13 | A Strange Morning
Makoto's gaze shifted from the kitchen pantry, to a nearby calendar, back to the pantry, and finally to the floor around her feet. By itself, the fact that there was not much food around to cook for her own benefit was a disappointment, but that alone did not cause her desperate sigh. She eventually meandered to the nearby living room and unceremoniously plopped onto the sofa, her feet dangling over one arm. It was not a problem that lounging about could solve, but she could not think of anything else to do at the moment. Thus, it was serendipity that came to her rescue in the form of her ringing cell phone, though it was not immediately obvious to her.
"Hi, Minako-chan." Her tone was languid at best. "What's up?"
"Nothing beyond the usual being stuck here at home." A sulky groan emanated from the phone's speaker. "I just can't wait for Rei-chan's birthday to come around so I can finally get out of here and do something besides studying all evening."
"It's not the worst thing in the world. Besides, you're getting better grades now than last term, for the most part."
"Heh. You should tell my mom that, Mako-chan. Apparently, she doesn't seem to agree. You remember how she bitched at me for an entire day about that last math exam, even though I ended up doing well enough to pass."
"I still think you should tell her about—" there was a full second of silence before she spoke once again— "um, what you have to go through."
"Err… oh, yeah, that… Maybe someday in the future, if I felt it would actually change anything between us."
"You're just being extremely pessimistic, Minako-chan, which isn't like you."
"Can you really blame me though, given what I've had to deal with for the past two weeks?"
"…Yes?"
Makoto's smirk grew larger and she even managed a giggle upon hearing the blonde at the other end of the line grumble. "Mako-chan…"
"Sorry, but it was way too good to pass up. Besides, I needed the laugh after being so stressed out about what to make for Rei-chan."
"I know! What about making her a birthday cake, preferably dark chocolate with strawberries maybe a touch of whipped cream on top?" Upon hearing nothing but muffled chuckling for several seconds, she added, with a perplexed tone, "What? I'm being serious, you know."
"If you're nice enough I'll consider making that for you later, but it still doesn't solve my problem."
"Fine. Don't think I won't hold you to that though. Anyway, now that I think about it, maybe you don't have to make anything at all for Rei-chan's birthday."
Those words prompted a thoroughly confused Makoto to shift into a more upright seated position. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"I heard about this awesome restaurant that opened about two weeks ago that supposedly serves the most delicious desserts in all of Tokyo. The only problem—well, actually there are two problems. The first is that their food is really expensive. The cheapest item is about a thousand yen and it goes way up from there, which puts most of their menu out of my price range."
"That's not exactly expensive, you know. But, what was the other problem."
"The fact that it's in Adachi, which means a train ride that I can't really afford right now either."
"Really?" She heaved a disbelieving sigh. "I can understand you not having enough for the food, but I can't imagine the trip costing more than five hundred yen to go both ways."
"Um, yeah, but then I wouldn't have much money left to pay for anything over there, which would make the trip entirely pointless."
"I imagine that if we were to go there for Rei-chan's party instead of Crown that we'd pay for whatever she ordered. So, as long as you don't order anything crazy I could cover for you as well."
An earsplitting yelp of excitement preceded anything that sounded remotely intelligible from the blonde. "Oh my God! Really? You would do that for me? Thank you so much, Mako-chan!"
"O-of course." She winced as she brought the phone back to her ear. "Just try not to make me go deaf before then."
"Sorry. But, you have no idea how happy this makes me."
"As much as I'd love to prepare a special treat for her, this just might be better overall." She momentarily fell silent, her eyes finding the ceiling while her mind fell deep in thought. "Though, I want to see how good their desserts are first-hand before having all of us go up there and risk expensive disappointment."
"If you're going anytime soon, can I tag along with you?"
"How in the world are you going to accomplish that if you're stuck at home with studying?"
"Oh, I have my ways." In the amount of time it took for Makoto to roll her eyes and open her mouth to respond, she was preempted by the seemingly faraway sound of Minako's voice blaring over the speaker. "Knock it off, Artemis. I don't need you reminding me about how much trouble I can get in with my mom. Such opportunities only come once, and when they do, you have to strike the iron by the horns."
"I'm not sure that's quite how it goes, but I'll let it slide. Anyway, are you sure about coming along with me?"
"Of course. Besides, I'm not silly enough to try sneaking out of my bedroom or outright lying to her, but that doesn't mean I can't convince her to let me go."
"If, by some miracle, you can convince her to let you go, then let me know. I'll be at Crown until then."
Minako laughed with a haughtiness more expected from some of the enemies the pair had battled. "Don't give up on me. I'll be sure to join you in no time."
Raucous laughter spilled from Makoto's lips the moment she disconnected the call and lasted for several seconds until she found enough composure to push away from the sofa. She grabbed her purse and a light jacket and made her way toward the apartment door. Even then, she continued to chuckle softly.
"Knowing how her mother works, I really shouldn't wait up for her."
—|1|2|3|4|—
Um, did I just hear someone screaming?
Makoto had barely walked a few meters from the lobby entrance of her apartment building before hearing a piercing shriek from a nearby alley. Or, at least she thought she heard something like that, but she was unsure. On the other hand, her ears had no trouble detecting the heavy roar of construction equipment that was in place repairing the street about a block in the opposite direction from which she walked. She turned that way and paused for a few more seconds but could only hear the low thrumming of engines and harsh impacts of steel against concrete. Shaking her head, she pivoted and continued to walk along the street, her destination being the bus stop at the next intersection.
She reached the stop about a minute later. Her posture was utterly casual as leaned against the inside wall of the hood and peered down the street. According to the schedule the bus was due to arrive in two minutes. That left her enough time to pull her cell phone out of her purse and sigh upon noticing the fact that she had missed Minako's call. She flipped the phone open and pressed one of the buttons before lifting the device to her ear.
"Ah, Minako-chan. I figure that your mom's not letting you come with me to the restaurant?"
"Unfortunately not." Her voice did nothing to disguise her blatant unhappiness. "It's like she doesn't even realize that it's the weekend and that I'm a young girl who needs to have a life."
"Cheer up. You're definitely going to be able to come with me in a few days anyway, so long as this place is actually worth all the trouble."
"Oh, I definitely hope so. You have no idea how heartbroken I'd be if she doesn't let me out then."
Makoto chuckled. "You already told me earlier that she gave you permission to go so now you're just being melodramatic."
"Hmph. I have every right to be melodramatic." Makoto heard a slightly muffled voice that was not Minako's followed by a furious one that most definitely was. "Oh, shut up, Artemis!"
"Um, I'll take that as a good time to hang up now, before you actually do get into enough trouble that you won't be able to make the party." She was just about to say goodbye and hang up before her mind sparked an idea, one that she decided to share with her friend. "You know what, if their desserts are as good as you say they are, I'll buy one and bring it to lunch tomorrow so you can get a taste. That way, you don't have to be jealous about not being able to make the trip."
"Please? That would be so amazing if you could do so!"
Makoto nodded, even though she knew Minako could not see her over the phone. "Yep! Anyway, I have to go now, as my bus is about to arrive."
"Bus? But, I thought you were headed to Crown. Ah, whatever. I'll see you tomorrow, and I hope you bring something super-delicious for me to eat!"
Giggling morphed into full-blown laughter by the time Makoto returned the cell phone to her purse, just in time for the bus to arrive at the stop. She hopped up the step, tapped her card against the scanner, and walked toward an open seat she spotted near the back. The moment she sat down she felt the bus lurch forward by about a meter before grinding to a halt.
That was strange. A quick glance at the people around her found that they echoed that sentiment. Maybe the bus is breaking down, but that never actually happens. They usually make sure the buses are working at all times, but I guess it can't really be helped.
Her conjecture was borne into reality only seconds later when she noticed the distinct lack of engine noise that would normally emanate from behind her head. There were a few groans as the driver attempted to restart the engine, but with little success. He then opened both doors before leaving his seat and turning toward the passengers.
"I sincerely apologize for the malfunctioning bus," he said, bending forward in a similarly remorseful bow. "I assure you that your fares will be refunded as soon as possible."
Makoto shrugged as she stood from her seat and joined the others in exiting the bus. That's not really much of a problem for me, as I had time before I had to catch my train. I just hope other people were as fortunate.
She heard a loud shout and turned on her heels just in time to see a rather large man barreling toward her at a full sprint. That alone was concerning enough, but something about the situation seemed strange to her. His features, particularly his widened eyes, screamed of desperation to get away, but why, and from what? Then she noticed another person, a woman who appeared to be of college age, running behind him at almost the same pace. Anger dominated that woman's expression, and it did not take Makoto long to realize why when she spotted what the man held in his hand. In turn, a sense of determination filled the lightning senshi, and instead of swiveling out of his way, she lowered her shoulder and readied herself for the impending collision.
I'm not going to let some random thug trounce all over and steal stuff from other people.
Amazingly the impact was a lot softer than she had anticipated, quite possibly due to the evasive maneuver the man attempted at the last possible instant. She remained on her feet, which was more than he could say as he struggled to push away from the hard concrete. His inspiration came as the pounding of footsteps grew to a crescendo. He leaped from crouch he had managed to attain and took off running, ignoring both Makoto and the black shoulder bag that lied rumpled on the ground.
"Ah, he got away."
Startled, Makoto turned around to see that once-angry woman standing a few feet away, bent over her knees while breathing heavily. She slowly walked over and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.
"Um… are you alright?"
Light-pink strands of hair, obviously dyed from blonde, shifted to one side of the woman's face as she turned her head upward. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for knocking that jerk over or else I never would've caught up to him."
"It was more of a reflex than anything." Makoto shrugged and averted her gaze. "Though, I'm really glad he wasn't able to run away with your stuff."
"Me too. I have no idea what I would have done had he gotten away." After a few more seconds of catching her breath, she walked to the bag and lifted it from the ground. She opened it and began to poke about inside. "There we go. It looks like—dammit!"
The exclamation caused Makoto to flinch. "What?"
"Oh, sorry 'bout that. It's just that the bastard managed to break my camera. But, it wasn't nearly as important as the other stuff in here." She pulled the device from the bag and removed the memory card, slipping it into the front pocket of her blouse. "As long as I don't lose this little guy, then all is well. Though, I'll still have to buy a new camera, unfortunately. That's not something I was planning to do anytime soon."
"Sorry about that." The ground swiftly became a more appealing target for her gaze than the woman's disappointed expression. "I was just trying to stop him."
"No worries. As I said, the memory card was more important, and had you not done anything he would've taken it from me." Any hint of despair disappeared from the brunette upon seeing the wide smile leveled at her. "Anyway, where are you headed? If it's close enough, maybe I can give you a ride as gesture of thanks, especially since that bus doesn't seem to be moving anytime soon."
Makoto nodded. "I appreciate it, but I'm actually headed pretty far north, and I don't want to be a huge burden on you."
"Nonsense. My car is just right over there." She lifted a hand and pointed it at a parking garage situated in the middle of the block. "I have to head in that direction as well, so I don't mind taking you."
"Are you going as far as Adachi?"
"Um…" The woman looked skyward for several moments, as though deep in thought. "Actually, I'm going to Saitama, so Adachi would be on the route, generally. And, I'm not in any big rush. Dropping you off at wherever you're going wouldn't hurt me in the least." Another grin tugged at her lips. Unlike before, it was one the brunette found outright inviting. "Who knows, maybe we could hang out for a while and we can get to know each other better. What do you say?"
What do I say to that? Makoto's hesitation was reasonable given how infrequently other people opened up to her so quickly. She seems really nice, if not a little too forward. It creeps me out a bit, but maybe I'm just being paranoid. Besides, I can't just distrust and push away from everyone, even after everything that's happened to me before. If I did that, then I'd never have become friends with Usagi-chan in the first place.
"Hmm?"
"Uh, sure. T-that might be a good idea." A slow nod punctuated her words.
"Well then, let's go!"
The woman started to walk toward the garage, but stopped after only a few paces when she noticed that her companion had failed to make the trip. She turned around, only to see Makoto standing right where she had left the girl. Indeed, the teen had her attention fixed on an approaching bus, one that would have taken her to her destination. Frustration boiled within the woman as she doubled back, though she tried her best to tamp it down.
"What's with the holdup?"
"Oh, there's another bus. If I take it, I can reach the station on time."
"But, you just said you were riding with me." The woman noisily huffed and stood with arms akimbo. "Besides, I'm absolutely certain I could easily beat the bus and the train to Adachi by taking the expressway."
Her boastful claim captured the notice of another prospective passenger, one who had waited with Makoto following the mechanical demise of the previous bus. That older woman casually strolled toward the pair and bowed before speaking to them.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I'd advise against trying to drive that way on the expressway. The police had to close it in both directions after someone speeding ended up causing a serious accident. Not only that, but the traffic is horrible on all of the connecting streets."
Makoto gave a small bow and smile of thanks toward the woman before turning to her newfound acquaintance and waving. "Well, I guess that means I'll have to ride the bus after all, though I really appreciate your offer."
She then stepped onto the bus, tapping her fare card against the reader as before, and marching to a pair of open seats near the middle of the vehicle. That alone was quite an amazing feat as more people were expected to ride given the earlier issues. However, the spectacle that played out at the front of the bus swiftly took precedence within Makoto's thoughts, to the girl's amusement. Standing next to the card reader was the very woman she had talked with only seconds before, drawing a crowd behind her as she rummaged through her bag. Moments later the woman evidently found the object she was looking for, allowing her to jog down the aisle and plop down in the last open seat.
Makoto chuckled as she turned to address the red-faced woman. "I thought you were intent on driving."
"Well, the unexpected traffic kinda screwed me over, so I thought, what the hell, you know?" Her grip of the shoulder bag's straps tightened as she forced a smile. "By the way, my name's Tanaka Aika."
"Kino Makoto." The brunette extended a hand, one that Aika eventually took but with a little hesitation. "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
Before Aika could say anything else, she felt some unknown object rub softly against her shoulder. Try as she might, there was nothing she could do to suppress the squeal that followed. It took all of her willpower and then some to not turn to her side and swat at whatever cruel being it was that had touched her.
"What's wrong?" Confusion warped Makoto's features as she gazed at the woman.
"Oh, uh…" Aika's complexion shifted to an even deeper crimson as she buried her face in her hands. "Sorry about that. I'm just not all that great with huge crowds."
"Don't worry. The ride's not that long, and I don't think the train should take much longer than fifteen minutes."
"I hope so."
"But, if that's the case, why not drive? Sure, the traffic's a mess, but you said you weren't in any rush, right?"
"Yeah, but then I won't have the opportunity to properly thank you for helping me earlier. In that light, I think the little bit of discomfort is worth it, don't you think?"
Makoto slowly nodded in understanding. Yeah, a little bit forward might be an understatement, but I shouldn't brush her off just yet. After all, maybe she's just overly friendly, like Mariko-san is to Usagi-chan. Nothing to be too crept out about. She felt her cheeks turn warm and could only imagine how fiercely she was blushing the moment she felt her new friend gently grab one of her hands. Presumably it was a reaction to yet another scare, but it did cause her to swallow hard before answering the question the woman asked of her.
"Um… sure, I guess."
—|1|2|3|4|—
I wonder if this place really is as special as everyone seems to be making it out to be, because I really don't want to deal with cooking today. A sigh passed her lips as she felt the dampened strands of hair pass through her fingers. As if I need yet another thing to go awry for me.
Despite her role as a guardian of time and a special knack for prognostication, Setsuna had no idea just how hectic her morning would have become. Certainly, a large factor in creating her woefully busy night was her inability to predict probabilities for events in which she was directly involved. Not that it always portended the worst outcome. Her princess would not have survived the battle against Beryl, nor would she or any of the other senshi have escaped that underground lair in one piece, had that been universally true. However, the last twenty-four hours had been especially unkind to her. The first blow was an unanticipated extension of her normal twelve-hour shift by half. She was already exhausted as she only had a few hours of sleep beforehand. Getting covered in muck, bile, and other fluids, all courtesy one unfortunate patient, was merely icing on the cake. Such were the risks in her profession, and she accepted them. It did not mean she always had to like them.
In any case, that was all behind her, or so she hoped. The prospect of eating a real dinner instead of that horrible food served in the cafeteria excited her to no end. That was one of many motivations that drove her and stopped her from collapsing in a heap and sleeping right there on the sidewalk. And so, she soldiered on. At least, she did so until happening upon a sight that, even to her, was startling and somewhat concerning.
What the… is that Makoto-san? And who on earth is that with her?
It was quite a stroke of luck that amongst the crowd she had spotted a person she thought she recognized, although it could have been just the byproduct of her fatigue. She worked to traverse the distance as swiftly as she could, forcibly pushing her way between throngs of random passersby. Even then, it took her nearly a minute to travel the fifty meters to where she had last seen the mysterious brunette, only to be met with disappointment. She found a spot away from the crowd, bent to her knees, and exhaled a dismal sigh.
Maybe I really was just imagining that she was here.
Yet when she stood once again, she saw the very same person standing on the other side of the street. She could also see that person's companion, a pink-haired woman who had just finished removing her arm from around the waist of her target. Setsuna pushed away from the wall, wound her way through the bustling crowd, and stepped into the busy crosswalk. Only when she was in the middle of the street could she finally answer that frustrating question. A faint smile came to her lips once she bounded the curb and located a place to stand alongside the girl.
"It looks like you're a long way from home." Her grin widened when met with Makoto's wide-eyed gape and hasty bow.
"Ah, Meioh-sensei!"
"You don't need to be so formal with me, Makoto-san. In fact, I would be thrilled if you called me Setsuna instead."
"O-okay." After a nervous chuckle and muffled cough, the girl regained most of her composure. "But, what are you doing all the way out here?"
"I should be asking you that same question, as this certainly doesn't look anything like Juuban, or even Minato for that matter."
"Rei-chan's birthday is coming up in a few days, and Minako-chan recommended going to this restaurant instead of having me make the desserts. She said they're supposed to be really good. It just opened up recently." She shrugged. "It's a bit of a ways out, though, which is why I suggested making sure the trip is worth the hassle."
"That's understandable." A studious expression graced her features as she gazed more intently at Makoto. "I imagine you've already repaired your friendship with Usagi-san by now."
The girl slowly nodded. "Thankfully. She's also forgiven Minako-chan, though not without punishment. Rei-chan's the only one Usagi-chan hasn't seen yet."
"I'm certain that time will come soon enough, and this whole terrible episode will be relegated to history. Nothing good can ever come out of such discord."
"Honestly, I think Usagi-chan would be the happiest of all of us when that happens."
"Indeed." A few silent moments passed between the two before Setsuna turned a mischievous smirk to the girl. "Speaking of happy, I hope your, ahem, friend is okay."
"Friend?" Certainly it took her a few seconds, but when she finally understood her face turned a wholly new shade of red. "Oh, you must mean Tanaka-san. I wouldn't really call her a friend as I just met her today."
"Really?"
"Um… Oh, no. No, no, no!" She fervently shook her head and waved her hands in front of her chest. "It's nothing like that! She's just really eager to thank me for helping her earlier today. That's all."
"Just be careful not to give her any false impressions, as the last thing you'd want is to upset her by leading her astray."
"Eh?"
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll figure it out soon, or you can just speak to Minako-san. She is supposedly an expert in matters of love, is she not?" Her lively giggling merely prompted a grimace from the brunette. "Anyway, I'm very glad to have run into you Makoto-san, but it has been a long day for me and I would love nothing more than dinner and sleep. Please give my best regards to Usagi-san and the others."
"Y-yes, I'll do that."
Setsuna gave a short bow, one that was graciously answered by Makoto's hesitant yet ultimately friendly wave, before merging into the crowd that headed away from the nearby train station. She had barely walked one block from where she had left the lightning senshi when she spotted the oh-so familiar features of a person she had no intention or desire to meet that morning.
Dammit. Of all people, why does Grayson have to be here?
Fortunately she had spotted the man from behind, and since he lacked the ability to sense her energy signature, he was certain to remain ignorant of her presence unless he turned around. That act held a very low probability given that his attention seemed to be fixed on a conversation he held with the same black-haired woman she remembered from that strange car pursuit days ago. From the body language exhibited by the two, she could tell that the conversation was quite animated. Furthermore, she sensed that the relationship between the two was nothing more than businesslike. Not that she cared either way.
I wonder if I can get close enough to hear what they're talking about without being spotted by either of them. Especially Grayson, but I'm sure even that woman knows about me by now.
She gently pushed people out of her path as she worked to close the distance to Grayson. She managed to get within five meters of the pair, though that was only enough to perceive occasional snippets of their discussion. Any overall context was completely lost to her. To obtain a more complete understanding she needed to get even closer. That alone was a horribly risky proposition when her goal was to shadow them while remaining undetected. It was made even worse by her fatigue. But, there were few opportunities as pristine as the one spread before her in terms of gathering intelligence about one of their enemies.
They stopped walking, prompting her to do the same after taking a few more paces. That extra distance proved to be critical to her as brought her close enough to hear the majority of sentences as opposed to just random words. The fact that the two began speaking in elevated tones did not hurt her chances either. Their spirited conversation exploded into a full-blown argument about policy, although even then they remained careful in their speech, using a language only few random passersby could easily comprehend and terms that none could recognize as threatening. Of course, Setsuna was no random passerby, and for all their care they could not conceal the meaning of their conversation from her.
"Come on, Rocha," she heard Grayson say. "You know just as well as anyone that such a redistribution of resources could only lead to disaster."
"Really? That's only because you didn't bother fully thinking through the strategy I gave you. Rotating our capital through a wider variety of investments ought to give us a much greater return in the long run."
"Maybe, if you neglect the substantial costs associated with continuously transferring our capital about. Not just that, but moving our more physical resources takes quite a long time that would negate any benefits you imagine. I'm not allowing such a radical shift in our strategy at this time."
Setsuna saw Rocha fold her hands across her chest and turn to Grayson a fierce glare. "Would you rather I present it directly to Jadeite instead? I'm sure he would agree with me."
"You can try, but I only see failure as a result." He shook his head, but otherwise appeared unmoved by her appeal. "There's a reason why I'm in charge of this division, and it's to make sure silly plans like that don't come along and ruin everything we've worked for. Though, we should stop bickering out here and hurry back to the office."
That was the cue Setsuna used to slowly shuffle away from the pair before her increasing hunger and tiredness got the better of her. All of the meandering and sneaking about merely worsened those sensations. Her original destination was about a kilometer north of her location, which meant waiting even longer for a bus to arrive before she could satiate her hunger. In the end, her suffering was worthwhile as it presented her a useful nugget of information, so long as she could decipher its meaning. As she sat at the bench and waited for her bus, her mind began working to determine exactly that.
Who is Jadeite, and what does he have to do with the Dark Kingdom's plans?
—|1|2|3|4|—
The creaking of a nearby door startled Makoto and directed her attention to Aika's appearance. The woman held a cup of water in one hand, quite a feat in itself given her rampant trembling only a few minutes earlier. She cocked her head to one side in confusion when she noticed the brunette.
"Are you okay? Why are you blushing so hard?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Nevertheless, the girl swiftly tried her best to avoid the inquisitive gaze of her older companion. "Anyway, I should be asking you that question."
"It's just a horrible reaction I typically have with large crowds, but nothing to get too worried over. All I need is a few minutes alone and I'm back to my usual self. But, thanks for waiting on me." With a bright smile on her lips, she slid to Makoto's side and tenderly grabbed hold of one of the girl's arms. "You said you were heading to a restaurant of some sort, I think. Don't mind if I tag along, do you? In fact, it'll be my treat."
"O-okay."
After walking for ten minutes, though without Aika hanging onto her the entire time to a nervous Makoto's relief, the pair arrived at the dessert restaurant. Opening the door brought forth a sweet aroma that tickled their noses and caused their mouths to water. Then they stepped through the threshold and immediately bore witness to the true majesty of culinary delicacies.
"Wow!" Makoto's eyes widened with awe as she gazed about the small yet crowded space. "Minako-chan would be so jealous of me if she had any idea of just how amazing this place is."
"Who's Minako?"
The question caught her off guard, though not as badly as Aika's pout. "Oh, uh… just a really good friend of mine."
"Hmm." Her sulky mood disappeared almost as quickly as it had arrived, leaving behind a lively grin on her lips and making Makoto even more perplexed. "Never mind, it's nothing important. Shall we grab a table?"
"And how might I help you two ladies this morning?"
Neither woman had noticed the man standing in front of them. At the same time, neither had perceived the hint of irritation in his voice for being ignored for so long. Makoto turned to face the headwaiter with a nervous smile, receiving a genial smile in return. Aika, on the other hand, seemed to be preoccupied with her own world, her gaze fixed upon a spot at the back of the room. It was only when the brunette tapped her shoulder that she remembered that she was not alone.
"Tanaka-san?"
"Ah, sorry Makoto-chan." Even as she spoke, her eyes never really deviated from that portion of the room. "I kinda got sidetracked there for a minute. What happened?"
"I just told the waiter about my friend's upcoming birthday party and the possibility of holding it here, so long as there's space and the food is worth the trip."
"What did he say?"
"Reservations are usually tight during the weekend and most evenings, but there're more openings during the early afternoon hours. I don't know how that'll help. But, he said he'd talk to the owner, who's apparently here today."
"Uh-huh."
The frown that warped Aika's features greatly disturbed Makoto, mainly because she did not know what had angered the woman. Only when she followed her companion's narrow-eyed gaze did she obtain a tiny sliver of an answer. However, the blond-haired man who emerged from a backroom door behind the headwaiter seemed less furious than Aika as he stared at her with equal intensity. He even sported a marginal smirk as he stopped a few feet before the pair and bowed.
"It's quite a pleasant surprise to see you here."
Aika snorted. "That's my line, though 'pleasant' is not a word I'd use to describe it."
"I'm certain there's an easy way to fix that." Makoto could see his piercing blue eyes narrow slightly as he maintained his forceful gaze upon the older woman.
"Heh. You have no idea just how easy it is. But, you never were that bright anyway, so I wouldn't be shocked if you never figured it out."
"Maybe so, but as you can clearly see just by looking around that I'm still far more successful than you'd ever become."
"Until that dream collapses around you due to your own stupidity."
Makoto was beyond perplexed as she observed the burgeoning argument between Aika and the restaurant's owner. She was stuck between not wanting to wade into the middle of the fracas and trying to prevent it from drawing too much attention to them from the other patrons. Ultimately she settled upon bringing the conversation back to the reason she had traveled there in the first place as gently as possible. Thus, she slowly placed herself between the two, brought a hand to her mouth, and loudly coughed. It immediately caught the attention of both belligerents.
"Oh, please accept my apologies," the man said, momentarily bowing before Makoto with an arm crossed in front of his chest. "It was not my intention to ignore such a lovely young lady and potential customer. My name is Takeda Masaru and I'm the owner of this fine restaurant. And, you are?"
"Kino Makoto." The brunette shifted her gaze back and forth between the two. "I take it you two know each other?"
"Unfortunately." Aika turned toward Makoto, throwing one hand up in a dismissive wave at Masaru while wrapping her other arm around the girl's waist. "But I'm long over that jerk now, so don't worry about it."
"Clearly. That said, at least you have good taste, so at least try to treat her decently." The smirk that had faded earlier reappeared with a vengeance. "Though, if she does ever mistreat you, Kino-san, know that you have an ally here."
"T-thanks, I guess." Wriggling free of Aika's unexpectedly tight grasp only partly reduced the furious blush that covered her cheeks. "A-anyway, I didn't think I'd make such a mess by coming here. All I wanted to do was try out the food."
Masaru nodded. "That is something with which I can definitely help you. I do recall my headwaiter saying something about one of your friends having a birthday celebration here in a few days."
"Yes, this Wednesday. I heard great things about this place, but I wanted to make sure the food was good before we all made the long trip here."
"That's understandable, but it's nothing you should worry about as you came to the right place. Our desserts are the best in all of Japan." He ignored the loud grumbles that originated from behind him when he placed an arm around Makoto's shoulders as the pair began walking toward the kitchen. "If you don't mind, I'll show you what treats we have to offer."
"S-sure."
Aika broke into a jog to ensure she was not left behind. "Hey! Don't forget about me!"
Her jaw fell agape almost the instant Makoto stepped through the threshold. Before her lied a proper kitchen, with all of the cookware and utensils she could ever imagine owning. Beyond that, the aromas of all of the different meals being prepared made her feel as though she were in culinary heaven. As such, she remained oblivious to the rather tight confines of the space, rubbing elbows with Aika on her left and Masaru on her right as the trio tried not to interfere too much with operations. Yet, the kitchen's owner was prepared to do exactly that, if only for the benefit of a future customer.
"Impressive, isn't it?" His grin was friendlier than any he had directed at Aika thus far.
"Absolutely."
He handed a small booklet to Makoto, which she graciously accepted. "Our menu is quite expansive. It is also quite expensive, but great quality does not come cheap. However, for you, I am more than willing to let you sample some of our cakes for free."
She pointed a finger at two of the cakes her epicurean mind found most appealing. Not to be completely ignored, Aika swiftly leaned in and indicated her own choice. That latter act generated a nasty scowl that he did not hesitate to direct at the woman. Nevertheless, he raised a hand to gesticulate across the kitchen to one of the chefs, who immediately set to work creating smaller versions of all three desserts. As she worked, Masaru led the two women back out into the dining area.
"So, the other thing my headwaiter told me about was your inquiry about reserving a table. If I might ask, what size party should we expect?"
A nervous smile of anticipation tugged at Makoto's lips. "Just five of us." She opened her mouth to continue speaking, but quickly closed it when she felt a hand tenderly grasp her forearm.
"Shouldn't it be six of us? Are you saying I'm not invited?"
Just like previously, Makoto could feel her body, and especially her cheeks, go warm upon feeling that strange woman's touch. What made that particular instance different from all others was her intense feeling of exasperation. She knew that Aika could feel her trembling, but as she recounted Setsuna's words from earlier that morning she realized that she alone understood the reason why. In her mind that had to change, and it had to change immediately. Thus, she barely registered any hints of regret when she used her free hand to remove Aika's.
"I'm sorry, Tanaka-san, but it is just five. We've only just met, and the others have no idea who you are."
"Wouldn't that be a good reason for me to go, then? To get to know the rest of your friends?"
"Somehow, I don't think that would be right." Makoto closed her eyes and shook her head. When she reopened them, they displayed a new and utterly fearsome sense of resolve. "And it's not even like we're really friends ourselves. We just met an hour ago, and the only reason you're here with me is to thank me for helping you. But, I think you're going way too far now. I'm…" She hesitated for a few moments as she sensed Aika's growing dejection, but she knew what had to be said despite the pain it might cause. "Sorry, but I don't like girls like that."
"I get it. You don't want anything to do with me. Fine." Aika's voice barely rose above a whisper as she glanced at Masaru before turning her attention fully to Makoto. She leaned so that her lips were right next to the younger girl's ear. "I really wanted to be friends with you, but you ruined it. Don't think I'll be so nice if we ever see each other again."
Makoto could not help but to shrug as she watched her former companion sluggishly depart, utter confusion long since replacing her annoyance. Masaru merely hummed with delight.
"Consider yourself lucky that your 'relationship' with her ended so early. The less often you associate with her, the better off you'll be."
"Was she always so… strange?"
"You have no idea." He brought a hand to his face to muffle a yawn, and then turned a wide smile to the girl. "Anyway, now is not the time to be bothered by such things, as we still have to resolve the question of reservations."
"R-right."
It required a few minutes of waiting and negotiating with the headwaiter, but the payoff was a secure table for her friends when Rei's birthday finally arrived. She had reserved the option of cancelling the reservation if she did not believe the food was up to par. A few more minutes of waiting let her know that there was no need. The chef emerged from the kitchen holding a box, and Makoto didn't have to even open the lid to know that the cakes within smelled delicious. A single bite of the red velvet cake was enough to seal the deal in her mind.
"So, is it settled then?"
Her enthusiasm was blatant in her vigorous nodding. "Yes. Thank you so much for these cakes. I have a friend would just love to try one right away."
"It truly is my pleasure. I'm just thrilled that you chose us, and I assure you we will do everything to make certain you and your friends have a most enjoyable party." He retrieved a business card from his wallet and bowed while presenting it to her. "If you have any questions, or want to schedule any more reservations with us, please feel free to call."
Makoto returned the gesture as she accepted the card. "I absolutely will." She gave the man a genial wave before heading toward the exit door. "Thanks, Takeda-san!"
Once the door had closed and the girl had begun her trek back to the train station, Masaru walked to his headwaiter. The older, slightly balding man gave him a single nod in acknowledgement before joining him at a secluded location at the back of the kitchen. The younger man leaned casually against a wall while his older counterpart preferred to remain standing.
"I think it will be a good idea to give our head chef a break this Wednesday," Masaru said. "What do you think?"
The older man chuckled. "I couldn't agree more. The remaining staff should be competent enough, especially since you picked them yourself."
"True." He tried to stifle a gaping yawn and failed miserably. "Oh, before I forget to say it, thanks for taking over the headwaiter job with such short notice, Ichikawa. I figured the normal guy, as wonderful as he is, just wouldn't cut it in such a special circumstance. You did well."
"My pleasure, sir." A bow of Ichikawa's head sufficed to show his gratitude.
"Anyway, I'm going to head home and take a nap." He pushed himself away from the wall and began to walk away, but stopped after a few paces and turned to Ichikawa once again. "You're free to leave as well. I'm sure you just received a lot of new work for your normal job that you'd want to get done."
"Indeed. I'll only be a few more minutes here."
Masaru nodded and proceeded to walk through the kitchen door out into the alley. Before exiting, he turned and gave Ichikawa one last request.
"If you happen to see dear Aika again anytime soon in this area of town, please let me know. There's a very special treat I want to give her."
—|Author's Note|—
A new chapter delivered as promised. Thank you all once again for reading and for any comments you guys have given me so far! As a head's up, I plan on posting the next chapter after the turn of the new year. Until then, I hope you all enjoy the holidays and I'll see you in 2018!
