You hate summers now.

Ever since you went to live with your older brother Kojiro to Okinawa for your high school studies, you’ve been roped into being his unpaid employee every summer. This is your third summer now, of getting up at the asscrack of dawn with him to get ready to clock in with him.

“This is child labor.” you tell him, tying the stupid little apron that’s part of the uniform around your boxy waist. The damn thing didn’t even fit you– it was made for an adult, not an awkwardly shaped teenager.

Kojiro laughs and ignores you, and disappears to the back of the kitchen in the restaurant. He leaves you on your own in the dining area, with just a rag and some table cleaner.

What makes this whole thing more annoying is that Kojiro keeps getting visits from Kaoru, here, too. You don’t know why they’re not dating already– you remember how Kojiro and Kaoru were in high school and college, and now, seeing them still dance around their feelings for each other is exhausting.

The frustration you feel is put to good use as you channel it into buffing the tables before the place opens, before Kojiro’s actual employees even get here.