Hello all! Hope you are doing well and that you are staying safe and healthy!
I posted a new GH fanfic titled Ice Prince - Please go check it out! I'll be working on both stories moving forward. It'll be a nice break from one when I get writers block. :)
Enjoy this new chapter!
This morning I had woken up exhausted again. I hadn't been able to sleep, but I didn't want to text Naru while his parents were in town. I knew he would be tired and I shouldn't divert his attention and energy from them. Instead, I suffered the continuous tossing and turning.
Fortunately a nice espresso from the bakery woke me up. I started off the busy Friday shift at 9 am. With it being summer and school being out, we were incredibly busy. When we slowed down around 4 pm, I went into the kitchen to bake another batch of chocolate chip cookies. They were incredibly popular today and we had just sold out.
I was mixing the dough when Kiro, one of our cashiers, poked his head into the kitchen. "Mai, you have a few guests here to see you!" Guests? Who could it be? "Alright, I'll be there in a few minutes. I need to put the cookies in the oven." Kiro nodded his head then left. I finished mixing the dough and put the cookies in the oven to bake. I quickly set the timer on my phone so the cookies didn't burn. I wiped my hands on my apron then walked into the front room of the bakery, looking for whoever my guests were.
"Mai! Over here!" I looked for the source of the voice and saw Luella, Martin and Naru sitting at one of the tables by the front window. Martin and Luella seemed perfectly at home, but poor Naru seemed absolutely resigned and worn down. I smiled and walked over to them.
"What are you doing here? I thought you all were sightseeing today?" Luella stood to give me a hug and she pulled me down into the seat next to her. "We were, but I simply had to come see where you worked, so we are taking a break. This place is adorable, and everything smells delicious!" She looked around and smiled at it's charm. I giggled. "It is quite cute, I love this place! I actually have some cookies in the oven and they are starting to smell wonderful - I'll have to bring a few out when they're done. Can I get you guys anything? Tea? Coffee?" Luella smirked, "I won't lie, I had hoped I'd get a chance to drink some of your tea! Martin and I will take a cup; how about you Oliver?" He nodded his head in agreement. "Alright, I'll be right back with those."
I walked back into the kitchen and started to brew a pot of tea. While the tea was brewing, the timer had also dinged, so I removed the cookies from the oven. I put a few on a plate and let the rest cool for the display case. I removed my apron, grabbed some cups and prepared a tray to take out. On my way out of the kitchen I stopped Kiro for a moment. "Kiro, I'm going to take my break but I'll be in the shop if you need help. There's chocolate chip cookies cooling in the kitchen in case any customers ask about them." "Thanks Mai!" With that, I headed back out to the table and placed the tray down.
"Oh Mai, the cookies smell wonderful!" Martin nodded his head in agreement and looked eager to have one. "Thank you. They just came out of the oven so they may still be a little hot." I poured from the kettle and passed everyone a cup before sitting down in between Naru and Luella. We sipped our tea in silence for a moment before Luella turned to me with a serious expression. "Mai, this is the most wonderful tea I've ever had! And that's saying something because we live in England!" I blushed from her praise and thanked her. Martin also nodded his head in agreement. "I understand why Noll wanted to come back now - tea like this is hard to replicate, may even be near impossible." My blush deepened even further and I made it a point to not look over at Naru.
Luella, sensing my discomfort, turned to me again. "How much do we owe you for the tea and cookies dear?" I shook my head and waved it off. "It's on the house." I could tell she was ready to object, but I insisted. "Mr. Satori allows us to serve our friends for free. He would rather the place be full of happy people enjoying themselves and the food. Everyone from SPR comes often and takes advantage of it!" I chuckled at the thought of Yasu and Monk eating more than their fair share of desserts.
"Well if you insist. Oliver, do you also come here often?" Naru continued to drink his tea quietly. I rolled my eyes at the lack of response. "Naru doesn't have to come to the shop. He forces me to make him tea at the office constantly. Honestly, he drinks so much of it I don't understand how he isn't sick of it yet." Naru shrugged. "Honestly, Mai I don't drink it that much." I sputtered, "Naru! You drink it so much you had it written in my new contract that I had to make you tea or I'd be terminated!" Martin choked on his cookie and Luella just laughed. Naru rolled his eyes and continued to sip his tea in silence and stare out the window.
The conversation continued on animatedly, as Luella and Martin asked questions and we chatted about anything and everything. Martin once again tried to ask me about my abilities but Luella chastised him. Naru jumped in occasionally, but he was more than happy to sit there in silence refilling his cup of tea. I thoroughly enjoyed their company and was sad when my break was over, but the afternoon rush would soon hit.
"Well, unfortunately I have to get back to work. Thank you so much for stopping by! It was a pleasant surprise! Please, feel free to ask either Kiro or myself for more tea and stay as long as you'd like." Naru turned to Luella and Martin "We should probably leave now if we want to make it to our reservation time at Tokyo Tower." "He's right dear, we should probably get going."
We started getting up when Luella suddenly remembered. "Oh Mai, did you have a chance to look at your schedule? We were thinking of maybe a dinner either tomorrow or Sunday night. We'd love for you to join us along with Lin and Madoka." I thought for a moment, trying to remember my schedule. "I picked up the closing shift tomorrow night for my boss. He hasn't been feeling well recently. Any chance we can do Sunday evening?" Luella clapped her hands together. "That's perfect, dear. We'll have Oliver text you the details. We'll get out of your way now! See you Sunday!"
We said my goodbyes and I started walking towards the kitchen with the trays and cups. "Mai." I turned to see that Naru had followed me towards the kitchen. "Yes?" "Tea. To go." I sighed. Should've seen that one coming. I started brewing him some tea behind the counter. He stood at the counter waiting for it, watching me.
"Why didn't you text me last night?" I looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" He rolled his eyes in response. "You look exhausted, meaning you didn't sleep again. You're supposed to text me when you can't sleep." I blushed and looked down to watch his tea brew. "I didn't want to be rude and interrupt your time with your parents. And I'm sure you're also exhausted with everything going on; I didn't want to bother you." "Mai, if I say it's okay I mean it. Don't sacrifice your health." I smiled at that; Naru could be really sweet sometimes. "Besides, lack of sleep kills brain cells and you can't afford to lose anymore."
Yepp. There it is. I rolled my eyes and finished preparing his tea. Once it was done, I passed him his tea in a to-go cup. I leaned across the countertop to hand it to him. But rather than looking at the cup he was looking at my face, with a serious expression. "Naru?" He smirked, took the cup from my hands and casually took a sip before addressing me.
"Mai, you have flour in your hair."
My hand shot up to my hair and I turned to look in the mirror behind the counter. It was in my hair on the side Naru had been sitting on. Did he see it earlier at the table and purposefully not tell me?! I turned around to ask him but he had already left and was outside, walking away with his parents.
That stupid tea loving jerk!
…
The remainder of Friday had passed by in a blur of customers. Saturday had been even busier since the weather was nice. I ended up texting Naru both nights; regardless of how tired I was, I still found it difficult to sleep. I woke up late Sunday morning, taking in the sunshine and the warm breeze floating through my window. I rolled over to check my phone and noticed that I had a text from Naru.
Dinner is at 7. I'll pick you up at 6:30. Wear something nice.
Straightforward and to the point as always. I texted back confirming and went about my day of cleaning and looking over my new textbooks which had arrived in the mail yesterday. When it was time to get ready, I showered and picked through my wardrobe trying to choose the best outfit. Eventually I settled on a nice blue summer dress. My gut was saying it was a safe choice, so I matched it with a pair of sandals. After putting on a tiny amount of makeup and straightening my hair, I deemed myself presentable for wherever we were going tonight.
At 6:30 exactly, Naru pulled up in front of the bakery with the rental car. I double checked that the bakery was locked and I got in the car. "Hey Naru!" "Hello Mai." I looked at what he was wearing; black slacks, a purple dress shirt and a black suit jacket. So far my dress choice seemed to be on point. Thank goodness for supernatural instincts!
We started on our way and I chatted idly while Naru drove. After we got on the highway my curiosity got the better of me. "So, Naru, where are we going?" Naru took a moment to respond as he followed the signs for the next exit and took the exit ramp. "Madoka picked a place called Authentiko Seika." My head whipped around and I gaped at him. "Authentiko Seika?! Naru! That place is super expensive!" Naru didn't seem to be bothered by this, but I certainly was. "Mai, it's fine. We wouldn't invite you to dinner and expect you to pay regardless of where we were going. BSPR is paying for the dinner."
I fidgeted in my seat still uncomfortable with the idea of eating at such an expensive restaurant. "Well…. But… I don't-"
"Mai. Calm down. It'll be fine." I took a breath and listened to Naru. I looked out the window for the remainder of the ride, which wasn't long. We pulled up in front of the restaurant and someone opened my door for me and offered me a hand out of the car. A valet, huh? Expensive AND fancy. The valet took Naru's keys and we headed inside. Just inside the doors everyone was waiting. "Mai! You look gorgeous." Madoka and Luella hugged me and we all chatted for a moment about our dresses. Madoka was wearing a pink sun dress and Luella was wearing a flowy blue maxi dress. They looked so pretty!
The hostess greeted us and started to lead us to our reserved table. We were seated at a table in the back corner of the restaurant, which provided a quiet, and private setting for our party. I sat in between Naru and Madoka, and I took in the beautiful setting. The table cloth was a deep red, the cloth napkins were black, and the tableware was high class. I sure hope I don't spill or break anything; it all looks way too expensive!
As soon as we were seated, a waitress filled our glasses with water and asked if we wanted any additional drinks this evening. Martin looked at the wine list and ordered a bottle for the table. The waitress left to fetch the wine and we all cracked open our menus. Immediately I was overwhelmed by all of the options. Foods from all over the world were represented on the menu at Authentiko Seika. They were written in the language of their home country and sported their country's flag, with a translation and description in Japanese. While looking through the various dishes, I noticed something else. I looked at the rest of the table and saw that Lin and Madoka were explaining to the Davis's what each Japanese dish was. I took the opportunity to lean over and whisper to Naru.
"Naru, there aren't any prices on the menu…" He sighed and leaned in to whisper back, "Mai I told you not to worry about it. It's all covered by the company." "I know, but still." I sighed and looked at my menu again. "You're right. I'm sorry. What are you going to get?" "Spaghetti and meatballs." That actually sounded really good, but I didn't want to get the same thing. "If you don't know what to get, I highly recommend the fettucini alfredo or the chicken parmesan. They're Italian dishes. They'll also go well with the wine." I looked under the Italian section and read their descriptions. They both sounded delicious…
A few moments later, our waitress came back and filled a wine glass for everyone, and took our orders. We all ordered something different. I decided to go with the chicken parmesan under Naru's recommendation. Once the waitress left Luella just jumped into conversation. "So Madoka, Lin, how are you settling in?" Madoka took a sip of wine before answering. "Fairly well I think. I'm already feeling a little homesick but both Lin and Lilliana are adjusting well, aren't you Lin?" Lin nodded in agreement.
"Speaking of Lilliana, where is she tonight?" I hadn't noticed her absence until now, and I was curious. Madoka smiled at me. "We hired a babysitter through an agency. This is my first time being separated from her. I miss her, but I think Lin is taking it harder than I am." Madoka chuckled and continued on. "He practically ran a background check on the poor girl and the agency." Lin shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't run a background check, Madoka. I asked Yasuhara to look into her profile." I looked at Madoka and we laughed. Once I was able to contain myself I replied, "Having Yasu look into her was probably worse than a typical background check." Madoka laughed and agreed.
Luella and Martin looked confused, so I explained for their benefit. "Yasu is our researcher at SPR. He's very talented at finding out information. He can also be very… devious, as well. He leaves no stone unturned when it comes to information gathering." I smiled at the thought of the poor girl not knowing what she was walking into when she accepted the assignment. Lin took a sip of wine, "We found a last minute babysitter; I wanted to be sure she would be safe." Luella nodded and smiled humorly. "Of course, it's only natural to be protective of those you love, especially children."
Our food was delivered shortly after that and we took a few moments to begin eating. I couldn't contain my excitement about the food. "This is delicious! You were right Naru; great choice! How is everyone else's food?" There was a strong agreement about the food being delicious. Luella and Martin had picked traditional Japanese dishes and they were ecstatic about them. Soon enough the conversations turned into a review of Luella and Martin's sightseeing trip and other topics. I sipped my wine and ate while listening to the conversations, jumping in here or there with comments and questions.
Dinner progressed well and more wine was brought to the table during dessert. Oliver and Lin had stopped drinking after one glass, stating that they were driving so they couldn't drink anymore. Martin had had two but had switched to water afterwards. Madoka and Luella were continuously refilling their glasses, and were trying to refill mine as well. After two glasses I had felt lightheaded. Fortunately Naru put a stop to it. "Mother, Mai is a lightweight. I don't suggest filling her glass anymore." Madoka butted in, "Oh, Naru, that's when it gets fun!" Lin took the wine bottle from Madoka and shook his head. I laughed at her pouting face and moved to excuse myself to the restroom. Luella noticed and piped in, "Are you going to the restroom? Madoka and I will come too!" We left the table together and walked toward the restroom. Behind us I heard Naru. "I will never understand why women insist on going to the restroom together." I rolled my eyes and let Madoka pull me across the room after Luella.
I was washing my hands when Luella and Madoka stepped up on both sides of me to wash theirs. I made the mistake of making eye contact in the mirror, when I noticed the devious looks on their faces.
Uh oh.
"So my dear, what do you think of my son?" I had not been expecting the question and in response I jerked back I accidentally flinging water onto my dress. My face burned red in the mirror and I quickly grabbed some paper towels to dry my dress. I focused on wiping my dress and keeping my voice even. "He's a great boss. Very smart, sometimes annoying, and drinks way too much tea, but I like working for him and SPR." Madoka laughed. "Oh, Luella, you came on too strong! You know that's not what she meant Mai." She gave me a wink and my face burned hotter than before. "You're right Madoka, sorry Mai, dear. Come here." She pulled me to stand in between the two of them again and forced me to look into the mirror and make eye contact with her. "Sorry to put you on the spot dear. I can just tell that you both compliment each other so well. He has a hard time connecting with people but he is very receptive to you. I just am so touched to see Oliver so happy. That's all a mother wants for her children." Her smile turned sad and she brushed my hair off my shoulder.
"After Eugene's funeral he threw himself into his work, but he wasn't enjoying himself. He was more withdrawn than before, which may not seem like much to those who don't know him, but to us who do, we could tell he was unhappy. When he suggested opening a branch and moving back to Japan, I was against the idea. But when he talked about Japan, his eyes had a renewed energy that I hadn't seen in so long and his enthusiasm just seemed to grow. How could I deny him happiness?" She squeezed my shoulders and her smile turned happy once again.
"Thank you for making him happy again. I can tell he cares a great deal about you and your coworkers. I hope I get to meet them one day. If they bring as much happiness to him as you do, I'll never have to worry again." She enveloped me into a strong, but gentle hug and all I could do was hug her in return.
When we pulled apart, Madoka who had been quiet up until now, spoke up. "The men are probably wondering where we are. We'll go ahead. You finish drying off your dress and meet us back at the table." She sent me a wink and they exited the bathroom ahead of me. I took a moment to cool my cheeks and wipe my dress. When I was satisfied I left the bathroom and walked back to the table. When Naru spotted me he stood up, the rest of the table following.
"What took you so long?" I accidently made eye contact with Luella who winked, and a new coat of red dusted my face. What was with all the winking?
"I accidentally spilled water on my dress, so I tried to dry it off." Naru rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else.
We walked to the front of the restaurant and waited as the valet pulled the cars around. Martin started talking about BSPR and their work. "It's quite fascinating, having a new location here in Japan. Noll showed us the office and I have to say I'm impressed. I would love to learn more about your abilities. You should come to England sometime, we could have our best researchers on it." "Father. We are already conducting tests here about her abilities." "Oh, good good. Well then I say you're in capable hands. Noll does put many of our researchers to shame. But still, the invitation to visit is always open. I would personally love to see what you can do." Luella nodded enthusiastically. "You must visit sometime. Maybe over Christmas break or after graduation, maybe? I wish we had more time to talk more. Oh! You must come see us off tomorrow. Yes! Come over to Oliver's place around 4pm. Our flight leaves at 6 and we would love to see you again!" I giggled at her enthusiasm and agreed to come over. We said our final goodbyes for the evening and Naru drove me home.
The wine had made me tired so neither of us said much on the ride home. But the silence was warm and comfortable on that summer night.
…
Monday passed by in a blur. I arrived at Naru's apartment, to an emotional Luella. Martin and Luella were already packed and she wanted to stay longer. Martin and Madoka calmed her, and I made some tea for everyone. Once Luella had calmed we sat in the living room sipping tea while Lin was feeding Lilliana. The conversations were light and fun. We all piled into the van, since they had returned the rental car this morning. The ride felt too short as we pulled onto the runway where the plane sat waiting for it's passengers.
Martin went to greet the air crew as Lin and Naru removed the luggage from the van. I held Lilliana as Madoka and Luella said tearful goodbyes. "Call us as soon as you land." "Won't it be early in the morning? I don't want to wake you or the baby, you all need your rest." "If you don't call I'll only sit worrying about you, which will keep me awake." "Alright, then. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything at all!" They hugged once more then she moved onto Lin. Lin took Lilliana from me so I could hug Luella as well.
"It was so wonderful to meet you Mai. Please keep in contact. I'll have Madoka give you my number. We have to plan your future trip to England!" I chuckled at her cheery smile and constant reminder of me visiting her in her home. "Of course! It was wonderful to meet you both. I look forward to seeing you again." We hugged and she squeezed me tight. When she let go, she moved on to hug Naru and her tears started flowing all over again.
"Oliver, you have to promise to call more often! And you have to come home for Christmas! Make sure you're taking care of yourself, that you don't overwork yourself; make sure you give Lin and Madoka some days off so they can be a family. Oh, and make sure you-" Martin stepped in and pulled her from Naru. "Alright dear, I think our son understands. He is very capable of taking care of himself." He turned to Naru and shook his hand.
"Listen to your mother and make sure you come home for Christmas. Good to see you son. Take care now." With one more hug from Luella, Martin ushered her towards the plane. We watched the plane take off, waving as the two of them became smaller and smaller.
They dropped me off at home and once again I waved goodbye for the second time today. Sometimes goodbye wasn't as painful as it seemed. Memories from the past few days would stay with me forever; and I look forward to making new ones again soon.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Things are going to be very interesting moving forward! I hope you're ready! As always review and follow! :)
-Jen