"Suguru-kun…" Aki said staring into his eyes. Fujisaki blushed at the informal title she used. "You've been my best friend since I've some to Japan, you really have… and even though Aurora—uhm… Aaron has come back, our relationship will always be… special." Fujisaki looked like he was about to say something but a waiter came up interrupting the conversation. "May I help you two?"
"Yes, I'd like to have a Turkey Club sandwich, with all the toppings on the side please." Aki said practically drooling over starvation.
"That sounds good, I'll have the same, with everything on it." Fujisaki agreed. They both waited awkwardly when the waitress left to fill their orders, not sure how or whether they should continue the old conversation.
"So, it's sad about Ayaka." Fujisaki said unconsciously. Aki half-scowled. "Yeah, hope she feels better." She said simply.
"Don't tell me you still hold a grudge against her." Suguru said raising a brow.
"I can't help it... Hiro was a big part of my life, I can't just let him go." She said. Suguru looked down. "Wait!" Aki said. She clasped a hand over her mouth. "That's not what I meant." Aki said regretfully.
"No, I understand." Fujisaki said. "You still like him, it's fine."
"No! It's not like that!" Aki said pleading him.
"Listen, why do I care, it's not like we're going out or anything." Fujisaki said calmly, masking his hurt. He got up and walked away.
Aki felt tears form in her eyes. She didn't feel like eating anymore.
Around the corner, the waitress snapped a picture of the arguing couple. "That's right, my Suguru, don't take that bitch's lies."
Aaron reached K's apartment and walked in the opened door. K had gone in ahead of her. He was now setting up a futon in the living room. Aaron walked up to her bags and brought out her bass guitar, which she began tuning. When she was done she started practicing with songs from the Jazz Band back in America. She looked up to see K now watching her.
"You're getting pretty good," He said gruffly.
"Thanks." Aaron said.
K lit up a cigarette and started smoking. Aaron winced of smoke hit her eyes but quickly blinked it out. "So what's for dinner?" She asked, breaking silence. Her uncle wasn't really the conversationalist.
"Well, I'm not the best cook in the world." K said, cigarette bobbing in mouth, "But since you aren't aquatinted with Japan's 'cuisine' you probably wouldn't like to eat out, right?"
"I'm willing to try anything new…" Aaron said. K nodded. Nothing else was said. "Maybe I'll call Aki, she can take me out for dinner." Aaron said finally.
Rushing to the phone in K's kitchen, Aaron called Aki's cell. It rang four times before someone picked up. "Hello?" Aki said with a shaky voice.
"Aki? What's wrong?" Aaron asked. "You sound awful."
"It's nothing… me and Fujisaki just got in a fight."
"Where are you?"
"Uhm… Anna's Café,"
"Where is that?"
"About ½ a mile from the studio, but Aurora, don't make a fuss over--" The line went blank before she could finish. "---me." Aki whispered.
"Where you going?" K asked.
"To meet Aki, she got in a fight with her boyfriend." Aaron said walking out of the house, "How can I get to Anna's Café?"
"Anna's Café? Yeah that's three blocks away from here, on Omori Street." K answered, flipping on the TV.
"Okay, see-ya Uncle K." Aaron said bursting through the door.
"Teenage love." K puffed rolling his eyes.
Aki felt pretty lonely in the café, but she knew she couldn't leave if Aurora was coming. Finally she saw Aaron fun through the doors, she looked around until she spotted Aki and quickly sat down. "What happened?"
"Well… you remember how I used to like Nakano-kun, right?" Aki asked.
"Of course."
"Well, I kind of said something, and it sounded like I still had feelings for him." Aaron was silent. "So Fujisaki left, he was pretty mad."
"What did you say?" Aaron asked quietly.
"Something like… 'Hiro's a big part of my life, I can't just let him go.'" Aki said burying her head in her arms.
"How could you say something like that to your boyfriend! Aki…" Aaron shook her head.
"Boyfriend? What are you talking about! Fujisaki and me… we aren't… te-together…"
"What?" Aaron said tilting her head.
"He's just a real good friend."
"Aki, don't lie to me, if you weren't 'together' he wouldn't have a reason to get mad. I saw the way you guys look at each other," Aaron said. Aki looked up blushing a bit. "So what…" She turned her head the other way. "Maybe I like him,"
"Well, if you like him, he definitely likes you back." Aaron eyed the sandwich in front of her and drooled. "Are you going to eat that?"
"No, go ahead." Aki said. Aaron gobbled up the sandwich. "Well… we both know we like each other… we might of even told each other, but we just never really… got together officially."
"What's holding you back?" Aaron asked, mouthful of food.
"I don't know."
"Is it Nakano-san?" Aaron asked.
"What!" Aki asked, "No! Of course not, I'm way over him."
"Over him enough to move to America for three years?" Aaron asked flatly.
"Well… maybe then but, there's definitely nothing there now."
"Uh-huh, and you didn't smirk when you heard the news about his girlfriend."
"What—how did you know? Did you see?" Aki asked slamming her hands on the table.
"I saw, the way Hiroshi left afterwards definitely meant he was head over heels for that girl." Aaron took a bite out of the unfinished half of the sandwich. "You should resolve your differences between you and this 'Ayaka' girl." Aaron finished her mouth full.
"You know that's really rude." Aki insulted. Aaron looked surprised, then swallowed and laughed. "Sorry, It's a habit." There was an unsettling silence. "You know what, tomorrow I'm going to talk to 'Nakano-san,'" Aaron said, putting disgust into the required title. "Maybe I can settle out this problem. Because what I'm hearing, it sounds like you aren't quite over him."
As soon as she heard that shook her head violently. "No way!" Aki nearly yelled. "Listen, I appreciate you trying to help but I think this is something I should handle on my own."
"Oh, okay." Aaron answered, slightly disappointed. She finished the sandwich and started to leave with Aki. "Your lucky no one noticed you Aki," Aaron said suddenly. "Some nasty rumors might've came up."
"Oops, I should've worn a disguise." Aki sighed smacking her head lightly.
"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, I better get home before my sunlight runs out." Aaron said.
"Need any help?" Aki offered.
"Nah." Aaron started walking. "I'll be fine."
Aki meekly stared at her friend walking off. "Suit yourself…" She whispered unsure.
"Oh, shit, where am I?" Aaron squeaked to the ground. She thought she had taken the same way back, but she ended up right back to where she started. So she tried a different direction, she walked for what seemed a mile, but nothing. She wished she could ask someone but it was dark out, only the partygoers and hobos were around, of which neither seemed trustworthy.
A while later Aaron could barely keep her eyes open, and since most people wouldn't like to fall asleep in an unfamiliar place full of hobos, Aaron decided to get herself some coffee in the closest place possible—which happened to be a nightclub.
As Aaron sat down at the table she ordered a coffee and after a somewhat suspicious eye of the bartender she received it. As she looked to the other side of the bar and nearly spit out all the coffee in her mouth. She ended up swallowing it harshly and drew everyone's attention by yelling interesting words in English that a few people knew. Those that did stared at her appalled, while the others just stared. Aaron laughed nervously and smiled… "Hot…." She whispered to the crowd. The crowd shrugged and dissipated. Suddenly, Aaron noticed a familiar face on the other side of the bar. "Hey! Your Nakano-san!" Aaron half-yelled. She silenced herself when she remembered he was a big star/heart throb among girls. Apparently, no one seemed to notice because the music was too loud. "Oh, right, you're… was it Aaron?" Hiroshi asked.
"Yeah," Aaron smiled, she walked over to the other side of the bar to sit next to Hiro when all of a sudden she noticed his eyes were red. Aaron gasped slightly. "Omigawd… Hiroshi! Is something wrong?" Aaron racked her brain for an answer and remembered about his girlfriend. "Is it about that Ayaka girl?"
Hiro didn't answer. Aaron quieted down. "Is she dead?" She asked almost silent. Hiro held his head in his hands, apparently Aaron hit the nail on its head. "Oh!" Aaron hugged Hiro, which is what they did in America to calm a crying person, though in Japan, this seemed a bit odd. However, in Hiro's current condition he wasn't angry, he hugged Aaron back and tried as hard as he could not to cry. "Let's get you out of here." Aaron said dragging Hiroshi out of the bar.
She dragged him underneath a spotlight in a somewhat private area. "Tell me what happened," Aaron soothed.
Hiro wasn't usually like this, there was no way he could simply speak to a stranger, but in this case he had no choice. "She was crushed." Hiro said finally, "Her skull was smashed."
"Did she suffer?" Aaron asked sadly.
"No, she died on the spot, she was too weak to hold on much longer." He answered.
"That's good to hear…" Aaron replied, "Not that it's good to hear that she's dead or anything…" Aaron quickly added. "Maybe you should head home."
"I don't want to be alone," Hiro said.
"I'll walk you there." Aaron replied. "I'll stay with you tonight." Hiroshi looked a bit surprised about how forward she was, but the kindness and sympathy reflected in her eyes reassured him. "Okay." He replied, Let's get going."