It was a bright afternoon, and Yukito walked along the bustling streets of Tokyo, his steps heavy after two exhausting meetings. His stomach rumbled; the lunch Mahiru had prepared for him that morning was long gone, eaten hours ago. The humid and sticky Tokyo summer air added to his fatigue.
Yukito glanced at his watch; it was 1:30 PM. Time for lunch again, he thought, but he wasn't sure what he wanted to eat. Yukito was looking for a quiet place, hoping to enjoy his lunch in peace.
His gaze then fell upon a simple but appealing cafe sign. The name "Cafe Five" was elegantly carved on it. Without a second thought, Yukito decided to try the place.
Yukito pushed open the glass door, and the soft strains of jazz music immediately greeted him, accompanied by the warm aroma of coffee and toast.
The cafe wasn't too crowded; there were only a few patrons engrossed in their laptops or books, creating the atmosphere he was looking for.
A beautiful woman with long pink hair and bright blue eyes approached him with a friendly smile. "Welcome to Cafe Five," she said softly.
Yukito was slightly surprised to see her. He pointed at the woman hesitantly. "Aren't... aren't you Futarou-san's wife?" he asked.
The woman smiled faintly and shook her head. "No, I'm not Futarou's wife. That's my other sister, Yotsuba." She then politely introduced herself. "My name is Nakano Miku."
Yukito nodded, feeling a little embarrassed. He then bowed briefly as an apology. "I'm sorry. I thought you were Yotsuba-san," he said. "My name is Kambe Yukito. I'm Futarou-san's boss."
Miku was slightly surprised to hear Yukito's name. Her eyes widened a little, then her smile returned, this time with a slight blush on her cheeks. "Oh, so you're Kambe-san," she said, her tone a little different, more respectful. "I often hear Futaro mention your name when he stops by here."
Yukito felt a bit awkward with Miku's response, but he also felt relieved that the misunderstanding had been cleared up. He smiled faintly. "Is that so? I hope he only tells good things about me," he joked. "I'm looking for a quiet place for lunch. Is there a vacant table?"
Miku nodded. "Of course, Kambe-san. Please follow me." She led Yukito to a table in the corner of the cafe, near the window.
"This is the table Futaro visits most often for lunch here," Miku said cheerfully.
Yukito sat down and looked around. The place was indeed comfortable. "I understand why he likes this place," he said, then glanced at Miku. "So, you and Yotsuba-san are identical twins?"
Miku smiled and shook her head. "No, we're quintuplets," she answered softly, then explained further, "There are five of us sisters, and all our faces look alike."
Yukito was momentarily stunned. "Quintuplets? That's incredible," he murmured, a little amazed. "It must be hard to tell you apart."
Miku chuckled. "Yes, it often is. But we each have our own unique characteristics," she said.
Yukito nodded, still slightly awestruck by the fact of quintuplets. "That's very interesting," he murmured. Then, his gaze swept across the cafe again. "Are you alone here?" he asked Miku.
Miku smiled. "No, Kambe-san. I'm not alone," she answered softly. "I'm with my second sister. She's the cook here."
Yukito raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh, I see," he said, imagining how the five sisters managed this cafe. "It must be nice to work with family."
Miku nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Yes, we really enjoy it. Especially since we can share our interests and support each other," she said with a sincere tone.
"Alright, Kambe-san, what would you like to order? We have a special lunch menu today, or you can look at our main menu." Miku then handed a neat menu book to Yukito, waiting for his order with a friendly smile.
Yukito took the menu book from Miku. He flipped through its pages for a moment, his eyes scanning the list of dishes. "I'll just have the Donburi, and for the drink, plain water."
Miku smiled sweetly. "Alright, Kambe-san. Donburi and plain water. I'll prepare it right away," she said in a friendly tone. She then turned and walked towards the kitchen.
Yukito leaned back in his chair, enjoying the atmosphere, and waited for his lunch to arrive.
Miku walked lightly into the kitchen. As soon as she entered, she saw her second sister, Nakano Nino, busy checking the ingredient supplies in a large refrigerator. Her hair, tied in two pigtails at the back, swayed every time she bent or straightened up, counting each food item one by one.
"Nino," Miku called softly.
Nino turned, looking at Miku. "Yes, Miku?
New order?" she asked.
"Yes," Miku replied. "Corner table, near the window. He ordered Donburi and plain water."
Nino nodded, still focused on the ingredients in front of her. "Okay. I'll make it right away," she mumbled, starting to gather the ingredients.
But Miku wasn't finished. "Oh, and Nino," she added, "do you know who ordered it?"
Nino stopped, turning with an raised eyebrow. "Who?" she asked, not particularly caring.
Miku smiled faintly, a thin blush appearing on her cheeks. "It's Kambe Yukito," she whispered, her tone a little softer and more meaningful. "Futaro's boss."
Nino's eyes immediately widened. A long sigh escaped her lips. She looked at Miku with an incredulous expression, as if Miku had just said the most absurd thing.
"Kambe Yukito?" Nino repeated, her voice rising several octaves. "No way! Miku, you must be lying! How could the richest man in the world eat at a small cafe like ours?" Her face showed clear shock and disbelief, as if Miku was making up a ridiculous story.
Miku just chuckled at her sister's reaction. "I'm not lying, Nino. It really is Kambe Yukito," she reassured, still smiling.
Nino still didn't believe her. Her eyebrows furrowed, showing deep doubt. She glanced at the slightly open kitchen door, then looked back at Miku. "Then, show me," she challenged, as if wanting to prove Miku wrong.
Miku just smiled simply, gesturing for Nino to see for herself. With hesitant steps, Nino approached the kitchen door. She peeked through the small gap, making sure not to be seen by the customers. Her eyes fixed on the table in the corner, where Yukito sat.
Sure enough. The figure sitting there was Kambe Yukito, his handsome face clearly visible in the soft cafe light. Nino felt a faint blush creep onto her cheeks. She quickly pulled her head back, her heart beating a little faster.
"Oh my god..." she murmured softly, more to herself. "He... he really is Kambe Yukito." A small, almost imperceptible smile appeared on her lips. "And... he's so handsome. He's my type."
Miku, seeing Nino's expression change drastically, sighed softly. "Nino," she said, her tone becoming more serious. "I know he's handsome, but don't get any strange ideas. Kambe-san is already engaged."
Nino nodded, the blush on her cheeks not entirely gone. The news of Yukito's engagement two years ago had indeed caused a stir throughout Japan, given his status as one of the richest and most influential people. She knew that the woman who had managed to win Kambe Yukito's heart must not be an ordinary woman.
"I know," Nino mumbled. Although she tried to sound casual, there was a slight hint of curiosity in her voice. "I'm just... curious what kind of woman his fiancée is."
Nino then hurried to the ingredient counter, starting to gather warm rice, tender slices of meat, and various fresh vegetables for Yukito's Donburi.
Meanwhile, Miku returned to the cashier area, smiling kindly at every customer who came in or was about to pay, waiting for Nino's order to be ready for delivery.
A short while later, a steaming bowl of Donburi with an inviting aroma was placed in front of Nino. Carefully, she added the final garnish.
"It's ready, Miku," Nino called, her voice a little calmer than before.
Miku immediately came over, taking the tray with Yukito's order. With a friendly smile, she walked to the table in the corner of the cafe.
"Here's your order, Kambe-san," Miku said softly, placing the Donburi and a glass of plain water on Yukito's table.
Yukito nodded, his gaze shifting from his phone to the dish in front of him. "Thank you very much, Nakano-san," he said with a faint smile.
Yukito picked up his chopsticks, the fragrant aroma of the Donburi immediately tickling his senses. Without further ado, Yukito began to enjoy his lunch, relieved to finally satisfy his hungry stomach. The quiet atmosphere of the cafe and the delicious dish felt so perfect.
After finishing his Donburi and water, Yukito put down his chopsticks with satisfaction. His stomach was full, and the exhaustion from the earlier meetings had lessened a bit. He took a napkin, wiped the corner of his lips, then rose from his seat.
With a leisurely pace, Yukito walked towards the cashier counter. Miku, who was tidying up some coffee cups, saw him coming and immediately greeted him with a smile.
"Finished, Kambe-san?" Miku asked kindly.
Yukito nodded. "Yes, thank you. The Donburi was very delicious," he praised genuinely. "How much is everything?"
Miku smiled wider upon hearing the compliment. "Glad to hear that, Kambe-san," she said. She then calculated Yukito's total order on the cash register. "The total is 2000 yen, Kambe-san."
Yukito took out a few bills from his wallet and handed them to Miku. "Here," he said.
Miku received the money with both hands.
"Thank you very much, Kambe-san," she said as she put it into the cash register. She then looked up, gazing at Yukito with a genuine smile and a slight blush on her cheeks.
"By the way, Kambe-san," Miku began, her tone a little more personal. "I wanted to thank you on behalf of the Nakano family."
Yukito was a little confused. "For what, Nakano-san?" he asked.
"For the leave you gave Futaro," Miku replied. "He was able to accompany Yotsuba during her pregnancy. It means a lot to all of us."
Yukito smiled faintly, waving his hand casually. "Oh, that's no big deal, Nakano-san," he said. "I'm not a cruel boss, and besides, Futaro's performance is excellent. He deserves time for his family."
Miku chuckled softly. "You're too modest, Kambe-san. Not all bosses would be that understanding," she said, her smile still present.
"Alright then," Yukito said, feeling satisfied with the conversation. "I should head back to the office. Thank you very much for the delicious lunch and service, Nakano-san. I'll definitely be back again."
"You're welcome, Kambe-san! We look forward to your visit again!" Miku called out kindly as Yukito turned and walked towards the door.
Yukito opened the cafe's glass door, the humid Tokyo air feeling a little fresher after he'd filled his stomach. He walked back down the busy street.