Thanks to Gundam, my awkward relationship with Keiko from the other day had practically disappeared. It was surprising how a simple conversation about a shared interest could nd things so quickly.
---
"Morning!"
I turned to see Ruka and Miko, our chefs, entering the restaurant. They usually arrived earlier, so their timing was a bit off today.
"Oh, morning, Ruka, Miko. You guys are a bit late today."
"Sorry, we had to fill the stock first thing this morning," Miko explained as she walked past toward the kitchen.
"Oh, I see. Need any help?" I offered.
"Ah no, it's okay. We're good now, thanks, Ryuko," Ruka replied with a quick wave before vanishing into the back.
"Alright, anyti, guys," I said as I made my way to the staff area.
Just as I was about to start my tasks, I heard a familiar voice call my na.
"Ryuko!"
I turned around to see Keiko standing near the entrance. She looked... concerned? What was she doing here?
"What is it, Keiko? Why are you here? Isn't today your day off?" I asked, surprised to see her in uniform.
She sighed before answering, "Aki's sick. She can't co in for her shift today, so I ca to help."
Her voice sounded different—almost sad. And then, it hit .
Oh crap. Today was the day.
I had promised Keiko that we would go to the Gundam exhibition in the evening. We had even planned it so that Aki would cover my shift. But now, with Aki sick, Keiko had to take over.
I hesitated before asking, "What about the Gundam exhibition?"
Keiko shrugged. "Well, there'll be another ti."
"But isn’t today the last day?" I reminded her.
She froze for a second, then let out a deep sigh. For a mont, I thought I saw disappointnt flicker in her eyes. She really does love Gundam, huh?
After that, she barely spoke for the rest of the shift.
---
By 6 p.m., the restaurant had quieted down significantly. Taking my chance, I approached her again.
"Keiko, I can take care of the restaurant. It's okay if you want to go to the exhibition," I said, hoping to convince her.
Her eyes lit up for a brief second—she was obviously tempted—but then she quickly shook her head.
"Nah, I can't let you do this alone. It's my responsibility—"
I interrupted before she could finish. "It's okay, Keiko. It's not like the exhibition happens every day. Trust , I can handle it."
She hesitated again, her inner struggle evident on her face. Then, out of nowhere, Ruka and Miko popped their heads out from the kitchen.
"Yeah, Keiko, just go!" Ruka said, waving her hand dismissively.
"Seriously, we got this. Go enjoy your nerdy robot stuff," Miko added with a teasing grin.
Keiko looked at all of us, then sighed. "Fine. But if anything goes wrong, you're all taking responsibility."
We all laughed, and she finally gave in. As she grabbed her bag and headed for the door, she turned back to and said, "Thanks, Ryuko."
And then—it happened.
She smiled.
A real, genuine, sweet smile.
I blinked in shock. Keiko... just smiled at ?
I smiled back. "I'll let you know if I find ti to go. Sorry I couldn't keep my promise."
"It's okay, it's not your fault. Thanks for your service," she teased , catching off guard.
I stood there, stunned.
Keiko. Joking. With .
I had never seen her joke about anything, let alone joke with .
I had known her for 17 years, and she was always calm and composed, rarely showing much emotion. But this? This was new.
Unbelievable.
I was about to say sothing back, but before I could, a custor walked in, snapping out of my daze.
---
Finally, at 9 p.m., we finished closing the restaurant.
I sighed in relief as I stretched my arms. "That took longer than expected."
I checked my phone—9:05 p.m. The exhibition lasted until 10 p.m., but Keiko might have already gone ho by now.
Still, it was worth a shot.
I quickly said goodbye to Ruka and Miko before sprinting toward the exhibition, texting Keiko on the way.
"Hey, are you still there?"
I hit send, but the ssage didn't go through. Of course, now of all tis, my signal decides to betray .
The exhibition venue was about 30 minutes away on foot. If I ran, I could get there in 20.
So I ran.
---
I arrived at 9:40 p.m., panting from exhaustion. The exhibition was still open, lights glowing brightly, and a few people were still inside. However, they had stopped allowing new entries.
I sighed, checking my phone again. My ssage still hadn't sent.
Taking a deep breath, I scanned the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of Keiko.
But she was nowhere to be seen.
Damn. Did she already leave?
Just as I was about to turn around and go ho, I felt a sudden tug on my jacket.
My body instinctively reacted.
"AAGH—!"
I let out an embarrassing yelp and flailed backward, twisting my ankle in the process.
Pain shot through my foot, and I dropped to the ground, clutching it.
Then I heard a familiar voice.
"I'm sorry, Ryuko. I didn't an to surprise you."
I looked up and—oh my god.
It was Keiko.
She stood there, looking at with a mix of concern and amusent.
I froze.
Did I... just humiliate myself in front of Keiko?
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "Just bury here, Keiko. My dignity is dead."
She chuckled, crouching down next to . "You're so dramatic."
I peeked through my fingers. "Excuse ? I just got assassinated by a sneak attack. You can't bla ."
She rolled her eyes. "I literally just tapped your jacket."
I pouted. "You don't understand. I was in battle mode."
Keiko raised an eyebrow. "Battle mode?"
"Yeah, I was ready to fight a mugger or a ghost or so random guy who wanted to ask for my number!"
Keiko scoffed. "Who in their right mind would ask you for your number?"
I gasped, placing a hand on my chest. "Wow. Betrayed by my own friend. Unbelievable."
She laughed softly, then reached out her hand. "Co on, get up."
I took her hand, letting her pull to my feet.
"Thanks," I muttered, still slightly embarrassed.
She smiled again—twice in one day?! "You really ran all the way here?"
I scratched my cheek. "Well, yeah. I felt bad for missing it, so I thought maybe I’d catch you before you left."
Keiko's expression softened. "...Thanks, Ryuko."
I smirked. "You can repay by buying a Gundam figure."
She scoffed. "Dream on."
We stood there for a mont, the exhibition lights glowing softly around us.
I didn't realize it before, but sothing about tonight felt... different.
It wasn't just about Gundam.
It was about her.
And for the first ti in years, I realized—
I wanted to see more of this side of Keiko.
Even if it ant running halfway across town like an idiot.
And even if it ant twisting my ankle in the process.
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