Welcome.

Hello, do you happen to have a table for two available right now?

Two? Yes, please take the table by the window over there.

Thank you very much.

Is this the cafe you said you really like, Mochizuki?

Yes, I discovered it just recently.

Their tea and desserts are very good.

I really recommend their apple pies.

Oh wow... They have all these different types of apple pies on the menu.

Which should I choose? They all look so good...

What if we choose two that sound best and share them?

That way, we'll both get to try two types.

Oh, are you sure...?

Yes.

Thanks...

So, Mochizuki, is there one you recommend...?

Hmm...

How about this one with yogurt cream?

The sourness of the yogurt goes perfectly with the sweetness of the apples.

That does sound good.

Then, let's get a slice.

Okay! As for the other one...

Mmm! This is so good...!

Hehe. Yes, it is.

You were right, Mochizuki.

I never realized yogurt would complement an apple pie like this.

And this rum raisin one is also really good.

I'm glad you like them so much.

Anyway, now that we have our food, Kusanagi, once again...

Right. Nice work on the reading event.

Very nice work.

Everyone enjoyed it more than I was expecting.

Yes. And I have you to thank for agreeing to help, Kusanagi.

As challenging as trying my hand at voice acting was, I had a lot of fun... I think I sort of understand the appeal of acting now.

Hehe. That's good to hear.

But I think the most challenging aspect of all this was...

Right...

I wasn't expecting the children to be so rambunctious.

I know, right?! No matter how many times we told them to stop, they'd start running around the second we had our backs turned to them...

I honestly believe we wouldn't have gotten to the story if you hadn't come up with that plan, Mochizuki.

Hehe. You also did a wonderful job of ad-libbing, Kusanagi.

Oh, that reminds me...

Something sort of nice happened to me the other day.

Nice?

Yes. One of the children who participated in the reading event came up to me and said, “Hey, you're the lady who read that story to us!”

Oh, that is nice...

Yes...

She even said, “My parents bought me that book after I asked them.”

She's apparently read it a number of times with her family.

I see...

What she said reminded me of...

The sense of wonder I felt hearing it at that reading event all those years ago.

And I think we were able to get her to feel the same way.

Hehe. Aren't you glad we did our best?

Yes...!