You arrive at work with an extra spring in your step and a strange sense of anticipation in the pit of your stomach. Mr Tanaka watches you with his eyebrows raised as you stack plates on your arms, humming a bubbly tune as you distribute them deftly among the customers.
"You've been in a pretty good mood since your boyfriend visited yesterday," he comments.
"Bolin's not my boyfriend, and I'm always in a good mood," you counter.
"I'm just saying, you two sure seemed pretty close."
"He's...an old friend. He just doesn't know it yet."
Mr Tanaka blinks. "I don't think I'll ever understand you fully."
You just wink and carry more dishes through the kitchen doors.
"Noodles...rice...dumplings...sweet bean paste..." you mutter as you concentrate on giving the customers their correct meals. "...and who ordered twelve spring rolls?"
"Kiko! Over here!"
The voice comes from directly behind you, startling you so much that you whirl and drop the plate of spring rolls. Panicking, you swirl a large quantity of water from the small fountain in the middle of the room and create a sort of ice slide that catches the dish in mid-air. It sails onto Bolin's table, narrowly missing Pabu, but successfully not dropping any food.
You drop a sort of curtsy as the customers clap and cheer at the impromptu performance, before turning the ice back into water and sending it into the fountain in one move.
"Wow! You're a waterbender?"
You turn as Bolin's eyes grow huge in surprise.
"Guess so," you grin, though you feel a tinge of regret. You've figured out a way to make Bolin recognise you, and in your head it's dramatic and awesome. But the plan does not involve revealing your waterbending to him this early.
Bolin is completely unaware of your thoughts as he gushes about how awesome your bending was.
"I mean, it all happened in a second! You were all likewhoosh and suddenly there was an ice slide and my order on the table!"
"I kind of had to be fast rescuing the leaning tower of spring rolls." You quirk an eyebrow at him. "Twelve of them."
Bolin pouts. "Do you really think I'd eat all of them?"
"Well, considering the amount of noodles I saw you eat yesterday—"
"I was going to give my brother half."
Mako...I miss that moody loser.
"Anyway, you're a waitress," Bolin continues. "Your job is to give me the food, not criticise my eating habits."
You raise your hands in mock surrender. "All I'm saying is, if you normally eat this much then it's a wonder you can fit through that door."
He puffs out his chest proudly and you note the old cockiness is back.
"Well, y'know, I like to keep in shape," he says nonchalantly.
"Really now?"
"I used to be a pro-bender. You may have heard of my team—the Fire Ferrets. I was on the same team as the Avatar."
I know. "Wow. I'm impressed."
"Speaking of the Avatar, I kinda helped her save the world. I also took her out on a date here."
Now this, I didn't know.
"What was it like dating Avatar Korra?" you ask, genuinely intrigued.
"Oh she was smart, funny, beautiful and totally kick-butt! We...we only went on that one date, but she's really an amazing person. Sort of like..."
Bolin trails off and you suddenly realise he's thinking about his ex. Crap! Your brain goes into overdrive and you bite your lip hard as pain crosses his face.
"Look, I—"
"Miss Akiyama!"
You look up guiltily as the stern face of your manager appears at the kitchen doorway.
"You're supposed to be serving these people, not carrying on a mother's meeting! Get back to work."
"Yes, sir. Uh, sorry, sir."
He glowers at you before turning on his heel and slamming the door. You wince.
"This guy's the one bad thing about working at this place."
"Does he normally treat you like that?" Bolin asks, looking a little riled.
Aw, he's getting protective.
You experience a sudden flashback.
"...don't need trash like you cluttering up my property! Get out before I call the police!"
"Sir, I was just—"
You waver at the unrelenting glare the fat man throws at you, and take a step back.
"Hey!" a voice calls from behind you. You turn and see a scruffy boy with matted dark hair and a gap between his front teeth hold a rock menacingly above his head. It takes you a moment to realise that his scowl is directed towards the man. An older boy wearing a red scarf stands behind him, looking startled. You recognise them; they're the only two other homeless kids your age. You'd seen them scamming store owners and the younger one performing acts with his Fire Ferret, but never once had you exchanged a word with either of them.
"You have no right to talk to her like that!" the young earthbender says, much to your surprise.
The man looks him up and down, wearing an expression that borders on disgust.
"And you street kids have no right to sleep on my lawn! Who do you think you are, you little brat?"
As you watch, the kid throws the fist-sized chunk of earth at him. It hits him square in the gut, but bounces straight off the abundant mass of fat he carries. He sputters in rage, his eyes bulging in disbelief that anyone would stand up to him.
"Why—why you little...!"
The younger boy grabs your wrist as the man begins to lumber towards the three of you.
"Run!" he yelps. You don't need to be told twice.
You smile a little. Even now the scraggly earthbender kid has a strong desire to protect the needy.
"He treats everyone like that. It's no big deal. He just...really likes his income."
"Are you sure?"
"Yep. Now eat your spring rolls before the guy bites my head off."
You give Pabu a quick scruff on the head before turning to leave.
"Wait!"
For unknown reasons, you smile widely before turning back around.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think we could meet up in the park later today?"
You furrow your eyebrows and Bolin quickly shakes his head.
"No, not like...not like that. This is gonna sound really weird but I could swear I know you from somewhere. Not the restaurant. I feel like we were...friends in, like, a past life or something."
Your heart is beating so hard now it feels like it will burst out of your chest. Does he recognise you? Apparently Bolin mistakes your expression for something else and grins sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"It sounds much weirder when I say it out loud. Trust me."
No, I know exactly what you mean.
"You know, I'm kind of glad you said that. I can't do today, but we can meet tomorrow at, maybe, noon? There's something I want to show you."
Bolin looks after you curiously as you hurry back to the kitchen. It's a little sooner than you expected, but it's time to put your plan in action.
"Bolin..." the red-scarf boy pants as the three of you hide behind a dumpster. "That was probably the dumbest idea you've ever had. The cops are after us!"
The kid, Bolin, doesn't say anything.
"I wholeheartedly agree. That was a stupid idea." You speak for the first time since they'd found you. The two boys turn to stare at you when you let your face soften and bow your head slightly. "Thank you."