It wasn't often that he was called to his original store these days. The flagship was their home territory, a well-oiled machine. Not to mention almost always overseen by trusted members of the family. If anything ever needed his attention, it was usually one of the new franchisees. That new store in Matsue had been a particular thorn in his side as of late due to a large amount of product delivery delays as of late.
No, the Sukari location was typically where he spent his days when he wanted some time off. To relax and just catch up with his neighbors and refill his tank for town gossip. There was hardly ever even a bag of chips out of place. So he was quite surprised by the worried call he'd received from the store that morning.
The call about his granddaughter.
"Where is she?" he asked the moment he entered the store.
The shift manager today, one of his nieces, pointed to the back of the beverage section, where the eight-year-old he was looking for was currently blowing fog onto the fridge doors, creating a temporary canvas on which she could draw little bugs into the glass.
He frowned. That was not the happy girl he was used to, not by a long shot.
"Do her parents know?" he asked.
"They were going to be my next call."
"Don't bother. I've got this handled," he said, making his way to the back of the store.
She didn't look up as he approached, only continued to drag her finger halfheartedly along the glass.
"Hey kiddo," he greeted gently.
"Hey Papa," she mumbled. And that was all she mumbled.
"What're you doing here? I thought all the neighbor kids were going to KanikkoKan today."
"I missed the charter bus," she grumbled, dropping her forehead into the glass.
He checked his watch, "It's still pretty early, you can probably still catch up to them."
"I got the wrong time."
"That's okay! It's normal to mix up times once in a while, even for adults! There's no need to be embarrassed," he smiled, offering her his hand, "Come on, I'll drive you into the city."
"I didn't mix up the time, Papa!" she finally snapped at him, "They told me the wrong time on purpose!"
He froze, his reach to her faltering.
"Oh. I see..."
She pulled her knees to her chest, dropping her chin onto their caps, "None of the kids at school like me."
He knelt down, happy to ignore his creaking joints to join and comfort her on the floor, "Oh sweetheart, I'm sure that's not true—"
"It is. They tell me. They think that I'm weird and loud," she turned to him, tears welling up in her eyes, "I don't get it. Everyone in town likes you and your store, so why don't they like me?"
His frown deepened, sadness and solace for his first granddaughter welling deep in his chest. Oh, he was going to have a talk with her teacher and her classmates' parents. They had some serious nerve facing him at town meetings when their spiteful little brats were bullying his—
"Maybe I should open a store? Do you think they'll like me then?"
The growing rage inside him suddenly stilled, neutralized by the amazing optimism she was able to find in even this darkest hour.
YOU ARE READING
Play Nice (Tomura Shigaraki x Reader)
FanfictionCROSS-POSTED FROM AO3. DubCon Warning! Tomura Shigaraki was her dad's boss's son. He was the creep that stole girls' underwear and tried to grope her in his room. But it's not like he could get her Dad fired just because she wouldn't sleep with him...
