beat (biːt)
to agitate a mixture with the goal of making it smooth and introducing as much air as possible into it
Chagall Café. Despite them agreeing to meet at twelve o'clock, Hamuko came early just in case Akihiko decided to do the same. Too eager? Possibly. After yesterday's episode, what was the harm in hoping? It was obvious to herself that he clearly felt something for her as well—or so she thought. She raised her head to look at the clock on the wall. It was now a quarter to two.
"Would you like more tea?" She looked up, noticing the waiter standing close to her. His arms were carefully placed at his sides, his body language clearly said he was aware of her situation.
She looked down at her table to find her cup completely empty. How many cups did she drink? One, three, six? Her sad emotional state made lose count. She stared at her hazy reflection, pondering what became of her. Her eyes watched her back and she desperately tried to find an answer. There was none. She did know one thing: she was not going to let him stand her up and get away with it. "No, thank you."
Once he left, she sunk further into the green deep-arm chair. She could have wept with frustration. She sat there, feeling alone, abandoned and foolish—oh, so incredibly foolish. Fighting back tears of anger, she decided to wait ten more minutes before leaving. She sighed and took out her cell phone out of her handbag. No missed calls, no voice mails, not even a text message. Without thinking, she began scrolling through her received messages. Half of the text messages were from Akihiko while the rest were from Junpei and Yukari. The happy memories seemed so long ago. Six more minutes.
Snapping out of her trance, she stopped scrolling and placed her cell phone on the table. She stared at it as if willing it to ring or beep. Anything would do. Three more minutes.
She sat there, scanning the café. Being a Sunday afternoon, it wasn't too busy. A few couples occupied some tables. She watched as they exchanged loving looks, talking about things couples do; whatever that could be. It dawned on her they sure as hell weren't one. If they were, he would be sitting with her and not standing her up. Time to go.
Storming back to Gekkoukan High, she imagined all of the things she would say to him. However, each scenario ended with her ultimately forgiving him. Before she realized it, she was already in front of his room. Her hand reached out to the door, but she stopped. Despite all of the nasty things she planned on saying, she still wasn't ready to face him this soon. She ran a hand through her once neatly styled hair, straightened her plaid skirt, then knocked.
Her stomach churned when the door opened to Shinji's stare. She could have sworn her heart stopped beating. He wore an olive green v-neck shirt and dark-washed denim jeans and seemed to be annoyed at the disturbance. She noticed a book in his left hand and wondered if she came at a bad time. The title was illegible from the way he pointed it away from her, almost as if he did it intentionally. "Can I help you?"
Remain calm, she told herself. Be brave. She forced herself to look in the void that was his eyes. "Is Aki here?" The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.
Shinji crossed his arms and leaned against the wooden door frame, resembling some sort of barrier, she imagined. "No. He got a call this morning and left."
She bit her bottom lip. Having to speak to Shinji, the one who warned her about him of all people was humiliating. No, it was beyond humiliating; it was torture. "Oh, I see...Did he mention me?" She didn't plan on asking, and knew full well she shouldn't. As soon as the words left her, she wished there was some way to take them back.
He studied her silently, seeing the fragility in her face. Knowing full well she could break any second. "Not really. Did you want him to?"
Her mouth opened to form some sort of reply, but nothing came out.
Shinji decided to speak for her. "You have that line between your brows again."
"What?"
"It's the same line you had as the last time we spoke." He explained, standing up tall. "Smooth it out and I'll make you a late lunch before you go."
Her brows furrowed. The last thing she needed was his pity. "Don't patronize me. I'm not in the mood." She clenched her teeth, then turned around and left before he could start rubbing salt in her wound.
Focused on getting away, she quickly made it to her room. She entered and threw her bag on the sofa across the living room. Cursing under her breath, she felt the tears begin to dwell. The great day she envisioned had gone to hell. She threw herself on an armchair and looked up at the ceiling. The stinging behind her eyes finally won and she realized she had no more strength to blink them back. She closed her eyes, feeling the hot tears stream down her face. She stayed like that for a few minutes, letting her emotions get the best of her.
A soft knocking came from the door. Wiping the tears that escaped her, she got up and opened the front door thinking it was Yukari. There stood the last person she wanted to see. He stood there with a jacket hanging over his arm. "Let's go." Shinji ordered calmly.
She stared at him quizzically.
"I can tell you didn't eat lunch. If you won't let me cook you something, then we're going out to eat. Get your bag."
Not wanting to argue anymore—not wanting to do anything anymore, she walked to the sofa and retrieved her abandoned handbag. He watched as she slipped on a pair of sandals and followed him out the door.
The silence between them was heavy until they arrived at their destination, Wakatsu. After they sat down to order, Shinji took it upon himself to order them two Prodigy Platters. When it arrived, he watched as she poked the salmon with her fork, clearly still upset. He cleared his throat. "See, the salmon is in the Prodigy Platter because it's rich in Omega-3. It's proved to improve memory and mood, reduce the risk of dementia and most importantly, reduce depression and anxiety. Most people don't actually believe in the platter, but if they do their research right they'll find it does work."
"If that's the case, I should order everything they have." She said solemnly.
"Hear me out," He said with distaste. He held a fork out to his plate and pointed to different sides. "The spinach is high in iron. Most people are deficient in iron, which is linked to restless leg syndrome, fatigue, poor mood and foggy thinking. Brown rice is a low-glycemic complex carbohydrate that is excellent for people sensitive to gluten who still want to maintain cardiovascular health. The better your circulation, the sharper your brain."
"Really?"
Something about having her attention in a good way made him smile. "Yeah. Most people don't believe this, but coffee is good for your brain. It contains fiber which helps the cardiovascular system. The trick is not to have more than a few cups. A healthy amount would be two to four cups daily."
Shinji saw a smile crawl across her face. "You're so smart, Shinji-senpai."
"N-Not really," He said, then took a forkful of salmon. "It's common knowledge. Now hurry up and eat before your food gets cold."
He watched her take a small bite, then look up at him. Her smile widened. "I feel smarter already!" She joked.
A laugh escaped him. "Eat, eat."
Hamuko waited for him to take a bite of his salmon. "You should do that more."
"Do what more?" He asked, looking up at her.
"Laugh," She replied. "I wonder if there's a food that will help increase laughter."
Shinji scoffed. "I'm pretty sure there's nothing like that."
"Maybe there will be one day." She said, tilting her head in thought.
They spent the rest of their stay at Wakatsu laughing, talking about different foods and the most efficient way to prepare them. Before she could realize it, she had completely forgotten about her misery. After Shinji paid for their meal, they walked out onto the second floor of the Iwatodai Strip Mall. She followed Shinji out the door and stood with him as they decided where to go next.
"How about the Sweet Shop?" He asked. "I heard they just added a new item to the menu. Strawberry Pavlova."
She looked down to the ground, brushing away some imaginary hair from her eyes. "I'd rather not go there."
"Why not?"
"I went there with Akihiko-san the other day," She explained, refusing to use his nickname. She silently doubted she could ever use it again.
Shinji shoved a hand into his pocket and made a tch noise. "Don't let one bad experience ruin everything for you. Otherwise you'll miss out on a lot of things in life."
"You're right." She replied, hanging her head low.
"Of course I'm right," Shinji said, nodding his head. He walked towards the front door and went inside first. They sat across from each other, each staring straight ahead, Hamuko staring at the windows behind Shinji's head, Shinji at the flower painting over Hamuko's right shoulder. "So what did you order last time you were here?" He asked, trying to get the mood to lighten. Progress with her was like taking one step forward and two steps back.
She diverted her attention to the shop, trying not to look as uncomfortable as she felt. "The Tia Maria Torte."
He looked at her in surprise. "Did you like it?"
She turned back to him and tilted her head in thought. "It really surprised me. I thought it would be crunchy, but it was chewy instead. It actually didn't taste like cookies at all."
"It's because the cookies are soaked in milk, then Tia Maria liquor." He watched as her eyes shimmered with fascination, urging him to continue. "They just layer the cookies over and over, placing whipped cream in between. The torte needs at least twenty-four hours to set, so they make it the day before."
"That makes a lot of sense," She suddenly said enthusiastically.
He smiled and leaned back in his chair. "And what did he order?" He didn't have to say a name; they both knew who he was referring to.
"Strawberry Pavlova." The words tumbled out of her.
"How predictable," Shinji sighed in disappointment. "What are you in the mood for today?"
"Something with chocolate."
Nodding his head to show he understood, he motioned the waitress over. "Two coffees and two slices of the Tiramisu."
She waited anxiously for the waitress to bring the cake. It had to be something special since Shinji ordered it. When their orders arrived, she inspected it carefully. It had several layers of alternating brown biscuits and a creme custard. "So what's special about this?" She asked, curiously.
He held his fork out to the cake. "There are layers to this dessert: the biscuit layer and the Mascarpone layer which is mixed with Zabaglione. The biscuit layer is ladyfingers soaked in espresso mixed with marsala wine. For the Mascarpone cheese layer, a Zabaglione custard is first prepared: egg yolks are mixed with sugar and liquor and mixed over simmering water until thickened and light in color. Mascarpone cheese is then beaten into the custard, and whipped cream is often added to lighten the mixture. This mixture is spread over the coffee-soaked biscuits, often topped with a dusting of cocoa powder, and more layers are added."
She laughed lightheartedly. "I have no idea what most of that means."
"And most importantly," He said after a moment's rest. "Tiramisu is pick me up in Italian."
Her smile broadened. He never ceased to amaze her with his in-depth knowledge of cuisine. "How is it possible you know so much about cooking?"
"It's something I enjoy. When it's something you like, you can't help but pursue it." He answered simply.
Hamuko felt her guard slipping. Several times she almost found herself believing she was on a date with a man who honestly wanted to be with her. During their dessert, she made a quip that brought a genuine smile to his face she'd never seen and her heart pounded erratically for a moment.
Losing track of time, they spent the next few hours at the Sweet Shop. They had no idea how late it was until a waiter had to approach them and explain they were closing for the night. When they stepped outside, they noticed it was dark out and raining quite heavily. For a moment there was only the sound of rain drumming on the ground and splashing into puddles. "Maybe we can make a run for it."
Shinji looked at her and drew a sharp breath. "Don't be stupid," He shrugged off his jacket and held it above them as a makeshift umbrella. "Here."
Without saying anything, she walked towards him and stood underneath. "Thanks, Shinji-senpai."
"You can call me Shinji," He said quietly. "That is, if you want to..."
"Thanks, Shinji." Hamuko forgot the rain, though it continued to fall against her face. She forgot the cold. The warmth spread from inside, where her blood flowed fast. Something about those words made her tingle. What difference did it make, really? She called Akihiko by his first name before; it was hardly any different from calling Shinji by his.
The two nearly spoke as they walked back to the monorail, and neither said anything on the way back to Gekkoukan. They slowly approached room twenty-two. Shinji was the first to speak. "Here you are."
She stopped walking and looked up at him. The look on her face said enough.
"Want to go back to my place for coffee?"
No words were needed.
Her breath caught in her lungs as he opened the door. The lights were off. Akihiko wasn't home. They both knew that was what she intended on finding out.
Shinji flicked on the lights and walked into the kitchen. "Lots of creme, lots of sugar?"
She placed her bag at the door then sat down on the sofa. "How did you know?"
"I noticed earlier. You really like sweet things, don't you?"
"I guess so." He returned carrying a folded pile of laundry. "What's this?"
"Put this on," He instructed. "I'll go throw our clothes in the dryer."
She did as he instructed and used their bathroom to change. When she came out, she noticed he had already changed his clothes into a simple t-shirt and sweatpants similar to what she wore. Something about merely handing him her clothes felt oddly intimate. It might have been her imagination running wild again.
Hours flew by and they sat together on the sofa, surrounded by empty coffee cups and old cooking magazines Shinji collected over the years. They were both tired and at a loss for what to say. Shinji stared at her for a moment, noticing her slowly falling asleep. He got up from beside her to retrieve their dried clothes. "He promised we'd spend the whole day together," She mumbled, the tiredness sweeping through her. "Am I an idiot?"
He watched for what seemed like minutes, but in reality was probably no more than a few seconds. Her head tilted forward and he knew she was drifting asleep. He ran his fingers through his dark hair then sank down into the soft cushions of the sofa beside her. "No," He said softly, tilting her head so she leaned against his broad shoulder. He carefully reached down, his fingers hovered over hers. He wanted to hold her, even for a moment. He wanted to touch her just to make sure this was real. Something inside stopped him. He placed his hand on his knee instead and closed his eyes, savoring the moment. It was getting late, but he didn't want this to end. It pained him to admit it. "But I know someone who is."
Quietly, he heard the door swing open. His eyes watched as Akihiko stepped into the room, soaked from top to bottom. Shinji noticed like himself, Akihiko wasn't carrying an umbrella. Unlike him, however, he wasn't carrying a jacket either. Those two facts made it clear to Shinji that Akihiko hadn't planned on staying out late. Those two facts, however, didn't change what Akihiko had done. Or in his case, hadn't done. Animosity filled the air as their eyes locked. Deciding to spare no words, he kept quiet as Akihiko turned and stalked his way into his room, closing the door.
Shinji sat still for a few more moments before letting out a sigh. He worked up the courage to place his hand on hers and shook her lightly. "Hey...wake up."
Groggily, Hamuko wiped her eyes and sat up. "What time is it?"
"Nearly midnight," He replied curtly before standing up to get her clothes. "Come on, I'll walk you back."
She nodded in her head in reply and collected her things. They left the room without another word.
During the walk back, they chatted about the events from earlier in the day. "I guess he didn't come back, huh?" She suddenly asked, noticing they were drawing close to her room.
"No," he answered flatly. "I guess not."
When they reached her room, she took her key and opened the door. "I thought about as much."
"Hey," He spoke quickly, stopping from entering. "If he doesn't show up, I'll make time for you. So next time...don't keep waiting."
"Thanks for the pick me up, Shinji." She sent him a small, but significant smile and he watched with mixed emotions as she walked in and closed the door.
Minutes later, he was back at his place. He walked to the living room and began cleaning up their mess of magazines and coffee stains. From the corner of his eye, he saw Akihiko standing in the hallway. "Did she wait long?" He asked. Shinji couldn't tell if it was out of concern or curiosity, and it bothered him immensely.
He continued stacking the magazines neatly. "Breaking promises now, huh? Is that what you've sunk to?" He asked, deflecting the question.
"Answer my question." Akihiko ordered.
"You'd go that far for Mitsuru as to break other promises you've made?" Shinji asked, placing his collection where it belonged.
Akihiko grit his teeth and stepped forward. His eyes warned Shinji he was getting into dangerous territory. "You don't understand."
Shinji stood up and faced him. The look on his face dared him to start something. "No Aki, you don't understand. Mitsuru…What exactly does she mean to you?"
Akihiko hesitated, then made himself say it. "She's a friend."
"Keep deluding yourself," Shinji said, his voice rough, his mouth compressed. "I won't let Hamuko wait for you."
Shinji walked back to his room and shut the door, leaving the half empty coffee cups on the table. His eyes landed on a book on his night table stand that read: I Know How To Cook. When he saw it at the bookstore, he thought it was some kind of joke. Almost like a sign from a higher power. He bought it just for the laughs, but it ended up having some insightful techniques for home cooking. He had a few more pages to go and thought today would be the day he finished it; a new personal record. He decided he would finish it tomorrow, settled into bed, drew the covers over and turned off the light.
Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long for this chapter, I had to do a lot of research for this.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to review, you guys are my inspiration!
It looks like it was a tie between who Hamuko should end up with, so it looks like I'll have to see where the story goes.
Despite how I portray him, I am a huge Akihiko fan. (Bet you never would have guessed!)