Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Tales from the Café

Although she was saying this in apology, she did not conceal her amusement. Also, judging by the man’s red face, he was embarrassed to have reacted in such a way.

‘I’m sorry…’ he said in a small voice.

‘Oh, no need to apologize,’ Kiyoshi replied.

They look happy , he thought.

‘Have you come to meet someone?’ Kaname asked.

‘Yes, I have,’ he replied.

Kaname looked around the empty cafe and showed a sympathetic face.

‘It’s all right. I know what time she arrives…’ He looked at the middle of the three clocks on the wall as he spoke, to reassure her that he knew what the actual time was and when the person he was waiting for was due.

‘Oh, I see. That’s good, then…’

She smiled, looking relieved.

The man standing in the background was still regarding Kiyoshi as something mysterious. Kiyoshi had a question.

‘Hasn’t your husband ever seen you pour the coffee?’ There was still a little time before Kimiko would come. He couldn’t resist asking Kaname, Kazu’s mother, some questions.

‘My husband only helps out when he has a day off from work. Also, it is currently no longer possible to return to the past under my pouring,’ she replied.

That’s the same expression that Kazu used.

‘It is not possible to return to the past when you pour the coffee? Why is that?’ Kiyoshi found himself asking. It was like the detective in him had been switched on. In his mind, he was smiling at his inability to refrain from asking questions whenever he was the slightest bit unclear on anything.

In reply, Kaname placed her hand on her stomach.

‘Because of my baby…’ She smiled happily.

‘Really? Why is that?’

‘When a pourer becomes pregnant with a girl, the pourer’s power is transferred to the baby…’

Kiyoshi’s eyes opened in surprise.

‘Is it right that your daughter will be able to pour coffee to return people to the past when she turns seven?’

‘Yes. That’s right! You’re quite well informed, aren’t you?’

Kiyoshi was no longer listening.

Kazu is pregnant. Yet she didn’t seem the least bit happy.

If Kazu had been happy about her pregnancy, he thought he would have seen at least a smile like the one Kaname gave standing before him.

Maybe that’s because…

A certain thought struck Kiyoshi’s heart.

At that moment…

As the doorbell rang, the clock on the wall chimed.

Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong…

It was the time when Kimiko would arrive.

Immersed in thoughts of Kazu and Kimiko, Kiyoshi’s mind was racing.

‘It seems the person you are waiting for has arrived.’

While hearing Kaname’s relieved tone, he took a deep breath and decided to do what he came to do.

‘I can do this…’

Upon observing Kiyoshi mutter this, Kaname signalled with a wink to her husband to go to the back room. She was not willing to risk him becoming a distraction for whoever Kiyoshi had come to meet.

No one had yet entered the cafe, but clearly someone was there.

… Will Kimiko recognize me?

Kiyoshi’s heart was beginning to race.

Kimiko did not know that this was a cafe where you could return to the past. There was therefore no chance that she could imagine the possibility of a sixty-year-old Kiyoshi coming to see her. So, she definitely would not recognize him.

But, just to be sure, he adjusted his tattered hunting cap so that it fitted more snugly on his head as he waited.

‘Hello, welcome,’ Kaname’s voice rang out.

Then a moment later Kimiko entered.

Kiyoshi looked up ever so slightly to get a glimpse of her. She was glancing around the cafe. Then, after slowly removing her thin spring coat, she sat down at the middle of the three tables. Several cherry blossom petals fell from her shoulders and fluttered to the floor. When Kiyoshi looked up, he could see her face front on.

Kaname served Kimiko a glass of water.

‘Could I have a coffee, please?’ she requested.

‘Hot coffee?’

‘Yes, please.’

‘One hot coffee coming right up.’

As Kaname took the order she glanced over at Kiyoshi. As they locked eyes, she smiled and turned to Kimiko.

‘We freshly grind the beans when we make coffee, if you don’t mind waiting?’ she asked with a hint of excitement in her voice.

‘Yes, that’s fine. I’m waiting for someone, anyway,’ Kimiko replied pleasantly.

‘Well then, please relax and enjoy your stay here.’

Kaname looked over at Kiyoshi as she said this. She walked back to the kitchen, seemingly enjoying herself. This left just Kiyoshi and Kimiko in the room. The way they were seated meant they could look at each other. Kiyoshi reached for the cup in front of him and pretended to drink as he studied Kimiko’s face.

Thirty years ago had been the peak of Japan’s financial boom, and a wide selection of fashions had been in the stores. The women of that time could be seen parading around the city wearing colourful and elaborate clothes. Kimiko, however, was not interested in fashion. That day, under her light coat, she wore a plain outfit: a brown jumper over a grey trouser suit. Nevertheless, her straight posture and shoulder-length hair tied up at the back gave her a dignified air.

From under the peak of his hunting cap, he looked again, this time immediately locking eyes with Kimiko. She smiled at him.

‘Hello,’ she said.

Kimiko was not shy. If the other person was advanced in age, she would always be the first to offer a greeting. Kiyoshi nodded in return. She didn’t seem to have noticed that it was Kiyoshi as an old man sitting in front of her.

It looks like things will go smoothly…

Kiyoshi decided to go ahead.

‘Are you Kimiko Manda?’ he asked.

‘Huh?’

Kimiko was startled that an old man she didn’t know had called her name.

‘Yes, that’s right… and, who are you?’ she answered. As you would expect from someone cut out to be a police officer, she responded to the unexpected situation with calm.

‘Well actually, a man called Kiyoshi Manda gave me this to give to you…’

‘That’s from my husband?’

‘Yes.’

Upon saying this, Kiyoshi looked like he was about to stand up from the chair to give her the present.

‘Aahh! Aahh! Sir!’ someone shrieked loudly in alarm at Kiyoshi. ‘Stop right there! You know you shouldn’t do that!’ said Kaname as she approached him with a hand cradling her stomach. Both Kiyoshi and Kimiko looked at her, startled by the sudden loud voice.

‘Sir, didn’t you just say you have a slipped disc and can hardly walk?’ Kaname said to him with a wink.

‘Oh!’

Kiyoshi had completely forgotten about the rule that while in the past you couldn’t stand up from the chair. If he had even taken his bottom off the seat, he would have been returned to the future by force.

‘Ah! Yeow! Ooh, that hurt…’ He hurriedly placed his hand on his lower back and feigned a grimace of pain.

The acting may not have fooled everyone, but Kimiko didn’t seem to suspect.

‘What? You’ve herniated a disc? Are you all right?’

‘Yes… I’m fine,’ he answered, admiring how Kimiko was so kind to anyone without prejudice. He found himself holding back tears.

Kimiko genuinely cared about everyone, and she showed kindness to anyone. During such times, she never hesitated and always proceeded with complete confidence. Some people thought her actions were those of a nosy do-gooder, but that didn’t worry her. She was always the first person to give up her seat on a train for a pregnant woman or an elderly person, and if she saw someone looking lost on a street corner, she would ask if they needed help.