The Story of Snack Mao (Final Chapter)

Karan ko-ron (the sound of door opening)

"A-ra, welcome."

Following the clinging of the bell hanging by the shop's door was the shrill voice resounding in the interiors of Snack Mao.

The part-timer Manamo caught onto Mama Mao's voice and turned around, only to find no one at the door; the bell only rung because of the wind that flew by the window, opened due to some cleaning they did.

"...... and there's nobody there! Please stop that! That spooked me! C'mon..."

And in a flash, there was a tsukkomi, then the two's joint laughter that didn't change no matter how many days and months passed, as if nothing ever happened. Nothing ever changed.

"Can't be helped, you know! I was just responding to the bell. Also, you turned around anyway so that goes for you too!"

Towards Mama Mao's words that were full of confidence, Manamo the part-timer gave her a reluctant nod.

"Though I know no one's coming anyway, I'm holding out just in case Master is dropping by to work, or just in case Waka-chan is coming back."

Outside, the light of the Snack Mao signboard went out, and the sign of "close" was hung on the entrance.

In the middle of February, it was announced that this very Snack Mao will be closing down and those jam-packed, busy days came and by. Only within the shop would the time come into a standstill, as if the concept of time itself was distorted within. And in the meantime, the day of the closing finally came.

For today, the two of them weren't setting up to the shop to open it. Instead, they were preparing for the shop's closure.

"Lots of things sure have happened in this shop, huh!"

"That's a stuffed toy of Sou-nyan, that one's a picture book of Sou-nyan, and that's a photo of Sotetsu-line (Sagami railway)... mostly goods relating to Sotetsu-line, huh!"

"Sotetsu-line is fine and all."

Mama Mao was laughing, carefreely. Then, as if acting out-of-touch against the two strangely carefree people in the room, the shop's phone rang out.

"I'll get it. Good afternoon, this is Snack Mao and this is part-timer Manamo picking up. Ah, Kumi-san! Mama Mao, right? I'll pass the phone to her!"

Mama Mao went over to the receiver and part-timer Manamo went back to work. There weren't much of the Snack Mao matchboxes left because everyone who came by took one home with them as something of value. The CDs within the shop too, other than Hashiridasu Shunkan, had increased by twelve. The shop's inside was completely for non-smoking, so the ashtray fulfilled its part as a place to dump the outer parts of Edamame instead, and written on the menu was "Cocktail - American Dream", which was not ordered by anyone, even once.

"Alright! See you later then, Kumi-chan!" Mama Mao cheerfully said as she put down the receiver.

"What happened?"

"Just the usual parting speech! And some talk about the new third gen kids."

"Ah, Mikuni-chan, Marii-chan, and Haruyo-chan! They're all very cute, I would like to meet them." Part-timer Manamo replied with a smile.

"According to Kumi-chan, the three of them are really good kids, it's gonna be fun from now on too!"

"The 2nd year of Hinatazaka46 will be just as fun, I guess."

"I'd have to cheer for them with all I've got!"

Mama Mao casted a rather lonesome gaze at the cork board with photos of the members of Hinatazaka46 posted on it - photos of Hinatazaka46 who had come around to Snack Mao to spend some time, pictures of their smiling face.

"Alright then, it's about time we're going to wrap this up but we still have some time left, I guess we've got some time left to drink a bit."

"True, it would be a waste otherwise! Then, since it's been a while... Mama's handmade cocktail for me, please!"

"Al-right! ... well, you DID say "Mama's handmade cocktail", but that would have to be ME making it, are you fine with that?"

At these same-old exchanges between the two, the two then looked at each other in the eyes, then burst-out laughing.

With practiced hands, she made part-timer Manamo the "Mama's handmade cocktail" she asked for. How many times had she made this cocktail? Manamo wondered.

With the cocktail for two done cooked up, they lightly touched their glass onto the other's.

"For Snack Mao..."

"Cheers to it!"

See you later, Mama Mao.




Thank you for reading this.

Giving a proper ending to this story, I wrote this on my own, secretly from Mao-chan!

Snack Mao#Final Chapter.