ch41-ch60 · 041-ch40

Chapter 40: Rivalry of Affection

"Thank you very much!!"

After seeing off the customers who finished their meals, I wipe down the tables.

In the kitchen inside the truck, helping with cooking would just get in Papa's way, so my jobs are mainly customer service and cleanup outside. With just two staff members, we can take orders and handle payments at the tables, which saves time. I guess I'm being helpful in my own way?

After the busiest lunch hour passed and things calmed down a bit.

"Oh hey, Ai's helping out today too."

"Ryun-san, welcome!"

Yanagiko-san, who runs a beauty salon nearby, came to visit. She's tall and slim with sharp, defined features—she really does resemble Sumi.

"That apron suits you. With a poster girl like you, Rock Kitchen really brightens up."

"I'm sorry we're usually just a bunch of gloomy old men!"

Papa calls out from inside the truck while cooking, laughing.

"W-well, I wouldn't go that far..."

For once, Yanagiko-san seems embarrassed. I didn't think she was the type to worry about saying too much or things like that.

Anyway, after bringing the completed lunch set to Yanagiko-san's table, it's my break time too.

"Ai, you can eat lunch inside."

"Okay, I'll eat—"

"Since I'm here anyway, let's eat together! Bring it over here!"

At Yanagiko-san's invitation, I decided to take her up on her offer.

I take off my apron and sit across from her at the table with a panini and potato salad.

"But really, watching you, Ai's gotten used to customer service too. Well, I guess that's natural since you've been helping out since you were this little."

Yanagiko holds her hand about knee-height to show how small I used to be, but there's no way I was helping out when I was that tiny.

I might have pretended to help out since preschool, though.

"You interested in being a beautician? Having staff who smile and greet customers like you do would be really helpful."

"Eeeh, but I'm super clumsy..."

Cutting people's hair is something I can't fail at, and I'd probably panic from the nervousness.

While chatting like this and enjoying a late lunch, the customers had thinned out... or so I thought, when a woman who seemed to be the last customer came hurrying over.

She had an amazing figure, wearing a mature-looking black dress and large sunglasses. Her high heels clicked-clacked—she looked just like a celebrity.

The adult woman walked straight to the food truck, looked up at Papa inside, and called out to him.

"Do you still have paniniis?"

"Yes, we do! ...Wait, is that you, Sumi-chan?"

"Huh?"

Yanagiko-san and I looked at each other.

There stood Sumi, with perfect makeup, taking off her sunglasses and smiling somewhat embarrassedly.

"Ai-Papa, how did you know~~?"

"Well, I recognized your voice. But I didn't realize it was you until you spoke. You look very grown-up today."

"I was doing a photoshoot nearby. Weird, huh?"

Sumi puts her hands together behind her back and fidgets. She looks like such an adult, but that girlish gesture is such an adorable contrast.

"It suits you well. As expected of a model."

Praised by Papa, Sumi's face lights up brightly. That's great and all, but why has she been getting so excited while ignoring her best friend and aunt since a moment ago?

"Sumi, come over here."

"Huh, it's Ryunryun! And Ai's here too!"

I guess she wasn't ignoring us—we just weren't on her radar. She must be hungry from work, so I guess it can't be helped.

...Wait, why is Yanagiko-san leaning on her cheek with an expression that says this definitely can't be just overlooked?

"Ai, you were helping~~?"

"Yeah, instead of getting paid."

"Niiiice, I wanna work here toooo."

"You have that modeling job with your sister, don't you?"

Yanagiko-san puts her foot down, and Sumi gets a little irritated. With perfect makeup making her look like a beautiful adult, her presence is even more intense.

"Modeling's a part-time job too! I'll work the part-time job I want to."

"Don't say that! You'll just cause trouble for Rokuro!"

Snap!

Huh, did sparks just fly between them just now? That's strange, maybe I imagined it.

"Ryunryun's finee, your shop is nearby so you come here all the time, right?"

"W-well, sometimes, just sometimes."

I heard from Papa that she comes almost every day... but it's probably better not to mention that.

"I wanna come every day toooo!"

"Are you planning to skip school!? Obviously that's not allowed!"

"I don't wanna hear that from Ryunryun!"

They're not exactly shouting, but there's something about this aunt and niece that's really crackling with tension.

How did it come to this? Reasons aside, having customers on the verge of a fight is a problem.

"Hey, hey, you two, calm down..."

"Here you go, Sumi-chan. Sorry to keep you waiting. It's the panini and soup set."

Perfect timing, Papa!

Thanks to that, the uneasy atmosphere blew away, replaced by a sweet one... sweet?

"Waaahh, that looks delicious! Thanks, Ai-Papaa!"

"I'm happy to see you so pleased."

Sumi's voice is clearly an octave higher, and Papa, praised by his daughter's friend, gives an embarrassed laugh.

And watching them with sharp eyes is Yanagiko-san.

Good grief, the uneasy atmosphere had only blown away on the surface—it seems to have settled and remained at their feet.

...So why!?