Salty Coffee

Chapter 6 – A Salty Beginning

" Look." Rui flashed out the ticket that he was holding on to, while Tsukushi just stared at him, uncomprehending. " Nani?" Tsukushi muttered, as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eyes while the rest glanced at her in simulated amusement. " I am going to Paris…." Rui said, flinching a little with inner embarrassment.

" Go boy! Go get your lady." Soujirou carelessly remarked, giving Rui a fist-nudge on his chest, much to everyone's surprise. A brief, somewhat uneasy silent followed as they openly stared at each other, ignoring Soujirou's flushed expression. " What?"  Soujirou asked, his hand carelessly running through his hair, he knew he had just made a very un-Soujirou remark and was trying his best to fake his way out of this sticky situation.

" You are been acting really funny lately, especially after that night…" Akira's speculations stumbled to a halt when he noticed Soujirou's eyes growing wide. Oh great. Akira let out a soft sigh and threw his arms up, admitting defeat, because he knew exactly what those glares meant, no further words were needed.

With Tsukushi's intrusion and Rui leaving Japan, the F4 would no longer be the same as before. He dread to think what will happen if Soujirou decided to ignore him after Tsukushi has found out about Soujirou's current 'interest'. Akira certainly would not adore the idea of being the only F4 member loitering around Eitoku high for the rest of the years.

" Err…nothing, perhaps I am just being oversensitive. That's all." Akira solemnly concluded. Somewhat relieved that Akira's conclusion managed to convince the rest and brought their attention back to Rui, Soujirou slowly retreated uneasily back behind Tsukasa, his thoughts wandered off to that night, the night after he had a taste of his first cup of salty coffee.

~*~*~*~

" Are you sure?" Yuuki asked, sneaking a look at Soujirou. " Yeah. What a strange habit eh?" Soujirou mumbled and had an uneasy smile pinned on his face. " Arrhhh…I will be right back, with your salt." Yuuki silently withdrew, to return a moment later with a saltshaker. " Here's your salt."

" Arigatou." Soujirou thanked Yuuki as he took the bottle from Yuuki and shook a little salt into his cup.  "Enjoy." Yuuki said, puzzled, as she retreated back to her working area, leaving Soujirou alone with his salt-added coffee.

For the rest of the night, Yuuki noticed many girls approaching Soujirou's table and all they did was chat. There was no sign of flirtatious behaviours coming from him, just simple and polite chats. If Tsukushi hadn't updated her with his raving histories with women, if that night happened to be their first meeting, Yuuki might have been easily taken in by Soujirou's portrayal of a gentleman.

He is a playboy, not those ordinary ones, but an expert one. I don't want you to get hurt.

Those words washed over Yuuki like white-hot lava, burning her, scalding her, until her body felt as though it was on fire. Yuuki had never been in love before and no doubt, Yuuki had fallen shyly in love with Soujirou at first sight. However, it seemed that naughty cupid was planning to give her a difficult lover to begin with.

I have to stop thinking about this guy. He is starting to confuse me. Yuuki reminded herself, currently, what she needed most was a shiny armour shield, a shield to prevent her fragile heart from getting shattered into thousand pieces. "Ehh…" Yuuki's thought was disrupted, "Yuuki-chan, table 4, one cup of red tea." Yuri informed Yuuki. "Hai. Right away." Yuuki nodded, trying hard to cast those worries aside, at least until the night of work ended. He's gone? Yuuki was a little disappointed to see table, formerly occupied by Nishikado Soujirou, now empty.

~*~*~*~

Later that night, it rained again, hard and longer during this time. Soujirou stood outside the dango shop, staring inside through the downpour, his clothes completely waterlogged and getting worst by minute. He was not able to get to Yuuki after she had brought him his order. Then, he found himself numbly exchanging polite conversations with one, two, perhaps countless unfamiliar faces as time went back.  

" Is this salt?" One lady who was trying to strike up a conversation with Soujirou, asked.

" Yeah." Soujirou nodded.

" What is it for? They don't serve savories here. By the way, I know this café that serves the best chicken pie…"

" Its for my latté." Soujirou said, pouring some more salt into his already lukewarm latté before stirring. Soujirou didn't know why he played along, but he did anyway. " Huh?"  The lady stared at Soujirou, utterly bemused by his unusual taste.

" Perhaps you should try it next time." Soujirou suggested after finishing the whole cup in a gulp. " I am sorry, I need to take my leave now." Soujirou politely informed the lady before getting up. He decided to wait outside; he was tired of smiling, entertaining or even talking.

He stared at the light inside the dango shop, waiting for Yuuki to finish her last chores of the night. Soujirou suddenly felt lost and frightened of what he was planning to do next and yet, there was an excitement within him, the exhilaration on a new life. His mobile phone vibrated inside his pocket.

" Hey, why aren't you here yet?"

" I am now outside the dango shop."

" Dango shop?"

" Akira…"

" Huh?"

" …"

" Jirou, speak out!"

" I am going to do something that would make you go 'wow'."

" Huh? Elaborate please."

" That all you need to know right now. Bye." Soujirou ended the conversation and switched off the phone as well. Now, Soujirou stood there, watching Yuuki standing outside the shop. For the better or worse, I am not running away anymore. There was finality in his thought. He took his first step.

~*~*~*~

" Jirou." Soujirou shuddered when he heard someone calling and coughed to clear his throat. "Huh?" Once again, his cheeks red with embarrassment when he noticed everyone was starring at him. " Rui is going in." Akira took the liberty to inform his dazed buddy. " Oh…bon voyage." Soujirou was quick to react this time and gave Rui a goodbye hug.

" Jirou." Rui whispered.

" Yes?" Jirou answered back.

" Remember that day?" Rui asked, " The day when you came to look for me at the emergency exit?" Soujirou nodded as he glanced down at his feet in dismay. "I hope you have not given up yet eh." Rui muttered softly. Soujirou looked up, stood there for a moment, smiled. " Yeah…" Soujirou quipped. During that precise moment, an enthusiastic burst of applause sounded and Soujirou was the only one who could hear it.

…To be continued