Salty Coffee

Chapter 7 – Her Answer

In the moonlight, the piece of cement above Yuuki was white as bone, and the air was so still that the leaves behind the windowpane looked painted on the branches.

Impossible! Yuuki opened her eyes. Reluctantly, she removed her gaze from the familiar ceiling above her and threw a quick glance at her digital alarm clock that read 03:30 A.M.

 I just couldn't end this special night just by sleeping it away? Yuuki frowned, but there wasn't really anything she could do in such an unearthly timing of the night. Of course, the doors of several pubs in the city would be opened, always, but it wasn't exactly her cup of tea, nor it was Tsukushi's.

What is he doing now? Is he getting restless, like me too? Yuuki questioned herself, as she stretched her hand and reached for the mobile phone beside the alarm clock. She was tempted to call, but she didn't dare to.

What should I say to him? What would he think of me if I were to call him now? Yuuki was still not ready to expose herself to his curiosity, no, not yet. 

Is my magical journey about to begin? The magical journey into the secret garden of love…

Yuuki hated secrets, and hated keeping them as well. In the past, she would just pour everything out to Tsukushi, thus evolving those secrets into open secrets. Naively, Yuuki would convince herself that secrets are only, meant to be shared between best friends.  Yes, only to Tsukushi, her one and only best friend. A friend who protected her so well that she almost felt loved, like a little stalk of tender looking lily stuck in a pot within a green house.

The highlight bar in the screen stopped at the word 'JN', she couldn't key in his full name and that was the one and only secret she couldn't convert it into an open one.

*****

A few hours ago… 

Yuuki was unable to shake the feeling of depression that hung over her after Soujirou had left the dango shop. Why did he come here? How did he know where I am working? Definitely not from Tsukushi-chan… Those thoughts made Yuuki very miserable. She had never been so miserable and not to mention, confuse, before. She hated this feeling and wanted it to go away, perhaps now she finally understood how Tsukushi had felt when she realized that her relationship her dream guy, Hanazawa Rui had turned out to be an unfavorable one.

" Ah…the rain hasn't stop huh?" Yuri remarked when they were finally closing for the night, she was looking outside the window as though waiting for someone.

" Did you bring any umbrella?" Yuuki asked, " We can share if you want."

" Dai jo bu, my anata is coming to pick me up later." Yuri said, blushing a little.

" Ohhh…" Yuuki smiled envyingly, " So sweet."

" Speaking of the devil." Yuri quipped when she saw her boyfriend waving at her from the outside.

" Yuuki-chan…" Yuri called out, her eyes directed at those unarranged chairs,  " Don't mind?"  

" I will arrange those, Oyasumi!" Yuuki said, smiling reassuringly.

" Arigatou gozaimasu!" 

Yuuki watched Yuri leaving with her boyfriend before she heading to the diner section. Finally, Yuuki was able to end her hectic night, both physically and mentally. She glanced at her watch and it read 12 midnight but the rain was getting heavier, which soon came down in a solid sheet.

"Oyasumi nasai."

"Oyasumi…" The lady boss paused as something had caught her attention, " Eh…Yuuki-chan, is that person a friend of yours?" She asked as she pointed at a shadowy figure standing in the rain. Yuuki turned and was stunned by her discovery. 

"Nishikado-kun?" Yuuki hesitated. It would be easy to walk away and not get involved any further, but Yuuki was surprised at how pleased she was to see him, standing out in the raining, waiting for her, she presumed. She quickly opened her umbrella and headed towards his direction.

" Why are you standing in the rain?" Yuuki shyly asked but looking very concerned. Soujirou didn't say a word but Yuuki noticed his hand clutching the fabrics of his pants harder.

Young lovers nowadays…The lady boss shook her head and switched off the main power inside the dango shop before leaving the couple alone. The light around the duo dimmed dramatically, perhaps an advantage to the two blushing souls.

"Can we be friends?" Soujirou finally spoken, his voice was a hoarse mumble. Big tears came to glisten Yuuki's eyes and slide down her cheeks. Her first impulse was to put her arms around him and lavishes a million kisses on his face to make up for his waiting in the rain, but Yuuki just nodded her head,

" And friends, we shall be." Yuuki finally answered.

…To be continued