“Mrs. Kinuyo is well! We’ve come into the café again today to pick her up another coffee and sandwich made by your daddy,” Kyoko said while holding up the paper bag with the takeout beside her. Sitting on the next stool along, Yohsuke kept his back to Miki, and slowly sipped his second glass of orange juice.

“Isn’t Mrs. Kinuyo tired of eating Daddy’s sandwiches yet? That’s all she’s been eating every day.”

“Mrs. Kinuyo says she loves your daddy’s sandwiches and coffee.”

“I don’t know why. Daddy’s sandwiches are not that tasty,” remarked Miki, still in a loud voice.

Overhearing the conversation, a towering figure appeared from the kitchen.

“Hey, hey! Whose sandwiches did you say were yucky?” It was Nagare, the café’s owner and Miki’s father. Miki’s mother Kei was no longer with them. She had a weak heart and passed away after giving birth to Miki six years ago.

“Oops-a-daisy, well, darlings, I think moi will go now,” said Miki in her camp way. She bowed her head to Kyoko and scampered off to the back room.

“Moi?”

Kyoko looked at Nagare as if to ask, Where did she learn that?

Nagare shrugged. “Beats me.”

Giving a sideways glance at Kyoko and Nagare, Yohsuke started poking at Kyoko’s upper arm.

“Can we go now?” he asked, sounding like he was fed up with waiting around.

“Oh, we were about to go, weren’t we,” Kyoko said, acknowledging that they should get a move on, and got up from the counter stool.

“Well, it’s time for moi to go too, darlings,” Kyoko said, mimicking Miki.

She gave the paper bag to Yohsuke and without looking at a bill, she placed the money for the sandwich and coffee and Yohsuke’s drink on the counter, including the second orange juice that Kazu poured him.

“The second orange juice is on the house,” said Kazu as she took the money from the counter minus the price of the second orange juice and started to press the cash register keys loudly.

“No, no. I’ll pay.”

“You don’t pay for what you don’t order. I just gave it to him.”

Kyoko didn’t want to pick up the money remaining on the counter, but Kazu had already put the rest in the till and handed Kyoko a receipt.

“Oh... Okay.”

Kyoko wasn’t comfortable not paying for the drink, but she knew there was no way Kazu was going to accept payment.

“Well, if you say so,” she said as she picked up the money for one orange juice from the counter. “Thank you.” She returned the money to her purse.

“Send my regards to Kinuyo sensei,” said Kazu, politely bowing to Kyoko.