate, her movements were incredibly precise.
Growing up in an izakaya environment clearly paid dividends.
With the pressure off, Akishin found himself relaxing. He only had to focus on the cooking and serving the guests directly at the counter. When the shop reached its peak and no new orders were coming in, he even found time to wash the dishes.
Between rushes, if there were no new customers, Akishin would pour a small glass and share a few words about life with the regulars. This was exactly the kind of existence he had envisioned.
Before long, the first wave of customers departed, and a second wave took their place.
Today, almost every regular said the same thing upon entering: "Oh! Chishima-kun, you finally got some help!"
And Akishin's answer remained the same: "I just couldn't handle it alone anymore."
Time flew by in a busy blur. Before they knew it, it was ten o'clock. Akishin flipped the sign to "Closed" and apologized to the few remaining people he couldn't serve.
Returning inside, he found Yuika and Kaiko slumped over a table like a pair of dried sardines. He brewed two cups of tea and set them down in front of the girls.
"Thanks for the hard work today."
Kaiko lifted her head, grabbed the tea, and took a long sip. She exhaled a heavy breath. "Boss, I didn't realize your shop was this popular. This is the most exhausted I've ever been in an izakaya."
Yuika accepted her cup, cradling it with both hands. "Thank you, Chishima-sensei," she said sweetly.
Now that the customers were gone, their form of address shifted from "Boss" back to "Sensei." Akishin didn't bother correcting them; the shift in honorifics somehow made the hierarchy feel much clearer and more familiar.
Sakurai Kaiko puffed out her cheeks like a mischievous little frog. "Sensei, at this rate, Yuika and I are getting a raw deal. You've got to give us a raise!"
"Kaiko!" Yuika tugged at Kaiko's sleeve from under the table, signaling her not to overstep. She turned to Akishin with an apologetic look. "Chishima-sensei, she didn't mean it like that. She's just joking..."
"There's no need for that, Kondo. I've seen how efficient you both are. Honestly, I agree—the initial wage I offered was a bit too low."
Akishin raised a hand to stop Yuika's protest. He looked at Sakurai and asked gently, "Kaiko, what kind of raise were you thinking of?"
He meant it. He wasn't some black-hearted corporate overlord, and this shop was just a hobby. Yuika and Kaiko had taken at least half the burden off his shoulders; a raise was only logical.
Unlike the shy Yuika, Sakurai Kaiko saw that Akishin wasn't lying or angry. Realizing he was serious, she brightened up instantly. "Really?! Then... how about 1,500 yen an hour?"
"Fine."
Akishin agreed without a second thought. While that was a bit high for a small izakaya, their work ethic justified the cost.
"Wait, is that too much? Then 1,400... or 1,300? We can negotiate!" Kaiko blurted out, her momentum carrying her forward.
Yuika's face turned bright red. She had been shocked at first, but then she realized her best friend hadn't even heard Akishin's answer. Kaiko was used to bartering with bosses and usually won, but she hadn't expected Chishima-sensei to just cave immediately.
Embarrassed, Yuika tugged at her friend again. "Kaiko, Kaiko! Stop talking already!"
"Why? Did Sensei say no?" Kaiko puffed her cheeks again, swatting Yuika's hand away, thinking she was being hindered. "Sensei, 1,200 is my absolute limit! You have to realize Yuika and I have been in the business since we were kids!"
"Kaiko!" Yuika finally snapped. She stood up and delivered a swift hand-chop to the top of Kaiko's head. "Chishima-sensei already said yes! What are your ears even for!?"
"Eh? He... he said yes??"
Kaiko clutched her head, looking utterly bewildered. She hadn't even started the real haggling yet. This wasn't how the script was supposed to go!
Akishin felt a mix of helplessness and amusement. He shook his head. "That's right, Kaiko. I agreed to the 1,500 yen you asked for. Your hard work is worth that much."
This kid clearly works a lot of part-time jobs and knows how to squeeze a boss, he thought. Too bad she ran into someone like me.
Yuika covered her face, dying of embarrassment. Chishima-sensei had been kind enough to give them a massive raise, and Kaiko hadn't even listened, instead choosing to glare at her.
"I am so sorry, Sensei!" Yuika bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Sensei! I'm sorry, Sensei!" Kaiko followed suit, her reaction time just as fast.
Her actual target had been 1,200 yen; she only said 1,500 to leave room for negotiation. She never dreamed it would actually stick. But since she'd won, she had to play it cool. Yuika is too worried about appearances, Kaiko thought. Gengsi won't pay the bills!
Akishin found the whole display hilarious. Am I some kind of Demon King? He waved them off with a smile. "Wait here, I'll get your pay."
When the last customer had left, Yuika had already organized the cash and placed it in the drawer beside the kitchen counter. Akishin opened it, counted out two portions of 7,500 yen each, and handed them over.
"Here is your pay for today. Give it a count."
"Sensei... this is way too much!" Yuika said, looking confused after counting the bills.
"Kondo, I said your wages went up, so they went up. I don't plan on hiring anyone else, so I'll be relying on you two from here on out."
Since he insisted, Yuika finally accepted it. Her eyes filled with newfound respect—this boss was incredibly generous.
Kaiko didn't overthink it. She tucked the money into her pocket and offered a blunt, "Thanks, Chishima-sensei."
"Take these for the road." Akishin handed them two boxes from the counter. "I promised one meal a night, but it's late and you probably need to study, so head home early."
Seeing the elegant bento boxes, Yuika hesitated again. They'd already had beef noodles and a high wage. Even the normally thick-skinned Kaiko felt a bit sheepish.
Akishin insisted. It was just food, and a restaurant was the last place that should be short on that.
"Today was an exception. The rule is one meal per shift. In the future, you'll eat here, but I'll move the staff mealtime to 5:30 PM."
Akishin realized he hadn't planned the timing well. He was a night owl who didn't mind eating at midnight, but these girls were different. He had to adjust.
The girls eventually accepted the bentos. Yuika offered to stay and help clean, but Akishin sent them away, citing their studies. After confirming they lived in a small apartment near Konishi Street, Akishin watched them disappear into the crowd.
Kaiko had previously stayed with relatives in Chiba, but now that she had a stable job, she was planning to move in with Yuika.
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