The business card was in the apron pocket. That morning——three days had passed since she found it wedged in the sliding door. Kinoshita Seiji, freelance writer and photographer. Miyano Arisu confirmed the rectangular shape of the card with her fingertips from the outside of the pocket. She thought about showing it to Majima, but today too, she missed the timing. Or rather——she didn't create the opportunity. She didn't fully understand why she was doing this. The first Tuesday of November. Hinata's evening service remained quiet even after eight o'clock. The usual faces occupied about half of the counter and tables. Arisu arranged small appetizer bowls while listening to the sound of the wall clock. The ticking seemed slightly louder than usual. It was that kind of night. The sliding door opened. A black leather jacket. A man entered with a Fujifilm mirrorless camera hanging from his neck. Tall, with semi-long black hair swept back casually. Sharp, gleaming dark gray eyes scanned the shop. A small piercing in his left ear. It was Kinoshita Seiji, Arisu realized immediately. She knew his face because he'd been a regular for three years. But until now, he had never directed a word toward her. He always settled into the corner seat at the counter, either writing what looked like manuscripts or staring blankly into his beer. Arisu had processed his existence as "the usual customer." He headed for the same corner seat at the counter. "Welcome in," She greeted him with the usual words. She brought out a hot towel. When she confirmed, "Will bottled beer be fine?" Seiji said "thank you" and then looked at Arisu. He stared at her. She realized he was observing her. Eyes like a camera lens. Maintaining distance, examining every detail. Arisu became slightly uncomfortable and directed her attention to wiping the counter. "How many years have you been here?" His voice came. Arisu stopped her hands. When she turned around, Seiji had set down his glass and was looking at her. His expression was calm, neither accusatory nor joking. Simply questioning. "...Seven years," "Seven years," Seiji repeated it. Without adding anything more, he paused briefly before speaking again. "[serious]Was that your own choice?" Arisu couldn't find an answer. She thought one should come naturally. Words that should emerge as a matter of course, but they were nowhere to be found. Chosen——the concept and seven years of time didn't connect properly in her head. She had found herself here before she knew it. That was the honest truth, but she didn't feel like saying such a thing. Seiji didn't laugh at that silence. He simply raised the corner of his mouth slightly and said only, "I see." At that expression, Arisu felt a strange unease. Neither denial nor affirmation. Simply observing. "[serious]Actually, I have something I'd like to consult with you about," Seiji placed both arms on the counter and leaned forward slightly. "I'm thinking of doing a feature on restaurants in Kagerou Slope. Would you let me interview Hinata? For a free lifestyle information paper called Machi no Oto——do you know it? It's a monthly magazine that introduces restaurants and miscellaneous shops in the city," At that moment, Majima came out from the back. He seemed to have been going back and forth between the second and first floors checking stock, holding a ledger in his hand. Hearing Seiji's words, Majima's face brightened immediately. "[excited]That sounds great, absolutely! We'd love something like that," It was decided in an instant. Then, Majima suddenly looked at Arisu. "That's fine with you, right, Arisu?" he said in a tone that was either confirming or conveying a foregone conclusion. She couldn't find words to refuse. She searched, but nothing came. Arisu nodded. ——It happened again. The interview the next morning began with lunch prep. Seiji sat at the corner of the counter, his camera resting on the table, his eyes following Arisu's movements. Before photographing, he was simply watching. Each time his gaze landed on her back, her skin felt a slight flutter. It wasn't an unpleasant sensation. It was simply a gaze that made it clear she was being observed. "[serious]What was your dream for the future when you were a child?" She answered while preparing dashi stock. "Nothing in particular..." A pause opened. A feeling that she should say something arose, and her mouth moved. "I might have thought about things like becoming a pastry chef, the kind of thing everyone says," "Might have thought, huh," Seiji repeated it as is. He didn't critique. He simply repeated it. That phrase "might have thought" suddenly sounded like someone else's words. Even though she had just said it. Arisu pretended to adjust the heat on the stove and turned her face away slightly. As lunch service was winding down, Seiji picked up his camera. "[gentle]May I take some photos?" Arisu nodded. She had lost count of how many times she had nodded like this. —– The second day was Thursday evening. A few regulars came in, and the counter became lively. Arisu moved as usual while being aware of Seiji's gaze. Yoshioka had left at lunch, and at night it was just Arisu and Majima running things. Majima was moving around handling the table seating, so the counter side was almost entirely Arisu's responsibility. "[serious]In these seven years, what's been the happiest thing for you?" While serving beer to regular Tanabe, Arisu thought. The happiest thing. Seven years. When she traced through her memories, what emerged was——the faces of customers. The faces of people leaving after saying it was delicious. The moment someone raised their hand saying "thank you, I'll come again." Those faces came to mind. "When customers said thank you to me...I guess," "That was," Seiji took a sip of beer. "[serious]Were you happy? Or were you happy that the other person was pleased?" Arisu couldn't find an answer. She couldn't distinguish between them. Whether she was happy, or whether she was happy seeing the other person's pleased face——weren't they the same thing? But the way Seiji asked suggested they weren't the same. Arisu couldn't find grounds to choose one or the other. "...I don't know," She said it quietly. Seiji didn't probe further. He took another sip of beer and directed his gaze forward. That restrained way of questioning caught in her chest instead. Even on the path to her apartment after closing, the question repeated in her head over and over. When she entered the walking path along Misogi River, a bench came into view. Her feet stopped. She sat. Looking at the river surface. The light from the street lamp wavered gently over the thin flow. ——Was she happy, or was it for the other person's sake? Why couldn't she distinguish between them? What did it mean that she couldn't? No answer came. But the sensation of the question not leaving her head was something she had rarely experienced before. Arisu pulled up her coat sleeve and folded her slightly cold hands on her lap. Only the sound of the river continued quietly. —– The third day was Friday afternoon. Around the time she finished prep and was starting to clean up after lunch, Yoshioka began preparing to leave. Seiji remained in his seat even after the lunch service had quieted down. Majima had gone upstairs to take a phone call. Only Arisu and Seiji remained at the counter. As Arisu was putting away chairs, Seiji spoke. "[serious]You're the type who can only feel your own existence value through being needed by someone," His tone was calm. He wasn't blaming her. But it was a statement. Words spoken with certainty, like a label an observer places on a specimen. Arisu remained motionless, holding a chair. She knew something had pierced her chest. But she didn't understand what that piercing was. Anger——perhaps. Sadness——perhaps. But there was a sensation slightly different from those, at the very core. A feeling that she had been seen accurately for the first time. Whether that was frightening or reassuring, Arisu couldn't judge. Keeping her back turned, she placed the chair in its designated spot. "[gentle]...That might be true," "[serious]That's what makes it interesting," Seiji said it like a murmur. Interesting. Arisu couldn't judge whether she should be hurt by that word. Was she a specimen? Or did this person genuinely have interest in her? As she turned around while checking the lock on the sliding door, Seiji was standing at the corner of the counter. She hadn't noticed when he had stood up. The distance was slightly close. "[gentle]I'd like to hear more from you," He said it in a quiet voice. "Not as an interview," Adding that, Seiji's hand reached out and gently touched the back of Arisu's hand resting on the counter. The warmth of his fingertips was warmer than she expected. Something deep in her chest pulsed strongly, just once. Was this a continuation of the interview, or——. Whether this person was seeing her as a specimen or trying to face her as a human being. Arisu hadn't been able to distinguish between those things over these three days. She tried to suspend judgment. She searched for words to suspend it. But. "[gentle]...Yes," Those words came out first. Seiji's eyes narrowed slightly. Whether that expression was satisfaction or confirmation, Arisu couldn't read. The sound of the sliding door opening came. Yoshioka turned back slightly while putting on her coat as she left. "[whispers]Kinoshita, um...be careful, okay, Arisu?" The meaning of the words wasn't entirely clear. Arisu answered "yes," but Yoshioka didn't explain what she should be careful about. The sliding door closed quietly. Only Arisu and Seiji remained at the counter. Arisu looked at the back of her own hand. He was no longer touching it. But the sensation of his warmth still seemed to linger there. Not as an interview, Seiji had said. Arisu still didn't understand what those words meant. But she had answered yes anyway, and she didn't fully understand herself either. The wall clock struck three.