Though I lived with Shi-chan in our apartment, on occasion I would venture back home to assist my mother with the tea house. We are a very close knit family, and even living away from home hasn’t changed that. Whenever one of her girls are out, I’m there to lend a helping hand. The day began quite early, mother had contacted me the night before to tell me that her waitress, Kana-san, would be out to take her children to the dentist. And though I wasn’t a morning person, the moment the alarm clock went off I was out of the bed-no matter how reluctantly. It only took a short time to shower and dress in the kimono that was worn at my mother’s tea shop. Before I was out the door and beginning in the direction of the bus.
It was a short ride, really. Though an entirely uncomfortable one, surrounded by people on there way to work. I felt a bit crowded and was more than a bit happy to get out of the bus in front of the familiar building I’d grown up in. A smile swept across my features as nostalgia touched me before I began on inside the building. “Ohayo, mama…” I greeted as I entered, grinning happily as the beautiful dark haired woman swept out of the back to embrace me in her arms. “Ohayo, Yu-chan!” My mother chirped happily. “Your just in time for the breakfast rush, ne? Lets get to work!” She patted my arm before bustling off. I had to chuckle, my mother was such a morning person. I was more like my father, who could sleep till noon.
But never the less, I settled into my work mode…moving around to help seat customers as they came in. A kind welcoming smile crossed my features as I dealt with each and every one, assuring they were all comfortable. The first of my customers was a familiar old woman who lives directly across the street. “Ohayo, Hana-san!” I greeted warmly, “Your usual table?” The older woman patted my arm, “Hai, Yu-chan! Arigato…Your such a good girl…” I cast her a shy grin before urging her in the direction of her own chair to take her order. I wasn’t to surprised to find she’d order the same thing. A traditional Japanese breakfast with green tea to drink. I bowed low before drifting in the direction of the kitchen to give the order before moving on to the next customer.
Orders came and went, most where very familiar because they were regulars. I’d found that most of the customers tended to be those that came on a day to day basis. My mother had built up quite a repertoire with our neighbors, and we lived in a place that everyone knew everyone else. My next customer was an old man and his young grandson. I’d known the boy since he’d been born and had to grin at how much he’d grown. “Yare yare, Hojo-kun….soon you’ll be bigger than me…!” I chirped and ruffled the soft strands of the six year old’s hair. The little boy blushed adorably and smiled shyly up at me. I had to grin affectionately before leading them to there table. There orders were taken as well. Again the normal orders, I was familiar with them. Very familiar.
The day drug on, and I worked tirelessly without break. It was pure habit, and I saw no point in ceasing now. My mother needed me, there was no one else to do it. And even when she insisted that I rest for a cup of tea and some rice balls I continued on. The tea shop was a very busy business. I’d eat later, I intended on creating Shi-chan’s favorite for dinner tonight. It’d be a big meal, I’d be fine till then. Finally the end of the day came, and waiting tables turned to cleaning off tables and doing dishes. There was no job I wasn’t accustomed to doing, even cleaning the toilets much to my own disgust. That was perhaps my least favorite job. But someone had to do it, and I refused to let my mother. She overworked herself as it was.
“Yu-chan…” My mother spoke up as she approached from the side. “You’ve done enough. Your going to exhaust yourself…I think its about time you went home to Shi-chan.” She patted my arm and grinned, “This is for you. “ She held out a small wooden box to me, causing me to blink as I took them. Carefully I opened it, only to find a set of Hari within. “Mama…what-?” I began, only to be cut off. “You need protection, think of it as a gift.” And it was with that, I was shooed out the door to head home.
803 wc
Gain: Hari
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