Sota arrived at the small cafe ten minutes early.

He had promised to meet his cousin, who was visiting from Canada, and he wanted everything to go smoothly. The cafe was warm and bright, with cakes behind the glass counter and the smell of fresh coffee in the air.

At the entrance, he showed the reservation screen on his phone.

"Reservation for two, under the name Sota Tanaka," he said carefully.

The waitress looked at the screen, then checked her notebook. She had soft brown hair, a neat apron, and a smile that made Sota forget the sentence he had prepared.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I can see your reservation, but it says tomorrow, not today."

Sota felt his face become hot. "Tomorrow?"

He checked his phone again. She was right. He had selected the wrong date.

"I'm really sorry," he said. "Is there any table available today?"

The waitress looked around the cafe. Most seats were full, and a group near the window had just ordered dessert.

"We are fully booked until four," she said. "However, table seven may be available in about fifteen minutes. Would you like to wait?"

Sota nodded quickly. "Yes, please. My cousin will arrive soon."

While he waited near the counter, the waitress brought him a small menu.

"If your cousin speaks English, I can explain today's special in English," she said. "I need the practice."

Sota blinked. "You study English too?"

She smiled. "A little. My name is Mina. I want to work at a hotel someday, so customer service English is useful."

When Sota's cousin arrived, Mina guided them to table seven.

"Thank you for waiting," she said in clear English. "Today's special is a strawberry tart set. It comes with coffee or tea."

Sota's cousin smiled. "That sounds perfect."

Mina looked relieved, and Sota felt strangely proud, even though he had done nothing.

After they ordered, Sota said quietly, "Your English was really clear."

Mina's cheeks turned pink. "Thank you. I was nervous."

"Me too," Sota admitted. "I made a reservation for the wrong day."

They both laughed.

Outside the window, the afternoon light softened. Table seven, which had almost been a problem, became the best seat in the cafe.

Sota realized that mistakes were not always endings.

Sometimes, they were invitations to start a conversation.