Chapter One: Calling
Disclaimer: I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere, and never will.
Ring, ring.Amano Ichigo rubbed her forehead and then got up from her bed. She went to the living room to answer the phone.
"Hello?" Her voice was a bit hoarse from lack of water. She rubbed her sleepy eyes.
"Ichigo-chan! Good morning! Did I wake you?" As usual, it was Kato Rumi. She'd been calling every morning, without fail, for the past five years. She was that supportive of a friend. Why she had to be supportive, we are yet to find out.
"Yes, yes you did," Ichigo grumbled, "well, what's up?"
Rumi sighed and then said, "You forgot to check the calendar, Ichigo."
The brunette was surprised. She ran to the calendar on her bedside cabinet. April 24. What was so special about it?
She ran to the phone and then heaved a sigh. "I checked all right. What about the-..."
She stopped midsentence. Oh yeah, Kashino's birthday. She hadn't healed yet; at least, that was what she thought. She was this close to moving on, and now...
"I see. Well, I'll see you tonight, Ichigo! Movie night, remember?" Friday was movie night. Right. Ichigo seemed to forget tons of things today.
Her eyes scanned the list as she scrolled down her phone. Hanabusa Satsuki, Kato Rumi... Kashino Makoto. Ichigo's palms sweat as she pressed the green button.
A few seconds passed, and then... click.
"Hello?" That voice. It was still the same after all those years. Still the same, even after he left them. No good byes. He just left.
She stuttered. "K-Ka-Kashino?"
"That would be my name. Who's this?"
"Hi, Kashino. It's me, Ichigo. Uhh, I just wanted to greet you a happy birthday. E-even if I haven't seen you in a while, I still want you to know that we all miss you and that I wish you the best of luck." The way she said it was rushed, like she just wanted it to be over. But what she was feeling was the exact opposite. She somehow did not want this phone call to end. She was holding on to that slip of hope, the main reason she hadn't completely moved on.
There was silence for some time. Ichigo was about to think that he'd hung up on her when he answered. "Thanks. I... I miss you guys too. Listen, I'm coming over to Japan at midnight tonight, and I'm staying for good this time. Do you want to meet up with me tomorrow at the old coffee shop downtown?"
A faint blush crept up the brunette's cheeks. Without skipping a beat, she affirmed. "Yeah, I would love to meet up with you tomorrow. What time?"
"Around eight in the morning, I suppose. See you then. Bye." A soft click was heard and then... nothing more. Ichigo hung up the phone and then called Rumi again.
"Listen, Rumi-chan. I'm coming over in a few hours. I know movie night is at 8, but expect me to be over there at about 3, okay?" Her words were slow, and well rehearsed. Her hands were shaking as she told Rumi the details of her arrival.
To say the least, Rumi was shocked. Ichigo was known to be late at times. What happened that made her decide to come 5 hours earlier? "Sure, Ichigo. Whatever you say."
Click.
A long bath, a quick trip to the bakery and a short stop for doughnuts later, Ichigo arrived at Rumi's apartment building.
"Good afternoon, Amano-san," the courteous lobby guard greeted her.
He knew her because she came over every other day. It was no surprise. Ichigo nodded at him, and then walked to the elevator.
When she reached the fourteenth floor, she walked down the hallway and then pressed the buzzer of her friend's flat.
A few seconds later, a cold breeze hit her. Rumi opened the air conditioner, she remarked. Her friend waved. "Why'd you decide to come early?"
"I didn't have much to do, and I got bored at home, so I came by early. See, I brought doughnuts!" She showed Rumi the box. For one thing, it was big. Knowing Ichigo, she would've bought a lot. Rumi stepped to the side and then let her friend come in. She took the doughnut box from the brunette, and then led her to the TV Room.
Once properly seated, the two girls turned to one another.
"What's up, Ichigo? What happened after I called? Is it... you know, him?" Rumi chose her words carefully, saying them slowly. Who knows what Ichigo might do?
"I called him, Rumi. I called him to say Happy Birthday. You wouldn't know how relieved I was to know that all this time, I still had his phone number. And, he told me that he wanted to meet up with me tomorrow."
After a few minutes of reassuring, they started the movie. Yes, it was still 4 in the afternoon, but they decided on having a movie marathon instead. Rumi made popcorn, and so they watched until 10pm.
When it was time to leave, they hugged and then Ichigo went on her way. Both were thinking of what was to come the day after.