“Hi, Miki. It’s so good to finally meet you after all this time.”
Miki shot me a look before turning back to Keiko. “Uh… nice to meet you too. What do you mean after all this time? Did we secretly know each other before?”
Keiko’s smile faltered. “Uh… sort of.”
“That’s what I was getting to,” I said quickly. “Keiko’s helping out here, for free, so we’re getting a great deal.”
“Okay…” Miki’s voice carried more suspicion than agreement.
“And she’s a hard worker. Listens well.”
Miki narrowed her eyes. “How do you two know each other?”
I threw my hands up. “Fine. I’ll just say it. Keiko is the one who was pretending to be Reina all this time.”
Miki’s jaw dropped. “What the FUCK! Are you freaking SERIOUS?”
“I know it’s a lot to take in,” I said.
“Akiko, I leave you alone for a few days, and somehow you hire your tormentor? The one who pushed you over the edge and dragged this place down with you?”
“I can see how you might be angry,” Keiko said.
Miki turned, eyes narrowing. “Excuse me. This conversation is between Akiko and me. Out!” She pointed at the door.
Keiko stripped off her apron and left the restaurant without protest.
Miki folded her arms. “You need to explain, because right now, this makes zero sense. And I’m not just your friend here—I’m a part owner. My blood and sweat also went into building this place. I deserve the whole story.”
After Miki sat down, I told her everything. The spray-painted walls, the break-in, chasing a shadow through the alley. And then his face in the kitchen.
Miki held up her hand, stopping me. “Wait, I’m confused. What do you mean, his face?”
“Keiko is Kaiyo Uchida’s twin. Kaiyo was one of the other apprentices in the program with me. A nice guy, and I actually liked him.”
“Twin sister? Get out of here.”
“I’m not joking. When I see her, I see him.”
“Did you even ask to see her ID? Maybe the resemblance is just coincidence.”
I hesitated. “No.”
Her frown deepened. “Why haven’t you mentioned Kaiyo’s name before?”
“Because he was electrocuted. I wasn’t trying to relive everyone’s death.”
Miki winced, leaning back. “Okay, the next obvious question. Why did she pretend to be Reina? Why torment you? You didn’t kill her brother.”
“She said she was angry. Devastated. She lost her twin, and I was an easy target. Look, I know how it sounds. I didn’t just say Okey-dokey, come work for me. I struggled with it. But the more I talked to her, the more I thought it was grief. She didn’t realize how much damage she’d done. She even offered to repair it, said she’d help however she could. So that’s what she’s doing.”
Miki just shook her head. “You think that’s redemption? A half-assed apology and free labor? That’s a setup. People don’t spin that fast unless they’re already playing the long game.”
Her words hit a nerve, but I pushed back. “Isn’t it better if she’s where I can see her, if it is a ploy?”
“You’re already fighting to keep this place alive. You don’t let the person who tried to drown you back in the boat.” Miki leaned in, her voice low. “This woman caused damage just lurking in the shadows. Now you’ve invited her inside. If she’s planning something, we won’t see it until we’re already choking on the smoke.”
Miki’s words hung there, heavy, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she might be right.
