How many times have we had jumps in time this chapter?

  Anyway… because of the fairly favorable condition when we got the commercial space, it felt that for the most part, renovations would not take very long, and that the most tedious part of it is probably going to be the kitchen where most of the things need to be hooked up on.

  Indeed, I began spending significantly less time in Giotto's kitchen, because as it happens, I'm helping with our contractor to speed things up. Honestly, the only thing that's keeping them from hiring less laborers is that I couldn't split myself.

  On days when I don't have heavy work, I would be out of the restaurant on a barista training course together with a few from the crew. That being said, it has been agreed upon that the cafe for now would have a minimum of four staff and a maximum of six in which two would change shifts. It's not as if the cafe will be operating for an entire day or for the entire week, which means that when it is closed, we'll be in Giotto's.

  It goes without saying that things are moving quite fast, but not everything needs to be. At the rate at which the renovations are going, we are on track to finishing up in less than a month if we really put our all into it… but it's just the end of May.

  For one, I want to attend Anna's graduation not looking like a Japanese salaryman on the streets of Shibuya at way past midnight after the last train, and for the other, the soft opening of the cafe is going to be at the end of July. I say that, but while I'm assured that there is a bit of a window between preparations and operations, we need to account on layers upon layers of unexpected things that we can formulate a contingency plan on.

  Then, in one of Rin's days off, she decided to pay a visit on the soon-to-be cafe, and examining the entire space like I did the first time I inspected this place.

  "I guess it's quite spacious, now that I'm looking at it…"

  "You check the place like you also signed the article, so maybe you should have and got involved with the procedure if you still have ideas you haven't told us."

  "Not really. And even if I have any, it would just be extraneous input on my end."

  And there she goes again. Ever since she heard of the cafe's establishment, it's like she's on a perfect midpoint between wanting to get involved with the project and not. She would act as if she has a vision only she could see in the building, while at the same time not saying anything, and it doesn't seem like she's eager on sharing them anyway.

  I'm letting her be, but it really does feel like she's acting a little strange this way.

  "And you still haven't told me the meaning behind the cafe's name. Rei Hatsuna? Isn't that like a real name?

  I've looked it up, and I never got a hit when I tried to search for a name like that—not even on anime or manga. Or maybe you've just snapped and you're outright telling me you're having an affair with someone with that name?"

  "Have you been watching those brain melting telenovelas these days?

  You know, the answer is much, much simpler than what you're thinking of. Still, I'm proud with how I came up with that name. It just somehow ended up sounding feminine, which wasn't what I intended to."

  "Then what? Are you assuming that that's what our daughter's name will be when we have one?"

  Needless to say, the contractors were caught off guard by that remark by either being surprised or just laughing it off.

  "It kind of sounds messed up to name her after Reina, don't you think? Still completely wrong, though. Bubbuuuuu~

  But who knows if I ever decide to give the name a character design."

  "You better not take that as a win, Gamemaster."

  "That's a nickname I haven't heard in sooo long, huh."

  ? ? ?

  If there is anything I regret slightly, it's that I had to pay a small price in the midst of promoting the cafe before its opening, and it involves my principles of keeping my personal life private online.

  But now, the entire world knows that Capy_nina is from Orio.

  Not even Nagi when he was Michelo slipped up on that, despite revealing that we used to be housemates. But now, it felt like I got stripped naked.

  It may not well be that big of a deal, but that would be underestimating the internet. Or perhaps I am overestimating it. I've seen the ugly side of the internet when I was unemployed, and people are so quick to bring up the identities of, say, vtubers who have scrubbed their past footprint from the internet and wishes for people not to bring it up. And I don't know in what ways they do that kind of "detective" work either just for the purpose of fulfilling curiosity, or just outright ill-intent.

  Hell, I would be anxious but not surprised if some guy behind a screen has managed to make the link with my only appearance as Gin Sakato in YouCube and my identity as Capy_nina, and that scares me to think that it could happen despite me using a voice changer and all.

  But again, I really wish I am overestimating the internet.

  Tangent aside, I had decided to use my artist account to promote the cafe. I had to make so many excuses in the hopes of veering me away from the link of my two personas, but it was a risk I took because I wanted the opening of the cafe to be successful, and then sustainable afterwards.

  And it's not as if I was the only one that promoted it. We invited various Cotona-based artists and Stylo Studio staff even before the soft opening in a way where they are counting down the days before the ribbon is cut.

  But based on that promotional event alone, it looks like Hatsuna has reached people's eyes from Giotto's raw following down to the pull that the artists we invited brought.

  …

  "Are you really alright taking a leave for this?"

  "You know to yourself that you've had way worse excuses. Remember one time you called in when a pigeon dropped their bomb on your shoulder right before leaving?"

  "But you know that the other side of the story is that I was so lethargic and was not life-ing right after I woke up. I would just be in the way in the kitchen if I forced myself to clock in."

  "Yeah, I get you… But there's no way I'm not going to be in such a big day, alright?"

  It was still quite early in the morning.

  I'd rather have things not go well later on than it going poorly from the start. The country just finally found its time to breathe as a typhoon passed through literally just yesterday that the roads aren't even dry yet.

  "You didn't forget anything, Potato?"

  "I've checked, and I've got my balls to power me through the day."

  "That was an unwelcome comment, but it seems like you're good to go."

  In my place, Rin did my routine of the house for when every time I leave for work to ease me of the worry of something happening to my home.

  Then, Haku lazily waved his paw at us as Rin closed the door… and from then on, I would have a very long day ahead of me.

  And yet, I am accompanying Rin on a stroll in which she has intentionally slowed her pace down so that I won't launch off on my own. There are only four hours before opening.

  "Nice weather, isn't it?"

  "What's with the off-the-book introvert question so suddenly?"

  For some reason, she elbowed me on my side.

  "See, your mind's all over the place that you can't even tell that the weather today is actually quite good."

  "H-Huh…"

  It's just July, and there are more storms to come in the following months in the midst of the still hot weather. And yet, I didn't even realize that the passing of the typhoon left a cold air in this morning.

  Then, I looked up and found that the sky is as blue as it could ever be. I didn't even bother to check the weather, which I never miss after I wake up.

  Who would have thought that an elbow was enough for me to realize that I've been far too detached from the world recently?

  "I never really had a normal high school life, now that it crossed my mind again."

  "Duh, you started working so early that you didn't really have time to act like a high school kid that can hang around whenever they want to."

  "Maybe it's too late to ask, but did that make you feel lonely?"

  "If we were not neighbors, yes, so thank goodness for that.

  Well, how about that? Still got a lot of stuff in your mind?"

  "It feels a bit clearer now. Seriously, do you open some kind of latch on my head and take a look at my brain when we sleep?"

  "How can I open something that is unhinged?"

  I feel like she said that literally, and figuratively.

  But due to so many things happening all at once in the past few months of building the cafe from start to finish, it all got jumbled up in my head… especially the numbers, the spreadsheets, and the numbers.

  And all it took is one lady of the present to bring me back. It was as if her wordless footsteps are telling me that what matters the most right now is what is going to happen today.

  Do I know if she anticipated this happening that she had to free up her day for this? I don't.

  If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  The young golden light shone at the building and the signage of Hatsuna as it reflects on the parts of the road that are still damp. We then went to the back of the building and entered the cafe from there to see the sunlight barely peeking through at the still dark main area of the first floor.

  The place was by no means tidy even a few hours before Hatsuna makes its debut, but Rin immediately grabbed a broom while I unlock the front from the inside.

  The first thing to break the silence around the vicinity was the clatter of the shutters opening halfway that already made the interior brighter with the lights still off. Immediately, my framed pencil drawing that I nabbed from school has come in sight on the wall together with a few artworks, reliefs, and even a wood and epoxy wall piece that looks identical to the tables in an area of the cafe.

  Suddenly, things became hectic with the arrival of the crew one by one, and with the other Giotto's staff chiming in. And in a matter of three hours, the blank building of the cafe suddenly transformed into one befitting of an establishment in its opening day.

  With things tidied up, Rin came out to the main area with my camera that she borrowed from me and started taking pictures. She was so meticulous with every shot that it's reminding me of her behavior when she sees the cafe in the past. For one, the website has already been loaded with pictures of the place courtesy of Shiro, so I don't exactly know where her memory card is going to.

  "I've worked with her a few times in the past, but your partner sure is completely different now compared to then. How have we never hired her?"

  Suddenly, the head barista appeared behind me with his arm on my shoulder.

  "Sorry to say, but she finds it easier when her workplace doesn't have family members. She's the boss' sister-in-law after all, so I'd leave her on her own at Claude."

  "Seriously, she's working at a resto that big?"

  Any further words that our barista could have said just stopped registering in my mind after realizing that beside the camera hanging around Rin's head, she was wearing the uniform and apron of the cafe.

  "It's just a round neck shirt, but damn, we really made it look good, huh?"

  "So you weren't listening, you one heck of a manager. People are already lining up on the front, you know."

  A brief look through the glass door has told me that at least nine people are already at the front of the shop 45 minutes before the cafe opens.

  Needless to say, my heart jumped and ran behind the counter to update the cafe's social media.

  "Did the drone clearance got through last minute by chance?"

  "Nope, no matter how many times I looked at the sector's management email, they rejected it."

  "Then please check if all the QR codes are working. Rin, can you load up the playlist I just sent you?"

  "On it."

  As things are starting to pick up, I could not help myself but browse through the few posts under a hashtag we made in Witter, and I could see a picture of the cafe's front posted there with a paper cutout of an Instanyan post template with a drawing of a capybara wearing a cap, pointing at the building.

  "I can't believe that actually worked… and they're actually not bots."

  I didn't think that the risk I took would somewhat pay off. Orion viewers of Capy_nina suddenly came out in droves after I promoted so hard that my illustrator persona may as well be an ambassador of the cafe. I then invited them to bring with them a free printable cutout that I provided if they are going to come to the opening, and now my thumb hurts from replying to each and every one of the posts with them.

  I suppose, when I started to see what I envisioned this cafe to be in full, I began getting carried away as my motivation and dedication to this business went up.

  Minutes pass by and the time is inching closer and closer to the doors of the cafe opening. In a rush, Hiro and Sean came in from the back door. The music gradually became louder on the speakers outside, as plenty of people await beyond the ribbon separating them from the cafe.

  "Ten minutes!" across the entire cafe, Rin's voice reverberated as the second hand of the clock hits 10 before ten in the morning.

  "Let's break a leg, yeah?"

  On my left, Sean was there, and on my right was Hiro with a small briefcase on his hand.

  "Shall we go, manager?"

  It never will not feel strange that I am standing in the middle of my bosses. Regardless, after stalling for a minute, we stepped out to the front of the shop, seeing not only many eyes but also cellphones raised presumably with their cameras open.

  From behind one of the speakers, Sean took a microphone and immediately handed it to me.

  "Ah, ahh. Sound check… Phew…

  To everyone that came here to Rei Hatsuna's opening, I thank you for giving us your time in this special day.

  I am Gin, the manager who the Karens will probably call for, and beside me are… this sounds weird for me to say, but they're my fellow co-owners of the cafe. Well, they're technically still my bosses, but anyway!"

  We know our target market, and I knew that that humor would align to them.

  "Welcome to Rei Hatsuna. Let's just say that this cafe is a younger sibling to Giotto's across the road there, but in contrast to the fast pace of Giotto's, we aim to provide you a calm or chill space where you can take your time to immerse yourself with the food, drinks, and the things we would like you to see.

  We worked hard on making a menu that would suit your taste, but beside that, we want to be known as not just a cafe. We want Rei Hatsuna to be known not only be customers, but also creators.

  If any of you here are artists or craftsmen, we would like to collaborate with you. What you will see all around the cafe proper will be works of creators we collaborated with, as we would like them to be acknowledged and find opportunities.

  I do see some of those artists in the crowd, and I would like to express my gratitude for working with us.

  Well then… I hope you enjoy your time here, so once again, welcome to Rei Hatsuna."

  With the mic off my hand, Hiro opened the briefcase as I took a knife from it, which gathered a bit of a noise. It was… I guess you could call it a ceremonial knife that was once the knife that Hiro first used when Giotto's opened, and is now used for special occasions but still properly maintained. Thus, I stood in front of the large ribbon and propped my hand gripping the knife over it.

  As the crowd silenced, my wrist weakly flicked down as if it only swung on air, but before everyone knew it, the ribbon has already been split.

  The doors of Rei Hatsuna then opened for business.

  …

  I wish I could see the main cafe area, but due to the influx of people, I couldn't leave the kitchen as orders are consistently coming.

  But even from there, there are some things I could hear coming from outside.

  "Um, excuse me… Can I ask what this QR code is for?"

  "Ah, yes, gladly."

  In part of Rin's help for the day, she was mostly doing waitering work, but it prompted me to stop in the kitchen and step out because I forgot to clearly explain to Rin why there are two QR codes in every table. But before I could even get close…

  "This first code is for our e-menu, while the other code actually redirects to a page in our website where it showcases the displays of the creators we worked with. It shows their profile, description of their works present here, as well as contact information and links that lead to their accounts or shops.

  Also, ma'am, the table you are sitting at right now is actually made by the same person who made that wall display."

  "Oh, wow… This would look nice… I'm looking for a custom table myself, so maybe I can give them a call. Thank you, miss."

  "You're welcome."

  It was so natural that I stopped working for a different reason that I was in awe. Despite not being able to give her a concise rundown of the cafe's system, she absolutely nailed the customer service as though it was the back of her hand. All her help is greatly appreciated, but I didn't think she would go this far.

  …

  Several hours passed, and it's assuring that we haven't heard a major complaint yet. But as I would expect, the inquiry that Rin entertained was sort of an outlier. With customers that came after the ones that arrived for the opening hour, there was not much interest in the cafe's creative initiative. After all, in spite of Cotona very slowly being called a "creative hub", the market for artists in this country remains weak, which is why I personally get clients from Japan the most.

  But with that thought for me to ponder on once this business day is over, I set it aside for now and pushed through the final hours of the cafe…

  That is not to say that the day is over.

  At 5pm, the store closes only momentarily for an hour and a half. Once a requisite cleaning of the shop is done, all of us are spared with at least an hour of rest before Hatsuna takes another shape.

  As the sun goes down, the mood of the cafe changed mostly thanks to the genius of our contractors in how they set up the lighting of the shop.

  "One final push!" I exclaimed before the store sign flips open anew.

  But as I watch from the front of the shop, it is seen that the lights of Giotto's are retiring early to give way to Hatsuna's reopening. Then, some of the crew from the restaurant changed their courses and entered Hatsuna's kitchen.

  Now, Izakaya Rei Hatsuna is open, offering alcohol, and Japanese drinking food to come with it.

  At this point, it is already known that Giotto's is like a go-to for people who want to have a meal, with the observance of customers at lunch mostly being employees of nearby offices across several sectors. If that is the case, will there be a demand for the same types of people who would like to have a drink after a tough day at work?

  Mind you, today is only Monday.

  It is within expectations that we will not be able to get the potential number of customers that we may get if it is a Friday evening, but it would appear that Giotto's midday patrons came to the shop for the night with the reasoning that the resto does not serve alcohol, but Hatsuna does.

  Somehow, the shop was a lot livelier despite the fewer people compared to when the cafe was open. The smell of deep fry melded with the scent of beer coming out of the tap. Clinks of glasses were heard all around together with the noise of laughter and frustrated grunts.

  It was a surreal experience to think that this was a cafe earlier, and now this is a bar.

  "Yo, got any table for us?"

  The sound of the chimes came with the entrance of G and his colleagues from Stylo Studio.

  "I'll move a table closer for you guys in a sec."

  "Hard at work, huh?"

  "Much less than earlier, at least. This day is quite something."

  "While you're at it, we'll all have assorted skewers for now to start, then we'll have nomihodai when we're ready."

  "Of course you already know the menu before even looking…"

  For now, the shop fully closes at 10 in the evening, and the customers that come and go has gotten fewer, and yet the people of Stylo Studio are still going strong.

  And while the work has gotten so much lighter with fewer customers, I took the chance to review our socials and responded to any post that I can.

  "Excuse me! We'll have our last order now!"

  Finally it seems as though G's coworkers are finally winding down, and so Rin approached their table only for me to hear a strange question.

  "Actually, miss, how many staff do you have right now?"

  "Um… seven…?"

  "Then 14 glasses of craft beer, please!"

  Hearing that, I immediately helped on bringing quite a big order out. But when we brought them to their table, they refrained from taking the other half.

  "Uh, it was clear to me your table ordered 14."

  "Ah, well…? Yeah, we did… thing is… uh…"

  "Sorry about these guys. Seems like they had one too many drinks," G apologized immediately. "But what they're trying to say is that that half are for your staff."

  "Yeah… Yeah…! You guys deserve it… after a long day. Surely you all are also raring to go for a glass, huh…?"

  With how loud it was, heads popped out from the door of the kitchen, giving me quite a stare.

  I then pulled back the tray of glasses on my hand and turned around to put it on the bar counter where I took a glass for my own, walking back to the kitchen until it was bottoms up.

  "I should probably put a limit on how much a customer can buy a drink for each staff in our policies."

  It was my roundabout way of not saying no, and so one by one, the glasses were taken in the final minutes of the opening day.

  Gotta say, though, I'll stick to our beer supplier.

  …

  Half an hour after the store sign was flipped as closed, the shutters finally came down for the first day of Rei Hatsuna.

  The night has gotten awfully quiet, while only a few shops still remain open. But generally, the lights visible on the road are those of the street lamps.

  As the cafe crew split up, a car from Giotto's parking drove to the front of the shop, with Sean inside as seen when he rolled the window down.

  "I'll drive you two back home."

  "You stayed this late in the resto? You could have joined us earlier."

  "I was still doing work anyway. Hiro also wanted to stay, but you know… father duties."

  "Ah."

  After a grueling 16 hours, we're finally back to our home, where we were welcomed by Haku generously turning on the AC for us minutes before we returned.

  "I'll go take a shower next door and join you tonight… I think I'll also take the leave tomorrow and just chill down."

  "Hahh, I wish I could do that. Tomorrow is literally just another Tuesday for me."

  "Stay strong, Tenchou… At least you won't have to be up so early."

  Today truly is one of the days of all time.

  Thinking about it, this has probably been the biggest project I have undertaken. I've seen myself take part on quite big things just like the mural we did in northern Cotona, but there is something entirely different when you see for yourself several months of work fall into place in one single point.

  I've never been involved in something of this scale until now, and seeing myself progress from being doubtful to passionate is a sentiment to how I eventually began to see this endeavor as a single work of art.

  "Oh, right…"

  Lying around before the television shelf, I unrolled a large sheet of paper down to a glass surface of a picture frame and clipped the backboard into place once more.

  I know I said that it does not feel right to hang the drawing I made in my third year in this house, especially next to something so special. In hindsight to all the things in my life that came after that drawing, its story felt so meager, and dare I say meaningless.

  Now, I feel like I can finally put something beside Eijiro's magnum opus.

  It was the same graphite, but it felt as if every stroke held its own weight and its own story. And born from those hundreds of lines was a sketch of Rei Hatsuna's front facade drawn over the still visible perspective guidelines I drafted some time before this very day.

  "Damn, I still can't get a one-up on you, Uncle."

  Today and the preceding moments have been incredibly stressful not only for me, but also to everyone involved. Yet, all that work amounted to a successful time.

  And when I think about it, this level of stress is something I would take rather than all the suffering I've been through in this life.

  It only took two decades, but it seems that things are finally, finally looking up.

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