The Wrong LINE Message
Everyday Together · Level A2
The rain splashed down outside. The door to the café opened with a jingle, and three more customers walked in. They waved to Yui and sat down at an empty table.
"I'll be with you in a moment," Yui said, waving back.
"Yui, table one is still waiting for their coffee. It's getting cold," said Ms. Takeda. She had a small smile on her face, but her voice was disappointed.
"Yes, ma'am. Sorry," said Yui. "I was busy with table three's order. They couldn't decide." She bowed.
Ms. Takeda closed her eyes. "Everybody is very busy today, Yui. Please try a little harder to keep on top of the orders." She looked at table six. "Don't forget to bring table six water. They are looking at the menus already."
"That's okay," Yui said. "They are my friends."
Shaking her head, Ms. Takeda went back behind the coffee shop counter.
Yui went to the counter and got table one's order of two coffees. She picked up the tray and carried it to table one. "Here you are. Sorry for the delay. That was two black coffees. No sugar." Yui placed the coffee in front of the man and woman.
"I ordered an espresso, not a black coffee," said a third man in a business suit. "Where is it?"
"I'm terribly sorry." Yui bowed. "I'll be back with your espresso right away." She hurried to the service counter. Ms. Takeda had the espresso waiting on the counter for her.
"Don't rush the orders," Ms. Takeda said. "You might forget something." She smiled but sounded more disappointed.
Yui bowed to Ms. Takeda. "Sorry." She picked up the espresso and brought it to the table.
"Here is your espresso. Sorry for the delay," Yui said.
The man nodded and picked up his drink.
Yui moved over to table six and smiled. "What can I get you, guys?" she asked.
"I'll have a matcha latte," said Takumi. "I've always wanted to try it."
"Can I have a hot chocolate? It's too late for coffee," said Daichi softly.
"I'll get a double espresso. I still have some work to do tonight," said Kaoru.
"You need to tell your boss you can't work so much overtime, Kaoru. We barely see you," said Takumi.
Kaoru smiled and closed the menu.
"That'll be one matcha latte, one hot chocolate, and one double espresso," Yui said, repeating the order. "Anything else?"
"Do you have any of your cookies?" Takumi asked.
Yui shook her head. "I made those at home for class. We don't sell them here, silly."
"That's too bad," said Takumi.
"We're good then," said Kaoru.
"It'll take a few minutes," Yui said. She bowed and went back to the service counter for table three's order.
"Here is your order," Yui said to table three. "One caramel macchiato, one black coffee, one iced coffee. Anything else?" she asked.
"No, thank you," said the woman at the table.
Yui smiled. Maybe I'm getting better, she thought.
When she turned around, she saw Ms. Takeda leaving wet-wipe packages on her friends' table. Yui froze. Ms. Takeda met Yui's eyes and smiled. She went back behind the service counter.
"Table six is ready," said Ms. Takeda.
Yui went to the service counter and picked up the order. Her stomach was in a knot.
"Please think carefully about what you have to do," Ms. Takeda said. She smiled, but didn't say anything about Yui forgetting to give the wet wipes.
"Yes, ma'am," said Yui. She took the order to her friends.
"Thank you," said Takumi. He looked at Yui's face. "What's wrong? You look upset," he said.
"My manager is really scary," said Yui. "I forgot to bring you the wipes." She shivered.
"She was really polite," said Takumi. "I didn't notice anything scary."
"Sometimes being polite in Japan is scarier," said Kaoru.
"Really," said Takumi. He scratched his head. "Back home, they would yell at you."
"Not here," said Daichi. "Over here, it means that you are really angry."
The bell over the door rang.
"Sorry, I have to go back to work. I'll text you later, Kaoru," said Yui.
✦
Yui leaned back in her chair in the break room and opened her text messages. She typed a message to Kaoru.
"Ms. Takeda is such a scary lady. She never stops smiling, but I can tell she's really angry. This is my first week. I need more money for baking school. What should I do?" Yui hit send.
Akari's phone on the table next to her lit up. Yui looked over and saw her name on the screen. "Huh? I didn't send it to Akari," she said. Yui looked down at the LINE chat, and her face turned white.
"No! This is the work group chat!" Yui pulled up the chat and checked her message. There were already nine 'read' marks by the message. She stood up and looked out the window at Ms. Takeda. She was putting her phone back in her pocket and frowning.
✦
"Why did Yui want to meet the three of us in front of the convenience store?" Takumi asked, pointing to the bright store. "It's late."
"She didn't say," said Kaoru. "Only that it was an emergency."
"I have a meeting in the morning," said Daichi. "I have to get some sleep. Unless she's dying, I'm going home."
"I am dying, Dai-chan. My life is over," Yui said. She stepped out of the convenience store with a small bag. She pulled out an onigiri and unwrapped it. "Look what I did!" She shoved her unlocked phone to Kaoru and bit the onigiri. "I have to quit my job!"
"Don't talk with your mouth full," said Kaoru. She looked at the chat message and shook her head.
"What did Yui do?" asked Takumi.
Kaoru gave him the phone, and Takumi whistled. "This is bad." He showed it to Daichi.
"Wow! I'm surprised you're only eating one onigiri. This kind of mistake usually calls for seven," said Daichi.
"I'm cutting back," Yui said and pulled out a second onigiri. "Besides, it's late."
"Just tell your boss the truth," said Takumi. "She's working you too hard."
Kaoru and Daichi shook their heads. "No, she can't do that."
"Why not?" asked Takumi. "Honesty is always the best way to solve problems."
"In some places, honesty is important," Daichi said. "However, in Japan, getting along is more important."
"Getting along? What do you mean by that?" asked Takumi.
"It means working together as a group," said Kaoru.
"But if no one says anything, how can things get fixed?" asked Takumi.
"People speak politely in workplaces, so they don't hurt each other," said Daichi. "It's why I like working from home."
"You need to clean your room more often," said Kaoru. "The last time I went there, something moved in the garbage."
"I'm waiting for you to come do it for me like last time," Daichi said with a smile.
Kaoru shook her head and took the third onigiri from Yui's bag. Yui reached for it.
"Instead of telling Yui she's eating too much and slapping her hand, I just take away what she wants or give her a polite suggestion, like maybe she should share her food," Kaoru said.
"That sounds better," said Takumi. "Less stress."
"No, it's more stressful," said Yui. She reached for the onigiri again, but Kaoru stepped back.
"I will slap your hand, Yui," Kaoru said.
Daichi and Takumi laughed.
"This is no laughing matter. What should I do about work?" asked Yui.
"I still don't get why you can't be honest," said Takumi.
Daichi took a deep breath. "Honesty focuses on the facts. Polite speech focuses on the relationship. With friends, that's okay. But in a group work chat..." Daichi pointed to the phone.
"Yui told everyone how she felt, and that caused embarrassment," Takumi said. "I think I get it. It's not complicated. What if she apologizes?"
"It's a start, but not enough," said Kaoru. "The whole group is uncomfortable."
Takumi shook his head. "Fitting all of this together is like making a jigsaw puzzle with broken pieces. This is kind of crazy. Does everyone know this?"
Yui yanked the onigiri back from Kaoru, but put it back in the bag. "What should I do?"
"Did you apologize?" Kaoru asked.
"No. I was too embarrassed," said Yui.
Daichi gave Yui her phone back. "Apologize now in the chat. Make it sound good, and when you work next time, do your best."
"I can't go back there," said Yui. "I'll be too embarrassed." She twisted the onigiri bag handle.
"You can't run from this," Kaoru said. "We'll come there and make sure you're ok."
"Really? Thank you, Ka-chan," Yui said.
"I told you to stop calling me that. It sounds like I'm your mother," Kaoru said, crossing her arms.
Yui smiled and opened the next onigiri.
"Do you think she can eat seven?" asked Daichi.
"Maybe," said Takumi.
Yui turned red and put the onigiri back into the bag.
✦
The next day, Yui opened the door to the café slowly and greeted the server standing there.
"Good afternoon, Akari. How are you?" Yui asked. Her throat was dry.
"Fine," Akari said.
Yui waited, but Akari didn't say anything about the text message. "Is it busy today?" Yui asked.
"A little," said Akari.
"I'm sorry about the text message yesterday," Yui said.
"Don't worry about it," said Akari. She looked away from Yui.
"I'd better start," said Yui. Her throat was even drier.
"Good luck," said Akari. She hid a small smile behind her hand.
Yui swallowed, walked quickly to the staff room and changed her clothes. I should have called in sick, she thought.
On the floor, she found Ms. Takeda and bowed.
"Yui. I'm happy you could come in today," Ms. Takeda said. "I was worried about you."
"I'm terribly sorry about the text message I sent yesterday," Yui said. "It wasn't polite."
Ms. Takeda smiled. "Don't worry about it, dear. I do expect you to work your best today."
Yui bowed again. "I will," she said.
Ms. Takeda nodded and went behind the counter.
"That was scary," said Takumi from behind Yui.
Yui jumped and hit Takumi on the shoulder. "Why are you here? You scared me," she said.
"Kaoru, Daichi and I are here to make sure your day is okay," said Takumi. He rubbed his shoulder and smiled. "Should you be hitting me?"
"Baka! Go sit down," Yui pointed to the tables. She hoped nobody saw her.
Ms. Takeda walked by and shook her head.
Yui turned red.
Takumi sat down at the table across from Kaoru. Yui came up to them with her order pad. "Can I take your order?"
"A black coffee," said Kaoru.
"Make that two," said Takumi.
"How is everything?" Kaoru asked.
"Ms. Takeda was smiling and polite. So was Akari. This is the worst," Yui said. "They're so angry, I want to go home."
Takumi looked around the room. "Angry? Everybody was polite. Nobody really cares about your message. Back in America, they'd even think it was a joke. You're worrying about it too much."
Yui glared at Takumi.
"Ow!" Takumi said to Kaoru. "You kicked me!"
"Please forgive me. You like the direct method, so a kick might help you control your opinions," Kaoru said, smiling.
"When you're this polite, you're scary," Takumi said, rubbing his leg.
"I think you're getting it," said Kaoru.
Yui bit her lip and hurried back to the service counter. "Two black coffees," she told the barista.
He nodded, but said nothing. Yui bit her lip. All he did was stare at her.
Ms. Takeda set out the napkins and the spoons on the plate while the barista hand-dripped the coffee. Yui took a deep breath to apologize again, but the bell over the door rang. Two older women and a younger foreigner came in.
"Welcome. Please have a seat anywhere you'd like," Yui said.
"Don't forget the wet wipes when you go to the table," said Ms. Takeda. She handed Yui a tray with three glasses of water.
"Thank you. I won't," Yui said.
"Do you know about the English menu we have?" Ms. Takeda asked.
"No. Where is it?" Yui asked.
Ms. Takeda pulled the menu from behind the counter. "We don't get many foreigners here, and it's expensive to set up a QR code," she said.
Yui went to the table. "May I take your order?"
"We'll have tea," said the woman on the right. "What would you like, Lucas?"
The foreigner looked down at the menu and frowned. "Sorry. I don't speak Japanese very well, and my phone is broken," he said in English. He spoke too fast, but his face said he was worried.
"We have an English menu," Yui said. She gave him the menu.
"Thank you," Lucas said. He smiled.
"That's why I always come here," said the first woman. "The service is always so polite."
Yui looked back at the counter. Ms. Takeda was helping the barista make the coffee.
"Maybe she's not that angry at me," Yui said quietly. She turned back to the foreigner.
"Can I get a café latte?" he asked, pointing at the picture.
"One moment, please," said Yui.
✦
The café got busy in the afternoon. Daichi joined Takumi and Kaoru. He waved to Yui, but she was too busy to wave back.
"This is the second mistake you've made!" said the old man. "First, it was the coffee, then my pie! I didn't want cheesecake." He slapped the table.
Yui gripped the serving tray like a shield and bit her lip.
Ms. Takeda stepped next to Yui and set a piece of apple pie next to the coffee. "I apologize for the mistake, sir. This was my fault. I set the wrong dish on the tray. Please accept this as an apology." She bowed.
The man crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. "Very well. But I don't want her serving me again," he said.
"She won't," said Ms. Takeda. "Please go wait in the back, Yui."
"Yes, Ms. Takeda," Yui said. Tears formed in her eyes as she went into the back. At the door, she heard Akari talking with the barista.
"I bet the new girl will send another text saying how scary the boss is," said Akari. "She can't handle customer service."
Yui couldn't hear what the barista said. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
Akari and the barista looked up. Yui still didn't know his name. This was only the second time they had worked together.
"Are you on a break?" Akari asked.
Yui shook her head. She couldn't say anything. Everything was going wrong. Even her friends couldn't help her. Ms. Takeda stepped in behind Yui. "Akari, Ken. Can you please go out to the floor? I have to talk with Yui," she said.
Akari smirked. Ken nodded and followed Akari out.
Ms. Takeda turned to Yui and smiled. "The customer won't bother you again. However, next time, check that the order is correct before you take it out. It only takes one second."
"I will, Ms. Takeda," said Yui. "I'm very sorry for the trouble."
"It's okay. Just try and do better," Ms. Takeda said. "You did very well with the foreigner earlier. Don't let one bad customer ruin your day."
"I won't," Yui said. She wiped her face.
"When you're ready, come back to the floor," said Ms. Takeda.
"Thank you," said Yui. She watched Ms. Takeda leave the room and took a deep breath. She was trying to help me, Yui thought. She took a second breath and opened the door to the café.
✦
"Takumi and Kaoru had to go home," said Daichi. "Are you sure you don't need me to stay?" he asked.
"I'm sure," said Yui. She picked up his used cup and dish. "Thank you for being here. Having my friends watch me made the day easier."
"You were better than before," said Daichi. "You only dropped one empty cup." He laughed.
Yui crossed her arms. "You're not that funny," she said.
Daichi laughed and left the café.
It was just Yui and Ms. Takeda in the café. Akari and Ken had left earlier. Yui cleaned the tables by the window. A loud crash came from the kitchen area.
"Is everything all right?" Yui asked.
"Yes. I just dropped a cup," said Ms. Takeda. "Stay there while I clean it up."
Yui swallowed and stood by the service counter. "Um, ma'am," Yui started to say, but Ms. Takeda raised a hand. She threw the cup in the garbage and faced Yui.
"Working part-time is very difficult. You did very well today, even with Mr. Suzuki," Ms. Takeda said.
"The angry man I gave the cheesecake to," said Yui. "Thank you for your help with him. He was very difficult."
"Yes. He is difficult, but you didn't get upset with him. I've seen servers fight back. They don't last long here." Ms. Takeda smiled. "I was impressed with the way you talked with the customers," she said.
"Really?" Yui said. She started to smile, then forced herself to stop. "That still doesn't excuse what I wrote in the text message. I spoke very rudely," she said.
"It was very strong," said Ms. Takeda. "I understand why you wrote it. If I seem tough with you and the others, it's because I want to help you improve your work."
"I think some of the other servers are upset with me," said Yui.
"You mean Akari? Don't worry about her. She has been here for two years, but made the same mistakes in the beginning. I'll talk with her. I want my servers to be comfortable too, especially in the beginning," said Ms. Takeda. "So, the next time you have a problem, please come and see me. We'll fix it together."
"I promise," said Yui. "And I'll never send a text message like that again."
Yui's phone rang out with a soft 'You Got Mail'.
"That doesn't count," she said and pulled her phone from her pocket. It was Takumi.
Ms. Takeda laughed. "It's okay. I'll see you next week."
"I'm not fired?" Yui said, surprised.
"Of course not," said Ms. Takeda. "I do hope you continue here for a long time. I'm looking forward to trying your cookies again."
"You liked them?" Yui asked. "I made them for my baking class."
"You brought them on your first day. They were very good," said Ms. Takeda. "You should keep practicing."
"Thank you," Yui said.
"It's late. Go home, and tell your friends that they don't need to watch over you anymore," Ms. Takeda said. "You're going to be just fine."
Yui bowed and went into the back room. She opened her phone, sent Takumi an angry face emoji, closed her phone and changed her clothes. She opened her internet and searched for cookie recipes.