November 2010
Winter was just around the corner, and fall coming to an end. The colors of auburn and burgundy remained strong to our sights.
This was my favorite part of the year. I guess I don't really have a favorite season. Just a favorite in-between, a time to stand on the edge of rooftop and feel the numb wind on my face and for the first time in ages...free.
Free of what, I'm not quite sure yet.
The coming "winter" is pretty big for us, that is, for me and the Fallout Café.
Fallout Café is the humble little joint right on the the corner of Burgundy Street, wedged between Jordan Bubba's Mystical Shop of Mirrors and a shady store owned by this loud-mouth jerk-ass who calls himself Loki Steiner. We serve beverages, mainly hot beverages. I guess you can call us coffee shop if you want. Opened by our parents, the shop is now legally under Taiki's ownership after our parents died in a car crash a month ago. Between the grief and the demands of the family business, it was anything but an easy road for us three, my brother and current owner of Fallout Café, which also makes him my boss.
Taiki wasn't really much for words, but between that stoic, taciturn facade was a brilliant businessman. It was unbelievable that he could learn about business management so quickly. Inventory, service priorities, passing health inspections, and all basic business skills by just a couple weeks. Of course, it wasn't hard for him to find trustworthy employees in a short amount of time. Yaten, our other brother, a self-proclaimed master chef who was good with customers... not so much with baking cupcakes.
and myself, trying something new to help myself out for a future career. Besides pursuing our interests, either way, we would have been there for him.
I was blankly staring at the clock as of now. It was 4:00 pm, just a Thursday afternoon. We would close at 6:00 pm everyday of the week. School was still a priority for Yaten and I, but not for Taiki since he graduated last year. I took out my cellphone to call the person I was waiting for.
"Katsumi-ah. Are you here yet?"
"Actually, you can just leave without me, I have some things to take care of."
I heard a faint voice in the background as it sounded like a male voice.
"We going to continue-?"
"Gotta go, bye."
"Bye, love you t-"
I decided to stay until closing time, nothing much better to do. It was quiet for awhile with most people walking past our shop without noticing. I decided to fix up the shop's decorations for this season of time. I was in the middle of putting out pumpkins in the front window display. The bell attached to the door jingled as it came to my alert that a customer entered. I made my way back to the register ready to take her order.
"Hi, how may I help you?"I politely smiled asking.
"A pumpkin spice latté, medium."
"Anything else?"
"Just that, nothing else."
"$3.49 please."
She handed me a $5 bill
"Keep the change."she said.
"Thanks."
I made my way to the left of the counter, starting the coffee machine. As I paid attention to the machine, I looked at her from the corner of my eye.
"Hey, aren't you in my class?"
"Um, do I know you?"
"Come on! Mrs. Turner's AP psychology class, 7th period. I sit at the table behind you and Mamoru."
"Oh. I'm just unobservant about my surroundings sometimes."
Something was not right with her, she didn't want to make eye contact with me once I mentioned the name of her seat mate. In that class, we were always partnered up with our seat mate. I sat next to Yaten this past semester and was how I became friends with him.
"Well, wanna chat? Business has been slow, and not much is up." I placed her latté on the table next to the window. She hesitantly took the seat across from me, as her eyes were glued to the left of her, looking out the window and avoiding our conversation.
"So...what's your name?"
"Hm? Oh. My name's Tsukino Usagi, just call me Usagi I guess."
I decided to introduce myself to her also, before I ask her anything else. I snorted when I thought about calling her Odango cause of her hairstyle.
"My name is Seiya Kou. You might have now guessed that I'm Japanese..."
"It's alright, I studied Japanese during elementary school, so I'm comfortable with speaking in Japanese with you."
She was doing it again. Spacing out, avoiding eye contact and just looking out the window.
"Hey."
She was still spacing out, as if I was not even sitting in front of her.
"Hey." I said again, I shook her arm.
"I'm sorry, I'm just not really having the easiest day."
"Well, you can or cannot tell me. But, yeah..."
She took a sip out of her latté.
"Hey, how did you make this taste so different from the ones they have at Starbucks?"
"I dunno." I answered oddly.
I didn't even get a good look at her face, as of now, I only know what the back and side of her head looks like. I still didn't understand why she kept looking out the window, therefore I decided to look out to see anything unusual or odd.
It was two minutes of silence that has passed of mainly both of us just staring outside.
"Well, you like coffee and so do I, so we at least are not that different from each other right?"I tried to lighten up the mood.
Her phone began to vibrate as it was the only thing that snapped her out of her deep thoughts. She quickly answered it.
"Hello? Yes, I'm on my way home. Yes sir, alright. Goodbye."
"You gotta go?"I asked even though I knew the obvious answer, but who knows? This girl is full of surprises.
"Yeah. The talk was nice. See you around, Seiya."
"Well, hope I see you again. Get home safely alright Odango?"
I began to make my way back home as the refreshing wind pushed to my walking direction forward. Though it was quite chilly outside as of now, it felt nice being snuggled up into my grey sweater and peach colored scarf.
I stopped at the bus station, it was not long until the bus arrived and I got on.
Once I arrived home, I could just hear them arguing again like usual just right outside the door. I reached into my backpack and felt the small panda plush attached to my keys. By the time I opened my house door, I was ready to deal with whatever ridiculous thing they're fighting about.
"Oto-san, Oka-san, I'm home."
I looked over to the table with the mail in the mudroom. Flipping through the envelopes, I realized one of them were open. It was my report card with my academic grades and behavior printed on. I knew that I did well this quarter; I always do, I studied more than I talked to my friend.
"Can I see my report card please?" I knew my father was the one who always had it if it ever came in the mail.
"Do you know how disgraceful this looks?" he replied.
I skimmed through my grades, A, A, A, A, A, and A, what's so bad abo-. It caught my eye, an U (unsatisfactory) for my citizenship grade for AP Psychology. When have I ever been disrespectful, or rude?
"This h-has to be a mistake." It didn't feel pleasant, I wished to get into the University around here, yet- I didn't understand what I've ever done to deserve an U.
"It better be a mistake, my daughter is raised to be a sophisticated, polite, intelligent young woman. This U will waste all the effort your mother and I have used to influence you." he said. He'd always say that whenever I would fuck up.
"Make sure you talk to your psychology teacher to change this, it's an eyesore." he demanded.
"Y-yes sir."
I can't imagine how serious my relationship with my parents are. I don't ever know if they do love me, or if I'm just their #1 show off item. My mother is a little more understanding in this matter, just a little. It really depends on my parents' mood if they're going to be easier with me, depending on if my dad hasn't ripped his hair out yet today at work, or if my mom had a nice juicy talk with her gossip buddies.
Expecting that this problem would get worse, I decided to skip dinner. I had no other choice than to make myself a bowl of ramen and hide in my room before anything worse erupts between my parents and I.
As I was eating in my room and watching a few YouTube videos, I received an incoming Skype video call on my phone from one of my friends, Aino Minako.
"Moshi Moshi? Minako, what is it?"
"Show me your report card!!! I got an F again in AP Psychology."
"Again? Well about the report card..."
"YOU DIDN'T GET A F LIKE ME DID YOU NOW."
"No n-"
After interrupting me, she began to act like how my dad exaggerates how I'm the perfect daughter.
"BUT TSUKINO USAGI YOU'RE THE SOPHISTICATED, POLITE, INTELLIGENT YOUNG WOMAN RAISED TO BE!"
"Minako, I did not get-"
"I FINALLY HAVE SOMEONE TO SHARE MY STRUGGLE WITH!"
"AINO MINAKO." I yelled to get her attention from her mini celebration.
"I don't have a F, it's something else."
"WHAT? A B?! TSUKINO USAGI YOU KNOW THAT'S THE ASIAN F RIGHT THERE IT'S HORRIFIC."
"It has nothing to do with my academic performance, rather to my citizenship. The teacher must have made a mistake for falsely accusing me for such poor behavior."
"So, what are you doing to about it?"
"Talk to her tomorrow, hopefully getting it changed before the weekend arrives so I can just relax."
"Do you think it has anything to do with Mamoru?" Minako asked.
"I'd doubt it. He hadn't messed with me since last month."
"I still think he has something to do with it, but, I'm not completely sure."
Right then and there was 30 seconds of silence mostly of myself spacing out, thinking if her assumption would possible be true.
"Well...how was the rest of you day?" Minako broke the silence.
"It was alright, I guess..."
"You always say that! Tell me what you did."
"I went to a coffee shop, I needed a little extra caffeine to brace myself in case of Asian complaints that I might get once I got home."
"Which coffee shop?"
"The one down the street, a couple bus stops away. I just stopped by because I always pass by it whenever I go home and they looked pretty desperate for customers."
"Oh. Did your parents say anything about the U on your citizenship?"
"Not a peep at all." I sarcastically remarked.
"Well, it's getting late and you should go to sleep for that test tomorrow."
"Oh shit." I responded, being reminded that I forgot to study for it.
"What is it?" Minako asked.
"Nothing, I just need to get ready for bed, that's all, well good night." I said goodbye.
"See you tomorrow."
I immediately took out my textbook and started flipping through the pages. Though it was 11:30 pm, I knew my grades were at stake if I didn't study. Putting my grades at stake was a dangerous chain reaction leading to my parents possibly wanting to disown me because I'm not good enough.
By the time 1:00 am arrived, I closed my book and set my alarm clock to 5:30 am. I collapsed onto the bed, immediately falling asleep.
️zzzzzzzzzzz️
️morning~~~~️
Waking up to my obnoxious alarm clock was easy, the hardest part was to forcefully getting myself up and moving. I finally mustered the strength to leave my comfortable bed, and zombie-walked to the restroom.
I brushed my teeth, washed my face, used the toilet, and brushed my hair. As my vision became visually less impaired from the drowsiness, the heavy eye bags caught my attention. I couldn't even care less about it anyway; therefore I walked over to my closet to pull out a black sweater with a matching scarf knitted with multiple shades of grey, and some light blue ripped jeans.
My parents were obviously not home, and possibly off to work or some other place else to have breakfast. I decided to heat up a few of my cream-filled cupcakes I made yesterday morning. I put 4 in my plastic container as I grabbed my backpack and slipped on some black Vans high tops.
Walking outside the house was always refreshing, it felt like home to me. I always thought my house was never home, unwelcoming and chaotic. Whereas, out here, nothing is here to bother me. Says a lot about how home isn't a place, it's a feeling.
I hopped onto the bus, sitting in the back seat, and looking out the window. I immediately put my hand to my mouth as I yawned. Occasionally, I would nod my sleepy head up and down. Eventually, the bus passed by a coffee shop. This sparked an idea to grab a cup of coffee at the same place yesterday to get myself going.
The familiar same ring of the bell played as I pushed the door open to step in. Surprisingly, the door was open, but they weren't officially open during business hours as of right now. It was 6:35 A.M., and they open at 7 as it was written on the sign attached to the window.
"Hey! You're back. I'm glad you're okay." I heard a voice call. It was the same guy I met yesterday here.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be okay? I'm completely fine." I responded.
"Sit down for a moment, I'll be back with two lattés."
I sat at the same table next to the window. Looking out the window was always interesting, and healthy for your own being. Observing the regular everyday actions of mankind is like reading a new book. Everywhere you turn and look; it's like another page.
"Hey." the same voice alerted.
"Oh, hey."
"You space out a lot don't you? Is there something on your mind?" he asked.
"Not at all."
"Well, I'm still glad you're okay, you looked kinda down yesterday."
"I'm fine. It's no big deal." I responded.
"You can tell me you know?"
What was he thinking? Anyone in the right mind wouldn't just go around telling personal things about themselves to people they've only known for a day or two.
"I meant by generalizing, you don't have to go into detail if it's too personal." he stated.
So he's not that stupid, or he probably read my mind easily.
"It's just grades and stuff." I answered briefly.
"You know I can help you out, like tutoring and stuff." he offered.
"No, no, no. It's not that it's my citizenship grade. I got an U for 7th period."
"Well, this shouldn't get to you because you're always so quiet and never cause that much trouble." he reassured.
"The problem is that...my parents are just—they don't want to see this kind of thing." I answered.
What am I even doing? It's only been 10 minutes here and I'm about to tell the story of my personal life.
"The Asian parents, yeah, seemingly yours are pretty strict." he replied.
I wanted to avoid continuing this conversation. Therefore, I did my thing. Look out the window and space out. From my peripheral vision, I noticed that he did the same, wondering what there is out there snatching my attention.
"Hey, are those cupcakes?" he said pointing to the container I was holding.
"Yeah, I made them the day before yesterday."
"Hey, what about this, latté's on the house and you can bake me a fresh cupcake." he said.
"I guess you can come over today or tomorrow, my parents are out of town this weekend." I offered.
Okay. Big mistake. I never invite anyone to my house, besides Minako. I've known her for so long that my parents see her as my sister. I didn't know what other way to make it up to him, taking up his working minutes on shift by spacing out and sitting across from him. He was friendly, which made it somewhat worth it. I really should've slept earlier last night, cause here I am, inviting a guy that I barely know.
"Okay, I'll see you after school, we have the same 7th period class anyway." he complied with my offer.
"I'll be going now." I said bowing my head.
As I pushed the door open and the bell making its usual ring, he stopped me.
"Wait." he said. I turned my head slightly.
"My girlfriend can't drive me today and I forgot my motorcycle, can you walk with me to school?" he asked. This was weird, too weird. He has a girlfriend and I'm walking him to school? Considering the fact that I can't even call him my friend yet.
"I guess." I didn't want to turn him down yet it was the right thing to do.
"Just hold on a sec, I'm going to grab my book bag."
He came out after saying his goodbyes to his co-workers.
"Later Yaten! Taiki!"
Seiya walked out behind me, the ring of the bell slowly fading as we got farther from the coffee shop. I tried to avoid a conversation by gliding my finger across the walls of the buildings on the sidewalk to our left. I didn't pay any attention until my clumsy self tripped.
"Whoa, be careful." he said grabbing my elbow, preventing my fall.
I heard 'Pachelbel Canon' playing from my phone knowing that someone was calling me. I saw the contact name 'Mamo-chan'. I quickly answered it.
"Moshi Moshi?" I answered.
That heart-sinking feeling, a petrifying chill ran down my body.
"Meet me at the front gate. I'm there, now."
Exhaling silently, I replied.
"Alright. Bye."
I put my phone back into my backpack and began to pick up my walking pace. I didn't want to be late. Not for school, but for him.
"Where you going? We have plenty of time to get to school." Seiya said.
"I-I have to meet someone. Again, nice talking with you."
I continued walking and waved him off.
"Bye."
My first published story on here, but I've already gotten this chapter up on Wattpad. This isn't my first written work, I've done several books and have improved a lot over the years. By all means, this is what I'm satisfied atm.