Moon Tide: Leblanc

Iwai mostly texted Tae updates on how Kaoru was doing, recommended doses for the prescriptions, etc. But along the way, the two mildly conversed. Then, Tae texted first with:

My office doesn't open until 9, unless there's an emergency. Wanna have that first date? ;)

Iwai was slightly bewildered. He didn't forget that the good doctor asked him out a week or so ago, but she wanted their first date to be in the morning? Huh.

This was also a rather spontaneous request, as it was now 6:50 that very same morning.

"Dad?" Kaoru asked.

"Hm?" Iwai turned to his son, realizing he stared at his screen for over two minutes. "Oh, uh, you feeling good enough for school?"

"Yep, I've been resting a lot and I've been taking the medicine."

"Okay, but make sure you don't over exert yourself."

Kaoru nodded confidently as he made himself breakfast on the go.

"Stay out of trouble!" Iwai smiled as he sent his son off.

Now back to the matter at hand. Iwai didn't really have customers until the afternoon, and it wasn't any time near an important event, so opening up shop too late wasn't that big of a worry.

Leblanc, right?

Iwai decided to freshen up a bit while he waited for Tae to respond. As he was brushing his teeth, she texted a picture of her in front of the small café. The caption below: Don't keep me waiting too long.

Bold one. Not bad.

One quick Google search revealed that Leblanc was just down the street from Tae's clinic. Ah, she must be a frequent customer there in that case. That explains it.

…Hm, since it's the first date, Iwai should put in some effort to look good. And probably bring Tae flowers or something.

Be there in 20.

He decided not to be too frugal (mostly to show he wasn't some desperate idiot that demanded affection) and get a single flower instead of a bouquet. The flower shop owner noted that a rose would be a bit much on the first date, especially for one so early in the morning.

"How about this other red one?" He asked.

"Oh, that's a sorrel. It means affection. But usually women are the ones that give hibiscus flowers like these. How about a sunflower? They mean adoration."

Seemed a bit too cheery for Tae, in Iwai's book.

"Then these blue ones?"

"Oh, bluebells! Those mean humility or gratitude. And I've made sure these ones aren't poisonous, so you don't need to worry about that, either."

Perfect.

With a polite nod after payment, Iwai set off with a bluebell in hand.

Thankfully, Iwai didn't have to sprain a lung to get to his destination. Or break a sweat. That would be unpleasant to deal with.

Stopping for a moment, he noticed Tae on her phone and in her work clothes. Now that he got a good look at her, she was prettier than he remembered. …Maybe that was because he was too concerned about Kaoru's health when they first met.

Tae noticed him, and walked toward him. He met halfway.

"Got this for you," he said a bit too quickly as he held out the bluebell.

She seemed a bit taken aback at first, but then smiled.

"How thoughtful," she replied. "I'll forgive you for being a few minutes."

Nailed it. …Wait, he was late? Iwai checked his phone to realize it was now 7:14.

"I'm only teasing," Tae snickered. "Come on, the coffee should be brewed fresh now."

"Oh, uh, right."

Tae silently remarked about how cute Iwai was being as Iwai opened the door for her. Good thing he had manners even at such an early hour.

"Mornin', Boss," Tae announced nonchalantly. She confidently strutted toward a small bar seat.

"Mornin', Doc," the middle-aged man behind the counter replied without lifting his head up. He did, however, when he heard the other set of footsteps. "Oh? Haven't seen you here before."

"Make sure you don't schmooze him too much."

"I'm not that desperate for customers, you know." He turned to Iwai. "How do you take your coffee?"

"Black, please," Iwai replied.

"Usual latte for you, Doc?"

"If you'd be so kind." She patted the seat next to her. Iwai then decided to stop being awkward and joined her. "Boss here makes some of the best coffee I've had."

"Well, considering this is a café, I would hope he does," Iwai chuckled.

Boss let out a small snort. He then placed a small vase in front of him, allowing Tae to place the bluebell in it.

"But do you work here part time or something?"

"Had I the time and culinary skills, probably. But, in case you're wondering, everyone here calls him Boss."

"Ah."

"Real name's Sakura Sojiro, just make sure not to use that when filing taxes."

"Damn, and here I thought I could get away with it," Iwai grinned before he introduced himself.

Sojiro placed the cups in front of the two, and the two thanked him.

"Ah, this is the good stuff," Iwai sighed after taking a sip.

"Your fears of mediocrity have been officially diminished," Tae smiled. "We should celebrate with curry."

Sojiro amusedly rolled his eyes as he started making preparations.

"Before you ask, Iwai is the owner of the airsoft store in town," Tae spoke before she drank her latte.

"Not bad," Sojiro responded. "Must've been difficult to get the work space."

"Yeah, I had to go in an alley so little kids wouldn't stop by frequently," Iwai said. "It's always about location."

Sojiro gave a sympathetic hum.

Footsteps could be heard from above, slowly descending until a familiar face appeared from the side. Iwai did a double check only to realize that this was in fact the kid he sold the model gun to. Akira seemed just as surprised.

"Yo," Tae greeted.

"Uh, hey," Akira waved. He nodded at Iwai, and Iwai nodded back.

"On your way to school?"

Akira nodded and passed the two.

"Hang on, I have some leftover curry you can take with you," Sojiro spoke as Akira opened the front door. He finished packing it in a small bento box and placed it on the counter. "Make sure you're not late."

"Thank you," Akira bowed.

Does he live here or something…? Iwai thought to himself.

"You've been making sure he eats enough, right, Boss?" Tae asked. "Last thing I want as a doctor is to hear that he's malnourished."

"He's been getting better, thankfully," Sojiro sighed. "Kid's not used to eating a lot, though, so it's been a gradual process."

"And Futaba?"

"She's been taking her vitamins, last time I checked. Still need to find a way to get her to exercise, though. I want her to be comfortable, but I don't want her holed up in her room where she's on the computer all day."

…She doesn't live upstairs, too, does she? Iwai once again thought to himself. Place doesn't really seem suited to raise two kids, unless there's an apartment upstairs.

"Thankfully you seem to have the patience," Iwai said. "I have a son named Kaoru, and back in the day I'd have to count in my head so I wouldn't end up throwing a tantrum along with him."

"That right?"

"Yep, it's actually how I met him," Tae replied.

"How cute." Sojiro then served fresh mild-flavored curry. The two thanked him for the meal before they cooled their first bites.

"Okay, I need the recipe for this," Iwai said.

"And here you thought I would be schmoozing him too much," Sojiro chuckled.

Tae rolled her eyes with a grin.

"You wanna go Dutch?" Iwai asked. "I don't mind paying, but I don't want you to think you can never pay for anything ever."

"Yes, please. Boss deserves some of my hard-earned medical treatment money."

"Only some, how unfortunate," Sojiro sighed with an overdramatic tone. "You kids keep your noses clean, flu season's approaching sooner than I'd like."

"You too, Boss, don't want there to be an epidemic just because you were too stubborn to rest," Tae waved as Iwai held the door open for her again.

Sojiro turned his attention to Iwai and grinned, "Feel free to bring Kaoru over when you have the time. Maybe one of these days he can talk with Futaba and Akira."

"I'll keep that in mind," Iwai smiled.

Tae and Iwai decided to keep up the friendly chats as they strolled toward Tae's clinic.

"Boss seems to have taken a liking to you," Tae said. "And he tends to give out pretty good assessments of others."

"Thank God," Iwai breathed. "Can't believe you took me to see your folks on the first date. Could've given me a warning beforehand."

"What, and risk you stuttering to try and impress him?"

"…Shit, you got me there."

That earned a laugh out of the two of them.

"Be thankful I didn't take you to my actual parents, though. My mom would still be on my ass about not being a housewife or whatever, and with Dad gone, it's harder to get her to change subjects."

"You don't have to worry about my folks, either. Dad left when I was a kid and my mom flat out doesn't care about me."

Thank God I'm not in the yakuza anymore, Iwai thought. Last thing I want is for her to get involved, or for my former brothers to try and do something.

At last, they arrived to the front steps of Tae's clinic.

"Oh, that reminds me," Tae spoke. "That bluebell you got me was beautiful, hope you don't mind me giving it to Boss."

"Not at all, I'm just glad you liked it," Iwai responded with a grin. "It was…kind of a last minute decision, if I'll be honest."

"Well, considering bluebells can be bad luck, I could tell."

"Yea-wait, what?"

"Old superstition that hearing them ring would mean someone close to you died."

"I…the flower shop owner said it meant gratitude or whatever, though."

Tae chuckled to herself for a bit.

"Ah, don't worry. It has good meanings, too. Like other flowers, it can be used for medical treatments."

She then placed her hand on his cheek and pressed a small kiss on it.

"It also means everlasting love."