My Memories of You
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Author's Ramblings: I think this is the first chapter presenting conflict, of course conflict different than the fact Kaoru is dead… Hey don't stare at me like that! Just read… Jeeze such harshness…
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"I met a man and his gorgeous! I wanna marry him!" Her enthusiastic blue eyes usually shinning with delight were not shinning with purpose and it worried her friend to no end. "I mean it, he will be mine!"
"Misao you said that three times in the past month, I don't think it'll happen, as said before."
"The only difference is that this particular man has seen me naked before."
"What?"
"He is Aoshi, my darling, loving Aoshi-sama!" And she started dancing round the dressing room, her two co-workers watched as she did so; her twirling was well choreographed, and suddenly stopped by the sudden appearance of their boss Kamatari. The two women let out a scream of surprise as the man entered their dressing room without permission and although truth they respected his sexual preferences, that did not give him permission to see them half naked.
"Kamatari! I swear I'll kill you!"
"Get dressed ladies, you are late!"
"We are not late, it's barely twelve thirty!"
"The crowd outside makes it feels like one fifty! Move it we have a huge rush and can't help them all without enough employees!"
"Hai, hai." Said Misao, putting on her shirt while her partner, Maki, just shook her head and put on her working shoe. Kamatari mumbled something incoherent, and walked out the dressing room quickly, but not before screaming at them to hurry.
"So you know Aoshi?"
"His family lived next to ours in Kyoto, and he moved away to study, I think to America, and I haven't seen him in years. Last night he came knocking and I was home! And Oh. My. God. He is so hot!" She put on her own shoes, and fixed her ponytail braid, before joining Maki on the door. "He'll be mine."
"Sure."
"I'm serious here. He's mine."
"If he's so hot, why isn't he married?"
"Too busy with work and studies?"
"Or maybe he just likes girls like Kamatari."
"That's just… depressing Maki!" A moment of silence. "Then I'll have to save him from his ways and bring him to the right path."
"As if…"
"I invited him to visit today, he loves tea and we serve the best one in the city so he'll drop by to taste and let me know."
"I see."
"Girls!"
"Coming!"
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The café was so busy that day there was little time to talk with Misao. The hype of this new man in her life was hilarious, although even Katamari had noted her determination. Misao was now more concerned about the fact that her date (if it could be called that) had not yet made it in. Maki was still tending tables when the crowd eases and Misao was sent out to her break. They would have to work for a few more hours, and they needed the money so they kept the complaints between them and helped out.
Misao was lifting her legs over the bench in the changing room when the door opened and Tsubame entered; Tsubame was a nice teenager, a gorgeous girl with dark looks, looking a lot like Maki, who was working part time to cover expenses because she lived alone. Both Maki and Tae had taken the girl under their wing, and in the way they had become quite fond of her. "Oh, hi Misao."
"Hey girl."
"Hard day?"
"You won't believe how hard this day had been." She said with a smile. "Get ready for quite the crowd."
"Is Maki in? I brought her the handbag she wanted."
"What handbag?" And Tsubame pulled out an old fashioned blue hand bag, with flowers and a thick silky cord that looked delicate enough. "That'll look nice on her." Misao had created a thick bond with Maki through the two years they've known each other, they had bonded, and often were accused of been sisters. It wasn't such a bad thing, because they lived together, but for a while it was rather awkward. "I bet she'll pair it with that blue kimono of hers."
"I heard she wanted it for the purple one."
"I have no idea why she loves kimono's so much, she's such an old fashioner."
"Well, considering who she is… it's no mystery."
"Maybe you are right." And Tsubame put her thing inside her locker, and started to change. "I have a friend coming over, so don't be alarmed if you see a hunk of a man in the shop."
"I've seen plenty hunks in the shop, my biggest worry is that Katamari always nears them."
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When Tsubame entered to work Maki was sent out to her break, and she was told her new hand bag was over the table. Excited she hurried to their break room and quickly searched for the item. Misao was still sitting, now her legs were up over the table, and smiled as Maki checked the item. "I love it; don't you think it's cute?"
"It is. It'll go great with the blue and purple kimono."
"That's why I ordered this color." Along with her part time job Tsubame also had a small catalog of clothes and sold them, there's where Maki ordered. Tae entered the room at that moment, looking quite stressed.
"Girls, you won't believe the day I've had. Oh what a cute bag!"
"Thanks!"
"The banks are full, the streets are mad and there's this report of robbers in the area that is frightening even me. And you guys know I don't deal with robbers!"
"Relax, if there are robbers in the area I got a cute cop coming."
"What?"
"A new target." Said Miki, nodding towards Misao, who frowned at the two of them before arguing.
"My next husband!" Said Misao, indignation evident in her voice.
"That's what you said about Soujiru, and then Enishi, and finally…"
"Saito."
"I never said that about Saito, he's a psycho!"
"We are just kidding!"
"Girl! I need help out here!" Cried Kamatari, making Misao sigh along with Tae. Smiling Maki watch them go, willingly, and looked down at her bag. The insides were covered in silk, then outsides clean and well detailed. She caressed the design of flowers and was hit by the utter similarity of this sakura blooms with the ones at the back of her apartment. Or maybe…
The sound of a child laughing, and then blue tile hit her, as it usually did making her hand fall over her hands as she waited the flash to back out. But it didn't, and something akin to a memory found it way towards her, water was splashing all over her, even when cold and suddenly, she laughed and heard someone laughing with her. And this time it was a man...
A cry made her wake up, and look up. The café at the other side of the door was suddenly quiet, and someone was screaming orders. Maki had always been curious and although her feet ached, she stood and walked towards the door. A man was holding Tsubame and had a gun pointed at the girl's head. Anger suddenly boiled inside her, and without thinking much she hurried out; the whole scene was revealed: A robber holding a hostage, a tall handsome police officer serving as negotiator and holding a gun pointed at the man's head… Maki didn't have any of it.
"Stop or I swear I'll shoot!"
She acted without thinking, thing that was never seen on her, and neared the man.
"Stop I say!"
"Maki san!"
Maki's hand shot forward, grazing Tsubame's forehead, her finger's grabbed the robber's clothes and she pulled; the man let go of Tsubame with a shocked expression, and was kicked on the gut, and then dropped to the ground with a duplex that had everyone's jaw dropping.
"Oh My God! It's the Japanese Cyclone Duplex Hold!"
"I've never seen such an obscure move up close!" Called Tae, searching for her cell phone in her pocket to take a picture while the guest of the café stared in amazement.
"I can't believe someone I know can do it!" Said Misao excited, and cheering Maki on.
All the while, with the girls cheering their co-worker and friend on, and the robber crying out in pain, the cop stared at the scene in silence, putting his gun away. He narrowed his eyes at the girl, and watched as she got up and looked surprised at what she'd done. Her expression was one of confusion and although even her boss was congratulating her she didn't know how she'd done such a thing. Such an obscure move, such skills and agility; sure she was rusty, but there was something in her that called out to his memory. He had seen her before and to his own astonishment he could not remember where.
An hour or so later the place was been cleaned up by the cops, statements were been taken and the woman was sitting over a booth, a cup of tea in her hands. It wasn't until then that Aoshi Shinomori made his way towards her.
"Ma'am. I would like to ask you a few questions."
"Sure." She said, looking tired. Aoshi had a few questions scribbled down on his notepad but instead he just looked at her right in the eyes, completely serious.
"Have we met before?"
The woman just frowned at him.