Chapter 2

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Hey Dad!

It's Day Three, and everything's still GREAT! How're you? How's Kanzaburo? Did you take the trash out? There's a zipline this year! You're supposed to be ten to do it, but Susamaru said I could do it if you gave permission. She's the rec counselor. I put the permission slip in here but it'd be faster if you called and asked for her so you can tell her. I wrote the phone number for the camp on the permission slip for you, and I put down the camp's official office hours. Remember, I'm in the Camellia Cabin, if anyone asks!

I've gone on the canoe four times and done the Blob a million times and organized some water games, and I can tread water for two and a half minutes, which is half a minute better than last year and better than anyone in my cabin. Because of all the practice this year at home! YEAH. I think my cabin's going to win the underwater treasure hunt in the pool at the end of the week. We're also going to win the weekly Ultra Clean Award, which is this golden plunger you can hang from the porch of your cabin. It's unused, so it's NOT GROSS.

I put everyone else's letters in this big envelope, that's why it's so thick. I saw it at the camp store and thought it was cool! Can you take them to Water Wheel and pass them out? And over to the gym? I wrote Tengen and Rengoku and the Soyamas' letters too. AND SHINYA AND HAYATO. Don't leave theirs out please. If you don't want to take them to the gym, Uncle Sabito or Uncle Tanjiro will do it. I might've mentioned it in their letters in case you forgot to do it on purpose. Also don't forget (on purpose or not) it's Uncle Sabito's birthday in two weeks, and you have to get a present from both of us.

MISS YOU, LOVE YOU, WRITE ME BACK!

Akemi

00000000000000000000

"Here. Letters from Akemi."

"Hell yeah," Sabito said, snatching the stack from Giyuu. He flicked through the envelopes until he found his own. The rest he gave to Urokodaki as he walked by on his way to the kitchen, casually passing them off before he ripped into his letter.

Around them, people read or talked or played quiet games, enjoying the atmosphere that Makomo had carefully cultivated in the café. The main space had several nooks that people could hide in if they didn't want to be bothered, and there were water features throughout, including an old working wooden water wheel against one wall.

Water Wheel Café was a decent-sized coffee shop and bakery that Makomo had opened up about twelve years ago. Somehow she had wrangled the rest of them into working for her, though Giyuu had cut his hours down to almost nothing over the years.

Urokodaki frowned at Sabito's retreating back and then glanced down at the pile of letters he was holding. "Get started on those scones."

"Tanjiro's doing it!" Sabito yelled back.

"No, he's working on macarons," Nezuko called from the front, where she was filling a customer's order. "The scones are your responsibility, Sabito."

Tanjiro's laugh drifted in from the kitchen. "It's okay, I can start the scones, too—"

"See, he can multitask," Sabito cut in. "Learn from your brother."

"Don't shirk," Nezuko said, nearly splashing the shot of espresso onto her apron. "You shirker!"

"It's okaaay, I really don't mind," Tanjiro said, raising his voice as Sabito and Nezuko continued arguing.

Giyuu sat down at the counter, wondering if his family was going to give him a headache today or not. It seemed to be shaping up that way, but then again, there was always a chance they would calm down.

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