Akira's POV
My mother had one rule about days off, which was that days off did not exist if the ramen shop needed an extra pair of hands, and the ramen shop always needed an extra pair of hands on Fridays.
I had pointed out once during one of our arguments, that a day off by definition meant a day off.
Her response however was that she had looked at me with the expression she used when I had said something that didn't warrant a verbal response.
Well. I was behind the counter by nine sharp.
The morning prep was familiar enough by now that I didn't need direction. My mother moved through the kitchen beside me with the ease of someone who had done this for twelve years and had the space fully mapped in her body without needing to think about it.
We worked like the duo we were in the comfortable quiet of people who had learned each other's rhythms.
