Aika stood behind the counter of Hikari, her hands busy with the espresso machine. The café was quiet, the last customers of the evening lingering over their drinks. Yumi sat at a corner table, her laptop open, though her attention was more on Aika than her work.
"You've been quiet tonight," Yumi said, her voice breaking the comfortable silence. "Everything okay?"
Aika hesitated, her hands pausing mid-motion. She had been trying to push the letter from Ryohta out of her mind, but it was always there, lurking in the back of her thoughts. "I'm fine," she said finally, forcing a smile. "Just tired, I guess."
Yumi studied her for a moment, her expression softening. "You don't have to pretend with me, Aika. I know that letter shook you. But you're safe here. We've got security cameras, and the police are keeping an eye on things."
Aika nodded, though the reassurance did little to ease her nerves. She glanced at the security monitor behind the counter, the black-and-white footage showing the empty street outside. Everything looked calm, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
As she turned back to the espresso machine, the bell above the door chimed. Aika's heart skipped a beat, but when she looked up, it was just a delivery person dropping off a package. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
"See?" Yumi said, her tone light. "Nothing to worry about."
Aika forced another smile, but her eyes drifted back to the monitor. The street was still empty, the shadows stretching long under the streetlights. She told herself it was just her imagination, that the fear was playing tricks on her. But deep down, she knew better.
Outside, Ryohta watched from the shadows, his eyes fixed on the café. He had seen the delivery person enter and leave, and he knew the routine. The café would close soon, and Aika would be alone. He could wait. He had waited this long, after all.