It was like Hifumi had intentionally set up Haru to take over the pawn piece, without any consequences.
Haru took it.
"Yes," Haru acknowledge Hifumi's statement about appearances. "I suppose I've gotten used to it, as well, I just...-"
But then Hifumi sideswiped her, using the cleared opening from the piece Haru had just moved to dive in and take away Haru's last Rook – and yet, still, no checkmate.
Haru laughed quietly, shaking her head with a smile.
Taking one of Hifumi's Knights, as if it were placed on a platter for her to take, Haru admitted with a wry grin, "I just seem to lose my guard around you."
Hifumi created another opening, taking Haru's last pawn but leaving her Queen wide open.
Hifumi then quietly quipped, "Perhaps the best defense around me is a good offense..."
Feeling Hifumi's intent stare against her pink cheeks, Haru tried to focus on the board.
Haru mumbled sheepishly, "I will...keep that in mind," before taking Hifumi's Queen with her last Knight.
As Haru picked up the Queen piece from the board, however, Hifumi's hand intersected her path. Their fingers slid across each other's wrists and palms as Hifumi slowly scooped her Queen piece away.
"Please do," Hifumi concluded. With a glint in her eyes, she smiled, collecting the pieces up and ending their game prematurely. "I won't leave myself so open next time..."
"O-Oh, I see," Haru sputtered, sifting her nails across her side-bangs as she watched Hifumi tidy up the game.
Taking one last gulp of her tea and finishing it up, Hifumi closed up the Shogi board – one she had donated to the café for public use – and set it upon the book shelf where it usually sat.
"I think I'm ready to venture out, if you are," Hifumi posed, referring to their designated date.
"Ah, r-right, yes," said Haru, popping up from the couch and suddenly fretting over her appearance.
Haru collected the teacup and saucer Hifumi had just used, noting a trace of black lipstick hanging on its edges.
"I can take care of that," said Hifumi, reaching out her hands.
"No, please, allow me," Haru insisted, taking the chance to seek a moment of reprieve from the startlingly tense encounter. She set the chinaware in the designated clean-up area of the counter, then took a moment to steady herself, calm her breathing, and put her shaking hands into her pockets.
Hifumi approached, having collected her coat to prepare for the rainy weather. Haru requested a moment to gather her own jacket, and advised Hifumi to meet her out front – she didn't want people to see Hifumi follow her into the back area, as that might be too conspicuous.
As Haru went through the motions, she found herself errantly checking her e-mail on her management computer in her office – a minute or so was spent glazing her eyes over without actually reading any text, only to remind herself that she had to leave. Her mind was swirling in a tizzy. She had not anticipated feeling this queasy or light-headed. Leaving her reliable workers to maintain the store as usual, Haru gathered her coat and umbrella and called up her driver to confirm that they were ready.
She had a text from Hifumi by the time she was done with this call.
[ Is everything all right? ]-
Haru replied,
-[ Oh, yes, of course. ]
-[ My apologies! I'm a bit scattered but our ride is on the way. ]
Haru felt foolish. Like some child giddy at being asked to a school dance or some such. It was embarrassing! She had never quite felt this way before. Certainly, some semblance of this flustered sensation had come about around Amamiya-San back in the day, but it had never quite struck her like this. She'd assumed this type of twitterpation was something she was simply immune to, so to be getting seized so fiercely by it was confusing, annoying, and yet...exciting.
Heading outside into the rain, but protected by the awning over the back door, Haru read a couple more messages she had received from the woman waiting just around the building.
[ If you changed your mind, I'd understand. ]-
[ I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. ]-
Haru smiled dumbly, shaking her head with amusement.
She answered.
-[ Not at all! ]
-[ I'm just more nervous than I thought. That's all. ]
-[ You've done nothing wrong. We're still on. ]
Seeing her driver pulling into the small back lot, Haru followed up,
-[ Our ride is here, please come around back. ]
Haru waved to her driver, approaching the car and waiting by a backseat door. As Hifumi emerged from the building's corner, carrying her own solid black umbrella, Haru wriggled her wrist inward, beckoning her guest. She opened the door, holding her umbrella aloft to allow Hifumi to close her own and enter un-drenched, and Haru felt her chest glow giddily as she circled round back, taking her own seat beside Hifumi's.
After settling themselves in, the driver checked, "Is our destination still Shinjuku?"
"Mm!" Haru hummed out with a confidant nod, hands knotted together in her lap.
Haru and Hifumi sat, side by side, faces forward, backs straight, tight-lipped. A few minutes passed. Their eyes met each other's now and then, but one glance would skirt away from the other upon contact. As they drove, enveloped in the heat of the car's ventilation system, the windows began to fog up against the cold condensation outside. As their driver took them onto a highway, Haru felt a gentle, adroit tap on her leg. Startled and suddenly self-aware of how warm her cheeks were, Haru's face spun to Hifumi.
The woman was leaning back into her seat, smirking calmly. But the window beside her had a symbol drawn into its condensation: { ;) }
Oh, my.
The pair contained their childish snickering, and Haru managed to draw with her fingertip a reply on her own window: { :o }
Hifumi let a small laugh drop in a hum, and Haru chuckled through her nose. They both streaked their palms across the windows, wiping the faux emojis away.
Tucking their hands neatly into their laps and keeping them there, they continued to ride in silence, admiring the rain-slick highway at dusk. Haru felt a sudden pang of bitterness at the situation. Was she doing the right thing, being so reserved like this? Surely, it would be inappropriate to initiate too much discourse or...anything else, for that matter, so soon into such an occasion, and in a car of all places, with potentially curious eyes nearby.
Yes, right, of course.
Reservation.
Patience.
It was strategic. Hifumi was playing the same game.
Neither of them wanted to 'win.'
So the 'game' would continue.
The combination of exhaustion and warmth mixed with the floaty sensation Haru felt when Hifumi's glance crossed over her. Haru felt herself doze off briefly, nudged awake by a soft but firm grip against her bicep. Blinking awake as her face burned up – she swore her cheeks would be like overdone dumplings by the time the evening was over – Haru noted they were pulling into a side road of Shinjuku near their appointed place.
"We've arrived," said their driver. "Would you like an escort to the bar?"
"I believe we'll be fine," Haru said, exchanging a look with Hifumi for confirmation. She received a nod. "I'll call you when we're ready."
"Understood, Madame."
"Well." Haru took up her umbrella, turning to Hifumi. "Shall we?"
"Let's," said Hifumi, chin up.
The duo excited Haru's vehicle, seeing him off. Side by side beneath their umbrellas, they walked across the water-logged streets of Shinjuku, passing by all manner of places and people. The neon lights of the district were being lit at this hour, and while many questionable things could be said of the Red Light District, Haru felt as comfortable as could be with Togo-San at her side. An uneventful but moody walk took all of a couple minutes before they arrived at their dive bar destination.
They entered the little door, tucked away in Shinjuku beneath a plain staircase and a giant pink sign. Passing into a moody, dimly lit hall of barstools, bottles, and neon, Haru felt her nauseating nervousness get stirred as a shot of delight was poured into it. The round-faced woman with the purple hair behind the counter gave Haru a beaming grin as they entered. She fidgeted with her kimono, leaned over the counter, and scoped out Hifumi, who appeared instantly out of her element. She could feel her face oozing flustered excitement when she saw Hifumi's eyes widen at the neon sign hung on the wall.
Depicting a heart, it read in English:
{ WELCOME }
{ LOVE }
"Ohhh~ Welcome, welcome!" Escargot-San bade them.
"Good evening, Lala-Chan!" Haru greeted with a bow.
She noticed that Ohya-San was perched at her usual seat, blearly eyed and wobbling as she lifted her head up from what appeared to be a nap. The drunk woman, dressed up in a hoodie and jeans, gave them a floppy wave before yawning and sucking down the last of her current drink.
"Helloooo, Haru-Chan~" sang Lulu, fluttering her long-nailed fingers their way. "I see you brought a friend with you for once!"
"Yes, yes." Haru nodded, lightly placing a presenting and on Hifumi's shoulder. "This is Hifumi."
"H-Hello," Hifumi greeted, bowing slightly lower than Haru had.
"Hifumi," said Haru, gesturing toward the barkeep, "this is Escargot-San."
"Please," the woman insisted, still leaning over the counter. "Call me Lala."
Hifumi, evidently surprised by the woman's deep voice and physique, nodding politely, her expression pale.
Hifumi murmured out, "Y-Yes, as you wish, Lala-San."
Ohya tore off her hood, which she had drawn up. It revealed that her ponytail was frayed at the tips and her makeup was streaking down her face. She looked, erh...-
"Arrrren'tchoo that...-" Ohya was wriggling her wrist at Hifumi. "-...Shhhhogi playrr?"
"Ichiko," Lala sighed scoldingly. "Don't bother the poor woman, can't you see she's here on...-" Lala winked wryly at Haru. "-...very important business?"
"Mmrrrhhhaeehhhh...-" Ohya's head slumped back into her elbows against the counter, her muffled moaning trailing off into a loud yawn.
"O-Oh, dear," Haru said, swapping wary looks with Hifumi. "Is-...Is Ohya-San unwell?"
"Always," Lala joked flatly, aligning her back upright and flicking a dismissive, sassy hand in the drunken journalist's direction. "You just missed Shiho," explained the barkeep, wiping up the counter around her grouchy regular. "The two of them got into it a bit, and Shiho left on a sour note, shall we say."
"Shiho?" Hifumi muttered quietly. She whispered over Haru's shoulder. "As in...Ann's...-?"
"Mm," Haru confirmed.
"Sheeeeehohhhh..." Ohya groaned quietly, slowly rolling her head left and right against her own arms.
[ Ohya-San seems to have had a bit of an...off week, shall we say, but up until that she appeared to be doing quite well! She's in charge of her own publication now – did you know? And she even hired Shiho-San to intern under her. They specialize in exposing criminal activity, especially abusive individuals like the ones we used to deal with. I guess you could say that Ann and Shiho have become a real power-duo when it comes to confronting that type of behavior. I think you'd be proud of what they've accomplished. I think it gives Ohya-San something productive to focus on, as well. Admittedly, she and I don't get along that well, personally, but I respect her dedication to her work. ]
"Apparently," Lala interjected, all-too-ready with the appropriate gossip, "Shiho's been following a lead on a student who has been getting some...unwanted attention from a police officer recently."
"That sounds...dangerous," Hifumi observed.
Lala's brows waggled knowingly, and she continued. "That's what Ohya said, but I guess Shiho is planning on doing some investigatory work on the man."
"Nnnnoooo..." Ohya whimpered, still face-planted on the counter. "Cann' jus'...urrrghhh..."
Arms crossed with a lamenting stare down at Ohya, Lala cited, "They got into a whole thing over it."
Haru and Hifumi were a little dumbstruck by this, but as their eyes slowly slid up toward one another's faces, Haru knew they were both thinking the same thing.
"I see," said Haru, still looking at Hifumi, who began to smirk. Turning her head to the barkeep, she grabbed a napkin from the counter, producing a pen from her jacket. "That does sound like a difficult situation..." She placed the items on the counter before Lala, who bent over, took the pen, and scribbled out some text.
"Whuhhifff she gess hurt?" Ohya grumbled into her sleeves. She slapped a palm against the booze-drizzled countertop. "Cannt keep pullnn her outta this shitt, ya know...?"
Primly placing the pen down beside the note she'd written, Lala patted Ohya on the head like a parent placating a sobbing toddler.
Lala cooed, "Shiho is a grown woman, Ohya-chan, we've gone over this."
Haru swiped the pen and napkin up, placing both inside her jacket pocket sneakily.
Haru said, keeping up their little 'act,' "And it's not as if she's alone, correct? She has people looking out for her, after all..."
Haru smiled pleasantly at Lala, who winked – Haru winked back. Ohya mumbled something whiny and incoherent.
Their understanding having been reached, Haru gestured toward the backroom, which offered some privacy with its gaudy curtains. Lala nodded, welcoming them to the room.
"Please, please don't concern yourself over this," Lala said, flicking her wrists at them to go and sit. "Take a load off, Haru-Chan. Hifumi-Chan. Let me know what I can get you."
Hifumi grabbed Haru's arm lightly, leaning in to ask what had just occurred, to which Haru lifted up a palm and nodded. It was her way of signaling that she'd explain shortly. Hifumi appeared to get the message and backed off.
"What would you like to drink?" Haru asked her.
Her gaze slipping off toward Ohya, then to Lala, and then back to Haru, Hifumi sucked in a deep breath through her nose, shrugging.
"I, um...-"
"Might we request a bottle of Sangiovese?" Haru decided. She glanced to Hifumi, bright-eyed, smiling at her bold 'move' during her 'turn.'
"That-..." Hifumi picked her jaw up and nodded, suddenly the bashful one. "Yes, that...sounds delightful."
"Coming up, then," said Lala. "Take a seat, I'll be with you momentarily." She disappeared into the back, and the pair were nearly alone, at last.
Standing behind the grumpy drunk at the counter for a moment of awkward, timid excitement, Haru and Hifumi fell silent. Haru snapped to her senses – she was the host in this situation, after all – and guided Hifumi into the back room, which had a padded booth they could share. She offered out her hand toward Hifumi, who was startled in place.
The two stood in a frozen slice of time, each eyeing the other, trying to read intentions and desires.
Hifumi accepted Haru's hand, and was courteously guided toward the table's edge, where she took a seat. Haru found her way around the other side. They removed their jackets, draping them over the booth's edge uncertainly, then sat with narrow-eyed smiles as they awaited their drinks.
A corner of the table separating them, their legs intersected directions. Haru's feet froze up when she realized this, and she mumbled an apology for having bumped heels.
But she felt a cold touch brush up against her shin – the fiber of Hifumi's stocking was smooth, but her skin was chilled from their walk in the rain. Haru's shoulder's flinched but her leg remained still, soaking in the contact like a sponge.
Hifumi's eyes closed for a few seconds as she grinned, laughing quietly through her nostrils.
As Lala's footsteps were heard, the two of them broke their childish gesturing and straightened their backs, raised their chins, and set their hands above the table.
Lala lingered by the entrance – the curtains had not yet been drawn – and studied the two with a sneaky look. She understood what this was, didn't she? Haru bashfully looked away when those prying eyes met her own as Lala set down a pair of wine glasses. Lala then popped open the wine bottle she'd retrieved, placing it squarely between the two.
"Would you two like anything to eat?" Lala checked.
"Ah, um...-" Haru turned to Hifumi, who shrugged, shaking her head slightly. "I think we're all right for now, but...we'll surely let you know should we build up an appetite."
Lala nodded pleasantly, smiling wide as she tucked her hands behind her back.
"Certainly," she said, stepping back and reaching for the curtains. "Please, ladies, enjoy quenching your thirst..." And she became a silhouette against the curtains, disappearing back to her counter.
Hifumi and Haru gaped at each other, cheeks lighting up.
"Is it that obvious?" Hifumi whispered in a panic, fussing with the collar on her vest.
"N-No, Lala is...just-...She is intuitive, with...-" Haru trailed off, reaching for the bottle. She rotated it in her hands, ensuring the label faced upward, and poured Hifumi's glass halfway before setting it down.
Hifumi stood up, taking her turn to return the motion.
"Perhaps you could...um, enlighten me...-?" Hifumi mumbled, her words slowing as the music in the bar increased in volume a bit. Lala-Chan giving them a thicker cloud of privacy, it seemed.
Hifumi accidentally poured Haru's glass all the way up.
"Augh, s-sorry, I didn't...-" She panicked a bit, setting the bottle down, spilling a few drops onto the wooden table.
"Oh, no-no, it's fine, I'm...eager enough to...-" Haru swiped a napkin from the dispenser at the table's edge, mopping up the mess
"I'm not-...It's not that I'd intend for you to get too intoxicated," Hifumi mumbled sternly. "I wouldn't-...I mean, that's...-" She was shaking her head in a jittery, disapproving manner over something Haru knew she hadn't even done on purpose.
"I do want that," Haru spurted, grabbing the bottle. She had to even out their glasses. Filling up Hifumi's side, she realized she hadn't clarified. "To-...To be intoxicated, I mean. Somewhat. That is, in as much as you...-" She gasped, realizing she'd failed to face the label up properly as she poured. "Sorry, I know better than...-"
"It's fine," Hifumi assured, her words pushed out a bit louder than expected. Clearing her throat, Hifumi's fingers cautiously wrapped themselves around the wine glass's neck. "Nothing to worry about," she said with a nervous nod.
Haru took up her glass, as well. The two stared at their own reflections in the red wine, then gawked at each other.
They both looked incredibly nervous, and self-aware of how awkward this had all become rather quickly.
"A name," Haru blurted.
"...Um...-?" Hifumi smiled in a perplexed, polite way.
"The napkin," Haru explained, keeping her voice even lower. Pointing at her chest, where-...O-Oh, my, she shouldn't...do that! Her, um, she-...Her pocket! She pulled the napkin out of her pocket and set it down on the counter. "It's the name of the, um...-" Haru tipped her head in the direction of Ohya.
Hifumi's nose drew in a steep breath as she leaned back slightly and nodded, her eyes bulging.
"This is where you've been getting your information," Hifumi realized.
"Yes, it-...It started out that way," Haru confessed. "But, well-...Being honest, I've actually come to trust Lala-Chan. She's...-" Haru's nailed drummed along her glass. "She's become a valued confidant, you could say. And a friend."
"I, erh, I could...see that," noted Hifumi, her thumbs rubbing up and down her wine glass' curve. "So, should we...arrange a plan of attack?"
Haru was caught off guard.
"...Oh? I, um-...I wasn't sure about-...I mean, I certainly do enjoy your company, I just didn't want to...presume-"
"Ah! N-No, no, I meant-...I was referring to the...-" Hifumi bobbed her head toward the napkin, then toward Ohya.
Haru's lips formed an 'o' before she nodded slowly.
"Right, y-yes, of course, that. Certainly, we can...-"
She noticed that Hifumi was winking at her. As soon as Haru caught this, Hifumi's face transformed into a toothy, squint-eyed grin, and they both giggled awkwardly.
Letting the moment calm back down, Hifumi tapped the sides of her thumbs against her glass. Haru squirmed her own hand around, cupping the glass' bowl and preparing to lift-
"That being said," said Hifumi, recollecting some kind of composure. Haru noticed how pink her cheeks were getting. "It...might be prudent to also strategize a plan regarding...-"
Hifumi's chin lowered, her eyes veiled by her bangs. She flicked a finger back and forth between herself and Haru, adorably too nervous to vocalize the words.
'...a plan regarding us.'
"...I see," Haru breathed out, the edges of her eyes watering up with a joyful rush of exhilaration. She realized they were both still gripping their wine glasses.
Neither taking a proper turn.
Neither wanting to 'win.'
[ The more I think on it, the more I realize that I shouldn't be surprised at how far Togo-San and I have come in our connection. She started as a regular customer, then became a casual friend, and these past few months we've even been collaborating together on private business matters. I don't mean to be guarded about it – what she's been helping me with is quite exciting, and I think you'll be glad to hear about it, it's just the kind of thing I'd prefer explaining in person. You understand. Regardless, she's a valuable source of advice, just as you said she was. ]
Haru paused, her eyes flashing with determination. She released her grip on her wine glass.
She wanted to make sure she did this with as clear a head as she could.
Haru walked around the table. She stood before Hifumi, who gawked up at her sheepishly. Haru presented her hand. Hifumi accepted it.
Haru knelt on one knee, lifting Hifumi's wrist to her face.
She planted a gentle kiss against Hifumi's knuckles.
Hifumi burst out an aghast laugh, which scared Haru at first, but then instilled relief a second later when she saw the star-eyed look on Hifumi's face. Writhing her fingers inbetween Haru's, Hifumi slid out from the booth, standing up. She stood close. Their eyes were inches apart. Haru could feel the warmth of Hifumi's breath against her own lips.
Hifumi rubbed the side of Haru's palm with her thumb, carefully lifting up her opposing hand to Haru's shoulder.
"Is it...my turn?" Hifumi teased in a whisper. Her eyes wandered down toward Haru's lips.
Haru laughed weakly, her cheeks locked into a smile she couldn't contain. She nodded, looking away out of embarrassment. When she managed the courage to look back, Hifumi's expression was glazed with a collected eagerness. Their eyes reconnected, and Hifumi leaned her face in.
Haru closed her eyes, accepting Hifumi's kiss.
It was a rejuvenating sensation. Warm and cold at once, exciting and nerve-wracking, deliberate and unpredictable.
It lasted only a couple seconds, but it certainly set a tone.
Haru stared at her for a moment, placing her hands against Hifumi's hips while hers lingered across Haru's shoulders.
"Checkmate?" Haru whispered cheekily.
"No," Hifumi said wryly. "That would imply someone lost."
Haru laughed quietly, shaking her head as she struggled to contain her glee.
"I suppose the 'game' is over, then," Haru mused, pulling Hifumi in for a hug.
Hifumi sighed pleasantly into Haru's neck.
"Perhaps," she acknowledged. "Or maybe the rules have simply changed..."