LIN
Listening to the distant whisper of more snow, Lin sighed gustily.
Her bed was empty and it was impossible to sleep after what happened last night.
Done trying she struggled upright; wincing as one of the kits kicked and swished inside her belly. But the youngling settled the moment she began moving, pulling on her padded haori and glad for the tabi socks Onsen had produced from her linen closet. Cold breathed through the house's walls as the storm from last night froze over their heads, making the thin dawn beyond the oiled paper sliding screens seem impossibly bright. White was falling in thick curtains, obscuring the garden and the fields as she crossed the covered bridge connecting the God Wing to the mortal house.
Although her breath did not plume white like a human's might, she hurried for the kitchen's warmth, groaning irritably as she lurched down the back stairs. The weight of the kitlings was killing her back just as it made her legs swell and her feet ache. And she would've gone to the bath wing for a soak in the big pool if the light hadn't been on, illuminating the stranger sitting in the nook.
Maboru seemed just as surprised as she was. Mrs. Nikkou's son wore a blue checked flannel shirt and canvas pants so worn they had gone gray. He stood hastily, making the bench scrape against the floor as his gaze glanced off the scars on her face only to fall on her missing arm then her belly before shooting off to some corner of the kitchen. In her shock Lin had forgotten to hide herself. Putting his hand behind his head, the human awkwardly smoothed his hair just like Hidé used to do. The too familiar motion brought a surprising kick of sadness to the wall of her heart.
"Good morning," the human began at a loss, "I, uh, take it you work here?"
"I do." Lin couldn't lie.
As Onsen gathered over them, bringing an uncomfortable tension as she looked on in silence, Lin was struck by the uncanny resemblance between father and son. They were the same height and the same build. They had the same way of standing slightly stooped with widely planted feet as if they expected the floor to suddenly pitch and roll at any moment. They had the same rough hands, wide shoulders, and burly arms. And though they had the same board features their similarities ended in the human's eyes. Maboru's were dark in color and mood as if everything in the world annoyed him. His brooding disposition bled through into his tanned face, which was lined with unhappiness and tight with anger. Beneath his fishing hat the short crop of black hair under his hat was shot through with silver that gleamed beneath humming bulb.
"You're probably wondering what t'hell I'm doin' in here. You should know I used to live here," he spat gruffly like it mattered, "Suzume brought me last night an' put me up in one of t'front rooms."
Lin already knew all this. The fox had gone with the human last night, escorting him off the boat as Lin and Tomoe watched from the shadows. Though she waited in the freezing rain until she couldn't stand it, Amano hadn't come out after them. Peering through one of the portholes she found the broken nosed human sitting at the galley table with his head in his hands and thought it was probably a good idea to leave him alone. She had told Kai in short terms what'd happened then fled through the portal before he could ask any questions she'd be forced to answer. Poor kid.
Where the ghost had gone since then she wasn't sure. Glancing about she looked for an out of place shadow as Maboru sat down, scowling at the table before glaring at her from under drawn brows much like many of the town folk still looked at her. Gawked was more like it, like she was some kind of rare bird.
"You're too tall to be from Izu. Where're you from?"
This time she remembered to answer a question with a question.
"Did you sleep well?"
"I didn't," he muttered, "From the look of it neither did you."
Lin gritted her teeth, trying not to bite as the human read her like a book. And He was pissing her off to no end with his righteous self pity. Maboru was still staring, making Lin more than anxious. She almost went to get Aniyaku. The slippery frogman was far better as dealing with humans.
"Are you close to my mother?"
His curt question caught her so off guard she was forced to answer.
"I care about her, if that's what you mean."
Done with playing nice she glaring before turning her back on him, going to the sink and filling the electric kettle and struggling not to throw it. If he wanted to be an ass he could be an ass but she wasn't going to put up with it because he wasn't a guest.
"Suzume says she's dying," Maboru muttered sullenly, "I've known him all my life an' I know he never lies."
"He doesn't," Lin couldn't help but bite back because she did not want to talk about this, "So it's a good thing you came home."
Maboru was quiet after that, so quiet Onsen shifted beneath Lin's feet, settling uncomfortably. At once she sighed, bending over the sink and ashamed of her outburst, because this was exactly the kind of anger she was trying to avoid. It was the same anger the human turned on her just as he turned it on the rest of the world, desperate to pick a fight with someone, anyone, so he could stay angry instead of feeling the pain and loss hiding behind his sad dark eyes.
"Did you know my son?" He demanded as if speaking the word hurt him.
"Yes," Lin straightened, calmly looking out the back window at the snow.
"What about t'girl? T'one who bought this place? Didja know her too?"
Lin blinked, frowning sharply and suddenly unsure of where this was going.
"Her name's Ogino Chihiro. I know her better than most."
"How's she doin'?" Maboru's genuine concern was startling, "Sagi made it sound like they were really sweet on each other when I called on t'hospital."
Lin turned to face him, finding the human soberly staring at his clasped weathered hands. But as she continued to gape he was back to glaring from the corners of his eyes.
"Don' look at me like m'ah lump of coal, missy. Even coal burns."
Hastily turning away, Lin went about making tea with her only hand a steam roiled up from the spout of the strange plastic pot parked on the green tiles of the counter like a tiny white God with a single glowing red eye. Carefully measuring a tick of matcha into two mugs she whipped each to a foaming froth, carrying them over to the table on a tray. Putting one of the vessels in front of the human she sat across from him with a grimace, forced to perch since her stomach no longer fit in the nook. Again he was looking at the swell of her belly with a sharp frown.
"Kiri's pregnant," he stated the obvious with a scowl, "Is it Amano's?"
"Aren't you blunt?" She returned sharply to avoid answering.
Maboru wrapped his hands around his mug as his shoulder's tensed with anger.
"He better be serious 'bout taking care of that girl. I've seen 'im fuck up before."
Lin snorted, "You're one to judge. You've messed things up pretty badly too."
"What t'hell do you know?!" He shot back, "You're not even from here!"
"I know what I see, Maboru."
Lin met his glare calmly. At once he was back to staring as if not sure what to make of her.
"Who are you, anyway?" He hushed uncertainly.
"You tell me?" She returned his question with another ominous question.
Slowly something crept over him as he leaned back, turning his face to the side so he could look at her from the corners of his eyes. His disquiet grew stronger and stronger with each passing second. For a moment Lin almost thought he could actually see her for what she was.
"Good morning, Maboru. I see you have met, Hayashimi."
The human jumped bolt upright as Suzume pushed his way between the split curtains wearing his old man guise. And there was no need to act as he was gaunt with exhaustion, nearly transparent. Lin struggled to her feet, wordlessly offering the second cup of tea she had made out of habit.
"Thank you, beloved."
He accepted it; drinking deeply and gaining some color before leaning into her, making her want to throw her arm around his neck and hold him close. But she couldn't because Maboru was watching, once again baffled as the fox drew back. He spared a loving hand for the kitlings stirring in her far too full stomach before finally glancing at Maboru.
"Reika is still asleep and I would not wake her," calmly he gestured to the front hall, "Walk with me, child. We have much to discuss."
HAKU
"Morning!" Shouta crowed.
Haku and Jae jumped in unison, shrinking as the tiny fellow traipsed in the back door pulling Kenka by the arm. They were bundled against the cold and beneath their coats they wore the starched white jacket and checked pants of the kitchen's uniform.
"Tch," Jae hastily straightened, turning to stir sugar and cream into his cup, "What t'fuck are you two doin' here so early?"
"Is that coffee?!"
Shouta's eyes went wide as he scrambled out of his coat and scarf, hanging them on the back hooks before rushing to fetch a cup. Kenka, however, was still looking out the back door, letting cold air stream inside. The tall human was frowning.
"Dude, there's a motorcycle parked by the shed. Should I call a tow truck?"
"That is mine."
Haku answered quickly, at once afraid of whatever a tow truck might be. He shrank as all eyes turned on him. Nervous of their scrutiny, he began to babble.
"Er… What I mean is it belongs to a friend. I… I had not the means to return by train this morning"
Shouta blinked then such a grin stole across his lips as he stared with knowingly.
"A friend, huh? You must've been out all night with this friend."
"Dude!" Kenka began explosively with uncharacteristic surprise, getting tangled in his scarf at the back door, "You went home with her, didn't you?!"
Haku's mouth dropped open as all the blood in his body flooded his face. At once Shouta was jumping up and down in excitement much like Fuu.
"I told you so! I so told you!"
"Dude, I'm the one who pointed it out to you!"
"Are you two shitting me?" Jae cut in incredulously.
Shouta was grinning, "Oh, Chihiro was all over him…"
"Kana was so pissed," Kenka chuckled wryly.
"Oh, yeah?" Jae threw back, jealous if only for a moment.
Then the mad man rounded on him so swiftly that Haku recoiled as the human got right up in his face, pulling him close and muttering as his dark eyes gleamed gleefully.
"I gotta know, man… Didja fuck her?"
Oh, the language of this human! Haku sputtered hoarsely.
"Good for you, man!" Jae laughed right in his face, clapping him on the shoulder as if congratulating him, "She's stinkin' rich an' ah hotie too! Dontcha just love those tight little skirts office chicks wear?"
Oh, such anger found him then!
"How dare you insult Chihiro! You are unworthy to speak of her at all let alone in such base and shameful tones!"
Tearing himself away and absolutely furious, Haku balled his fists, ready to strike the human for all his vulgar insinuations. But Jae threw up his hands, genuinely apologetic as he shrank and not without a hint of fear.
"Jesus fucking Christ, Kou! I was only joking around!"
Though fury clouded his head and boiled in his veins, Haku's blood cooled as he realized he might seriously injure Jae if he struck him. However uncouth and ill-worded he may be, Haku counted this human a friend. Sick to his stomach with the memory of the cold blood still staining his hands, abruptly he subsided.
"I will not have you joke about Chihiro in this manner."
"Fuck!" Jae gave him an unsettled frown as slowly the tension between them broke, "Rivers run seriously deep with you, man, know that?!"
"You have no idea," Haku muttered dourly.
Turning on his heel and ready to rake all of Ueno Park to keep himself from the kitchen, Haku came up short as he encountered the solid wall Shouta comprised. How was it possible that such a tiny being could occupy such space? Unfazed by his outburst, the human pinned him into a corner as he advanced loosing a torrent of questions.
"What'd you do after the restaurant? What'd you talk about? Do you have a lot in common? What was her house like? When are you going to see her again?"
Suddenly Haku had an inkling of why the humans had arrived at work so early. "Details, Kou!" Shouta frowned impatiently, "I want details!
What was he to say? How could he explain any of what had happened? How could he tell in words what it was like to both prevail and fail in the same breath? There was no way to describe what it was like to love someone so completely only to loose them in the same heartbeat. An ominous thrill crept up his spine as Haku's eyes lifted over Shouta's head. Kenka was staring at him with such a penetrating gaze. Last night the human had turned a similar glance between he and Chihiro. A cold wind blew through Haku's insides for Kenka seemed to see far too much.
"Leave him alone, Sho," Kenka cut in mildly.
"But…"
"Enough," The tall human went sharp, "You're upsetting him."
Shouta glanced at him in confusion as something began to dawn on him. As it did a sorry frown pinched his face.
"Holy shit, man!" Haku startled as Jae thrust the skillet into his chest, leaning over it to shovel another fork-full of eggs into his mouth, "Did you make this!? It's fuckin' awesome!"
"Really? I am so hungry." Shouta stole the skillet from Jae, "Want some, Ken?"
"No offense, Kou, but m'not feeling too good this morning. I do want coffee."
At a loss, Haku stared after Kenka as he pushed by, finding him a bit pale as he heading for the cupboard just as Megumi flowed through the velvet door wearing her peacock coat. Like the rest of them beneath its hem was a pair of checked pants. She had to sidestep to keep from running into the tall human, flashing surly glare in his wake.
"Morning princess," Kenka drawled without looking back.
Orbited by humans and still feeling slightly off kilter, Haku retreated from the haughty female's path, heading for the sink though there were no dishes to wash
"Good morning, Megumi-san."
She glanced at him with a inscrutable expression only to come up short as Jae rounded on her, pointing right in her face.
"Ha!" He laughed explosively much like Karasu had, striking a ridiculous pose, "You'll never fuckin' guess what you miss out on last night!"
Giving him a withering glare, she side-stepped around his finger and went to hang her coat on the hooks at the back of the room. She looked even more imposing in her white pressed jacket with her hair pulled up into a tight bun. Crestfallen, Jae dropped his hand, looking after her forlornly.
"Aren't even curious, Meggie?!"
"No," she turned her back, "And don't call me that!"
Megumi did, however, accept the plate of eggs Shouta gave her as he served the meal Haku had cooked. With fear coiling in the pit of his stomach Haku watched as she took a delicate bite only to blink and call after Shouta.
"What did you put in this?"
The little human glanced back at her with a sour frown.
"What do you care?"
Haku clearly saw the hurt in her dark eyes seconds before they flashed with anger.
"Don't be such a bitch, Sho. I was just gonna say its good."
"You feelin' okay, Meg?" Jae teased in all seriousness, "'Cause you just said something nice."
"You're an asshole, you know that?!"
Slamming the plate down beside the dish station and making Haku cringed for fear it might break, Meg spun on her heel, making her way to the pastry station. Kana pushed through the velvet door as Megumi stalked by, giving the plain-faced human female a fright as she was forced up short. She and Fuu were dressed in their uniforms as well: white shirts, black ties, black skirts and black leggings. Ashamed of himself, hastily Haku looked away for Kana had very shapely knees.
"G'morning?" Kana called uncertainly as if testing the waters, waving Fuu back as the child-woman crowded at her elbow.
"Good morning, Kana-san." Haku answered from the dish station.
"Hi, Kou!" Fuu called happily from behind her.
"Hello, Fuu-san."
"Oh, my God, Fuu!" Shouta effused as he rushed forward, forcing Kana to slip by else be trampled by the tiny chef, "Are you so excited you can hardly stand it!?"
She caught his hands as her eyes filled with stars, "I washed and ironed everything last night! We're all set and we're so gonna win!"
With barely suppressed squeals they jumped up and down together. Cringing, Kana disappeared into the office beside the dish station only to call back crabbily.
"I can't believe you two are getting so giddy over a stupid kid's book."
"It's not a kid's book!" Shouta shouted hotly as he flooded the doorway to the office, stamping his tiny food, "It's a classic piece of literature that defined and continues to define our generation!"
"Jeez, Sho," Kana sounded stymied by the human's enthusiasm, "Why dontcha tell me how you really feel?"
Megumi looked up from pounding dough with a wooden rolling pin, obviously intrigued. She caught Kenka's sleeve as he emerged from the pantry with a bag of potatoes.
"Neh, Ken?" She muttered beneath her breath, "What are they so work up about?"
"I thought you didn't care what happened last night, Meggie?" Jae called loftily from across the kitchen.
He was at the back station decimating onions with a briskly flashing knife, these went into a copper kettle that hissed and sizzled. Haku was hard pressed not to go investigate the pot for it was sending up plumes of such delicious savory caramel smells. Fuu, however, was incapable of keeping a secret.
"We met Ogino Chihiro last night!" She exclaimed joyously.
Haku frowned as Megumi stood bolt upright at the name much like he might have. Her rolling pin hovered mid air.
"She had diner with us and I poured her a beer and she's so cool and nice and she gave me her card and we're gonna get VIP passes to the book signing tonight and we're so gonna win that costume competition!"
As if infected by her glee Shouta seized Fuu, waltzing her around the kitchen in graceful turns as she followed laughing aloud. At once the ill mood that had hung over the room a moment prior broke beneath the bright sun of the human's cheer. But the light was short lived as at once the dawn flooding through the back windows blotted out as Chef Jean Paul jerked the back door open, filling the archway so completely it seemed to bow beneath his weight. Like guilty children the humans fell still beneath his scathing glare.
"Que-c'est-qui se passé ici, eh!?" The Frenchman thundered, "Allez faire cuire, imbéciles!"
"Oui, chef!" The kitchen called in humble unison.
They scattered like ants as the floor shook beneath Jean Paul's approaching feet.
"Good morning, chef," Haku turned and bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, little cabbage," the fat man's face lightened as he flashed a gold-toothed smile, sniffing at the plate Megumi had abandoned, "What is this? Omelet, eh?"
He claimed it at his own, chewing thoughtfully as his eyes brightened.
"Bon! Good work, whoever made it," he announced to the room at large.
Jae grinned at him across the kitchen. Haku dropped his chin as, indulging his pride for a brief moment. As he did, and for the first time in a long while, Haku felt like he belonged.
"I want omelets for brunch," Jean Paul stabbed a pudgy digit at the stoves, turning away with a swiftness that did not seem possible, "Vegetables and herbs, mes petites! Remind our customers that summer still exists somewhere in the world!" The Frenchmen boomed gaily, "And for lunch red wine & rosemary! We have lamb today!"
"Oui, chef!"
Haku called along with the rest of his friends, turning to the sink ready to work.
CHIHIRO
Somewhere downstairs a door opened and closed.
Chihiro jerked awake, staring uncomprehendingly at the sunlight was pouring through the window. Glancing at the clock the digital face announced 10:03 AM. Last time she looked it said 5ish. Ugh… That was way too early to be awake. She'd fallen asleep almost immediately after Kou left. Throwing herself back against the pillows, Chihiro rolled over onto the side of the bed he'd occupied and buried her face in the pillow. Gods, it still smelled like him: rain and healthy male sweat. Grabbing it, she wrapped it around her head and breathed in deeply, barely resisting the urge to squeal and kick her feet because she was going to see him again tonight!
Then the coffee grinder went off downstairs, reminding her of why she woke up. Throwing back the covers Chihiro hastily got dressed, all the while shouting out her door.
"What the hell, Michi! You've been gone two fucking days! You didn't return any of my calls or texts! Oh, my God! You're never gonna believe what happened last night!"
Pounding down the stairs into the kitchen, Chihiro skidded to a standstill on the tiles as Lydia switched on the coffee pot. Not for the first time Chihiro was envious of how put together her personal assistant looked. Dressed in a creamy silk blouse and a pale beige wool skirt, lipstick and pearls made her look classy and not like she was trying too hard. But then again, Lydia was well into her thirties so her sophistication was earned not borrowed.
"Good morning," She smiled warmly.
"M-morning." Chihiro squeaked like a mouse.
Chihiro cleared her throat as she climbed to a seat at the kitchen island's bar only to find herself staring at the cold cup of tea Kou had made for her last night. At once she was absolutely red in the face as Lydia went about making toast.
"I take it you and Michio are fighting?" She inquired in a light tone.
"Uh-huh," Chihiro sighed gustily.
"She's done this before if I remember correctly," Lydia continued.
"Yeah," Chihiro wilted sadly, "She takes off when she's mad."
Lydia switched gears, cutting to the chase as the bread popped out of the toaster.
"So who is he?"
Chihiro jerked upright, almost falling off the bar stool as her personal assistant put butter and strawberry jam on the bread, fixing a cup of coffee with cream and sugar before delivering both. All the while Chihiro gaped at Lydia, trying to figure out how she knew. Her personal assistant's eyes flashed with mirth and her smile grew tight as if she was struggling not to laugh.
"You told me on the phone last night that you'd met someone."
"Oh…" Chihiro wilted again and this time in relief.
Straightening, Chihiro gratefully sipped her coffee only to glance at Lydia as she sat beside her at the bar. Her personal assistant looked at her sideways with atypical awkwardness.
"It's really none of my business; you're my boss after all. But like I said yesterday, I'm also you're friend and this is a pretty big deal for you."
Lydia didn't need to elaborate; her sober frown was explanation enough. And Chihiro shied from the fact that she'd been in mourning pretty much up until recently. It'd been four months since the accident; four months since the guy she'd apparently been in love with, but couldn't remember, died. And somehow four months felt like four years. But the guilt that'd been there after her last failure of a date wasn't there this morning. In fact there wasn't any guilt at all.
"Chihiro," Lydia's eyes were gleaming with excitement that made her look ten years younger, "The suspense is killing me."
Grinning so hard her face hurt, Chihiro ducked her head much like he had.
"His name is Kou."
"Kou…?" Lydia circled her hand obviously wanting a last name.
Chihiro blinked, realizing she didn't know it. Putting down her coffee, hastily she spilled out what she did know because she so needed to talk to someone about this.
"He's tall, way taller than Kataama. And what a body…!"
Lydia laughed outright, covering her mouth and sitting back in her chair.
"Oh, I should not be listening to this! This is such a breech of professionalism!"
"Do you wanna hear about this or not!?" Chihiro demanded tetchily, hiding her face in her hands she was so embarrassed.
"Yes. Actually, I do," Suddenly Lydia was waving her hand impatiently and looking ten years younger, "What does Kou look like?"
Chihiro did not miss the teasing emphasis Lydia put on his name. She was seriously enjoying this.
"He's gorgeous, I mean, seriously gorgeous, like way prettier than Karou and that's saying something."
Lydia blinked then scowled, "I never liked that guy."
"Yeah, Karou's an asshole," Chihiro tossed her ex out the back of her head and pressed on, leaning closer as she explained.
"But the thing about Kou is he doesn't know he's hot. He doesn't dress well so you wouldn't know he's there unless you look. He's so shy and he's got all this hair that gets in his face so you can hardly see him! I want to give him a haircut so badly!"
Chihiro waved a hand in her face fighting a laugh.
"Without trying he could so be leading girls around in droves! But it's like he doesn't know how to lie! He's honest and sweet and polite and… and… And you should hear him talk! I dunno if he's from some weird mountain village where they don't speak normal Japanese or what, because when he talks its poetry! And his eyes! Oh, my, God, Lydia! His eyes are green, like crazy green. Green, green, green! They could swallow you whole!"
Caught up in every word Lydia was hunkered down next to her listening with rapt attention. But now she blinked and straightened, sitting back as if stunned by everything she was hearing.
"This is serious, Chihiro."
"I know! I just met this guy and I already brought him home!"
Chihiro confessed all too loudly because she wasn't guilty at all, throwing up her hands before diving back beneath them as her face went positively volcanic.
"We didn't even have sex! Well, not really anyways, but oh my God! WOW! And he held me, Lydia! Who the hell cuddles anymore!?"
Lydia was frowning now, "So what's the catch?"
"Huh?"
Chihiro shrank from Lydia's flinty nonchalance as she continued.
"I don't mean to pull you back down to earth, Chihiro, you're a smart woman and you make your own decisions but generally with men there's always a catch. If you haven't found it yet you'll find it eventually. Usually it's something small, like he drinks too much or he's unemployed. I'm not trying to poke holes in your happiness it's just easy to loose sight of practical things when it comes to new love."
Love: Chihiro's insides thrilled with glorious panic over the word. Instantly she retreated, busying herself with Lydia's perspective and ready to prove her wrong.
"He's got a job actually. Kou works at Le Pichet."
Chihiro was only slightly guilty about keeping the fact that he was a dishwasher a secret, but Ginza (1) had long since rubbed off on Lydia and she could be a little stuck up.
"Really?! I took you there after the TV interview, remember?"
"Yeah. Mom and dad loved it," at once she was back to Kou, "I met a bunch of his friends too. They're so funny and seem like they're really awesome people. They all work at Le Pichet. They're all dancers too. They dance at the studio over the restaurant; you know the one all the little ballerinas are always going to?"
"He dances?" Lydia was actually surprised.
"Guys can dance too," Chihiro was defensive.
"I never said they couldn't," She responded smoothly, "What style?"
"Um… Modern, I think. I really don't know much about dance," suddenly she was remembering the way he whirled through the tunnel back in Shinjuku, "But you should see him, Lydia. He moves like water and wind."
Again Lydia saw right through her.
"Something tells me that's not everything."
Chihiro winced, "Um, well, there is something. He's had it kinda rough recently. He seems… fragile."
"Define fragile?"
Could Lydia be any more dispassionate? It seriously irked Chihiro.
"Fragile," Chihiro bit back, "It's the opposite of strong."
She immediately regretted her testiness, twisting a piece of hair round her finger, studying the polished granite countertop.
"Look, he lost someone important and pretty recently too. Whatever happened, it drove him away from a family and a home he really loves. He seems really lonely and a little lost I can totally relate to that, okay?"
Lydia didn't have any smart retorts. She didn't need them, which was why Chihiro loved her so much. She kept quiet when Michio would've bitched her out for rebounding and giving some strange guy a pity fuck. Those would probably be her words verbatim; neither, however, were the case.
"It's weird, Lydia," Chihiro murmured, putting a hand on her chest.
Beneath her hand strange foggy sensations circled ominously making her anxious and light-headed as something stirred even deeper. What was that sound? She strained to hear it only to retreat in terror as too familiar panic spiked like frost in her blood. She was so wound up by now she had to struggle to pull in a slow breath, continuing in excitement.
"I dunno how to explain it but there's this connection. I know it sounds dumb and chick-flickish, but I feel like I've known him forever."
Chihiro was whispering for some reason as heat crept into her cheeks.
"You should see the way he looks at me, like he could look at me for the rest of my life. And you know what? I want to let him."
Lydia stood abruptly, giving Chihiro a start. But she was only getting the coffee pot so she could refill her cup.
"When do I get to meet this fellow?"
"Tonight," Chihiro refrained from squealing, "He's coming to the book signing."
Notes:
Ginza is the Beverly Hills of Tokyo.
