"Darling, you got to let me know,
should I stay or should I go?"
-The Clash
It was just after eight in the morning when Davina roused from sleep—it wasn't a willing endeavor, with her being provoked by a phone call instead of coming to of her own accord. She had fallen asleep just before the conclusion of Hannibal Rising, with her phone sitting in close proximity to her hand. It was the force of the force of the echoing vibrations that interrupted her slumber, and barely cracking open an eye, she snatched up the device and pressed the accept button, failing to check the name of whom the call hailed from.
"H-hello?" Davina asked groggily, she tone still heavy with fatigue and her throat scratchy due to being thirsty.
"Hey Davi, its dad!" her father's cheerful inflection rang forth from the receiver, immediately catching her attention. She rolled into a sitting position, using her free hand to wipe the evidence of sleep from her eyes.
"Hey Dad," she replied, in the midst of trying to fight off an involuntary yawn.
"Oh shit, did I screw up again and call you too late? Or is it early?" Jason asked, sounding apologetic. "I'm sorry, kid. I keep forgetting about the time change."
"Its fine, Dad," she reassured him, not particularly pleased about being woken up at such an early hour on her Sunday, but happy to hear his voice. "I'm glad you called, I've been meaning to, but with my course load and the difference in time, I haven't really had a chance to."
"I understand, you're a busy college student now," he offered with a soft chuckle, and Davina could picture his endearing, lopsided grin, which made her realize again just how much she missed him.
When it came to the MacKenna family, there was no mistaking which parents genetics were dominate—Mitsuyo and Jason were as different as night and day, not only in personality, but appearance as well. Her mother was a demure woman, reaching no taller than five feet and two inches, and petite with ebony hair and porcelain skin. Her single unique trait was her startling hazel eyes, which were a distinct Ishihara feature, passed along from her father; Davina had inherited them from her, along with her pale complexion and minute stature. She was the only child in their brood to have a plethora of freckles, which she had openly disliked growing up but had come to grudgingly accept as she aged.
Jason, on the other hand, stood tall at a height of six foot two inches, and was built like a linebacker, stout and strong. Their copper colored hair was the same, but Jason had clear blue eyes, a color that Davina had envied as a child and desired for herself. He was also fair skinned, but somehow, did not burn easily when exposed to the sun, in spite of his Irish genetics. Her two older brothers, Murphy and Jackson, had their father's same eyes and were built much like him, although lacking some of his substantial height. Both MacKenna boys had inherited some strange collaboration of their parents' hair colors, resulting in a dark, russet auburn. Davina's hair was mildly wavy and considerably thick, the same as her father's, where as her siblings had gotten her mother's fine, nearly pin straight texture.
Apart from the obvious differences in appearances, all three of the MacKenna children shared more of their father's personality over that of their mother, and for that, Davina was grateful. Not that she would ever openly admit it to anyone, but there was a very real fear of ending up just as stern and cold as her mother buried deep within her psyche, and she despised the though in its entirety. She loved her mother, she truly did, but she had never really liked her—it was a sad reality, but an honest one.
"That's true, and yes, it certainly is a busy schedule," Davina admitted with a smile. "But overall, I'm starting to like it here. Kaiden is pleasant, and I'm enjoying my university well enough."
"Made any new friends yet?"
A loaded subject and not one Davina was sure of how to respond to, so she gave a vague answer.
"A few so far—I'm actually meeting someone for coffee later today."
"A guy?" The curiosity in her father's voice was glaringly obvious, despite his causal tone.
"Yes. His name is Shuichi. He seems nice."
"You like him, then?"
Suddenly, she felt hot and cold all at once, put on the spot by a question she wasn't prepared to answer.
"I…uh…well, I don't really know him that well yet," Davina sputtered, hating how timid she sounded. "Hence why we're meeting up. It's not a date, just a hang out."
"That's good," her father replied brightly, and she could hear the trace of a smile in his voice. "Hopefully, it works out. You haven't dated anyone in a long time, this could be good for you."
"Erm, yeah," she responded hesitantly almost desperate to change the subject before things could become any more awkward. Davina had always had a pretty open relationship with her father, and he had always done his best to give her real advice and not judge or sugarcoat anything. She had only had one serious relationship in her lifetime, back when she was sixteen. It had lasted for just over a year, and while things had started off wonderfully, the union began to swiftly deteriorate as time progressed. Her boyfriend grew less and less understanding of her dedication to her education, and would constantly complain about her lack of desire to party or participate in a slew of typical teenage bad choices. She had ultimately put an end to things with Marcus after she discovered proof that he was cheating, and although she didn't regret her decision, she had truly been heartbroken. She had lost her virginity to him, and loved him dearly, but she knew she didn't deserve to be treated like crap and hadn't been willing to overlook his distasteful actions. Her father had been her rock through the bad break-up, letting her vent when she needed to and comforting her when she was sad. She hadn't even attempted to talk to her mother about things, knowing that she would only be met with scolding and told to grow a back bone and get over it.
"So, how is everyone? Anything new over there?"
"Everyone is doing fine. Your mother just got another promotion at work, so she's overseeing two districts now—she's been stuck at work a lot ever since you left for Japan. Murphy is planning on proposing to Jackie in a few weeks. I think it's because she's pregnant, but they haven't admitted it to anyone and I can't exactly ask, so there's that…Jax got offered a new job over in Boston, but he hasn't accepted it yet. Not sure if he's going to—I don't think Michael wants to move, but we'll have to wait and see."
Hearing the collective summary of her family's on goings made her sigh—she really did miss everyone, even her mother, to an extent.
"Well, Murph and Jackie have been dating for an eternity, so it's about time they got hitched—and if they are having a baby, then I'm excited to be an aunt. I can't imagine Jax moving out of the state—Mike would complain the entire time," she offered with a smirk, picturing her older brother's lover having one of his infamous dramatic meltdowns while trying to pack his life into boxes. "I'm glad mom got her promotion—I know she's been after it for a long while."
"That's true. She didn't seem too happy when she got the news, but hey, that's your mother. She's actually home right now, if you wanted to talk to her. I know she'd love to hear from you."
At his mention of her mother, all of Davina's questions that she had fought to push out of her mind came flooding back with urgency. Despite this, it was a can of worms she did not possess the energy to handle in that moment. She hadn't even consumed any caffeine yet.
"Right now is not a great time," she said quietly. "But I'll call later to talk to her…I have errands to run and need to get them done before I meet my friend." She knew it was a lie and that her father would easily pick up on her deception, but also that he wouldn't push.
"No worries, kiddo. I'm glad things are going good over there. We miss the hell out of you."
"I miss you guys, too. Love you, dad."
"Love you, too, Davi. I'll talk to you later. Take care of yourself, honey."
"You too."
"Bye, kid."
The call disconnected then, and Davina sighed as she tossed her phone away from her. Despite the early hour, she was glad to have heard from her father. Knowing she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, Davina rolled out of bed and meandered her way over to the kitchen to fix herself a much needed cup of coffee. That first sip of hot caffeine was like heaven, and by the time she had finished her mug, she was feeling almost human. It was nearing nine—she figured she'd shower and begin getting ready for her rendezvous with Shuichi around noon, wanting to allow herself plenty of time to prepare herself.
The remainder of her morning was spent doing laundry and working on her research paper—she was able to get a good chunk of it done, which pleased her. It was just about twelve when she headed into the bathroom and took a delightfully long, hot shower. With her wet hair bound up in a tightly knotted towel, she grabbed up her small cosmetics bag and went to work on her face—she never really bothered with much makeup, preferring the 'less is more' approach, but today, she decided to put a little more effort into her appearance.
After patting her face completely dry and applying a dab of moisturizer, she powdered her eyelids with soft ivory mica, the pale eye-shadow giving them a lovely shimmer. Davina then added a hint of faint gray liner to her lower lash line before carefully brushing on her black mascara—the additional accents she utilized made the gray green hue of her eyes appear even bolder than usual. Content with her face, she returned her cosmetics to their container and freed her hair from its towel. After applying a few generous drops of argan oil, she combed her lengthy locks, their color darker than usual due to the moisture that still clung to them.
Leaving her hair to dry of its own accord, Davina turned her attention to getting dressed as she ventured back into her bedroom—she slipped into her undergarments, a matching set of dove gray bikini cut panties and a strapless bra, and then pulled her new dress down over her head. The jade green material, peppered with a print of white flora, was a flat polyester fabric that felt quite similar to silk, soft and delicate against her skin. It fit her loosely, but clung in all the right places, offering a decent view of her collarbones and exposing the perfect amount of cleavage. Its thin sleeves were tied in knots upon the curves of her bared shoulders, with excess fabric hanging down alongside them. The empire waistline of the garment flattered her demure figure, making her bosom look more considerable than it truly was, and the delicate ruffled hemline dusted the very tops of her knees.
Davina studied her reflection as offered in the full length mirror that hung from the back of her closet door, smiling to herself with approval. The color of the dress complimented her auburn hair, and made the greens of her eyes appear even more prominent. She found herself wondering what Shuichi would think of her in it.
For the next hour, she toiled around her apartment, changing her laundry over and reading a handful of chapters from her current book. It was just after one when she put the finishing touches on her get up—she slipped her feet into her black flats, applied her deodorant, and then liberally sprayed herself down with her favorite perfume, making sure to hit the hollow of her throat and the undersides of her wrists. She considered changing the duo of silver stud earrings she was wearing, but opted not to—instead, she dug around in her tiny jewelry box and located a small sterling silver necklace that bore a dangling pendant in the shape of a small leaf and clasped it about her neck. The last thing she had to do before she was ready for her afternoon was ready her bag—she traded her usual one for a small black purse with a long shoulder strap, large enough to snugly fit her wallet, phone, house key, and chap-stick.
It was a quarter to two when Davina finally left her apartment—despite her excitement, she was awash with a flood of fresh apprehension, desperately wanting the afternoon to go well but not truly certain of what to expect. It was a delightfully balmy day, with the sun hesitantly peaking through the spotty breaks in the thick cloud cover that hung overhead. A welcoming breeze billowed past her as she rounded the first block, ruffling her lengthy copper hair in a manner that was strangely comforting. Her internal concerns nagged at her relentlessly, and while she did her best to push them out of mind, they lingered like a foul smell for the duration of her walk over to the train station.
'What if he stands you up? What if it goes badly? What if—'
"Shut up, brain," she hissed vehemently beneath her breath as she slipped through the entrance of the depot, her gaze searching the crowd for her intended companion. She audibly sighed in relief when spotted him amongst the throng, sitting in a seat near the ticket counter. Their stares met and held, and Davina returned the small smile he sent her way, trying desperately to quell the anxious churning of her stomach.
'Well, at least he showed up…'
Davina approached him slowly, maintaining their visual connection as she did so. But something within her as startled by the sudden darkening of his eyes as she grew nearer—the smile he wore on his visage was inviting, but it did not match the abrupt storm that had hastily consumed those piercing green depths. For a brief second, Davina could have sworn that she witnessed a strange golden flash strike behind the depths of Shuichi's pupils, altering the hue of his eyes if only for a single second, but immediately shrugged off the idea—it must have been an odd reflection caused by the overhead lights, or just a simple figment of her overactive imagination.
Shuichi remained perched in his chair until only a distance of a few feet lingered between them, and then rose to his feet just as she paused her stride and stood before him.
"Hey," she offered softly, just as the fragrant aroma of his cologne met her nostrils—he smelled of sandalwood and patchouli, deep, earthy, and utterly masculine. She inhaled the woodsy scent deep into her lungs, appreciating it even as she experienced a bout of sudden weakness within her knees. The dark green of his shirt complimented his long crimson hair, and lent a sun-kissed hue to his complexion that she had failed to notice before.
"Hello," he responded in turn—there was an odd underlying tone to his voice, one that caused the fine hairs on the back of her neck to prickle, even though she couldn't quite place why. "Our train should be here shortly." His explanation was short, almost curt, and Davina found herself wondering if something was upsetting him. She thought it best not to inquire upon her curiosity, not wanting to worsen his feelings if that was truly the case.
"So, where are we heading off to?" she asked, thinking it best to focus on the future.
Shuichi appeared to consider her inquiry for a moment, as if he as deciding on revealing his plans or maintaining their secrecy.
"You'll find out soon enough," he replied, his voice still clipped, but followed his response with a short smile. Davina started to reply, only to be interrupted by the announcement that their train was pulling into the station. With Shuichi taking the lead, the pair headed over to the platform, and several minutes later, were seated on the tram, on their way into Osaka.
Unlike the mornings of school, the train was considerably empty, with plenty of available seats, and almost quiet, lacking the hustle and bustle of those heavier travel days. Davina sat off to Shuichi's right—he had claimed a chair nearest to the doors, and thus far, their ride was had in terse silence. Internally, she had begun considering that something was absolutely amiss, and that he had begun regretting his decision to meet up with her—the idea left a poor taste in her mouth, but she wasn't sure how to approach such a topic. Typically, she would just be blunt and ask, but it was the fondness that she was entertaining for him that kept her from such a method—he had seemed so enthusiastic about their meeting previously, but now he appeared as if he'd rather be anywhere else but in her company. The notion stung, more so than she had anticipated. After a few more minutes of tense quiet, Davina decided she had had enough of being considerate—if he didn't want to be here, he didn't have to be. If it was an out he was looking for, she give him one—there was no point in spending time with someone who didn't wish to be in her company.
"Shuichi?" she questioned, speaking in a stiff tone meant to catch his wandering attention. He glanced over at her, mildly startled at her sudden demand for his notice. "Is everything alright? You seem off today," she explained brazenly, bracing herself for his unfavorable reply. Maybe this venture had truly been a mistake.
"Of course," he responded, his eyes softening at her words. It was almost as if he could sense her growing discomfort. "My apologies, I suppose I do have a lot on my mind at the moment."
"We don't have to do this is, if you'd rather not," Davina offered, her words wrapped in a calm she did not feel. She prepared herself for his agreement that they should discontinue their efforts, trying not to let feelings of absolute disappointment overwhelm her.
"No, I very much want to," he retorted firmly, his admission mildly surprising her. "I wouldn't have come if I hadn't." A heavy sigh escaped him then, and he shook his head, as if to ward off the bad thoughts that plagued him. "I'm truly sorry if I gave you the notion that I felt otherwise."
"It's alright," she replied, her voice growing quiet as a sense of relief washed over her.
"I do hope you like the place we're heading to," he offered, fixing her with what appeared to be the first genuine smile he could muster since their afternoon together began. It helped to put her at ease, if only just a little.
"I guess we'll find out shortly, seeing as you insist on keeping it a surprise," Davina retorted lightly, her tone almost playful in nature. Shuichi opened his mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by the announcement of their arrival into the Osaka station echoing throughout the train cart. The vehicle came to a slow halt, and they disembarked from the train, stepping out onto the platform of the depot shortly afterwards. Once they had exited the station, Shuichi again took the lead—their walk was had in silence, although considerably less apprehensive than the previous bout.
They had just made their way past the university when Shuichi finally spoke up.
"Our destination is about three more blocks away," he announced, still maintaining his level of mystery. Davina, who had yet to really explore beyond the campus, nodded her head, her eager inquisitiveness nibbling at her subconscious. The streets they walked were reminiscent of Kaiden's downtown district, littered with small shops and eateries. It had quite a small town feel, even for being on the very outskirts of one of Japan's largest cities.
Their venture came to a pause as they approached a corner lot, one that seemed almost out of place beside the neat, uniform row of businesses that preceded it. The building itself stood separate from the line, encased in gray brick veneer and shaped like an extended letter "L" with a long, open air patio that sat parallel to the interior structure. The outdoor area was entirely visible to the street, but enclosed by a short, iron wrought fence, with no access from the sidewalk. A small number of tables and chairs filled the space, and there was what appeared to be a garden perched in the very back of the patio—from her current position, Davina couldn't make out the details, but it certainly piqued her already intense interest. Tendrils of climbing ivy encased the narrow pillars of the structure, appearing almost cartoonish in nature—on a whim, she reached out to touch the foliage, pleased to discover that it was indeed real. She hadn't realized that Shuichi was watching her when she did so, and was nearly startled by the sound of his voice.
"This is the place," he said, motioning towards the twin glass doors that served as the entrance with a hand—there was a small sign that sat perched above the doorway that gave a name to the venue in question: The Secret Garden Café. "Shall we head inside?" She nodded in agreement, mildly surprised when Shuichi moved to hold the door open for her—it was a kind gesture, one that she hadn't expected, and she thanked him with a small smile as she slipped past him.
The interior of the space was minimalistic, but beautifully done, with dark woods and pale stone—the welcoming aroma of coffee flooded Davina's nose as she took in her new surroundings, causing her to smile. There were plants everywhere, flowering bushels and stout shrubs, all encased in pots and planters of different styles and sizes. Their vibrant hues offered pleasant bursts of color among the monotone background, and multicolored lights hung forth from the tall ceiling, providing an ethereal glow to the lengthy room. A small bar sat off to the left, offering beverages and snacks, and a makeshift stage dominated the very back of the vestibule, hosting a horde of music equipment—a grand piano sat among the collective, which made Davina experience yet another a pang of brief longing, her fingers nearly twitching with the desire to play.
As with the exterior area, chairs and tables entertained the majority of the space, strategically placed as to permit narrow walkways among the furniture. It was fairly populated within the café, hosting mostly younger people much like themselves, many of whom Davina bet attended their school—with it being in such close proximity, it was a safe wager to make, even though she recognized no one.
"So, where would you like to sit?" her companion asked, suddenly claiming her wayward attention. "They have live music set to start within the hour, so it will get fairly noisy in here—perhaps the patio?"
As much as the idea of watching a musical performance appealed to her, Davina was more interested in holding a conversation with Shuichi—a task that would prove challenging if done within the presence of a band playing. So she readily agreed to his suggestion with a nod. "That sounds fine—shall we grab a drink first?" He nodded, and Davina took the lead, walking over to the bar with Shuichi at her heels.
After a quick perusal of the menu board, Davina decided to depart from her usual routine and ordered an iced coffee flavored with gomme syrup. Shuichi opted for tea, ordering a green Sencha with a splash of milk. When it came time to settle the bill, she had her money at the ready, ignoring the strange look that had gathered on her companion's visage when she paid for both their beverages. They relocated to the pick-up area at the opposing end of the bar to wait for their drinks to be made.
"You didn't have to do that," Shuichi said plainly as Davina watched the barista prepare their order with a curious eye.
"I wanted to," she offered quietly, turning her gaze to meet his and giving him a small smile. "Consider it a thank you for taking me here. If you'd like, you can always get the next one."
"Fair enough," he responded, returning her smile. "And I most certainly will."
Their beverages were placed before them, housed in actual glassware in place of disposable cups. With careful hands, they claimed their drinks and ventured out onto the patio. Davina was drawn to the garden area near the back of the space, and immediately claimed a table near it—it was a picturesque scene, dominated by a dwarf Sakura tree and accented by Bracken ferns, Heuchera in colors of soft purple and pale pink, and clusters of ivory white Hydrangea. A small stone waterfall fountain sat among the landscape, the echo of softly running water providing a pleasant ambiance for those in close proximity. She slipped into a chair, with Shuichi mimicking her actions and perching across from her.
"So, what do you think?" he asked softly, his hands moving to rest upon the warm porcelain of his cup. It was a subtle movement, but one that briefly drew Davina's attention—his fingers were long and elegant, ending in short, tidy nails. Their presence made the mug in his hand seem small, and yet the manner in which he held it was firm, but careful. It made her wonder how they would feel, holding her own hand, clasping her shoulder, stroking her hair, her back, perhaps even other parts of her body—she shook those thoughts away, knowing that they were inappropriate to entertain, but unable to quell her interest in such a thing.
"I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to expect," she admitted thoughtfully. "But it's wonderful."
. . .
Shuichi was admittedly trapped well within his own head by the time Davina had made her way over to where he sat. His mental outburst had turned his considerably good mood sour, and he was having a hard time collecting himself. He remained seated until only a short distance remained between them, and forced himself to rise to his feet just as she halted her step, leaving only a brief space to separate them. The potent scent of her perfume surrounded him, seeming to taunt him despite his previous enjoyment of it. She greeted him, and he spoke in turn, his voice odd even to his own ears. It wasn't a pleasant sound, and it lingered even as he announced the impending arrival of their transportation. If she noticed his less than agreeable tone, she didn't comment on it, opting to ask about the location they were heading to instead.
"You'll find out soon enough," he offered, trying to mask the short measure of his words by pairing them with a half hearted smile. A few minutes later found them seated on the train, on the way to their destination—he had selected a seat nearest to the exit, and Davina had claimed the spot to his right. The train was nearly empty, a drastic difference from the crowds that usually occupied the trams on weekdays, and they sat in silence—but unlike their prior interactions, this silence was heavy with tension, and he could see that his companion had begun to feel out of place.
He could sense her growing confusion, and nearly taste her concern, but found himself unable to speak up and placate her. He wanted to, but the part of him that was bitter over his maddening reaction prevented him from attempting such a thing. Perhaps this whole thing was a mistake—he didn't want to worsen the situation by being in a foul mindset, and yet his possessive reaction to seeing her had him internally reeling. He felt as if his carefully cultivated control was slipping, and to be at the mercy of forces greater than himself had understandably put him on edge.
It was Davina's voice calling his name that snapped him out of the trance he had failed to realize himself imprisoned by. Her tone had altered from sweet to almost rigid, a sudden change that immediately claimed his attention and prompted him to unwillingly meet her stare.
"Is everything alright? You seem off today," she offered sullenly, her words tainted with a distress she was attempting to keep hidden. It was this realization that made him feel, for lack of a better word, like an absolute asshole. Shuichi knew it had been on a whim in which she had asked for his company, but from what he had gathered about her and judging by her subsequently embarrassed reaction, it hadn't been an easy request for her to make. She had clearly been excited for their meet up, and here he was, acting sullen and moody, like he wished to be anywhere but in her presence. Davina wasn't to blame for the actions of his overzealous mind, even if she was the focus of its uncouth demands.
"Of course," he replied quietly, fighting back a sigh of defeat. Despite everything, he genuinely did want the afternoon to go well, his own internal battles be damned. It wasn't at all fair to her, and for what it was worth, Shuichi didn't want to see her upset—who knew what sort of reaction such a thing would rouse within him, and in the end, he would only have himself to blame for it. "My apologies, I suppose I do have a lot on my mind at the moment." He kept his response vague, hoping it would satisfy her.
"We don't have to do this is, if you'd rather not," she said—her voice was quiet, almost eerily calm, but something in the very scent of her body altered as the words left her lips. The normally sweet fragrance was disrupted by the pungent odor of undeniable disappointment, and it left an astringent taste on his tongue. Something deep within him growled with disapproval, but the harsh sound was directed towards himself instead of another—it was truly as if he were currently at war with himself, and that his other self was intensely displeased at how he was handling the situation. He knew by her offer that she was attempting to give him a way out—he was grateful towards her for such a generous action, but ultimately refused to take it. He would see things through, and deal with the consequences later.
"No, I very much want to—I wouldn't have come if I hadn't," he replied bluntly, refusing to let things progress down the dark path in which they had started on. Shuichi sighed, feeling the urge to resist grow lax, and shaking his head in a pitiful attempt to free his mind of the shackles that restrained it. "I'm truly sorry if I gave you the notion that I felt otherwise." His words rang true—he genuinely was apologetic, even in the face of his own adversity.
"It's alright," Davina said, and he heard the reprieve in her voice, which quelled his own discontentment in some small way. Perhaps he could still salvage their time together—if nothing else, he had to make the attempt.
"I do hope you like the place we're heading to," he said lightly, offering her a real smile. It had the desired effect—she appeared to brighten almost instantly at his minute effort, which did prompt him to feel less gloomy.
"I guess we'll find out shortly, seeing as you insist on keeping it a surprise," she teased, her gray green eyes digging mischievously into his own.
Much to Shuichi's relief, things did improve in the minutes that followed—their venture to the destination he had selected was had mostly in silence, but a much more tranquil one than what had hung overhead during their brief train ride. Once they had reached the café, he studied her intently, curious to see her reaction. He watched as she reached over to caress the leaves of a climbing ivy vine that clung to one of the building's pillars, quite liking the way her visage molded into one of pleasure at the realization that they were indeed real and not artificial.
"This is the place," he announced, gesturing towards the entrance as she took in the new sight, her eyes aglow with intrigue and wonder. "Shall we head inside?" She nodded in agreement, and Shuichi moved to hold the door open for her, a gesture born of courteous instinct. Her eyes grew wide with surprise at the movement, as if she hadn't anticipated such politeness. She gifted him with a kind smile before stepping past the threshold—he followed suit, pausing just abreast of where she had stopped to study her new surroundings.
The Secret Garden Café was exactly as he had remembered—it had been quite a few months since he had last visited, and he was happy to see that it had remained unchanged. After a short conversation concerning where to sit, they headed over to the bar to order some drinks, and Davina surprised him by paying for his without question. He certainly hadn't expected such a thing, although he did appreciate the gesture. When he voiced his opinion over the matter, she smiled and informed him that it was simply an act of gratitude for him meeting up with her. When she went on to say that he could always get the next round, he readily agreed.
Once they have obtained their beverages, the pair headed out onto the quaint patio area. Shuichi held back, permitting Davina to choose their seating arrangements—he was appreciative when she selected a table closest to the garden, and quickly moved to stake her claim. It was a spot with a lovely view of the blossoming foliage and one where a guest could enjoy the calming sounds of the charming waterfall that was perched strategically among the plants—a location that he would have picked himself. They slid into their respective seats, and settled in. Out of habit, Shuichi's hands moved upwards to clasp his mug, the warmth of the porcelain comforting against the calloused skin of his palms. It was something he tended to do when he had a warm beverage, although there was little reason for such a routine.
"So, what do you think?" he asked his companion, fairly interested in her opinion of the place he had picked for their rendezvous. Shuichi watched with an inquisitive gaze as Davina's eyes trailed down to where his hands rested on his cup—she appeared to study them, if only for a short few seconds—he found himself wondering why she had been compelled to do such a thing, but didn't ask as to why. Her attention fled his appendages and met his stare once again, an appealing smile coming to rest on her soft looking lips.
"I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's wonderful," she offered quietly.
Her response prompted him to smile with satisfaction.
"I'm happy you think so," he replied evenly, as she raised her glass to her lips and took a long sip of her iced coffee. A little sigh of pleasure escaped her at the taste, and while the sound itself was harmless, it made something deep within Shuichi's loins twitch.
"So, shall we begin?" Davina asked, placing her glass back down on the wooden table top.
He nodded his head in agreement and gestured for her to begin the conversation with an inviting wave of his hand.