Your Song

Chapter Forty | Weight

You turned the cheesecake around, seeing the ingredients and nutritional ingredients were crossed out—aggressively at that. "Oh."

"What?"

"N-Nothing. Did your nephew cross this out or something?"

"I did. And I don't have a nephew."

You chuckled, turning the cheesecake back around. "Right..."

"You know, skinny doesn't mean healthy." Kotaro poked your cheek. "You look fine. Miya sure thinks so."

"Kotaro!" You fake pouted. "Say that again and I'll pound you about your lover." He glanced at you, unamused, but quickly smirked once he saw your silly expression.

You swung your legs with a goofy grin. "Was it a guy or a girl?"

"Y/N-"

"How'd you meet?"

"I stopped teasing you about Miya already."

"Fine, fine!"

•••

"We're here."

"Huh?" You lifted your head and rubbed your eyes. "Where are we again?"

"Brunch."

Your eyes lit up, and you quickly opened the door, running around the car and opening Kotaro's. "Let's go, let's go!" You urged, tugging at his arm like a child at a toy store.

He followed you inside and the person greeting the two of you nearly dropped her menu. "O-Oh, you're—!" Kotaro slowly shook his head. "—new... You've never dined here before, have you?"

You shook your head, rather innocently despite knowing that she had hesitated to call out your identity.

The restaurant had slow, calming music playing and there were very few people, all scattered around on different mahogany tables with paled edges from rupturing the wood. It was a quaint little restaurant, even the chairs looked like the ones that would be placed in a cafe.

You only saw four workers: one working a small bar—also serving kid's drinks—another one walking around getting everyone's order, one making the food, and then the worker before you. They weren't overworked, however. It was mainly elderly people around the cafe, with the occasional student that was only there for the wifi.

"I'll lead you to your table."

The best thing about this place was that it was mainly elderly people, who wouldn't know your name without maybe their grandkids. Sure, you got two stares from girls who were seated at the table in the corner, who were working on an assignment.

"Here you go." The worker led you to a table with two chairs on either side, right next to the window. "Tell me when you're ready to order, alright?"

Kotaro nodded and leaned back on his chair. "At least I didn't have to get to work the moment I get back."

"Yeah, instead that's tomorrow!"

He stared at your cunning grin and sighed. "Is this my punishment from you?"

"Yes! You could've at least told your sister to tell me! Or Shindo's mom!"

"I don't necessarily work under Shindo's mom anymore. I get paid by the agency, she just recruited me for the agency. Everything else was by me."

"So she, like, found you a job?"

"I'm her brother-in-law's step son's nephew, so I was sent to her. No one else was."

"Wait..." You sat still for a moment. Brother-in-law's... so Shindo's uncle. Step son's—Shindo's uncle's ex-wife's son's... nephew? "That's... how did you even come in contact? I know, like, two leaves of my family tree."