“A university student’s life is basically like having weekends every day.”

Whether that was a lie or the truth, Cyberia’s manager operated under this philosophy, meaning that high school students worked hard on weekdays, while university students handled weekends. The manager told us, “High schoolers shouldn’t have to work on weekends—use that time for your youth.” But so far, I had let that consideration go to waste.

And so, it was a Friday night. Once I made it through today, a true two-day break awaited.

“Natsuki, can you take the register?”

“Okay. I’ll clear all the tables over there afterward, so can you handle the dispatch in the meantime?”

“Got it.”

With smooth coordination, we managed the busy restaurant floor.

Cyberia was usually packed with Suzakura High School students, but on Friday nights, the customer base changed slightly. The majority became working professionals in suits or groups in casual yet relaxed clothing. Since our establishment also focused on alcoholic beverages, it probably doubled as an izakaya (translator note: japanese bar) for them. I, too, wanted to try drinking at Cyberia one day.

Once I finished clearing tables and seating the waiting customers, the wave of busyness finally settled. A glance at the clock showed it was already past 8 PM. On busy days, time flew by like a joke.

…Tonight, I planned to talk to Tachibana Iori.

I had no idea how to bring it up. More than that, I was someone whom Tachibana Iori probably considered “not worth confiding in.” No matter how carefully I chose my words, it might be meaningless. But if I didn’t act now, I felt like I’d regret it forever.

“Thank you very much! Please visit us again!”

No matter what the outcome, our relationship would inevitably change. The more I thought about it, the more I lost confidence, so I was grateful for the distraction of work. At least during my shift, I didn’t have to dwell on it.

◆

“What kind of attitude is that!?”

A loud shout echoed across the restaurant. While handling the register, I instinctively turned my gaze toward the source—an elderly man with white hair had stood up and was confronting Tachibana Iori. The customer in front of me briefly glanced in that direction but quickly lost interest and returned to their transaction.

…Drunken customers causing trouble was a common issue on Friday nights. Usually, if we just calmed them down, things would settle quickly. Tachibana Iori seemed to understand this, as she continued speaking without showing any sign of fear. If it were Furubayashi, I’d be worried, but Tachibana Iori should be fine.

“Your total comes to 3,986 yen.”

“I’ll pay with Suica (translator note: a japanese prepaid card).”

“Understood. Please tap your card here.”

Even as I processed the payment, the old man’s voice remained loud. I wasn’t sure what had triggered the situation, but it was concerning. If I could just finish at the register, I could step in.

I stole glances toward Tachibana Iori—she was being yelled at with fiery intensity but still seemed to have some composure left.

…And then, it happened.

“…! Please excuse me for a moment!”

I rushed out from behind the register.

The old man, now heated, shoved Tachibana Iori’s shoulder. She lost her balance and collapsed onto the floor. The scene played out in slow motion before my eyes.

“Sir, is something the matter?”

I stepped between him and Tachibana Iori. The smell of alcohol hit me instantly—he was completely drunk.

I was worried about Tachibana Iori, but first, I had to deal with this situation.

“And who the hell are you!?”

The old man quickly redirected his anger toward me. He was just looking for someone to lash out at. I was used to this, but that didn’t make it any less irritating.

“My name is Yamabuki. I sincerely apologize, but you are disturbing our other customers. Could I ask you to lower your voice? Otherwise, we may have to call the police.”

At the mention of “police,” the old man hesitated. Even in his drunken state, he understood what that meant.

“I-I’m just having a normal drink!”

“Of course. As long as everything remains normal, there’s no issue. It’s Friday night—let’s all enjoy it with a smile.”

As I spoke, I briefly glanced at Tachibana Iori, who was still sitting on the floor. She was staring up at me in a daze.

“Where’s your table? Let’s head back together.”

Behind my back, where only Tachibana Iori could see, I flashed a small peace sign. I hoped it would reassure her.

…Perhaps losing his momentum, the old man muttered, “I can walk back by myself!” and stormed off. He returned to Table 13 in the distance. Ah, that table had ordered a lot of alcohol.

A quick glance at the register showed that a kitchen staff member had stepped in to cover for me. I crouched beside Tachibana Iori.

“Sorry I took so long to help. I was stuck at the register.”

“A-ah, no…”

She looked distant, her mind elsewhere. This might’ve been her first time dealing with such an aggressive drunk, and it had shaken her. It was rare to see someone this bad, so it was understandable. After all, Tachibana Iori was a girl.

“Can you stand?”

I extended my hand, and Tachibana Iori slowly took it.

…Her hand was trembling slightly.

“It’s past 9 PM, and things have calmed down. Why don’t you clock out early for today?”

I helped her to her feet and led her to the back room. As I passed by Mishima, who was covering the register, he gave me a knowing look—”I got this, don’t worry.” He was incredibly reliable.

◆

Once she sat down in the backroom, her expression softened slightly.

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t handle that well.”

“It’s not your fault. That customer was completely out of line.”

I didn’t even want to call him a customer. He had scared Tachibana Iori.

“If anything, I’m the one who should apologize. I should have stepped in sooner.”

…More than the old man, I was angrier at myself. I had assumed that because she was Tachibana Iori, she’d be fine. If it had been Kobayashi, I would’ve abandoned the register immediately to intervene. Why didn’t I make the same decision for Tachibana Iori?

“No, I was… glad. If you hadn’t come, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

The usual confidence in her voice was absent.

Of course. Anyone would be scared after being yelled at like that.

“From now on, if anything happens, I’ll be there right away. I won’t let this happen again.”

“…Is that because you’re my mentor?”

Tachibana Iori murmured softly.

I paused.

Was I protecting her because I was her mentor?

No… I had a better answer.

“Because I believe it’s a man’s duty to protect a woman.”

Maybe I was trying too hard to sound cool. But it was how I truly felt.

◆

I had completely forgotten, but I had planned to talk to Tachibana Iori tonight. But of course, she had already gone home.

Missing my chance was inevitable—tonight had been overwhelming. I’d just have to summon my courage again next week.

“I’m heading out. Good work today.”

Stepping outside through the employee exit, I heard a voice call out to me from the side.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Natsuki. I have something I want to talk about… is that okay?”