How We Met Again

Chapter 9: Ice Cream Fixes Everything, Right?

The next two weeks passed without incident. Yotsuba and I continued to meet after school every day to study in the library, and Itsuki and I continued to have an amicable relationship in our classroom -- if anything, since we'd had lunch together, I almost felt like she was a completely different person. She was much more friendly, to the point where I overheard at least one group of girls in the class spreading a rumour that we were madly in love and sneaking off to make out in abandoned classrooms.

Idiots.

The rumours didn't bother me, since I frankly just didn't care about what my classmates thought of me. From what I could tell, Itsuki either wasn't aware of them, or she didn't particularly care either. Our continued mutual apathy would, based on my experience, be enough to quell the majority of the rumours within a few weeks -- and so, like most useless things, I quickly put them out of my mind.

On Friday afternoon, I was in the library with Yotsuba when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw that it was an email from my dad, which was somewhat unusual. I used the opportunity to check the time, and then winced when I saw how late it had already gotten. Putting it away, I turned to Yotsuba.

"Hey, I've gotta head home. Apparently my dad has some exciting news for me."

"Ooh, exciting news, eh? Wonder what that could be. If you're the secret heir to a billionaire who's left you his entire fortune, I demand at least one ice cream!"

I glowered at her. "Says the rich girl. I should be asking you for an ice cream."

"Huh? Uesugi-san, is that your way of saying you want me to buy you an ice cream?"

"I mean, I wouldn't say no to one, but that's not the point."

"If you want ice cream, you should just straightforwardly ask!"

I shook my head. "You know what? Nevermind. I've gotta head home."

Yotsuba laughed. "Alright, see you on Monday!"

I left the school and made my way home quickly. Given it was "exciting" news, I wasn't anxious per se, but there was a certain amount of nerves involved. With my dad, "exciting news" was something good around ninety-nine percent of the time. However, lingering in the shadows was that one percent of the time where it was his way of trying to spin something absolutely devastating. I sincerely hoped it wasn't the latter.

When I stepped into the apartment, my dad was grinning ear-to-ear, immediately confirming that we were in "ninety-nine percent" land, and not "one percent" land. Internally, I heaved a sigh of relief.

"I've got some really great news for you, kid! Come on in, let's have dinner, and I'll tell you both!"

I put my school bag away, and sat down at the table, where Raiha served curry that she'd made. It was pretty spicy, but not overwhelmingly so -- she'd done a good job of balancing the spice and the flavour.

"So, what's the news, Dad?"

My father's grin, if possible, got even wider. "Your old Dad got a promotion at work!"

I dropped my chopsticks in shock.

"Wait, really? That's amazing! What's the promotion?"

"Way to go, Dad!" Raiha yelled, curry on her face.

"So, you know how I told you a few months ago about that manager who got fired for... inappropriate acts in the break room?"

"Ah... yes," I said, glancing aside. My dad had described the event in only vague terms because of Raiha's presence, but from what I'd gathered, a manager had brought his girlfriend into the work break room after hours and had gotten... frisky with her. He had apparently forgotten that there was a surveillance camera in the corner of the room. His termination had increased the workload of everybody left behind, something my father had complained about incessantly since then.