And so, another weekend came and went.
All too soon, it was Monday again. Another weary week had begun. Things were starting to settle down again at school. Since the F4 had pretty much stopped showing up entirely, people saw less reason to gossip, less reason to so blatantly torment Tsukushi. As for Tsukushi, herself, she was grateful to be able to get through another day with a minimum of discomfort. She was even getting used to not seeing the F4 every day, though she did feel brief pangs of loneliness now and then. Tsukushi did miss them, especially Tsukasa. (However, she did not miss his lightening temper at all.) Still, she didn't miss them quite as much as she thought she would, or as much as she had the other times she and Tsukasa had fought. Her busy schedule probably helped, Tsukushi thought; school, the dango shop, her waitressing job-It was enough to drive all thoughts of men and their emotional baggage clean out of her mind. Tsukushi even managed a smile that day, as she headed out to work. Today she had a double shift at the burger joint, so poor Yuki would be manning the dango shop by herself.
----
Akira woke Monday with a bad hangover. Too much partying with that hot bartender! Man, that girl could drink him under the table! He doubted he could even remember the names of half the drinks she'd taught him to make- and which he'd subsequently imbibed... He rubbed his aching head.
"Owww!" And that wasn't the only thing she'd worn out either. Groaning, Akira rolled over and went back to sleep. There was no way he was going to get up until well after noon.
-----
Soujiro sat alone at home, staring into his garden. He desperately tried to use his training in the art of tea to maintain an inner peace and equilibrium. But, he kept failing. He'd spent the weekend in an aimless pursuit of oblivion; wandering from bar to bar in an alcoholic daze. It hadn't helped, and eventually he'd given up and come home to sit in the emptiness of his room, to listen to the sad sounds of his home: the lonely whispers of the pines in the garden, his young brother's soft snores in the night, his mother's endless sighs, and the quiet footsteps of his father sneaking out in the night.
At last, Soujiro arose. This wasn't helping. Leaving the house, he allowed his feet to wander the street at random, in search of what, he did not know.
-----
Akira tumbled out of bed sometime around three. It was far too late to go to school, and he doubted that he'd find his friends there anyway. There was still a good chunk of the day to waste, and he didn't yet have plans for the evening. Briefly, he thought about calling Soujiro, but the other boy seemed to have left his cell off again-or at least, he was not answering it. Akira sighed. He'd never seen his friend act so anti-social before; and it wasn't just weird, it was downright frightening. Thoughts of Soujiro led almost naturally to a recollection of the two commoner girls. Akira smiled; now those two could help alleviate his boredom. Purposefully now, Akira set off to the dango shop, intending to harass Tsukushi and Yuki into providing him with entertainment.
Alas, upon his arrival, he was disappointed to see only one girl behind the counter-Tsukushi's friend Yuki.
"Hey," he greeted, as the door clicked shut behind him, "how's it going?"
"Good afternoon, Mimasaka." Yuki replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Have you come to buy out the shop again?"
"Alas, no." Akira sighed dramatically, "My mother would never forgive me if I brought home that many sweets again so soon."
Yuki stifled a giggle, "Just what did you do with all those things anyway?"
"Fed 'em to my sisters and mother. They all go crazy over sweets." He shrugged, "You'd think that they were all five years old or something. And afterwards they sat around saying how much their stomachs hurt." He shook his head ruefully, "And now they're blaming me!"
Akira put on his best 'wounded innocent' face, "Is that fair, I ask you? They're the ones who stuffed themselves.."
"Well," Yuki smiled, "you did buy an awful lot. So what brings you here today?"
"Ah, I was bored." Akira leaned in to the counter, and whispered conspiratorially, "I was going to try and see if you and Tsukushi could sneak out for a late lunch or something. If we're stealthy, your boss will never notice you're missing."
"Oh." Yuki laughed and replied primly, "Tsukushi isn't here today. And I've got to work until five. You'll just have to find somebody else to play hooky with."
"But I had my heart set on the dango-shop girls!" Akira persisted.
"Hmph." Yuki retorted, "I'm sure you're heart will recover quickly once you've left the shop. If you'll excuse me, I have a customer waiting." As she moved to intercept the customer, Yuki couldn't help but wonder if Akira had been flirting with her-and if so, then why? Yuki refused to let another playboy find a place in her heart.
And so, after her rather brusque dismissal, she was surprised to find that Akira was still patiently waiting for her when she was done with her customer.
"I thought you would have left by now," she murmured as she busied herself rearranging confections behind the glass counter.
"But why?" Akira responded gallantly, "when one so lovely as you stands before me!"
"Don't tease me, Mimasaka." Yuki frowned, "Please." She was far more wary now of flirtatious men than she used to be.
Akira shrugged eloquently, "Fine then. Are you sure you wouldn't care for a cup of coffee, at least? I'll be back to pick you up at five! See ya!"
"Eh? What was that all about?" Yuki wondered, as Akira turned and left. Shaking her head, she went back to the job at hand, "Strange man."
Akira himself, wondered what had come over him just then. He shouldn't flirt with Tsukushi's friend. She'd be angry with him if she found out. But, the girl was cute. And there was something appealing about her youthful innocence that was lacking in his current women. Akira reassured himself that there was nothing wrong in taking a girl out for lunch or dinner. It's not like he was the predatory flirt Soujiro was. There could be no harm in passing the time this way - The girl had seemed to be a good conversationalist, and nowhere near as prickly as Tsukushi, at that.
Five PM came and Yuki was just dealing with the last few customers and cleaning up the shop when Akira returned. She had idly wondered if he had indeed meant to return. She hadn't thought he would. So, she was surprised - pleasantly or unpleasantly, she didn't yet know-when she looked up to see him sauntering in the door with his reddish hair glinting in the last rays of the setting sun. "So," he spoke first, "ready for that cup of coffee now?"
Yuki sighed, If the boy as going to be this persistent, "Why not? Let me get my coat." At least he was easy on the eyes.
Together they walked out into the street.
-----
Several hours later (as well as several cups of tea and dinner later), Yuki was startled to find herself comparing Akira to Soujiro, and not unfavorably at that.
Akira was undeniably attractive, if in a different way than Soujiro. With his reddish hair and sparking blue eyes, his general air of contentment, he reminded her of a big teddy bear. His self-deprecating manner and sense of humor immediately set one at ease, and he seemed to lack that cool air of calculation that Soujiro often laid across his face. So too, Akira seemed softer, gentler, without the hidden angles and sharp edges that lurked beneath Soujiro's handsome features.
Yuki kicked herself sharply. She could not let herself forget that this boy came from the same world as Soujiro. And while Soujiro had refused to toy with her; had in fact, tried to keep her from falling in love with him, this boy had no reason not to play with her heart. He'd probably think it amusing to seduce a commoner girl. She must not let herself be taken in by his pretty looks and charming ways.
Abruptly, Yuki pulled herself together. Making a show of looking at her watch, she exclaimed. "Ah! Look at the time! I've got to go home and study."
"Do you have to leave so soon?" Akira pouted regretfully. He'd been having fun. The girl was sweet and cute in her innocent way. She'd laughed at his stories and told a few of her own, and the time had passed quickly. What she lacked for in worldly sophistication, she made up for in her emotional maturity and wisdom.
Briefly, Akira pondered once more the wisdom of pursuing this girl. She'd make a nice addition to his collection. but then, Tsukushi would kill him when she found out. Still, he wasn't like Soujiro-he didn't bed 'em and leave 'em in a day. Surely even Tsukushi couldn't fault him if he dated her friend. He knew he could show her a good time. And when he'd grown bored, he'd let her down easy-She'd never regret a thing. Akira surely knew the value in not breaking a woman's heart. There was no need to have angry women snapping at you-not when you could end things gently and kindly.
Hmmm. He would have to think more on this, especially as it didn't seem likely that things with Anna would work out (damn that husband!) and his bartender chick was just a little too.... intense.. for his taste.
Ah well. For now, Akira would simply bid Yuki good night. Helping her with her coat, he escorted her home before heading to his own house for a brief stop before he went out clubbing again.
Who knew what other lovelies he might find out there tonight?
---
Soujiro had spent the afternoon wandering through the city's parks. The chilly autumnal mists suited his mood, as did the grey trees, stripped of the last of their leaves, and the dark foreboding pines rustling mournfully in the wind.
As dusk fell, he began to feel hunger tugging at his belly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten a real meal-it seemed that all he could recall was his weekend-long alcoholic binge. Perhaps he should find food.
Soujiro paced the darkening streets. Now that he'd noticed his hunger at last, none of the cafés and restaurants appealed to him. Looking in the windows of one noodle joint, he was surprised to see Akira eating with a girl. Akira didn't usually frequent this kind of place.
Looking closer, Soujiro was jolted even more to recognize Yuki's smiling face. Well then, that at least explained what Akira was doing in a place like this-though, for the life of him, Soujiro couldn't figure just what Akira would be doing eating with Yuki in the first place.
Soujiro watched for a while, as he shivered in the cold night air. The two seemed to be getting along well; Yuki was smiling and laughing, and she didn't seem to be exhibiting the discomfort she so often showed around him. Well, Soujiro reflected; he had told her that she deserved a better man than himself. He hadn't meant that she should go for Akira though. Not that Akira was a bad guy, oh no . His friend was one of the nicest guys he knew - it was just that..
Soujiro paused in his train of thought. Just what was it that he objected to, anyway? Did he actually have feelings for Yuki? Or did he really just not want to see such a sweetly sincere girl get hurt?
Hmm. On second thought, perhaps Akira would be good for the girl. He certainly couldn't be a worse choice than Soujiro himself. Soujiro managed a weak, ironic smile as he turned back into the night. He was glad that at least some of his friends were managing to be happy-or at least reasonably content - these days.
Nevertheless, Soujiro felt a stab of jealousy. "If only I could be so happy." But he quashed this feeling down, as he reminded himself sternly, "You rejected Yuki. You hurt her then, even if only to avoid hurting her more-and to avoid the old pains she awoke in you. Be glad that she's moved on."
Lost in thought, Soujiro hardly noticed as his feet led him at last into a dim and seedy burger joint. The smell of the greasy food set his abused stomach to growling, and, giving into its urgings, he took a seat in a far corner away from the light and the noise of the other diners.
-----
Tsukushi was tired. She hated double shifts here. She always ended up smelling like burnt grease at the end of the night. And her feet hurt. Ah well, at least the money was decent, and there were only a few more hours left until she could go home and sleep. Tiredly, she allowed her brain to shut off, as she went about her familiar tasks on auto-pilot. "May I take your order, sir? Would you like a drink with that?" She paced from table to table with a fixed smile pasted on her face, and a tray balanced on her palm. She'd be glad when the diner rush was over.
"May I take your order?" Tsukushi blinked and did a double take, "Oh! Hi Soujiro! What are you doing here?"
Soujiro had been toying with his menu and hadn't even noticed Tsukushi's approach. Gah! The last thing he'd wanted, short of a run in with Tsukasa, was an encounter with Tsukushi.. So why, an errant sector of his subconscious asked, had his feet directed him here? The normally voluble boy was silenced by his dismay.
Tsukushi noticed his dark, dull eyes, the haggard look in his face-The boy did Not look well. Tsukushi was worried. Sure, Soujiro had been a bit intense last week, but nothing like this.
"Is everything OK?" She asked when he still didn't answer. "Soujiro, what's wrong?" She reached out to lay a concerned hand on his shoulder. But, still without a word, he shrugged it off, and hunched deeper into himself. What was he thinking coming here? He mentally cursed himself. Damn the woman! Didn't she know better than to bother him?
"Soujiro." Tsukushi tried again.
"Leave me alone!" Soujiro muttered. Damn it! Tsukushi was supposed to be angry with him. Anything but this! He didn't think he could stand the pity shining in her eyes. Brusquely, he stood and brushed past her. He couldn't stay and eat here now. He found he'd lost his appetite entirely.
Tsukushi started after him, but a brisk, "Makino!" from her boss reminded her that she still had customers to serve. Thus, with a last worried look at Soujiro's retreating back, she went back to her duties.
The rest of the evening seemed to pass in a blur.
Never one to think too hard before jumping into a decision, Tsukushi made up her mind to hunt down Soujiro when she got off work, no matter what the time or where he might be. He was her friend, and you couldn't just let your friends fall to pieces like that without at last trying to find out what was wrong, and trying to help them. At least, not if you were a decent person. And certainly not if you were Makino Tsukushi.
In her concern for the boy, Tsukushi almost completely forgot her own problems. And her shift just flew by in a haze of burger grease and soda spills.
It was almost midnight when the last diner left. Tsukushi wearily changed out of her uniform, and stumbled out onto the street. The need for rest loomed over her head, but she cast it off as she caught the train to Soujiro's neighborhood. Some things were just more important than sleep.
To be continued.
All too soon, it was Monday again. Another weary week had begun. Things were starting to settle down again at school. Since the F4 had pretty much stopped showing up entirely, people saw less reason to gossip, less reason to so blatantly torment Tsukushi. As for Tsukushi, herself, she was grateful to be able to get through another day with a minimum of discomfort. She was even getting used to not seeing the F4 every day, though she did feel brief pangs of loneliness now and then. Tsukushi did miss them, especially Tsukasa. (However, she did not miss his lightening temper at all.) Still, she didn't miss them quite as much as she thought she would, or as much as she had the other times she and Tsukasa had fought. Her busy schedule probably helped, Tsukushi thought; school, the dango shop, her waitressing job-It was enough to drive all thoughts of men and their emotional baggage clean out of her mind. Tsukushi even managed a smile that day, as she headed out to work. Today she had a double shift at the burger joint, so poor Yuki would be manning the dango shop by herself.
----
Akira woke Monday with a bad hangover. Too much partying with that hot bartender! Man, that girl could drink him under the table! He doubted he could even remember the names of half the drinks she'd taught him to make- and which he'd subsequently imbibed... He rubbed his aching head.
"Owww!" And that wasn't the only thing she'd worn out either. Groaning, Akira rolled over and went back to sleep. There was no way he was going to get up until well after noon.
-----
Soujiro sat alone at home, staring into his garden. He desperately tried to use his training in the art of tea to maintain an inner peace and equilibrium. But, he kept failing. He'd spent the weekend in an aimless pursuit of oblivion; wandering from bar to bar in an alcoholic daze. It hadn't helped, and eventually he'd given up and come home to sit in the emptiness of his room, to listen to the sad sounds of his home: the lonely whispers of the pines in the garden, his young brother's soft snores in the night, his mother's endless sighs, and the quiet footsteps of his father sneaking out in the night.
At last, Soujiro arose. This wasn't helping. Leaving the house, he allowed his feet to wander the street at random, in search of what, he did not know.
-----
Akira tumbled out of bed sometime around three. It was far too late to go to school, and he doubted that he'd find his friends there anyway. There was still a good chunk of the day to waste, and he didn't yet have plans for the evening. Briefly, he thought about calling Soujiro, but the other boy seemed to have left his cell off again-or at least, he was not answering it. Akira sighed. He'd never seen his friend act so anti-social before; and it wasn't just weird, it was downright frightening. Thoughts of Soujiro led almost naturally to a recollection of the two commoner girls. Akira smiled; now those two could help alleviate his boredom. Purposefully now, Akira set off to the dango shop, intending to harass Tsukushi and Yuki into providing him with entertainment.
Alas, upon his arrival, he was disappointed to see only one girl behind the counter-Tsukushi's friend Yuki.
"Hey," he greeted, as the door clicked shut behind him, "how's it going?"
"Good afternoon, Mimasaka." Yuki replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Have you come to buy out the shop again?"
"Alas, no." Akira sighed dramatically, "My mother would never forgive me if I brought home that many sweets again so soon."
Yuki stifled a giggle, "Just what did you do with all those things anyway?"
"Fed 'em to my sisters and mother. They all go crazy over sweets." He shrugged, "You'd think that they were all five years old or something. And afterwards they sat around saying how much their stomachs hurt." He shook his head ruefully, "And now they're blaming me!"
Akira put on his best 'wounded innocent' face, "Is that fair, I ask you? They're the ones who stuffed themselves.."
"Well," Yuki smiled, "you did buy an awful lot. So what brings you here today?"
"Ah, I was bored." Akira leaned in to the counter, and whispered conspiratorially, "I was going to try and see if you and Tsukushi could sneak out for a late lunch or something. If we're stealthy, your boss will never notice you're missing."
"Oh." Yuki laughed and replied primly, "Tsukushi isn't here today. And I've got to work until five. You'll just have to find somebody else to play hooky with."
"But I had my heart set on the dango-shop girls!" Akira persisted.
"Hmph." Yuki retorted, "I'm sure you're heart will recover quickly once you've left the shop. If you'll excuse me, I have a customer waiting." As she moved to intercept the customer, Yuki couldn't help but wonder if Akira had been flirting with her-and if so, then why? Yuki refused to let another playboy find a place in her heart.
And so, after her rather brusque dismissal, she was surprised to find that Akira was still patiently waiting for her when she was done with her customer.
"I thought you would have left by now," she murmured as she busied herself rearranging confections behind the glass counter.
"But why?" Akira responded gallantly, "when one so lovely as you stands before me!"
"Don't tease me, Mimasaka." Yuki frowned, "Please." She was far more wary now of flirtatious men than she used to be.
Akira shrugged eloquently, "Fine then. Are you sure you wouldn't care for a cup of coffee, at least? I'll be back to pick you up at five! See ya!"
"Eh? What was that all about?" Yuki wondered, as Akira turned and left. Shaking her head, she went back to the job at hand, "Strange man."
Akira himself, wondered what had come over him just then. He shouldn't flirt with Tsukushi's friend. She'd be angry with him if she found out. But, the girl was cute. And there was something appealing about her youthful innocence that was lacking in his current women. Akira reassured himself that there was nothing wrong in taking a girl out for lunch or dinner. It's not like he was the predatory flirt Soujiro was. There could be no harm in passing the time this way - The girl had seemed to be a good conversationalist, and nowhere near as prickly as Tsukushi, at that.
Five PM came and Yuki was just dealing with the last few customers and cleaning up the shop when Akira returned. She had idly wondered if he had indeed meant to return. She hadn't thought he would. So, she was surprised - pleasantly or unpleasantly, she didn't yet know-when she looked up to see him sauntering in the door with his reddish hair glinting in the last rays of the setting sun. "So," he spoke first, "ready for that cup of coffee now?"
Yuki sighed, If the boy as going to be this persistent, "Why not? Let me get my coat." At least he was easy on the eyes.
Together they walked out into the street.
-----
Several hours later (as well as several cups of tea and dinner later), Yuki was startled to find herself comparing Akira to Soujiro, and not unfavorably at that.
Akira was undeniably attractive, if in a different way than Soujiro. With his reddish hair and sparking blue eyes, his general air of contentment, he reminded her of a big teddy bear. His self-deprecating manner and sense of humor immediately set one at ease, and he seemed to lack that cool air of calculation that Soujiro often laid across his face. So too, Akira seemed softer, gentler, without the hidden angles and sharp edges that lurked beneath Soujiro's handsome features.
Yuki kicked herself sharply. She could not let herself forget that this boy came from the same world as Soujiro. And while Soujiro had refused to toy with her; had in fact, tried to keep her from falling in love with him, this boy had no reason not to play with her heart. He'd probably think it amusing to seduce a commoner girl. She must not let herself be taken in by his pretty looks and charming ways.
Abruptly, Yuki pulled herself together. Making a show of looking at her watch, she exclaimed. "Ah! Look at the time! I've got to go home and study."
"Do you have to leave so soon?" Akira pouted regretfully. He'd been having fun. The girl was sweet and cute in her innocent way. She'd laughed at his stories and told a few of her own, and the time had passed quickly. What she lacked for in worldly sophistication, she made up for in her emotional maturity and wisdom.
Briefly, Akira pondered once more the wisdom of pursuing this girl. She'd make a nice addition to his collection. but then, Tsukushi would kill him when she found out. Still, he wasn't like Soujiro-he didn't bed 'em and leave 'em in a day. Surely even Tsukushi couldn't fault him if he dated her friend. He knew he could show her a good time. And when he'd grown bored, he'd let her down easy-She'd never regret a thing. Akira surely knew the value in not breaking a woman's heart. There was no need to have angry women snapping at you-not when you could end things gently and kindly.
Hmmm. He would have to think more on this, especially as it didn't seem likely that things with Anna would work out (damn that husband!) and his bartender chick was just a little too.... intense.. for his taste.
Ah well. For now, Akira would simply bid Yuki good night. Helping her with her coat, he escorted her home before heading to his own house for a brief stop before he went out clubbing again.
Who knew what other lovelies he might find out there tonight?
---
Soujiro had spent the afternoon wandering through the city's parks. The chilly autumnal mists suited his mood, as did the grey trees, stripped of the last of their leaves, and the dark foreboding pines rustling mournfully in the wind.
As dusk fell, he began to feel hunger tugging at his belly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten a real meal-it seemed that all he could recall was his weekend-long alcoholic binge. Perhaps he should find food.
Soujiro paced the darkening streets. Now that he'd noticed his hunger at last, none of the cafés and restaurants appealed to him. Looking in the windows of one noodle joint, he was surprised to see Akira eating with a girl. Akira didn't usually frequent this kind of place.
Looking closer, Soujiro was jolted even more to recognize Yuki's smiling face. Well then, that at least explained what Akira was doing in a place like this-though, for the life of him, Soujiro couldn't figure just what Akira would be doing eating with Yuki in the first place.
Soujiro watched for a while, as he shivered in the cold night air. The two seemed to be getting along well; Yuki was smiling and laughing, and she didn't seem to be exhibiting the discomfort she so often showed around him. Well, Soujiro reflected; he had told her that she deserved a better man than himself. He hadn't meant that she should go for Akira though. Not that Akira was a bad guy, oh no . His friend was one of the nicest guys he knew - it was just that..
Soujiro paused in his train of thought. Just what was it that he objected to, anyway? Did he actually have feelings for Yuki? Or did he really just not want to see such a sweetly sincere girl get hurt?
Hmm. On second thought, perhaps Akira would be good for the girl. He certainly couldn't be a worse choice than Soujiro himself. Soujiro managed a weak, ironic smile as he turned back into the night. He was glad that at least some of his friends were managing to be happy-or at least reasonably content - these days.
Nevertheless, Soujiro felt a stab of jealousy. "If only I could be so happy." But he quashed this feeling down, as he reminded himself sternly, "You rejected Yuki. You hurt her then, even if only to avoid hurting her more-and to avoid the old pains she awoke in you. Be glad that she's moved on."
Lost in thought, Soujiro hardly noticed as his feet led him at last into a dim and seedy burger joint. The smell of the greasy food set his abused stomach to growling, and, giving into its urgings, he took a seat in a far corner away from the light and the noise of the other diners.
-----
Tsukushi was tired. She hated double shifts here. She always ended up smelling like burnt grease at the end of the night. And her feet hurt. Ah well, at least the money was decent, and there were only a few more hours left until she could go home and sleep. Tiredly, she allowed her brain to shut off, as she went about her familiar tasks on auto-pilot. "May I take your order, sir? Would you like a drink with that?" She paced from table to table with a fixed smile pasted on her face, and a tray balanced on her palm. She'd be glad when the diner rush was over.
"May I take your order?" Tsukushi blinked and did a double take, "Oh! Hi Soujiro! What are you doing here?"
Soujiro had been toying with his menu and hadn't even noticed Tsukushi's approach. Gah! The last thing he'd wanted, short of a run in with Tsukasa, was an encounter with Tsukushi.. So why, an errant sector of his subconscious asked, had his feet directed him here? The normally voluble boy was silenced by his dismay.
Tsukushi noticed his dark, dull eyes, the haggard look in his face-The boy did Not look well. Tsukushi was worried. Sure, Soujiro had been a bit intense last week, but nothing like this.
"Is everything OK?" She asked when he still didn't answer. "Soujiro, what's wrong?" She reached out to lay a concerned hand on his shoulder. But, still without a word, he shrugged it off, and hunched deeper into himself. What was he thinking coming here? He mentally cursed himself. Damn the woman! Didn't she know better than to bother him?
"Soujiro." Tsukushi tried again.
"Leave me alone!" Soujiro muttered. Damn it! Tsukushi was supposed to be angry with him. Anything but this! He didn't think he could stand the pity shining in her eyes. Brusquely, he stood and brushed past her. He couldn't stay and eat here now. He found he'd lost his appetite entirely.
Tsukushi started after him, but a brisk, "Makino!" from her boss reminded her that she still had customers to serve. Thus, with a last worried look at Soujiro's retreating back, she went back to her duties.
The rest of the evening seemed to pass in a blur.
Never one to think too hard before jumping into a decision, Tsukushi made up her mind to hunt down Soujiro when she got off work, no matter what the time or where he might be. He was her friend, and you couldn't just let your friends fall to pieces like that without at last trying to find out what was wrong, and trying to help them. At least, not if you were a decent person. And certainly not if you were Makino Tsukushi.
In her concern for the boy, Tsukushi almost completely forgot her own problems. And her shift just flew by in a haze of burger grease and soda spills.
It was almost midnight when the last diner left. Tsukushi wearily changed out of her uniform, and stumbled out onto the street. The need for rest loomed over her head, but she cast it off as she caught the train to Soujiro's neighborhood. Some things were just more important than sleep.
To be continued.