The Proximation of Hello and Goodbye

17

Izuku looks around the cafe, a small frown settling upon his features. "What about Kacchan?" he asks.

Ena tilts her head, her eyebrows furrowing. "Kacchan?" she asks. "You mean Katsu?" Izuku nods, earning a cold chuckle from Ena. "So, he didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" he asks.

His friend sighs and walks past him on her way toward the break room. "Katsu left town last night, something about a family emergency," she explains.

Izuku freezes where he stands, "A family emergency? Is he okay?"

"He seemed fine when he left. He really hasn't said anything about it to you?" Ena inquires.

He shakes his head, "No, we haven't really spoken at all since... well, since that night at your apartment. Is he going to come back?"

Ena cuts her eyes to Akasuki and back to Izuku. The look on her face seems to turn from frustration to something a little sadder. "He didn't say," she frowns.

"Enmei? Sana? Rin?"

"He told me they were all going together," she explains. "Maybe you should give him a call after we talk."

"Right," Izuku answers awkwardly, moving past Ena. They all make their way into the newly refurbished break room and talk about how the cafe will likely start getting more business due to their new look and the small bit of publicity that came with the incident. What's more important, however, is the new closing routine and taking extra steps in the hopes of preventing something similar from happening a second time. That part of the conversation happens to be very sobering, specifically due to the amount of attention that Ena in particular is giving the topic.

Within the hour, the doors to the cafe are opening. For the first time since Izuku started working there, people actually seem excited to come in. There's even a line at the doors waiting as Akasuki unlocks them. Izuku meant to text Katsu before they started business hours, but he never really got around to it. Regardless, the thought is put on the back burner as he starts to take orders and make drinks. He's not sure he's ever seen them this busy, and frankly, he can't find it in himself to be upset about it. This is exactly what Akauski and her family have been hoping for, for as long as he's known them. It's nice to see that dream come to fruition, although the circumstances that brought them here aren't necessarily ideal.

The day goes by in a beautifully chaotic blur, Izuku not completely sure how the time has passed them by so quickly. They all pulled a double together, deciding that they all wanted to be there for the end of the day when the sales reports were calculated so that they could see how they did. Izuku finds himself decompressing on the couch in the breakroom, trying to catch a breath at the tail end of their closing routine as Ena plops down beside him. She exhales loudly, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder. "What a day," she groans loudly. "Who would've thought that all it would take for a jam-packed day is an employee getting nearly abducted and the store being destroyed?"

He chuckles softly at Ena trying to make light of her situation. "If we'd known that, I'm sure we could've arranged something sooner," he chuckles. "Maybe if it happens again we'll be global."

Ena laughs, "Oh, hell no. There's no way in hell I'm doing that again."

Izuku shakes his head, "No, it wouldn't be you. I think it's my turn."

Ena sits up and turns to look at him, meeting him in the eye. "That's not funny, Izu," she says, her tone and attitude shifting completely within a matter of seconds. He watches his friend carefully, trying to read her expression. He wonders briefly what about the joke tipped her off like this, it was rather harmless he'd thought.