I Can't Call Your Name

The next morning was Saturday, Kaito woke up, for the first time in his life, he was excited for a full day of work—mainly because he was completely broke.

As usual, he got ready and headed to Naomi's café for breakfast and a much-needed coffee before starting his shift.

But just as he reached the café, a sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks—he had handed all his money to Misaki the night before.

Inside, Misaki was serving a customer. Their eyes met briefly, and Kaito immediately pulled out his empty wallet, frustration clear on his face.

Misaki nearly burst into laughter but quickly composed herself, masking her amusement as she turned back to the customer's order.

Kaito, feeling completely defeated, climbed onto his bike with his stomach growling and his spirits at rock bottom, ready to start his delivery shift.

His frustration spilled into his riding. Every pump of the pedals felt like a vent for his anger, each one harder and more forceful than the last.

But fate, it seemed, wasn't done messing with him. Just as he began to pick up speed, he heard the unmistakable snap of the bike chain breaking under the pressure.

He skidded to a stop, staring down at the dangling chain in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Years of neglect had left the chain rusted and barely holding on, and it finally gave up on him that morning.

At first, Kaito thought the chain had just slipped off. He sighed, muttering under his breath, "Of course, this had to happen now."

Getting off his bike, he crouched down and grabbed the chain. That's when he noticed it wasn't just loose—it was completely snapped.

He let out a groan of frustration, his shoulders slumping as he inspected the damage. He wrestled with the broken chain, his hands quickly becoming coated in grease and rust.

After what felt like an eternity—though it was probably only ten minutes—Kaito threw his hands up in defeat, staring at the useless bike with a mix of anger and despair.

Pulling the bike to the side, he plopped down next to it, his legs sprawled out as he stared blankly into the distance.

He sighed, pulled out his phone, and dialed Touma's number. He held it to his ear, listening to the ringing, hopeful. No answer.

Then it hit him. "Of course! It's the weekend. He must've stayed up all night gaming."

Letting out a defeated groan, Kaito scrolled through his contacts. His options were slim—besides Touma, the only other option was Naomi, his landlord.

He stared at her name on the screen for a moment, debating whether calling her was worth the potential awkwardness.

"If I tell her I'm broke despite working day and night, she won't believe me. And if she asks why? What would I even say? She'll definitely make fun of me!" Kaito muttered under his breath, letting out a deep, frustrated sigh.

He shot his bike a glare, as though blaming it for his current misery. "This chain is beyond repair. A new one will cost at least 3,000 yen, maybe more..."

The hopelessness of his situation weighed heavily on him. He clutched his head in his hands, feeling completely defeated.

"I'd have to work the whole day just to earn that much," he groaned.

With newfound resolve, Kaito stood up, his expression hardening. Grabbing the handlebars of his broken bike, he dragged it toward Naomi's café.

"I've got no choice," he muttered. "Let's hope she is in her good mood."

As Kaito reached the café, he caught Misaki's attention through the window and gestured for her to come outside.

Misaki frowned, confused, and at first, refused to budge. But Kaito's persistent signaling eventually made her sigh and step out.

"What do you want now?" she asked, clearly annoyed.

"I've told you a hundred times—we shouldn't be seen together like this!"

Ignoring her protests, Kaito gently grabbed her arm and led her toward the back door of the café.

"Come with me."

"Wait! Where are we going?"

He looked down, avoiding her gaze, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Could you lend me some money?" he mumbled.

Misaki crossed her arms, her expression clearly unimpressed.

"And why, exactly, should I lend you money?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because you took all my money last night!" Kaito snapped, his tone teetering on accusatory. "Or wait, should I say I got robbed?!"

Behind the partially open back door, Naomi, who was about to step out for a smoke, froze at the sound of Kaito's voice. Curious, she leaned in, pressing her ear to the door.

Misaki didn't miss a beat, her voice sharp and defensive. "That's your fault!" she snapped. "If you keep acting like this, of course, this is the result!"

As their argument intensified, their voices rose, completely unaware of Naomi's quiet eavesdropping.

Kaito took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. "Look, my bike chain broke, and it's beyond fixing. I need the money to buy a new one so I can work today."

Misaki narrowed her eyes, still skeptical. "How much?" she asked with a tense gaze.

"I think 3000 yen would be enough."

"3000 yen for a chain? That's a bit much, don't you think?"

Kaito shrugged, his voice a little desperate. "These kinds of parts are expensive, what should I do?"

Misaki sighed, clearly annoyed, but after a long pause, she reluctantly pulled out her wallet. "Fine. I'll help you this time. But don't think I'm going to make a habit of this."

"Ok, fine, I mean... you're rich these days, so it shouldn't be a problem." Kaito muttered sarcastically.

After a moment of hesitation, she glanced up at him, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Well, I don't have that much on me..." she confessed.

"What? How do you not have it? You took over 8000 yen from me last night!" Kaito exclaimed.

"I took it, but I didn't bring it with me today. I left it at home!" Misaki replied, trying to defend herself.

Behind the door, Naomi, hidden from view, stifled a laugh as she quietly eavesdropped on their back-and-forth, clearly amused by the argument.

"Okay, then I'll go home and get the money I need. I'll pay you back tonight. Where did you put it?"

Misaki stayed silent, deliberately avoiding Kaito's gaze. She seemed to enjoy the discomfort she was causing him, and part of her wanted him to suffer, even if just a little.

"I'm asking you, where did you put the money?" Kaito pressed, frustration building in his voice.

Her expression hardened as she glared at him. "No, I won't tell you," she shot back. "You're still being punished. You'll serve your punishment."

Kaito was taken aback, his desperation clear in his voice. "What? Don't you see how bad my situation is right now?" he pleaded.

"It's your fault," Misaki retorted. "If your stupidity had a pause button, none of this would have happened!"

"Well, I completely agree with that last statement," Naomi chimed in with a sarcastic smile, stepping through the door.

Both Kaito and Misaki stared at her, surprised and tense. Naomi lit her cigarette and took a puff.

"So, you want him to serve his punishment, right?" Naomi asked Misaki, a sly grin spreading across her face.

"This is between us," Kaito muttered, his voice low and tense.

Naomi, however, ignored him and continued, "Well, I have an offer for you."

She took another drag from her cigarette, savoring the moment before revealing her plan.

"One of my night shift girls can't make it because her mom's sick. If you take her shift tonight, I'll pay you the money you need."

Kaito felt a wave of relief but quickly shot Naomi an uneasy look, sensing her sly move to turn this crisis to her advantage.

"Wait a minute, what? Isn't your place known only for its waitresses?"

Naomi ignored Kaito's anger. "Does this punishment sound fair to you?" she asked, glancing at Misaki.

"Don't worry, I'll make him wash all the dishes!"

A sly grin appeared on Naomi's face, and Misaki, now feeling more relaxed, shot a sharp look at Kaito as she walked past him.

"Alright, I'm heading back to work then," she said, her tone smug.

Kaito returned her glare, watching her walk away before turning to Naomi with a thoughtful expression.

"But... doesn't your café have a 'women-only servers' policy? Won't it be a problem if I work here?" he asked hesitantly.

Naomi smirked, and Kaito could already sense where this was going, his nerves kicking in early.

"Most of the customers will be drunk anyway. Besides," she said with a mischievous laugh, "even I sometimes have trouble telling you're a guy."

Kaito's face twisted in discomfort, while Naomi seemed to enjoy his reaction. After putting out her cigarette, she headed inside.

"Now, go take that wrecked bike of yours home and be back here at 6 PM. Don't you dare be late!"