Salty Coffee

Chapter 3 – What is love?

It was a serene morning in the Eitoku's Rose Garden and only a person of the greatest sensibility would appreciate this moment of serenity, but Nishikado Soujirou was definitely not the one. " B-O-R-I-N-G!" Soujirou let out a senseless yawn after Akira had left him in a fit of anger. He must have inherited those funny mood swings from those old women. Soujirou thought, without knowing that he was the main culprit. " Eh…Rui's here?" Soujirou quipped when Rui's usual violin piece had taken over the quietness in the air of Rose Garden.

Rui stopped playing when he noticed Soujirou's presence. " Did you manage to talk to Shizuka about the matter?" Soujirou asked, as he took a seat two-step above Rui, but soon he started fidgeting uncomfortably with his butt seated on the narrow step. " How can you sit on this thing and still look so comfortable?" Soujirou muttered before moving himself to the top part of the stairs where there was more room for his butt.

" Jirou, what is love?" Rui suddenly asked, with no intention in answering Soujirou's question. " What is love? Beats me too." Soujirou quipped, rolling his eyes. " Ahh… Shizuka looked really determined, did she inform you about her departure?" Soujirou asked, trying to prevent Rui from sticking to the same topic. " She never loved me." Rui said in a melancholy tone.

" Give her up then." Soujirou muttered as he got back on his feet, "…Before it is too late." Soujirou said, leaving Rui alone to sort out his own feeling because he had his own to sort out too. Love! Love! Love! What's wrong with people nowadays? Soujirou snapped when he realized that everyone around him (except Akira) had entangled himself or herself in this self-spun web. What Soujirou didn't know was that he was already standing at the brink of this web too.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ring~ Ring~ Soujirou opened his eyes. Where am I? Soujirou's head was getting groggy; it took him a while to remember that he had finally decided to go back home for a quick nap after having nowhere to go when he failed to locate Akira. What's the time now? Soujirou slowly turned the alarm clock on the side table and allowed his mobile phone to continue screaming in its full volume. It was already 8 p.m.

" Ya…"

" What took you so long?"

" I was sleeping, what's up?"

" Sleep? Did I call the wrong number? Are you Rui or Jirou?"

" Cut the crap, where are you?"

" Rosebud café."

" I will be there in fifteen minutes."

Akira waved at Soujirou from the café. There were two pretty ladies sitting in the same table as him. " Why did you leave during this morning?" Soujirou whispered to Akira after he had briefly introduced himself to the ladies. " You dare to ask?" Akira almost wanted to glare daggers at this insensitive buddy of his. " I shall settle this with you some other days." Akira murmured back. " So ladies, where shall we go after this?" Akira asked cheerily. " What about 'Star Pub'?" One suggested. " Not a bad idea." Akira seconded the suggestion. " Let's go then." Soujirou beckoned.

" Konbanwa, I am from the Dango shop." Soujirou stopped his track when he heard a familiar voice. " Why are you stopping?" Akira asked. " I will join you later." Soujirou answered. " As you wish." Akira quipped, giving Soujirou's partner a helpless shrug as she reluctantly followed the duo out of the café. Soujirou looked around and his heart skipped a beat when he spotted a familiar figure standing outside the cashier counter.

…To be continued