Alrighty folks! Here's chapter 6 of Tako, and with it… I introduce a new plot twist and arc coming with it! Some people may regard this chapter as nearly 6 months late, I regard it as 6 months in the making—I've gotten countless PM's since I posted the last chapter (well not countless. Only 22. :P), and I've been working on integrating all of the amazing life experiences I've had while writing this.
Miku walked into her apartment, to find Luka laying down on the couch, rubbing her temples.
Miku stepped closer, "Luka? Is everything all right?" she asked, concern in her eyes.
Luka opened her mouth as if to speak, but instead sighed, "I'm alright, Miku. Thanks for asking though, it means a lot." Luka offered a smile, but it didn't fully convince Miku.
"Are you sure…?" Miku sniffed the air, hesitating for a small while, "I didn't know you smoked. I don't know, you carry this… elegant air around you."
Luka laughed, "Who says that I'm inelegant? In all honesty, it's a calming method for me- and it works quite well. Better than drinking in any case; though I must admit that having the occasional drink calms me as well. I also like nightclubs. Lots of fun- I partied hard in High School." Luka laughed at her last statement, while Miku smiled knowingly.
"Well Luka, might as well eat up!" Miku smiled cheerfully, handing a bowl to Luka. Immediately after it seemed, Miku had the entire bowl drained, shoveling copious amounts of noodles in her mouth. Miku seemed to notice Luka's staring, "…What? I'm hungry. And well now I'm thirsty. This stuff is salty as the freakin' ocean!"
Luka sweat dropped. "Right, well might as well give it a shot. You seem to have good taste, so I trust that you eat as well as you drink." Luka shot a wink at Miku at that last remark, before taking a bite of the meal that was cooling down before her eyes. "Uguuhhh." Luka's face went entirely white. "This…is… whoo!" Luka shuddered, taking yet another bite- the salt drying her mouth and throat, bringing tears to her eyes.
Miku looked concerned, repeatedly calling out Luka's name- making sure she was alright. "Luka! Luka-senpai-san-chan-pyon! Luuuuuuuuuuuuka. Lukaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Are you alright?!" She yelled.
"Hell no, I'm not alright. Where in the hell did this come from? Ugh, I could write a gothic novel just about how awful that tasted." Luka complained, standing up at once- walking towards the apartment door.
"Where ya going Luka?" Miku looked crestfallen, putting on her shoes and jacket at once as if ready to chase after the pinkette.
Luka grimaced, "Look Miku, the ramen is quite… interesting, but I'm not in the mood for it right now", she lied trying to summon enough saliva to rinse her mouth with.
Miku looked crestfallen, shuffling her feet around with downcast eyes. "Well could I take you somewhere then? Perhaps to a restaurant, a bar, or a nightclub?" she inquired
"A bar?" Luka sweatdropped, raising her eyebrows at the Hatsune. "I didn't think you were old enough to drink, you look quite young."
"Ehehehe… I have an ID, y'know. Legitimate and all." Miku flashed a cherry grin, as if that would help prove her point.
"…I think I'll take you up on your offer of going out to a restaurant." Luka managed, rubbing her right eye ever so slightly.
Not even ten minutes later, the duo were walking down the street towards the local restaurant district, their footsteps making light indents in the frost that coated the sidewalk. The background noise was quieter than usual, and the only noise that could be heard was the crunching of the frost under the pair's shoes, and the occasional deep breath that accompanied walking in the crisp, cool air.
"I've always wondered about destiny… have you ever felt like an opportunity turned down is an opportunity wasted?" Luka asked aloud, breaking the calm silence.
Miku's eyebrows furrowed, and her lips took the shape of a slight frown as she pondered Luka's question. "Well…" Miku replied quietly, "I wouldn't say that all opportunities that I pass up are wasted. I've got my own plan for what I want to do during my life, and if I did something that would prevent me from having that dream fulfilled, I'd be more disappointed than if I turned down an amazing once-in-a-lifetime adventure." Miku explained, managing eye contact with Luka while walking exactly beside her.
Luka managed a small smile, the corners of her eyes narrowing slightly as she did so. "You've got quite the interesting, albeit philosophic ideology there. I don't think I've ever quite heard an answer like that, it's rather refreshing, if I may say so myself."
Miku smirked before retorting, "You're rather wordy, did you know that?" while gently nudging Luka with her elbow.
"Says the writer" Luka teased back, sticking her tongue out ever so slightly. 'I wonder… is this really just teasing?' Luka pondered, feeling the slow of her heartbeat, and the painful sensation that came with it.
"So Luka, what were you thinking of in terms of dinner?" Miku asked, tearing Luka away from those fleeting thoughts of romance.
"Hmm… not ramen?" Luka laughed, "But in all seriousness, something warm, and something nice. I'm freezing out here in this below freezing weather!" she finished, her legs quaking as if to prove her point.
"What about hot pot?" Miku chirped, her eyes opening ever so slightly at the thought of it.
"I could do hot pot." Luka said, taking Miku's hand and leading her across the street. "I know just the place, it'll be the best meal you've ever eaten." The pinkette confidently said, her stride lengthening, and her lips curved in a slight smirk.
It hadn't been even five minutes after Luka started leading Miku, and it seemed as if they were already in a completely different world, bicyclists riding slowly through the thin snow coating the asphalt of the road, lights from various shops illuminating the night sky. Surrounding the couple were shoppers and people heading out to enjoy the nightlife, some carrying tea or coffee, others carrying alcohol- using obviously flimsy paper bags to try and cover the bottle as if to prevent arrest.
"It's right through here, like a hidden gem." Luka murmured, leading Miku down an alley, than through a stairwell
The rough looking door opened to a very nice, calming café with dim, filtered lights and candles adorning the ceiling and tables. The interior was a clash from two different eras; carved into the wooden wall were ancient gods and Kanji, while the light, straight, and slim wooden beams and furniture were that from a modern sushi bar or nightclub.
Without even waiting for a waiter, Luka walked straight to a table that sat parallel to a window facing the main street, giving the two a peaceful view of the streets of Sapporo in the winter evening. "Is there any particular dish that you favor over the others?" Luka asked Miku, while gazing out the window at the fine particles of frost that floated through the air.
Miku mumbled slightly, with a slight blush of embarrassment from her answer, "shabu-shabu… it's rather savory."
Luka smiled knowingly. "You're embarrassed because it's an expensive dish?" She queried, licking her lips ever so slightly. "There's no need to feel bad about it, I'm honored to have someone with such fine taste dining with me."
"Well then, shall we share?" Miku asked, her eyes sparkling in anticipation
"Let's eat!" Luka teased, before slapping a 2000 yen bill on the table. "One large dish of shabu-shabu!" she shouted, causing Miku to flinch inwardly at such a loud and unruly noise coming from the usually calm and well-mannered pink haired woman. "That, my friend, is how I roll." Luka laughed, seeming extraordinarily energetic and high while in the tealette's company.
The hot-pot dish came out of the kitchen extraordinarily fast, steaming and emitting wonderful aromas through the room. Both Luka and Miku eyed each other hungrily before fleeting their eyes to the dish, in a pseudo-competition to get the first bite.
"Thank you for the food!" The pair called out, before clashing their serving spoons together, causing imaginary sparks to fly. This continued for almost a minute before Miku suddenly stopped.
"Luuukaaa…" she pouted, a hurt look in her eyes. Luka stopped immediately and was moving her hand towards Miku's shoulder in an effort to comfort her, when suddenly…
"Thanks for the first bite!" Miku teased, obvious bliss on her face as the warm broth flowed down her throat. Luka looked in dismay towards Miku for a few seconds, before morphing her lips into a warm smile. "You cunning little…", Luka teased.
The two enjoyed their meal while playfully bantering, and before long the two were talking over dessert and tea.
"So Luka, you mentioned that you were a college student. Where do you attend?" Miku inquired
Luka replied without the slightest pause. "Natsuki Vocal School. I aspire to become a professional singer one day. Regardless of whether that happens or not I plan on continuing studying at Sapporo International University. I think it'd be nice to learn English." She continued on, sharing her dreams with the twintailed girl.
Miku smiled with a slightly bitter aftertaste to it. "Is that what's got you so stressed? I haven't known you for long but I hate seeing anyone in a situation that's unhealthy for them."
Luka laughed bitterly, "No, not in the slightest. In fact, that would be nice if that were the source of my problems. Unfortunately, it's something a little more pressing then that."
"Ah, well I'm sorry to hear that. I'm here for you if you want to talk it out at any time." Miku assured Luka, seemingly uncomfortable with the bitter tone that the pink haired woman used.
Luka cleared her throat, her eyes focused on distant objects before speaking, "Well let's walk and talk then. It's always relaxing to have a nice chat in the crisp winter air."
A few blocks away from the restaurant, and the throngs of people, Luka began to speak, "I have… well had, a boyfriend. His name was Gakupo. He was very traditional, dressing in samurai clothes, and he had a very strict personality." Luka giggled for a moment, "I guess that's what attracted me to him. I wanted someone who wouldn't detract me from studying at the time. Of course, I never even began to think about the volatile personality that could come out of that…" Luka sighed.
Miku linked her arm around Luka's, smiling at her while doing so. "Continue at your own pace, Luka-chan" she said softly.
"It's not that he was a bad person. If anything, I'm more scared of myself than I am of him. He began to abuse me not too long ago, and last night was the final straw for me. I strongly feel like he can change for the better… but me? I want revenge. And that makes me scared of what I might do."
"Look Luka," Miku stopped, looking Luka dead in the eye with a cruel smile on her face, "You need to live with no regrets. Whatever it is that you choose to do, regardless of whether it's the right or wrong choice- you should do what it is that you think would be the most fulfilling for you."
Luka sighed before lighting a cigarette, exhaling smoke that was illuminated by the surrounding lights, and turned it into an almost mysterious fog.
"I think… I want to kill Gakupo." Luka said, with a straight face.
Well, how's that for a confession? I hope you liked this chapter, and I apologize for the delay. There WILL be frequent updates from now on. I was simply busy with family emergencies and taking a trip to Japan. Special thanks to my friend Ellie for getting me motivated to jump start this chapter!
And FYI folks, this is the third version of this- remember to always edit and criticize your work, even if it's incredibly hard and tiring! See ya'll soon. :)