“About Miki, it will be her first time pouring the coffee. I think you can expect her to be a bit over-the-top. She will probably lecture you on all the rules. I’m sorry about that, but do you think you could just go along with it?”

Kiyoshi understood perfectly what Nagare, as a father, was asking. “Yes, of course.” He smiled.

A moment later, Miki returned from the kitchen and approached them, taking little steps. She was not dressed in the bow tie and sommelier’s apron that Kazu wore when she poured the coffee. Instead, she was wearing her favorite cherry-blossom–pink dress with a wine-red apron over it. The apron, which had been her mother Kei’s, fitted her well thanks to Nagare’s tailoring.

Miki held the tray bearing the silver kettle and white coffee cup unsteadily, her jerky walk making the cup rattle on the saucer.

Kazu stood at the kitchen entrance, watching over her. When Miki reached Kiyoshi’s side, Nagare spoke.

“Miki,” he began, “from now on, you will take Kazu’s place in serving coffee to the customers who sit in this chair. Are you willing to do this?”

He spoke with a reverent tone.

Finally, this day had arrived.

His innocent little girl was going to take on a special role. Judging by his serious expression, he felt like a father giving away the bride at a wedding. Miki, however, was taking no notice of what he might be thinking. She was putting all her concentration in not letting the cup and kettle on the tray fall. “Uh? What?” she replied impatiently. She neither understood Nagare’s sentiment, nor grasped the importance of the task at hand.

Observing that she was struggling with all her might to do the job of pouring the coffee, Nagare realized that she was still a child—a thought that made him happy.

“It’s okay. Nothing,” he said with a little sigh. “Keep at it, you’re doing fine,” he muttered, his eyes showing a hint of a smile.

Miki, however, had no time for his comments.

“Do you know the rules?” She had turned to Kiyoshi and begun the explanation. Kiyoshi glanced over to Nagare questioningly and Nagare gave a small silent nod. Kiyoshi turned back to Miki.

“Could you explain them to me? I’ll take the cup and tray if you like,” he replied kindly.

She nodded deeply and then gave him the tray. Holding only the silver kettle, she began to explain the rules.

As Kiyoshi was already familiar with the rules, Miki’s explanation was over in just two or three minutes.

She forgot to explain the rule that you cannot get up off the chair, and there were other places where she didn’t explain everything fully, but Nagare let it go. He knows the rules, so it will be fine, he thought.