The teahouse seems fairly standard from the outside; just an ordinary building with standard signs decorating the entrance. It blends in perfectly with the surroundings; if Lilly and Hanako didn't stop at the place we would have kept on walking by without a second thought.
The insides are much more traditional. Solid wood seems to make up everything, from the counters and benches to the leather-backed booths around the walls. The most striking feature, though, is the lack of life. There's something bubbling away in the background - soup? tea? - but otherwise the room is silent.
Without any direction, we simply wait near the entrance, politely obeying the "Please wait to be seated" sign.
"Er...is this place closed or something?" The sound of a chair falling over echoes throughout the empty room, and a head shoots up from inside a booth.
Wait, I recognize that hair...
"I wasn't asleep and welcome to the Shanghai!" Yuuko's instant denial makes me smile even as I wonder. Dressed in a pastel apron and clutching a menu, she rushes to greet us. Her ruffled hair and misaligned glasses casts suspicion on her previous statement.
"You work here now? What happened to the library?" I ask.
"E-Eh? Lilly? Hisao? Hanako? Welcome to the Shanghai!" She rapidly and violently bows after this greeting, dislodging her glasses in the process.
"Uweh!? My glasses..." As I pick up her spectacles off the floor, Lilly offers an explanation.
"Yuuko works here part-time as well as at the library. It's one of the reasons we like to come here." Yuuko takes her glasses from my hands, shakily putting them back on. It reminds me of the first time we met.
"Yes...that's right...thanks..." She answers, in turn. "Shall I show you to your table?" Given a return to protocol, she seems much more calm.
"There's no one else here so you can choose your table and order whatever you like, but there will be a delay as I will have to make it myself..." Is there supposed to be other people working here? As a matter of fact, where are all the customers?
"It's alright, Yuuko. A pot of black tea and a plate of sandwiches shall suffice." Lilly reassures her.
"Right! I'll get right onto that!" Yuuko says, before hurrying off into the back of the cafe, leaving us standing. She pushes the swinging half-doors open before realizing that she hasn't seated us.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, sit wherever you like! I'll be right back!" Deciding to listen to her advice, I lead Lilly to the nearest booth as Hanako follows.
As I sit next to Lilly, I realize how appropriate this place is for Hanako. Apparently deserted, with Yuuko as a familiar face...the high-backed booths totally separate you from the rest of the room, too. The atmosphere, too, isn't altogether too different from the tea room. The furnishings and decorations look dated, but not too worn.
Lilly must deliberately select places like this to take Hanako. She seems like the type that would go to lengths to cater to Hanako's unique predicament.
"So, Hisao, I didn't know you played chess..." Lilly starts, breaking the silence.
"It's an old hobby of mine." I say, trailing off. I don't really want to go into my past.
"I suppose the obvious question is...who won?" Lilly says. Her innocent smile makes me hesitate. I'm not too sure how to answer this.
"H-Hisao did." Hanako says, to my relief.
"Yes...but, Hanako is very good, too. I only won because I've been playing pretty consistently for quite some time." Lilly giggles.
"Well done, Hisao. You've accomplished something I've only ever failed at." Oh, does Lilly play chess? I would love to see how she plays; her style, her competitive spirit.
In some ways, I may be too much like Shizune.
"Er, thanks. I haven't played another person in a long time, so it felt good to play again."
"Y...yes...It did." Hanako fidgets with her hair and looks away as she replies, but a small smile emerges nonetheless. It's a little extreme, but still quite cute. I realize I'm smiling, suddenly, despite having made no effort to.
It throws me a little of guard, and only Yuuko's re-entry shocks me back.
"Are you alright, Yuuko? Do you need a hand?" She's carrying the food and the tea very precariously on her platter.
"I'm fine I'm fine I'm fine. It's my job, I have to do this properly." Concentration plays across her face while she stares at the tray in her hands, as if simply looking at its contents will hold them in place.
Her strategy doesn't prove all that effective; the cups and saucers slowly dance around, occasionally clattering as they bump into one another. I prepare to reach out and catch something if the need arises.
Taking great care, Yuuko sets the tray down with a relatively subtle crash, rating about a two on the Misha scale.
"There, see!" Her joy and relief is palpable.
"Er...well done?" I say, unintentionally making it a question.
"Thank you, Yuuko." It appears Lilly has more tact than I. Yuuko's head rockets downwards in her distinctive bow before she answers.
"You're very welcome."
"Would you like to join us? There's something else I'd like to discuss about that recent order, if I may..." Lilly offers.
It seems vaguely familiar, but I'm not sure quite what they're talking about.
"Ah...yes. We didn't get the chance to go through them, did we?" Yuuko sits down next to Hanako. It occurs to me that we should switch spots, but I don't say anything.
This is definitely unprofessional, but I think I definitely shouldn't bring that up.
"I'll be in the library tomorrow, if you'd like to try again..." Yuuko says.
"That sounds perfect, I'll meet you there after classes." Lilly nods.
"Um, Lilly..." Hanako interjects timidly.
"Oh dear, that's right. Tomorrow is Monday, how could I have forgotten?" I'm content to sit back and sip my tea, but that simply just can't happen, apparently.
"Well, perhaps we could come to some other arrangement. Yuuko, will you be in the library later this week?"
"Hm, maybe, but this is already overdue..."
"A-and there are some...things I n-need..." I'm starting to see what's about to happen.
"This might be a problem..." Lilly ponders for a second before arriving at the obvious answer.
"I wonder, might we be able to enlist the help of another, if need be...?" Subtle, Lilly. Subtle.
"To do what?" I ask.
Being volunteered for something, again. And here I thought I had finally escaped the clutches of the Student Council. But at least this time I'm actually given a choice.
"Oh, of course. The other day I was helping Yuuko sort the new Braille books in the library. But Hanako and I usually go shopping on Monday afternoons; it's quieter on that day than on weekends. Last week we couldn't go because I was busy with the festival. I managed to slip away later in the week, but Hanako couldn't make it."
That's a nice way of saying that she was almost certainly reading in the library.
"Well, since I can't read Braille, I'm assuming you'd like me to go shopping with Hanako?" I glance at the girl in question; she immediately avoids my gaze, but I notice the faintest spark of hope in her eyes.
"Correct. You were a great help to me the other day."
"I'm sure I can handle that. Hanako, what do you think?"
"I-If you wouldn't mind..."
"Of course not. I'm still not familiar with the area, so this is a good opportunity to look around." That, and I don't want to let you and Lilly down.
"O-okay." She seems happy, again.
"Now that we have that arranged, shall we have some tea?" Lilly asks. It's now that I realize that I've been the only one drinking.
"It's my fault! Let me pour that for you." Yuuko says, looking panicked. She reaches out with shaking hands, but I intercept her; she looks like she'd drop the pot if given the chance.
"It's alright. I've got it. You've already made the food and drinks, so you've gone over and beyond your duties, having you?" Appealing to her sense of duty seems to be the easiest way to get things done.
"I...I guess." And it actually works. Yuuko relaxes a little, but still watches eagerly as I share out the assortment.
Suddenly, a low, loud rumble can be heard, along with a flash of light. Everyone flinches, startled.
"Ah. I take it the show has started." Lilly is the first to regain her composure; my heart still races as I slowly unclench my grip. Looking outside, I realize that dusk has come and gone, leaving us in the peak of twilight. Time passes fast when you're enjoying yourself, doesn't it?
Sparking trailers arc upwards ready to explode in the flowery shape of fireworks. I let the light burn itself into my memory; it's not every day I get to see something this pretty.
"Let's go watch!" Yuuko says, before reconsidering.
"Oh...sorry, Lilly..."
"Please, don't miss the show on my account. From what I know, this isn't a bad location to watch it from." With the exception of Lilly, we rush to the window of the small teahouse to watch the show.
The strobe of colored lights play across Hanako and Yuuko's happy faces, and for a second I forget to look outside the window.
There's a beautiful show out there, but I shouldn't discount what I have already, right next to me. There are better things out there, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be happy with what I'm allowed.
The show ends all too quickly; fireworks are expensive, even for the most well-funded schools. Before we return to our tea and sandwiches, Hanako turns to me.
"Um, t-thanks for today. And...tomorrow." I nod.
"Thank you, too. I don't think I could have faced those crowds either." I say, tapping the leg that I am so irresponsibly walking on. I didn't think to grab my crutch; ah well. But my leg is healing, slowly, I think.
"Ah!" Hanako exclaims. "D-Don't you...?"
"I probably should." I admit, sighing heavily before turning to limp back for my crutch.
Stupid thing. Hanako joins me after a moment of thought and we sit back into the booths. The tea is cold, but no one really seems to mind.
...
After saying goodbye to Yuuko, we exit. Lilly and Hanako once again take point, but under the cover of darkness Hanako seems less stressed than she did on the trip here. We move against the occasional group of people emptying the school grounds, but Hanako leads us across seemingly minor roads, avoiding the bulk of the crowd.
...
Outside of the dorms, the school seems strangely quiet.
"Well then, thank you both for today. I think I've learned a lot." I tell them, as we stop to say goodbye.
"You're most welcome, but I'm afraid that I really must be going. Today's been a long day." That's right, Lilly spent all of today on her feet, and I can imagine walking for much of the rest would be exhausting. I feel temporary thankful for my condition, but the moment passes.
"Well, I'll see you both tomorrow. Good night." I say, nodding at them.
"Good night." "N...night."
The girls return to their dorm, and I to mine. Today tired me out as well, but for different reasons.
Returning to my dorm, I quickly prepare for bed, but find myself unable to sleep as I lay underneath the covers.
I told Lilly and Hanako that I 'learned a lot' today. And I did; qualitatively, if not quantitatively.
I don't really want to be alone.
It's that truth that surprises me, more than anything. I don't want to be alone? Why not?
...I've changed. Or maybe it's the people around me who are different. Back where I come from, despite what a bystander might think, people don't really socialize with each other. They just look forward, look forward to that day...
Not me, though. I was happy where I was. I didn't want anyone. I just wanted to live independently, focusing hard on my academics so that I could sustain myself, even handicapped with a disability. And even when it got worse, I didn't stop.
I can't pity myself anymore. That's what's changed, I guess. There is too much in the future for me to want to stop in place. I finally have the freedom I want; spend my time interacting with people. There's no time for me to waste on pity.
And everyone here has been so helpful with that, in their own way. Shizune and Misha, trying to rope me into the student council. Lilly and Hanako, providing me with compassion and friendship. Rin, simply there, someone I find myself almost-understanding. Emi, running just ahead of me, giving me someone to chase after.
I can't hold them back either. Today is the last day of my first week at this school, and I'm on my feet, in a manner of speaking. It's time for me to run alongside everyone else.
I smile, breathless at these realizations.
Hold on, everyone. I'm on my way.
ACT 1 COMPLETE - QUALITY OF LIFE
A/N: And that's the end of Act 1. Thank you to all my readers. The next chapter will be out in a few days; I rather like the pace I've been updating at, but I've also hit a bit of writer's block for Chapter 33 (This is 25.) and I might slow down as I get closer to that buffer area.
How has the story been for you? Anything you liked or disliked? Reviews make my day and help me to write better!
Next up is Act 2: PROPRIOCEPTION