As the filming team walked away, I decided to wait at a nearby café until Ai's shoot was over. But when the late-arriving team contacted me, I told them the location of the café where I was working.
Not long after, I saw the filming team enter with their equipment and talk to the café manager.
They were probably getting permission to film.
Fortunately, they seemed to have gotten the okay, as the team leader approached me with a sigh of relief.
He let out a sigh. "Thank goodness. It's a slow time, so we managed to get filming permission."
"That's good. By the way, isn't it fine if the others following us go to film Ai?"
I didn't see why they needed to come to the café to film.
"No, no. The seniors are already with Ai, so we don't need to worry much. Our job is just to follow you around and film you, Yume."
"Is that so?"
Well, if that's what they say, I don't need to concern myself with it.
"Then, I have work to do... Is it okay if you just film that?"
"Yes, yes! We're here to film your and Ai's daily lives, after all. Invading your privacy would be unthinkable."
"I see. Thank you for saying so."
Ai muttered something about not being able to do her usual antics, but...
I ignored the filming crew and opened my laptop to focus on the piled-up work.
About two hours must have passed by the time I finished most of the work, and as if waiting for this moment,
"Ah, I got a call from Ai."
"Perfect timing. We also got a call from the seniors. They said the recording is over."
"Shall we go, then?"
"Yes!"
I felt a bit guilty for only working for two hours, but since my main job comes first, I had no choice but to let it go.
"Yume~!!"
"Don't run!!"
As soon as we arrived at the broadcasting station, Ai and the others, who had finished recording earlier, were waiting at the main entrance. Ai saw me and immediately started running toward me. I hurriedly tried to stop her by shouting, but
knowing that Ai wouldn't listen even with one ear, I simply caught her as she ran into my arms.
"Nice catch!"
"What nice catch?"
Safely nestled in my arms, Ai looked at me and grinned, and seeing that smile, I couldn't help but smile too.
After all, she's a wife I can't hate.
"So, the rest of the schedule... Come to think of it, was this the last one?"
The next schedule got cancelled due to internal circumstances, right?
I had just heard this news earlier.
While working on the backlog, the company suddenly called to inform me that the filming date had been postponed due to internal issues.
"The next schedule has been postponed due to internal circumstances. Today's schedule ends here."
"Really!? Then let's go play, Yume!!"
"Sigh... I knew you'd say that."
Well, I'm all for going out to play. But we have filming to do.
It's better to go out than stay home, as it'll give the filming team more material to use when editing.
"So, have you decided where you want to go?"
"Hmm~ not really! But anywhere is fine as long as I'm with you, Yume!!"
"I thought as much. Then, how about we go on a date for old times' sake?"
"Yes!"
I quietly signaled to the team leader behind me with a hand gesture, and upon receiving the signal, the team leader started preparing to move ahead. I helped Ai into the car.
This time too, the filming director and team leader got into the back of my vehicle.
"We'll head out first. Did you get the location?"
"Yes, don't worry. We already sent it."
"Good. Then let's go."
"Let's go~!"
"Ooh!!"
".....?"
Watching the two naturally react to Ai's interjection, I felt somewhat left out, but I decided not to mind it.
"First, let's eat. It's about lunchtime anyway."
"Ooh! Where are we eating?"
"Well, since the filming team needs to eat too, I think it's best to go to a place I know."
"No, no, you don't need to worry about us."
"No, it wouldn't be right for just us to eat. We should all eat together when it's meal time. We're doing this to make a living, after all.
Just set up the cameras on our side. If you check in occasionally, you can film while eating comfortably."
"Well, even so... No, thank you for the kindness. We appreciate it."
"Thank you as well."
Fortunately, they accepted, perhaps thinking it wouldn't be good to keep refusing.
Then, it's time to visit that place after a long while.
Thinking of 'that food' I haven't had in ages, I calmed my racing heart and drove the car.
"We're here, Ai."
I didn't expect her to fall asleep again, even though she slept on the way here.
I thought she got enough sleep yesterday, but maybe it's just me who thinks that.
"Ugh... yeah... where...? who...?"
"Don't start with 'where am I, who am I' jokes. Hurry up and wake up. We need to eat."
"Baap... food!!!!"
As soon as I mentioned food, Ai showed a lively awakening, and then.
"So, what did we come here to eat?"
"Ai, you've been here quite often too. Can't you tell just by looking around?"
At my words, Ai looked around and then.
"Ah! Here it is!! A Korean restaurant!!"
"That's right. Hurry up and get out. I'll park and follow."
"Okay~!"
After watching Ai get out of the car first, followed by the filming team, I parked the car appropriately in the parking lot and entered the restaurant.
"Long time no see, Auntie."
"Oh my, oh my!! It's Yume-chan and Ai-chan! How long has it been? I've been watching the drama you two are in so~ much lately!!"
"Ahaha... thank you.."
"Thanks, Auntie!!"
"Oh, right... I'm getting carried away again... Come on in. Your usual room is ready."
"Thank you."
"Thank you~!!"
"Sure~"
Fortunately, since I had never brought Aqua and Ruby here, I could come to this restaurant with Ai without any issues.
If I had come with Ruby or Aqua, and Auntie made a slip of the tongue...
Ai and I knew better than anyone that it would cause a big problem, so I was relieved that no issue arose.
"The atmosphere here is always so nice, no matter when you come~"
"It is."
Sometimes, when I come here and slowly soak in this atmosphere while eating, I start to miss my past life.
Is this what you call nostalgia?
Well, since where I belong now is by the side of Ai, Aqua, and Ruby,
it's best to leave memories as just memories.
"Ah, is it okay if I decide the menu on a whim?"
"Yes, yes, it's fine... We've ended up coming to this place in our lives."
"Indeed. Team leader, this restaurant is so famous that you have to wait at least a month even with a reservation."
"That's right... Ahaha... Thanks to Yume and Ai, we're having a great experience. Ah, we've set up the cameras, and when the rest of the crew arrives, we'll place cameras in the lacking areas, so feel free to eat comfortably."
"Yes, understood. Team leader and director, please eat comfortably too."
After saying "Let's eat well," and leaving the director and PD to go to the next room,
"The Korean food you make is good too, Yume, but the food here has some kind of addictive quality, doesn't it?"
"It can't be helped. The person running this Korean restaurant is Korean."
And since she's a mother of a family, the taste of food made by a mother is naturally delicious.
No matter how hard I try, it's impossible to match the taste of food made by a mother.
I can only make something similar at best.
But seeing my family enjoy my cooking always makes me happy.
Is this why mothers prepare meals?
"Here you go~ Yume-chan~ Ai-chan~ Your food is ready~"
"Ooh...!!"
"Thank you. Please bring the same food to the next room as well. More people might come, so please prepare generously."
"Sure, sure~ Got it~ Enjoy your meal!"
"Let's eat."
"I'll enjoy it, Auntie!!"
By the way, I told Ai to call her "Auntie," but Ai said "Auntie" feels more comfortable, and Auntie agreed to be called that.
I guess we're lucky she's a kind auntie...?
"Mmm~!! It was delicious!!"
"Indeed. It's good that this place never changes, no matter when you come."
After about an hour and a half of meal time, Ai and I were leisurely drinking coffee on the terrace in the backyard.
The reason we were waiting here was out of consideration for the filming team who hadn't finished eating, and also because I thought this spot would make for a nice scene.
"Even though we're filming today, it doesn't feel like we're filming at all."
"Well, we're filming our daily lives, so it's not much different from how we usually are. That's probably why it feels that way."
"Is that so...? Well, I'm just happy to be with you like this, Yume!!"
"Me too."
"Hehe~♡"
Ai leaned on my shoulder and laughed, and I laughed along with her.
We stayed like that for about 30 more minutes, then decided to move to the next location with the filming team who had finished eating.
The next location was, of course, the aquarium. The only difference was.
"Today is a day off, but since we're managing it, it's a private aquarium date for just the two of us. How do you like it?"
I was being a bit greedy, but fortunately, the staff said it was okay, so it was possible.
"Yes! A luxurious aquarium date for just the two of us...! I'm so happy I might faint...!"
"Then we'll have to go home right away~"
"Aah~!! Yume!!"
"Just kidding, just kidding. Let's go in."
Since we're filming, I want to make sure Ai and I look our best, to convey our daily lives to everyone.
And someday, I want to film not just Ai and me, but Aqua and Ruby too, as a family of four. I hid this heartfelt desire and entered the aquarium with Ai.