Chapter Text
day 1: holding hands
"We gotta do something about his tab." Iyo looked over towards Bando and watched the man stiffen from where he stood pretending to mop the floor. "It's already reached over 100,000 yen." A calculator was held up in her hand, decorated nails pressing against the screen to show the numbers so boldly displayed.
"Er." Bando peeked over his shoulder, a timid grin trying to spread on his lips. "Well, he...you know..." Taking the broom and holding it only in one hand, Bando scratched idly at his cheek as he turned to look away. "It's not like I don't think he'll never pa- "
"He's never going to pay." Iyo set the calculator back down, or rather slammed it down with enough sound to make her weak-willed manager jump, and she narrowed her eyes to further express her displeasure. Bando was a good man and an excellent judge of character, sure, but he lacked the spine that he seemed to depend on Iyo for. "We're gonna go into the red at this rate if you don't make him cough up some cash."
"Well you know...with his job...and..." Bando said, trailing off. He looked like he was ready to make a break for the door, or drop to his knees and beg for something.
"I'm gonna call his sister."
"Don't call his sister. How do you even know his sister's number?"
"S'not my fault if people leave their phones out on the table when they go to the bathroom." Iyo pulled her phone from her pocket, fingers rapidly scrolling through her list of contacts. It was important to have the names and numbers of everyone she might think to need in there just for reasons like this. She'd never met the kid's sister but she'd heard enough about her to make her already think in a positive light. Older sister raising a younger brother, working hard to provide for both of them so her sibling can 'be a kid'. Iyo respected that, but not enough that she wasn't going to rat out someone who had a massive tab.
Even if Bando was looking at her like he would rather take a bolt of lightning to the face than let her make the phone call. Even though she was going to make the phone call and there was nothing he could do about it.
Iyo hit the call button and watched Bando flinch. A glare sent his way had him shrug and turn away, back to mopping the floor she was supposed to be mopping (it was only her fifth break, he needed to chill), and she raised the phone to her ear to listen to the ringing. A voice picked up after the third or fourth chime, calm and clear.
Her cheeks pinked slightly at a voice that was a lot younger than she expected, and after being asked who she was (as well as prompted by a hello thanks to her silence) she introduced herself. "This is the fruit bar Drupers calling, about a debt...."
Several hours later, at the scheduled time that the two women had agreed upon, Iyo found herself looking at the clock and smoothing down her skirt. She should arrive any moment, that voice on the phone, and as the door opened and Bando moved to address the customer she zoomed past him. A young woman, a pretty woman.
Business attire, hair pulled back professionally. Neat, clean. Wearing a smile that her brother often wore, probably genetic then, and extending her hand out. "You must be Iyo. You spoke with me on the phone? I'm Akira Kazuraba."
Iyo took the hand extended to her, holding it in her own. It was nice, soft. Neat fingernails, probably would look wonderful with nail art on them. But could she have art at her job? What exactly was her job? Iyo was going to find out, oh yes she was. But for now?
"May...I have my hand back?" Akira asked, raising her eyebrow.
"No."
Iyo continued to hold her hand. This was how it was going to start.