The next day Ryo awoke at 4 am to start prep for breakfast service at 7. At 4:30 he was still by himself, so he went to the apartment the check on Alice and Akira. "Hey, Ryo," Alice said as she pulled down some honey along with several dried herbs. "I'll be over to help with prep in a few minutes. I just need to make Akira some tea."

"Is he sick?" Ryo asked. Because otherwise, he was certain Akira would prefer to make his own tea.

"Yeah, he had a bad cough for the past week, but today he woke up shivering."

"Because you stole all the blankets?" Ryo asked.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Real mature." She entered the room and handed the cup to Akira, who was struggling to sit up. "Baby, I'm here."

Akira eyes were bloodshot as if he had been crying. "I'm sorry Ryo, I didn't sleep very well. I'll be over to help out in a few."

"It's no problem, man. Sleeping next to the ice queen, it's understandable." Ryo said, trying to maintain his composure. "I'm going to head back to the Café."

Alice looked at Ryo. "Like I said, I'll be over in a few minutes."

Ryo motioned with his hand, to speak to Alice in the hallway. "I think you should stay with Akira. If he has to go the hospital, someone needs to be here."

Alice nodded. "You're right," she sighed. "I should have made him take the day off yesterday. But I was too preoccupied with Eve. You'll call me if she stops by, right?"

"Absolutely," Ryo replied. He turned to leave but as he did there was one question he needed an answer to. "Did she tell you what happened?"

"What happened to Akira's parents? Yeah," Alice said with a shrug. "Did you want to know?"

"Not right now," Ryo replied. "I was just curious."

Alice nodded. "I mean I can tell if you…" she answered her voice devoid of emotion.

"Is everything ok?" Ryo asked.

"Yeah everything's freaking amazing," Alice said as she punched a wall. "My boyfriend is sick and pissed at me."

"Akira is not pissed at you. That's just his default setting."

Alice laughed. "Ryo, what would I do without you?"

Ryo shrugged. "Hire someone to run your café?" He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stay strong, your new puppy needs you."

"You'll always be my puppy," she said as she gave him one last hug. "Have a nice day at work. Call me if Eve shows up."

Ryo smiled. "I love you too." Spring has come to the heart of the ice queen.

At around noon Akira's sister returned. Molly, the hostess paged Ryo from the kitchen. "There's someone named Eve, looking for Alice?" the young waitress explained.

"Tell her Ryo, the freak from yesterday who forgot to introduce himself, will be right out."

Molly laughed. "I'll seat her by the far left window."

Ryo emerged to find Eve seated, sipping a glass of ice water. "Kind of cold for that," Ryo said. "I could get you a hot tea."

"Thanks," she said, looking out the window. "I'd like that."

Ryo took a seat at the table. "Molly, bring out two Atlantic spice blends. Akira actually hand selects all of our teas."

"Akira," she muttered. "I'm still getting used to that name."

"Akira's name is the least of your worries," Ryo said with a laugh.

"Alice mentioned he's a bit stubborn and hard-headed."

"A bit?" Ryo asked.

It was then Molly arrived with the tray of tea. "Did she just say Akira is 'a bit stubborn and hard-headed'?" She quickly put the tray down before running off to laugh so loudly the noise could be heard through the cafe.

Eve raised an eyebrow. "He's really that big of an A$$h-e?"

"Almost every member of the waitstaff has a story about getting lectured by Akria. And don't get me started on the kitchen." Ryo had run a kitchen as a child, so he had experience, but Akira- not so much. It wasn't a matter of Akira being too strict or too demanding. Akira was an anti-social prick who would come in, make comments about people's dishes but he, himself would never help out on the line. It got to the point where Akira and Alice were in charge of menu development while Ryo was in charge of the actual operation of the cafe. "I mean, he's not all bad. Akira will come in, in the mornings to help me prep or even unload the delivery trucks. He's just not allowed to run his mouth."

Eve took a sip of tea. "But he's your friend, right?"

Ryo's eyes locked with her's. "Yeah, he is. Even if the waitstaff and kitchen crew pulled together enough money for handcuffs and a ball gag." The way her long eyelashes fluttered made him blush. "But tell me a little more about you, Eve."

"What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with: What do you smell in this tea?"

Eve closed her eyes. "Cayenne, paprika, cardamom, coriander- spices and flavors that would be better served in a savory dish, but the intensity is lightened with lavender, honey and," Eve bit her lip in contemplation. "Mint."

"I know you said Akira or Matthew is your younger brother- how much younger?"

"Are you asking my age? Or do you want to know how much older I am than you?"

Ryo shrugged. "I mean you're not twins, right?

Eve started to laugh. "Is this your way of telling me you think I'm hot?"

Ryo lowered his head, his cheeks flushed.

"Answer me, sexy pirate," she said sweetly. Eve moved to Ryo's lap taking a sip of his tea. "Do you want to take me back to your place?"

Ryo thought about it for a moment. It had been a while since he had any real play. The cafe belonged to Alice, Akira was Alice's boyfriend. Ryo was just the loyal best friend who felt the need to support the only family he had.

He deserved a treat.

Ryo shot Molly a glance as he took Eve and slipped out the back.

Eve cupped his face, kissing his lips. Pinning Ryo's body against the stone wall of the alleyway, her mouth moved to his neck as her hands reached under his shirt.

That was when Ryo suddenly recalled his promise to Alice. With both his hands freely available he shot Alice a text, 'Eve at Cafe. Send her to Apt?'

"Are you texting?" Eve asked. She was on her knees, about to do something that would not have worked out very well in the snowy Paris afternoon.

Ryo was about to answer when his phone vibrated, with a text message from Alice, 'At Hospital-Call me.' He quickly dialed Alice's phone. "Hey, what's going on?"

Alice was sobbing. "Akira's having really bad chest pain. The doctors had to put him on oxygen. They think it's pneumonia."

"Wow," Ryo sighed.

"Anyway, I need you to pick up Professor Shiomi from the airport."

"Wait, what?"

"Akira's mother is flying in for Christmas!"

"You were going to tell me this when?"

"I thought me and Akira would be able to make it to the airport. I was trying to avoid having to rely on you for every little thing!"

"Ok, I'm sorry. What time does her flight get in?"

"In four hours. I'll text you the info."

Ryo looked over at Eve, who was now leaning against the wall with a cigarette. "Would you like to meet Jun Shiomi?"

Eve's eyes lit up. "The woman who raised my brother? Of course, I would. When?"

"With traffic conditions- we need to leave right now."