Tiny Memory

The Crushed Joyfulness

Weekend evenings at Mokachino were always a whirlwind of activity, with customers streaming in and out, keeping every staff member on their toes. The bustling café buzzed with laughter and chatter, but as the sun dipped below the horizon, the crowd slowly dwindled. Eventually, the last customers bid their farewells, and the café's curtains were drawn to signal the end of another busy day.

The staff swiftly went about closing routines–tallying sales, tidying up the dining hall, wiping down workstations, and washing dishes. After completing their tasks, they changed out of their uniforms in the staff room, exchanging goodnight wishes as they prepared to head home.

Sakamoto emerged from the staff room, engaging in a conversation with his senior colleagues.

"Karaoke? Hmm... that sounds fun," he commented on Tamaki-san's invitation. "Yamazaki-san, are you coming?"

"Ah, count me out. I've got a movie night with my girlfriend," Yamazaki-san said.

"Eh..."

"What about you, Ueda?"

"I've got a plan after this...," replied Kenji, his tone calm and composed.

Soon after, everybody came out with a mutual decision. Sakamoto was genuinely looking forward to the outing with his colleagues, but just as he was envisioning the songs he wanted to sing, something else captured his attention.

There, at the end of the staircase, stood Yuuji. Sakamoto's face lit up with delight at the sight of him, and all thoughts of karaoke night were instantly replaced. He realised Yuuji had been patiently waiting for him to finish his work.

"Yuu—"

"Oi, Ueda! Your beloved golden fish is here!" Tamaki-san's boisterous voice pierced the tranquillity of the night, prompting laughter from the others.

However, Sakamoto's buoyant mood dampened. He masked his disappointment with a forced smile as he turned to look at Kenji.

"You're looking for him, right?" Tamaki-san asked Yuuji.

"Uhm, no... "

"Oh?"

Scepticism crept into the atmosphere as Tamaki-san and the others raised their eyebrows, mirroring the uncertainty that Sakamoto felt himself.

He couldn't believe it at first, looking back and forth between Kenji and Yuuji, trying to comprehend the situation.

"Eh, me...?" Sakamoto was confused.

Once the initial surprise faded, the others seemed to accept the situation with little question and dispersed. Kenji, just like the other, descended the staircase. And that was when he met Yuuji's gaze but remained silent as he went on his way.

However, the brief eye contact didn't escape Sakamoto's notice.

A pang of jealousy surged within him, but he quickly quelled the emotion. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself and spoke with a smile, trying to hide his inner turmoil.

"You usually just ring my doorbell. Is there something important?"

"Uh—"

"Or do you want to see Ueda-san?" Sakamoto playfully teased.

"Eh? Uh... of course, not! Can't I just want to see my friend?"

"Who knows? He always walks you home, heh?"

Yuuji's face turned a shade of red, and he huffed with crossed arms. "I told you, didn't I? Ueda-san's just occasionally tutoring me."

Sakamoto chuckled, noting how flustered Yuuji became whenever Kenji's name was mentioned. Although he didn't like the feeling of jealousy, he kept it only to himself.