Chapter 22 — A Beautiful Splatter
Drips of darkened brew trickled into the fogging glass, wafting a light and bitter-laced scent into the air that still smelled faintly of cake and warm bread. Coffee was simple enough to serve. She had hand-selected the types of beans they would use in their own original blend—the product of countless hours of research and study. A medium roast using specially imported beans from two different countries, freshly grounded to serve, with a rich, yet light taste to accompany a bold aroma. They must have brewed over a thousand cups by now that the process almost felt second-nature. Patrons praised the complex taste that came from careful preparation, where everything was measured and poured precisely. However, just this once, Nino wished that she could be done with the entire process as soon as possible.
Drop after slowly-poured drop, the din of the coffee machine felt as if it grew louder, along with the awkward silence that filled these past seconds. Or could it have been longer? No, it could not have been any longer than a few seconds since she had last checked, and still, Nino continued to glance back at the coffee pitcher and the darkened pool that gathered at the bottom. Hardly a quarter full. Another glance five seconds later hardly did any better. She tapped her fingers against the counter and stared off to the corners of the café, but it was no use.
It was just plain awkward.
Takebayashi hardly seemed to care. Instead, the long, dark-haired woman had welcomed herself to the bar stool seated directly in front of the coffee maker—the exact spot where Nino stood, leaning her back against the back counter with her arms folded over her chest, and an averted look to her face whenever Takebayashi's would cross with hers. The dark-haired girl seemed to entertain herself just fine, as the carefully picked decor and thematic arrangements of the bakery café seemed more than enough to kill the time where conversation was scarce.
Raiha… Nino thought to herself, eyeing the back of the store. Please hurry up…
"Are you…" Takebayashi asked in a casual tone, smiling, "the co-owner who is a bit on the shy side? Miku-san, I think it was? Don't worry, I don't mean to bother you for long."
Nino held back a snappy remark. The last time the two of them spoke was their first meeting, back at her high school's Sunrise Festival, and she did not leave with the highest opinion of this woman. Still, she was a friend and classmate of Fuutarou, and he insisted that she was harmless. At the very least, while the clock had yet to strike seven, Takebayashi was a customer. The least Nino could do was act polite, and to her best efforts, that would mean being curt. "Wrong," she said with a forced smile. "I'm Nino, the second sister. Don't worry, we're used to the mix-ups."
Takebayashi laughed, seemingly oblivious to any standoffish behavior. "Heh. Fifty percent chance on getting that one right. Win some, lose some."
"Is it a normal thing for you to drink coffee this late?" Nino asked, a tinge of her annoyance draining into the last of her words. Admittedly, the café co-owner had not quite forgiven her for ordering a café au lait so close to closing time—especially not when they had already finished cleaning the coffee-maker and the necessary appliances to make the milk foam.
Again, Takebayashi laughed; something more of a giggle than her usual fit. To Nino, Takebayashi seemed to be someone who always found amusement in every little detail, and Nino was not sure how much she appreciated that kind of detail about her. "Sorry," Takebayashi said. "I meant to come earlier. I promised Fuutarou that I'd visit here at least once while I was back home, but I lost track of time"
"We are open tomorrow, too. At eleven A.M."
"Ha, I know. Though, tonight was my last chance, so I made sure to hurry here as soon as I could." She tugged the collar of her blouse, sighing. "I'm taking the evening train back to Tokyo. It's going to be a long trip, hence, the coffee."
"I see…"
"But whoa, this place has really changed from how I remembered it. It really does look like a bakery now."
"Remembered? You've been here before?"
"Yeah. A long, long time ago." She leaned on her elbow, looking at the parts of the ceiling that had yet to be fully renovated. The sight of the cracked tile, the familiar entrance to the back hallway, the shape of the counter-top—all were so strangely nostalgic, and the dark-haired girl smiled. "Man, this takes me back. When we were kids, we used to always pass by this street on the way to school. Sometimes, Fuutarou would just go on and on about this place, and he would even tell stories about his mom. Were they still cleaning up the place? After all this time?"
Nino nodded. "They were the ones who taught us how to keep the place running."
"Ah, I see. That's good. I remember seeing the inside of this place for the first time… somewhere around fourth grade, I think? That's when I first met Raiha-chan."
She took another look across the walls, piecing together those dusty visages of the past, the vibrancy that made for the present, and all the marks that made for a promising future. "Most of the time, the place was closed and boarded up, so it's a lot to take in. I'm happy to see it like this now, after all these years."
"Really…?" Nino muttered, still reluctant that she entertained more of a conversation than she had hoped for, but she could not help herself from wanting to continue. "Hmm. Sounds like the two of you were pretty close. With his family, too. You and Fuu-kun—" She covered her lip with her cloth, but it was too late.
The look on Takebayashi's face had already piqued to a playful grin as she cooed, "Oh, that nickname is cute! Completely adorable!" She giggled. "'Fuu-kun', huh? Do all of you call him that?"
"S—so what?" Nino quickly retorted, pushing past the rosy tint to her cheeks. "Fuu-kun happens to like it very much! And, for the record, that is something special between us. He wouldn't be okay with just anyone using it."
"Oh, you don't have to tell me that. I'm a little surprised. He used to never liked being called nicknames. In fact, he still gets upset whenever I poke fun a him and call him the one I used to give him."
"And that is…?"
"'Lit—tle Bro—ther Fuutarou," Takebayashi answered, sounding out the syllables behind a smirk turned coy, along with a few sways of her finger lifted over her face.
"Pfft…" Without realizing it, a laugh had slipped past Nino's lips. Something about the way Takebayashi held that silly gesture, and the little bits of Nino's imagination that came from hearing some so unexpected to her. Nino laughed again, less apprehensive from entering a small fit of laughter. "I… I can kind of picture the look on his face, actually. Heh…"
"Right? He reacted the exact same way. Like this!"
"Wait, that's actually really spot-on! He always does that thing with his lips!"
"You noticed it too?" Takebayashi laughed. "I swear, he makes it too easy."
"He just gets embarrassed so easily. And he acts like people don't notice!"
Soon after, the sound of rushed footsteps came from the back room. "Sorry about that!" Raiha called out, folding her work apron. "I got a call from my dad. He forgot I was going to be staying over for the tonight, so we—oh! You two look like you're having fun."
As if she had suddenly come to her senses, Nino returned her attention to the coffee pot that had finished brewing a while ago, forcing a cough to stifle what could have been mistaken as a gregarious look on her face. She said nothing, continuing with the rest of her preparations for their last order for the workday. Before Raiha could ask what they were talking about, Takebayashi waved the young girl over. "Welcome back, Raiha-chan. Is that your school uniform? It looks cute on you!"
"You think so?" she smiled, adjusting the black and white naval collar. "Thank you, Takebayashi-san."
"If I remember correctly, that's Kurobara Girls' uniform, right? That would make you… whoa, high school already?"
"Yup! I just started this year."
"Congratulations. Boy, that makes me feel a little old now, ha ha…" She shook her head. "Anyways, how has your father been? Has he been doing well?"
"He's been doing fine. Great, as a matter of fact! A lot has changed over these past few years, but he seems to be a lot more well-rested these days. It's been a long time since we had to worry about paying all our loans at the end of the month, so I'd like to think he's been getting some much needed rest."
"Ah… that's right." Takebayashi smiled. "Fuutarou briefly mentioned a few things the last time we talked. About your family and this old place. In fact, he was the one who insisted that I should pay a visit while I'm back in town."
"That sounds like him," said Raiha. "He's been trying to send a bit more traffic our way since we opened. He's been telling all of his friends to visit, so that makes you, Takeda-san, Matsuda-san and…" She stopped counting her fingers, halfhearted laughing. "Actually, I think that's it."
Takebayashi laughed. "Either way, I think it's sweet. I'm happy for you and your family, Raiha-chan."
"Thank you! It really means a lot to us. So, what brings you back to town, Takebayashi-san? Are you visiting family?"
"Yeah… it's been a while since I've seen my folks. They're always guilt-tripping me about not calling enough, even though I always do whenever I get chance. I'm on my way back to Tokyo tonight, though. It was just a quick visit."
Raiha sighed. "I just wished Big Bro also took the time to stop by too. Even his friend Takeda-san came back this weekend."
"He's a busy boy, after all. Speaking of being busy, did you have any plans for the weekend?"
"Actually, I do!" she enthusiastically replied. "Nino-san and I, as well as the rest of her sisters, are going to meet up tonight to watch a movie! I don't know if Big Bro has told you much, but his girlfriend is a super talented actress! She's doing work-study from all the way in America, and she sent us one of her newer ones. It's called A Beautiful Splatter."
"Ah, Fuutarou has—"
"She's super amazing," Nino quickly interjected. As if she clearly wanted to get a few points across, the second sister made sure to emphasize a few of her words as she continued, "Ichika is our oldest sister and Fuu-kun doesn't even know how good he has it. Ichika is smart, mature, one of the best actresses around, and she can get along with…"
To her surprise, Takebayashi followed with full exuberance. "Oh, I know! My boyfriend is a huge fan of hers, and now, I am too."
"H—huh?" Nino raised a brow. "You and your… boyfriend?"
"Yeah. He's a huge dork who's been a fan of hers since we were in high school. I'll admit, I was a little jealous of her at first—I mean, who wouldn't, you know? But, I actually met your sister a few months ago in Tokyo. She was just so nice and friendly, and oh my goodness, she was just so pretty!" She laughed. "It was like meeting a celebrity."
"I… see…" Nino muttered, embarrassed. She attempted to quickly move past the conversation by finishing up Takebayashi's order, pouring the rest of the steamed milk over the open cup before covering it and placing back on the counter. "One café au lait, medium."
"Ah, thank you." Takebayashi stood up and gathered her belongings. "Sorry again for coming in last minute. I hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience."
"Technically, we're still open, so it's fine," Nino replied, trying not to grumble as she untied her apron. "At least for the next two… one minute."
"Then I shouldn't take up anymore of your time." Takebayashi grabbed her coffee and politely bowed. "It was a pleasure visiting here. I wish you all the best of luck!"
"Thank you very much!"
They watched the plated numbers glow, one onto the next. A slow ascent up thirty floors of the luxurious high-rise apartment, with every passing floor dragging invisible weight onto her weary shoulders. An office man, happily drunk off a Friday's stupor, had gotten off on the sixth floor; a mother and her two kids on the eleventh; a well-dressed couple on the eighteenth. From here, it was just the two of them and a single ride to the thirtieth, with no other sounds to accompany the din of a moving elevator, until—somewhere between the twenty-second and twenty-third—Nino finally let out a long sigh.
"You seem really tired today, Nino-san," said Raiha, looking up from her phone. "Was lecture boring again?"
"Eh… a bit, I guess," answered Nino, but the words came off like a mumble as her back leaned further down against the wall. The lengthier strands of her bangs fell a little over her brow, which she blew away with an annoyed puff from her pouted lips. "It's just… I really don't understand that girl at all. What's her deal…?"
"Hmm? What was that?"
"It's… nothing. I don't know; maybe I'm just tired from today." She loosely shook her head. "Don't worry about it."
Raiha raised a brow, but thought there was no point bothering Nino about it if that's what she said. Instead, the young girl brought her attention to the final numbers of the elevator, and the plans they all were looking forward to for the past week. "Well, we're almost at your apartment. Feeling excited for the movie, Nino-san?"
Her head slightly perked at the mentioning. "Oh, you bet I am! Ichika has been telling us all about the stuff that went on during production, and what I'm guessing is that…"
The elevator dinged, and they continued their conversation down the hallway. Raiha's fully realized love for film meshed well with Nino's fascination of the western world, exchanging their own depictions of the world behind the Hollywood films Ichika starred in. It was brief, but a little light gossip and a few gripes about the woes of the workforce did well to lift their spirits until they found themselves in front of the apartment door.
"We're home…" Nino's nose twitched as they entered the living room. "Wait, what's that smell?"
Raiha peered behind from behind her. "Is something burning?"
"Yotsuba!" Miku's voice trailed from the kitchen. "Open the windows across the room! The alarm will go off!"
"I'm on it!" Dashing across the hall was a loose-fitted, brown mass of knit cotton cloth, with each step to its quickened stride announced with a loud stomp. When she passed the two girls standing at the entryway, Yotsuba came to an abrupt stop. "Oh! Nino, Raiha-chan! Welcome ho—"
"Yotsuba!
"Ah! Right!" Just as quickly as she came, the girl in the bear-shaped pajamas made her across the room, leaving Nino and Raiha with nothing but guesses as they entered the rowdy room. A slight, grayish haze clouded the kitchen, with a worried-looking chef flapping the airspace with a kitchen towel. When they made eye contact, Miku could already make out their concerns as they saw her standing over the frying pan.
"It's al—" She coughed, fanning more air. "It's all fine! The food is still fine! Only a small part of the meat got burnt."
"Are you sure, Miku?" Nino walked over, dropping her schoolbag onto the couch. "What's the damage? I'll help out."
"But you just got back from work, so you must be tired. Really, it's fine. I can handle the rest of it myself."
"Western dishes aren't up your alley," Nino retorted, already rolling up her sleeves. "Let me handle it from here, otherwise you'll end up burning the rest of it."
"Me?" Miku glared. "This was just a small thing. If you want to talk about burning things, then are you forgetting last week, and the week before that, at the shop? Maybe I should be he one not trusting you."
"Huh—?" Nino shot back the same look. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Miku. You've still got a long way before you can start bossing me around the kitchen. Now let me through."
"I'm only speaking out of fact. Your mind tends to wander off when you have work and school in the same day, so I'll finish everything up here. Go and do something else."
"If I'm focused on just cooking, and not a bunch of other things, then it's hardly a problem. Why don't you go and do something else?"
The two sisters devolved into a fit of bickers and banters as they joined each other behind the counter, eventually melding to distant noise to a home that was well accustomed to a bit of chaos here and there. Raiha let them be, making her way to the quintuplet that sat on the living room couch, completely unbothered by her noisy surroundings. Beside her was an open laptop.
"Good evening, Raiha-chan," said Itsuki. "How was work and school today?"
"Hi, Itsuki-neechan. School was fine. Work too. We've been having a lot more customers lately, so things have been getting a little busier."
"Not too busy, I hope. It's still just the three of you working there, and you and Nino are still part-time."
"It's all still manageable, don't worry!" Raiha grinned. "Work is still a lot of fun, and Miku and Nino-san make sure to take good care of me."
Itsuki nodded. "That's good to hear. Just make sure you don't work yourself too hard that it starts to affect your studies. Remember: school comes first."
"Wow, you really do sound like a real teacher now, Itsuki-chan."
Raiha glanced over, realizing that the voice had come from the opened laptop. Placed full-screen was an ongoing video call, with the person on the screen lowering herself to back down onto her desk chair, clad in an off-white bathrobe and a towel wrapped over her hair. "Ah!" Raiha exclaimed, taking a seat. "Ichika-neesan! I didn't know you were there."
"I just got back from showering. You're looking well, Raiha-chan."
"Shouldn't it be really late in California? What time is it over there?"
"Actually, it's the opposite! It's pretty early here. Seven in the morning. I'm currently in New York for the weekend."
"N—New York?! As in the New York City? Like, with Broadway and stuff?"
"Mhm! That's the place!"
"What are you doing all the way over there?"
Ichika chuckled. "It's nothing much. A director that a friend of mine knows is hosting a formal event to celebrate his new movie becoming a big box office hit. Word around is that there's going to be quite a few big names in showbiz there. Can't hurt for a few of us to think about doing a little networking while we attend."
"Networking, huh? So even then, work is still involved." Itsuki shuddered at the thought. "Showbiz sounds stressful. I can't imagine having to have that on my mind all the time…"
"It's not my ideal way to spend my Saturday, but you can't be picky when a good opportunity arises. On the bright side, I have this entire day to explore the city with a few of the girls here. You should just see how lovely the city looks from—actually, wait, I'll show you."
The two girls on the couch watched as Ichika picked up her laptop, making her way across the hotel room. . "You said you flew in just last night, right, Ichika?" asked Itsuki, adjusting her glasses.
"Yeah, why do you ask?"
"Your hotel room is a complete and utter mess! I see so many things dumped all over the floor and on the counters! Is that how it's like at your apartment too?!"
Ichika nervously chuckled, fixing the angle of her camera. "Ah ha… don't worry about that. I'll make sure to put most of it away before the hotel cleaning service comes in. Promise! I still got a few hours, so…"
Itsuki did not say anything, leaning closer to the screen with a look that could not be mistaken for anything other than doubt.
"Anyways…" continued Ichika, twirling her laptop around, "moving on, I was just about to show you guys the view from my hotel. Here, have a look at this!"
The curtains pushed aside, blinding the lens of her camera in bright sunlight. When everything finally settled to a clear view—passed the scattered flutter of the city birds perched on her hotel window sill—was a near-endless expanse of mist-shrouded skyscrapers and flat, snow-coated rooftops. Tightly packed buildings scattered across the landscape, their drab and slate gray surfaces riddled with windows and urban abrasion. Even lower were its dwellers. Roving and purposeful bodies alike, tucked in their scarves and mufflers, and donning winter coats as their boots dragged the snow beneath their feet. Though the ones behind the screen could not quite here it, Ichika could hear the faintest sounds of car horns blaring and screeching in the distance. And in the distance, the brief shimmer of the ocean against the morning light—an ocean that was was even further away than the one that separated her from her home.
Raiha and Itsuki found themselves pressed shoulder-to-shoulder, then cheek-to-cheek, as they gawked at every discernible detail Ichika's laptop camera and her barely-passable internet connection could transmit, letting out a long, "whoaaa," as they went.
"Hmm? Oh!" Ichika's face peeked from the side of the screen as she was drying her hair. "Hey there, Miku! How long have you been there?"
"Huh?" Itsuki glanced over her shoulder, just in time to be met face to face with her sister who stealthily found her way right behind the couch. "Wh—whoa! Miku! Don't sneak up on me like that; you nearly made me jump! Weren't you just in the kitchen?"
"I was, but I wanted to see what you all were looking at," answered Miku, leaning a little closer to the screen. "Hello, Ichika. Are you doing well?"
"All fine here!" Ichika answered. "I was just telling the girls about my plans for exploring the city today."
"New York, right? I heard the pizza over there is really tasty. Were you going to try some?"
"First thing on my to-do list, actually. Erika-san keeps telling me, 'you're not allowed to say you've been to New York until you've had some real New York Pizza,' or something like that. I don't quite get it myself, so I guess I'll be finding out later. Other than that, me and my friends from the Institute are thinking about shopping around Times Sq—Hm? Is that Yotsuba coming in?"
"Hm? Yotsu—ah!" Itsuki flinched as she turned to her other shoulder, feeling the fuzzy felt of her sister's bear pajamas shove against her. "Yotsuba! Hey, watch it! Why is everyone…"
"Ichika! Hello!" Yotsuba exclaimed, as if the laptop microphone was somehow placed all the way across the room.
"Good morning—or, should I say, good evening, Yotsuba. I just remembered after seeing your pajamas. I see you busted out your finest for movie night."
"Of course I did! I gotta make sure I'm at my comfiest before movie night. Anyway, I forgot to ask you earlier: were you going to pick up any souvenirs from New York?"
"Souvenirs?" said Ichika. "Ah, you're right; I probably should. What did you have in mind?"
"Fridge magnets!" She landed her hands around Raiha's shoulders, grinning. "Raiha-chan went to visit Uesugi-san at Tokyo during vacation, and she brought one back for us. It's on there right now."
"It's the only one on there," Miku added, glancing at the kitchen. "It seems so lonely. We were thinking about starting a small collection of places some of us have visited. I'm sure you can grab quite a few from America, Ichika."
"Doesn't sound like a bad idea, actually." Ichika amused herself at the thought. "In that case, I'll make sure to pick out a good one. How about you, Raiha-chan? Did you want anything?"
"Me?" The young girl thought a moment. "I don't think I'll need much. Maybe something easier for you to bring back, like a keychain? Something to go on my schoolbag."
"Keychain, keychain… got it. I should think about something for Fuutarou-kun too…"
"How about a T-shirt? You know, something like the ones you see that go'I-heart-N-Y' across the chest in big letters?"
Miku laughed. "For some reason, picturing Fuutarou with that looks silly. He doesn't seem like the type to wear that kind of thing."
"You're right," Raiha chuckled. "He hasn't expressed any interest in traveling at all. I'm sure he'll say something about it looking too touristy and embarrassing."
"… which is what makes it even funnier," said Ichika, laughing. "It'll be perfect. Actually, now that I think about it, aren't Dad and Fuutarou-kun around the same size? Should I get them matching ones?"
"Matching ones?! Uesugi-san and Dad?! Pfft!" Yotsuba covered her mouth, picturing the stoic and unamused looks on their face, dressed in matching T-shirts with their arms crossed over the big red heart symbol on their chest. "That doesn't suit them at all! Ha ha!"
They all laughed, and Ichika continued, "Alright that settles it; I'll go shopping for some. That reminds me too… I should get something nicer for the event tonight. The dress I brought is fine, but I think it's the shoes..."
"What's wrong with the shoes?" Itsuki asked.
"Nothing really, I just feel like I need something nicer to go with the dress I picked out. Here, I'll show you; I know I had it somewhere around here… there it is!" Ichika reached somewhere off the screen—presumably digging through a pile of clumsily packed clothes—picking out a shiny, wine-red jersey gown. The back opened, treading coquettishly low past the mid-back, save for the thin crisscross of silver lines that covered it. A leg-baring slit trailed upward, halted at a spot that they surmised was somewhere between the left knee and the mid-thigh. "I brought my pumps with me," she continued, "but I've been thinking about wearing more stilettos lately. With this dress, I'm thinking either something black or silver for the shoes…"
"I—It—It looks very… mature…" Itsuki said, her cheeks turning a rosy shade. "And aren't those shoes you have nice already?"
"I thought so too, but the party ended up sounding a lot more high-profile than I thought, if you know what I mean. For that reason, I was thinking of picking up a pair of Valencinos, or maybe even my first pair of Remi Cavillas…"
"Whoa, someone is quite the celebrity now. Look at you getting all fancy with the brands."
"Was that Nino's voice just now? Also, why did you flinch, Itsuki?"
Itsuki sighed, realizing that Nino was still in the kitchen, washing some of their cooking utensils. "It's nothing."
"Are those like really luxurious brands or something?" Raiha asked.
"Oh, definitely," answered Nino. "All kinds of big-name celebrities wear those brands. We're talking, like, red carpet events. Live talk shows. Big award shows. Those kinds of things."
"People that famous are gonna be there?" Yotsuba asked. "Like who?"
"Well… it's just some gossip between us, and don't tell anyone I told you this, but the word around is that the director is going to be announcing a brand new project at the venue, shortly after finishing his most recent film. He's already finished casting the main lead, and you might be all be familiar with him. The main lead is going to be…"
"Wait, wait—NO WAY!"
Itsuki could hardly recognize the sound to be quickly approaching footsteps before she felt herself being smooshed between the shoved bodies of her sisters, collapsing onto the couch. "Whoa, whoa!" she called out. "Nino! Not you too!"
"You're not talking about that actor, are you?" Nino continued, leaning closer to the camera. "As in, THE…"
"Yup!" Ichika said, laughing at the crowded . "The exact one you're thinking of."
"Who is that?" Miku's voice came from somewhere off-screen, which Ichika presumed to be the other end of the couch.
"He's starred in a ton of movies," Raiha answered. "He's most famous for his roles as..."
"Ichika!" Nino had made it to the center position of the camera, leaning her way past Itsuki and Yotsuba who struggled to make room for her. "You have to get me an autograph from him! He's like, one of all-time my celebrity crushes!"
"I'll see what I can do, but I wouldn't want to be a—"
"Or maybe, you could get a picture with him? Do you think he'd let you do that? I can use that to pretend that I was the one who met him and—"
"Which movie was that?" Yotsuba joined Miku and Raiha's conversation. "Did we watch that one before? It sounds familiar."
"We only saw the trailer," answered Miku. "It's that one where the world was nearly destroyed because of a rampant—"
"There are WAY too many people here!" Itsuki shouted. "I cannot move! Get off of me, Nino!"
Yotsuba twitched her nose. "Hey, Nino?"
"Quiet down, Itsuki, I'm only asking for a—huh?" Nino glanced over. "What is it, Yotsuba?"
"I smell something. It's coming from the kitchen."
"Something from the—Oh! Oh sh—" Nino leaped back from the couch, hurrying herself back to the kitchen. "Miku! I'm gonna need some help!"
Miku sighed, quickly standing up. "See, this is exactly what I've been saying about…"
"Shut up; not right now! Grab that cloth over there! Hurry!"
"What should I do?" Yotsuba said, springing back to her feet. "The windows are still open! Should I get a fan?"
As quickly as the sisters had arrived, the look of their living room couch had grown more spacious, with only Raiha and a slightly frazzled Itsuki left to continue the conversation with Ichika—who contently laughed amidst the devolved chaos that fell over the room."Seems like I've distracted you all enough," she said, unwrapping the towel over her head. "It's about time for your movie night, right? I should be getting ready to head off soon myself."
Raiha knelt beside the laptop. "We've really been looking forward to this one, Ichika-neesan. I heard that 'A Beautiful Splatter' was Top Trending in the U.S. on its first two days. Is that true?"'
"Something like that. The reception was better than our director had expected. I heard that he almost fainted when he got the news. He's an alum from our institute, and this one made for his third commercial release. I heard his first two did decent, but this one was his big break. He went around and called every member of the cast to thank them personally." She stopped a moment to laugh at the memory. "I was sooo confused when he got around to me—it's not everyday you get a call from a grown man practically bawling his eyes out to you."
"Why not? Does Uesugi-kun not call you enough these days?" Itsuki remarked, making the two girls burst into laughter.
"Anyway," continued Ichika, "Looks like Erika is calling me. Let me know what you all think of the movie. Good night!"
They waved each other off, with some of the further-away sisters hollering late replies amidst their cleanup. After a couple more bickers and banters, they all took part in preparing the living room for their movie night. Thankfully for them, the repeated mishaps that took place in their apartment kitchen did little damage to their main entrée for the evening, and they were table to lay out a healthy serving of firstly-prepared jambalaya, and even a second helping for those who would later develop a newfound fascination for Cajun dishes. Soon, their coffee table was covered in a wide array of convenience store snacks and drinks. They slipped into comfortable lounge wear and dimmed the lights, gathering to spots across the couch and onto the floor. A few of them had already begun to huddle close to each other, drawing timid breaths as they clutched blankets close to their chest.
"You girls alright?" Raiha asked, looking back. She had not quite realized it until now, but her seat was the closest to the television, with a rather large distance between her and the next of the Nakano sisters.
"W—We're fine," Itsuki quickly answered. "We're just… getting comfortable. Before the movie."
Yotsuba nodded—a handful of times more than what should have been necessary. "Yeah! We normally huddle real close when we watch Ichika's movies! I—Isn't that right, Nino?"
Nino attempted to shrug, but found it difficult due to the weight of both Yotsuba's and Itsuki's arms wrapped around hers. She glanced off both her shoulders. "Do you two mind…?"
Before Raiha could ask, Miku had reached over and picked up the disk cover of their evening entertainment. Depicted was a distant, full-body shot of Ichika dressed in a museum worker's outfit, stood within a dark room with nothing but a dim spotlight over her head. The centerpiece to the cover, however, was a half-body portrait. A painting. A woman with faded red hair, carrying streaks of scarlet down sparsely scattered strands, unknown whether it be the painting, or the woman's age, that made her locks lose their luster. Her face carried a cold and obscure gaze, as if she stared directly through the insides of her viewer. And placed so sinisterly beside the painting, juxtaposed by the delicate brushwork of the portrait, was a crude, crimson splatter.
"It's been a while since Ichika has starred in a horror film," Miku said. "She used to a do a lot when she was starting off, but it's been mostly dramas and action lately. Needless to say, some of us still haven't gotten used to it. Just be ready to cover your eyes, Raiha-chan."
"Not true!" Yotsuba retorted. "We'll be just fine, won't we, Itsuki?"
"Right. Right!" Itsuki nodded. "Ichika has starred in a bunch of these before, so we just got to get… reacquainted. Yeah, that's it. Once the movie starts, we'll be fine."
Nino groaned. "That's nice and all, but can you do it without holding onto me? Let go already!"
"But, but, Ichika isn't here!" said Yotsuba. "Who else are we going to hide behind?"
Raiha halfheartedly laughed. "You do know the movie hasn't started yet, right? And you're already nervous?" She hardly waited for an answer, shrugging, as she clicked the remote. "Oh well. Let's just start, shall we?"
"We're starting?!"
「A Beautiful Splatter」 — 00:00:00 / 1:28:47
Rotted wood splinters. Trembling rays of light bleeds into the darkened frame—first, a brief glint, gaping further, as the wood and stone crumbled around it. A man's voice enters the scene. Heavy grunts; heavier strikes. The words came muffled, slipped through a filtered mask, "We got it open! Over here!"
The camera zooms out. Men and women in dusty-brown uniform spread across the rubble. 'Dierrode Expedition Team,' as the logo read on their attire and their parked vehicles. The scene pans over, revealing old architecture and the rampant overgrowth that ran across the town. In the distance were verdant hills, far away from any trace of modern civilization.
"Psst…" Yotsuba leaned to her side. "Nino, what did it say on the screen? It went by too fast."
"I only recognized 'Italy', I think. Something about an abandoned town, but I couldn't read the rest of its name."
"Whoaaa, did they really go all the way to Italy? Is that how it looks like?"
"It don't know. Just keep watching."
The exposition carried on for a short while longer. The workers gathered, speaking archaeological terms and jargon about the old town as they gathered by forcibly opened door. Members of the team broke apart into specialized tasks, surveying what appeared to be a hidden cellar in a centuries-old home. Eventually, the team procured what looked to be a massive picture frame covered in a dusty carpet.
A woman wearing gloves peeks behind the cover and whistles. "Whew! Now isn't that something..." She patted her uniform pants. "We should count our blessings that our lead was right. To think, the famous Viliberto Marsella Lo Pietra had one last piece hidden all the way here. Makes all this trouble worth it. Wrap it up nicely, team! Don't want to get any scratches on it."
She covered the painting—leaving only a short glimpse of the subject's bust and hands visible to the viewers before the rest of the team carried on. It was a quick sequence. They were extracted by helicopter; their gear loaded onto all-terrain vehicles. The painting was carefully protected, packaged, and transported through ship cargo, sailing across the Atlantic Sea.
As the expedition team leaves, a sinister sound escapes the old cellar. A low, mumbling sound—a ghastly and otherworldly chime, reminiscent of a broken wind instrument and a lifeless inhale.
「A Beautiful Splatter」 — 00:13:09 / 1:28:47
After its long journey across sea, the mysterious painting arrives to the examination room of the fictional Leonstein Historical Museum, set in modern day America. Various characters came and went through the scenes. Business and business talk, for the most part. Legality and authenticity over this newly discovered painting, and the top executives were hardly the shyest when it concerned the vast amount of funds they expended to win their bid.
A woman enters the scene. A rather timid-looking brunette, her long hair tied to a French braid bun and tied with a red silk ribbon. She wore large, rounded spectacles that would sometimes slip past her nose bridge, and she would need to awkwardly shift the books she carried with one arm as she adjusted herself. A plain employee, hardly comparable to the many higher-ups shown thus far, but privileged enough that she could bear witness to the painting as it was preparing for its public debut.
And as it appeared, the brunette had a deep fascination for past era art pieces. "I can't believe it," she said with slow, restrained breaths of excitement. "I can't believe I'm actually standing here in person! There's hardly been any documented record, in all history, of Viliberto Marsella Lo Pietra ever visiting the countryside. He hardly ever left his hometown through most of his life. Do you suppose it answers the theories about his hidden mistress? Perhaps a secret hideaway for them?"
It was not until the brunette actress recited a few more lines that made Miku shoot straight up in her seat. "Wait a second!" she blurted out.
"You okay?" Raiha glanced over.
"No! It's not that! That girl on the screen—that's Ichika's character! That's HER!"
"Huh?!" They all leaned forward. Perhaps it was some combination of the slower exposition, the occasional glances at their phone, and the lack of English-to-Japanese subtitles that trimmed off bits of their attention, but the more they examined the glasses-wearing brunette on the screen, the more the familiar details began to stand out. The shapes and contours of her face, from chin to jawline to cheeks to nose; the shape of her eyes that were altered by makeup and false lashes; the way she conducted herself whenever her attention was called—it was all beginning to make sense.
"THAT's Ichika?!" Nino exclaimed. "Wait, her English sounds really good now! Where did her accent go?!"
"She didn't tell you guys anything about the movie?" Raiha asked.
Itsuki shook her head. "She was under a non-disclosure agreement during filming. We don't know anything about this one. In fact, we haven't seen a lot of her new films recently. They haven't been released outside of the America."
"The ones we have seen," added Nino, "she normally played Asian-American characters. She said it helped with passing off her accent, but I can't believe she's gotten this much better. Is that even possible?"
"Wait, then that means this girl on the cover…" Yotsuba picked up the disk cover on front of them. "That means Ichika is the leading actress! They're the same!"
Miku stared at the scree and then to the disk cover. "Wait a minute… the girl on the cover? That doesn't make sense. The shot is too far away to see the girl's face. The only face you can see is…"
They turned their attention back to the screen. A crowd had gathered at the museum, prepared for the public unveiling of the lost art piece of a famed painter that existed centuries ago. The camera stops. The shot focuses. Through the mass of faces and in between shoulders. Closer. Close-up. Close enough so that the complexion of her face lay right before the camera, staring straight into the eyes of her audience.
The face of Isabella W. Clark—played by the up and coming Nakano Ichika—grows pale.
She slowly takes off her glasses and imagines the places where her hair would fall over her shoulders if she were to undo her bun.
Staring back at her was the centuries-old portrait of an unnamed woman.
A woman that looked completely identical to her.
「A Beautiful Splatter」 — 00:49:57 / 1:28:47
For the next thirty minutes, the film had devolved to closely-observed madness. Insanity. They followed Isabella's six days descent into paranoia, and the lines of reality that blurred around her. Unfamiliar vestiges would creep through her home. She would wake from terrible sounds that crept into her dreams. And in those dreams, she dreamt that she was a woman blissfully in love. A woman seated on a painter's stool, nearby the opened window that carried the rich scent of lilies and vanilla orchids. She would be told how lovely the rosy shades of her lips looked when pouting at the sunlight. He, the faceless painter behind his canvas, would tell her how softly her hair swayed against the wind, and every time, the young woman would remember how much she was truly in love.
And as those lines blurred, the real Isabella would ask herself the same thing.
Why was the woman in the old painting so strikingly similar to her?
Everything from the mole on her cheek to the way she candidly smiled in her own personal photos. It was all too similar. If she had not known any better, Isabella would have thought she was looking into a mirror. A mirror that lead to the distant past—to a woman with no name.
Questions lead to obsession. Obsession teetered her to the brink of insanity. It looked as if it had been days since she last slept, or taken any care of herself as she paced through the scattered pages that littered the floor of her study. Books, encyclopedias, articles, web pages—everything that could have pinpointed this mysterious woman that the famous Viliberto Marsella Lo Pietra had painted. But her search would always turn cold. It was as if this woman had never existed.
On the second day, the presence grew louder. It came to the point that she feared staring into the mirror, fearful of what shadow may loom behind her. She quit her job and avoided any word of the news, as they all would remind her of that now-dreadful painting that plagued her mind. Her friends, neighbors, and former coworkers grew worried, so naturally, she had to shut them out as well.
The scenes would occasionally shift to show glimpses of the world outside her apartment. There were other major characters that closely investigated the factors surrounding the portrait. A museum executive, who foolishly disregarded superstitious rumors of the painting. A former coworker of the museum, who secretly harbored feelings for Isabella and wished to know more about her sudden change in behavior. A rogue member of the expedition team, who returned to the original site to find answers, only to meet a tragic end by an unknown entity.
Isabella was alone now. Only herself, and the comfort of her own voice. Speech turned to monologue as she fumbled about her now-messy apartment, muttering words that seemed closer and closer to madness as the minutes ticked by. Every bit of Isabella's unsettling sequence was portrayed so vividly. So methodical in the mind of a madwoman that all that would stare at the screen would become entranced. Nakano Ichika was always praised, and yet, she still shattered expectations. Truly, a performance to marvel. A woman you could never take your eyes off of. And by the time any of the viewers in the Nakano apartment had realized it, a whole thirty minutes had passed without much conversation between them. It was just enthralled silence.
"It's my turn now."
The words sent shivers down Isabella's spine. The raw fear and emotion in her eyes was captured in spectacular fashion, undoubtedly by the talented set that laid behind the camera. So inexplicably surreal that it sent a chain reaction of screams through the entire Nakano apartment.
"You girls!" Nino shouted, slamming the pause button on the remote. "What was that?! You scared the hell out of me!"
"I got scared because Yotsuba jumped," said Miku.
"Well, I jumped because Itsuki screamed out of nowhere!" Yotsuba retorted.
Raiha simply raised her brow, unfazed.
"Ugh! I can't take this anymore!" Itsuki stood up, still clutching the blanket in her hands. She could feel her heart racing and a thin line of sweat trailing down her forehead. "Th—this movie is way too scary! It's nothing at all like the horror stuff Ichika did before! It seems so… it's just too much!"
"Where are you going?"
"Back to my room. I'm going to bed."
"But what about the movie?"
"I can't take anymore of it! I'm going to go up to my—" Itsuki paused, staring upward at the darkened hallway that made for their five separate rooms, and the darkened stairs that lead up to them. Without saying another word, she slowly made her way back to the couch, covering most of her eyes behind her bangs and her blanket before they resumed the movie.
Back in the movie, Ichika's character had fumbled with a kitchen knife as she heard that sinister whisper behind her ear. In a panic, she brandished the knife into her immediate surroundings, but found that she was still all alone in her cluttered apartment. Her short frenzy with the kitchen knife had resulted in an accidental gash across the back of her hand, which she hurriedly applied aid to. The sight of her own blood that stained the bathroom towel made her feel nauseous, and she later retired for the evening.
The next morning, Isabella would wake to the police knocking at her door.
That very night, the beautiful and priceless painting of the unnamed woman had been vandalized.
And on that woman's hand was a crimson splatter.
「A Beautiful Splatter」 — 01:08:35 / 1:28:47
In her madness, superstitions neighbored closely to fact. Surely it had to be something like that. Some form of transcendental karma from a past life, or perhaps, some ancient curse that had been set upon her for reasons she could not comprehend. Or perhaps it truly was madness. The police officers that questioned her seemed to think so, despite all her protests that she was completely and desperately fine.
Six days. That was how long it took the woman named Isabella W. Clark to be seen as a madwoman by all those around her. In her desperation, she demonstrated self-harm to prove that she and the painting were one. Blood dripped from her fingers and onto the concrete as she demanded the museum staff to reveal the portrait once more. To remove the black cloth that covered the mirror of her soul, and bring revelation to all the new scars that lined her skin. To see what more beautiful splatters shall stain the hideous look of her own reflection. But who would trust the words of a madwoman?
Her family wished for her to be put away. For her sake, as they had said. On the night she was escorted to her asylum, Isabella truly did break. Her words were that of a temptress, drawing in the male guard just close enough so that she may snatch the keys from his belt. It was not her fault that he began to retaliate. She had no choice but to kill him.
Yes, she simply had no choice.
That same night, she found her way into the museum. She had worked there before, and to her amusement, the system had yet to fully clear her from accessing the building. The lights flickered, and she dragged herself all the way to the dreaded exhibit. Isabella was finally there. She was finally at the place where her nightmare began.
She opened the lighter in her hand.
She did not care what laid behind the cloth that covered the portrait anymore. She simply wished to see it burn, burn, and burn away. The fire warmed her; the flickers of the flame danced in her eyes as she watched it all turn to ash in front of her.
"It's my turn now."
The voice taunted her in the flames. The black cloth that draped over the painting had finally slipped away, revealing nothing within the borders of the old painting.
Nothing but an empty artist's stool.
In the final climax of the movie, the leading actress of the film would be met face-to-face with her reflection. A walking, breathing person who shared the same face as her. The same eyes, the same nose, the same lips that carried the same smile. In those final moments, it was revealed that only one could be allowed to live with their physical body.
The other shall live within the portrait. The burning and collapsing portrait.
The camera once again crept to an insidious angle, placed squarely before the main actress so that it lined perfectly to the perspective of the portrait the audience had seen since the beginning. The stare of both Isabella's—the two Nakano Ichikas that portrayed her character so spectacularly—looking far beyond the eyes of the viewer, but through the flesh and bones, and into the soul.
And for the horrified girls on the other end of the screen, it was as if they gazed into a mirror.
They hardly moved until Raiha flicked on the lights, causing them to jolt. The young high school girl could barely hold in her excitement, shaking as she said, "Oh… my… god! That film was AMAZING!"
"Now hold on," said Nino, still shaken by the climax of the movie. "THAT was the plot twist?! Really?"
"Why? Was it too predictable? I wasn't expecting it at all. I didn't think there was a ghost in the picture the whole time, trying to take over Ichika-neesans's body. And the way they revealed two Ichikas at the end, I was—oh." Raiha stopped, realizing just what Nino had meant. "Ohhh…."
"Well…" Miku chuckled to herself, as if trying to find something to fill the silence. "They… did a really good job with the CG, huh? I guess that's Hollywood production value for you. Heh… "
"R—Right?" Nino followed. "How do you think they did it? Especially the umm… you know, the chase scene through the museum. You saw how one of them grabbed the hair of the other one, right? It looked so… realistic."
"Which one did you think was the real Isabella at the end?" Raiha asked. "Because I'm starting to form some theories."
"I—I'm not sure, ha ha…" Miku said. "Nino is better than me with English, so maybe she picked up on some more clues."
"I kind of don't want to think about it too much right now," said Nino. "I'm still a little overwhelmed over everything. The ending was too intense."
"Gosh…" Yotsuba tugged the hood of her onesie, drawing the flaps close beside her cheeks. "My hands are still shaking. It sounds so scary! Imagine one day meeting your doppleganger."
"Yeah…" Miku raised a brow. "'Imagine.'"
"And they start saying things like how they want to take over your body and pretend to be you. Who would even know, right? They look just like you, they talk like you, wear the same clothes. It's almost like… wait!" Yotsuba shot to her feet. "You girls! Isn't that almost like…!"
They all sighed, but as the fourth sister continued with her late revelation, the rest of them could not help but laugh. Anything to remind themselves that it was all just a movie. A fabrication that followed a script, played by actors, and edited by a crew, with the sole purpose of shocking and unsettling its viewers, and if they wanted acknowledgment for it, then neither sister would have hesitated to validate them with guilty praise. But for now, the most they could do was laugh it off.
"What did you think, Itsuki-neechan?" Raiha nudged the woman beside her. "Itsuki-nee—"
"AHH!" The blankets burst from one cluttered mess to another, flinging crumbs and wrappers aside. It quickly startled the rest of them, causing another chain- reaction of shrieks until the red hues of Itsuki's messy hair popped out from under the covers. "Don't scare me like that!" she yelled.
"Were you hiding under there the whole time?" Miku looked to her, then glanced to her side of the coffee table. "Wait a minute, are those my headphones? What are you… when did you…?"
"Sorry." Itsuki crawled out of the covers. Her tired eyes scanned the room, drawing a relieved breath as she saw the turned-off television. "Is umm… is the movie over? Are we done?"
"So that's why you were so quiet towards the end," said Nino. "I hope you were cozy in there, Itsuki."
"I'm sorry. I thought I could handle it, but it was just too much for me. Ah… I'm going to lose a lot of sleep tonight, I just know it." Itsuki sheepishly twiddled her fingers, looking once more at her sisters. Their silence shared the same sentiments, and after a short time, Itsuki asked, "So… whose room are we all sleeping in tonight?"
Bright lights embellished the hotel lobby. A grand room with walls and pillars that stretched far overhead, its tall ceiling hung with silver tassels and golden chandeliers like showers of avarice. On the nearby window, a thin frame of frost set. Enough coldness so that the glass turned slightly opaque, cloud whatever reflection could be made of his face as he gazed outward. As the owner of Tokai's largest hospital, Nakano Maruo was no stranger to nights spent away from home, booked from one business conference to the next. Tokyo was just one of many such places. He frequented this hotel whenever his travels would deliver him to this restless city, so much so that he even had his own reserved room on the thirty-seventh floor. Though, he hardly could enjoy the leisure—not when his time was so precious.
His phone buzzed. Another reminder.
"Now then," Maruo said, leaning his back onto the lobby chair. "I do not have much time. What is it that you need from me, Uesugi-kun?"
Author's Note
It's the café episode (part 2)!
It's also the movie episode!
Another example of things-that-could-probably-have-been-split-up-into-their-own-chapters, especially considering how many different stories took place here. I mean, the entire movie could have been it's own chapter or one-shot entirely, but this way just feels more fun and nicely-packaged. I'm kind of writing this A/N within seconds of finishing the chapter because I'm just SO glad to have finally finished another chapter for the month, and this one was especially tough to get done. I still stand by some of my earliest author's notes—writing all these characters at once is EXHAUSTING!
I can admit I took a lot of creative liberties with Ichika's movies. It was a ton of fun to write what was essentially just a random movie synopsis. I took a lot of inspiration from Oscar Wilde's,'The Picture of Dorian Gray', that I have (slowly but surely) been reading on my thinning free time. Pretty much the big reason why this chapter took a little longer to write, but once again, I'm proud to have finally finished.
Anyways, thanks to those who left reviews on Chapter 21 and any recent chapters—Bob19248, codywhite162, Quintaphract, Fox McCloude, TheMist33, chloetuco, XGoGame, JNT, and any other guest review(s)! Thanks also to the reddit commenters—Small_Ruin_648, and chloetuco!