Side Story: The Night of the Adults

At the counter of a bustling izakaya, Utahara Yumi sat alone, her striking beauty drawing every eye in the room. Half her beer was already gone, downed in a single, graceful gulp.

“Hey, that woman over there…”

“Whoa! She’s gorgeous…! I wanna talk to her!”

With her captivating presence and the alluring way she drank, it was no surprise that every man in that izakaya kept looking her way.

“Sorry, kept you waiting.”

A woman in an outrageously punk outfit—ripped pants, cropped leather jacket, and a thick choker around her neck—plopped down beside Utahara, her sharp, striking makeup accentuating her eyes.

“Hey, good to see you! Been doing alright?” Utahara greeted, her voice warm.

“Ugh, dealing with those hyper kids every day is exhausting. Seriously, give me a break,” Mamiya groaned.

“Oh, come on. You say that, but you always look like you’re having a blast, Akira.”

“…Yeah, I guess,” Mamiya admitted with a reluctant shrug.

Calling over the server, Mamiya ordered a draft beer, while Utahara, having just finished off her first, promptly asked for another.

“Whoa, whoa, aren’t you drinking a bit fast?” Mamiya teased.

“I’m fine! I don’t even get drunk,” Utahara shot back.

“…Right, forgot about that.”

“Well, Akira, you’re such a lightweight, so it makes sense you’d think that,” Utahara quipped, smirking.

“Shut up.”

The two clinked their beers—fresh off the tap—in a toast. Its foam sloshed lightly. After a hearty swig, Mamiya wiped her lips with the back of her hand and fixed Utahara with a curious look. “So, what’s with the sudden call to meet up?”

“Hmm… I guess I was just feeling nostalgic for our youth,” Utahara replied, her voice softening as she traced the rim of her glass with a finger, a faintly lonely expression crossed her face.

“Huh?”

“At school, you drank the coffee Juntaro brewed, right? How was it?”

“Oh, that? It was good. Tasted a lot like the coffee you used to make back in the day.”

“Hmm…” Utahara hummed, her gaze distant.

“What’s up with that?” Mamiya pressed.

“Well, I guess I just have a lot of mixed feelings about it. Juntaro’s really something else, you know? With just a bit of advice, his drip technique improved so fast, and he loves coffee so much that he practices on his own every day, to the point it’s almost surprising.”

“…Sounds like you back then,” Mamiya said, a hint of exasperation in her tone.

Utahara scratched her cheek, looking a bit embarrassed. “Maybe that’s why. I really want to cheer Juntaro on. But if he surpasses me, that’d be kinda frustrating, right? So lately, I’ve been feeling pretty conflicted.”

“…Oh, please. You look thrilled to death about his progress,” Mamiya countered, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, you caught me?” Utahara let out a cheerful giggle, perfectly disarmed. “It’s not just about being frustrated… I feel like Juntaro’s time to spread his wings is coming soon, and that makes me a little lonely. Since he brews coffee the same way I do, I really want him to stay and work at my shop, but…”

“That’s a tough one. A guy with that much drive? No way he’s the type to stay under someone else’s wing,” Mamiya said bluntly.

“Ooh, you get it right? I’m with you on that.”

“Don’t underestimate me. I’m a teacher, you know. …Same goes for Shizuku. Those two are the type to keep pushing forward, no matter what. And on top of that, they’re good friends who bring out the best in each other. Doesn’t matter what we do—they won’t stop. They’ll grow on their own without us lifting a finger,” Mamiya said, her tone outrageous for an educator. Yet Utahara knew Mamiya cared about her students more than anyone. Despite her sharp tongue, her students adored her, and knowing her best friend was such an amazing teacher filled Utahara with genuine pride.

“Someday… I bet Juntaro will open a shop that’s loved by tons of people. The more he interacts with others, the more he’ll understand what it means to care for them. I know he will,” Utahara said, puffing out her chest proudly.

“…Tch, of course, you would say something like that,” Mamiya muttered.

“Hey, I am his boss, you know.”

Mamiya didn’t fully grasp this “care” Utahara spoke of, but she understood the affection she felt for her students was probably close to it. “…Still, man, those two have it good… They’re totally into each other, right? Meanwhile, here I am, this old and still single as hell.”

“That’s ’cause you dress so tough—guys are too scared to approach you!” Utahara teased.

“Whatever. This is my style, and I like it. …Speaking of, why don’t you have guys flocking to you? You’re dressed normal enough.”

“I’m just choosing not to! I’ve already got my coffee as my one true love!” Utahara declared.

“Excuses, excuses. We’re in the same boat—single and pathetic.”

“No way! I’m definitely more popular than you!” Utahara protested.

“This ain’t about popularity, dumbass!” Mamiya shot back, and the two bickered loudly, their voices carrying over the izakaya’s lively chatter. Their dynamic hadn’t changed a single bit since high school.

“Ugh… what are we gonna do? At this rate, those high schoolers are gonna beat us to it,” Mamiya sighed.

“They’ve already beaten us… Right now, they’re probably confessing or something,” Utahara said, her tone half-joking.

“What… Seriously?”

“Juntaro seems clueless about his own feelings, but Shizuku? She’s all in… Man… that’s youth, huh?”

The two let out a collective sigh, the izakaya’s noisy chatter a stark contrast to their wistful mood. “…Wanna hit up a group date or something?” Mamiya suggested.

“Nah, let’s just keep drinking together tonight,” Utahara replied.

“Alright, then. I’m in for the long haul.”

“Hey, Akira.”

“What?”

“Since we’re both lonely souls, wanna move in together?” Utahara asked, half-serious.

“…No way. You’re a total slob when it comes to anything but coffee,” Mamiya shot back.

“Whaaat!?”

“Don’t ‘what’ me. You’d definitely make me do all the housework.”

“How’d you know!?” Utahara exclaimed, pouting as she threw a playful tantrum.

Mamiya shot her a mocking look, and the night for these grown women stretched on, far from over.